Mighty Oaks Warriors Saves the Lives of Those Who Sacrifice for Us: Veterans Day is a great time to be reminded of the importance of being a grateful nation. One way we can show that gratefulness is by taking good care of those who have served. Tune in today to learn more about a special organization that is doing just that!

Air Date: 11/13/2018

Guest: Chad Robicheaux

On-air Personalities: David Barton, Rick Green, and Tim Barton

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Transcription note:  As a courtesy for our listeners’ enjoyment, we are providing a transcription of this podcast. Transcription will be released shortly. However, as this is transcribed from a live talk show, words and sentence structure were not altered to fit grammatical, written norms in order to preserve the integrity of the actual dialogue between the speakers. Additionally, names may be misspelled or we might use an asterisk to indicate a missing word because of the difficulty in understanding the speaker at times. We apologize in advance.

Faith And The Culture

Rick:

Welcome to the intersection of faith and the culture. This is WallBuilders Live! Where we”€™re talking about today”€™s hottest topics on policy, faith, and the culture. Always from a biblical, historical, and constitutional perspective.

And you are one of the ones that makes that possible – at least you are if you go to WallBuilders.com today and make a contribution to help us continue this great work that we do with the radio program and get such good information out there. The interviews are fantastic, the Good News Fridays are uplifting, we get so many great responses to the programs that we do. One of the most important responses that you can give is to make a donation to make it possible. That helps us as listeners, helps us do all the different programs that we do. So, check out WallBuilders.com and come alongside us there in supporting the program.

We’re here with David Barton, he”€™s America’s premier historian and our founder here at WallBuilders. Tim Barton”€™s with us, national speaker and pastor, and president of WallBuilders. And my name is Rick Green, I’m a former Texas legislator.

Later in the program Chad Robicheaux will be with us. We’ll be talking about Mighty Oaks Warriors. They do fantastic work. In fact, yesterday, Veterans Day, it’s a great time David, Tim, for us to remind people of the importance of being a grateful nation. And one of the ways that we’re grateful is taking good care of those that have served.

David:

That is one of the things that we can do to help those who have served. And yesterday there was actually a program aired on TBN that Tim and I did and it was quite an amazing program for us. We–

Tim:

Not to be cocky. It was really amazing, we”€™re awesome, just want you to know.

David:

That”€™s right.

Veterans Day Program

Tim:

Check out the program. It’s really good.

David:

It was really good. We had three veterans on. All three have been under direct fire. One is the guy who helped capture Saddam Hussein. And another as nine deployments to Afghanistan, etc.. So, you see what these guys went through, we actually got them to tell their stories. And in telling their stories and seeing what happened to them, man, it makes you appreciate all the much more what these guys do for us.

So, we really do appreciate veterans, but it also helps you understand that there’s a lot of tension on these guys that so many of us have never felt before. If you haven’t been under direct fire with guns pointed at you blazing away, you see that in movies and you can kind of think what it might be like, but if you haven’t been there. And there’s been some law enforcement guys that have been there and several good guys, but these guys are so good at keeping that inside them. And a lot of times you’ve got neighbors who are veterans and you don’t have a clue what they’ve gone through because they don’t tell their stories to most civilians.

So, getting these guys to share their stories was quite something else and it was quite eye opening for Tim and me as we were doing these interviews and got them to open up on some things. Just, we really do appreciate these guys and what they stand for. But it also helps us understand that there are a lot of pressures that these guys deal with psychologically, and emotionally, and spiritually, that sometimes we just kind of take for granted because we don’t necessarily deal with those pressures ourselves. So, it’s kind of hard to put yourself in someone else’s shoes when you’ve never been through what they’ve been through. But veterans, man, we really do appreciate them.

And again, what we got to do yesterday with TBN, we’re doing, Tim and I do a holiday series for them and on each holiday we do a special program that highlights that holiday. And yesterday’s, a Veterans Day program, was a real, real, cool opportunity for us.

Really Cool Stories

Tim:

Yeah, even when the show aired going back and watching it, I forgot some of what we had discussed during some of those interviews when we had the chance to be with them those military individuals as they’re telling their story. It was, even for me, going back and remembering, wow, that was pretty unreal what they went through. So, really it was fun being able to see and hear that again. So, definitely want to encourage listeners to go see that, it’s very uplifting. It’s a mix between making you proud to be an American and making you so grateful for all the military men and women that have served and fought to defend this nation and our freedom. So, really cool stories.

