U.S. Airman’s World Changed Forever After One Call
From a young immigrant kid running barefoot in Mexico to serving as a U.S. Air Force veteran in Iraq — this is the incredible untold story of Hector Cabrera.In this Urban Valor episode, Hector opens up about growing up with a single mother, losing his father, facing cultural identity struggles, and ultimately finding his calling in the U.S. military. His journey takes us through childhood adversity, immigrant resilience, boot camp discipline, and combat deployments in Iraq — where survival was never guaranteed.This is more than just a veteran story. It’s about family, grit, sacrifice, and finding purpose after trauma. Hector shares raw, unfiltered moments — from his first days in America learning English with a Roberto Clemente book, to working the register at his uncle’s taco shop when armed robbers walked in, to the night mortars rained down on his base in Kirkuk, Iraq.For veterans, immigrants, or anyone searching for meaning through hardship — Hector’s story is proof that how you do anything is how you do everything.YouTube Chapters:00:00 – Life-changing moment in the field01:28 – Hector’s childhood in Mexico03:08 – Growing up as an immigrant in America06:25 – Losing his father & family struggles07:17 – Learning English and adapting10:20 – Hard lessons from his mother11:18 – Working at Roberto’s Taco Shop (and being robbed at 14)13:08 – First exposure to the military16:30 – September 11th and the call to serve19:04 – Enlisting in the U.S. Air Force22:01 – Boot camp experiences24:42 – Culture shock & military discipline29:04 – Defending missions downrange31:03 – Deployments in Iraq & FOB life36:35 – Mortar attacks and survival routines38:10 – Reflections on resilience and mindset#military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #warstories #immigrantstruggles #immigrants
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1:43:52
Army Chaplain EXPOSES The Hidden Trauma Soldiers Carry
Army Chaplain Nimrod Alcala opens up about the hidden war that no one talks about—what it’s like carrying the emotional trauma of soldiers... until it breaks you.In this Urban Valor episode, Nimrod reveals the unbearable emotional toll of his service—not on the battlefield, but behind closed doors. As a U.S. Army Chaplain, he became the safe place for soldiers fighting silent battles—suicidal thoughts, trauma, PTSD, and moral injury. But what happens when the helper needs help?From getting fired at Walmart to facing false embezzlement charges, Nimrod’s journey to the Army was anything but typical. But a deeper calling led him to chaplaincy, where he became the last line of emotional defense for soldiers on the brink.This is a story of loss, burnout, purpose, and redemption.If you’ve ever wondered what truly happens inside the mind of a military chaplain—or what it's like to lead a memorial service for someone you couldn’t save—this is the video you need to watch.🙏 Like, comment, and share with someone who needs to hear this.Video Chapters: 00:00 – The Hidden Pain of a Chaplain01:05 – Fired, Lost & Recruited: Nimrod’s Unexpected Start06:30 – Saying Goodbye to Family for Basic Training10:00 – How Faith Sparked a New Calling13:00 – Returning Home a Different Man16:30 – A False Arrest That Nearly Ruined Everything20:00 – Becoming a Chaplain: The Road Less Traveled23:00 – First Counseling: A Triggering SHARP Confession28:00 – When Burnout Breaks You32:00 – Inside a Military Suicide Memorial37:00 – The Murder That Shattered a Unit39:00 – Losing a Friend You Could Have Helped45:00 – The Cost of Trying to Save Everyone50:00 – Therapy, Stigma, and the Fight to Keep Going57:00 – Rebuilding Marriage and Fatherhood1:02:00 – Finding Mentorship in Korea1:10:00 – Hospital Chaplaincy & Civilian Trauma1:13:00 – Final Words to Veterans and Soldiers in Pain#military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #warstories #elchapo #federalcorruption
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Navy Veteran/U.S. Marshal Risks Everything Exposing Federal Corruption
PTSD. Whistleblowing. Betrayal by your own agency.Robert Ledogar lived it.A 32-year career — Navy vet turned U.S. Marshal — shattered when he chose integrity over silence. From chasing fugitives in New York to working the El Chapo and MS-13 cases, Lugar served at the highest levels… until the U.S. Marshals turned on him for protecting a fellow Deputy.In episode of the Urban Valor podcast, Robert breaks his silence on:- Corruption inside the U.S. Marshal Service- The cost of loyalty in federal law enforcement- PTSD after 3 decades in uniform- What really happened during his whistleblower battle- How storytelling helped him begin to healWe go deep — from his wild CID cases in the Navy to the emotional weight of being cast aside by the agency he bled for. This isn’t polished. It’s real. And it’s one of the most powerful episodes we’ve ever released.If you care about true crime, government accountability, or raw stories of resilience and justice, don’t skip this one.👇 Hit the comments — this one deserves to be heard.👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation.🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well!✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday!Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.Video Chapters: 0:00 Intro – Life-or-death raid and near-fatal shooting10:00 Inside military investigations during Desert Storm25:00 Becoming a U.S. Marshal34:00 Major fugitive arrests & working high-profile task forces55:00 Involvement in Brooklyn shootout with Oswald Lewis1:13:00 Exposing harassment and misconduct in the task force1:30:00 Internal Affairs retaliation and false allegations1:45:00 Final showdown – how Bobby was fired 70 days before retirement1:59:00 Mental toll, PTSD, and the fight for justice#military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #warstories #elchapo #federalcorruption
