Combat Fuel Podcast

In this episode of the Combat Fuel Podcast, we sit down with Major Rosie Wild  Royal Artillery officer, the first woman in history to pass P Company, and a Great Britain triathlete.Rosie has spent around 12 years in the British Army, progressing through a career that has challenged both physical standards and long-held perceptions around women serving within demanding military environments.She talks openly about becoming the first woman to pass Pre-Parachute Selection (P Company), why she originally doubted whether a woman could pass, and the psychological pressure of attempting something that had never been achieved by a woman before.Rosie explains that the physical side wasn't necessarily her biggest battle. The greater challenge was questioning whether she belonged there, dealing with self-doubt, and knowing that people were watching to see whether she would succeed or fail.After passing, Rosie was thrust into the public spotlight and faced accusations online that she had received a "paper pass". She discusses the reality of those comments, how much online criticism affected her, and what the soldiers who actually completed the course alongside her had to say. But Rosie's story goes far beyond P Company.She grew up within a military family, attended boarding school from seven years old, joined the Army as an officer and attended Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. After suffering a serious ACL injury early in training, Rosie underwent reconstruction and rehabilitation before returning to the course — ultimately going on to win the Sword of Honour. We also explore military leadership, life as a female officer, serving within the airborne environment, resilience, physical performance and Rosie's philosophy of deliberately surrounding herself with people who challenge her to become better.Rosie also discusses another major part of her life — triathlon.After initially getting into the sport following her knee injury, she progressed to representing Great Britain, racing internationally and taking on extreme endurance events, including an unsupported extreme triathlon in Patagonia involving freezing water and mountainous terrain.Now Rosie is preparing for another major challenge: leaving the British Army.After taking a career break to compete for Great Britain, Rosie returned to the Army with a different perspective on her future. She explains why she has signed off, the responsibility she feels towards soldiers under her command, and why she doesn't believe it would be right to continue commanding if she couldn't give them 100%. In this episode, we cover:• Becoming the first woman to pass P Company• The psychological battle behind P Company• Accusations of receiving a "paper pass"• Dealing with criticism and social media• Women serving in the British Army• Growing up in a military family• Life at Sandhurst• Recovering from a serious ACL injury• Winning the Sword of Honour• Serving as a Royal Artillery officer• Leadership and responsibility in the Army• Life within the airborne environment• Why Rosie refused to chase badges for recognition• Representing Great Britain in triathlon• Extreme endurance racing in Patagonia• Why challenge matters more than medals• Rosie's decision to leave the British Army• Finding purpose and identity beyond military service• Leadership coaching and what's next Rosie describes being a woman in the Army not as a disadvantage, but as something that eventually became her "superpower" — giving her a different perspective and a distinctive voice within environments where she was often the only woman in the room. RosieWild.srtSRTThis episode is for anyone interested in P Company, British Army life, airborne forces, women in the military, Royal Artillery, Sandhurst, military leadership, resilience, Team GB, triathlon, endurance sport and military transition.Guest:Rosie WildBritish Army Major | Royal Artillery | First Woman to Pass P Company | Team GB TriathleteInstagram:[Add Rosie's Instagram]Follow & Support Combat Fuel:Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/combatfuel/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/combatfuelWebsite:https://www.combatfuel.co.ukProduction:This podcast is produced by TCM.visualsInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/tcm.visual/Website:https://www.thecapturedmoments.co.ukBusiness & Media Enquiries:[email protected]:This content is for educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute medical or nutritional advice.Remember to:Like the video, subscribe to the channel, and share this episode to support honest conversations around military service, leadership, resilience, performance and life beyond the Armed Forces.#RosieWild #CombatFuelPodcast #PCompany #BritishArmy #RoyalArtillery #Airborne #TeamGB #WomenInTheMilitary #MilitaryPodcast #MilitaryLeadership #Triathlon #ArmyOfficer

