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Marc Andersen, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management and Comptroller, helps oversee roughly $200 billion in U.S. Army resources with one overriding mission: making sure America’s warfighters have what they need to fight and win.

In this episode of the Not Special Show, Marc takes us inside the Pentagon and the enormous responsibility behind managing the U.S. Army budget, funding military readiness, navigating Congress, supporting defense innovation, and preparing soldiers for both today's threats and the future fight.

But this conversation goes far beyond defense spending.

Marc shares the unlikely path that took him from growing up in small towns and a log cabin in Idaho to senior leadership in business and ultimately one of the most consequential civilian positions in the U.S. Army.

He also opens up about growing up with hearing loss and a speech impediment and the teacher who challenged him to stop hiding what he was capable of. That lesson became part of a larger philosophy Marc has carried throughout his career: get comfortable being uncomfortable, do good work, treat people well, and don't assume your path will be linear.

Marc's career certainly wasn't.

Before joining the Army, he co-founded a software company, became a senior leader at EY, helped build its government business, and worked in venture capital. He once thought he might become U.S. Ambassador to Denmark. Instead, a call from Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll ultimately led him to the Pentagon.

Marc also talks candidly about leadership, marriage, raising grounded kids, faith, friendship, public service, political division, and why relationships built on trust matter more than transactions.

We get into:
*What managing a roughly $200 billion Army budget actually means
*How Army funding affects the individual soldier
*The Pentagon, Congress, budgets, audits, and defense spending
Military readiness, lethality, technology, and the future fight
*Why Marc believes America's military should always have overwhelming advantage
*His unexpected path from the private sector to public service
*Growing up with hearing loss and a speech impediment
*Why discomfort can be one of life's greatest opportunities for growth
*Building relationships based on trust instead of transactions
*His 35-year marriage and the importance of family and faith
*Raising successful but grounded children
*Why Marc believes Americans agree on far more than our politics suggest
*The responsibility each generation carries to preserve American liberty

⏱️ CLICKABLE CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Why Marc is Special
04:01 Growing Up in Rural Idaho
10:48 Marriage, Family & 35 Years Together
13:44 Raising Grounded Kids in a Successful Family
23:38 Blessed to Live in America
25:10 Overcoming Hearing Loss & a Speech Impediment
26:12 The Teacher Who Changed Marc’s Life
27:54 GOVX
31:00 From EY & Venture Capital to the Pentagon
34:58 It’s About People, Relationships and Trust
37:30 The Long Road to a Presidential Appointment
39:56 Managing the U.S. Army’s $200 Billion Budget
41:30 How the U.S. Army Decides Where the Money Goes
47:11 Will the U.S. Army Pass Its Audit?
51:01 America’s Adversaries & Peace Through Strength
54:01 Why America’s Political Division Worries Marc
01:01:25 Faith, Family, Friendship & Freedom

Marc describes these government roles as temporary projects rather than lifetime appointments. His question is simple: What can we get done with the time we have?

That idea runs through this entire conversation.

Do good work. Treat people well. Serve something bigger than yourself. And don't be surprised when life takes you somewhere you never planned to go.

Connect with Liberty Speaks:
🌐 Website: www.libertyspeaks.com
🔗 Follow on Instagram: www.instagram.com/_ownyourjourney_

Checkout www.govx.com for great discounts and they give back to the community every month, the August GOVX Give Back supports the Travis Manion Foundation.

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What does it mean to become a Gold Star Family? How do you move forward after losing a Navy SEAL son in combat?

In this powerful episode of The Not Special Show, former Navy pilot Tom Feeks and registered nurse Ginny Feeks share the story of their son, Navy SEAL Patrick "Pat" Feeks, their daughter Regina Feeks, a Navy officer and physician assistant, and the journey of faith, family, military service, and resilience after unimaginable loss.

This conversation explores life in a military family, deployments, raising children while serving, the realities of combat, and what it means to honor a fallen warrior while continuing to live with purpose. If you're interested in Navy SEAL stories, Gold Star families, military life, veteran stories, Special Operations, leadership, and overcoming grief, this is a conversation you won't forget.

Tom and Ginny don't consider themselves special. After listening, you will.

