Former Special Forces NCO and 160th SOAR aviator Nick O’Kelly lays out a practical roadmap for identity, mental health, and money after the uniform. We cover rituals for closure, building your next tribe, training attention and emotion, smart finance (emergency funds → investing), and how to protect time for family and travel. We also give brief, balanced context on the Tim Kennedy situation and why integrity—and what we amplify online—matters.

Resources & Links

• The Nick O'Kelly-

  Home - Silent Valor

  Stigma Pre-Order - Silent Valor

  Nick's YoutubeBrain to Brain Communication Article⁠

  ⁠Optimal Brain Health for Warfighters

  SponsorsNick O’Kelly — Cadence Wealth Partners

  Polestar Coffee

  Alone and Unafraid podcast: aloneandunafraid.org

• 
  
• 
  

• Nick O’Kelly — Special Forces 18C (Engineer Sergeant) → 160th SOAR pilot → financial advisor. He focuses on behavioral finance, mindset, and practical frameworks that help veterans (and anyone under pressure) build resilient, wealthy, and meaningful lives.

  • “Talk about mental health out loud—or stigma wins by default.”

  • “Your DD-214 isn’t your identity—build a new mission and tribe.”

  • “Cash buys choices. Fund the emergency account first.”

  • “Name the feeling; then you can steer it.”

  • “Use social media with integrity—reputations are built (and burned) there.”

  If you’re into this and you are a veteran, active duty service member, first responder, or anyone really, check out our podcast Alone and Unafraid. You can find it wherever you listen to podcasts and check out our website aloneandunafraid.org.
  If the episode helped, share it with a teammate and leave a 5★ review—it really helps.

  keywords: psychedelics for veterans, psychedelic therapy, psilocybin empathy, MDMA-assisted therapy (veterans), mental health stigma military, veteran transition, special operations mindset, behavioral finance veterans, emergency fund military, Tim Kennedy situation, military integrity, CrossFit risks, time management veterans, travel with family, networking after military

In this in-person episode, TMFK! and Hucky Bear sit down with Logan Brokaw and Mike Maynard—two longtime friends and veterans of the special operations community. What starts with sharp humor and shared memories turns into a raw, deeply personal conversation about survival, recovery, and brotherhood.

Logan shares the story of a catastrophic freefall accident that changed the trajectory of his life and career. Logan turned to alternative medicine—specifically Ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT—as a last-ditch effort to reset his life.Mike, who witnessed the impact firsthand, brings his perspective on loyalty, trauma, and showing up when it matters most. Together, they unpack the physical, emotional, and mental toll of elite military service—and how the bonds formed in the most intense environments can carry someone through their darkest chapters.

This episode is about more than just the military—it’s about identity, resilience, and the quiet strength found in true friendship.

Sponsors:

Polestar Coffee Company | Veteran-owned Specialty Coffee Roaster

Finance 4 Vets- Cadence Wealth Partners -Nick O'Kelley

Fitness Society Supplements

Standout Quotes:

“You just know. The second I hit the ground, I knew I broke my back.”
“That was the first time in my life I got tunnel vision from something someone said.”
“This is the only time in the Army I was just trying to chill... not better myself.”

👥 Guest Info

Logan Brokaw – Former 160th SOAR member and Special Mission Unit operator. Logan shares the intense story of a freefall training accident that left him with a spinal cord injury. His experience is a testament to resilience, recovery, and the strength found in community.

Mike Maynard – Former 160th SOAR member and Special Mission Unit operator. Mike brings a grounded, unfiltered perspective on service, loyalty, and what it means to show up for your teammates—especially when things go sideways.

Keywords: Ibogaine, 5-MeO-DMT, psychedelic therapy, veteran healing, psychedelic healing, trauma recovery, special operations, PTSD, veteran mental health, post-traumatic growth, plant medicine, psychedelics for trauma, Ibogaine for PTSD, 5-MeO-DMT experience, elite military recovery, psychedelic-assisted therapy, freefall accident recovery, spinal cord injury, combat trauma healing, alternative medicine for veterans

AI Says There’s a 5% Chance It Ends Humanity—"Cool Cool Cool” What do brain health, AI collapse, and dolphin rides have in common? More than you'd think.

