Ep. 62 • Dave Maynard • 50 Years Behind The Gun: SEAL Teams in the 70's, Blackwater, GRS, & Everywhere In Between.

Ep. 66 • George Christie • Hells Angels & Navy SEALs on Leadership, Loyalty, & Brotherhood.

On this episode of Liberty Risk, the guys sit down with George Christie - prior Marine and legendary former President of the Ventura chapter of the Hells Angels, whose four decades as one of the club's most influential leaders gave him a perspective few people will ever have. George didn't just witness the evolution of 1%er biker culture in America and around the world - he helped shape it. Over more than 40 years with the Hells Angels, he lived through the rise of the club, the personalities that defined an era, high-profile FBI investigations, prison, the Altamont years, Cold War work with the Department of Defense, and the difficult decision to walk away from the very brotherhood he helped build. What makes this conversation unique isn't the motorcycles. It's what happens when a former Hells Angels President sits across from Navy SEALs and realizes they share the same values: Leadership. Loyalty. Brotherhood. Sacrifice. Identity. And the responsibility that comes with earning the right to wear a patch. To help bridge both worlds, we also welcomed back previous Liberty Risk guest Billy Helmers, President of the SEAL-only Frogmen Motorcycle Club. His perspective as both a former Navy SEAL and MC President makes this one of the most insightful conversations we've had about the parallels between elite military units and motorcycle clubs. Of course, it wouldn't be Liberty Risk without a few side quests. The conversation wanders through legendary parties, Grateful Dead stories, riding motorcycles on LSD, the Olympic torch controversy, and decades of stories that are almost impossible to believe until George tells them himself. Whether you come from the military, the motorcycle community, or you're simply fascinated by extraordinary lives, this episode is ultimately about leadership, loyalty, brotherhood, and what it means to carry the weight of a legacy. Topics include: * George Christie's journey through the Hells Angels * Navy SEALs and Hells Angels on leadership and brotherhood * Motorcycle club culture and history * FBI investigations and government overreach * The Altamont era and outlaw biker history * Building, leading, and leaving a lifelong brotherhood * Marine Corps service and Cold War stories * Identity, legacy, and life after the patch 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ If you're wanting to dive deeper into Liberty Risk lore & hang LIVE with the hosts and other cool people, check out our Patreon Community! Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. We also have a monthly virtual (Zoom) cigar meetup where you can interact and have REAL 2 way conversations with all Kevin, Nick & Ryan, as well as other cool people in our top tier Patreon group, and also some special guests. 🤫🤫 Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk [https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk] Get to know George better at the following links: ✖️ George Christie Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/georgechristiejr [https://www.instagram.com/georgechristiejr] ✖️ George Christie Website - https://www.georgechristie.com [https://www.georgechristie.com] ✖️ George Christie Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/georgechristie [https://www.patreon.com/georgechristie] Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 [https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326] ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent [https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent] ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts [https://www.instagram.com/n_betts] Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Beef Crisps - https://us.bingeworthysnacks.com [https://us.bingeworthysnacks.com] ✖️ Bulkhead Energy Drink - https://www.bulkheadenergy.com [https://www.bulkheadenergy.com] ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all [https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all] ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com [https://www.industrythreadworks.com] ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com [https://archive3pl.com] ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com [https://kruptostrategicmedia.com] ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc [https://www.k-squared.cc]

