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<v Speaker 1>for more details and important safety information, and we thank

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<v Speaker 1>Blue Choo for sponsoring this podcast. Hey everyone, welcome to

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<v Speaker 1>the Teamhouse. I'm Jack Murphy here with our guest in

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<v Speaker 1>studio today, Brad Colbert. Brad is a retired Marine served

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<v Speaker 1>in Force Recon. You did a stint with the Royal

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<v Speaker 1>Marines and numerous other things we'll talk about. Your platoon,

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<v Speaker 1>of course, was the inspiration for the book and subsequent

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<v Speaker 1>television show Generation Kill. And you have a podcast called

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<v Speaker 1>the carry On Podcast. I do. Yeah, yeah, I well,

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<v Speaker 1>just right off the bat, you want to tell people

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<v Speaker 1>what that podcast is where they can find it.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, carry On Podcast is available either video through YouTube

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<v Speaker 2>or whatever platform they use to consume audio podcasts, Spotify

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<v Speaker 2>or Apple or iHeart. And you know, we do a

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<v Speaker 2>couple of things on the show. We talked to guests, authors,

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<v Speaker 2>policymakers discussing current events, treatments for veterans' health, We talk

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<v Speaker 2>about some fun equipment things, and we also look for

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<v Speaker 2>reconnections with Generation Killed cast members to sort of give

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<v Speaker 2>people aware they now look and maybe some stories that

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<v Speaker 2>weren't originally portrayed in the book or the TV series.

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<v Speaker 2>So you try to interview the Marines you served with

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<v Speaker 2>in the platoon, and do you try to interview the

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<v Speaker 2>actors also that portrayed them. We haven't actually had any

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<v Speaker 2>of the actors yet, but I certainly wouldn't put it

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<v Speaker 2>past them. I do keep in somewhat contact with the

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<v Speaker 2>individual that portrayed me, Alex Garsguard, so maybe I can

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<v Speaker 2>ask him if he wants to come on the show.

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<v Speaker 1>All right, cool, well, pretty cool, we'll get We'll get

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<v Speaker 1>deeper into all of that in a bit, but if

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<v Speaker 1>we're to start at the top, you know, I always

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<v Speaker 1>ask people about their origin story. Tell us a little

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<v Speaker 1>bit about like how you grew up and what was

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<v Speaker 1>that path that took you towards military service.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, I had a pretty rough childhood, not because of

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<v Speaker 2>my parents. I was just I was a pretty shitty kid.

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<v Speaker 2>So and I think my parents would probably agree with

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<v Speaker 2>that if I was to ask them, they may they

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<v Speaker 2>may couch it a little differently. But I was a

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<v Speaker 2>difficult child. I was fiercely independent. I was it's probably

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<v Speaker 2>smarter than my own good for my own good, and

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<v Speaker 2>I got in trouble a lot. In fact, I was

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<v Speaker 2>expelled from every school that I ever went to. I

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<v Speaker 2>was expelled from elementary school, which is pretty hard to do.

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<v Speaker 2>By the way, junior high I was expelled from high school.

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<v Speaker 2>I ended up finishing school at a military academy that

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<v Speaker 2>was in Missouri. All that to say that I was

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<v Speaker 2>very rebellious and I did not handle groups well, and

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<v Speaker 2>I wanted to give myself a challenge. I wanted to

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<v Speaker 2>find a place where I could fit in.

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<v Speaker 3>I wanted to.

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<v Speaker 2>I originally wanted to be and I've told this story before,

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<v Speaker 2>but I wanted to be an astronaut. And in order

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<v Speaker 2>to be an astronaut short all short circuit the story,

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<v Speaker 2>most astronauts were pilots. Pilots come from the military. Okay,

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<v Speaker 2>so I have to be an aviator. Well what do

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<v Speaker 2>I want to fly? I want to fly at eighteen,

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<v Speaker 2>So that's Navy or Marine Corps. And the Navy has

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<v Speaker 2>shitty uniforms. Sorry, guys, uh Marines like that.

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<v Speaker 3>That's it.

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<v Speaker 2>And this is, you know, ten eleven years old, that's

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<v Speaker 2>my path.

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<v Speaker 3>And I just didn't.

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<v Speaker 2>I didn't have the personal discipline to stay in college.

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<v Speaker 2>I tried it for a little while after high school

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<v Speaker 2>and just said, fit, I'm just gonna enlist.

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<v Speaker 1>So I wanted to say, this isn't one of those

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<v Speaker 1>scenarios where like the parents brought the Marine Corps recruiter

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<v Speaker 1>to the home.

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<v Speaker 2>It was like no, fine, No, In fact, it was

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<v Speaker 2>the other way around. And again like I had a

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<v Speaker 2>rough go of it. You know, I had got in

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<v Speaker 2>trouble with the law. I was on unofficial probation, so

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<v Speaker 2>I got in trouble and I had to sort of

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<v Speaker 2>like keep my nose clean for a little while. So

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<v Speaker 2>I went to the recruiter and their criticisy, I can't

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<v Speaker 2>take you.

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<v Speaker 3>You've got this.

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<v Speaker 2>Thing, and I'm like, okay, cool, Well what do we

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<v Speaker 2>have to do to get this thing? You have to

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<v Speaker 2>go in front of a judge. And so I did

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<v Speaker 2>and I got it cleared up. But I was a

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<v Speaker 2>recruiter's wet dream because I marched right in and said

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<v Speaker 2>I want to be you know, three to eleven infantry.

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<v Speaker 3>That's one of those things.

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<v Speaker 2>Where because like I don't know, I'll try to pull

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<v Speaker 2>a few strings.

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<v Speaker 3>We'll see what we can do, you know. You know.

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<v Speaker 2>Meanwhile, it's like that's the hardest thing they have to

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<v Speaker 2>get people to do. I did really well in the

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<v Speaker 2>ASVAB and he's like, there's a lot of other jobs.

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<v Speaker 3>So I did. I enlisted. I wanted to be a

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<v Speaker 3>ricon Marine. I knew it.

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<v Speaker 2>If I wasn't gonna fly, that was the only other option.

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<v Speaker 2>It is to this day, I think one of the

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<v Speaker 2>better decisions I've ever made in my life. And it

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<v Speaker 2>has served me well, not just in character development and

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<v Speaker 2>personal growth and interpersonal but you know, I think it's

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<v Speaker 2>good for the soul people who.

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<v Speaker 3>Have done what we've done and warned.

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<v Speaker 2>The uniform service, the sacrifice that comes with it, there

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<v Speaker 2>is nothing else that you get anywhere in our life,

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<v Speaker 2>sure from that experience, and I mean it was it

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<v Speaker 2>was beautiful for me, and I did it for a

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<v Speaker 2>long time and it was it was amazing.

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<v Speaker 1>So what year did you enlist?

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<v Speaker 2>Enlisted in ninety five, October of ninety five and I

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<v Speaker 2>left in October of sixteen.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah, so nineteen nineties Marine Corps.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, what was that like?

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<v Speaker 2>You know, that was still where a lot of us

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<v Speaker 2>expected it to be, like full metal Jacket or you know,

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<v Speaker 2>that is not what it was like at all, or

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<v Speaker 2>Platoon or a lot of the movies that Hollywood dramaticizes

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<v Speaker 2>Marine Corps boot Camp. I had come from doing several

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<v Speaker 2>years at military school, and that was hard.

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<v Speaker 3>Believe me.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, kids can be very cruel to one another,

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<v Speaker 2>and when you give them implied authority over each other,

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<v Speaker 2>you talk about hazing. The Marine Corps was a walk

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<v Speaker 2>in the park. Like I was hung upside down by

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<v Speaker 2>my ankles the very first day I was at military

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<v Speaker 2>school when I was fifteen years old. Like, boot camp was,

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<v Speaker 2>you want me to stand on these yellow footprints and

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<v Speaker 2>you're gonna scream at me for a little while. So

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<v Speaker 2>it was fine, And I mean I found it actually

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<v Speaker 2>to be easy. And I was also older. I was

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<v Speaker 2>twenty one when I enlisted, in the average age, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>seventeen and a half eighteen years old, So I had

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<v Speaker 2>life experience, I had a little maturity.

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<v Speaker 3>I had some.

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<v Speaker 2>Experiences that a lot of the other recruits didn't. And

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<v Speaker 2>I found it really fairly easy to be. To be

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<v Speaker 2>perfectly honest, I think Marine Corps boot camp, out of

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<v Speaker 2>all of the services, is still the most challenging. It

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<v Speaker 2>is the longest, it has the greatest amount of attrition. Yeah,

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<v Speaker 2>and I left knowing that this is what I wanted

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<v Speaker 2>to do. I had no regrets. And a lot of

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<v Speaker 2>people may leave their initial entry training and say, ah.

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<v Speaker 3>This was a mistake. No, I didn't have that, So

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<v Speaker 3>it's good. And you shot iron sights, Yes we did, Yes,

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<v Speaker 3>we did.

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<v Speaker 2>And in fact, really the Marine Corps I want to say, recently,

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<v Speaker 2>within the last couple of years transitioned away from the

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<v Speaker 2>iron sights to using an optic. But you know, all

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<v Speaker 2>the way back from the sixties, Marine Corps shot the

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<v Speaker 2>M sixteen with iron sights at basic training and then

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<v Speaker 2>every year to recall.

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<v Speaker 1>I always bring that up. I can get marines really

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<v Speaker 1>wound up about the iron sites. That was pretty good.

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<v Speaker 1>But I mean to speak to the Marine Corps, I

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<v Speaker 1>mean jokes aside, they do train. What do you shoot

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<v Speaker 1>out the five hundred yards five hundred and basic in

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<v Speaker 1>boot camp? Yeah, that's really good, it is.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah. So it's different positions.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, you start from one hundred and then two

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<v Speaker 2>hundred and three hundred. Each yard line is a different

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<v Speaker 2>body position, so you know, at the shorter distances you're standing,

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<v Speaker 2>and then you're doing kneeling, and then prone at five hundred.

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<v Speaker 2>But make no mistake, shooting a high score on iron

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<v Speaker 2>sights in the prone it's.

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<v Speaker 3>Still it's it's not easy.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, five hundred you're struggling to see the target.

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<v Speaker 3>You are struggling to see the target.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, but I mean shooting iron sights again jokes aside, Like,

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<v Speaker 1>it is really good to learn all the fundamentals like that, and.

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<v Speaker 2>The Marine Corps is huge into that. That adage of

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<v Speaker 2>every Marine is a rifle or rifle person, whatever the

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<v Speaker 2>adage is today, I mean, it holds true and I

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<v Speaker 2>think that is something that some of the other services

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<v Speaker 2>are struggling with you when it comes to identity. You know,

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<v Speaker 2>every Marine is a rifleman. So what about the Air Force?

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<v Speaker 2>What do you say, is every.

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<v Speaker 1>They're not a violot?

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<v Speaker 3>Right?

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<v Speaker 1>Oh?

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, yeah, So the Marine Corps I think nailed it

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<v Speaker 2>pretty early and has kept consistent.

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<v Speaker 3>All this time. Yeah.

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<v Speaker 1>So after you graduate from boot camp, what unit do

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<v Speaker 1>you get assigned to?

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<v Speaker 2>So after boot camp, you you I went to infantry

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<v Speaker 2>school because I didn't list as an three to eleven

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<v Speaker 2>at that time, or the reconnaissance CA community was what

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<v Speaker 2>we would call a secondary MLS right right, yep. You

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<v Speaker 2>couldn't get into recon at the point of enlistment. There

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<v Speaker 2>was a pathway, so you had to be in the

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<v Speaker 2>combat arms, preferably three to eleven, and then you had

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<v Speaker 2>to try out and go to selection and pass selection,

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<v Speaker 2>which I did. I did that at the School of Infantry,

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<v Speaker 2>which was another three months of training at Camp Pendleton,

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<v Speaker 2>and then from there my first unit was a third

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<v Speaker 2>reconnaissance company in Okinawa, Japan.

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<v Speaker 1>Oh cool. I didn't realize that back then you could

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<v Speaker 1>go kind of like straight into the recon community.

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<v Speaker 2>You could, provided that you passed assessment and selection.

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<v Speaker 1>Yep, out there at Paras Island.

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<v Speaker 2>Well, this would have been Camp Pendleton, but they had both.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, gotcha, got yah.

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<v Speaker 3>Yeah.

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<v Speaker 2>They had screening teams that would go around and screen people.

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<v Speaker 2>They try to get them as early as possible before

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<v Speaker 2>the unit scoops them up because once they get embedded

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<v Speaker 2>into an infantry unit, those units are very reluctant watching.

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<v Speaker 2>You want to take our best, our highers, our smartest people.

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<v Speaker 2>There was a GT requirement, so there's a general technical

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<v Speaker 2>score that the ASVAB will kick out. So when you

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<v Speaker 2>go to the recruiting office, you have to take a

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<v Speaker 2>test and it assessed to you on all these different things.

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<v Speaker 2>Part of that test is a general technical score which

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<v Speaker 2>rates your aptitude for you know, cognition and a whole

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<v Speaker 2>bunch of other factors. It's a number. Recon needs that

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<v Speaker 2>number to be you know, one fifteen or above, and

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<v Speaker 2>you need to have a high PFT your physical fitness test.

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<v Speaker 2>So if you go to an infantry unit, they're gonna

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<v Speaker 2>probably hide you, like, no, you're not leaving. So they

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<v Speaker 2>go to the school of Infantry where you're not yet

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<v Speaker 2>assigned to a unit, and they screen you there.

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<v Speaker 1>So you get to the recon community and do you

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<v Speaker 1>want to talk a little bit about like what the

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<v Speaker 1>difference was at that time between recon and force.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it was really there was a huge cultural difference

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<v Speaker 2>and one that was rigid. It's a lot of people

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<v Speaker 2>at that time would say, you know, the reconnaissance community

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<v Speaker 2>is the JV team and the force reconnaissance community is

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<v Speaker 2>the varsity team. And I would say that's really childish

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<v Speaker 2>to categorize it like that.

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<v Speaker 3>Guys, we both go through the same schools.

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<v Speaker 2>It really comes down to mission sets. The force reconnaissance

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<v Speaker 2>unit typically operates outside of the artillery fan, so we're

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<v Speaker 2>talking you know, close air support range. They support a MEF,

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<v Speaker 2>which is a higher echelon of table of organization. The

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<v Speaker 2>reconnaissance community works within the artillery fan, so up to

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<v Speaker 2>thirty kilometers in most cases and works for the division.

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<v Speaker 2>I mean that doctrinately. That's your difference now.

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<v Speaker 3>Culturally, night and day.

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<v Speaker 2>They didn't like us, We didn't like them. We wanted

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<v Speaker 2>to go over to the forest recon force. Recon felt

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<v Speaker 2>that they were you know, we're we're up here.

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<v Speaker 3>You figure it out.

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<v Speaker 2>And there was another vetting process, you know, you have

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<v Speaker 2>to screen again.

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<v Speaker 3>They usually took you when you were a little senior.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, now you're an E five maybe an E four,

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<v Speaker 2>and they wanted you to have a little experience.

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<v Speaker 3>Under your belt.

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<v Speaker 2>And I looking back, I understand the need for that

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<v Speaker 2>type of progression, but there was a huge difference in culture.

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<v Speaker 2>Now it's a little more homogeneous. Both of those units

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<v Speaker 2>are now organized pretty much under the same house because

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<v Speaker 2>of Mars Sock's creation.

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<v Speaker 3>But you know, in the nineties it was a different

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<v Speaker 3>Marine Corps.

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<v Speaker 2>They also had better equipment in many cases because they

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<v Speaker 2>had access to a little bit more money. And we

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<v Speaker 2>were still coming off of the heels of not really

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<v Speaker 2>understanding what would be over the horizon, right right, Like

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<v Speaker 2>you know, we always trained for the last war, so

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<v Speaker 2>we still did a lot of jungle.

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<v Speaker 3>Tactics, patrol based activities.

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<v Speaker 2>We did a lot of things that we did in

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<v Speaker 2>Southeast Asia that we would not be doing in oif OEF.

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<v Speaker 2>But the forest reconnaissance community still had, you know, the

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<v Speaker 2>Chenniworth dune buggies. They had a lot of the equipment

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<v Speaker 2>that you just we don't use anymore and a mission

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<v Speaker 2>set to go along with it. Not that it's still

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00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:29.600
<v Speaker 2>not pertinent, but it's not as pertinent, you know, especially

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00:14:29.639 --> 00:14:31.399
<v Speaker 2>modern warfare with drones.

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<v Speaker 1>And yeah, so what did they have you doing in

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00:14:34.320 --> 00:14:37.279
<v Speaker 1>recon at that time? Did you end up going to Thailand?

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00:14:37.360 --> 00:14:38.320
<v Speaker 1>Anything cool like that?

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00:14:38.759 --> 00:14:41.320
<v Speaker 2>Did a lot of cobra golds, did some marine expeditionary

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00:14:41.399 --> 00:14:44.960
<v Speaker 2>units if that's when you go on ship. A lot

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00:14:44.960 --> 00:14:47.080
<v Speaker 2>of people don't realize that the Marine Corps has an

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00:14:47.120 --> 00:14:50.200
<v Speaker 2>infantry battalion up to three at any given time patrolling

295
00:14:50.200 --> 00:14:54.399
<v Speaker 2>the waters of the ocean, available for immediate dispersion anywhere

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00:14:54.440 --> 00:14:57.840
<v Speaker 2>that the president deems they're needed. And Okinawa has a

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00:14:57.960 --> 00:15:02.039
<v Speaker 2>MEW and I did that to why I did a

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00:15:02.080 --> 00:15:05.919
<v Speaker 2>special purpose MAGTAFF, a Marine Air Ground Task Force to China.

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00:15:07.159 --> 00:15:10.559
<v Speaker 2>So we went into China for about a week and

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00:15:10.600 --> 00:15:12.919
<v Speaker 2>a half into the port of Quing Down. This was

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00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:15.159
<v Speaker 2>the first time that Marines had been to China since

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00:15:15.159 --> 00:15:15.720
<v Speaker 2>World War Two.

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00:15:15.960 --> 00:15:17.600
<v Speaker 1>I was gonna say the Boxer Rebellion.

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00:15:18.600 --> 00:15:22.200
<v Speaker 2>Absolutely, yep, the China Marines were the last Marines to

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00:15:22.279 --> 00:15:25.159
<v Speaker 2>be there, and it was surreal we could.

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00:15:25.320 --> 00:15:27.200
<v Speaker 3>We went on Liberty. We worked.

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00:15:27.320 --> 00:15:31.120
<v Speaker 2>It was a working port call, but we were allowed

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00:15:31.159 --> 00:15:34.919
<v Speaker 2>to leave the ship in groups and we went out

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00:15:34.960 --> 00:15:38.440
<v Speaker 2>into the city and I remember, I'm wearing my my well,

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00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:40.720
<v Speaker 2>we would call them Charlie's your class C uniform. So

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00:15:41.080 --> 00:15:45.159
<v Speaker 2>khaki long sleeve shirt, no, I tell a lie, sorry,

312
00:15:45.159 --> 00:15:51.039
<v Speaker 2>short sleeve shirts, no tie, green trousers, piss cutter hat. Oh,

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00:15:51.080 --> 00:15:54.159
<v Speaker 2>I couldn't say that should It doesn't matter. We're walking

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00:15:54.200 --> 00:15:58.960
<v Speaker 2>around and the Chinese had not in many cases seen

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00:15:59.159 --> 00:16:03.440
<v Speaker 2>Americans before. They certainly hadn't seen Marines. And I'm walking

316
00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:05.720
<v Speaker 2>and people would come up to me and they would

317
00:16:05.799 --> 00:16:08.879
<v Speaker 2>stroke my arm because of the you know, the body hair,

318
00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:12.039
<v Speaker 2>because they're just not used to seeing that. They were fascinating.

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00:16:12.480 --> 00:16:15.320
<v Speaker 2>Strangers were calling us into their homes. They just wanted

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00:16:15.320 --> 00:16:17.720
<v Speaker 2>to talk, they wanted to practice their English, they wanted

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00:16:17.720 --> 00:16:22.559
<v Speaker 2>to offer us food, and so we couldn't. You we

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00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:24.639
<v Speaker 2>wanted to go on Liberty, but you couldn't. Is you're

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00:16:24.679 --> 00:16:27.879
<v Speaker 2>just getting mobbed. But it was amazing and it was fascinating.

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00:16:27.879 --> 00:16:31.000
<v Speaker 2>And this was ninety seven, and I remember we pulled

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00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:33.480
<v Speaker 2>into the port and I'm looking around at their ships

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00:16:33.639 --> 00:16:36.399
<v Speaker 2>and their subs or just rusted at the water lines.

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00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:40.240
<v Speaker 2>Their surface fleet was not in great shape.

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00:16:40.960 --> 00:16:42.600
<v Speaker 1>I was young, but I.

329
00:16:42.679 --> 00:16:43.720
<v Speaker 3>Was pretty.

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00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:50.279
<v Speaker 2>Into military hardware, tables of organizations. So I'm looking around

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00:16:50.279 --> 00:16:53.480
<v Speaker 2>and I'm like, these guys are not in great shape.

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00:16:53.759 --> 00:16:58.240
<v Speaker 2>Now fast forward, they are arguably ahead of us in

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00:16:58.320 --> 00:17:02.240
<v Speaker 2>many of those same categories. They have incredible growth in

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00:17:02.279 --> 00:17:06.200
<v Speaker 2>their military industrial conflict. But back then, we toured their ships,

335
00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:12.000
<v Speaker 2>we did some exchange, and they were not a concern.

336
00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:14.519
<v Speaker 1>I was gonna yeah, I was gonna say, I mean,

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00:17:14.799 --> 00:17:18.720
<v Speaker 1>first off, that's something that would never happen today. There's

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00:17:18.759 --> 00:17:22.599
<v Speaker 1>no way that have marines going on Liberty and China. Yeah.

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00:17:23.160 --> 00:17:25.359
<v Speaker 3>By then, I mean, just what.

340
00:17:25.480 --> 00:17:27.559
<v Speaker 1>A couple of years after this, we had that surveillance

341
00:17:27.599 --> 00:17:29.960
<v Speaker 1>bird yep, go down with Hanan Island.

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00:17:29.960 --> 00:17:32.799
<v Speaker 2>I think, yeah, yeah, I'm not I'm pretty sure that's

343
00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:34.759
<v Speaker 2>the name of it. It was a bit of an embarrassment.

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00:17:35.559 --> 00:17:36.240
<v Speaker 3>We did.

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00:17:37.559 --> 00:17:40.720
<v Speaker 2>Get it cleared up diplomatically, but you know, there was

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00:17:40.759 --> 00:17:45.680
<v Speaker 2>also there were some other instances as well. There were

347
00:17:45.720 --> 00:17:49.240
<v Speaker 2>some missile tests that they had done against Taiwan that

348
00:17:49.319 --> 00:17:52.759
<v Speaker 2>covered the straight We did some GPS jamming that caused

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00:17:52.759 --> 00:17:55.680
<v Speaker 2>those missiles to splash into the water. They were horribly

350
00:17:55.720 --> 00:17:59.000
<v Speaker 2>angry about that. They knew that it was us, but

351
00:17:59.240 --> 00:18:01.920
<v Speaker 2>you know, neither publicly admitted it because they didn't want

352
00:18:01.920 --> 00:18:04.039
<v Speaker 2>to save they didn't want egg on their face. So

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<v Speaker 2>there were a couple of things. Yeah, you're right, it

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00:18:06.759 --> 00:18:09.200
<v Speaker 2>wouldn't get done today. But what an amazing experience for

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00:18:09.319 --> 00:18:13.119
<v Speaker 2>me out of the uniform. We got to go see

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<v Speaker 2>the Great Wall of China, got to go to the

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00:18:14.839 --> 00:18:17.759
<v Speaker 2>National Art Gallery, Tanneman Square, the Forbidden City.

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<v Speaker 3>It was.

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00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:19.359
<v Speaker 1>That's so awesome, man.

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00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:21.640
<v Speaker 2>I mean, like, that's one of the great things about

361
00:18:21.640 --> 00:18:27.400
<v Speaker 2>the military, is that those intangibles, those travel opportunities, You can't.

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00:18:27.240 --> 00:18:28.119
<v Speaker 3>Get that anywhere else.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah. Yeah, it's kind of sad that something like that

364
00:18:31.440 --> 00:18:32.440
<v Speaker 1>wouldn't happen today.

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00:18:32.680 --> 00:18:33.039
<v Speaker 3>It is.

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<v Speaker 2>It is because I get that there are adversary, but

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00:18:39.000 --> 00:18:41.119
<v Speaker 2>there's a lot of opportunity there as well.

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00:18:41.240 --> 00:18:43.279
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I mean, it's a culture that's been more or

369
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<v Speaker 1>less intact for like a thousand years, right, I wouldn't Unfortunately,

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<v Speaker 1>I wouldn't go as a private citizen. I'm afraid of

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<v Speaker 1>you know, it's like.

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00:18:50.400 --> 00:18:51.079
<v Speaker 3>Going to Russia.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, what's gonna happen. Not gonna do that, Not gonna

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<v Speaker 1>do that. I'm fascinated about, like the history and the culture.

375
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<v Speaker 1>I think it's super cool.

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<v Speaker 3>It is, it's incredible.

377
00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:04.319
<v Speaker 2>I mean, they do have and it's there's very similar

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00:19:04.599 --> 00:19:08.799
<v Speaker 2>parallels with Japan as well. It's a very rich culture

379
00:19:08.920 --> 00:19:12.559
<v Speaker 2>with a long history. And you know, China for many

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00:19:12.720 --> 00:19:18.799
<v Speaker 2>centuries was the cultural epicenter of the world. They created

381
00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:20.880
<v Speaker 2>a lot of and as did those in the Middle East,

382
00:19:20.920 --> 00:19:24.000
<v Speaker 2>you know, and then somewhere along the way, things just

383
00:19:25.119 --> 00:19:26.400
<v Speaker 2>oh we're going to do communism.

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<v Speaker 3>Okay, cool, cool.

385
00:19:30.200 --> 00:19:31.119
<v Speaker 1>I so.

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00:19:33.200 --> 00:19:34.480
<v Speaker 3>You're in recon.

387
00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:37.880
<v Speaker 1>When did kind of you get the opportunity to start

388
00:19:37.880 --> 00:19:40.400
<v Speaker 1>thinking and thinking action about going to force.

389
00:19:43.240 --> 00:19:45.880
<v Speaker 2>It was actually kind of an accident, really, and I

390
00:19:45.920 --> 00:19:48.319
<v Speaker 2>didn't spend to be perfectly honest with you, I really

391
00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:49.599
<v Speaker 2>didn't spend that much time.

392
00:19:49.359 --> 00:19:50.319
<v Speaker 3>In the force community.

393
00:19:50.599 --> 00:19:55.240
<v Speaker 2>I I dipped my toe into it because when I

394
00:19:55.359 --> 00:19:59.000
<v Speaker 2>left the British World Marine Exchange Program in oh.

395
00:20:00.839 --> 00:20:02.519
<v Speaker 3>Seven, six oh seven.

396
00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:06.920
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I was assigned to First Force, but only for

397
00:20:06.960 --> 00:20:08.680
<v Speaker 2>about six months before.

398
00:20:09.880 --> 00:20:12.000
<v Speaker 3>MARSK stood up, gotcha?

399
00:20:12.119 --> 00:20:16.240
<v Speaker 2>And then I found myself back with First Reconnaissance Battalion.

400
00:20:17.200 --> 00:20:21.359
<v Speaker 2>And then they stood up the Force company in First

401
00:20:21.480 --> 00:20:24.599
<v Speaker 2>Reconnaissance Battalion because you know, there was MARSOC, so they

402
00:20:24.599 --> 00:20:28.480
<v Speaker 2>took what was first Force. You're now MARSK. But we

403
00:20:28.559 --> 00:20:32.119
<v Speaker 2>need a group of you to be the force that job.

404
00:20:32.400 --> 00:20:34.079
<v Speaker 2>We don't know what we're gonna call it yet, And

405
00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:37.319
<v Speaker 2>that's what I did. So was I still Force?

406
00:20:37.480 --> 00:20:37.799
<v Speaker 3>Was I not?

407
00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:40.960
<v Speaker 2>I guess it's I know it's a matter of semantics.

408
00:20:40.960 --> 00:20:44.599
<v Speaker 2>But in a very short time I found myself as

409
00:20:44.640 --> 00:20:47.640
<v Speaker 2>a platoon sergeant going back over to Iraq and seven

410
00:20:48.599 --> 00:20:53.920
<v Speaker 2>so my stint in Force was fairly short, just because

411
00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:57.279
<v Speaker 2>of the circumstances. You know, uh, three years in England

412
00:20:57.279 --> 00:21:00.359
<v Speaker 2>with the commandos right on the heels of the of

413
00:21:00.359 --> 00:21:06.480
<v Speaker 2>Iraq and then Marsk changing in six so maybe seven

414
00:21:06.519 --> 00:21:11.960
<v Speaker 2>months with Force, maybe another three at the reconnaissance battalion

415
00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:13.279
<v Speaker 2>in a forced platoon.

416
00:21:14.000 --> 00:21:15.319
<v Speaker 3>That was it.

417
00:21:15.400 --> 00:21:17.480
<v Speaker 4>A lot of people put off buying a new mattress

418
00:21:17.480 --> 00:21:20.119
<v Speaker 4>because it feels like a hassle. Too many options, too

419
00:21:20.119 --> 00:21:22.680
<v Speaker 4>many claims, and no real way to tell what's actually

420
00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:26.680
<v Speaker 4>going to hold up, Ghostbed makes that decision easier. Ghostbed

421
00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:28.920
<v Speaker 4>is a family run company with more than twenty years

422
00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:33.400
<v Speaker 4>of mattress making experience, backed by deep manufacturing expertise. Their

423
00:21:33.400 --> 00:21:37.880
<v Speaker 4>approaches straightforward focus on quality materials, small construction, and a

424
00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:42.279
<v Speaker 4>consistency over time, not flashy features or complicated sales tactics.

425
00:21:42.839 --> 00:21:45.880
<v Speaker 4>Every ghost Bed mattress is built for for long term comfort,

426
00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:49.640
<v Speaker 4>using durable foam and proven cooling technology to help regulate

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<v Speaker 1>Bye, Hey guys, this is Jack Murphy. I want to

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471
00:24:17.440 --> 00:24:22.599
<v Speaker 1>for supporting the show. Everyone to back up, then, let's uh,

472
00:24:23.079 --> 00:24:26.759
<v Speaker 1>you're in ricon. What was sort of like the experience

473
00:24:26.880 --> 00:24:31.000
<v Speaker 1>like being in recon when nine to eleven happened? That

474
00:24:31.119 --> 00:24:31.880
<v Speaker 1>was that was.

475
00:24:35.799 --> 00:24:39.880
<v Speaker 3>Everyone has there. Where were you when nine to eleven happens? Story? Right?

476
00:24:39.920 --> 00:24:42.519
<v Speaker 2>That is the where were you when Kennedy was assassinated?

477
00:24:42.599 --> 00:24:46.759
<v Speaker 2>Version of our generation? For me, I was on a

478
00:24:46.880 --> 00:24:49.880
<v Speaker 2>marine deployment. I was on a Marine expeditionary unit. So

479
00:24:49.920 --> 00:24:53.279
<v Speaker 2>we were in the coast of Sorry, we were in Darwin,

480
00:24:53.279 --> 00:24:59.160
<v Speaker 2>Australia when nine to eleven happened. And as one of

481
00:24:59.319 --> 00:25:06.880
<v Speaker 2>the platoons, I'm trying to think if the Seals, I

482
00:25:06.880 --> 00:25:10.119
<v Speaker 2>don't remember. If the Seals, I'm sure they were back then, Yeah,

483
00:25:10.160 --> 00:25:12.359
<v Speaker 2>they were. So we had a force platoon, we had

484
00:25:12.400 --> 00:25:14.720
<v Speaker 2>a reconnaissance platoon. I'm pretty confident we had a seal

485
00:25:14.759 --> 00:25:18.039
<v Speaker 2>platoon as well. So I think those three groups were

486
00:25:18.119 --> 00:25:21.440
<v Speaker 2>pretty confident that we were going to do something, and

487
00:25:21.599 --> 00:25:22.079
<v Speaker 2>we were right.

488
00:25:22.160 --> 00:25:25.119
<v Speaker 3>We all did separate things, but.

489
00:25:27.359 --> 00:25:29.119
<v Speaker 2>I don't think any of us were privy to any

490
00:25:29.119 --> 00:25:31.480
<v Speaker 2>more intelligence than anyone else was privy to.

491
00:25:31.839 --> 00:25:33.920
<v Speaker 1>I mean, the world was on CNN.

492
00:25:34.200 --> 00:25:36.960
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, yeah, it was pretty much open source and then

493
00:25:37.000 --> 00:25:39.640
<v Speaker 2>whatever you know, the captain of the ship was being

494
00:25:39.680 --> 00:25:45.480
<v Speaker 2>told and whatever the battalion commander was being told. It

495
00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:48.720
<v Speaker 2>was surreal though, being forward deployed when nine to eleven

496
00:25:48.759 --> 00:25:49.559
<v Speaker 2>happened was surreal.

497
00:25:51.960 --> 00:25:54.039
<v Speaker 1>And what did you guys end up doing? What was

498
00:25:54.079 --> 00:25:57.200
<v Speaker 1>the Marine Corps response to it, and those you know

499
00:25:57.240 --> 00:25:58.519
<v Speaker 1>weeks and months after.

500
00:25:58.839 --> 00:26:03.880
<v Speaker 3>Well, we immediately pulled, we sailed out of port.

501
00:26:03.920 --> 00:26:06.200
<v Speaker 2>That it was late when it happened in Darwin, so

502
00:26:06.240 --> 00:26:10.079
<v Speaker 2>it was probably twenty I want to say twenty three hundred.

