Battle Scars http://www.megaphone.fm en Some firefights and bomb blasts never make the news or the history books, but they’re still incidents that changed the lives of those involved. In each episode, host and former soldier Thom Tran talks to fellow veterans of our recent wars. We hear from a badly burned vet who became a TV star; a medic who says God answered his prayers on the battlefield; and one of the few women soldiers to take an enemy life in action. Thom also shares his memories of fighting in Iraq, where a sniper's bullet came within an inch of killing him. Sometimes raw, often funny, but always arresting. https://megaphone.imgix.net/podcasts/3c99d02e-7ed7-11e7-833b-43dba325a873/image/uploads_2F1528143323352-sagcecq8tu-e5941ffbdda8dabb2e30c8af751df8d8_2FBattle+Scars_Show+Tile_Panoply_2018.png?ixlib=rails-4.3.1&max-w=3000&max-h=3000&fit=crop&auto=format,compress Battle Scars http://www.megaphone.fm episodic Real stories from our recent wars Panoply Some firefights and bomb blasts never make the news or the history books, but they’re still incidents that changed the lives of those involved. In each episode, host and former soldier Thom Tran talks to fellow veterans of our recent wars. We hear from a badly burned vet who became a TV star; a medic who says God answered his prayers on the battlefield; and one of the few women soldiers to take an enemy life in action. Thom also shares his memories of fighting in Iraq, where a sniper's bullet came within an inch of killing him. Sometimes raw, often funny, but always arresting. Some firefights and bomb blasts never make the news or the history books, but they’re still incidents that changed the lives of those involved. In each episode, host and former soldier Thom Tran talks to fellow veterans of our recent wars. We hear from a badly burned vet who became a TV star; a medic who says God answered his prayers on the battlefield; and one of the few women soldiers to take an enemy life in action. Thom also shares his memories of fighting in Iraq, where a sniper's bullet came within an inch of killing him. Sometimes raw, often funny, but always arresting.

]]> Panoply panoplydev@gmail.com Yay! Training is Fun? Episode 4 4000x Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Thu, 12 Jun 2025 04:00:00 -0000 Yay! Training is Fun? full 4 Panoply A one line teaser of the episode 4000x Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 4000x

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]]> 2852 Draft Episode for Mar 21, 2025 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Fri, 21 Mar 2025 04:00:00 -0000 full Panoply Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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]]> 1217 Welcome to the world The description of the episode blah blah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Fri, 05 Apr 2024 13:00:00 -0000 Welcome to the world full Panoply Investigating all the awesome things in the world The description of the episode blah blah Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices The description of the episode blah blah

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]]> 123 Surrounded, Outnumbered, Shot in the Throat... But I Fought On. Simon Moloney took up a lonely sniper position in an Afghan building, not realising it was the headquarters of the local Taliban. Suddenly he and his comrade came under heavy fire from all sides. A bullet slammed into Simon's throat - a wound which should have killed him in minutes. Bleeding and certain he was close to death, Simon started to fight back against huge odds. It was one of Simon's best days ever.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Thu, 11 Jan 2018 05:00:00 -0000 Surrounded, Outnumbered, Shot in the Throat... But I Fought On. full 1 10 Panoply Sniper Simon Moloney survived a deadly wound and took on a Taliban attack virtually alone. Simon Moloney took up a lonely sniper position in an Afghan building, not realising it was the headquarters of the local Taliban. Suddenly he and his comrade came under heavy fire from all sides. A bullet slammed into Simon's throat - a wound which should have killed him in minutes. Bleeding and certain he was close to death, Simon started to fight back against huge odds. It was one of Simon's best days ever.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Simon Moloney took up a lonely sniper position in an Afghan building, not realising it was the headquarters of the local Taliban. Suddenly he and his comrade came under heavy fire from all sides. A bullet slammed into Simon's throat - a wound which should have killed him in minutes. Bleeding and certain he was close to death, Simon started to fight back against huge odds. It was one of Simon's best days ever.    

