potus – A 110 PERCENT MENTALITY-THE COLONEL'S CORNER

UNDAUNTED GLADIATOR: Colonel Dan Wilson’s Epic Fight for Justice After False Accusations Shattered a Legendary Marine Career

In Undaunted Gladiator, Colonel Dan Wilson recounts his epic fight for justice after false accusations shattered his distinguished Marine career, revealing shocking flaws in the military justice system and the power of unwavering faith.

Imagine a battle-hardened Marine Colonel—39 years of service, 11 deployments, Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, three Meritorious Service Medals, two Combat Action Ribbons, and a life forged in the crucible of Africa’s wilds and Iraq’s fiercest firefights—falsely accused of raping a child at a simple dinner party. Relieved of duties, dragged through a 14-month “witch hunt,” thrown into pretrial confinement, convicted in a politically charged court-martial, and locked away in the brig for 33 brutal months. That’s not fiction. That’s the jaw-dropping true story at the heart of Undaunted Gladiator by Colonel Dan Wilson.

From his missionary childhood in Sudan, Kenya, South Africa and Namibia—learning to track game with Bushmen, speaking seven languages, and climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro at 14—Wilson was destined for the Corps. He enlisted in 1981, graduated Boot Camp as Platoon and Series Honor Man, earned meritorious promotions to Sergeant in just 16 months, and rose as a “Mustang” infantry officer. He commanded four platoons, three companies, and four battalions; fought in Desert Storm and the Second Battle of Fallujah; briefed generals in the Pentagon; and served as G-3 Operations Officer for II MEF. Decorated 52 times, he lived the Marine ethos: “Semper Fi” wasn’t a slogan—it was his heartbeat.

Then came the dinner party implosion on 13 July 2016. A junior officer’s wife accused him of inappropriately touching her six-year-old daughter. NCIS launched a global fishing expedition, storming his home several times, interrogating his terrified wife, and stacking 27 charges. A second accuser emerged months later with her own wild claims. Wilson was relieved of duties, confined for seven months pretrial, and ultimately convicted on the child sexual abuse charge plus lesser misconduct counts. Sentenced to five-and-a-half years, he entered the brig wearing orange, Prisoner #00128660 Whisky Delta—Cell #13.

What follows is pure fire. Wilson doesn’t break—he rises. He finds God in the darkness (“be like that tree!”), turns to daily prayer and meditation, forges unbreakable bonds with fellow prisoners (the “finest Marines I ever served with”), and watches his brilliant civilian appellate lawyer, Katie Cherkasky, dismantle the case. On 1 July 2019, the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals delivers a stunning unanimous reversal, and rebuke to the generals who convicted him—“set aside with prejudice”—the rarest of victories. A double rainbow appears over Camp Pendleton that same weekend. Divine confirmation.

Yet the system wasn’t done. Wilson signs a “dirty deal” under duress for release: voluntary retirement in exchange for “no punishment.” The convening authority reneges. He’s retired in the pay of a Lieutenant Colonel with an “Other-Than-Honorable” characterization of his very honorable service—losing $5,000+ monthly in benefits for life, banned from all Marine Corps bases for life. The very policies meant to protect victims weaponized against an innocent warrior.

Undaunted Gladiator isn’t just a memoir—it’s a clarion call. Wilson exposes how #MeToo zeal, unlawful command influence, and a “believe the female accuser at all costs” culture have corrupted military justice. He names the rot: NCIS overreach, stacked charges, biased panels, and careerist generals protecting the institution over truth. But he also shows the light—unshakable faith in God, family loyalty (his wife and daughters earn “Medals of Honor”). Post-release, he lives the “Life of Riley” in Myrtle Beach—writing, mentoring, working out, and playing Pickleball daily. He has published eight books, produced a music album and is working on finishing up three more books.

Wilson’s message rings eternal: “Everything happens for a reason.” His Higher Power whom he calls God, guided him through hell to emerge stronger, calling readers to demand reform so no other patriot suffers the same fate. Raw, riveting, and redemptive, this book will leave you furious at the system, inspired by the man, and moved to tears by the love that carried him.

If you believe in truth, justice, and the Marine Corps we all swore to defend—read Undaunted Gladiator. Buy it. Share it. Join the fight to fix what’s broken. Semper Fi, Colonel. Your story isn’t over—it’s just beginning.

The Real Start of DESERT STORM…24 February 1991…35 years ago today!