Ep. 65 • Zach Masek • Green Beret Stories & Side Quest Chaos! 🪖🏴‍☠️🇺🇸

On this episode of the Liberty Risk Podcast, the guys sit down with Zach Masek - former Green Beret, 18D Special Forces medic, combat diver, GRS contractor, entrepreneur, military history buff, and a man who's somehow managed to fit several lifetimes and careers into one. Zach's path has taken him from Army Special Forces and combat deployments in Afghanistan... to GRS contracting... Columbia University... nursing school... entrepreneurship... and more than a few situations that probably should've ended differently than they did. Along the way, there are plenty of stories. The kind that start in Airborne School and somehow get worse from there. The kind that involve land navigation, poor decision-making, strip clubs, team sergeants, and moments that can only happen in the military. Of course, there's actual semi serious stuff too. The conversation dives into Army Special Forces & CAG selection, 18D medic training, combat diving, SERE School, Afghanistan, GRS, military history, and Zach's deployment to one of the most heavily IED'd regions of the war. There's also an equal parts cool & funny story involving a Taliban ambush, a LAW rocket, and a split-second moment that earned him the respect of his Green Beret Team. Like every Liberty Risk episode, the conversation immediately leaves the rails and never really comes back. One minute it's Green Beret stories and combat deployments. The next it's whiskey, military history, entrepreneurship, airport beef crisps, secret phone numbers, and side quests that somehow keep getting stranger. But underneath all the chaos is a conversation about persistence, reinvention, and what happens when the thing you've spent your entire life chasing finally becomes your starting point. From Green Beret... to contractor... to entrepreneur. Zach's story is proof that life gets a lot more interesting after the mission. 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ If you're wanting to dive deeper into Liberty Risk lore & hang LIVE with the hosts and other cool people, check out our Patreon Community! Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. We also have a monthly virtual (Zoom) cigar meetup where you can interact and have REAL 2 way conversations with all Kevin, Nick & Ryan, as well as other cool people in our top tier Patreon group, and also some special guests. 🤫🤫 Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk [https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk] Get to know Zach more at his links below: ✖️ Zach's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/zachary_masek [https://www.instagram.com/zachary_masek] ✖️ Dead Warrior Society - https://www.instagram.com/deadwarriorsociety [https://www.instagram.com/deadwarriorsociety] ✖️ Forum Case's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/forumcases [https://www.instagram.com/forumcases] Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 [https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326] ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent [https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent] ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts [https://www.instagram.com/n_betts] Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Beef Crisps - https://us.bingeworthysnacks.com [https://us.bingeworthysnacks.com] ✖️ Bulkhead Energy Drink - https://www.bulkheadenergy.com [https://www.bulkheadenergy.com] ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all [https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all] ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com [https://www.industrythreadworks.com] ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com [https://archive3pl.com] ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com [https://kruptostrategicmedia.com] ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc [https://www.k-squared.cc]

Ep. 64 • Crew Cast • Back Together After a Month Off! - Staccatos, Steakhouses & TSA Emergencies 🇺🇸

On this episode of the Liberty Risk Podcast, the boys are finally back in the studio together after spending the last month scattered across the country. Nick talks about being in Las Vegas shooting $5,000 pistols with UFC fighters, race car drivers, and the crew from Black Rifle Coffee, only to spend the next two days trapped in airport chaos during EDC weekend. Things somehow get worse when a man in the TSA line suffers what can only be described as a catastrophic systems failure, bringing security operations to a complete halt. Meanwhile, Kevin spends a month in New York filming A Quiet Place III, bouncing between film sets, dive bars, steak dinners, and random encounters that somehow turn into conversations about politics, Hollywood, and the future of New York City. Ryan heads to North Carolina to talk business, apparel, and entrepreneurship, while quietly plotting the next phase of world domination for Liberty Risk and Industry Threadworks. Along the way, the boys get into: • The future of Black Rifle Coffee and a surprisingly candid speech from Evan Hafer • Airport horror stories and why Vegas may be the ninth circle of hell • Kevin's adventures in New York while working on A Quiet Place III • Staccatos, apocalypse guns, and practical firearm setups • Naval traditions, red stripes, shellbacks, and why the best stories usually start with bad decisions • New Liberty Risk merch, challenge coins, and upcoming releases • Competitive shooting, sniper matches, and getting humbled by the clock • A billionaire, a chauffeured car ride, and one of the strangest security stories we've ever heard Same Liberty Risk format - dark humor, questionable decisions, nonstop side quests, and the kind of conversations that somehow bounce between airport disasters, business lessons, military stories, and life without ever feeling out of place. No guest. No agenda. Just three friends catching up after a month apart and sharing the stories, lessons, and adventures they've collected along the way. 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Come check out our Patreon Community! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk [https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk] Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 [https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326] ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent [https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent] ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts [https://www.instagram.com/n_betts] Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Bulkhead Energy Drink - https://www.bulkheadenergy.com [https://www.bulkheadenergy.com] ✖️ Beef Crisps - https://us.bingeworthysnacks.com [https://us.bingeworthysnacks.com] ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all [https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all] ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com [https://www.industrythreadworks.com] ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com [https://archive3pl.com] ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com [https://kruptostrategicmedia.com] ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc [https://www.k-squared.cc]

