Mike Drop

Mike Ritland

Mike Drop, hosted by former Navy SEAL and bestselling author Mike Ritland, is a no-holds-barred platform that dives deep into the stories and experiences of extraordinary individuals. Known for his candid and unfiltered approach, Mike interviews guests ranging from special operations veterans and elite athletes to renowned authors and thought leaders, offering listeners a exclusive glimpse into the human side of those who have excelled in their fields. Whether it's discussing the intense challenges of combat or the resilience required to overcome personal adversity, Mike Drop provides a space where real conversations happen.

Listen in podnod RSS feed Show website

20 episodes
Updated Friday
Explicit

Episodes20

Newest first

Friday · 1 hr 10 min
80% of Russian Drones Never Reach Ukraine—Here's the Robot War | Ep. 302 | Pt. 3
In the final part, Mike LeBlanc explains why Ukraine has become a real-time preview of future warfare, where robots and drones now do most of the fighting and over 80% of incoming Russian drones are stopped before impact. He breaks down the political reasons Russia hasn't crushed Ukraine, the underexplored frontier of subsurface warfare exposed by Iran, and why he believes autonomy—not new weapons types—is the true turning point in combat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Thursday · 1 hr 14 min
Ukraine Battlefield Tests: Robots That Can Now Open Fire | Ep. 302 | Pt. 2
In Part 2, Mike LeBlanc details how a chance call pulled him away from a private equity offer and into Silicon Valley, where he co-founded Cobalt Robotics before launching Foundation Future Industries. He walks through the brutal early days of building a robotics startup, a company crisis over fabricated sales contracts that forced him to overhaul the business, and the pivot into humanoid robots for the Department of War. The conversation turns to real combat testing in Ukraine, the ethical debate inside his own company over weaponizing robots, human-in-the-loop safeguards against battlefield mistakes, and why he believes America—not China—will lead the humanoid robotics race. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Tuesday · 1 hr 13 min
He Built the Defense Humanoid Robots Now Fighting in Ukraine | Ep. 302 | Pt. 1
Former Marine Corps officer, Harvard Business School graduate, and entrepreneur Mike LeBlanc spent 13 years in the Marine Corps, including back-to-back deployments advising Afghan forces, service with First Recon, a joint special operations task force in Bahrain, and a Pentagon role evaluating emerging military technology. After leaving active service, he founded Cobalt Robotics and later co-founded Foundation Future Industries. In this episode, we dig into his early days advising Afghan forces, including a green-on-blue attack just 30 days into his deployment after an Afghan soldier saw news coverage surrounding the “Innocence of Muslims” film. We then shift into his work building humanoid robots and why he believes they could eventually replace American troops in some of the battlefield’s most dangerous roles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 24 · 1 hr 2 min
WAR BENEATH THE SURFACE: Tunnels, Sub-Terra Combat, and the Next Battlefield | Ep. 301 | Pt. 3
In the final part of this conversation, Major John Spencer breaks down the discipline he's built his career on: urban warfare. He explains why cities are the most complex environment any military can fight in, why the U.S. lacks real expertise in fighting underground, and how history's most costly urban battles keep repeating the same avoidable mistakes. He closes by discussing what he sees as the next frontier of warfare — the world beneath our feet. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 23 · 57 min
THE COST OF COMMAND: 150 Lives, Zero Sleep, and the Making of an Urban Warfare Expert | Ep. 301 | Pt. 2
Major John Spencer is a retired U.S. Army officer who served 25 years in uniform, including two combat tours in Iraq as an infantry platoon leader and later as a company commander during the Battle of Sadr City. In this part 2, he describes taking command of a company hours after it was devastated by an Iranian-backed rocket attack, and explains how he rebuilt a broken, stop-lossed unit into one of the most requested companies in his battalion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 21 · 1 hr 8 min
TOP WAR STRATEGIST: Why the Iran Escalation Theory Left Out What Mattered Most | Ep. 301 | Pt. 1
Major John Spencer is a retired U.S. Army officer with more than 25 years of service and is widely recognized as one of the world’s leading experts on urban warfare. In this conversation, he breaks down the conflict with Iran, challenges popular predictions about escalation, and explains why war remains inherently human, political, and unpredictable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 17 · 54 min
Free Will, Faith, and Second Chances After the Fall | Ep. 300 | Pt. 3
