Combat Story

EXCLUSIVE - This episode was sponsored by Ten Thousand, a clothing brand for tough, durable gear for the outdoors, working out, and a more active lifestyle. I just took mine to Alaska and they held up like a champ. They also use former Special Operators to test and improve their clothing, which you know we love on Combat Story! Check out https://tenthousand.cc/combatstory and get 15% off and help Combat Story continue to grow! I got their long sleeve t-shirt and it was awesome. 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 Scott Mann, a long time Green Beret in the pre- and post-9/11 era. Ten years after his army service, he gained notoriety for his role leading what is now known as Operation Pineapple Express in August 2021 when he and a large group of veterans and active duty service members helped evacuate 1,000 Afghans as the Taliban returned to power and what was sure to be brutal retribution. Scott served in the jungle and mountainous terrain of South America and spent years in Afghanistan executing a combination of direct action and village stability operations. Like any Green Beret we’ve interviewed, Scott’s desire to work with, by, and through local forces shines through. He’s gone on to write several books in addition to Operation Pineapple Express, a play called Last Out that the Gary Sinese Foundation is helping to turn into a larger production, and a leadership company called Rooftop Leadership, all of which leverage the experiences he had in combat. I hope you enjoy this very real and raw Combat Story with someone who never gave up helping others as much as I did. Find Ryan Online: - Ryan’s Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory - Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combats... - Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory - Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial - Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial - Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus - Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Find Scott Online: - Scott's Website: scottmann.com - Scott's Linktree https://linktr.ee/rooftop_leadership - Scott's Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYOQ7CDJ6uSaGvmfxYC_skQ - Instagram @scottmannauthor https://www.instagram.com/scottmannauthor/ - Facebook @Scott Mnn https://www.facebook.com/ScottMannAuthor - Twitter @RooftopLeader https://twitter.com/RooftopLeader - RooftopLeader Podcast https://linktr.ee/rooftoppodcast - Rooftop Leadership Website https://rooftopleadership.com/ Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro  1:08 - Guest Introduction (Scott Mann) 2:17 - Interview Begins  2:54 - Last Christmas I evacuated Afghans out of Afghanistan 7:18 - Scott's ability to thrive in uncomfortable enviornments 8:39 - Scott's whiteboard with the first Afghan Evacuation plans 10:20 - Scott's childhood and planting the seeds of a Leader 12:09 - Scott's first encounter with a Green Beret Soldier 15:07 - What influenced Scott to join the Military 15:45 - Scott's opinion on bullies and the Military 16:35 - Scott's trejectory to end up in Special Forces 18:46 - Scott's battle with alcoholism in the Quartermaster Branch 21:14 - The value Quartermaster service had on Scott's knowledge and career 24:57 - The reputation of 7th group 26:17 - First assignment with the 7th group in Peru/Ecuador conflict 34:33- Cliff Patterson and the affects of 9/11 42:42 - Scott's advice on loss and grief 46:49 - 1st time outside the wire in Afghanistan 51:07 - Scott's experience with the Afghan National Special Forces 58:16 - Afghan National Army's first encounter with the Taliban 01:07:51 - Operation Pineapple Express 01:26:52 - Last Out: Elegy of A Green Beret 01:30:00 - Is there any sentimental items you brought with you into combat? 01:33:00 - Would you do it all again? 01:34:39 -  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 Dan Schilling, who spent over 30 years in the military, primarily as a Combat Controller and Special Tactics Officer in the Air Force’s Special Operations community. He was on the ground calling in air strikes during Operation Gothic Serpent (better known as Black Hawk Down).  He holds the Guinness World Record for most BASE jumps in 24 hours (201), and is a professional-rated demonstration skydiver, mountain speedwing pilot and volunteer ski instructor with Wasatch Adaptive Sports. He’s a best selling author, helping produce a movie, and recently wrote a song with his band: Spent Brass. After years of combat, Dan found his way to Buddhism and shares some readings and learnings that you can apply if you are dealing with trauma and challenges in your life. I hope you enjoy this hair on fire account of living life to its extremes - both in and out of uniform - as much as I did.  