Stan R. Mitchell's Blog, page 8
July 4, 2024
The 7-4-24 edition of The View from the Front podcast.

Welcome to The View from the Front podcast. My name is Stan and this is the July 4th edition.
You can listen to the podcast by clicking the link above. There is also an AI-generated transcript that you can find above. Or, you can find the podcast on your favorite channel by searching by name Stan R. Mitchell and The View from the Front.
If you just happened to stumble by, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.
For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.
Every week, I primarily do three things with my podcast:
Cover emerging hotspots and foreign policy news that you absolutely should know. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)
Work to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)
And finally, I always share plenty of motivation and encouragement at the end of each episode.
Take a listen to the podcast. I really hope you get something out of it.
Or, you can find the podcast on your favorite channel below:




I really hope you get something out of it.
By the way, you can sign up to support the show at the link below. (Or use the two options below that.)
You can also now sign up at Patreon or send a tip through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell).
Selected source notes for podcast and transcript above.
U.S. news:
Reminder of the debate: Trump made more than 30 false claims during CNN’s presidential debate — far more than Biden
Trump’s repeat falsehoods included his assertions that some Democratic-led states allow babies to be executed after birth, that every legal scholar and everybody in general wanted Roe v. Wade overturned, that there were no terror attacks during his presidency, that Iran didn’t fund terror groups during his presidency, that the US has provided more aid to Ukraine than Europe has, that Biden for years referred to Black people as “super predators,” that Biden is planning to quadruple people’s taxes, that then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi turned down 10,000 National Guard troops for the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, that Americans don’t pay the cost of his tariffs on China and other countries, that Europe accepts no American cars, that he is the president who got the Veterans Choice program through Congress, and that fraud marred the results of the 2020 election.
Trump also added some new false claims, such as his assertions that the US currently has its biggest budget deficit and its biggest trade deficit with China. Both records actually occurred under Trump.
Biden made at least nine false or misleading claims in the debate. He used false numbers while describing two of his key Medicare policies, falsely claimed that no US troops had been killed on his watch, repeated his usual misleading figure about billionaires’ tax rates, baselessly claimed that Trump wants to eliminate Social Security, falsely said that the unemployment rate was 15% when he took office, inaccurately said that the Border Patrol union had endorsed him before clarifying that he was talking about agents’ support for the border bill he had backed, and exaggerated Trump’s 2020 comments about the possibility of treating Covid-19 by injecting disinfectant.
Biden and aides concede he needs to quickly demonstrate his fitness for office

This has been a long time coming and what a disgraceful end for a man who helped rally our country after 9/11. The lesson is clear: Never sell your soul -- or your integrity -- to any other person.
Steve Bannon reports to prison for contempt of Congress sentence
Alex Jones’ court trustee plans to shut down his notorious conspiracy outlet Infowars
Ukraine news:



China and the Philippines hold crucial talks to ease tensions after intense clash in disputed waters
Philippines to be 'relentless' in protecting interests in South China Sea, it says
Taiwan says China seized fishing boat under new protocol
Haiti news:Haiti’s prime minister says Kenya police is crucial to controlling gangs, calls early days positive
Motivation and encouragement:
Haitian Prime Minister Garry Conille told the U.N. Security Council Wednesday that recently-deployed Kenyan police will be crucial to helping control the country’s gangs and moving toward democratic elections — and he called feedback from their initial days in the capital “extremely, extremely positive.”
He said his government will focus on addressing gang violence and food insecurity, ensuring free elections through constitutional and political reform, and rebuilding public trust in the police.
On June 25, the initial contingent of 200 Kenyan police arrived in Port-au-Prince. Kenya has pledged 1,000 police to the international police force and Conille said the next contingent will be arriving “very soon.” They will later be joined by police from the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Benin, Chad and Jamaica in the force that will total 2,500 personnel.
Here’s some motivation and encouragement for you, because we all know that life is hard and pep talks help.








I always like to share a few from the Bible, or that touch on Jesus, because Christianity and the Bible have become such a source of strength and wisdom and calm for me during the past couple of years.
And I hope by sharing a few, it might encourage you to get into the Bible yourself. Because I think it’ll really help you.






And, I always like to end each week’s notes with this one:

And with that, thanks for joining us this week on The View from the Front.
If you can, consider at some point becoming a paid subscriber.
The View from the Front. By Stan R. Mitchell. is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
That’s it for this edition.
Love my moderate, optimistic view of politics and want to know more about how I see things?
Go here:

Dealing with PTSD? Emotionally or mentally at rock bottom? Here’s the link to my faith newsletter: Be like Ozzie; go near your master. (The power of prayer. Part 1.)
As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.
So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.
Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.
Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.
Love and peace,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. Don’t forget that I've also written twelve fast, exciting books.
Finally, I also write a faith blog about God and the Bible. (As a child, I was wounded badly by the church and left it to study other religions, before returning to the faith of my roots.)


#mil #podcast #military #ukraine #china #russia #RussiaUkraineWar #motivation #inspiration #Bible #usmc #army #navy #airforce #politics #defensenews #OSINT #theviewfromthefront
June 20, 2024
The 6-20-24 edition of The View from the Front podcast.

Welcome to The View from the Front podcast. My name is Stan and this is the June 20th edition.
You can listen to the podcast by clicking the link above. There is also an AI-generated transcript that you can find above. Or, you can find the podcast on your favorite channel by searching by name Stan R. Mitchell and The View from the Front.
If you just happened to stumble by, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.
For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.
Every week, I primarily do three things with my podcast:
Cover emerging hotspots and foreign policy news that you absolutely should know. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)
Work to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)
And finally, I always share plenty of motivation and encouragement at the end of each episode.
Take a listen to the podcast. I really hope you get something out of it.
By the way, you can sign up to support the show at the link below. (Or use the two options below that.)
You can also now sign up at Patreon or send a tip through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell).
Selected source notes for podcast and transcript above.
U.S. news:




Governor Moore announces the gull reopening of the Port of Baltimore
No timeline for Baltimore port reopening following bridge collapse
Baltimore to open "temporary alternate channel" for ships
G7 agrees to loan Ukraine $50 billion from the interest on frozen Russian assets



The total number of individually struck air defense systems is approximately 15. Specifically, divisions of air defense systems in the modifications of S-300, S-350, and S-400 have been affected; dozens of launcher units of these systems have been destroyed, along with over 15 radar stations and more than 10 command posts.

Here’s some motivation and encouragement for you, because we all know that life is hard and pep talks help.















I always like to share a few from the Bible, because this book has become such a source of strength and wisdom and calm for me during the past year.
And I hope by sharing a few, it might encourage you to get into the Bible yourself. Because I think it’ll really help you.






And, I always like to end each week’s notes with this one:

And with that, thanks for joining us this week on The View from the Front.
If you can, consider at some point becoming a paid subscriber.
The View from the Front. By Stan R. Mitchell. is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
That’s it for this edition.
Love my moderate, optimistic view of politics and want to know more about how I see things?
Go here:

Dealing with PTSD? Emotionally or mentally at rock bottom? Here’s the link to my faith newsletter: Be like Ozzie; go near your master. (The power of prayer. Part 1.)
As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.
So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.
Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.
Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.
Love and peace,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. Don’t forget that I've also written twelve fast, exciting books.
Finally, I also write a faith blog about God and the Bible. (As a child, I was wounded badly by the church and left it to study other religions, before returning to the faith of my roots.)


