Combat Story – Details, episodes & analysis

Today we have our first Combat Story from a Swedish Special Operations soldier and intelligence professional, Max Lauker. Max spent 20 years in the elite Swedish forces and was a plank holder for one of the predecessor units to what later became Sweden’s Special Operations Group.

Check out our Combat Story Newsletter at www.combatstory.com/newsletter.

He served multiple deployments that we cover in this episode in what I’ve coined as four missions and a funeral to dig into more of the combat experiences and lessons while also touching on loss that comes with this line of work.

Max takes us through time fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, solo and team deployments to Latin America, doing full cycle cross-border reconnaissance missions in the Balkans, to lonely and frankly frightening intel work in Eastern Europe and Russia. This is just a bit of the action that Max writes about in his upcoming book that he co-wrote with Antonio Garcia titled ‘Number 788: My experiences in Swedish Special Operations - preparing for NATO and the War on Terror.’

I think you’re really going to enjoy this chat with our first Swede on this show, Max Lauker.

Find Max Lauker Online:

https://www.amazon.com/Number-788-experiences-Operations-preparing/dp/1804514233

Find Ryan Online:
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🎵 Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle

Show Notes:

00:00 Introduction
00:36 Welcome to Combat Story
00:56 Meet Max Lauker: Swedish Special Operations
03:53 Growing Up in Sweden and Military Service
06:48 Choosing the Ranger Path
08:06 Swedish Special Operations Community
11:20 Joining the Arctic Rangers
15:34 Selection Process for Special Purpose Units
22:41 First Deployment: Latin America
29:16 Unexpected Mission in Venezuela
33:38 Team Deployment in Colombia
38:09 Official Mission in Kosovo
40:01 The Full Circle Mission in Kosovo
41:19 Reconnaissance and Surveillance Operations
44:22 Cross-Border Tensions and Discoveries
47:30 Reflections on the Kosovo Mission
49:22 Transition to Iraq: A Dangerous Deployment
52:50 Afghanistan: Intel and Direct Action
57:26 Lonely Intel Work in Eastern Europe
01:10:54 The Challenges of Counterintelligence
01:15:27 Writing the Book: A New Mission
01:20:06 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Today on Combat Story we have our second interview with 32 year veteran and retired Special Forces Sergeant Major Randy Surles, who entered the Army in 1987 and retired in 2019. In round one we covered Randy’s jump into Panama where he broke his leg and had to crawl for seven hours to safety, his transition into Special Forces from the Ranger Regiment, and attending Lancero school in Colombia, which you can think of as a more dangerous Ranger School (entirely in Spanish!).

Check out our Combat Story Newsletter at www.combatstory.com/newsletter

In this episode, we dive into his time leading Green Berets in the post-9/11 era in Afghanistan where he saw mulitple combat deployments. Randy now helps veterans write their own memoirs as a ghostwriter with the aptly titled website The Military Editor. With that, please enjoy our second interview with Randy Surles.

Find Randall Surles Online:

https://militaryeditor.com/

https://thestoryninjas.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/randall-surles-military-editor-mfa-creative-writing-5bbbbb66/?trk=public_post_main-feed-card_reshare-text

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🎵 Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle

Show Notes:

00:00 Intro
00:34 Introduction to Combat Story
00:53 Randy Searles' Military Journey
01:49 Lancero School Challenges
02:38 Jungle Survival Training
12:10 Mission in South America
17:34 Early Deployment to Afghanistan
41:19 Adapting to New Equipment and Strategies
42:16 Unexpected Challenges and Base Management
44:56 IED Encounters and Tactical Adjustments
49:20 Leadership and Tactical Raids
54:30 Hostage Rescue in Colombia
01:10:51 Military Editor and Skill Bridge Program
01:19:31 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Today we have a great Combat Story that ranges from the military intelligence tactical front lines of counterterrorism and the Korean peninsula to the most strategic of all, serving as the PDB briefer to the President of the United States (POTUS) with senior intelligence officer Michelle DiGruttolo. 

👀 Don't miss out! Check out our Combat Check-In for exclusive updates, fascinating historical snippets, and much more! Visit combatstory.com/newsletter.

