Surviving the Largest Naval Special Warfare Combat Operation | Mike Drop | Navy SEAL | Gifted K-9 Trainer | Warrior Dog Foundation - Mike Ritland

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🎙️ Today's Combat Story: Training Dogs for SEAL Teams and Founding the Warrior Dog Foundation🎙️

Today we have a cross over Combat Story with former Navy SEAL, NY Times Best-Selling Author, and Trikos Founder Mike Ritland who many will also know as the host of the Mike Drop podcast. I traveled out to Texas to interview Mike and then he returned the favor. 

For those who don’t know Mike, he earned his Trident pre-9/11 and found himself on the largest operation in the history of Naval Special Warfare when SEAL Team 3 simultaneously took control of two oil terminals and a control facility on sea and land as the Iraq war kicked off.

Mike would contract an illness that would take him out of the door-kicking side of the teams but also allowed him to follow a passion training dogs for west coast SEAL teams. He followed this path to build a successful business in Trikos training working dogs for clients and founding the Warrior Dog Foundation, among other ventures.

Mike has done so much to find purpose and continue serving after hanging up the uniform in a way that will, undoubtedly, be motivating to people seeking their own purpose and next chapter. With that, please enjoy this episode with Mike Ritland.

👇 Show Notes:

00:00 - Introduction 01:04 - Guest Profile: Mike Ritland 02:05 - Start of Interview 03:05 - Settling in Texas 07:45 - Leaving the SEALs 11:20 - Transition to Dog Training 12:57 - Confidence and Success 23:25 - Siblings and Military Path 25:49 - Fighting During Youth 36:11 - Martial Arts Training 43:53 - Path to joining the Teams 47:00 - Ultra Competitive Nature 54:13 - Almost Quitting 59:26 - Largest Naval Special Warfare Op. 01:11:19 - Kicking off the Iraq War 01:19:37 - Listener Feedback

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🔗 Find Mike Online: - Warrior Dog Foundation https://warriordogfoundation.org/about-us/

- Navy SEAL Dogs: My Tale of Training Canines for Combat https://www.amazon.com/Navy-SEAL-Dogs-Training-Canines/dp/1250049695