You're listening to software, radio, special operations, military news, and straight talk with the guys in the community.

Hey, welcome back to software, radio. This is your host, Rad, and I have a wonderful guest with me today. His name is Cole Lyle, and he comes from us.

The United States Marine Corps served as a heavy combat equipment operator. Welcome to the show.

Thanks for having me on, Rad. There's more to it than just the heavy equipment operator. You also helped move some things around on Capitol Hill after you got out of the military.

What was it that got you into wanting to join the military for my listener out there that's like, well, what ticked you to go to the Marine Corps in the first place?

Yeah, so two separate answers to that. What made me want to join the military? I can't really pinpoint any one thing that made me be like, yeah, I want to join the military. I was an eagle scout. I wanted to serve my community and was involved in service projects with my church and all sorts of stuff.

And I really just, even at a young age, had kind of a fascination with military history. So I think I always just kind of wanted to, and then my mom said, you know, when you turn 18, you're either going to go to school, join the military or get a job, but you're not staying in my house.

And I didn't have money to go to school, and I didn't want to work three jobs to put myself through school, like my sister said, and go into debt.

And so I, you know, I was like, yeah, the military makes sense. I want to serve. I remember going to Boy Scout campouts and being excited about it, because I was at home with tools or sisters in my mom. So it was like my only opportunity to be around a bunch of dudes. Sure, sure.

And, you know, I wanted to camaraderie, and I had that sense of service. So I wanted to, to go do that. I think the Marine Corps in particular, you know, I talked to repeaters from multiple different, you know, branches and serves.

But my brother-in-law was not then my brother-in-law, but sister's boyfriend was a Marine. And I really respected him and admired him. And he was in Fallujah, and so talked to me a lot about.

And he gave me the real. He talked to me about, you know, the bad stuff about the Corps and the good stuff about the Corps, but I ultimately just made that choice.

But to experience it yourself and just said, hey, you know, I'm going to get on this bus or get on this airplane, get on this bus, get on these yellow footprints. Did you go to MCRD? Are you West Coast or are you East Coast Marine?

Yeah, I went to MCRD San Diego.

San Diego.

And, you know, he actually tried to talk me out of it, and he tried to say, you should go to OCS. You should be an officer.

But, you know, I didn't want to do that, because again, A, going to school, and I think I was pretty self-aware at that point, too, to know that I wouldn't take school very seriously.

And I probably needed a little kick in the pants.

Yeah, I mean, school's not the easiest for a lot of people, right? Just graduating is just a big accomplishment, let alone grabbing your Eagle Scout. Good job on that.

You know, staying, staying true to that and going to all your campouts and, you know, community, selfless service, right?

Go to all that, you know, do a good turn daily, right?

Yeah.

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