A Marine's Journey: From Combat to Connection

The Rollercoaster Ride of Transition

The Importance of Marine Corps Brotherhood

Building an Association for Lifelong Support

Honoring Gold Star Families and Fallen

The Gunny Boar Award: A Legacy Lives On

Connecting with the One Five Association

Upcoming Events and Contact Information

Ryan Ackerman did three combat tours with 1st Battalion 5th Marines, the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the first push into Fallujah in 2004, and a return to Ramadi. Then he came home.

"It was a roller coaster ride without a seatbelt."

In this conversation, Ryan tells Jeremy Stalnecker, his brother from the same battalion, what it took to come back from absolute rock bottom. The lying to himself. The running. The career on paper that was hiding everything underneath.

And the moment he finally stopped.

This is a conversation about what every man avoids until he can't anymore: the truth about who he is when the uniform comes off, the title fades, or the season of life ends. And why the only way back is through.

LEARN MORE
First Battalion 5th Marines Association: www.firstbattalionfifthmarinesassociation.org 

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Ryan Ackerman did three combat tours with 1st Battalion 5th Marines, the invasion of Iraq in 2003, the first push into Fallujah in 2004, and a return to Ramadi. Then he came home.
"It was a roller coaster ride without a seatbelt."
In this conversation, Ryan tells Jeremy Stalnecker, his brother from the same battalion, what it took to come back from absolute rock bottom. The lying to himself. The running. The career on paper that was hiding everything underneath.
And the moment he finally stopped.
This is a conversation about what every man avoids until he can't anymore: the truth about who he is when the uniform comes off, the title fades, or the season of life ends. And why the only way back is through.
LEARN MORE First Battalion 5th Marines Association: <a href="https://www.firstbattalionfifthmarinesassociation.org">www.firstbattalionfifthmarinesassociation.org</a>&nbsp;
Hit Subscribe, share this episode with your community, and drop a comment on what landed hardest for you.
Want more reinforcement? Subscribe to our newsletter, The Forward Edge, to go beyond the podcast and dig deeper into these topics and more: <a href="https://marchordie.substack.com">https://marchordie.substack.com</a>&nbsp;
Join us daily for encouragement and biblical truth with the Mighty Oaks Daily Devotional, you can sign up for reminders: <a href="https://mightyoaksprograms.org/daily-devotional">https://mightyoaksprograms.org/daily-devotional</a> or text JOIN to (832) 333-8794
Follow March or Die: <a href="https://instagram.com/MarchOrDie">https://instagram.com/MarchOrDie</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://Facebook.com/MarchOrDieShow">https://Facebook.com/MarchOrDieShow</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://TikTok.com/March_or_Die">https://TikTok.com/March_or_Die</a>&nbsp;
Follow Jeremy: <a href="https://instagram.com/jeremystalnecker">https://instagram.com/jeremystalnecker</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://jeremystalnecker.com">https://jeremystalnecker.com</a>&nbsp;
Follow Sean: <a href="https://instagram.com/seantopgunkennard">https://instagram.com/seantopgunkennard</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://youtube.com/@SeanTopGunKennard">https://youtube.com/@SeanTopGunKennard</a>&nbsp;

Host Jeremy Stalnecker seeks to help listeners answer one of the toughest questions we all face, "How do I move forward when my world is falling apart?" Jeremy Stalnecker is the Executive Director of the Mighty Oaks Foundation, dedicated to helping America’s military warriors and their families who are suffering from the unseen wounds of combat such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Jeremy has served in the Marine Corps, and as Senior Pastor at Bay Area Baptist Church. He is an accomplished author, inspirational speaker and a frequent guest on some of the most prominent news networks.

Host Jeremy Stalnecker seeks to help listeners answer one of the toughest questions we all face, "How do I move forward when my world is falling apart?" Jeremy Stalnecker is the Executive Director of the Mighty Oaks Foundation, dedicated to helping...

March or Die

Host Jeremy Stalnecker seeks to help listeners answer one of the toughest questions we all face, "How do I move forward when my world is falling apart?" Jeremy Stalnecker is the Executive Director of the Mighty Oaks Foundation, dedicated to helping America’s military warriors and their families who are suffering from the unseen wounds of combat such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Jeremy has served in the Marine Corps, and as Senior Pastor at Bay Area Baptist Church. He is an accomplished author, inspirational speaker and a frequent guest on some of the most prominent news networks.