503
00:26:10.519 --> 00:26:13.799
<v Speaker 2>Liberty expired at midnight. They were dragging people back to

504
00:26:13.839 --> 00:26:16.920
<v Speaker 2>the boat, half drunk. Nobody would say what was taking place.

505
00:26:17.119 --> 00:26:20.839
<v Speaker 2>They're seeing some things in the news on the bars.

506
00:26:20.839 --> 00:26:25.559
<v Speaker 2>From what I gathered, bringing the ship's compliment back was

507
00:26:26.200 --> 00:26:29.960
<v Speaker 2>a nightmare. I was already on the boat. The next

508
00:26:30.039 --> 00:26:34.720
<v Speaker 2>day we left. We weighed Anchor and we basically went.

509
00:26:35.599 --> 00:26:37.400
<v Speaker 2>No one knew what had taken place. Was this the

510
00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:42.240
<v Speaker 2>opening shot of a war? Is this some kind of

511
00:26:42.319 --> 00:26:45.319
<v Speaker 2>asymmetrical attack that is going to repeat itself? So we

512
00:26:45.440 --> 00:26:48.400
<v Speaker 2>left and went into the open waters fifty sixty one

513
00:26:48.440 --> 00:26:51.319
<v Speaker 2>hundred miles off the coast and just cut squares for

514
00:26:51.400 --> 00:26:54.720
<v Speaker 2>a couple of weeks. Then we went into Eastmoor did

515
00:26:54.720 --> 00:26:58.759
<v Speaker 2>a humanitarian mission, and then it was in very short

516
00:26:58.880 --> 00:27:01.079
<v Speaker 2>order apparent that we were going to go into Afghanistan.

517
00:27:01.319 --> 00:27:02.720
<v Speaker 2>They were the ones responsible.

518
00:27:02.799 --> 00:27:10.680
<v Speaker 3>So we made an amphibious landing into well.

519
00:27:11.119 --> 00:27:14.119
<v Speaker 2>We hung out in Pakistan for a while at an

520
00:27:14.119 --> 00:27:17.839
<v Speaker 2>air base, and then we did an amphibious assault into Afghanistan.

521
00:27:18.160 --> 00:27:21.960
<v Speaker 3>And it was amphibious assault into Afghanistan. Right.

522
00:27:22.880 --> 00:27:28.160
<v Speaker 2>The technical amphibious assault was because we departed from ship

523
00:27:28.519 --> 00:27:33.279
<v Speaker 2>and we landed in Afghanistan, and that by definition is amphibious,

524
00:27:33.319 --> 00:27:35.559
<v Speaker 2>and it's the longest amphibious assault that's ever.

525
00:27:35.440 --> 00:27:37.279
<v Speaker 3>Been made in the history of American right.

526
00:27:37.240 --> 00:27:39.319
<v Speaker 1>Right, So you had to refuel a few times in

527
00:27:39.359 --> 00:27:40.119
<v Speaker 1>the air on the way.

528
00:27:40.200 --> 00:27:40.519
<v Speaker 3>Yeah.

529
00:27:40.599 --> 00:27:44.279
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, Also one of the scariest flights I've ever had.

530
00:27:44.880 --> 00:27:46.839
<v Speaker 3>We landed at Camp Rhino, which was.

531
00:27:46.799 --> 00:27:49.599
<v Speaker 2>A compound in the middle of the desert. It was

532
00:27:49.640 --> 00:27:53.759
<v Speaker 2>a hunting preserve for some very rich individuals, but it

533
00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:59.960
<v Speaker 2>had a private runway, unimproved runway. It had a big hangar,

534
00:28:00.799 --> 00:28:04.000
<v Speaker 2>it had a little mosque, it had all these ancillary buildings,

535
00:28:04.039 --> 00:28:06.559
<v Speaker 2>and it was surrounded by this wall. And we're like,

536
00:28:07.160 --> 00:28:10.720
<v Speaker 2>that's it. So see one thirty. I mean we are packed.

537
00:28:10.759 --> 00:28:14.839
<v Speaker 2>In no doubt you've been on a sea one thirty before.

538
00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:18.400
<v Speaker 2>I don't know if you've done a mass tack, but

539
00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:21.359
<v Speaker 2>it's that kind of cramped. And I mean you're you

540
00:28:21.480 --> 00:28:24.680
<v Speaker 2>got your gear, your pack is on your legs, and

541
00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:29.359
<v Speaker 2>you can't move. And we flew high threat tactics, which

542
00:28:29.400 --> 00:28:32.039
<v Speaker 2>means you're assuming you're gonna get a lot of ground fire.

543
00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:35.839
<v Speaker 2>There's also gonna be a surface to air missile threat.

544
00:28:35.880 --> 00:28:38.000
<v Speaker 2>So you gotta fly basically nap of the earth. So

545
00:28:38.119 --> 00:28:41.960
<v Speaker 2>see one thirty. We did receive some ground fire, we

546
00:28:42.000 --> 00:28:43.920
<v Speaker 2>don't know where, but the plane did get shot a

547
00:28:43.920 --> 00:28:46.839
<v Speaker 2>little bit, But that wasn't the problem. It's you're going

548
00:28:46.880 --> 00:28:50.720
<v Speaker 2>from this really high altitude and then it goes screaming

549
00:28:50.799 --> 00:28:54.839
<v Speaker 2>down to like a thousand feet and you're just startined in.

550
00:28:54.960 --> 00:28:58.160
<v Speaker 3>You can't move, and then the runway is made of

551
00:28:58.200 --> 00:29:01.039
<v Speaker 3>this moondust.

552
00:29:01.279 --> 00:29:04.160
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, you know what I'm talking about, because you've walked that.

553
00:29:04.759 --> 00:29:06.880
<v Speaker 3>You sink into it. It's up to your ankles.

554
00:29:07.640 --> 00:29:10.599
<v Speaker 2>But here's a C one thirty, fully loaded, full bag

555
00:29:10.640 --> 00:29:12.640
<v Speaker 2>of gas and it's coming in on this runway and

556
00:29:12.680 --> 00:29:17.039
<v Speaker 2>it's not getting purchased and it's just sliding and yawing,

557
00:29:17.079 --> 00:29:18.799
<v Speaker 2>and I'm like, oh, this is it. This is how

558
00:29:18.799 --> 00:29:21.480
<v Speaker 2>it's gonna end. The plane is gonna clip the ground,

559
00:29:21.759 --> 00:29:24.680
<v Speaker 2>it's gonna cartwheel, and I'm wedged in between you know,

560
00:29:24.759 --> 00:29:25.799
<v Speaker 2>sixty other fuckers.

561
00:29:25.799 --> 00:29:27.319
<v Speaker 3>I'm done. This is this is it.

562
00:29:27.400 --> 00:29:29.640
<v Speaker 2>This is my story. It didn't turn out that way.

563
00:29:29.920 --> 00:29:32.400
<v Speaker 1>I mean, spoil alert. This is basically kind of what

564
00:29:32.599 --> 00:29:36.000
<v Speaker 1>happened to the UH one thirties in Iran. Yeah, a

565
00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:38.720
<v Speaker 1>few months ago they got stuck in the dust, essentially

566
00:29:39.279 --> 00:29:41.160
<v Speaker 1>sunk in because of that whatever.

567
00:29:41.359 --> 00:29:44.319
<v Speaker 3>It's that certain type of soil, it's unique.

568
00:29:44.400 --> 00:29:46.720
<v Speaker 2>And then you know, so fast forward. I had a

569
00:29:46.759 --> 00:29:52.160
<v Speaker 2>guest on the show, Alexander Lemons, and he did some

570
00:29:52.240 --> 00:29:56.319
<v Speaker 2>research to find that the soil in Iraq is unique

571
00:29:56.640 --> 00:29:59.079
<v Speaker 2>from all of the soil in the world. I know

572
00:29:59.119 --> 00:30:02.440
<v Speaker 2>that we're talking about Anastana. There's some property about this

573
00:30:02.440 --> 00:30:05.400
<v Speaker 2>particular type of sand where it just recirculates due to

574
00:30:05.480 --> 00:30:08.279
<v Speaker 2>the you know, the the dust storms and stuff that

575
00:30:08.440 --> 00:30:11.160
<v Speaker 2>does something to grind it down. But yeah, so I

576
00:30:11.279 --> 00:30:14.599
<v Speaker 2>ran Afghanistan, Iraq, it's all that same type of dirt.

577
00:30:15.880 --> 00:30:17.359
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I thought it was over.

578
00:30:19.720 --> 00:30:22.680
<v Speaker 1>It didn't turn out though, and so you guys kind

579
00:30:22.680 --> 00:30:26.319
<v Speaker 1>of spearheaded into Camp Ryno, we did.

580
00:30:26.480 --> 00:30:33.000
<v Speaker 2>Yes, there was US, and then it turned into like

581
00:30:33.400 --> 00:30:37.039
<v Speaker 2>the who's who of special Operations forces because it became

582
00:30:37.400 --> 00:30:41.319
<v Speaker 2>the beachhead for everyone to flow in. So there was

583
00:30:41.599 --> 00:30:44.559
<v Speaker 2>you know, British Sas, there was Australian, there were French,

584
00:30:44.640 --> 00:30:49.200
<v Speaker 2>there was German clearly the Marines, UH Navy Special Forces.

585
00:30:49.200 --> 00:30:52.759
<v Speaker 2>There was I think for a very brief time, I

586
00:30:52.799 --> 00:30:54.880
<v Speaker 2>want to say, there was an ODA team, but it

587
00:30:54.920 --> 00:30:57.319
<v Speaker 2>all kind of blends in at this point we're talking

588
00:30:57.559 --> 00:31:02.279
<v Speaker 2>oh one, and we ran operations out of there. The

589
00:31:02.319 --> 00:31:04.480
<v Speaker 2>infantry was dug around the perimeter.

590
00:31:06.599 --> 00:31:07.799
<v Speaker 3>It was just weird. You know.

591
00:31:07.920 --> 00:31:14.000
<v Speaker 2>It was weird because nobody enlists in the military under

592
00:31:14.039 --> 00:31:17.400
<v Speaker 2>any illusion that you are not going to potentially go

593
00:31:17.480 --> 00:31:20.799
<v Speaker 2>to war, right, But I enlisted in ninety five.

594
00:31:20.839 --> 00:31:22.200
<v Speaker 3>There was no war taking place.

595
00:31:22.319 --> 00:31:24.359
<v Speaker 2>I mean, we had some people that were concerned, but

596
00:31:24.400 --> 00:31:27.359
<v Speaker 2>it was like, oh, that's you know, Nicaragua, or that's

597
00:31:27.720 --> 00:31:32.319
<v Speaker 2>you know, Somali, or that's right. The United States getting

598
00:31:32.319 --> 00:31:35.359
<v Speaker 2>attacked on its home turf and then retaliating was it

599
00:31:35.480 --> 00:31:36.079
<v Speaker 2>was unheard of.

600
00:31:37.079 --> 00:31:40.519
<v Speaker 1>And then finding yourself in like such a third world country,

601
00:31:41.599 --> 00:31:43.119
<v Speaker 1>what's going on here?

602
00:31:43.559 --> 00:31:45.000
<v Speaker 3>It was so weird.

603
00:31:45.039 --> 00:31:48.240
<v Speaker 2>And we didn't have any of the equipment to really

604
00:31:48.480 --> 00:31:50.839
<v Speaker 2>do this type of thing. You know, you're still wearing

605
00:31:52.119 --> 00:31:54.880
<v Speaker 2>We had just transitioned. We didn't have them yet, but

606
00:31:54.920 --> 00:31:57.680
<v Speaker 2>the Marine Corps just transitioned to that new digital pattern.

607
00:31:57.960 --> 00:31:58.160
<v Speaker 1>Yep.

608
00:31:58.759 --> 00:32:03.440
<v Speaker 2>We still had the old classic tricolor woodland pattern or

609
00:32:03.680 --> 00:32:07.599
<v Speaker 2>chocolate chip like ninety one chocolate chip desert storm. So

610
00:32:07.599 --> 00:32:09.680
<v Speaker 2>that's what we had, and that was our desert uniform.

611
00:32:10.799 --> 00:32:15.480
<v Speaker 2>And we didn't have vehicles that were really tailored towards

612
00:32:15.480 --> 00:32:17.559
<v Speaker 2>what we were doing, which was you know, some long

613
00:32:17.640 --> 00:32:21.279
<v Speaker 2>range desert patrol. We didn't have the we didn't have

614
00:32:21.319 --> 00:32:23.880
<v Speaker 2>the equipment for it, so I mean we made it work,

615
00:32:23.920 --> 00:32:25.880
<v Speaker 2>but it was very weird.

616
00:32:26.200 --> 00:32:30.039
<v Speaker 1>I remember working with Marines and this was a little

617
00:32:30.079 --> 00:32:32.359
<v Speaker 1>later on. This would have been well two thousand and

618
00:32:32.440 --> 00:32:35.400
<v Speaker 1>four Marine Infantry, and I mean they had like one

619
00:32:35.440 --> 00:32:38.799
<v Speaker 1>pair of nods per squad. They didn't have any sort

620
00:32:38.839 --> 00:32:42.440
<v Speaker 1>of organic or intelligence attached to their battalion. And there's

621
00:32:43.720 --> 00:32:45.559
<v Speaker 1>again not trying to throw shade on them, it's just

622
00:32:45.960 --> 00:32:47.640
<v Speaker 1>they didn't have a lot.

623
00:32:48.000 --> 00:32:51.960
<v Speaker 2>The infantry operates under very austere conditions. They always have

624
00:32:52.359 --> 00:32:54.279
<v Speaker 2>so much so that it's really a point of pride

625
00:32:54.279 --> 00:32:54.920
<v Speaker 2>to them at this point.

626
00:32:55.039 --> 00:32:56.640
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, yeah, like.

627
00:32:56.480 --> 00:32:59.759
<v Speaker 2>We can do everything with nothing. And the marine reconnaissance

628
00:32:59.759 --> 00:33:01.880
<v Speaker 2>came had a lot more.

629
00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:02.960
<v Speaker 3>It did.

630
00:33:03.039 --> 00:33:06.039
<v Speaker 2>But now when you compare Marine recon or even the

631
00:33:06.039 --> 00:33:09.720
<v Speaker 2>force platoon to say a ranger battalion or an ODA

632
00:33:09.839 --> 00:33:14.039
<v Speaker 2>team or you know CAG oh yeah, like night and day,

633
00:33:14.079 --> 00:33:17.000
<v Speaker 2>like don't even get it started. But we did have

634
00:33:17.039 --> 00:33:20.960
<v Speaker 2>more equipment. You know, we had some laser range finders,

635
00:33:21.039 --> 00:33:26.000
<v Speaker 2>laser designators. Everybody had MVG's, we had M four's, we

636
00:33:26.079 --> 00:33:30.319
<v Speaker 2>had suppressors, we had a lot more hardware than your

637
00:33:30.400 --> 00:33:34.000
<v Speaker 2>run of the mill.

638
00:33:32.440 --> 00:33:34.240
<v Speaker 3>And we had reach back.

639
00:33:34.279 --> 00:33:37.400
<v Speaker 2>And that was one of the things that reconnaissance is

640
00:33:37.440 --> 00:33:41.039
<v Speaker 2>able to do in the Marine Corps is you're in

641
00:33:43.880 --> 00:33:46.359
<v Speaker 2>all of the other services put an officer in charge

642
00:33:46.359 --> 00:33:48.400
<v Speaker 2>of their smaller SF units.

643
00:33:48.440 --> 00:33:49.799
<v Speaker 3>The Marine Corps doesn't run that way.

644
00:33:49.839 --> 00:33:54.519
<v Speaker 2>Now MARSK does, but there was no MARSOC in O one,

645
00:33:55.000 --> 00:33:59.519
<v Speaker 2>so this was six enlisted marines with an E five

646
00:33:59.559 --> 00:34:03.160
<v Speaker 2>in charge. You will go out to twenty kilometers and

647
00:34:03.200 --> 00:34:05.319
<v Speaker 2>get eyes on a target and then we want you

648
00:34:05.400 --> 00:34:08.760
<v Speaker 2>to talk to that aircraft overhead and lays ordinance on it.

649
00:34:09.320 --> 00:34:11.519
<v Speaker 2>Can you do that? Yes, I can do that. The

650
00:34:11.519 --> 00:34:13.480
<v Speaker 2>Marine Corps is the only one that does business that way.

651
00:34:14.000 --> 00:34:15.519
<v Speaker 2>It's a tremendous responsibility.

652
00:34:15.760 --> 00:34:17.519
<v Speaker 1>And then we took seriously they're sending you out on

653
00:34:17.559 --> 00:34:20.440
<v Speaker 1>those kinds of missions. Yeah, oh, what was that like

654
00:34:20.639 --> 00:34:22.280
<v Speaker 1>going out there and not like now it's for real.

655
00:34:22.480 --> 00:34:25.159
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, now it's for real, And it was It was

656
00:34:25.360 --> 00:34:28.960
<v Speaker 2>fun because you're finally getting to play the game you

657
00:34:29.039 --> 00:34:32.000
<v Speaker 2>have practiced for, right you know, it is that pro

658
00:34:32.039 --> 00:34:35.440
<v Speaker 2>athlete who never gets off the bench and now finally

659
00:34:35.519 --> 00:34:36.440
<v Speaker 2>I'm off the bench.

660
00:34:36.920 --> 00:34:37.920
<v Speaker 3>Let's see what it's about.

661
00:34:37.960 --> 00:34:42.360
<v Speaker 2>But it's also incredibly naive because you hadn't been shot

662
00:34:42.400 --> 00:34:46.159
<v Speaker 2>at yet, you didn't understand any of the fog of war.

663
00:34:46.639 --> 00:34:49.519
<v Speaker 2>It was very sterile in many cases because the desert

664
00:34:49.679 --> 00:34:53.719
<v Speaker 2>was the only opposition that we had. We did drive

665
00:34:53.760 --> 00:34:58.000
<v Speaker 2>into a minefield at one point, that was interesting. We

666
00:34:58.079 --> 00:35:02.280
<v Speaker 2>did call in some ordinance on occasion that was fun,

667
00:35:02.800 --> 00:35:05.400
<v Speaker 2>but a lot of it was just spent doing what

668
00:35:05.480 --> 00:35:09.639
<v Speaker 2>reconnaissance marines do, which is quietly getting eyes on and

669
00:35:09.679 --> 00:35:10.360
<v Speaker 2>just reporting.

670
00:35:11.079 --> 00:35:11.920
<v Speaker 3>But it was fun.

671
00:35:12.320 --> 00:35:14.840
<v Speaker 2>It was really a relief to be able to finally

672
00:35:14.920 --> 00:35:17.440
<v Speaker 2>do what we had always practiced.

673
00:35:18.519 --> 00:35:22.119
<v Speaker 1>And were you guys inserting on Humvi's like walking, setting

674
00:35:22.199 --> 00:35:24.599
<v Speaker 1>up an observation post and that sort of stuff.

675
00:35:24.679 --> 00:35:26.760
<v Speaker 2>Humphy, we had a single hum vy for the six

676
00:35:26.840 --> 00:35:30.840
<v Speaker 2>of us and we would drive it out there, leave it,

677
00:35:31.360 --> 00:35:34.000
<v Speaker 2>camouflage it, make the rest of the movement on foot,

678
00:35:34.360 --> 00:35:38.079
<v Speaker 2>establish an observation post, and then monitor and it was

679
00:35:38.119 --> 00:35:42.159
<v Speaker 2>a lot of monitoring MSRs. You know, we understood Taliban

680
00:35:42.199 --> 00:35:45.000
<v Speaker 2>at that point, we understood who our enemy was. I'm

681
00:35:45.039 --> 00:35:50.920
<v Speaker 2>talking strategically, and the infantry battalion had a CIA case

682
00:35:50.960 --> 00:35:53.840
<v Speaker 2>officer assigned to them when we went in. So we

683
00:35:53.840 --> 00:35:56.760
<v Speaker 2>were getting intelligence, you know, the larger we from a

684
00:35:56.800 --> 00:36:01.079
<v Speaker 2>couple of different sources, military intelligence as well as the

685
00:36:01.119 --> 00:36:05.559
<v Speaker 2>intelligence community at large. And it was early on in one,

686
00:36:05.679 --> 00:36:11.280
<v Speaker 2>so the sky was just filled. I mean they were

687
00:36:11.360 --> 00:36:14.559
<v Speaker 2>dropping two thousand pounders off. You could you could see

688
00:36:14.559 --> 00:36:17.599
<v Speaker 2>the light flashes right, So there was a massive air campaign.

689
00:36:17.639 --> 00:36:21.519
<v Speaker 2>But overhead you had all kinds of enablers, all kinds.

690
00:36:21.559 --> 00:36:23.039
<v Speaker 3>I mean we would see.

691
00:36:24.480 --> 00:36:27.079
<v Speaker 2>The planes overhead and then you could just you could

692
00:36:27.119 --> 00:36:29.960
<v Speaker 2>pick up the radio and talk to the a wax

693
00:36:30.079 --> 00:36:32.079
<v Speaker 2>or you know, talk to the command control bird. If

694
00:36:32.079 --> 00:36:34.360
<v Speaker 2>there was fixed wing aircraft checking in, they would push

695
00:36:34.360 --> 00:36:37.639
<v Speaker 2>it to you and it was that was pretty cool.

696
00:36:38.039 --> 00:36:41.199
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, any of those operations that kind of got a

697
00:36:41.199 --> 00:36:43.719
<v Speaker 1>little dicey, I don't think. So.

698
00:36:44.079 --> 00:36:46.519
<v Speaker 3>There was there was a firefight with the forest platoon.

699
00:36:47.199 --> 00:36:48.760
<v Speaker 2>They were out and they got into a bit of

700
00:36:48.800 --> 00:36:51.960
<v Speaker 2>a scrape.

701
00:36:53.119 --> 00:36:54.559
<v Speaker 3>Should they have is.

702
00:36:54.519 --> 00:37:00.559
<v Speaker 2>A matter of some disagreement. I know the guys that

703
00:37:00.639 --> 00:37:04.800
<v Speaker 2>were there at that time, they did exchange, they did

704
00:37:04.800 --> 00:37:10.840
<v Speaker 2>get into a firefight. But nothing, I don't remember anything

705
00:37:10.840 --> 00:37:15.599
<v Speaker 2>that was like dicey other than our own our own dangerousness.

706
00:37:15.599 --> 00:37:18.519
<v Speaker 3>We were I've told this story before.

707
00:37:18.559 --> 00:37:21.719
<v Speaker 2>We modified the hum vy with a pintle mount to

708
00:37:21.800 --> 00:37:23.960
<v Speaker 2>hold the beltfit.

709
00:37:24.480 --> 00:37:26.800
<v Speaker 3>Okay, when I say we.

710
00:37:26.760 --> 00:37:30.119
<v Speaker 2>Modified it, we took a piece of tubular steel, we

711
00:37:30.119 --> 00:37:32.760
<v Speaker 2>welded a flat plate on the bottom, and then we

712
00:37:32.840 --> 00:37:35.599
<v Speaker 2>took the caster off a refrigerator and welded it to

713
00:37:35.639 --> 00:37:39.280
<v Speaker 2>the top. That allowed for a swivel which the gun

714
00:37:39.519 --> 00:37:42.599
<v Speaker 2>sat on with a pin through it. You now have

715
00:37:42.719 --> 00:37:45.320
<v Speaker 2>a pintle mount. Once it's ratchet strapped to the humby

716
00:37:46.559 --> 00:37:49.920
<v Speaker 2>any machine gunner knows that you have a device under

717
00:37:49.920 --> 00:37:52.039
<v Speaker 2>the barrel or attached to the weapon in such a

718
00:37:52.079 --> 00:37:55.119
<v Speaker 2>way called a traverse in elevation, it's a fixed piece

719
00:37:55.119 --> 00:37:57.920
<v Speaker 2>of metal that keeps the barrel from free flowing.

720
00:37:58.199 --> 00:37:58.880
<v Speaker 3>We didn't have that.

721
00:38:00.079 --> 00:38:02.199
<v Speaker 2>So there was a gun in the bed of the

722
00:38:02.280 --> 00:38:07.079
<v Speaker 2>humvee which could pivot to shoot the floor of the

723
00:38:07.159 --> 00:38:11.000
<v Speaker 2>humvee or between the driver and the a driver. And

724
00:38:11.840 --> 00:38:14.039
<v Speaker 2>there was a moment where the gun was used and

725
00:38:14.079 --> 00:38:16.239
<v Speaker 2>it was like, oh my god, you just riddled the

726
00:38:16.280 --> 00:38:19.840
<v Speaker 2>hood of the hum V and it was between me

727
00:38:20.079 --> 00:38:21.960
<v Speaker 2>and the a driver of the hum V and I'm like,

728
00:38:21.960 --> 00:38:26.320
<v Speaker 2>oh God, this is so fucking stupid. That was the

729
00:38:26.360 --> 00:38:30.320
<v Speaker 2>worst thing I think that took place as far as

730
00:38:30.360 --> 00:38:33.440
<v Speaker 2>the enemy contact and anything. Now, Now, there were some

731
00:38:33.519 --> 00:38:36.760
<v Speaker 2>other very surreal moments, like getting into Kandahart Airport and

732
00:38:37.639 --> 00:38:40.199
<v Speaker 2>we did watch one of the marine infantry step on

733
00:38:40.239 --> 00:38:42.599
<v Speaker 2>a mine and get blown up. There was a couple

734
00:38:42.639 --> 00:38:43.880
<v Speaker 2>of other instances as well.

735
00:38:43.960 --> 00:38:47.199
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, it was a period of time, I guess a

736
00:38:47.199 --> 00:38:50.760
<v Speaker 1>brief period of time when the Tale band was essentially

737
00:38:50.800 --> 00:38:53.400
<v Speaker 1>defeated or maybe some hold doubts we were still looking

738
00:38:53.440 --> 00:38:57.800
<v Speaker 1>for and there were really wasn't an ied threat. Yeah.

739
00:38:57.880 --> 00:39:04.280
<v Speaker 2>Yet it was nice because that changed, and it changed

740
00:39:04.320 --> 00:39:10.760
<v Speaker 2>relatively quick. I mean, any any adversary that is going

741
00:39:10.800 --> 00:39:14.679
<v Speaker 2>to survive will learn asymmetric warfare against the United States.

742
00:39:14.760 --> 00:39:17.079
<v Speaker 2>I mean that is the only way that you were

743
00:39:17.079 --> 00:39:18.760
<v Speaker 2>going to survive. And it's not just unique to the

744
00:39:18.800 --> 00:39:23.199
<v Speaker 2>American culture. And Ukraine's doing it against Russia right now.

745
00:39:24.280 --> 00:39:28.119
<v Speaker 2>And yeah, it was a matter of time, but in

746
00:39:28.400 --> 00:39:32.320
<v Speaker 2>one there was no there was no such animal.

747
00:39:32.440 --> 00:39:33.000
<v Speaker 3>That was great.

748
00:39:33.159 --> 00:39:36.679
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, and tell us about rotating back home from that trip.

749
00:39:38.239 --> 00:39:39.039
<v Speaker 3>That was great.

750
00:39:39.239 --> 00:39:44.519
<v Speaker 2>It was so weird too, because I compare my retrograde

751
00:39:44.559 --> 00:39:47.719
<v Speaker 2>from one and my retrograde from like the Iraq War

752
00:39:47.760 --> 00:39:53.320
<v Speaker 2>and three complete night and day. I mean when we

753
00:39:53.400 --> 00:39:58.639
<v Speaker 2>went into Afghanistan, we went in with a full combat load.

754
00:39:58.840 --> 00:40:03.239
<v Speaker 2>I mean, freaking you name it. It was like shopping cart.

755
00:40:03.239 --> 00:40:05.199
<v Speaker 2>I want one of those, and I'll take two claymores,

756
00:40:05.239 --> 00:40:08.800
<v Speaker 2>and I'll take that law rocket. I need seven fragmentation grenades. Nope,

757
00:40:08.840 --> 00:40:12.960
<v Speaker 2>not enough ammo more. We never downloaded that stuff. Like

758
00:40:13.199 --> 00:40:18.599
<v Speaker 2>we got out of Afghanistan on a helicopter and then

759
00:40:18.719 --> 00:40:21.159
<v Speaker 2>leap frog back to Pakistan and from Pakistan back to

760
00:40:21.199 --> 00:40:25.360
<v Speaker 2>the ship and we've just got our pack is filled

761
00:40:25.400 --> 00:40:29.079
<v Speaker 2>with stuff like I mean, just stuff, man, and our

762
00:40:29.440 --> 00:40:34.119
<v Speaker 2>douce gear filled with AMMO and fragmentation grenades and I've

763
00:40:34.119 --> 00:40:36.239
<v Speaker 2>got two of three rounds. I mean, I just and

764
00:40:36.280 --> 00:40:38.880
<v Speaker 2>it just all gets dumped into a quad coun and

765
00:40:38.960 --> 00:40:42.760
<v Speaker 2>that quad con gets closed up, not locked, not secured,

766
00:40:43.199 --> 00:40:45.880
<v Speaker 2>not like sign here, just hey, go put your gear

767
00:40:45.920 --> 00:40:48.960
<v Speaker 2>in your team quad con. And then it gets back

768
00:40:48.960 --> 00:40:53.119
<v Speaker 2>to Pendleton and it's like, you know, that's all full

769
00:40:53.159 --> 00:40:56.679
<v Speaker 2>of AMMO, right, and explosives and C four and claymores

770
00:40:56.679 --> 00:41:01.199
<v Speaker 2>and rocket launchers. We should probably turn that into the armory. Yeah, yeah,

771
00:41:01.239 --> 00:41:06.679
<v Speaker 2>we'll do that. We were the only platoon to see

772
00:41:06.719 --> 00:41:10.000
<v Speaker 2>any kind of combat any kind and make no illusions.

773
00:41:10.039 --> 00:41:12.760
<v Speaker 2>I'm not saying that we you know, were six months

774
00:41:13.360 --> 00:41:16.199
<v Speaker 2>constantly getting shot at. It was it was a very

775
00:41:16.199 --> 00:41:19.079
<v Speaker 2>short period of time, and for all intents and purposes, it.

776
00:41:19.039 --> 00:41:22.480
<v Speaker 3>Was pretty innocuous. But we were the first platoon to

777
00:41:22.480 --> 00:41:22.960
<v Speaker 3>see combat.

778
00:41:23.000 --> 00:41:23.199
<v Speaker 1>Yeah.

779
00:41:23.239 --> 00:41:26.320
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, So you walk back to a unit who is

780
00:41:26.360 --> 00:41:29.440
<v Speaker 2>operating at a very high level and is itching to

781
00:41:29.519 --> 00:41:32.320
<v Speaker 2>get some from nine to eleven, and you're treated like

782
00:41:33.079 --> 00:41:34.800
<v Speaker 2>I don't want to say heroes because that's not what

783
00:41:34.840 --> 00:41:38.440
<v Speaker 2>I'm saying, but you are definitely like you're the cock

784
00:41:38.440 --> 00:41:40.800
<v Speaker 2>of the walk right now. Yeah, we want to hear

785
00:41:40.840 --> 00:41:43.000
<v Speaker 2>what happened. We want to hear your lessons learned. We

786
00:41:43.039 --> 00:41:45.559
<v Speaker 2>want a pmme. You're going to talk to everybody. What

787
00:41:45.719 --> 00:41:47.559
<v Speaker 2>did you do, how did you do it? What worked,

788
00:41:47.599 --> 00:41:51.280
<v Speaker 2>what didn't work? And in the process of articulating all that,

789
00:41:51.400 --> 00:41:56.119
<v Speaker 2>I started absorbing all of those lessons because I'm now,

790
00:41:56.480 --> 00:41:58.719
<v Speaker 2>you know, it's an oral story. This is what worked,

791
00:41:58.840 --> 00:42:00.920
<v Speaker 2>this is what works in the planning process. Yeah, that

792
00:42:00.960 --> 00:42:03.679
<v Speaker 2>technique right there, Screw that, that doesn't work. So now

793
00:42:03.679 --> 00:42:06.760
<v Speaker 2>I have this great database of things that we fast

794
00:42:06.800 --> 00:42:09.920
<v Speaker 2>forward to three and I'm like, okay, this is what

795
00:42:10.039 --> 00:42:14.119
<v Speaker 2>needs to change. We are going into Iraq. We can't

796
00:42:14.119 --> 00:42:16.440
<v Speaker 2>do this, but we are going to keep this. This

797
00:42:16.519 --> 00:42:18.840
<v Speaker 2>needs to change. And that made all the difference in

798
00:42:18.920 --> 00:42:19.239
<v Speaker 2>the world.

799
00:42:20.039 --> 00:42:22.960
<v Speaker 1>When you got back home, were you already hearing stuff

800
00:42:22.960 --> 00:42:25.320
<v Speaker 1>about Iraq a little bit? Yeah, yep.

801
00:42:25.960 --> 00:42:29.519
<v Speaker 2>There was discussions about Iran while we were still in Afghanistan.

802
00:42:30.480 --> 00:42:31.199
<v Speaker 3>There was a.

803
00:42:31.159 --> 00:42:36.119
<v Speaker 2>Lot of talk on the on the high side about

804
00:42:36.159 --> 00:42:41.480
<v Speaker 2>possibly remaining and just crossing the border into Iran.

805
00:42:41.519 --> 00:42:42.960
<v Speaker 3>We're going to do the rest of the Middle East.

806
00:42:43.119 --> 00:42:45.800
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, like, let's just let's just get it taken care of.

807
00:42:45.840 --> 00:42:48.079
<v Speaker 2>And I think, my god, how different would the world

808
00:42:48.159 --> 00:42:50.039
<v Speaker 2>be today if that had actually come true.

809
00:42:50.880 --> 00:42:53.719
<v Speaker 1>The Iranians were scared shitless after nine to eleven, not

810
00:42:54.000 --> 00:42:56.280
<v Speaker 1>because they were involved, but they were afraid We're going

811
00:42:56.320 --> 00:42:58.360
<v Speaker 1>to catch them with retaliation from this.