Find Ryan Online: - Ryan’s Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory - Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combats... - Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory - Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial - Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial - Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus - Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Find Dan Online: - Website https://www.danschillingbooks.com/ - Dan's Books https://www.danschillingbooks.com/books - Instagram @danobooks  https://www.instagram.com/danobooks/ - Special Operations Warrior Foundation https://specialops.org/ - Spent Brass on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/artist/3K3t1GNUdaPYmvEgCAslZg?si=NgQc3ywRRtmMiVSun8yFMw Dan's Reading List: Book called the Power of Now https://shop.eckharttolle.com/collections/books/products/the-power-of-now?variant=7433430499358 Book called the Power of Awareness https://www.thepowerofawareness.org/ Book called Battle of Mogadishu https://www.booksamillion.com/p/Battle-Mogadishu/Matthew-Eversmann/9780345459664 Book called Alone at Dawn https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/dan-schilling/alone-at-dawn/9781538729670/ Book called What the Buddha Taught http://www.ahandfulofleaves.org/documents/what%20the%20buddha%20taught_rahula.pdf Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro  0:57 - Guest Introduction (Dan Schilling) 1:47 - Interview Begins  2:33 - World Record Base Jumping in 24 hours 6:44 - Speed flying in the mountains 9:14 - Did you choose the dangerous life or did it chose you? 12:19 - Joining the Army 16:02 - Transition from the Army to the Air Force 20:15 - Media and Hollywood portrayals of the military   25:29 - JTAC and Combat Controllers 34:06 - Special Tactics Officer  38:48 - Culture differences between Seal Team 6 and Delta Force 42:09 - First experience in ground combat 48:00 - Combat Story - The Battle of Mogadishu 1:03:18 - Therapy through Extreme Sports 1:13:37 - How Dan found Buddhism 1:27:47 - Dan's Band: Spent Brass 1:22:19 - Dan's post military careers and book recommendations 1:31:35 - What did you carry into combat? 1:32:24 - Would you go back and do it all again? 1:35:27 -  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 Jeff Adamec, a longtime Green Beret with six combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan as an 18B and a K9 handler. Jeff earned the Silver Star during the Battle of Debeka Pass in Iraq in 2003 during his first deployment. In his final deployment, Jeff was knocked unconscious by an RPG during a gunfight in Afghanistan while based out of FOB Cobra. He broke his back in four places and was medically retired for those injuries and the TBI sustained as a result. He went on to find success in the corporate sector in network engineering and logistics and hosts the Changing Hearts and Minds podcast that focuses on military history of all eras prior to 1995. Jeff’s understanding of military history and weaponry absolutely shines through in this episode and will, I hope, attract some more listeners to his podcast. I hope you enjoy this fast paced and wide ranging interview with Jeff as much as I did. Find Jeff Online:  - Instagram @chm_podcast https://www.instagram.com/chm_podcast/ and @Jadamec77  https://www.instagram.com/Jadamec77/  - Twitter @CHMPodcast https://www.facebook.com/CHMPodcast/  - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CHMPodcast/  - Changing Hearts & Minds Podcast https://chmpodcast.libsyn.com/website Find Ryan Online: - Ryan’s Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory - Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combats... - Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory - Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial - Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial - Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus - Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro  00:45 - Guest Introduction (Jeff Adamec) 01:46 - Interview Begins  06:10 - Aliens Movie in 1986 as inspiration to join  08:42 - Influential Media 11:29 - Road to enlistment 16:29 - Path to Green Beret 20:28 - Missing 9/11 23:38 - Where did you find your confidence? 26:35 - Time in 3rd Group 30:41 - Deployment in Iraq 37:54 - Combat Story - Events leading up to Battle  of Debecka 50:49 - The Javelin story 01:09:41 - Returning from War  01:10:42 - The Aftermath 01:16:56 - Other deployments  01:19:12 - Dogs  01:21:31 - Combat Story - Bait the Ambush 01:33:37 - The injury  01:44:20 - Life with Traumatic Brain Injury 01:50:36 - Podcast origin and inspiration 01:54:22 - What did you carry into combat? 01:55:54 -  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 aviator and CH-47 and MH-47 pilot who spent years with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), Alan Mack. Alan served over 35 years in the Army and retired with 6700 flight hours, including 3200 hours in NVGs. Alan survived an aircraft shootdown and multiple near death experiences in his time in uniform. He was a part of iconic operations including Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Operations Anaconda and Redwings, and many others he can’t discuss because they remain classified. He has two Distinguished Flying Crosses, three Bronze Stars, a Legion of Merit, and 10 Air Medals, including one with Valor.  