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About this Episode
David Burnell is a U.S. Air Force veteran, rescue professional, entrepreneur, humanitarian, and storyteller whose life has been shaped by a deep commitment to service. Over the course of several decades, Burnell has worked across military operations, search and rescue, disaster response, counter-terror, and protective security environments, as well as the development of advanced training programs for those who protect and serve. His career reflects a consistent focus on preparing people to face danger, uncertainty, and adversity with discipline, courage, and clarity of purpose.
Military Service
David Burnell served in the United States Air Force, where he worked in communications and operational support roles connected to intelligence, air operations, and special operations environments during the final decade of the Cold War. His military service provided the foundation for his lifelong focus on operational readiness, teamwork under pressure, and leadership in high-stakes environments. The principles learned during this period—discipline, accountability, and mission focus—would guide the rest of his career.
Rescue and Search & Rescue Operations
Following his military service, Burnell became deeply involved in search-and-rescue operations, including work as a public-safety diver and rescue professional. He participated in demanding recovery and rescue missions in challenging environments, including underwater and ice-dive operations where lives and evidence depended on calm execution under pressure. These experiences exposed him to the realities first responders face and reinforced his belief that preparation, training, and emotional resilience are essential for those operating in life-and-death environments.
Counter-Terror and Protective Security Work
Burnell later worked in the protective security and counter-terror environment, including roles as a protective security detail (PSD) operator, where teams safeguard individuals operating in volatile, high-risk regions. These missions required the ability to operate with precision, discipline, and situational awareness in complex security environments. The experience further strengthened his understanding of operational planning, risk mitigation, and the leadership required to protect others in the face of a threat.
Entrepreneur and Business Leader
In addition to his operational work, Burnell is a serial entrepreneur and business builder who has founded and led several successful companies. Among his ventures was the Urban Warfare Center. Burnell helped pioneer realistic force-on-force training environments designed to simulate the stress and complexity of real-world operations. These programs trained thousands of military personnel, law enforcement officers, and first responders in decision-making under pressure and operational readiness.
Over the years, Burnell has built, grown, and exited multiple businesses, demonstrating a rare ability to combine operational experience with entrepreneurial leadership.
Humanitarian Missions
Throughout his life, David Burnell has participated in numerous humanitarian and disaster-response missions around the world, working alongside rescue teams, medical volunteers, and non-governmental organizations in environments where lives had been disrupted by natural disasters, poverty, and conflict.
In 2010, Burnell deployed to Haiti following the devastating earthquake that destroyed much of Port-au-Prince. Serving as Chief of Security for the Utah Hospital Task Force, he helped establish and protect a field hospital that provided desperately needed medical care to thousands of survivors. Operating in an environment marked by collapsed infrastructure, widespread suffering, and intense humanitarian need, the mission left a lasting impression on Burnell’s understanding of service and resilience.
In 2011, after the massive earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Burnell traveled independently to assist in the recovery effort along the devastated northeastern coastline. Working alongside the internationally respected Mexican rescue team Los Topos, he participated in recovery operations in some of the hardest-hit areas near Sendai, Ishinomaki, and Onagawa, searching through debris fields left by the catastrophic wave. The mission exposed him to the quiet dignity and resilience of the Japanese people as communities struggled to rebuild after unimaginable loss.
Burnell has also served in Burma (Myanmar) in support of humanitarian efforts among the Karen people, who have endured decades of conflict and displacement. Working with humanitarian organizations, he supported medical training programs that equipped local medics with lifesaving skills in remote jungle regions where access to modern medical care was limited.
His humanitarian travels have also taken him to Costa Rica and Thailand, where he assisted with training, outreach, and service efforts focused on community resilience, emergency preparedness, and humanitarian support. These experiences broadened his understanding of how different cultures confront adversity and how service can bridge divides between people from very different backgrounds.
Closer to home, Burnell has also responded to disasters within the United States, including the devastating Alabama tornado outbreaks, where he assisted with relief and recovery efforts in communities struggling to rebuild after the storms destroyed homes and lives across the region.
Across these missions—whether in the aftermath of earthquakes, tsunamis, violent storms, or humanitarian crises—Burnell has witnessed both the fragility and the strength of the human spirit. These experiences continue to shape his belief that service to others, especially in moments of great need, is one of the highest callings a person can pursue.
Training and Public Outreach
Burnell has spent much of his career training others to prepare for adversity, whether through tactical training programs, leadership instruction, or self-defense education.
His outreach initiatives include programs such as Defense For Women, which focuses on situational awareness, personal safety, and empowerment. Through educational platforms, public speaking, and online media, Burnell continues to share lessons learned from decades of operational and leadership experience.
Author, Podcaster, and Storyteller
Today, Burnell shares the lessons of his life through books, podcasts, music, and storytelling. His work includes the David Burnell Podcast Network, with series such as Echo Valor, Built by Fire, and Quiet Readiness. These platforms explore themes of courage, service, resilience, leadership, and faith through powerful real-world stories. Burnell is also the author of several books that draw from his experiences in military service, rescue work, humanitarian missions, and personal trials. His storytelling often focuses on the unseen burdens carried by those who serve.
Faith and Personal Convictions
A central influence in Burnell’s life is his faith in Jesus Christ as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. His faith informs his belief in service, compassion, personal accountability, and the eternal value of every human life. Burnell believes that faith, discipline, and service to others provide the foundation for overcoming adversity and living a life of purpose.
A Life of Service
Throughout his life, David Burnell has pursued one consistent mission: to prepare people to face adversity, serve others, and live with courage and purpose. Whether through military service, rescue operations, humanitarian missions, entrepreneurship, or storytelling, Burnell continues to share the lessons of a life forged through service.
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