Host Colin Howe and Aaron Edwards return with a compelling conversation featuring Andrew Fox - former British Army officer, frontline combat veteran, academic, Middle East researcher, and hands-on humanitarian. Fox lays bare a journey stretching from the kinetic battlefields of Afghanistan to the intellectual trenches of global policy analysis, offering a masterclass on resilience, service, and integrity in an era of shifting frontlines. Andrew Fox brings 16 years of service including time in the Parachute Regiment (3 Para), leading soldiers through three tours in Afghanistan, as a platoon commander and attachments with US Special Forces - along with operational stints in Bosnia and Northern Ireland. Now a researcher at the Henry Jackson Society, Andrew’s work ushers him from think tanks to urban warzones, recently reporting from Gaza and Hezbollah tunnels in Lebanon. His narrative traces the dramatic evolution of combat—from open firefights to the silent dread of IED warfare, and the perpetual tension of command decisions that could cost lives. He offers unfiltered honesty about the weight of leadership, the invisible burdens officers carry, and the moments that etched themselves permanently in memory. Serving alongside American Green Berets, Fox dispels Hollywood myths, describing them as modest, highly capable “quiet professionals.” He unpacks the reality of advanced military technology in-field, sharing riveting accounts of AC-130 gunships overhead and hard choices dictated by mission-critical assets. Fox pays tribute to the professionalism and courage of Afghan National Army commandos, many of whom stood shoulder-to-shoulder with British and US forces. These stories set the stage for later - when, after the fall of Kabul, Fox moved mountains to support these same allies in their hour of need. Forced into medical retirement by severe PTSD, Andrew speaks openly about the reality of “going fully mental” after service, and the tough road to recovery. He describes how teaching at Sandhurst became an unlikely path to healing—sharing lived experience, sparking dialogue, and reframing trauma as a teaching tool. In the wake of the 2021 Taliban sweep, Fox pivoted to direct action, helping coordinate the evacuation of around 3,000 Afghans through his charity, Azardi (now “Free from Fear”). From remote safe houses to grassroots covert networks in Kabul (and even logistical wrangling from his kitchen table), his efforts illuminate the ongoing struggle to translate military loyalty into meaningful, post-service action. Now embedded in active research, Fox provides rare on-the-ground insights from today’s hotspots, including the labyrinthine tunnels of Hezbollah and the communities devastated in Gaza. He presents a fiercely independent perspective, critiquing polarized narratives in the Israel-Palestine debate, and urging listeners to seek nuance in a landscape flooded with misinformation. Andrew sounds the alarm about the US retreating from global leadership, warning of an emboldened China and the danger of authoritarian momentum in a “post-truth” era. He explores how social media, deepfakes, and AI are turning truth into quicksand and advocates for discernment, dialogue, and refusing the pull of extremes. Fox draws moving parallels between the steadfast resilience of Gazan children and his own comrades, reminding listeners how, time and again, humans adapt and endure, even when the worst becomes the “new normal.” The episode explores what true resilience looks like in both military and civilian life, and how adversity, when faced with honesty and unity, becomes a crucible for growth.