Team Never Quit Drago Dzieran: How a Political Prisoner Escaped Communism and Became a U.S. Navy SEAL & True American Hero (Rebroadcast)
Oct 8, 2025
02:38:54
A Real American – Born in Poland.
In this week’s Team Never Quit Podcast, Marcus & Melanie meet with Drago Dzieran, a former political prisoner for his activism against Communism. After arriving in the United States unable to speak English, Drago eventually became a US citizen, enlisted in the U.S. Navy and trained to serve as a Navy SEAL. In Iraq, he fought in over 100 combat missions as the Naval Special Warfare Lead Breacher. Drago was awarded Bronze Star with “V” for valor, Navy Commendation Medal with “V” for valor, in addition to other various awards and decorations.
Following his honorable retirement after twenty years in the Navy, Dzieran began a successful career as a software engineer. Drago founded the Navy SEALs Fund, a nonprofit with the mission of providing support for all generations of current, retired, and former UDT/SEAL teammates, their immediate dependents as well as Gold Star Families. Listen in as Drago shares his amazing life journey from Poland to living life as a real American in service to others.
In This Episode You Will Hear:
• I was born in communist Poland. It was actually a socialist state run by communists. My father was part of the evil system.
• I’m not Polish-American; I am not “Something”-American. There is no hyphen. I’m just American.
• I spent 20 years as a Navy SEAL.
• [My grandmother] taught me how to pray, and what to pray for.
• I still remember her [grandmother’s] words: “Poland is not free. It will not be free until we get rid of these people.
• [When my father found out] I was not allowed to pray with my grandmother alone.
• Prison time for me was education. A huge education about Polish history.
• I’ll be the best US citizen America can have.
• The law was created in the socialist state to penalize free thinking. To criminalize opposition.
• America was built on the idea of personal freedom.
• These people [Ukranians] are fighting for their lives now - freedom.
• Ukranians were always very patriotic.
• [Navy SEALS Fund] The way we operate is different than most charities. We don’t have paid positions. The fund is run by SEALS only.
• We help the Gold Start families: the spouse, the children, parents and siblings.
There would be no Drago if not for people like Marcus, Morgan, Rob, Tage, Taco, & Jocco.
• I’m a better American today than I was yesterday, and I want to be a better American tomorrow than I am today.
• My biggest accomplishment is becoming a U.S. citizen.
Support TNQ
- IG: team_neverquit , marcusluttrell , melanieluttrell , huntero13
- https://www.patreon.com/teamneverquit
Sponsors:
- tractorsupply.com/hometownheroes
- Navyfederal.org
- meetfabiric.com/TNQ
- masterclass.com/TNQ
- Prizepicks (TNQ)
- Dripdrop.com/TNQ
- cargurus.com/TNQ
- armslist.com/TNQ
- PXGapparel.com/TNQ
- bruntworkwear.com/TNQ
- Selectquote.com/TNQ
- Groundnews.com/TNQ
- shipsticks.com/TNQ
- strawberry.me/TNQ
- stopboxusa.com {TNQ}
- ghostbed.com/TNQ [TNQ]
- kalshi.com/TNQ
- joinbilt.com/TNQ
- Tonal.com [TNQ]
- greenlight.com/TNQ
In this week’s Team Never Quit Podcast, Marcus & Melanie meet with Drago Dzieran, a former political prisoner for his activism against Communism. After arriving in the United States unable to speak English, Drago eventually became a US citizen, enlisted in the U.S. Navy and trained to serve as a Navy SEAL. In Iraq, he fought in over 100 combat missions as the Naval Special Warfare Lead Breacher. Drago was awarded Bronze Star with “V” for valor, Navy Commendation Medal with “V” for valor, in addition to other various awards and decorations.
Following his honorable retirement after twenty years in the Navy, Dzieran began a successful career as a software engineer. Drago founded the Navy SEALs Fund, a nonprofit with the mission of providing support for all generations of current, retired, and former UDT/SEAL teammates, their immediate dependents as well as Gold Star Families. Listen in as Drago shares his amazing life journey from Poland to living life as a real American in service to others.
In This Episode You Will Hear:
• I was born in communist Poland. It was actually a socialist state run by communists. My father was part of the evil system.
• I’m not Polish-American; I am not “Something”-American. There is no hyphen. I’m just American.
• I spent 20 years as a Navy SEAL.
• [My grandmother] taught me how to pray, and what to pray for.
• I still remember her [grandmother’s] words: “Poland is not free. It will not be free until we get rid of these people.
• [When my father found out] I was not allowed to pray with my grandmother alone.
• Prison time for me was education. A huge education about Polish history.
• I’ll be the best US citizen America can have.
• The law was created in the socialist state to penalize free thinking. To criminalize opposition.
• America was built on the idea of personal freedom.
• These people [Ukranians] are fighting for their lives now - freedom.
• Ukranians were always very patriotic.
• [Navy SEALS Fund] The way we operate is different than most charities. We don’t have paid positions. The fund is run by SEALS only.
• We help the Gold Start families: the spouse, the children, parents and siblings.
There would be no Drago if not for people like Marcus, Morgan, Rob, Tage, Taco, & Jocco.
• I’m a better American today than I was yesterday, and I want to be a better American tomorrow than I am today.
• My biggest accomplishment is becoming a U.S. citizen.
Support TNQ
- IG: team_neverquit , marcusluttrell , melanieluttrell , huntero13
- https://www.patreon.com/teamneverquit
Sponsors:
- tractorsupply.com/hometownheroes
- Navyfederal.org
- meetfabiric.com/TNQ
- masterclass.com/TNQ
- Prizepicks (TNQ)
- Dripdrop.com/TNQ
- cargurus.com/TNQ
- armslist.com/TNQ
- PXGapparel.com/TNQ
- bruntworkwear.com/TNQ
- Selectquote.com/TNQ
- Groundnews.com/TNQ
- shipsticks.com/TNQ
- strawberry.me/TNQ
- stopboxusa.com {TNQ}
- ghostbed.com/TNQ [TNQ]
- kalshi.com/TNQ
- joinbilt.com/TNQ
- Tonal.com [TNQ]
- greenlight.com/TNQ