In the predawn chill of February 24, 1991, my Heavy Machine Gun Platoon spearheaded Task Force Ripper’s advance into Kuwait, with our battalion trailing close behind. As Charlie Company urged us to slow our pace, we settled into attack positions by 0400, awaiting the signal. But chaos erupted at dawn when attached tanks mistakenly fired on friendly forces in Task Force Grizzly, killing four Marines in a direct hit on a 5-ton truck. I radioed urgently for a cease-fire, and my Marines pounded on tank hatches to halt the barrage—this was Desert Storm’s second major friendly fire tragedy, following an A-10 strike that claimed seven lives weeks earlier.
Undeterred, we pressed the assault. My platoon secured overwatch as engineers breached the first obstacle belt with MICLIC charges, plows, and rollers, punching through Saddam’s “impenetrable” defenses in under an hour amid fake plywood tanks that drew a grim chuckle. Halfway to the second belt, Iraqi artillery pinned us down during a baffling halt ordered by our commander, turning us into stationary targets. Resuming under fire, shrapnel wounded one of my gunners, but we charged on, suppressing enemy positions until white flags rose. Disarming surrendering Iraqis, we cleared crude bunkers littered with bodies and pushed toward Al Jaber Airfield.
By nightfall, after sporadic firefights, we halted amid oil well fires’ choking black smoke—zero visibility, disorienting even a short step from my Humvee. Then came the alarm: Mustard Gas detected. Donning MOPP Level 4 gear, I felt its burn on my skin, echoing WWI horrors. We endured the night sleepless, nicotine-fueled, dodging random shells, as I vowed to God for survival: Dan 2.0 emerging stronger.
This raw glimpse into ground combat’s fog reveals the valor, errors, and sheer grit of Marines in the Gulf War’s lightning offensive.

Rarely can defeat of an occupation force be accomplished solely by air power. Desert Storm required ground troops (aka: Grunts) to invade Kuwait and kick the occupying Iraqi forces out. Air power, beginning on 17 January 1991 had “softened” them up, but “boots on the ground” were required to deliver the “coup de gras.” We did, and in short order. I was the Heavy Machine Gun Platoon Commander (aka: Rat Patrol) of 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, Task Force Ripper, 1st Marine Division. Task Force Ripper was the “Main Effort” for 1st Marine Division and was comprised of two infantry battalions, moving north from Saudi Arabia into Kuwait. My battalion, 1/5, and 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel “Mad Dog” Mattis. I literally fought Desert Storm side-by-side with the legendary “Mad Dog” (aka: Callsign Chaos)! “Hi diddle diddle, straight up the middle!”

Here is an excerpt from my book, OUT OF AFRICA AND INTO THE CORPS:

“In the wee hours of 24 February 1991, and right on schedule, Heavy Machine Gun Platoon started moving towards our attack positions about a mile shy of the first obstacle belt with our battalion following in trace, right behind us. Charlie Company led the battalion, and several times I got a radio call from Captain Coia, their company commander. “Mustang, this is Bladerunner, over.” “Bladerunner, this is Mustang, over.” “Yeah, Mustang, you’re getting too far ahead of me, could you slow down a bit?” “Roger that, Bladerunner.” I would then inform my section leaders on my platoon’s radio net to slow down a bit. They were already tracking, because they were monitoring the battalion’s tactical net as well. It was about 0400 when we got into our attack positions and waited for the order to commence the attack. Shortly after daylight, the tank company attached to our battalion opened up fire on what they thought were enemy targets. I immediately assessed that they were firing at friendly forces. I tried to get ahold of their commander on the battalion’s tactical net. I couldn’t because he was directing fires on his company’s internal net and not monitoring the battalion tactical net. I immediately called to our battalion’s Operations Officer, Major Lockhart, to report what I suspected were the tanks firing at friendlies. “Dealer this is Mustang, over.” “Mustang, Dealer, go.” “Dealer, looks like our tanks are firing towards Task Force Grizzly.” Seconds later, Dealer makes an emergency announcement over the battalion tactical net. “Cease fire, cease fire, cease fire…all units immediately cease fire!” Unfortunately, the tank company was not monitoring the battalion tactical net, as they were on their company net, still directing fires on what they thought were enemy targets. I got on my internal platoon radio net and ordered my Marines out of their vehicles and told them to go bang on the hatches of the tanks, get their attention and tell them to “cease fire!” My Marines did as I ordered, but it still took several more minutes to get all the tanks to cease firing. They had fired several tank rounds into Task Force Grizzly’s zone, or area of operations, which was on the left flank of Task Force Ripper. One tank round was a direct hit on a Marine 5-ton truck in which four Marines of Lieutenant Max Galeai’s platoon were instantly killed and several others wounded. I could not believe that we already had casualties before even commencing the actual attack into Kuwait. It may have been worse, had not my Marines gone around to each of the tanks and told them to “cease fire.” This was the second major “friendly fire” incident of Desert Storm. First Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion had been engaging an Iraqi force of approximately 50 tanks and armored personnel carriers south of the Kuwaiti town of al-Wafra on 29 January 1991. An A-10 Thunderbolt of the U.S. Air Force, mistaking the Marine unit for an Iraqi unit, fired a Maverick missile that struck one of our Marine Light Armored Reconnaissance Vehicles, killing seven Marines and wounding the others in the vehicle. We commenced the attack, shortly after the unfortunate friendly fire incident. My platoon moved up smartly to within two hundred meters of the first obstacle belt and established overwatch positions to provide security for our Battalion’s Engineer Detachment, led by Lieutenant Wayne Sinclair. We were taking no fire from the Iraqi side of the obstacle belt, as expected, because our intelligence analysts had assessed that all Iraqi troops had abandoned their positions on the first obstacle belt and had retreated behind the second obstacle belt, approximately ten miles to our north. We had rehearsed the obstacle belt breaching procedure numerous times in the months leading up to this moment and it went off like clockwork. The engineers brought up an Amphibious Assault Vehicle that was specially equipped to fire a mine clearing line charge (MICLIC). It is long, thin, and packed with C4 explosives. When detonated, it blows up everything in its path, creating a lane approximately eight feet wide by 350 feet in length. If there are subsurface mines, the over-pressure will detonate them down to a certain depth. The engineers had deployed a single line charge and blown it in under five minutes. They next brought up their specially built mine plough, which quickly plowed through the lane. Finally, a mine-roller went over the lane to flatten the surface and detonate any remaining mines or improvised explosive devices (IEDs). With the breaching lane cleared “hot,” I ordered two of my sections to the far side of the first obstacle belt to provide overwatch security, as the remainder of the battalion punched through. I went through with them and noted that there were a few fake Iraqi tanks on the far side along with a couple of smoldering tank hulks. The fake tanks had been built with plywood and painted to look like real tanks. They were so crude and ridiculous that I chuckled when I saw them. What Sadaam had called an “impenetrable” obstacle belt had been breached in under an hour. After our battalion was through, my platoon resumed our positions at the head of the battalion, leading the way to the second obstacle belt. We were half way there when we began to take artillery and mortar fire. Suddenly, Blackjack, the Battalion Commander ordered a halt. We became sitting ducks, and I was expecting to take direct hits any second. I called back to our Operations Officer, Dealer, to enquire as to the reason for the halt. He never responded directly, just telling me to hold in place. I could only surmise that Blackjack had gotten cold feet, after we started taking indirect fires from the Iraqi’s and decided to halt in order to figure out what to do. We all knew that halting was not the best thing to do. In fact, it was the worst thing to do. Continuing to move forward against our next objective, the second obstacle belt, was the right thing to do. Moving targets are much harder to hit than stationary targets. Finally, after what seemed like hours, but was about thirty minutes, we were ordered to resume the attack. Shortly after resuming the attack, an artillery round exploded close to Sergeant Jenkin’s Humvee. His gunner, Lance Corporal Art Windsor, who was in the turret, manning his .50 caliber machine gun, was wounded by shrapnel in his hand. I ordered Gunny Miles, our Platoon Sergeant to evacuate Lance Corporal Windsor back to the mobile Battalion Aid Station. Meanwhile, we continued to press forward as all this was taking place. As my platoon approached to within a mile of the second obstacle belt, we started taking direct fire from the Iraqi troops, manning their positions at the second obstacle belt. I ordered my platoon to open fire on enemy targets. We were firing on the move as we continued to close in on the second obstacle belt. Suddenly, my lead section spotted white flags going up from the second obstacle belt. Upon receiving the report, I ordered a “cease fire.” My guys stopped firing as we continued to approach the Iraqi positions. It turned out that the second obstacle belt was just a line of Iraqi fighting positions. The Iraqi troops were exiting their fighting positions and lining up in a formation behind them. My Marines were going through their crudely built fighting positions to ensure they were cleared. They asked me what to do with the dead bodies. I told them that we had to leave them for follow-on forces, because we were now going to be leading our battalion’s attack on our third objective, the airfield called Al Jaber, just three miles away. My guys went through the large formation of Iraqi troops to make sure they were disarmed, and I ordered them in Arabic to remain in place…that our follow-on forces would process them. My platoon then proceeded to lead our battalion to the airfield and Blade Runner was given the order by Dealer to clear the East side. Marines from 2nd Marine Division were clearing the other side of the airfield. It was dark when Charlie Company accomplished their mission with only a few sporadic fire fights at the airfield. Dealer ordered me to continue leading the march to the north. We moved away from the airfield, but then were ordered to halt, while the rest of the battalion caught up to us. Night descended on us like a thick, heavy, blanket. It was a total blackout, the likes of which I had never experienced. Thick, dark, noxious, black, oily, smoke had enveloped us. The smoke was from the oil well fires, which the Iraqi troops had started at the beginning of the air campaign. Visibility was zero. I could not see my hand six inches away from my face. At one point, I needed to take a leak and exited my Humvee to pee. I only went about ten feet from my vehicle, but when I was done, I could not see anything and became disoriented. I finally dropped down to my hands and knees and crawled in the direction of my Humvee until I bumped into it. I got back into my Humvee in time to hear from Dealer to go to MOPP Level 4…that Mustard Gas had been detected. Our battalion had a special vehicle that was equipped with sensors to detect chemical and biological substances in the environment. This vehicle had detected Mustard Gas, likely from one of the artillery rounds being fired in our direction by the Iraqi troops. After I put my gas mask on, I felt a distinct burning sensation on the back of my neck, consistent with exposure to Mustard Gas. The Germans had used it against American troops, during trench warfare in World War I. It wasn’t until two hours later that we got the “all clear” signal and were able to at least remove our gas masks. Military gas masks are very uncomfortable and make communication extremely difficult. The person who invents a gas mask that is even marginally better than the one currently used, could become a millionaire overnight, provided the military buys it. Our battalion spent the night there, but we were too hyped up to get any sleep. I was thankful to have my stash of Copenhagen. The fresh hits of nicotine keep me awake and alert. It’s hard to get any sleep when random artillery rounds are exploding nearby, and your mind is wondering if you’re going to be the next victim. I promised God that if He kept me safe, I would endeavor to be a better man for the rest of my life…Dan 2.0.”