In this episode:
* The life and legacy of Navy SEAL Patrick Feeks
* Becoming Gold Star parents
* Tom's 28-year career as a U.S. Navy pilot
* Ginny's career as a registered nurse and military spouse
* Raising children through military moves and deployments
* What families experience while loved ones are deployed
* The phone call that changed everything
* Faith, resilience, and finding purpose after loss
* Lessons every parent can learn from
* Why service continues long after the uniform comes off

⏱️ CLICKABLE CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS
00:24 Why Tom & Ginny Feeks Are Special
02:38 Tom's Journey to Becoming a Navy Pilot
05:59 Ginny's Nursing Career & Military Life
10:46 Navigating a Career as a Military Spouse
14:08 GOVX
15:45 Courtship Before the Internet at the Naval Academy
25:28 Going Home to a Controlling Dad
29:24 Raising Kids and Balancing Careers Around the World
33:54 Signs of a Navy SEAL as a Child
39:51 GI Joe in Real Life
42:48 Two Kids Deployed
47:16 Having a Daughter Deployed to Combat
49:26 OPSEC
52:12 Funny Navy Story Drinking at a Brothel
53:50 The Phone Call No Parent Wants, Outside of Protocol
1:00:57 Becoming Gold Star Parents
1:07:12 Humor in the Worst Moments of Grief
1:11:40 Overloaded With Admin Tasks
1:16:17 A Moment of Clarity in the Loss
1:18:15 Leadership is Showing You Care
1:20:39 What Helped Them Get Through the Tragedy
1:25:50 Navy SEAL Saves Green Beret’s Life
1:30:46 When She Knew It Would Be OK
1:35:26 Questioning Himself Teaching Military Officers
1:38:59 Lessons on Grief, Family & Purpose
1:53:07 Honoring the Pat Feeks Legacy
2:08:04 Impact of Kids Reading Young
2:11:42 Top Secret Story
2:15:15 What they value most in life

Links mentioned in this episode:
Fundraiser: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/great-frogs-wine-tasting-to-benefit-the-navy-seal-foundation-tickets-1990181159422
Fields of Athenry: https://fieldsofathenryfarm.com


Connect with Liberty Speaks:
🌐 Website: www.libertyspeaks.com
🔗 Follow on Instagram: www.instagram.com/_ownyourjourney_

Checkout www.govx.com for great discounts and they give back to the community every month, the August GOVX Give Back supports the Travis Manion Foundation.

👉 Don’t forget to follow, like, and share if you found this conversation valuable. Your support helps us bring more stories of resilience, leadership, and freedom to light.

Send us Fan Mail

How does a Green Beret become a private equity executive, business leader, and president of a multimillion-dollar company?

In this episode of The Not Special Show, former Green Beret Prescott Engle shares the incredible journey from getting kicked out of college to earning the Green Beret, serving during the Cold War in Central America, walking away from the CIA, building a successful career in insurance, private equity, and business leadership, and ultimately leading Alliance Nationwide Exposition.

Prescott opens up about the lessons that shaped him: resilience, leadership under pressure, overcoming failure, raising eight children, making difficult career transitions, and why success starts with serving others. Whether you're a veteran, entrepreneur, business leader, or someone navigating life's next chapter, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom and unforgettable stories.

In this episode, we discuss:
* Getting kicked out of college—and the conversation that changed his life
* Earning the Green Beret and surviving Special Forces training
* The instructor who tried to make him quit
* Cold War missions in Central America
* Why he turned down a career with the CIA
* Building a successful career in insurance and private equity
* Leadership lessons from the military that apply to business
* The importance of mentorship and earning confidence
* Raising eight children and building a lasting marriage
* Why education and intelligence are not the same thing

⏱️ CLICKABLE CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Why Prescott is Special
01:43 Growing Up Wild & Burning Down a Cornfield
05:03 Getting Kicked Out of College
07:53 What He Told Himself on the Way to Boot Camp
10:08 The Green Beret Recruiting Pitch
12:42 Special Forces Selection Begins
18:22 "I'm Going to Make You Quit"
26:46 Earning the Green Beret
28:02 GOVX
28:36 Life in 7th Special Forces Group
31:03 Cold War Missions in Central America
35:17 Leadership Lessons from Special Forces
36:57 Education is Not a Relative Indicator of Intelligence
40:22 Why He Turned Down the CIA
42:55 Starting Over in Insurance
46:25 The Sales Lesson That Changed Everything
48:20 Meeting His Wife & Building a Family
51:03 Liberty Speaks
52:06 From Business Consultant to Company President
57:55 A Lesson From Desert Storm
01:01:40 Surprises in the Industry
01:05:47 Changes in the Events Industry
01:07:27 Business Need to Read the Room
01:09:16 Balancing Business and Family
01:10:29 “I Was a Shit Father”
01:15:09 Finding Your Tribe
01:17:39 Getting From and Giving to the Army
01:19:17 What he Would Tell his Younger Self
01:25:24 What He Values Most in Life

Prescott's story is a reminder that your biggest setback doesn't have to define you. The discipline, humility, and perseverance that carried him through Special Forces became the same principles that helped him succeed in business and life.