David:

Even as Tom and I got the opportunity to be with these guys, another thing that really added to the story is there are places where we’re able to show live footage of what they were going through and what was happening. And, man, when you hear them tell it and kind of even semi-narrate what that live footage shows, it just brings a whole new understanding to these guys. So, we really do appreciate them.

And one of the guys who was on the show yesterday was Chad Robicheaux, Mighty Oaks Warrior Programs. And what these guys have done across recent years with veterans who were really having struggles with what they’ve been through and what’s happened to them. Chad– these guys have stepped up in a remarkable way to serve veterans. So, Chad, we thought he’d be a great guy to give perspective.

Plus, just being aware of what he’s doing and coming alongside Chad to help Chad and what they’re doing. That’s another way of saying “€œthank you”€ to veterans because he really does take underarm those that have a lot of struggles. Whether it be with family, and if you haven’t been through the type of intensity they go through and firefights, family can”€™t understand that, and neighbors don’t understand that, but Chad’s been through that. So, he and his guys are able to do peer to peer help for these guys.

So, it is a remarkable way to be able to help veterans is by helping Chad. But we thought having Chad tell some story of what they do would be really uplifting here after Veterans Day.

Rick:

Alright, for those of you that would like to catch that program for yesterday be sure to check out TBN”€™s programming schedule. We”€™ll have a link today to that and you can check out America’s Hidden History and catch some of those previous holiday programs as well.

Stay with us. Chad Robicheaux our guest when we return on WallBuilders Live.

Front Sight Training Course

Rick Green here, from WallBuilders Live. What do Dennis Prager, Larry Elder, Ben Shapiro, Rick Greene, Tim Barton, David Barton, have in common other than the fact that they’re conservative commentators that defend the Constitution?

They’re raving about Front Sight Firearms Training Institute. Go to my website right now at RickGreen.com. You can watch the video of Dennis Prager training at Front Sight, or Larry Elder, or Tim Barton and myself out there. It’s an opportunity for you to learn how to defend yourself and your family. It is a fantastic place to train. They train 30 to 40,000 people a year, and they’re just wonderful to work with. You can go with us. We’re headed back out.

We’re going to have a great time out there, and if you’re a supporter of WallBuilders, we’re going to treat you. If you’re a donor of WallBuilders, you”€™ll be able to go to this Front Sight class for free. It normally cost a thousand dollars, go to FrontSight.com right now. You’ll see that it’s a thousand dollars to attend their two-day class. You are going to be able to go for free, if you’re a supporter of WallBuilders Live.

So, check out that information at RickGreen.com and join us. We are going once a month for the next three months. You can pick one of those classes. All of our previous classes have filled up. Make sure that you get online today and get signed up. Whether you’ve never shot before, or you’ve shot your whole life, you will enjoy this class. You”€™ll enjoy the fellowship. We’ll be training on the range during the day and studying the Constitution at night. What a great combination. Check it out today at RickGreen.com.

Ground Zero for Mighty Oaks

Rick:

Welcome back. Thanks for staying with us here on WallBuilders Live. Great to have Chad Robicheaux back with us from Mighty Oaks Warrior Programs. Incredible work. Cannot emphasize that enough. You”€™ve got to go visit their website – MightyOaksPrograms.org. It’s one of the best organizations in the country to be able to support. Chad, always good to have you, brother. Thanks for coming back on.

Chad Robicheaux:

Oh, man. Thanks for having me on.

Rick:

You all have got the big dinner coming up. Your annual Texas galley. Got Allen West coming this year. Very cool.

Chad Robicheaux:

Yes. It’s our eighth annual Texas Warriors Gala and we’ve had so many amazing years and the people we– ground zero for us, where we started Mighty Oaks is in Texas. And the very first thing we did, because we needed support to get it going, the very first thing we did was do this gala. So, this is a very– it”€™s a celebration as well as a fundraising event. Just where we started and the people who believed in us before we had any evidence that we would be successful. And they just believed in us and got behind us.

So, it’s always an exciting thing and to have Allen West who’s an advisory board member, along with Dave Barton. But to have Allen West as a board member and then to do this event for us is super exciting. He’s just an amazing, amazing, person and a supporter of us.