In the final part of this conversation, Derek Janisch talks about rebuilding his life after prison — reconnecting with his ex-wife in Hawaii, moving back to California, and starting over as a father, husband, and businessman. The conversation closes with a deep dive into faith, free will, and how his time in jail shaped a worldview built on second chances. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 16 · 52 min
He Survived Afghanistan, Then Got Shot Growing Weed | Ep. 300 | Pt. 2
Derek Janisch spent a decade in the SEAL Teams, deploying to Afghanistan and the Philippines, before his life came apart at home. In this part 2, he talks openly about the affair that ended his marriage, the arrests that followed, and the night on a Humboldt County cannabis farm when a dispute over money ended with him being shot in the chest. It's a raw look at what happens when a warrior's nervous system has nowhere left to go, and how one man found his way back. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 14 · 54 min
I Survived Afghanistan, But Almost Got K*lled in California Over $3k | Ep. 300 | Pt. 1
Derek Janisch took PKM and RPG fire in Afghanistan and walked away alive. Years later on a California cannabis farm, an argument over $3,000 put a bullet in his chest. In this episode he breaks down both nights, the firefight that should have killed him and the one that almost did, plus the recovery, the scar people mistake for a war wound, and how he ended up back in California teaching shooting at the Outfit. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 10 · 1 hr 21 min
Why the Epstein Files and Its Names Are Never Touched | Ep. 299 | Pt. 3
In the final part of this conversation, Nic McKinley traces his path from private personal recovery work to founding DeliverFund, and delivers a hard-hitting breakdown of the forces enabling child trafficking in America today. He names Roblox CEO David Baszucki's own words on predators and minors, connects the Epstein files to a broader pattern of political silence, and lays out the exact mechanics—burner phones, anonymity loopholes, and smartphone adoption—that turned trafficking into a scalable market. Nic closes with concrete policy proposals and a direct challenge to parents and everyday listeners on what real accountability looks like. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 9 · 1 hr 27 min
CIA Recruitment, High-Speed Chases, and the Op That Led to DeliverFund | Ep. 299 | Pt. 2
Nic McKinley returns for Part 2, picking up right after his time as a Pararescue instructor and walking through his recruitment into a specialized CIA unit. He details the grueling 30-day vetting process, the shooting standards that eliminated seasoned special operators, and the small-team tactics that shaped his work overseas. Nic recounts high-speed chases, joint operations with elite military units, and his rise to Country Team Leader in a nuclear-armed nation—before revealing the two pivotal moments that first exposed him to child trafficking and set him on the path toward founding DeliverFund. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 7 · 1 hr 23 min
PJ Turned CIA Spy Breaks Silence on Human Trafficking in America | Ep. 299 | Pt. 1
Former U.S. Air Force Pararescueman and CIA officer Nic McKinley — a Harvard grad dubbed "the real Jack Ryan" for his operational background across spec ops and intelligence work — breaks down how his 11 years as a PJ and later role as country chief of a special CIA unit exposed him to the realities of child trafficking and illicit markets, work that eventually became the foundation for DeliverFund, the nonprofit he now runs that arms law enforcement with technology, actionable intelligence, training, and data-driven tools to fight human trafficking. We dig into how smartphones and gaming platforms turned into a direct pipeline connecting predators to kids, why the policy fixes are obvious but the people with the power to enact them won't touch it, and what it actually takes to hunt a human trafficker for a living. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 3 · 1 hr 18 min
From Imposter to Disciple: Tu Lam on Finding Christ After Fame, Psychedelics & a Broken Heart | Ep. 298 | Pt. 3
In the final chapter of Tu Lam's story, the walls come down completely. Part 3 opens where the inner war is still raging — fame, an imposter's burden, and a broken heart that Eastern philosophy and psychedelics couldn't fully fix. What follows is Tu's account of the moment he finally surrendered to Jesus Christ, how three years of daily Bible study rewired his understanding of sin, sacrifice, and purpose, and what it now means to walk as a disciple in the tactical and law enforcement world he built his name in. Host Mike Ritland and Tu also go deep on marriage in special operations, the global consequences of the Iraq War, the trap of media consumption, and what Tu carries every day — on his hip and in his heart. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
July 2 · 1 hr 17 min
Call of Duty's Most Downloaded Character: Opiates, Ibogaine & Seeing Jesus | Ep. 298 | Pt. 2