Connect with Liberty Speaks:
🌐 Website: www.libertyspeaks.com
🔗 Follow on Instagram: www.instagram.com/_ownyourjourney_

Checkout www.govx.com for great discounts and they give back to the community every month, the July GOVX Give Back supports Mission 22.

Send us Fan Mail

Josh Martin seemed to be living the dream.

A West Point graduate, 160th SOAR (Night Stalkers) helicopter pilot, and one of the Army's elite aviators, Josh had accomplished nearly every goal he'd set for himself. Then a devastating motorcycle accident changed everything.

After spending months in the hospital, enduring numerous surgeries, ultimately losing his leg, and fighting to return to the cockpit, Josh was forced to redefine success, purpose, and identity. His journey eventually led him through Vanderbilt's MBA program, a career at McKinsey & Company, and ultimately to discovering that family, resilience, and purpose can take forms we never expect.

In this episode, Josh shares what it takes to overcome adversity, adapt when life doesn't go according to plan, and keep moving forward when every path you imagined disappears.

Whether you're a veteran, leader, entrepreneur, parent, or simply navigating a difficult season, Josh's story is a powerful reminder that your greatest setback doesn't have to define your future.

In this episode:
* Why Josh chose West Point after 9/11
* Becoming a pilot in the elite 160th SOAR (Night Stalkers)
* What it really takes to earn a place in Special Operations Aviation
* The motorcycle accident that changed his life
* Losing his leg and fighting to return to flying
* The emotional challenge of losing his identity as a military aviator
* Earning an MBA from Vanderbilt
* Working at McKinsey & Company
* Why he stepped away from corporate life
* Fatherhood, purpose, resilience, and finding a new mission
* Tactical patience and making better decisions during adversity


⏱️ CLICKABLE CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Why is Josh Special?
02:55 Why Josh Chose West Point
08:05 The Road to the 160th SOAR Night Stalkers
18:15 Becoming a Night Stalker
25:45 The Difference Between Army Aviation and the 160th
34:50 The Motorcycle Accident
39:55 Fighting to Fly Again
48:20 Losing His Identity
55:15 Vanderbilt MBA and Reinventing Himself
1:03:00 Life at McKinsey & Company
1:10:15 Fatherhood Changed Everything
1:15:10 Lessons in Resilience and Tactical Patience
1:18:30 Final Thoughts

Connect with Liberty Speaks:
🌐 Website: www.libertyspeaks.com
🔗 Follow on Instagram: www.instagram.com/_ownyourjourney_

Checkout www.govx.com for great discounts and they give back to the community every month, the July GOVX Give Back supports Mission 22.

👉 Don’t forget to follow, like, and share if you found this conversation valuable. Your support helps us bring more stories of resilience, leadership, and freedom to light.

Send us Fan Mail

The best teachers don't just teach subjects, they change lives.

In this episode of The Not Special Show, we sit down with Rob Hughes, Herb’s high school science teacher, coach, timber framer, outdoorsman, and one of the people who had the biggest impact on who Herb became. Long before Herb became a Green Beret, Rob saw potential in him that he didn't yet see in himself.

We talk about great teachers, leadership, curiosity, raising confident young people, education, parenting, technology, AI in the classroom, timber framing, resilience, and why the lessons that matter most are rarely found in a textbook.

If you've ever had a teacher, coach, or mentor who changed your life, this conversation is for you.

In this episode we discuss:
* Why great teachers connect while others don't
* Building confidence in young people
* Leadership lessons outside the classroom
* Curiosity, purpose, and lifelong learning
* The impact of technology and AI on education
* Timber framing and creating things that outlive you
* Mentorship, parenting, and leaving a legacy
* Why the best lessons are often never part of the curriculum
* Making Maple Syrup on land and from trees that Rob’s Grandpa harvested

Rob Hughes spent more than 36 years teaching science, coaching students, building timber frames, mentoring thousands of young people, and quietly changing lives, including Herb’s.

