Veterans for Veterans Podcast

Former Royal Artillery Fire Support Team Commander Scott "Mitch" Mitchell recalls the moment he realised he was standing on a suspected IED during a patrol in Afghanistan.After a major contact, Mitch spotted the signs beneath his feet and faced an impossible decision: stay where he was, call in EOD, or step off and hope for the best.In this clip, he shares what was going through his mind, accepting the possibility of death, and the leadership lessons he took from one of the defining moments of his military career.🎙️ Watch the full episode for Mitch's incredible story here:#VeteransForVeterans #BritishArmy #AfghanistanVeteran #RoyalArtillery #MilitaryPodcast #VeteranStories #IED #MilitaryLife

Former Royal Engineers, Royal Artillery and Army Air Corps veteran Scott "Mitch" Mitchell joins the Veterans for Veterans Podcast to share an incredible military journey that spans Iraq, Afghanistan, Fire Support Teams, near-death experiences, leadership lessons, and the life-changing impact of surfing.From joining the Army almost by accident, to standing on a suspected IED in Helmand Province, to the moment he believed he was seconds away from issuing a "9mm sleeping pill" during a chaotic contact, Mitch's story is packed with humour, honesty, and hard-earned perspective.This is a powerful conversation about resilience, identity, purpose, and why sometimes the opportunities you take on instinct can change your life forever.

⚠️ Content warning: This episode discusses PTSD, mental health struggles, and suicide. If you need support, please reach out to someone you trust or a professional service in your area.What happens when you're told your trauma will never go away?In this powerful and honest conversation, with Chris Binch and Ted Shirley, a former British Army Sniper, Ted opens up about being diagnosed with PTSD and the moment it felt like a life sentence. From hitting rock bottom, battling alcohol, anger, and suicidal thoughts, to questioning everything he’d been told… this is a raw look at what that reality feels like.But this isn’t just about the struggle.It’s about what came next.This episode covers: The devastating impact of being told “you’ll have to live with this forever”How hopelessness can become the most dangerous place to beWhy so many veterans stay silentThe turning point that shifted everythingPractical steps that actually helped (even when nothing else did)Why recovery is possible - despite what you’ve been toldThis episode challenges a common belief around PTSD and offers a message that many people need to hear: change is possible.If you’re struggling, or you know someone who is, you’re not alone and there are other ways forward.Full podcast here: https://youtu.be/XGWYasjh7Wo?si=z5M-Qzf8wvnQp1kJTed's socials: @authortedshirley AFGHANISTAN SNIPER audiobook out now: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Afghanistan-Sniper-Audiobook/B0GT1QKNHFChris' socials: @theoldparatrooperpodcast

Ted Shirley is a former British Army sniper with the Royal Welsh. After multiple tours of Afghanistan, Ted was told PTSD would be something he would have to live with for life.In this episode of the Veterans for Veterans Podcast, Ted speaks openly about combat, trauma, survivor’s guilt, addiction, and the moments that nearly ended his life - as well as the long, difficult road to recovery.Today, Ted says he is fully recovered. Not cured overnight. Not fixed easily. But living proof that PTSD does not have to be a life sentence.Ted’s book Afghanistan Sniper: https://tedshirley.co.uk/collections/allTed's Social Media: @TedShirleyAuthor Want to hear more from Ted? Head over to Chris' channel where he uncovers his full story: https://youtu.be/8k29h9KZVCA?si=aOq0iD6HIETW2HdT#CrapFriend #ptsd #ptsdawareness #militarylife

In this episode, Gina Atkinson sits down with Dave Coleman to talk about her experiences serving as a Royal Signals Engineer. From the challenges of training and deployment to the personal lessons learned along the way, Gina shares an honest and insightful look at life in the Armed Forces.The conversation explores what motivated Gina to join, the realities of military service as a woman, and how those experiences shaped her perspective both during and after her time in uniform.

Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of sensitive and potentially distressing topics, including war, murder, sexual abuse and child sexual abuse. Viewer discretion is strongly advised. Join Paul Rees and Jay Morton as he shares his intense, firsthand experiences serving in Kosovo, Bosnia, and Libya. From combat operations and near-death incidents to life-changing injuries and the challenges of returning home, this is a raw and unfiltered account of military service, war zones, and ultimately, survival.

Brian Wood and Jay Morton take a deeper look into Arctic Adventure: Ultimate Survival and reveal the brutal reality of Project Fire and Ice. From grueling conditions to intense emotional moments, Brian recounts what it was like to survive three days of hell in the Arctic - the challenges, the fear, and the sheer determination it took to make it through.Join them as they reflect on the highs, the lows, and the lessons learned from one of the most extreme adventures on television.

Warning: This episode contains discussions of combat, traumatic injuries, and loss that some viewers may find distressing.Twenty years on, Stu Pearson, Stu Hale, Tug Hartley and Gary Hart share their firsthand accounts of the events that unfolded on 6 September 2006. From the initial mine strike to the desperate rescue operation that followed, they recount the chaos, the courage, the dark humour, and the bonds that helped them survive one of the most harrowing days of their lives.They discuss:The reality of serving in Afghanistan during Operation Herrick IVHow the Kajaki incident unfoldedThe rescue efforts inside an active minefieldThe loss of Lance Corporal Mark Wright GCThe physical and psychological impact of the incidentBrotherhood, resilience and life after warThis is not a retelling from history books or headlines. It's the story from the men who lived it.#Kajaki #Afghanistan #BritishArmy #ParachuteRegiment #Veterans #MilitaryPodcast #TheDitPitPodcast #OperationHerrick #MilitaryHistory #BritishVeterans #MarkWrightGC #3PARA #AfghanWar #VeteranStories #CombatStories

In this episode, we sit down with George, a currently serving soldier from the 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment, for an honest conversation with Chris Binch about what life in the British Army is really like today.Filmed on location at the foot of Pen y Fan in the Brecon Beacons, we discuss George’s journey from civilian life into the infantry, the modern recruitment process, basic training, battalion life, and how military culture has changed over the years.

For years, being a Royal Marine was more than a job. It was an identity.In this episode, Dan Holder and Chris Binch talk honestly about PTSD, using alcohol to silence difficult thoughts, and the struggle many veterans face when the military chapter of their life comes to an end.Watch the full podcast here: https://youtu.be/1lALdKveXbwDan's socials:  @DutyHappyBloke  Chris' socials:  @TheOldParatrooperpodcast  #royalmarines #veteranstories #ptsd