Combat Story

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear a Combat Story from a long-time Combat Story listener Christian Holloway, a former Marine who was part of the initial invasion into Iraq, fought in both Fallujah I and II, and was one of the first Marines in what we now know as Marine Special Operations Command or MARSOC. [Support us on Patreon and get exclusive content and insights at www.patreon.com/combatstory] Christian was just 18 years old when he crossed the line of departure into Iraq for the initial invasion alongside M1A1 tanks in his Marine Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV). He was then clearing buildings on foot in Fallujah alongside his Marine brothers, was among the first to see the effects of IEDs and what later became a very common and lethal enemy TTP, and was then in the elite special operations community training foreign militaries as a force multiplier. Since leaving the military, Christian continued to train service members in Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape (SERE) as a contractor and now hosts a financial information program on YouTube. This is a great Combat Story that follows the path from the tactical perspective of the Marine infantryman to the strategic MARSOC operator and I hope you enjoy his humble insights as much as I did. Find Christian Online: -YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs1jwxG_W_NAVVX8KlZ-Mig -Instagram @chris.holloway_fi https://www.instagram.com/chris.holloway_fi/ Find Ryan Online: - Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory - Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/ - Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory - Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial - Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial - Email [email protected] - Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus - Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro 0:44 - Guest Introduction (Christian Holloway) 1:59 - Interview begins 2:40 - Growing up in Texas 7:31 - Why Marine Corps and recruitment story 10:44 - Training and preparing for deployment only 4 months after after boot camp and school of infantry 17:13 - Preparing for first deployment invading Iraq at only 18 years old 20:48 - MOPP levels and the nuclear, biological and chemical threat 24:53 - Combat Story - Engaged by an artillery unit and the invasion of Iraq 33:10 - Combat Story - An armor to armor engagement 55:27 - Combat Story - 48 hour engagement 1:18:01 - almost dying in Baghdad from celebratory fire 1:21:03 -Fallujah 1 fighting the insurgency and the first in incorporation of IED tactics 1:35:52 - Combat Story - a very persistent engagement 1:56:24 - Joining what would later be known as MARSOC and the intense training course 2:24:42 - Transition to contractor 2:27:42 - Refelctions on being in combat at 18 years old 2:30:45 - Personal Finance YouTube channel 2:37:19 - What did you carry into combat? 2:39:08 - Would you do it again? 2:40:21 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we have a phenomenal Combat Story with our first dedicated insight from a legendary CIA Case Officer, Paramilitary Operations Officer, and Senior Leader Enrique 'Ric' Prado, who fought terrorists from the jungles of Central America with the storied Special Activities Division to eventally overseeing all Agency operations at the helm of the counterterrorism center. [Support us on Patreon and get exclusive content and insights at www.patreon.com/combatstory, including additional photos of Ric and a story of the hardest training course he ever went through] Before joining the Agency, Ric successfully completed the famed Pararescue or PJ pipeline but did not, despite multiple volunteer attempts, have the opportunity to fight in Vietnam. Instead, Ric would see plenty of operations and battles but with the CIA, where he was operating as a solo Paramilitary Ops Officers or PMOO in the Nicaraguan jungles in his first tour. Early in his career Ric first came into contact with and was then mentored by some of the Agency's giants like Cofer Black, Duey Clarridge, Bill Buckley, William Casey, and more. As you'll see during this interview, these are all names I know and revere so I was star struck hearing Ric's stories about these giants and just spending time with Ric, who many of these heavyweights consider one of the best CIA operators of his time. On 9/11, Ric was the Chief of Operations (or C/OPS as the role is know inside the building) of the counterterrorism center, responsible for all counterterrorism operations for the whole CIA. After leaving the service, Ric founded a successful company where he continued to take the fight to the enemy and recently wrote a great book that gives a true behind the scenes look at the wide ranging, unpredictable and often dangerous life of a CIA operations officer. This is one of my favorite interviews to date and I hope you enjoy this peek behind the curtain of the premier covert intelligence organization from one of its legends as much as I did. Find Ric Online: - Ric's website https://ricprado.com/ - Black Ops Book https://static.macmillan.com/static/smp/black-ops/ - Ric on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/enrique-ric-prado-052a11186/ Find Ryan Online: - Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory - Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/ - Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory - Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial - Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial - Email [email protected] - Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus - Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro 0:47 - Guest Introduction (Ric Prado) 2:41 - Interview begins 3:42 - Growing up in Cuba during the revolution in the 1950s and coming to America without his parents 11:46 - Gratitude as an American and choosing life of service 14:54 - The Pararescue Pipeline and becoming a PJ 20:49 - Joining Ground Branch/Special Activities Division in the CIA and role as a Paramilitary Officer 25:11 - The type of work he was doing with the Agency early on and the rewarding feeling of being able to do something about injustice 29:10 - Story of first contact fighting on the front lines during the 1980s Cold War 34:32 - Feelings of being down range after not getting the chance in Vietnam 37:05 - How early experiences informed his role later as Chief of Operations Counterterrorism Center and a story of how street savvy saved him 46:46 - Being a solo operator 47:40 - Working with CIA legends Dewey Clarridge and Bill Casey 51:02 - About the LA (Latin American) Division 54:22 - Legend Joe Fernandez requesting him by name and working more traditional undercover ops 57:17 - Making his first recruitments in Costa Rica 1:02:47 - Role in Alec Station tracking Osama bin Laden 1:10:21 - 9/11 and being Chief of Operations at the Counterterrorism Center 1:16:23 - Story of a particularly dangerous mission 1:25:10 - Story of learning he was under surveillance 1:30:46 - What did you carry with you on missions? 1:32:29 - Would you do it again? 1:34:55 - Hear more on Patreon 1:35:35 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today's Combat Story is one of perseverance and hustle on another level. We hear from Remi Adeleke who deployed multiple times as a Navy SEAL, but only after overcoming a truly difficult childhood of being stripped of his family's wealth in Nigeria to hustling on the streets of the Bronx to make ends meet. Remi would be one of those rare people who wanted to become a SEAL even though he couldn't swim, just to give you an idea of his attitude and beliefs. [Support us on Patreon and get exclusive content and insights at www.patreon.com/combatstory] After leaving the service, Remi has done it all. He was contacted by Hollywood and has either acted in or advised on multiple blockbuster movies and shows like Transformers, SEAL Team, and most recently the Terminal List with Chris Pratt. He's also a best selling author with a fantastic book "Transformed: A Navy SEAL's Unlikely Journey from the Throne of Africa, to the Streets of the Bronx, to Defying All Odds," a clothing line called Kojo and more. This is a true Combat Story of not just overcoming the odds down range, but overcoming every obstacle life in the inner city can throw at you. Find Remi Online: - Instagram @remiadeleke - Twitter @remiadeleke - Kojo Wear Clothing Line - Book Transformed: A Navy SEAL's Unlikely Journey from the Throne of Africa, to the Streets of the Bronx, to Defying All Odds - Muskegon Maritime Academy https://muskegonmaritimeacademy.org/ Find Ryan Online: - Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory - Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/ - Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory - Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial - Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial - Email [email protected] - Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus - Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro 0:27 - Guest Introduction (Remi Adeleke) 2:00 - Interview begins 4:26 - About his family's tribe from Nigeria and what it means to him today 7:12 - Growing up in Nigeria 13:16 - Formative years spent hustling in the Bronx 24:24 - Why the military? 27:58 - Being in NYC on 9/11 30:56 - An influential recruitment officer and getting his record cleared 34:43 - Becoming a SEAL without knowing how to swim 39:01 - First deployment experience 43:10 - Combat Story - First time outside the wire as a Humvee gunner 45:30 - Being an African American in the SEAL teams and how being black helped down range 50:25 - How his time in the Bronx gave him skills in the military 52:17 - Direct action ops and running sources 57:56 - Combat Story - a quick snatch and grab operation that turned into 14 hours with an intense foot chase 1:08:22 - The decision to get out 1:11:55 - Getting the call to work on Transformers without a formal audition and how he got into acting and consulting 1:21:50 - Starting the Muskegon Maritime Academy, a military themed charter school 1:26:59 - What did you carry into combat? 1:27:32 - Would you do it again? 1:27:50 - What do you think your old man would be saying now? 1:28:31 - Listener comments and shout outs This interview is all about special operations and special operators. If you want to learn more about special opertaions, you can click: https://www.combatstory.com/ This interview is describing what it takes to be in special operations but also try to cover the following subjects: - What are special operations? - Combat Story - Remi Adeleke - Navy SEALs - Combat Operations Remi Adeleke was born in Western Africa, but following the death of his father, he, his mother, and his brother relocated permanently to the Bronx in New York City. After years of making regrettable decisions, Remi joined the Navy in 2002 and later became a Navy SEAL. Ending his successful naval career in 2016, he was led to pursue a career in speaking and acting. Remi holds a BS in organizational leadership and an MS in strategic leadership, both from the University of Charleston West Virginia. He resides in Southern California with his wife, Jessica, and their two sons, Cayden and Caleb. Speaking about joining the team, Adeleke said: "Since I departed from the military in 2016 my main focus in life has been to inspire, motivate and educate people — whether through writing, speaking, or visual storytelling." If you would like to learn more about Remi Adeleke I suggest you look into our various other video clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCyApoJr-mNmdMNwdk22xEQ _________________________ Have I responded to all of you

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we have a special Combat Story that takes us from commanding in bloody fighting in Vietnam to some of the seminal moments in our military's Special Operations history, all courtesy of retired colonel Keith Nightingale. Keith served two tours in Vietnam, one as an adviser to the Vietnamese where he learned jungle warfare from one of the most interesting and lethal characters in country, followed by taking command of an infantry company in the 101st that had just been wiped out, literally, hours earlier. Keith was a founding member of the 1st Ranger Battalion when it was created by Gen Creighton Abrams in 1974-later commanding both that battalion and the Ranger brigade. He then gives us a fly on the wall perspective of the Desert One catastrophe and the subsequent birth and creation of what we know today as JSOC, to include why we have DIA, 160th, Delta and more. We even touch on Keith's time as the DoD lead tracking down none other than the Drug Kingpin Pablo Escobar. Keith has gone on to write three books, "Just Another Day in Vietnam", "Phoenix Rising: From the Ashes of Desert One to the Rebirth of U.S. Special Operations," and "A Soldier Looks Back: Memories and Reflections of a Combat Veteran, from Normandy to Afghanistan." This was a memorable Combat Story that gives us a look inside some of the most significant moments that created the modern US military we all know and love today. Find Keith Onine: -Facebook Col Keith Nightingale https://www.facebook.com/ColKeithNightingale -Keith's books https://www.amazon.com/Keith-Nightingale/e/B016H5SV66%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share Ryan Online Information Find Ryan Online: - Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory - Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/ - Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory - Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial - Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial - Email [email protected] - Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus - Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle 0:00 - Intro 0:45 - Guest Introduction (Keith Nightingale) 2:17 - Interview begins 2:40 - What he did in the army 3:24 - how the military was "in his DNA" and being the first officer in the family that served as a career 7:30 - Getting orders to go to Vietnam and the most influential person in helping become a battlefield leader 18:10 - Combat Story #1 - first contact in Vietnam 24:59 - A "karmic" approach to combat learned in Vietnam 26:57 - Combat Story #2 - a long night in Vietnam 36:03 - Going back to Vietnam with Delta company 43:14 - An intense training in leadership 46:27 - Combat Story #3 - First time in the field with Delta and his leadership strategy for low morale 56:43 - The founding of JSOC and 1st Ranger Battalion 1:05:43 - Combat Story #4 - Operation Eagle Claw 1:32:57 - Tracking down Pablo Escobar 1:40:42 - What did you carry into combat? 1:41:54 - Would you do it again? 1:42:53 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today's Combat Story is near and dear to my heart for reasons I can't share because they're classified. We hear the firsthand account from one of the men involved in the brutal 13 hours of fighting in Benghazi in 2012, Kris "Tanto" Paronto, who would later co-author the book "13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened in Benghazi" and advise Director Michael Bay and the cast who created the movie of the same name. This is one of my favorite episodes. Time flew by as we touched on so many topics from the learnings Kris shared in two other books (The Patriot's Creed: Inspiration and Advice for Living a Heroic Life and The Ranger Way: Living the Code On and Off the Battlefield) to insight into what it meant to be a part of the CIA's GRS or Global Response Staff (read this CIA Career page to hear how interesting this job is and trust me when I say these guys were great: https://www.cia.gov/careers/jobs/protective-agent/) to how it felt the moment he and a handful of selfless other men decided to defy direct orders from above and risk their lives for other Americans in Libya. There's ZERO politics in this episode. If you're looking for that, you won't find it here. This is all about what happened to the people on the ground at the time, which made me appreciate Kris and his perspective even more. Since leaving the military and Agency, Kris has become a serial entrepreneur with a clothing line, vodka brand, podcast, shooting and medical training courses, and is now making his tactical programs more of an experience with E3 Firearms which goes beyond just hitting the range and is something that I think many of our listeners will want to be a part of. I hope you appreciate this wide ranging, hilarious, and selfless Combat Story as much as I did. Find Kris Online: - Instagram @real_kris_tanto_paronto https://www.instagram.com/real_kris_tanto_paronto/ - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristantoparonto/ - E3 Firearms https://pages2.e3firearmsassociation.com/fol-page1638816034383 - Kris's website https://kristantoparonto.com/ Find Ryan Online: - Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory - Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/ - Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory - Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial - Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial - Email [email protected] - Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus - Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro 0:45 - Guest Introduction (Kris Paronto) 2:25 - Interview begins 2:47 - How he got his call sign "Tanto" 6:30 - Background info on CIA GRS 11:43 - The GRS driving training course 13:20 - The detailed prep work involved in going into country somewhere as GRS 21:15 - Childhood, sports, and adrenaline rushes 26:33 - Why did you choose the military path? 30:10 - Time with the Rangers 36:58 - Getting kicked out of the Army 48:15 - Motivation for writing book "The Ranger Way" 50:51 - Why GRS? 56:47 - Getting a black passport and examples of GRS missions 1:05:13 - Benghazi 2012 and the endurance that you need to make it through a 13 hour gun fight 1:12:22 - Benghazi 2012 Waiting for authorization are deciding to do the QRF (quick reaction force) 1:17:59 - The significance of true sacrifice 1:20:41 - His current projects including Battleline Tactical, podcast, vodka company, and E3 Farms Association 1:26:25 - What did you carry into combat? 1:28:59 - Would you do it again? 1:32:27 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the Combat Story of a long-time Green Beret, combat veteran, and retired Sergeant Major Josh Johnson. Josh spent multiple years downrange in Iraq and Afghanistan, many with 1st Special Forces Group, in combat where he led from the front but also spent years teaching other Green Berets and partner forces. [Support us on Patreon and get exclusive content and insights at www.patreon.com/combatstory] Josh was selected as an Exchange Officer to the Australian Special Air Services Regiment where he trained and fought alongside our very close Australian brethren. In his last two years of service, Josh focused specifically on leadership development and training. Since leaving the service, Josh has continued training and developing leaders, this time with Mike Sarraille's Talent War Group where Josh is a Partner and Senior VP of Leadership Development. I hope you enjoy this interesting and wide-ranging Combat Story as much as I did. Find Josh Online: -LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshuafhijohnson/ Find Ryan Online: - Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory - Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/ - Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory - Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial - Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial - Email [email protected] - Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus - Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro 0:41 - Guest Introduction (Josh Johnson) 1:36 - Interview begins 3:29 - His time fighting alongside the Aussies 8:11 - Growing up in small town in Utah and having a dad in military 18:41 - How he found himself on the SF track after National Guard and being an MP 30:24 - Funny story about robbing a Bosnian bathroom 32:32 - Selection experience in 1999 and where he was when 9/11 happened 34:56 - Combat Story #1 - Operation Enduring Freedom – Philippines and his first time getting shot at 46:33 - Combat Story #2 -A multi-hour gun fight and getting hit with RPGs in Afghanistan 58:34 - Combat Story #3 - Stories of men getting shot next to him 1:09:35 - Experience as an ODA working with ranger battalion 1:19:18 - Transition to Talent War Group 1:25:42 - Benefits of vets in corporate America and unique challenges they face 1:31:24 - What did you carry into combat? 1:35:20 - Would you do it again? 1:39:20 - Listener comments and shout outs To learn more about a Green Beret In Combat, learn more at: https://www.combatstory.com/ The video is all about a Green Beret In Combat but also covers the following subjects: - Green Berets Overcoming obstacles - Special Operations - Special Operations combat - Exchange programs with the Australian SASR and UK SAS - Multi-hour gun fights Something I noticed when I was looking for information on Green Berets In Combat was the lack of details. _________________________ Follow our video clips about Green Beret In Combat and various other similar topics on: Facebook: https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/combatstory _________________________ If you were searching for more information about living in Green Beret In Combat did this video help? Possibly you want to comment below and let me understand what else I can assist you with or Green Beret In Combat.