⏱️ CLICKABLE CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Why Rob is Special
01:24 How he Became a Teacher and Not a Park Ranger
04:10 You Should Stop Acting Dumb
05:49 The Secret to Making Students Love Learning
09:59 Why Great Teachers Change Lives
11:18 Has AI and Cellphones Made School Worse?
14:36 Why Kids Need More Boredom
16:21 The Confidence That Comes From Building Something
19:34 Why Some Teachers Never Connect
21:56 The Students You Never Forget
23:20 Herb is Thomas Jefferson to Rob
24:17 The Letter That Changed Everything
27:31 GOVX Saves You Money
28:02 Lessons That Aren't in Any Textbook
29:12 The "Amnesia Portfolio" (Everyone Needs This)
31:16 The Best Advice for Young People
32:09 Becoming a Better Parent Made Me a Better Teacher
33:34 How Timber Framing Changed His Life
44:56 Building Things That Will Outlive You
50:51 The Adirondacks and Leadership
55:31 Greatest Moments in His Career
57:55 A Leadership Trek in the Mountains Led to a Winning Swim Team
01:01:16 A Maple Syrup Legacy
01:10:02 A Passion Versus a Business, Passion Wins
01:11:15 Leadership Lessons from 30+ Years of Coaching
01:16:37 www.bigbeamstimberframes.com
01:18:47 What Rob Values Most in Life

If you enjoy conversations about leadership, education, resilience, military transition, personal growth, and the people who shape us, subscribe for a new episode every Thursday.

Learn more about Rob’s timber frame work at www.bigbeamstimberframes.com

#Teacher #Education #Leadership #Mentorship #PersonalGrowth

Connect with Liberty Speaks:
🌐 Website: www.libertyspeaks.com
🔗 Follow on Instagram: www.instagram.com/_ownyourjourney_

Support those that support us:
Checkout www.govx.com for great discounts and they give back to the community every month, the July GOVX Give Back supports Mission 22.

👉 Don’t forget to follow, like, and share if you found this conversation valuable. Your support helps us bring more stories of resilience, leadership, and freedom to light.

Send us Fan Mail

Former Navy SEAL operator, leadership coach, and Doctor of Education Dan Luna joins The Not Special Show for a conversation about resilience, leadership, purpose, and the realities of life after elite military service.

Yes, Dan served with the Navy SEALs and SEAL Team 6.

But this episode isn't about tactics or war stories. It's about what happens after the mission.

Dan shares lessons from combat, leadership under pressure, overcoming fear, transitioning from military service, processing loss, finding purpose, and helping others navigate adversity. We discuss why resilience is often misunderstood, the difference between performance and positivity, how identity shapes our lives, and what it means to continue serving long after the uniform comes off.

From growing up with a single mother in Southern California to serving at the highest levels of special operations and later earning a doctorate focused on resilience and human performance, Dan's journey offers insights that apply far beyond the military.

In this episode:
• Lessons from Navy SEAL and SEAL Team 6 service
• Leadership under pressure
• Building resilience in difficult environments
• Fear, performance, and personal growth
• Military transition and identity
• Purpose after service
• Faith, loss, and navigating adversity
• Supporting veterans beyond "thank you for your service"
• Human performance and trauma education
• What great leaders do differently

⏱️ CLICKABLE CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Why Dan Is Special
01:43 Growing Up With a Single Mom
03:01 Dan’s Secret Love For Volleyball
05:53 Being a Momma’s Boy
08:31 Joining the Navy and Becoming a Man
12:39 Navy SEAL Says Green Berts Are Cool
14:31 What BUD/S Really Teaches
19:26 Fear, Pain, and Performance Under Pressure
29:48 Naval Academy Assignment Changed His Life
34:22 The Ebb and Flow of His Faith
38:52 Educating The Mental Aspect of War
41:49 The Myth of Positive Psychology
47:49 Becoming a SEAL or Leaving the SEAL Teams Harder
51:27 The Hardest Part Wasn't Becoming a Navy SEAL
54:57 What Does Resilience Mean
1:01:01 A Civilian Mentor Meant the World to Dan
1:04:46 Building a Business In His Late 40s
1:06:31 Dan’s Recent Work in Africa
1:10:27 A Powerful Moment With a Pride of Lions
1:13:02 Charged By an Elephant
1:19:48 Has Dan Found What He Was Seeking as a Kid
1:21:48 What Dan Values Most in Life

Whether you're a veteran, business leader, entrepreneur, parent, coach, or someone facing a difficult season of life, this conversation will challenge the way you think about resilience, leadership, and purpose.

#Leadership #Resilience #PersonalGrowth #NavySEAL #NotSpecial

Connect with Liberty Speaks:
🌐 Website: www.libertyspeaks.com
🔗 Follow on Instagram: www.instagram.com/_ownyourjourney_

👉 Don’t forget to follow, like, and share if you found this conversation valuable. Your support helps us bring more stories of resilience, leadership, and freedom to light.

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After reaching the pinnacle of military service, former Delta Force operator Gary Harrington was unexpectedly removed from the unit he had worked his entire career to join.