In this episode, TMFK and Hucky Bear start with working-from-home challenges and end up in a wild conversation about why your brain can’t multitask, how to actually improve mental clarity, and why artificial intelligence might be quietly plotting our extinction. They also somehow squeeze in dolphin encounters, Discovery Cove reviews, and the true origin of the word “poppycock.”

It's part neuroscience, part retirement planning, and part Seinfeld-style chaos — a show about nothing that ends up being about everything.

Sponsor LinksCadence Wealth Partners-Nick O'Kelley

Thrive With Nick-Youtube series

Polestar Coffee

🔗 Resources & Mentions

• Center for BrainHealth – SMART Program

• Discovery Cove Orlando

• The Real Anthony Fauci – Audiobook

• Joe Rogan episode with Roman Yampolskiy (re: AI risk)

• Episode with Tim Thomas (breathwork & nervous system reset)

  MK ultraTuskegee Syphilis Study - Wikipedia

💬 Standout Quotes

“Your brain’s not multitasking—it’s just bad at switching.”“Poppycock literally means soft poop. Enjoy your popcorn.”“AI says it’s not going to kill us… but also says there’s a 5% chance it will.”“I just want land, chickens, and to pet a dolphin before the machines take over.”

If you’re into brain health, mental clarity, or just listening to two dudes go full Seinfeld with real talk and dark humor, hit Subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone who still thinks multitasking works.

In this conversation, Tanner Yackley, founder of Remote Warrior, discusses the often-overlooked psychological toll of remote warfare and the complexities of Drone or RPA operations. He highlights the challenges faced by remote operators, including quality of life issues, the disconnect in military recognition, and the difficulties of transitioning to civilian life. Tanner shares his experiences as a former RPA operator and the emotional and psychological challenges faced by those in the remote warfare community. We discuss the unique pressures of making life-and-death decisions from a distance. Tanner highlights the moral injuries that arise from remote combat and the urgent need for better mental health support for veterans.

Resources and Links:

Remote Warrior LLC

On Killing Remotely: The Psychology of Killing with Drones

VA PTSD Checklist (PCL-5)

VA Vet Centers

Mental health YouTube resources -Nick O'Kelly

https://remotewarrior.carrd.co/ https://invisiblewarfare.carrd.co/
https://rwpanicpack.carrd.co/
https://rwsmarthome.carrd.co/

Sponsors:

Finance 4 vets-Nick O'Kelly

PoleStar CoffeeGuest Info:

Tanner Yackley is a former MQ-9 Reaper Sensor Operator and Instructor Evaluator who spent a decade supporting combat operations remotely for the U.S. Air Force. He is the founder of Remote Warrior™, a mission-driven organization advocating for the recognition and care of drone and remote warfare veterans. Through his work, Tanner is helping bring visibility, language, and healing to a community often overlooked in traditional definitions of combat service

Keywords

Remote Warfare, RPA, Psychological Impact, Military Service, Drone Operations, Mental Health, Combat Experience, Advocacy, Veterans, Air Force, fighter pilots, RPA, mental health, combat, moral injury, remote warfare, veteran support, PTSD, community, education

In this episode, Thad and Tyler welcome back three familiar faces—Doug White, Katie Huckett, and John “Eight Knees” Turner—for a wild, hilarious, and emotional recap of their return to Scotland with the Allied Forces Foundation. From absurd duct tape survival strategies to deep reflections at Arlington Cemetery, this is a brutally honest look at endurance, camaraderie, and how shared struggle brings people closer together. If you’re looking for inspiration, laughter, and a reminder that you’re not alone—this is the episode.

Resources & Links:

• Alone and Unafraid Website

• Doug White – Episode 10

• John Turner – Episode 29

• Cadence Wealth Partners – Nick O’Kelly

• Doug White – Law enforcement officer, previous guest, and Yomp veteran.

• John “Eight Knees” Turner – Marine, poet, and endurance runner.

• Katie Huckett – Tyler’s wife, Yomp finisher, and silent badass.

