Combat Story

Former Special Ops Chaplain and Army Green Beret, George Youstra, shares his unique combat experiences and the critical role of a Chaplain at the strategic level. Discussions include the importance of chaplains in the military community, military training and special forces, building trust with indigenous forces, dealing with suicides, and the challenges faced by fighter pilots and Green Berets.

This episode is brought to you by DeleteMe. Go to www.joindeleteme.com/combat and use the code COMBAT to get 20% off your plan and keep your personal information online secure. This episode is brought to you by RocketMoney. Go to www.RocketMoney.com/combatstory and get help finding and canceling your unwanted subscriptions, monitor your spending, and help lower your bills—all in one place.  Go to www.HelloFresh.com/combatstory50 and use code combatstory50 for 50% off plus free shipping to get delicious and healthy meals that you can make at home with your family in no time and add some variety to what you serve! Our family has used Hello Fresh for years! 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 former Navy SEAL and Naval Special Warfare Development Group (or DEVGRU) operator Chris White. Chris spent two decades in the Teams pre-9/11 and was in the first wave of contractors fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq with Blackwater and similar companies early in the war. Chris hasn’t shared his story previously and did so, in part, to set the record straight on the experience of contractors in the post-9/11 era who had often been painted in a particularly negative way by the media.  Chris now operates Tier One Tactical where he delivers expert training to people, particularly those in law enforcement, in shooting and tactical engagements.  I hope you enjoy this wide ranging and insightful look at Chris’ experiences in both the elite levels of the Navy’s Special Operations community and his experience as a contractor in some incredibly challenging fighting, 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 Chris White Online: - Learn more about Chris https://aegisacademy.com/pages/instructors ======= Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro  00:52 - Guest Introduction (Chris White) 01:45 - Interview begins 02:14 - Learnings from battles 10:00 - Fight, Flight, or Freeze 15:37 - UDT days 18:13 - Childhood and path to the Military 21:24 - DeleteME 22:29 - Deliniation between  Navy and Teams 26:53 - Deciding to join the Military 29:43 - Being molded by the Military 32:03 - Friends at BUDS 36:29 - Route to DEVGRU 41:23 - Callsign White Boy 43:15 - Rocket Money 44:08 - Chris's strengths 47:43 - Chris's weaknesses 49:27 - Army Navy game 55:29 - Honor of the Fu-manchu 53:34 - Future after 20 years 01:03:53 - Hello Fresh  01:05:11 - Being in Bahrain during 9/11 01:07:08 - First mission after 9/11 01:15:29 - A hairy situation 01:30:28 - Transition to Blackwater 01:45:08 - Upside of being a Contractor 02:24:13 - Sentimental Items  02:25:33 - Do it all again 02:26:13 - Final comments 02:27:41 - Listeners 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!  Will a former Army Aviator and CIA officer pass out or throw-up for his first flight in a jet?! This episode is best viewed on YouTube at https://youtu.be/RbyWbRWXky4 because it's all flying and exploring the L-39 jet and Patriots Jet Team hangar. Strap in for a high-octane adventure with the Patriots Jet Team, the ONLY civilian-owned aerobatic jet team in the United States!  Ryan is taking Combat Story on a thrilling journey in an L-39 Soviet Jet with the legendary pilot, Scott "Intake" Kartvedt. They're gearing up and rehearsing for a heart-pounding performance at the Sonoma NASCAR race, and you've got a front-row seat (well...it's a the backseat of the L-39 actually)! Before we take off, we get some insider tips from Ryan "Stinger" Fishel, Active Duty F-15 fighter pilot and former guest on the podcast (https://youtu.be/4jP3U2nHFUw - 400K views), on how to handle the intense G-forces during the flight and what to eat before getting in the cockpit. Will Ryan keep his cool (and his lunch) as they pull 7-8 G's for 45 minutes? Fasten your seatbelts and find out! We also hear from Kevin "K2" LaRosa Jr, a sought after Hollywood aerial coordinator and stunt pilot who was handpicked by Tom Cruise to choreograph Top Gun:Maverick (he was also behind the