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear our first Combat Story from a member of our close partners in New Zealand: Joe Hotai. Joe successfully completed not only the New Zealand SAS Selection and Training Course, but then (likely because he enjoys pain) also went on to complete the Australian SAS Selection and Training course. Joe then served in combat with the Australian SAS in direct action operations. [Support us on Patreon and get exclusive content and insights at www.patreon.com/combatstory] Since leaving the service, Joe overcame a childhood fear of putting himself out there and has created two podcasts (the Epich Podcast which explores people making a positive change in the world - and which he has graciously invited me to be on - and the Move Sweat Suffer Podcast which promotes a more healthy way of life). Joe has also co-founded the Mill Gym in Australia and is the founder of Zero Alpha, which puts on ultra endurance events combining some of the experiences from his time in Special Operations, and is also a consultant. His YouTube channel is full of pragmatic workouts that remind me of Pat Mac! Joe has an incredibly humble persona with a great sense of humor. In fact, he's described himself as 'imperfect, annoying, and striving to improve as a husband, father, and human being on a daily basis." I hope you enjoy this interview of highs and lows and overcoming difficult situations from someone at the forefront of the Special Operations community, as much as I did. Find Joe Online: - Instagram @joehotai - Podcast Epich Aotearoa https://www.epichpodcast.co.nz - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/joehotai1936 - Move, Sweat, Suffer YouTube https://www.youtube.com/c/movesweatsuffer - Zero Alpha https://www.zeroalpha.co.nz/ - Burpee Wear https://www.burpeewear.com/ - LinkedIn article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/putting-myself-yourself-out-joe-hotai/ Find Ryan Online: - Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory - Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/ - Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory - Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial - Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial - Email [email protected] - Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus - Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro 1:07 - Guest Introduction (Joe Hotai) 2:31 - Interview begins 2:55 - Growing up in New Zealand and family dynamics 19:30 - The impact of not having a dad as a child 26:00 - Desire to join the military and special forces specifically 31:15 - Lacking confidence to speak up and a moment in basic training when he found his confidence 39:15 - If not the military what would you be doing? 47:29 -Experience with both New Zealand and Australian SAS selection and qual course 1:08:56 - The type of operations that come down the Australian SAS vs. New Zealand SAS 1:21:36 - How having a Maori (indigenous Polynesian people of mainland New Zealand) background came up during his time in the military 1:24 - Crazy story of Blackhawk crashing while he and his team were in it 1:26:38 - The emotions and mindset on his first deployment to Iraq at 25 1:35:19 - Combat Story - Having to troubleshoot and fix a Mk-19 while actively being shot at 2:04:05 - What he is doing today with his 2 podcasts 2:14: 28 - What did you carry into combat? 2:15:23 - Would you do it again? 2:20:37 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we have a more timely Combat Story where we sit down with the head of the Ukrainian Come Back Alive Foundation, Taras Chmut. Come Back Alive provides financing for purely defense initiatives and since 2014, it has provided nearly 1000 thermal imaging devices and over 250 UAVs in addition to material support, technology, and training for the forces fighting the Russians on Ukrainian soil. Before stepping up to lead this organization, Taras was a Ukrainian Marine rifleman on the front lines in 2015 and then a commander of a reconnaissance unit with UAVs and signals intercept capabilities providing a better picture of the battlefield mainly near Mariupol (which we've heard so much about today). This, like our interviews with Aiden Aslin and Sergey Dyadkin, help shed light on what's actually going on in this Russian invasion and give each of us a way to do something about it, this time in terms of providing support to this important foundation, which you can do at www.comebackalive.in.ua. We've conducted much of this interview through a translator named Alexander and I hope you appreciate this inside look from Kiev as much as I did. Find Taras Online: -Website https://www.comebackalive.in.ua/ -Twitter https://twitter.com/BackAndAlive @comebackalive -Facebook https://www.facebook.com/TarChmut -Instagram https://www.instagram.com/taras_chmut/ Fine Ryan Online: -Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory -Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/ -Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory -Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial -Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial -Email [email protected] -Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus -Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro 0:34 - Guest Introduction (Taras Chmut) 1:54 - Interview begins 2:26 - The meaning of his name and what it was like growing up in Ukraine 6:24 - Early interest in aviation 7:59 - Where he was in 2014 when he considers the Russia -Ukrainian actually started 11:12 - Path to the military 14:31 - Time with Ukraine Marines and trying to stop Russia from invading 21:18 - Transition to UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) platoon commander 26:52 - The types of missions he was doing with UAVs 31:47 -The Come Back Alive Foundation than and now 37:48 - Opinion of Zelenksy and the future of Ukraine 39:30 - What are you most proud of from the Come Back Alive Foundation? 41:46 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we have a Combat Story first with our first Astronaut who spent over 377 days in space and completed 10 spacewalks (where he's actually out in space in nothing but his suit): Chris Cassidy. Before he joined NASA, Chris was a Navy SEAL and was one of the very first sent into Afghanistan in 2001 after 9/11. There's very little Chris has not accomplished. He attended the US Naval Academy, received a Master of Science in Ocean Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and has two Honorary PhD's. As a SEAL, Chris earned a Bronze Star with Valor and a Presidential Unit Citation for combat in Afghanistan. He was NASA's 14th Chief Astronaut, which is the head of NASA's Astronaut Corps and is the principal advisor to the NASA Administrator on astronaut training and operations. Chris is incredibly humble given his accomplishments and it's no surprise he is now President and CEO of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, where he's leading efforts to build out an iconic Museum for MOH recipients, a Leadership Institute, and a Monument on the National Mall. I hope you enjoy this view from Space from such a down to Earth man as much as I did. Special thanks to previous guests Darrell Utt and Mike Hayes who helped us connect with Chris. Find Chris Online: -Instagram @astro_seal -Instagram @mohmuseum -MOH Museum Donation www.mohmuseum.org/donate Find Ryan Online: -To support Combat Story and get exclusive content, head to Patreon www.patreon.com/combatstory -Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory -Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/ -Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory -Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial -Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial -Email [email protected] -Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus -Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro 1:05 - Guest Introduction (Chris Cassidy) 2:31 - Interview begins 8:10 - Childhood and interest in military 19:18 - Path to SEAL Teams 25:20 - About his first SEAL Team, an underwater vehicle team 29:30 - Where he was when 911 happened and how SEAL Team 3 reposnded 38:19 - Combat Story - First time leading troops into an engagement 42:07 - Combat Story - Aha moment while on a mission in the caves of Afghan-Pakistan border 46:56 - Team dynamics in a small unit like a SEAL Team 52:09 - Leadership and the danger of complacency and overconfidence 54:24 - Transition to NASA 1:04:53 - First flight expereince as an astronaut 1:13:15 - First spacewalk experience 1:17:56 - Story of a hairy experience during a spacewalk mission 1:30:14 - Feeling privileged to do the work and the long-term fatigue that can happen 1:31:53 - National Medal of Honor Museum 1:40:56 - Dealing with setbacks along his path 1:43:05 - What did you carry into combat/space? 1:44:21 - Would you do it again? 1:45:46 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we have a unique Combat Story and our first ever with an Afghan Special Operator, Farida Mohammadi, and one of her American trainers Taylor Holliday. Farida was a member of the elite Female Tactical Platoons (or FTPs which numbered fewer than 35) that we heard about in episode 68 with former Ranger Battalion operator Patrick Kinsella. Farida, like all FTPs, had to pass a rigorous special operations selection process and were trained in CQB, a variety of firearms, and tactics, just like their male counterparts. She then went into battle alongside Rangers, ODAs, and Afghan Special Forces to give you an idea of the level of expertise required. We're also fortunate to have Taylor here to share parts of her story as a Cultural Support Team member (the FTP trainers) who not only trained women like Farida but who also went on the objective with Special Operations units. Taylor is a part of Sisters of Service, a non-profit formed by fellow CSTs to help evacuate Farida and other FTPs out of Afghanistan after everything fell apart and help them resettle in the US. It's a selfless organization and I hope by the end of this interview you'll find a way to contribute to their cause (and help women like Farida who were taking out HVTs in Afghanistan and now need to find a better life here in the US). I hope you enjoy this very special Combat Story with two very special operators as much as I did. #military #veteran Find Farida and Taylor Online: -Politico Article on FTPs: https://www.politico.com/interactives/2022/afghan-women-soldiers-taliban-us-refugees/ -Sisters of Service Website: www.sistersofservice.org Find Ryan Online: -To support Combat Story and get exclusive insights, head to Patreon www.patreon.com/combatstory -Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory -Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/ -Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory -Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial -Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial -Email [email protected] -Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus -Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro 0:54 - Guest Introduction (Farida Mohammadi and Taylor Holliday) 2:24 - Interview begins 7:37 - Growing up in Afghanistan with school 2 hours away, working on farm, and experiencing the Taliban 12:29 - Things Americans may not know about Afghanistan 15:02 - Why Farida joined the military even though it is not expected for women 18:21 - The type of work and missions FTPs would do 24:19 - Farida's first combat experience as an FTP 27:28 - Taylor's first combat expereince as a CST, serving women and children, and being nervous searching people 31:17 - Combat Story (Farida) - Being shot at by both Taliban and Afghanistan National Army while not having any ammunition 34:17 - Combat Story (Taylor) - Waking up to a firefight at the compound 36:30 - The burden and pressure of training FTPs to go into very dangerous missions 38:59 - The evacuation of Afghanistan 45:05 - Sisters of Service - Why they started and the work they are doing 50:26 - What did you carry into combat? 54:40 - Would you do it again? 55:36 - Letter from Patrick Kinsella about Farida as a soldier 59:51 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear a Combat Story that I've been looking forward to for years. As many listeners know, I closely followed the war in Afghanistan immediately following 9/11 and revered the Green Berets who rode into combat on horseback to take America's fight to the enemy. [Call to Action: Please refer your friends to www.trustsafetyinstitute.com if they're looking for high paying jobs where they can still help people and fight bad actors.] Today we hear from one of the very few men who was there, one of the Horse Soldiers as they've been called: Bob Pennington. Bob spent more than 30 years in the service, much of that with Special Forces, including kinetic operations in the Gulf War to one of the first teams on the ground in Afghanistan and more. He's a Distinguished Member of the Special Forces Regiment and in the Georgia Military Veterans' Hall of Fame. He and his Horse Soldier teammate Mark Nutsch have just released a book about their experiences in the days after 9/11 titled "Swords of Lightning: Green Beret Horse Soldiers and America's Response to 9/11." And if his life can't get any better, he and Mark are also principals in the company that produces Horse Soldier Bourbon. I hope you enjoy this inside look into what happened from 9/10 (the day before the world changed) through the some of the first operations on the ground in Afghanistan (and enjoy some of Bob's celebrity moments given his representation as a key role in the movie 12 Strong) as much as I did. #military #veteran #greenberet #horsesoldier Find Bob Online: -Instagram - Horse Soldier Bourbon @horsesoldierbourbon https://www.instagram.com/horsesoldierbourbon/ -Bob's Favorite Charities: Tunnels to Towers https://t2t.org/ and Land of the Free Foundation https://www.landofthefreefoundation.org/ Find Ryan Online: -To support Combat Story and get exclusive insights, head to Patreon www.patreon.com/combatstory -Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory -Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/ -Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory -Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial -Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial -Email [email protected] -Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus -Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro 0:42 - Guest Introduction (Bob Pennington) 2:07 – Thank you for supporting The Trust & Safety Institute 2:45 - Interview begins 4:02 - Meeting Chris Hemsworth and Michael Shannon for the 12 Strong movie 7:40 - Growing up with a father in the military and early interest in Green Berets 13:32 - Starting his career in Ranger Battalion after college 24:37 - Being a Warrant Officer in SF community 34:51 - Combat Story - Experience in the Gulf War 50:10 - Where he was when 9/11 happened 59:48 - Mindset at the time of 9/11 and being one of the teams picked for the mission in Afghanistan 1:12:45 - Combat Story - First operations on the ground in Afghanistan 1:38:31 - Swords of Lightning book backstory and information 1:43:42 - Horse Soldier Bourbon 1:49:42 - What did you carry into combat? 1:52:05 - Would you do it again? 1:54:11 - Help connect those who served with meaningful and great paying jobs after service 1:56:49 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the Combat Story of long-time Special Forces veteran, Ranger, and sniper Darrell Utt, who spent 26 years in the service, most of that in special operations across 10 deployments. Call to Action: For former military, government and law enforcement, if you're looking for a high paying and meaningful job, check out our Trust & Safety Institute at www.trustsafetyinstitute.com. Darrell tracked down PIFWICs (Persons Indicted for War Crimes) in Kosovo, was part of one of the craziest infils into Iraq you'll ever hear, used a honeypot to lure out an HVT, developed a devastatingly effective HUMINT network, and led countless kill/capture operations, taking down dozens of HVTs and detaining hundreds of extremists and their leaders. What's great about Darrell is that he always put himself in harm's way ahead of troops, which is not always the case. His ODA unit earned the coveted Larry Thorne award which goes to the best Special Forces unit for the work they did during one deployment to Iraq. Darrell himself earned the MG Robert T. Frederick "Top Operator" Award, which goes to the top Special Forces NCO. Since leaving the service, Darrell has taken on a role helping to build the future of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation, which is on a mission to deliver "education, leadership, and inspiring spaces for learning and reflection, to preserve, share, and harness the stories, lives, and impact of Medal of Honor recipients." I couldn't imagine anyone better to represent the stories and lives of our Medal of Honor brethren than Darrell. I hope you enjoy this interview chalked full of creative and gut-wrenching combat stories as much as I did. Find Darrell Online: - National Medal of Honor Museum https://mohmuseum.org/ Find Ryan Online: - To support Combat Story and get exclusive insights, head to Patreon www.patreon.com/combatstory - Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory - Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/ - Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory - Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial - Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial - Email [email protected] - Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus - Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro 0:47 - Guest Introduction (Darrell Utt) 2:28 – Introducing The Trust & Safety Institute 3:17 - Interview begins 7:04 – Growing up in West Virginia from humble beginnings 13:16 – The significance of Camp Dawson training center in West Virginia 17:02 – Wanting to join the Marines and what led him to the Army 24:23 – Joining in 1990 as Light Infantry and feeling like he was missing out on Gulf War 27:36 – Tracking down PIFWICs (Persons Indicted for War Crimes) in Kosovo 39:04 - The transition into Special Forces ODA 42:52 - Combat Story #1 - Operation Ugly Baby in Iraq 59:58 - Combat Story #2 - Operation Thor's Hammer 1:16:04 - Combat Story #3 - Darrell's "Happy to Be Alive" day story 1:49:30 - Combat Story #4 - Toughest day in Adhamiya ,Iraq in 2006 1:56:09 - Combat Story #5 - Carnage and violence in Adhamiya in 2007 1:59:49 - His work today with The Medal of Honor Foundation 2:07:08 - What did you carry into combat? 2:08:37 - Would you do it again? 2:11:28 - Help connect those who served with meaningful and great paying jobs after service 2:14:08 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear a very different Combat Story from Sergey Dyadkin, a Ukrainian patriot, Special Forces and Territorial Defense Force soldier fighting in Ukraine against Russia today. Help support Combat Story on Patreon. We have a special segement from this interview only available on our Patreon at www.patreon.com/combatstory Sergey fought back some of the first Russian incursions into Kiev and was in the city of Schastia in eastern Ukraine just 20 miles from the Russian border when the shelling, tanks, and invasion began. He captured some of the first Russian prisoners of the war and, you'll note in the discussion, treated them humanely, which we've seen is not the case for both sides in this war. We found Sergey thanks to Ryan Hendrickson, who many will recall from two previous Combat Story episodes where Ryan described having his leg mangled by an IED only to return to combat and earn a Silver Star. In true Ryan fashion, he voluntarily left the US and his life to help the people in Ukraine. While in Kiev, Ryan met Sergey and they connected over a shared Special Forces background. Sergey's Special Forces operational tempo was so high that he was sent to the Territorial Defense Forces to escort humanitarian aid efforts as a break! I hope you enjoy this important and unique insight into the experiences of a frontline soldier fighting against Russia who, at such a young age, can differentiate between the Russian people and a Russian tyrant, who can already forgive, and who just wishes people could go back to a peaceful co-existence. You'll notice we're using a translator. Sergey speaks English but I wanted him to be able to express himself more in his native language. We've also got Ryan Hendrickson just off-screen for most of the interview helping provide some additional context as his and Sergey's paths are now intertwined. For those listening and who aren't watching the video on YouTube or Spotify, Sergey is sitting at his Army base and wearing his military fatigues with his weapon slung throughout the interview, reminding us that when the interview ended and we all go back to our lives, he went back to war. This is one I'll never forget and I hope you enjoy this as much as I did. Find Ryan Online: Patreon Community Combat Story Merch Ryan's Linktree Instagram @combatstory Facebook @combatstoryofficial Send us messages Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro 0:51 - Guest Introduction (Sergey Dyadkin) 3:21 - Interview begins 4:27 - The role of the Territorial Defense Forces in the war in Ukraine 6:27 - Sergey as a kid growing up in Ukraine 12:40 - Training process to become Special Forces in Ukraine 16:12 - Combat Story #1 - First time in combat with a reconnaissance unit 20:55 - Combat Story #2 - Capturing some of the first Russian prisoners of the war 29:47 - What Sergey you like people to know about the experiences Ukrainian people 32:14 - What he thinks of President Zelensky 33:35 - We hear from Ryan Hendrickson 38:35 – Organizations that are helping and how to get involved 41:57 – Closing and special clip available on Combat Story Patreon

