John Frankman – Green Beret, COVID Mandates & Running for Congress: SMS #162

On this episode of Shoot Me Straight, Eddie sits down with former U.S. Army Green Beret Captain and congressional candidate John Frankman for a powerful conversation about faith, military service, leadership, government overreach, and the personal cost of standing by your convictions.Before becoming a Green Beret, John was preparing for a very different future.Raised with a deep belief in God, John eventually converted to Catholicism as a teenager and felt called to the priesthood. He spent years studying in seminary, preparing for a life of ministry before ultimately realizing God had a different path in mind. That path led him into the Army, where he would go on to serve as an infantry officer, attend Ranger School, earn his Green Beret, and lead soldiers in some of the military's most elite units.Eddie and John dive into military leadership, the realities of Special Forces culture, and the lessons learned through failure, adversity, and responsibility. From Ranger School and Special Forces Selection to leading Green Berets, John shares what it takes to earn trust, develop resilience, and lead men in high-pressure environments where excuses don't matter and results do.But John's story takes a dramatic turn during the COVID era.As vaccine mandates swept through the military, John found himself facing a decision that would alter the course of his career. Believing the mandate violated both his religious convictions and personal conscience, he refused to comply despite mounting pressure from military leadership. He shares what it was like watching careers threatened, service members punished, and military readiness take a back seat to politics during one of the most controversial periods in modern American history.The conversation explores much more than the pandemic.John discusses faith, morality, government authority, and why he believes courage begins with a willingness to stand alone when necessary. He explains how his experiences in Special Forces shaped his understanding of leadership and why those same lessons ultimately inspired him to run for Congress. Throughout the episode, Eddie and John examine what happens when institutions lose sight of their purpose, why conviction matters more than popularity, and how faith can provide clarity when everything around you is demanding compromise.This episode is about far more than military service or politics.It's about courage, conviction, purpose, and the willingness to sacrifice comfort, status, and even a career in order to remain faithful to what you believe is right.Follow John Frankman:Instagram: @johnfrankmanflFacebook: JohnFrankmanFLWebsite: FrankmanforFlorida.comFollow Shoot Me Straight:Instagram: @shootmestraightAvailable on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple PodcastsSponsors: Elevated Silence – Use code SMASH15Firecracker Farm