Shawn Ryan Show: Garand Thumb on SERE, Drone Warfare, Faith, and Survival

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When survival, faith, and modern war all collide, the lessons get very real, very fast. In this episode of the Shawn Ryan Show, we're breaking down an incredible conversation between Shawn Ryan and Garand Thumb, also known as Mike Jones. This is a retired Air Force special warfare veteran, SERE specialist, TACP officer, and founder of a major firearms and tactical media brand. And what's fascinating is how the conversation shifts between military history, combat doctrine, religion, and preparedness. Shawn actually opens by pointing to the room itself, packed with military memorabilia, and that atmosphere really sets the tone. They dive right into how the world is changing with drones and jamming technology. Right, and Mike makes this crucial point about future warfare potentially forcing people back into old-school fieldcraft. He says, "It always comes back to fieldcraft," which is such a grounded perspective when everyone's obsessed with high-tech solutions. But honestly, one of the most compelling threads is Mike's faith journey. He was raised Mormon, left the church, and eventually became a Christian. He speaks with genuine conviction, saying, "I am very serious about my faith in Jesus and the fact that He saved me." Shawn shares his own Catholic background and renewed interest in the Bible.

That spiritual dimension really shapes the rest of the conversation, especially when they get into survival.

Mike's path into special operations was unusual. He wanted pararescue, failed the pool requirements after a shallow water blackout, and calls that failure a brutal low point. But the Air Force redirected him to become a SERE specialist instead. And those survival training stories are absolutely intense. Mike describes Arctic drills near Dead Horse, Alaska, desert dehydration exercises, jungle misery, and the brutal forest "fam phase." Students had to master shelter building, fire making, tracking, counter-tracking, water collection, all under exhaustion and calorie restriction. What really stands out is the psychological component. The resistance portion of SERE grew directly from lessons learned in the Korean and Vietnam wars, when captured Americans were pressured for propaganda statements.

Mike emphasizes that if captured, a person must remember their training to avoid being manipulated by interrogators. He also talks about "the will to live," explaining that people survive unimaginable hardship when faith, family, or country gives them something bigger than pain. That's powerful stuff. From there, they shift to modern combat. Mike explains the roles of TACPs and Combat Controllers, praises the A-10, and discusses how drones have fundamentally changed warfare. Low-cost FPV drones have shortened the kill chain and made traditional movement nearly impossible in some contested areas.

The gear discussion is equally practical. Mike calls the M4 "the deadliest rifle ever fielded in human history," and they cover everything from experimental rifles to everyday carry setups. But his final message brings everything full circle. He stresses water security, physical books, neighborhood resilience, and basic skills. The takeaway is simple and urgent: prepare locally, learn hard skills, and build a life that can still function when the grid does not.

That's the reality we need to face.