scenes and/or in the cockpit for Avengers, Iron Man, and over 100 other movies and TV shows)! Next, we whisk you away on an exclusive tour of the Patriots Jet Team Hangar, a veritable Aladdin's cave of aviation wonders and also the world's greatest man cave! From sleek jets to Hollywood stunt aircraft, this hangar is a treasure trove. And the pièce de résistance? A bar made from a Russian Mig Wing or the "Help Me" sign used by Tom Cruise and James Corden when they go flying in Randy's aircraft (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1iZtBM23bY)?! Enter Randy "Howler" Howell, the owner of the Patriots Jet Team. With decades of flying experience, Randy is more than a pilot; he's an aviation legend who taught his son to fly solo at the tender age of eight! When Tom Cruise need a stunt pilot for Top Gun:Maverick, he chose Randy Howell. Safety is paramount when you're flying with the Patriots Jet Team! We go through an awesome emergency procedure for a heart-stopping ejection process (I call it the turn and dump). Then, it's time to take to the skies. Experience the adrenaline rush of formation flying, high-speed maneuvers, and the thrill of going inverted (many times!). Ryan even gets a chance to take the controls which is not unlike his days flying the AH-64D Apache attack helicopter! Despite a bout of nausea (an occupational hazard!), Ryan revels in the exhilarating experience of getting back in the cockpit again. As we touch down from this wild ride, we invite you to become part of the Patriots Jet Team legacy through sponsorship opportunities. Plus, don't miss out on Combat Story's previous interviews with these legends (Randy, Kevin, Intake, and Stinger). So, are you ready to defy gravity with us? Tune in, hold tight, and enjoy the ride! Special thanks to Joey Amtman for incredible editing and Four Winds Creative (filming). Find Ryan Online: Ryan’s Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatsory Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial Find Scott "Intake" Kartvedt Online: Scott's website https://scottkartvedt.com/ Full Throttle Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C7F91JCB Instagram @scottkartvedt https://www.instagram.com/scottkartvedt/ Find Randy Howell Online: Learn More about Randy https://www.patriotsjetteam.com/Media%20Package/Pilot%20Bios.pdf Patriots Jet Team Instagram https://www.instagram.com/patriotsjetteam/ @PatriotsJetTeam LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/randy-howell-35347540/ Find Kevin LaRosa Online: Kevin's website https://www.k2larosa.com/ Instagram @K2Larosa https://www.instagram.com/k2larosa LinkedIn: Kevin LaRosa II YouTube: TOP GUN: MAVERICK: Aerial Coordinator Kevin LaRosa Jr. Interview - Patriots Jet Team Instagram:  @rhowlerhowell, @scottKartvedt, @deanwright15, @epic_flying, @patriotsjetuprt, @lovell.cory, @mtemby, @rings_patriotsjet, @mamainiero, @aviatrixemmy, @minijetmojoh2o, @stellantsystems, @dragonfly.films, @flygoodyear, @concordebatterycorp, @pjt_foundation Timeline: 0:00 - Intro 1:25 - G-force management tips from Ryan "Stinger" Fishel, F-15 fighter pilot 2:25 - Exclusive tour of the Patriots Jet Team Hangar 3:24 - James Corden and Tom Cruise Help Me sign! 4:00 - Blue Angel Action Figure/Doll! 4:35 - Kevin LaRosa describes Cinejet and Top Gun and Devotion filming 6:50 - How to EJECT from an L-39!! 8:19 - Scott Intake Kartvedt going Full Throttle 9:35 - Taking Off!! 11:23 - 7Gs on a left break! 17:00 - RTB (Return to Base) and landing 18:38 - Get your name on the L-39! 19:15 - Outtake

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 detailing the almost start-up like creation and expansion of the CIA and military’s drone program that would go on to help find, fix, and finish high value targets across the globe with Army veteran and CIA officer, Alec Bierbauer. Alec was an Army intelligence soldier and Warrant Officer before being hand picked to join DIA and then being hand picked again, this time by CIA legend Cofer Black, to join the CIA. Prior to 9/11, Alec was detailed from DIA to CIA’s virtual station, coincidentally named Alec Station, tracking Al-Qaida and Bin Laden. He would later have the opportunity to fire some of the first shots of the war against AQ through the predator program. He went on to be a CIA Chief of Base in the early years of the Global War on Terror to track down targets in Afghanistan and continued