His nickname was The ‘Stache which is almost a requirement for an aviator but sadly that mustache is now gone but I have confirmed with my old flight school roommate who served with Alan that the nickname was indeed, The Stache! Alan’s book “Razor 03: A Night Stalker’s Wars” chronicles so much more of his experiences in the elite special operations community for those who are left wanting more, to include some of the more personal and challenging family dynamics he experienced with years in combat. I hope you enjoy this perspective from the inside the cockpit where we dive deep into some of the aviation psychology, personalities, and Chinook configurations, as much as I did. Find Alan Online:  - Twitter @AlanCMack2015 https://twitter.com/alancmack2015 - Website https://alancmack.com/ - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/AlanCMackAuthor Find Ryan Online: - Ryan’s Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory - Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combats... - Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory - Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial - Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial - Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus - Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro  0:55 - Guest Introduction (Alan Mack) 2:22 - Interview Begins  3:02 - Razor 03 A Night Stalkers War 4:10 - Bumper Hitching 7:26 - Enlistment  11:35 - Path to Chinooks  14:37 - WOJG 16:58 - Chinook Pilot Personality 20:51 - Loading the Chinook 24:54 - The Composition of the Chinook 33:40 - Right Ramp Left Ramp 38:51 - The Crew Chiefs 43:48- Sending Apache Guys 45:26 - First time flying in combat 55:00 - We own the night 01:02:59 - Eras of war 01:09:40 - Alan's Teaching Days 01:23:01 - The Anaconda 01:59:48 - The Aftermath 02:04:35 - What did you carry into combat? 02:07:01 - Would you do it all again? 02:11:29 - Razor 03 A Night Stalkers War 02:13:36 - Listeners comments and shout outs

EXCLUSIVE - This episode is brought to you by Uncommon Goods. Go to https://www.uncommongoods.com/combat for 15% off your order and find some killer holiday gifts (and you'll be helping keep Combat Story going!) 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 Dean Stott, a former operator with the UK Special Boat Service (SBS) who saw combat with both SBS and the Commandos.  Dean would eventually injury his leg in a HAHO (high altitude high opening) accident getting ready for another deployment that would end his military career but would not end his thrill seeking sense of adventure. In fact, only two days after leaving the military, Dean was providing security for people in remote and dangerous parts of the world, eventually standing up his own security company.  Dean, like many former operators, tried a more predictable existence in an office but quickly found himself searching for the adrenaline highs he’d left behind. As a result, he found his way to biking and set two world records. Dean’s book “Relentless” will be available on November 28th in the US that details some of the topics we discuss in this interview and more, including his close friendship to Prince Harry, who listeners will know I appreciate given his background flying Apaches. Dean’s got more adventures ahead including another record breaking task in Africa. I hope you enjoy this discussion of what can only be called a full life lived to the edge as much as I did (and if you’re like me, you’ll also be a little jealous!). Find Dean Online:  - Dean’s Website https://www.deanstott.com/ - Dean’s Linktree https://linktr.ee/Deanstott  - Instagram @deanstott  https://www.instagram.com/deanstott/  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 - Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus - Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro  0:40 - Guest Introduction (Dean Stott) 1:53 - Interview Begins  2:11 - Bike ride on the world's longest road, The Pan-American Highway 8:14 - Connection to Prince Harry  13:00 - Growing up with a military family and competitive drive  16:34 - Events that led to joining  21:03 - Path from Commandos to UK Special Boat Service (SBS)  24:58 - SAS and SBS selection and the differences and similarities  between them   29:35 - First time outside the wire in Kosovo and a funny story about why he always asks about wildlife  34:42 - First contact post 9/11 in SBSand a HAHO jump  36:55 - HALO vs HAHO - the training, the dangers, and the mindset for operational jumps  44:45 - Would you have done anything different in your career?  46:23 - The injury that ended his military career  40:41 - Identity crisis after leaving the military and finding a role in crisis management and private security  58:41-  Purchasing weapons on the black market and finding a niche in the private sector   1:05:57 - Are there any jobs you've had to turn down?  1:07:55 - Becoming the first man in history to cycle 14,000 miles in under a hundred days and still making it to Harry and Meghan's wedding  1:14:22 - The inspiration, process, and content of the book "Relentless"    1:18:59 - What did you carry into combat?  1:20:08 - Would you do it all again? 1:22:02 - Philanthropy work  1:24:07 -  Listener comments and shout outs  

