Show notes
Marine Veteran Brian Mendez takes us inside the brutal battles of Fallujah and Ramadi, sharing his experiences fighting through the Fallujah Mile, one of the deadliest combat zones of the Iraq War. In this episode of Urban Valor, Brian reflects on the mental and emotional toll of war, his battle with PTSD, and how Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu became his saving grace. From enlisting after 9/11 to becoming a Marine Corps Martial Arts Instructor, Brian’s journey is one of resilience, survival, and redemption.👍 Like this video to support to show appreciation.🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well!✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday!Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories.Video Chapters: 00:46 - Growing Up in California & Family Challenges01:49 - Discovering Jiu-Jitsu & Martial Arts Influence03:27 - How 9/11 Inspired Him to Join the Marines05:00 - Choosing the Infantry & Marine Corps Training07:49 - Boot Camp & Martial Arts Testing in the Marines14:50 - Deploying to Iraq: First Battle of Fallujah17:00 - Surviving the Fallujah Mile – Intense Combat Stories18:31 - Foreign Fighters in Fallujah & the Reality of War20:33 - Ramadi’s Deadliest Streets & The IED Threat27:52 - Coping with PTSD & Post-War Struggles39:33 - Finding Purpose Through Jiu-Jitsu After Combat45:48 - Overcoming Alcoholism & The Road to Recovery51:30 - Opening His Own Jiu-Jitsu Academy53:29 - COVID-19 Setbacks & Rebuilding His Business#military #urbanvalor #warstories #marines #warstories #veteranpodcast