I strongly encourage you to listen to the end of this podcast to get a full appreciation of Michelle’s experience as the President’s briefer, to include her role as the briefer during the Benghazi Consulate attack (you can, of course, listen to our previous interview with Kris “Tanto” Paranto who was on the ground during that attack to hear both the front lines and halls of leadership perspectives on that pivotal day).

Michelle began her career as an Army intelligence officer and then transitioned to the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) where she would eventually lead a division of 40 fellow analysts. While at DIA, she was handpicked to compile and deliver the President's Daily Brief (also known as the PDB) to then President Obama and his Chief of Staff Jack Lew. 

The PDB role to POTUS is not a political appointment and is only entrusted to the elite of the intel community’s analytic core, which Michelle is. As always, we do not get political in this podcast, however, to ensure we hear both sides, we also have former President Trump’s PDB briefer booked for later this summer to understand what her experience was like in the Oval Office under another administration.

Michelle also briefed and/or worked closely with retired senior leaders Petraeus, McChrystal, Clapper, and several household names across her career, exposing her to leadership at the very highest levels. 

After service, Michelle went on to found Sage Raven Advisors, where she leverages an extensive network of local advisors, partners, and affiliates and couple them with cutting-edge technologies and data analytics, to provide actionable and timely insights to clients in complex and dynamic geopolitical landscapes.

I hope you enjoy this very interesting deep dive into the life of a career military intel officer and the life of a PDB Briefer to the President as much as I did.

• Find Michelle on LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelledigruttolo/
• Email [email protected]
• Sage Raven Advisors www.sage-raven.com

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🎵 Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle

Key Highlights:

Military Intelligence to Presidential Briefings: Michelle's journey from an Army intelligence officer to leading a division at the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA).

The President's Daily Brief (PDB): Discover the intricacies of compiling and delivering the PDB to President Obama and Chief of Staff Jack Lew, including her crucial role during the Benghazi Consulate attack.

Leadership Insights: Michelle's interactions with renowned leaders like Petraeus, McChrystal, and Clapper, and her exposure to leadership at the highest levels.

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#CombatStory #MilitaryIntelligence #PDBBriefer 

Show Notes:

• 00:00 Intro
• 00:36 Guest Introduction: Michelle DiCartullo
• 01:22 Michelle's Role as PDB Briefer
• 03:00 Insights into Intelligence Analysis
• 08:08 The Path to Becoming a PDB Briefer
• 18:26 Early Career and Military Experience
• 38:26 Tactical Missions in Korea
• 39:13 Life as an Officer in Korea
• 39:42 Differences Between Intel and Service Personnel
• 40:42 9/11: A Personal Account
• 41:51 Counterterrorism Operations During the Surge
• 43:00 Challenges of Analytic Work in Counterterrorism
• 44:52 Daily Life of a Deployed Branch Chief
• 46:31 Building Morale and Team Spirit
• 49:28 Rewards and Challenges of Targeting Work
• 50:40 Standing Up the CJIATF in Afghanistan
• 54:05 The Bin Laden Raid and Its Impact
• 57:21 Reflections on a Diverse Military Career
• 01:05:27 The Role of a PDB Briefer
• 01:12:40 A Tough Night for the PDB Briefer
• 01:13:51 Initial Signs of Trouble in Benghazi
• 01:14:59 Realization and Response
• 01:16:51 Disagreement with the Analyst
• 01:19:22 Briefing the President
• 01:20:29 Aftermath and Fallout
• 01:23:50 Leaks and Challenges
• 01:30:50 Reflections on Mentorship and Leadership
• 01:34:41 Current Work and Insights
• 01:39:02 Personal Touches and Sentimental Items
• 01:40:54 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
•  

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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 incredible Combat Story from across the pond from a legendary UK SAS operator Billy Billingham who served over 30 years with deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, South America, Africa, and many other places we can’t discuss.

Billy came from an extremely challenging childhood drinking and fighting on the streets of Birmingham to being appointed a Member of the British Empire by Her Majesty the Queen for his efforts on select hostage rescues and serving as the SAS Ground Commander on what is known as 7/7 or the deadly coordinated attacks in London on July 7th, 2005. 

Billy went from being the absolute elite leader, working alongside our own Delta and DEVGRU operators for years in the post-9/11 world, to hanging up his uniform and finding a new path. He has know written an autobiography aptly titled ‘The Hard Way’ and two fiction novels based on his own exploits titled ‘Call to Kill’ and ‘Survive to Fight’ (think SAS meets 007). 

