Uploaded July 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
What do you do when you witness a Chinook helicopter with 31 guys you know get shot out of the sky by an RPG, enter into spiraling depression, fail your team, as well as yourself, and then experience a horrible accident that causes you to lose your hand and forearmIn Aaron Kendle’s case, who refuses to be defined by failures, you pick yourself up, and lean on a never quit mindset to live life to its fullest, and achieve an incredible life.
Aaron is a retired Navy SEAL where he served as a specialized medic, sniper, airborne leader, and jump school instructor. He is a graduate of the Harvard Business School, a father, a husband and a Scottsdale Charro. Mr. Kendle is a decorated member of the United States Navy, served as a member of SEAL Team 7, NSWG-1 Training Detachment, and Naval Special Warfare Development over a 15-year career and has dedicated his post-military professional career to helping his fellow brothers in arms transition back into civilian life.
Aaron comments: “My resume may read great — but what they don’t see is all of those fails between the lines. For me, those failures stay between the lines.”
Sponsors:
– Iherb.com/TNQ
– MySheetsRock.com/TNQ
– NavyFederal.org
Photo Credit: Methodist Hospital Aortic Center
In this episode you will hear:
• Obstacles and failures aren’t your defining moments. It’s everything that comes after that you grow from.
• Major physical injury doesn’t define you.
• When major things change your life in the physical, figure out ways to do things the best you can.
• Make every day better that the day before.
• You can dwell on how great Plan A would’ve been. But when Plan A fails, you gotta come up with a plan B.
• Never leave a human hand in the freezer of your hotel room, where the cleaning staff can find it.
• After a devastating accident, the prevailing thought should be “I’m alive”.
• Terrible occurrences in your life can actually be used to give others, who are in despair, hope and encouragement.
• Perspective, attitude and determination go a long way in life.
• There’s a lot more to life. You just gotta figure out what it is.
• You don’t get any better that the SEALS mentorship program.
• Everything we accomplish in life is based on failures.
• Pain and suffering unites us all.
• If there’s one thing I think we’re good at is stuffing emotions.
• Watching a Chinook helicopter with 31 guys you know get shot out of the sky with an RPG, is like watching a horrible movie.
—
For More Fun, Follow:
Team Never Quit
Instagram: instagram.com/team_neverquit
Marcus Luttrell
Instagram: instagram.com/marcusluttrell
Melanie Luttrell:
Instagram: instagram.com/melanieluttrell
Hunter Luttrell
Instagram: instagram.com/huntero13
—
Support the Show
patreon.com/teamneverquit
—
Special Thanks / Credits
Executive Producer & Artwork - Hunter Luttrell
Audio Engineer - Joey Garza
Video Editor - John Fritzsching
—
About TNQ Podcast:
Each week join Retired Navy SEAL and Lone Survivor Marcus Luttrell, Morgan Luttrell, and Producer Andrew Brockenbush as they’ll take you into the “briefing room” to chat with incredible guests who share their greatest never quit stories. This humorous, heartfelt, and entertaining podcast is changing lives and has become a beacon of hope and resilience to those who are facing the impossible. One of the best ways we can support our community is to share their stories so that we might inspire others to Never Quit.
We’re bringing you real-life stories of men and women who took life’s toughest challenges and met them head-on, radically changing their own lives and inspiring others to do the same.
What do you do when you witness a Chinook helicopter with 31 guys you know get shot out of the sky by an RPG, enter into spiraling depression, fail your team, as well as yourself, and then experience a horrible accident that causes you to lose your hand and forearmIn Aaron Kendle’s case, who refuses to be defined by failures, you pick yourself up, and lean on a never quit mindset to live life to its fullest, and achieve an incredible life.
Aaron is a retired Navy SEAL where he served as a specialized medic, sniper, airborne leader, and jump school instructor. He is a graduate of the Harvard Business School, a father, a husband and a Scottsdale Charro. Mr. Kendle is a decorated member of the United States Navy, served as a member of SEAL Team 7, NSWG-1 Training Detachment, and Naval Special Warfare Development over a 15-year career and has dedicated his post-military professional career to helping his fellow brothers in arms transition back into civilian life.
Aaron comments: “My resume may read great — but what they don’t see is all of those fails between the lines. For me, those failures stay between the lines.”
