#79 - Nate Boyer - Community, Identity, and Healing Through Storytelling

Nate Boyer—former Green Beret, NFL long snapper, philanthropist, and public speaker.

Nate’s journey is anything but ordinary, spanning military service in Iraq and Afghanistan, walking on to the University of Texas football team, and even suiting up briefly with the Seattle Seahawks. He’s also made a difference across the globe, from volunteering in refugee camps to climbing Mount Kilimanjaro to support clean water initiatives.

But Nate’s story is about much more than impressive résumés. In their conversation, Martin and Nate dive deep into the power of storytelling, building stronger communities, overcoming the overwhelm of modern digital life, and the lessons Nate learned mentoring children with autism. They talk about bridging cultural and political divides, the search for purpose, and what real leadership looks like, both on and off the field and battlefield.

SPOILER: Nate does a Macho Man Randy Savage impression in the episode. 

Notes:

00:00 Intro

02:55 Why life is great right now

03:49 Tanzania and trip with Water Boys

04:40 National Veterans Memorial and Museum

06:09 Actor he resembles

07:51 What's Front of mind

10:27 Message for 19-year old self

12:28 Life Lessons from children with Autism

17:49 Storytelling as mechanism to mesh cultural and political divides

21:20 Impact memorials have on storytelling

26:07 Specific story that moved through work with Merging Vets & Players

29:06 What he hopes to be remembered for 

32:25 World Class Talent people may not know about him

34:08 Movie image depicting leadership

36:10 Billboard Message

37:54 Piece of wisdom to help people light their own torch and carry it forward

38:44 Upcoming projects and initiatives

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Get in Touch:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/torchmartin

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@torchmartin

Transcript

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Nate Boyer is a former Green Beret, professional athlete, philanthropist, and public speaker known for his remarkable life journey. 

After joining the U.S. Army in 2005, he earned the Green Beret in 2006 and served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and on training missions in Israel, Bulgaria, and Greece. 

While still serving, Boyer walked on to the University of Texas football team, becoming the team’s long snapper and playing in 39 games. 

He earned numerous honors for academic excellence, community service, and inspirational leadership. 

In 2015, he briefly joined the Seattle Seahawks. Boyer is also a founding member and Vice President of Mission Six Zero, a leadership development company.

Beyond the military and athletics, he’s worked on a fishing boat, mentored children with autism, volunteered in refugee camps, and traveled extensively. His powerful message—that “Anything is Possible”—inspires people from all walks of life to find purpose and pursue their passions.

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🎙️ Episode Summary:

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In this episode, host Martin Foster sits down with Nate Boyer, whose unique journey spans serving as a Green Beret, walking on to the University of Texas football team, a stint in the NFL with the Seattle Seahawks, humanitarian efforts, and a deep passion for storytelling and community building. The conversation dives into Nate’s military service, his unexpected path into professional sports, and the lessons and growth he’s found through mentoring youth with autism and working in various service roles.

Key themes from their discussion include:

• Gratitude and Pursuing Purpose: Nate reflects on finding fulfillment in chasing meaningful work, particularly storytelling within the veteran community, and cherishing the opportunity to chase dreams even if their ultimate fruition is uncertain.
• Service and Community: Nate shares how working with children with autism taught him about communication, patience, and understanding, which shaped his perspective on connection and purpose.
• Bridging Divides Through Storytelling: Nate underscores how storytelling—whether through spoken word, film, or presence—is critical for creating empathy and bridging cultural and political divides, especially between veterans and civilians.
• Veterans, Identity, and Transition: Nate discusses the challenges veterans and athletes face when they transition out of service or their sports careers, such as loss of structure and community, and how his work with MVP (Merging Vets & Players) helps address these issues.
• Memorials and Legacy: They talk about the importance of memorials like the National Veterans Memorial Museum and the Global War on Terrorism Memorial as tools for storytelling, education, and fostering greater understanding.
• Personal Growth and Imperfection: Nate emphasizes embracing humility, being open to others’ perspectives, and living without regrets—choosing action over fear of failure.

The episode also includes lighter moments, like a discussion of which actor Nate resembles (Thomas Haden Church comes up), and a playful Macho Man Randy Savage impression from Nate. The conversation closes with advice for the next generation: stay humble, be willing to listen, and understand we all have much to learn.

If you’re looking for an episode that blends humor, wisdom, and heartfelt reflections on service, growth, and bridging divides, this is a great listen.

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🔥 Nate's Resources
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Merging Vets & Players: https://vetsandplayers.org/bios/nate-boyer 

X: https://x.com/NateBoyer37 

IG: https://www.instagram.com/nateboyer37/ 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nate-boyer-6997731b/ 

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Quote: "The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing"– Socrates

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Keywords
Nate Boyer, Green Beret, leadership, University of Texas football, Seattle Seahawks, Mission6.0, veteran community, storytelling, bridging divides, community, purpose, autism mentoring, military service, Iraq, Afghanistan, Chris Long, Water Boys, clean water wells, Mount Kilimanjaro, Memorial Day, National Veterans Memorial Museum, Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation, MVP (Merging Vets and Players), veteran-athlete transition, identity, mental health, self-reflection, public speaking, philanthropy, podcasting, personal growth

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Mentioned:

Chris Long

Waterboys.org

 National Veterans Memorial and Museum

 Thomas Haden Church

 Thomas Jane

 Jon Macaskill

 Global War On Terrorism Memorial Foundation

 Michael “Rod” Rodriguez

 Merging Vets & Players

 MVP movie on Amazon Prime

 Colin Kaepernick

 Robin Williams

 Glen Powell