#mil #podcast #military #ukraine #china #russia #RussiaUkraineWar #motivation #inspiration #Bible #usmc #army #navy #airforce #politics #defensenews #OSINT #theviewfromthefront
June 13, 2024
The 6-13-24 edition of The View from the Front podcast.

Welcome to The View from the Front podcast. My name is Stan and this is the June 13th edition.
You can listen to the podcast by clicking the link above. There is also an AI-generated transcript that you can find above. Or, you can find the podcast on your favorite channel by searching by name Stan R. Mitchell and The View from the Front.
If you just happened to stumble by, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.
For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.
Every week, I primarily do three things with my podcast:
Cover emerging hotspots and foreign policy news that you absolutely should know. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)
Work to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)
And finally, I always share plenty of motivation and encouragement at the end of each episode.
Take a listen to the podcast. I really hope you get something out of it.
By the way, you can sign up to support the show at the link below. (Or use the two options below that.)
You can also now sign up at Patreon or send a tip through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell).
Selected source notes for podcast and transcript above.
U.S. news:President Biden deserves applause for how he’s conducted himself during the Hunter Biden trial, as I describe in the podcast, despite the ludicrous comments below.






Eight men from Tajikistan with potential ties to ISIS out of central Asia were arrested over the weekend in New York, Philadelphia and Los Angeles, three people familiar with the matter told NBC News on Tuesday.
Middle East news:








Here’s some motivation and encouragement for you, because who doesn’t need that?!




I always like to share a few from the Bible, because this book has become such a source of strength and wisdom and calm for me during the past year.




And, I always like to end each week’s notes with this one:

And with that, thanks for joining us this week on The View from the Front.
If you can, consider at some point becoming a paid subscriber.
The View from the Front. By Stan R. Mitchell. is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
That’s it for this edition.
Love my moderate, optimistic view of politics and want to know more about how I see things?
Go here:

Dealing with PTSD? Emotionally or mentally at rock bottom? Here’s the link to my faith newsletter: Be like Ozzie; go near your master. (The power of prayer. Part 1.)
As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.
So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.
Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.
Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.
Love and peace,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. Don’t forget that I've also written twelve fast, exciting books.
Finally, I also write a faith blog about God and the Bible. (As a child, I was wounded badly by the church and left it to study other religions, before returning to the faith of my roots.)


#mil #podcast #military #ukraine #china #russia #RussiaUkraineWar #motivation #inspiration #Bible #usmc #army #navy #airforce #politics #defensenews #OSINT #theviewfromthefront
June 6, 2024
The 6-6-24 edition of The View from the Front podcast.

Welcome to The View from the Front podcast. My name is Stan and this is the June 6 edition.
You can listen to the podcast by clicking the link above. There is also an AI-generated transcript that you can find above. Or, you can find the podcast on your favorite channel by searching by name Stan R. Mitchell and The View from the Front.
Timestamps:0:33. Feedback on last episode, more on the China threat, and a celebration of D-Day.
9:49. Biden authorizes Ukraine to hit part of Russia with US weapons.
13:09. Temporary pier in Gaza faces setback with rough storm (and other conditions).
16:56. US Secretary of Defense meets with Chinese Defense Minister.
19:15. Putin’s purge ramps up as fith general is arrested.
21:41. Hal Brands: Putin’s shadow war against Europe is intensifying.
24:22. Russia co-opts far-right politicians in Europe with cash, officials say
27:09. Some U.S. weapons stymied by Russian jamming in Ukraine
31:02. Ukraine frustrated with US over F-16 pilot training.
33:42. Are US M1 tanks performing poorly inside Ukraine?
36:38. Ukrainians have purchased $25 billion in govt bonds since start of full-scale war.
40:11. United States learns from China’s military operations around Taiwan.
42:13. China convicts pro-democracy Hong Kong dissidents.
46:20. Honoring a Medal of Honor recipient, as well as motivation and encouragement, just for you.
1:02:55. An important message re: PTSD.
If you just happened to stumble by, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.
For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.
Every week, I primarily do three things with my podcast:
Cover emerging hotspots and foreign policy news that you absolutely should know. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)
Work to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)
And finally, I always share plenty of motivation and encouragement at the end of each episode.
Take a listen to the podcast. I really hope you get something out of it.
By the way, you can sign up to support the show at the link below. (Or use the two options below that.)
You can also now sign up at Patreon or send a tip through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell).
Selected source notes for podcast and transcript above.
U.S. news:

Biden gives Ukraine permission to carry out limited strikes inside Rusia
President Joe Biden has given permission to Ukraine to strike inside Russian territory with American munitions, though he has restricted their use so Kyiv can only hit targets over the border close to Kharkiv after Russia made significant advances around the city in the northeastern part of the country close to the Russian border, two US officials told CNN on Thursday.
“The president recently directed his team to ensure that Ukraine is able to use US supplied-weapons for counterfire purposes in Kharkiv so Ukraine can hit back at Russian forces hitting them or preparing to hit them,” one of the officials said.
The loosening of the restrictions marks a break from long-standing policy and comes amid growing international pressure from close US allies. But it is limited to the area around Kharkiv, and Ukraine has not requested permission beyond that, the official said, adding that they do not anticipate the US widening the area allowed.
Temporary pier in Gaza faces setback with rough storm

Austin Emphasizes Open Lines of Communication Between U.S., China Militaries
Russia news:Putin's purge ramps up as another general arrested over bribes

Hal Brands: Putin’s shadow war against Europe is intensifying
Russian nationals have been arrested in Germany on charges of planning to attack military facilities. English prosecutors claim that Russian agents set fire to a warehouse containing aid for Ukraine. Sweden is investigating alleged Russian-sponsored acts of sabotage. The Czech government accuses Moscow of sabotaging its railways.
Estonia, meanwhile, has reportedly uncovered a host of Russian plots on its soil. Russian ships are suspected of targeting communications cables and wind farms in the North Sea. Now, Moscow may be involved in suspicious fires — including one that engulfed a shopping center — in Poland. The roster of allegations goes on and on.
Russia naturally denies any culpability, but where there is this much smoke — literal or figurative — there is probably some fire. As Prime Minister Kaja Kallas of Estonia has said, Russia seems to be waging a “shadow war” against Europe.
Russia co-opts far-right politicians in Europe with cash, officials say
Ukraine news:
The Czech probe rapidly expanded into Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, and France, European security and intelligence officials said, as investigators concluded that Voice of Europe represented far more than its official veneer as a pro-Russian website interviewing favored European politicians about ending aid to Ukraine.
The organization was being used to funnel hundreds of thousands of euros — up to 1 million a month — to dozens of far-right politicians in more than five countries to plant Kremlin propaganda in Western media that would sow division in Europe and bolster the position of pro-Russian candidates in this week’s European Parliament elections, according to interviews with a dozen European intelligence officials from five countries. Most of the officials spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing and sensitive investigation.
Officials described the Russian operation as among the most ambitious undertaken by the Kremlin in Europe in its efforts to undermine support for Ukraine and create divisions in the transatlantic alliance.
Some U.S. Weapons Stymied by Russian Jamming in Ukraine
Ukraine frustrated with US over F-16 pilot training
Ukrainian officials are pressing the U.S. and other countries to ramp up their F-16 pilot training, saying the current pipeline isn’t producing enough aviators to fly the jets that will be soon donated to Kyiv.
Ukraine says it has 30 pilots who are eligible to start training in the U.S. immediately. Yet the Biden administration has told Kyiv it lacks the school seats in its Arizona-based program to accept more than 12 pilot trainees at a time, according to three people with direct knowledge of the request. Two other facilities in Denmark and Romania have a similar issue with available training spots.
…
Denmark, Norway, the Netherlands and Belgium plan to ship more than 60 U.S.-made F-16 jets to Kyiv this summer. Ukrainians argue that the ability to fly more F-16s will help Kyiv push back Russian forces from the frontlines in places such as Kharkiv, where Moscow has advanced in recent weeks. Yet the U.S. has said it does not expect the jets to be a game-changer on the battlefield.