Rick:

Yeah, yeah. We’re excited for you, man. And speaking of, all those folks that started with you back then, and invested, and talk about a payoff. You guys, talk about a return on investment, the results have been just astronomical. Probably better than even you dreamed, I would think, in the beginning. So, let’s back up to that. Let’s talk a little bit about what you guys do. We have a lot of new listeners to the program that may not have heard when we’ve had you on in the past.

Tell Us the Background

Rick:

So, tell us just real quick your vision for this. You came as a special ops guy, and many tours, and an MMA champion, all the things you did in your background. You started hitting some tough times and the Lord really did a work in you. And now you’re duplicating that for other warriors.

Chad Robicheaux:

Yeah, that’s exactly what it is. It”€™s been a pay it forward effort from the very beginning.  As you know, I was a * Marine and I was part of a Jay Hawk task force and got to do eight deployments to Afghanistan. And through that experience I had my own struggles like many warriors face today and had a catastrophic failure in my life where I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress, I faced divorce, faced a battle with taking my own life, and it was people that came around me, and my just amazing wife who held me accountable and challenged me, and the mentorship of a friend, *, who just won in Texas.

Rick:

Yes, I”€™m glad to see him back in the Texas House, yes.

Chad Robicheaux:

*They came in and just mentored me and got me on the other side of that. And when I got on the other side I realized that I wasn’t the only one. Because when you”€™re going through dark times like that you think you’re the only person struggling. And I realized that 22 of my brothers were taking their life every day, things I was tempted to do, and all these divorces, and posttraumatic stress that all these guys are struggling with. I felt like I had found the cure and the solution.

I think the problem with veterans care today and the problem with a lot of just, even outside of veterans care, a lot of nonprofit efforts. Everyone wants to talk about the problems, right. There”€™s 22 suicides a day of veterans, and there”€™s all these divorces, and there”€™s all this PTSD. Everyone raises awareness, and it’s good to raise awareness, but it’s also very important to point to a solution. So, I felt a calling of my life to share that solutions with others.

Sharing the Solution

Chad Robicheaux:

So, we started Mighty Oaks. And Mighty Oaks is a faith based organization because faith was a critical component of my own restoration. And when I say “€œfaith-based”€, I don’t mean generically, it’s a Christian organization. We believe in a relationship with Christ and aligning people with the lives they are created to live is the solution to many of life’s problems, particularly hopelessness, and “€œI don”€™t want to live anymore”€–

Rick:

Yeah.

Chad Robicheaux:

–like your marriage is falling apart. Feeling there is no purpose moving forward. And the truth is there is. So, we want to share that and we have had tremendous success with being able to do that with active duty military and being trusted by the military to bring people with military orders to our programs, have access to bases. And we do it, really, at two fronts. One is at the resiliency front where I go to bases all around the country, and now all around the world because we’re going to bases abroad, and speak about combat resiliency, spiritual resiliency, and we”€™ve reached over 100,000 warriors with that message.

Rick:

And that’s going, Chad, that’s going– that”€™s reaching them before they deploy, right?

Chad Robicheaux:

Before.

Rick:

Yeah, so you’re–

Chad Robicheaux:

Before.

Rick:

Preparing them better.

All the Way to the Beginning

Chad Robicheaux:

All the way to the beginning. I get to go to Marine Corps boot camps, three years now, every quarter I go to a Marine Corps boot camp and to talk to these brand new Marine Corps recruits. And talk to them about ** combat resiliency and spiritual resiliency. Resiliency in the military is comprised of mind, body, spirit, and they get– these guys are mentally tough, they’re physically tough, but the spiritual opponent is oftentimes overlooked.

So, I have the privilege to go to these brand new recruits and talk to them about spiritual resiliency and how it doesn’t rob you of your masculinity to have that. In fact, it brings you to a point of being truly a combat ready and combat resilient warfighter–

Rick:

Yeah.

Chad Robicheaux:

–to have that. And to understand that from someone who has been there and share those stories of the battlefield. So, I get to do that to young recruits in deploying units. I’ll be doing that twice this week coming up in California. I’ll be speaking to units before they deploy.

Rick:

That”€™s great.