812
00:42:58.719 --> 00:43:00.480
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, there was a lot of blowback and a lot

813
00:43:00.559 --> 00:43:03.280
<v Speaker 2>of people were, like you said, running scared because we

814
00:43:03.280 --> 00:43:06.400
<v Speaker 2>were not messing around. The United States was on a

815
00:43:06.480 --> 00:43:10.320
<v Speaker 2>war footing, and we don't get on war footings very often.

816
00:43:10.360 --> 00:43:13.519
<v Speaker 2>I mean, we will get into engagements, but as a country,

817
00:43:14.119 --> 00:43:18.119
<v Speaker 2>we were galvanized. Everybody, I mean, especially this city.

818
00:43:18.280 --> 00:43:22.599
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I mean it's something about like the American character

819
00:43:22.760 --> 00:43:26.599
<v Speaker 1>and I mean when you get the entire country pissed off,

820
00:43:26.880 --> 00:43:30.440
<v Speaker 1>like we'll do scary stuff, We'll do stupid stuff too,

821
00:43:30.519 --> 00:43:35.639
<v Speaker 1>I mean, and yeah, it's like I have this conversation

822
00:43:35.719 --> 00:43:39.199
<v Speaker 1>with people sometimes that about Taiwan that people are like, well,

823
00:43:39.199 --> 00:43:40.719
<v Speaker 1>we're not going to go and fight over like some

824
00:43:40.880 --> 00:43:43.079
<v Speaker 1>rocks that you can barely see at low tide and

825
00:43:43.880 --> 00:43:45.599
<v Speaker 1>the south of China seed. It's like, yeah, no, I

826
00:43:45.599 --> 00:43:48.360
<v Speaker 1>get that, You're right, we wouldn't. But if an American

827
00:43:48.400 --> 00:43:51.320
<v Speaker 1>aircraft carrier gets sunk in the South China Sea, yes,

828
00:43:51.480 --> 00:43:53.400
<v Speaker 1>this entire country will go batshit.

829
00:43:53.679 --> 00:43:55.679
<v Speaker 2>It's five thousand people, that's more than we lost in

830
00:43:55.760 --> 00:43:56.280
<v Speaker 2>nine to eleven.

831
00:43:56.440 --> 00:43:57.960
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, people will lose it.

832
00:43:58.079 --> 00:44:01.119
<v Speaker 2>Yes they will. They absolutely well. And it's a conversation

833
00:44:01.159 --> 00:44:03.400
<v Speaker 2>that I've had on my show as well with some

834
00:44:03.679 --> 00:44:08.679
<v Speaker 2>policy experts who are that's their job to talk about

835
00:44:08.719 --> 00:44:12.159
<v Speaker 2>that subject and not to get you off track. But

836
00:44:12.480 --> 00:44:17.239
<v Speaker 2>the most likely scenario is China blockade's Taiwan and we

837
00:44:17.480 --> 00:44:21.559
<v Speaker 2>are forced to somehow try to break that blockade? What

838
00:44:21.599 --> 00:44:24.719
<v Speaker 2>does that look like in a Berlin style airlift service?

839
00:44:25.440 --> 00:44:29.039
<v Speaker 2>But their response, their most likely co is probably going

840
00:44:29.119 --> 00:44:33.199
<v Speaker 2>to be just that, and God help them if they

841
00:44:33.280 --> 00:44:37.280
<v Speaker 2>sink one of our aircraft carriers. Yeah, that's that is

842
00:44:37.320 --> 00:44:39.239
<v Speaker 2>a red line that you don't come back from. And

843
00:44:39.320 --> 00:44:44.920
<v Speaker 2>I talk more about you can theorize what the battle

844
00:44:45.000 --> 00:44:47.639
<v Speaker 2>is going to look like. That is great, and that's academic.

845
00:44:47.679 --> 00:44:49.880
<v Speaker 2>I don't care about that. I want to know what

846
00:44:49.920 --> 00:44:52.440
<v Speaker 2>is the world going to look like after? What does

847
00:44:52.480 --> 00:44:56.880
<v Speaker 2>this do to the globe? How does it peace out

848
00:44:56.920 --> 00:44:59.679
<v Speaker 2>different countries? What is the alignmance is going to look like?

849
00:45:00.159 --> 00:45:02.199
<v Speaker 2>You know, what is six months, nine months, a year

850
00:45:02.320 --> 00:45:03.239
<v Speaker 2>after Taiwan?

851
00:45:03.400 --> 00:45:03.480
<v Speaker 1>Do?

852
00:45:04.400 --> 00:45:05.639
<v Speaker 3>That's what I think is interesting?

853
00:45:05.880 --> 00:45:09.400
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, well, I mean the same question for Iran right now? Yeah?

854
00:45:09.800 --> 00:45:14.280
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, loging that. So talk us through a little bit

855
00:45:14.280 --> 00:45:15.880
<v Speaker 3>the ramp up for Iraq.

856
00:45:16.039 --> 00:45:21.039
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, we had a period of time after Afghanistan.

857
00:45:21.119 --> 00:45:22.679
<v Speaker 3>We get back. We we.

858
00:45:24.079 --> 00:45:27.599
<v Speaker 2>You know, we do all of the post deployment things

859
00:45:27.639 --> 00:45:30.079
<v Speaker 2>like put all your gear away, you know, go talk

860
00:45:30.119 --> 00:45:34.000
<v Speaker 2>to the shrink, take all your welcome back classes, and

861
00:45:34.039 --> 00:45:35.800
<v Speaker 2>then you need to take some leave, you know, and

862
00:45:35.840 --> 00:45:37.119
<v Speaker 2>you go on leave and you do all the things

863
00:45:37.119 --> 00:45:39.480
<v Speaker 2>and then it's business as usual. We went back into

864
00:45:39.639 --> 00:45:42.679
<v Speaker 2>a training cycle. I went to a couple of schools,

865
00:45:44.079 --> 00:45:49.960
<v Speaker 2>but we knew that there was something coming and it

866
00:45:50.159 --> 00:45:54.360
<v Speaker 2>was definitely on the front of everyone's minds, and we formed.

867
00:45:55.119 --> 00:45:57.840
<v Speaker 2>You know, people rotate in, people rotate out. We formed

868
00:45:57.840 --> 00:46:01.960
<v Speaker 2>a new platoon with new leadership, and we start preparing

869
00:46:02.079 --> 00:46:07.400
<v Speaker 2>for ground operations. We start preparing for Iraq. It was

870
00:46:08.440 --> 00:46:11.519
<v Speaker 2>it was known that we would be that that was

871
00:46:11.559 --> 00:46:16.320
<v Speaker 2>the target. It wasn't you matriculated down like this is

872
00:46:16.360 --> 00:46:18.239
<v Speaker 2>the line of departure and this is where we're going

873
00:46:18.280 --> 00:46:21.199
<v Speaker 2>to stay. But it was like, that's the X, that

874
00:46:21.400 --> 00:46:25.880
<v Speaker 2>is the target. So we started practicing a lot more

875
00:46:25.960 --> 00:46:28.360
<v Speaker 2>vehicle ops. We started modifying the vehicles.

876
00:46:28.440 --> 00:46:28.920
<v Speaker 3>I got my.

877
00:46:28.960 --> 00:46:31.960
<v Speaker 2>Vehicle prepared to do what I knew based off Iraq

878
00:46:32.039 --> 00:46:34.159
<v Speaker 2>or Afghanistan it would be needed to do.

879
00:46:35.280 --> 00:46:36.400
<v Speaker 3>And we practice.

880
00:46:36.440 --> 00:46:39.159
<v Speaker 2>I mean that's what you do, right, You train vehicle

881
00:46:39.159 --> 00:46:43.440
<v Speaker 2>operations and contact drills and downdriver and.

882
00:46:42.920 --> 00:46:43.840
<v Speaker 3>All of the other things.

883
00:46:43.880 --> 00:46:50.760
<v Speaker 2>And then medicine, I mean lots of medicine. And once

884
00:46:50.800 --> 00:46:54.360
<v Speaker 2>we had a date for deployment, that really I think

885
00:46:54.719 --> 00:46:57.920
<v Speaker 2>solidified everybody's resolve because it's like, Okay, it's real.

886
00:46:58.559 --> 00:47:02.719
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, this is not some buzzword.

887
00:47:02.960 --> 00:47:05.199
<v Speaker 2>It's not something to rally the truth, like, oh, we're

888
00:47:05.239 --> 00:47:09.400
<v Speaker 2>going and this is the date that we're leaving, and

889
00:47:09.440 --> 00:47:13.320
<v Speaker 2>I think because it's not just a platoon now, and

890
00:47:13.360 --> 00:47:17.880
<v Speaker 2>it's not just a potential, it's real, and we're taking everybody.

891
00:47:17.880 --> 00:47:21.159
<v Speaker 2>The whole battalion is going, you know, a couple one hundred,

892
00:47:21.840 --> 00:47:25.840
<v Speaker 2>very well trained men are going into with the rest

893
00:47:25.920 --> 00:47:29.079
<v Speaker 2>of the US military into this little country and we're gonna,

894
00:47:29.119 --> 00:47:32.360
<v Speaker 2>we're gonna take it over. And I remember, and I

895
00:47:32.360 --> 00:47:35.360
<v Speaker 2>don't know how your experience was, but I just remember

896
00:47:35.400 --> 00:47:38.119
<v Speaker 2>the sheer number of body bags they ordered, oh shit,

897
00:47:38.960 --> 00:47:44.199
<v Speaker 2>because they expected massive casualties. I mean massive casualties was

898
00:47:44.239 --> 00:47:48.840
<v Speaker 2>expected anticipated not I mean, I'm not talking about for

899
00:47:48.920 --> 00:47:51.280
<v Speaker 2>the Marine Corps or First Reconnaissance Battalion. I just mean

900
00:47:51.360 --> 00:47:54.840
<v Speaker 2>the US military. They were expecting a lot of casualties.

901
00:47:55.039 --> 00:47:59.800
<v Speaker 2>There was anticipation of anthrax, yeah, chemical right, So we

902
00:47:59.840 --> 00:48:03.800
<v Speaker 2>go before two thousand and three, the full anthrax regime,

903
00:48:04.239 --> 00:48:07.280
<v Speaker 2>which was an eighteen month shot sequence.

904
00:48:08.119 --> 00:48:09.199
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, it was like six or seven.

905
00:48:09.480 --> 00:48:12.239
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, it was a lot. And I think we had

906
00:48:12.239 --> 00:48:15.039
<v Speaker 2>two people in the unit that refused and were they

907
00:48:15.039 --> 00:48:17.800
<v Speaker 2>were out, they were gone because it was non negotiable.

908
00:48:17.840 --> 00:48:21.119
<v Speaker 2>This isn't COVID like you're gonna be taking anthrax.

909
00:48:21.119 --> 00:48:23.880
<v Speaker 3>And it's so weird. I mean, just to go down

910
00:48:23.920 --> 00:48:24.559
<v Speaker 3>a rabbit hole.

911
00:48:24.719 --> 00:48:29.679
<v Speaker 2>How different everybody's attitudes were towards Anthrax compared to COVID.

912
00:48:29.960 --> 00:48:32.360
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, yeah, no one gave no, one gave second thought.

913
00:48:32.480 --> 00:48:39.880
<v Speaker 2>No, like completely untested, untried, experimental anthrax. Uh and you

914
00:48:39.960 --> 00:48:43.920
<v Speaker 2>compared to COVID, which had rigid Anyways, it's not important.

915
00:48:43.960 --> 00:48:46.760
<v Speaker 1>It was I was so fortunate that I got the

916
00:48:46.800 --> 00:48:50.239
<v Speaker 1>Anthrax series, and but it wasn't recorded in my records.

917
00:48:50.320 --> 00:48:53.199
<v Speaker 1>So I got it like one point five times. You know,

918
00:48:53.320 --> 00:48:55.400
<v Speaker 1>I probably got like twelve instead.

919
00:48:56.199 --> 00:49:00.519
<v Speaker 2>You're extra inoculated or extra your DNA screwed up?

920
00:49:00.519 --> 00:49:00.880
<v Speaker 3>I don't know.

921
00:49:01.320 --> 00:49:03.679
<v Speaker 1>Probably I'm pretty screwed up. You know, it's a good

922
00:49:03.719 --> 00:49:06.360
<v Speaker 1>thing I'm registered with VA. I'm probably gonna get something

923
00:49:06.400 --> 00:49:07.360
<v Speaker 1>weird down the line.

924
00:49:07.599 --> 00:49:10.039
<v Speaker 2>Like I seem to remember something about you couldn't donate

925
00:49:10.159 --> 00:49:12.719
<v Speaker 2>blood for a period of time after the anthrax vaccine.

926
00:49:12.760 --> 00:49:15.639
<v Speaker 1>That was also depending on certain parts of the world

927
00:49:15.639 --> 00:49:18.519
<v Speaker 1>that they've sent us Tokay, if you were like probably

928
00:49:18.519 --> 00:49:21.239
<v Speaker 1>Afghanistan and was one of them. But I remember I've

929
00:49:21.280 --> 00:49:23.840
<v Speaker 1>heard that story. Also, Oh, you've been hanging out in

930
00:49:23.880 --> 00:49:25.840
<v Speaker 1>Central Africa for six months.

931
00:49:25.559 --> 00:49:27.400
<v Speaker 3>Like, nah, we're not taking your blood.

932
00:49:28.480 --> 00:49:31.519
<v Speaker 2>I had so many inoculations though, like from all of

933
00:49:31.519 --> 00:49:33.960
<v Speaker 2>the different places that I had been to. And that's

934
00:49:34.000 --> 00:49:38.119
<v Speaker 2>one of the things that blows my mind because again, tangentle,

935
00:49:38.519 --> 00:49:42.840
<v Speaker 2>I worked in my last job with all former military guys,

936
00:49:43.239 --> 00:49:47.360
<v Speaker 2>you know, and when the COVID kerfuffle came, everybody starts

937
00:49:47.559 --> 00:49:51.679
<v Speaker 2>complaining about it. I'm like, really, I know where you

938
00:49:51.679 --> 00:49:54.559
<v Speaker 2>guys all served. I know what your shot records look like.

939
00:49:54.760 --> 00:49:57.519
<v Speaker 2>You've had like twenty five vaccinations for stuff that is

940
00:49:58.199 --> 00:50:00.000
<v Speaker 2>one in a billion chance you're ever going to ge

941
00:50:00.320 --> 00:50:02.840
<v Speaker 2>like Japanese encephalitis, and god knows.

942
00:50:02.719 --> 00:50:05.320
<v Speaker 1>What it's I mean, it really is dependent on the

943
00:50:05.360 --> 00:50:08.519
<v Speaker 1>person's idea, diet and what they're consuming and what they're hearing.

944
00:50:08.559 --> 00:50:11.159
<v Speaker 1>Because yeah, we went through basic training or boot camp.

945
00:50:11.280 --> 00:50:14.000
<v Speaker 1>We lined up and they had the sun and they

946
00:50:14.039 --> 00:50:16.239
<v Speaker 1>injected us with all kinds of shit. I don't know

947
00:50:16.280 --> 00:50:18.320
<v Speaker 1>what the hell I want, no idea? Yeah, yeah, you

948
00:50:18.360 --> 00:50:20.559
<v Speaker 1>remember the shot that they put in your ass cheek

949
00:50:20.599 --> 00:50:22.480
<v Speaker 1>where it's like they're inject like it feels like there's

950
00:50:22.480 --> 00:50:24.000
<v Speaker 1>a golf ball peanut butter.

951
00:50:24.159 --> 00:50:26.800
<v Speaker 2>It feels like like somebody is injecting peanut butter into it.

952
00:50:26.920 --> 00:50:29.639
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, I don't I don't remember what that shot is for.

953
00:50:30.000 --> 00:50:34.239
<v Speaker 1>We got smallpox too, which Americans don't get except for military.

954
00:50:34.320 --> 00:50:36.800
<v Speaker 2>Yep, I remember my smallpox vaccinations. Still have the scar

955
00:50:36.880 --> 00:50:38.599
<v Speaker 2>from it. I'm sure we all do. And so like

956
00:50:38.719 --> 00:50:43.239
<v Speaker 2>all of that stuff, right, it was all part of

957
00:50:43.280 --> 00:50:47.719
<v Speaker 2>the work up to that three invasion, and because we

958
00:50:47.840 --> 00:50:52.639
<v Speaker 2>expected the royal we so many casualties from Kim. A

959
00:50:52.679 --> 00:50:55.760
<v Speaker 2>lot of people didn't know any better. I don't want

960
00:50:55.800 --> 00:50:57.800
<v Speaker 2>to say didn't know any better because they were ignorant,

961
00:50:57.800 --> 00:51:00.679
<v Speaker 2>But I think the assumption is is like, this is

962
00:51:00.800 --> 00:51:05.039
<v Speaker 2>not Afghanistan, oh one, this is not two thousand and

963
00:51:05.119 --> 00:51:09.239
<v Speaker 2>one or sorry, nineteen ninety one first Golf War, Like

964
00:51:09.280 --> 00:51:13.159
<v Speaker 2>we are going to get in a fight, and we

965
00:51:13.159 --> 00:51:17.760
<v Speaker 2>were prepared for that, and we weren't reticent, we weren't afraid.

966
00:51:17.920 --> 00:51:23.480
<v Speaker 2>It was just this very pragmatic resolve like some of

967
00:51:23.480 --> 00:51:26.760
<v Speaker 2>you guys aren't going to come home, right, And that's

968
00:51:26.760 --> 00:51:29.480
<v Speaker 2>not the way it worked out, at least not in three.

969
00:51:30.159 --> 00:51:34.440
<v Speaker 2>That is not the military's experience during the duration of

970
00:51:34.480 --> 00:51:39.239
<v Speaker 2>the conflict over there. But from my battalion, we lost

971
00:51:39.880 --> 00:51:44.440
<v Speaker 2>no one with only you know, one real casualty.

972
00:51:45.880 --> 00:51:49.960
<v Speaker 1>When you deployed to I'm assuming kuwait first, what was

973
00:51:49.960 --> 00:51:53.559
<v Speaker 1>sort of like your concept of what your unit's mission was.

974
00:51:54.159 --> 00:51:57.400
<v Speaker 3>It was really weird.

975
00:51:57.679 --> 00:52:02.239
<v Speaker 2>We were supposed to drive through and find a route

976
00:52:02.280 --> 00:52:09.519
<v Speaker 2>through a very specific trying to think how to describe it.

977
00:52:09.639 --> 00:52:14.000
<v Speaker 2>There was a sort of like this damn network of levies.

978
00:52:14.920 --> 00:52:17.320
<v Speaker 3>My job was I was going to be the.

979
00:52:17.840 --> 00:52:22.320
<v Speaker 2>Lead platoon, lead team, lead platoon for the entire battalion

980
00:52:22.760 --> 00:52:26.159
<v Speaker 2>that would then lead the division through. So I had

981
00:52:26.199 --> 00:52:30.039
<v Speaker 2>to And I was looking at you two photographs, you know,

982
00:52:30.119 --> 00:52:33.440
<v Speaker 2>with a magnifying glass, and just like and I'm charting

983
00:52:33.440 --> 00:52:36.800
<v Speaker 2>it and rehearsing and rehearsing, And that was supposed to

984
00:52:36.840 --> 00:52:40.039
<v Speaker 2>be what my team's job was. You're going to go

985
00:52:40.039 --> 00:52:42.079
<v Speaker 2>through the line of departure. Engineers are going to blow

986
00:52:42.079 --> 00:52:45.320
<v Speaker 2>the berm, and then you were going to navigate this route,

987
00:52:45.360 --> 00:52:47.440
<v Speaker 2>proof it, and then everyone's coming.

988
00:52:47.280 --> 00:52:47.760
<v Speaker 3>In behind you.

989
00:52:48.760 --> 00:52:52.599
<v Speaker 2>None of that fucking no, And that was what we

990
00:52:52.639 --> 00:52:57.039
<v Speaker 2>were supposed to do. We worked at the time. In general,

991
00:52:57.039 --> 00:53:01.920
<v Speaker 2>Mattis was the division commanding rule for first Marine Division,

992
00:53:02.079 --> 00:53:05.480
<v Speaker 2>of which First Recon fell under. Brilliant strategist. I still

993
00:53:05.480 --> 00:53:07.679
<v Speaker 2>think he's one of the brightest minds of our generation

994
00:53:07.880 --> 00:53:13.000
<v Speaker 2>as far as a warrior goes and it ended up

995
00:53:13.119 --> 00:53:17.440
<v Speaker 2>that that's not how things played out, but that's what

996
00:53:17.440 --> 00:53:21.000
<v Speaker 2>we were supposed to have been trained to do. We

997
00:53:21.119 --> 00:53:25.280
<v Speaker 2>must have been to Kuwait. I mean it was over

998
00:53:25.320 --> 00:53:28.719
<v Speaker 2>a month. I'm sure it goes by very quick. I

999
00:53:28.760 --> 00:53:29.360
<v Speaker 2>can't remember.

1000
00:53:29.960 --> 00:53:34.360
<v Speaker 1>And so what did they have your team doing in actuality?

1001
00:53:34.519 --> 00:53:41.119
<v Speaker 2>In actuality, the battalion still spearheaded movements, but we did

1002
00:53:41.159 --> 00:53:44.800
<v Speaker 2>not have a lot of infantry or in many cases

1003
00:53:44.840 --> 00:53:49.000
<v Speaker 2>any infantry behind us. We acted as shock troops. We

1004
00:53:49.039 --> 00:53:51.639
<v Speaker 2>did more of what a ranger battalion would do. In

1005
00:53:51.719 --> 00:53:54.519
<v Speaker 2>many ways, that is not what we were trained to do.

1006
00:53:54.800 --> 00:53:57.760
<v Speaker 2>Not to suggest that we weren't capable, but I think

1007
00:53:57.760 --> 00:54:00.880
<v Speaker 2>that's a lot of what the friction was for the unit,

1008
00:54:00.960 --> 00:54:04.960
<v Speaker 2>and really for the lower ranking the rank and file,

1009
00:54:05.079 --> 00:54:07.360
<v Speaker 2>you know, men like myself who are in E five

1010
00:54:07.400 --> 00:54:10.679
<v Speaker 2>at the time, because I'm like, this is not what

1011
00:54:10.760 --> 00:54:13.559
<v Speaker 2>recon marines are supposed to be doing. You know, our

1012
00:54:13.719 --> 00:54:17.599
<v Speaker 2>job is recon poll We're gonna go over here, We're

1013
00:54:17.639 --> 00:54:21.079
<v Speaker 2>going to locate the target, and then you do whatever

1014
00:54:21.119 --> 00:54:23.719
<v Speaker 2>you want to do. If that's infantry, if that's rockets,

1015
00:54:23.760 --> 00:54:28.440
<v Speaker 2>if that's an airstrike. You were using us as shock

1016
00:54:28.519 --> 00:54:32.800
<v Speaker 2>troops were flowing in mass, We're making contact with the enemy,

1017
00:54:33.199 --> 00:54:36.000
<v Speaker 2>we are destroying the enemy, and we are continuing to move.

1018
00:54:36.800 --> 00:54:38.599
<v Speaker 2>And if that's what the general wanted to use us for,

1019
00:54:38.679 --> 00:54:42.360
<v Speaker 2>that's great. Like in retrospect, who the f was I

1020
00:54:42.559 --> 00:54:45.280
<v Speaker 2>to sit there and be like, I'm sorry, I don't

1021
00:54:45.519 --> 00:54:49.960
<v Speaker 2>do windows. You don't say that, but you complain about it,

1022
00:54:50.960 --> 00:54:53.440
<v Speaker 2>and we did and that did not go over well

1023
00:54:53.639 --> 00:54:55.320
<v Speaker 2>at the end of events.

1024
00:54:55.920 --> 00:55:00.519
<v Speaker 1>But was the idea that they want you to sort

1025
00:55:00.559 --> 00:55:02.639
<v Speaker 1>of be like a blocking force, like go out there,

1026
00:55:02.760 --> 00:55:04.960
<v Speaker 1>see what's going on, and kind of like guard the

1027
00:55:05.440 --> 00:55:07.719
<v Speaker 1>flank of the of the movement.

1028
00:55:07.719 --> 00:55:11.400
<v Speaker 2>In many ways, yeah, we were, and we were way

1029
00:55:11.440 --> 00:55:12.000
<v Speaker 2>out front.

1030
00:55:12.440 --> 00:55:14.639
<v Speaker 3>I mean way out front.

1031
00:55:14.760 --> 00:55:17.480
<v Speaker 2>In many cases. And it's not just us, I mean

1032
00:55:17.599 --> 00:55:21.360
<v Speaker 2>the military to a whole, but the Marine Corps specifically

1033
00:55:22.119 --> 00:55:27.119
<v Speaker 2>moved so fast there were several times where they just

1034
00:55:27.159 --> 00:55:28.760
<v Speaker 2>had to say, you guys have to stopped.

1035
00:55:28.800 --> 00:55:32.000
<v Speaker 3>You've outstripped your supply lines. Yeah. Yeah, I don't know

1036
00:55:32.039 --> 00:55:32.800
<v Speaker 3>where you were.

1037
00:55:33.199 --> 00:55:36.039
<v Speaker 1>I wasn't in the invasion, okay. I joined the army in.

1038
00:55:36.159 --> 00:55:38.880
<v Speaker 3>O two, got it, okay, fair enough, fair enough.

1039
00:55:38.920 --> 00:55:41.440
<v Speaker 1>I was in I was actually in ranger selection when

1040
00:55:41.440 --> 00:55:45.719
<v Speaker 1>the invasion happened. God, yeah, Well when when the guys

1041
00:55:45.760 --> 00:55:48.079
<v Speaker 1>came home with like a bunch of broken ankles and

1042
00:55:48.119 --> 00:55:53.559
<v Speaker 1>stuff from that jump, they're like, oh maybe, yes.

1043
00:55:54.679 --> 00:55:58.199
<v Speaker 2>I never jumped a combat jump. And I'm really kind

1044
00:55:58.199 --> 00:56:00.679
<v Speaker 2>of glad, you know, I have a lot of parachute

1045
00:56:00.760 --> 00:56:01.519
<v Speaker 2>jumps to my name.

1046
00:56:02.719 --> 00:56:04.400
<v Speaker 1>We'll get one of those guys in here. I mean

1047
00:56:04.440 --> 00:56:07.000
<v Speaker 1>they told me the static line was at waist height

1048
00:56:07.760 --> 00:56:09.039
<v Speaker 1>because they're so weighed down.

1049
00:56:09.199 --> 00:56:11.639
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, yeah, no, thanks, Yeah, yeah, I'm good.

1050
00:56:11.920 --> 00:56:13.199
<v Speaker 1>Kind of kind of my thought about it.

1051
00:56:13.280 --> 00:56:17.559
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, yeah, you know, even even jumping a square with

1052
00:56:17.679 --> 00:56:20.119
<v Speaker 2>combat load is not It's not a fun ride. I

1053
00:56:20.159 --> 00:56:22.000
<v Speaker 2>don't know how it was for you. We jump front

1054
00:56:22.000 --> 00:56:25.559
<v Speaker 2>mounted rucks. We don't typically jump back mounted roucks.

1055
00:56:25.880 --> 00:56:28.519
<v Speaker 1>We in free fall we did front mounted okay, front Yeah.

1056
00:56:28.599 --> 00:56:31.800
<v Speaker 2>It's like that beach ball until that is lowered, and

1057
00:56:32.000 --> 00:56:37.000
<v Speaker 2>it's just such a pain in the ass. We trained

1058
00:56:37.000 --> 00:56:39.039
<v Speaker 2>for it. I'm just really glad that I never did it.

1059
00:56:39.079 --> 00:56:40.440
<v Speaker 2>I'd much rather just walk.

1060
00:56:41.519 --> 00:56:42.880
<v Speaker 3>I'd do a free fall jump.

1061
00:56:42.880 --> 00:56:45.719
<v Speaker 1>But like a static line jump into combat, I mean

1062
00:56:46.119 --> 00:56:48.840
<v Speaker 1>sounds pretty cool, you know, band of brothers and all that,

1063
00:56:48.920 --> 00:56:51.239
<v Speaker 1>but in reality, that's scary as hell.

1064
00:56:51.519 --> 00:56:55.239
<v Speaker 2>You've got I did a j RTC at Fort Polk

1065
00:56:55.639 --> 00:56:58.440
<v Speaker 2>years ago, and I say years ago because the C

1066
00:56:58.599 --> 00:57:02.119
<v Speaker 2>one one was still flying, so you know it's years ago.

1067
00:57:02.840 --> 00:57:07.599
<v Speaker 2>And they did a mass attack with like sixteen or

1068
00:57:07.719 --> 00:57:13.360
<v Speaker 2>seventeen over Fort Poke. You could walk across the sky

1069
00:57:13.480 --> 00:57:16.360
<v Speaker 2>from one canopy to the nats, so many jos in

1070
00:57:16.400 --> 00:57:20.199
<v Speaker 2>the sky, and they assume a ten percent combat injury rate,

1071
00:57:20.599 --> 00:57:23.559
<v Speaker 2>and that was legit. And this was a training jump.

1072
00:57:23.920 --> 00:57:26.880
<v Speaker 2>I mean broken ankles. They had a couple of casualties

1073
00:57:26.880 --> 00:57:31.880
<v Speaker 2>and I'm not celebrating that, but combat now, so let's

1074
00:57:31.920 --> 00:57:35.079
<v Speaker 2>take that template. And now you've got guys on the ground.

1075
00:57:34.920 --> 00:57:39.480
<v Speaker 3>Potentially shooting at you. No thanks, I'm good.

1076
00:57:39.519 --> 00:57:41.960
<v Speaker 1>Tell us about uh, you know, the D Day, the

1077
00:57:42.039 --> 00:57:44.199
<v Speaker 1>day of the invasion, pushing across the Berm.

1078
00:57:44.480 --> 00:57:46.159
<v Speaker 3>So cool, I mean it was.

1079
00:57:47.039 --> 00:57:51.079
<v Speaker 2>They did all of these preparatory fires, surface fires and aircraft.

1080
00:57:51.599 --> 00:57:56.639
<v Speaker 2>They did tomahawks, I mean all kinds of soft and

1081
00:57:56.679 --> 00:57:59.519
<v Speaker 2>they did you know, some diversions and try to draw

1082
00:57:59.559 --> 00:58:01.719
<v Speaker 2>the iraq Is to confuse them where we were going.

1083
00:58:02.480 --> 00:58:07.119
<v Speaker 2>And the engineers blew the berm very shortly before we

1084
00:58:07.199 --> 00:58:10.119
<v Speaker 2>crossed the Led and was it night, so everyone's on nods.

1085
00:58:10.960 --> 00:58:15.159
<v Speaker 2>We did so much driver's training on nods and it

1086
00:58:15.239 --> 00:58:18.760
<v Speaker 2>still sucks because these are the old single tubes seven

1087
00:58:18.800 --> 00:58:24.400
<v Speaker 2>broblems ys sevens zero depth perception because there's one tube

1088
00:58:24.920 --> 00:58:27.519
<v Speaker 2>and that takes a lot of practice in order to

1089
00:58:27.519 --> 00:58:31.039
<v Speaker 2>get good at. But it was surreal. It's just like

1090
00:58:32.280 --> 00:58:34.880
<v Speaker 2>you're with your friends and you have trained with these

1091
00:58:34.920 --> 00:58:38.000
<v Speaker 2>guys for a long time. You trust them, you know

1092
00:58:38.039 --> 00:58:41.320
<v Speaker 2>how they're going to react, but it's still not been proven.

1093
00:58:41.840 --> 00:58:44.760
<v Speaker 2>So there was a lot of that anxiety like what's

1094
00:58:44.800 --> 00:58:47.480
<v Speaker 2>gonna happen? Not fog of war because you don't know

1095
00:58:47.480 --> 00:58:49.960
<v Speaker 2>what the enemy is gonna do. But you're there's this

1096
00:58:50.039 --> 00:58:52.440
<v Speaker 2>little like Jimminy cricket on your shoulder.

1097
00:58:52.079 --> 00:58:56.440
<v Speaker 3>Like don't fuck up, hope you go really well. I

1098
00:58:57.000 --> 00:58:57.719
<v Speaker 3>hope you don't die.

1099
00:58:57.840 --> 00:59:01.320
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, don't suck. You just don't know how you're going

1100
00:59:01.400 --> 00:59:06.880
<v Speaker 2>to react. So I think there's a lot of not

1101
00:59:06.880 --> 00:59:09.159
<v Speaker 2>not at the forefront of your mind, but there's that

1102
00:59:09.239 --> 00:59:11.559
<v Speaker 2>little voice like what if I screw up?

1103
00:59:11.800 --> 00:59:13.920
<v Speaker 3>What if I shanic? What if I freeze?

1104
00:59:13.960 --> 00:59:19.039
<v Speaker 2>What if I'm not as competent as I hope I am.

1105
00:59:19.599 --> 00:59:20.599
<v Speaker 3>But it was just weird.

1106
00:59:20.679 --> 00:59:23.719
<v Speaker 2>You know, bombs are going off, there's explosions way off

1107
00:59:23.760 --> 00:59:25.639
<v Speaker 2>in the distance. You can hear gunfire.

1108
00:59:25.800 --> 00:59:27.239
<v Speaker 3>Is it ours? Is it theirs?

1109
00:59:27.400 --> 00:59:30.440
<v Speaker 2>Is it a firefight? Is it misdirection? Like what is

1110
00:59:30.480 --> 00:59:33.199
<v Speaker 2>all that? And you don't know and you're just you're

1111
00:59:33.239 --> 00:59:35.440
<v Speaker 2>just driving. And that's what we did. I mean, we

1112
00:59:35.559 --> 00:59:39.519
<v Speaker 2>left it oh dark thirty and we drove and we

1113
00:59:39.559 --> 00:59:42.719
<v Speaker 2>did not stop driving for a couple of days. But

1114
00:59:43.480 --> 00:59:46.719
<v Speaker 2>like all through the night, we just drove and it

1115
00:59:46.880 --> 00:59:53.039
<v Speaker 2>was very like staccato. You know, you drive for like

1116
00:59:53.199 --> 00:59:55.559
<v Speaker 2>twenty minutes and then for some reason you had to stop.