In this episode of the Combat Fuel Podcast, we turn the cameras on the man normally behind them Fraser Carson, Combat Fuel producer, former British Army soldier, former Emergency Care Assistant (ECA) in the ambulance service, and now a serving London firefighter.Fraser's journey has taken him from military service and P Company to frontline emergency services with more than a few life-changing incidents along the way.He talks about joining the Royal Artillery, completing P Company, military parachuting and jumping into Arnhem, before eventually transitioning out of the Army and discovering just how difficult finding direction in civilian life could be.Fraser also shares the story of a BASE jump in Switzerland that went catastrophically wrong. After his canopy turned 180 degrees, he slammed into the cliff face, broke his leg and was left stranded on a steep ledge before being rescued by helicopter.After leaving the Army, Fraser eventually joined the ambulance service as an Emergency Care Assistant, working alongside paramedics and attending everything from cardiac arrests to traumatic emergencies during COVID.His career then took another turn when he joined the London Fire Brigade.Fraser discusses the reality of frontline firefighting, including rescuing a man trapped beneath a train and a devastating house fire during Diwali. Only six months into his firefighting career, Fraser and his BA partner entered the heavily involved property after being told children were trapped inside. During the search, Fraser fell through the burning staircase an incident for which he later received a commendation.Away from the emergency services, Fraser opens up about struggling with his mental health and how discovering photography gave him something positive to focus on. That hobby eventually developed into a photography and videography business and ultimately led to him becoming the producer behind the Combat Fuel Podcast.In this episode, we cover:• Growing up in South East London• Air Cadets and early military ambitions• Surviving a serious car crash before joining the Army• Joining the Royal Artillery• Completing P Company• Military parachuting and jumping into Arnhem• Transitioning out of the British Army• The BASE jump accident that nearly killed him• Helicopter rescue from a Swiss cliff face• Working as an Emergency Care Assistant (ECA)• Frontline ambulance work during COVID• Cardiac arrests and traumatic emergency calls• Joining the London Fire Brigade• Rescuing a casualty trapped beneath a train• Entering a fully developed house fire with persons reported• Falling through a burning staircase• Receiving a commendation• Mental health and finding photography• Building a photography and videography business• The Veterans Project• Becoming producer of the Combat Fuel Podcast• Balancing firefighting, business, family and podcast productionThis episode is for anyone interested in British Army life, P Company, military parachuting, BASE jumping, London Fire Brigade, ambulance services, emergency response, mental health, photography, military transition and finding purpose after service.Guest:Fraser CarsonBritish Army Veteran | Former ECA | London Firefighter | Photographer & Combat Fuel Podcast ProducerFollow & Support Combat Fuel:Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/combatfuel/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/combatfuelWebsite:https://www.combatfuel.co.ukProduction:This podcast is produced by TCM.visualsInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/tcm.visual/Website:https://www.thecapturedmoments.co.ukBusiness & Media Enquiries:[email protected]:This content is for educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute medical or nutritional advice.Remember to:Like the video, subscribe to the channel, and share this episode to support honest conversations around military service, emergency services, resilience, mental health and life after the Armed Forces.#FraserCarson #CombatFuelPodcast #LondonFireBrigade #BritishArmy #Firefighter #BASEJumping #PCompany #RoyalArtillery #AmbulanceService #MilitaryPodcast #Veteran #EmergencyServices

In this episode of the Combat Fuel Podcast, we sit down with Jack Wiles former RAF Regiment and Special Forces Support Group (SFSG) soldier, and now founder of RB Club, a rapidly growing rugby-inspired clothing brand.Jack spent 10 years serving in the RAF Regiment and SFSG before deciding military life was no longer the direction he wanted to pursue. He talks openly about joining the RAF Regiment almost by accident, his experiences during training, moving into SFSG, operating alongside different military units, and why he ultimately decided against pursuing Special Forces selection.But Jack’s story after the military is just as interesting.During a deployment, he taught himself how to sew and began making kit and wash bags for the lads around him. That eventually developed into an idea to turn old rugby jerseys into handmade bucket hats — laying the foundations for what would later become RB Club.Jack explains how he left the security of a military wage, sold almost everything he owned, and committed to building a business without having any formal background in fashion, clothing, marketing, or e-commerce.We discuss the reality