Chad Robicheaux:

I love that aspect. But then we– our core and what we really were built on is the recovery aspect. And we run 30 * per year where we take guys who are struggling with suicide, who are struggling with divorce, who are struggling with posttraumatic stress, and to the point where oftentimes nothing else has worked for them, including in-patient or clinical programs. So, they come to us, we have a peer to peer program where we have discipled other combat vets who came to our program to give back and leaned forward and help the other guy behind them.

A Tough Reminder

Chad Robicheaux:

And we do 30 of those programs per year at four ranches around the country – Texas, Ohio, Virginia, and California. We pay for everything including their travel. Nothing to active duty guys that come in on orders, nothing to veterans – we pay for everything. We get them there and we are able to take them through this intensive process and bring them out on the other side. And despite the 22 suicides a day for a long time we were able to boast that we had no suicides of any of our graduates. And tragically, like three weeks ago, we had one of our alumni take their life. But it has also reminded us how important our job is.

Rick:

Yeah.

Chad Robicheaux:

And so we celebrate those 2250 lives that we have saved, but the one that we recently lost is just– it was a tough reminder for our staff–

Rick:

Sure, sure.

Chad Robicheaux:

Of why we do what we do.

Rick:

You’ve trained how many now? Or had how many come through the program?

Chad Robicheaux:

We”€™ve had 2250 alumni from our intensive program.

Rick:

Wow. And Chad that’s, just to emphasize what you said a while ago, that is– they come, the expenses are covered. These are warriors coming in and having the chance to go through this whether they can afford it or not. That’s why it’s so important to have this gala. That’s why it’s so important for people to donate. The lives that are being touched, and changed, and strengthened.

And also, I want to emphasize what you said – these are combat vets treating combat vets. You can speak the language, you can do something for these guys that, unfortunately, most counselors can”€™t. It’s a special, unique, situation.

If You”€™re Still Breathing, You Have a Purpose

Chad Robicheaux:

There is a need for clinical programs and things like that, clinical psychologists, and those things. We’re not saying to shut all that down. But there also is a need for just peer to peer guys that people have been there before.

Rick:

Yeah.

Chad Robicheaux:

And a lot of times clinical isn’t what they need. And sadly, that’s the only solutions that’s presented. When guys go for help, when guys reach out for help, the only solution presented is pills, and counselors. There’s another way, and there”€™s a better way, and we are able to provide them that through this peer to peer mentorship. And also teaching them that, hey, if you’re still breathing you have purpose, you have a plan, that God has a plan for you, and He has a life that you were designed to live.

And if you could align your life to the life you were intended to live then maybe those things aren’t going to go away that you”€™ve experienced, because you can’t change the past. But you going to be able to deal with it in a much different way moving forward and find the life of purpose moving forward. And we’ve had tremendous success in doing that. And our aftercare program beyond that intensive week that we have, that aftercare program is a critical part in helping them move forward. We have just a great team that runs that.

Rick:

Now you’ve got a whole litany of programs – you’ve got your legacy program for men, you”€™ve got one for women, you”€™ve got your resiliency programs, you”€™re now doing marriage programs, all kinds of phenomenal things that you’re doing. And we’ve got a couple of different types of listeners right now, Chad, that are hearing this program. One would be those that may be a warrior that’s listening to the program right now that needs this, and would like to apply, and come and be a part of this. Is the website the best place for them to go?

It”€™s Super Simple

Chad Robicheaux:

It is. On the website there”€™s an application. We made it super simple because we have a lot of Marines, and my fellow Marines, I know it had to be super simple for that. So, yeah, it’s a very easy application and someone will get back with you within 72 hours and help you to finish the process, and it”€™s a very simple process. But it’s mainly just getting you coordinated for a date depending on your situation.

We have 30 dates per year and we also do this for spouses as well. We have programs for spouses, military spouses, and that’s paid for as well. So, if active duty, we”€™ll help you get orders from your command. And if you’re a veteran we’ll help you logistically get there, pay for the travel. There’s no strings attached. This is all covered by just the support of a very grateful nation who continues to support Mighty Oaks.

And we have endorsements from the commandant of the Marine Corp, we have sergeant major of the Marine Corp on our board, the current command chief for the Air Force Reserves is on our board now. So, we have just tremendous supporters and people like Allen West is going to be speaking at the gala behind our program because of the successes that we’re having. Not because of anything other because of successes.