1117
00:59:55.880 --> 00:59:58.440
<v Speaker 2>Sometimes our vehicles were in front, sometimes we were in

1118
00:59:58.480 --> 01:00:01.840
<v Speaker 2>the back of the convoy. Sometimes we've spread out. Sometimes

1119
01:00:01.880 --> 01:00:04.000
<v Speaker 2>you have to come together. But it was clunky for

1120
01:00:04.239 --> 01:00:08.239
<v Speaker 2>all night, and it's got to yeah, and then it's

1121
01:00:08.280 --> 01:00:14.840
<v Speaker 2>just anticlimatic, and you're like there's nothing going on, there's

1122
01:00:14.880 --> 01:00:18.960
<v Speaker 2>nothing to see. It's all just like just desert, right,

1123
01:00:20.159 --> 01:00:22.920
<v Speaker 2>And it was that way for until the next day.

1124
01:00:22.920 --> 01:00:26.519
<v Speaker 2>And then suddenly it's daytime and the nods you're off

1125
01:00:26.880 --> 01:00:28.719
<v Speaker 2>and you're you know, wiping the crust out of your

1126
01:00:28.719 --> 01:00:30.039
<v Speaker 2>eyes and you're like, oh, this is Iraq.

1127
01:00:30.159 --> 01:00:33.920
<v Speaker 3>Huh, well this is cool. Oh look there's a goat herder.

1128
01:00:34.039 --> 01:00:35.679
<v Speaker 2>And then there's more people, and then you come to

1129
01:00:35.719 --> 01:00:37.920
<v Speaker 2>this little mud hut town and village and people were

1130
01:00:38.679 --> 01:00:39.679
<v Speaker 2>just kind of looking at you.

1131
01:00:39.880 --> 01:00:44.119
<v Speaker 3>Like there's a war on you could it's it was

1132
01:00:44.239 --> 01:00:46.159
<v Speaker 3>just it was weird.

1133
01:00:46.480 --> 01:00:48.400
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, yeah, yeah, unexpected.

1134
01:00:48.719 --> 01:00:51.039
<v Speaker 2>I've never invaded a country. That was my first time,

1135
01:00:51.159 --> 01:00:54.840
<v Speaker 2>so it was a lot of firsts. Yeah.

1136
01:00:54.880 --> 01:00:58.960
<v Speaker 1>And you guys had an embedded journalist, right, we did? Yes?

1137
01:00:59.159 --> 01:01:02.760
<v Speaker 1>What was that? What was he specifically with you?

1138
01:01:03.039 --> 01:01:06.039
<v Speaker 2>He was specifically with my Well, he was assigned to

1139
01:01:06.079 --> 01:01:11.320
<v Speaker 2>First Reconnaissance Battalion and just through this weird twist of fate. Well,

1140
01:01:11.480 --> 01:01:13.239
<v Speaker 2>I consider it to be a twist of fate. I

1141
01:01:13.239 --> 01:01:15.840
<v Speaker 2>have talked to some other people that say, actually, no,

1142
01:01:17.400 --> 01:01:22.719
<v Speaker 2>you were specifically chosen because they wanted him to be

1143
01:01:22.840 --> 01:01:27.639
<v Speaker 2>with your team, or you specifically because they felt you

1144
01:01:27.639 --> 01:01:29.639
<v Speaker 2>would be a good fit, that you could handle it

1145
01:01:29.719 --> 01:01:32.320
<v Speaker 2>and all this stuff. But I felt, and I am

1146
01:01:32.320 --> 01:01:34.840
<v Speaker 2>still that is my position. It was just dumb luck.

1147
01:01:35.159 --> 01:01:40.000
<v Speaker 2>I had an empty seat. We had four humvis. We

1148
01:01:40.119 --> 01:01:43.079
<v Speaker 2>had three teams, so that means one team of six

1149
01:01:43.159 --> 01:01:45.199
<v Speaker 2>is going to have to be split into two groups.

1150
01:01:46.000 --> 01:01:48.760
<v Speaker 2>Humvey has four seats, so if you take six people

1151
01:01:49.039 --> 01:01:51.039
<v Speaker 2>and you have eight seats, you're going to end up

1152
01:01:51.039 --> 01:01:53.639
<v Speaker 2>with an empty seat somewhere. I had an empty seat

1153
01:01:53.679 --> 01:01:58.880
<v Speaker 2>in my HUMV. Reporter, you're riding with him again. There

1154
01:01:58.960 --> 01:02:00.880
<v Speaker 2>is another side to that story, but that is my

1155
01:02:01.039 --> 01:02:07.159
<v Speaker 2>version of events. I wouldn't say that I wasn't crazy

1156
01:02:07.239 --> 01:02:11.519
<v Speaker 2>about having him, but I was not super enthused. He

1157
01:02:11.599 --> 01:02:15.800
<v Speaker 2>grew on me because he's very personable and he's very likable.

1158
01:02:16.800 --> 01:02:21.400
<v Speaker 2>But I'm like, I'm not going to be responsible for

1159
01:02:21.440 --> 01:02:27.119
<v Speaker 2>this guy. You can't give me a civilian and like,

1160
01:02:27.119 --> 01:02:29.559
<v Speaker 2>if we get into a firefight, I'm not dealing with

1161
01:02:29.599 --> 01:02:32.079
<v Speaker 2>this person. You know that, right, And all of that

1162
01:02:32.159 --> 01:02:35.239
<v Speaker 2>was explained like, nope, you do you. He'll look after

1163
01:02:35.320 --> 01:02:40.440
<v Speaker 2>himself if he gets hurt, that's that's on him. But then,

1164
01:02:40.480 --> 01:02:45.400
<v Speaker 2>of course you have this, you have this implied responsibility. Yea, yeah,

1165
01:02:45.440 --> 01:02:47.559
<v Speaker 2>Like I'm not just gonna leave you helpless. So all right,

1166
01:02:47.639 --> 01:02:49.840
<v Speaker 2>let's talk about it. Where's your gas mask, where's your

1167
01:02:49.840 --> 01:02:53.000
<v Speaker 2>mop suit, Let's talk about two pam chloride and atropine.

1168
01:02:53.239 --> 01:02:56.079
<v Speaker 2>Let's talk about, you know, speed drills. Where's your weapon?

1169
01:02:56.159 --> 01:02:59.599
<v Speaker 2>He had no weapon, but we would give him access

1170
01:02:59.639 --> 01:03:03.280
<v Speaker 2>to one from time to time if we felt like, hey,

1171
01:03:03.559 --> 01:03:05.400
<v Speaker 2>I think we're probably going to be in a firefight,

1172
01:03:06.039 --> 01:03:08.960
<v Speaker 2>if one of us gets shot, you need to pick

1173
01:03:09.039 --> 01:03:11.159
<v Speaker 2>up his M four. Let's just make sure you understand

1174
01:03:11.159 --> 01:03:13.000
<v Speaker 2>how to use it. And he was keen across the

1175
01:03:13.000 --> 01:03:15.280
<v Speaker 2>board on all of this. He came with his own mopsuit,

1176
01:03:15.400 --> 01:03:17.159
<v Speaker 2>he had his own body armor, he had his own

1177
01:03:17.199 --> 01:03:18.719
<v Speaker 2>gas mask. I have no idea where he got any

1178
01:03:18.760 --> 01:03:21.239
<v Speaker 2>of this stuff. The corman hooked him up with some

1179
01:03:21.280 --> 01:03:24.920
<v Speaker 2>of the stuff that he basically needs, you know, tourniquits.

1180
01:03:24.920 --> 01:03:27.480
<v Speaker 2>In those days, they were all homemade tourniquits. It was

1181
01:03:27.519 --> 01:03:29.840
<v Speaker 2>a crevass and popsicle sticks to make them win those.

1182
01:03:31.639 --> 01:03:34.199
<v Speaker 2>And they gave him the atropine and the two pam

1183
01:03:34.280 --> 01:03:37.119
<v Speaker 2>chloride for chemi tax and just like all the stuff.

1184
01:03:38.039 --> 01:03:42.719
<v Speaker 2>And he did well. And he was a big dude.

1185
01:03:43.000 --> 01:03:45.360
<v Speaker 2>I don't mean like we're he was a little, but

1186
01:03:45.440 --> 01:03:45.880
<v Speaker 2>not a lot.

1187
01:03:45.960 --> 01:03:49.760
<v Speaker 3>He was just tall. It's like six', four so he

1188
01:03:49.840 --> 01:03:50.000
<v Speaker 3>was not.

1189
01:03:50.079 --> 01:03:55.480
<v Speaker 1>Small it's interesting, that you, know at the time he

1190
01:03:55.480 --> 01:03:58.559
<v Speaker 1>probably didn't even think about, this but like someone had

1191
01:03:58.559 --> 01:04:01.400
<v Speaker 1>once told me That youngllen was not the first person

1192
01:04:01.480 --> 01:04:04.239
<v Speaker 1>to circumvent the, world but he was the first person

1193
01:04:04.280 --> 01:04:06.679
<v Speaker 1>to do it with a historian on the ship that

1194
01:04:06.719 --> 01:04:09.519
<v Speaker 1>wrote about. It, yeah And that's why everyone Remembers. Magellan

1195
01:04:10.599 --> 01:04:14.840
<v Speaker 1>and you, know your your, team your platoon had a

1196
01:04:14.920 --> 01:04:16.639
<v Speaker 1>historian along for the ride we.

1197
01:04:16.679 --> 01:04:21.039
<v Speaker 2>Did, Yeah and another interesting footnote about this is that

1198
01:04:21.079 --> 01:04:28.000
<v Speaker 2>he was the only print journalist in the entire marine.

1199
01:04:28.239 --> 01:04:30.840
<v Speaker 2>Division he, WAS i want to, say he was only

1200
01:04:30.880 --> 01:04:34.519
<v Speaker 2>one of two in the entire. Theater everyone else was

1201
01:04:34.639 --> 01:04:37.960
<v Speaker 2>news OR tv or you, know, film they were all.

1202
01:04:37.960 --> 01:04:41.559
<v Speaker 2>Films he was the only person that was there as

1203
01:04:41.599 --> 01:04:45.440
<v Speaker 2>part of a printed, publication which meant that he wasn't

1204
01:04:45.440 --> 01:04:47.880
<v Speaker 2>in and, out and that changed things. Too it would

1205
01:04:47.920 --> 01:04:50.280
<v Speaker 2>have been very different if it was like an embed

1206
01:04:50.400 --> 01:04:53.519
<v Speaker 2>FROM cnn OR bbc Or Al jazeera or you know,

1207
01:04:53.719 --> 01:04:56.599
<v Speaker 2>whatever because he was going to be there for the

1208
01:04:56.679 --> 01:04:59.199
<v Speaker 2>duration he. Was he was there for three months and

1209
01:04:59.519 --> 01:05:05.559
<v Speaker 2>just hundreds hundreds of, notebooks and he got to know

1210
01:05:05.639 --> 01:05:10.320
<v Speaker 2>all the, guys intimately heard the, stories was witness to,

1211
01:05:10.360 --> 01:05:16.960
<v Speaker 2>everything and we didn't censor, ourselves which bit a lot

1212
01:05:16.960 --> 01:05:22.519
<v Speaker 2>of people in the ass, later, right a. Lot but you,

1213
01:05:22.519 --> 01:05:25.440
<v Speaker 2>know early, on And i've said this before in some other,

1214
01:05:26.000 --> 01:05:29.239
<v Speaker 2>interviews BUT i made its decision very very early.

1215
01:05:29.280 --> 01:05:30.159
<v Speaker 3>ON i could take one of two.

1216
01:05:30.159 --> 01:05:33.000
<v Speaker 2>APPROACHES i could bring the platoon or the team, together

1217
01:05:33.039 --> 01:05:34.480
<v Speaker 2>AND i say all, right, listen, guys we've got a

1218
01:05:34.480 --> 01:05:38.320
<v Speaker 2>reporter with. Us everyone's just gonna have to shut your

1219
01:05:38.360 --> 01:05:41.320
<v Speaker 2>mouth and not say. Anything OR i could just, say

1220
01:05:42.400 --> 01:05:45.960
<v Speaker 2>don't change a thing and just be. Yourself, yeah let

1221
01:05:46.000 --> 01:05:46.519
<v Speaker 2>history be the.

1222
01:05:46.559 --> 01:05:47.639
<v Speaker 3>Judge let history be the.

1223
01:05:47.719 --> 01:05:51.320
<v Speaker 2>Judge because WHAT i didn't want to happen WAS i

1224
01:05:51.400 --> 01:05:55.360
<v Speaker 2>knew what we were getting, into. RIGHT i didn't know

1225
01:05:55.559 --> 01:05:57.440
<v Speaker 2>if somebody was going to, die or if we were

1226
01:05:57.440 --> 01:05:59.920
<v Speaker 2>going to get. SHOT i didn't know if we were

1227
01:06:00.039 --> 01:06:03.599
<v Speaker 2>and get blown up or witnessed. Whatever but the last

1228
01:06:03.599 --> 01:06:06.960
<v Speaker 2>thing THAT i wanted to do was to tell them

1229
01:06:07.000 --> 01:06:10.199
<v Speaker 2>not to process. It and a lot of, people when

1230
01:06:10.199 --> 01:06:12.559
<v Speaker 2>they are, nervous or when they are, scared or when

1231
01:06:12.559 --> 01:06:13.760
<v Speaker 2>they are, whatever you.

1232
01:06:13.679 --> 01:06:14.639
<v Speaker 3>Know they're gonna.

1233
01:06:15.039 --> 01:06:18.159
<v Speaker 1>Verbalize, right that's just how we. Process and there are

1234
01:06:18.159 --> 01:06:20.159
<v Speaker 1>probably some things that they could talk to a reporter

1235
01:06:20.239 --> 01:06:22.639
<v Speaker 1>about that maybe they wouldn't say to like a, teammate you,

1236
01:06:22.639 --> 01:06:24.679
<v Speaker 1>know like you wouldn't tell your teammate, like, MAN i

1237
01:06:24.719 --> 01:06:28.400
<v Speaker 1>was scared, shitless you. Know SO i just felt that

1238
01:06:28.480 --> 01:06:31.559
<v Speaker 1>the easier thing to do between those two linear choices

1239
01:06:31.559 --> 01:06:34.519
<v Speaker 1>would just, be, like just treat them like one of the.

1240
01:06:34.559 --> 01:06:38.079
<v Speaker 1>Guys whatever's gonna happen is going to, happen AND i

1241
01:06:38.119 --> 01:06:42.400
<v Speaker 1>stand by. It, Yeah and so in those subsequent, days

1242
01:06:43.039 --> 01:06:46.599
<v Speaker 1>what was the story that he was? Capturing what was

1243
01:06:46.639 --> 01:06:47.599
<v Speaker 1>it that you guys went out and.

1244
01:06:47.639 --> 01:06:54.400
<v Speaker 2>DID i think everything that you, know The generation killed

1245
01:06:54.440 --> 01:06:57.960
<v Speaker 2>the book And Generation killed the series talks about is you,

1246
01:06:58.000 --> 01:06:59.400
<v Speaker 2>know it's out, there it's the.

1247
01:06:59.440 --> 01:07:00.679
<v Speaker 3>Story it's pretty self.

1248
01:07:00.719 --> 01:07:01.280
<v Speaker 1>Evident but.

1249
01:07:03.400 --> 01:07:05.480
<v Speaker 2>It was all of the you, know the day to.

1250
01:07:05.559 --> 01:07:08.760
<v Speaker 2>Day it was driving from one position to the. Next

1251
01:07:08.800 --> 01:07:11.400
<v Speaker 2>it was interacting with, people it was helping, sometimes it

1252
01:07:11.440 --> 01:07:15.320
<v Speaker 2>was treating, wounded it was collecting, POW's it was uncovering weapons.

1253
01:07:15.360 --> 01:07:16.280
<v Speaker 3>Caches it was.

1254
01:07:16.480 --> 01:07:21.639
<v Speaker 2>Sometimes getting in, firefights sometimes being ambushed or calling in helicopter.

1255
01:07:21.719 --> 01:07:26.599
<v Speaker 2>Strikes it was. War it was all of. It it

1256
01:07:26.639 --> 01:07:29.199
<v Speaker 2>was the, good the, bad the, ugly and he. Was

1257
01:07:29.400 --> 01:07:34.599
<v Speaker 2>he was there for its. Entirety AND i think it

1258
01:07:34.760 --> 01:07:46.880
<v Speaker 2>was really great to have somebody narrate that. HISTORY i, think, yeah, yeah.

1259
01:07:47.760 --> 01:07:51.199
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, yeah it was absolutely somebody's got to capture those

1260
01:07:51.199 --> 01:07:52.639
<v Speaker 1>stories and capture that. History.

1261
01:07:53.079 --> 01:07:57.960
<v Speaker 2>Yeah you, know we've had so much published On. Vietnam

1262
01:07:58.000 --> 01:08:01.239
<v Speaker 2>there were so many. Journalists it was long campaign and

1263
01:08:01.280 --> 01:08:04.800
<v Speaker 2>it was a bloody, campaign and it was you, know

1264
01:08:04.880 --> 01:08:07.559
<v Speaker 2>somebody said to me the other day that one of

1265
01:08:07.599 --> 01:08:10.480
<v Speaker 2>the generals made a comment recently that The United states

1266
01:08:10.519 --> 01:08:12.840
<v Speaker 2>has been in combat for the last twenty, years but

1267
01:08:12.880 --> 01:08:15.480
<v Speaker 2>we have not been in war for. Decades, Sure AND i,

1268
01:08:15.519 --> 01:08:18.800
<v Speaker 2>said that's that's, brilliant because he's, right we haven't been in.

1269
01:08:18.920 --> 01:08:22.880
<v Speaker 2>War AND i, MEAN i would Argue Southeast. ASIAS i

1270
01:08:22.920 --> 01:08:26.359
<v Speaker 2>would Say vietnam was our Last american war where you

1271
01:08:26.439 --> 01:08:34.279
<v Speaker 2>had an entire generation baptized in. Combat we've had hundreds

1272
01:08:34.279 --> 01:08:36.600
<v Speaker 2>of thousands of men and women over the last twenty

1273
01:08:36.680 --> 01:08:37.640
<v Speaker 2>years be in.

1274
01:08:37.720 --> 01:08:39.439
<v Speaker 3>Combat but it's. Different it's.

1275
01:08:39.479 --> 01:08:43.159
<v Speaker 2>Different and so you had all of these stories come

1276
01:08:43.159 --> 01:08:48.640
<v Speaker 2>out About vietnam on the air, side or the navy,

1277
01:08:48.640 --> 01:08:50.880
<v Speaker 2>side or the ground, side from every walk of, life

1278
01:08:50.880 --> 01:08:54.640
<v Speaker 2>from men and, women old and. Young you didn't have

1279
01:08:54.720 --> 01:08:58.039
<v Speaker 2>that IN oif AND, oef not to the same. Level

1280
01:08:58.760 --> 01:09:03.119
<v Speaker 2>you certainly didn't have anyone writing the type of story

1281
01:09:03.119 --> 01:09:05.600
<v Speaker 2>That Evan wright did at that time and.

1282
01:09:05.680 --> 01:09:11.439
<v Speaker 1>Place, yeah there's my opinion is that there's very little

1283
01:09:11.520 --> 01:09:16.079
<v Speaker 1>coverage of that like, lance corporal, perspective boots on the,

1284
01:09:16.079 --> 01:09:18.000
<v Speaker 1>ground and it sounds like he did that very.

1285
01:09:18.039 --> 01:09:20.119
<v Speaker 2>Well he did, it and that is one of the

1286
01:09:20.119 --> 01:09:22.399
<v Speaker 2>reasons WHY i think so many people identify with the

1287
01:09:22.479 --> 01:09:26.600
<v Speaker 2>story because it is the every man's. Story it doesn't

1288
01:09:26.640 --> 01:09:29.560
<v Speaker 2>matter if you are a you, know An army eleven,

1289
01:09:29.600 --> 01:09:33.760
<v Speaker 2>bravo if you are a, coasty you, Know National guard,

1290
01:09:33.800 --> 01:09:36.479
<v Speaker 2>reservist it doesn't. Matter if you were AN e five

1291
01:09:36.520 --> 01:09:39.600
<v Speaker 2>and below In iraq in two thousand and, three that's your.

1292
01:09:39.680 --> 01:09:41.800
<v Speaker 3>Story, yeah it. Resonates, yeah we all get.

1293
01:09:41.840 --> 01:09:45.439
<v Speaker 2>It the same, food the same, conditions the same fog of,

1294
01:09:45.479 --> 01:09:48.479
<v Speaker 2>war the ambiguity that can like all of. It, yeah

1295
01:09:48.560 --> 01:09:50.960
<v Speaker 2>it's like everybody gets. It if you want to know

1296
01:09:51.039 --> 01:09:56.319
<v Speaker 2>what it's like to be in the, military that's a

1297
01:09:56.359 --> 01:09:57.720
<v Speaker 2>pretty good way to do.

1298
01:09:57.800 --> 01:10:00.560
<v Speaker 1>It. Yeah so it sounds like they kept you incredibly,

1299
01:10:00.600 --> 01:10:02.199
<v Speaker 1>busy like you were kind of like doing it.

1300
01:10:02.279 --> 01:10:05.159
<v Speaker 3>All we were doing it. ALL i wouldn't say THAT

1301
01:10:05.199 --> 01:10:05.520
<v Speaker 3>i was.

1302
01:10:05.600 --> 01:10:08.680
<v Speaker 2>Bored but, combat for anyone who's been in it is

1303
01:10:09.079 --> 01:10:13.800
<v Speaker 2>long periods of boredom interrupted by intense periods of. Violence that's.

1304
01:10:13.880 --> 01:10:18.039
<v Speaker 2>Combat and that was two thousand and. Three there were

1305
01:10:18.279 --> 01:10:19.640
<v Speaker 2>long stretches of just.

1306
01:10:19.600 --> 01:10:21.319
<v Speaker 3>Like, fuck.

1307
01:10:23.119 --> 01:10:23.800
<v Speaker 1>Very flat out.

1308
01:10:23.800 --> 01:10:26.560
<v Speaker 2>Here yeah it's very, flat or like this is. Boring

1309
01:10:26.600 --> 01:10:30.319
<v Speaker 2>we have to wait and you, know you don't know

1310
01:10:30.680 --> 01:10:31.520
<v Speaker 2>where the goalpost.

1311
01:10:31.640 --> 01:10:33.560
<v Speaker 3>Is it's just, like, well what are we gonna do?

1312
01:10:33.640 --> 01:10:35.439
<v Speaker 2>Today, well today we're gonna you, know we're gonna drive

1313
01:10:35.479 --> 01:10:38.119
<v Speaker 2>five miles or five kilometers or whatever the case may.

1314
01:10:38.119 --> 01:10:40.439
<v Speaker 2>Be we're gonna go check out this thing over. Here

1315
01:10:40.680 --> 01:10:42.640
<v Speaker 2>and then, uh we're just gonna wait. Around and there's

1316
01:10:42.680 --> 01:10:45.319
<v Speaker 2>just a lot of, it, Right and it's just day

1317
01:10:45.359 --> 01:10:49.560
<v Speaker 2>after day of that kind of unknown, goal, post unknown.

1318
01:10:49.600 --> 01:10:53.399
<v Speaker 3>Objective and but it's but.

1319
01:10:54.560 --> 01:10:58.279
<v Speaker 1>Busy, yeah and you guys ran into some Like iraqi military.

1320
01:10:58.279 --> 01:11:01.560
<v Speaker 2>Holdouts we ran in to a lot of different. People

1321
01:11:02.159 --> 01:11:06.880
<v Speaker 2>The Iraq war was kind of this bell weather to

1322
01:11:07.079 --> 01:11:08.359
<v Speaker 2>anyone who wanted to Fight.

1323
01:11:08.399 --> 01:11:10.119
<v Speaker 3>American, sure you know it.

1324
01:11:10.279 --> 01:11:14.199
<v Speaker 2>Was we got into some a firefight in. Particular and

1325
01:11:14.199 --> 01:11:16.760
<v Speaker 2>then when we did the post firefight analysis and we

1326
01:11:16.840 --> 01:11:21.279
<v Speaker 2>find passports from Like syria and other countries fighters who

1327
01:11:21.279 --> 01:11:22.159
<v Speaker 2>had crossed.

1328
01:11:22.319 --> 01:11:24.159
<v Speaker 1>That was happening. ALREADY i thought that came out a

1329
01:11:24.199 --> 01:11:26.720
<v Speaker 1>few years down the. Line, yeah that was right then and,

1330
01:11:26.760 --> 01:11:28.560
<v Speaker 1>there right in the right in the, Beginning right in the.

1331
01:11:28.600 --> 01:11:32.760
<v Speaker 2>Beginning we got into a pretty good ambush trying to

1332
01:11:32.800 --> 01:11:35.880
<v Speaker 2>cross a bridge one. Time and then that's that's WHERE

1333
01:11:35.880 --> 01:11:37.840
<v Speaker 2>i fired at two oh. Three that didn't blow up

1334
01:11:37.880 --> 01:11:40.239
<v Speaker 2>because it was too short of an army distance and

1335
01:11:40.359 --> 01:11:41.600
<v Speaker 2>just went right through the chestnel.

1336
01:11:41.640 --> 01:11:43.079
<v Speaker 3>Cavity, yeah it.

1337
01:11:43.119 --> 01:11:45.039
<v Speaker 2>Was i'm, like WELL i didn't didn't know it could do,

1338
01:11:45.039 --> 01:11:46.880
<v Speaker 2>That but then, again well why DIDN'T i know it

1339
01:11:46.880 --> 01:11:47.199
<v Speaker 2>could do?

1340
01:11:47.239 --> 01:11:48.760
<v Speaker 3>That and why HAVEN'T i done that?

1341
01:11:48.800 --> 01:11:53.319
<v Speaker 2>Before but, yeah they Had syrian passports and a couple

1342
01:11:53.319 --> 01:11:56.680
<v Speaker 2>of other foreign fighter passports and it was all.

1343
01:11:56.720 --> 01:11:58.119
<v Speaker 3>Over that Was.

1344
01:11:58.159 --> 01:12:01.640
<v Speaker 2>Iraq anybody who wanted to come in and get their

1345
01:12:01.720 --> 01:12:04.560
<v Speaker 2>jihat on that was the place to do it at

1346
01:12:04.560 --> 01:12:05.039
<v Speaker 2>that time and.

1347
01:12:05.119 --> 01:12:05.880
<v Speaker 3>Place but we.

1348
01:12:05.920 --> 01:12:10.279
<v Speaker 2>Did we we came into contact with a Few iraqi,

1349
01:12:10.479 --> 01:12:13.479
<v Speaker 2>regulars but most of it were militia.

1350
01:12:13.520 --> 01:12:19.000
<v Speaker 3>Fighters that's so. Weird, yeah yeah it, was and.

1351
01:12:20.640 --> 01:12:23.560
<v Speaker 2>You, know tactically now OR i should say not, now

1352
01:12:23.560 --> 01:12:26.239
<v Speaker 2>but like four oh five oh, six that would have

1353
01:12:26.600 --> 01:12:28.119
<v Speaker 2>we would have, stopped and we would have been, like,

1354
01:12:28.159 --> 01:12:32.600
<v Speaker 2>okay let's let's prosecute that whole right back, then it's

1355
01:12:32.640 --> 01:12:36.000
<v Speaker 2>like not our. Problem just keep. Moving we're going to

1356
01:12:36.399 --> 01:12:38.720
<v Speaker 2>shoot as many as you can mitigate the. Threat if

1357
01:12:38.720 --> 01:12:41.279
<v Speaker 2>it's not a, threat or it's a mitigated threat OR

1358
01:12:41.319 --> 01:12:43.239
<v Speaker 2>i should say, reduced we're just gonna keep.

1359
01:12:43.239 --> 01:12:48.800
<v Speaker 3>Pushing, yeah, yeah it was.

1360
01:12:48.840 --> 01:12:52.439
<v Speaker 1>Weird so when was it that you did find that goal.

1361
01:12:52.520 --> 01:12:54.800
<v Speaker 1>POST i mean that that your unit must have stopped

1362
01:12:54.800 --> 01:12:55.159
<v Speaker 1>you at some.

1363
01:12:55.239 --> 01:13:00.439
<v Speaker 2>Point we stopped at Uh Bakuba. Bakuba i'm probably saying it.

1364
01:13:00.439 --> 01:13:02.159
<v Speaker 2>WRONG i cannot pronounce.

1365
01:13:01.800 --> 01:13:02.279
<v Speaker 1>A lot of these.

1366
01:13:02.319 --> 01:13:05.399
<v Speaker 2>Words the rest Of baka. Buzz, yeah that's as far

1367
01:13:05.520 --> 01:13:07.520
<v Speaker 2>north as we made. It it's on the other side Of.

1368
01:13:07.520 --> 01:13:12.239
<v Speaker 2>Baghdad and then we kind of declared it was game,

1369
01:13:12.279 --> 01:13:16.880
<v Speaker 2>over like not first reconnaissance, batealion but Miss alisssion. ACCOMPLISHMENT

1370
01:13:16.960 --> 01:13:22.960
<v Speaker 2>i think that's When america, Said, okay The saddam regime is.

1371
01:13:23.279 --> 01:13:24.479
<v Speaker 3>Toppled they are.

1372
01:13:24.600 --> 01:13:29.279
<v Speaker 2>Unseated saddam wasn't. Hiding we'd captured the, palaces we'd captured

1373
01:13:29.279 --> 01:13:32.199
<v Speaker 2>some of the family. Members they have no functioning system of.

1374
01:13:32.239 --> 01:13:36.199
<v Speaker 2>Government they can provide no real. Opposition and, truly when

1375
01:13:36.199 --> 01:13:39.319
<v Speaker 2>you're fighting, war that's the measure of success is when

1376
01:13:39.359 --> 01:13:42.840
<v Speaker 2>opposition ceases to. Happen and at least at that time and,

1377
01:13:42.920 --> 01:13:45.159
<v Speaker 2>place it was declared that's.

1378
01:13:45.199 --> 01:13:48.840
<v Speaker 3>It that was the.

1379
01:13:48.840 --> 01:13:51.359
<v Speaker 2>Goalpost so then it was just a matter of, well,

1380
01:13:51.720 --> 01:13:53.479
<v Speaker 2>FUCK i guess we got to drive all the way back.

1381
01:13:53.560 --> 01:13:57.640
<v Speaker 2>South we didn't drive all the way back To. Kuwait

1382
01:13:57.800 --> 01:14:04.920
<v Speaker 2>we drove basically back To. Baghdad we kind of made

1383
01:14:04.960 --> 01:14:10.239
<v Speaker 2>an assembly area there and later slowly retrograded back To

1384
01:14:10.319 --> 01:14:17.439
<v Speaker 2>kuwait and then back To. America should that have been the? Goalpost,

1385
01:14:17.439 --> 01:14:21.880
<v Speaker 2>wow this is a great. Conversation the way that we

1386
01:14:21.960 --> 01:14:27.239
<v Speaker 2>fought that entire WAR i think was probably. MYOPIC, yea

1387
01:14:28.039 --> 01:14:32.720
<v Speaker 2>many people would agree back then in two thousand and,

1388
01:14:32.760 --> 01:14:34.479
<v Speaker 2>three we probably did the best that we.

1389
01:14:34.800 --> 01:14:38.800
<v Speaker 3>Could but, YEAH i think no one would. Disagree if

1390
01:14:38.800 --> 01:14:40.159
<v Speaker 3>we were to do it, again we would do it.

1391
01:14:40.199 --> 01:14:44.800
<v Speaker 1>Differently, WELL i would. Hope it seems sometimes like we're

1392
01:14:44.840 --> 01:14:48.279
<v Speaker 1>The United states Of amnesia and we just do these

1393
01:14:48.279 --> 01:14:49.079
<v Speaker 1>things over and over.

1394
01:14:49.159 --> 01:14:52.359
<v Speaker 3>Again american suffers. THAT i, mean that's just our. Culture

1395
01:14:52.399 --> 01:14:59.359
<v Speaker 3>we are shows short sighted to say the. Least, yeah.

1396
01:14:59.119 --> 01:15:02.039
<v Speaker 1>Tell us about the recept back home this, time because

1397
01:15:02.039 --> 01:15:03.439
<v Speaker 1>you said it was different than very.

1398
01:15:03.479 --> 01:15:08.239
<v Speaker 2>Different it was an Amazing So america still had a

1399
01:15:08.239 --> 01:15:11.359
<v Speaker 2>lot of. Jingoism you come back and there's parades And

1400
01:15:11.479 --> 01:15:15.439
<v Speaker 2>america you, know you could not be more. Patriotic we had,

1401
01:15:16.239 --> 01:15:21.359
<v Speaker 2>vindicated you, know supposedly nine to. Eleven we got chicks fuck, Them, yes,

1402
01:15:21.840 --> 01:15:26.920
<v Speaker 2>yes But Camp pendleton is right outside Of, Oceanside, California

1403
01:15:26.960 --> 01:15:31.359
<v Speaker 2>and you've never seen a more patriotic little town than.

1404
01:15:31.439 --> 01:15:33.520
<v Speaker 2>That And i'm sure it was the case whether it

1405
01:15:33.640 --> 01:15:38.960
<v Speaker 2>was you, Know fayetteville or. Anywhere, yeah, Yeah america was

1406
01:15:39.399 --> 01:15:45.119
<v Speaker 2>grateful we could not get a better. Reception but then

1407
01:15:45.159 --> 01:15:49.039
<v Speaker 2>the magazine article came Out Evan write's. Home he was

1408
01:15:49.079 --> 01:15:52.159
<v Speaker 2>a freelance reporter For Rolling. Stone he was originally commissioned

1409
01:15:52.159 --> 01:15:56.239
<v Speaker 2>to do one article in one issue Of Rolling. Stones

1410
01:15:57.520 --> 01:15:59.800
<v Speaker 2>they end up loving it so much they make it

1411
01:15:59.840 --> 01:16:00.600
<v Speaker 2>a three.

