Combat Story

Ryan Fugit

Real combat stories from the military's elite. This podcast highlights the courageous, outrageous, crazy, and surreal experiences veterans recall from their toughest days in the foxhole, cockpit, and front lines. We interview JTACs, Special Operators (Delta), Special Forces, Jet Pilots, Combat Aviators, Infrantrymen, Marines, and vets from over 50 years of combat experience.Interviews touch on the toughest missions these vets faced, how they handled them, their first combat experiences, how they found their way to the military, and how they managed after leaving the combat behind.

Episodes

Mentioned books

Oct 21, 2023 • 1h 59min

When Grown Men Follow You Into Battle, Green Beret 18Z (former 18E), Nick Lavery Dive School Instructor, Overcoming Suicide, Cook to LRSS to Special Forces - Trevor Beaman

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. ======= 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 an inspiring and vulnerable Combat Story from Trevor Beaman, an active duty Special Forces 18Z (former 18E). He went from Army cook to long range surveillance to Green Beret while overcoming significant challenges along the way. In an interesting twist, he would even be an instructor at the Army's dive school where he oversaw Nick Lavery's successful completion of the course. As a warning, there are moments in this episode in which we get into some difficult content about abuse from Trevor's childhood that may be hard for people to hear. We also, however, discuss how Trevor overcame that abuse and adversity and would go on to lead fellow Green Berets in combat. Trevor's path is anything but straight as he dealt with recruiting slight of hand that brought him in as a cook but eventually found his tribe with 3rd Special Forces Group. After multiple deployments, he voluntarily sought out mental health support and, in a positive turn of events, was granted the time to get healthy again. He has 18 months of active duty service remaining, still supporting Special Operations and is writing a book about his experiences in a way that will help others help themselves. He has an inspiring Ted Talk about overcoming some of the traumatic experiences of his life that provides more context about him and his career and, with that, I hope you enjoy this important story from Trevor Beaman. ======= 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 Trevor Online: - Instagram @Trevor_a_Beaman https://www.instagram.com/trevor_a_beaman/ - Website https://trevorbeaman.com/ - Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClQKfGw2SZ2wFv-DRv0DHGg?app=desktop - Ted Talk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9KsEMaT78E ======= Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro 00:37 - Guest Introduction (Trevor Beaman) 01:54 - Interview begins 02:25- Breaking Rules 04:40 - Childhood and abuse 07:35 - Abuse and leadership 09:45 - Ted Talk 19:50 - Deciding on the Military 25:05 - DeleteMe Ad 26:32 - Time in the National Gaurd 32:28 - First encounter with the Green Berets 37:37 - Perspective on younger self 46:11 - Kevin Flick and Alive Day 48:00 - Dealing with loss of old teammates 56:34 - First shot at O.D.A. 01:07:19 - Performance after trauma 01:10:27 - Hardest deployment 01:21:46 - Deception training 01:25:40 - Mental Health while deployed 01:34:00 - Dive school 01:48:15 - Would you do it all again 01:51:42 - Sentimental Items 01:52:52 - The next 10 years 01:56:17 - Listener comments and shout outs

Oct 14, 2023 • 2h 16min

Flying Combat Missions as the First Female Afghan Pilot, Receiving the International Women of Courage Award, Flying with the Blue Angels, Avoiding Assassinations - Niloofar Rahmani