Sponsors:
– Iherb.com/TNQ
– MySheetsRock.com/TNQ
– NavyFederal.org
Photo Credit: Methodist Hospital Aortic Center
In this episode you will hear:
• Obstacles and failures aren’t your defining moments. It’s everything that comes after that you grow from.
• Major physical injury doesn’t define you.
• When major things change your life in the physical, figure out ways to do things the best you can.
• Make every day better that the day before.
• You can dwell on how great Plan A would’ve been. But when Plan A fails, you gotta come up with a plan B.
• Never leave a human hand in the freezer of your hotel room, where the cleaning staff can find it.
• After a devastating accident, the prevailing thought should be “I’m alive”.
• Terrible occurrences in your life can actually be used to give others, who are in despair, hope and encouragement.
• Perspective, attitude and determination go a long way in life.
• There’s a lot more to life. You just gotta figure out what it is.
• You don’t get any better that the SEALS mentorship program.
• Everything we accomplish in life is based on failures.
• Pain and suffering unites us all.
• If there’s one thing I think we’re good at is stuffing emotions.
• Watching a Chinook helicopter with 31 guys you know get shot out of the sky with an RPG, is like watching a horrible movie.
—
For More Fun, Follow:
Team Never Quit
Instagram: instagram.com/team_neverquit
Marcus Luttrell
Instagram: instagram.com/marcusluttrell
Melanie Luttrell:
Instagram: instagram.com/melanieluttrell
Hunter Luttrell
Instagram: instagram.com/huntero13
—
Support the Show
patreon.com/teamneverquit
—
Special Thanks / Credits
Executive Producer & Artwork - Hunter Luttrell
Audio Engineer - Joey Garza
Video Editor - John Fritzsching
—
About TNQ Podcast:
Each week join Retired Navy SEAL and Lone Survivor Marcus Luttrell, Morgan Luttrell, and Producer Andrew Brockenbush as they’ll take you into the “briefing room” to chat with incredible guests who share their greatest never quit stories. This humorous, heartfelt, and entertaining podcast is changing lives and has become a beacon of hope and resilience to those who are facing the impossible. One of the best ways we can support our community is to share their stories so that we might inspire others to Never Quit.
We’re bringing you real-life stories of men and women who took life’s toughest challenges and met them head-on, radically changing their own lives and inspiring others to do the same.
![JONATHAN HARMON: U.S. Air Force PJ & Combat Rescue Officer Opens Up On Operation Red Wings (Part 1)
In this week’s Team Never Quit episode, Marcus has a deep dive conversation with U.S. Air Force PJ, and combat rescue officer, Jonathan Harmon.NOTE: “PJ” (Air Force Pararescuemen) are the only DOD elite combat forces specifically organized, trained, equipped, and postured to conduct full spectrum Personnel Recovery (PR) to include both conventional and unconventional combat rescue operations.
Jonathan was instrumental in successfully locating Marcus in Afghanistan with the most miniscule of data which facilitated his subsequent rescue. Listen in to Jonathan’s fascinating details of all that it takes to bring our soldiers home.
In this episode you will hear:
• My Aunt was a WASP (Women’s Auxiliary Service Pilot). She flew aircraft across the Atlantic, and trained other pilots. They would test and assure that an aircraft was safe to fly. (10:06)
• I had absolutely no intention of joining the military. I was into skating & surfboarding. (16:28)
• I loved skydiving. I was with my peeps for the first time in my life. (23:23)
• [Red ants] get real pissed off when you do 8 counts on top of them. (29:57)
• [In Afghanistan rescue missions] you’re out there rescuing kids and village elders. You want to let them know that you stand shoulder to shoulder with them. You’re not gonna leave ‘em high and dry. (51:09)
• It wasn’t that I traded a life for a degree, but that how it felt. I promised myself that I would never allow my education get in the way of my job. (65:33)
• One of the best things we learned was that one of the best medicines, sometimes, is lead. (70:12)
• Most people don’t know that 1003 Victor became known as Iraqi Freedom. (75:42)
• I had the chance to coordinate about 1,000 rescue missions. Recovery missions as well as rescue missions. (76:05)
• Reintegration is the process that returns people with homer, helping them transition back from captivity or isolation, back to their units and families so they can become “value added.” (78:18)
• We’re seeing Post traumatic stress in epic proportions. (79:26)
• As a PJ, we focus on medical – combat medicine. (80:41)
• I can’t declare a personnel recovery event, because they’re not my forces. (91:38)
• It’s important to know that a report has to come through a channel that is bonafide. (91:47)
• [Operation Red Wings – After a series of signals and analysis, I thought] what I feel like is that I’ve got somebody on the run. And I’m really certain it’s an American, because of where they’re running and how they’re running. And it gave me a confidence factor that I had at least one survivor. [97:34)
—
For More Fun, Follow:
Team Never Quit
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/team_neverquit/
Marcus Luttrell
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcusluttrell/
Melanie Luttrell:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melanieluttrell
Hunter Luttrell
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/huntero13
—
Support the Show
http://patreon.com/teamneverquit
—
Special Thanks / Credits
Executive Producer & Artwork - Hunter Luttrell
Audio Engineer - Joey Garza
Video Editor - John Fritzsching
—
About TNQ Podcast:
Each week join Retired Navy SEAL and Lone Survivor Marcus Luttrell, Morgan Luttrell, and Producer Andrew Brockenbush as they’ll take you into the “briefing room” to chat with incredible guests who share their greatest never quit stories. This humorous, heartfelt, and entertaining podcast is changing lives and has become a beacon of hope and resilience to those who are facing the impossible. One of the best ways we can support our community is to share their stories so that we might inspire others to Never Quit.
