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Today we hear our first Combat Story from a Top Gun and F/A-18 Hornet pilot turned successful options trader Matthew Whiz Buckley.
Whiz found himself flying 44 combat sorties over Iraq and was scrambled just days after 9/11 to intercept a potential threat over the US where he was authorized to go supersonic at just 1,000 feet with a full weapons load (unheard of in the US)!
As with all aviators, we dig into the Call Sign and Whiz is a great one! Despite the highs of flying jets across the world and graduating from Top Gun, Whiz also lost 16 fellow fighter pilots to accidents and suicide, after losing a sister at a very young age that stuck with him for decades.
As a result, he created the Top Gun Foundation to help keep veterans alive and found his way to plant based medicines and psychedelics with other veterans like Marcus Luttrell (aka “Lone Survivor”), which we spend some time on during this episode. Whiz has had tremendous success in his post-military career in the options trading world and continues to train everyday people how to make a living doing the same with Top Gun Options. In fact, his success is what made his foundation possible.
This was a special episode for me personally where we really dig into the experience inside the cockpit and nerd out on all things aviation (like landing on a carrier at night) and the learnings Whiz was fortunate to take from Top Gun and how we can all apply those.
I hope you enjoy this one as much as I did!
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- Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle
Find Matthew Online:
Show Notes:
0:00 - Intro
00:54 - Guest Introduction (Matther 'Whiz' Buckley)
02:20 - Interview Begins
02:57 - Matthew's early life and his time at the local rescue squad
05:47 - Other career paths
09:23 - The idea of joining the Military
13:42 - Early deaths that motivate
16:20 - Experimentation with Psychedelic Therapy
19:32 - Better Help (AD)
20:35 - 'Competitive' nature of Top Gun pilots
24:33 - Boat landings
30:19 - Hardest aircraft to land on a carrier
33:51 - Optics while flying a fighter jet
36:26 - What it's like to fly the F/A-18 Hornet
39:43 - Ten Thousand (AD)
42:21 - The path to getting the right aircraft
47:21 - 'Whiz''s time with 9/11
58:40 - Top Gun and being the Advisary
01:03:01 - What makes Top Gun training the most difficult
01:07:21 - Red Teaming
01:09:17 - Top Gun takeaways that can benifit everyone
01:15:28 - The origin of 'Whiz'
01:19:14 - Mishaps and mistakes
01:30:05 - The transition to the Finance world
1:32:10 - Psychedelic Therapy philanthropy
01:46:12 - Would you do anything differently
01:54:11 - What feeling do you wish you could share
01:55:27 - Carried sentimental items
01:56:03 - Would you do it all again
2:00:20 - Listener comments and shout outs
How to Live a No Shortcuts Mentality w/ former Marine and Navy SEAL Kevin Seiff | Vet Collective | Helping 100K Vets
Inside the Iron Triangle | Vietnam Combat in Pictures (from the time) | Kent Hillhouse Rd 2
FBI Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) Operator | SWAT & FBI Agent | Drug Squad | Bicycle Bandit | Operation Black Widow | Shaffer Security | Greg Shaffer
Commanding Tanks in Vietnam | Silver Star Mission | Armored Cavalry M48 Tanks in 'Nam | Kent Hillhouse (MG, Ret)
Operator Syndrome Impact on Vets, Active Duty, Law Enforcement and the Special Operations Community | Chris Frueh
Last Great Tank-on-Tank Battle | Battle of 73 Easting | Armored Cavalry | M1A1 Abrams | Tim Gauthier
Navy SEAL Sniper | UNSEALED | Hardest Experience Losing a Fellow Frogman | Enlisted & Officer | Mark Greene
Epic Medal of Honor Battle Description | Marine Force Recon | Army Special Forces | Earl Plumlee
F-15E Pilot and Weapons Officer | Teaching Fighter Weapons School - Tom Moser and Mike Benitez
Senior CIA Officer on Russia | Legendary Case Officer and Chief of Station | Glenn Corn
F-15E Weapons System Officer | Distinguished Flying Cross Recipient | Mike “Pako” Benitez (Round 2)
F-15E Weapons System Officer from Marine Helo Mechanic | Mike “Pako” Benitez (Round 1)
Inside Look at The Unit (not Delta Force) from Operator Adam Gomal | Getting Shot | Taking Out HVTs
Dropping Danger Close with F-15E Strike Eagle Fighter Pilot Tom Moser (Round 2)
F-15E Fighter Pilot, Marine & Police Officer | Fighter Weapons School | Tom Moser
Two SEALs Talking Combat Operations
Black Hawk Down - Setting the Record Straight | Silence and Light Musician - Brad Thomas Catchup
Navy SEAL Sniper | Almost Getting the Longest Kill in Combat | Sam Mackey - Round 2
The Making of a Navy SEAL Sniper | How to Overcome Struggle & Find Success | Sam Mackey - Round 1
Navy SEAL Combat Operations | Maritime Interdiction Ops | Platoon Chief | Iraq/AFG - Joel McGuire
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