This episode is brought to you by Nutrisense. Visit nutrisense.com/combat and get $30 off your first month and one month of board certified nutritionist support. When they ask how you learned about Nutrisense make sure to tell them it was the Combat Story podcast. ======= 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 fantastic Combat Story unlike those we've hosted before as we welcome Niloofar Rahmani, Afghanistan's first female aviator and someone who has overcome tremendous adversity to simply serve her country. This episode is a great reminder about how great we have it in America, what our involvement in Afghanistan meant to so many people like her, and what perseverance and sacrifice really look like for an individual and a family. We've hosted so many guests who had challenges growing up with homelessness and absent parents yet somehow, despite the odds, found their way to the military. This story is likely the most challenging we've heard in terms of getting into uniform from exile and defying societal norms and is absolutely the most challenging we've ever heard when it comes to how difficult and dangerous it was to just wear a uniform and serve every day. Niloofar would be the first many times as one of the first women recruited into the Afghan military, in flight school, to graduate, and event fly the C-130. She was awarded the US' International Women of Courage of Award, met the first lady, flew with the Blue Angels and, eventually, was granted asylum in the United States. She's written a fantastic book about her experiences titled Open Skies: My Life as Afghanistan's First Female Pilot and she and her husband (an American veteran) opened a company called the Afghanistan Tribal Rug Trading Company where you can get rugs from Afghanistan while helping support the women who make them. Despite the tragic fall of Afghanistan in 2021, Niloofar's story has a happy ending and, as she'll be the first to point out, is not finished being written. Although she didn't say it, I suspect we'll see her flying one day in an American uniform. Many thanks to former guest Ryan "Stinger" Fishel who got us in contact to make this interview happen and, with that, please enjoy this inspiring story from somebody who was truly a groundbreaker in her field. ======= 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 Niloofar Online: - Open Skies My Life As Afghanistans First Female Pilot https://www.amazon.com/Open-Skies-Afghanistans-First-Female/dp/1641603348 - Afghanistan Tribal Rug Trading Co. https://www.afghanistantribalrugs.com/ - Learn more about Niloofar https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niloofar_Rahmani ======= Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro 00:55 - Guest Introduction (Niloofar Rahmani ) 02:56 - Interview begins 03:20 - Mutual friend Ryan 'Stinger' Fishel 05:43 - First time in a Fighter Jet 08:18 - Favorite Movie 09:25 - Childhood 16:24 - Parents and struggle with War 21:29 - First aspiration to become a Pilot 25:21 - Family Cultural background 27:08 - Challenges growing up around the Taliban 32:10 - Nutrisense Ad 33:26 - Girl's School and Education 35:57 - What Niloofar would have done not being a Pilot 37:10 - Path to Aviation 44:26 - Qualifying to be a Pilot 01:00:05 - Training to be a Pilot 01:07:20 - First time solo flying 01:11:49 - Discrimination for being a Woman 01:29:05 - A difficult mission 01:32:29 - Sgrt. Mohammad 01:40:17 - International Woman of Courage Award 01:44:48 - Seeking asylum in the U.S. 02:08:30 - Sentimental items 02:09:48 - Afghanistan Tribal Rug Trading Co. 02:12:06 - Closing thoughts 02:13:00 - Listener comments and shout outs

Oct 7, 2023 • 1h 56min

16 Hour Gunfight with Special Forces 18C, Kamdesh Battle, No Plan B, 48KIA in One Day, Nearly Shot in the Head, Founder of Green Beret Chronicles | Jay Dorleus

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 Nutrisense. Visit nutrisense.com/combat and get $30 off your first month and one month of board certified nutritionist support. When they ask how you learned about Nutrisense make sure to tell them it was the Combat Story podcast. ======= 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 an in-depth Combat Story with 20 year veteran and Green Beret Jay Dorleus. Jay spent the initial portion of his career in the regular Army as a Combat Engineer, including two rotations to Iraq where he conducted route clearing and base patrol operations that included losing some of his best friends to IEDs in a very reactive environment. Jay would eventually transition to the Special Forces where he was in a more proactive posture, taking the fight to the enemy this time around. He fought in some of the more challenging areas of Afghanistan with 3rd Special Forces Group and nearly died on multiple occasions, including a bullet narrowly missing his head. His childhood is anything but ordinary as he moved to the US from Haiti with his family and maintained that New York immigrant mindset to help him succeed in the military. He created a YouTube channel now that he's retirement to teach aspiring special operators how to successfully pass selection and learn from his mistakes. I hope you enjoy this very real and wide ranging interview with a long time Green Beret 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 Jay Online: - Instagram @Green_Beret_Chronicals: https://www.instagram.com/green_beret_chronicles/ - Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GreenBeretChronicles - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jay-dorleus-93a568142/ - Website: https://green-beret-chronicles.webflow.io/ ======= Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro 00:50 - Guest Introduction (Jay Dorleus) 01:55 - Interview begins 02:08 - Green Beret Chronicals 03:52 - Childhood 07:36 - Reaction to going into the Military 10:00 - American Oppurtunity 12:24 - Recruiter story 14:41 - 12 Bravo 15:21 - Reception at first Unit 17:40 - Initial missionset 22:00 - Memorable Ops. 26:56 - Dealing with death 32:46 - Nutrisense Ad 34:02 - Seeking help 39:58 - Enjoying the work 41:45 - Being a leader with experience 44:18 - The Special Forces path 45:44 - Preparation for Special Forces 47:05 - Weaknesses of new recruits 49:22 - Language selection 50:07 - Path to 3rd Group 51:50 - First Unit with 3rd Group 53:15 - Big Army vs. Special Ops. 56:34 - Race effecting enlistment 59:13 - DeleteMe Ad 01:00:42 - Tough missiion as Special Ops. 01:06:30 - Priority as Charlie on F.O.B. 01:08:26 - Team stability 01:09:28 - Firefights 01:10:55 - Close call engagements 01:12:15 - Joksters on the team 01:17:30 - A tougher mission 01:38:00 - Alive Day 01:46:38 - Green Beret Chronicals future 01:50:20 - Recommended literature 01:50:50 - Sentimental items 01:52:54 - Would you do it all again? 01:54:28 - Listener comments and shout outs

