Glorious Professionals 003 - Richard Rice, 30 Year Veteran of Army Special Forces
Apr 4, 2020
Richard Rice, a 30-year veteran of Army Special Forces and MACV SOG, shares his captivating stories from the Vietnam War and beyond. He discusses the significance of mentorship and the power of storytelling in processing traumatic experiences. Rich paints a vivid picture of the realities of combat, contrasting them with cinematic portrayals, and reflects on the profound bonds formed during conflict. His anecdotes about his military journey, from elite operations to cultural encounters, offer a unique insight into resilience and the emotional complexities of service.
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Small Teams, Maximum Impact
- Special Forces used small teams advising indigenous forces to amplify impact.
- This approach maximized effect with minimum American troop presence for sustainable control.
Rescuing Downed Pilots
- Rich led a mission to rescue downed Air Force pilots in hostile jungle terrain.
- They cautiously passed identification and successfully extracted the scared pilots by helicopter.
Surprise Characterizes Combat Contact
- Combat contact in Vietnam was often sudden and surprising, not anticipated.
- Being ready to react functionally without overreacting was critical to survival.