We’re bringing you real-life stories of men and women who took life’s toughest challenges and met them head-on, radically changing their own lives and inspiring others to do the same. JONATHAN HARMON: U.S. Air Force PJ & Combat Rescue Officer Opens Up On Operation Red Wings (Part 1)](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/MoXy4-sLNAA/mqdefault.jpg)
![The Moment Is Different When Youre Standing In That Sucker
ERIC O’NEILL
Former FBI Agent, Author of Gray Day and the Subject of Universal Studios’ feature film, Breach
n this week’s riveting episode, Marcus has a fascinating discussion with Eric O’Neill, former FBI counter-terrorism and counterintelligence operative. Eric played a major role in the arrest, conviction, and imprisonment of one of the most notorious spies in U.S. history – FBI agent Robert Hanssen – who was spying on behalf of the Soviet Union and Russia. Eric’s first-hand accounts of some of his day-to-day activities are events that movies are made of. He has written about his experiences in Gray Day: My Undercover Mission to Expose America’s First Cyber Spy. Eric is also a public speaker and security expert who lectures internationally about espionage and national security, cybersecurity, fraud, corporate diligence and defense, hacking, and other topics.
In this episode you will hear:
My job at the FBI was to go undercover. I never came out of cover.
There were foreign intelligence officers (spies) who sometimes were some of our own who were spying for other countries.
My father told me “You have to chase your dreams, whatever they might be.”
I’m going to stop spies & terrorists before they kill our citizens.
I was at Quantico [Marine Corps Training Base]. You earn it and you feel like you earned it.
When my wife and I were dating and people would ask me what I do, I would say “I work for the Justice Department as a Geo-Political Analyst.” That would immediately end the inquiry.
There was an instance where a high-level spy was about to be arrested, and disappear, which told us there was a mole in our intelligence community.
The FBI went on a 22-year manhunt for a guy code-named Gray Suit, the biggest spy in U.S. history.
Each time you go after somebody who might be the target you’re after, you give them a derivative code name.
What made Robert Hanssen such a successful spy, is that he was a hacker. He learned how to break into computer systems.
When the FBI had not given him the role he wanted, he volunteered his services to the Russians and gave up 2 of our top spies in Russia for no money to prove he had access. One of them was executed, and the other was sentenced to hard labor.
Analysts are the cream of the crop in figuring out how to catch spies.
Hanssen was the best, most notorious spy in US history. He was the Michael Jordan of the spy world. Nobody did the damage he did.
I was always a bit of a hacker – fascinated by computer systems. Breaking security, not to steal, but so I could understand how to make them stronger.
My mother holds the record for the most time watching the movie “Breach.”
—
For More Fun, Follow:
Team Never Quit
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/team_neverquit/
Marcus Luttrell
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marcusluttrell/
Morgan Luttrell:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mojoluttrell/
Andrew Brockenbush:
https://www.instagram.com/andrewbrockenbush/
—
Support the Show
http://patreon.com/teamneverquit
—
Special Thanks / Credits
Executive Producer & Artwork - Andrew Brockenbush
Audio Engineer - Joey Garza
Video Editor - John Fritzsching
—
About TNQ Podcast:
Each week join Retired Navy SEAL and Lone Survivor Marcus Luttrell, Morgan Luttrell, and Producer Andrew Brockenbush as they’ll take you into the “briefing room” to chat with incredible guests who share their greatest never quit stories. This humorous, heartfelt, and entertaining podcast is changing lives and has become a beacon of hope and resilience to those who are facing the impossible. One of the best ways we can support our community is to share their stories so that we might inspire others to Never Quit.