Sep 30, 2023 • 1h 26min

Finding Meaning and Healing After the Military, Trash Talking in Uniform, Camaraderie in Combat | Cav Soldier + 18C | Kenny Stone and Ben Raymond

This episode is brought to you by Nutrisense. Visit nutrisense.com/combat and get $30 off your first month and one month of board certified nutritionist support. When they ask how you learned about Nutrisense make sure to tell them it was the Combat Story podcast. ======= 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 both a veteran Cav soldier and active duty Green Beret, Kenny Stone and Ben Raymond. Kenny and Ben did not serve together but have found community, purpose, and challenge as part of Kenny's non-profit, Soldiers on Singletrack, which brings veterans and active duty soldiers together through mountain bike and racing. Kenny served as a Cav soldier with 1-5 Cav in Iraq across two tough deployments during the surge where, during an IED event, he ended up with TBI. He found a rekindled love for mountain biking and realized it helped address some of the cognitive issues he'd experienced after leaving the service and wanted other vets to experience the same. Ben met Kenny at a Soldiers on Singletrack event where they struck up a friendship. Ben is still in service with 3rd Special Forces Group and started his SF career as an 18D medic but then transitioned to the 18C route. He found mountain biking to be the hobby he needed to disconnect and clear his head when he's out of uniform. I hope you enjoy this story about finding a new path after service to help deal with the challenges faced after years of a traumatic and trying job like those in the military, law enforcement, or first responders and please check out Soldiers on Singletrack if this is something that you feel could help you or someone you know. ======= 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 Kenny and Ben Online: - Website: https://soldiersonsingletrack.org/ - Instagram https://www.instagram.com/soldiersonsingletrackmtb/ ======= Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro 00:37 - Guest Introduction (Kenny Stone & Ben Raymond) 01:54 - Interview begins 02:24 - Soliders On Singletrack 05:48 - Childhood and Mountain Biking 11:37 - Ben Joining the Army 15:47 - Kenny Joining the Army 18:37 - Recruiter experience 21:20 - Life in a CAV unit 26:02 - Nutrisense Ad 27:39 - Kenny's first time outside the wire 30:01 - Kenny's challenging moments 34:03 - Ben's path through the Army 44:20 - Kenny's deployment mid-rotation 46:51 - The right approach to loss in combat 49:22 - Coming back after combat deployments 55:33 - A mission that went wrong 01:00:05 - Shooting pistols and Mentors 01:04:49 - Marines and Army banter 01:05:47 - Most courageous action 01:10:28 - Commaderie while serving 01:12:50 - Transitioning out and S.O.S. 01:21:31 - Listener comments and shout outs

Sep 23, 2023 • 1h 57min

160th Gun Pilot, Saddam Capture, Jessica Lynch Raid, Vehicle Interdictions, Danger Close Shooting, AH-6 & MH-6 Pilot, DFC, Silver Star, CW5 Steve Lapping (Round 2)

