Skip to content
Fighting to Be Mediocre episode artwork

EPISODE · Oct 2, 2026 · 1H 28M

Fighting to Be Mediocre

from Volume of Fire · host Ryan Cleckner & Nishan Campbell

In the first episode of Volume of Fire, former Army Ranger sniper Ryan Cleckner and longtime Marine officer Nishan Campbell sit down at Gunfighter Canyon for an unfiltered conversation about guns, the military, and ego. They start with why the average gun store wouldn't survive in any other industry, and why "NRA certified" and leading with your resume should make you a little suspicious. From there it's mental toughness: cold plunges, Ryan's 125-mile ultramarathon, and his admission that in the Rangers he had to "wake up every single morning and fight to be mediocre." They also compare Ranger School with the Marine Corps' The Basic School, argue that a course can screen you or teach you but not both, and make the case for being proud of your service even if you never kicked a door. They close with staying relevant as you age, the Dunning-Kruger effect, a fresh jiu-jitsu purple belt, and what "Volume of Fire" really means.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Oct 2, 2026

Embed this episode

Ready to play

Fighting to Be Mediocre

0:00 1:28:18

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

No similar episodes found.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of Volume of Fire?

This episode is 1 hour and 28 minutes long.

When was this Volume of Fire episode published?

This episode was published on October 2, 2026.

Can I download this Volume of Fire episode?

Yes. Use the download control on the episode player to save the publisher-provided media file.
URL copied to clipboard!