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! Today we hear the Combat Story (Part 1 of 2) of Ryan Hendrickson, a former Green Beret and Special Forces Engineer (18C) who served multiple combat deployments to Afghanistan as part of 7th Special Forces Group. Before joining the Army, Ryan served in the Air Force and Navy, where he was one of the first ships on scene to support the USS Cole after it was attacked. As a Green Beret, Ryan has a remarkable story in which he survived stepping on an IED that changed his life, but was unable to keep him out of the fight. After months of reconstructive surgery, he went back to the teams and Afghanistan, where he saved multiple lives and earned the Silver Star. He is the author of Tip of the Spear and an adventure seeker who's travelled most of the world. He still supports the war fighter as a contractor where he continues to save lives. This is the first in a two part interview, covering Ryan's life and combat up until stepping on the IED. In the second interview, we'll touch on his recovery and several future combat operations, including the one in which he received the Silver Star. Find Ryan H Online: Website Tip of the Spear Instagram @tipofthespearrmh LinkedIN Ryan Hendrickson Book Tip of the Spear Find Ryan F online: Instagram @combat_stories Email ryan@combatstory.com Learn more about Ryan Show notes 0:00 - Intro 0:35 - Guest Bio 1:36 - Interview Begins 8:49 - "I just buried myself in wrestling and football." 10:37 - Ryan's Father 14:22 - The story of two old men 17:17 - "You don't control life, and you don't control death." 17:48 - "The beginning and the end of the book are already there. But what you fill that book with is up to you." 20:03 - True Happiness 21:53 - The Hero 24:18 - Joining the Military 26:45 - Joining the Navy 30:05 - Traveling the World 31:18 - The USS Cole Experience 33:03 - "I saw death in that aspect, as in the enemy was killing Americans." 35:14 - From Navy to the Air Force 38:53 - Trying to be a Good Husband 43:02 - Becoming a Green Beret 44:02 - Following his Father's Footsteps 45:22 - Getting Scammed 47:29 - Making new friends in Vietnam 50:34 - "I have yet to prove myself." 53:39 - What is an 18C 1:02:15 - "I was nobody because of the fact that I had yet to prove myself when bullets are flying." 1:02:53 - Combat Story #1: First deployment to Afghanistan 1:11:11 - "We fought all the time." 1:11:35 - The Addictive Rush of the Battlefield 1:12:45 - Combat Story #2: The Life-changing mission 1:21:05 - "I can't go back and change what I didn't do." 1:22:10 - The IED that changed Ryan's life. 1:29:22 - "I was like, 'I'm going to die here today.'" 1:30:19 - End of Part One...To Be Continued 1:30:35 - Shout Outs to the Combat Story Community

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 Van Camp, a former Special Forces officer (Green Beret) and Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) Commander in 10th Special Forces Group who served multiple combat deployments. Jason played linebacker at West Point and served a two-year LDS-Mormon mission to Russia, and upon graduation won the prestigious General Loeffke Award for Excellence in Foreign Languages, before starting active duty. As a Green Beret, Jason brought the fight to AQ and led soldiers through dangerous Special Forces missions that honed his leadership and team building skills. Since leaving the military, Jason founded and is Chairman of Mission Six Zero, a leadership development firm, and is also Executive Director and Co-Founder at Warrior Rising, which empowers veterans in business. Jason is a Wall Street Journal and 2 x #1 Amazon Best Selling Author for his book Deliberate Discomfort: How U.S. Special Operations Forces Overcome Fear and Dare to Win by Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable and was recognized as a Top Military Entrepreneur of the Year in 2020. I hope you enjoy his humble yet impactful Combat Story as much as I did. Find Jason Online: Instagram @jasonbavancamp Instagram @missionsixzero Instagram @wearewarriorrising LinkedIN Website Mission Six Zero Website Warrior Rising Find Ryan online: Follow on Instagram @combat_stories Email ryan@combatstory.com Learn more about Ryan Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 0:54 - Jason Van Camp Guest Bio 1:48 - Interview Begins 3:44 - "I inspire other people to be the best version of themself." 5:11 - Military history of the family 10:37 - The challenging West Point experience 13:14 - The football experience 15:52 - "You have to find a new purpose." 16:29 - "Your worth as an officer is based on your ability to run a two-mile run test." 22:33 - The Ranger School Idea 28:08 - "I love being an army, more so than ever thought I would" 28:19 - "I want to make an impact. I want to have a meaningful life. I want to have a purpose." 35:39 - A rollercoaster of emotions 39:01 - "We had nowhere to go and nowhere to live." 40:53 - "' Peshmerga' is translated to 'those who faced death.'" 45:31 - "You're in combat; you got to trust your gut." 49:23 - "I wouldn't trade that for Rob's life." 50:25 - Mission Six Zero 50:29 - "I'm happiest when I'm being selfish about being selfless." 50:40 - The vision behind Warrior Rising 51:31 - Jason's interest in giving back 53:48 - Outro