behind building RB Club — from packing hundreds of orders himself and developing products months in advance, to nearly losing the business through poor advertising management and then turning things around.Jack also shares why he believes military discipline has transferred directly into entrepreneurship, why he still struggles to feel satisfied after major successes, and his ambition to build RB Club into something completely different within the rugby clothing market.In this episode, we cover: Growing up in South Wales Joining the RAF Regiment RAF Regiment training and military culture Serving for 10 years Moving into SFSG The realities of serving within the Special Forces Support Group Why Jack chose not to pursue Special Forces selection Learning to sew while deployed Making kit and wash bags for other soldiers Turning old rugby jerseys into bucket hats Leaving the military and taking the risk of starting a business Selling his belongings before transitioning out Building RB Club Going from handmade bucket hats into a full clothing range Product design, quality control and manufacturing Packing more than 500 orders himself Building a veteran-owned brand without relying on the veteran label Nearly losing the business because of poor advertising Learning Meta Ads, marketing and e-commerce Scaling RB Club and developing future clothing collections ADHD, work ethic and relentless ambition Military discipline in civilian business Customer service, authenticity and building a community The future of RB Club This episode is for anyone interested in RAF Regiment life, SFSG, military transition, veteran-owned businesses, entrepreneurship, rugby culture, clothing brands, e-commerce, discipline and building something from the ground up.Guest:Jack WilesFormer RAF Regiment & SFSG | Founder, RB ClubInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/_rbclub/Website:https://rbclub.co.uk/Follow & Support Combat Fuel:Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/combatfuel/Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/combatfuelWebsite:https://www.combatfuel.co.ukProduction:This podcast is produced by TCM.visualsInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/tcm.visual/Website:https://www.thecapturedmoments.co.ukBusiness & Media Enquiries:[email protected]:This content is for educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute medical or nutritional advice.Remember to:Like the video, subscribe to the channel, and share this episode to help support honest conversations around military service, entrepreneurship, resilience and building a life after the Armed Forces.🎬 YOUTUBE CHAPTERS00:00 Introduction & Jack Wiles 00:45 RAF Regiment, SFSG & RB Club 01:45 Why Jack Joined the RAF Regiment 02:40 Growing Up in South Wales 05:00 Childhood, School & Finding Direction 10:00 Joining the Military at a Difficult Point in Life 15:00 RAF Regiment Culture & Military Banter 18:00 RAF Regiment Training 21:30 Military Fitness & Life in the Regiment 24:30 Moving Into SFSG 27:00 The Reality of Life in SFSG 30:30 Why Jack Didn't Want Special Forces Selection 32:00 Learning to Sew on Deployment 33:30 The First Rugby Bucket Hat Idea 35:00 Leaving the Military & Selling Everything 38:00 Military Work Ethic in Business 40:00 Turning Bucket Hats Into RB Club 42:00 Building a Rugby Clothing Brand 45:00 Product Development & Refusing to Compromise 48:00 Learning Fashion & Manufacturing From Scratch 50:00 Selling Hundreds of Products in a Day 52:00 Never Feeling Satisfied With Success 54:00 ADHD, Work Ethic & Business Pressure 56:00 Nearly Losing RB Club 58:00 How Bad Advertising Almost Destroyed the Business 1:00:00 Turning the Business Around 1:02:00 The Future of RB Club 1:04:00 Events, Rugby Clubs & Building the Brand 1:06:00 Running Almost Everything Himself 1:08:00 Creating Content Without Expensive Equipment 1:10:00 Authenticity, Customers & Social Media 1:12:00 Advice to His Younger Self 1:12:40 Final Thoughts Suggested Hashtags#JackWiles#CombatFuelPodcast#RAFRegiment#SFSG#SpecialForcesSupportGroup#RBClub#VeteranOwnedBusiness#MilitaryTransition#Entrepreneurship#Rugby#ClothingBrand#LifeAfterService

In this episode of the Combat Fuel Podcast, we sit down with Harry Shepherd former Royal Marines Commando and now a fitness coach working with military personnel and clients around the world to improve their fitness and performance.Harry spent five years in the Royal Marines before leaving the military and building his own coaching business. What started with a small number of clients has developed into a team coaching more than 130 people, with Harry using both his experience in the Marines and his knowledge of physical performance to help others achieve a higher standard of fitness.Harry speaks openly about his own journey through Royal Marines Commando training, including the areas he struggled with, being put back in training, failing tests, and the physical and mental pressure involved in eventually earning his Green Beret.We also discuss the fitness mistakes he made preparing for the Marines, why simply