190. Survived Stepping on an IED | Navy SEAL (Ret.) | CEO & Author Leadership is Overrated.

Kyle Buckett

In Episode 190 of the Transition Drill Podcast, Kyle Buckett’s offers a powerful, unfiltered look at the journey from high school dropout to Navy SEAL, and ultimately to successful entrepreneur and author. From enlisting in the military on his 18th birthday to becoming a SEAL leader and stepping on an IED in Afghanistan, Buckett’s story is a study in resilience, grit, and unwavering purpose. He recounts the physical and mental trials of SEAL training, the challenges of leadership under pressure, and the life-changing moment that could have ended it all but instead deepened his commitment to serve beyond the uniform. His transition out of the Navy was not without friction—he speaks openly about the difficulties military veterans face adjusting to a civilian workforce that often misunderstands their skill sets. Yet Buckett turned those obstacles into opportunity, from his role with Core Scientific to becoming the CEO and co-founder of a renewable energy tech startup, and co-authoring Leadership Is Overrated, a book that redefines what real leadership looks like. He continues to mentor young service members, champion veteran transition awareness, and lead by example in life after service. Throughout the podcast, Buckett’s humility and humor shine through as he emphasizes the power of mindset, the importance of mental fitness, and the need for veterans and first responders alike to recognize their own value.

LISTEN

Born into a family where academic success was the expected path, Kyle’s story took a sharp detour from the traditional. His parents were educators, and college was the assumed next step. The military was never part of the family conversation—until Kyle made it the conversation. What drove him wasn’t rebellion, but urgency. “I gotta get outta here,” he recalled thinking. And on the morning of his 18th birthday, he did just that—he quit high school and walked into a Navy recruiting office.

That act alone could have disqualified him in most eyes. No high school diploma. No academic accolades. Just a teenager with a chip on his shoulder and a point to prove. But life after service, it turns out, starts with life in service—and Kyle was all in. He signed his enlistment papers that very day. By the time most seniors were worrying about prom, Kyle was heading to boot camp. With no diploma in hand, he earned his GED during recruit training, and then dove into military life headfirst.

But his background wasn’t all grit and frustration. Kyle had already shown signs of entrepreneurial drive. At just 10 years old, he started his first business shoveling snow and washing cars in his neighborhood. By age 12, he was repairing computers—completely self-taught by reading library books. While many of his peers played video games, Kyle was rebuilding operating systems and balancing customer invoices. He didn’t have credentials, but he had initiative. That same spark would later define his post-military career transition.

Even though his family had roots in World War II—both grandfathers served, one surviving the sinking of the USS Indianapolis—military service had skipped a generation. His parents were hesitant, even resistant. In fact, his decision to drop out and enlist so abruptly created a rift at home. His mother was furious. For three days, Kyle lived out of the trunk of his car. But his resolve didn’t falter. He wasn’t just chasing a uniform—he was chasing a purpose.

His initial contract was for one of the most demanding paths in the military: Navy SEAL training. He was ready, or so he thought. Pre-9/11 policies weren’t lenient, and during the pre-phase of Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training, he was caught drinking underage. It was enough to get him removed from the program and reassigned to a ship in the fleet. It was a devastating blow. The dream, for the moment, was on hold.

Still, Kyle did what resilient veterans and first responders know how to do best—he adapted. Deployed on the USS Nicholas, he used his nights and downtime to educate himself. Business books, leadership manuals, finance texts—he devoured them. “I basically put myself through an undergrad,” he said. It was a self-driven, improvised education that many military veterans and law enforcement professionals can relate to: learning by doing, learning by surviving.

This wasn’t just the story of a military transition. It was a lesson in perseverance. Kyle’s early life is a case study in what happens when someone refuses to accept the limits placed on them by society—or even by their own mistakes. It’s not a perfect story. But that’s what makes it real, especially for those who’ve faced their own forks in the road—whether they’re Marines, Soldiers, Airmen, police officers, or firefighters. And Kyle’s story was only beginning. The Navy wasn’t the destination. It was the launchpad. What came next would test him physically, mentally, and spiritually—and reveal the kind of leader he was destined to become.

Getting back into BUD/S—the unforgiving Navy SEAL pipeline—was never guaranteed. But for Kyle Buckett, failure wasn’t an option. After being removed from his original SEAL contract for underage drinking, he spent several years proving he belonged. He trained relentlessly. He waited. And when leadership finally gave him another shot, he didn’t waste it.

He arrived in Coronado in 2003, joining a winter SEAL class. The water was cold, the days were long, and the nights were brutal. Of the 135 men who started, only 17 would finish Hell Week. Buckett was one of them—but just barely. Weeks before the infamous crucible began, his IT band flared up, making every movement excruciating. He could barely walk in the mornings. He stretched religiously, pounded 3,000 milligrams of Motrin daily, and lived in alternating hot and cold baths just to stay operational. Then, on the morning of Hell Week, he spiked a 102.5-degree fever.

But quitting was never on the table.

During that cold, dark week on the beaches of Southern California, Kyle didn’t just survive—he stepped up. Midway through, as teammates continued to drop, chaos took over. The instructors needed someone to lead. “Bucket!” they yelled. Just like that, he became the class's Leading Petty Officer. Exhausted, hurting, and unsure, he relied on humor, optimism, and camaraderie to carry the remaining 17 men across the finish line.

This wasn’t just a test of physical fitness—it was a crucible of mental toughness, the kind every veteran and first responder understands. In the military, especially among elite units like the SEALs, the margin for quitting isn’t just slim—it’s self-selective. You leave when you convince yourself you don’t belong. Kyle never bought into that lie.