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 Kevin Flike, a former Green Beret and Purple Heart recipient who served multiple deployments, including two to Afghanistan. Kevin was shot in the abdomen during his second deployment and took years recovering from the associated physical and emotional scars and has shown that it is possible to not only fully recover from such an injury, but to thrive. He is a graduate of the MIT Sloan School of Management and Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, sits on the Board of Directors at the Green Beret Foundation, is a sought out motivational speaker, and shares his story of perseverance through a blog and outreach series called Wounded by War, which includes a documentary on his recovery. Kevin was recommended to me by Beau Wise, a former guest on the show who lost two of his brothers to the war in Afghanistan, one of whom knew Kevin. Kevin and Beau have become like brothers. I hope you enjoy this inspiring insight from the brink of death to tremendous success as much as I did. Find Kevin online: LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevinflike/ Instagram @woundedbywar Wounded by War www.woundedbywar.com Find Ryan online: Follow on Instagram @combat_stories Email ryan@combatstory.com Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle #greenberetfoundation #specialforces #kevinflike #veteran #combatstory #army #specialops #specialoperations Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 1:04 - Guest introduction 2:38 - Person in common: Beau Wise (as viewers will recall from a previous interview who was the sole survivor of three boys in the Wise family to make it home from Afghanistan). 21:03 - Decision to enlist out of college via the 18X program. 32:52 - Kevin's strengths and perfect fit with the Green Berets. 34:50 - Learning to manage expectations when teaching, fighting, and working with others. 39:38 - Combat Story #1: Afghanistan (Kunduz) 2010. 46:11 - Combat Story #2: First firefight. 54:27 - How to process the "addiction" to war looking back now. 59:55 - Combat Story #3: The mission that led to Kevin's significant injury. 1:09:55 - What goes through your mind when you're shot and think you might die. 1:15:06 - Wounded By War (www.woundedbywar.com) 1:20:05 - Motivational Speaking to companies, communities, schools and the Green Beret Foundation 1:21:50 - What did you carry with you into combat? 1:22:40 - Would you do it again?

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 Jon Macaskill, a retired Navy SEAL Commander turned mindfulness and meditation teacher. He spent a career in the Navy's Special Warfare and military Joint Special Operations communities and served in Iraq, Afghanistan, off the coast of Somalia, and in Panama. One story that Jon shares in this episode and which shows the burdens and gut wrenching aspects of combat, was his association with Operation Red Wings, which many will recall from the book and movie Lone Survivor. Jon is a Naval Academy graduate, holds a Master's degree from the Naval Postgraduate School, and, since retiring, runs a consulting business that brings mindfulness and meditation to high performing teams to aid in dealing with stress, anxiety, and depression, all while increasing focus, creativity, and productivity. He shares the benefits and opportunities both on the show and on his own podcast, called Men Talking Mindfulness, which, as Jon described it, is what happens when you combine a Navy SEAL and modern day Hippie! I hope you enjoy Jon's honest, humble, and challenging Combat Story as much as I did. #combatstory #SEAL #NavySEAL #specialoperations #specialwarfare Find Jon online: Website: https://macaskillconsulting.com/ LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonmacaskill/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindfulfrogman/ Instagram Men Talking Mindfulness: https://www.instagram.com/mentalkingmindfulness/ Find Ryan online: Follow on Instagram @combat_stories (https://www.instagram.com/combat_stories/) Email ryan@combatstory.com Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 0:55 - Jon Macaskill's bio and guest introduction 2:00 - Interview begins 17:30 - SEAL competition at the Naval Academy 24:55 - Something most don't know about BUD/S (Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL Training) 33:02 - Being an Officer in the SEALs 40:07 - Combat Story #1: Deployment to Afghanistan 51:03 - Combat Story #2: Operation Red Wings and the Lone Survivor connection. LinkedIN article on this event that's well worth the read: https://thriveglobal.com/stories/this-is-why-i-meditate/ 1:00:50 - Managing trauma, guilt, depression and finding meditation and mindfulness 1:15:48 - Common difficulties for people new to meditation 1:18:13 - How to find Jon online 1:20:27 - The coolest thing Jon did as a SEAL (leaving a submarine on an SDV - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SEAL_Delivery_Vehicle) 1:22:14 - What's one thing you carried with you on missions? 1:23:45 - Would you go back and do it all again?

