Combat Story

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 the Combat Story of Jack Carr, who many of us know as the author and creator of the book series and Amazon hit show Terminal List. Before becoming an accomplished author, Jack was a Navy SEAL, both enlisted and as an officer. He served as a sniper, led a platoon, and even a Task Force in combat.  Jack is one of the most well-read people we’ve ever interviewed and has had tremendous success as a creator, SEAL, husband, father, and outdoorsman. I gravitated to Terminal List on Amazon because it so authentically depicts the emotions of a combat veteran and because it features a secondary character from Zimbabwe that elicits an amazing background that is so familiar to me from my upbringing in that part of the world (and that Jack and I speak about as we kick off the show). Jack is releasing his sixth book “Only the Dead” on May 16th and, if it’s anything like the first five, is sure to be great.  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 Jack Carr Online: - Website https://www.officialjackcarr.com/\ - Instagram @jackcarrusa https://www.instagram.com/jackcarrusa/?hl=en - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jackcarrusa/ - Danger Close Podcast https://www.officialjackcarr.com/danger-close-podcast/ - The Terminal List Podcast https://www.officialjackcarr.com/terminal-list-podcast/ - (Pre) Order Only The Dead book https://a.co/d/fXC2Jnj - Learn more about Jack https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Carr_(writer)   Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro  00:56 - Guest Introduction (Jack Carr) 01:58 - Interview begins 04:23 - Zimbabwe 09:46 - Travel 15:33 - Becoming a writer 24:26 - 4Patriots 25:45 - Childhood 31:38 - Enlistment 37:56 - Experiences downrange 44:55 - Experiences that inspired writing 50:31 - Close calls   58:04 - Applying tactics in writing 01:04:47 - Most courageous act 01:06:55 - Sentimental items 01:08:56 - Do it all again 01:10:37 -  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 one of our most inspirational Combat Stories from Aaron Hale, an Army Explosive Ordnance Disposal tech who was blinded during an IED blast. Aaron later contracted meningitis and lost his hearing as well. You’ll want to feel sorry for him and, if you’re like me, yourself as well, but he truly has one of the most infectious and inspiring outlooks you’ll ever hear. Aaron started his military journey doing exactly what he always wanted to by learning to cook as a Navy chef in Italy. After 9/11, however, he felt he wasn’t doing enough to contribute to the combat going on in Iraq and Afghanistan. He made a deliberate choice to become an EOD tech and it quite literally changed the entire course of his life. There was a point in time where his wife had to spell out every single letter of every word she wanted to say to him in the palm of his hand to communicate because he was, as he put it, trapped without the ability to see or hear. This episode took me through a range of emotions and tears. Aaron’s story about the last time he got to physically see his son and his family before the blast reminded me of just how great so many of us have it in life and not to take it for granted. I hope this episode takes you through your own range of emotions and helps put some of your own problems - that might not be so significant after all - into perspective the way it did for me.  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 Aaron Hale Online: - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-hale-1861477 - E.O.D. Fudge https://eodfudge.com/ - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/EODconfections - EOD Fudge Instagram https://www.instagram.com/EODconfections/ - Aaron Instagram @aclayhale https://www.instagram.com/aclayhale/ Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro  00:50 - Guest Introduction (Aaron Hale) 02:14 - Interview begins 02:40 - overcoming disabilities and demotivation 07:00 - Medical logistics 12:16 - Childhood and optimism 19:17 - 4Patriots 20:37 - Recruitment and cooking 31:13 - Culinary being deployed in Italy 33:20 - Soldiers and chefs 37:01 - Best Branches food 41:21 - Army E.O.D. path 52:37 - Jobset of an E.O.D. 59:50 - The tech side of E.O.D. 01:15:07 - First deployment 01:08:06 - Encounters with explosives 01:09:02 - First time facing an I.E.D. 01:11:08 - Complex times as an E.O.D. 01:14:11 - Caught in the explosion 01:24:55 - Thoughts while under fire and aftermath 01:40:35 - E.O.D. expectations 01:42:53 - animosity for the enemy 01:44:45 - Regrets 01:45:42 - Extrodinary Delights and Meningitus 01:56:06 - Favorite dessert on the menu 01:57:44 - Other businesses 02:01:05 - Sentimental item 02:01:51 - Do it all again 02:03:20 -  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! 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 get a slightly different Combat Story where we still hear from a veteran, but this time in terms of overcoming challenges to succeed in business, in addition to their military experience.  