"I Had to Hit Absolute Rock Bottom" - Ryan Ackerman on Why Men Can't Keep Running

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/babd6e4d-93c7-4333-8b14-b450013565c6/transcript

Intro

Welcome to March or Die Podcast

The Power of Community in Overcoming

The Roof Breakers: A Parable of Faith and

Eric Houselman's Journey to Faith and

The Importance of Diverse and Decentralized

The Early Church Model and Its Relevance

The Benefits of Living in Close Proximity

The Marks of a Healthy Christian Community

Moses and the Power of Community in Action

The Need for Strong, Godly Men in Community

The Decline of Traditional Masculinity

Finding Identity in Christ

The Need for Strong, Godly Men

Building Community: A Personal Journey

The Power of Accountability and Support

Embracing Community for Personal Growth

"I would have died without them." - Sean Kennard

Sean Kennard has been the strong guy his whole life, professional MMA fighter, SWAT Officer, "the most dangerous man in the room." Then a serious illness flipped the script in the past six months, and the man who'd spent 36 years being the one who carried other people's mats found himself on the mat needing his community to carry him.

In this conversation with Pastor Eriek Hulseman of Church Project, Sean opens up about being on the receiving end of the brotherhood he used to provide and Hulseman, who oversees 60+ house churches and has spent 15 years building decentralized Christian community, lays out why men who try to do life alone don't make it.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN:
• Why "lone-wolf Christianity" fails every man eventually, and the biblical pattern from Genesis to Acts
• The "roof breakers" story (Mark 2 / Luke 5) and why it's the model for masculine friendship
• Eric's gut-punch question to Sean: "Were you the mat-carrying guy because you didn't want to be ON the mat?"
• Why proximity matters more than depth and why you can't be a real friend from 35 minutes away
• Marks of healthy Christian community what real biblical brotherhood looks like in practice
• The decline of manhood in the modern church and how the house-church model recovers it
• The three eras of a man's life (and why your 60s, 70s, and 80s might be your best decades)
• Practical first steps: how to find (or build) a house church in any city

FEATURED:
Pastor Eriek Hulseman, Church Project, Texas. 15-year house church pastor, oversees 60+ house churches, 23-year marriage to Laura, four kids.

Find Church Project: https://www.churchproject.org 

Hit Subscribe, share this episode with your community, and drop a comment on what landed hardest for you.

Want more reinforcement? Subscribe to our newsletter, The Forward Edge, to go beyond the podcast and dig deeper into these topics and more: https://marchordie.substack.com!

Join us daily for encouragement and biblical truth with the Mighty Oaks Daily Devotional, you can sign up for reminders: https://mightyoaksprograms.org/daily-devotional or text JOIN to (832) 333-8794


Follow March or Die:
https://instagram.com/MarchOrDie 
https://Facebook.com/MarchOrDieShow 
https://TikTok.com/March_or_Die 

Follow Jeremy:
https://instagram.com/jeremystalnecker 
https://jeremystalnecker.com 

Follow Sean:
https://instagram.com/seantopgunkennard 
https://youtube.com/@SeanTopGunKennard 

