FEED DROP BN+: Investigative Journalist Seth Harp Explores The Fort Bragg Cartel

In this gripping episode of Book Notes Plus, investigative journalist Seth Harp delves into the explosive revelations of his book, *The Fort Bragg Cartel*, exposing a deep-rooted network of drug trafficking, murder, and systemic cover-ups within the U.S. Special Forces at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Harp, a former Iraq war veteran and lawyer, recounts how his investigation began after the mysterious 2020 murders of two elite soldiers—Delta Force operator Billy Levine and JSOC quartermaster Timothy Dumas—prompted him to uncover a broader pattern of corruption. Through interviews with family members, low-level soldiers, and even convicted drug kingpin Freddie Wayne Huff II, Harp reveals how elite military operatives, including members of Delta Force and the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), were deeply involved in trafficking cocaine, often using their access and secrecy to evade justice. The episode details chilling cases like the unsolved beheading of young soldier Enrique Roman Martinez, the staged court-martial of a Delta Force operator accused of rape, and the controversial killing of a Chechen utility worker by a Green Beret colonel—each illustrating a culture of impunity. Harp also critiques the political and military leadership, including figures like Mike Waltz and Pete Hegseth, for enabling this environment through war-mongering rhetoric and institutional decay. Despite the release of critical Department of Defense overdose data due to Senator Markey’s intervention, Harp argues that the military has failed to make the data public in a meaningful, granular way, suggesting that Fort Bragg remains a hotspot for drug-related violence and systemic failure. The episode concludes with Harp reflecting on his own military service in Iraq, where he witnessed the consequences of poor leadership, deception, and moral injury—experiences that shaped his commitment to truth-telling. He emphasizes that while the military as a whole has lower overdose rates than the general population, Fort Bragg is a glaring exception, with overdose deaths far exceeding national averages. Despite the dangers of exposing such a powerful institution, Harp stands by his reporting, noting that no factual inaccuracies have been proven. He remains hopeful that the story will inspire change, possibly through a future HBO series, and continues to advocate for transparency, accountability, and justice for victims of both war and institutional betrayal.