May those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in Desert Storm “Rest in Eternal Peace.” For “all gave some, and some gave ALL!”

Semper Fi…Colonel Daniel Hunter Wilson…Retired Marine

The Eve of the Real Desert Storm…23 February 1991…Thirty-five years ago tonight!

The day before the ground invasion, our Operations Officer (callsign Dealer) asked me to mark the route to the first obstacle belt in Kuwait with chem lights that were only visible to our forces. Mission accomplished and we got our final briefing from the intel weanies who knew nothing. I gave my Marines the real gouge on the warrior prowess of Arab forces…they have none, simply put!

The real start of Desert Storm was the ground invasion of Kuwait by us grunts on 24 February 1991. Here’s what my Heavy Machine Gun Platoon (1st Battalion, 5th Marines, Task Force Ripper, 1st Marine Division) did that day…from my book, OUT OF AFRICA AND INTO THE CORPS:

On February 23rd, 1991, Dealer called out to me and asked that I mark a route for our battalion to the first obstacle belt. I grabbed Sergeant Jenkins’ section. One of his superb Squad Leaders was Corporal Tod Shores. We found a suitable route to the point in the obstacle belt that was 1/5’s designated penetration point. On the way back to our battalion’s position, we emplaced infrared chem-lights, making them only visible to our eyes, traveling from south to north and not to any enemy eyes looking to the south from the north. We accomplished the mission and made it back to our platoon area about 1700. In just seven hours, our battalion was to begin movement to our attack positions at 0001 on 24 February 1991.

In the final briefing by our intelligence analysts, they predicted that we would face fierce opposition from the Iraqi troops in Kuwait and predicted thirty percent casualties in the fight through the obstacle belts.

When they departed, I told my Marines of Heavy Machine Gun Platoon that I felt the intel guys were full of shit. “My dad used to joke about the shortest book in the world being of Arab war heroes,” I said. “I grew up for a good chunk of my life around Arabs. My experience is that when faced with danger, they are cowards unless they are hyped up on drugs, like methamphetamines. My personal assessment is that when faced with United States Marines, they will quickly surrender and throw up white flags. How we perform in battle will reverberate through eternity. We will prevail and be heading home soon to tell our war stories back home. Our road home is through Kuwait. The faster we get this done, the faster we go home to our families and the land of ‘milk and honey.’ Our reputation precedes us into battle, warriors. Let us not disappoint our legendary Marine heroes on whose shoulders we stand today. When God is for us, no one can stand against us, and I am certain that God is with us. We will fight, fight, fight, crush our enemies, and see them driven before us.’” I then directed our Marines to “suit up at MOPP Level 2.” From our training in Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) warfare, we know that MOPP stands for Mission Oriented Protective Posture and the various levels are to protect military members. MOPP Level 2 is actually putting on and wearing the chemical suit that is worn over our uniforms along with the overboots. We were each issued a single suit that we put on, carrying our gas masks and gloves on our person. This combo was worn for the next four days. It was hot and sweaty…very uncomfortable but had to be worn.

