Our in-depth interviews take you inside the world of modern warfare — from drones and remote-controlled explosives to nuclear submarines and long-range sniper rifles.
L. David Marquet is a former US Navy captain and author who served in the submarine force for nearly three decades. Following his time in the Navy, Marquet published the bestselling book "Turn the Ship Around" in 2013, detailing his time on the Santa Fe. He published an additional book, "Leadership is Language," in 2020 and "Distancing" in 2025.
Tanner Yackley is a former drone sensor operator with the US Air Force. Flying MQ-9 Reaper missions, Yackley worked 12-hour shifts tracking targets, striking with precision munitions and explosives. Since leaving the service, he’s become an advocate for drone crews’ mental health and a critic of public misconceptions about remote warfare.
Brian Castner is a former explosive ordnance disposal officer, or EOD officer, who served in the Air Force during the war in Iraq. Since 2018, Castner has worked at Amnesty International as a weapons and war crime investigator, becoming the head of crisis research in 2024.
Johnathan Taylor served as a scout sniper in the US Marine Corps for eight years. He is now the president of the USMC Scout Sniper Association, an organization helping veteran snipers access financial, medical, and psychological support. He discusses his deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, the dangers he faced in the field, and the tactics he used to evade detection. Taylor also explains the deep mental toll that active military service can have on veterans.
Macer Gifford is a former currency trader who volunteered to fight for the Ukrainian army against Russia in 2022 and for the Kurdish People's Defense Units, or YPG, against the Islamic State in 2015. He is the author of "Fighting Evil."
Find out more:
L. David Marquet
https://davidmarquet.com/books/
Tanner Yackley
https://remotewarrior.carrd.co/
Brian Castner
https://www.amnesty.org/en/what-we-do/armed-conflict/
Macer Gifford
https://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Evil-Ordinary-went-Against/dp/1409195708
JT Taylor
https://scoutsniper.org/
00:00:00 - Intro
00:00:37 - Drone Pilot
00:37:21 - Submarine Commander
01:27:50 - Ukrainian Fighter
02:10:20 - Marine Sniper
02:49:41 - Explosives Technician
03:28:47 - Credits
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How Modern Warfare Actually Works — From Killer Drones to Attack Submarines | Authorized Account | Insider