Ari Kalker joins the show under heartbreaking circumstances to tell the story of Josh Boone, a lone soldier from Boise, Idaho, who became a decorated IDF sniper and a relentless “guardian of Israel,” logging an almost unbelievable 748 days of reserve duty before PTSD took his life. This episode pulls you past the headlines and into the hidden cost of a long war: how trauma shows up, why the “strongest guy in the room” is often the last to ask for help and what real intervention looks like when bureaucracy moves too slowly. You’ll also learn the crucial distinction between PTSD and the lesser-known phenomenon of post-traumatic growth, and why Josh’s death has triggered a high-stakes fight in the Knesset over recognition, dignity and where a fallen warrior should be laid to rest.

CHAPTERS
00:00 — Introducing Ari Kalker and why this conversation matters
01:08 — Who was Josh Boone: “guardian of Israel” in every sense
03:10 — From Boise to the IDF: lone soldier, Golani, decorated sniper
05:20 — The staggering number: 748 days of reserve duty
07:40 — “He wouldn’t step aside”: moving brigade to brigade to keep fighting
10:05 — The first red flags: “It’s too much. I need help.”
12:40 — Getting him treatment fast: bypassing bureaucracy, private facility
15:35 — Signs of hope: recovery, family dinner, talk of marriage
18:10 — The devastating turn: the walk he never returned from
20:35 — The wider crisis: PTSD vs post-traumatic growth, and the recognition battle over burial at Har Herzl

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