serving in austere environments, including several stints more recently in an expeditionary capacity in locations he can’t name while in more senior roles at the Agency. Alec and Mark Cooter wrote the book “Never Mind, We'll Do It Ourselves: The Inside Story of How a Team of Renegades Broke Rules, Shattered Barriers, and Launched a Drone Warfare Revolution” which details never before seen experiences of how the drone program was stood up and leveraged post-9/11. This interview was a blast and I hope you enjoy this detailed look at such a critical program to national security during such a pivotal time, 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 Alec Bierbauer Online: - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alec-bierbauer-a6b3135/ - BlackRock Strategy https://www.blackrockstrategy.com/ - Never Mind, We'll Do It Ourselve - https://www.amazon.com/Books-Alec-Bierbauer/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AAlec+Bierbauer Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro  00:49 - Guest Introduction (Alec Bierbauer) 02:24 - Interview begins 04:05 - Getting connected 04:56 -Living overseas  07:00 - Giving a cover story 09:15 - Being in Moscow in the late 70's 11:20 - Moving around, growing up, and grades 12:53 - Path to the Army 15:48 - Impression of America growing up overseas 17:06 - Deciding what role to fill in the Army 20:03 - Joining the Seapower and Projection Forces Commitee 23:12 - Transition to the D.I.A. 27:47 - Drones during the late 90's 32:13 - Working with other Agencies 38:41 - Identifying terrorist threats 45:41 - Intelligence Operations in Afghanistan 57:05 -Alternate options to Drones to find Bin Laden 59:48 - 9/11 and Drone deployment 01:11:51 - Time in Afghanistan 01:23:13 - Leading a base at the front end of the war 01:31:13 - Mike Span's passing  01:35:40 - Most couragous acts  01:45:50 - Satisfaction of the Drone Program 01:49:45 - Unmaned aircrafts Vs. Manned aircrafts 01:51:11 - Keep going back to the fight 01:53:10 - Retirement 01:55:47 - Starting BlackRock Strategy 01:57:17 - Sentimental items 01:58:53 - Do it all again 01:59:43 - Closing thoughts 02:01:24 -  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 an aviation-focused Combat Story with three pioneers in the civilian, military, and filmmaking aviation communities who were the driving force behind the aerial scenes from Top Gun: Maverick. Many will recall our interview with Scott ‘Intake’ Kartvedt as the Accountant turned Naval Aviator who went on to fly F/A-18s, command an F-35 Squadron, fly with the Blue Angels, and now flies the Number 5 airplane in the civilian aerobatic formation flight Patriots Jet Team. Scott’s fantastic book “Full Throttle: From the Blue Angels to Hollywood Stunt Pilot” chronicles his experiences in- and outside the cockpit. Our second guest is the owner of The Patriots Jet Team, Randy Howell, who flies the Number 6 aircraft, and who taught Tom Cruise to fly the L-39 jet for Maverick. To give you an idea of how long Randy has been flying, he has 7K more flight hours than expert aviator Sully Sullenberger, who famously landed his commercial airliner in the Hudson River after an inflight emergency. Randy and Intake made up the pair of stunt pilots for Maverick, including the intense flying in the last eight minutes of the movie, for which they were awarded the Screen Actors Guild award for action. Our third guest is Kevin ‘K2’ LaRosa who grew up in Hollywood as an aviation stunt man, pilot, and aerial coordinator. You’ve seen him in the air in over 100 films and TV shows, including Iron Man, Avengers, Transformers, Devotion, and Maverick. He is the VP of Aerial Production for Helinet Aviation. This is a rare glimpse into flying with three experts and pioneers in the field. We dig into so much in this episode about flying on the edge and I hope you enjoy these stories of pushing the limits of aerial cinematography with both aircraft and cameras, teaching Tom Cruise to fly jets, and the close calls and near misses that inevitably come with aviation, as much as I did. We have a special edition of Combat Story coming up where I go flying with Intake and Randy in the L-39 in formation with the Patriots Jet Team and try not to pass out or throw up! Stay tuned! 