On today’s episode we sit down for round two with Darrell Utt in an episode that is chalked full of combat experiences from his time in 2006 in Iraq and then some stories from his time in 2007 which, one day, will hopefully be a sequel to his book that’s coming out shortly: Grit to Glory.  If you didn’t catch round one last week, Darrell grew up in a really tough home where he stopped his mother from shooting his father at one point and vividly remembered watching his mother walk out of the...

Today we have round one of a fantastic two-part Combat Story with a former guest: Darrell Utt, a long time Green Beret and retired Master Sergeant.  Darrell just finished writing a book (Grit to Glory) going into great detail about one deployment when he was a Team Sergeant with ODA 043 in 2006 to Iraq that includes all the highs and lows of leading a team of elite Green Berets.  We met with Darrell two years ago for an episode (#74) watched by over a 100K+ people and this time around we...

Today we have our second account of the brutal fighting within the Arghandab Valley in Afghanistan from Will Yeske, a former 82nd Airborne RTO at the time. Will went on to write the book Damn the Valley: 1st Platoon, Bravo Company, 2/508 PIR, 82nd Airborne in the Arghandab River Valley Afghanistan. Will recounts his experiences fighting and surviving in this brutal location in Afghanistan which takes place at the same time (and just across the river) from the same experience faced by our...

Today we hear a Combat Story from Marine Officer and US Army Special Operations Command (or USASOC) leader Varpas de Sa Pereira (de SA Pur-rare-a). His book Warrior Withdrawal: When BAMF No Longer Means Bad*$$ M^ther#u@!er is a great read for anyone trying to understand why so many of veterans - myself included - face challenges transitioning out of the military outside of just PTSD.  Varpas faced combat many times, deploying time and again with a variety of units in search of some "thing"...

On today’s Combat Story we have a deep dive into intense fighting that took place in Afghanistan in the treacherous Arghandab River Valley with Andrew Bragg, a former Army infantryman who served back to back tours to two distinct places in Afghanistan, both with plenty of kinetic activity.   Andrew’s book The Devil’s Playground is about one of his deployments with the 82nd Airborne to the Arghandab River Valley where his unit experienced 50% casualties, including 6 KIA. Andrew traveled the...

Today we have our first Combat Story from a Swedish Special Operations soldier and intelligence professional, Max Lauker. Max spent 20 years in the elite Swedish forces and was a plank holder for one of the predecessor units to what later became Sweden’s Special Operations Group. Check out our Combat Story Newsletter at www.combatstory.com/newsletter. He served multiple deployments that we cover in this episode in what I’ve coined as four missions and a funeral to dig into more of the...

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

Today on Combat Story we have our first of two interviews with 32 year veteran and retired Special Forces Sergeant Major Randy Surles, who entered the Army in 1987 and retired in 2019. Randy saw combat early on in Operation Just Cause as a Ranger and then again for several rotations post-9/11.  Check out our Combat Story Newsletter at www.combatstory.com/newsletter. In this episode, we cover Randy’s experience in Panama and attending Lancero training in Colombia which you can think of as...

In this episode of Combat Story, we hear from Beth Sanner, a former senior CIA analyst and President's Daily Brief (PDB) briefer to President Trump. Beth previously served as the Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Mission Integration, the Director of the PDB and as Vice Chair of the National Intelligence Council.   Check out our Combat Story Newsletter at www.combatstory.com/newsletter Beth also held several senior leadership positions in the CIA’s Directorate of Analysis,...

Today we have round two of our incredible Combat Story with John Dailey, the former Marine Force Recon operator who was one of the very few selected to help stand up what was known as ”Detachment One,” which would lead to the creation of the Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) that we know today.  Check out our Combat Story Newsletter at www.combatstory.com/newsletter. If you missed Round 1, John grew up on the east coast hunting and shooting and, in the ninth grade, visited a...

Today we have round one of a fascinating Combat Story interview with John Dailey, a former Marine Force Recon operator who was one of the very few selected to help stand up what was known as ”Detachment One,” which would lead to the creation of the Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) that we know today.  Check out our Combat Story Newsletter at www.combatstory.com/newsletter. The eighty-six-man “Detachment One” was formed with a two-year charter to train and deploy as a...

Today we have a unique Combat Story with F-16 Fighter Pilot and co-founder of the Defense Innovation Unit Experimental (DIUx), Raj Shah. Raj was handpicked to stand up an organization that would strengthen our armed forces through contractual and cultural bridges between Silicon Valley and the Pentagon, to include accelerating the contracting process and getting the newest technology from Silicon Valley and tech into the hands of the warfighters faster.  Check out our Combat Story Newsletter...

A Tribute to Our Veterans | Combat Story Podcast In this heartfelt episode of the Combat Story podcast, we pay tribute to the brave men and women who have served our country. This special video features President Reagan's iconic July 4th, 1986 address to the Nation, seamlessly blended with powerful responses from veterans about whether they would choose their military careers again. Join us as we honor their courage, sacrifice, and unwavering dedication to protecting our freedoms. Their...

