Episode 42

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Published on:

17th Jun 2024

Episode 42: Interview with Purple Heart Hero and WWIA Guide: Asa Barrett

Today, WWIA Founder and CEO, John McDaniel, shares a wonderful conversation with Purple Heart Hero and WWIA Guide, Mr. Asa Barrett.

Asa has been an avid outdoorsman since a young age. He grew up in a rural town outside Tulsa, Oklahoma, hunting and fishing with his father and grandfather at the family ranch, and also worked as a guide for a Hog Hunting outfitter on weekends during high school. His love for the outdoors and hunting became a passion that has continued into adulthood.

Asa started his military career in 2009, worked as a team leader in a heavy weapons squad, and was deployed to Afghanistan, spending his deployment in the foothills of the Hindu Kush mountains, operating in daily dismounted and mounted patrols. In 2011, Asa received injuries to his back, neck, and a severe concussion during an IED attack. He bravely fought through his injuries and remarkably continued the duration of his deployment, receiving the Purple Heart medal for injuries sustained during the combat operation. He experienced many more close encounters during intense firefights and is thankful for the lifelong friendships forged by battle during his time in theater.

Asa currently works as a Project Manager on a high-security database center and conducts numerous other projects across the country. We hope you enjoy getting to know more about this outstanding American patriot.

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About the Podcast

WWIA Podcast
Honor. Connect. Heal.
Wounded Warriors in Action Foundation (WWIA) is a national 501(c)(3) public charity that devotes all its energy and resources to supporting the men and women wounded in combat who were awarded the Purple Heart medal. WWIA supports these phenomenal Heroes by providing them with the opportunity to participate in world-class outdoor sporting activities at no cost to them. We do this to recognize and honor their sacrifice, encourage independence and connections with communities, and promote healing and wellness through camaraderie and a shared passion for the outdoors.
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John McDaniel

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) John J. McDaniel founded Wounded Warriors in Action Foundation in 2007 and established its corporate headquarters in Apollo Beach, Florida. A retired Army officer, John felt that his service to the nation was not yet finished. He started as a concerned citizen taking a few Wounded Warriors out on hunting and fishing trips, but quickly saw that the need for this kind of healing was greater than he could support on his own. In 2009 WWIA was granted 501(c)(3) nonprofit status and has been changing the lives of American Heroes and American Sportsmen and women across the country ever since.