Would Rather Die Than Quit: A 56 green beret ‘s Code for Success | MAJ Dan Kronz, 7th Group.

What keeps a green beret driving forward when his body and mind are broken? MAJ Daniel “Dan” Kronz, U.S. Army special forces (7th Special Forces Group), shares his veteran stories from 9/11 inspiration to combat and back — and the code that refused to let him quit.

Inspired at 13 by September 11th, Dan earned his Green Beret through the Q-Course and Ranger School — including getting hit by 30-40 hornets and refusing to quit. He deployed with the 10th Mountain Division and army special forces to South America on counter-narco missions and to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, one of the war’s highest-casualty zones.

Dan breaks down resilience under fire, the reality of TBI, 60 ptsd veteran struggles, and tbi recovery — and how that lived experience fuels his mission now with Sharp Performance: coaching veterans and first responders on wellness, self-regulation, and first responder mental health.

Real Stories. Real Heroes. Real Science. This is Vets and Badges.

Learn more: Sharp Performance: https://www.sharpperformance.com/

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CHAPTERS:

00:00 Cold Open: Rather Die Than Quit

01:37 Inspired by 9/11 at 13

02:58 Q-Course: Hardest Challenge to Become green beret

03:22 Ranger School: Hornets Couldn’t Make Him Quit

08:21 First Deployment: 10th Mountain Division

08:47 Earning His Place in 7th Group

10:21 South America Counter-Narco Ops

14:03 Helmand Province: Leading in Combat

18:45 Afghanistan Withdrawal: Purpose Tested

20:40 TBI, Injury and the Road to Recovery

23:32 Sharp Performance: Coaching Veterans & First Responders

25:58 Suicide Prevention and Lived Experience

🎙️ Podcast Description

Vets and Badges Podcast is an initiative of HEALING - a non-profit created to support veterans, first responder and community stakeholders.

For more visit:

https://www.kbcf.org/programs/healing-corp/

www.VetsAndBadges.com

VAB - 2026