Paul Szoldra (Marine, "Duffel Blog")

Published: Oct. 1, 2018, 8:18 p.m.

b'Despite the darkness of combat, there always seems to be moments of levity that surface from time to time. Paul Szoldra, whether he believes it or not, is a master at finding those moments. Whether it was Marine boot camp, or the unforgiving landscape of Afghanistan, Szoldra found humor to get him through the boredom, frustration, and nervous anticipation of combat. A near miss from an IED blast that most certainly would have taken his life, was all that was needed to make Szoldra all-too aware of the horrific realities of combat. But none of the darkness, including life-altering and life-ending IEDs, would have been overcome without humor. And so Paul Szoldra eventually left the Marine Corps and started the \\u201cDuffel Blog,\\u201d an online military satire publication that has seen over one million unique readers each month. The Duffel Blog has been praised by everyone from Defense Secretary Mattis, to former Pentagon spokesman George Little, and The Onion\\u2019s founding editor Scott Dikkers! Check it out on this rather lighthearted episode of HAZARD GROUND!\\nwww.paulszoldra.com |\\xa0www.duffelblog.com | www.taskandpurpose.com/author/paulszoldra2/\\nThis episode is also brought to you by our latest sponsor, Knife Country USA.\\xa0 Knife Country USA has the largest selection of knives, cutlery and accessories on the Internet. With over 30,000 models from 500+ manufacturers, Knife Country USA is CONFIDENT they have the perfect item for you. In addition to a tremendous selection, no other company can beat Knife Country USA\\u2019s commitment to exceptional customer service \\u2013 their owner personally guarantees it. Go to our website,\\xa0hazardground.com, and click on the Knife Country USA banner on our\\xa0Sponsors page. Then enter coupon code: \\u201cHAZARD1\\u201d at checkout to get 15% off your entire order.\\nThank you, thank you, thank you for listening\\u2026Spread the word, tell a friend!!'