Former Green Beret and Special Mission Unit operator Tu Lam opens up about the hidden battles that followed one of the most decorated careers in special operations. In Part 2, Tu and host Mike Ritland go deep on his years conducting covert intelligence work, the opiate addiction that took root after a 2005 IED blast and quietly consumed nearly a decade of his life, and the shame of a medical retirement he never felt he earned. From rock bottom in a dark room to becoming the most downloaded character in Call of Duty history, Tu traces the long road back — through psychedelics, spiritual warfare, and an encounter he never expected — to something that finally gave him peace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
June 30 · 1 hr 23 min
Tu Lam: How a Vietnamese Refugee Became a Green Beret & Call of Duty Character | Ep. 298 | Pt. 1
Former Green Beret Tu Lam served over 23 years in Special Forces, deploying to 27 countries, and is the founder of Ronin Tactics and author of The Way of the Ronin. In this episode, Tu shares the full arc of his extraordinary life — from being born in Saigon and escaping war-torn Vietnam as a child refugee on a wooden fishing boat, to becoming one of the most elite operators in the U.S. military. They dig into the Bushido code, the warrior's path, faith, addiction, and what it truly means to surrender. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
June 26 · 1 hr 6 min
Florida Lt. Governor Jay Collins on Trump's Endorsement, AI Dangers, & Why Florida Must Not Fall Back | Ep. 297 | Pt. 3
Jay Collins — Green Beret, combat amputee, and Florida's Lieutenant Governor — is now running for Governor, going up against a Trump-endorsed opponent in what he calls a fight to protect Florida's values and keep the state from falling backward. In this episode, Jay breaks down why he's speaking out against his primary opponent, foreign interference in Florida politics, the dangers of unchecked AI and hyperscale data centers, his push for classical education and trade apprenticeships, and why he believes when Florida leads, America wins. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
June 25 · 1 hr 12 min
Florida Lt. Governor Jay Collins: Retiring From Special Forces, the VA System, & Fixing America From the State Level | Ep. 297 | Pt. 2
Jay Collins served as a one-legged Green Beret before retiring on his own terms, then transitioned into nonprofit work and eventually Florida politics — passing 55 bills in three years as a state senator and now serving as Lieutenant Governor under Ron DeSantis while running for Governor. In this episode, Jay breaks down the VA system's failures and how to fix them, why states should lead where Washington has repeatedly failed, and what it takes to bring a combat veteran's mindset into government. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
June 23 · 1 hr 7 min
GREEN BERET Did Field Surgery on His Own Arm With No Doctor & Stayed in the Fight | Ep. 297 | Pt. 1
Jay Collins spent 23 years in Army Special Forces, serving in South America and the Middle East as a Green Beret, where he was shot in the arm and ultimately lost a leg from injuries sustained in combat. A recipient of two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star, and the Combat Infantryman Badge, Jay went on to serve in the Florida State Senate and now serves as Lieutenant Governor of Florida, currently running for Governor. In this episode, he takes us back to Firebase Anaconda in Afghanistan, one of the worst defensible positions imaginable, and breaks down the presence patrol where he took a round to the arm, the mortar blast that would silently cost him his leg years later, and what it took to keep fighting through all of it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
June 19 · 1 hr 34 min
Kyle Morgan on the Mali Hostage Rescue, Moral Injury, Sobriety & Serving Others | Ep. 296 | Pt. 3
Kyle Morgan opens up with raw honesty about his decade with 1st SFOD-D (Delta Force). He details the legendary Radisson Blu Hotel hostage rescue in Mali that he led, the intense pre- and post-Radisson deployments, the personal toll of repeated blast injuries and combat trauma, his struggles with alcohol, opioids, ego, and moral injury, multiple DUIs, and the difficult path to redemption, sobriety, faith, and retirement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
June 18 · 1 hr 42 min
From 82nd Airborne to Delta Force: Kyle Morgan’s Path Through Combat | Ep. 296 | Pt. 2
Kyle Morgan continues his conversation with Mike Ritland, detailing his remarkable journey through the U.S. Army. From his turbulent youth and early deployments with the 82nd Airborne in Iraq, through Ranger School, the Old Guard, and Special Forces as a Green Beret, to his selection and service with 1st SFOD-D (Delta Force), Kyle offers unfiltered insights into combat, leadership, personal struggles with alcohol and ego, team dynamics, failure and redemption at Delta selection, and the profound impact of service on his life and faith. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Drop