Today we hear an international Combat Story from Ray Klaassens, a Dutch Special Operator in the Commando Corps (KCT) and former Dutch General Intelligence Service (or AIVD) officer who spent years in combat zones fighting our very same enemies alongside American counterparts. [Join us on Patreon and become part of the Combat Story community at www.patreon.com/combatstory] Ray comes from very humble origins and the other side of the "canal" as he likes to say, overcoming so much to reach the pinnacle of intelligence and military units. Both KCT and AIVD, if you ask any American who served alongside them (including myself), are elite units that many of us would happily go down range with. Since leaving the service, Ray overcame even greater odds to create his company, Triangular Group, that provides de-risking and intelligence services for clients globally. I hope you enjoy this international Combat Story from humble roots to true success in military, intel, and business as much as I did. Find Ray Online: Ray's Linktree Instragram @rayklaassens Find Ryan Online: Patreon Community Combat Story Merch Ryan's Linktree Instagram @combatstory Facebook @combatstoryofficial Send us messages Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro 1:22 - Guest Introduction (Ray Klaassens) 2:21 - Interview begins 5:11 Growing up poor in the Netherlands 17:47 The process for becoming an officer in the Dutch military 24:44 About the different Dutch Special Forces and the KCT 33:07 What it was like in the Netherlands on 9/11 and how his commando training changed 38:14 Leading a team down range with very little intel 54:01 Story of engaging with a drunk guy in Afghanistan in order to get some information 56:37 Leading a team to find someone placing IEDs on the full moon 1:05:45 Switching from Special Forces to Intel Services AIBD as a secret service 1:20:50 Exiting Intel Services, starting the Triangular Group, and what they are doing today 1:33:47 - What did you carry into combat? 1:35:01 - Would you do it all again? 1:36:17 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the Combat Story of Travis Norby, who commanded a mechanized infantry company in Iraq early in the war. [NOTE: We're launching on Patreon NEXT WEEK. Register to get notified at https://www.combatstory.com/patreon] Travis is a long-time Combat Story listener who reached out to see if his non-special ops story would be worth our listener's time. As many of our most dedicated listeners know, as you write to me about this, we get many requests to share the stories of conventional soldiers and officers and what life was like for them while the Tier 1 and 2 units were running raids at night. This combat story delivers on what I believe is a very common experience for so many infantry officers in terms of how you lose soldiers and still show up, how you motivate people to keep going in the face of unending days of attacks, and how you lead with the soldier in mind and not your own career advancement. Travis' stories of leadership and loss give us unique insight into the world of an Infantry officer fighting in the post-9/11 era and I hope you enjoy this raw and very real Combat Story as much as we did. Find Travis Online: Instagram @travisjnorby Find Ryan Online: Combat Story Merch Ryan's Linktree Instagram @combatstory Facebook @combatstoryofficial Send us messages Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro 1:34 - Guest Introduction (Travis Norby) 2:33 - Interview begins 5:45 - Growing up on a farm in Montana 12:11- How the military entered the picture for Travis 22:18 - Joining and early days pre 911 32:41 - Where he was when 911 happened 37:37 - Going over to Iraq from Korea and being a staff guy on the FOB 43:38 - What changed his mind when he was ready to get out of the army but took company commander position instead 51:46 - The company structure and equipment at his disposal 54:03 - Combat Story #1 - First combat experience and having to take over for prior leadership 1:02:22 – Combat Story #2 - A goose chase 1:06:29 Combat Story #3 - Emotional story losing one of his guys 1:24:11 - The historic significance of his deployment from Korea to Iraq and the importance of conventional officers 1:28:23 - What did you carry into combat? 1:30:17 - Would you do it all again? 1:30:55 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the Combat Story of Patrick Kinsella and his five deployments with 1st Ranger Battalion to Iraq and Afghanistan. [NOTE: We're launching on Patreon soon. Register to get notified at https://www.combatstory.com/patreon] Not only do we get to hear of Patrick's first hand combat experience, which includes nighttime raids on HVTs and Mi-17 crashes, but he also gives us a glimpse into one of the most interesting and relatively unheard of group of special operators in the war: the Afghan Army's Female Tactical Platoons (FTP). Patrick spent years fighting in Afghanistan but found his time training and leading the brave women of the FTPs to be the most rewarding. The FTPs were Afghan women who volunteered to go through special operations training and selection programs, from basic marksmanship to fast roping to explosives training and more, and who would go out in the darkness with US Special Operations Forces on target. Patrick continues to support the women of the FTPs who were evacuated from Afghanistan in 2021 to help them find a place in the US and share their incredible stories. We'll share some resources to help these women who sacrificed so much for us to make a life here in the US now. I hope you enjoy this selfless Combat Story about so much more than just one man as much as I did. If you'd like to support these brave and selfless women of the FTP, you can go to www.sistersofservice.org. Find Patrick Online: Instagram @pkins175 https://www.instagram.com/pkins175/ Sisters of Service https://sistersofservice.org/ Find Ryan online: Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/ Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 0:57 - Guest introduction (Patrick Kinsella) 2:17 - Interview begins 6:26 - Growing up on military bases and an early love of wildlife 9:52 - Becoming interested in joining the military and choosing the Army 20:47 - Funny story of Patrick's first operation downrange with 1st Battalion 29:02 - What the Ready Room was like where he was located 31:08 - Combat Story #1 - An ambush at an Iraqi checkpoint and feeling like someone was watching over them 39:49 - First deployment to Afghanistan working with a Delta team and the scariest thing that happened to him in his military career 52:08 - Combat Story #2 - A gunfight and a chase with dogs employed in Afghanistan 1:02:55 - The call to get out and knowing when you are not going to re-enlist 1:04:41 - Afghan Army's Female Tactical Platoons (FTP) - Patrick's experience fighting alongside and then later recruiting and training the women 1:17:10 - Why this experience was so rewarding for him 1:24:08 - How people can help and make a positive impact on these women's lives today 1:29:05 - What did you carry into combat? 1:30:33 - Would you do it all again? 1:37:07 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we take a historical look at the Battle of Actium, a huge naval battle off the coast of Greece that determined the future of what we know as the Roman Empire. We welcome Cornell University's Professor Barry Strauss back to the podcast to bring another epic battle to life (listeners will remember him from our deep dive into the life of a well known Spartan warrior named Brasidas). Barry is a Professor of History and Classics at Cornell University, Series Editor of Princeton's Turning Points in Ancient History, author of eight books, and a military and naval historian and consultant. Professor Strauss is a recognized authority on the subject of leadership and the lessons that can be learned from the experiences of the greatest political and military leaders of the ancient world (Caesar, Hannibal, Alexander among many others). This particular battle and the lead up to it involved some of the iconic names we've all heard from history like Cleopatra, Mark Anthony, Octavian Cesar, and Julius Cesar. We also learn about Rome's most decorated Naval Commander, Admiral Agrippa and how he defeats a numerically superior force. Barry's newest book "The War that Made the Roman Empire" brings this battle and the personalities to life. Those who appreciate our combat stories will enjoy hearing about how battles were fought on the open sea at this time and some of the tactics that each side had to use. While some of the military tactics have changed, the overarching military, political, and diplomatic strategy have not, to include the use of information warfare. I hope you enjoy this combat story from history as much as I did. Find Barry Online: Website https://barrystrauss.com/ Author of The War that Made the Roman Empire: Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian at Actium Facebook Twitter @barrystrauss Podcaster, ANTIQUITAS: Leaders and Legends of the Ancient World Find Ryan Online Combat Story Merch Ryan's Linktree Instagram @combatstory Facebook @combatstoryofficial Send us messages Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro 0:19 - Guest and topic introduction (Barry Strauss) 1:33 - Interview begins 2:27 - Working at Cornell and how this book came to be 4:25 – Background on the time period, the Roman Empire, and the part of the world the battle takes place 10:51 The historical personalities – Cleopatra, Mark Antony, and Octavian 26:12 - Can we trust the history books? 27:51 - The important military figure, Admiral Agrippa 31:09 - The naval battle and strategy of Naval warfare 38:16 - Tactical decisions made by both sides 40:26 - How the battle evolved and happened in just one day 46:52 -Surprising findings while doing research 51:04 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear a special Combat Story of one of the military's most revered leaders who many have never heard of (but should). This is the experience of retired Colonel Bill Ostlund, a beloved mentor and leader developer who served 35 years in the Army working his way up from a private and growing into combat command in some of the bloodiest fighting of any unit in the post-9/11 era. [NOTE: We're launching on Patreon soon. Register to get notified at https://www.combatstory.com/patreon] Bill's command in Kunar Province, recounted countless times in dozens of books including Sebastian Junger's War and the documentary Restrepo, resulted in over 400 awards for valor and three Medals of Honor (all living honorees). This episode is an embarrassment of riches for those who want to know what real leadership looks like; what the Burden of Command actually means; how you show up after losing a soldier six hours into a 15 month deployment; or leading joint SpecOps task forces with Delta, DEVGRU, 160th, and other Tier 1 elements over thousands of operations. Bill Ostlund will remind so many listeners of Todd Opalski in how he cared for and treated his soldiers and explains why, so many years later, his soldiers and officers still seek his advice as they step into greater roles of responsibility in the military and their personal lives. I'm honored to have had a chance to spend this time with what so many think of as the pinnacle of battlefield leadership and hope you enjoy this Combat Story on leadership as much as I did. Find Ryan Online Combat Story Merch Ryan's Linktree Instagram @combatstory Facebook @combatstoryofficial Send us messages Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro 0:40 - Guest introduction (Bill Ostlund) 1:31 - Interview begins 3:44 - The jump into Iraq in March 2003 with almost 1000 paratroopers 12:09 - Bill's perspective on the current conflict in Ukraine 17:32 - Childhood and getting into the military 42:19 - Combat Story #1 - Lightning in the Storm Air Assault and leadership lessons learned 1:06:49 - Instilling expectation in his soldiers and his love of soldiers 1:26:57 - Combat Story #2 – Troops in Contact 6 hours into 15 month mission after just taking command 1:37:08 - Awards process and how combat provides a unique opportunity for leaning and growth 1:49:30 Combat Story #3 - Battle of Wanat 2:08:48 – Feeling about now having a son in the military 2:10:09 - What did you carry into combat/interrogations? 2:11:41 - Would you do it all again? 2:15:23 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the Combat Story of Jim Horn, former Marine Corps Platoon and Company Commander and 25 year FBI Agent. [We're launching on Patreon soon. Register to get notified at https://www.combatstory.com/patreon] Jim did two tours in Vietnam surviving near death experiences on several occasions. He earned a Silver Star in a company on company-level battle on remote hilltops fighting suicide attackers, recoiless rifles, rockets, and calling in danger close rounds and air strikes. After the Marine Corps, Jim went onto a fascinating career in the field as an FBI Agent that included work with SWAT, a violent crime profiler, and leading the Bureau's trauma program. Jim doesn't hold back when sharing the special bonds he experienced with his fellow Marines holding the line in these profound but common battles so far from home and I hope you enjoy these down-to-earth and Oklahoman stories as much as I did. Special thanks to Combat Story listener Terry B for suggesting Jim as a guest on the show. Find Ryan Online Combat Story Merch Ryan's Linktree Instagram @combatstory Facebook @combatstoryofficial Send us messages Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 0:40 - Guest introduction (Jim Horn) 1:31 - Interview begins 1:58 - How his dad's guilt over not serving in World War II influenced his decision fight in the Vietnam War 18:57 - Shipping out to Vietnam and immediately becoming a platoon leader 35:01 - Combat Story #1- First time in combat and taking in the arm from friendly fire 38:27 - The three things that you need to lead Marines 44:42 - A tough first tour and survivor's guilt 50:22 - The incredible leadership and Marines he fought with 1:00:57 - Combat Story #2 - Silver Star event 1:16:35 - The perceptual distortion that happens in combat 1:31:13 - Jim's time in the FBI and what makes a great profiler 1:45:48- What did you carry into combat/interrogations? 1:48:30 - Would you do it all again? 1:55:16 - Listener comments and shout outs