From Battlefield to Bookshelf: 8 Explosive Books by Retired Marine Colonel Dan Hunter Wilson – All Narrated by the Author Himself!

“Eight books. One unbreakable Marine.
From the jungles of Africa to the streets of Fallujah… from 309 pounds to a six-pack at 63… from false accusations to total victory… Colonel Dan Hunter Wilson has turned his entire life into lessons you can use today.
All eight titles — Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle, and Audiobook narrated by the Colonel himself — are live on Amazon right now.
And three brand-new books are coming in 2026.
Which one are you reading first?”

Retired U.S. Marine Colonel Dan Hunter Wilson poured 39 years of combat leadership, unbreakable discipline, raw faith, and hard-won lessons into eight powerhouse books now available on Amazon in Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle/eBook, and Audiobook formats — every single audiobook personally narrated by the Colonel in his signature Marine cadence.

And he’s not done. The Colonel is currently working on three new books he intends to publish in 2026.

Here are all eight titles, in the order he wants you to discover them. Each one is a mission you won’t want to miss.

1. UNDAUNTED GLADIATOR

A decorated Marine Colonel with 39 years of service, 11 combat deployments, and 52 medals & ribbons is falsely accused of sexual assault just weeks before a Brigadier General promotion board. What follows is a modern-day gladiatorial fight against a broken military justice system. This is the raw, unfiltered story of one warrior who refused to stay down. If you believe in truth, honor, and second chances, this book will shake you — and inspire you.

Available in Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle, and Audiobook (narrated by the author):

2. OUT OF AFRICA AND INTO THE CORPS

Born to missionary parents in Africa, young Dan Wilson grew up among Zulu warriors, Bushmen, and Nile villages before trading the savanna for the Marine Corps recruiting poster. This prequel memoir takes you from barefoot childhood in remote African outposts to Boot Camp, mustang officer, and combat leader. A gripping, hilarious, and deeply moving origin story of a true American warrior.

Available in all formats:

3. DAN 2.0 – Recovering from My Addictions

After the fight of his life, Colonel Wilson hit rock bottom with addictions to alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine. In this brutally honest sequel to his own story, “Dan W.” (a nod to Bill W. of AA) shares the exact daily routine, prayers, and Marine discipline that delivered him into a sober, fit, and purposeful second act. A no-excuses blueprint for anyone ready for their own comeback.

Available in all formats:

4. A 110 PERCENT MENTALITY

At age 62, the retired Colonel stepped on the scale at 309 pounds. Using the same “110% mentality” his Drill Instructor screamed into him in 1981, he dropped 110 pounds, rebuilt a six-pack at 63, and reversed his health numbers — all without pills, surgery, or excuses. This is the complete battle plan: the Daniel Diet, ice baths, garage circuits, Pickleball, wind sprints, and the faith that powered every rep.

Available in all formats:

5. THE BLONDE BOMBSHELL

The intimate biography of Robert Joseph Hirsch — WWII fighter pilot, South Buffalo legend, and one of the greatest of the Greatest Generation. From high-school football star to smuggling a puppy into combat, delivering supplies under fire, and later transforming Myrtle Beach, Bob’s story is packed with humor, heroism, and the kind of larger-than-life character only the Greatest Generation produced.

Available in all formats:

6. THE BATTLE OF FALLUJAH – PART II: Operation Phantom Fury

The definitive firsthand account of the most decisive urban battle of the Iraq War, written by the Marine who helped draft the final operations order, served as senior liaison to the Army’s Black Jack Brigade, and later ran current operations for I MEF. Night assaults, feints, the “three-building war,” and the wounded NCO who raised his trigger finger and said, “Send me back — it still works.” Updated on the 20th anniversary to honor the fallen.

Available in all formats:

7. THE SWAMP FOX UNLEASHED

General Francis Marion’s Revolutionary War guerrilla tactics didn’t just harass the British — they became the DNA of modern Marine Corps warfighting doctrine (MCDP-1). Colonel Wilson, a lifelong student of maneuver warfare, connects the Swamp Fox’s swamp raids to Chesty Puller, Sun Tzu, and today’s Marine Corps. Short, explosive, and packed with timeless leadership lessons.