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]]> 1816 yes From War in Afghanistan to a Fight in the NFL Former Green Beret and NFL player Nate Boyer never picks the easy path or runs away from conflict. In Afghanistan, he learned to trust and respect the local soldiers whose lives and views at first seemed so alien to his American eyes. Back home, when quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat out the national anthem in a civil rights protest, Nate didn't shy away from the controversy. While disagreeing with the star's actions, Nate wanted to understand  - so he started a dialogue with Colin which resulted in #TakeAKnee.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Thu, 04 Jan 2018 05:00:00 -0000 From War in Afghanistan to a Fight in the NFL full 1 9 Panoply Green Beret Nate Boyer's role in a real war and the #TakeAKnee skirmish. Former Green Beret and NFL player Nate Boyer never picks the easy path or runs away from conflict. In Afghanistan, he learned to trust and respect the local soldiers whose lives and views at first seemed so alien to his American eyes. Back home, when quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat out the national anthem in a civil rights protest, Nate didn't shy away from the controversy. While disagreeing with the star's actions, Nate wanted to understand  - so he started a dialogue with Colin which resulted in #TakeAKnee.    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Former Green Beret and NFL player Nate Boyer never picks the easy path or runs away from conflict. In Afghanistan, he learned to trust and respect the local soldiers whose lives and views at first seemed so alien to his American eyes. Back home, when quarterback Colin Kaepernick sat out the national anthem in a civil rights protest, Nate didn't shy away from the controversy. While disagreeing with the star's actions, Nate wanted to understand  - so he started a dialogue with Colin which resulted in #TakeAKnee.   

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]]> 1758 yes I Fought with Hate... Until it Caught Up On Me As a soldier in US Army Special Forces, Tu Lam fought all over the world. He saw action in the wars you see on the TV news, but also in smaller conflicts you've probably never heard about. As a former refugee himself, he wanted to help innocent people in those strife-torn places. However, Tu saw so many awful things and experienced such personal losses that hate grew in his heart until it became his main motivation for fighting. That imbalance caused him to examine his career in the Green Berets and set about finding a new path.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Thu, 28 Dec 2017 05:00:00 -0000 I Fought with Hate... Until it Caught Up On Me full 1 8 Panoply Green Beret Tu Lam fought all over the world but let hate take over his heart. As a soldier in US Army Special Forces, Tu Lam fought all over the world. He saw action in the wars you see on the TV news, but also in smaller conflicts you've probably never heard about. As a former refugee himself, he wanted to help innocent people in those strife-torn places. However, Tu saw so many awful things and experienced such personal losses that hate grew in his heart until it became his main motivation for fighting. That imbalance caused him to examine his career in the Green Berets and set about finding a new path.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices As a soldier in US Army Special Forces, Tu Lam fought all over the world. He saw action in the wars you see on the TV news, but also in smaller conflicts you've probably never heard about. As a former refugee himself, he wanted to help innocent people in those strife-torn places. However, Tu saw so many awful things and experienced such personal losses that hate grew in his heart until it became his main motivation for fighting. That imbalance caused him to examine his career in the Green Berets and set about finding a new path.  

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]]> 2114 yes Don't Die with Skeletons in Your Closet In Iraq, Arnold Strong went hunting for a terrorist bomb and found it right under his feet. The realisation of how close he'd come to death again and again on his tour made him think about the skeletons in his closet. On leave, he decided to tell his wife a secret he'd buried deep inside. The revelation totally blew up his family life.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Thu, 21 Dec 2017 05:00:00 -0000 Don't Die with Skeletons in Your Closet full 1 6 Panoply Arnold Strong nearly died in Iraq so decided to confess something to his wife. In Iraq, Arnold Strong went hunting for a terrorist bomb and found it right under his feet. The realisation of how close he'd come to death again and again on his tour made him think about the skeletons in his closet. On leave, he decided to tell his wife a secret he'd buried deep inside. The revelation totally blew up his family life.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices In Iraq, Arnold Strong went hunting for a terrorist bomb and found it right under his feet. The realisation of how close he'd come to death again and again on his tour made him think about the skeletons in his closet. On leave, he decided to tell his wife a secret he'd buried deep inside. The revelation totally blew up his family life. 