Today we hear the Combat Story of James Rosone, best known as a bestselling author but who also interrogated terrorists in Iraq on the frontlines before picking up the pen. [NOTE: We're launching on Patreon soon. Register to get notified at https://www.combatstory.com/patreon] James was "inside the booth" conducting tactical interrogations down range and feeding intel on dangerous routes, IED makers, and High Value Targets to coalition forces (up to Tier 1) on a daily basis. Like so many vets, he dealt with the deep regret of feeling like he didn't do enough and, for years, accepting the blame when an American lost an arm breaching a target he developed or worse, losing a life on the objective. After leaving the service, James found his calling as an author, in part as a way to handle his PTSD. We talk about his experiences with psychedelics and other treatment options he used to keep his demons at bay. He's gone on to write 26 books ranging from a memoir titled Interview with a Terrorist to his well known military and espionage thrillers like the Monroe Doctrine. He's now sharing his writing experience with other vets to help them become successful authors. I hope you enjoy this deep dive into the world of an interrogator at the height of the surge to becoming a wildly successful author as much as I did. Find James online: Books by James Rosone Facebook Rosone and Watson Find Ryan online: Ryan's Linktree Instagram @combatstory Facebook @combatstoryofficial Send us messages Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 1:18 - Guest introduction (James Rosone) 2:30 - Interview begins 11:20 - Early experience in the Guard and the moment after 9/11 he knew he would go active duty 23:57 - The interrogation opportunity comes and training experience 39:09 - Traits that make a really good interrogator 41:46 - What happens after an interrogation 48:59 - What an interrogator does to prep 54:50 - First interrogation experience 1:02:55 - The responsibility felt to people outside the wire 1:17:19 - The dynamic on the FOB 1:22:23 - The biggest case he ever had and false flag interrogation 1:30:23 - His toughest case interrogating a 15 year old kid 1:44:43 - Facing demons and PTSD after coming home 1:51:43 – His first book and how pouring himself into writing helped 2:02:21 - Trying alternative treatments like psychedelics for PTSD 2:17:02 - What James is working on now 2:22:51- What did you carry into combat/interrogations? 2:25:00 - Would you do it all again? 2:34:23 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the Combat Story of Karl Erickson, a long time Green Beret, expert sniper, and retired Sergeant Major, who deployed pre- and post-9/11, including into Afghanistan just after the Twin Towers fell to hunt Bin Laden. [NOTE: We're launching on Patreon soon. Register to get notified at https://www.combatstory.com/patreon] After the military, Karl took his decades of teaching as a Green Beret into the civilian world and has a huge online following for his Tactical Rifleman brand and I can see why. In this episode, we dive into the deep, deep details of being a sniper in combat, to include taking a sniper shot at night just before breaching a target (scopes, windage, aerodynamics, countdowns for simultaneous shots, round selection, and more), which is just a glimpse of what he shares with his followers online. Karl is a natural born storyteller and I know you'll enjoy this hilarious and deeply technical Combat Story as much as I did. Find Karl online: Instagram @tactical_rifleman Twitter @TacRifleman Facebook TacticalRifleman.com Find Ryan online: Ryan's Linktree Merch Instagram @combatstory Facebook @combatstoryofficial Send us messages or email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 0:38 - Guest introduction (Karl Erickson) 1:30 - Interview begins 6:15 – Making Sergeant Major and being an Operator at Headquarters 15:38 - Childhood as self-proclaimed "juvenile delinquent" and when he knew he wanted to be a Green Beret 30:3 - How the lack of mentor influenced his career path 40:31 - What makes a good sniper 44:15 - Feelings in Desert Storm 53:58 - Combat Story #1 - Gunfight in Afghanistan 1:07:20 - Technical description of shooting with a suppressor 1:10 - Shooting in the dark 1:14:38 - First time having somebody in a scope for real 1:20:42 - Combat Story #2 1:39:28: - About Tactical Rifleman project 1:55:11- What did you carry into combat? 1:56:24 - Would you do it all again? 2:01:14 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear a special Combat Story of Edward Fugit, my old man, who flew Hueys in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia just after the Tet Offensive. [NOTE: We're launching on Patreon soon. Register to get notified at https://www.combatstory.com/patreon] This is a special edition for me personally as long time listeners have heard me refer to my old man and his stories and our similar career paths on several occasions. I wasn't sure I'd be able to do this interview given how close it was to home and I'm so glad I did. From a very young age I remember hearing these stories of my dad in the cockpit and vividly remember looking at his Silver Star and Distinguished Flying Cross on the mantle, wearing his green flight suit when I played Army, and then hugging him before I shipped out to my own war as a combat aviator. His experiences in Vietnam will sound like something from Hollywood's We Were Soldiers where green but determined young aviators flew into hot LZs time and again risking everything for their ground brethren. We also touch on what it was like flying SOG into combat zones on operations nobody would hear about for decades and what it was like to be at the negotiating table as a diplomat with Kissinger at the height of the Cold War in Moscow. I really hope you enjoy this close to home Combat Story with a real hero of mine that was then edited by his grandson. Find Ryan online: Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 1:06 - Guest introduction (Ed Fugit) 2:22 - Interview begins 2:59 - Growing up in NJ and early interest in political science 7:43 - A family history in the military 12:31 - When and how aviation came into the picture 20:10 - A "never quit anything" mentality 22:12 - Flight school experience 27:57 - Feelings going in to Vietnam within the units and that moment in American history 36:36 - Differences in how the Army was structured at that time vs. today 47:37 - The three kinds of missions in Vietnam 53:23 - Combat Story #1 - Silver Star operation in Vietnam 1:09:02 - Intense Special Ops missions with SOG and 1st Airmobile Division 1:31:12 - Combat Story #2 – Incident that made the front of the New York Times 1:50:08 - Combat Story #3 - DFC event 1:58:35 - Stories from time in state department 2:05:48 - Going back to Vietnam in 2017 and thoughts about sons joining the 2:13: - What did you carry into combat? 2:14:16 - Would you do it all again? 2:17:11 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the Combat Story of Aiden Aslin, a UK citizen who deployed multiple times into conflict zones to fight ISIS in Syria and Russia in Ukraine. [NOTE: We're launching on Patreon soon. Register to get notified at https://www.combatstory.com/patreon] Aiden was not part of the British military. He simply decided the people in Syria being terrorised by ISIS needed more support and found a way to get down range to help. During his multiple deployments into Syria fighting with other westerners against ISIS and nearly dying, Aiden had been following events in Ukraine. He again decided, instead of sitting safely in the UK, to step up and fight for people who needed help. Today, Aiden is officially part of the Ukrainian military. We had to record this particular interview quickly before Aiden deployed to the frontlines again, where he is now. His Instagram account (cossackgundi) is worth a look too where's amassed 20K followers and describes himself as a "British guy Rocking it out in the Ukrainian marines" with what he calls "Warzone Photography" and "Conflict news". I hope you enjoy this humble and understated Combat Story of someone who left everything behind to help others in two vastly different conflicts as much as I did. Find Aiden online: Instagram @cossackgundi https://www.instagram.com/cossackgundi/ Twitter @cossackgundi https://mobile.twitter.com/cossackgundi Find Ryan online: Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 0:50 - Guest introduction (Aiden Aslin) 1:56 - Interview begins 2:16 - Current location and mindset getting ready for another deployment 5:04 - Childhood and working with adults with special needs 11:55 - Leaving safety and social work to go to Syria 19:46 - Deciding to go to war and getting into Syria 34:19 - Training and first time on the frontline making contact with enemy 41:03 - Combat Story #1 First real contact and feeling positive after the outcome 45:52 - Combat Story #2 A friendly fire incident that left him with panic attacks 1:05:31 - Returning to Syria despite traumatic experiences 1:11:35 - Combat Story #2 Ukraine conflict and joining Ukrainian Marines 1:25:32 - What did you carry into combat? 1:26:13 - Would you do it all again? 1:28:47 - Advice for someone considering this type of path 1:32:57 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the remarkable Combat Story of Derek Herrera, a former Marine Special Operator who led Marines in Iraq, Haiti, the Middle East and Afghanistan. While on a MARSOC operation in Afghanistan, he was shot and paralyzed. [NOTE: We're launching on Patreon soon. Register to get notified at https://www.combatstory.com/patreon] Derek is another one of these guys that just makes you feel lazy and that he has more time in a day than you do. Rather than give up after being injured, he medically retired from the Corps and has achieved significant success while continuing to serve others. He's the President of the Board of Directors of the Marine Raider Foundation, Chairman of the Board of MedTechVets, founder of Habit Camera and UroDev Medical (formerly Spinal Singularity), a keynote speaker, and host of the FORWARD podcast. Derek is the real deal who spends all his time putting others ahead of himself and I know you'll enjoy his inspiring Combat Story as much as I did. Find Derek Online: His Linktree has a ton of online links: https://linktr.ee/derekherrera Instagram @derek_herrera https://www.instagram.com/derek_herrera/?hl=en LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekherrera/ Find Ryan Online: Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 0:41 - Guest introduction (Derek Herrera) 1:37 - Interview begins 3:31 - Having an entrepreneurial spirit since childhood 9:32 – A military family and wanting to be a Navy Seal 13:28 - The Navy Seal selection process and not making it 21:08 - Mindset going into the Marine Corps 28:06 - First deployment primarily doing raids in Iraq 40:23 - A full-circle moment helping the Navy Seals as a Marine 45:11 - Deciding to go the Special Ops route in the Marines 53:52 - First and only deployment as Special Operator in Afghanistan and what his missions were like 1:04:58 Combat Story – The operation that changed his life and left him paralyzed from the chest down 1:12:58 - Reaction to learning he was paralyzed and how he found a way to stay in military 1:18:53 - Deciding to transition out of the military and finding passion and purpose in business 1:27:44 – The Marine Raider Foundation 1:35:18 - What did you carry into combat? 1:37:24 - Would you do it all again? 1:39:44 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the Combat Story of Sean "Buck" Rogers, a former Green Beret who served multiple deployments with various units, including 10th Special Forces Group, after escaping an incredibly difficult and harsh childhood. [NOTE: We're launching on Patreon soon. Register to get notified at https://www.combatstory.com/patreon] Buck transitioned to 19th Special Forces Group and eventually joined the law enforcement ranks, including time with SWAT. Since leaving the military and law enforcement, Sean has written a best selling book titled 'Rising Above: A Green Beret's Story of Childhood Trauma and Ultimate Healing', became an ultramarathoner, founded the FNG Academy, and now produces content and leads a community trying to help other aspiring special operations candidates succeed in selection and the Special Forces and Special Operations worlds. Buck is working on getting his second book published and has several interesting irons in the fire that we touch on in this episode. I hope you enjoy this real and raw Combat Story with someone who's overcome so much and maintains an overwhelmingly positive attitude as much as I did. Guest Online Information Instagram @seanbuckrogers YouTube Website Book Rising Above Ryan Online Information Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 0:56 - Guest introduction (Sean Buck Rogers) 1:56 - Interview begins 2:11 - Origin of his call sign, "Buck" 11:30 - Sean's traumatic and impactful childhood 27:59 - The events that lead to him signing up and his unconventional path to Special Forces Selection 41:39 - First time in Afghanistan at base but not yet in gunfight 46:36 - First time outside the wire and a glimpse of how Green Berets operate 52:43 - Combat Story #1 – Example of challenges Green Berets face working with commandos 1:03:35 - Combat Story #2 – High-pressure negotiation in the field with the Afghan commandos 1:07:13 - Combat Story #3 - Feeling like he's being watched and narrowly missing an IED 1:11:09 - Combat Story #4 – The high speed action he signed up for 1:16:38 - The origin and mission of FNG podcast and YouTube channel 1:24:43 - Process for making an FNG video and Sean's favorite videos 1:31:35 - Writing the book "Rising Above" and what his new book will be about 1:37:09 - Mentors and father figures 1:40:00 - What did you carry into combat? 1:42:17 - Would you do it all again? 1:43:31 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the Combat Story of Kim "KC" Campbell, a retired Air Force Colonel and A-10 Fighter Pilot. NOTE: Combat Story is launching a Patreon account later this month. Sign-up here: https://www.combatstory.com/patreon Kim racked up over 1.8K flight hours in the Warthog; 375 of those in combat across more than 100 combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. She also has one of the coolest call signs ever: Killer Chick. For anyone who's been on the ground and seen an A-10 on a gun run, you can understand why so many ground pounders love this platform. For Apache pilots, the A-10 is our fixed wing cousin and we feel a very close affinity with this incredible machine. Outside the cockpit, Kim led the Air Force Academy's Center for Character and Leadership Development and, since retiring, has carried that expertise to the private sector where she provides leadership development training and team engagement. She's also a keynote and motivational speaker. Kim, like many fighter pilots, is driven, dedicated, and successful. She's delivered rounds on target in heated battles and narrowly avoided death, including being hit with a Surface to Air Missile. I hope you enjoy this insightful Combat Story from the cockpit of THE Killer Chick as much as I did. Find Kim Online: Website LinkedIN Twitter @kchawg987 Ryan Online Information Ryan's Linktree Instagram @combatstory Facebook @combatstoryofficial Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 1:01 - Guest introduction (Kim "KC" Campbell) 2:10 - Interview begins 2:46 - Origin of her fighter pilot call sign 7:30 - Early years and what enamored her with flight 12:55 - Why Air Force Academy? 