Available in all formats:

8. PICKLEBALL BATTLEFIELD

Turn your local court into a battlefield. Retired Colonel Dan Wilson fuses legendary warrior tactics — Shaka Zulu, Sun Tzu, Chesty Puller, the OODA Loop, and Marine Corps warfighting philosophy — with practical, hilarious, and deadly-effective pickleball strategies for doubles and singles. Whether you’re a beginner or a tournament player, this book will make you dangerous on the court and unstoppable in life.

Available in all formats:

Semper Fi and 110% — which mission are you taking on first?

The Battle of Fallujah – Part II: Operation Phantom Fury

“November 8, 2004. RCT-1 and RCT-7 rolled into the attack at 1900 under the cover of darkness.
The Army’s heavy armor punched through the insurgent lines like a sledgehammer.
Marines and Iraqi soldiers followed, clearing house by house in the most intense urban combat since Hue City.
By the Marine Corps’ 229th Birthday, both regiments had seized MSR Michigan and controlled the center of Fallujah.
The enemy who swore they would never leave alive…were either dead, captured, or fleeing west along the Euphrates.
This is the story of how we took the fight to the terrorists in their own sanctuary — and won.”

“Remember Fallujah!” – The Battle Cry That Was Stolen from the Enemy and Given Back to America

In November 2004, the city of Fallujah was the bright ember burning at the heart of the Iraqi insurgency.

Foreign fighters, Zarqawi’s Al-Qaeda terrorists, and local thugs had turned the “City of Mosques” into a fortified hellhole of IED factories, torture chambers, and execution sites.

They bragged they would make it America’s Stalingrad.

They were wrong.

Operation Phantom Fury (Al Fajr – “New Dawn”) became the single most decisive urban battle of the Iraq War.

In 10 days of savage house-to-house fighting, coalition forces crushed the insurgency’s stronghold, killed or captured thousands of fighters, and opened the door for Iraq’s first free elections.

And one Marine officer was in the middle of it all — planning it, briefing Congress and the media, then stepping into the fight with the Army’s Black Jack Brigade before taking over as I MEF Forward’s Current Operations Officer.

That officer was then-Major (soon-to-be LtCol) Dan Hunter Wilson.

Twenty years later, on the anniversary of the battle, Colonel Wilson (Ret.) has expanded his original 2005 Marine Corps Gazette article into a powerful, firsthand book:

The Battle of Fallujah – Part II: Operation Phantom Fury

This is not another dry history book.

This is the raw, unfiltered account from the man who:

• Helped draft the final operations order signed by LtGen John Sattler

• Served as senior Marine liaison to the Army’s Black Jack Brigade during the assault

• Became the MEF’s Current Operations Officer and VIP briefer (briefing Senators McCain, Kerry, Biden, Clinton, and more)

• Watched Marines, Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Iraqi partners fight with the same indomitable spirit that has defined the Corps for 229 years

You’ll read the real story behind:

• The brilliant shaping operations and feints that fooled the enemy

• The night assault from the north that shattered insurgent defenses in hours

• The “three-building war” — fighting, clearing caches, and delivering humanitarian aid on the same block

• The wounded Marine NCO who raised his trigger finger and said, “Sir, send me back to my team. My trigger-finger is still good!”

• How the battle directly led to 40% fewer attacks, the first free elections in Anbar, and the Sunni Awakening that broke the back of the insurgency

And the sobering post-script:

How the hard-won victory was later squandered by a precipitous U.S. withdrawal, allowing ISIS to rise — and why Fallujah had to be fought for all over again.

This book is Colonel Wilson’s gift to every Marine, Soldier, Sailor, Airman, and Iraqi who fought in Phantom Fury.

It is dedicated to those who sacrificed “some” and those who sacrificed all.

If you want to understand what really happened in Fallujah — told by a warrior who was there from planning to victory — this is the book.

Available now on Amazon:

→ Paperback

→ Kindle eBook

→ Audible Audiobook – narrated by the author

Semper Fi. Remember Fallujah.

— Colonel Dan Hunter Wilson, USMC (Ret.)

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

A 110 Percent Mentality

“January 18, 2022. I stepped on the scale: 309 pounds.
Two years earlier I had retired from the Marine Corps after 39 years of staying under 220.
I had become what I used to discharge Marines for.
That morning I made a decision: I would attack my body the same way I attacked every mission in the Corps—with a 110% mentality.
110 pounds later I’m 199 pounds, have a six-pack at 63, and feel better than I did at 35.
If a hard-charging Marine can do it after retirement, you can too.
My book shows you exactly how.”