"I would have died without them." - Sean Kennard
Sean Kennard has been the strong guy his whole life, professional MMA fighter, SWAT Officer, "the most dangerous man in the room." Then a serious illness flipped the script in the past six months, and the man who'd spent 36 years being the one who carried other people's mats found himself on the mat needing his community to carry him.
In this conversation with Pastor Eriek Hulseman of Church Project, Sean opens up about being on the receiving end of the brotherhood he used to provide and Hulseman, who oversees 60+ house churches and has spent 15 years building decentralized Christian community, lays out why men who try to do life alone don't make it.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: &bull; Why "lone-wolf Christianity" fails every man eventually, and the biblical pattern from Genesis to Acts &bull; The "roof breakers" story (Mark 2 / Luke 5) and why it's the model for masculine friendship &bull; Eric's gut-punch question to Sean: "Were you the mat-carrying guy because you didn't want to be ON the mat?" &bull; Why proximity matters more than depth and why you can't be a real friend from 35 minutes away &bull; Marks of healthy Christian community what real biblical brotherhood looks like in practice &bull; The decline of manhood in the modern church and how the house-church model recovers it &bull; The three eras of a man's life (and why your 60s, 70s, and 80s might be your best decades) &bull; Practical first steps: how to find (or build) a house church in any city
FEATURED: Pastor Eriek Hulseman, Church Project, Texas. 15-year house church pastor, oversees 60+ house churches, 23-year marriage to Laura, four kids.
Find Church Project: <a href="https://www.churchproject.org">https://www.churchproject.org</a>&nbsp;
Hit Subscribe, share this episode with your community, and drop a comment on what landed hardest for you.
Want more reinforcement? Subscribe to our newsletter, The Forward Edge, to go beyond the podcast and dig deeper into these topics and more: <a href="https://marchordie.substack.com">https://marchordie.substack.com</a>!
Join us daily for encouragement and biblical truth with the Mighty Oaks Daily Devotional, you can sign up for reminders: <a href="https://mightyoaksprograms.org/daily-devotional">https://mightyoaksprograms.org/daily-devotional</a> or text JOIN to (832) 333-8794
 Follow March or Die: <a href="https://instagram.com/MarchOrDie">https://instagram.com/MarchOrDie</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://Facebook.com/MarchOrDieShow">https://Facebook.com/MarchOrDieShow</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://TikTok.com/March_or_Die">https://TikTok.com/March_or_Die</a>&nbsp;
Follow Jeremy: <a href="https://instagram.com/jeremystalnecker">https://instagram.com/jeremystalnecker</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://jeremystalnecker.com">https://jeremystalnecker.com</a>&nbsp;
Follow Sean: <a href="https://instagram.com/seantopgunkennard">https://instagram.com/seantopgunkennard</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://youtube.com/@SeanTopGunKennard">https://youtube.com/@SeanTopGunKennard</a>&nbsp;

Christian Men Need Community Now More Than Ever

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/968fb742-42dc-42e1-9219-b44b0144f117/transcript

Setting the Stage for a Veteran's Story

The Bridge Ambush and Military Service

Finding Identity Beyond Military Service

March or Die Show Introduction

Reconnecting with a Brother in Arms

Iraq Deployment and Sniper Missions

Balancing Military and Family Life

The Importance of Support Systems

Nomadic Research: From Combat to Community

Finding Purpose and Serving Others

Legacy and Identity Beyond Military Service

The Power of Legacy in Life's Journey

Military Service: A Double-Edged Sword

Transitioning from a Life of Service

Memorial Day Reflections and Its Importance

Educating Others About Service and Sacrifice

Advice for Mid-Career Transitioners

Closing Thoughts and Contact Information

What happens when the uniform comes off and the identity you built underneath it goes with it?

Marine Scout Sniper Dagan Van Oosten sat down with Jeremy Stalnecker, his platoon commander from the 2003 push into Iraq, and opened up about the moment a counselor asked him a question that hit "like a bolt of lightning"

"If you died tomorrow, what would your tombstone say?"

In this episode of The March or Die Show, Dagan walks through his journey as a Marine sniper in 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, three-plus years instructing at Quantico Sniper School, 14 years in federal contracting, training the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team, and the painful realization that the institution he'd given everything to was never going to love him back the way he loved it.

He gets honest about the marriage he almost wrecked chasing the mission, the brother-in-law (Justice Bartelt) the family lost in Afghanistan, the fear of leaving the uniform behind, and what it took to reset his identity around three words: husband, father, friend.

Whether you're an active-duty service member, a first responder, a veteran in transition, or anyone whose job has become their identity, this conversation will give you a roadmap for the chapter after the chapter you can't imagine ending.

Connect with Dagan Van Oosten:
Nomadic Research: https://nomadicresearch.com 
Instagram: https://instagram.com/@daganvanoosten 

Hit Subscribe, share this episode with your community, and drop a comment on what landed hardest for you.

Want more reinforcement? Subscribe to our newsletter, The Forward Edge, to go beyond the podcast and dig deeper into these topics and more: https://marchordie.substack.com!