Go to www.HelloFresh.com/50combatstory and use code 50combatstory 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 a second round Combat Story with long-time Night Stalker from the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), Steve Lapping. Steve spent 31 years in Army Aviation, including two decades in 160th at the tip of the spear flying the MH-6 and AH-6. This second round interview is chalked full of combat scenarios that Steve found himself in across 15 combat deployments, this time focusing primarily on his time flying guns for 160th. We talk vehicle interdictions, weapon malfunctions, danger close shots near women and children, a Dukes of Hazard-like chase, weaponeering, and more! Steve also shares his experiences on the Saddam Hussein capture (including something I'd never heard before about the aftermath of that operation) and the somber experience covering ground forces as they recovered the remains of Americans who didn't survive the Jessica Lynch capture. Many will recall our first interview with Steve, which was a clear favorite for so many listeners and seen or heard by over 200K people, as we touched on Steve's childhood, decision to join the military (that story's a great one where the advice he receives comes from an unexpected role model), and his combat experiences in Objectives REINDEER and LEADVILLE, which included a DFC. One thing that impressed me so much about Steve beyond being a CW5 and the unbelievable number of years he spent "rowing the boat" as he puts it (which is a reference to being at the very tip of the spear), is his humility and how he put his family as close to first as the mission will allow, wrapping up a storied career with the same wife and his children still by his side. With that, please enjoy this (second) wild ride from the cockpit of one of the baddest aircraft on the planet (no bias of course!) with Steve Lapping. ======= 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 Steve Lapping Online: - Learn more about Steve: https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/71550 ======= Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro 00:53 - Guest Introduction (Steve Lapping) 02:39 - Interview begins 05:12 - Connection with Pete Blaber 08:55 - Training in calmness 10:21 - Good and bad leaders 13:42 - 9/11 17:10 - The Black Swarm 20:55 - Little Birds and A-10's 26:05 - 9 Lines 27:46 - Sadam Hussein Capture 36:20 - Sadam Hussein post-mission 38:06 - Hello Fresh Ad 39:50 - Danger close shots 54:43 - First time pulling the trigger on a live target 01:02:12 - Training to take a life 01:12:48 - Layers of Management 01:15:24 - Jessica Lynch 01:26:18 - Ground Force and SAS mission 01:38:28 - Ticket on the airfield 01:42:49 - Jumping into trees 01:48:50 - Sentimental Items and do it all again 01:50:00 - Family relations during deployments 01:54:01 - Listener comments and shout outs

Sep 16, 2023 • 2h 3min

Two Star General with Bipolar Disorder Who Engineered the Push into Baghdad | Major General (Ret) Gregg Martin, PhD

Retired Two Star Army General, Gregg Martin, discusses engineering the US military's push into Iraq and battling bipolar disorder. He reflects on his military career, challenges faced in combat, and the genetic basis of bipolar disorder. The chapter also explores the missions conducted by the Corps of Engineers in Iraq and the difficulties of combat engineering. Gregg shares his journey of overcoming bipolar disorder and the effects of lithium as medication.

Sep 9, 2023 • 2h 49min

Pat Tillman's Last Battle and the Importance of Fighting Toxic Leadership w/ Former Unit Operator Pete Blaber

