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Hot Ashes Podcast — Marine Corps Birthday, Veterans Day & Military Stories

Lee Butt welcomes Parker and other guests to a special Hot Ashes Podcast episode recorded ahead of the Marine Corps’ 251st birthday and Veterans Day. The conversation ranges from Parker’s 21st birthday and favorite drinks to Marine Corps birthday traditions, military life, veteran experiences, moving overseas, and the stories and rituals that stay with you after service.

The group shares memories of birthday celebrations, talks about military uniforms and traditions, and swaps stories about deployments, injuries, fitness, and life after active duty. Evan joins to discuss his Marine Corps experiences, including helicopter downwash. Stick around for plenty of jokes, neighborhood dog visits, cigar and beer talk, and a conversation about microphones and podcast recording.

Timestamps 00:00 — Welcome back to the Hot Ashes Podcast
01:07 — Parker returns and shares her 21st-birthday story
02:25 — First drinks, shots, and birthday advice
09:09 — Dogs, Penny, and neighborhood stories
10:25 — Marine Corps birthday traditions at the cigar shop
12:12 — Remembering the annual cake-cutting celebration
13:12 — Marine Corps birthday message from the Commandant
16:08 — Guests join the conversation
17:35 — Birthday gathering, cigars, and drinks
19:51 — Veterans Day and honoring those who served
20:54 — Military uniforms, standards, and branch banter
23:50 — Movember, fitness, and military life
26:09 — Drinks, food preferences, and more shop conversation
28:33 — Dogs, treats, and meeting the neighbors
32:06 — Moving, settling in, and life after service
40:09 — Retirement transition, beards, and old memories
42:24 — Yukon Cornelius and childhood movie memories
43:30 — Veterans Day plans and how to respond to “thank you for your service”
46:38 — Evan joins: cigar and energy drink talk
47:21 — Cigar tastes, craft beer, and brewery stories
55:26 — Wine tastings and grocery-store bars
59:22 — Military injuries and the transition to retirement
1:07:49 — Shooting stories and a discussion of an incident in Poland
1:11:21 — Firearms, maintenance, and old military routines
1:13:58 — Boot shining, uniforms, and inspections
1:17:20 — Uniform history and camouflage patterns
1:28:32 — Microphones and recording equipment

#HotAshesPodcast #MarineCorpsBirthday #VeteransDay #MarineCorps #Veterans #MilitaryLife #Podcast #CigarPodcast #MilitaryStories

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Lee welcomes co-host Chris and first-time guest Walia to the Hot Ashes Podcast for a wide-ranging conversation about music, military life, community, and the stories that keep a podcast going.

Chris talks about his work as an ambassador for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Heroes, his book Earn This Chair, and an upcoming author event at the Carolina Museum of the Marine. Walia shares her musical background, and the group reminisces about performing live, band history, and favorite songs.

The conversation also covers vintage maps and memorabilia, football rivalries, running and wellness, customer service and leadership, and a man’s remarkable long-distance walk around the world. Lee reflects on a recent plane crash and his family’s connection to aviation, while the group discusses military service, veteran support, and outdoor hobbies.

Thanks for watching—and enjoy the conversation!

00:00 Podcast intro and guest Walia
05:46 Chris on hyperbaric oxygen therapy
09:40 Author events and Toys for Tots
12:42 Wellness, golf, and running
21:09 Growing up, road trips, and paper maps
23:50 Vintage records and collectibles
27:21 Football and Medal of Honor recipients
31:47 The man walking around the world
37:14 Walia’s background and music
40:26 Band gigs and Marine Corps events
45:03 Childhood TV and getting older
52:24 Books, self-publishing, and leadership
59:00 Customer service and employee training
1:04:54 Music genres and band history
1:14:00 Live music and local festivals
1:21:35 Lee’s Oura ring and hand pain
1:25:48 Learjet crash and aviation safety
1:29:51 Aviation procedures and standards
#HotAshesPodcast #Veterans #LiveMusic #Leadership #Community #Podcast

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Running races is one thing. Agreeing on grits? That might be the bigger challenge.

In Episode 58 of the Hot Ashes Podcast, Lee, TK, and the crew settle in at George’s Cigars in Swansboro, NC, for race stories, strong food opinions, and the usual arguments around the table.

Cody joins us to celebrate the shop’s runners and talk about his Yellowstone and Grand Teton race plans. We get into race-day etiquette, fueling, charity races, and what makes people pay good money to put themselves through another finish line.

Then the conversation heads toward food: local restaurants, pizza, ramen, mushrooms, and a grits debate that picks up when Parker drops in ahead of her 21st birthday. Lee also shares the story of trying reindeer heart in Norway.

Along the way: what it takes to put on a band gig, Penny’s latest outfits, texting versus calling, and why this podcast could use a producer.

Pick a side in the comments: grits—yes or no? And runners, what’s your biggest race-day pet peeve?

Subscribe for more cigars, laughs, and real talk from the Hot Ashes crew.

CHAPTERS
00:00 Cigars, drinks, and the weekend
01:57 Celebrating the shop’s runners
03:23 Race fees, medals, and getting hooked
04:27 Texts, calls, and Cody’s late arrival
08:30 Beard-growing plans
10:43 Allergies and the upcoming band gig
11:17 Cape Carteret Fall Festival
16:13 Penny’s new outfits
17:52 Camera trouble and the search for a producer
19:27 What goes into a band gig—and setting a rate
21:33 A tough night performing and October birthdays
24:27 Beer history, ramen, and takeout
25:20 Pizza, coffee, and food that’s too hot
28:08 Remembering an early podcast episode
32:50 Cody joins: race accomplishments and charities
35:47 Yellowstone and Grand Teton race plans
37:23 Disney’s Goofy Challenge
38:34 Race winners and unbelievable running paces
45:20 Race etiquette and runners’ pet peeves
52:34 Race-day fueling and hydration
53:42 Parker joins: birthday plans and the great grits debate

#HotAshesPodcast #Running #Cigars #FoodDebate #SwansboroNC

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