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 Find Scott Kartvedt Online: Scott's website https://scottkartvedt.com/ Full Throttle Book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C7F91JCB  Find Randy Howell Online:  Learn More about Randy https://www.patriotsjetteam.com/Media%20Package/Pilot%20Bios.pdf  Patriots Jet Team Instagram https://www.instagram.com/patriotsjetteam/   @PatriotsJetTeam  LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/randy-howell-35347540/  Find Kevin LaRosa Online: Kevin's website https://www.k2larosa.com/ Instagram @K2Larosa https://www.instagram.com/k2larosa  Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro  00:41 - Guest Introduction (Scott Kartvedt, Randy Howell, Kevin LaRosa) 02:40 - Interview begins 08:20 - Arial Coordinator responsibilities 10:27 - Arial Coordinator on Top Gun Maverick  15:07 - Camera rigging on Jets 20:06 - Getting 'Intake' on board 22:51 Intake on Top Gun Maverick 24:56 - Safety and Planning Top Gun Maverick fight scene 35:06 - Team dynamics during training 39:58 - Stick Model Practice 42:33 - Almost hitting a breaching whale 43:31 - A few tough maneuvers 49:00 - Perfecting Combat Comms 52:19 - Reminiscing on Top Gun Maverick 55:55 - Recieving a SAG award 01:00:24 - Patriots Jet Team 01:07:30 - Maintaining orientation 01:08:55 - Full Throttle  01:10:38 - Following the Arial Coordination path 01:15:31 - Close calls 01:25:04 - Sentimental Items 01:27:11 - Favorite aircraft 01:30:01 -  Listener comments and shout outs

This episode is brought to you by 4Patriots Survival Food Kits.The kits are compact, sturdy, water-resistant, and stack easily. They have different delicious breakfasts, lunches, dinners. You can make these meals in less than 20 minutes. Just add boiling water, simmer, and serve. Go to 4Patriots.com and use code COMBAT to get 10% off. 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 fascinating Combat Story from Matt Stevens, a Troop and Squadron Commander in Naval Special Warfare Development Group or DEVGRU, the unit many know from the Bin Laden raid and the Captain Phillips rescue.  After tours with SEAL Teams 4 and 8 and one rotation with a SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) unit, Matt successfully assessed for and was accepted into DEVGRU. He and his Troop deployed to Afghanistan immediately following 9/11 and supported efforts in the south of the country, on the “giving end” of things as Matt so aptly describes it.  Matt was, unfortunately, intimately involved in the aftermath of Operation Red Wings in 2005 while serving as a DEVGRU Squadron Commander that included all the tactical and political challenges that come with that leadership role. Today, Matt is the CEO of The Honor Foundation, a non-profit that helps elite warriors like himself successfully transition out of the military and into a civilian career. Part of the process for veterans in the program is how to manage your identity post-military, which so many of us struggle with, and Matt shares some of the tactics the Honor Foundation uses to help in this effort. I hope you enjoy this front row seat to stories from a leader in one of the elite Tier 1 elements of our military 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 Matt Stevens Online: - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewpstevens/ - Learn more about Matt https://www.honor.org/people/matt-stevens/ - The Honor Foundation https://www.honor.org/ - Instagram @honorfoundation https://www.instagram.com/honorfoundation/ Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro  00:45 - Guest Introduction (Matt Stevens) 02:00 - Interview begins 02:07 - Missions after 9/11 09:20 - Lobbying to get mission sets 12:03 - The Honor Foundation 18:49 - 4Patriots 20:07 - Childhood 23:59 - Deciding to join the Military 29:12 - Playing the clarinet 31:30 - Deciding to go the SEALs route 34:29 - Working alongside older Veterans 36:09 - Welcoming as a Junior Officer to SEAL team 38:51 - Jump to DEVGRU 46:22 - Measuring up to the competition 47:39 - Family reaction to going DEVGRU  48:44 - First mission set in Afghanistan  55:07 - Difference between training and live Ops at night 58:30 - Operation Red Wings  01:16:39 - Moral during Operation Red Wings  01:25:44 - Leadership position complications 01:29:32 - Experience with high ranking officials 01:31:24 - Advice for identity after service 01:44:39 - Sentimental Items 01:45:21 - Would you do it all again 01:47:01 - Final thoughts 01:47:12 -  Listener comments and shout outs