So, if you’re a warrior listening to this, you feel like you’re struggling, you”€™ve tried everything else and nothing is working, I always tell guys – what do you have to lose and to give a week of your life? You can say you don’t have time to go, but you really don’t have time not to.

Rick:

Yeah.

Every Time

Chad Robicheaux:

This is such an important, critical, week that people could have in their life and it”€™s a life changer. Regardless of where you are, or how bad, or whatever situation you’re in. For me, I’ve been there, I’ve been to the program probably a hundred times now and it changes my life every time I go.

Rick:

And it”€™s MightOaksPrograms.org, MightOaksPrograms.org. We”€™ll have a link today at WallBuildersLive.com. Chad, the other type of person that might be listening – maybe not a veteran themselves, but they have friends and family that they know could benefit from this. Same thing. Send the linked to that loved one. And then the third type of person that”€™s listening may say, “€œLook, I don’t know anybody, or I don’t need to go to the program, but I really want to help.”€ Those finances–

Chad Robicheaux:

Support.

Rick:

–are what make it possible for you to have so many come through this program at no expense. So, even if they can’t go to the dinner– of course, our Texas listeners, we encourage them to. We’ll have a link to the banquet that’s going to happen. But even if they can’t go to the dinner they could sponsor the dinner or just make a donation. It’s tax deductible, you guys are nonprofit. All that can be done at MightOaksPrograms.org as well right?

Chad Robicheaux:

Yeah. Please, please, please, support. We’ve never had a warrior apply for our program that we haven”€™t had the funding to get them in.

Rick:

That”€™s awesome.

Chad Robicheaux:

No one”€™s ever had to wait, no one”€™s had to come– and that’s because of the support of so many amazing people who hear shows like this and then turn around and say, “€œI want to give.”€ It costs us 2500 dollars now to get them to get traveled, and get to our program, get through the program. And by the way, all the donations, 100 percent of it, goes to programming right now. Organizations have overhead. Ours does as well. However, we have a donor that does cover our overhead–

Everything to the Warrior Scholarship

Rick:

Wow.

Chad Robicheaux:

So, anything that”€™s given goes directly to the warrior scholarship.

Rick:

That”€™s awesome.

Chad Robicheaux:

And the thing is though, out organization is a– while we’re growing in support because the successes we’ve had, it”€™s growing in demand. We”€™re at this kind of breaking point to where we”€™re getting applications. We”€™re getting almost 200 applications a month for warriors for our program.

Rick:

Wow.

Chad Robicheaux:

So, we definitely need those continue to grow. Just like grow on demand, we need to continue to grow our support and people come behind us and help us build these scholarships, and get these warriors in these programs.

Rick:

Amen Amen. Oh, so good, so good. MightyOaksPrograms.org. Alright, Chad, I”€™ve got two corrections for you – number one, you’re not at a breaking point, you’re at a tipping point, man.

Chad Robicheaux:

Tipping point, tipping point.

Rick:

This thing’s going to explode. God is blessing you in an amazing way. The other correction is you said all of these people are supporting and helping just because of the results. I think it’s also because of Cathy. You just have an awesome wife as well.

Chad Robicheaux:

That”€™s true.

Rick:

So, that’s a big part of why everybody supports you guys. Y’all are amazing, brother. We love you. And just so thankful for what you all are doing. Want to send folks to MightyOaksPrograms.org today. Make sure you check out that website. Send it to your friends and family. Chad Robicheaux, thanks again. Always a pleasure, brother. Appreciate you coming on.

Chad Robicheaux

Thanks, man. God bless you guys and congratulations on Texas – you guys had some big wins in the election.

Rick:

Yes, sir. Thank you, man. Stay with us, folks. We’ll be right back with David and Tim Barton.

Join Us In Israel!

Hey guys what are you doing January 28th through February 7th? If you said you don’t know, let me give you an idea. We are going to Israel. Rick Green, my dad, David Barton, Tim Barton, our families are going and we would love for you to go with us. We are going to the Holy Land if you’ve ever been to Israel this is something as a Christian that will make you forever read your bible differently.