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 Yonel "Yogi" Dorelis, a retired and long-time helicopter pilot who served in the Marine Corps, Navy, Army, and Air Force. While in uniform, Yogi flew a variety of aircraft and mission profiles, but spent a considerable amount of time flying Combat Search and Rescue for the Air Force in the HH-60, including early in the war in Afghanistan. In fact, during this time, Yogi earned a Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) with V Device for his life saving efforts in Operation Anaconda, a mission that's near and dear to my heart because I later went on to serve with several of the Apache pilots who were there at the time. Beyond earning the coveted DFC, Yogi also accumulated 5,500 hours of flight time, approximately 500 of that in combat. He's credited with saving 70+ military lives and approximately 300 more in his civilian flight career as part of an EMS crew, which he does to this day. It was a blast to sit down with another aviator and a CSAR one at that, where it remains clear that no matter what airframe you flew, all pilots experience similar mishaps, near death experiences, laughs, and red tape along the way. I hope you enjoy this Combat Story as much as I did. Connect with Ryan Fugit: Follow on Instagram @combat_stories (https://www.instagram.com/combat_stories/) Email ryan@combatstory.com Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus If you'd like Ryan to interview you for the show or to have him interview a family member or friend in private (not for the show) just to have their story on the record for future generations, email him at ryan@combatstory.com. Find Yogi Online: IMDB - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6260186/ Instagram - @yogifly60_ydorelis https://www.instagram.com/yogifly60_ydorelis/ LinkedIN - https://www.linkedin.com/in/yonel-dorelis-93982919/ Acronyms and Terms used in the show: CSAR - Combat Search and Rescue. Dustoff - Another name used for Army Medical Evacuation or MEDEVAC aircraft. ETL - Effective Translational Lift. This is the point at which an aircraft basically takes flight. FLIR - Forward Looking Infrared. One method of seeing in the dark that uses differences in the temperature of objects as opposed to amplifying ambient light (which is what Night Vision Googles do). Autorotation - A fun and scary flight profile that's practiced regularly by all pilots by which you either simulate or truly kill engine power and, which descending out of the sky, maintain a minimal amount of drag to slow your descent created by the main rotor blade and then, when very close to touching the ground, pull in a bit of collective to provide a slightly softer landing. Mustang - A term to reference an officer who was enlisted before becoming an officer. Show Notes 0:00 – Intro 4:05 – "I knew from an early age, I wanted to be a pilot and a military pilot." 36:29 – Hovering and possible advantages as a fixed wing pilot 44:06 – Being stationed in the Philippines and trying to land on a ship at sea 1:21:24 – Operation Anaconda 1:36:57 – The importance of leadership 1:40:30 – Would you go back and do it all that again? 1:41:03 – "I missed the people, the mission, and that sense of doing something that means something."

