The War Came Home With Us | David “DJ” Engel EP 49

The War Came Home With Us | David “DJ” Engel EP 49

In Episode forty-nine of Echoes Unfiltered, airing June twentieth, Sam sits down with David “DJ” Engel, a fellow Ramadi veteran, to bring back one of the earlier conversations from the show. DJ served in Second Platoon while Sam was in First Platoon, and together they look back on Ramadi, Iraq, brotherhood, family, loss, healing, and the weight that comes home after war. This conversation is honest, raw, and exactly what Echoes Unfiltered was built for — veterans telling the truth, remembering the ones who were there, and continuing to move forward. Real Talk. Raw Faith. Stay Unfiltered.

When God Interrupted the Plan | Matt Thornton EP. 48

This early Echoes Unfiltered conversation with Matt Thornton is being brought back as part of the final stretch of Season One. Matt served in law enforcement with a Northern Illinois police department while I was working nearby in another Northern Illinois agency. In this conversation, he opens up about depression, faith, and the moment God stepped into one of the darkest points of his life. He also shares the heart behind My Father’s Business, a ministry reaching young people through basketball, food, and a message of hope. Through the month of June, I’m revisiting several early conversations before Season One wraps up at the end of the month. Season Two begins in July. Real Talk. Raw Faith. Stay Unfiltered.

SSG Bell on Ramadi, Brotherhood, and the Weight We Carried Ep 47

Today on Echoes Unfiltered, I’m bringing back a powerful conversation with SSG Bell. This was originally one of the early episodes of the show, but the conversation deserved a fresh release. Bell and I talk about Ramadi, healing, the echoes that still linger, and our brother CPL Stephen Shannon, who was serving under Bell’s leadership when he was taken from us. We remember the good times, we talk honestly about the hard ones, and we honor the men who didn’t make it home. That’s what Echoes Unfiltered is about: telling it straight, honoring the fallen, and finding hope in the middle of it all. You can order my book, now available on Amazon: Echoes from the Sandbox by Samuel R. Stratton For signed copies, Venmo: @Sam-Stratton-8 Follow the mission: YouTube – Echoes Unfiltered Spotify – Echoes Unfiltered Facebook – Echoes Unfiltered TikTok – @echoes_unfiltered Podcast available on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio Real talk, raw faith, stay unfiltered.

Navy EOD, Ramadi, and the Cost of Coming Home | Sparky | Echoes Unfiltered Ep. 46

In Episode 46 of Echoes Unfiltered, I sit down with Sparky, a Navy EOD veteran I served with in Ramadi. We talk about route clearance, IEDs, EOD calls, the Husky rescue, leadership under pressure, dark humor, and the things veterans carry long after the mission ends. This episode is more than war stories. It is about survival, brotherhood, memory, and why talking about it matters. For more about my story, You can order my book, now available on Amazon: Echoes from the Sandbox by Samuel R. Stratton Follow the mission: YouTube – Echoes Unfiltered Spotify – Echoes Unfiltered Facebook – Echoes Unfiltered TikTok – @echoes_unfiltered Podcast available on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio Real talk, raw faith, stay unfiltered.

“My Life Paused for a Year After Iraq” EP45 | Joe

Joe deployed to Ramadi, Iraq in 2007 as a young Marine and spent the next year living in survival mode during one of the most volatile periods of the war. In this episode, he talks about working alongside Iraqi locals during the Anbar Awakening, coming home after deployment, losing the military support system overnight, and trying to reconnect with life back home. The conversation also dives into childhood trauma, breaking destructive cycles, marriage, fatherhood, faith, emotional suppression, and what healing actually looks like years after war. This episode is not just about combat. It’s about what happens after. You can order my book, now available on Amazon: Echoes from the Sandbox by Samuel R. Stratton Follow the mission: YouTube – Echoes Unfiltered Spotify – Echoes Unfiltered Facebook – Echoes Unfiltered TikTok – @echoes_unfiltered Podcast available on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio Real talk, raw faith, stay unfiltered.