Oct 20, 2025
On this week’s podcast, I speak with former US Marine /
Charlotte Mecklenburg
Police Officer / DEA Agent Bret Hamilton.
Bret served in the US Marine Corps as a commissioned Officer. Bret
deployed in the
1 st Gulf War. Bret left the Marines and, still having a
willingness to serve, he joined
the Charlotte–Mecklenburg Police Department as a Patrol Officer.
After a couple of
years, Bret applied and was accepted to join the DEA Drug
Enforcement Agency.
Bret worked undercover and worked throughout the US. In 2009, Bret
became a
member of the Foreign Deployed Advisory Support Team (FAST). Bret
deployed to
Afghanistan in 2010; he was promoted to team leader after his first
tour. In 2011,
Bret deployed for his second tour to Afghanistan, working with Task
Group 66. On
this deployment, Bret was shot in the ass. After Bret recovered
from being shot, he
deployed in 2012 for his third and final deployment to Afghanistan.
There, he met
and worked alongside Heston Russell team commander of November
Platoon. Bret
continued to work in the DEA and was the Agent in charge in the
state of Alabama.
Recently, an interview conducted with Journalist Mark Willacy was
used in the case
against Heston Russell. Willacy changed what Bret said in the
interview. Bret
actually said he had nothing but high praise for Heston and the
Commandos, and
they were some of the most professional soldiers he ever served
with, not what
Willacy stated that he never wanted to work with Commandos and
Heston. This is a
raw and honest account.
Presenter: Adam Blum
Guest: Bret Hamilton
Editor: Kyle Watkins