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 episode where I (Ryan Fugit) share my own combat story as SOB Tactical founder and retired Delta Force Sergeant Major John "Shrek" McPhee interviews yours truly. Do not be fooled, however. Although John helps me tell my origin story growing up overseas, and going on to be an Apache helicopter pilot and CIA officer, we hear more amazing insights from John's career as well. In this episode, John and I talk about combat, losing friends, growing up, and swapping stories about our experiences as a pilot and Delta operator that many outside the profession have never heard...such as 'flying the bag' and the 'Mr. Goodbar' test. John even takes a moment to put on a sweater that used to belong to Saddam Hussein. I hope you enjoy this wide ranging, real, and whiskey-filled interview as much as we did. Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 1:21 - Episode preview 2:12 - Let the games begin 3:29 – Talking about whiskey 6:25 – Why Combat Story? 9:46 – Ryan's origin story 14:00 – The little guy in southern Africa 15:44 – Living in Pakistan in the middle of the Gulf War 24:30 – Ryan's experience with Channing Tatum aka Chan Tatum aka Magic Mike 26:10 – The problem with social media 25:06 - People don't understand the premise of the American life. 30:10 – Keeping in touch with others 34:57 – "How great you were today, tomorrow they don't need you." 37:17 – The unfortunate truth 37:55 – The D-Day Jump 41:56 – "I believe we're in the longest peace this planet has ever seen post World War Two." 49:07 – What it's like learning to hover 57:30 – Inherently dangerous training. "Injuries and loss happen every day, no matter what your level is." 1:12:35 – Air Medals for ground guys. 1:19:21 – Importance of flexibility. "Flexibility makes you a formidable enemy." 1:23:05 – Flying the "Bag" and teaching yourself how to fly with one eye. 1:27:37 - The "Mr. Goodbar" Test at Delta where "If you do what has been taught to you, people won't fight you when you walk out." John and one-on-one situations. 1:34:30 – Performance-based unit and how "Nobody cares as long as you're doing your job in combat." 1:40:20 – Ryan's worst near-death experience story 1:47:50 - Defining failure, "acceptable failure," and how "Wisdom is knowing better." 1:48:51 – "You should be making mistakes. Mistakes teach you what works, what doesn't. You got to make mistakes." 1:55:27 – The Saddam Sweater 2:13:50 – Near death experiences. "You're supposed to live through this near-death experience and feel like every day is a gift, but it's not—it doesn't feel that way." 2:16:43 – John's near death experience. "Never do a shoot behind, except when you have to." 2:24:03 – "The unit in training will always give you scenarios that can't be solved." Find John and Ryan Online: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sobtactical/ Instagram @combat_stories https://www.instagram.com/combat_stories/ SOB Tactical - https://sobtactical.com/ SOB TV - https://watch.sobtactical.com/ Booze N Views - https://watch.sobtactical.com/booze-n-views

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today we hear the combat story of Jeff Morris, a former Army Infantry Officer who commanded soldiers in Iraq over two brutal deployments fighting on some of the most well-known and infamous streets of Baghdad. NOTE: Stay tuned after Jeff's Combat Story to hear a Combat Story from one of our listeners! Jeff was an Infantry Platoon Leader on Haifa Street in downtown Baghdad from 2004 to 2005 with 1st CAV where his Platoon of 34 men were awarded 27 Purple Hearts. He describes a significant battle that he was a part of on September 12th, 2004, in which two Silver Stars were awarded and he received a Bronze Star w/ V Device. He was then a junior but highly respected Infantry Company Commander in east Baghdad during the Surge from late 2006 to summer 2007, again with 1st CAV, where he lost eight men during fighting that saw almost every Bradley and M1 tank assigned to his unit destroyed by EFPs. Jeff went on to document these experiences in his book, "Legion Rising: Surviving Combat and the Scars it Left Behind" and established the Legion 8 Foundation to honor the lives of the eight men lost under his command. The Legion 8 workout is also a Hero Workout of the Day (WOD) done at hundreds of CrossFit gyms around the country. He has previously been featured on other podcasts, including Mike Drop with Mike Ritland. I hope you enjoy this inside look at the burden of command in Iraq and Jeff's combat story as much as I did. Find Jeff online: Instagram @jeffrmorris Book Legion Rising Show Notes 0:00 – Intro 4:26 – The book, "Black Hawk Down." 7:07 – The desire to be a SEAL 11:36 – "If it doesn't make sense, don't do it." 13:00 – Jeff's childhood 16:59 – The desire to serve the country 18:46 - "After I stood up for myself and took that challenge on, I wanted more." 19:30 – The fastest guy in school 22:22 – "Boys do what they want to do. Men do what they have to do." 28:37 – "You can't go and create a leader of men and women in 14 weeks." 