Society
Indian Grandmother Had Police Handcuff Teen To Force Army Enlistment
Jocko Podcast
SOGCast 051: RT Idaho's John Trantanella on 2nd SOG Combat HALO Jump Into Laos.
What was said
"My grandmother who was Indian called and had one of her sons who was a police officer and she said I want you to take Johnny Trantanella and take him down and get him in the army before he goes to jail. She said you tell Danny Vanelli I won't make him any food if he doesn't take him. Danny Vanelli was the beat cop for the east side where we lived. And they handcuffed me. They actually found me, handcuffed me, put me in the backseat of the car, drove me down to the recruiting offices. I was coming up on 18, just 19."
Trantanella's Pawnee-Chippewa grandmother orchestrated his forced recruitment into the military by having police relatives literally handcuff the 18-year-old gang member and drive him to recruiting offices. They initially tried the Marine Corps recruiter, but it was closed, so they signed him up with the Army next door instead. This intervention launched a 22-year military career including elite Special Forces and SOG service.
Verification status
Attributed speaker claim
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Source and context
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- Programme
- Jocko Podcast
- Episode
- SOGCast 051: RT Idaho's John Trantanella on 2nd SOG Combat HALO Jump Into Laos.
- Clip time
- 30:41
- Original source
- Watch the source segment →
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