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

From Ones Ready by Aaron Love, Trent Seegmiller, and Jared "Peaches" Pietras

May 1, 2026 · 59 min · Episode 581

About this episode

Xander shares his journey from addiction and hardship to becoming a member of the military, discussing the challenges he faced along the way.

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 ...

People in this episode

Hosts: Peaches, Aaron, Trent

Guest: Xander

Topics covered

addiction
military service
personal growth
overcoming adversity
life challenges

Keywords

addiction
military
San Francisco
personal story
overcoming challenges

Mentioned in this episode

Places: San Francisco