“I Was Almost Kicked Out of Service… Then Became the Highest Enlisted Leader in the Military” (w/ “Ray” Colón-Lopez)

“I Don’t Miss the Circus… But I Miss the Clowns” – Mike Sarraille Former SEAL Officer’s Candid Truth

In this episode of The HOTWASH by Born Primitive Tactical, host Bruno Fallon sits down with longtime friend and former Navy SEAL officer Mike Sarraille for a raw, wide-ranging conversation about leadership, high-performance culture, and life after 20 years of military service. Mike explains why he chose to retire at 20 years despite the option to continue — citing burnout from increasingly restrictive rules, staff-heavy roles over troop command, a divorce, and a deep desire to stay in the field rather than move into higher-level meetings. The two veterans discuss the intoxicating pull of the “brotherhood,” the heavy toll special operations life takes on families, and how the job often becomes the first family while flesh-and-blood families come second. They explore transitioning out, the value of constant challenge (“what’s the next ridgeline?”), and how high-motor operators risk burning out or drifting if not given new missions. Mike shares his current role as Chief Talent Officer at Overwatch Mission Critical, a veteran-heavy company in the booming data center industry supporting AI and national security, where he focuses on building culture, hiring, and developing people through daily musters and leadership training. The conversation dives into books Mike has written (The Talent War on attribute-based hiring and The Everyday Warrior on practical self-leadership), the dangers of a victim mentality among some veterans, the importance of mentorship, adaptability, and leading through high standards paired with genuine care. The episode blends candid stories from their special operations careers with practical insights on building high-performing teams in both military and civilian life, ending on an uplifting note about purpose, teams winning missions, and continuing to serve in new ways. To check out our brand visit: https://bornprimitivetactical.com/ [https://bornprimitivetactical.com/] Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/bornprimitive/]https://www.instagram.com/bornprimitivetactical/ [https://www.instagram.com/bornprimitivetactical/] Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BornPrimitiveTactical [⁠https://www.youtube.com/@BornPrimitiveTactical] PRODUCED BY IRONCLAD

“I Was Almost Kicked Out of Service… Then Became the Highest Enlisted Leader in the Military” (w/ “Ray” Colón-Lopez)

In this powerful episode of The HOTWASH by Born Primitive Tactical, host Bruno Fallon sits down with his first Air Force Pararescue (PJ) guest, retired Chief Master Sergeant Ramón “Ray” Colón-Lopez (CC), who served as the Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff - the highest enlisted position in the U.S. military. From his early days nearly getting kicked out of the service after an alcohol-related incident to rising through the ranks of special operations, including time with Naval Special Warfare Development Group and multiple combat deployments, Ray shares hard-earned lessons on accountability, second chances, and the importance of leaders clearing obstacles for their teams. The conversation dives deep into his new book, Carnivore Leadership: Taking Charge Instead of Taking Shit, which draws from decades of notebooks filled with leadership insights, emphasizing ownership over victimhood, unwavering standards, speaking truth to power, and staying apolitical while serving the nation. Bruno and Ray also reflect on the challenges of the Pentagon during COVID and the Afghanistan withdrawal, the critical role of enlisted leaders, the multi-hat versatility of PJs, and why America’s military remains the gold standard despite political noise. The episode is packed with raw, no-nonsense wisdom on mindset, credibility, loyalty, and the carnivore ethos of getting the mission done - making it essential listening for service members, veterans, leaders, and anyone seeking to build mental toughness and personal accountability. To check out our brand visit: https://bornprimitivetactical.com/ [https://bornprimitivetactical.com/] Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/bornprimitive/]https://www.instagram.com/bornprimitivetactical/ [https://www.instagram.com/bornprimitivetactical/] Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCruGgs2p3VVVy-v6YTiKuQwhttps://www.youtube.com/@BornPrimitiveTactical [https://www.youtube.com/@BornPrimitiveTactical] PRODUCED BY IRONCLAD

Extreme Ownership: Navy SEAL Officer Leif Babin on Leading from the Front

In this episode of The HOTWASH by Born Primitive Tactical, host Bruno Fallon sits down with Leif Babin, co-author of Extreme Ownership and co-founder of Echelon Front with Jocko Willink. Babin recounts his time as a SEAL platoon and task unit leader with Task Unit Bruiser during the brutal 2006 Battle of Ramadi, forging core leadership principles like Extreme Ownership - taking total responsibility for everything that affects the mission, both after failures and preemptively to prevent them - along with Cover and Move, Simple, Prioritize and Execute, and Decentralized Command. He explains how these battlefield lessons, refined through teaching junior officers and observing training, apply universally to business, first responders, and life: humble leaders own problems instead of blaming others, lead from the front on tough tasks while empowering teams to execute independently as “silent leaders,” pass wins to the team but shoulder losses themselves, and balance assertiveness with restraint. The discussion also covers physical fitness and discipline as the foundation to mental performance, the origins of their books and company, Jamie Cochran’s success story, and the value of distilling real combat experiences into accessible tools that build stronger teams and individuals anywhere. Babin reflects on the privilege and burden of command, including the loss of teammates, while both men celebrate cross-service professionalism and the need to instill ownership, humility, and drive in the next generation. Follow Leif on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/leifbabin/ [https://www.instagram.com/leifbabin/] To check out Leif & Jocko’s book visit: https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Ownership-U-S-Navy-SEALs/dp/1250067057 [https://www.amazon.com/Extreme-Ownership-U-S-Navy-SEALs/dp/1250067057] To check out our brand visit: https://bornprimitivetactical.com/ [https://bornprimitivetactical.com/] Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/bornprimitive/]https://www.instagram.com/bornprimitivetactical/ [https://www.instagram.com/bornprimitivetactical/] Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCruGgs2p3VVVy-v6YTiKuQwhttps://www.youtube.com/@BornPrimitiveTactical [https://www.youtube.com/@BornPrimitiveTactical]