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]]> 2451 yes I Tried to Help Land Our Black Hawk, Then Passed Out Tammy Duckworth was having the best day of her deployment in Iraq - at the controls of a US Army Black Hawk helicopter - when insurgents launched an attack on the aircraft. Small arms fire peppered her side of the chopper... then a rocket-propelled grenade tore through the fuselage and detonated in her lap. Now a US Senator, she says she wouldn't go back to change anything about the journey that put her in harm's way.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Thu, 14 Dec 2017 05:00:00 -0000 I Tried to Help Land Our Black Hawk, Then Passed Out full 1 6 Panoply Senator Tammy Duckworth lost her legs to an Iraqi rocket, but doesn't regret going to war. Tammy Duckworth was having the best day of her deployment in Iraq - at the controls of a US Army Black Hawk helicopter - when insurgents launched an attack on the aircraft. Small arms fire peppered her side of the chopper... then a rocket-propelled grenade tore through the fuselage and detonated in her lap. Now a US Senator, she says she wouldn't go back to change anything about the journey that put her in harm's way.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Tammy Duckworth was having the best day of her deployment in Iraq - at the controls of a US Army Black Hawk helicopter - when insurgents launched an attack on the aircraft. Small arms fire peppered her side of the chopper... then a rocket-propelled grenade tore through the fuselage and detonated in her lap. Now a US Senator, she says she wouldn't go back to change anything about the journey that put her in harm's way. 

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]]> 1862 yes The First Woman to Kill in Battle Chantelle Taylor was a combat medic in Afghanistan. She took pride in being highly trained in both those trades; saving lives, but also taking them when necessary. During a Taliban ambush on her unit, Chantelle played her role fighting off the attackers. During the firefight she "engaged" one of the enemy - killing him. Those carefully-aimed shots made her the first female soldier in British military history to take a life in combat - a status she neither hides nor celebrates.   Chantelle is the author of a memoir (Battleworn) and co-hosts the Global Recon podcast.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Thu, 07 Dec 2017 05:00:00 -0000 The First Woman to Kill in Battle full 1 5 Panoply When the Taliban ambushed Chantelle Taylor she killed an attacker... and entered the history books. Chantelle Taylor was a combat medic in Afghanistan. She took pride in being highly trained in both those trades; saving lives, but also taking them when necessary. During a Taliban ambush on her unit, Chantelle played her role fighting off the attackers. During the firefight she "engaged" one of the enemy - killing him. Those carefully-aimed shots made her the first female soldier in British military history to take a life in combat - a status she neither hides nor celebrates.   Chantelle is the author of a memoir (Battleworn) and co-hosts the Global Recon podcast.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Chantelle Taylor was a combat medic in Afghanistan. She took pride in being highly trained in both those trades; saving lives, but also taking them when necessary. During a Taliban ambush on her unit, Chantelle played her role fighting off the attackers. During the firefight she "engaged" one of the enemy - killing him. Those carefully-aimed shots made her the first female soldier in British military history to take a life in combat - a status she neither hides nor celebrates.  

Chantelle is the author of a memoir (Battleworn) and co-hosts the Global Recon podcast.    

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]]> 1934 yes When I Went to Iraq it Killed My Dad Back Home Kate Hoit had a fight on her hands from childhood. She waged a war on booze in her home, trying to get her alcoholic parents sober. She succeeded with her beloved father, until she was sent to Iraq and he fell dramatically off the wagon. Kate loved her deployment - it was the making of her - but as the days ticked off she dreaded the chaos and heartache her return would bring.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Thu, 30 Nov 2017 05:00:00 -0000 When I Went to Iraq it Killed My Dad Back Home full 1 4 Panoply Kate's alcoholic dad fell off the wagon when she went to Iraq, destroying her family life. Kate Hoit had a fight on her hands from childhood. She waged a war on booze in her home, trying to get her alcoholic parents sober. She succeeded with her beloved father, until she was sent to Iraq and he fell dramatically off the wagon. Kate loved her deployment - it was the making of her - but as the days ticked off she dreaded the chaos and heartache her return would bring.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Kate Hoit had a fight on her hands from childhood. She waged a war on booze in her home, trying to get her alcoholic parents sober. She succeeded with her beloved father, until she was sent to Iraq and he fell dramatically off the wagon. Kate loved her deployment - it was the making of her - but as the days ticked off she dreaded the chaos and heartache her return would bring.  