Graduating from BUD/S launched his 20-year career in Naval Special Warfare. He deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, led special operations platoons, and participated in missions few outsiders will ever hear about. He thrived under pressure, served alongside elite military veterans, and earned the kind of trust that only comes from proving yourself in unforgiving environments. From leading SEAL platoons in Baghdad to starting military innovation teams from scratch, Kyle combined tactical excellence with a business mindset, becoming a quiet force of transformation within the ranks.

But nothing prepared him for the day he stepped on an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan in 2012.

By then, Buckett was a seasoned Chief, tactically leading his platoon in a Village Stability Operations mission. His team was embedded deep in Southern Afghanistan, working by, with, and through local partners to deny the Taliban and create lasting white space—an unconventional warfare approach rarely assigned to SEALs at the time. It was a complex, delicate, and dangerous environment.

While on patrol, Buckett unknowingly stepped on an IED. For reasons no one could fully explain, the device didn’t detonate. The ground gave way beneath him, his leg pressed into the trigger, and time slowed. It was a spiritual moment, he later said. A divine intervention. A second chance.

Many military veterans talk about their combat scars—the seen and unseen. For Kyle, this moment crystallized everything: leadership, brotherhood, resilience, and purpose. He walked away from that incident physically unharmed but forever changed.

For many service members, military transition begins with an injury, a deployment home, or the end of a contract. For Kyle, it began with survival. What he chose to do after stepping off that battlefield is what truly defines his post-Navy identity.

The career that followed would include boardrooms, entrepreneurship, mentorship, and a continued commitment to helping other veterans find meaningful life after service. But no matter where he went next, one truth remained: Kyle Buckett had earned his place—first as a Sailor, then as a SEAL, and always as a leader who understood what it meant to fight for more than just himself.

WATCH

When Kyle Buckett stepped off the battlefield and into civilian life, he did so with more than just a résumé—he brought with him a philosophy of leadership forged in the fire of combat and refined through two decades of elite service. But even for a seasoned Navy SEAL, the military transition wasn’t seamless.

Like many military veterans, Buckett quickly learned that the civilian world doesn’t always recognize what uniformed service teaches so well—grit, accountability, mission-first focus. He described corporate culture as a stark contrast to the cohesive units he had trained and fought with. “In the military, everyone wants to be there. They volunteered to be part of the mission,” he reflected. “But in the civilian world? Not everyone does. And that changes everything.”

Buckett’s career change journey began with a powerful realization: just because the Navy chapter had closed didn’t mean his service to others had to end. He made a deliberate decision to carry the same mindset into the private sector—especially the parts the civilian world tends to undervalue, like organizational culture, team performance, and mission alignment.

At first, the translation wasn’t easy. Even high-ranking veterans often struggle to articulate their value to employers unfamiliar with military experience. Kyle saw it firsthand. As a senior executive at a publicly traded company, he combed through thousands of resumes. Whenever one included “military” or “veteran,” he flagged it—because he knew the power behind those words. “The civilian sector does a horrific job of understanding military veterans,” he explained. “But we also do a horrific job of selling our own capabilities. We’re humble warriors—but we’ve got to do better.”

His own transition was far from traditional. He didn’t just join a company—he helped build one. Buckett is now the co-founder and CEO of a technology startup in the renewable energy space. Though confidentiality limits how much he can publicly share, what he could say is that the product they’re building has the potential to help millions—and the process of getting there demanded the same resilience, adaptability, and clarity he relied on during military operations.

The last few years have brought their own version of “Hell Week”—navigating legal hurdles, tech challenges, and investor relations. But Kyle is now a majority stakeholder in the company he helped grow from the ground up. He’s no longer just executing a mission—he’s defining it.

In the midst of his post-service journey, Buckett also added “author” to his long list of accomplishments. Co-writing Leadership Is Overrated allowed him to distill decades of experience leading elite teams into actionable insights for professionals across every industry. The book challenges conventional wisdom by flipping the script: true leadership isn’t about being the loudest in the room—it’s about enabling others to thrive. For any veteran transitioning into the corporate world—or any first responder stepping into new leadership roles—it’s a must-read.

Even as his business career accelerates, Kyle remains rooted in service. He actively mentors younger service members navigating the difficult terrain of veteran transition. Whether it’s a SEAL recruit facing injury mid-training or a retired Marine struggling to adjust to civilian life, Buckett offers more than just encouragement—he offers perspective. “There’s always a next mission,” he says. “You’ve just got to define it.”

His life today is a balance of business, family, and purpose. He surfs regularly. He plunges into ice-cold water—literally—to recover and reflect. And he continues to speak on podcasts like The Transition Drill Podcast, one of the top veteran podcasts available, where he shares hard-earned wisdom and candid stories not often told in typical military podcasts. For Kyle, it’s never about glorifying the past. It’s about lighting the path forward.

His story resonates with more than just fellow SEALs. It’s a blueprint for anyone facing transition—whether you’re a Soldier retiring after 20 years, a firefighter stepping off the rig, a police officer nearing your final patrol, or an EMS professional ready for a new calling. The message is clear: your experience matters. Your skills transfer. And your next chapter can be even more impactful than the last.

Kyle Buckett is proof that what you’ve done in uniform is just the beginning. Whether leading on the battlefield or in the boardroom, he exemplifies what happens when you match military discipline with entrepreneurial ambition. The mission may change, but the warrior mindset remains.

The Transition Drill Podcast is the best podcast for military veterans, police officers, firefighters, and first responders preparing for veteran transition and life after service. Helping you plan and implement strategies to prepare for your transition into civilian life. Your transition is more than a career shift—it’s a chance to redefine your purpose, continue serving others, and build a meaningful life beyond your uniform.

CONNECT WITH KYLE BUCKETT

BOOK: Leadership is Overrated - Kyle Buckett & Chris Mefford

LinkedIn

Instagram

VIEW OUR MOST RECENT

BACK TO TOP