Ep 471: Recon, Rage, & Real Talk With James Sisco

Strap in, degenerates. In this brutally honest, no-holds-barred episode of Ones Ready, we sit down with Recon Marine, The War Journal author, intelligence community insider, and potential future Ambassador to Afghanistan—James. Freakin’ Sisco.

This isn’t your average “rah-rah” war story episode. Sisco takes us deep into the grit and grime of Desert Storm, recounts the absolute hilarity of rolling into combat with Oakleys and Guns N’ Roses, and then slams you into an emotional brick wall with betrayal, loss, and the aftermath of trauma stuffed into a rucksack for 30 years.

From saving lives with a handwritten journal to calling BS on the Medal of Honor fame train, Jim serves up reality checks hotter than a desert MRE. He even casually drops that he's running a global risk advisory firm, trying to be Charge d’Affaires to Afghanistan, and working on a freakin’ miniseries with the Marine Corps.

This episode is raw. It's hilarious. It's painful. It's human. It's what happens when the mission ends and the real battle begins—with yourself.

🔥 Key Takeaways:

🇺🇸 From recon badassery to best-selling author by total accident
💥 Laugh-out-loud chaos and devastating trauma from Desert Storm
🧠 Why therapy might help—but being a decent f***ing friend definitely will
🎖️ Calls out the "Hero Tour" and Medal of Honor ego complex
🇦🇫 Afghanistan: what the maps don't show, and why he wants to fix it
📘 The War Journal literally saved a life—and it's not just a “vet book”
🧢 Mental health isn’t solved with checklists and lobster tail
🧪 Why confidence beats therapy buzzwords any day of the week
🚀 Marine turned diplomat? You bet. And he wants to drop a report on Trump’s desk about Greenland
⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 – Intro & Sponsor: 18A Fitness & Operator Training Summit Plug
02:40 – Guest Tease: James Sisco’s Bonkers Background
05:00 – The War Journal: From Girlfriend Gag Gift to Bestseller
09:00 – Saving a Life with a Book
13:00 – Recon Chaos: Oakleys, Cravats, and GNR in Combat
17:00 – Gut Punch: The Dark Story That Changed Everything
24:00 – Processing Trauma… 30 Years Later
28:00 – Why Everyone's Broken and Nobody Talks About It
32:00 – The "Hero Tour" & When Recognition Goes Too Far
38:00 – The Podcast Ego Problem & Staying Authentic
43:00 – Finding Your Way Out of the Hole (and Staying Out)
47:00 – Mental Health, PMA, and Rugby at 56
50:00 – What’s Next: Diplomatic Ambitions, Business, and a Miniseries
55:00 – Afghanistan Done Right: Real Strategy, No BS
1:01:00 – Jersey Roots, Warhorses, and Lapis Boxes from Karzai
1:03:00 – Wrap-Up & Call to Action