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: Unveiling the Truth Behind Pat Tillman's Tragic End in Afghanistan 🎙️ In this episode, we delve deep into the life and tragic end of Pat Tillman, the former NFL star turned Army Ranger, through the meticulous research and firsthand accounts of Pete Blaber, a former Delta Force Commander with extensive experience in Iraq, Afghanistan, and beyond. 🔍 Why Pete Blaber? Pete served twice in the same Ranger Battalion as Pat Tillman, giving him unparalleled insights into the people, locations, and responsibilities involved in the battlefield. 📖 The Quest for Truth Mary Tillman, Pat's mother, sought Pete's help to uncover the truth about her son's death. Despite multiple military investigations, the true story remained elusive until Pete's involvement. 📘 Common Sense Leadership Matters Pete documents his findings and the toxic leadership climate in his book, "Common Sense Leadership Matters: Toxic Leadership Destroys, A Case Study." This book offers new perspectives on Pat Tillman's leadership, the state of special operations in 2004, and the daily life of a Ranger in combat. #CommonSenseLeadership #CommonSenseSuperpower #LeadershipTransformation #UnleashYourPotential #leadershipawareness #LanguageOfCommonSense 📸 Visual Aids Follow along with images of the terrain at firefight.commonsenseway.com. ======= 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 Pete Blaber Online: - Common Sense Leadership Matters: Toxic Leadership Destroys, A Case Study https://www.amazon.com/Common-Sense-Leadership-Matters-Destroys/dp/B0C87BVQZY - Follow along with the battlefield description at: https://firefight.commonsenseway.com/ The Common Sense Way: A New Way to Think About Leading and Organizing https://www.amazon.com/Common-Sense-Way-Organizing-Leadership-ebook/dp/B096N2KGJZ - The Mission, The Men, and Me: Lessons from a Former Delta Force Commander https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003XQEVWQ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0 Instagram @blaberpete https://www.instagram.com/blaberpete/ ======= Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro 00:44 - Guest Introduction (Peter Blaber) 02:51 - Interview begins 03:35 - Peter's background 08:55 - Being an Author and case studies 20:52 - Hello Fresh Ad 22:18 - 3rd book synopsis 29:48 - Patrick Tillman's mother Mary 36:42 - Command structure leading to firefight 41:18 - Toxic Management 45:17 - Structure of the Rangers and terrain of the Spera District 54:23 - Command at Selarino 01:02:16 - Battle readiness in Afghanistan 01:10:41 - Oversought preventitive measures 01:24:00 - The mission and the firefight 01:44:00 - Writing the firefight 01:46:50 - The firefight 02:03:04 - Kevin Tillman 02:09:54 - Patrick Tillman 02:29:57 - Mission Debreif 02:38:12 - Relationships after book publishing 02:41:48 - Toxic climates 002:45:56 - Closing thoughts 02:46:43 - Listener comments and shout outs Go to www.HelloFresh.com/50combatstory and use code 50combatstory 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!

Sep 2, 2023 • 2h 11min

Near Misses as a Marine Rifleman and MARSOC Operator | Losing Fellow Marines in Combat | Company and Non-Profit Founder | Mike Bloch

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. 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. ======= 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! 🎙️Dive into the riveting life journey of Mike Bloch, a valorous Marine Corps Veteran and MARSOC Special Operator. Mike's story is a tapestry of courage, resilience, and sacrifice, woven through multiple deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. 🇺🇸 #MarineCorps #MARSOC #VeteranStories #CombatStoryPodcast 📅 A Turning Point in Mike's Life 📅 On February 15, 2022, Mike encountered a life-altering mental health crisis, spotlighting the urgent need for comprehensive mental health support for our veterans. This episode is not just an interview; it's a call to action. 🧠 #MentalHealthAwareness #VeteranSupport #PTSD 🎯 Why This Episode Matters 🎯 Our mission at Combat Story is to give a voice to the voiceless and bridge the gap between policymakers and the lived experiences of veterans. Mike's ongoing legal battle serves as a case study for how we treatment of veterans when they return from war. 🏛️ #JusticeForVeterans #LegalReform #PolicyChange 👇 Take Action 👇 If Mike's story resonates with you, we urge you to support his case through the UAP organization and reach out to your elected officials. Your voice can make a difference. 📝 #UAP #VeteranRights #TakeAction 📲 Connect with Mike Bloch Support Mike's Case via UAP - https://www.uap.org/case/michael-bloch-marine-raider/ Donate to UAP to support Mike's case: https://www.uap.org/donate/ Mike's Non-Profit for Veterans https://www.projectvetwerx.org/ You can make an impact by contacting your state's elected representatives, along with contacting North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, to request that they use their powers to help the transfer of Staff Sergeant Bloch's case to the Veterans Court. You can also read Michael Bloch's own letter to Governor Cooper here to aid with your effort to support: https://www.uap.org/post/michael-bloch-case-district-attorney-ernie-lee/bloch-letter-to-governor-cooper/ 📲 Connect with Ryan Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory Merch Store 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 🎵 Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle ======= This is an important Combat Story with former MARSOC Special Operator and Marine Rifleman Mike Bloch. Mike served multiple combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan with conventional and special operations forces, returned with PTSD and TBI (like so many) but preserved. He went on to serve in a contractor role with JSOC, created his own company (EBS, a Defense Contracting Company), and founded a non-profit to help other veterans. On February 15, 2022, Mike was on his way to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, for a business meeting when he suffered a mental breakdown brought on by a combination of high-stress, lack of sleep, and a drug called 'Nuvigil' prescribed by the VA to Mike for over four years (when it should not be taken for more than 12 weeks). Mike is now being treated as a violent criminal by the North Carolina court system and a District Attorney who has decided to target an honorable veteran who spent years in combat. The DA set Mike's trial for September 11th in case you want to understand just how out of touch this is. Part of the reason we created Combat Story was for politicians to understand what really happens to veterans when they're sent down range, from the trauma and loss during combat to the experience when they return home and try to reintegrate. This interview does exactly that. Try to imagine where you were on Christmas day in 2004 and compare it to Mike's experience. Listen to the number of brothers he lost along the way. Then try to understand what it's like to lead a normal life afterwards. Beyond an amazing set of combat stories, this is also an episode about how we treat our veterans when they come home. If Mike's story moves you, as it did me, I'd ask you to check out the UAP site and donate what you can and write to your congressional representative and ask to move this case to a veteran court designed for such cases. You can find the necessary links in the episode description. This is a special one and I hope you enjoy this humble combat story as much as I did. ======= Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro 01:00 - Guest Introduction (Mike Bolch) 02:57 - Interview begins 04:15 - Trial backstory 06:43 - Motivation to go into the Military 13:59 - what life without the Military would be 14:53 - Family reaction to joining the Military 16:02 - Youth Ranch compared to Basic 20:25 - Rocket Money Ad 21:48 - Post 9/11 Deployment 27:14 - Deployment in Babylon 29:48 - Integrating with the Platoon 34:30 - First combat experience 39:45 - First deployment from Iraq 41:48 - DeleteMe Ad 45:51 - Subsequent Deployments 44:50 - Transition back home 47:28 - Close encounters 01:01:10 - Traumatic events 01:07:20 - Jay and MARSOC 01:11:45 - Preparing mentally for Deployments 01:14:00 - Arrival and preparation for MARSOC 01:18:38 - Challenging Operation 01:34:38 - Transition to Contracting 01:48:35 - FOMO on the Job 01:51:20 - PTSD, V.A and New Vigil, Trial case 02:05:32 - Sentimental Items 02:06:30 - Would you do it all again 02:07:19 - Listener comments and shout outs