For this first Combat Story: Business Edition of, we hear from James Fugit, my brother and a very successful businessman who sold two companies in the defense space providing aviation, intelligence, IT, training, and equipment (in many cases delivering Soviet era helicopter parts and ammunition to various countries while supporting our efforts in Afghanistan). This took him all over the world with many meetings and partners in Russia, Ukraine, Afghanistan, and more. It’s like a real life and legitimate Dogs of War if you’ve seen the movie. James co-founded ARMA Global Corporation, which provided information technology, engineering, and technical support to defense and government customers, and helped build it from a handful of employees in 2008 to over 800 employees in 2014 when it was sold to General Dynamics Information Technology. He also co-founded and served as CEO of ARMA Aviation Corporation, which provided logistics, supply chain management, maintenance-repair- overhaul (MRO), and training and mentoring to the US government and its allies, which merged with another company called ARCTOS in 2019. In the military, James was an Army Armor officer and we delve into how his time in the Army helped shape his business acumen and leadership skills, including going through Ranger school at the same time eight trainees died of hypothermia.  As you can imagine, this was a special interview for me given that James is my older brother and someone I’ve looked up to my whole life so getting to dig into some of the bigger decisions and challenges he overcame meant a lot to me personally and I hope you enjoy this first ever business edition of Combat Story 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 James Online: - ARMA LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/arma-aviation Show Notes: 0:00 - Intro  0:59 - Guest Introduction (James Fugit) 02:35 - Interview begins 04:16 - The biggest success 06:22 - ARMA Global history  11:07 - Childhood 13:15 - Boarding school and path to being successful 18:52 - Want to join the Military 19:59 - 4Patriots 21:18 - JMU and the Military 28:25 - Hypothermia at Ranger school incident and impact 30:38 - Time in the Army 39:18 - from the Army to ARMA 47:01 - Meeting Todd and taking risks 51:53 - Building the team 01:01:18 - Milestones of success 01:07:12 - Working with Russia 01:10:57 - Key players 01:12:55 - Surreal moments 01:15:29 - Military training to business success 01:19:58 - What's next 01:20:30 -  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! 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 Marine aviator, David Berke, who is a TOPGUN Graduate and Instructor, in addition to being rated in the F-16, F/A-18, F-22, and F-35. David has a remarkable story of multiple deployments, including dropping rounds in Afghanistan just weeks after 9/11. Beyond his distinguished and almost Hollywood-like time in the cockpit, David also volunteered to serve as a Ground Forward Air Controller where he was assigned to lead Marines in Iraq alongside the Army and Navy SEAL teams, including that of Jocko Willink’s in the middle of the fighting in Ramadi in 2006. Despite all the aviation accolades, David’s experience on the ground provided a unique experience that he never could have anticipated. Jocko and Leif Babin reconnected with David and brought him onboard to help lead training and leadership development at Echelon Front, which trains leaders at all levels at companies in every conceivable industry. David effectively hung up his uniform as an instructor in the aviation domain (to include serving as the head trainer at TOPGUN) to instructing the next set of business leaders with Echelon Front. This interview is an insightful, humble, and very real perspective of what it’s like to lead from the air and the ground while support soldiers, Marines, and SEALs. This was a really special episode from such an accomplished veteran and I hope you enjoy this whirlwind discussion 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 David Online: - Echelon Front https://echelonfront.com/dave-berke/ - Extreme Ownership https://echelonfront.com/extreme-ownership/ - Twitter https://twitter.com/davidrberke?lang=en - Instagram @davidrberke https://www.instagram.com/davidrberke/?hl=en - Learn more about David https://echelonfront.com/dave-berke-media/ Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro  00:58 - Guest Introduction (Ryan Rogers) 02:22 - Interview begins 02:38 - Callsigns 05:08 - Favorite aircrafts 09:07 - Childhood 15:42 - Would have done if not Military 18:20 - Family reaction to joining 21:04 - Leading up to enlistment 28:14 - Marine path to Aviation 32:27 - Who gets selected for command roles 34:34 - Last f18 out of El Torro 37:05 - Going to Top Gun 41:40 - 4Patriots 42:59 - Afghanistan after 9/11 47:30 - Night landing on an aircraft carrier 52:55 - First deployment after Top Gun 56:40 - Teaching at Top Gun 59:57 - Experiences that make a Top Gun instructor 01:05:46 - After Top Gun deployment 01:12:06 - Difference between ANGLICO and FAC 01:18:48 - A challenging operation 01:27:02 - Near death experience 01:39:22 - Hard to leave behind 01:42:46 - Echelon Front 01:47:20 - Most courageous thing 01:49:25 - Sentimental item 01:50:58 - Do it all again 01:53:11 -  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 