Join us daily for encouragement and biblical truth with the Mighty Oaks Daily Devotional, you can sign up for reminders: https://mightyoaksprograms.org/daily-devotional or text JOIN to (832) 333-8794

Follow March or Die:
https://instagram.com/MarchOrDie 
https://Facebook.com/MarchOrDieShow 
https://TikTok.com/March_or_Die 

Follow Jeremy:
https://instagram.com/jeremystalnecker 
https://jeremystalnecker.com 

Follow Sean:
https://instagram.com/seantopgunkennard 
https://youtube.com/@SeanTopGunKennard 

What happens when the uniform comes off and the identity you built underneath it goes with it?
Marine Scout Sniper Dagan Van Oosten sat down with Jeremy Stalnecker, his platoon commander from the 2003 push into Iraq, and opened up about the moment a counselor asked him a question that hit "like a bolt of lightning"
"If you died tomorrow, what would your tombstone say?"
In this episode of The March or Die Show, Dagan walks through his journey as a Marine sniper in 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, three-plus years instructing at Quantico Sniper School, 14 years in federal contracting, training the FBI's Hostage Rescue Team, and the painful realization that the institution he'd given everything to was never going to love him back the way he loved it.
He gets honest about the marriage he almost wrecked chasing the mission, the brother-in-law (Justice Bartelt) the family lost in Afghanistan, the fear of leaving the uniform behind, and what it took to reset his identity around three words: husband, father, friend.
Whether you're an active-duty service member, a first responder, a veteran in transition, or anyone whose job has become their identity, this conversation will give you a roadmap for the chapter after the chapter you can't imagine ending.
Connect with Dagan Van Oosten: Nomadic Research: <a href="https://nomadicresearch.com">https://nomadicresearch.com</a>&nbsp; Instagram: <a href="https://instagram.com/@daganvanoosten">https://instagram.com/@daganvanoosten</a>&nbsp;
Hit Subscribe, share this episode with your community, and drop a comment on what landed hardest for you.
Want more reinforcement? Subscribe to our newsletter, The Forward Edge, to go beyond the podcast and dig deeper into these topics and more: <a href="https://marchordie.substack.com">https://marchordie.substack.com</a>!
Join us daily for encouragement and biblical truth with the Mighty Oaks Daily Devotional, you can sign up for reminders: <a href="https://mightyoaksprograms.org/daily-devotional">https://mightyoaksprograms.org/daily-devotional</a>&nbsp;or text JOIN to (832) 333-8794
Follow March or Die: <a href="https://instagram.com/MarchOrDie">https://instagram.com/MarchOrDie</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://Facebook.com/MarchOrDieShow">https://Facebook.com/MarchOrDieShow</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://TikTok.com/March_or_Die">https://TikTok.com/March_or_Die</a>&nbsp;
Follow Jeremy: <a href="https://instagram.com/jeremystalnecker">https://instagram.com/jeremystalnecker</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://jeremystalnecker.com">https://jeremystalnecker.com</a>&nbsp;
Follow Sean: <a href="https://instagram.com/seantopgunkennard">https://instagram.com/seantopgunkennard</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://youtube.com/@SeanTopGunKennard">https://youtube.com/@SeanTopGunKennard</a>&nbsp;

A Marine Sniper's Identity Reset | Dagan Van Oosten Tells All

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/dbb7e0bb-a6b6-4cec-8603-b44201309445/transcript

The Importance of Clear Communication in

Meet Justin Atherton: From SWAT to Leadership

The Spark That Ignited the Book

The Pitfalls of Vague Language

The Wave Method: A Framework for Clear

Rapid Fire Questions on Leadership

Closing Thoughts and Call to Action

"When you can't give clear, concise communication, sometimes it's on purpose. It's because I don't want to be held accountable for what I say." - Justin Atherton

Bestselling author and retired law enforcement veteran Justin Atherton returns to the March or Die Show to make the case that politeness is one of the most dangerous habits in modern leadership. Drawing on 20 years as a detective, SWAT trainer, and training lieutenant, and the statement-analysis training he used in interrogations. Justin walks Sean Kennard through the WAVE method from his book *How to Get to the Damn Point*: a framework for stripping the hedges, equivocations, and stop-action verbs out of your communication so the people who depend on you can actually trust your word.

The conversation gets pointed: why "I'll try to be faithful" lands the way it does with a spouse, why your team can hear when you're protecting yourself instead of leading them, and the daughter story (and the seven-hour command staff meeting) that finally pushed Justin to write the book.

Justin Atherton is a 20-year law enforcement veteran, detective, SWAT operator, and training lieutenant, turned leadership communication consultant, public speaker, and TED talk presenter. His book "How to Get to the Damn Point" is a #1 bestseller on Amazon. 