This episode is brought to you by the OSS Society. Use the link below to register for the Tuesday, June 13 · 6 - 7pm EDT 'Oh So Social' Conversation between General Jim Mattis and Dr. Michael Vickers. They'll discuss Vickers upcoming book In By All Means Available: Memoirs of a Life in Intelligence, Special Operation and Strategy and his remarkable career. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mattis-vickers-an-oh-so-social-conversation-tickets-627293320207 This episode is brought to you by 4Patriots Survival Food Kits.The kits are compact, sturdy, water-resistant, and stack easily. They have different delicious breakfasts, lunches, dinners. You can make these meals in less than 20 minutes. Just add boiling water, simmer, and serve. Go to 4Patriots.com and use code COMBAT to get 10% off. 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 from long time veteran, CIA officer, and policy maker: the Honorable Mike Vickers. Mike spent 10 years in the Green Berets with 10th Special Forces Group as both an enlisted Weapons Sergeant and Officer, including command of a counterterrorism element operating in Europe during the Cold War.  He then transitioned to one of the most impactful jobs in Cold War history as the Program Officer overseeing the covert action program to fight and ultimately defeat the Soviets in Afghanistan. His first assignments in the Agency before going to training were in stark contrast to my own as Mike went directly to a war zone (a story we begin the podcast with because it’s so unique) with nothing but his polo, linen pants, loafers, operational cash and a firearm! Mike would go on to very senior levels in the government, including the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations, Low Intensity Conflicts, and Interdependent Capabilities where he played an instrumental role in so many facets of our national security policy, to include pioneering drone capabilities to target Al-Qaida around the world and helping get the necessary support for the raid to kill Bin Laden. I found this to be a fascinating piece of history and one that Mike details in his book, By All Means Available: Memoirs of a Life in Intelligence, Special Operations and Strategy. I found Mike thanks to Frank Gargon, who - along with MIke- is helping to raise funds to support the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Society in building a museum in honor of intelligence and special operations professionals. With that, please enjoy this front row seat to so many historical events over the past 40 years.   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 Michael Vickers Online: - Learn more about Michae: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_G._Vickers - Purchase By All Means Available: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/537236/by-all-means-available-by-michael-g-vickers/ - OSS Society Conversation with Jim Mattis tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mattis-vickers-an-oh-so-social-conversation-tickets-627293320207 - OSS Society: https://www.osssociety.org/   Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro  01:01 - Guest Introduction (Ryan Rogers) 02:48 - Interview begins 04:00 - Unusual beginning at the CIA 09:40 - On the ground in Greneda 13:36 - Growing up and focus on the CIA 17:29 - Underachiever to Multitasker 19:20 - OSS Society Conversation Ad 20:22 - Time in the Army 23:48 - Serving along side Vietnam Soldiers 27:21 - Advantage of Special Forces training to CIA 29:03 - Chance encounter with Gina Haspel 30:34 - Homebased and the Covert Action Program 34:41 - Afghanistan Covert Action Program Officer 39:28 - 4Patriots 40:47 - Stalemate in Afghanistan 41:43 - Plan to infiltrate Afghanistan 45:00 - Secret partners 45:48 - Escalation against the Soviets 50:10 - Soviet withdrawl from Afghanistan 53:38 - A covert mission 56:17 - Afghanistan war post 9/11 01:01:13 - Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations, Low Intensity Conflicts, and Interdependent Capabilities  01:07:30 - The Drone Program 01:12:02 - On the ground in Pakistan 01:13:53 - Secretary of Intel 01:17:52 - A challenging mission 01:21:42 - Building confidence in the Bin Laden raid 01:29:49 - Sentimental items 01:31:03 - Do it all again 01:31:53 - Plan B 01:33:02 -  Listener comments and shout outs