We’re bringing you real-life stories of men and women who took life’s toughest challenges and met them head-on, radically changing their own lives and inspiring others to do the same. The Moment Is Different When Youre Standing In That Sucker](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/MpOKSbr88T0/mqdefault.jpg)


![BEN SOUDERS: Shares His Personal Journals From Afghanistan, Operation Redwing Recovery Team
Courage and Sacrifice: SEAL Team 10 and Operation Red Wings with Ben Souders
In this week’s episode, Marcus and Melanie are honored to sit down with former Navy SEAL Ben Souders, who served on SEAL Team 10 during one of the most challenging and heroic moments in modern military history—Operation Redwing.
Ben takes us through his incredible journey as a Navy SEAL, sharing stories from his time in Afghanistan and reflecting on the courage and sacrifice of his teammates. We dive deep into the challenges faced on the battlefield, and how experiences like Operation Redwing shaped his outlook on life and leadership.
Ben reflects on the bravery of fallen teammates, including Marcus’ account in Lone Survivor. He also shares about his life after service – the transition from active duty to civilian life.
Tune in to hear Ben’s firsthand account of courage, brotherhood, and the lessons he learned during his time as a Navy SEAL. Ben also shares some of his personal journal notes with the listening audience as well. This is an episode you won’t want to miss!
In This Episode You Will Hear:
• [Michael Murphy] was well respected. He and a couple of officers everybody loved. (15:30)
• The physical part [of BUDS] was the hardest for me. I never thought I would quit, but I didn’t know if I would make it. I asked the Lord, “If you want me to do this, show me a sign.” And He did. I saw a Trident up in the sky. (18:12)
• I wanted to go to SEAL team 4 because of watching all the Vietnam documentaries. (27:06)
• They were passing out a paper and everybody had to write down why you joined, and I wrote “Patriotism.” (31:20)
• I’ll tell you somebody else that doesn’t get recognition – divers. (38:49)
• I was wanting to go to Afghanistan more so than Iraq just because I was never really interested in the urban-style of combat. (38:49)
• Team 10 was really cool. (41:06)
• [Danny Dietz] was a good guy from the start. When I first showed up, he always went around without a shirt. He was ripped like Bruce Lee. (43:09)
• [Danny Dietz] was always trying to mentor, no matter who they were.
• [Melanie] Q: How many people in a bee hut? A: 6 maximum. They were like mini chicken coops. (46:06)
• I hated wearing body armor. (48:59)
• Excerpt from Ben’s “Green Book:” I’m tired of all this so-called professionalism crap. I can’t wait to get out – be my own man instead of a peasant in the military. (59:31)
• How were we that close to one another when we were only there a couple of months? Just sitting around the fire talking. (78:42)
Socials:
– IG: team_neverquit , marcusluttrell , melanieluttrell , huntero13
– https://www.patreon.com/teamneverquit
Sponsors:
– Navyfederal.org
– GoodRX.com/TNQ
– kalshi.com/TNQ
– joinbilt.com/TNQ
– Tonal.com [TNQ]
– PXG.com/TNQ
– greenlight.com/TNQ
– PDSDebt.com/TNQ
– drinkAG1.com/TNQ
– ghostbed.com/TNQ [TNQ]
– Shadyrays.com [TNQ]
– qualialife.com/TNQ [TNQ]
– Hims.com/TNQ
– Shopify.com/TNQ
– Aura.com/TNQ
– Moink.com/TNQ
– Policygenius.com
– TAKELEAN.com [TNQ]
– usejoymode.com [TNQ]
– Shhtape.com [TNQ]
– mackweldon.com/utm_source=streaming&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=podcastlaunch&utm_content=TNQutm_term=TNQ BEN SOUDERS: Shares His Personal Journals From Afghanistan, Operation Redwing Recovery Team](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NyAxNqDfqwY/mqdefault.jpg)




![MATT GRIFFIN: Navy Rescue Swimmer, Undercover Cop, Advocate: The Journey to Midnight
The Journey to Midnight: From Navy Rescue Swimmer to Mental Health Advocate – A Conversation with Matt Griffin
This week, Marcus and Melanie are honored to welcome Matt Griffin, a six-year U.S. Navy veteran and fifteen-year law enforcement professional with a career deeply rooted in narcotics investigations and public service.