running and doing bodyweight exercises isn't enough, and how those experiences influenced the way he coaches people today.The conversation moves into military fitness coaching, business, criticism on social media, coaching standards, working in America, scaling a fitness business, and why having information alone isn't enough to produce results.In this episode, we cover:  Joining the Royal Marines  Preparing for Royal Marines Commando training   The physical and mental demands of training   Being put back in training and dealing with failure   Struggling with strength and loaded carries   Completing Commando tests and earning the Green Beret  The reality of military fitness preparation   Why experience matters when coaching others   Criticism and opinions within the military fitness industry   Leaving the Royal Marines and becoming a coach   Growing from a handful of clients to 130+ coaching clients  Building a coaching team and learning to delegate   Training and working in the United States   Royal Marines vs US Marines fitness   Accountability, consistency and the value of coaching   Building a business around genuine client results  This episode is for anyone interested in Royal Marines training, military fitness, Commando preparation, strength and conditioning, coaching, entrepreneurship, performance and life after military service.Guest:Harry Shepherd Former Royal Marines Commando | Military Fitness & Performance CoachInstagram: [Add Harry's Instagram]Follow & Support Combat Fuel:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/combatfuel/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/combatfuelWebsite: https://www.combatfuel.co.ukProduction:This podcast is produced by TCM.visualsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tcm.visual/Website: https://www.thecapturedmoments.co.ukBusiness & Media Enquiries:[email protected]:This content is for educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute medical or nutritional advice.Remember to:Like the video, subscribe to the channel, and share this episode to help support honest conversations around military fitness, performance, coaching and life after service.

In this episode of the Combat Fuel Podcast, we sit down with Tom Merriman — a Royal Marine Physical Training Instructor (PTI), husband, father of three, and known by many as The Wando PTI.Tom shares his experiences serving in the Royal Marines, from growing up in Stockport to earning the coveted Green Beret and becoming a Physical Training Instructor. He reflects on the mindset, discipline, and resilience required to train Royal Marines, while also opening up about the realities of operational deployments, leadership, and moments that nearly cost him his life.We explore military culture, physical performance, and what it takes to lead by example in one of the world's most respected fighting forces. Tom also discusses balancing military life with family, the responsibility of developing others, and the lessons that have shaped him both in uniform and at home.In this episode, we cover:  Growing up in Stockport   Joining the Royal Marines  Earning the Green Beret   Becoming a Royal Marine PTI  Leadership and developing Royal Marines   Operational deployments and surviving combat   Physical training and mental resilience   Balancing military service with family life   Lessons from leadership and adversity   Identity, purpose, and life in the Corps  This episode is for anyone interested in Royal Marines, Commando training, military leadership, physical performance, resilience, and elite mindset.Guest:Tom Merriman Royal Marine PTI | The Wando PTIInstagram:Website:Follow & Support Combat Fuel:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/combatfuel/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/combatfuelWebsite: https://www.combatfuel.co.ukProduction:This podcast is produced by TCM.visualsInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/tcm.visual/Website: https://www.thecapturedmoments.co.ukBusiness & Media Enquiries:[email protected]:This content is for educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute medical or nutritional advice.Remember to:Like the video, subscribe to the channel, and share this episode to help amplify honest conversations around military service, leadership, resilience, and life in the Royal Marines.🎬 YouTube Chapters00:00 Introduction & Who is Tom Merriman 01:00 Growing Up in Stockport 05:30 Why He Joined the Royal Marines 11:00 Earning the Green Beret 17:00 Becoming a Royal Marine PTI 24:00 Physical Training & Elite Standards 31:00 Operational Deployments & Combat Experiences 39:00 The Incident That Nearly Cost His Life 47:00 Leadership, Discipline & Responsibility 55:00 Family Life in the Military 1:03:00 Building Mental Resilience 1:11:00 Training the Next Generation of Royal Marines 1:20:00 Lessons From Military Service 1:29:00 Final Reflections & Advice Suggested Hashtags#TomMerriman #CombatFuelPodcast #RoyalMarines #RoyalMarinePTI #Commando #MilitaryMindset #Leadership #MentalResilience #PhysicalTraining #GreenBeret