1412
01:16:00.439 --> 01:16:04.359
<v Speaker 3>Part series into three. Articles so the first issue comes.

1413
01:16:04.159 --> 01:16:09.239
<v Speaker 2>Out and then it's, like oh, yeah, yeah they don't like.

1414
01:16:09.279 --> 01:16:13.520
<v Speaker 2>That The Marine corps doesn't like. It General mattis doesn't like.

1415
01:16:13.600 --> 01:16:18.199
<v Speaker 2>It First Reconnaissance battalion leadership doesn't like it because it

1416
01:16:18.319 --> 01:16:21.359
<v Speaker 2>openly criticized a lot of the decisions that the officers.

1417
01:16:21.399 --> 01:16:25.520
<v Speaker 2>Made it openly criticizes the decisions that The Marine corps

1418
01:16:25.560 --> 01:16:28.359
<v Speaker 2>as a whole was. Making whoever wanted to be the

1419
01:16:28.399 --> 01:16:32.960
<v Speaker 2>face of The Marine. Corps it was critical because, again

1420
01:16:33.000 --> 01:16:37.399
<v Speaker 2>you are talking about A e five and below's version of.

1421
01:16:37.439 --> 01:16:41.399
<v Speaker 2>Events and, look if you don't know anything about the,

1422
01:16:41.439 --> 01:16:45.399
<v Speaker 2>military let me tell you one. Thing members of the,

1423
01:16:45.399 --> 01:16:48.920
<v Speaker 2>military especially at that, rank do nothing all day long

1424
01:16:49.000 --> 01:16:52.560
<v Speaker 2>other than. Complain that's what people. Do you will sit

1425
01:16:52.680 --> 01:16:55.800
<v Speaker 2>around and you will find something to complain. About it

1426
01:16:55.800 --> 01:16:58.279
<v Speaker 2>does not matter if you have lobster and steak and

1427
01:16:58.359 --> 01:17:00.000
<v Speaker 2>caviare and all the free views you want.

1428
01:17:00.119 --> 01:17:01.880
<v Speaker 3>On and that's what we.

1429
01:17:01.920 --> 01:17:04.640
<v Speaker 2>Did and now you're not just doing it in peacetime.

1430
01:17:04.720 --> 01:17:08.039
<v Speaker 2>Garrison you're doing it in. Combat and that's you, know

1431
01:17:08.079 --> 01:17:13.840
<v Speaker 2>where everyone is hyper vigilant and you are, stressed you are.

1432
01:17:13.920 --> 01:17:17.960
<v Speaker 2>Scared in some, cases you're, hungry you are a whole

1433
01:17:17.960 --> 01:17:21.640
<v Speaker 2>host of. Emotions, yeah you're gonna, complain and there's a

1434
01:17:21.680 --> 01:17:25.800
<v Speaker 2>guy documenting. Everything, oh this person said That lieutenant so

1435
01:17:25.920 --> 01:17:28.920
<v Speaker 2>and so is A The Marine corps didn't like.

1436
01:17:28.960 --> 01:17:33.199
<v Speaker 3>That it has since been.

1437
01:17:33.920 --> 01:17:37.359
<v Speaker 2>Relooked, at but at that, time you, know you're talking

1438
01:17:39.479 --> 01:17:42.880
<v Speaker 2>what winter of two thousand and, three they didn't want

1439
01:17:42.880 --> 01:17:43.199
<v Speaker 2>to hear that.

1440
01:17:43.199 --> 01:17:45.159
<v Speaker 1>Shit well, yeah and what it is too, IS i

1441
01:17:45.159 --> 01:17:47.640
<v Speaker 1>mean they're worried about their own career. Progression and this

1442
01:17:47.760 --> 01:17:50.399
<v Speaker 1>makes you, know our command look bad and this and that.

1443
01:17:50.680 --> 01:17:52.039
<v Speaker 2>Command is what is this going to do to The

1444
01:17:52.039 --> 01:17:55.119
<v Speaker 2>Marine corps public? Relations and is potentially any of this?

1445
01:17:55.439 --> 01:17:57.920
<v Speaker 2>Actionable did you violate anything in THE?

1446
01:17:58.359 --> 01:18:02.039
<v Speaker 1>Ucmj, yeah, YEAH i was gonna ask what did they

1447
01:18:02.159 --> 01:18:03.760
<v Speaker 1>try to retaliate against any of.

1448
01:18:03.760 --> 01:18:05.960
<v Speaker 3>You SO i Had.

1449
01:18:06.319 --> 01:18:12.119
<v Speaker 2>While In, IRAQ i was nominated for a meritorious, promotion

1450
01:18:12.960 --> 01:18:16.840
<v Speaker 2>a combat meritorious promotion to staff sergeant TO e six

1451
01:18:18.119 --> 01:18:21.199
<v Speaker 2>for the entire. Division so it wasn't in the. Battalion

1452
01:18:21.279 --> 01:18:25.760
<v Speaker 2>they had one meritorious combat slot FOR e, six one

1453
01:18:25.800 --> 01:18:29.720
<v Speaker 2>FOR e, seven one FOR e. EIGHT i competed AGAINST

1454
01:18:29.760 --> 01:18:32.079
<v Speaker 2>i don't know how many people FOR e, six AND i.

1455
01:18:32.119 --> 01:18:35.680
<v Speaker 2>WON i was the first meritorious combat promotion Since.

1456
01:18:35.800 --> 01:18:37.840
<v Speaker 3>Vietnam.

1457
01:18:38.000 --> 01:18:38.279
<v Speaker 1>Wow.

1458
01:18:38.399 --> 01:18:41.600
<v Speaker 2>Yep so my warrant is a date of rank on

1459
01:18:41.680 --> 01:18:44.039
<v Speaker 2>the second of the month instead of the, first and

1460
01:18:44.079 --> 01:18:47.800
<v Speaker 2>it says in combat should have said that it got taken.

1461
01:18:47.800 --> 01:18:51.560
<v Speaker 2>Away General madis rescinded the promotion warrant in light of

1462
01:18:51.600 --> 01:18:55.640
<v Speaker 2>what had taken place in the. Article NOW i ended

1463
01:18:55.720 --> 01:18:59.920
<v Speaker 2>up getting, it but it was gone for about six. Weeks,

1464
01:19:01.079 --> 01:19:02.840
<v Speaker 2>yeah and it wasn't just. Me there were other people

1465
01:19:02.880 --> 01:19:05.119
<v Speaker 2>in the platoon as. Well and the prevailing attitude of

1466
01:19:05.119 --> 01:19:07.439
<v Speaker 2>the leadership at the time, was, well you should have

1467
01:19:07.520 --> 01:19:10.680
<v Speaker 2>kept your mouth. Shut you Should you didn't have to say.

1468
01:19:10.680 --> 01:19:13.920
<v Speaker 2>Anything i'm, like, okay hold on a. Minute you put

1469
01:19:13.960 --> 01:19:14.960
<v Speaker 2>this person in.

1470
01:19:15.279 --> 01:19:18.079
<v Speaker 3>Our, growth you put a rolling stone reporter in the

1471
01:19:18.119 --> 01:19:18.520
<v Speaker 3>midst of.

1472
01:19:18.680 --> 01:19:24.640
<v Speaker 2>Ye freelance, reporter be that as it. May former publisher

1473
01:19:24.760 --> 01:19:29.079
<v Speaker 2>For Penthouse, Letters New flint personally, like he's got a

1474
01:19:29.119 --> 01:19:33.680
<v Speaker 2>great street. Reputation he was not the Liberal Ivy league

1475
01:19:34.000 --> 01:19:38.159
<v Speaker 2>acts to grind. Democrat, no he was cool as. Fuck

1476
01:19:38.600 --> 01:19:39.479
<v Speaker 2>but come, on, man.

1477
01:19:39.359 --> 01:19:39.840
<v Speaker 1>He was still a.

1478
01:19:39.880 --> 01:19:42.000
<v Speaker 3>Reporter what did you think was gonna?

1479
01:19:42.000 --> 01:19:44.439
<v Speaker 2>Happen that was the first thing THAT i had sort

1480
01:19:44.479 --> 01:19:47.199
<v Speaker 2>of stood on as and then, Secondly i'm, like.

1481
01:19:48.840 --> 01:19:52.960
<v Speaker 3>What was really so? BAD i, mean, REALLY.

1482
01:19:54.960 --> 01:19:58.720
<v Speaker 2>I i had known and had conversations With General Madis.

1483
01:19:58.760 --> 01:20:02.600
<v Speaker 2>PRYOR i spoke to him him many times In afghanistan

1484
01:20:02.800 --> 01:20:07.840
<v Speaker 2>WHEN i was reporting directly to him In. Kandahar i'd

1485
01:20:07.880 --> 01:20:14.920
<v Speaker 2>had a couple of other conversations on other times through

1486
01:20:14.920 --> 01:20:17.960
<v Speaker 2>a weird set of. Circumstances it's not important he knew.

1487
01:20:18.039 --> 01:20:20.399
<v Speaker 2>Me General madis has a great, memory by the, way

1488
01:20:20.399 --> 01:20:22.920
<v Speaker 2>he will meet somebody one time and he will always remember,

1489
01:20:22.920 --> 01:20:24.640
<v Speaker 2>you which is incredible BECAUSE i was a.

1490
01:20:24.720 --> 01:20:26.279
<v Speaker 3>Nobody he knew.

1491
01:20:26.279 --> 01:20:31.520
<v Speaker 2>ME i had a very very, unpleasant one sided conversation

1492
01:20:31.640 --> 01:20:36.520
<v Speaker 2>with The, general and this was the conversation that was

1493
01:20:36.560 --> 01:20:38.600
<v Speaker 2>going to determine whether or NOT i was allowed to

1494
01:20:38.600 --> 01:20:42.079
<v Speaker 2>be promoted to that next. Rank under the circumstances THAT i.

1495
01:20:42.279 --> 01:20:47.479
<v Speaker 3>Was it worked, out but, hmm it was.

1496
01:20:47.520 --> 01:20:52.640
<v Speaker 2>Painful he was, pissed he was, furious he was fucking.

1497
01:20:52.680 --> 01:20:56.239
<v Speaker 2>Furious and, again it was a one sided. Conversation he

1498
01:20:56.279 --> 01:20:58.479
<v Speaker 2>didn't give a shit WHAT i had to. Say he

1499
01:20:58.600 --> 01:21:02.359
<v Speaker 2>was not asking for my version of. Events and, honestly

1500
01:21:03.319 --> 01:21:06.199
<v Speaker 2>it was interesting because the general didn't care.

1501
01:21:07.479 --> 01:21:09.560
<v Speaker 3>What the officers looked.

1502
01:21:09.640 --> 01:21:14.439
<v Speaker 2>Like he didn't care that they were questioned or slandered or.

1503
01:21:14.520 --> 01:21:18.560
<v Speaker 2>Ridiculed he's, LIKE i DON'T i don't want it affecting

1504
01:21:18.560 --> 01:21:22.159
<v Speaker 2>the enlisted. MEN i don't want YOUR i don't remember

1505
01:21:22.159 --> 01:21:23.760
<v Speaker 2>the exact words that he, said but you Know i'm.

1506
01:21:23.760 --> 01:21:26.880
<v Speaker 2>PARAPHRASING i don't want your cancer affecting the enlisted.

1507
01:21:26.960 --> 01:21:32.079
<v Speaker 3>Ranks and it worked out.

1508
01:21:32.119 --> 01:21:35.439
<v Speaker 2>Well but really the only reason it worked out well

1509
01:21:35.520 --> 01:21:38.920
<v Speaker 2>is because he had a sergeant major and his sergeant

1510
01:21:38.920 --> 01:21:41.600
<v Speaker 2>major liked, me and his sergeant major listened to, me

1511
01:21:41.640 --> 01:21:44.680
<v Speaker 2>and he heard my story and he listened to my.

1512
01:21:44.920 --> 01:21:49.039
<v Speaker 2>Argument but he was one of SEVERAL i had to

1513
01:21:49.039 --> 01:21:53.039
<v Speaker 2>go in front of every single sergeant major in the ENTIRE. Mef,

1514
01:21:53.560 --> 01:21:56.920
<v Speaker 2>okay that's a, lot because remember a division is below

1515
01:21:56.960 --> 01:22:02.199
<v Speaker 2>a meth first Free commementalian is below the, division so there's.

1516
01:22:02.039 --> 01:22:02.680
<v Speaker 3>A lot of sergeant.

1517
01:22:02.760 --> 01:22:05.920
<v Speaker 2>Majors there's like eight of these, dudes the, artillery the,

1518
01:22:05.920 --> 01:22:09.239
<v Speaker 2>infantry like they're all in a room and There's Sergeant.

1519
01:22:09.319 --> 01:22:12.760
<v Speaker 2>Colbert And i'm having to explain myself to senior enlisted

1520
01:22:12.760 --> 01:22:16.000
<v Speaker 2>people who don't like recon marines, anyways because we're all

1521
01:22:16.000 --> 01:22:19.279
<v Speaker 2>a bunch of. Cowboys and now here's an uppity little

1522
01:22:19.319 --> 01:22:22.560
<v Speaker 2>sergeant who thinks that he can just say whatever he wants. About,

1523
01:22:24.199 --> 01:22:26.439
<v Speaker 2>yeah it was it was, rough.

1524
01:22:29.479 --> 01:22:30.039
<v Speaker 3>BUT i won the.

1525
01:22:30.119 --> 01:22:34.880
<v Speaker 2>DAY i won the, day AND i got to keep my.

1526
01:22:34.960 --> 01:22:38.079
<v Speaker 2>RANK i got to pick up my next rank and

1527
01:22:38.159 --> 01:22:38.640
<v Speaker 2>my next.

1528
01:22:38.640 --> 01:22:42.319
<v Speaker 3>One and you, know the story has aged.

1529
01:22:42.359 --> 01:22:46.600
<v Speaker 2>WELL i think people will realize, that like, one there

1530
01:22:46.640 --> 01:22:49.399
<v Speaker 2>were a lot worst things to come for.

1531
01:22:49.479 --> 01:22:50.800
<v Speaker 1>Sure, yeah, yeah.

1532
01:22:50.880 --> 01:22:54.279
<v Speaker 2>Yeah like in the grand scheme of our adventure In,

1533
01:22:54.279 --> 01:22:58.119
<v Speaker 2>Iraq Sergeant colbert's mouth is not the thing that we

1534
01:22:58.159 --> 01:23:04.039
<v Speaker 2>are going to. Blemish so, Yeah.

1535
01:23:02.239 --> 01:23:04.640
<v Speaker 1>And does does this have anything to do with your

1536
01:23:05.079 --> 01:23:07.039
<v Speaker 1>stint with The Royal marines that they're kind of, like

1537
01:23:07.039 --> 01:23:08.319
<v Speaker 1>we need to get this guy out of here for

1538
01:23:08.359 --> 01:23:08.720
<v Speaker 1>a little.

1539
01:23:08.760 --> 01:23:14.680
<v Speaker 2>While, no in, fact quite the. Opposite that is a coveted.

1540
01:23:14.720 --> 01:23:18.399
<v Speaker 2>BILLET i would, think, yeah highly sought. After you are completely.

1541
01:23:18.479 --> 01:23:22.880
<v Speaker 2>Alone you have no higher. Headquarters you are. Isolated like

1542
01:23:22.960 --> 01:23:25.359
<v Speaker 2>WHEN i say you're, embedded it's, like that's.

1543
01:23:25.399 --> 01:23:25.800
<v Speaker 3>It it's.

1544
01:23:25.880 --> 01:23:29.119
<v Speaker 2>YOU i have No american chain of command in the,

1545
01:23:29.159 --> 01:23:33.279
<v Speaker 2>country not. Marine the only marine in the country are

1546
01:23:33.359 --> 01:23:37.039
<v Speaker 2>the embassy folks up In london's, embassy and they have

1547
01:23:37.119 --> 01:23:41.560
<v Speaker 2>no association with. Me my reach back was a, officer

1548
01:23:41.600 --> 01:23:46.159
<v Speaker 2>a major In, quantico and so it was highly sought,

1549
01:23:46.159 --> 01:23:51.800
<v Speaker 2>after AND i was selected and screened and.

1550
01:23:51.720 --> 01:23:54.840
<v Speaker 3>Found to Be, yep it was. Good it was not.

1551
01:23:55.079 --> 01:23:59.399
<v Speaker 2>Universal the angst over The Generation kill magazine articles was not.

1552
01:23:59.520 --> 01:24:01.840
<v Speaker 3>Universal there were a lot of people that were, like, yeah,

1553
01:24:01.920 --> 01:24:02.680
<v Speaker 3>DUDE i get.

1554
01:24:02.680 --> 01:24:04.880
<v Speaker 2>It what could you do? Right you were in a tough.

1555
01:24:04.920 --> 01:24:06.960
<v Speaker 2>SPOT i don't think you did anything that was that.

1556
01:24:07.039 --> 01:24:10.800
<v Speaker 2>Egregious it was really just the upper, echelons.

1557
01:24:10.439 --> 01:24:11.920
<v Speaker 3>You know WHAT i, Mean and it all rolls, downhill

1558
01:24:11.920 --> 01:24:12.479
<v Speaker 3>and it all rolls.

1559
01:24:12.520 --> 01:24:17.439
<v Speaker 2>Downhill so to be selected for The British Exchange, PROGRAM

1560
01:24:17.520 --> 01:24:22.199
<v Speaker 2>i mean it was, great phenomenal. Opportunity really personally and

1561
01:24:22.239 --> 01:24:22.960
<v Speaker 2>professionally it was.

1562
01:24:22.960 --> 01:24:25.279
<v Speaker 1>Great did you have to go through their training?

1563
01:24:25.319 --> 01:24:28.159
<v Speaker 2>COURSE i had the option to go through their training.

1564
01:24:28.199 --> 01:24:31.479
<v Speaker 2>COURSE i started to go through their training. Course there

1565
01:24:31.479 --> 01:24:35.279
<v Speaker 2>were some circumstances that prevented me from finishing The All

1566
01:24:35.399 --> 01:24:38.039
<v Speaker 2>Arms commando. Course one of the unique things about The

1567
01:24:38.039 --> 01:24:41.840
<v Speaker 2>British commandos is the individual Row marine goes through their

1568
01:24:42.720 --> 01:24:45.840
<v Speaker 2>EIGHT i think it's eight month eight enough positive things

1569
01:24:45.880 --> 01:24:52.640
<v Speaker 2>about their, spighting fighting, spirit their, morale their attitudes are

1570
01:24:54.039 --> 01:24:57.319
<v Speaker 2>you just you cannot demoralize this group of. People it

1571
01:24:57.359 --> 01:25:02.359
<v Speaker 2>Is i've never seen anything like. It they can't be miserable.

1572
01:25:02.560 --> 01:25:06.880
<v Speaker 2>Enough they're just really good. Dudes AND i think it

1573
01:25:06.960 --> 01:25:08.760
<v Speaker 2>has a lot to do with the fact that their

1574
01:25:08.840 --> 01:25:14.399
<v Speaker 2>training pipeline is incredibly. Long eight months is a long

1575
01:25:14.439 --> 01:25:17.680
<v Speaker 2>time to be in basic and they go through some

1576
01:25:17.880 --> 01:25:22.319
<v Speaker 2>very arduous physical, courses they go through a lot of,

1577
01:25:22.399 --> 01:25:25.239
<v Speaker 2>schooling and there's not that many you, know thirty five

1578
01:25:25.319 --> 01:25:26.720
<v Speaker 2>hundred and four thousand at any given.

1579
01:25:26.720 --> 01:25:27.199
<v Speaker 3>Time that's.

1580
01:25:27.239 --> 01:25:30.840
<v Speaker 2>Small AND i, MEAN i found them to just be

1581
01:25:30.920 --> 01:25:33.680
<v Speaker 2>an incredible group of. Guys And i've said this. BEFORE

1582
01:25:33.720 --> 01:25:35.680
<v Speaker 2>i think they could do so much better if they

1583
01:25:35.760 --> 01:25:40.119
<v Speaker 2>would un ask more funding for, them if they had

1584
01:25:40.199 --> 01:25:43.479
<v Speaker 2>access to more money to pay for some really top

1585
01:25:43.520 --> 01:25:47.159
<v Speaker 2>tier equipment and get access to some really good.

1586
01:25:47.239 --> 01:25:49.079
<v Speaker 3>Training and their training is. GOOD i don't mean to

1587
01:25:49.119 --> 01:25:49.840
<v Speaker 3>insinuate that it's.

1588
01:25:49.880 --> 01:25:53.199
<v Speaker 2>Not BUT i compare it to, us, right, Right like

1589
01:25:54.239 --> 01:25:58.000
<v Speaker 2>my platoon of twenty four recom marines would typically have

1590
01:25:58.279 --> 01:26:00.600
<v Speaker 2>a range day where the animal lot of it was

1591
01:26:00.760 --> 01:26:05.319
<v Speaker 2>nine ten thousand. Rounds that's pretty average, REALLY i mean flat,

1592
01:26:05.399 --> 01:26:07.760
<v Speaker 2>range maybe a shoot, house you, know maybe you do

1593
01:26:07.840 --> 01:26:10.399
<v Speaker 2>some live fire and, maneuver some immediate action drills ten

1594
01:26:10.399 --> 01:26:12.479
<v Speaker 2>thousand rounds of five to five six and then some

1595
01:26:12.560 --> 01:26:15.359
<v Speaker 2>other associated belt fed and smoke and like that's. Nothing

1596
01:26:16.000 --> 01:26:19.760
<v Speaker 2>that's a lot of ammo for those. Guys, yeah that's a.

1597
01:26:19.800 --> 01:26:21.880
<v Speaker 2>Lot so that's the kind of stuff That i'm talking,

1598
01:26:21.880 --> 01:26:24.119
<v Speaker 2>about not that they're not doing anything, wrong but, like,

1599
01:26:24.159 --> 01:26:28.359
<v Speaker 2>bro if you had you, know the latest cutting edge communications,

1600
01:26:28.399 --> 01:26:35.760
<v Speaker 2>equipment an absolute top, tier like, Amazing what did you.

1601
01:26:35.720 --> 01:26:39.000
<v Speaker 1>Think are the similarities in the differences between them and

1602
01:26:39.159 --> 01:26:40.119
<v Speaker 1>The American Marine.

1603
01:26:40.159 --> 01:26:46.600
<v Speaker 2>Corps, well they're still very much embedded into The. Navy

1604
01:26:47.000 --> 01:26:52.000
<v Speaker 2>one of the really weird things about the The british

1605
01:26:52.079 --> 01:26:54.760
<v Speaker 2>military on a whole is that their pay system is

1606
01:26:54.800 --> 01:26:58.640
<v Speaker 2>not the same across the board like in The american.

1607
01:26:58.640 --> 01:27:00.960
<v Speaker 2>Military if you are An ARMY e one or A

1608
01:27:01.000 --> 01:27:03.560
<v Speaker 2>Marine CORPS e one or An Air FORCE e, one

1609
01:27:03.640 --> 01:27:04.000
<v Speaker 2>you were.

1610
01:27:03.920 --> 01:27:06.800
<v Speaker 3>Getting the same amount of. Money that's not the case over.

1611
01:27:06.840 --> 01:27:07.560
<v Speaker 3>There it's.

1612
01:27:07.600 --> 01:27:11.119
<v Speaker 2>Different Their navy pay is different than Their army pay

1613
01:27:11.159 --> 01:27:13.720
<v Speaker 2>than it's different than Their Marine corps. Pay so that's

1614
01:27:13.760 --> 01:27:16.600
<v Speaker 2>the first thing that's. Weird they also don't have an

1615
01:27:16.720 --> 01:27:20.239
<v Speaker 2>up or out policy like we, do, right so you

1616
01:27:20.239 --> 01:27:23.000
<v Speaker 2>could potentially so they sign up For AND i could

1617
01:27:23.039 --> 01:27:24.800
<v Speaker 2>be getting this wrong because my memory is a little

1618
01:27:24.840 --> 01:27:27.479
<v Speaker 2>fuzzy these, days but you basically sign up for a

1619
01:27:27.479 --> 01:27:31.199
<v Speaker 2>twenty two year enlistment and you can leave after a certain,

1620
01:27:31.279 --> 01:27:34.119
<v Speaker 2>period but that's. It and you don't have to be

1621
01:27:34.239 --> 01:27:38.640
<v Speaker 2>promoted to stay in like you do in The american military.

1622
01:27:38.640 --> 01:27:42.920
<v Speaker 2>System so you could be a corporal of twenty. Years

1623
01:27:43.359 --> 01:27:46.479
<v Speaker 2>you just don't want the responsibility of, leading and you're

1624
01:27:46.600 --> 01:27:50.239
<v Speaker 2>quite happy to be at that. Rank that's a big, difference.

1625
01:27:50.319 --> 01:27:51.840
<v Speaker 3>AND i think that is.

1626
01:27:53.960 --> 01:27:59.840
<v Speaker 2>Very impactful on their leadership because just because you're upwardly

1627
01:28:00.079 --> 01:28:03.960
<v Speaker 2>mobile doesn't mean that you were necessarily ready for that next,

1628
01:28:04.800 --> 01:28:07.720
<v Speaker 2>Right SO i DON'T i don't think that you're promoting

1629
01:28:09.880 --> 01:28:12.720
<v Speaker 2>the right way when you do it like. That i'm

1630
01:28:12.760 --> 01:28:16.279
<v Speaker 2>sure there's reasons beyond WHAT i can see on the surface,

1631
01:28:16.359 --> 01:28:19.239
<v Speaker 2>level but those are some pretty pretty big glaring differences

1632
01:28:19.279 --> 01:28:21.439
<v Speaker 2>between our, military or at least Our Marine corps and.

1633
01:28:21.439 --> 01:28:27.000
<v Speaker 2>Theirs we want everybody to have the mantle of, leadership

1634
01:28:27.800 --> 01:28:30.399
<v Speaker 2>and you are going to do, it and you're probably

1635
01:28:30.399 --> 01:28:39.000
<v Speaker 2>gonna suck at, it but somebody will teach. You they're

1636
01:28:39.399 --> 01:28:42.520
<v Speaker 2>still in The department of The, navy and in almost

1637
01:28:42.560 --> 01:28:46.199
<v Speaker 2>all ways their Their navy controls their budget and their

1638
01:28:46.239 --> 01:28:50.159
<v Speaker 2>manpower and a lot of their other, things whereas in

1639
01:28:50.359 --> 01:28:53.119
<v Speaker 2>THE Us Marine. Corps, yeah we Say department of The,

1640
01:28:53.199 --> 01:28:55.439
<v Speaker 2>navy but that's really just something that's still.

1641
01:28:55.279 --> 01:28:57.960
<v Speaker 3>On the figurehead and the, walls and that's not the.

1642
01:28:57.960 --> 01:29:04.319
<v Speaker 2>CASE i would love to see The british, commander you,

1643
01:29:04.319 --> 01:29:09.239
<v Speaker 2>know The Royal marines sort of separate themselves in more

1644
01:29:09.279 --> 01:29:10.319
<v Speaker 2>ways from their.

1645
01:29:11.680 --> 01:29:14.399
<v Speaker 3>Parent. Service did you end up the point with?

1646
01:29:14.439 --> 01:29:14.640
<v Speaker 1>Them?

1647
01:29:15.039 --> 01:29:18.760
<v Speaker 2>NO i was at a training. Command, Okay so the

1648
01:29:18.800 --> 01:29:21.000
<v Speaker 2>way that the exchange program works is it's one of

1649
01:29:21.039 --> 01:29:24.119
<v Speaker 2>theirs in one of, ours and we. Swap so my

1650
01:29:24.359 --> 01:29:28.399
<v Speaker 2>counterpart went to a unit that was, deployable and he

1651
01:29:28.560 --> 01:29:31.239
<v Speaker 2>did get a chance to. Deploy INTEREST i would have

1652
01:29:31.319 --> 01:29:34.520
<v Speaker 2>loved to have to have gone over To iraq with those,

1653
01:29:34.520 --> 01:29:38.680
<v Speaker 2>folks but now it was a training and education, command

1654
01:29:38.720 --> 01:29:42.520
<v Speaker 2>SO i spent a decent amount of time teaching asymmetric

1655
01:29:42.560 --> 01:29:48.439
<v Speaker 2>warfare amphibious you, know, operations boat, driving, vbsss that kind of.

1656
01:29:48.479 --> 01:29:52.520
<v Speaker 1>Stuff yeah that's pretty. Cool yeah yeah uh in three

1657
01:29:52.600 --> 01:29:55.840
<v Speaker 1>years almost in THE. Uk, yeah that must have been.

1658
01:29:55.920 --> 01:30:00.279
<v Speaker 2>Fun yeah it. WAS i had a great place to.

1659
01:30:00.319 --> 01:30:02.840
<v Speaker 2>LIVE i had a two bedroom flat right on the.

1660
01:30:02.840 --> 01:30:05.359
<v Speaker 2>Water like you could jump off of my balcony into

1661
01:30:05.359 --> 01:30:07.239
<v Speaker 2>the ocean if you wanted. TO i don't recommend it

1662
01:30:07.239 --> 01:30:09.880
<v Speaker 2>as cold as, fuck but you could do. It and

1663
01:30:09.920 --> 01:30:12.079
<v Speaker 2>then it was right next to. Work SO i got

1664
01:30:12.119 --> 01:30:14.640
<v Speaker 2>up in the morning AND i walked next door to

1665
01:30:15.359 --> 01:30:19.600
<v Speaker 2>the training compound and it was. GREAT i WOULD i

1666
01:30:19.600 --> 01:30:22.600
<v Speaker 2>had two of my motorcycles went with. ME i tmoed

1667
01:30:22.640 --> 01:30:26.479
<v Speaker 2>him over. There SO i would regularly put a motorcycle

1668
01:30:26.520 --> 01:30:29.000
<v Speaker 2>on the ferry and go over To, france you, know

1669
01:30:29.199 --> 01:30:32.199
<v Speaker 2>and drive through the coast Of. Normandy OR i would

1670
01:30:32.199 --> 01:30:37.920
<v Speaker 2>go over To, ireland you, know and ride the motorcycle

1671
01:30:37.960 --> 01:30:41.680
<v Speaker 2>through the countryside Of, ireland and or go up To

1672
01:30:41.680 --> 01:30:46.239
<v Speaker 2>scotland and tore the. Distilleries so a lot of personal. Takeaways, yeah,

1673
01:30:46.319 --> 01:30:46.960
<v Speaker 2>yeah it, was it.

1674
01:30:47.000 --> 01:30:47.359
<v Speaker 1>Was it was.

1675
01:30:47.399 --> 01:30:49.239
<v Speaker 3>GREAT i had a good, time learned a.

1676
01:30:49.159 --> 01:30:53.239
<v Speaker 1>Lot and after that wrapped up and you got sent

1677
01:30:53.319 --> 01:30:57.279
<v Speaker 1>back to the Mother Marine. Corps, yea what was the

1678
01:30:57.319 --> 01:30:59.640
<v Speaker 1>next assignment for? You, well so that's WHEN i went

1679
01:30:59.680 --> 01:31:03.000
<v Speaker 1>To First. FORCE i was there for you, know about six,

1680
01:31:03.039 --> 01:31:13.119
<v Speaker 1>months and there was unfortunately a cabal of people who are, like,

1681
01:31:13.520 --> 01:31:17.239
<v Speaker 1>yeah that whole generation kill, Thing.

1682
01:31:18.319 --> 01:31:19.159
<v Speaker 3>You're not gonna be a good.

1683
01:31:19.159 --> 01:31:22.119
<v Speaker 2>Fit i'm, like you, KNOW i went to school with

1684
01:31:22.159 --> 01:31:23.760
<v Speaker 2>a lot of you, guys like we all went through

1685
01:31:23.760 --> 01:31:26.079
<v Speaker 2>the same. Pipeline we all tried to the same. Ground,

1686
01:31:27.000 --> 01:31:30.319
<v Speaker 2>again don't be a. Dick but, okay if that's your,

1687
01:31:30.359 --> 01:31:32.079
<v Speaker 2>attitude then that's.

1688
01:31:32.119 --> 01:31:34.000
<v Speaker 3>Fine.

1689
01:31:34.840 --> 01:31:37.319
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, SO i MEAN i just came back to the Mother,

1690
01:31:37.319 --> 01:31:43.159
<v Speaker 2>SHIP i reintegrated, myself tried to do it whatever was,

1691
01:31:43.199 --> 01:31:47.640
<v Speaker 2>asked whatever was, needed and then in short order found

1692
01:31:47.640 --> 01:31:50.680
<v Speaker 2>myself back At First Reconnaissance battalion getting ready to go

1693
01:31:50.840 --> 01:31:52.840
<v Speaker 2>back To iraq.

1694
01:31:53.119 --> 01:31:58.960
<v Speaker 1>Again how'd that? Go it was a little.

1695
01:31:59.039 --> 01:32:01.880
<v Speaker 2>Rough, yeah it was a little. ROUGH i mean WHEN

1696
01:32:01.920 --> 01:32:05.960
<v Speaker 2>i went To iraq and three it was the Wild.

1697
01:32:05.960 --> 01:32:08.319
<v Speaker 2>WEST i, mean we were in. Combat you. Know now

1698
01:32:08.359 --> 01:32:11.840
<v Speaker 2>it's like we have forward operating bases and there's gate.

1699
01:32:11.920 --> 01:32:13.199
<v Speaker 1>Cards what you're going TO spa.

1700
01:32:13.720 --> 01:32:17.920
<v Speaker 2>Seven So i'm In fallujah in seven and you, know

1701
01:32:18.039 --> 01:32:22.720
<v Speaker 2>this is oh, seven so none of the really horrible

1702
01:32:22.760 --> 01:32:26.319
<v Speaker 2>fighting that was taking place in four oh five six was.