our first combat story from a Korean War veteran, Joseph Mills Wise. Joe was injured while in the front lines in 1951 as an infantryman engaged in fighting that, to this day (and understandably), has not left him. When Joe was medevaced out of the combat zone he also had frostbite in both feet. He was able to recover only to be sent back to Korea. While this fighting took place 70 years ago, it’s amazing how so many parts of the veteran experience don’t change from getting letters from your wife, to sneaking off base in the trunk of a car, to freezing outside in the cold, to humping a massive radio and weapon, and so much more. Joe is part of the silent generation of warriors who, for the majority of his life, did not share these moments of horror with his family and, instead, kept the bottled inside.  At 94 years old, he agreed to sit down and share these with us. His wife, Joice, was in the room for our interview and experienced Joe’s war through letters and telegrams and then, like many military spouses, was the one who supported Joe through the years of nightmares and pain that come with seeing combat firsthand.  This was an honor for me and reminder of this war that came so close on the heels of WWII but with a very different experience for those who fought in it (the war was not even recognized as a war for years). With that, please enjoy this bit of history from someone who lived it.  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  00:55 - Guest Introduction (Joseph Mills Wise) 02:33 - Interview begins 02:49 - Surviving Pearl Harbor 11:19 - Joining the Military 14:52 - WWII 16:12 - Being drafted 19:19 - Not dodging the Draft  19:51 - 4Patriots 21:11 - Atmosphere around the Korean War 24:30 - Sneaking out 27:24 - Getting from the States to Korea 34:56 - Being in Korea 36:30 - Meeting the unit for the first time 39:09 - On the front lines  47:10 - Contact with the enemy 48:33 - Passing time 50:18 - Moving in formation 52:35 - A tough operation 58:56 - Wounded in battle 01:04:01 - Letters to Joice 01:10:38 - Food on the battlefield 01:13:19 - Courageous act 01:15:07 - Hardest personal challenge 01:16:13 - Korean War Memorial 01:18:04 - "The Forgotten War" 01:19:08 - 9/11 01:20:43 - Sentimental items 01:23:15 - Joe and Joice

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 our first Combat Story from a military intelligence linguist and signal interceptor, Clay Jensen. Clay deployed six times to both Iraq and Afghanistan and has spent considerable time helping to get our Afghan allies out of Afghanistan. Clay was in a Blackhawk when it was shot out of the sky while trying to identify the location of Al-Qai’da’s then #2 leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in Afghanistan. Clay was also forward deployed in 2007 to identify the location of Bin Laden during what became a failed raid to capture AQ’s leader at the time (listeners will recall that our former guest Mike Rutledge was also on that operation). Clay supported clandestine and Top Secret operations working alongside NSA and other three letter agencies in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Latin America as part of both the 82nd Airborne and 7th Special Forces Group in a Special Operations Team - Alpha (or SOT-A). I hope you enjoy this first ever Combat Story from a signal interceptor who we, as Apache pilots, relied on regularly to triangulate targets, 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 Clay Jensen Online: - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/clayton-jensen-793b468b/   Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro  01:02 - Guest Introduction (Clay Jensen) 02:15 - Interview begins 02:48 - Impressions on Iraq 20 years later 04:57 - Japanese upbringing 09:24 - Bilingual for Defense Language Institute 11:31 - Interest in the Military 12:58 - Joining the Military 14:57 - Recruitment  18:15 - Working with Agencies 19:24 - Training for the Signals and Intelligence 23:38 - Joining the 82nd 24:40 - Linguistics in regular MOS 28:08 - 9/11 31:05 - 1st Deployment to Afghanistan 37:28 - Supporting the battle as a Linguist 40:08 - Navigating the outcome of a battle 44:06 - Transfering to Special Forces 46:11 - Proving yourself 47:20 - Definition of SOT-A 49:33 - Difference between standard MOS and Special Forces 51:21 - The Raid for Zawahiri 01:09:33 - Columbia 01:16:59 - The importance of Vocabulary 01:19:37 - Funny things 01:24:19 - Relationship with Interpreters 01:27:03 - Getting involved in the Afghanistan Evacuation 01:34:57 - Most courageous act 01:38:26 - Best and worst MREs 01:40:07 - Sentimental items 01:41:22 - Would you do it again 01:43:09 -  Listener comments and shout outs