Aug 26, 2023 • 2h 15min

Flying Special Operations MH-53 in Combat | CV-22 Osprey, Apache, and Cobra Aviator | Sean Borland

Go to www.HelloFresh.com/50combatstory and use code 50combatstory 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 have a unique Combat Story from a long time aviator Sean Borland. Sean flew Cobras, Apaches, MH-53 Pave Lows, and CV-22 Ospreys providing direct support to war fighters pre and post-9/11. Notably, Sean was in the first set of aircraft to go into Afghanistan immediately after 9/11 as part of Air Force Special Operations flying the MH-53 in both combat search and rescue and multi-purpose infil and exfil operations for special ops units of varying flavors from white SOF to OGA. This is a deep dive into some of the technical aspects of aviation, particularly rotary wing, and some of the differences between the Air Force Special Operations aviation elements and 160th. I hope you enjoy this wide ranging discussion and insight into the rotary wing side of operations 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 Sean Online: - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-borland-2b0b2045/ ======= Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro 00:47 - Guest Introduction (Sean Borland) 01:37 - Interview begins 02:05 - Background in Aviation 07:07 - Media and influences 10:47 - Deciding to go Marines 17:10 - Flying guns 20:30 - HelloFresh 21:45 - Differences between Cobra and Apache 24:27 - Apache mentality in the 90's 30:32 - Going to FLERE?? 32:38 - Path to the Air Force 40:33 - Mision set of MH53 47:35 - Crew Configuration of MH53 50:42 - 9/11 and deployment 01:05:00 - First time outside the wire 01:28:18 - Fighter weapons school 01:32:48 - Challenging Operations 01:52:24 - Change to Osprey 01:58:44 - Close call Operation 02:07:13 - Sentimental items 02:08:44 - Would you do it again 02:09:28 - Vietnam History Flight 02:11:59 - Closing thoughts 02:12:39 - Listener comments and shout outs

Aug 19, 2023 • 2h 1min

MC-130 Special Operations Aircrew and Navigator | 8th Special Operations Squadron | Mike LaFeve (Round 2)

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