  
  

“I wanted Katie to see where I feel like I actually belong.” – Tyler
“The magic wasn’t on the trail—it was in the van, in the barracks, at the mess hall.” – Doug
“Can you suffer and still come out better on the other side?” – John
“We got to the point where I just spackled my butthole with jelly.” – Tyler (context… essential)

Former Navy SEAL Ben Davis joins us to talk identity, transition, and mental health. After a decade in the teams, Ben faced TBIs, depression, and the difficult shift to civilian life. He shares how childhood struggles, wrestling, and military service shaped him—and how writing and the outdoors helped him reclaim purpose. Now a full-time writer and director of the Veterans Outdoor Advocacy Group, Ben helps other vets find healing beyond the battlefield.

Links & Resources:

• Ben’s Substack – “The Transition” – bldavis3.substack.com

• Veterans Outdoor Advocacy Group – voag.org

• Polestar Coffee – polestarcoffee.com

• Finance4Vets – Nick O'Kelly – finance4vets.com

• Alone and Unafraid – aloneandunafraid.org

Guest Bio:

Ben Davis is a former Navy SEAL, full-time writer, and Executive Director of the Veterans Outdoor Advocacy Group. His Substack, The Transition, explores the unseen side of leaving service and rebuilding purpose.

Standout Quotes:

• “Writing didn’t fix me—it gave me purpose.”

• “Mental health doesn’t come with a cast.”

• “You don’t realize how much of you is tied to the mission until it’s gone.”

🎧 Listen to Alone and Unafraid wherever you get your podcasts
🌐 Visit: aloneandunafraid.org
☕ Support the show: polestarcoffee.com
💼 Finance help for vets: finance4vets.com
✍️ Read Ben’s writing: bldavis3.substack.com

Retired Master Sergeant Darrell Utt joins us to share the brutal realities and hard-earned wisdom from his time leading Green Berets through one of the deadliest rotations of the Iraq War. From the backwoods of West Virginia to the chaos of Baghdad, Darrell walks us through his path of service, sacrifice, and leadership—and how he turned those lessons into the book Grit to Glory. We also reflect on the tragic loss of a fellow veterans and the responsibility we all share to check in on our brothers and sisters-in-arms.

Resources & Links:

• 📘 Darrell Utt’s book Grit to Glory

• Green Beret Foundation

  Woody Williams Foundation

  We Fight Monsters

• 💼 Cadence Wealth Partners – Nick O’Kelly☕️Polestar Coffee

  MSG (ret.) Jarion Halbinsengibbs Award Citation

  SFC Lindsay Award Citation

  CPT Chaney Award Citation

  
  

• Guest Info – Darrell Utt:
  Master Sergeant (Ret.) Darrell Utt embodies a lifetime of excellence and extraordinary service. Raised in Huntington, West Virginia, he rose through the ranks to join the elite Green Berets, leading high-risk missions in some of the world’s most hostile environments. Known for his sharp tactical mind and calm, disciplined leadership, Darrell has inspired those around him through his humility, unity-focused leadership, and unwavering commitment to the mission. He continues to mentor the next generation of soldiers and Special Forces candidates, passing on hard-earned lessons rooted in courage, loyalty, duty, and selfless service. Among his many accolades are five Bronze Star Medals—including one with valor for heroism in Baghdad in 2006—as well as the Larry Thorne Award for best operational detachment in the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) and the Robert T. Frederick Award for military excellence. Darrell retired from the U.S. Army in January 2017 and now lives in Denton County, Texas, with his wife

  Standout Quotes:

  • “Courage is contagious. Calm breeds calm.”

  • “We’re here now. Let’s go kill these motherf***ers.”

  • “Even the strongest warriors carry scars.”

  • “Sometimes all someone needs is a reason to push one more day.”

  
  

We’re shifting the podcast to an every-other-week release schedule. Here’s why, and what you can expect going forward. Plus, we share a few quick previews of what’s coming—some powerful conversations are on the horizon.

We love doing this, and we’re in it for the long haul. If you want to support the show, the best way is to share your favorite episode with someone, leave a rating, and if you’ve got a minute—drop a written review. It helps more than you know.

Resources & Links:

• Cadence Wealth Partners – Nick O’Kelly: https://www.cadencewealthpartners.com/nickokelly

• Polestar Coffee: https://www.drinkpolestar.com

If you’re into this—and you’re a veteran, active duty service member, first responder, or just someone who likes honest conversations—check out our full-length episodes of Alone and Unafraid. You can find us wherever you listen to podcasts, and visit our site at aloneandunafraid.org.