This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/COMBAT and get on your way to being your best self and HELP the show. Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! ========= Today we hear the Combat Story of Mike Rutledge, a Navy SEAL turned to 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) aviator who completed 17 combat deployments over a 30 year career. This is a special episode for me personally because I went to flight school with Mike (as we discuss in the episode) and I still remember being in awe when I saw this other flight school candidate wearing a trident on his uniform.  Mike had a very unconventional route to becoming a special operator in two branches, and flew along some of the greatest pilots of our time, including Al Mack, who you’ll recall from a previous episode of Combat Story. Among the multitude of mission during his 17 deployments, Mike found himself on a mission in 2007 when we thought we were going to capture Bin Laden. That was, of course, a dry hole but generated lessons learned that were used in 2011 in the final raid.  I hope you enjoy this wide-ranging and humble perspective into the world of someone who went from being a SEAL to a 160th aviator 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 Rutledge Online: - Learn more about Mike https://www.westpointcoh.org/interviews/a-career-filled-with-detours-from-seal-to-night-stalker Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro  01:07 - Guest Introduction (Mike Rutledge) 02:08 - Interview begins 02:30 - Office Statue 04:37 - Being a SEAL in Aviation classes 08:50 - SEALs in 160th 13:15 - Challenges growing up 16:56 - Experience with father 21:53 - Being bullied as a kid 25:50 - Being a parent 29:00 - Joining the Navy 49:38 - Regrets on path  01:00:42 - Going back to Guam  01:03:50 - First time outside the wire in combat 01:11:11 - Deciding to go into Aviation 01:23:50 - reminiscent on the SEALs 01:28:28 - First flight mission 01:39:22 - Things that go wrong  01:45:48 - One mission from Mike's perspective 01:53:48 - Processing crew rest 01:55:19 - A tough infil/exfil 02:00:47 - Close calls 02:10:38 - Perfection in the mission 02:14:16 - The most courageous thing 02:19:19 - Transitioning out 02:24:50 - Continuing being a pilot  02:26:35 - raising pilots 02:31:16 - Sentimental items 02:33:35 - Do it all again 02:39:47 -  Listener comments and shout outs

This episode is also brought to you by CrayonEater Coffee. We’re proud to support CrayonEater coffee coming to you from, you guessed it, some former Marines (and current law enforcement officers!) You can order yours now at CrayonEaterCoffee.com This episode is also brought to you by the MrBallen Podcast. Hey Prime Members, listen to the Amazon Music exclusive podcast, MRBALLEN PODCAST: STRANGE, DARK & MYSTERIOUS STORIES, in the Amazon Music App. Download the app today. 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 unique Combat Story from the former Director of the CIA’s Directorate of Operations and long-time Case Officer Jose Rodriguez. Jose’s level at the CIA was equivalent to a general officer in the military, to give you an idea of his responsibility and impact. Jose was a case officer and Chief of Station in several Latin American countries and would eventually lead Latin America Division at the CIA before transitioning over to CTC right after 9/11 where he served as the Division’s Chief Operating Officer (a title he made up in true Agency fashion) and then was tapped to lead CTC just months after the invasion of Afghanistan.  Jose has a fantastic book titled “Hard Measures: How Aggressive CIA Actions After 9/11 Saved American Lives” which recounts not only some of the innovative HUMINT ops he ran as a CO (like his ability to use horses to gain access), but also some of the incredibly challenging decisions he made at the highest levels of the CIA, including the creation of the Enhanced Interrogation program. This was a really special episode for me given Jose’s role and history at the Agency and hope you enjoy a glimpse behind the curtain of one of the most secretive organizations from someone who went from the bottom to the very top 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 Jose Rodriguez Online: - Learn more about Jose https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jose_Rodriguez_(intelligence_officer) - Hard Measures book: https://a.co/d/hkicr4h Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro  00:41 - Guest Introduction (Jose Rodriguez) 01:59 - Interview begins 03:14 - Senior Leadership of the CIA 06:45 - Childhood 10:55 - Coming to the U.S. for the first time 13:20 - Interviewing for the CIA 17:38 - Fighting diversity in the Agency 19:05 - The importance of writing 21:30 - Deputy Director of Operations 30:58 - The relationship between Case Officers 33:02 - Becoming a good writer 34:48 - Loosing an Agent 37:55 - Becoming Chief of Station 42:47 - Tactics used to inspire 44:25 - First time in combat enviornment  48:18 - The feeling going into CTC 56:50 - Restructuring the CIA 01:10:26 - Challenges of Controversy 01:17:25 - CIA casualties 01:26:00 - Complexity of CIA operations 01:41:50 - Afterthoughts on the CIA 01:52:15 - Miss most from the Agency 01:55:00 - Would you do it again 01:56:18 - Closing thoughts  01:58:59 -  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. This episode is also brought to you by CrayonEater Coffee. We’re proud to support CrayonEater coffee coming to you from, you guessed it, some former Marines (and current law enforcement officers!) You can order yours now at CrayonEaterCoffee.com 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 Jonathan Cleck, a career Navy SEAL and Federal Agent turned entrepreneur and stand-up comedian. Jonathan, like many SEALs in the Teams, lost several friends and brothers-in-arms to training and combat. He served in a SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) unit and deployed to Africa and South America, in addition to Middle East.  