Marine veteran George Kite shares his account of close combat in Fallujah, the brutal realities of war, and the lifelong impact of PTSD in this week’s Urban Valor episode. From growing up poor in South Carolina—sometimes homeless—to enlisting on his 17th birthday, George’s journey is one of survival, grit, and raw honesty.

He remembers the chaos of the First Battle of Fallujah, including rooftop firefights, mortar attacks, and moments that still haunt him decades later. George opens up about accidentally shooting a combatant, encountering child soldiers, losing friends in battle, and the emotional fallout that followed. His story captures what so many combat veterans face but rarely share publicly.

George also describes life after war: working with the Army National Guard, battling depression, and discovering a new purpose by supporting fellow veterans through mental health challenges. From sniper school to urban warfare instructor to DC security assignments, George's Marine Corps career is filled with intense and emotional moments that every American should hear.

This is not just a war story. It's a human story. One of courage, trauma, transformation, and the quiet fight that continues long after the battlefield.

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Video Chapters:
00:00 – Ambushed Before the Stairs
00:22 – Enlisting After a Tough Childhood
04:30 – Living in a Sharecropper’s Shack
12:36 – Joining the Marines at 17
20:22 – Boot Camp Breakdown & Reconnecting in Fallujah
27:54 – Infantry School & Weekend Mayhem
40:00 – DC Assignments & Watching Over the White House
55:52 – “You're Not Going Back to Iraq” (But Then You Are)
1:00:09 – Rockets Hit the Chow Hall
1:08:02 – Close-Range Kill and Emotional Fallout
1:24:36 – Urban Combat and Pigeon Coop Incident
1:33:47 – PTSD, Rage, and Survivor’s Guilt
1:59:27 – Losing His Mom, Betrayal, and Depression
2:12:31 – Living With PTSD Minute by Minute
2:21:02 – Sniper School and Being Ready Again
2:29:58 – A Brief Escape to DC and Seeing the Sights
2:37:47 – Meeting Nancy Pelosi and the Best Sandwich
2:42:18 – Don’t Give Up!!

#military #warstories #urbanvalor #usmarines #marineveteran

Navy Veteran Jesse Swalley shares his story of survival after a brutal knife attack left him paralyzed. Raised in the San Fernando Valley, Jesse enlisted in the U.S. Navy seeking a better life and served as an Aviation Boatswain’s Mate from 1980 to 1986.

After navigating the dangers of the flight deck and the challenges of military life, Jesse faced his greatest battle on U.S. soil—stabbed multiple times trying to break up a fight. Despite a severed spinal cord, Jesse refused to let paralysis define him. Teaching himself how to skateboard again, he proves that resilience knows no limits.

In this episode of Urban Valor, Jesse opens up about life at sea, overcoming addiction, surviving near-death, and reclaiming his spirit.

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🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well!

✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday!

Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.

Video Chapters:
00:00 — Jesse Swalley’s Near-Death Stabbing Incident
00:42 — Growing Up Poor in San Fernando Valley
02:16 — Choosing the Navy Over the Marines
05:18 — Life on the Flight Deck: High-Risk Navy Jobs
19:49 — Shipboard Accidents and Realities of Naval Life
22:20 — Hazing Rituals and Crossing the Equator
26:53 — Life After Service: Struggles and Addiction
38:28 — Fighting to Protect a Friend
43:27 — Stabbing Attack and Spinal Cord Injury
55:18 — Learning to Walk Again and Rediscovering Purpose
1:00:21 — Adaptive Skateboarding and Marathons
1:10:02 — Finding Community and Healing Through Sports
1:17:51 — Reflections on Resilience and Inspiration

#military #warstories #urbanvalor #usnavy #navyveteran

Marine veteran Sam Williams reveals the brutal reality of close-quarters combat during the Iraq War, including the infamous Second Battle of Fallujah. In this Urban Valor episode, Sam shares his experiences from the frontlines of Iraq, where he and his unit were forced to retreat from Mosul after engaging a hostile crowd and later thrown into the bloodiest urban battle of the war.

Born in a trailer park and raised on a Northern Michigan farm, Sam joined the Marines seeking a sense of purpose after losing his childhood home to a fire. Over 13 years of service, he faced deadly firefights, watched close friends fall, and learned what it truly means to survive war—and life after it.

👍 Like this video to support and show appreciation.

🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well!

✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday!

Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.

Video Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction: Grenade Incident & Hearing Loss
00:38 – Childhood & Redneck Upbringing
04:12 – House Fire & Family Struggles
11:35 – Confronting Racism & Early Anger
15:38 – Joining the Marines & Choosing Infantry
27:09 – Boot Camp Shock & Drill Instructor Brutality
58:40 – Grenade Mishap in Combat
1:10:16 – Landing in Iraq Under Cover of Darkness
1:22:16 – Evacuation on Chicken Trucks Under Fire
1:26:21 – Leading the Assault on Fallujah
1:42:49 – Losing Fellow Marines in Battle
2:07:23 – Eulogy & Emotional Reckoning
2:11:45 – Post-Military Identity Crisis
2:28:48 – Radical Honesty & Rebuilding Life
2:32:46 – Helping Veterans Through Business

#military #warstories #urbanvalor #marines #veteranmentalhealth #supportveterans