I call it the "Never, ever give up segment” because we must never ever give up as a country (though we face great division, a massive debt burden, and probably future problems that none of us could even predict. But we must never give up as a country.
And I believe we must stay united.
And also as individuals, we must never, ever give up. We’ve got family and friends counting on us, so in this section, I’m going to share some motivation to help encourage you.
I’d like to begin by honoring a Medal of Honor recipient.
If you don’t know, the Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration you can possibly earn in the military, and it’s awarded to service members who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor.
The medal is typically awarded by the President of the United States, upon the recommendation of the Armed Services.


I share these Medal of Honor stories to remind us of the sacrifices that have been made through the nearly 250 years of American history.
Through so many major wars, more than 1 million Americans have sacrificed their lives and died, getting us to this place and time.
In wars such as the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Desert Shield and Desert Storm, then after Sept 11th, there was Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
And these were only the major wars that I’ve listed, and I know I overlooked so many smaller conflicts. In all, more than 41 million Americans have served over the course of the nation's history. And as I said earlier, more than 1 million have died, and tens of millions have been wounded or had their lives shattered.
So, I think it’s always important we remember these facts, particularly when we have people regularly saying we face a potential civil war. Or that we should split up our country because of whatever the latest culture war is. Or any other number of silly reasons.
I think our grandparents and great-grandparents and those who came before them would be dumbfounded to think we could rip apart this great nation over such trifling issues.
Now, let’s share some motivation to make sure that we never, ever give up in our own personal lives.
Of course, if you’re a regular listener, you know I also speak about never giving up when I discuss PTSD at the end of the show.
But for now, let’s just talk about some motivation.
And we’ve got some great ones this week.
Motivation and inspiration:







I always like to share a few from the Bible, because this book has become such a source of strength and wisdom and calm for me during the past year.
And I hope by sharing a few, it might encourage you to get into the Bible yourself. Because I think it’ll really help you.
And honestly, if you were like me, and you had spent years and years reading self-help books, meditating, Buddhism, whatever, and it’s still not working? Then why not try something else? We know that the definition of insanity is dong the same thing over and over, expecting a different result.
If you’ve never cracked open the Bible, I invite you to try it. In fact, I almost double-dog dare you to try it. Because if it’s all fake, if it’s all not real, then it should have no effect.
It’s just another lame self-help book. But if you’re courageous enough to open it, I think it will rock your world, the same way it’s rocked mine.
Bottom line, what do you have left to lose? You’ve tried everything else, so why not try this.
And I think if you do, you’ll see that the Bible is the handbook for your life. I think you’ll find it speaking to you, because it’s not just ancient words, it’s the wisdom of God.
And if you need hope and purpose, if you’re really drowning and feeling lost, then you need more than the self-help quotes I shared above. You need God and one of the best ways to find Him is in the Bible. You don’t just have to go to some church you’re nervous to visit. You can start learning about Him from the safety of your home, by simply reading the Bible — either in print or on your phone through a Bible app.




And, I always like to end each week’s notes with this one:

And with that, thanks for joining us this week on The View from the Front.
If you can, consider at some point becoming a paid subscriber.
The View from the Front. By Stan R. Mitchell. is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
That’s it for this edition.
Dealing with PTSD? Emotionally or mentally at rock bottom? Here’s the link that I mention in each podcast: Be like Ozzie; go near your master. (The power of prayer. Part 1.)
Love my moderate, optimistic view of politics and want to know more about how I see things?
Go here:

As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.
So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.
Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.
Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.
Love and peace,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. Don’t forget that I've also written twelve fast, exciting books.
Finally, I also write a faith blog about God and the Bible. (As a child, I was wounded badly by the church and left it to study other religions, before returning to the faith of my roots.)


#mil #podcast #military #ukraine #china #russia #RussiaUkraineWar #motivation #inspiration #Bible #usmc #army #navy #airforce #politics #defensenews #OSINT #theviewfromthefront
May 30, 2024
The 5-30-24 edition of The View from the Front podcast.

Welcome to The View from the Front podcast. My name is Stan and this is the May 30th edition.
You can listen to the podcast by clicking the link above. There is also an AI-generated transcript that you can find above. Or, you can find the podcast on your favorite channel by searching by name Stan R. Mitchell and The View from the Front.
Timestamps:2:59. China launches large-scale military drills to punish Taiwan.
8:37. Will China invade Taiwan in the next year or two?
11:57. “World on the Brink.” Will China invade in 2027 or 2028?
25:24. Top Senate Republican pushes massive hike in defense spending.
27:59. Biden edges closer to reversing ban on US weapons usage inside Russian.
31:10. Sweden announces airborne surveillance and control aircraft for Ukraine.
33:36. Honoring a Medal of Honor recipient, as well as motivation and encouragement, just for you.
54:59. An important message re: PTSD.
If you just happened to stumble by, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.
For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.
Every week, I primarily do three things with my podcast:
Cover emerging hotspots and foreign policy news that you absolutely should know. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)
Work to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)
And finally, I always share plenty of motivation and encouragement at the end of each episode.
Take a listen to the podcast. I really hope you get something out of it.
By the way, you can sign up to support the show at the link below. (Or use the two options below that.)
You can also now sign up at Patreon or send a tip through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell).
Selected source notes for podcast and transcript above.
China news:

CNN — US lawmakers vowed to bolster Taiwan’s deterrence against China on Monday during a bipartisan congressional visit to the self-governing democracy just days after Beijing surrounded the island with massive military exercises.
Last week’s drills were the largest China has launched in more than a year and came days after Taiwan swore in its new president, Lai Ching-te, who is openly loathed by Beijing for championing the island’s sovereignty and distinct identity.
In a news conference in Taipei, US Representative Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called the drills an “intimidation tactic to punish democracy” and vowed to bolster Taiwan’s defense by speeding up the delivery of defensive weapons from the US.
Will China invade Taiwan in the short term?

CIA chief: China has some doubt on its ability to invade Taiwan in 2027

Top Senate Armed Services Republican pushes massive hike in defense spending
Ukraine news:



I call it the "Never, ever give up segment” because we must never ever give up as a country (though we face great division, a massive debt burden, and probably future problems that none of us could even predict. But we must never give up as a country.
And I believe we must stay united.
And also as individuals, we must never, ever give up. We’ve got family and friends counting on us, so in this section, I’m going to share some motivation to help encourage you.
I’d like to begin by honoring a Medal of Honor recipient.
If you don’t know, the Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration you can possibly earn in the military, and it’s awarded to service members who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor.
The medal is typically awarded by the President of the United States, upon the recommendation of the Armed Services.

