09/01/2026
OUT NOW - #007. William “Big Sarge” Hansen: 22 Years of Service, PTSD, Injury Recovery, Fatherhood, and Strongman Redemption
Host Drew Jones interviews William “Big Sarge” Hansen, a Desert Storm veteran who served a combined 22 years in the Marine Corps and Army with five Middle East tours, including Noble Eagle, Enduring Freedom, and Iraqi Freedom. Hansen recounts growing up in a multigenerational military family, joining the Marines after high school, later serving in the National Guard, and building a civilian life as a teacher, dean, and coach who pushed students toward discipline, trades, and opportunity. He describes how deployments overlapped with his first wife Lisa’s nine-year cancer battle, his efforts to stay connected with daily postcards, and the toll of injuries from a convoy blast that left him with fractures, herniated discs, and a traumatic brain injury, followed by pain-pill addiction and VA “cocktails.” A turning point came through his daughter’s honesty, his father’s guidance, and Wounded Warrior Project programs that reignited fitness, purpose, and community, leading him to Tough Mudder, endurance events, coaching wounded veterans, and nationally competitive strongman goals.
Visit TheVetsVet.com for more information.
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Produced by Derrick Michaud and SRP Studios Podcasting