To see where Jesus walked, where He lived, where He did miracles, where so much of the Bible took place. If you’ve ever read through the Bible and you’ve given it a mental picture, the mental picture will not do justice of what happens when you’re actually on the ground. If you’ve ever thought about the story of David and Goliath and you”€™ve envisioned what it looks like, we’re going to go to the actual field where it took place.

There are so many things that you will see that literally makes the Bible come to life. In fact, that’s the name of the tour group we”€™re going with is The Bible Comes to Life. Go to CMJacksboro.com. You can click on the link, it has an Israel itinerary, all kinds of details. Hope to see you on this trip this coming year.

Rick:

Welcome back. Thanks for staying with us. Special thanks to Chad Robicheaux for joining us today as well. We really encourage you to go to the Mighty Oaks website, we”€™ll have a link today at WallBuildersLive.com, and show your appreciation to those who sacrificed so much for us by helping Mighty Oaks continue to serve those who have served us.

David, Tim, we’re back now. And, of course, we”€™ve known Chad for years, and all three of us have donated, and been a part of what they’re doing as best we can. But our listeners can come alongside them as well. If they can’t go to the dinner, which will be this Saturday night there in Houston, they can still sponsor the dinner or go to the website and make a contribution. Still makes a huge difference.

Make a Huge Difference

David:

It makes a huge difference. As Chad pointed out, none of the contributions go to overhead. These go directly into the lives of these individuals. And Chad pointed out that, tragically, just recently they lost one of their vets to suicide, but there have been 2250 that have not. And the thing that’s different about this is Chad deals with really high risk guys. As he said, he gets those guys on active orders that some of them are on suicide watch. And they come to the program, get turned around.

Chad went through all traditional treatments. He was taking 30 pills a day and those those 30 pills weren’t doing it for him. So, they’ve come up with programs that really do focus on the right things.

Tim:

And I think for a lot of military veterans who are in a situation where Chad was where they are feeling this post-traumatic stress, medication has become the very normal solution. Where a lot of medical doctors– I think Chad even mentioned this in his interview, right– where a lot of medical professionals are trying to find the solution, but the counseling, the pills, aren’t working. Part of the reason is because they’re addressing the mental or the emotional aspects, but they’re missing the spiritual.

So, one of the things he mentioned in the interview that they try to do even with his training is when they work with resiliency it’s not just mental, or physical, or emotional, resiliency. They include the spiritual aspects in the middle of it. And if you don’t get the spiritual aspect taken care of, then if you don’t understand really the goal, the point, the purpose of your life, there’s only so much medication you can take and there’s only so much that medication can do.

Which is why the Mighty Oaks Program has been so successful because they’re helping fill the void of what pills can never do by pointing to the One, as Chad would say, right, who fills that void, which is Jesus. But this is why they’re so different and they’re doing things that pills can do.

Honor All Year Long

David:

And with this, that’s great that we have a day to honor veterans, but we need to honor them all year long. And one of the ways we can do that is being able to give to Chad and what these guys are doing for veterans. 100 percent of what you give goes to touching the lives of those veterans, to saving their marriages. I’ve seen stats where that on some of the military places where Chad is actually going talk in basic, that combat deployed Marine veterans are coming back with the divorce rate as high as 90 percent. And those that go through Chad’s programs on marriage, the divorce rate is under 1 percent.

So, we’re talking about not only saving lives physically, but saving families as well. And that’s something that all of us can invest in and be part of. Mighty Oaks is a great place to invest.

Mighty Oaks Warriors Saves the Lives of Those Who Sacrifice for Us

Rick:

A lot of times you see a great cause out there to give to, but you don’t know if you’re getting a return on your investment, if it’s actually paying off, if it’s actually making a difference. Well, we”€™re telling you, Mighty Oaks is absolutely one of those programs that the results speak for themselves. It’s incredible what they’ve been able to do.

We feel the same way about WallBuilders. Also one of those investments that definitely pays off. You see the results with the impact we’re having in the culture. We feel that same way about Mighty Oaks and are just thrilled to support them, thrilled to have Chad on the program, and greatly encourage you to go to that website today at Mighty Oaks.

And not only for the donation and helping them financially, but you may know someone in your family or you may be listening and hear that and say, “€œI’m one of those guys. I need that that opportunity myself.”€ Please go to their program and get help today or put that help in the hands of someone that you know today.

Thanks for listening today. You’ve been listening to WallBuilders Live.