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Combat Story


Jan 14, 2023

USASOC Operator & K-9 Handler | 7th SFG | 82nd Airborne | War Hogg Tactical | On the Range Podcast | Rick Hogg

This episode is brought to you by Wondery's new podcast AGAINST THE ODDS: UNCHARTED: TEDDY ROOSEVELT’S AMAZON EXPEDITION (link)

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Today we hear the Combat Story of 29 year Army Special Operations veteran Rick Hogg, who spent time with the 82nd, 7th Special Forces Group and US Army Special Operations Command. His time ranged from Desert Storm deep into the post-9/11 era.

Rick spent years as a K-9 handler in the Special Ops community, forging a very strong bond with his dog “Duco” in particular. Rick managed through years of deployments and overcame the effects of Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) with a very concerted focus on his own health and transition from the military that many can learn from. 

After leaving the service, Rick now owns War Hogg Tactical offers mobile firearms, tactical and K9 training to civilians, military and law enforcement agencies that was borne out of his experience training Special Forces. He’s written the book “The Firearms Training Notebook: 1% Better Everyday”, co-hosts the On The Range Podcast, and founded the “In Honor of Duco” charity. 

I hope you enjoy this wide ranging and emotional discussion with a USASOC operator as much as I did. 

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- Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle


Find Rick Online:
- Rick's Linktree https://linktr.ee/warhoggtactical
- Instagram @warhoggtactical https://www.instagram.com/warhoggtactical/?hl=en
- Warhogg website www.warhogg.com
- Rick's Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcfYEBZu_wjRsdqrKM-zhAw
- In Honor of Duco Leash https://www.warhogg.com/product-page/in-honor-of-duco-loop-leash
- K9 War Dogg CBD https://kindred-life.com/product/war-dogg/
- Learn more about Rick: https://www.warhogg.com/abou

Rick Hogg is the owner of War HOGG Tactical, Inc. and is a 29 year US Army Special Operation Combat Veteran including being a Special Operations K9 handler. He has taken his 13 combat deployment, to both Iraq along with Afghanistan, as well as his teaching experience as a Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat instructor and harnessed them into a proven training methodology service company, War HOGG Tactical, Inc.

War HOGG Tactical, Inc. offers professional comprehensive mobile firearms, tactical and K9 training to law abiding civilians, military and law enforcement agencies through combat proven techniques and experience to improve students skill ability. War HOGG also conducts product development and product field testing along with a verity of consulting services in the defense and firearms industry. 

War HOGG Tactical, Inc was born in 2002 when my Special Forces Advanced Urban Combat students returned from Afghanistan and said "That stuff you taught me saved my life!"

Rick and his retired Special Operations Forces K9 Duco have been featured on Trigger Time TV covering an entire season on training a military working dog. Rick has also has instructional videos with Panteao Productions. 

Our program’s main goal is to provide you with a skill set to defend yourself or your family members using a building block methodology of instruction

Show Notes:
0:00 - Intro 
0:44 - Guest Introduction (Rick Hogg)
1:48 - Interview Begins 
2:14 - Background of the Hogg last name
5:27 - Rick's childhood and early years
10:12 - Do you associate more with being an Operator or K9 Handler
11:53 - The Transition from Soldier to Civilian and what Rick did to help out
15:06 - Rick's advice on how to transition out of the Military easier
19:32 - Wondery the Teddy Rosevelt Amazon Expedition AD
20:34 - Rick's experience and dealing with T.B.I.
23:01 - Rick's experience with acceptance, loss, and grief
27:40 - Joe and Rick
35:36 - Rick's thoughts on handleing grief and emotions in the midst of the mission
45:09 - Officer Duco and Rick
50:11 - In Honor of Duco Loop Leash
53:38 - Lowering of a K9 Officer
54:51 - Jumping with a K9
01:00:00 - Rick's love for the K9 Unit
01:04:38 - A death defying mission from Duco
01:09:17 - Training K9 Units with Foreign Forces
01:11:46 - The difference between Conventional and Special Forces Units
 01:17:09 - The balance between the Specail Ops and Entrepenureship 
01:20:57 - Rick's opinion on if older vs younger generations views on each other
01:23:18 - How Rick divides his time amongst his many projects
01:28:48 - Rick's plans for 2023
01:32:08 - Did you bring anything sentimental with you into combat
01:32:41 - Would you do it all again?
01:34:57 - Is there a book you would recommend to people
1:24:07 -  Listener comments and shout outs