Ep. 63 • Dave Swarts • A Navy SEAL's Long Road Home. 🔱🇺🇸

On this episode of the Liberty Risk Podcast, the boys sit down with Dave Swarts. Some people have one defining chapter in their life, Dave seems to have had about six. Before becoming a Navy SEAL, he was collecting DUIs, assault charges, and enough waiver requests to make joining the military an adventure all by itself. Then came BUD/S, deployments at multiple SEAL Teams, leadership roles, raising a family, NCIS investigations, building businesses, and eventually figuring out what life looks like after the military. The challenges changed. The process didn't. Along the way, Dave shares stories from Iraq, Afghanistan, and the fight against ISIS, including the recovery of an American pilot's remains nearly a decade after he was lost, serving alongside legendary Team Guys like Mike Day, and navigating some of the highest highs and lowest lows of a life spent in service. But some of the most memorable parts of this conversation have nothing to do with combat. We get into fatherhood, losing parents, building a family while constantly leaving home, getting older, starting over, and the realization that success starts to look a little different with every chapter of life. We also get into: • Growing up, screwing up, and finding a path forward • BUD/S, Team life, and lessons learned the hard way • Iraq, Afghanistan, and the realities of twenty years at war • Bringing an American service member home after nearly a decade • Leadership, investigations, and protecting your reputation • Marriage, fatherhood, and balancing service with family • Building Red Watch, Dirty Frogs, and life after the military • Purpose, identity, and finding the next mountain to climb Same Liberty Risk format - engaging conversations, dark humor, plenty of side quests, and the kind of perspective that only comes from someone who's lived through a few different versions of life. This one felt less like a military interview and more like sitting around with an old friend who's finally had enough time to figure out what really mattered through all of it. This one isn't really about being a Navy SEAL, it's about the challenges we all go through in this crazy game called life. 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Come check out our Patreon Community! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk [https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk] Get to know more about Dave at the links below! ✖️ Dave's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/davidswarts249 [https://www.instagram.com/davidswarts249] ✖️ Dirty Frog's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/dirty_frogs [https://www.instagram.com/dirty_frogs] ✖️ Red Watch Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/red_watch [https://www.instagram.com/red_watch] Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 [https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326] ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent [https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent] ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts [https://www.instagram.com/n_betts] Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Bulkhead Energy Drink - https://www.bulkheadenergy.com [https://www.bulkheadenergy.com] ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all [https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all] ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com [https://www.industrythreadworks.com] ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com [https://archive3pl.com] ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com [https://kruptostrategicmedia.com] ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc [https://www.k-squared.cc]

Ep. 62 • Dave Maynard • 50 Years Behind The Gun: SEAL Teams in the 70's, Blackwater, GRS, & Everywhere In Between.

On this episode of the Liberty Risk Podcast, the boys sit down with one of the oldest (but not old!) Teamguys we've had on the show - Dave Maynard. Dave went through UDT/SEAL training in 1972 before BUD/S was even called BUD/S, back when the Teams were still figuring out what modern special operations would eventually become. From old-school training stories and early Team culture to Iraq, Blackwater, CIA work, and even the notorious Hurricane Katrina, this episode covers 50+ years of adventures & chaos behind the gun. Dave shares what SEAL training looked like in the early '70s - when Hell Week was briefly shut down, instructors had zero interest in your feelings, and somehow the solution to almost every problem involved more running, colder water, or explosives. The conversation eventually shifts into Dave's time doing CIA GRS work in Iraq, including a massive firefight in Basra where his team got trapped in an ambush against a huge militia force. Shot up vehicles, malfunctioning weapons, taking a round in the helmet without realizing it, and a wild hero story at the end - the kind of story that sounds ridiculous until you remember these guys actually lived it. We also get into: • The origins of modern VBSS ship boarding tactics • Hallucinations during Hell Week and demo accidents at San Clemente • Blackwater operations during Hurricane Katrina • The breakdown of New Orleans after the storm • CIA contracting, leadership failures, and combat in Iraq • Divorce, rebuilding life later in life, and starting over from nothing • Veteran suicide, purpose after service, and staying connected Same Liberty Risk format - engaging conversations, dark humor, nonstop side quests, and stories you usually only hear around last call after a long night with the boys, if ever. This one feels less like an interview and more like sitting around hearing stories from a man who's spent the last 50+ years doing things in real life that most people only hear about in books. 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Our Patreon page is LIVE! 🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️ Here you can get exclusive access to the behind the scenes action, the hidden conversations between breaks, a private community chat, and LOTS more, including discounts on Liberty Risk merch as well as some of our partner brands. Come check it out and join the conversation! https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk [https://www.patreon.com/LibertyRisk] Get to know more about Dave at the links below! ✖️ Dave's Website - https://maynardgunfighting.wixsite.com/maynard-gunfighting [https://maynardgunfighting.wixsite.com/maynard-gunfighting] ✖️ Dave's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/howtogunfight [https://www.instagram.com/howtogunfight] Liberty Risk Hosts: ✖️ Ryan Williams - https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326 [https://www.instagram.com/invictus5326] ✖️ Kevin Kent - https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent [https://www.instagram.com/therealkevinkent] ✖️ Nick Betts - https://www.instagram.com/n_betts [https://www.instagram.com/n_betts] Liberty Risk Podcast Sponsored by: ✖️ Liberty Risk Merch - https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all [https://www.liberty-risk.com/collections/shop-all] ✖️ Industry Threadworks (screen printing apparel) - https://www.industrythreadworks.com [https://www.industrythreadworks.com] ✖️ Archive 3PL (fulfillment for E-com brands) - https://archive3pl.com [https://archive3pl.com] ✖️ Krupto Strategic Media - https://kruptostrategicmedia.com [https://kruptostrategicmedia.com] ✖️ K-Squared Advising - https://www.k-squared.cc [https://www.k-squared.cc]