I share these Medal of Honor stories to remind us of the sacrifices that have been made through the nearly 250 years of American history.
Through so many major wars, more than 1 million Americans have sacrificed their lives and died, getting us to this place and time.
In wars such as the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Desert Shield and Desert Storm, then after Sept 11th, there was Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
And these were only the major wars that I’ve listed, and I know I overlooked so many smaller conflicts. In all, more than 41 million Americans have served over the course of the nation's history. And as I said earlier, more than 1 million have died, and tens of millions have been wounded or had their lives shattered.
So, I think it’s always important we remember these facts, particularly when we have people regularly saying we face a potential civil war. Or that we should split up our country because of whatever the latest culture war is. Or any other number of silly reasons.
I think our grandparents and great-grandparents and those who came before them would be dumbfounded to think we could rip apart this great nation over such trifling issues.
Now, let’s share some motivation to make sure that we never, ever give up in our own personal lives.
Of course, if you’re a regular listener, you know I also speak about never giving up when I discuss PTSD at the end of the show.
But for now, let’s just talk about some motivation.
And we’ve got some great ones this week.
[image error]Sara🌻 @rosencsaYou are 💜!








I always like to share a few from the Bible, because this book has become such a source of strength and wisdom and calm for me during the past year.
And I hope by sharing a few, it might encourage you to get into the Bible yourself. Because I think it’ll really help you.
And honestly, if you were like me, and you had spent years and years reading self-help books, meditating, Buddhism, whatever, and it’s still not working? Then why not try something else? We know that the definition of insanity is dong the same thing over and over, expecting a different result.
If you’ve never cracked open the Bible, I invite you to try it. In fact, I almost double-dog dare you to try it. Because if it’s all fake, if it’s all not real, then it should have no effect.
It’s just another lame self-help book. But if you’re courageous enough to open it, I think it will rock your world, the same way it’s rocked mine.
Bottom line, what do you have left to lose? You’ve tried everything else, so why not try this.
And I think if you do, you’ll see that the Bible is the handbook for your life. I think you’ll find it speaking to you, because it’s not just ancient words, it’s the wisdom of God.
And if you need hope and purpose, if you’re really drowning and feeling lost, then you need more than the self-help quotes I shared above. You need God and one of the best ways to find Him is in the Bible. You don’t just have to go to some church you’re nervous to visit. You can start learning about Him from the safety of your home, by simply reading the Bible — either in print or on your phone through a Bible app.
Psalm 62.

Ephesians 4.

Proverbs 3.

And, I always like to end each week’s notes with this one:

And with that, thanks for joining us this week on The View from the Front.
If you can, consider at some point becoming a paid subscriber.
The View from the Front. By Stan R. Mitchell. is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
That’s it for this edition.
Dealing with PTSD? Emotionally or mentally at rock bottom? Here’s the link that I mention in each podcast: Be like Ozzie; go near your master. (The power of prayer. Part 1.)
Love my moderate, optimistic view of politics and want to know more about how I see things?
Go here:

As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.
So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.
Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.
Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.
Love and peace,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. Don’t forget that I've also written twelve fast, exciting books.
Finally, I also write a faith blog about God and the Bible. (As a child, I was wounded badly by the church and left it to study other religions, before returning to the faith of my roots.)


#mil #podcast #military #ukraine #china #russia #RussiaUkraineWar #motivation #inspiration #Bible #usmc #army #navy #airforce #politics #defensenews #OSINT #theviewfromthefront
May 23, 2024
The 5-23-24 edition of The View from the Front podcast.

Welcome to The View from the Front podcast. My name is Stan and this is the May 23rd edition.
You can listen to the podcast by clicking the link above. There is also an AI-generated transcript that you can find above. Or, you can find the podcast on your favorite channel by searching by name Stan R. Mitchell and The View from the Front.
Timestamps:Timestamp: 2:56. The Russian advance near Kharkiv falters.
Timestamp: 6:08. Ukraine’s energy grid has been rocked.
Timestamp: 9:50. Much needed artillery ammo finally reaches Ukraine’s front lines.
Timestamp: 12:21. The pressure builds on Biden to greenlight Ukraine using American weapons against targets inside Russia.
Timestamp: 14:53. E.U. sets precedent with plan to use profits from frozen Russian assets
Timestamp: 17:44. Russia faces a growing labor shortage.
Timestamp: 21:58. Destroyer USS Carney (DDG 64) returns home from historic deployment.
Timestamp: 25:37. U.S. completes floating pier off Gaza, but challenges remain.
Timestamp: 32:47. Honoring a Medal of Honor recipient, as well as motivation and encouragement, just for you.
Timestamp 53:09. An important message re: PTSD.
If you just happened to stumble by, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.
For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.
Every week, I primarily do three things with my podcast:
Cover emerging hotspots and foreign policy news that you absolutely should know. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)
Work to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)
And finally, I always share plenty of motivation and encouragement at the end of each episode.
Take a listen to the podcast. I really hope you get something out of it.
By the way, you can sign up to support the show at the link below. (Or use the two options below that.)
You can also now sign up at Patreon or send a tip through Venmo (@authorstanrmitchell).
Selected source notes for podcast and transcript above.
Ukraine news:Gift link: With its energy network nearly destroyed, Ukraine already fears the winter
Also, in contrast to the previous campaign against Ukraine’s energy sector, which focused primarily on destroying the electrical distribution grid, Russian forces are now directly targeting the country’s thermal and hydroelectric power plants.
…
Boiko said that consumption restrictions should be expected to last until September, by which time nuclear power stations — which provide half of the country’s electricity — will have ramped up production, while lower temperatures should reduce the energy demands.
…
Winter will be “undoubtedly difficult,” Boiko said — the only question is to what degree. Ukraine has lost some eight gigawatts of electricity production because of the strikes, he said — approaching half of what this country more than 30 million, the size of Texas, needs during peak periods.



E.U. sets precedent with plan to use profits from frozen Russian assets


USS Carney had ‘seconds’ to respond to anti-ship ballistic missiles

Challenges abound, but aid moves into Gaza
Never, ever give up segment links:
While 569 metric tons of aid have landed off the Defense Department's Joint Logistics, Over-the-Shore pier in Gaza, getting the aid to the Palestinian people has been a problem, officials said today.
Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told reporters that aid is making it ashore and the amount of aid should quickly increase as the process continues.
The problem with delivery comes as desperate Palestinians have been mobbing the trucks after they leave the marshalling yards. Ryder said there have been discussions among the U.S., Israel and the United Nations on efforts "to identify alternative routes for the safe movement of staff and cargo."
I call it the "Never, ever give up segment” because we must never ever give up as a country (though we face great division, a massive debt burden, and probably future problems that none of us could even predict. But we must never give up as a country.
And I believe we must stay united.
And also as individuals, we must never, ever give up. We’ve got family and friends counting on us, so in this section, I’m going to share some motivation to help encourage you.
I’d like to begin by honoring a Medal of Honor recipient.
If you don’t know, the Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration you can possibly earn in the military, and it’s awarded to service members who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor.
The medal is typically awarded by the President of the United States, upon the recommendation of the Armed Services.