18:18 - Choosing her aircraft 22:14 - Where she was on 911 and how it changed her training 24:43 - Going to Afghanistan immediately after training 27:23 - A quiet first combat mission in Afghanistan 34:48 - Firing from the A-10 for the first time 44:05 - Combat Story #1 - First kinetic operation in Iraq 50:30 - Combat Story #2 - The mission that was a defining moment 1:18:18 - Combat Story #3 - In combat as a flight lead 1:29:47 - Leadership development, team building, and powerful leadership advice 1:40:22 - What did you carry into combat? 1:44:31 - Would you do it all again? 1:46:07 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! This is a special crossover episode where Combat Story's Ryan Fugit was interviewed on The Team House by Jack Murphy (Combat Story Episode #13 https://youtu.be/ScqnGbPSfhY) and David Parke (Combat Story Episode #53 https://youtu.be/CmmGixV06rc). So many people have asked to hear Ryan's story and he was waiting for the right interviewer. It only seemed right to have the Team House do the honors and it did not disappoint! I hope you enjoy this deep dive into Ryan's background growing up, combat in Afghanistan, and CIA ops. Find Ryan online: Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today, we hear the second part of the fascinating Combat Story of Firat Batman, a Swedish citizen from Kurdish roots who left his relatively quiet and safe life in Sweden to join the YPG and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) to fight ISIS. [Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Loansteady LLC. A small-by-design lender, Loansteady believes in bringing a much-needed dose of humanity to the mortgage process. They are waiving all lender fees for Veterans in 2021. Visit http://www.loansteady.com/combatstory to request a rate quote or start an application. Loansteady LLC, All rights reserved, NMLS# 1701910, (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/), Equal Housing Lender. For more licensing information, please visit https://www.loansteady.com/licenses-and-legal] We left off in Part 1 when Firat returns to Sweden from Syria following his first deployment just after experiencing the carnage of walking through a town that had been recently abandoned by ISIS, including the blood stains on the walls where groups were executed and rooms that reeked of dead bodies left to rot. In Sweden, Firat, like many veterans, has difficulty assimilating back into regular life and hears of a friend who passed away fighting in Syria. This second round is all about Firat's subsequent journeys back to the frontlines and the experiences fighting an enemy that would rather blow themselves up then surrender. I hope you enjoy this Combat Story as much as I did. Find Firat Online: Instagram @tactikurdbruh Find Ryan Online: Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 0:50 - A word from our Sponsor (LoanSteady) 2:19 - Guest introduction (Firat Batman) 3:18 - Interview begins 4:29 - Emotions after coming home from first rotation 10:21 - News of losing his friend expediting his return to the fight 16:23 - What it was like to go back to the frontlines 19:28 - Difference in mindset coming back vs the first time 32:06 - Combat Story #1 First engagement after coming back 39:19 - Hearing guys dying or close to it via radio 49:17 - Moving between lines to bring support and treat people medically 1:00:33 - Combat Story #2 Intense engagement while bringing support to others 1:15:50 - Funny story about talking to enemy from shelter across the line 1:18:48 - A direct experience and description of ISIS armies 1:21:25 - The only 2 people captured by ISIS and survived 1:27:40 - Protecting people you love from going into combat 1:3524 - What did you carry into combat? 1:37:01 - Would you do it all again? 1:41:41 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today, we hear the Combat Story of Firat Batman, a Swedish citizen from Kurdish roots who spent years with the YPG and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) fighting one of the most vile terrorist groups of our time: ISIS. [Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Loansteady LLC. A small-by-design lender, Loansteady believes in bringing a much-needed dose of humanity to the mortgage process. They are waiving all lender fees for Veterans in 2021. Visit http://www.loansteady.com/combatstory to request a rate quote or start an application. Loansteady LLC, All rights reserved, NMLS# 1701910, (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/), Equal Housing Lender. For more licensing information, please visit https://www.loansteady.com/licenses-and-legal.] I found Firat when his friend, another Swede turned freedom fighter named Mike, reached out. Mike's introductory email sums up Firat perfectly: "I am writing you for a friend of mine who would never reach out but his story is amazing. He spent years fighting ISIS in Syria with the YPG. He is not a war tourist!! He left Sweden for Syria after ISIS murdered his cousins and uncle in Syria." Firat fought alongside coalition forces on the front lines liberating cities from ISIS control. He did this, however, with very few resources, training, ammunition, funding, and support. What he witnessed in terms of ISIS brutality is horrific and has left its scars. He has an amazing story that will inspire anyone who wonders how you can change your life and do something about the evil things in this world. I hope you enjoy this Combat Story as much as I did. This is the first in a two part interview with Firat to make sure we spend sufficient time in his multiple deployments. Find Firat Online: Instagram @tactikurdbruh Find Ryan online: Ryan's Linktree Instagram @combatstory Facebook @combatstoryofficial Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 1:01 - A word from our Sponsor (LoanSteady) 2:27 - Guest introduction (Firat Batman) 4:01 - Interview begins 4:35 - Early family life living in Sweden with Kurdish background 10:03 - Being an immigrant and having family in Syria when ISIS formed 14:34 - The personal experience that draws you into the military 21:53 - A memorable ride to the airport to deploy 29:59 - Writing a letter to your mom in case you don't come back 33:56 - Arriving in Kurdistan, the land of his people, for the first time 39:05 - Going straight to the Syrian border after just arriving in Iraq 56:34 - Initial training experiences 1:15:13 - The first time he was told to bring his weapon and be ready 1:21:18 – First time in contact and what it was like to see ISIS remains 1:27:18 – Lead up to his first major operation 1:34:14 - First conflict with ISIS 1:46:33 – The carnage ISIS left behind 1:57:39 - What it was like going back home to Sweden for the first time 2:01:40 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the Combat Story of David Parke, a former Army Ranger and Sniper Team Leader, Navy diver, and Paramilitary Contractor, who spent almost 10 years in Iraq and Afghanistan post-9/11. [Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Loansteady LLC. A small-by-design lender, Loansteady believes in bringing a much-needed dose of humanity to the mortgage process. They are waiving all lender fees for Veterans in 2021. Visit http://www.loansteady.com/combatstory to request a rate quote or start an application. Loansteady LLC, All rights reserved, NMLS# 1701910, (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/), Equal Housing Lender. For more licensing information, please visit https://www.loansteady.com/licenses-and-legal.] During his time down range as a contractor, he earned the ODNI's National Intelligence Medal for Valor, which the ODNI describes as being given "in connection with an Intel Community mission to national security" and awarded on a "highly selective and rare basis." David now co-hosts The Team House, which livestreams interviews with special operators, intel professionals, and more. I'm a big fan of the Team House and you can check out our Combat Story interview with David's co-host Jack Murphy (Episode 13 https://youtu.be/ScqnGbPSfhY). David has written two books and appeared in several TV shows as an actor. I hope you enjoy this Combat Story with another battle-tested fighter as much as I did. Find David Online: Instagram @d.parke https://www.instagram.com/d.parke/ LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/daveparke11b/ The Team House Podcast Find Ryan Online: Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro 0:41 - A word from our Sponsor (LoanSteady) 2:09 - Guest introduction (David Parke) 3:02 - Interview begins 3:27 - Getting attacked on a NYC subway in 2020 13:30 - David as a kid, his natural curiosity, and life before the military 18:08 - Why the Marines? 21:04 - From Marines to Navy Diver 26:59 - Going through Army boot camp at 27 years old 34:46 - His transition into linguist role 43:06 - Being in DLI training when 9/11 happened 46:49 - Fear of Missing the War 51:18 - What interrogations at Guantanamo were actually like 59:32 - Early mission sets in Afghanistan 1:11:23- Combat Story #1 - An unexpected (and funny) outcome in Iraq 1:15:43 - Combat Story #2 - the mission where David earned the ODNI National Intelligence Medal for Valor 1:27:54 - Combat Story #3 – The lighter side and things you can't help but laugh at 1:28:58 – Team House origin story 1:44:54 - What did you carry into combat? 1:46:02 - Would you do it all again? 1:47:27 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the Combat Story of Travis Hall, an Army Ranger and Special Forces Green Beret who survived 18 combat deployments post-9/11 to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Niger. You heard that correctly: 18 deployments. Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Loansteady LLC. A small-by-design lender, Loansteady believes in bringing a much-needed dose of humanity to the mortgage process. They are waiving all lender fees for Veterans in 2021. Visit http://www.loansteady.com/combatstory to request a rate quote or start an application. Loansteady LLC, All rights reserved, NMLS# 1701910, (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/), Equal Housing Lender. For more licensing information, please visit https://www.loansteady.com/licenses-and-legal. Travis was an 18D (Special Forces Medic) and one of the first K-9 handlers deployed with the Green Berets in combat. He's been in day long firefights, run both high and low vis ops, trained thousands of partner forces, and survived some incredibly difficult operations. Travis founded Second Chance K9, which is a rescue organization that pairs working military dogs with special operations veterans suffering from PTSD. He also runs Second Chance Medical Consulting, where he provides private and semi-private training on firearms and medical aid. After 18 deployments over almost two decades, Travis' positive approach to life and his focus on making people's (and dogs') lives better is tangible. I hope you enjoy this Combat Story of someone who spent many years deep in our wars (with and without a dog at his side) as much as I did. And if you do enjoy it, I hope you'll subscribe and leave a positive review (it would mean a lot). Find Travis Online: Travis' Linktree Second Chance K9 Donate to Second Chance K9 Instagram @secondchancek9 Facebook @2CK9SD YouTube Ryan: Instagram @combatstory Show Notes/Time Stamps 0:00 - Intro 0:40 - A word from our Sponsor (LoanSteady) 2:10 - Guest introduction (Travis Hall) 3:16 - Interview begins 6:40 - Travis and a childhood WITHOUT (surprisingly) animals 10:56 - A family military history and a SEAL contract 17:46 - Why Green Berets? 20:04 - Fear of Missing the War 26:20 - Combat Story #1 - Arriving in country and immediately in a fight 30:21 - What's a Low Vis mission profile? 39:27 - Combat Story #2 - Brutal fighting in Kandahar, Afghanistan 44:15 - Combat Story #3 - Lighter/funnier side of combat and being mistaken for a local 51:37 - Combat Story #4 - Life as an 18D Special Forces Medic 56:23 - Combat Story #5 - Treating himself downrange 1:01:45 - Travis' documentary to support veterans 1:04:29 - Being one of the first SF K9 handlers 1:11:31 - Combat Story #6 - Travis and his K9 Bear in Iraq 1:25:59 - Origin of Second Chance K9 1:33:54 - What did you carry into combat? 1:36:12 - Would you do it all again? 1:39:44 - Listener comments and shout outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the Combat Story of Erick Miyares, a retired Sergeant Major who spent nearly 30 years in the military in the pre- and post-9/11 era. Erick was a Marine, Marine sniper, part of 7th Special Forces Group, and then spent over 20 years in Tier 1 Special Mission Units. [Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Loansteady LLC. A small-by-design lender, Loansteady believes in bringing a much-needed dose of humanity to the mortgage process. They are waiving all lender fees for Veterans in 2021. Visit http://www.loansteady.com/combatstory to request a rate quote or start an application. Loansteady LLC, All rights reserved, NMLS# 1701910, (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/), Equal Housing Lender. For more licensing information, please visit https://www.loansteady.com/licenses-and-legal.] Erick has been shot (with small arms and rockets), run singleton and low vis missions, operated in multiple theaters and countries, and cheated death (and capture and compromise) on numerous occasions. He's only recently separated from the service and stepped "out of the shadows" to where he can discuss some of the aspects of these clandestine and secretive roles and the toll it takes on a person. Erick uses his experience and the hard lessons he learned to drive Echo9.axiom and Echo9.hopes with a specific mission to prevent the suicide of Veterans after having lost two close friends in 2019. This is a fantastic interview that dives into what's involved in the shadowy world of intel and reconnaissance at the elite level. I hope you enjoy this vulnerable and introspective Combat Story with Erick as much as I did. Find Erick Online: LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/erick-miyares/ Instagram Echo9.axiom https://www.instagram.com/echo9.axiom/?hl=en Instagram Echo9.hopes https://www.instagram.com/echo9.hopes/?hl=en Find Ryan online: Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 0:55 - LoanSteady - A word from our sponsor 2:22 - Guest introduction 3:28 - Interview begins 6:30 - Growing up in Hialeah (Miami) 17:13 - The idea of the military 28:00 - Once a Marine, always a Marine 37:08 - Combat Story in South America with 7th Special Forces Group 47:39 - The buildup of PTSD 55:40 - Invited to Selection 1:05:14 - Combat Story with an RPG in Ramadi 1:17:10 - Losing two friends from the Tier 1 community to suicide 1:40:44 - Echo9 Axiom and Hopes 1:49:32 - What did you carry with you into combat? 1:51:19 - Would you do it all again?