He is also a lead on two incredibly successful programs in the UK and Australia titled “SAS: Who Dares Wins” where he and other special operators take civilians and celebrities through punishing special ops training; he shared that the show is coming to the US soon! He and his wife run a charity organization and he does public speaking engagements across the UK.

I hope you enjoy this incredibly humble story that takes us inside the “Interest Room” (which I learned is the term for the SAS Team Room) and the highs and lows of a life well-lived at the tip of the spear from our UK brothers and sisters as much as I did. 

#military #veteran 

Find Billy Online: 

• - Instagram @billingham22b https://www.instagram.com/billingham22b/ 
• - Twitter @billingham229b https://twitter.com/billingham229b
• - Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MarkBillinghamSAS/ 
• - Deux Mains Academy @rebuildglobally https://www.instagram.com/rebuildglobally/
• - Billy’s Website https://www.markbillybillingham.com/about

Find Ryan Online: 

• - Ryan’s Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory
• - Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/
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• - Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial
• - Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus
• - Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle

Show Notes

• 0:00 - Intro 
• 0:41 - Guest Introduction (Billy Billingham) 
• 2:36 - Interview begins 
• 5:11 - Rough childhood in Peaky Blinders neighborhood in Birmingham, England
• 17:26 -Cadet School experience
• 22:12  - Overcoming getting burned by caustic soda at 15 yrs old and almost dying in a gang fight to still join the military  
• 28:30 - Joining The Second Battalion, Parachute Regiment (2 PARA) 
• 30:03 - Lessons from the PARAs and first jump in the jungle of Belize 
• 42:48 - First time in a combat zone in Cypress 
• 44:23 -  Fighting terrorists in Ireland 
• 48:15 - Why SAS route and the brutal training and selection process
• 57:50 - Path after SAS selection into Mountain Troupe 
• 1:01:25 - Excitement of first op in first week as SAS
• 1:04:17 - Squad "Interest rooms" 
• 1:05:45 - The squadron dynamic and respect for those who came before 
• 1:09:21 - Why the B Squadron are characterized as the "rogues" 
• 1:11:12 - Combat Story - A hostage rescue during a bloody time in Bosnia 
• 1:19:36 - The sixth sense that comes with experience 
• 1:2102 - Emotions after a mission and after getting out 
• 1:24:25 -  Where were you on 7/7  during London bombings? 
• 1:27:56 - TV show "SAS: Who Dares Wins" and what is coming to the US 
• 1:30:40 - "The Hard Way" autobiography and "Call to Kill" novel 
• 1:35:46 - What did you carry into combat?
• 1:39:40  - Would you do it again? 
• 1:42:55 - Listener comments and shout outs 

This video covers the following subjects:

- SAS Sergeant Major 

- 7/7 SAS Ground CDR 

- SAS Ground Commander 

- UK SAS operator Billy Billingham

Billy is a certified SF and Counter Terrorist Sniper Instructor, Advanced Evasive Driving Instructor, Tracking/Jungle Warfare/Navigation Instructor, Demolition/Sabotage Instructor, Ski Mountaineering/Rock Climbing/Abseiling/Ice climbing Instructor, Combat Survival/RTI Instructor, Counter Terrorist Instructor (all options) and has worked as a Patrol Medic/Trauma Life Support agent for 5 hospital attachments.

If you would like to learn more about SAS Sergeant Major, Billy Billingham I suggest you look into our various other video clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCyApoJr-mNmdMNwdk22xEQ

_________________________

Have I responded to all of your questions about SAS Sergeant Major, Billy Billingham?

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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 Ranger-qualified and former Engineer in combat Lisa Jaster who was the first female reservist to complete Ranger School…at the age of 37 with two kids!

Lisa is still in the reserves and recently rotated out of Battalion Command where she led Combat Engineers as she did early in the post-9/11 era as a young active-duty lieutenant, including in 2002 in Afghanistan, 2003 in Iraq, and back to Iraq 15 years later.

Her story is remarkable and highlights how much harder she worked to reach levels many others take for granted. She’s a West Point grad and stood on the shoulders of the brave women who came before her in breaking the barrier of women at the Academy only to break a similar barrier herself.