I share these Medal of Honor stories to remind us of the sacrifices that have been made through the nearly 250 years of American history.
Through so many major wars, more than 1 million Americans have sacrificed their lives and died, getting us to this place and time.
In wars such as the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Desert Shield and Desert Storm, then after Sept 11th, there was Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
And these were only the major wars that I’ve listed, and I know I overlooked so many smaller conflicts. In all, more than 41 million Americans have served over the course of the nation's history. And as I said earlier, more than 1 million have died, and tens of millions have been wounded or had their lives shattered.
So, I think it’s always important we remember these facts, particularly when we have people regularly saying we face a potential civil war. Or that we should split up our country because of whatever the latest culture war is. Or any other number of silly reasons.
I think our grandparents and great-grandparents and those who came before them would be dumbfounded to think we could rip apart this great nation over such trifling issues.
Now, let’s share some motivation to make sure that we never, ever give up in our own personal lives.
Of course, if you’re a regular listener, you know I also speak about never giving up when I discuss PTSD at the end of the show.
But for now, let’s just talk about some motivation.
And we’ve got some great ones this week.
[image error]N. M. Curry @realPatriot_7











I always like to share a few from the Bible, because this book has become such a source of strength and wisdom and calm for me during the past year.
And I hope by sharing a few, it might encourage you to get into the Bible yourself. Because I think it’ll really help you.
And honestly, if you were like me, and you had spent years and years reading self-help books, meditating, Buddhism, whatever, and it’s still not working? Then why not try something else? We know that the definition of insanity is dong the same thing over and over, expecting a different result.
If you’ve never cracked open the Bible, I invite you to try it. In fact, I almost double-dog dare you to try it. Because if it’s all fake, if it’s all not real, then it should have no effect.
It’s just another lame self-help book. But if you’re courageous enough to open it, I think it will rock your world, the same way it’s rocked mine.
Bottom line, what do you have left to lose? You’ve tried everything else, so why not try this.
And I think if you do, you’ll see that the Bible is the handbook for your life. I think you’ll find it speaking to you, because it’s not just ancient words, it’s the wisdom of God.
And if you need hope and purpose, if you’re really drowning and feeling lost, then you need more than the self-help quotes I shared above. You need God and one of the best ways to find Him is in the Bible. You don’t just have to go to some church you’re nervous to visit. You can start learning about Him from the safety of your home, by simply reading the Bible — either in print or on your phone through a Bible app.


And, I always like to end each week’s notes with this one:

And with that, thanks for joining us this week on The View from the Front.
If you can, consider at some point becoming a paid subscriber.
The View from the Front. By Stan R. Mitchell. is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
That’s it for this edition.
Dealing with PTSD? Emotionally or mentally at rock bottom? Here’s the link that I mention in each podcast: Be like Ozzie; go near your master. (The power of prayer. Part 1.)
Love my moderate, optimistic view of politics and want to know more about how I see things?
Go here:

As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.
So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.
Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.
Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.
Love and peace,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. Don’t forget that I've also written twelve fast, exciting books.
Finally, I also write a faith blog about God and the Bible. (As a child, I was wounded badly by the church and left it to study other religions, before returning to the faith of my roots.)


#mil #podcast #military #ukraine #china #russia #RussiaUkraineWar #motivation #inspiration #Bible #usmc #army #navy #airforce #politics #defensenews #OSINT #theviewfromthefront
May 16, 2024
The 5-16-24 edition of The View from the Front podcast.

Welcome to The View from the Front podcast. My name is Stan and this is the May 16th edition.
You can listen to the podcast by clicking the link above. There is also an AI-generated transcript that you can find above. Or, you can find the podcast on your favorite channel by searching by name Stan R. Mitchell and The View from the Front.
Timestamps:Timestamp: 6:07. Modern Europeans are a people of peace? It’s a joke, people. And we need to start with a joke before we get to something deadly serious.
Timestamp: 9:04. American political dysfunction and propaganda from Russia are beginning to threaten political support in the U.S. and Europe for Ukraine.
Timestamp: 24:50. The latest updates on the advances of the Ukrainian forces in its counteroffensive against Russian-occupied forces.
Timestamp: 25:56. Russia gets a taste of its own medicine as Ukraine launches small drone attacks on Russian electrical substations.
Timestamp: 29:59. Ukrainian forces are increasingly conducting raids in Russian-occupied Crimea.
Timestamp: 42:59. Motivation and encouragement, just for you. As well as the honoring of a special Medal of Honor recipient.
Timestamp 35:02. Some final words of unity and a few special words for those vets out there (and non-vets, too) who are struggling with PTSD or are just in a really low valley right now. I think it’s really important to discuss this topic in every single show since veterans are at 57% higher risk of suicide than their peers of the same age groups who haven't served. Please listen to this if you are struggling.
If you just happened to stumble by, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.
For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.
Every week, I primarily do three things with my podcast:
Cover emerging hotspots and foreign policy news that you absolutely should know. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)
Work to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)
And finally, I always share plenty of motivation and encouragement at the end of each episode.
Take a listen to the podcast. I really hope you get something out of it.
Selected source notes for podcast and transcript above.
Ukraine news:
Gift link to NYTimes: White House Worries Russia’s Momentum Is Changing Trajectory of Ukraine War
Ukraine has been able to use that recaptured territory near Kharkiv to conduct harassing attacks into Russia. Those attacks have prompted the Russians to retake land in recent weeks to create a buffer zone that Mr. Putin has said will make cross-border attacks harder for Ukraine to carry out. Recently, the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence agency has called the Russian advance near Kharkiv “critical.”
Some outside experts caution that Russia’s real strategic aim in taking territory around Kharkiv is to force Ukraine’s troops to move to reinforce the city, weakening the front lines elsewhere. That could set up an opportunity for another Russian drive in June, in the Donbas, the part of eastern Ukraine that the Kremlin has illegally annexed and is trying to capture.
“The Russian offensive aim is likely to draw Ukrainian reserves and elite units, then pin them in Kharkiv, thereby weakening the rest of the front,” Mr. Kofman said. “The primary Russian objective still remains recapturing the rest of the Donbas.”
Gift link to Wash Post: Why Russian troops are suddenly able to advance toward Kharkiv



Germany to buy three US HIMARS launchers for Ukraine for $30 million
U.S. news:Pentagon orders all US combat troops to withdraw from Niger
Never, ever give up segment links:I call it the "Never, ever give up segment” because we must never ever give up as a country (though we face great division, a massive debt burden, and probably future problems that none of us could even predict. But we must never give up as a country.
And I believe we must stay united.
And also as individuals, we must never, ever give up. We’ve got family and friends counting on us, so in this section, I’m going to share some motivation to help encourage you.
I’d like to begin by honoring a Medal of Honor recipient.
If you don’t know, the Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration you can possibly earn in the military, and it’s awarded to service members who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor.
The medal is typically awarded by the President of the United States, upon the recommendation of the Armed Services.