From 309 Pounds to a Six-Pack at Age 63: Retired Marine Colonel Drops 110 Pounds Using the Same 110% Mentality That Forged U.S. Marines

“Marines don’t give 100%. Marines give 110%!”

That scream from Drill Instructor Sergeant Antoinette still echoes in Colonel Dan Hunter Wilson’s head—nearly 45 years later. In January 2022, the 6’3” retired Colonel stepped on the scale and saw 309 pounds. The man who once ran a perfect 300 on the Marine Corps PFT, led Marines in Fallujah, and retired as the senior Colonel in the Corps had eaten himself into obesity in under two years.

He didn’t make excuses.

He didn’t buy pills.

He didn’t get surgery.

He simply decided to attack his body the same way he attacked every mission in 39 years of active duty—with his 110% mentality.

The result?

110 pounds gone.

Cholesterol from 235 to 171.

Blood pressure from 185/121 to 106/75.

Resting heart rate in the 40s.

A visible six-pack at 63.

And a book that is already changing lives.

A 110 Percent Mentality: My 110-Pound Weight Loss Journey is not another diet book.

It’s a battle plan written by a warrior who refused to stay soft.

Inside you’ll discover:

• The exact “Daniel Diet” (yes, straight from the Bible) that Colonel Wilson used—vegetables + lean protein + portion control that tastes so good cheating never tempts you

• The Basic Daily Routine that rebuilt his body, mind, and spirit (includes a 5-minute ice bath at 42–45°F every morning for unbreakable discipline)

• The wake-up run + garage circuit + 2 hours of Pickleball + iron + wind sprints schedule that melted fat while building muscle

• How he used faith, accountability, and ruthless consistency to power through every plateau

• The same leadership principles he used to turn civilians into Marines—now applied to turning your body into a fighting machine

This is NOT theory.

This is a retired Colonel who packed his seabag for 39 years, led in combat, trained thousands of Marines, and then proved the same principles work in retirement when the stakes were his own life.

He lost the weight slow and steady (never more than 10 lbs a month) so his skin tightened naturally—no loose skin, no Ozempic face, just lean, hard, Marine-ready muscle.

And now he wants to help you do the same.

Ready to stop making excuses and start making progress?

Grab your copy of A 110 Percent Mentality right now and begin your own transformation today:

→ Buy on Amazon (Paperback)

→ Kindle/eBook version

One reader already lost 42 pounds in 90 days using the plan.

Your story could be next.

Semper Fi and 110%—let’s get after it.

— Colonel Dan Hunter Wilson

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

A 110 Percent Mentality

Dan 2.0 by Dan W.

From Rock Bottom in the Brig to Dan 2.0: A Marine Colonel’s Brutally Honest Guide to Beating Three Addictions at Once

He walked out of military prison on October 18, 2019, wearing his Colonel’s uniform, singing “Free at Last” at the top of his lungs.

Less than an hour later he was drinking whiskey straight from the bottle his lawyer’s husband had just handed him.

That’s Dan Wilson – Mustang Colonel, combat veteran of Desert Storm and two tours in Iraq, survivor of Africa’s crocodiles and black mambas, and the most senior Colonel in the Marine Corps on the day he retired.

He had just survived nearly three years behind bars on a conviction the appellate court later threw out “with prejudice” for factual and legal insufficiency. He had lost everything except his family and his pride.

And the first thing he did with his freedom was pick up a drink.

If you think that’s rock bottom, wait until you read what came next.

In Dan 2.0 – Recovering from my addictions, Dan lays it all out with the same no-BS, zero-self-pity voice that made Out of Africa and Into the Corps impossible to put down.

He doesn’t sugar-coat it:

• Alcohol became his Higher Power after the false accusation, the raids, the pre-trial confinement, the court-martial, the brig.

• Copenhagen dip was his constant companion in Fallujah, in the Pentagon, in the prison smuggling operation that landed him in solitary.

• Caffeine turned him into an asshole who couldn’t stop firing off angry emails and posts.

He quit them one at a time, in order of deadliness: alcohol first, then nicotine, then caffeine.

And he did it the only way that actually worked for him: surrendering to a Higher Power and working the program of Alcoholics Anonymous like his life depended on it (because it did).

This is not a “how I white-knuckled it with Marine discipline” story.

It’s a “I finally admitted I was powerless and asked God for help” story.

You’ll read about:

• The exact morning prayer he still says on his knees every single day (it’s short, it’s powerful, and it works).