Today we have an interview with a former Ranger Regiment soldier turned US Army Special Operations Command Sergeant Major, Sean Hagerty. Sean fought in both Afghanistan and Iraq with Ranger Regiment and then spent many years in the very secretive side of the Army in places all over the world. After retiring, Sean wrote a psychological thriller called Jones Point that has a great plot line focused on a father taking revenge after losing a daughter but in a far more creative and compelling...

🪖 Today’s Combat Story dives deep into the career and combat experiences of former infantryman turned Cavalry officer turned Special Forces Green Beret, Dan Pace. Dan retired after over two decades of service in the military, seeing combat in both Iraq and Afghanistan on both the enlisted and officer sides of the house. 📬 Stay Updated: Subscribe to our Newsletter https://www.combatstory.com/newsletter 💪 Support Us: Join our Patreon https://www.patreon.com/combatstory 📚 Dan recently wrote a...

Today we have a great Combat Story that ranges from the military intelligence tactical front lines of counterterrorism and the Korean peninsula to the most strategic of all, serving as the PDB briefer to the President of the United States (POTUS) with senior intelligence officer Michelle DiGruttolo.  👀 Don't miss out! Check out our Combat Check-In for exclusive updates, fascinating historical snippets, and much more! Visit combatstory.com/newsletter. I strongly encourage you to listen to...

Today we have a fascinating deep dive on Chinese intelligence structure, tactics, capabilities, and threats with long-time China expert Nicholas Eftimiades. Nick spent 34 years in the US government with DIA, CIA, State, DHS and more with an intense focus on China and high tech space programs. 👀 Don't miss out! Check out our Combat Check-In for exclusive updates, fascinating historical snippets, and much more! Visit combatstory.com/newsletter. In the 90’s, Nick wrote the book Chinese...

In today's Combat Story, we sit down with Kevin Seiff, a former Marine officer turned Navy SEAL who now leads the Vet Collective and co-hosts the Harder Not Smarter Podcast with Green Beret Greg VanDyne. 🦅🎙️ 👀 Don't miss out! Check out our Combat Check-In for exclusive updates, fascinating historical snippets, and much more! Visit www.combatstory.com/newsletter. In this episode: Kevin's relentless journey to become a Marine and Navy SEAL 🪖⚓ Two attempts to get into the Naval Academy and...

Today we have a round two Combat Story with Kent Hillhouse where we recorded the episode with a screen available to look and talk through some more of his combat experiences with maps and photos from his time in service. Kent is a retired Major General who spent a year as a Platoon Leader and Tank Commander in Vietnam from August of 1967 to August of 1968.  👀 Don't miss out! Check out our Combat Check-In for exclusive updates, fascinating historical snippets, and much more! Visit...

Today we have a Combat Story first with Greg Shaffer, who spent a career in the FBI as an Agent, SWAT member, and Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) operator. He also started his career leading a patrol boat team in the Coast Guard before moving over to the Bureau. 👀 Don't miss out! Check out our Combat Check-In for exclusive updates, fascinating historical snippets, and much more! Visit combatstory.com/newsletter. In this episode, we talk about the selection and entry process to both the FBI and...

Today we have a unique Combat Story where we hear about the armored cavalry in Vietnam from then Platoon Leader with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment Kent Hillhouse. Kent would go on to retire as a Major General in the Army Reserve and has continued to support veterans leading his community’s Veterans Memorial and Support Foundation of Los Gatos. 👀 Don't miss out! Check out our Combat Check-In for exclusive updates, fascinating historical snippets, and much more! Visit...

This episode dives deep into the challenges and conditions dubbed 'Operator Syndrome' faced by veterans and active-duty members of the military, exploring both psychological and physical facets, including traumatic brain injury, PTSD, hormonal imbalances, low testosterone, existential issues, and more.  👀 Don't miss out! Check out our Combat Check-In for exclusive updates, fascinating historical snippets, and much more! Visit combatstory.com/newsletter. The episode features insights from...

🔥 Dive deep into the heart of armored combat in this gripping interview with Tim Gauthier, a Platoon Leader during the iconic Battle of 73 Easting in Desert Storm! 🎖️ 🚀 From the tactical viewpoint of both a scout platoon leader and a tank commander, discover the intense preparation, reconnaissance, and combat strategies that shaped this pivotal tank-on-tank clash. 🛡️ 🤝 Experience the high-stakes world of M1A1 Abrams and Bradleys as they faced off against Iraqi T-72s and armored vehicles....

🎯🔥 Today's Combat Story Features Mark Greene, an Elite Navy SEAL Sniper! 🔥🎯 Join us as we dive deep with Mark Greene, a courageous former Navy SEAL who has experienced the sharp edge of battle as both an officer and enlisted sniper. 🎖️💥 Mark's extensive service spans the pivotal moments of our time, from the intense pre-9/11 missions to the high-stakes post-9/11 operations where his sniper skills were put to the ultimate test. 👀 Don't miss out! Check out our Combat Check-In for exclusive...