Ep 581: From Addiction to PJ—Yeah, Xander Was Fighting SecFo BEFORE Enlisting

Send us Fan Mail Peaches, Aaron, and Trent sit down with Xander—and this one’s not your typical “I always wanted to serve” story. We’re talking growing up broke in San Francisco, addiction, running from home, and damn near throwing life away… before flipping the script and chasing one of the hardest jobs in the military. Xander breaks down what actually got him through the pipeline (hint: not being the biggest or smartest), what it’s like being the permanent “new guy” overseas, and why being a good teammate matters more than anything else. Then it gets real. Mental health, losing friends, almost losing himself—and how that led to building Saints by Day, Sinners by Construct. Not some fake influencer BS. Real talk, real purpose, and real impact. Bottom line: everyone’s got a story. The question is whether you use it—or let it bury you. ⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 Meet Xander—Not Your Typical Story 03:00 From Chaos to Calling 06:00 SEALs Said No… So PJ It Is 09:00 Pipeline Reality Check 12:00 Failing, Resetting, and Earning It 15:00 “Be a Good Dude”—What That Actually Means 18:00 First Deployments & Real Missions 21:00 Working with SEALs, Rangers, and ODAs 24:00 Overseas Life—No Stateside, No Problem 27:00 The Dark Side—Addiction & Loss 30:00 Rock Bottom & Turning Point 33:00 Building SDSC—Purpose from Pain 36:00 Social Media Without the BS 39:00 Final Advice—Use Your Story 🎯 Call-to-Actions: 👍 Like if this one hit different 🔔

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Ep 581: From Addiction to PJ—Yeah, Xander Was Fighting SecFo BEFORE Enlisting is an episode from Ones Ready by Aaron Love, Trent Seegmiller, and Jared "Peaches" Pietras.

This episode is 58:41 long.

This episode was published on May 1, 2026.

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