Justin's Links:
Get Justin's book: How To Get To The Damn Point: https://a.co/d/0aFvrvx7 
Justin's site: https://justinwatherton.com 
Follow Justin: https://www.instagram.com/justinwatherton 

If this episode hits home, hit the like button, drop a comment with the phrase you're going to stop saying this week, and subscribe so you don't miss the next one.

Hit Subscribe, share this episode with your community, and drop a comment on what landed hardest for you.

Want more reinforcement? Subscribe to our newsletter, The Forward Edge, to go beyond the podcast and dig deeper into these topics and more: https://marchordie.substack.com!

Join us daily for encouragement and biblical truth with the Mighty Oaks Daily Devotional, you can sign up for reminders: https://mightyoaksprograms.org/daily-devotional or text JOIN to (832) 333-8794

Follow March or Die:
https://instagram.com/MarchOrDie 
https://Facebook.com/MarchOrDieShow 
https://TikTok.com/March_or_Die 

Follow Jeremy:
https://instagram.com/jeremystalnecker 
https://jeremystalnecker.com 

Follow Sean:
https://instagram.com/seantopgunkennard 
https://youtube.com/@SeanTopGunKennard

"When you can't give clear, concise communication, sometimes it's on purpose. It's because I don't want to be held accountable for what I say." - Justin Atherton
Bestselling author and retired law enforcement veteran Justin Atherton returns to the March or Die Show to make the case that politeness is one of the most dangerous habits in modern leadership. Drawing on 20 years as a detective, SWAT trainer, and training lieutenant, and the statement-analysis training he used in interrogations. Justin walks Sean Kennard through the WAVE method from his book *How to Get to the Damn Point*: a framework for stripping the hedges, equivocations, and stop-action verbs out of your communication so the people who depend on you can actually trust your word.
The conversation gets pointed: why "I'll try to be faithful" lands the way it does with a spouse, why your team can hear when you're protecting yourself instead of leading them, and the daughter story (and the seven-hour command staff meeting) that finally pushed Justin to write the book.
Justin Atherton is a 20-year law enforcement veteran, detective, SWAT operator, and training lieutenant, turned leadership communication consultant, public speaker, and TED talk presenter. His book "How to Get to the Damn Point" is a #1 bestseller on Amazon.&nbsp;
Justin's Links: Get Justin's book: How To Get To The Damn Point: <a href="https://a.co/d/0aFvrvx7">https://a.co/d/0aFvrvx7</a>&nbsp; Justin's site: <a href="https://justinwatherton.com">https://justinwatherton.com</a>&nbsp; Follow Justin: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/justinwatherton">https://www.instagram.com/justinwatherton</a>&nbsp;
If this episode hits home, hit the like button, drop a comment with the phrase you're going to stop saying this week, and subscribe so you don't miss the next one.
Hit Subscribe, share this episode with your community, and drop a comment on what landed hardest for you.
Want more reinforcement? Subscribe to our newsletter, The Forward Edge, to go beyond the podcast and dig deeper into these topics and more: <a href="https://marchordie.substack.com">https://marchordie.substack.com</a>!
Join us daily for encouragement and biblical truth with the Mighty Oaks Daily Devotional, you can sign up for reminders: <a href="https://mightyoaksprograms.org/daily-devotional">https://mightyoaksprograms.org/daily-devotional</a>&nbsp;or text JOIN to (832) 333-8794
Follow March or Die: <a href="https://instagram.com/MarchOrDie">https://instagram.com/MarchOrDie</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://Facebook.com/MarchOrDieShow">https://Facebook.com/MarchOrDieShow</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://TikTok.com/March_or_Die">https://TikTok.com/March_or_Die</a>&nbsp;
Follow Jeremy: <a href="https://instagram.com/jeremystalnecker">https://instagram.com/jeremystalnecker</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://jeremystalnecker.com">https://jeremystalnecker.com</a>&nbsp;
Follow Sean: <a href="https://instagram.com/seantopgunkennard">https://instagram.com/seantopgunkennard</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://youtube.com/@SeanTopGunKennard">https://youtube.com/@SeanTopGunKennard</a>

Clarity Is a Leadership Obligation: Why Vague Communication Costs You the Room

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/clips/d1579977-0624-4b45-a2bd-b43b014b6097/transcript

"I Had to Hit Absolute Rock Bottom" - Ryan Ackerman on Why Men Can't Keep Running

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