Marine TOW Gunner Survives Iraq But Can’t Escape Scars of War
Marine Corps boot camp, combat in Haditha, Iraq, and the chaos, comedy, and cost of it all.Austin Hancock’s story is wild, hilarious, and at times heavy — this episode dives into all of it.We start today's episode of Urban Valor with boot camp madness: grown men in whitey-tighties doing squats, drill instructors weaponizing humor like it’s their MOS, and the kind of military hazing that only makes sense once you’ve been there.But underneath the laughs? IED-ridden convoys, combat stress, and the mental weight that doesn’t go away once the uniform does. Austin gets real about what it's like to go from the gunner's seat in Iraq to trying to figure out life back home — and how brotherhood, dark humor, and a lot of inner work helped him through.👍 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 – Boot camp stories & drill instructor comedy 5:00 – Life as a Marine tail gunner (MOS 0352) 20:00 – Convoy missions in Iraq & dealing with IED threats 30:00 – Brotherhood, fights, and coping with combat stress 40:00 – Coming home & the struggle of reintegration #military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #warstories
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New Infantry Soldier Thrown Straight into the Kill Zone
Army Infantryman Will Jones didn’t get a slow start to his military career.He got thrown into the fire—checking into his first unit mid-deployment… in Baghdad.No stateside prep. No easing in.Just boots on ground, rifle in hand, and mortar fire exploding around him.In this Urban Valor interview, Will shares what it’s like to be a brand new 11B Infantry soldier landing in a war zone without any time to train. His story is one of chaos, trauma, brotherhood, and survival. From Baghdad to Hurricane Katrina relief to a second 15-month deployment in Iraq, this episode is stacked with combat stories, dark military humor, and brutally honest truths about PTSD, reintegration, and what it takes to keep going.If you’re looking for real veteran stories, Iraq war combat footage-style details, and first-hand experience from an infantry soldier in the kill zone, you’re in the right place.👍 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 – Thrown into Baghdad: Will's First Day01:20 – Life Before Enlisting: Starbucks & 9/1104:47 – Enlisting as Infantry (11B)07:38 – Checking Into Baghdad Mid-Deployment12:26 – First Firefight Experience18:02 – Learning Through Chaos: No Time to Train22:45 – Humor Amid War27:13 – Hurricane Katrina Relief Deployment33:57 – Back to Iraq: Second 15-Month Tour40:18 – Combat, Brotherhood & Daily Threats46:05 – PTSD, Reflection, and Healing53:41 – Advice to Young Veterans57:32 – Urban Valor Mission#military #warstories #urbanvalor #usarmy #warstories
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After Sending 300 Fallen Soldiers Home - This Airman Finally Broke
Air Force veteran Travis MossBarger was tasked with something most of us can’t even imagine — sending over 300 fallen soldiers home. In this Urban Valor episode, Travis opens up for the first time about the silent, invisible duty that haunted him every single day of his six years in service.He didn’t pull a trigger — he processed the aftermath.He didn’t storm a battlefield — he read the death certificates of those who did.And he didn’t run from RPG fire — he lit a cigarette and walked calmly to the bunker, knowing if it hit, there was nowhere to go.This is the side of war few talk about.The trauma of handling flag-draped caskets.The emotional cost of staying silent.The guilt of sending soldiers out, and the pain of bringing them home… not the way he hoped to.Travis shares the breaking point, the buried emotions, the PTSD, and how he eventually found healing through service again — not in uniform, but in community.👍 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: Meet Travis MossBarger0:40 - First Combat Experience in Afghanistan2:00 - Why He Joined the Air Force5:30 - Grandfather’s Influence & Choosing the Military8:00 - Basic Training: The Harsh Reality11:00 - Life as a “Latrine Queen” & Leadership Lessons16:00 - Getting Assigned to Travis AFB18:00 - Deployment Games & New Airman Initiations21:30 - Deployment to Kuwait & Saving the 101st 3 Months25:00 - First Combat Encounter in Afghanistan28:00 - Fallen Comrade Ceremonies31:00 - Haunting MedEvac Aircraft Stories33:00 - Reading Death Certificates for the Fallen36:00 - The Emotional Toll of Repetition41:00 - Sending Soldiers Out, Bringing Them Back45:00 - The Decision to Get Out50:00 - The Final Deployment & Lying to Mental Health53:00 - Coming Home: From Silence to Celebration56:00 - Post-Military Struggles & Moving Home58:00 - Recovery Begins: Vet Center & New Life1:00:00 - Founding a Veteran-Friendly Company1:02:00 - Final Message to Veterans: Seek Help#military #warstories #urbanvalor #airforce #warstories
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Navy Corpsman Survives IED Blast Then Runs Towards Suspected Bomber
What do you do when your Humvee gets rocked by an IED blast… and a suspicious car creeps toward you through the dust? Most people freeze. Navy Corpsman Noi Dumpit didn't. He confronted the driver — thinking it could be his last moment — and somehow chose not to pull the trigger.In this episode of Urban Valor, Noi relives the chaos of Fallujah, where life and death blurred by the second. He breaks down the day his Humvee was launched into the air by a vehicle-borne IED, and the surreal moment that followed when he faced a possible suicide bomber.But the IED blast was only one chapter. Noi also opens up about his post-deployment struggles, the moral confusion of letting terrorists through checkpoints, and how martial arts eventually became his path to healing. From battlefield trauma to rebuilding a business back home, this story is raw, real, and unforgettable.👍 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 – IED Blast Hits Humvee in Fallujah00:49 – Struggling With Life After Service01:33 – Grandfather's Heroic WWII Legacy07:54 – Entering the Navy Corpsman Pipeline13:10 – Tense Calls and Close Calls in Iraq23:37 – Encountering Civilians in a Warzone31:27 – Tribal Tensions and Healing the Wounded37:01 – Confronting a Suspected Bomber45:00 – Training Iraqi Forces Under Fire50:07 – The Moral Conflict at Checkpoints57:39 – The Mental War After the War1:08:22 – Finding Healing Through Martial Arts1:20:53 – PTSD Therapy and Unfinished Memories1:26:04 – Rebuilding a Life After Chaos#military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #warstories
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Marine Survives Suicide Bomber That Killed 13 at Abbey Gate
On August 26, 2021, during the chaotic evacuation of Afghanistan, Marine veteran Christian Sanchez stood at Abbey Gate when a suicide bomber detonated his device—killing 13 U.S. service members and hundreds of Afghan civilians.Thrown to the ground, barely conscious, Christian opened his eyes to pure chaos. Then came the gunfire—a Taliban fighter firing from a rooftop. Despite being injured, Christian engaged in the firefight, neutralized the shooter, and was later shot himself.In this Urban Valor interview, Christian details the blast, the adrenaline-fueled battle, and the scars that never fade. You’ll hear the raw details: catching babies thrown over barbed wire, standing face-to-face with Taliban fighters, and the agonizing aftermath that changed his life forever.This is one of the most gripping episodes of Urban Valor has ever aired.📌 If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available:☎️ Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1☎️ Military OneSource: 1-800-342-9647👍 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 Bomb detonates at Abbey Gate02:14 Meet Marine Christian Sanchez08:40 Riot control with zero training10:25 Catching babies thrown over barbed wire16:20 Standoff with Taliban fighters20:40 Executions outside the barrier32:30 Intel warns of a suicide bomber40:12 The explosion hits45:00 Gunfire erupts—Taliban on the rooftop50:20 Dragging wounded Marines under fire57:50 CCP chaos & triage1:08:20 Hospital scene & triple ketamine trip1:13:50 Calling families & aftermath#military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #warstories
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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