I share these Medal of Honor stories to remind us of the sacrifices that have been made through the nearly 250 years of American history.
Through so many major wars, more than 1 million Americans have sacrificed their lives and died, getting us to this place and time.
In wars such as the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Desert Shield and Desert Storm, then after Sept 11th, there was Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
And these were only the major wars that I’ve listed, and I know I overlooked so many smaller conflicts. In all, more than 41 million Americans have served over the course of the nation's history. And as I said earlier, more than 1 million have died, and tens of millions have been wounded or had their lives shattered.
So, I think it’s always important we remember these facts, particularly when we have people regularly saying we face a potential civil war. Or that we should split up our country because of whatever the latest culture war is. Or any other number of silly reasons.
I think our grandparents and great-grandparents and those who came before them would be dumbfounded to think we could rip apart this great nation over such trifling issues.
Now, let’s share some motivation to make sure that we never, ever give up in our own personal lives.
Of course, if you’re a regular listener, you know I also speak about never giving up when I discuss PTSD at the end of the show.
But for now, let’s just talk about some motivation.
And we’ve got some great ones this week.
#mindfulness","username":"MindfulEveryday","name":"Everyday Mindfulness","date":"Sat Jul 23 11:34:05 +0000 2022","photos":[],"quoted_tweet":{},"retweet_count":31,"like_count":256,"expanded_url":{},"video_url":null,"belowTheFold":true}">












I always like to share a few from the Bible, because this book has become such a source of strength and wisdom and calm for me during the past year.
And I hope by sharing a few, it might encourage you to get into the Bible yourself. Because I think it’ll really help you.
And honestly, if you were like me, and you had spent years and years reading self-help books, meditating, Buddhism, whatever, and it’s still not working? Then why not try something else? We know that the definition of insanity is dong the same thing over and over, expecting a different result.
If you’ve never cracked open the Bible, I invite you to try it. In fact, I almost double-dog dare you to try it. Because if it’s all fake, if it’s all not real, then it should have no effect.
It’s just another lame self-help book. But if you’re courageous enough to open it, I think it will rock your world, the same way it’s rocked mine.
Bottom line, what do you have left to lose? You’ve tried everything else, so why not try this.
And I think if you do, you’ll see that the Bible is the handbook for your life. I think you’ll find it speaking to you, because it’s not just ancient words, it’s the wisdom of God.
And if you need hope and purpose, if you’re really drowning and feeling lost, then you need more than the self-help quotes I shared above. You need God and one of the best ways to find Him is in the Bible. You don’t just have to go to some church you’re nervous to visit. You can start learning about Him from the safety of your home, by simply reading the Bible — either in print or on your phone through a Bible app.
Hebrews: 13:5-6

John 6:51.

Isaiah 40:29-31.

And, I always like to end each week’s notes with this one:

And with that, thanks for joining us this week on The View from the Front.
If you can, consider at some point becoming a paid subscriber.
The View from the Front. By Stan R. Mitchell. is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
That’s it for this edition.
Dealing with PTSD? Emotionally or mentally at rock bottom? Here’s the link that I mention in each podcast: Be like Ozzie; go near your master. (The power of prayer. Part 1.)
Love my moderate, optimistic view of politics and want to know more about how I see things?
Go here:

As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.
So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.
Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.
Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.
Love and peace,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. Don’t forget that I've also written twelve fast, exciting books.
Finally, I also write a faith blog about God and the Bible. (As a child, I was wounded badly by the church and left it to study other religions, before returning to the faith of my roots.)


#mil #podcast #military #ukraine #china #russia #RussiaUkraineWar #motivation #inspiration #Bible #usmc #army #navy #airforce #politics #defensenews #OSINT #theviewfromthefront
May 9, 2024
The latest podcast episode of The View from the Front. This is the 5-9-24 edition.

Welcome to The View from the Front podcast. My name is Stan and this is the May 9th edition.
You can listen to the podcast by clicking the link above. There is also an AI-generated transcript that you can find above. Or, you can find the podcast on your favorite channel below:




Timestamp: 8:21. Why it may be in China’s interest to invade by 2028?
Timestamp: 15:09. China’s self-fulfilling prophecy.
Timestamp: 17:39. Three recent reactions to China’s aggression.
Timestamp: 25:34. US soldier detained in Russia.
Timestamp: 32:59. Putin is inaugurated for fifth term as Russian president.
Timestamp: 34:43. Marjorie Taylor Green gets smacked down.
Timestamp: 38:33. Ukraine arrests two colonels in plot to kill Zelensky.
Timestamp: 40:07. Ukraine orders nationwide electricity rationing after Russian airstrikes.
Timestamp: 41:23. Russia completes an important train line inside occupied-Ukraine.
Timestamp: 42:28. Protests and unrest in Georgia is turning ugly.
Timestamp: 44:05. The U.S. ship crash you never heard of, which took the lives of nearly 200 sailors.
Timestamp: 46:35. Honoring a Medal of Honor recipient, as well as motivation and encouragement, just for you.
Timestamp 1:04:03. An important message re: PTSD.
If you just happened to stumble by, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.
For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.
Every week, I primarily do three things with my podcast:
Cover emerging hotspots and foreign policy news that you absolutely should know. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)
Work to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)
And finally, I always share plenty of motivation and encouragement at the end of each episode.
Take a listen to the podcast. I really hope you get something out of it.
Selected source notes for podcast and transcript above.












Triumphal Putin is inaugurated for fifth term as Russian president
Ukraine arrests two colonels in protective service in plot to kill Zelensky
Ukrainian authorities said Tuesday that they have arrested two officers in the agency responsible for protecting senior government leaders and accused them of developing a plot to assassinate President Volodymyr Zelensky and other top Ukrainian officials — as a “gift” to Russian President Vladimir Putin for his inauguration.
The two suspects were colonels in Ukraine’s State Protection Department, roughly the equivalent of the U.S. Secret Service, and were recruited by Russia’s Federal Security Service, the FSB, according to Ukraine’s State Security Service.
The State Security Service, known as the SBU, announced the arrests in a post on the Telegram social media platform. The statement did not identify the suspects, and their faces were obscured in photos showing the arrests and in a subsequent video of an interrogation.
Ukraine orders nationwide electricity rationing after Russian airstrikes
Ukrainian officials on Wednesday said they were preparing to order electricity-rationing measures across the country after a major overnight missile strike by Russia — the latest in a relentless bombing campaign against civilian infrastructure.
Brownouts “are possible throughout Ukraine” between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m., the state energy provider, Ukrenergo, said in a statement posted on the Telegram social media platform. The statement cited a “shortage of electricity in the power system.”
The Russian strikes, which lasted more than three hours overnight, targeted energy infrastructure in six Ukrainian regions. Ukraine’s power plants, electrical grid and other infrastructure have become particularly vulnerable as Western countries have struggled to supply Kyiv with sufficient air defense systems and ammunition.



I call it the "Never, ever give up segment” because we must never ever give up as a country (though we face great division, a massive debt burden, and probably future problems that none of us could even predict. But we must never give up as a country.
And I believe we must stay united.
And also as individuals, we must never, ever give up. We’ve got family and friends counting on us, so in this section, I’m going to share some motivation to help encourage you.
I’d like to begin by honoring a Medal of Honor recipient.
If you don’t know, the Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration you can possibly earn in the military, and it’s awarded to service members who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor.
The medal is typically awarded by the President of the United States, upon the recommendation of the Armed Services.



I share these Medal of Honor stories to remind us of the sacrifices that have been made through the nearly 250 years of American history.
Through so many major wars, more than 1 million Americans have sacrificed their lives and died, getting us to this place and time.
In wars such as the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Desert Shield and Desert Storm, then after Sept 11th, there was Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
And these were only the major wars that I’ve listed, and I know I overlooked so many smaller conflicts. In all, more than 41 million Americans have served over the course of the nation's history. And as I said earlier, more than 1 million have died, and tens of millions have been wounded or had their lives shattered.
So, I think it’s always important we remember these facts, particularly when we have people regularly saying we face a potential civil war. Or that we should split up our country because of whatever the latest culture war is. Or any other number of silly reasons.
I think our grandparents and great-grandparents and those who came before them would be dumbfounded to think we could rip apart this great nation over such trifling issues.
Now, let’s share some motivation to make sure that we never, ever give up in our own personal lives.
Of course, if you’re a regular listener, you know I also speak about never giving up when I discuss PTSD at the end of the show.
But for now, let’s just talk about some motivation.
And we’ve got some great ones this week.