After leaving the service, Jonathan has worn many hats, including founding a start-up technology company with his wife, and is stand-up comedian. In fact, we found ourselves talking about the similarities between jumping out of a plane and telling jokes on a stage. You’ll want to stay tuned for a special segment towards the end where I ask John, given his comedic background, to tell me what someone from each branch of service would drink and he did not disappoint (it brought me back to some of the fantastic shenanigans we shared while in the service). Jonathan is equal parts humble, impressive, and hilarious and I hope you enjoy this Combat Story (and leave with a smile on your face), just like 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 Jonathan Online: - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathancleck/ - Instagram @Jlcleck https://www.instagram.com/jlcleck/?hl=en - Twitter @jonathanCleck https://twitter.com/jonathancleck - GreenCastle Consulting https://greencastleconsulting.com/leadership/jonathan-cleck/ Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro  01:01 - Guest Introduction (Jonothan Cleck) 02:05 - Interview begins 03:12 - Stand Up Comedy or BUDS 11:44 - Path into Comedy 14:13 - The moment that lead to the Navy 24:22 - The decision to leave college for the Navy 26:12 - The recruitment process 28:19 - Things you thought you would get out of the Navy 33:11 - The camaraderie of Serving 39:10 - Path to becoming an Officer 49:28 - Casual Comedy 50:20 - Humor when being assigned a team 01:05:33 - First time outside the wire 01:38:15 - Branches associated with alcoholic drinks 01:49:52 - Sentimental items 01:51:37 - Do it all again 01:56:40 - Closing statements 01:58:11 -  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. This episode is also brought to you by CrayonEater Coffee. We’re proud to support CrayonEater coffee coming to you from, you guessed it, some former Marines (and current law enforcement officers!) You can order yours now at CrayonEaterCoffee.com 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 fascinating Combat Story from an active duty and currently serving F-15 Eagle fighter pilot, Ryan “Stinger” Fishel whose been involved in some of the most recent combat operations we’ve talked about on the show, including Syria and Iraq in Operation Inherent Resolve fighting ISIS. Ryan has an absolutely remarkable story of how he found his way to the Air Force that included a Forest Gump-like path of hustling and fighting for any flight time he could get in the civilian world, to include incredibly risky and sketchy flights shuttling aircraft from the US to various countries in the Caribbean. At one point, Ryan was living out of his car and working in a grocery store deli before a moment on a beach changed his perspective on life. I would ask you to please listen through Ryan’s story to get to the cockpit because it makes what follows (his exploits inside the aircraft) so much more special, to include an air to air shootdown in hostile skies of a drone, a stand-off and near international incident with a Russian fighter, and dropping danger close ordinance literally in neighboring buildings as friendlies were fighting ISIS. I am so excited for you to hear one of our best combat stories with insight into the fighter pilot community I’d never heard of before from a long time Combat Story listener and active duty pilot and hope you enjoy it 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 Fishel Online: - LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-fishel-a258591b9/ Show Notes: 00:00 - Intro  00:55 - Guest Introduction (Ryan Fishel) 02:15 - Interview Begins 02:22 - How Ryan met Ryan 04:22 - Taking advantage of Podcasts and Veteran stories 05:53 - Callsign Origin 07:20 - The role of a Flight Weapons System Officer 08:55 - The role of a Fighter Pilot 12:39 - Suprising people become a Fighter Pilot 14:21 - Determination to become a Fighter Pilot 15:41 - Training route 17:05 - Childhood 25:35 - Living out of the car after highschool 32:37 - Path into Aviation 43:29 - Selling airplanes 51:18 - Black Diamond Jet Team 56:42 - Path to the Airforce through OTS 59:09 - Trainings and tests that put Ryan ahead 01:01:36 - Advantage and disadvantages through intesne training 01:04:40 - 9/11 01:06:40 - F15 Jets 01:10:38 - Being the 'new guy from flight school' 01:17:18 - Sharing oral history 01:20:42 - The best roast jokes 01:23:21 - First combat mission 01:31:12 - Processing pulling the trigger and danger 01:39:56 - Crazy radios and the road to flying F35s 01:59:05 - Dealing with aftermath stress of combat  02:04:14 - How to deal with mortality 02:11:44 - TheMerge.co 02:12:43 - Sentimental item 02:13:58 - Would you follow the same route 02:15:03 - Envisioning the next 10-15 years 02:16:36 -  Listener comments and shout outs