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Marine Remembers Blast That Left His Friend Dismembered
This week on Urban Valor, we sat down with Marine veteran Ernesto Menjivar. A man who watched his brother lose both legs to an IED right in front of him. Ernesto was 19 years old when he first hit the ground in Afghanistan, assigned to one of the most IED-infested regions in Helmand Province. The firefights came fast. The first one he was ever in, RPGs were flying over his head, and the next minute they were sweeping for pressure plates in the dirt, praying one of them wouldn’t go off.But then it did.His brother, Langston White, stepped on an IED while on patrol, and Ernesto was just feet away. The way he describes that moment — the sound, the dust, the blood, the moment they locked eyes — it’ll sit with you. Langston survived but lost both legs. And that was just one chapter of what became a brutal deployment. Ernesto talks about the emotional toll of trying to stay mission-ready after something like that, the Marines he lost during Operation Deuces Wild, and how that experience changed him forever.Now years removed from combat, he opens up about the PTSD, the dreams, the random moments where he sees civilians missing limbs and flashes back to war. But he also shares what’s helped him — therapy, music, painting, his faith — and how he’s still working through it. This isn’t a sanitized version of war. It’s the real cost. The kind of story that shows what combat veterans carry with them long after the fighting stops.👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation.🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well!✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday!Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.Video Chapters: 00:00 - Intro: War Outside - War Inside01:07 Recruitment & Bootcamp08:31 Deployment & Military Life40:11 Beyond the Battlefield49:23 Share Your Story#military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #warstories
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Green Beret Faces Worst Nightmare After Surviving Hell in Afghanistan
Green Beret Terry Wilson faced daily ambushes, IEDs, RPG attacks, and brutal firefights while deployed in Afghanistan’s deadly Helmand Province. But even after surviving the horrors of war, nothing could prepare him for the tragedy that struck back home—the heartbreaking loss of his son.This week on Urban Valor, we sit down with retired U.S. Army Green Beret Terry Wilson for one of the most emotional episodes yet. From clearing Sangin in chaotic "Wild West" gunfights to surviving recoilless rifle strikes and relentless combat, Terry shares what it truly means to be in a “troops in contact” situation—and how seconds can mean life or death.But beyond the battlefield, Terry opens up about grief, resilience, and the pain of losing a child while carrying the mental scars of war. This story is not just about combat—it’s about surviving when the war ends, the uniform comes off, and the real battles begin.👉 If you've ever felt broken, lost, or hopeless… Tom’s journey will show you that it’s possible to rebuild. Stronger. Louder. Unstoppable.🪖 Watch to hear Richard’s brutally honest account of Army life, combat in Iraq, and the battles he still faces today.👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation.🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well!✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday!Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.Video Chapters: 00:00 - Intro: The Two Wars Every Soldier Fights01:30 - First Deployment: The Wild West in Helmand03:50 - Initial Troops in Contact: Real Combat Begins06:10 - Combat Survival Skills & Training Kicks In09:00 - Emotional Toll of IEDs and Recoilless Rifles14:20 - First Losses: The Cost of War Hits Home20:00 - Life Before the Army: Rough Upbringing24:40 - Why He Joined the Military28:30 - Journey to Become a Green Beret33:00 - The Hardest Deployment36:30 - Losing His Team Sergeant: Mitch Young43:00 - Becoming a Team Leader & Leadership Lessons47:30 - Tragedy Strikes: Losing His Son52:00 - Rock Bottom & Rebuilding Through Faith56:00 - Coaching Veterans Through Life After Combat58:00 - Final Words & Where to Find Him#military #warstories #urbanvalor #usarmy #warstories #greenberet
Welcome to Urban Valor, where we hear the stories of our veteran heroes in their own words. Within these vet interviews, you'll hear everything from combat stories, life stories pre/post military, military transition, and everything in between. Our interviews aren't just war stories or combat veteran interviews, but interviews from any military veteran willing to share. Our mission is to educate the masses with what military veterans go through while serving their country and how life has been since their military transition back to civilian life. Join our cause, online community, and show your support for Urban Valor at https://urbanvalor.com
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