A short tribute to the Veterans who spent years away from families to serve. In their own words. And a thank you to the families that made it possible. Thanks to our guests: @kellergamutresolutions @tipofthespearrmh @mindfulfrogman @mentalkingmindfulness @woundedbywar @mark.a.wales @kill_kapture @vansanttyrtactical @allsecurefoundation @thisis.mikehayes @danpronk @drtonybrooks @raymcpadden1 Happy Veterans Day!

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we have a special Veterans Day 50th Episode of Combat Story from Vincent Speranza, who was a paratrooper in the storied 101st Airborne Division in World War II. Vince was a machine gunner at the Battle of the Bulge where he and his fellow paratroopers held Bastogne after being encircled by the Germans. [Sponsor: This episode is brought to you by Loansteady LLC. A small-by-design lender, Loansteady believes in bringing a much-needed dose of humanity to the mortgage process. With their experience, agility, and creativity at Loansteady, they offer better rates, a simpler process and a much stronger personal connection. They're here to find a mortgage that works for you, not the other way around. They are waiving all lender fees for Veterans in 2021. Visit http://www.loansteady.com/combatstory to request a rate quote or start an application. Loansteady LLC, All rights reserved, NMLS# 1701910, (www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org/), Equal Housing Lender. For more licensing information, please visit https://www.loansteady.com/licenses-and-legal.] While fighting, Vince earned a Bronze Star and Purple Heart, but he's gone down in history for being the GI who miraculously found and transported draft beer in his helmet from the last standing bar in Bastogne during the attack. This story later became the basis for Airborne beer, which can be purchased throughout Belgium and is designed to be enjoyed from a small ceramic cup shaped like a WWII helmet. Vince, in the last 10 years, has written a book, aptly titled "Nuts!: A 101st Airborne Division Machine Gunner at Bastogne," has jumped out of airplanes again, and speaks to soldiers and organizations about his experiences. His story is nothing short of legendary and reminds us all why we refer to his as the "Greatest Generation." I hope you enjoy this amazing combat story as much as I did. Follow Ryan on Instagram @combatstory Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 0:48 - A word from our Sponsor (Loansteady) 2:15 - Guest intro 3:22 - Interview begins 4:18 - Growing up an Italian immigrant 16:00 - Did you miss out on a "fun" or easy childhood? 18:20 - AWESOME Pearl Harbor story from Dec 7th,1941 22:21 - The Draft letter 23:43 - Shipping off to WWII (wait for his dad's comment) 38:04 - Training to go to WWII 41:01 - Volunteering for Airborne 50:40 - Taking the Queen Mary over to the war 52:34 - The feeling on the boat on the way to WWII 54:28 - You're going in! 59:29 - Battle of the Bulge - Basic numbers and the environment 1:01:41 - The importance of artillery at Bastogne 1:04:44 - Asking for our surrender 1:06:15 - Like the Colonel already said 1:07:10 - "Freedom in your heart" (you can't help but smile when you hear this) 1:07:50 - How was I feeling at the Battle of the Bulge? 1:10:15 - The sobering moment comes after the shooting… 1:11:45 - German strategy going in 1:14:50 - Airborne Beer (INCREDIBLE story) 1:18:30 - Made myself a promise 1:33:45 - Combat Story (WWII Edition) Begins with description of digging into frozen ground and fighting from those positions 1:36:00 - "The whole world exploded" 1:38:48 - A machine gunner's delight 1:47:16 - A once in a lifetime R&R 1:58:59 - Did you carry anything with you into combat? 1:59:57 - Would you do it all again? 2:00:09 - At the Eagle's Nest! 2:03:26 - Not a hero… 2:05:23 - Listener comments

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the second part of Ray McPadden's Combat Story. Ray is a former Army Infantry Officer who survived four brutal deployments. In Part 1, we covered his time with 10th Mountain in the Korengal Valley, a notoriously violent part of Afghanistan. [You can find Part 1 at https://youtu.be/uebr9kPuPLM or https://tinyurl.com/wfcat859] In Part 2, we pick up just after Ray returns from 16 months as a Platoon Leader in Afghanistan. He immediately goes to ROP (the Ranger Officer Program) to be assessed for the Ranger Regiment. In this interview, Ray provides some incredible detail about the types of missions and decisions soldiers have to make within the JSOC community and the stark differences between the special ops and conventional military in terms of resources, equipment, aviation, personnel, and more. For those who want to know what it was like to roll out on a multiple hit night in Iraq with JSOC, this interview will make you feel like you're inside the Stryker and on the objective. If you want more, check out Ray's great book - We March at Midnight. I hope you enjoy this second round of Ray's combat story as much as I did. Find Ray Online: Instagram @raymcpadden1 https://www.instagram.com/raymcpadden1/ Book We March at Midnight https://www.amazon.com/We-March-Midnight-War-Memoir-ebook/dp/B08W2NQF4H Find Ryan Online: Follow on Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory Follow on Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 0:46 - Guest introduction 1:50 - Interview begins and returning from the Korengal Valley 8:15 - Did you get treatment for PTSD after the first deployment 13:00 - Coming straight back from combat to Ranger Officer Program 20:25 - Interesting model in the Ranger Regiment 27:57 - What's a Ground Force Commander 30:08 - How hard is the Ranger Officer Program 33:43 - The Darby Queen 43:30 - Arriving to 2nd Ranger Battalion 46:52 - Big Boy Rules 50:57 - Combat Story #1 - Running ops Day 1 55:23 - JSOC Mission Briefs in combat 1:11:19 - Combat Story #2 - Hasty follow-on operation 1:18:45 - Couldn't sleep post-mission 1:23:56 - Combat Story #3: Tier 1 HVTs operating in difficult spaces 1:45:28 - Combat Story #4: The reality of warfare and children on the battlefield 1:53:38 - Why choose the title "We March at Midnight"? 1:56:25 - What did you carry with you into combat? 1:59:25 - Would you do it all again? 2:01:28 - Listener shout outs and comments

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear Part I of the Combat Story of Ray McPadden, a former Army Infantry Officer who survived four deployments that included leading troops in one of the most dangerous valleys of Afghanistan with the 10th Mountain Division and as a Ground Force Commander in the Ranger Battalion. Listeners really appreciate our interviews with Special Operators and it's easy to see why. Many listeners have asked to hear a few more stores from the conventional side of the house. Today's episode focuses entirely on the conventional side of Ray's career and fighting that his Battalion Commander at the time promised would be harder than anything he would go on to do in the Rangers. Ray's experience in the Pech and Korangal Valleys will be eye opening to many who had no idea forces were fighting in this unforgiving terrain and in these isolated conditions. Many have seen Restrepo and the Hornet's Nest and can appreciate just how difficult that fighting was. Ray and his men fought to build the positions and fortifications that would later become the backdrop of those movies and books. We use Ray's own fantastic book - We March at Midnight - as a guide to walk through the first half of his career and will pick up in part two with his time in the Special Ops community. I hope you enjoy this first of two Combat Stories and his fight in what was known as the "Valley of Death" as much as I did. Find Ray Online: Instagram @raymcpadden1 https://www.instagram.com/raymcpadden1/ Book We March at Midnight https://www.amazon.com/We-March-Midnight-War-Memoir-ebook/dp/B08W2NQF4H Find Ryan Online: Follow on Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory Follow on Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 1:11 - Guest introduction 2:03 - Interview begins 5:10 - Reenacting Sniper (the movie) as a kid 12:54 - Texas A&M and learning from NCOs for the first time 18:50 - "Actions not words" and leading by example 21:14 - Mood in the Army in 2004-2005 starting out 24:05 - A life in the mountains 25:12 - Donkey and mule training 35:43 - The real side of a military spouse - "They go to war with you" 39:30 - Afghanistan and the Pech Valley 42:00 - First Platoon Sergeant - "The key person" for new LTs 45:22 - Reality of Mountain Warfare 47:22 - Combat Story #1: First big fight 1:21:40 - Combat Story #2: The counterattack 1:27:37 - The Korongal (Korangal aka Korengal) Valley and Restrepo and Operation Red Wings environment (Restrepo Info for those interested https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvUdruvbdmI) 1:30:01 - Combat Story #3: Initial fight in the Valley 1:44:04 - "War is Freedom" 1:50:13 - Delivering some of the hardest news possible 1:54:29 - Combat Story #4: The Last Firefight - "War is horrible" 2:02:10 - Conventions vs Special Operations 2:03:25 - Listener Comments and Shout Outs

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the Combat Story of Tony Brooks, a former Army Ranger with 2nd Ranger Battalion who fought in Afghanistan early in the war and in Ramadi, Iraq. Tony's first mission was significant, being tasked with the recovery of downed chinook helicopter, Turbine 33 and The Lone Survivor, Marcus Luttrell in the mountains of Afghanistan. His book, Leave No Man Behind, is all about this experience as the primary search and rescue element that catalogues the mission from hitting the ground, recovering bodies, and hunting for every last man to bring them home. In this episode, we also touch on the impact of a legendary man, soldier, Ranger, and American - Pat Tillman - who had a tremendous influence on Tony (and myself for that matter). After the military, Tony went on to become a licensed chiropractor. He married the woman he refers to in the book as 'the Unicorn' who he met as a private while stationed at Fort Lewis. I hope you enjoy his Combat Story, and the mission to bring everyone home, as much as I did. #rangers #specialoperations #operationredwings #veteran #veterans #combatstory #tonybrooks #2ndrangerbattalion #rangerbatt #rltw Find Tony Online: Book Leave No Man Behind https://www.amazon.com/Leave-Man-Behind-Unrelenting-Afghanistan/dp/1635767350 Website https://www.drtonybrooksauthor.com/ Instagram @drtonybrooks https://www.instagram.com/drtonybrooks/ Facebook Dr Tony Brooks https://www.facebook.com/DrTonyBrooks/ Find Ryan Online: Follow on Instagram @combat_stories https://www.instagram.com/combatstory Follow on Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 0:53 - Guest bio 1:40 - Interview begins 2:06 - Pat Tillman - One of the greatest Americans of our generation 10:35 - Finding Purpose 13:19 - Why go to the Rangers? 17:00 - The Unicorn and the long play 20:00 - Parents played it neutral 23:50 - First time in Afghanistan 30:33 - Context for Operation Red Wings 37:15 - How did you feel going into your first mission? 40:07 - Fast roping onto target 49:25 - First objective - get to the crash site 58:20 - Recovering body parts 59:22 - Finding a wedding ring that meant so much more 1:06:27 - Next mission post-crash site recovery 1:13:50 - A screech you've never heard before 1:17:06 - Next mission is BDA 1:24:04 - My first experience of war was "sh*@" 1:26:28 - Finding Marcus Luttrell 1:32:13 - How close was the movie scenery (Lone Survivor) to reality 1:39:14 - Hilarious story of one of those "guys" in the unit 1:46:15 - What did you carry with you into combat? 1:47:31 - Would you go back and do it all again? 1:48:30 - How does Tony think about recent events in Afghanistan? 1:50:45 - Listener comments

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the second round of our Combat Story with Dan Pronk, a former Australian SAS officer and medical doctor who completed four tours to Afghanistan. In round one we covered Dan's first calling as a triathlete until he found himself in medical school, and, eventually, SAS selection. We covered some of his initial deployments. In round two we move into the more difficult deployments Dan faced when things started getting darker, as they so often do. We also discuss Dan's newly released book - Resilience Shield - which takes SAS resilience lessons and applies them to everyday life to thrive, much as Dan has. Dan went on to found a multi-million dollar company - TACMED - and has written two other books: Arterial Tourniquets and Average 70kg D**khead. Dan is the most unassuming doctor you'll ever find and I hope you enjoy this second round interview Down Under as much as I did. Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 0:57 - Dan Pronk intro and bio 1:52 - Interview begins 4:12 - The Afghanistan pull out 10:58 - Desperately wanting to get back into combat 15:00 - Find Fix Finish for Psychological Trauma 20:43 - Third deployment "hugely kinetic" 24:43 - The Suckmeter 27:38 - The build-up of PTSD 45:36 - How to make resilience insights to bulletproof operators 55:50 - Dan's first classic car purchase and how not to make your wife happy 1:09:00 - The Unforgiving Sixty podcast by Dan Pronk's Resilience Shield Co-author 1:09:46 - What did you carry with you into combat every time? 1:11:57 - Would you go back and do it all again? 1:15:43 - Listener Comments and Shout Outs #combatstory #SAS #specialoperations #danpronk #deltaforce #jsoc #australianSAS #pathfinderjacket #killkapture #markwales Find Dan online: Website Resilience Shield LinkedIN Dan Pronk Instagram @danpronk Book Average 70kg D**khead Book Arterial Tourniquets Book Resilience Shield TacMed Delta Automotive Find Ryan online: Follow on Instagram @combatstory Follow on Facebook @combatstoryofficial Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the Combat Story of Dr. Dan Pronk, a former Australian SAS doctor who completed four tours to Afghanistan. Do not be fooled by the doctor title, Dan was on the front lines conducting hundreds of operations with the elite SAS. This is the first of two interviews with Dan. Before the military, Dan was a triathlete and lived what he described as an average Australian upbringing. The military put him through medical school, but he wanted to be part of the elite SAS and fought for years for a chance to just get to selection, which he eventually did. Since leaving the military, Dan has gone on to an executive role in medical management, as well as co-owning the multimillion dollar company TacMed Australia and founding several other entrepreneurial startups. He's written several books, including Average 70kg Dickhead: Motivational Lessons from an Ex-Army Special Forces Doctor, and Arterial Tourniquets: For Police Officers, Law Enforcement and other First-Responders. He just released a third book with two fellow former SAS operators called Resilience Shield. Dan's also a motorhead with a love of high performance cars, leading him to own a classic Ferrari and Lamborghini. He also created Delta Automotive that builds these limited edition classic sports cars. Dan was referred to me by another SAS leader as "legend" in the community and I hope you enjoy this first of two Combat Story rounds with Dan as much as I did. Find Dan Online: Website Resilience Shield www.resilienceshield.com/ LinkedIN Dan Pronk https://www.linkedin.com/in/danpronk/ Instagram @danpronk www.instagram.com/danpronk/?hl=en Show Notes 0:00 - Interview begins 1:07 - Dan Pronk bio 2:13 - Interview begins 9:00 - Tough schooling and getting beaten with a cricket bat (for both Ryan and Dan) 10:25 - Dan's family military history and father who was an Army helicopter pilot 13:50 - Dan's rebellious stage, triathlons, and tough cars 19:30 - Running and that release 24:50 - "Maneuvering" myself into an elite group 29:15 - Extrinsic motivation of being a triathlete rather than being an intrinsically motivated soldier 32:30 - Shifting from college and triathlons to medical school and the military 38:15 - The "lightbulb moment" to join SAS 43:50 - Why is SAS sending doctor's through Selection? 47:10 - Motivational moment of being doubted 49:05 - Darker and harder moments of Selection 55:45 - What's it like being a Selection-certified doctor in SAS? 59:20 - First deployment with SAS as a Task Force asset 1:02:35 - First mission outside the wire as a doctor AND the gunner on a vehicle 1:06:35 - First time I got shot at "accurately" 1:10:35 - Another mission and being in contact with snipers on quad bikes and more vehicles going against the Taliban 1:12:55 - No indication of PTSD starting to seep in 1:15:10 - Another deployment to Afghanistan in 2011 (reference to the Drug Enforcement Agency aka DEA's Drug Flow Attack Strategy Team or FAST) 1:16:44 - Difficult mission and a "turning point" for Dan. "We're playing for keeps now" 1:26:45 - Dan's background in the Emergency Room and working trauma