I always like to share a few from the Bible, because this book has become such a source of strength and wisdom and calm for me during the past year.
And I hope by sharing a few, it might encourage you to get into the Bible yourself. Because I think it’ll really help you.



And, I always like to end each week’s notes with this one:

And with that, thanks for joining us this week on The View from the Front.
If you can, consider at some point becoming a paid subscriber.
The View from the Front. By Stan R. Mitchell. is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
That’s it for this edition.
Dealing with PTSD? Emotionally or mentally at rock bottom? Here’s the link that I mention in each podcast: Be like Ozzie; go near your master. (The power of prayer. Part 1.)
Love my moderate, optimistic view of politics and want to know more about how I see things?
Go here:

As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.
So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.
Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.
Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.
Don’t forget: You can comment anytime — I try to monitor those. You can also reach out privately at: [email protected]. (You can say “hi,” vent, or send news tips! I love all three of those things!)
Love and peace,
Stan R. Mitchell
P.S. Don’t forget that I've also written twelve fast, exciting books.
Finally, I also write a faith blog about God and the Bible. (As a child, I was wounded badly by the church and left it to study other religions, before returning to the faith of my roots.)


#mil #podcast #military #ukraine #china #russia #RussiaUkraineWar #motivation #inspiration #Bible #usmc #army #navy #airforce #politics #defensenews #OSINT #theviewfromthefront
May 2, 2024
The latest podcast episode of The View from the Front. This is the 5-2-24 edition.

Welcome to The View from the Front podcast. My name is Stan and this is the May 2nd edition.
You can listen to the podcast by clicking the link above. There is also an AI-generated transcript that you can find above. Or, you can find the podcast on your favorite channel below:




Timestamp: 7:15. Dark clouds loom with China.
Timestamp: 16:27. The good news and bad news regarding Ukraine this week.
Timestamp: 23:20. Has an ISIS leader respsonbile for 4 U.S. deaths been killed?
Timestamp: 24:44. US withdraws troops from base in Chad.
Timestamp: 26:19. Honoring a special Medal of Honor recipient, as well as motivation and encouragement, just for you.
Timestamp 37:04. An important message re: PTSD.
If you just happened to stumble by, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.
For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.
Every week, I primarily do three things with my podcast:
Cover emerging hotspots and foreign policy news that you absolutely should know. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)
Work to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)
And finally, I always share plenty of motivation and encouragement at the end of each episode.
Take a listen to the podcast. I really hope you get something out of it.
Selected source notes for podcast and transcript above.
U.S./China news:
Chinese water cannon damages ship in new South China Sea flare-up, Philippines says
Xi Jinping tells Antony Blinken US should avoid ‘vicious competition’ with China
China threatens retaliation for Taiwan, TikTok law signed by Biden
Ukraine news:Biden Administration announces historic new $6 billion security assistance package for Ukraine





I call it the "Never, ever give up segment” because we must never ever give up as a country (though we face great division, a massive debt burden, and probably future problems that none of us could even predict. But we must never give up as a country.
And I believe we must stay united.
And also as individuals, we must never, ever give up. We’ve got family and friends counting on us, so in this section, I’m going to share some motivation to help encourage you.
I’d like to begin by honoring a Medal of Honor recipient.
If you don’t know, the Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration you can possibly earn in the military, and it’s awarded to service members who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor.
The medal is typically awarded by the President of the United States, upon the recommendation of the Armed Services.

I share these Medal of Honor stories to remind us of the sacrifices that have been made through the nearly 250 years of American history.
Through so many major wars, more than 1 million Americans have sacrificed their lives and died, getting us to this place and time.
In wars such as the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War, World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, Desert Shield and Desert Storm, then after Sept 11th, there was Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
And these were only the major wars that I’ve listed, and I know I overlooked so many smaller conflicts. In all, more than 41 million Americans have served over the course of the nation's history. And as I said earlier, more than 1 million have died, and tens of millions have been wounded or had their lives shattered.
So, I think it’s always important we remember these facts, particularly when we have people regularly saying we face a potential civil war. Or that we should split up our country because of whatever the latest culture war is. Or any other number of silly reasons.
I think our grandparents and great-grandparents and those who came before them would be dumbfounded to think we could rip apart this great nation over such trifling issues.
Now, let’s share some motivation to make sure that we never, ever give up in our own personal lives.
Of course, if you’re a regular listener, you know I also speak about never giving up when I discuss PTSD at the end of the show.
But for now, let’s just talk about some motivation.
And we’ve got some great ones this week.







I always like to share a few from the Bible, because this book has become such a source of strength and wisdom and calm for me during the past year.
And I hope by sharing a few, it might encourage you to get into the Bible yourself. Because I think it’ll really help you.




And, I always like to end each week’s notes with this one:

And with that, thanks for joining us this week on The View from the Front.
If you can, consider at some point becoming a paid subscriber.
The View from the Front. By Stan R. Mitchell. is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
That’s it for this edition.
Dealing with PTSD? Emotionally or mentally at rock bottom? Here’s the link that I mention in each podcast: Be like Ozzie; go near your master. (The power of prayer. Part 1.)
Love my moderate, optimistic view of politics and want to know more about how I see things?
Go here:

As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.
So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.
Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.
Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.
Don’t forget: You can comment anytime — I try to monitor those. You can also reach out privately at: [email protected]. (You can say “hi,” vent, or send news tips! I love all three of those things!)
Love and peace,
Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. It’s a great way to help support this writing journey I’m on. To date, I’ve written 12 of them: a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational self-help book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan. You can find all of these books on Amazon.
Want to know more about me? Click here: About me. You can also learn more about my journey here: Writers are crazy, and I’m crazier than most.

#mil #podcast #military #ukraine #china #russia #RussiaUkraineWar #motivation #inspiration #Bible #usmc #army #navy #airforce #politics #defensenews #OSINT #theviewfromthefront
April 25, 2024
The latest podcast episode of The View from the Front. This is the 4-25-24 edition.

Welcome to The View from the Front podcast. My name is Stan and this is the April 25th edition.
You can listen to the podcast by clicking the link above. There is also an AI-generated transcript that you can find above. Or, you can find the podcast on your favorite channel below:




Timestamp: 2:18. The West, Ukraine, and the civilized world get a big win.
Timestamp: 3:38. Why President Biden believes this makes America (and the world) safer.
Timestamp: 5:32. What weapons are in the Ukraine aid?
Timestamp: 9:05. The surprise news about weapons shipments, which broke on Wednesday.
Timestamp: 13:34. One good thing that came from the long delays on passing this Ukraine aid in the United States.
Timestamp: 15:48. Is the Republican Party starting to go after its extreme members more strongly?
Timestamp: 24:01. The UK announces a new, impressive aid package for Ukraine.
Timestamp: 29:49. An update on the situation in Haiti and the chances that U.S. troops may have to deploy.
Timestamp: 32:55. The forces necessary to contsrtuct a floating pier off the coast of Gaza have arrived, so that’s good news for the desperate folks inside Gaza who need larger amounts of humanitarian aid.
Timestamp: 34:18. Motivation and encouragement, just for you. As well as the honoring of a special Medal of Honor recipient.
Timestamp 49:29. Some final words of unity and a few special words for those vets out there (and non-vets, too) who are struggling with PTSD or are just in a really low valley right now. I think it’s really important to discuss this topic in every single show since veterans are at 57% higher risk of suicide than their peers of the same age groups who haven't served. Please listen to this if you are struggling.
If you just happened to stumble by, let me say a quick word about what we’re doing here.
For those who don’t know, my name is Stan R. Mitchell, and I’m a prior Marine and journalist.
Every week, I primarily do three things with my podcast:
Cover emerging hotspots and foreign policy news that you absolutely should know. (Why I focus on foreign policy...)
Work to unite our country and remind us of how lucky we are to live in America. (My thoughts on the division in this country...)
And finally, I always share plenty of motivation and encouragement at the end of each episode.
Take a listen to the podcast. I really hope you get something out of it.
Selected source notes for podcast and transcript above.
Supplemental Bill Becomes Law, Provides Billions in Aid for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan
President Joe Biden today signed into law a bill that provides much-needed security assistance to American partners, including Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan.
"It's going to make America safer. It's going to make the world safer. And it continues America's leadership in the world," Biden said during a briefing following the signing ceremony. "It gives vital support to America's partners so they can defend themselves against threats to their sovereignty and the lives and freedom of their citizens."
The president said that the security supplemental, worth about $95 billion, is not just an investment in the security of U.S. partners around the world, but also in U.S. security at home and abroad.
"This is directly in the United States' national security interest," Biden said. "If Putin triumphs in Ukraine, the next move of Russian forces could very well be a direct attack on a NATO ally."
If that happened, Biden said, the U.S., as a NATO partner, would be bound to assist.
"We'd have no choice but to come to their aid, just like our NATO allies came to our aid after the September 11 attacks," he said. "That's why we're supporting and surging support now to Ukraine, to stop Putin from drawing the United States into a war in Europe."
Among expenditures in the security supplemental package is more than $60 billion for support to Ukraine. Biden said that assistance will begin to flow immediately, initially as part of a new package of security assistance through presidential drawdown authority, which involves military equipment pulled from existing U.S. inventory.
"I'm making sure the shipments start right away," he said. "In the next few hours — literally, a few hours — we're going to begin sending in equipment to Ukraine for air defense munitions, for artillery, for rocket systems and armored vehicles."
Shortly after the president spoke, the Defense Department released details of a $1 billion security assistance package for Ukraine which includes, among other things, RIM-7 and AIM-9M missiles; Stinger anti-aircraft missiles; tube-launched, optically-tracked, wire-guided, or TOW, missiles; ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket System; 155 mm and 105 mm artillery shells; and a variety of combat vehicles.
…
The bill also includes some $14.1 billion for funding to support Israel, Biden said.
Earlier this month, on April 13, Iran and its proxy groups launched more than 300 airborne weapons at targets in Israel, but the U.S., Israeli and partner forces destroyed a significant portion of them before they reached their targets. The president said the U.S. remains committed to Israeli security.
"My commitment to Israel, I want to make clear again, is ironclad," Biden said "The security of Israel is critical, and we'll always make sure that Israel has what it needs to defend itself against Iran and the terrorists it supports."
The supplemental security bill, Biden said, helps Israel replenish its air defense capabilities and also provides for additional defense needs.
The supplemental funding also provides $9.5 billion for humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine and other populations caught in conflict zones across the globe.


The US secretly sent long-range ATACMS to Ukraine — and Kyiv used them


Haiti is kind of, sort of holding it all together for the moment. I honestly expected it to spiral worse, but for the the moment, it seems stable-ish (like boards standing on loose gravel and sand and mud or something).

In support of the Department of State, U.S. Southern Command transported support and security augmentation personnel for the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince. A U.S. Air Force C-130 flew into Toussaint Louverture International Airport today for the planned rotation of personnel. This mission is a testament to the efforts of the Haitian National Police, the Armed Forces of Haiti, and the International Airport administrators and stakeholders. The security and support personnel who arrived in Haiti will help ensure the U.S. Embassy remains open, and operations continue. This airlift mission is consistent with the standard practice for Embassy security augmentation worldwide.
The U.S. embassy remains focused on advancing U.S. government efforts to support the Haitian people, including mobilizing support for the Haitian National Police, the Armed Forces of Haiti, and creating conditions for free and fair elections.

I call it the "Never, ever give up segment” because we must never ever give up as a country (though we face great division, a massive debt burden, and probably future problems that none of us could even predict. But we must never give up as a country.
And I believe we must stay united.
And also as individuals, we must never, ever give up. We’ve got family and friends counting on us, so in this section, I’m going to share some motivation to help encourage you.
I’d like to begin by honoring a Medal of Honor recipient.
If you don’t know, the Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration you can possibly earn in the military, and it’s awarded to service members who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor.
The medal is typically awarded by the President of the United States, upon the recommendation of the Armed Services.



I share these Medal of Honor stories to remind us of the sacrifices that have been made through the nearly 250 years of American history.
More than 1 million Americans have died in war getting us to this place and time.
And I think it’s always important we remember it, particularly when we have people regularly saying we face a potential civil war. Or that we should split because of culture war or what tax rate we should have or any other number of silly reasons.
I think our forefathers and foremothers would be dumbfounded to think we could rip apart this great nation over such trifling issues.
Now, let’s share some motivation to make sure that we never, ever give up in our own personal lives.
Of course, if you’re a regular listener, you know I also speak about never giving up when I discuss PTSD at the end of the show.
But for now, let’s just talk about some motivation.
And we’ve got some great ones this week.








I always like to share a few from the Bible, because this book has become such a source of strength and wisdom and calm for me during the past year.
And I hope by sharing a few, it might encourage you to get into the Bible yourself. Because I think it’ll really help you.



And, I always like to end each week’s notes with this one:

And with that, thanks for joining us this week on The View from the Front.
If you can, consider at some point becoming a paid subscriber.
The View from the Front. By Stan R. Mitchell. is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
That’s it for this edition.
Dealing with PTSD? Emotionally or mentally at rock bottom? Here’s the link that I mention in each podcast: Be like Ozzie; go near your master. (The power of prayer. Part 1.)
Love my moderate, optimistic view of politics and want to know more about how I see things?
Go here:

As a reminder, please be kind and try your best to love your fellow Americans.
So many men and women have sacrificed, fought, and died to keep this country together the past 240-plus years. Please work daily to unite our country again. The vast majority of Americans are decent, loving, great people.
Also, please try to be a better person each and every day. Try to be kinder on social media and how you interact with others with whom you disagree.
Please join me again in our next episode, and please stay safe until then.
Don’t forget: You can comment anytime — I try to monitor those. You can also reach out privately at: [email protected]. (You can say “hi,” vent, or send news tips! I love all three of those things!)
Love and peace,
Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my books. It’s a great way to help support this writing journey I’m on. To date, I’ve written 12 of them: a CIA/Marine sniper series, a detective series, a private investigator series, an action-packed Western, a motivational self-help book about President Obama, and two realistic war novels: one about World War II and one about Afghanistan. You can find all of these books on Amazon.
Want to know more about me? Click here: About me. You can also learn more about my journey here: Writers are crazy, and I’m crazier than most.

#mil #podcast #military #ukraine #china #russia #RussiaUkraineWar #motivation #inspiration #Bible #usmc #army #navy #airforce #politics #defensenews #OSINT #theviewfromthefront