31:03 – The role of a Platoon Leader 35:48 – The Bradley Military Vehicle 40:40 – Battle of Haifa Street 49:24 – The beauty of war 53:00 – The breezeway grenade 54:19 - "There's a fine line between valor and stupidity and just plain luck." 56:25 – Communicating in Battle 58:53 – September 12, 2004 (The Haifa Street Incident) 1:00:41 – Coming back to base 1:02:01 – Jeff's Second Deployment 1:04:46 – Quotes from other podcasts about Jeff 1:05:55 – Building Camaraderie 1:12:50 – How having a child changed Jeff's way of thinking 1:14:05 – The difficult mission 1:16:01 - "You know in that environment that you're probably going to lose somebody." 1:18:24 – Losing comrades 1:21:21 – Taking the dangerous route 1:24:18 – "I'm making decisions that are putting other people's lives at greater risk." 1:26:26 – "I've never had a positive thing happen in my life that came from me sitting around, waiting for somebody else to make a decision." 1:29:12 – The Catalyst to turn things around 1:31:54 – "There's no background music playing in combat." 1:33:39 – A conversation with a Vietnam War Veteran 1:36:37 – The Man in the Arena 1:38:00 – Would you go back and do all that again? 1:41:48 - NEW FEATURE: A New Listener's Combat Story from Yonel Yogi Dorelis

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 another Combat Story from Elliot Ackerman, a decorated Marine infantry officer, Special Operations operator, CIA Paramilitary Officer, Silver Star and Purple Heart recipient, and best-selling author. As many will recall, Elliot was our first guest on Combat Story long before we ever did video interviews. That first interview remains one of my favorites and covers an incredible inside look at his role as a Platoon Leader in Fallujah II in 2004 and the true grit and determination it required. It was that battle that earned him the Silver Star. In this second interview, we pick up where we left off from Round 1 as Elliot describes being one of the first members of Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC) and his subsequent deployments with this unit. We also dive into his National Bestselling book, Places and Names: On War, Revolution, and Returning, where Elliot describes revisiting, both in mind and body, his combat experiences. It's a fantastic read and in the interview he shares moments from the book that include returning to the very buildings he occupied in Fallujah years earlier and another experience having an unthinkable meal with a former Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) leader as they shared their memories on the frontlines fighting against each other. Elliot is a special Marine who survived five deployments and fought at the highest levels. I hope you enjoy this next set of combat stories with Elliot as much as I did. Instagram - @elliot.ackerman Website Books Show Notes 0:00 - Intro 1:01 - Elliot introduction 4:53 – Moving to Special Operations 6:16 – Talking your way to the military school 8:32 - Force Recon vs MARSOC 9:39 – Go to Ranger School or something else? 10:51 – Strategy session to lead the class 12:59 – "I never would have guessed how profound those relationships would be throughout my life." 31:02 – We're two teams 34:35 – Contribution in the military 35:44 – Being a great commander 37:41 – Going on a mission leaving your child 38:35 – "I've come to understand what it means to be a father to my own children." 41:32 – Leaving the military and started writing 44:57 – First Book 46:16 – Hiring former democratic activists in Syria 47:42 – Story of Al Qaeda in Iraq 48:46 – Protesting in jail 51:08 – Out of translation 52:05 – "There will be an end-of-days battle and the Armageddon is coming." 53:52 - "We've once chased each other around a rock and hands chasing each other around the map." 55:01 – "You can either try to see someone's humanity, or don't ever want to see it again." 57:04 – "He went to Cairo on a Thursday, protested on Friday, thrown into the Egyptian prison on Saturday, and get evacuated by the State Department on Sunday." 57:49 – "It's an experience so large that you shrink to insignificance when you are close to that experience." 59:05 – "Has my desire to have purpose diminished over the years?" 1:00:27 – "I am one who was able to repurpose successfully." 1:01:27 – "What makes them more insidious is this purposelessness after having these immense purposeful experiences at a very young age." 1:03:56 – "I want to stand on this rooftop where a friend of mine have been killed." 1:05:08 – "I wanted to go this house where our platoon have been surrounded for a day."