1703
01:32:26.359 --> 01:32:28.960
<v Speaker 2>There it was, well we did combat operations and we

1704
01:32:29.000 --> 01:32:31.479
<v Speaker 2>got into some scrapes and but for the most, part

1705
01:32:31.520 --> 01:32:35.079
<v Speaker 2>it was like it's kind of WHAT i call peacetime,

1706
01:32:35.199 --> 01:32:42.000
<v Speaker 2>combat garrison. Combat it's, bureaucratic it's, administrative it's it's your

1707
01:32:42.039 --> 01:32:44.239
<v Speaker 2>hands are. Tied you, know you can't do, this and

1708
01:32:44.279 --> 01:32:46.479
<v Speaker 2>you can't do. That and we still went out and

1709
01:32:46.520 --> 01:32:50.039
<v Speaker 2>we did a lot of really WHAT i think is

1710
01:32:50.079 --> 01:32:51.960
<v Speaker 2>to be you, know good, work a lot of cordin and,

1711
01:32:52.000 --> 01:32:58.199
<v Speaker 2>clearing a lot of ied, stuff schwacked a lot of,

1712
01:32:58.279 --> 01:33:02.760
<v Speaker 2>dudes putting in roadside bomb and you, know found weapons

1713
01:33:02.800 --> 01:33:04.560
<v Speaker 2>caches and.

1714
01:33:04.039 --> 01:33:06.680
<v Speaker 3>All the stuff that we all. Did but it was

1715
01:33:06.760 --> 01:33:07.960
<v Speaker 3>also horribly.

1716
01:33:08.000 --> 01:33:11.920
<v Speaker 2>Bureaucratic it was you can't do, this you can't do,

1717
01:33:11.960 --> 01:33:13.640
<v Speaker 2>that and we got to ask permission to. This and

1718
01:33:14.560 --> 01:33:19.960
<v Speaker 2>this is this is where we had a zero injury.

1719
01:33:20.039 --> 01:33:23.199
<v Speaker 2>Mentality you, know we started loading these vehicles up that

1720
01:33:23.239 --> 01:33:24.439
<v Speaker 2>were never designed.

1721
01:33:24.119 --> 01:33:26.960
<v Speaker 3>For all of this armory with all this, stuff.

1722
01:33:26.680 --> 01:33:28.560
<v Speaker 2>And, like, oh you can't go, out you need you

1723
01:33:28.600 --> 01:33:33.399
<v Speaker 2>need full, Ppe LIKE i can't run with. This by the, Way,

1724
01:33:33.520 --> 01:33:37.800
<v Speaker 2>okay you put eighty pounds of armor on. Me IF

1725
01:33:37.840 --> 01:33:40.359
<v Speaker 2>i get into a, firefight how AM i supposed to

1726
01:33:40.439 --> 01:33:44.119
<v Speaker 2>maneuver or grab my friend who is shot AND i

1727
01:33:44.199 --> 01:33:44.840
<v Speaker 2>have to maneuver.

1728
01:33:44.920 --> 01:33:46.159
<v Speaker 3>Him this is.

1729
01:33:46.279 --> 01:33:50.880
<v Speaker 2>Stupid but somewhere along the, line we as a country

1730
01:33:50.920 --> 01:33:54.039
<v Speaker 2>decided we will not allow, casualties, like we're not having.

1731
01:33:54.079 --> 01:33:55.079
<v Speaker 3>It you.

1732
01:33:55.159 --> 01:33:56.640
<v Speaker 1>CAN'T i was looking pretty bad in the.

1733
01:33:56.760 --> 01:33:59.359
<v Speaker 3>Press, yeah, YEAH i can't fight a war that.

1734
01:33:59.399 --> 01:34:04.279
<v Speaker 2>Way did anyone not read A Soldier's load and The

1735
01:34:04.319 --> 01:34:08.520
<v Speaker 2>mobility of A? Nation BECAUSE i, did and you. Haven't

1736
01:34:08.560 --> 01:34:10.279
<v Speaker 2>CLEARLY i have that manual here.

1737
01:34:10.319 --> 01:34:12.119
<v Speaker 1>Somewhere actually it's a good.

1738
01:34:12.119 --> 01:34:12.680
<v Speaker 3>Book yeah.

1739
01:34:12.840 --> 01:34:18.520
<v Speaker 2>Yeah so the two thousand and seven deployment was very

1740
01:34:18.520 --> 01:34:21.399
<v Speaker 2>different for. ME i was also not a team. LEADER

1741
01:34:22.000 --> 01:34:25.319
<v Speaker 2>i was now a platoon, sergeant so, senior enlisted for

1742
01:34:25.399 --> 01:34:31.359
<v Speaker 2>twenty four, individuals AND i had a pretty shitty platoon.

1743
01:34:31.359 --> 01:34:36.199
<v Speaker 2>Commander yeah, yeah, yeah pretty. Shitty he was a last minute.

1744
01:34:36.199 --> 01:34:39.359
<v Speaker 2>Substitution the original one rotated back to The United states

1745
01:34:39.359 --> 01:34:45.279
<v Speaker 2>because his significant another had cancer and he's, Like i'm, out, okay,

1746
01:34:45.920 --> 01:34:49.880
<v Speaker 2>thanks and they substituted somebody else. In and this guy

1747
01:34:49.960 --> 01:34:51.119
<v Speaker 2>was a, douche a total.

1748
01:34:51.119 --> 01:34:54.760
<v Speaker 1>Douche did he come out of the recon community or,

1749
01:34:54.920 --> 01:34:59.039
<v Speaker 1>no he was, there but he had no reconnaissance and

1750
01:34:59.079 --> 01:34:59.960
<v Speaker 1>the officers typically.

1751
01:35:00.119 --> 01:35:05.760
<v Speaker 2>Don't usually their ground intelligence or aviation intelligence.

1752
01:35:05.800 --> 01:35:09.920
<v Speaker 1>Officers, OH i can see that being an, issue.

1753
01:35:10.039 --> 01:35:13.520
<v Speaker 2>Which for the most, part is not a big, deal

1754
01:35:13.920 --> 01:35:16.479
<v Speaker 2>because they understand the significance of the mission and the

1755
01:35:16.479 --> 01:35:19.159
<v Speaker 2>reconnaissance and they are mature enough for the most part

1756
01:35:19.199 --> 01:35:23.000
<v Speaker 2>to be, like this is your area of. Expertise i'll

1757
01:35:23.079 --> 01:35:25.279
<v Speaker 2>just sort of help muld you and point you in the.

1758
01:35:25.279 --> 01:35:27.680
<v Speaker 2>Direction you, know this guy was straight from the, infantry

1759
01:35:29.039 --> 01:35:32.960
<v Speaker 2>and he had some very didactic and rigid ideas, about you,

1760
01:35:33.000 --> 01:35:38.560
<v Speaker 2>know the way things should be, done like, okay, Okay.

1761
01:35:39.920 --> 01:35:42.439
<v Speaker 1>So how did that relationship end up working? Out not?

1762
01:35:42.520 --> 01:35:44.760
<v Speaker 3>Good not, good not.

1763
01:35:44.880 --> 01:35:50.000
<v Speaker 2>GOOD i also got into it with our first sergeant

1764
01:35:50.079 --> 01:35:51.680
<v Speaker 2>at the time a, lot.

1765
01:35:51.520 --> 01:35:56.279
<v Speaker 3>You, know LIKE i, said we.

1766
01:35:58.000 --> 01:36:00.279
<v Speaker 2>It's not THAT i FORGOT i was in The Marine.

1767
01:36:00.319 --> 01:36:03.720
<v Speaker 2>Corps it was just that the reconnaissance community had always

1768
01:36:03.760 --> 01:36:07.079
<v Speaker 2>been a little to the right of.

1769
01:36:07.199 --> 01:36:09.239
<v Speaker 3>Center you, know you have The.

1770
01:36:09.279 --> 01:36:14.079
<v Speaker 2>Marine corps rank and, file rigid like this is a

1771
01:36:14.119 --> 01:36:18.000
<v Speaker 2>marine and then over here you Have ricon Who i'm

1772
01:36:18.039 --> 01:36:23.720
<v Speaker 2>not saying shouldn't adhere to the, norm but by virtue

1773
01:36:23.760 --> 01:36:24.239
<v Speaker 2>of its.

1774
01:36:24.079 --> 01:36:26.359
<v Speaker 3>Mission, set doesn't they have to adapt a little bit

1775
01:36:26.439 --> 01:36:26.720
<v Speaker 3>a little.

1776
01:36:26.720 --> 01:36:29.880
<v Speaker 2>Bit AND i had a couple of individuals in the

1777
01:36:29.920 --> 01:36:32.479
<v Speaker 2>chain of command that were, Like, nope this is the

1778
01:36:32.520 --> 01:36:32.880
<v Speaker 2>way we do.

1779
01:36:32.960 --> 01:36:35.880
<v Speaker 3>Business that's not how we do.

1780
01:36:35.960 --> 01:36:38.960
<v Speaker 2>It i'll do it that way because all of you outrank,

1781
01:36:39.079 --> 01:36:42.760
<v Speaker 2>me but fuck, you this is not how we do. It, so,

1782
01:36:42.880 --> 01:36:45.600
<v Speaker 2>yeah there was some. Contention we did not get. Along

1783
01:36:48.439 --> 01:36:50.279
<v Speaker 2>we made it. THROUGH i made it through the, deployment,

1784
01:36:50.359 --> 01:36:55.960
<v Speaker 2>clearly but it wasn't. Fun it wasn't. Enjoyable, yeah it felt.

1785
01:36:55.960 --> 01:37:00.199
<v Speaker 3>Hamstrung it sounds, like, YEAH i, WAS i, Was i'm.

1786
01:37:00.239 --> 01:37:03.880
<v Speaker 3>STRONG i was really just ready for it to be.

1787
01:37:03.960 --> 01:37:04.960
<v Speaker 1>Over, yeah.

1788
01:37:05.119 --> 01:37:06.079
<v Speaker 3>Yep how?

1789
01:37:06.119 --> 01:37:06.960
<v Speaker 1>Long how long was that?

1790
01:37:07.000 --> 01:37:09.840
<v Speaker 3>Deployment seven eight?

1791
01:37:09.880 --> 01:37:11.600
<v Speaker 1>Months, yeah it's a long, time.

1792
01:37:11.640 --> 01:37:12.880
<v Speaker 3>It, Is, yeah it.

1793
01:37:12.920 --> 01:37:16.760
<v Speaker 2>Is and again it's It's Camp, fallujah and everything had

1794
01:37:16.800 --> 01:37:21.680
<v Speaker 2>just been like all of the fun of war was

1795
01:37:21.720 --> 01:37:24.439
<v Speaker 2>stripped away because you, know you're living in a pod

1796
01:37:25.279 --> 01:37:32.000
<v Speaker 2>and there's a dining facility and there's all these rules

1797
01:37:32.039 --> 01:37:33.079
<v Speaker 2>about well this.

1798
01:37:33.039 --> 01:37:34.720
<v Speaker 1>Has to be, done and how you can use the,

1799
01:37:34.760 --> 01:37:36.600
<v Speaker 1>shower what you have to have with you when you

1800
01:37:36.640 --> 01:37:38.399
<v Speaker 1>go to the chow, hall and all this weird.

1801
01:37:38.439 --> 01:37:40.920
<v Speaker 2>Stuff i'm like this is not WHAT i remember of

1802
01:37:41.159 --> 01:37:44.239
<v Speaker 2>Three and for me to go from that period and

1803
01:37:44.279 --> 01:37:47.439
<v Speaker 2>really be away from The Marine corps In england while

1804
01:37:47.520 --> 01:37:49.439
<v Speaker 2>all of this other stuff was going on and now

1805
01:37:49.520 --> 01:37:53.159
<v Speaker 2>reintegrated with, IT i haven't got a platoon commander THAT

1806
01:37:53.239 --> 01:37:56.119
<v Speaker 2>i can't, stand And i've got some other people in

1807
01:37:56.159 --> 01:37:59.159
<v Speaker 2>the chain of command that are difficult and prickly to work.

1808
01:37:59.199 --> 01:38:00.640
<v Speaker 3>With was just not a good.

1809
01:38:00.640 --> 01:38:05.359
<v Speaker 1>Experience, YEAH i recall that kind of being difficult because you're,

1810
01:38:05.399 --> 01:38:08.319
<v Speaker 1>like maybe it's a sense of, entitlement but also it's

1811
01:38:08.359 --> 01:38:11.720
<v Speaker 1>just culture shock that you're doing these like combat operations

1812
01:38:11.920 --> 01:38:13.800
<v Speaker 1>and then you come back to THE fob and there's

1813
01:38:13.880 --> 01:38:16.479
<v Speaker 1>like a whole one page print out of the rules

1814
01:38:16.479 --> 01:38:18.840
<v Speaker 1>of how you're allowed to use the coffee. Maker it's,

1815
01:38:18.880 --> 01:38:20.920
<v Speaker 1>like this is feels, weird you, know.

1816
01:38:21.279 --> 01:38:26.760
<v Speaker 2>It, does AND i think somewhere along the way we

1817
01:38:26.880 --> 01:38:32.199
<v Speaker 2>just industrialized the whole process of. Fighting, yeah The Marine

1818
01:38:32.199 --> 01:38:35.199
<v Speaker 2>corps does not do peacekeeping very. Well The army doesn't.

1819
01:38:35.239 --> 01:38:37.199
<v Speaker 2>Either in, Fact i'll go so far as to Say,

1820
01:38:37.239 --> 01:38:41.199
<v Speaker 2>america we just. Don't and that's what we were trying to.

1821
01:38:41.239 --> 01:38:44.680
<v Speaker 2>Do you, know you're fighting this asymmetric warfare at the

1822
01:38:44.720 --> 01:38:48.199
<v Speaker 2>same time we're trying to help the transitional government Of,

1823
01:38:48.239 --> 01:38:49.880
<v Speaker 2>iraq and it was just.

1824
01:38:50.960 --> 01:38:53.840
<v Speaker 1>When the MP's are handing out speeding tickets on the. Fobs,

1825
01:38:54.199 --> 01:38:56.600
<v Speaker 1>yeah it's kind of, like what are we doing, here,

1826
01:38:56.640 --> 01:38:57.880
<v Speaker 1>guys what are we?

1827
01:38:57.920 --> 01:39:01.199
<v Speaker 3>Doing oh in the road, GUARD i don't want to talk.

1828
01:39:01.199 --> 01:39:05.079
<v Speaker 1>About, yeah, yeah fucking road. Guard that was like a huge.

1829
01:39:05.119 --> 01:39:09.600
<v Speaker 1>Preoccupation so, YEAH i mean THAT'S i know exactly what

1830
01:39:09.680 --> 01:39:10.159
<v Speaker 1>you're talking.

1831
01:39:10.199 --> 01:39:14.159
<v Speaker 3>About uh and so what uh.

1832
01:39:13.840 --> 01:39:15.680
<v Speaker 1>Where did you land after That iraq.

1833
01:39:15.760 --> 01:39:22.720
<v Speaker 2>Deployment back At First, RECON I i took over as

1834
01:39:22.840 --> 01:39:27.560
<v Speaker 2>the headquarters And service company, Gunny SO i was the

1835
01:39:27.600 --> 01:39:31.479
<v Speaker 2>company gunny FOR h AND. S i did that for

1836
01:39:31.560 --> 01:39:34.199
<v Speaker 2>a little while and then got another platoon and this

1837
01:39:34.279 --> 01:39:36.760
<v Speaker 2>time we were going to go on. Ship SO i

1838
01:39:36.880 --> 01:39:42.920
<v Speaker 2>was a platoon sergeant for A, mew which coincidentally would

1839
01:39:42.960 --> 01:39:44.239
<v Speaker 2>be my last would be my.

1840
01:39:44.319 --> 01:39:46.199
<v Speaker 1>Last that's pretty. COOL i, mean that's pretty rare to

1841
01:39:46.239 --> 01:39:48.680
<v Speaker 1>get multiple, platoons.

1842
01:39:48.359 --> 01:39:51.359
<v Speaker 2>Right, yeah it is at least multiple deploying. Platoons So

1843
01:39:51.520 --> 01:39:56.199
<v Speaker 2>i've HAD i think total five, mews Five Marine Expeditionary unit,

1844
01:39:56.239 --> 01:39:58.960
<v Speaker 2>deployments which are all you, know on, ship AND i

1845
01:39:59.199 --> 01:40:03.399
<v Speaker 2>during that five held every position that you could, have

1846
01:40:04.079 --> 01:40:05.399
<v Speaker 2>so it book ended it very very.

1847
01:40:05.479 --> 01:40:09.000
<v Speaker 1>Nicely, yeah oh you guys were back in The. Pacific, Yep,

1848
01:40:09.359 --> 01:40:10.680
<v Speaker 1>yeah yeah it.

1849
01:40:10.800 --> 01:40:14.319
<v Speaker 2>Was that was a great deployment AND i did some

1850
01:40:14.439 --> 01:40:16.560
<v Speaker 2>things on that deployment THAT i had never been able

1851
01:40:16.560 --> 01:40:18.359
<v Speaker 2>to do, before didn't even know we.

1852
01:40:18.399 --> 01:40:20.920
<v Speaker 3>Could we went to went To.

1853
01:40:20.960 --> 01:40:27.319
<v Speaker 2>MALAYSIA i spent like a week in the jungle with

1854
01:40:27.439 --> 01:40:32.960
<v Speaker 2>Their malaysian, recons just just living on the land and

1855
01:40:33.000 --> 01:40:37.039
<v Speaker 2>eating monkey and squatting over rice and it was it

1856
01:40:37.119 --> 01:40:40.960
<v Speaker 2>was fucking. Cool, yeah that was really. Cool kuwait and

1857
01:40:41.319 --> 01:40:42.079
<v Speaker 2>did a bunch of other.

1858
01:40:42.119 --> 01:40:44.720
<v Speaker 3>Stuff, yeah it was. Fun we had a lot of. Fun.

1859
01:40:45.319 --> 01:40:53.359
<v Speaker 1>Yeah and eventually they sent you to airborne, school yes for.

1860
01:40:53.479 --> 01:40:55.600
<v Speaker 3>Betting so, okay.

1861
01:40:56.880 --> 01:41:00.439
<v Speaker 2>That decision was made WHILE i was on the way

1862
01:41:00.479 --> 01:41:08.439
<v Speaker 2>home from ship on that. Meal at that, Time Fort

1863
01:41:08.520 --> 01:41:14.359
<v Speaker 2>benning was where you sent the like your ship, birds

1864
01:41:14.399 --> 01:41:19.399
<v Speaker 2>you're the people on the nowhere else to, go like

1865
01:41:19.479 --> 01:41:25.640
<v Speaker 2>four years man as a, marine especially as a recomery

1866
01:41:25.800 --> 01:41:29.239
<v Speaker 2>like oh, Wow SO i called up the, monitor and

1867
01:41:29.319 --> 01:41:31.199
<v Speaker 2>the monitor is the person in The Marine corps who

1868
01:41:31.319 --> 01:41:35.359
<v Speaker 2>sends people to their. Jobs like they have the big

1869
01:41:35.439 --> 01:41:38.479
<v Speaker 2>chess board and they're, like this person's up for. Reassignment

1870
01:41:38.479 --> 01:41:40.319
<v Speaker 2>where DO i need this person And i'm AN e,

1871
01:41:40.479 --> 01:41:44.560
<v Speaker 2>seven So i'm not cannon. Fodder i'm gonna pick UP e.

1872
01:41:44.560 --> 01:41:47.319
<v Speaker 3>Eight so the.

1873
01:41:47.239 --> 01:41:50.159
<v Speaker 2>MONITOR i had a good relationship with the, individual and

1874
01:41:50.800 --> 01:41:53.880
<v Speaker 2>HE i see the orders come across the. Computer i'm

1875
01:41:53.880 --> 01:41:57.720
<v Speaker 2>on ship And i'm, like oh. No so the first

1876
01:41:57.800 --> 01:41:59.760
<v Speaker 2>CHANCE i, GOT i picked up the phone AND i call.

1877
01:41:59.880 --> 01:42:04.079
<v Speaker 2>Him it was a very short, conversation BUT i basically,

1878
01:42:04.119 --> 01:42:07.560
<v Speaker 2>said right off the bat LIKE i know THAT i

1879
01:42:07.640 --> 01:42:09.920
<v Speaker 2>have ruffled, feathers BUT i had no IDEA i was

1880
01:42:09.960 --> 01:42:10.560
<v Speaker 2>this much of a.

1881
01:42:10.600 --> 01:42:12.239
<v Speaker 3>Shipbird and he, said slow.

1882
01:42:12.319 --> 01:42:16.319
<v Speaker 2>DOWN i am not sending you To Fort benning because

1883
01:42:16.359 --> 01:42:18.640
<v Speaker 2>you have done anything, wrong because you have not had

1884
01:42:18.640 --> 01:42:20.520
<v Speaker 2>a good, career because you are not in a.

1885
01:42:20.560 --> 01:42:24.680
<v Speaker 3>FIT i need the, opposite he. Said we have been sending.

1886
01:42:24.399 --> 01:42:27.560
<v Speaker 2>The worst of our worst To Fort benning and we

1887
01:42:27.640 --> 01:42:30.520
<v Speaker 2>cannot do it anymore because it's given The core a,

1888
01:42:30.600 --> 01:42:32.760
<v Speaker 2>bit it's given The corps a bad, name and we

1889
01:42:32.840 --> 01:42:37.000
<v Speaker 2>have not had good mentorship and leadership At Fort. Benning

1890
01:42:37.399 --> 01:42:40.279
<v Speaker 2>so if you don't, know The Marine corps had a

1891
01:42:40.359 --> 01:42:43.600
<v Speaker 2>presence On Fort benning Since World War. Two it is

1892
01:42:43.640 --> 01:42:46.119
<v Speaker 2>an agreement we made with The army way back In

1893
01:42:46.199 --> 01:42:50.560
<v Speaker 2>World War, two which basically, says we will allow The

1894
01:42:50.600 --> 01:42:53.319
<v Speaker 2>Marine corps to go through our parachute, school but in,

1895
01:42:53.359 --> 01:42:56.960
<v Speaker 2>return we want one or two of Your marines to help.

1896
01:42:57.039 --> 01:43:01.640
<v Speaker 2>Teach so the reconnaissance community is really the only people

1897
01:43:01.800 --> 01:43:04.800
<v Speaker 2>that are born that are airborne, qualified so it inevitably

1898
01:43:04.840 --> 01:43:07.720
<v Speaker 2>stands to reason that the instructors would be from that.

1899
01:43:07.800 --> 01:43:10.920
<v Speaker 1>Community one of my ris On benning was a staff

1900
01:43:10.920 --> 01:43:11.720
<v Speaker 1>sergeant in The Marine.

1901
01:43:11.720 --> 01:43:15.720
<v Speaker 2>Corps and it's not just The airborne. School so we

1902
01:43:15.760 --> 01:43:19.199
<v Speaker 2>Have Infantry mortar leaders course. There we Have, pathfinder we

1903
01:43:19.239 --> 01:43:23.279
<v Speaker 2>have Jump, master we Have Ranger. School there are air

1904
01:43:23.319 --> 01:43:25.960
<v Speaker 2>assault schools. There Fort benning has a lot of. Schools

1905
01:43:26.319 --> 01:43:29.119
<v Speaker 2>each one of those schools has a marine on the.

1906
01:43:29.159 --> 01:43:32.880
<v Speaker 2>Staff all of those individuals have to be shepherded by.

1907
01:43:32.880 --> 01:43:36.560
<v Speaker 2>Somebody that's what he was asking me to. Do And i'm, Like,

1908
01:43:36.680 --> 01:43:40.279
<v Speaker 2>OKAY i hate, you BUT i will go do.

1909
01:43:40.399 --> 01:43:44.119
<v Speaker 3>This AND i. Did Fort.

1910
01:43:44.119 --> 01:43:48.399
<v Speaker 2>Benning, well it's an interesting, tour you, know from having worked.

1911
01:43:48.399 --> 01:43:52.319
<v Speaker 2>THERE i was part of The Marine. DETACHMENT i was

1912
01:43:52.359 --> 01:43:57.279
<v Speaker 2>The infantry operations chief for The Marine detachment and it

1913
01:43:57.319 --> 01:43:58.560
<v Speaker 2>was very, small there was only twelve of.

1914
01:43:58.600 --> 01:44:01.560
<v Speaker 3>Us it. Grew there was a.

1915
01:44:01.479 --> 01:44:07.399
<v Speaker 2>Time where The tank school that used to be At

1916
01:44:08.680 --> 01:44:12.800
<v Speaker 2>knox was bracked. Closed they put all of that structure

1917
01:44:12.800 --> 01:44:15.840
<v Speaker 2>At Fort. Benning Fort benning changes from The Maneuver center

1918
01:44:15.880 --> 01:44:18.239
<v Speaker 2>of Our Infantry center Of excellence to The Maneuver center

1919
01:44:18.279 --> 01:44:20.840
<v Speaker 2>Of excellence doesn't. Matter so Now Marine corps tanks are.

1920
01:44:20.840 --> 01:44:23.840
<v Speaker 2>There and we went from a twelve twelve individual mom

1921
01:44:23.880 --> 01:44:26.920
<v Speaker 2>and pop detachment to, oh we have ninety people here

1922
01:44:26.960 --> 01:44:28.479
<v Speaker 2>now and that was.

1923
01:44:28.520 --> 01:44:35.840
<v Speaker 1>Interesting, yeah and how was it providing that, coaching teaching

1924
01:44:35.840 --> 01:44:39.680
<v Speaker 1>and mentoring to young marines marines coming through airborne.

1925
01:44:39.720 --> 01:44:43.600
<v Speaker 2>School SO i spent a year as a static line

1926
01:44:43.720 --> 01:44:45.920
<v Speaker 2>jump master instructor and that was the first thing THAT i.

1927
01:44:45.960 --> 01:44:46.520
<v Speaker 1>Did, okay that's.

1928
01:44:46.560 --> 01:44:46.760
<v Speaker 3>Cool.

1929
01:44:46.800 --> 01:44:49.399
<v Speaker 2>Yeah after, THAT i went into the office and was

1930
01:44:49.520 --> 01:44:52.439
<v Speaker 2>just you, know permanently in the office as the.

1931
01:44:54.199 --> 01:44:55.119
<v Speaker 3>Operations chief.

1932
01:44:55.239 --> 01:44:58.800
<v Speaker 2>Essentially so part of the duties and responsibilities would be

1933
01:44:58.800 --> 01:45:03.600
<v Speaker 2>too talk to The marines when they showed up for

1934
01:45:03.600 --> 01:45:05.720
<v Speaker 2>the Basic Airborne school or marines that were showing up

1935
01:45:05.720 --> 01:45:07.319
<v Speaker 2>For Ranger, school or it didn't matter.

1936
01:45:07.359 --> 01:45:09.279
<v Speaker 3>What, LIKE i would be the guy that come. BY

1937
01:45:10.760 --> 01:45:11.439
<v Speaker 3>i was a master.

1938
01:45:11.560 --> 01:45:14.000
<v Speaker 2>SERGEANT i picked Up Master sergeant so e eight halfway

1939
01:45:14.039 --> 01:45:15.520
<v Speaker 2>through that, tour AND i would just be you, know

1940
01:45:15.920 --> 01:45:19.279
<v Speaker 2>let's talk a little bit, there young, sergeant so welcome

1941
01:45:19.279 --> 01:45:22.600
<v Speaker 2>to the. Army you were going to be called. Sergeant

1942
01:45:22.760 --> 01:45:24.439
<v Speaker 2>whether you're AN e five or an.

1943
01:45:24.319 --> 01:45:25.800
<v Speaker 3>Eat they all get called.

1944
01:45:25.800 --> 01:45:30.159
<v Speaker 2>Guy, yeah, yeah, Yeah i'd Make i'd make one correction

1945
01:45:30.199 --> 01:45:32.479
<v Speaker 2>today that was my quota as AN e eight or

1946
01:45:32.520 --> 01:45:35.119
<v Speaker 2>AN e. Seven at that, time a lot of the

1947
01:45:35.239 --> 01:45:38.079
<v Speaker 2>soldiers would refer to me as. Sergeant i'm, like not

1948
01:45:38.119 --> 01:45:40.800
<v Speaker 2>a fucking. Sergeant i'm a gunnery sergeant or a master.

1949
01:45:40.800 --> 01:45:43.279
<v Speaker 2>Surgant but one correction today after, THAT i reached my,

1950
01:45:43.359 --> 01:45:47.000
<v Speaker 2>quota AND i would just like help manage. Expectations there

1951
01:45:47.000 --> 01:45:50.319
<v Speaker 2>were a lot Of marines that would come through the

1952
01:45:50.359 --> 01:45:53.680
<v Speaker 2>schools and uh As. Marines for, example we don't wear

1953
01:45:53.720 --> 01:45:54.960
<v Speaker 2>A pt gear in the mess.

1954
01:45:54.960 --> 01:45:56.039
<v Speaker 3>Hall we just.

1955
01:45:56.079 --> 01:46:00.880
<v Speaker 2>Don't it's horribly. Forbidden nobody would ever think to do.

1956
01:46:00.960 --> 01:46:04.920
<v Speaker 2>That but in the army after, whatever you're gonna go

1957
01:46:05.000 --> 01:46:08.199
<v Speaker 2>eat in. Ptgear and so sometimes you'd have an over

1958
01:46:08.359 --> 01:46:11.600
<v Speaker 2>zealous staff sergeant like everyone's going back to change And

1959
01:46:11.640 --> 01:46:14.000
<v Speaker 2>i'd have to be, listen, dude they can't do. That

1960
01:46:14.119 --> 01:46:16.439
<v Speaker 2>there's a, schedule they don't have time for. That just

1961
01:46:16.640 --> 01:46:19.960
<v Speaker 2>leave the little guys. Alone things like, that or you,

1962
01:46:20.000 --> 01:46:24.199
<v Speaker 2>know there WAS i don't even know IF i should say.

1963
01:46:24.199 --> 01:46:28.039
<v Speaker 2>This there was a senior enlisted marine who failed the

1964
01:46:28.039 --> 01:46:30.239
<v Speaker 2>physical fitness test for the basic airborne.

1965
01:46:30.279 --> 01:46:33.399
<v Speaker 3>Course, yikes, yeah it was.

1966
01:46:33.439 --> 01:46:37.760
<v Speaker 2>Good he didn't lied to his parent unit and said

1967
01:46:37.760 --> 01:46:41.199
<v Speaker 2>that he didn't, fail that there was an administrative, error

1968
01:46:41.359 --> 01:46:44.000
<v Speaker 2>that he was being recycled to the next. Class SO

1969
01:46:44.039 --> 01:46:47.039
<v Speaker 2>i had the unpleasant conversation with his unit to, say,

1970
01:46:47.199 --> 01:46:49.199
<v Speaker 2>yeah that's that's not what.

1971
01:46:49.319 --> 01:46:51.439
<v Speaker 3>Happened he didn't come.

1972
01:46:51.479 --> 01:46:55.479
<v Speaker 1>Back oddly, ENOUGH i always found The marines going through

1973
01:46:55.520 --> 01:46:57.600
<v Speaker 1>those schools to be pretty squared. AWAY i think it

1974
01:46:57.680 --> 01:47:00.760
<v Speaker 1>might have been the skills that needed adults suit. Provision they,

1975
01:47:00.760 --> 01:47:04.279
<v Speaker 1>did and they stopped going through that sea back.

1976
01:47:04.079 --> 01:47:05.319
<v Speaker 3>In the, day.

1977
01:47:06.600 --> 01:47:09.359
<v Speaker 1>You. REMEMBER i don't know if this was still going,

1978
01:47:09.399 --> 01:47:11.800
<v Speaker 1>On and it sounds so bizarre to say this out.

1979
01:47:11.840 --> 01:47:14.239
<v Speaker 1>Loud people watching this are probably, like what the. Hell

1980
01:47:14.479 --> 01:47:18.039
<v Speaker 1>when we went through airborne, school they would like check

1981
01:47:18.319 --> 01:47:21.720
<v Speaker 1>to make sure that you weren't wearing underwear under your

1982
01:47:21.760 --> 01:47:25.600
<v Speaker 1>pts because they're, like we have to monitor how hot

1983
01:47:25.720 --> 01:47:29.920
<v Speaker 1>or over heat exhaustion or something like, that and so

1984
01:47:30.119 --> 01:47:33.640
<v Speaker 1>they would do these like random underwear spot checks on.

1985
01:47:33.880 --> 01:47:37.880
<v Speaker 1>Guys and one of the seals decided to wear lingerie

1986
01:47:38.239 --> 01:47:42.760
<v Speaker 1>underneath HIS pts one, day so they check. It he's

1987
01:47:42.800 --> 01:47:45.000
<v Speaker 1>wearing like a thong From victoria's secret or.

1988
01:47:45.039 --> 01:47:50.199
<v Speaker 2>SOMETHING i went through The Basic Airborne course as a,

1989
01:47:50.279 --> 01:47:52.840
<v Speaker 2>STUDENT i want to, say in two thousand and. Two

1990
01:47:53.359 --> 01:47:54.800
<v Speaker 2>it was one of the first THINGS i did After,

1991
01:47:54.840 --> 01:48:00.279
<v Speaker 2>afghanistan and then Free fall school the next, year and

1992
01:48:00.880 --> 01:48:03.279
<v Speaker 2>we went through and there were still seals, there and

1993
01:48:03.359 --> 01:48:05.960
<v Speaker 2>it was, LIKE i look back now AND i think to,

1994
01:48:06.000 --> 01:48:08.680
<v Speaker 2>myself what a freaking joke it.

1995
01:48:08.720 --> 01:48:09.399
<v Speaker 3>Must have been for those.