This episode is brought to you by 4Patriots Survival Food Kits.The kits are compact, sturdy, water-resistant, and stack easily. They have different delicious breakfasts, lunches, dinners. You can make these meals in less than 20 minutes. Just add boiling water, simmer, and serve. Go to 4Patriots.com and use code COMBAT to get 10% off. Also be sure to visit our Combat Story website where you can keep up to date with the latest Combat Story episodes, connect with us, or purchase Combat Story merch at; https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/ 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 former Special Forces Green Beret Eric Neal. In fact, you’ll hear many combat stories in this episode as Eric recounts his four deployments to Afghanistan in just four years from 2010 to 2014 in very kinetic environments, losing many friends and brothers in arms along the way and learning so much about himself.  Even Eric’s very first combat operation (which jump into in the first two minutes of this episode) was as chaotic as they get with multiple aircraft supporting his ODA going winchester (running out of ammo) trying to suppress the enemy. He would be involved in operations we’ve heard of previously - in one case carrying the bodies of the soldiers we lost in Extortion 17 - and many events we have not heard of, to include one of the largest VBIEDs in the post-9/11 era on the 10 year anniversary of 9/11, that wounded over 70 soldiers and local nationals.  Eric experienced so much of this combat and loss in his mid-20s and, as he mentions, some of these moments are still with him today. It’s hard to imagine one person could experience this much combat in one lifetime, let alone in just four years and I hope you enjoy this gauntlet of trial by fire, literally, and the combat operations and insights he shares, 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 Eric NealOnline: - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-d-neal/ - Gritr sports https://gritrsports.com/ - National Medal of Honor Museum https://mohmuseum.org/ Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro  01:01 - Guest Introduction (Eric Neal) 02:25 - Interview begins 02:48 - Background with Darrell Utt 04:24 - Medal of Honor recipients before award 06:17 - The importance of 3rd Group 07:55 - First mission outside the wire 21:27 - 4Patriots 24:29 - Childhood and joining the Army 30:00 - The Football Coach  34:54 - Path to Special Forces 39:42 - Combat Story Merch 39:58 - Gaining confidence 43:38 - The Q-course 49:34 - The drive for combat 50:58 - Hazing  56:13 - Loosing a team leader 59:01 - First deployment stories 01:03:14 - First deployment afterthoughts 01:04:49 - Second deployment   01:13:31 - Being on Comms during missions 01:15:16 - First mission back after IED 01:18:33 - A tragic situation 01:33:05 - Second deployment afterthoughts 01:36:47 - Third deployment 01:40:56 - Dealing with losing teammates 01:42:20 - Fourth deployment 02:02:57 - Courageous acts 02:06:56 - Sentimental Items 02:08:17 - Would you do it all again 02:09:28 - Final remarks 02:10:54 -  Listener comments and shout outs

This episode is brought to you by the OSS Society. Use the link below to register for the Tuesday, June 13 · 6 - 7pm EDT 'Oh So Social' Conversation between General Jim Mattis and Dr. Michael Vickers. They'll discuss Vickers upcoming book In By All Means Available: Memoirs of a Life in Intelligence, Special Operation and Strategy and his remarkable career. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mattis-vickers-an-oh-so-social-conversation-tickets-627293320207 This episode is also brought to you by 4Patriots Survival Food Kits. The kits are compact, sturdy, water-resistant, and stack easily. They have different delicious breakfasts, lunches, dinners. You can make these meals in less than 20 minutes. Just add boiling water, simmer, and serve. Go to 4Patriots.com and use code COMBAT to get 10% off. 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 the Air Force’s aerial special operations community: Mike LaFeve. Mike was an MC-130 Navigator in the Air Force’s 8th Special Operations Squadron (8th SOS). The MC-130 is an incredible airframe and we dig into it’s configuration, aircrews, and mission sets in this episode. The platform is specifically designed to support the special operations community with airdrops, delivery and extraction of special operators, refueling, combat search and rescue and so much more, including something called the Fulton Recovery which is straight out of a James Bond movie.  