What followed was a battle with identity, purpose, failure, faith, and finding meaning beyond military service.

In this episode of The Not Special Show, Gary shares his journey from Marine Corps officer to Green Beret, Special Forces operator, Delta Force member, and later CIA officer during the early years of the War on Terror. He discusses Afghanistan after 9/11, counterterrorism operations, leadership, resilience, life in elite military units, and the personal cost of operating at the highest levels of national security.

But this conversation goes far beyond combat stories.

Gary opens up about losing the identity he had built around being a Delta Force operator, the struggles many veterans face after military service, and how one of the most painful setbacks of his life ultimately became one of his greatest blessings.

If you're interested in Delta Force, Special Forces, the CIA, Afghanistan, military leadership, veteran transition, personal growth, faith, purpose, and overcoming adversity, this episode offers a rare and honest perspective from someone who lived it.

Sometimes the thing we believe will destroy us becomes the thing that transforms us.

⏱️ CLICKABLE CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS
00:00 - Why Gary Is Special
01:51 - Marine Corps Office to Enlisted Green Beret
06:10 - Being a Green Beret
07:46 - Did He Like Special Forces or Delta Better
10:41 - Kicked Out of Delta Affected Him
12:47 - Difference Between Delta Force and Green Berets
17:39 - What Happened After He Got Kicked Out of Delta Force
19:59 - A Panic Attack Going to 5th Special Forces Group
26:23 - Going to Yemen Before the USS Cole Attack
31:01 - September 11th 2001
36:01 - Tora Bora and the Early Afghanistan War Days
41:09 - First Day at Special Forces, Delta Force or the CIA Stick Out
42:25 - Thank God I Was Kicked Out of Delta Force
45:00 - The Toll of a Legendary Career
49:46 - Advice Learned From Being in Rooms With the Best and Worst of Humanity
54:37 - The One Thing That Made Him Successful
56:12 - Giving Himself up to God
57:38 - Meeting the Love of His Life
01:01:51 - Being a Honest Rule Breaker
01:02:53 - How His Faith Evolved
01:07:11 - Giving Advice to Young Gary
01:08:12 - What Gary Values Most in Life

#NotSpecial #DeltaForce #GreenBeret #CIA #VeteranStories

Connect with Liberty Speaks:
🌐 Website: www.libertyspeaks.com
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👉 Don’t forget to follow, like, and share if you found this conversation valuable. Your support helps us bring more stories of resilience, leadership, and freedom to light.

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Green Beret Magnus Johnson shares his experiences in Ramadi, Army Special Forces, Mission 22, veteran mental health, military transition, purpose after service, resilience, leadership, and life after combat.

Magnus joins Herb and Corrie Thompson to share his journey from the battlefields of Iraq to helping thousands of veterans find purpose after military service. He opens up about serving in Ramadi during the Iraq War, earning the Green Beret, navigating the difficult transition home, and the lessons he learned while building Mission 22 into one of the most recognized veteran organizations in America.

We discuss veteran mental health, resilience, leadership, purpose, faith, physical wellness, POTS syndrome, healing through art, and why many veterans struggle after leaving the military. This is an honest conversation about what it takes to rebuild your life after service and create a mission bigger than yourself.

Whether you're a veteran, first responder, military family member, or simply someone looking for greater purpose and resilience, this episode offers hard-earned wisdom and practical lessons that apply far beyond the military.


⏱️ CLICKABLE CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Why Magnus Is Special
01:34 Watching 9/11 Changed Everything
03:07 Ramadi 2006: Entering the Fight
04:03 Why He Chose the Green Beret Path
05:12 What Life on an ODA Team Was Really Like
07:30 Leaving Special Forces After Three Deployments
08:33 The Hard Reality of Coming Home
11:10 How Art Became a Lifeline
16:22 Building a Monument That Started Mission 22
21:27 What Most People Get Wrong About Veteran Mental Health
29:10 How Civilians Can Better Support Veterans
31:24 How to Help Mission 22
33:41 POTS
43:19 Learning From History
49:19 What we Eat Affects us
52:16 Writing “The Men We Make”
57:17 What Magnus Values Most in Life

#GreenBeret #Mission22 #VeteranMentalHealth #SpecialForces #notspecial

Connect with Liberty Speaks:
🌐 Website: www.libertyspeaks.com
🔗 Follow on Instagram: www.instagram.com/_ownyourjourney_

👉 Don’t forget to follow, like, and share if you found this conversation valuable. Your support helps us bring more stories of resilience, leadership, and freedom to light.