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Today we hear a rare Combat Story from the highest echelons of the military from the eyes of retired General George Casey, who was the Commanding General, Multi-National Force – Iraq, from 2004 to 2007, and Chief of Staff of the Army from 2007 to 2011.  General Casey’s decisions resulted in many of the combat stories we’ve heard on this show as Delta operators, snipers, soldiers, and Marines carried out tactical operations that he and his staff decided at the strategic levels.  I have a very short but personally important moment in which my life intersected with the General’s: he commissioned me into the Army. I was a student and ROTC cadet at Georgetown University where I played football and was on campus during the aftermath of 9/11. Similarly, General Casey was a student at Georgetown, also played football, and was on campus during the Vietnam War when it was not popular to wear the uniform.  Mine was the first full class to commission into the post-9/11 era and I found it fitting that General Casey was the man who made that possible. He’s got some amazing stories, including being asked to attend the second-ever selection course for Delta Force to create the conditions for the first-ever elections in post-Saddam Iraq decades later. This was a special interview for me personally and I hope you enjoy the experience, highs, lows, and mindset of one of the very few to ever have the opportunity to wear four stars. Show Notes 0:00 - Intro  0:57 - Guest Introduction (General George Casey) 2:29 - Interview Begins  3:27 - Time at Georgetown 6:34 - Where we you on 9/11? 7:49 - Family history in the military and the impact of losing his father in Vietnam  13:24 - The political  climate in 1968 and the challenges the Army was facing internally  20:55 - Father as a role model and  expecting to go to Vietnam and why he went to Germany instead  25:48 -  Investing in the soldiers  27:56 - life of the party personality  29:20 - Story of getting a call for "a mission of the highest national importance"  36:43 - The importance and overlooked part of the roles of military spouses  42:56 - Formative years in Bosnia and Kosovo and first deployment in a combat environment  4:57 - What the weight and pressure of General Officers is really like  50:00 - Story of an uprising in Bosnia and major lessons learned  56:02 -  Story of how he came to a senior role at 1st Cavalry Division where his father served  1:01:04 - Where the "make the best of it" personality trait came from and what it was like at 1st Cav  1:07:43 - Seeing the end of a war and a story about a bizarre dealing with Russia  1:12:48 - Story of going to Iraq and  taking the most important role of his career  1:20:39 - The basis for his decision making process  1:25:32 - Thinking differently about veterans after 50 years of a volunteer force  1:29:35 - What did you carry into combat?  1:30:46 - Would you do it all again? Book Supporting Veterans After 50 Years of the All-Volunteer Force and 20 Years of War: Ideas Moving Forward https://www.amazon.com/Supporting-Veterans-After-Years-All-Volunteer/dp/B0B4WRPRKS/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1665942969&refinements=p_27%3AGeorge+W.+Casey&s=books&sr=1-1 Support the USO, where General (ret) Casey is Chairman of the Board https://secure.uso.org/OM_BRD/?sc=WF18SRCH07&gclid=Cj0KCQjw166aBhDEARIsAMEyZh79aLOZpIzkttNII41Q54cFGx88TxQHoXEIq5I1XOTn3VMK6ilNsCkaAmmREALw_wcB This video covers the following subjects: - Four Star General George Casey - Army Chief of Staff - Commanding General - Multi-National Force-Iraq General George W. Casey, Jr., enjoyed a 41-year career in the US Army following his graduation from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service in 1970. As the Army Chief of Staff, he led one of the nation’s largest and most complex organizations during one of the most extraordinary periods in our history. He is widely credited with restoring balance to a war-weary Army and leading the transformation to keep it relevant in the 21st Century. Prior to this, from July 2004 to February 2007, he commanded the Multi-National Force – Iraq, a coalition of more than 30 countries where he guided the Iraq mission through its toughest days. If you would like to learn more about Four Star General George Casey, look here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCyApoJr-mNmdMNwdk22xEQ _________________________ Have I responded to all of your questions about Four Star General George Casey? Possibly you wish to comment below and let me understand what I can help you with or information on Four Star General George Casey.