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 inspirational combat story of Eric Hollen, a former Ranger in 2/75 Ranger Regiment and Green Beret with 2nd Bn, 10th Special Forces Group. This is a unique episode where we filmed in person for a change while Eric and I were in Graham, Texas, courtesy of Greg Coker, who many will recognize from the podcast, for an aviation hog hunt to benefit veterans and gold star families. In this episode, Eric shares what was going through his head when he sustained a life-altering injury on his horse farm in Tennessee and how he persevered through dark times to reach a level of excellence very few will ever see. Eric was awarded USA Shooting's Paralympic Athlete of the Year two years in a row and competed in the Olympics as a shooter for the U.S. Hollen strives to help newly injured veterans through a program called the Care Coalition which supports injured Special Operations soldiers. I hope you enjoy his inspirational story as much as I did. Stay tuned at the end of the episode for a short clarification from Eric. #specialops #rangers #teamusa #olympics Show Notes 0:00 – Intro 0:42 - Eric's Bio 2:34 – First time holding a Firearm 6:11 – Eric's left turn moment 11:35 – Joining the military 13:46 - "I thought I was cold and miserable, and then a snowflake went right into my ear hole." 14:59 – "We aren't there to hang out. We all want that scroll on our right shoulder that follows us wherever we go." 16:30 – "I either pass, or I die trying." 17:53 – "We go to bed every night expecting to go to war the next day." 23:04 – Combat Story – Operation in Haiti: The mission where everybody came home 27:21 – The Catastrophic Life-Changing Injury 28:25 - "It took probably about ten years before I can talk about this without getting emotional." 29:06 – The "Come to Jesus" moment about Career and Family 32:21 – The Injury 35:11 – "I had kind of a looming sense of doom." 36:16 – Could you put into words the way that you felt at that time of the injury? 38:43 – "Eric, if you try to move again, you'll die." 39:46 – Eric's conversation with the Lord 42:06 – From a Good Place to a Dark Place 45:15 – Eric's Surgery 50:34 - What was it that kept you from taking the step? 50:48 – The Balloon Message 55:14 - "It's not necessarily fighting and dying with your boys. It's like getting hurt so bad that you can't function at a high level." 55:35 – What would you tell somebody who is having a similar looming sense of doom and a catastrophic life-changing event occurs? 56:36 – "I wouldn't trade the injury for all the good it's done to me." 57:35 – What drove you to become an Olympian? 1:25:24 - The Paradigm Shift 1:27:32 - Is there something that you would say to people who do not have this type of injury who just see the wheelchair? 1:30:18 – "Whatever that (injury) is, it's a choice to allow that to define you as an individual." 1:30:38 – "Don't let the injury define you." 1:31:24 - Was there something you carried with you when you were in combat or in the Olympics that had sentimental value? 1:32:14 - Would you go back and do all that again? 1:33:32 - Eric clarifies a point.

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 Patrick Moltrup, a former Marine, Soldier, CIA, and Special Operator who served as a Navy Special Warfare Combatant-Craft Crewmen (or SWCC). Patrick served 25 years in the military, much of it in the Special Operations community. Patrick is one of the very few who has been a part of the Marines, the Army National Guard, Navy, and CIA. He spent most of his time with the Marines and SWCC where he worked on all kinds of boats from RHiBs to Mark Vs. As a side note, I was once picked up on these boats and, to this day, these rides remain some of the most fun I ever had, particularly the times at night (it actually reminded me of flying a Kiowa low level with the doors off)! Patrick was also a Navy Corpsman (medic) and attached to various units, including Gold Squadron, one of the assault forces SEAL Team Six, which we hear about in this episode. After leaving the military, Patrick collaborated with Jason Lilley, another former special ops warrior, to create Savage Actual, a YouTube channel and brand where Patrick and Jason discuss games, gear, and the military. They're now working on a video game themselves, have been sponsored by a craft brewing company, and more. I hope you enjoy Patrick's combat story as much as I did. Find Patrick online at: YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuCUwc_C7IxNToDXhR39HBg Website - https://www.savageactual.com/ Instagram - @savage.actual About - https://www.savageactual.com/about Show Notes 0:00 - Into 2:57 - Growing up in upstate New York. 7:08 - Why the military and the Marines Corps? (Ryan's note: After many interviews now, it really seems that mothers do NOT like hearing their boys are going to become Marines). 22:27 - Wanted to be an 0311. 26:26 - Deployed to Somalia just before Blackhawk Down. 28:45 - How to creatively truth tell your way into a cool job. 32:32 - Why leave the Marine Corps? 39:26 - Finding your way to the CIA. 1:02:08 - SWCC mission statement. 1:04:33 - Combat Story #1, imagine your first combat experience with SWCC was with the members of Operation Red Wings (https://www.google.com/search?q=operation+red+wings&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS852US852&oq=operation+red+wing&aqs=chrome.0.0i433j69i57j0l2j69i61j69i65l3.2148j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8), known by many from the experiences recorded by Marcus Latrell in Lone Survivor. 1:14:57 - Combat Story #2 as an augmentee with Gold Squadron in Iraq (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SEAL_Team_Six). 1:21:33 - Turning down an offer from likely Special Missions Unit and how hard that can be. 1:25:25 - Combat Story #3: Having to help save an enemy combatant. 1:33:13 - Savage Actual and what Patrick's doing now. 1:41:35 - What did you carry with you while deployed? 1:43:23 - Would you do it again?