Beyond being a sought-after public speaker, accomplished entrepreneur, and part of retired DEVGRU Mike Sarraille’s Talent War Group, Lisa is also a competitive Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu fighter and CrossFit athlete and is getting ready to release her first book that describes her journey.

This is a phenomenal and wide-ranging interview with an accomplished, tough-as-nails Ranger and I hope you enjoy her story of perseverance as much as I did.

#army #military #veteran #rangers

Find Lisa Online: -

Instagram @lisaajaster https://www.instagram.com/lisaajaster/

Twitter @lisa_jaster https://twitter.com/lisa_jaster

Book Page for “Delete the Adjective”

and contact https://deletetheadjective.com/

Find Ryan Online:

- Ryan’s Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory

- Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/

- Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory

- Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial

- Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial

- Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus

- Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle

Show Notes:

• 0:00 - Intro 
• 0:56 - Guest Introduction (Lisa Jaster) 
• 2:29 - Interview begins 
• 2:42 - A passion for Brazilian jujitsu 
• 6:06 - Being an unconventional Military couple and making sure her son can fight 
• 10:06 - Childhood as a naturally driven person and where the military comes in 
• 14:55 - Funny story of Army interview 
• 17:16 - Going to West Point and and choosing Engineer Branch after graduating
• 27:37 - What is Engineers and their role in Afghanistan 2002 
• 33:24 - Where were you on 9/11? 
• 41:06 - Story about combat patches 
• 45:01 - How an engineer prepares for deployment 
• 47:48 - Family and feelings before and during a dangerous deployment
• 53:47 - "There's no book for this" and funny story of trying to communicate with Pakistani man 
• 55:27 - Building the airfield in Afghanistan and funny story about constructing the sewage pond 
• 58:27 - From Afghanistan to Iraq 
• and being an SME as a First Lieutenant 
• 1:06:42 - Processing difficult experiences and how jujiostu helped 
• 1:09:33 - Ranger school  
• 1:21:17 - Advice for someone wanting to go to BUD/S or Ranger School 
• 1:29:04 - Hell Week at Ranger School  
• and being in the first ever class with women 
• 1:43:57 -Mixed emotions on graduating Ranger School  
• 1:47:48 - Full circle moment meeting author Carol Barkalow 
• 1:51:36 - What's the first thing you ate coming out of Ranger School?  
• 1:52:46 - What did you carry into combat?
• 1:55:08  - Would you do it again? 
• 1:57:11 - Listener comments and shout outs

This video covers the following subjects: - First Female Reservist Ranger School Graduate - Ranger School - Combat Leader - Combat Engineer Lisa Jaster Maj. Lisa Jaster, an Army Reserve soldier, performs a fireman's carry-on on a simulated casualty during the Ranger Course at Ft. Benning, GA. The 37-year-old engineer and mother of two children, aged 7 and 3, is the first female Army Reserve officer to graduate from Ranger School.

When Maj. Lisa Jaster walks across Victory Pond Friday at Fort Benning, she will secure her role in history as the first female Army Reserve officer to earn the distinctive black-and-gold shoulder tab. However, the 37-year-old engineer and mother of two children, aged 7 and 3, is the third female to graduate from the grueling combat leadership course, joining the ranks of fellow West Point graduates and Active Duty officers Capt. Kristen Griest, 26, and 1st Lt. Shaye Haver, 25.

If you would like to learn more about First Female Reservist Ranger School Graduate, Lisa Jaster I suggest you look into our various other video clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCyApoJr-mNmdMNwdk22xEQ _________________________

Have I responded to all of your questions about First Female Reservist Ranger School Graduate, Lisa Jaster? Possibly you wish to comment below and let me understand what I can help you with or information on First Female Reservist Ranger School Graduate, Lisa Jaster.

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 the very tip of the spear from “Dutch” Chris Moyer, a long-time special operator who spent 14 years in Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) in addition to years at 1/75 Ranger Battalion, and CIA’s Global Response Staff (GRS).

Dutch walks us through a very open and honest approach to what it’s like operating in the elite ranks for so long, including the pressure, brotherhood, and chaos. He doesn’t shy away from sharing where he felt he fell short, and how, even after decades of service he still felt like he had more to give.