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]]> 1604 yes When the Caskets Start Coming Home Arti Walker-Peddakotla escaped her controlling parents by joining the peacetime army. She wanted to continue her medical studies. But as her fellow soldiers began to fall in combat after 9/11, someone had to work in the mortuary and "process" their bodies. So day after day, Arti greeted the dead as they returned from Iraq and Afghanistan in alarming numbers.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Thu, 23 Nov 2017 05:00:00 -0000 When the Caskets Start Coming Home full 1 3 Panoply Many soldiers never see an actual dead body, but Arti Walker-Peddakotla saw hundreds and hundreds. Arti Walker-Peddakotla escaped her controlling parents by joining the peacetime army. She wanted to continue her medical studies. But as her fellow soldiers began to fall in combat after 9/11, someone had to work in the mortuary and "process" their bodies. So day after day, Arti greeted the dead as they returned from Iraq and Afghanistan in alarming numbers.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Arti Walker-Peddakotla escaped her controlling parents by joining the peacetime army. She wanted to continue her medical studies. But as her fellow soldiers began to fall in combat after 9/11, someone had to work in the mortuary and "process" their bodies. So day after day, Arti greeted the dead as they returned from Iraq and Afghanistan in alarming numbers.    

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]]> 1707 yes Panoply Fall 2017 Trailer We’re thrilled to present Panoply’s Fall 2017 lineup of shows. They include the satirical self-improvement show “Dexter Guff is Smarter Than You (And You Can Be Too),” the creepy paranormal series “Haunted,” “Family Ghosts,” in which people play detectives in their own family mysteries, “You Must Remember Manson,” which dives into the links between Charles Manson and Hollywood, the immersive fiction podcast “Tumanbay,” and “Battle Scars,” which features frank and sometimes funny conversations with the men and women fighting today’s wars. In addition to new shows, season 2 of “By The Book” launches with Jolenta and Kristen trying to go on a digital diet, “Why Oh Why” talks with the founder of a dating app for men with beards, “Happier with Gretchen Rubin” offers holiday happiness hacks, “Happier in Hollywood” considers whether holiday gifts are necessary in the workplace, and “Side Hustle School” revisits some of its best hustlers. Learn more about all our shows at https://www.megaphone.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Mon, 20 Nov 2017 22:05:14 -0000 full Panoply We’re thrilled to present Panoply’s Fall 2017 lineup of shows. They include the satirical self-improvement show “Dexter Guff is Smarter Than You (And You Can Be Too),” the creepy paranormal series “Haunted,” “Family Ghosts,” in which people play detectives in their own family mysteries, “You Must Remember Manson,” which dives into the links between Charles Manson and Hollywood, the immersive fiction podcast “Tumanbay,” and “Battle Scars,” which features frank and sometimes funny conversations with the men and women fighting today’s wars. In addition to new shows, season 2 of “By The Book” launches with Jolenta and Kristen trying to go on a digital diet, “Why Oh Why” talks with the founder of a dating app for men with beards, “Happier with Gretchen Rubin” offers holiday happiness hacks, “Happier in Hollywood” considers whether holiday gifts are necessary in the workplace, and “Side Hustle School” revisits some of its best hustlers. Learn more about all our shows at https://www.megaphone.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices We’re thrilled to present Panoply’s Fall 2017 lineup of shows. They include the satirical self-improvement show “Dexter Guff is Smarter Than You (And You Can Be Too),” the creepy paranormal series “Haunted,” “Family Ghosts,” in which people play detectives in their own family mysteries, “You Must Remember Manson,” which dives into the links between Charles Manson and Hollywood, the immersive fiction podcast “Tumanbay,” and “Battle Scars,” which features frank and sometimes funny conversations with the men and women fighting today’s wars.