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 Night Stalker from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), Steve Lapping. Steve participated in multiple high-profile operations that many of us have heard of like the Jessica Lynch rescue and the Saddam Hussein capture, and many operations we have not like Objectives REINDEER and LEADVILLE. This was a special interview for me as you can imagine given Steve’s storied background as an elite pilot, spending over two decades in 160th. We also touch on some of the heartbreak that comes with years in the cockpit with accidents, shootdowns, and crashes, including the feeling in SOAR following Operation GOTHIC SERPENT (aka Blackhawk Down). Steve is one of the most humble individuals you’re going to encounter. In fact, I had to dig to figure out that Steve was a CW5, which is a very difficult rank to reach and to learn about his awards and decorations in combat. I hope you enjoy this Combat Story from inside one of the most lethal cockpits from such a humble warrior as much as I did. 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 - Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus - Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes:  0:00 - Intro  0:45 - Guest Introduction (Steve Lapping) 2:02 - Interview Begins  5:10 -  First time flying with the W5 as a Junior Warrant 6:53 -  Story of jumping into cold water at a young age 11:32 - Fascination with military at an early age and an interest in aviation  17:30 -  Starting as a Warrant Officer  and no regrets 19:27 - First aircraft after training  25:35 - Path to 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) and the assessment process  35:10 - Becoming a PIC (Pilot in command) in 6-7 months. 39:24 -  Getting accepted into the 160th and events at the time  42:07 - Green Platoon assessment and selection course to become  Night Stalker  46:16 - Flying MH vs AH personalities  and mission profiles  49:44 - Mindset first time in combat after a 15-17 year career already  55:48 - Morale after Black Hawk Down  58:05 - Earning first combat patch in Afghanistan and invading Iraq with tough calls and tough weather  1:11:26 - Combat Story - Objective REINDEER and DFC event  1:21:19 - Combat Story - Objective LEADVILLE   1:48:02 - Combat Story - Challenging Day Missions and engaging the wrong vehicle  1:52:36 - Reflecting on anniversaries and working with veterans  1:54:49 - What did you carry into combat?  1:56:06 - Would you do it all again? 1:58:20 -  Listener comments and shout outs    This video covers the following subjects:   - 160th SOAR Night Stalker - AH-6 & MH-6 Pilot - DFC -160th SOAR  - Silver Star - CW5 Steve Lapping   The President of the United States of America, authorized by an Act of Congress on July 9, 1918, takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Chief Warrant Officer Five Steven A. Lapping, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in connection with military operations against an armed hostile force while serving as Pilot of an AH-6 Helicopter with the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), while operating against an entrenched enemy force during a daylight raid in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.    If you would like to learn more about 160th SOAR Night Stalker, Steve Lapping I suggest you look into our various other video clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCyApoJr-mNmdMNwdk22xEQ _________________________ Have I responded to all of your questions about 160th SOAR Night Stalker, Steve Lapping? Possibly you wish to comment below and let me understand what I can help you with or information on 160th SOAR Night Stalker, Steve Lapping.

EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/combatstory Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! I use NordVPN myself so you're in good company (and I know security). If you sign up, it will also help the show so thank you in advance! This episode is also brought to you by Uncommon Goods. Go to https://www.uncommongoods.com/combat for 15% off your order (and you'll be helping keep Combat Story going!) 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 episode has two segments: an in-person interview with none other than John Skrek McPhee, former Sergeant Major in Delta Force or the Unit and our most watched and listened to guest to date; and a second segment where I reflect on some of the moments and interviews that stand out from the past 100.  For the first portion, Shrek welcomed us to his annual in-person SOB Tactical members event in North Carolina where he taught me how to properly breach a door with a shotgun, where another former guest and fellow Special Operator Dutch Moyer taught my 15-year-old son to hit a 25-meter target with a handgun on his first ever shot, and where we celebrated with a grog that brought back some of the more lighthearted memories of formal military events I’d almost forgotten.  For this interview, I asked Shrek some questions that our own Combat Story community wanted to know and a few that I’d been wondering about myself. We all know how tough Shrek is so the fact that Shrek and I both got choked up in this session is saying a lot. For the second segment, I reflect back on some of the episodes from our first 100 that stand out to me for a variety of reasons and those that I’ll often think back on from time to time because they taught me something and help me process what’s going on in my life today by giving me perspective. Just thinking back on one of these interviews brought me to tears because it still makes me remember how grateful I need to be today. We could never have made something like Combat Story without your support over the past two years and 100 episodes. Thank you to those who have been here since the beginning and to those who have only recently joined us. We’ve got so much more to come and it’s only possible because of you. With that, please enjoy this special edition of Combat Story for our 100th episode.  Find John Online: - Instagram @sobtactical https://www.instagram.com/sobtactical/ - SOB Tactical https://sobtactical.com/ - SOB TV https://watch.sobtactical.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 - Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus - Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes:  0:00 - Intro  2:14 - Interview with John Skrek McPhee begins  2:31 - From the original vision of SOB Tactical to the 5th annual SOB Tactical member's event  5:49 - Planning cycles for ops and how it is applied outside of the service  10:50 - Ops in Norway and freezing conditions  14:31 - Fan question - Did you really have a 300 PT test ? 15:50 - The bonds and common ties that exist working with foreign forces  23:26 - Do you wish you were over there fighting the Russians right now? 28:29 - Learning to be more humane downrange 30:55 - Have you had to do family notification before?  33:33 - The value of "running your own race" in life   36:17 - Fan question - As a first time handgun buyer, what would you recommend?   38:26 - Fan question - What's Shrek's favorite book, poem, show, album"  41:51 - Things that trigger memories of being downrange 48:38 - Philosophy of failures and taking risks  51:16 - Preparing sons for the service and how it changed their relationship  53:53 - When was the last time you took the uniform off?   55:47 - The future of SOB Tactical   57:08 - Ryan's reflections on 100 episodes  1:23:48 -  Listener comments and shout outs  1:27:33 - Bonus - Outtake from John Skrek McPhee interview  This video covers the following subjects: - Celebrating our 100th Combat Story - Sergeant Major in Delta Force - Special Operator Dutch Moyer - Combat Story    If you would like to learn more about Sergeant Major in Delta Force, John Skrek McPhee, and Special Operator Dutch Moyer I suggest you look into our various other video clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCyApoJr-mNmdMNwdk22xEQ _________________________ Have I responded to all of your questions about Sergeant Major in Delta Force, John Skrek McPhee, and Special Operator Dutch Moyer? Possibly you wish to comment below and let me understand what I can help you with or information on Sergeant Major in Delta Force, John Skrek McPhee, and Special Operator Dutch Moyer.

EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼  https://nordvpn.com/combatstory  Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! I use NordVPN myself so you're in good company (and I know security). If you sign up, it will also help the show so thank you in advance! We did so well with this last time around that NordVPN reupped with us and that support is going straight into some new content we're producing at Combat Story! 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 hear our first ever Combat Story from a Medal of Honor recipient David Bellavia. David was a squad leader in Task Force 2-2 with the storied 1st Infantry Division during the brutal second battle of Fallujah. At one point, his fellow soldiers were pinned down and David cleared a building in a way that, in his words, 9 times out of 10, would have ended up very differently and with him losing his life and included hand to hand combat with an insurgent..  David shares so much insight into how the military transformed him and gave him some of the most real love he’d ever experienced with his brothers in arms. His second book, Remember the Ramrods: An Army Brotherhood in War and Peace just came out and speaks directly to the bonds that can truly only be forged in combat.  