Episode 19 - Donald McAlister (Army, OIF, OEF Veteran)
Tim K. sits down with Retired Command Sergeant Major Donald McAlister in Western Massachusetts, while on set of an upcoming psychological thriller called “The Curse of Sinchanee.” Don first served in the invasion of Iraq in 2003, already a Staff Sergeant in the United States Army, then subsequently thereafter deployed to Afghanistan three times. He served in the Army for 24 years, and his most difficult deployment was his second to last to the hellish landscape of the Arghandab River Valley. That particular area was an integral portion of Taliban-held territory, surrounding the holy city of Kandahar. The lessons learned in that valley over the course of his unit’s time there would be ones that have followed him even to the present day. Tim and Don discuss spending decades in the Army, how to balance family life, and what it’s like to reintegrate back into society after dedicating most of your adult life to the military. Throughout the podcast, you will hear Mac speak about the value of taking a “tactical pause,” something he learned while in basic training. This followed him throughout his lengthy career, culminating at a point when his paratroopers needed his knowledge the most.
Check out Mac’s Man Cave, which features our guest. Since retiring “Mac” continues to stay involved in the Veteran community, devoting most of his time to serving others through various non-profit efforts. His presence as a highly-respected leader makes him a highly-coveted asset in the veteran community. Mac’s Man Cave is a deep dive into transitioning out of the military, with guests from both the civilian and veteran communities. These episodes can be viewed presently on Instagram Live either at instagram.com/donald_mac_mcalister/ or instagram.com/macsmancave/.
SPONSORED BY
This podcast is sponsored by Team House Studios. They are a production studio committed to empowering military veterans both in front and behind the camera. Co-founded by Filmmaker Steven Grayhm and Former NFL player and Green Beret Veteran Nate Boyer. Through real hands on training, Team House Studios aims to create an equal opportunity environment for all genders, races and backgrounds.