He saw combat in multiple theaters in the pre-and post-9/11 era, fighting at the same time as and friends with many of the former Tier 1 operators we’ve heard on this show.

Be sure to stick through to the end where we hear Dutch describe his own “Mr. Goodbar” story (if you don’t know about Mr. Goodbar, check out Episode 30) where Dutch ends up in a room one on one having to fight none other than John “Shrek” McPhee (from Episode 25 https://youtu.be/6hvQj06fQUQ).

It’s hilarious. Dutch now runs DCM Consulting where he teaches military, government, and civilians how to apply the skills he learned in the Tier 1 community from shooting to CQB to leadership.

In fact, when I reached out to Dutch I had to leave him a message and his voicemail was one of the best I’ve ever heard and said something like “You’ve reached Dutch, I can’t take your call because I’m out on the range shooting, teaching CQB, or doing some other cool shit right now…”

I hope you enjoy this incredible peak behind the curtain of what it’s like in one of the most elite units in our military.

The video is all about Delta Force Sergeant Major, Dutch Moyer. If you want to learn more about Combat Story, you can click: https://www.combatstory.com/

Show Notes

• 0:00 - Intro
• 0:38 - Guest Introduction (Dutch Moyer)
• 2:15 - Interview begins
• 11:09 - Not being a naturally gifted shooter
• 18:55 - Important characteristics someone should have on a team
• 26:33 - Earning another nickname, Simon, after "blowing himself up" with a Simon device prepping for a mission in Bosnia (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Un-ApklIvj4)
• 41:10 - “Coolest thing I’ve ever done…” The difference coming back and what it is like at the different operational levels from Ranger to Tier 1 JSOC elements
• 50:51 - Getting through selection
• 58:13 - Imposter syndrome and how he handled shooting a paint round into the wall in the team room.
• 1:03:21 - Combat Story - Longest air assault raid in history
• 1:09:53 - The role of a Breacher
• 1:16:29 - Stories of hard landings and crashes including a rooftop helicopter crash
• 1:21:31 - Combat Story - Things go sideways during an ambush in Fallujah
• 1:26:04 - Transitioning out of the elite level and wishing he had done more
• 1:43:54 - DCM consulting for leadership through the evolutionary gun fighter process
• 1:45:55 - What did you carry into combat?
• 1:46:35 - Would you do it again?
• 1:49:17 - Story of fighting John “Shrek” McPhee in hand to hand combat at the end of training
• 1:52:50 - Listener comments and shout outs

This video covers the following subjects:

- Delta Force Sergeant Major - Ranger Battalion - CIA GRS - DCM Consulting Dutch Moyer DCM Consulting Founder Christopher “Dutch”

Moyer served 31 years in the Army – 26 of those in Special Operations.

He has taken part in over 1,000 successful combat assaults in classified & unclassified missions in Afghanistan and Iraq.

He found that the Army in the 1980s was not what he had hoped. After a five-year break, he returned. This time he “Wanted to be in the worst possible places with the best possible people.”

He became an Army Ranger and spent the last 14 years of his career with the elite Joint Special Operations Command. JSOC was created after the disastrous “Desert One” mission.

If you would like to learn more about Delta Force Sergeant Major, Dutch Moyer, I suggest you look into our various other video clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCyApoJr-mNmdMNwdk22xEQ _________________________

Have I responded to all of your questions about Delta Force Sergeant Major, Dutch Moyer? 

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 Joe McNamara, a former Marine Corps officer who experienced a unique kind of violence from his time on campus at Virginia Tech during the horrific 2007 shooting to leading Marines in combat in Afghanistan.

After leaving the service, Joe founded a leadership development company called Impact USA that trained both elite athletes and private sector leaders. Impact was recently acquired by Mike Sarraille’s Talent War Group, where Joe is now a partner and Chief Revenue Officer.

Many will recall a fantastic interview with Mike (episode 70 https://youtu.be/v4TPJtkZrek), the former enlisted Marine who went on to Force Recon then served as an officer in SEALs and, eventually, Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU). The fact that someone like Mike who went through that crucible of leadership experiences went on to acquire Impact says a lot about what Joe does to develop leaders.