Matt’s journey began in 1997 with the U.S. Navy, where he would later become a certified Search and Rescue swimmer, conducting counter-drug operations that played a key role in Operation Enduring Freedom, intercepting over a metric ton of cocaine intended for the U.S. market.
After transitioning to law enforcement, Matt joined the Virginia Beach Police Department in 2003, where his drive and initiative earned him multiple awards—including the Class Act Award—and certifications as a narcotics expert witness in state and superior court.
In 2007, Matt moved to the Keene, NH Police Department, where his work with the NH Drug Task Force and later as a School Resource Officer further showcased his dedication. He earned a Life Saving Award and led the department in arrests for two consecutive years.
In 2015, Matt was selected to join the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Drug Task Force, working undercover during the height of the opioid and fentanyl crisis. His relentless pursuit of justice and education surrounding these deadly drugs led to a State Police Commendation in 2016.
After retiring in 2017, Matt has focused on shattering the stigma around mental health in the first responder and military communities. Now working full-time with Axon as a Virtual Reality Solutions Specialist, Matt is also a national keynote speaker, mentor, consultant, and the #1 Amazon bestselling author of The Journey to Midnight.In this episode, Matt opens up about:
His military and law enforcement career and the challenges he faced
What it means to serve undercover during a drug epidemic
The mental toll of frontline service—and the road to healing
His passion for changing the culture around mental health in emergency services
How immersive VR is being used to transform training and wellness in policing
Whether you’re in uniform or support someone who is, this is a powerful and inspiring conversation you don’t want to miss.
In This Episode You Will Hear:
• [The field] is the great equalizer. Nobody can bother me there. On the field, it doesn’t matter what you bring, what you showed up in, or what kind of clothes or shoes you have. It’s me against you. (18:49)
•You just never knew when to give all you had, so all you do was constantly give all you had. (31:13)
•Life’s not fair, which makes it fair. (36:45)
•Just like in the Navy, you’re not gonna do well in the beginning, because they’ve gotta see a transition to you being good. (43:22)
•We made marijuana legal, but what that did was the cartels were like “I’m not losing 30% of my profit. I’ll find something else.” (61:46)
•America makes up 80 something percent of the world’s opioid prescriptions. (63:11)
•I take full responsibility for my divorce. I forgot how to be a husband, forgot how to be a dad, and it hit me hard. (66:11)
• [My friend Brian, also the Police Chief] was checking in on me. You know what I didn’t say? “how’re you doing bro?” He checked on me and I didn’t check on him. 2 hours later he went home and shot and killed himself. (72:46)
•If you want to learn how to make ramen the right way, ask a military guy. (76:31)
•I just felt like I was failing my kids every single day. All of a sudden, this light bulb went off. The next step in my transition from the Navy to the police department to the team, is to take myself out of the game. (77:00)
•The off-ramp is – it’s okay to not be okay. (80:05)
•Once you realize that life is short, you don’t want to waste 24 hours being hungover. (86:04)
•Every day I’d wake up and I’d say. “Today’s a good day to die, so is tomorrow.” And I would try to string some good decisions together. (90:29)
•My motto is: Every day, I find an opportunity inside of my 24-hour window that I get to live to do something good for somebody else. (91:08)
•Tomorrow is a good day, and you can make it there. (93:20)
•The scariest day of my life was when I hit “publish” on my book. (100:08)
•Where I sit here today, God is the biggest influence in my life. (107:08)
•As I speak around the country people would line up to buy a book, but I realized they weren’t trying to buy a book. You know what they wanted to do? They just wanted to come and say “Hey, I’m struggling, too.” (116:10)
Socials:
— IG: authormattgriffin
Support TNQ
– IG: team_neverquit , marcusluttrell , melanieluttrell , huntero13
– https://www.patreon.com/teamneverquit MATT GRIFFIN: Navy Rescue Swimmer, Undercover Cop, Advocate: The Journey to Midnight](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/PCsdPfGtgMU/mqdefault.jpg)