I highly recommend you listen all the way through to hear not just the event for which David would eventually receive the Medal of Honor, but also his response to the question if he would do it all again. It was something I never could have imagined.  With that, I hope you enjoy this very, very rare glimpse into someone who truly risked everything for a handful of others. #veteran #medalofhonor #army #combat  Find David Online: - Book Remember the Ramrods https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09CQ33GFM/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p1_i0 - Book House to House https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000W5MI12/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_taft_p1_i1 - Only the Dead See the End of War documentary featuring David’s Medal of Honor https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iubIoXda8Lw - Medal of Honor Citation https://www.army.mil/medalofhonor/bellavia/ - David's Website http://www.davidbellavia.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 - Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus - Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes 0:00 - Intro  0:46 - Guest Introduction (David Bellavia)  1:57 - Interview begins  2:29 - Writing experience and mentors  6:36 - Family background and feeling the need to avenge loss after Black Hawk Down 13:45 - A home invasion that left an impression 19:03 - Best night's sleep first night at Fort Benning  22:42 - Why infantry  25:11 - Kosovo and 9/11  28:53 - The training accident that made things real 30:57 - Iraq deployment and a humbling first combat experience  37:42 - What happens when you start taking casualties  40:58 - Combat Story - Battle of Fallujah 52:24 - Combat Story - Medal of Honor Event  1:21:43 - Being a leader not a soldier  1:28:39 Generational differences and sharing experiences with his grandfather  1:31:09 -  Remember the Ramrods: An Army Brotherhood in War and Peace  1:33:35 - What did you carry into combat? 1:35:47 - Would you do it all again?   1:42:34 - What do you want to be known for in the end? 1:44:10  - 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 Danny Hernandez, a Vietnam Veteran who served as a Marine rifleman in Operation Utah in March 1966. Danny would later be awarded the Silver Star and there is currently a push to have that upgraded to a Medal of Honor. Danny came from the rough streets of East LA and after Vietnam would return to be a committed community activist and mentor for many of the kids who were not as fortunate as he was.  The Silver Star was certainly earned as Danny was shot twice while providing medical aid to a stranded and wounded Marine on the battlefield; refusing to be evacuated, and killing several enemy soldiers as they flanked the casualty collection point that Danny had just been sitting in.  Danny’s work on mentoring and building the community in his hometown is inspiring and you can’t help but laugh as you hear some of the stories of the Marine Corps back in the Vietnam era.  His story is documented in his book, titled “Silver Star: An American Story” in much greater detail for those who are left wanting more.  Find Danny Online:  -Book: Silver Star: An American Story https://www.amazon.com/Silver-Star-American-Danny-Hernandez-ebook/dp/B07CJYYLLS/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= 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 ryan@combatstory.com - Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro  0:58 - Guest Introduction (Danny Hernandez)  2:12 - Interview begins  2:58 -  Growing up on the streets and early interest in joining the Marines  12:04 -  What Marine Corps boot camp was like in 1965  25:46 - Combat Story - Vietnam War - Movement into country and the amphibious landing  30:05 - First time in battle the first night they were there  33:35 - The brutal environment of Vietnam  35:48 - First 45 days of battles and the brotherhood fighting for each other  38:48 - How the streets made him sharper in battle  40:44 - Combat Story - Operation Utah - the 2nd largest battle in Vietnam history by Marines 1:02:00 - Wounded and tagged to get out but went back into battle anyway 1:09:31 -  Getting shot again, flown out for medical care, and adjusting to not being in combat  1:23:20 - Receiving a Silver Star 43 years later  1:30:33 - How influential was Vietnam in your work later in the community?  1:32:28 - About Danny's books "Silver Star: An American Story" and the new one "Chaos to Community"   1:33:09 - Listener comments and shout outs  This video covers the following subjects: - Marine Corps Silver Star Recipient - Operation Utah - Vietnam Veteran - Danny Hernandez By the time Danny graduates high school in 1965, he must choose between the two futures represented by his two uncles: Street Warrior or Military Man. Danny chooses the Marine Corps. Danny graduates from boot camp the same year President Lyndon B. Johnson commits ground troops to Vietnam. While his cousins back home express interest in the civil rights movement, Danny loses good friends in jungle raids and skirmishes with the Viet Cong. This is a gripping, true-life story, told in Danny's own words. From his training at Camp Pendleton to his heroic actions saving the lives of his fellow marines during Operation Utah, through his honorable discharge during one of the most tumultuous years of the Civil Rights Movement, Danny's endearing, honest, and sometimes heart-wrenching story honors the lives of those who risked everything for their country and their fellow marines. If you would like to learn more about Marine Corps Silver Star Recipient, Danny Hernandez I suggest you look into our various other video clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCyApoJr-mNmdMNwdk22xEQ _________________________ Have I responded to all of your questions about Marine Corps Silver Star Recipient, Danny Hernandez? Possibly you wish to comment below and let me understand what I can help you with or information on Marine Corps Silver Star Recipient, Danny Hernandez.