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the Combat Story of Mike Hayes, a retired Navy SEAL Team and Special Operations Task Force Commander who fought in Iraq, Afghanistan, Kosovo, and Bosnia over a 20 year career. His time in uniform brought to key points in U.S. military and diplomatic history, including intersections with Operation Red Wings, the Mersk Somali pirate kidnapping, and an international treaty negotiation with Russia. While in the Navy, Mike was one of the very few selected as a White House fellow, where he served under both Republican and Democrat administrations and as the Director for Defense Policy and Strategy at the National Security Council. Since leaving the military, Mike has gone on to senior roles at Bridgewater Associates, Cognizant, and VM Ware. He's written a fantastic book, Never Enough, that we'll discuss during this interview and for which all proceeds go to Gold Star families. Mike is a model leader and giver and I hope you enjoy his Combat Story as much as I did. Find Mike Online Instagram @thisis.mikehayes https://www.instagram.com/thisis.mikehayes/ Twitter @thisismikehayes https://twitter.com/thisismikehayes LinkedIN Mike Hayes https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-hayes-733688/ Book Never Enough https://tinyurl.com/ybv89rdh Find Ryan Online Instagram @combat_stories https://www.instagram.com/combat_stories/ More about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 1:10 - Bio on Mike Hayes 2:10 - Interview begins 2:53 - Gold Star Families 4:35 - Guam and Science Fairs 9:00 - Others Before Self 16:22 - Telling a General 'No' 22:50 - What to do when you're kidnapped 33:58 - Operation Red Wings 38:02 - When to pull the trigger and when to hold 46:55 - Holding people accountable 55:08 - The White House Fellow Program 1:00:20 - Working at Bridgewater Associates for Ray Dalio 1:07:50 - Building egalitarian teams in business 1:15:00 - What did you carry with you into combat? 1:16:45 - Would you do it all again? 1:20:10 - Comments from listeners (THANK YOU!)

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we have a unique History Edition of Combat Story focused on Sparta. As you know, I'm fascinated by the experiences of warriors in combat and I've always wanted to better understand what the combat experience would have been like for veterans from history like the Spartans, Romans, or Mongols. On this episode, we'll interview Professor Barry Strauss, an accomplished scholar, historian, and expert on ancient military history. Barry brings to life a very famous Spartan warrior named Brasidas as we dive into his combat story. Brasidas led warriors into remarkable battles employing conventional tactics but also leveraging special operations and psychological or hybrid warfare with great success. Barry gives us a front row seat of what it was like to grow up and live in this austere, militaristic, and aggressive society we know as Sparta. We could not have done this without Barry, who is a Professor of History and Classics at Cornell University, Series Editor of Princeton's Turning Points in Ancient History, author of eight books, and a military and naval historian and consultant. Professor Strauss is a recognized authority on the subject of leadership and the lessons that can be learned from the experiences of the greatest political and military leaders of the ancient world (Caesar, Hannibal, Alexander among many others). He has a new book coming out in March 2022 titled The War that Made the Roman Empire: Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian at Actium. I hope you enjoy this unique Combat Story and the dive into the world of Sparta as much as I did. Find Barry Online: Website Author of The War that Made the Roman Empire: Antony, Cleopatra, and Octavian at Actium, available March 2022 Facebook Twitter @barrystrauss Podcast ANTIQUITAS: Leaders and Legends of the Ancient World Find Ryan Online: Follow on Instagram @combatstory Follow on Facebook @combatstoryofficial Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Crew: Guest: Dr. Barry Strauss Host: Ryan Fugit Editor: Owen Fugit ​​Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 1:46 - Interview begins 3:50 - Barry's background 7:18 - Facts and Fiction about Spartans 9:14 - The Greek and Persian Empire 11:23 - Beliefs and Views of Spartans and Athenians 12:20 - The Peloponnesian War 15:57 - Brasidas, Son of Tellis 18:47 - Life of a Spartan 22:52 - The Hoplites and the Phalanx 34:08 - The Spartan Way of War 35:48 - The Athenian's First Encounter with Brasidas 39:11 - The Defeat of Brasidas 50:58 - Brasidas' Greatest Coup 56:30 - Siege Warfare 1:02:09 - Psychological Warfare

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we complete Part 2 of the Combat Story of Ryan Hendrickson, the former Green Beret and Special Forces Engineer (18C) who served multiple combat deployments to Afghanistan and training deployments around the world, particularly in South America, as part of 7th Special Forces Group. For those who listened to Part 1, you'll recall that we followed Ryan's unique upbringing in the Northwest that included moving frequently and, at one point, living in a tent for an entire year being raised by a single father who had a tremendous impact on Ryan's life. Ryan first joined the Navy, where he was onboard the first ship to respond to the USS Cole attack, then served in the Air Force loading aircraft with munitions, and finally achieved his dream of earning the coveted Green Beret. On his first deployment to Afghanistan with 7th Group, Ryan was leading a patrol clearing the path of IEDs and inadvertently stepped on an IED that changed his life. At the end of Part 1, we left off as Ryan was coming to after the dust settled from the blast and he looked down to see two pearl white bones (his Tibia and Fibula) sticking out of his leg. What happens next is nothing short of remarkable. If you ever felt sorry for yourself, this next session will help give perspective and an example of someone else who overcame tremendous odds to follow his dream, saving lives and inspiring others along the way. Find Ryan H Online: Website Tip of the Spear Instagram @tipofthespearrmh Facebook Ryan Hendrickson(Rmh) LinkedIN Ryan Hendrickson Book Tip of the Spear Find Ryan F online: Instagram @combat_stories Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show notes 0:00 - Intro 0:45 - Guest Bio 1:45 - Interview begins 11:46 - Ryan is back in the moment just after the IED blast. 25:48 - The flight out of country and multiple hospital visits. 37:35 - The decision to keep your limb or go for a prosthetic. 44:18 - When Ryan started recognizing the emotional side of his injury. 49:20 - The advice the changed Ryan's perspective and his path. 58:34 - The program to stay in the Army. 1:09:21 - Returning to Afghanistan and the unlikely welcome. 1:23:20 - Taking the opportunities given (and how to escape the TOC)! 1:39:50 - Inserting into a big fight looking like a normal unit. 1:46:54 - An F-15 500lb bomb being dropped nearby. 2:01:30 - Going back for every man, including his Afghan brothers. 2:06:45 - Didn't have to go back, but you did. "Had to be done." 2:12:00 - Writing the book. 2:15:00 - What did you carry with you into combat. 2:16:35 - Would you do it all again?

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the Combat Story (Part 1 of 2) of Ryan Hendrickson, a former Green Beret and Special Forces Engineer (18C) who served multiple combat deployments to Afghanistan as part of 7th Special Forces Group. Before joining the Army, Ryan served in the Air Force and Navy, where he was one of the first ships on scene to support the USS Cole after it was attacked. As a Green Beret, Ryan has a remarkable story in which he survived stepping on an IED that changed his life, but was unable to keep him out of the fight. After months of reconstructive surgery, he went back to the teams and Afghanistan, where he saved multiple lives and earned the Silver Star. He is the author of Tip of the Spear and an adventure seeker who's travelled most of the world. He still supports the war fighter as a contractor where he continues to save lives. This is the first in a two part interview, covering Ryan's life and combat up until stepping on the IED. In the second interview, we'll touch on his recovery and several future combat operations, including the one in which he received the Silver Star. Find Ryan H Online: Website Tip of the Spear Instagram @tipofthespearrmh LinkedIN Ryan Hendrickson Book Tip of the Spear Find Ryan F online: Instagram @combat_stories Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan Show notes 0:00 - Intro 0:35 - Guest Bio 1:36 - Interview Begins 8:49 - "I just buried myself in wrestling and football." 10:37 - Ryan's Father 14:22 - The story of two old men 17:17 - "You don't control life, and you don't control death." 17:48 - "The beginning and the end of the book are already there. But what you fill that book with is up to you." 20:03 - True Happiness 21:53 - The Hero 24:18 - Joining the Military 26:45 - Joining the Navy 30:05 - Traveling the World 31:18 - The USS Cole Experience 33:03 - "I saw death in that aspect, as in the enemy was killing Americans." 35:14 - From Navy to the Air Force 38:53 - Trying to be a Good Husband 43:02 - Becoming a Green Beret 44:02 - Following his Father's Footsteps 45:22 - Getting Scammed 47:29 - Making new friends in Vietnam 50:34 - "I have yet to prove myself." 53:39 - What is an 18C 1:02:15 - "I was nobody because of the fact that I had yet to prove myself when bullets are flying." 1:02:53 - Combat Story #1: First deployment to Afghanistan 1:11:11 - "We fought all the time." 1:11:35 - The Addictive Rush of the Battlefield 1:12:45 - Combat Story #2: The Life-changing mission 1:21:05 - "I can't go back and change what I didn't do." 1:22:10 - The IED that changed Ryan's life. 1:29:22 - "I was like, 'I'm going to die here today.'" 1:30:19 - End of Part One...To Be Continued 1:30:35 - Shout Outs to the Combat Story Community

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the Combat Story of Jason Van Camp, a former Special Forces officer (Green Beret) and Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) Commander in 10th Special Forces Group who served multiple combat deployments. Jason played linebacker at West Point and served a two-year LDS-Mormon mission to Russia, and upon graduation won the prestigious General Loeffke Award for Excellence in Foreign Languages, before starting active duty. As a Green Beret, Jason brought the fight to AQ and led soldiers through dangerous Special Forces missions that honed his leadership and team building skills. Since leaving the military, Jason founded and is Chairman of Mission Six Zero, a leadership development firm, and is also Executive Director and Co-Founder at Warrior Rising, which empowers veterans in business. Jason is a Wall Street Journal and 2 x #1 Amazon Best Selling Author for his book Deliberate Discomfort: How U.S. Special Operations Forces Overcome Fear and Dare to Win by Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable and was recognized as a Top Military Entrepreneur of the Year in 2020. I hope you enjoy his humble yet impactful Combat Story as much as I did. Find Jason Online: Instagram @jasonbavancamp Instagram @missionsixzero Instagram @wearewarriorrising LinkedIN Website Mission Six Zero Website Warrior Rising Find Ryan online: Follow on Instagram @combat_stories Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 0:54 - Jason Van Camp Guest Bio 1:48 - Interview Begins 3:44 - "I inspire other people to be the best version of themself." 5:11 - Military history of the family 10:37 - The challenging West Point experience 13:14 - The football experience 15:52 - "You have to find a new purpose." 16:29 - "Your worth as an officer is based on your ability to run a two-mile run test." 22:33 - The Ranger School Idea 28:08 - "I love being an army, more so than ever thought I would" 28:19 - "I want to make an impact. I want to have a meaningful life. I want to have a purpose." 35:39 - A rollercoaster of emotions 39:01 - "We had nowhere to go and nowhere to live." 40:53 - "' Peshmerga' is translated to 'those who faced death.'" 45:31 - "You're in combat; you got to trust your gut." 49:23 - "I wouldn't trade that for Rob's life." 50:25 - Mission Six Zero 50:29 - "I'm happiest when I'm being selfish about being selfless." 50:40 - The vision behind Warrior Rising 51:31 - Jason's interest in giving back 53:48 - Outro

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the Combat Story of Kevin Flike, a former Green Beret and Purple Heart recipient who served multiple deployments, including two to Afghanistan. Kevin was shot in the abdomen during his second deployment and took years recovering from the associated physical and emotional scars and has shown that it is possible to not only fully recover from such an injury, but to thrive. He is a graduate of the MIT Sloan School of Management and Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, sits on the Board of Directors at the Green Beret Foundation, is a sought out motivational speaker, and shares his story of perseverance through a blog and outreach series called Wounded by War, which includes a documentary on his recovery. Kevin was recommended to me by Beau Wise, a former guest on the show who lost two of his brothers to the war in Afghanistan, one of whom knew Kevin. Kevin and Beau have become like brothers. I hope you enjoy this inspiring insight from the brink of death to tremendous success as much as I did. Find Kevin online: LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinflike/ Instagram @woundedbywar Wounded by War www.woundedbywar.com Find Ryan online: Follow on Instagram @combat_stories Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle #greenberetfoundation #specialforces #kevinflike #veteran #combatstory #army #specialops #specialoperations Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 1:04 - Guest introduction 2:38 - Person in common: Beau Wise (as viewers will recall from a previous interview who was the sole survivor of three boys in the Wise family to make it home from Afghanistan). 21:03 - Decision to enlist out of college via the 18X program. 32:52 - Kevin's strengths and perfect fit with the Green Berets. 34:50 - Learning to manage expectations when teaching, fighting, and working with others. 39:38 - Combat Story #1: Afghanistan (Kunduz) 2010. 46:11 - Combat Story #2: First firefight. 54:27 - How to process the "addiction" to war looking back now. 59:55 - Combat Story #3: The mission that led to Kevin's significant injury. 1:09:55 - What goes through your mind when you're shot and think you might die. 1:15:06 - Wounded By War (www.woundedbywar.com) 1:20:05 - Motivational Speaking to companies, communities, schools and the Green Beret Foundation 1:21:50 - What did you carry with you into combat? 1:22:40 - Would you do it again?