80% of Russian Drones Never Reach Ukraine—Here's the Robot War | Ep. 302 | Pt. 3

Ukraine Battlefield Tests: Robots That Can Now Open Fire | Ep. 302 | Pt. 2

He Built the Defense Humanoid Robots Now Fighting in Ukraine | Ep. 302 | Pt. 1

WAR BENEATH THE SURFACE: Tunnels, Sub-Terra Combat, and the Next Battlefield | Ep. 301 | Pt. 3

THE COST OF COMMAND: 150 Lives, Zero Sleep, and the Making of an Urban Warfare Expert | Ep. 301 | Pt. 2

TOP WAR STRATEGIST: Why the Iran Escalation Theory Left Out What Mattered Most | Ep. 301 | Pt. 1

Free Will, Faith, and Second Chances After the Fall | Ep. 300 | Pt. 3

He Survived Afghanistan, Then Got Shot Growing Weed | Ep. 300 | Pt. 2

I Survived Afghanistan, But Almost Got K*lled in California Over $3k | Ep. 300 | Pt. 1

Why the Epstein Files and Its Names Are Never Touched | Ep. 299 | Pt. 3

CIA Recruitment, High-Speed Chases, and the Op That Led to DeliverFund | Ep. 299 | Pt. 2

PJ Turned CIA Spy Breaks Silence on Human Trafficking in America | Ep. 299 | Pt. 1

From Imposter to Disciple: Tu Lam on Finding Christ After Fame, Psychedelics & a Broken Heart | Ep. 298 | Pt. 3

Call of Duty's Most Downloaded Character: Opiates, Ibogaine & Seeing Jesus | Ep. 298 | Pt. 2

Tu Lam: How a Vietnamese Refugee Became a Green Beret & Call of Duty Character | Ep. 298 | Pt. 1

Florida Lt. Governor Jay Collins on Trump's Endorsement, AI Dangers, & Why Florida Must Not Fall Back | Ep. 297 | Pt. 3

Florida Lt. Governor Jay Collins: Retiring From Special Forces, the VA System, & Fixing America From the State Level | Ep. 297 | Pt. 2

GREEN BERET Did Field Surgery on His Own Arm With No Doctor & Stayed in the Fight | Ep. 297 | Pt. 1

Kyle Morgan on the Mali Hostage Rescue, Moral Injury, Sobriety & Serving Others | Ep. 296 | Pt. 3

From 82nd Airborne to Delta Force: Kyle Morgan’s Path Through Combat | Ep. 296 | Pt. 2