This Soldier Tells the Most Insane Army Stories You’ll Ever Hear!

Army infantry veteran Tyler Hoover shares the truth about serving in the U.S. Army, going through airborne school, deploying to Iraq, surviving the constant threat of EFPs and IEDs, and trying to come home after war. Tyler opens up to Urban Valor about Army basic training, the culture shock of infantry life, Fort Bragg, the 82nd Airborne, Baghdad in 2008, convoy missions, lead truck gunner danger, post-deployment drinking, losing friends, and the reality of veteran reintegration after combat.Tyler talks about joining the Army after seeing the war on TV, signing an infantry contract, losing his Ranger contract, becoming airborne, getting sent to Iraq, and realizing that some days survival came down to nothing more than a left turn or a right turn.But the most powerful part of this story may not be Iraq itself.It’s what happened after.The alcohol. The car crashes. The murders. The friends who didn’t make it home emotionally, even when they physically made it back. Tyler’s story is a reminder that war does not always end when the deployment does.Chapters: 00:00 - Intro: Crazy Army Stories & Close Calls01:26 - Growing Up in Pennsylvania & Virginia02:21 - Playing in Bands & Learning Branding02:45 - Growing Up as a Cop’s Son05:04 - Why Tyler Decided to Join the Military07:46 - Trying to Join the Marines08:26 - Joining the Army Infantry08:45 - Signing a Ranger Contract09:47 - Arriving at Army Basic Training10:51 - Finding Out He Was a Mortarman12:37 - Culture Shock in the Army17:09 - Drill Sergeants, Integrity & War Prep21:58 - Army Airborne School24:03 - Getting in Trouble With an Officer25:50 - The Army Friends Who Never Made It26:28 - Getting Sent to Fort Bragg28:34 - Assigned to the Support Battalion29:42 - Finally Getting Sent to the Line30:23 - Deploying to Baghdad, Iraq30:52 - EFPs, IEDs & Convoy Danger31:58 - Life as the Lead Truck Gunner34:37 - The Left Turn That Saved His Life36:26 - Living Like Every Day Was Extra37:19 - The Photo That Got Him in Trouble39:58 - Coming Home From Iraq40:42 - Losing Friends After Deployment42:18 - Why Coming Home Is So Hard43:35 - Drinking, DUI & Leaving the Army51:14 - Becoming a Police Officer51:57 - Working Night Shift in Orlando52:27 - The Baby Not Breathing Call57:05 - The McDonald’s SWAT Call59:21 - The Adrenaline Crash After the Call1:00:37 - Why Police Work Wasn’t Like the Military1:02:06 - Getting Kicked Off SWAT1:05:03 - The Clothing Line That Caused Problems1:06:20 - Starting the Anti-Hero Podcast1:08:11 - Turning the Podcast Into a Broadcast1:09:07 - Building a Community for the 99%1:10:23 - Why Regular Veterans Get Overlooked1:12:01 - Smoke Pit Humor & Veteran Culture1:18:07 - Lessons From Military & Police Work1:19:02 - What the Anti-Hero Broadcast Is Today1:20:25 - Final Thoughts on Regular Service Members