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the Combat Story of Jon Macaskill, a retired Navy SEAL Commander turned mindfulness and meditation teacher. He spent a career in the Navy's Special Warfare and military Joint Special Operations communities and served in Iraq, Afghanistan, off the coast of Somalia, and in Panama. One story that Jon shares in this episode and which shows the burdens and gut wrenching aspects of combat, was his association with Operation Red Wings, which many will recall from the book and movie Lone Survivor. Jon is a Naval Academy graduate, holds a Master's degree from the Naval Postgraduate School, and, since retiring, runs a consulting business that brings mindfulness and meditation to high performing teams to aid in dealing with stress, anxiety, and depression, all while increasing focus, creativity, and productivity. He shares the benefits and opportunities both on the show and on his own podcast, called Men Talking Mindfulness, which, as Jon described it, is what happens when you combine a Navy SEAL and modern day Hippie! I hope you enjoy Jon's honest, humble, and challenging Combat Story as much as I did. #combatstory #SEAL #NavySEAL #specialoperations #specialwarfare Find Jon online: Website: https://macaskillconsulting.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmacaskill/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulfrogman/ Instagram Men Talking Mindfulness: https://www.instagram.com/mentalkingmindfulness/ Find Ryan online: Follow on Instagram @combat_stories (https://www.instagram.com/combat_stories/) Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 0:55 - Jon Macaskill's bio and guest introduction 2:00 - Interview begins 17:30 - SEAL competition at the Naval Academy 24:55 - Something most don't know about BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training) 33:02 - Being an Officer in the SEALs 40:07 - Combat Story #1: Deployment to Afghanistan 51:03 - Combat Story #2: Operation Red Wings and the Lone Survivor connection. LinkedIN article on this event that's well worth the read: https://thriveglobal.com/stories/this-is-why-i-meditate/ 1:00:50 - Managing trauma, guilt, depression and finding meditation and mindfulness 1:15:48 - Common difficulties for people new to meditation 1:18:13 - How to find Jon online 1:20:27 - The coolest thing Jon did as a SEAL (leaving a submarine on an SDV - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SEAL_Delivery_Vehicle) 1:22:14 - What's one thing you carried with you on missions? 1:23:45 - Would you go back and do it all again?

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the combat story of Yonel "Yogi" Dorelis, a retired and long-time helicopter pilot who served in the Marine Corps, Navy, Army, and Air Force. While in uniform, Yogi flew a variety of aircraft and mission profiles, but spent a considerable amount of time flying Combat Search and Rescue for the Air Force in the HH-60, including early in the war in Afghanistan. In fact, during this time, Yogi earned a Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) with V Device for his life saving efforts in Operation Anaconda, a mission that's near and dear to my heart because I later went on to serve with several of the Apache pilots who were there at the time. Beyond earning the coveted DFC, Yogi also accumulated 5,500 hours of flight time, approximately 500 of that in combat. He's credited with saving 70+ military lives and approximately 300 more in his civilian flight career as part of an EMS crew, which he does to this day. It was a blast to sit down with another aviator and a CSAR one at that, where it remains clear that no matter what airframe you flew, all pilots experience similar mishaps, near death experiences, laughs, and red tape along the way. I hope you enjoy this Combat Story as much as I did. Connect with Ryan Fugit: Follow on Instagram @combat_stories (https://www.instagram.com/combat_stories/) Email [email protected] Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus If you'd like Ryan to interview you for the show or to have him interview a family member or friend in private (not for the show) just to have their story on the record for future generations, email him at [email protected]. Find Yogi Online: IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6260186/ Instagram - @yogifly60_ydorelis https://www.instagram.com/yogifly60_ydorelis/ LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/yonel-dorelis-93982919/ Acronyms and Terms used in the show: CSAR - Combat Search and Rescue. Dustoff - Another name used for Army Medical Evacuation or MEDEVAC aircraft. ETL - Effective Translational Lift. This is the point at which an aircraft basically takes flight. FLIR - Forward Looking Infrared. One method of seeing in the dark that uses differences in the temperature of objects as opposed to amplifying ambient light (which is what Night Vision Googles do). Autorotation - A fun and scary flight profile that's practiced regularly by all pilots by which you either simulate or truly kill engine power and, which descending out of the sky, maintain a minimal amount of drag to slow your descent created by the main rotor blade and then, when very close to touching the ground, pull in a bit of collective to provide a slightly softer landing. Mustang - A term to reference an officer who was enlisted before becoming an officer. Show Notes 0:00 – Intro 4:05 – "I knew from an early age, I wanted to be a pilot and a military pilot." 36:29 – Hovering and possible advantages as a fixed wing pilot 44:06 – Being stationed in the Philippines and trying to land on a ship at sea 1:21:24 – Operation Anaconda 1:36:57 – The importance of leadership 1:40:30 – Would you go back and do it all that again? 1:41:03 – "I missed the people, the mission, and that sense of doing something that means something."

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we have a unique episode where I (Ryan Fugit) share my own combat story as SOB Tactical founder and retired Delta Force Sergeant Major John "Shrek" McPhee interviews yours truly. Do not be fooled, however. Although John helps me tell my origin story growing up overseas, and going on to be an Apache helicopter pilot and CIA officer, we hear more amazing insights from John's career as well. In this episode, John and I talk about combat, losing friends, growing up, and swapping stories about our experiences as a pilot and Delta operator that many outside the profession have never heard...such as 'flying the bag' and the 'Mr. Goodbar' test. John even takes a moment to put on a sweater that used to belong to Saddam Hussein. I hope you enjoy this wide ranging, real, and whiskey-filled interview as much as we did. Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 1:21 - Episode preview 2:12 - Let the games begin 3:29 – Talking about whiskey 6:25 – Why Combat Story? 9:46 – Ryan's origin story 14:00 – The little guy in southern Africa 15:44 – Living in Pakistan in the middle of the Gulf War 24:30 – Ryan's experience with Channing Tatum aka Chan Tatum aka Magic Mike 26:10 – The problem with social media 25:06 - People don't understand the premise of the American life. 30:10 – Keeping in touch with others 34:57 – "How great you were today, tomorrow they don't need you." 37:17 – The unfortunate truth 37:55 – The D-Day Jump 41:56 – "I believe we're in the longest peace this planet has ever seen post World War Two." 49:07 – What it's like learning to hover 57:30 – Inherently dangerous training. "Injuries and loss happen every day, no matter what your level is." 1:12:35 – Air Medals for ground guys. 1:19:21 – Importance of flexibility. "Flexibility makes you a formidable enemy." 1:23:05 – Flying the "Bag" and teaching yourself how to fly with one eye. 1:27:37 - The "Mr. Goodbar" Test at Delta where "If you do what has been taught to you, people won't fight you when you walk out." John and one-on-one situations. 1:34:30 – Performance-based unit and how "Nobody cares as long as you're doing your job in combat." 1:40:20 – Ryan's worst near-death experience story 1:47:50 - Defining failure, "acceptable failure," and how "Wisdom is knowing better." 1:48:51 – "You should be making mistakes. Mistakes teach you what works, what doesn't. You got to make mistakes." 1:55:27 – The Saddam Sweater 2:13:50 – Near death experiences. "You're supposed to live through this near-death experience and feel like every day is a gift, but it's not—it doesn't feel that way." 2:16:43 – John's near death experience. "Never do a shoot behind, except when you have to." 2:24:03 – "The unit in training will always give you scenarios that can't be solved." Find John and Ryan Online: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sobtactical/ Instagram @combat_stories https://www.instagram.com/combat_stories/ SOB Tactical - https://sobtactical.com/ SOB TV - https://watch.sobtactical.com/ Booze N Views - https://watch.sobtactical.com/booze-n-views

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the combat story of Jeff Morris, a former Army Infantry Officer who commanded soldiers in Iraq over two brutal deployments fighting on some of the most well-known and infamous streets of Baghdad. NOTE: Stay tuned after Jeff's Combat Story to hear a Combat Story from one of our listeners! Jeff was an Infantry Platoon Leader on Haifa Street in downtown Baghdad from 2004 to 2005 with 1st CAV where his Platoon of 34 men were awarded 27 Purple Hearts. He describes a significant battle that he was a part of on September 12th, 2004, in which two Silver Stars were awarded and he received a Bronze Star w/ V Device. He was then a junior but highly respected Infantry Company Commander in east Baghdad during the Surge from late 2006 to summer 2007, again with 1st CAV, where he lost eight men during fighting that saw almost every Bradley and M1 tank assigned to his unit destroyed by EFPs. Jeff went on to document these experiences in his book, "Legion Rising: Surviving Combat and the Scars it Left Behind" and established the Legion 8 Foundation to honor the lives of the eight men lost under his command. The Legion 8 workout is also a Hero Workout of the Day (WOD) done at hundreds of CrossFit gyms around the country. He has previously been featured on other podcasts, including Mike Drop with Mike Ritland. I hope you enjoy this inside look at the burden of command in Iraq and Jeff's combat story as much as I did. Find Jeff online: Instagram @jeffrmorris Book Legion Rising Show Notes 0:00 – Intro 4:26 – The book, "Black Hawk Down." 7:07 – The desire to be a SEAL 11:36 – "If it doesn't make sense, don't do it." 13:00 – Jeff's childhood 16:59 – The desire to serve the country 18:46 - "After I stood up for myself and took that challenge on, I wanted more." 19:30 – The fastest guy in school 22:22 – "Boys do what they want to do. Men do what they have to do." 28:37 – "You can't go and create a leader of men and women in 14 weeks." 31:03 – The role of a Platoon Leader 35:48 – The Bradley Military Vehicle 40:40 – Battle of Haifa Street 49:24 – The beauty of war 53:00 – The breezeway grenade 54:19 - "There's a fine line between valor and stupidity and just plain luck." 56:25 – Communicating in Battle 58:53 – September 12, 2004 (The Haifa Street Incident) 1:00:41 – Coming back to base 1:02:01 – Jeff's Second Deployment 1:04:46 – Quotes from other podcasts about Jeff 1:05:55 – Building Camaraderie 1:12:50 – How having a child changed Jeff's way of thinking 1:14:05 – The difficult mission 1:16:01 - "You know in that environment that you're probably going to lose somebody." 1:18:24 – Losing comrades 1:21:21 – Taking the dangerous route 1:24:18 – "I'm making decisions that are putting other people's lives at greater risk." 1:26:26 – "I've never had a positive thing happen in my life that came from me sitting around, waiting for somebody else to make a decision." 1:29:12 – The Catalyst to turn things around 1:31:54 – "There's no background music playing in combat." 1:33:39 – A conversation with a Vietnam War Veteran 1:36:37 – The Man in the Arena 1:38:00 – Would you go back and do all that again? 1:41:48 - NEW FEATURE: A New Listener's Combat Story from Yonel Yogi Dorelis

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear another Combat Story from Elliot Ackerman, a decorated Marine infantry officer, Special Operations operator, CIA Paramilitary Officer, Silver Star and Purple Heart recipient, and best-selling author. As many will recall, Elliot was our first guest on Combat Story long before we ever did video interviews. That first interview remains one of my favorites and covers an incredible inside look at his role as a Platoon Leader in Fallujah II in 2004 and the true grit and determination it required. It was that battle that earned him the Silver Star. In this second interview, we pick up where we left off from Round 1 as Elliot describes being one of the first members of Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC) and his subsequent deployments with this unit. We also dive into his National Bestselling book, Places and Names: On War, Revolution, and Returning, where Elliot describes revisiting, both in mind and body, his combat experiences. It's a fantastic read and in the interview he shares moments from the book that include returning to the very buildings he occupied in Fallujah years earlier and another experience having an unthinkable meal with a former Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) leader as they shared their memories on the frontlines fighting against each other. Elliot is a special Marine who survived five deployments and fought at the highest levels. I hope you enjoy this next set of combat stories with Elliot as much as I did. Instagram - @elliot.ackerman Website Books Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 1:01 - Elliot introduction 4:53 – Moving to Special Operations 6:16 – Talking your way to the military school 8:32 - Force Recon vs MARSOC 9:39 – Go to Ranger School or something else? 10:51 – Strategy session to lead the class 12:59 – "I never would have guessed how profound those relationships would be throughout my life." 31:02 – We're two teams 34:35 – Contribution in the military 35:44 – Being a great commander 37:41 – Going on a mission leaving your child 38:35 – "I've come to understand what it means to be a father to my own children." 41:32 – Leaving the military and started writing 44:57 – First Book 46:16 – Hiring former democratic activists in Syria 47:42 – Story of Al Qaeda in Iraq 48:46 – Protesting in jail 51:08 – Out of translation 52:05 – "There will be an end-of-days battle and the Armageddon is coming." 53:52 - "We've once chased each other around a rock and hands chasing each other around the map." 55:01 – "You can either try to see someone's humanity, or don't ever want to see it again." 57:04 – "He went to Cairo on a Thursday, protested on Friday, thrown into the Egyptian prison on Saturday, and get evacuated by the State Department on Sunday." 57:49 – "It's an experience so large that you shrink to insignificance when you are close to that experience." 59:05 – "Has my desire to have purpose diminished over the years?" 1:00:27 – "I am one who was able to repurpose successfully." 1:01:27 – "What makes them more insidious is this purposelessness after having these immense purposeful experiences at a very young age." 1:03:56 – "I want to stand on this rooftop where a friend of mine have been killed." 1:05:08 – "I wanted to go this house where our platoon have been surrounded for a day."