1996
01:48:09.479 --> 01:48:12.640
<v Speaker 2>Guys, yeah absolutely to finish buts and be like, really,

1997
01:48:12.720 --> 01:48:17.680
<v Speaker 2>yeah this and they've proven clearly because they're They're parachute

1998
01:48:17.680 --> 01:48:20.279
<v Speaker 2>school is one week now that it doesn't take three Weeks.

1999
01:48:21.199 --> 01:48:22.600
<v Speaker 3>Yeah to jump out of the. Plane.

2000
01:48:22.760 --> 01:48:25.239
<v Speaker 1>Yeah that really feels like a relic of like The

2001
01:48:25.239 --> 01:48:28.720
<v Speaker 1>World War. Two it so. Does and and there were complaints.

2002
01:48:28.760 --> 01:48:30.399
<v Speaker 1>Too IS i remember as we were getting out of

2003
01:48:30.439 --> 01:48:33.399
<v Speaker 1>the army they were trying to change things because you

2004
01:48:33.439 --> 01:48:36.319
<v Speaker 1>remember to do a, jump a training, jump that's an

2005
01:48:36.319 --> 01:48:38.239
<v Speaker 1>old day. Event, yeah to come in and do your

2006
01:48:38.239 --> 01:48:44.439
<v Speaker 1>sustained airborne, training drop parachutes, jpips go down to the

2007
01:48:44.439 --> 01:48:47.319
<v Speaker 1>hangar rig. Up, yeah it's like a full day. Event it's,

2008
01:48:47.319 --> 01:48:48.199
<v Speaker 1>like doesn't really need to.

2009
01:48:48.199 --> 01:48:49.680
<v Speaker 3>Be it's a lot of.

2010
01:48:49.760 --> 01:48:55.960
<v Speaker 2>Work AND i gotta SAY i still think, tactically well,

2011
01:48:56.079 --> 01:48:58.680
<v Speaker 2>strategically does an airborne unit have?

2012
01:48:59.279 --> 01:49:03.840
<v Speaker 3>Worth? Yes but less and. LESS i, mean if you

2013
01:49:03.920 --> 01:49:04.800
<v Speaker 3>think about.

2014
01:49:04.640 --> 01:49:08.079
<v Speaker 2>What the need for the eighty Second airborne, is AND

2015
01:49:08.119 --> 01:49:11.039
<v Speaker 2>i say that with all due respect to those, individuals

2016
01:49:11.039 --> 01:49:14.560
<v Speaker 2>but can you envision a battlefield where we would need

2017
01:49:14.600 --> 01:49:19.199
<v Speaker 2>to parachute and hold ground and hold in season airfield

2018
01:49:19.199 --> 01:49:23.079
<v Speaker 2>for Fallow on forces in twenty twenty six with what

2019
01:49:23.199 --> 01:49:26.319
<v Speaker 2>we know about taking place In ukraine and the drone

2020
01:49:26.359 --> 01:49:32.239
<v Speaker 2>threat that is permeated. WARFARE i don't, KNOW i don't.

2021
01:49:32.279 --> 01:49:35.039
<v Speaker 2>Know maybe, yeah, WELL i mean this is.

2022
01:49:35.079 --> 01:49:37.239
<v Speaker 1>Sacriligious but you also have to, ask, like do we

2023
01:49:37.279 --> 01:49:40.399
<v Speaker 1>really need all of these guys who are free fall

2024
01:49:40.560 --> 01:49:44.640
<v Speaker 1>and dive? Qualified, Yeah, like you, know the amount of

2025
01:49:44.640 --> 01:49:47.239
<v Speaker 1>people that we qualify on it versus how many combat

2026
01:49:47.319 --> 01:49:50.880
<v Speaker 1>jumps we've done during the. War how many combat dives

2027
01:49:50.880 --> 01:49:51.720
<v Speaker 1>have we done during the?

2028
01:49:51.720 --> 01:49:54.760
<v Speaker 2>WAR i, Mean AND i spent the bulk of my

2029
01:49:54.880 --> 01:49:57.720
<v Speaker 2>time In recon on the dive, team you. Know SO

2030
01:49:57.800 --> 01:49:59.720
<v Speaker 2>i went to dive school in ninety seven AND i

2031
01:49:59.760 --> 01:50:03.960
<v Speaker 2>spent the next god knows how many years diving with

2032
01:50:04.199 --> 01:50:07.000
<v Speaker 2>all manner of equipment and like the same thing that

2033
01:50:07.039 --> 01:50:09.840
<v Speaker 2>you trained me to, do there's now an autonomous system

2034
01:50:09.840 --> 01:50:14.479
<v Speaker 2>that can do better without any. Risk so you're. RIGHT

2035
01:50:14.560 --> 01:50:18.520
<v Speaker 2>i don't know if it's really required. ANYMORE i think

2036
01:50:18.560 --> 01:50:21.960
<v Speaker 2>The Marine corps sees it because they're drastically changing what

2037
01:50:22.039 --> 01:50:24.159
<v Speaker 2>their units are going to look.

2038
01:50:24.239 --> 01:50:29.399
<v Speaker 1>Like. Yeah in somewhere around this, timeframe when is The

2039
01:50:29.720 --> 01:50:32.239
<v Speaker 1>Generation kill was turned INTO hbo.

2040
01:50:32.039 --> 01:50:33.079
<v Speaker 3>Series two thousand and.

2041
01:50:33.119 --> 01:50:34.760
<v Speaker 1>Eight, yeah so it's around this.

2042
01:50:34.840 --> 01:50:38.199
<v Speaker 2>Timeframe did you get kind of hit a second time

2043
01:50:38.279 --> 01:50:41.760
<v Speaker 2>by THE i? DID i did this Time it is

2044
01:50:41.880 --> 01:50:45.840
<v Speaker 2>not as pejorative as it was in three because he

2045
01:50:45.920 --> 01:50:48.439
<v Speaker 2>wrote those three articles and then it was turned into a.

2046
01:50:48.479 --> 01:50:52.520
<v Speaker 2>Book that book was optioned BY. Hbo NOW hbo is producing.

2047
01:50:52.520 --> 01:50:54.960
<v Speaker 2>It So i'm In fallujah IN o seven and the

2048
01:50:55.039 --> 01:50:57.920
<v Speaker 2>series is in production and then comes out IN o.

2049
01:50:58.039 --> 01:51:02.119
<v Speaker 2>Eight SO i come back from that seven deployment almost

2050
01:51:02.199 --> 01:51:06.960
<v Speaker 2>to the first episode being released. ALMOST i helped a

2051
01:51:06.960 --> 01:51:10.000
<v Speaker 2>little bit in post, production did some technical advising on the,

2052
01:51:10.039 --> 01:51:14.880
<v Speaker 2>show you, know made some trips To hollywood And Corror bank,

2053
01:51:14.920 --> 01:51:18.560
<v Speaker 2>actually and did some. Work Met David, simon met who

2054
01:51:19.000 --> 01:51:21.800
<v Speaker 2>at that time was very well or, sorry it was

2055
01:51:21.880 --> 01:51:24.720
<v Speaker 2>Unknown alexander right, like hung out with him for.

2056
01:51:24.600 --> 01:51:26.279
<v Speaker 3>A, while did some press. Stuff BUT.

2057
01:51:28.119 --> 01:51:31.359
<v Speaker 2>I didn't really get hit with the negative. SIDE i

2058
01:51:31.399 --> 01:51:34.279
<v Speaker 2>did get hit with a lot of just the other,

2059
01:51:34.399 --> 01:51:39.399
<v Speaker 2>side the love the show or love the, book or you, know.

2060
01:51:40.880 --> 01:51:41.199
<v Speaker 3>Did this?

2061
01:51:41.279 --> 01:51:43.760
<v Speaker 2>Happen did that? Happen did he really say? This what

2062
01:51:43.840 --> 01:51:46.960
<v Speaker 2>did you think? Of Captain? America and a lot of

2063
01:51:46.960 --> 01:51:50.039
<v Speaker 2>these guys at that time were still, in they were still,

2064
01:51:50.359 --> 01:51:54.439
<v Speaker 2>around and they were, Like i'm not gonna slander or

2065
01:51:54.520 --> 01:51:58.000
<v Speaker 2>bad mouth or say one thing or. Another he's over,

2066
01:51:58.039 --> 01:52:02.359
<v Speaker 2>there you can go ask. HIM i learned my, lesson you,

2067
01:52:02.399 --> 01:52:04.880
<v Speaker 2>know there was a bulk of time between three and

2068
01:52:05.239 --> 01:52:08.199
<v Speaker 2>eight for me to be, like, Yeah i'm, Wiser i'm,

2069
01:52:08.279 --> 01:52:11.880
<v Speaker 2>OLDER i am going to handle this one differently this. Time,

2070
01:52:12.079 --> 01:52:14.960
<v Speaker 2>SO i, mean discretion was definitely the better part Of.

2071
01:52:15.039 --> 01:52:19.880
<v Speaker 1>Valor was it a little surreal seeing those experiences on the? Screen?

2072
01:52:20.119 --> 01:52:27.600
<v Speaker 2>Yes, YES i read the scripts early. On the technical

2073
01:52:27.640 --> 01:52:30.520
<v Speaker 2>advisor on that series was a good friend of. Mine

2074
01:52:32.279 --> 01:52:35.279
<v Speaker 2>he had access to the. Scripts, well the first technical

2075
01:52:35.279 --> 01:52:37.600
<v Speaker 2>advisor he bowed out and another friend of mine ended

2076
01:52:37.680 --> 01:52:39.680
<v Speaker 2>up taking. Over but point, IS i read the scripts

2077
01:52:39.720 --> 01:52:41.880
<v Speaker 2>AND i saw what they were trying to, do AND

2078
01:52:41.920 --> 01:52:45.159
<v Speaker 2>i thought it was pretty, good, right but you don't

2079
01:52:45.159 --> 01:52:47.439
<v Speaker 2>know what it's going to look, like, Right and SO

2080
01:52:47.560 --> 01:52:52.079
<v Speaker 2>i see it AND i, thought, oh, okay WELL i look.

2081
01:52:52.199 --> 01:52:55.439
<v Speaker 2>Good the rest of you GUYS i don't know, about

2082
01:52:55.479 --> 01:52:57.479
<v Speaker 2>but they got this when they nailed, me.

2083
01:52:57.760 --> 01:53:03.359
<v Speaker 3>Clearly it was, very very. Surreal one of.

2084
01:53:03.319 --> 01:53:06.920
<v Speaker 2>The things those, like even Before Generation kill was even a.

2085
01:53:06.960 --> 01:53:10.119
<v Speaker 2>THOUGHT i don't know how it was for your, experiences

2086
01:53:10.119 --> 01:53:12.920
<v Speaker 2>but there were times where when you're just bored and

2087
01:53:12.960 --> 01:53:15.239
<v Speaker 2>sitting around as a platoon or a team or just a,

2088
01:53:15.279 --> 01:53:17.640
<v Speaker 2>couple you would sort of what, if like if this

2089
01:53:17.760 --> 01:53:20.840
<v Speaker 2>was a, movie who would play? You never in a

2090
01:53:20.880 --> 01:53:22.960
<v Speaker 2>million years DID i actually think that would come to.

2091
01:53:23.039 --> 01:53:25.600
<v Speaker 2>Light and it, did and so you, know THERE i.

2092
01:53:25.600 --> 01:53:30.640
<v Speaker 2>Am i'm actually At Evan wright's house In. California i'm,

2093
01:53:30.680 --> 01:53:36.680
<v Speaker 2>there my girlfriend at the time is, there And Alexander

2094
01:53:36.720 --> 01:53:39.720
<v Speaker 2>scarsguard is, there and we're watching it In evan's living.

2095
01:53:39.800 --> 01:53:44.279
<v Speaker 2>Room we're watching a pre like a pre RELEASED dvd

2096
01:53:44.800 --> 01:53:47.680
<v Speaker 2>of the first, episode you, know and it's still got

2097
01:53:47.680 --> 01:53:52.479
<v Speaker 2>the editing code scrolling, through and it was, like, yeah all,

2098
01:53:52.600 --> 01:53:55.479
<v Speaker 2>right this is not. Bad this is not. BAD i

2099
01:53:55.520 --> 01:54:00.279
<v Speaker 2>think this will play. WELL i think it'll do it,

2100
01:54:00.439 --> 01:54:01.880
<v Speaker 2>justice AND i think it.

2101
01:54:01.920 --> 01:54:05.039
<v Speaker 1>Did what do you think has been like the kind

2102
01:54:05.039 --> 01:54:07.760
<v Speaker 1>of legacy of the series because people talk about it

2103
01:54:07.800 --> 01:54:09.960
<v Speaker 1>to this. DAY i, MEAN i think it resonated with

2104
01:54:10.000 --> 01:54:10.319
<v Speaker 1>a lot of.

2105
01:54:10.359 --> 01:54:14.199
<v Speaker 3>Folks you, KNOW i think we kind of hit on it.

2106
01:54:14.239 --> 01:54:22.640
<v Speaker 2>Earlier there has not been a chronology or, capturing an

2107
01:54:22.760 --> 01:54:26.000
<v Speaker 2>oral history or written history about what was it like

2108
01:54:26.520 --> 01:54:29.960
<v Speaker 2>for The american soldier And i'm using that term universally

2109
01:54:30.479 --> 01:54:34.640
<v Speaker 2>to go to. War we just didn't have anything because

2110
01:54:34.640 --> 01:54:39.479
<v Speaker 2>we hadn't had a. War you could argue ninety. One

2111
01:54:39.600 --> 01:54:42.319
<v Speaker 2>but if anyone says jar, Head i'm just gonna punch

2112
01:54:42.359 --> 01:54:42.560
<v Speaker 2>him in the.

2113
01:54:42.600 --> 01:54:45.159
<v Speaker 3>Face that book. Sucks i'm, sorry the book. Sucks the

2114
01:54:45.239 --> 01:54:46.479
<v Speaker 3>movie was Whod Three kings was?

2115
01:54:46.479 --> 01:54:50.960
<v Speaker 2>Good Three Kings actually Three kings is pretty. Good, yeah, yeah,

2116
01:54:51.119 --> 01:54:54.680
<v Speaker 2>YEAH i like that. Movie but there wasn't. Anything we

2117
01:54:54.840 --> 01:54:59.079
<v Speaker 2>just and this was. It now there has been numerous

2118
01:54:59.079 --> 01:55:01.399
<v Speaker 2>things since, then but you, know Maybe i'm a little.

2119
01:55:01.399 --> 01:55:05.640
<v Speaker 2>BIASED i don't think anything captures just the raw, grit

2120
01:55:06.720 --> 01:55:11.720
<v Speaker 2>the absolute truth of what is it like for a

2121
01:55:11.760 --> 01:55:15.600
<v Speaker 2>young man to go to war in this generation or

2122
01:55:15.600 --> 01:55:19.119
<v Speaker 2>in that. Generation nothing else captures. It AND i think

2123
01:55:19.319 --> 01:55:23.159
<v Speaker 2>it's still to this day fairly representative of what it

2124
01:55:23.319 --> 01:55:24.239
<v Speaker 2>is like for that.

2125
01:55:24.279 --> 01:55:27.640
<v Speaker 1>Generation, yeah and it's important to communicate that to the. Public,

2126
01:55:27.880 --> 01:55:31.960
<v Speaker 1>yes who largely don't serve in the. Military that is

2127
01:55:32.000 --> 01:55:32.640
<v Speaker 1>another interesting.

2128
01:55:32.680 --> 01:55:35.640
<v Speaker 2>Demographic less than POINT i want to, say point one

2129
01:55:35.680 --> 01:55:39.640
<v Speaker 2>point zero one percent of our, population where's the uniform

2130
01:55:39.760 --> 01:55:42.039
<v Speaker 2>at any, time the lowest it's been in the history

2131
01:55:42.079 --> 01:55:44.760
<v Speaker 2>of The United. States and even less of that is

2132
01:55:44.800 --> 01:55:51.239
<v Speaker 2>actually in theater exchanging. Gunfire SO i do feel like

2133
01:55:51.319 --> 01:55:55.760
<v Speaker 2>your point is. Valid this is, transparency this is, empathy

2134
01:55:55.840 --> 01:55:59.199
<v Speaker 2>this is. UNDERSTANDING i have never been one of these

2135
01:55:59.199 --> 01:56:02.319
<v Speaker 2>people to, say you, know the veteran needs a. Handout,

2136
01:56:02.520 --> 01:56:06.800
<v Speaker 2>no but just understand what it's. Like put yourself in

2137
01:56:06.800 --> 01:56:09.680
<v Speaker 2>the shoes of somebody who is, eighteen nineteen years, old

2138
01:56:09.720 --> 01:56:14.279
<v Speaker 2>twenty years, old away from, home maybe for the first,

2139
01:56:14.279 --> 01:56:17.439
<v Speaker 2>time and in a foreign land and they are picking

2140
01:56:17.479 --> 01:56:21.479
<v Speaker 2>up arms against an unknown aggressor and.

2141
01:56:21.840 --> 01:56:24.600
<v Speaker 3>Seeing SO i think it's. Interesting.

2142
01:56:25.079 --> 01:56:29.880
<v Speaker 1>Yeah and for, you what came after your glorious stint

2143
01:56:29.920 --> 01:56:30.560
<v Speaker 1>At Fort, Benning.

2144
01:56:30.600 --> 01:56:33.800
<v Speaker 2>GEORGIA i got another call from the, monitor this time

2145
01:56:37.399 --> 01:56:39.840
<v Speaker 2>the last call THAT i would get from. Him now

2146
01:56:40.000 --> 01:56:41.640
<v Speaker 2>we talked all the. TIME i MEAN i just talked

2147
01:56:41.640 --> 01:56:43.359
<v Speaker 2>to him a couple of months ago and he's long since.

2148
01:56:43.399 --> 01:56:45.760
<v Speaker 2>Retired he basically, said what do you want to. Do do

2149
01:56:45.760 --> 01:56:47.000
<v Speaker 2>you want to stay in The Marine corps or do

2150
01:56:47.039 --> 01:56:48.680
<v Speaker 2>you want to get? Out and, NOW i had never

2151
01:56:48.720 --> 01:56:51.439
<v Speaker 2>intended to serve longer than twenty. Years that was always

2152
01:56:51.479 --> 01:56:54.319
<v Speaker 2>my goal twenty years to the, day And i'm done

2153
01:56:54.600 --> 01:56:57.880
<v Speaker 2>nothing against The Marine. CORPS i just wanted to do something. Else,

2154
01:56:58.079 --> 01:57:00.680
<v Speaker 2>yeah but you got to do your Twenty if once

2155
01:57:00.680 --> 01:57:05.199
<v Speaker 2>you're past, fourteen you're, committed that's sort of that fork

2156
01:57:05.239 --> 01:57:05.399
<v Speaker 2>in the.

2157
01:57:05.439 --> 01:57:07.760
<v Speaker 3>Road and he, says do you want to stay? In

2158
01:57:07.840 --> 01:57:08.279
<v Speaker 3>AND i said.

2159
01:57:08.319 --> 01:57:11.600
<v Speaker 2>No he, says, OKAY i need you to do one

2160
01:57:11.600 --> 01:57:13.760
<v Speaker 2>more thing then THEN i would like you to go To.

2161
01:57:13.840 --> 01:57:17.720
<v Speaker 2>QUANTICO i want you to work At raids And recon

2162
01:57:18.359 --> 01:57:22.920
<v Speaker 2>and if you're not going to get, promoted that's where

2163
01:57:22.920 --> 01:57:26.439
<v Speaker 2>you're going to. Go said, Okay i'll do, that AND

2164
01:57:26.520 --> 01:57:35.680
<v Speaker 2>i did and also very interesting career ender never expected

2165
01:57:35.720 --> 01:57:43.199
<v Speaker 2>to end up. There raids And recon is the group

2166
01:57:43.279 --> 01:57:46.600
<v Speaker 2>that is in charge of acquisitions for the reconnaissance community

2167
01:57:47.600 --> 01:57:49.880
<v Speaker 2>and in some cases The Marine corps as a. Whole

2168
01:57:51.800 --> 01:57:54.640
<v Speaker 2>so if you don't, know The army has a, version

2169
01:57:54.680 --> 01:57:56.359
<v Speaker 2>The navy has a, version The Air force has a.

2170
01:57:56.439 --> 01:57:59.359
<v Speaker 2>Version there is a group of people and it is

2171
01:57:59.399 --> 01:58:01.920
<v Speaker 2>a mix of civilian and active duty whose job it

2172
01:58:02.000 --> 01:58:07.159
<v Speaker 2>is to buy you. Things that uniform that you're, wearing

2173
01:58:07.199 --> 01:58:10.119
<v Speaker 2>that pack that you're, carrying that rifle you're, shooting all

2174
01:58:10.199 --> 01:58:12.359
<v Speaker 2>of those things had to go through some kind of

2175
01:58:12.359 --> 01:58:17.319
<v Speaker 2>a purchase process where there is a need. Identified we

2176
01:58:17.359 --> 01:58:19.640
<v Speaker 2>need a new. Gun, okay tell me about this new.

2177
01:58:19.640 --> 01:58:20.439
<v Speaker 3>Gun what are the?

2178
01:58:20.479 --> 01:58:22.920
<v Speaker 2>Capabilities describe? It what do you want it to? Do

2179
01:58:23.359 --> 01:58:27.439
<v Speaker 2>or maybe there's a there's a training, gap there's who. Knows,

2180
01:58:28.119 --> 01:58:31.239
<v Speaker 2>well you've got to have a group of smart, people you, know, engineers,

2181
01:58:31.279 --> 01:58:35.000
<v Speaker 2>logistitions subject matter experts who, say, oh well they need

2182
01:58:35.039 --> 01:58:37.439
<v Speaker 2>a new gun and it has to fit this. Criteria,

2183
01:58:37.520 --> 01:58:40.479
<v Speaker 2>well then that means it must be you get the.

2184
01:58:40.520 --> 01:58:43.279
<v Speaker 2>Idea so that's WHAT i. DID i was a project

2185
01:58:43.319 --> 01:58:46.479
<v Speaker 2>officer For raids And. RECON i had a PORTFOLIO i

2186
01:58:46.520 --> 01:58:49.960
<v Speaker 2>was in charge of which were boats and, engines breaching,

2187
01:58:50.000 --> 01:58:54.840
<v Speaker 2>equipment and hearst, Equipment hurst, helicopter wrote suspension. Training so

2188
01:58:54.960 --> 01:58:57.960
<v Speaker 2>all of The army's air assault, equipment The Marine corps

2189
01:58:58.000 --> 01:59:00.560
<v Speaker 2>we call it. Hearst so if you're doing, fast if

2190
01:59:00.560 --> 01:59:04.800
<v Speaker 2>you're doing, repelling if you're doing anything like, that that

2191
01:59:05.159 --> 01:59:08.119
<v Speaker 2>suite of equipment we would label AS. HURST i was

2192
01:59:08.159 --> 01:59:11.640
<v Speaker 2>in charge of it. Breaching so if you're doing, explosive, mechanical,

2193
01:59:11.720 --> 01:59:15.199
<v Speaker 2>thermal or ballistic, breaching all of the, tools, techniques, tactics

2194
01:59:15.199 --> 01:59:18.560
<v Speaker 2>and PROCEDURES i would be in charge. Of, so for,

2195
01:59:18.600 --> 01:59:22.560
<v Speaker 2>example it's all about battery powered these. Days the quickie.

2196
01:59:22.560 --> 01:59:24.760
<v Speaker 2>Saw i'm sure you're familiar with. It it was gas.

2197
01:59:24.800 --> 01:59:26.880
<v Speaker 2>Powered those are, great but when you're using it in

2198
01:59:26.920 --> 01:59:31.119
<v Speaker 2>confined spaces like on a, ship that engine that'll fill

2199
01:59:31.159 --> 01:59:33.199
<v Speaker 2>up a space pretty. Quick what about an electric?

2200
01:59:33.279 --> 01:59:35.800
<v Speaker 3>Saw? Oh? Interesting how do we recharge? It what is

2201
01:59:35.840 --> 01:59:36.319
<v Speaker 3>the battery?

2202
01:59:36.399 --> 01:59:39.600
<v Speaker 2>Life does it have enough horsepower to get through a

2203
01:59:39.920 --> 01:59:44.199
<v Speaker 2>bulkhead of a? Ship all that, Stuff but predominantly it was.

2204
01:59:45.239 --> 01:59:49.439
<v Speaker 2>Boats The Marine corps uses an inflatable craft called a.

2205
01:59:49.520 --> 01:59:54.119
<v Speaker 2>Zodiac you guys do, Too everybody uses. It it's kind of old.

2206
01:59:54.119 --> 01:59:56.720
<v Speaker 2>Technology there's new stuff out. There SO i worked on

2207
01:59:56.800 --> 02:00:00.680
<v Speaker 2>trying to bring that to. Market and then a lot

2208
02:00:00.680 --> 02:00:03.319
<v Speaker 2>of parachute. Testing go out To yuma and you, know

2209
02:00:03.439 --> 02:00:08.279
<v Speaker 2>get new data for new glide, data release data for the,

2210
02:00:08.319 --> 02:00:11.720
<v Speaker 2>parachutes or a lot of underwater propulsion, testing a lot

2211
02:00:11.720 --> 02:00:14.039
<v Speaker 2>of diving stuff like, that and then just going out

2212
02:00:14.079 --> 02:00:16.399
<v Speaker 2>to industry and talking to people and going to trade

2213
02:00:16.399 --> 02:00:17.479
<v Speaker 2>shows and finding new.

2214
02:00:17.520 --> 02:00:19.239
<v Speaker 3>Things and that must have.

2215
02:00:19.159 --> 02:00:21.600
<v Speaker 1>Been actually a pretty good gig to help you transition

2216
02:00:22.119 --> 02:00:24.760
<v Speaker 1>into the civilian. WORLD i don't know what you did in,

2217
02:00:24.800 --> 02:00:25.520
<v Speaker 1>retirement BUT.

2218
02:00:27.119 --> 02:00:29.680
<v Speaker 3>I worked after The Marine. Corps do you want to jump? Ahead?

2219
02:00:29.760 --> 02:00:32.319
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, YEAH i, mean unless there's something in between.

2220
02:00:32.000 --> 02:00:36.039
<v Speaker 2>The, two that not REALLY i got out of The

2221
02:00:36.079 --> 02:00:39.239
<v Speaker 2>Marine corps on A, friday and on A, SATURDAY i was.

2222
02:00:39.239 --> 02:00:40.319
<v Speaker 3>Flying to my new. Job.

2223
02:00:41.279 --> 02:00:46.000
<v Speaker 2>Yeah SO i spent the last about ten years in

2224
02:00:46.039 --> 02:00:50.439
<v Speaker 2>the intelligence community after The Marine. CORPS a good friend

2225
02:00:50.439 --> 02:00:53.720
<v Speaker 2>of mine was already doing the. Job and it's kind

2226
02:00:53.760 --> 02:00:55.560
<v Speaker 2>of one of those jobs where it's word of. Mouth

2227
02:00:56.319 --> 02:00:59.079
<v Speaker 2>there's no website you can go, to there's no resume

2228
02:00:59.199 --> 02:01:00.520
<v Speaker 2>you can, send there's no application.

2229
02:01:00.640 --> 02:01:04.960
<v Speaker 3>Process it's just, like, hey you're interested in doing some, Work, yeah,

2230
02:01:05.000 --> 02:01:06.279
<v Speaker 3>sure what's the? Job can't tell?

2231
02:01:06.319 --> 02:01:06.399
<v Speaker 1>You?

2232
02:01:07.279 --> 02:01:08.800
<v Speaker 3>Okay WOULD i like?

2233
02:01:08.880 --> 02:01:08.960
<v Speaker 5>It?

2234
02:01:09.079 --> 02:01:11.239
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, well can you tell me anything about? It? Now

2235
02:01:11.640 --> 02:01:15.399
<v Speaker 3>you want to do? It, okay let's try. It and

2236
02:01:15.439 --> 02:01:15.840
<v Speaker 3>it was like.

2237
02:01:15.880 --> 02:01:19.680
<v Speaker 2>That my name was, dropped a phone call was, made

2238
02:01:20.439 --> 02:01:26.000
<v Speaker 2>interview was, done and then assessment in, selection which is no.

2239
02:01:26.159 --> 02:01:29.119
<v Speaker 2>Joke there's been two schools in my life WHERE i

2240
02:01:29.359 --> 02:01:32.079
<v Speaker 2>THOUGHT i am not going to. Graduate dive school is

2241
02:01:32.119 --> 02:01:35.319
<v Speaker 2>one of. THEM i never unpacked my bag from dive.

2242
02:01:35.359 --> 02:01:41.000
<v Speaker 2>SCHOOL i went From, Okinawa japan in ninety seven To Panama, City,

2243
02:01:41.000 --> 02:01:43.840
<v Speaker 2>florida to The naval Divid salving And Trading unit For

2244
02:01:43.960 --> 02:01:48.840
<v Speaker 2>Marine Combatant. DIVE i loved that school AND i could

2245
02:01:48.880 --> 02:01:50.920
<v Speaker 2>swim like a, fish BUT i could not run to

2246
02:01:50.920 --> 02:01:55.600
<v Speaker 2>save my. Life and they had extremely rigid pet, standards

2247
02:01:56.399 --> 02:01:58.279
<v Speaker 2>And i'm, LIKE i am not going to pass this.

2248
02:01:58.359 --> 02:02:03.880
<v Speaker 2>Course i've unpacked my bag AND i, graduated AND i

2249
02:02:03.920 --> 02:02:06.760
<v Speaker 2>loved it and it was. Great but the other thing

2250
02:02:06.800 --> 02:02:08.279
<v Speaker 2>THAT i thought there's no effing WAY i was going

2251
02:02:08.319 --> 02:02:10.960
<v Speaker 2>to pass was the assessment and selection for my last.

2252
02:02:11.039 --> 02:02:15.359
<v Speaker 2>Job the shooting standards are. INCREDIBLE i, mean there were

2253
02:02:15.399 --> 02:02:19.800
<v Speaker 2>guys from pick a, unit doesn't, matter all the letters

2254
02:02:19.840 --> 02:02:22.239
<v Speaker 2>that you could think, of they had guys there from

2255
02:02:22.279 --> 02:02:24.680
<v Speaker 2>all of. Those you have a seventy eight percent attrition.

2256
02:02:24.760 --> 02:02:26.600
<v Speaker 3>Rate it's.

2257
02:02:26.720 --> 02:02:32.079
<v Speaker 2>Hard And i'm not a, shooter not LIKE i can

2258
02:02:32.119 --> 02:02:35.279
<v Speaker 2>shoot the long, gun but my pistol skills are just

2259
02:02:35.399 --> 02:02:39.920
<v Speaker 2>average and they couldn't be. Average and SO i was

2260
02:02:40.159 --> 02:02:42.640
<v Speaker 2>really worried about, it AND i had about three months to,

2261
02:02:42.680 --> 02:02:45.640
<v Speaker 2>prepare AND i spent a lot of time doing a

2262
02:02:45.680 --> 02:02:47.319
<v Speaker 2>lot of shooting and a lot of things.

2263
02:02:47.399 --> 02:02:53.239
<v Speaker 3>Wrong and the organization sent me to a school in

2264
02:02:54.039 --> 02:02:54.720
<v Speaker 3>it doesn't.

2265
02:02:54.439 --> 02:02:57.880
<v Speaker 1>Matter like A Mid south or something like. That you,

2266
02:02:57.960 --> 02:02:58.439
<v Speaker 1>said it not.

2267
02:02:58.560 --> 02:03:06.880
<v Speaker 2>Me that changed my entire pistol. Approach if not For Mid,

2268
02:03:06.960 --> 02:03:10.560
<v Speaker 2>south probably wouldn't have. Passed BECAUSE i learned a way

2269
02:03:10.600 --> 02:03:15.199
<v Speaker 2>of shooting THAT i wasn't aware, of and it completely.

2270
02:03:15.319 --> 02:03:17.039
<v Speaker 1>Changed what was that thing that?

2271
02:03:17.159 --> 02:03:20.439
<v Speaker 3>CHANGED i have a tendency to.

2272
02:03:21.000 --> 02:03:23.760
<v Speaker 2>MUZZLE i always have BECAUSE i learned how to shoot

2273
02:03:23.800 --> 02:03:27.960
<v Speaker 2>with very very large caliber. Guns it WAS i never

2274
02:03:28.159 --> 02:03:32.239
<v Speaker 2>really had a proper pistol. Education the long guns are.

2275
02:03:32.279 --> 02:03:35.119
<v Speaker 2>Different SO i learned how to shoot on some guns

2276
02:03:35.159 --> 02:03:37.760
<v Speaker 2>that were just like nobody learns how.

2277
02:03:37.640 --> 02:03:38.840
<v Speaker 3>To shoot with a four to fifty four.

2278
02:03:38.920 --> 02:03:42.920
<v Speaker 2>Casule i'm quoting a movie that Was Harley davidson and

2279
02:03:42.920 --> 02:03:45.439
<v Speaker 2>The Marlborough, man but big, guns and SO i have

2280
02:03:45.479 --> 02:03:49.520
<v Speaker 2>a tendency to muzzle a little. Bit they taught me

2281
02:03:49.560 --> 02:03:54.680
<v Speaker 2>a way to press that support hand palm into the,

2282
02:03:54.760 --> 02:03:58.960
<v Speaker 2>gripswell and it helped so much so THAT i suddenly

2283
02:03:59.000 --> 02:04:03.159
<v Speaker 2>started bringing my grip in, nice AND i JUST i

2284
02:04:03.239 --> 02:04:05.600
<v Speaker 2>naturally offset a little. BIT i, KNOW i shoot low and,

2285
02:04:05.720 --> 02:04:09.399
<v Speaker 2>left SO i offset a little bit. Right AND i

2286
02:04:09.479 --> 02:04:12.399
<v Speaker 2>was consistently making a. Boxes it's all ipsick target for.

2287
02:04:12.439 --> 02:04:16.239
<v Speaker 2>Scoring so Suddenly i'm getting a's were BEFORE i was

2288
02:04:16.239 --> 02:04:21.039
<v Speaker 2>getting B's and, yeah it, cool it Was, yeah it was.

