Ground Truth in Combat: Pete Turner on Intelligence, War Lessons, and Healing

In this episode of Spirits and Stories with Donald Dunn, we sit down with Pete Turner—a former Army counterintelligence agent who spent over 70 months in combat zones and conducted more than 1,000 missions outside the wire Pete shares raw, unfiltered stories of gathering truth on the ground, navigating the chaos of multiple “truths” in war, and the often-overlooked failures of leadership and systems that affect both soldiers and civilians.

From:

• Writing letters with his brother during basic training
• Facing leadership roadblocks in the intelligence community
• Collecting “ground truth” in schools, villages, and remote provinces
• Witnessing the disconnect between policy and reality on the ground
• Building The Break It Down Show, a podcast with over 2,000 episodes featuring Medal of Honor recipients, Nobel Peace Prize winners, and everyday heroes

Pete also opens up about his personal struggles with PTSD, suicide ideation, and how podcasting became both therapy and purpose, giving him—and countless others—a reason to keep going This conversation isn’t just about war—it’s about resilience, truth, and the power of storytelling to heal.

👉 Learn more about Pete Turner’s work: Ground Truth Center

👉 Check out his podcast: The Break It Down Show