This episode dives between combat experiences and the leadership lessons we can apply to our lives, from the foxhole to athletics to the office. In fact, Joe answers two questions I’ve always had: how do you create a sense of shared adversity in a corporate setting and how do you find time to train corporate leaders without taking them off operations for a full six to 12 months the way the military does it.

I hope you enjoy this Combat Story with a battle hardened Marine Corps officer and some of the tangible leadership lessons we can all apply from his experiences as much as I did.

Find Joe Online:
- LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcnamara1/
- Instagram @joe_mcnamara_ https://www.instagram.com/joe_mcnamara_
- Impact Leadership https://www.impactthepace.com/

Find Ryan Online:
- Ryan’s Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory
- Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/
- Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory
- Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial
- Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial
- Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus
- Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle

Show Notes:
0:00 - Intro
0:35 - About our sponsor, Let's Get Checked
1:57 - Guest Introduction (Joe McNamara)
3:46 - Interview begins
5:13 - Childhood and path to the military
10:04 - Support for Combat Story brought to you by Manscaped
11:24 - Somber stories of courage and leadership from the school shooting at Virginia Tech
22:08 - When certain experiences harden you emotionally
25:10 - The most impactful leadership advice from Marine Corps mentors
30:40 - Training and what it was like in Afghanistan with insane amount of IEDs
40:31 - Being in a leadership role at 20-21 years old and the most important attribute in leadership
44:12 - Combat Story - What it is like as infantry men when your vehicle gets hit by massive IED
53:47 - Combat Story - First time someone in his platoon was hit while on foot
1:00:24 - What an "XO" is in the military and what the role entails
1:04:24 - Combat Story - How leadership planning and drills show up after a mass casualty event
1:14:29 - Formative Company Command time at Paris Island
1:24:55 - Where the idea for Impact Leadership came from
1:28:10 - Replicating shared adversity and military training in corporate sector
1:36:03 - The biggest challenges seen in corporate leadership
1:39:55 - What did you carry into combat?
1:40:39 - Would you do it again?
1:43:26 - Listener comments and shout outs

This video is sponsored by Aura. Get a 14 day free trial at http://aura.com/combatstory to secure yourself online and support Combat Story!

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!

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Today we hear the Combat Story of Jake Wood, a former University of Wisconsin football player who enlisted in the Marine Corps and fought in both Iraq and Afghanistan as a Marine Rifleman and Sniper. One of the key moments that led him to the Marine Corps was the death of Pat Tillman, the legendary NFL Safety who walked away from the League and joined the Army after 9/11, eventually being killed while serving as a Ranger in Afghanistan.

Jake found himself leading Marines at the very front end of the “Surge” in Iraq and the bloodiest year of the wars, stepping into a kinetic environment only weeks after arriving in the theater. He was then in Helmand Province in Afghanistan as a sniper.

Only two months after leaving the Marine Corps, Jake went on to found the humanitarian support organization Team Rubicon after hastily organizing what he describes as a “Motley Crew” of veterans and doctors to help the people of Haiti after the devastating 2010 earthquake. He recently created another charitable giving business called Groundswell which seeks to democratize philanthropic giving.

In 2018, Jake was awarded the Pat Tillman ESPY for service (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7Xef8StXi8), bringing his story full circle from Tillman’s death that propelled Jake into this life of service. I hope you enjoy this unique and insightful interview with someone who played football at the highest level and then selflessly decided to put on a different uniform to help others as much as I did.

Find Jake Online:
- Instagram @jakewoodtr https://www.instagram.com/jakewoodtr/?hl=en
- Twitter @JakeWoodTR https://twitter.com/JakeWoodTR
- Team Rubicon https://teamrubiconusa.org/
- Groundswell.io https://groundswell.io/
- ESPY Pat Tillman Award https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7Xef8StXi8

Find Ryan Online:
- Ryan’s Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory
- Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/
- Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory
- Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial
- Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial
- Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus
- Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle

Show Notes
0:00 - Intro
0:27 - About our sponsor, Aura
2:28 - Guest Introduction (Jake Wood)
4:22 - Interview begins
5:00 - Football's influence in life and position played
13:23 - Family history and a perspective on a college campus protest in March 2003
17:30 - The significant events and people like Pat Tillman which lead to joining
23:36 - Funny recruitment stories and why Marine Corps Infantry
28:22 - Training with Pugil sticks in bootcamp as an elite football player
31:16 - Getting out of the training pipeline
and into a Marine Rifle Platoon
37:58 - First "boots on the ground" moment in Iraq and first time taking mortar fire
40:27 - Combat Story - Driving into IEDs while in Humvees
49:59 - The bloody realities of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan
53:25 - Combat Story - Injuries and booby traps during the bloodiest year of the Iraq war
1:00:14 - What do you tell your family?
1:01:23 - Marine Sniper School experience
1:03:13 - Combat Story - The tough operating environment in Afghanistan
1:08:54 - How snipers desensitize themselves
1:10:52 - Combat Story - Taliban attack and tending to injured civilian children
1:12:36 - Transitioning out and how Team Rubicon Disaster Response started
1:21:34 - Groundswell
1:25:48 - What did you carry into combat?
1:27:33 - Would you do it again?
1:29:04 - Accepting the Pat Tillman award
1:30:24 - Listener comments and shout outs

The video is all about Marine Sniper from D1 College Football, Jake Wood. If you want to learn more about Combat Story, you can click: https://www.combatstory.com/

This video covers the following subjects:

- Marine Sniper from D1 College Football
- Marine Sniper
- Marine Scout Snipers
- Team Rubicon and Groundswell Founder

January 12, 2010. A 7.0 magnitude earthquake shakes Port-au-Prince. In moments, hundreds of thousands were injured, infrastructure and buildings were destroyed, and countless were made homeless. In the days following, many traditional aid organizations were slow to establish relief efforts, citing dangerous and unstable working conditions. Troubled by the scenes in Port-au-Prince and the lack of proper aid, two Marines, Jake Wood and William McNulty, decided to act. Gathering supplies and volunteers, the small group of veterans, first responders, and medical professionals deployed to Haiti in the days following the earthquake.

If you would like to learn more about Marine Sniper from D1 College Football, Jake Wood I suggest you look into our various other video clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCyApoJr-mNmdMNwdk22xEQ
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Get 10% off your first month of therapy with my sponsor BetterHelp: http://BetterHelp.com/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 Jason Lilley, a former Marine infantryman, Marine Recon, sniper, MARSOC, and then CIA Global Response Staff (or GRS) operator. As many are aware, Jason is the other half of the veteran media company Savage Actual (https://www.youtube.com/c/savageactual), with his co-host Patrick Moltrup having been a guest on our show on Episode 26 (https://youtu.be/YmOkCKtpvGk).

Jason survived brutal fighting in the initial invasion of Iraq with the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion alongside journalist Evan Wright who would go on to write the book Generation Kill which was transformed into an HBO series by the same name, depicting some of the battles we talk about in this episode (watch more at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLlHcwJ5vS4).

In another deployment, Jason earned a Silver Star during a battle on April 7th, 2004 in Iraq that was later depicted in the History Channel program “Ambush of April 7th” (https://www.history.com/shows/the-warfighters/season-1/episode-5#:~:text=On%20April%207%2C%202004%20a,in%20the%20War%20on%20Terror). It is believed to be the most decorations awarded for a single battle during the war, which included four Silver Stars, multiple Purple Hearts, and two Navy Crosses (one award posthumously).

We didn’t want to shortchange listeners on Jason’s incredible stories so we’ll schedule a round two to dive into his time with MARSOC and the CIA. This episode is chalked full of combat experiences with a very human, empathetic, and thoughtful lens that I know you will enjoy as much as I did.

#military #veteran #marines #combat

Support us on Patreon and get exclusive content and insights at www.patreon.com/combatstory

Find Jason Online:
-YouTube Savage Actual https://www.youtube.com/c/savageactual
-Website Savage Actual www.savageactual.com
-Facebook Savage Actual https://www.facebook.com/SavageActual
-Twitter Savage Actual @SavageActual3 https://twitter.com/SavageActual3
-Instagram @jason_lizzle @savage.actual https://www.instagram.com/savage.actual/
-TikTok Savage Actual https://www.tiktok.com/@savageactual

Find Ryan Online:
- Ryan’s Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory
- Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/
- Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory
- Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial
- Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial
- Email [email protected]
- Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus
- Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle

Show Notes:
0:00 - Intro
0:39 - About our sponsor, Better Help
3:01 - Guest Introduction (Jason Lilley)
4:16 - Interview begins and a story of confronting Stolen Valor
12:48 - Childhood in a family of musicians and being bullied
17:56 - Joining the Marines in 2000
22:54 - Advice for young people going through tough times
24:55 - Path from infantry "grunt" to Recon
28:22 - Combat Story - First combat experience taking a Scud before crossing the border into Iraq
34:10 - Auditioning to play himself in Generation Kill (HBO TV series about his platoon)
39:40 - Story of finding a buried enemy helicopter and rockets
40:53 - Combat Story - first time close to danger accidentally driving through heavy fire
49:11 - Combat Story - Perilous engagement in a airfield
58:00 - Being back home after being in combat
1:01:06 - Mindset going in to second deployment
1:04:51 - Combat Story - 7, April, 2004 Silver Star event during second deployment
1:29:13 - Feelings about awards and ceremonies
1:35:04 - Taking a break and then transitioning to MARSOC
1:38:50 - A negative Hollywood experience and starting a media company
1:47:21 - What did you carry into combat?
1:49:48 - Would you do it again?
1:52:52 - Listener comments and shout outs

The video is all about Marine Special Operator, Jason Lilley. If you want to learn more about Jason Lilley, you can click: https://www.combatstory.com/

This video covers the following subjects:

- Marine Special Operator
- Silver Star
- CIA GRS
- Savage Actual

United States Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) is a component command of the United States Special Operations Command (SOCOM) that comprises the Marine Corps' contribution to SOCOM. Its core capabilities are direct action, special reconnaissance, and foreign internal defense.

If you would like to learn more about Marine Special Operator, Jason Lilley I suggest you look into our various other video clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCyA...
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Have I responded to all of your questions about Marine Special Operator, Jason Lilley?
If you were searching for more info about Marine Special Operator or Jason Lilley did this video help?
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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 a long-time Combat Story listener Christian Holloway, a former Marine who was part of the initial invasion into Iraq, fought in both Fallujah I and II, and was one of the first Marines in what we now know as Marine Special Operations Command or MARSOC.

[Support us on Patreon and get exclusive content and insights at www.patreon.com/combatstory]

Christian was just 18 years old when he crossed the line of departure into Iraq for the initial invasion alongside M1A1 tanks in his Marine Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV).

He was then clearing buildings on foot in Fallujah alongside his Marine brothers, was among the first to see the effects of IEDs and what later became a very common and lethal enemy TTP, and was then in the elite special operations community training foreign militaries as a force multiplier.

Since leaving the military, Christian continued to train service members in Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape (SERE) as a contractor and now hosts a financial information program on YouTube.

This is a great Combat Story that follows the path from the tactical perspective of the Marine infantryman to the strategic MARSOC operator and I hope you enjoy his humble insights as much as I did.

Find Christian Online:
-YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCs1jwxG_W_NAVVX8KlZ-Mig
-Instagram @chris.holloway_fi https://www.instagram.com/chris.holloway_fi/

Find Ryan Online:
- Ryan’s Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory
- Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/
- Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory
- Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial
- Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial
- Email [email protected]
- Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus
- Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle

Show Notes:
0:00 - Intro
0:44 - Guest Introduction (Christian Holloway)
1:59 - Interview begins
2:40 - Growing up in Texas
7:31 - Why Marine Corps and recruitment story
10:44 - Training and preparing for deployment only 4 months after after boot camp and school of infantry
17:13 - Preparing for first deployment invading Iraq at only 18 years old
20:48 - MOPP levels and the nuclear, biological and chemical threat
24:53 - Combat Story - Engaged by an artillery unit and the invasion of Iraq
33:10 - Combat Story - An armor to armor engagement
55:27 - Combat Story - 48 hour engagement
1:18:01 - almost dying in Baghdad
from celebratory fire
1:21:03 -Fallujah 1 fighting the insurgency and the first in incorporation of IED tactics
1:35:52 - Combat Story - a very persistent engagement
1:56:24 - Joining what would later be known as MARSOC and the intense training course
2:24:42 - Transition to contractor
2:27:42 - Refelctions on being in combat at 18 years old
2:30:45 - Personal Finance YouTube channel
2:37:19 - What did you carry into combat?
2:39:08 - Would you do it again?
2:40:21 - Listener comments and shout outs