In addition to new shows, season 2 of “By The Book” launches with Jolenta and Kristen trying to go on a digital diet, “Why Oh Why” talks with the founder of a dating app for men with beards, “Happier with Gretchen Rubin” offers holiday happiness hacks, “Happier in Hollywood” considers whether holiday gifts are necessary in the workplace, and “Side Hustle School” revisits some of its best hustlers.

Learn more about all our shows at https://www.megaphone.fm

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]]> 303 God Loves Medics Manny Penuel says God wanted him to join the army and become a combat medic. The Lord also kept Manny safe from bullets and bombs which should have killed him. God also answered Manny's prayers as he patched up badly wounded comrades on the battlefields of Afghanistan - with some men surviving injuries Manny was convinced were fatal. But Manny is also haunted by the soldiers he could not save... and wonders how this fits into God's plans for him.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Thu, 16 Nov 2017 05:00:00 -0000 God Loves Medics full 1 2 Panoply Combat medic Manny says his prayers are often answered, but God won't let him save every badly wounded comrade. Manny Penuel says God wanted him to join the army and become a combat medic. The Lord also kept Manny safe from bullets and bombs which should have killed him. God also answered Manny's prayers as he patched up badly wounded comrades on the battlefields of Afghanistan - with some men surviving injuries Manny was convinced were fatal. But Manny is also haunted by the soldiers he could not save... and wonders how this fits into God's plans for him.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Manny Penuel says God wanted him to join the army and become a combat medic. The Lord also kept Manny safe from bullets and bombs which should have killed him. God also answered Manny's prayers as he patched up badly wounded comrades on the battlefields of Afghanistan - with some men surviving injuries Manny was convinced were fatal. But Manny is also haunted by the soldiers he could not save... and wonders how this fits into God's plans for him. 

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]]> 1872 yes Landmines freaked me out... and guess what got me? JR Martinez was trapped in a burning vehicle for five long minutes. Coming back from Iraq he had to come to terms with the scarred face that now looked back in the mirror, and the feeling that his army buddies had abandoned him when he needed them most. Just as he fought to stay alive in the burning wreckage, he now battled against the prejudice of those who found his scars horrifying. His determination to be seen and accepted saw him become a TV star.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Thu, 09 Nov 2017 05:00:00 -0000 Landmines freaked me out... and guess what got me? full 1 1 Panoply JR Martinez was badly burned in an explosion, but learned to see value in his changed appearance. JR Martinez was trapped in a burning vehicle for five long minutes. Coming back from Iraq he had to come to terms with the scarred face that now looked back in the mirror, and the feeling that his army buddies had abandoned him when he needed them most. Just as he fought to stay alive in the burning wreckage, he now battled against the prejudice of those who found his scars horrifying. His determination to be seen and accepted saw him become a TV star.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices JR Martinez was trapped in a burning vehicle for five long minutes. Coming back from Iraq he had to come to terms with the scarred face that now looked back in the mirror, and the feeling that his army buddies had abandoned him when he needed them most. Just as he fought to stay alive in the burning wreckage, he now battled against the prejudice of those who found his scars horrifying. His determination to be seen and accepted saw him become a TV star.    

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]]> 1729 yes Trailer Thom Tran took a bullet in his head on his fourth day fighting in Iraq. In Battle Scars he talks candidly to others who served during our recent wars about their own battles, abroad and at home. With Thom having been forced to swap a career in the military for life as a stand-up comedian, the show has its share of laughter, tears and salty language.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Wed, 01 Nov 2017 13:30:00 -0000 Trailer trailer 1 Panoply Iraq veteran Thom Tran talks candidly to others who served in our recent wars about their battles. Thom Tran took a bullet in his head on his fourth day fighting in Iraq. In Battle Scars he talks candidly to others who served during our recent wars about their own battles, abroad and at home. With Thom having been forced to swap a career in the military for life as a stand-up comedian, the show has its share of laughter, tears and salty language.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Thom Tran took a bullet in his head on his fourth day fighting in Iraq. In Battle Scars he talks candidly to others who served during our recent wars about their own battles, abroad and at home. With Thom having been forced to swap a career in the military for life as a stand-up comedian, the show has its share of laughter, tears and salty language. 

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