In this episode we go through Mike’s first deployment immediately following 9/11 in what can only be described as the Wild West of Afghanistan. We’ll do a second round interview in which we delve into several more deployments and the varied mission set as the battlefield becomes more established. I hope you enjoy this detailed behind the scenes look at a very cool airframe from someone inside the cockpit 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 Mike LaFeve Online: - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikelafeve/   Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro  01:00 - Guest Introduction (Mike LaFeve) 02:00 - Interview begins 02:23 - Influential Media 04:29 - Desire to fly 05:57 - Childhood 08:15 - Family Military history 09:08 - Deciding on the Air Force 14:59 - Air Maintenance Officer 20:18 - OSS Society 21:24 - Difference between Navigator and Pilot 29:20 - Heavy instead of Fighter 32:35 - Path to MC-130 and Special Forces 36:28 - In depth look at the C-130s 40:35 - 4 Patriots 41:58 - Aircrew and Mission sets 46:57 - Flying at 250 feet at night 51:00 - Retired plane-escape system 53:46 - Special Ops during 9/11 01:05:42 - Time in Pakistan 01:19:57 - First operation of the War 01:28:26 - Time in the War 01:32:20 - Texas 12 01:42:23 - ODA teamleader 01:46:47 - Last mission on first deployment 01:50:58 - Sentimental item 01:52:33 - Would you do it all again 01:56:35 - Final thoughts 01:57:54 -  Listener comments and shout outs

This episode is brought to you by 4Patriots Survival Food Kits.The kits are compact, sturdy, water-resistant, and stack easily. They have different delicious breakfasts, lunches, dinners. You can make these meals in less than 20 minutes. Just add boiling water, simmer, and serve. Go to 4Patriots.com and use code COMBAT to get 10% off. 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 remarkable Combat Story from longtime Special Forces Green Beret and 18D medic, Ryan Neel, who spent close to 25 years in the Army, most of that in Special Operations, to include nine deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Kosovo. We spend a lot of time on Ryan’s combat experiences in this episode, starting right away with the story of how Ryan nearly died on his first Iraq deployment. I found Ryan through Darrell Utt (who many will recall from our interview #74 at https://youtu.be/Qzv6lISLnwA), who was a former Green Beret alongside Ryan. Oddly enough, both Darrell and Ryan share the same “Alive Day” as they both nearly died on the same day in April 2005. Darrell described the event in the following way: “Ryan was 15 meters away when a tanker truck rammed through the gate and detonated 500 gallons of diesel fuel, 20 x 155mm HE Artillery shells, and ¼ metric tons of TNT…despite having multiple types of injuries and being trapped in his room while it was on fire for 2 minutes, his teammates kicked the door down and after a quick self-assessment – he proceeded to provide medical treatment to four SF brothers, two interpreters, three Peshmerga guards, reset security, and directed Iraqi & US reinforcements…And, yes, he has the actual terrorist video footage of the attack!” Ryan provides a very real and honest perspective of what 15 years of combat does to a person and family and I am sure so many people will connect with his feelings and perspective. I hope you enjoy this one 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 Ryan Neel Online: - Indeed https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-neel-mba-cpd/   Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro  00:58 - Guest Introduction (Ryan Neel) 02:42 - Interview begins 02:55 - Darrel Utt and sharing an Alive Day 19:10 - 4Patriots 20:30 -  Alive Day continued 28:05  - Being a Parent and Husband 37:04 - Recruitment and the path to the Army 41:12 - Family history and reception on joining 44:50 - Influences to joining 47:15 - Going Green Beret 51:23 - Time in Kosovo  01:02:59 - Skirmish on the border 01:08:43 - First Deployment with Special Forces 01:22:14 - Missions leading up to the Alive Day attack 01:25:16 - A tough operation #1 01:33:35 - A tough operation #2 01:41:14 - Patching up a Soldier 02:07:32 - Impacts on Home life 02:25:44 - Sentimental items 02:29:43 - Would you do it again? 02:32:24 -  Listener comments and shout outs