• The daily routine that replaced whiskey, dip, and coffee with endorphins, gratitude, and real peace.

• The AA pearls of wisdom he collected like combat ribbons (“Worry is an emotional indulgence,” “Feelings aren’t facts,” “If nothing changes, nothing changes”).

• How he lost 117 pounds, wrote five books in retirement, started playing pickleball like a warrior, and now lives a life “beyond my wildest dreams.”

Most importantly, you’ll feel the hope on every page.

Dan doesn’t preach. He just tells the truth:

“I came for my drinking and stayed for my thinking.”

“Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic – just like once a Marine, always a Marine.”

“The miracle is buried in simplicity.”

If you, or someone you love, is wrestling with alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, or the feeling that “I should be able to handle this on my own,” this book is the no-nonsense, battle-tested map you’ve been looking for.

It’s raw.

It’s funny in places.

It’s hopeful as hell.

And it’s written by a man who has stared down terrorists, false accusations, prison bars, and his own worst impulses – and come out the other side sober, grateful, and free.

Dan 2.0 is available now on Amazon in paperback, hardcover, Kindle, and audiobook (narrated by the man himself – you want to hear him tell these stories).

Buy it.

Read it.

Then pass it to someone who needs it.

Because if a hard-charging, battle-scarred Marine Colonel can go from whiskey river to living beyond his wildest dreams…

so can you.

Semper Fi, Colonel.

And thank you for writing the book that so many of us didn’t know we needed.

(And yes – this pairs perfectly with Out of Africa and Into the Corps. Same voice, same honesty, same man – just different chapters of an absolutely epic life.)

https://a.co/d/0bRgPIuE

OUT OF AFRICA AND INTO THE CORPS

From Naked in the Nile to Colonel in the Corps: One Man’s Epic Journey Will Make You Want to Live Harder

I just finished a book that left me staring at the wall for a solid ten minutes, half laughing, half wondering how one human being could possibly have packed so much life into one lifetime.

The book is Out of Africa and Into the Corps by Colonel Dan Hunter Wilson, USMC (Ret.).

And yes, the title is exactly that good.

Imagine being conceived in Bethlehem (the real one), born during a Pacific Northwest snowstorm, then shipped back as an infant to a mud-hut village on the banks of the Nile where your earliest memory is stripping naked so the local kids would stop feeling sorry for you. That’s page one.

From there it only gets wilder:

• Learning to swim in crocodile-infested waters because Dad literally threw you in (“sink or swim, son”).

• Throwing spears with Zulu warriors, hunting with Bushmen who taught you to track lions and kill black mambas with an air rifle before breakfast.

• Building a bridge in the Sudanese bush at 18 while the village chief tried to marry you off to his daughters.

• Then… enlisting in the Marines, rising from enlisted electronic warfare operator to Mustang Colonel, commanding in Desert Storm, Fallujah, Iraq again, the Pentagon, Parris Island, Okinawa, and somehow still finding time to get Black Belt in MCMAP, earn 23 Expert rifle/pistol badges, and fly a Cessna at age nine because Dad handed you the controls.

And that’s just the first half.

The second half is the part that will gut-punch you: the raw, unfiltered story of what happened when a truth-telling, irreverent, combat-proven Marine ran headlong into the military justice system. It’s ugly, it’s infuriating, and it’s told with zero self-pity and a lot of dark humor. You will finish Chapter 16 and want to throw the book across the room—then immediately pick it back up because you have to know how it ends.

Wilson writes like he talks: straight, funny, occasionally profane, always honest. He doesn’t polish the rough edges. He hands them to you and says, “Here. This is what actually happened. Can you handle the truth?”

The Kindle/e-book version is loaded with photos—actual snapshots from the Nile, Zululand, the Sudan, boot camp, Fallujah, the brig, retirement. They make the stories hit even harder.

If you’ve ever wondered what real resilience looks like, what servant leadership actually costs, or what it feels like to stare down crocodiles, terrorists, bureaucrats, and your own demons and still come out swinging—this is the book.

I’m not saying it’ll change your life.

I’m saying it might remind you what a life actually looks like when it’s lived at full throttle.

Grab it. Read it. Then go do something that scares you a little.

Out of Africa and Into the Corps is available right now on Amazon in paperback, hardcover, Kindle (with the pictures), and audiobook (read by the man himself—trust me, you want to hear him tell these stories).

You’re going to want this one on your shelf.

And you’re going to want to hand it to your kids someday and say, “This. This is how you live.”

Semper Fi, Colonel.

And thank you for the ride.

https://a.co/d/0j7TuwTh