2289
02:04:21.079 --> 02:04:24.760
<v Speaker 2>Great and then the, speeds like you draw from the

2290
02:04:24.760 --> 02:04:30.479
<v Speaker 2>holster and you're talking about two rounds in less than

2291
02:04:30.479 --> 02:04:32.439
<v Speaker 2>two seconds from the, draw and that you have to

2292
02:04:32.439 --> 02:04:32.720
<v Speaker 2>be in THE a.

2293
02:04:32.840 --> 02:04:33.439
<v Speaker 3>BOX i, mean that's.

2294
02:04:33.479 --> 02:04:35.760
<v Speaker 2>Fast AND i just didn't do anything like that. Before

2295
02:04:36.279 --> 02:04:38.359
<v Speaker 2>it wasn't THAT i, couldn't and OBVIOUSLY i did BECAUSE i,

2296
02:04:38.399 --> 02:04:40.399
<v Speaker 2>passed but there was a learning curve.

2297
02:04:40.439 --> 02:04:41.479
<v Speaker 3>There needless to.

2298
02:04:41.520 --> 02:04:45.840
<v Speaker 2>Say it was incredibly it was incredibly. Hard and THEN

2299
02:04:46.039 --> 02:04:49.119
<v Speaker 2>i watched a lot of people wash, out dudes that

2300
02:04:49.239 --> 02:04:54.680
<v Speaker 2>come from communities that we would we always would emulate, like,

2301
02:04:54.760 --> 02:04:57.319
<v Speaker 2>wow you're you know you're from that.

2302
02:04:57.359 --> 02:04:59.560
<v Speaker 3>GROUP i thought for sure You, nope.

2303
02:05:01.319 --> 02:05:03.239
<v Speaker 1>Was there any like additional training you had to go

2304
02:05:03.279 --> 02:05:03.800
<v Speaker 1>through after.

2305
02:05:03.840 --> 02:05:07.000
<v Speaker 2>That there wasn't anything THAT i had to go, through

2306
02:05:07.000 --> 02:05:10.039
<v Speaker 2>BUT i was afforded the opportunity to and some of

2307
02:05:10.079 --> 02:05:13.239
<v Speaker 2>the best, TRAINING i mean, amazing and the people that

2308
02:05:13.319 --> 02:05:19.359
<v Speaker 2>you work with are really fantastic. Individuals and you talked

2309
02:05:19.359 --> 02:05:23.159
<v Speaker 2>about transition and While quantico that last book ended tour

2310
02:05:23.199 --> 02:05:26.199
<v Speaker 2>in The Marine corps was fantastic for helping me transition

2311
02:05:26.359 --> 02:05:31.039
<v Speaker 2>into the private, SECTOR i promise you what really did

2312
02:05:31.119 --> 02:05:33.319
<v Speaker 2>it IS i found myself in an organization of all

2313
02:05:33.359 --> 02:05:37.880
<v Speaker 2>prior military and in a semi military. Environment so, no

2314
02:05:38.039 --> 02:05:40.199
<v Speaker 2>there wasn't a rank, structure but it's, like, oh you

2315
02:05:40.239 --> 02:05:42.000
<v Speaker 2>served here and you served, there AND i remember that,

2316
02:05:42.039 --> 02:05:43.960
<v Speaker 2>part and you remember, this and you know all of

2317
02:05:43.960 --> 02:05:46.840
<v Speaker 2>the services from ALL i, mean pick AN sf unit

2318
02:05:46.880 --> 02:05:49.520
<v Speaker 2>and that's who you're all now. With but you're wearn't

2319
02:05:49.520 --> 02:05:51.520
<v Speaker 2>playing clothes and there's no, rank and you're all doing

2320
02:05:51.560 --> 02:05:54.680
<v Speaker 2>the same job and it's. Fun so there's a little

2321
02:05:54.680 --> 02:05:59.000
<v Speaker 2>bit of measuring, still but not. Much and that's what

2322
02:05:59.199 --> 02:06:00.680
<v Speaker 2>really made the trend positions so.

2323
02:06:00.880 --> 02:06:03.960
<v Speaker 1>Seamless, yeah and you said you did that for ten,

2324
02:06:04.039 --> 02:06:06.079
<v Speaker 1>Years like what Was how did you like the? Job,

2325
02:06:06.199 --> 02:06:06.479
<v Speaker 1>oh it's.

2326
02:06:06.600 --> 02:06:11.840
<v Speaker 2>Fantastic not only were the travel opportunities, incredible but you're

2327
02:06:11.880 --> 02:06:16.399
<v Speaker 2>working with some people who are absolutely at the tip

2328
02:06:16.399 --> 02:06:19.960
<v Speaker 2>of the sphere and you're helping accomplish a mission that

2329
02:06:20.079 --> 02:06:26.760
<v Speaker 2>is really important to national. Security you're helping support real world,

2330
02:06:26.880 --> 02:06:30.359
<v Speaker 2>operations and so there's relevancy a lot of the things

2331
02:06:30.359 --> 02:06:32.159
<v Speaker 2>that we do in The Marine corps.

2332
02:06:31.960 --> 02:06:32.920
<v Speaker 3>Or The navy or The Air.

2333
02:06:32.960 --> 02:06:35.359
<v Speaker 2>Force it doesn't, matter you're not going to see the

2334
02:06:35.399 --> 02:06:37.840
<v Speaker 2>effects of for years to. Come LIKE i have no

2335
02:06:37.960 --> 02:06:41.319
<v Speaker 2>idea in my heart of hearts If iraq is a

2336
02:06:41.359 --> 02:06:43.359
<v Speaker 2>better country today because of two thousand and.

2337
02:06:43.399 --> 02:06:47.079
<v Speaker 3>Three i'd like to think that it, is BUT i

2338
02:06:47.119 --> 02:06:49.760
<v Speaker 3>can't prove. It it's hard to prove a, negative, Right.

2339
02:06:50.920 --> 02:06:54.000
<v Speaker 2>BUT i can emphatically say THAT i have, helped helped

2340
02:06:54.680 --> 02:06:56.680
<v Speaker 2>been a part Of i'm not taking ownership of, it

2341
02:06:56.760 --> 02:07:00.560
<v Speaker 2>BUT i have helped support operations THAT I i know

2342
02:07:00.800 --> 02:07:07.000
<v Speaker 2>had immediate impact to national, security and that's very very, gratifying.

2343
02:07:08.000 --> 02:07:11.720
<v Speaker 1>Was, it, Uh speaking of, transitions was it difficult for

2344
02:07:11.760 --> 02:07:15.359
<v Speaker 1>you to transition from being a recon marine To i'm

2345
02:07:15.399 --> 02:07:18.680
<v Speaker 1>guessing in this case more of like A quindestine will

2346
02:07:18.760 --> 02:07:19.760
<v Speaker 1>visibility sort of.

2347
02:07:22.720 --> 02:07:25.800
<v Speaker 2>Framework it was very easy because it was a lot

2348
02:07:25.800 --> 02:07:28.039
<v Speaker 2>of the stuff THAT i did wearing a uniform or

2349
02:07:28.079 --> 02:07:30.800
<v Speaker 2>sometimes plain, clothes but in the military under title ten

2350
02:07:30.840 --> 02:07:32.920
<v Speaker 2>and now it's a different, title but it's a lot

2351
02:07:32.960 --> 02:07:37.319
<v Speaker 2>of the same mo.

2352
02:07:35.479 --> 02:07:36.479
<v Speaker 3>More so in many.

2353
02:07:36.520 --> 02:07:38.760
<v Speaker 2>Respects one of the things THAT i think it really

2354
02:07:38.800 --> 02:07:45.960
<v Speaker 2>solidified for me is just how much more vulnerable or

2355
02:07:46.039 --> 02:07:47.960
<v Speaker 2>less safe you are the more that you try to

2356
02:07:47.960 --> 02:07:49.960
<v Speaker 2>make yourself, safe, right, right.

2357
02:07:49.920 --> 02:07:52.279
<v Speaker 3>Right the more armor you're sticking on the side of the.

2358
02:07:52.359 --> 02:07:55.960
<v Speaker 2>Vehicles, yeah all of, it the convoy, operations the you,

2359
02:07:56.000 --> 02:07:57.439
<v Speaker 2>know the SOPs raising your.

2360
02:07:57.439 --> 02:07:58.920
<v Speaker 3>Profile you're just raising your.

2361
02:07:58.920 --> 02:08:02.159
<v Speaker 2>Profile and, wow it wasn't a foreign concept to. ME

2362
02:08:02.279 --> 02:08:04.920
<v Speaker 2>i don't THINK i saw it illustrated as much WHEN

2363
02:08:04.920 --> 02:08:07.760
<v Speaker 2>i left The Marine corps and worked in the government

2364
02:08:07.840 --> 02:08:11.600
<v Speaker 2>sector and, went, oh, wow The State department's rolling around

2365
02:08:11.640 --> 02:08:15.119
<v Speaker 2>in five level sevens all in a convoy with toastraps hanging. Out,

2366
02:08:15.600 --> 02:08:19.520
<v Speaker 2>yeah you guys are fucking. Targets that kind of highlighted

2367
02:08:19.520 --> 02:08:19.800
<v Speaker 2>it for.

2368
02:08:19.920 --> 02:08:21.079
<v Speaker 3>Me and so.

2369
02:08:23.159 --> 02:08:25.840
<v Speaker 2>There were a lot of, takeaways a lot of things

2370
02:08:25.880 --> 02:08:28.760
<v Speaker 2>THAT i think the reconnaissance training and all of those

2371
02:08:28.800 --> 02:08:30.359
<v Speaker 2>years in uniform helped me.

2372
02:08:31.920 --> 02:08:33.039
<v Speaker 1>Along the way in.

2373
02:08:33.039 --> 02:08:35.880
<v Speaker 3>That next Walk. Alive, Yeah and, honestly.

2374
02:08:37.000 --> 02:08:40.760
<v Speaker 2>It was really really easy to go from being a

2375
02:08:40.800 --> 02:08:43.880
<v Speaker 2>master surgeon and eight in The Marine corps with all

2376
02:08:43.920 --> 02:08:47.239
<v Speaker 2>of the courtesies and customers and Now i'm Just i'm

2377
02:08:47.279 --> 02:08:51.119
<v Speaker 2>up private, Again, like no, Problem i'll clean that for.

2378
02:08:51.159 --> 02:08:53.880
<v Speaker 2>YOU i will absolutely get you another cup of. Coffee

2379
02:08:53.960 --> 02:08:55.000
<v Speaker 2>dry cleaning me picked.

2380
02:08:55.079 --> 02:08:55.600
<v Speaker 3>Up i'm on.

2381
02:08:55.680 --> 02:08:59.239
<v Speaker 2>It it was, like it was kind of cool again

2382
02:09:00.159 --> 02:09:03.880
<v Speaker 2>to have nothing to worry about and just individual.

2383
02:09:03.880 --> 02:09:08.119
<v Speaker 1>Efforts and you did that for ten. Years what kind

2384
02:09:08.159 --> 02:09:10.119
<v Speaker 1>of convinced you to move on to the next.

2385
02:09:10.159 --> 02:09:13.720
<v Speaker 2>Thing nothing convinced. Me somebody took that away from. Me

2386
02:09:14.119 --> 02:09:18.720
<v Speaker 2>SO i had been working on the training side of

2387
02:09:18.720 --> 02:09:21.800
<v Speaker 2>the house AND i loved, it and it was. Incredible

2388
02:09:24.079 --> 02:09:28.560
<v Speaker 2>probably the best JOB i have ever. HAD i, like

2389
02:09:28.600 --> 02:09:31.800
<v Speaker 2>and that is not. HYPERBOLE i worked in a very

2390
02:09:31.800 --> 02:09:37.479
<v Speaker 2>small group with some amazing, dudes and we had some

2391
02:09:37.680 --> 02:09:41.439
<v Speaker 2>great freedoms and we designed some fantastic. TRAINING i just

2392
02:09:41.520 --> 02:09:45.920
<v Speaker 2>happened to have the misfortune of telling The emperor he

2393
02:09:45.960 --> 02:09:49.840
<v Speaker 2>had no. Clothes there was an individual at my last.

2394
02:09:49.920 --> 02:09:52.399
<v Speaker 2>Job let's, SEE i want to protect the, name so

2395
02:09:52.439 --> 02:09:56.840
<v Speaker 2>we will call this Person. Skyler skyler is a piece of.

2396
02:09:56.880 --> 02:10:01.199
<v Speaker 3>Shit there.

2397
02:10:01.319 --> 02:10:03.439
<v Speaker 2>Was, yeah SO i had a personality conflict AND i

2398
02:10:03.560 --> 02:10:09.800
<v Speaker 2>Was it wasn't. Egregious but when the individual transitioned from

2399
02:10:10.239 --> 02:10:12.840
<v Speaker 2>the position in WHICH i met him to a position of,

2400
02:10:12.840 --> 02:10:16.279
<v Speaker 2>authority he, decided, like your services are no longer.

2401
02:10:16.319 --> 02:10:18.960
<v Speaker 3>REQUIRED i, said, okay no.

2402
02:10:19.000 --> 02:10:22.800
<v Speaker 2>PROBLEM i get, It and in, hindsight it's probably good

2403
02:10:22.840 --> 02:10:25.560
<v Speaker 2>because it afforded me the opportunity to do, this to

2404
02:10:25.600 --> 02:10:29.159
<v Speaker 2>do the Carry on, podcast to have conversations with individuals

2405
02:10:29.399 --> 02:10:32.920
<v Speaker 2>such as yourself about my story about what comes, next

2406
02:10:32.960 --> 02:10:36.800
<v Speaker 2>and then all of the projects and things that Carry

2407
02:10:36.800 --> 02:10:39.640
<v Speaker 2>on allow for BECAUSE i couldn't do it in my last.

2408
02:10:39.720 --> 02:10:42.560
<v Speaker 1>Job yeah. Right they didn't want you being like. Public.

2409
02:10:42.760 --> 02:10:45.800
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, no you would have had to have asked permission

2410
02:10:45.880 --> 02:10:49.800
<v Speaker 2>for each and every you, know podcast ahead of, time

2411
02:10:50.119 --> 02:10:51.399
<v Speaker 2>for each and every all of.

2412
02:10:51.399 --> 02:10:53.840
<v Speaker 3>It but that's actually interesting BECAUSE.

2413
02:10:53.560 --> 02:10:58.439
<v Speaker 1>I also got to see how to phrase. This there's

2414
02:10:58.600 --> 02:11:00.640
<v Speaker 1>a guy that once worked for me and wrote for,

2415
02:11:00.720 --> 02:11:02.399
<v Speaker 1>me AND i think he did the same job you,

2416
02:11:02.439 --> 02:11:06.680
<v Speaker 1>did but the client did not give a shit as

2417
02:11:06.680 --> 02:11:09.640
<v Speaker 1>long as he wasn't writing about the. Client, yeah you're

2418
02:11:09.640 --> 02:11:11.800
<v Speaker 1>writing about The Marine. Corps they're, cool no.

2419
02:11:11.840 --> 02:11:12.199
<v Speaker 3>Problem.

2420
02:11:12.439 --> 02:11:18.119
<v Speaker 2>YEAH i think it's part and. Parcel due to my system's,

2421
02:11:18.159 --> 02:11:21.840
<v Speaker 2>access there's rules for individuals that have access to the

2422
02:11:21.840 --> 02:11:24.800
<v Speaker 2>system and those that. Don't so if you have A

2423
02:11:24.840 --> 02:11:29.439
<v Speaker 2>tssci and you have the ability to log into these classified,

2424
02:11:29.439 --> 02:11:33.159
<v Speaker 2>systems you're under much greater restrictions than if you.

2425
02:11:33.399 --> 02:11:35.720
<v Speaker 3>Don't AND i think that's.

2426
02:11:35.760 --> 02:11:36.279
<v Speaker 1>That could make.

2427
02:11:36.319 --> 02:11:36.840
<v Speaker 3>Sense that's.

2428
02:11:36.880 --> 02:11:40.079
<v Speaker 2>Why, yeah just by virtue of doing the, job you

2429
02:11:40.159 --> 02:11:43.640
<v Speaker 2>are still, restricted but not to the degree that somebody

2430
02:11:43.640 --> 02:11:45.840
<v Speaker 2>who is doing the. Job oh and you can log

2431
02:11:45.880 --> 02:11:49.000
<v Speaker 2>into the. System, yeah they want to make sure that

2432
02:11:49.039 --> 02:11:52.119
<v Speaker 2>you're you, know not talking about things that you, shouldn't

2433
02:11:52.199 --> 02:11:55.079
<v Speaker 2>sharing locations that you. Shouldn't AND i get.

2434
02:11:55.079 --> 02:11:55.640
<v Speaker 3>IT i get.

2435
02:11:55.680 --> 02:11:55.760
<v Speaker 1>It.

2436
02:11:55.800 --> 02:11:59.159
<v Speaker 2>Man there's a lot of people that currently hold tsscis

2437
02:11:59.199 --> 02:12:02.520
<v Speaker 2>that SHOULDN'T i, think, yeah one point two, million and

2438
02:12:03.479 --> 02:12:04.279
<v Speaker 2>we've seen through the.

2439
02:12:04.319 --> 02:12:06.399
<v Speaker 3>News, yeah some of you guys don't need.

2440
02:12:06.439 --> 02:12:10.600
<v Speaker 1>It, yeah the military especially hands them out like. Candy they.

2441
02:12:10.640 --> 02:12:13.399
<v Speaker 2>Do and it's funny because WHEN i left The Marine,

2442
02:12:13.399 --> 02:12:17.600
<v Speaker 2>CORPS i had A i had A ts and THEN

2443
02:12:17.640 --> 02:12:19.279
<v Speaker 2>i went to the new job and they're, like have

2444
02:12:19.319 --> 02:12:20.079
<v Speaker 2>you ever held A ts?

2445
02:12:20.119 --> 02:12:22.199
<v Speaker 3>FOUR i said, Yes like who have you had it?

2446
02:12:22.239 --> 02:12:24.039
<v Speaker 2>WITH i, said you. Know The Marine corps is, like

2447
02:12:24.079 --> 02:12:26.880
<v Speaker 2>oh that's so. Cute, yeah we don't fucking care. That

2448
02:12:26.920 --> 02:12:29.680
<v Speaker 2>we don't recognize, That like they don't care at, All

2449
02:12:31.159 --> 02:12:34.399
<v Speaker 2>like we're starting from. Scratch and THEN i GUESS i

2450
02:12:34.479 --> 02:12:39.520
<v Speaker 2>kind of realized, like, oh there's different degrees of like, wow,

2451
02:12:39.680 --> 02:12:41.680
<v Speaker 2>OKAY i get it, Now, well, yeah.

2452
02:12:41.479 --> 02:12:44.199
<v Speaker 1>They don't put military guys through a lifestyle poll is

2453
02:12:44.600 --> 02:12:45.479
<v Speaker 1>one of the big, differences is.

2454
02:12:45.520 --> 02:12:45.760
<v Speaker 3>Yeah.

2455
02:12:45.880 --> 02:12:49.279
<v Speaker 2>Huge so, yeah when you go through, that you're definitely

2456
02:12:49.319 --> 02:12:50.359
<v Speaker 2>like put through the.

2457
02:12:50.439 --> 02:12:51.159
<v Speaker 3>Ringer.

2458
02:12:51.279 --> 02:12:54.119
<v Speaker 1>YEAH i don't know how most military guys can even pass.

2459
02:12:54.159 --> 02:12:58.880
<v Speaker 3>That, yeah, yeah, ABSOLUTELY i.

2460
02:12:58.880 --> 02:12:59.239
<v Speaker 1>DON'T i.

2461
02:12:59.239 --> 02:13:04.760
<v Speaker 2>DON'T i passed, mind so it can be. Done but, yeah.

2462
02:13:05.199 --> 02:13:10.439
<v Speaker 1>Interesting so since you've left that position behind or helped

2463
02:13:10.479 --> 02:13:14.720
<v Speaker 1>out of that, position what's been consuming your time since? Then,

2464
02:13:15.000 --> 02:13:18.560
<v Speaker 1>WELL i have some side. BUSINESSES i have a distillery cool, yep,

2465
02:13:18.800 --> 02:13:22.159
<v Speaker 1>yep single malt and a. BOURBON i do have a

2466
02:13:22.199 --> 02:13:27.159
<v Speaker 1>small gun business, manufacturing AND i can do modifications and

2467
02:13:27.199 --> 02:13:31.399
<v Speaker 1>then from whole metal ar fifteen's eight. Ks SO i

2468
02:13:31.479 --> 02:13:33.600
<v Speaker 1>do that AND i Always i've had this fabrication.

2469
02:13:34.000 --> 02:13:34.359
<v Speaker 3>Yep oh.

2470
02:13:34.439 --> 02:13:38.840
<v Speaker 2>Wow and Then i'm back in school from a master's,

2471
02:13:38.880 --> 02:13:40.960
<v Speaker 2>degree and that's taking up a lot of my. TIME

2472
02:13:41.199 --> 02:13:43.479
<v Speaker 2>i do have, children they take up a lot of my.

2473
02:13:43.560 --> 02:13:47.159
<v Speaker 2>Time and then the podcast and the story and the.

2474
02:13:47.199 --> 02:13:54.880
<v Speaker 2>Conversation i'm very motivated and passionate to shepherd that and

2475
02:13:55.000 --> 02:14:01.520
<v Speaker 2>grow and continue To, yeah see where it, goes have

2476
02:14:01.600 --> 02:14:02.319
<v Speaker 2>conversations with.

2477
02:14:02.359 --> 02:14:04.880
<v Speaker 1>Folks tell us where people can go to.

2478
02:14:04.840 --> 02:14:08.439
<v Speaker 3>Find the distillery and the gun. Business they both have.

2479
02:14:08.520 --> 02:14:13.399
<v Speaker 2>Websites the distillery is Called Raider. Distilling it is an

2480
02:14:13.439 --> 02:14:17.159
<v Speaker 2>homage to The Marine raiders Of World War. TWO i

2481
02:14:17.319 --> 02:14:21.960
<v Speaker 2>was not creating that title because Of, marsk BUT i

2482
02:14:22.000 --> 02:14:27.159
<v Speaker 2>certainly don't mean any disrespect to The marsk. Folks this the,

2483
02:14:27.199 --> 02:14:31.760
<v Speaker 2>bottle the, website the the the history of the, distillery

2484
02:14:31.760 --> 02:14:34.359
<v Speaker 2>if you. Will it's all goes back To World War

2485
02:14:34.399 --> 02:14:37.479
<v Speaker 2>two and Those marine. Raiders so that's WHY i named

2486
02:14:37.520 --> 02:14:40.600
<v Speaker 2>it WHAT i named, it the gun, business very. Innocuous

2487
02:14:40.640 --> 02:14:43.960
<v Speaker 2>it's It's bravo two to One tactical and it's named

2488
02:14:43.960 --> 02:14:46.960
<v Speaker 2>so because of my platoon In iraq and three it,

2489
02:14:47.079 --> 02:14:51.119
<v Speaker 2>was you, Know Bravo, company Second, Platoon team. One So

2490
02:14:51.239 --> 02:14:55.399
<v Speaker 2>bravo two to One tactical is the, website so folks.

2491
02:14:55.079 --> 02:14:55.680
<v Speaker 3>Can go if they.

2492
02:14:55.680 --> 02:15:02.680
<v Speaker 5>Want, yeah and we spoke about it a little bit

2493
02:15:02.720 --> 02:15:05.920
<v Speaker 5>early on in the, podcast but the Carry on, Podcast,

2494
02:15:06.079 --> 02:15:09.560
<v Speaker 5>yes and tell people again where they can go to find.

2495
02:15:09.560 --> 02:15:14.479
<v Speaker 2>That they can go To Brad coolbert dot. Us, okay

2496
02:15:14.560 --> 02:15:17.039
<v Speaker 2>really easy to. Remember Brad colbert Dot us is the

2497
02:15:17.079 --> 02:15:19.439
<v Speaker 2>splash page for the, website and then from there it

2498
02:15:19.520 --> 02:15:23.159
<v Speaker 2>talks about all of the different styles of interviews or.

2499
02:15:23.640 --> 02:15:26.119
<v Speaker 2>Videos that we, do and there's a variety of things

2500
02:15:26.119 --> 02:15:29.000
<v Speaker 2>that people may identify, with but our bread and butter

2501
02:15:29.079 --> 02:15:32.239
<v Speaker 2>is our weekly sit rep we call. It so we

2502
02:15:32.279 --> 02:15:34.720
<v Speaker 2>talk about some current events about an hour hour and

2503
02:15:34.720 --> 02:15:39.039
<v Speaker 2>a half a discussion with news and stories that are

2504
02:15:39.119 --> 02:15:39.760
<v Speaker 2>relevant to.

2505
02:15:39.800 --> 02:15:43.640
<v Speaker 1>Today you got anything coming up that you're particularly excited

2506
02:15:43.640 --> 02:15:45.119
<v Speaker 1>about that you tease a little.

2507
02:15:45.119 --> 02:15:47.960
<v Speaker 3>Bit, well we were.

2508
02:15:47.760 --> 02:15:51.479
<v Speaker 2>Working our way through The Generation Kill. Platoon we've had

2509
02:15:51.800 --> 02:15:55.399
<v Speaker 2>several individuals come. On we are going to Have Rudy

2510
02:15:55.439 --> 02:15:58.159
<v Speaker 2>reyes next. Month people seem to be very excited About.

2511
02:15:58.239 --> 02:16:02.359
<v Speaker 2>Rudy he is a individual that was portrayed in the.

2512
02:16:02.359 --> 02:16:06.680
<v Speaker 2>Book he actually portrays himself in the. Show he is

2513
02:16:06.880 --> 02:16:11.920
<v Speaker 2>on television. Now he does one of those Special forces Shows,

2514
02:16:12.079 --> 02:16:14.079
<v Speaker 2>cool so he.

2515
02:16:14.039 --> 02:16:14.760
<v Speaker 3>Seems to be very.

2516
02:16:14.760 --> 02:16:17.199
<v Speaker 2>Popular we're gonna have him on next month In, july

2517
02:16:17.319 --> 02:16:19.720
<v Speaker 2>SO i think people will probably be excited about, that

2518
02:16:20.199 --> 02:16:22.279
<v Speaker 2>and we're just going to continue to. Work Nate fick

2519
02:16:22.399 --> 02:16:23.800
<v Speaker 2>is going to come on the. Show he was the

2520
02:16:23.840 --> 02:16:27.039
<v Speaker 2>platoon commander for that. Time and we have a few,

2521
02:16:27.079 --> 02:16:30.880
<v Speaker 2>others all of which are. Forthcoming and we also have authors,

2522
02:16:30.920 --> 02:16:34.680
<v Speaker 2>too regularly have. Authors we've had a couple and they're

2523
02:16:34.680 --> 02:16:38.719
<v Speaker 2>coming up. Soon Jody fletcher has a book. Out Andy

2524
02:16:38.719 --> 02:16:41.840
<v Speaker 2>pritty has a book, out all of which are available

2525
02:16:42.799 --> 02:16:44.159
<v Speaker 2>in future episodes coming.

2526
02:16:44.239 --> 02:16:45.760
<v Speaker 3>Up super. Cool, yeah and.

2527
02:16:45.719 --> 02:16:48.200
<v Speaker 1>We'll have links down the description for people who are

2528
02:16:48.200 --> 02:16:51.319
<v Speaker 1>watching this on YouTube or podcast or. Whatever we'll have

2529
02:16:51.479 --> 02:16:55.040
<v Speaker 1>links to all of these places before we get going. Today,

2530
02:16:55.079 --> 02:16:57.719
<v Speaker 1>brad is there anything that you know you WISH i had,

2531
02:16:57.719 --> 02:17:00.600
<v Speaker 1>Asked ANYTHING i failed to cover here you'd like to

2532
02:17:00.639 --> 02:17:01.040
<v Speaker 1>put out?

2533
02:17:01.040 --> 02:17:01.239
<v Speaker 3>There.

2534
02:17:01.920 --> 02:17:07.360
<v Speaker 2>UH i liked the opportunity to come on the show

2535
02:17:07.399 --> 02:17:09.639
<v Speaker 2>and talk about some of the the you, know the

2536
02:17:09.719 --> 02:17:12.360
<v Speaker 2>history THAT i have been witnessed to and some of

2537
02:17:12.360 --> 02:17:14.600
<v Speaker 2>the stories that have brought me WHERE i. Am but,

2538
02:17:15.200 --> 02:17:19.120
<v Speaker 2>honestly the one thing THAT i Feel i've always tried

2539
02:17:19.760 --> 02:17:23.520
<v Speaker 2>to let people know Is i'm standing on the shoulders of.

2540
02:17:23.600 --> 02:17:27.239
<v Speaker 2>GIANTS i love the fact that people identify with The

2541
02:17:27.239 --> 02:17:30.200
<v Speaker 2>Generation kill. Story they may have been inspired by myself

2542
02:17:30.280 --> 02:17:33.879
<v Speaker 2>or others that are depicted in that, story BUT i

2543
02:17:33.959 --> 02:17:37.600
<v Speaker 2>still look back to the men from you, Know vietnam

2544
02:17:37.879 --> 02:17:39.840
<v Speaker 2>Or World War, two and there's not that many left

2545
02:17:40.000 --> 02:17:42.360
<v Speaker 2>less and less every day and the things that they.

2546
02:17:42.399 --> 02:17:47.159
<v Speaker 2>Did i've been To, Normandy i've seen the, Sand i've

2547
02:17:47.239 --> 02:17:51.760
<v Speaker 2>touched those pill boxes that The American rangers had to

2548
02:17:51.799 --> 02:17:53.000
<v Speaker 2>Cliff assault to get TO.

2549
02:17:55.959 --> 02:17:59.280
<v Speaker 1>I didn't do anything the shores Of Triple The Marine

2550
02:17:59.280 --> 02:18:00.239
<v Speaker 1>corps been around for a.

2551
02:18:00.280 --> 02:18:05.600
<v Speaker 2>While, Yeah i've been to what was The Beroot barracks In.

2552
02:18:05.719 --> 02:18:08.879
<v Speaker 2>Lebanon it's now an. Airport but Like i've seen that.

2553
02:18:09.040 --> 02:18:11.920
<v Speaker 2>Soil i've been to the beaches At. TRIPOLI i have

2554
02:18:12.040 --> 02:18:15.799
<v Speaker 2>touched that. Sand all of these, PLACES i stand on

2555
02:18:15.840 --> 02:18:18.680
<v Speaker 2>the shoulders of. GIANTS i am so humbled to have

2556
02:18:18.840 --> 02:18:22.399
<v Speaker 2>been a part of The Marine corps, story but also

2557
02:18:22.639 --> 02:18:25.360
<v Speaker 2>just the story of all of us who have. Sacrificed

2558
02:18:27.159 --> 02:18:28.159
<v Speaker 2>my hat's off to.

2559
02:18:28.200 --> 02:18:33.079
<v Speaker 1>Them, yeah that's. Great, well best of luck with the

2560
02:18:33.120 --> 02:18:36.360
<v Speaker 1>podcast the. Businesses it sounds like you're doing good.

2561
02:18:36.399 --> 02:18:38.479
<v Speaker 3>STUFF i appreciate, it my. Friend thank you for having

2562
02:18:38.520 --> 02:18:38.840
<v Speaker 3>me on your.

2563
02:18:38.840 --> 02:18:40.600
<v Speaker 1>Show, yeah thanks for making the trip out here To New.

2564
02:18:40.680 --> 02:18:41.600
<v Speaker 3>York it's my. Pleasure.

2565
02:18:41.760 --> 02:18:45.200
<v Speaker 1>Yeah, really so thank you everyone who joined us, today

2566
02:18:45.280 --> 02:18:51.639
<v Speaker 1>and we'll see you guys next. Time, hey, GUYS i

2567
02:18:51.680 --> 02:18:53.479
<v Speaker 1>want to take a moment to tell you about The

2568
02:18:53.520 --> 02:18:58.079
<v Speaker 1>Team house podcast. Newsletter if you go and, subscribe it's totally,

2569
02:18:58.120 --> 02:19:01.399
<v Speaker 1>free and what it will do is aggregate all of our,

2570
02:19:01.639 --> 02:19:04.920
<v Speaker 1>data all of our content that we put out the

2571
02:19:04.959 --> 02:19:09.239
<v Speaker 1>things that are on The teamhouse on our geopolitics, Podcast Eyes,

2572
02:19:09.319 --> 02:19:13.520
<v Speaker 1>on things THAT i write journalistically With Sean naylor on

2573
02:19:13.559 --> 02:19:16.959
<v Speaker 1>the High, side anything else that we have going, on,

2574
02:19:17.479 --> 02:19:21.559
<v Speaker 1>books we recommend upcoming guests that we have coming on the,

2575
02:19:21.600 --> 02:19:24.959
<v Speaker 1>show and also you, know filtering in some fun stuff

2576
02:19:24.959 --> 02:19:27.559
<v Speaker 1>in there as, well if you'll go and check it.

2577
02:19:27.559 --> 02:19:29.319
<v Speaker 1>Out we send it out just once a. Week we

2578
02:19:29.319 --> 02:19:31.840
<v Speaker 1>don't want to spam you. Guys it's just a kind

2579
02:19:31.840 --> 02:19:34.520
<v Speaker 1>of roll up of all of our content on a weekly.

2580
02:19:34.559 --> 02:19:38.840
<v Speaker 1>Basis you can find our newsletter At Teamhouse podcast dot

2581
02:19:38.959 --> 02:19:43.239
<v Speaker 1>kit dot com slash join. Again the website for that

2582
02:19:43.399 --> 02:19:47.799
<v Speaker 1>Is Teamhouse podcast dot kit dot, com slash Join so

2583
02:19:47.840 --> 02:19:48.479
<v Speaker 1>we hope to see you.

2584
02:19:48.520 --> 02:19:50.799
<v Speaker 3>There the link will be down the description