Combat Story (Ep 33): Jon Macaskill | Navy SEAL | Commander | Men Talking Mindfulness | Entrepreneur
About This Episode
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Today we hear the Combat Story of Jon Macaskill, a retired Navy SEAL Commander turned mindfulness and meditation teacher. He spent a career in the Navy’s Special Warfare and military Joint Special Operations communities and served in Iraq, Afghanistan, off the coast of Somalia, and in Panama.
One story that Jon shares and which shows the burdens and gut wrenching aspects of combat, was his association with Operation Red Wings, which many will recall from the book and movie Lone Survivor.
Jon is a Naval Academy graduate, holds a Master’s degree from the Naval Postgraduate School, and, since retiring, runs a consulting business that brings mindfulness and meditation to high performing teams to aid in dealing with stress, anxiety, and depression, all while increasing focus, creativity, and productivity.
He shares the benefits and opportunities both on the show and on his own podcast, called Men Talking Mindfulness, which, as Jon described it, is what happens when you combine a Navy SEAL and modern day Hippie!
I hope you enjoy Jon’s honest, humble, and challenging Combat Story as much as I did.
Website: https://macaskillconsulting.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmacaskill/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulfrogman/ Instagram Men Talking Mindfulness: https://www.instagram.com/mentalkingmindfulness/
Follow on Instagram @combat_stories (https://www.instagram.com/combat_stories/) Email ryan@combatstory.com Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus
Show Notes
Entrepreneur
Chapters
- 0:00Intro
- 0:55Jon Macaskill’s bio and guest introduction
- 2:00Interview begins
- 17:30SEAL competition at the Naval Academy
- 24:55Something most don’t know about BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training)
- 33:02Being an Officer in the SEALs
- 40:07Combat Story #1: Deployment to Afghanistan
- 51:03Combat Story #2: Operation Red Wings and the Lone Survivor connection. LinkedIN article on this event that's well worth the read: https://thriveglobal.com/stories/this-is-why-i-meditate/
- 1:00:50Managing trauma, guilt, depression and finding meditation and mindfulness
- 1:15:48Common difficulties for people new to meditation
- 1:18:13How to find Jon online
- 1:20:27The coolest thing Jon did as a SEAL (leaving a submarine on an SDV - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SEAL_Delivery_Vehicle)
- 1:22:14What’s one thing you carried with you on missions?
- 1:23:45Would you go back and do it all again?
