#322 - Alejandro Villanueva - 10th Mountain Divison to the NFL

In this episode, we sit down for a deep dive into beef, business, ranching, veteran opportunity, and what it actually takes to build a start-to-finish American cattle operation. We talk with the team behind Little Belt Cattle Company about how they built a 100% Montana-raised beef program, why restaurants became their core business, the truth about dry aging vs wet aging, how USDA labeling can confuse customers, and why food security matters more than most people realize.

Join us for a compelling episode with Henry Sledge, author and son of Eugene Sledge, todiscuss his book The Old Breed. Henry shares intimate insights into his father’s experiences asa Marine in World War II, immortalized in Eugene’s iconic memoir With the Old Breed: At Peleliuand Okinawa. Through heartfelt storytelling, Henry explores the enduring impact of his father’slegacy, the challenges of documenting a deeply personal history, and the timeless lessons ofcourage, sacrifice, and resilience that continue to resonate today. Tune in for a poignantconversation that bridges generations and honors the sacrifices of the Greatest Generation.

This week on the Black Rifle Coffee Podcast, Logan Stark sits down with AG Gregoroff, founderof Toehold Flip Flops, for one of the most wild and jaw-dropping conversations we’ve had yet.AG opens up about growing up in a violent gang-infested neighborhood, selling guns as ateenager, and facing 16 years in prison after a corrupt drug raid changed his life forever. Aftertwo years behind bars, he walked free and built a life defined by obsession, discipline, andlegacy.Now the founder of one of the most premium flip flop companies on the planet, AG shares howhis father’s final words fueled a mission he refuses to quit.If you’re an entrepreneur, a veteran, or someone chasing redemption this episode is a mustlisten.TOPICS COVERED:● Growing up surrounded by violence and addiction● Wrongful charges, jail time, and fighting for justice● Why obsessive craftsmanship drives Toehold’s success● Military contracting and training Marines in survivability● Finding peace in the ocean and purpose through pain● Legacy, fatherhood, and building something that lasts

In this episode, Dakota sits down with a Medal of Honor recipient who made an unusual decision at 37: reenlist in the Marine Corps and pursue Recon. They break down the moment that sparked the commitment, what it’s like going back through the pipeline, why today’s Marines are more capable than people think, and the leadership gaps that need fixing. They also talk legacy, fatherhood, PTSD as an injury that can heal, and why belief and hope still matter.

Since the last time he was on, a lot has changed. Dagan launched the Nomadic Research podcast out of Dixon, Illinois and went all in on building something of his own. Rural northwest Illinois, limestone bluffs, the Rock River, big whitetails, and just enough distance from Chicago to keep your sanity intact. Not a bad place to build a studio and start the next chapter. Evan and Dagan get into the why behind it. Why Illinois. Why leave a long career. Why step out and start talking publicly after years of working inside one of the largest and most misunderstood organizations in the country. Dagan walks through his background growing up in a Marine family, doing 12 years in the Corps across infantry and reconnaissance billets, then making the jump to the Agency where he and Evan worked together for years. They talk candidly about the difference between the tactical side of the house and where the real strategic decisions get made, the infamous seventh floor, and what it is like to be a small cog inside a 23,000 person machine. There is humor, a few shots at California, some perspective on career pivots, and a real look at professional evolution from Marine to operator to podcaster and business owner. This one is about reinvention, loyalty to where you came from, and figuring out what comes next when you have already done a few lifetimes worth of work. Grab a cup of coffee and settle in.