"The Admiral Stockdale Letter That Got Me to OCS" with Former Navy SEAL Mark Greene

In this episode of The HOTWASH by Born Primitive Tactical, host Bruno Fallon welcomes Mark Greene, a former Navy SEAL who enlisted after a college football injury derailed his athletic dreams, then rose from enlisted operator to officer through grit, determination, and pivotal mentorship moments during BUD/S and beyond. Greene recounts his journey starting with failing the initial SEAL screening pull-up test but secretly training to pass, surviving the brutal cold of BUD/S, deploying post-9/11 with SEAL Team 5, and later commissioning as an officer where he instructed sniper courses, led challenging platoons by earning trust and nicknames like "Bogey," and navigated unique leadership tests—including commanding a team of "dregs" that thrived under his care and building deep bonds. After retiring in 2016 amid injuries and organizational frustrations, Greene faced a turbulent transition involving divorce, psychological struggles including suicidal thoughts, and a near-crash, but found redemption through unexpected kindness, gratitude practices, saying "yes" to opportunities, earning an MBA, working at USC, and authoring his book Unsealed: A Navy SEAL's Guide to Mastering Life's Transitions—a memoir focused on resilience across life's shifts rather than combat tales. The conversation emphasizes authentic leadership, the dangers of lacking purpose post-service, incremental progress over perfection, age-appropriate mistakes during change, and the power of community support, with Greene now thriving while pursuing public speaking and a potential second book to help others navigate transitions. Follow Mark on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/themarkgreene/ [https://www.instagram.com/themarkgreene/] Check out Mark’s Book at: https://www.themarkgreene.com/ [https://www.themarkgreene.com/] To check out our brand visit: https://bornprimitivetactical.com/ [https://bornprimitivetactical.com/] Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/bornprimitive/]https://www.instagram.com/bornprimitivetactical/ [https://www.instagram.com/bornprimitivetactical/] Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BornPrimitiveTactical [https://www.youtube.com/@BornPrimitiveTactical] PRODUCED BY IRONCLAD

“Leadership Is Earned, Not Given” - Bruno Fallon's No-BS Guide

In this solo episode of The HOTWASH podcast by Born Primitive Tactical, host Bruno Fallon—a 40-year veteran of U.S. Special Operations—delivers an unscripted, passionate rant responding to listener-submitted topics. He defines ethos as the foundation of true leadership and character: doing the right (and hard) thing when no one's watching, avoiding shortcuts, and living authentically to earn genuine followership across military, business, parenting, or any domain. Fallon expresses cautious support for school Guardian programs (armed teachers) only with rigorous training, proper storage, and a defensive last-resort mindset, emphasizing firearm proficiency and safety. He passionately defends law enforcement, urging gratitude and recognition of their constant risks and media-distorted realities, contrasting them with celebrated military and firefighters. Transitioning to life after service, he stresses maintaining mission, fitness, passion, and energy in entrepreneurship—prioritizing quality of life, people, and purpose over paychecks while warning against oversaturated fields like apparel or booze. He highlights Born Primitive's massive veterans' medical debt relief campaigns (tens of millions erased, with ambitious 2026 goals including first responders). On leadership, Fallon hammers home being a role model through bearing, fitness, putting people first, clear vision, obstacle removal, praise in public/discipline in private, and two-way communication. He touches on human performance (realistic goals, consistency, task-specific training, holistic movements, balanced nutrition with indulgences as rewards), hormone therapy (common need post-45 in high-stress careers, after cleaning lifestyle factors and proper bloodwork), and rejects "fat shaming" excuses while tying fitness to self-discipline and leadership credibility. The episode closes with anti-woke sentiments, calls to preserve America's restored strength, and encouragement for physical activity, outdoor exploration, and color-blind judgment of people as good or bad. Overall, it's a fiery, no-holds-barred blend of mindset advice, community support, and personal convictions from a battle-tested operator now shaping tactical apparel and culture. To check out our brand visit: https://bornprimitivetactical.com/ [https://bornprimitivetactical.com/] Follow us on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/bornprimitive/]https://www.instagram.com/bornprimitivetactical/ [https://www.instagram.com/bornprimitivetactical/] Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BornPrimitiveTactical [https://www.youtube.com/@BornPrimitiveTactical]