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Combat Story

Release Date: 11/25/2023

How to Live a No Shortcuts Mentality w/ former Marine and Navy SEAL Kevin Seiff | Vet Collective | Helping 100K Vets

Combat Story

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 . In this episode: Kevin's relentless journey to become a Marine and Navy SEAL 🪖⚓ Two attempts to get into the Naval Academy and BUD/S Hell Week 😲🏊‍♂️ Must-read books and the no-shortcuts mantra 📚🛡️ Overcoming swimmer-induced...

Inside the Iron Triangle | Vietnam Combat in Pictures (from the time) | Kent Hillhouse Rd 2

Combat Story

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 . We wanted to do a Round 2 with Kent after I spent some time with him following our first interview...

Combat Story

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 HRT, the origins and mission of the HRT - which numbers fewer than 500 members since its inception in...

Commanding Tanks in Vietnam | Silver Star Mission | Armored Cavalry M48 Tanks in 'Nam | Kent Hillhouse (MG, Ret)

Combat Story

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 combatstory.com/newsletter. Many will likely be surprised to learn we had tanks in Vietnam given how the war has so...

Operator Syndrome Impact on Vets, Active Duty, Law Enforcement and the Special Operations Community | Chris Frueh

Combat Story

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 Dr. Chris Frueh, a clinical psychologist with extensive experience treating thousands of veterans,...

Last Great Tank-on-Tank Battle | Battle of 73 Easting | Armored Cavalry | M1A1 Abrams | Tim Gauthier

Combat Story

🔥 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. Learn about the tactics, challenges, and crew dynamics that define the fierce realm of...

Navy SEAL Sniper | UNSEALED | Hardest Experience Losing a Fellow Frogman | Enlisted & Officer | Mark Greene

Combat Story

🎯🔥 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 updates, fascinating historical snippets, and much more! Visit . In this gripping...

Epic Medal of Honor Battle Description | Marine Force Recon | Army Special Forces | Earl Plumlee

Combat Story

Today we have a once in a lifetime Combat Story with one of the few living Medal of Honor recipients from the war in Afghanistan: Earl Plumlee. Earl was a Marine infantryman, Force Recon team leader, and Special Forces Weapons Sergeant in the pre- and post-9/11 era. Earl would deploy multiple times with the Marine Corps and the Army, to include combat deployments with Force Recon and a historic deployment in 2013 with the his ODA where he would earn the Medal of Honor. In this episode, we touch on both of Earl’s Recon deployments but spend a considerable amount of time walking through...

F-15E Pilot and Weapons Officer | Teaching Fighter Weapons School - Tom Moser and Mike Benitez

Combat Story

Today we have a Combat Story where we bring two F-15E Strike Eagle aviators - a front seater and backseater - together to talk about what it was like flying at the same time and some of the adventures that come with that life. Both Tom “Gunny” Moser and Mike “Pako” Benitez are decorated aviators, both Fighter Weapons School qualified and both former Marines (Tom an 0311 and Mike a helicopter aircrew member and door gunner). We interviewed both Gunny and Pako individually if you’re curious about their other near misses and danger close shots (or the origins of their call signs…Pako...

Senior CIA Officer on Russia | Legendary Case Officer and Chief of Station | Glenn Corn

Combat Story

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more! Today I’m so excited to share this Combat Story with a legend from the CIA spanning the First Cold War battling the Soviet Union, to the...

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🎙️ Today's Combat Story: Training Dogs for SEAL Teams and Founding the Warrior Dog Foundation🎙️

Today we have the second portion of a two-part crossover Combat Story with former Navy SEAL, NY Times Best-Selling Author, Trikos Founder, and founder of the Warrior Dog Foundation: Mike Ritland. Many will, of course, know Mike as the host of the long-running Mike Drop podcast. I traveled out to Texas to interview Mike in-person and then he returned the favor.

For those who missed part one, Mike described growing up in Iowa and, while still undersized, was bullied at school and had to sit in the same class as his attackers. He vowed to never let that happen again and immersed himself in a Karate Kid-like experience in the martial arts studying under an old school sensei who helped send him on his path to the Teams. In the Teams, Mike would largest operation in the history of Naval Special Warfare when SEAL Team 3

Mike would contract an illness that would take him out of the door-kicking side of the teams but also allowed him to follow a passion training dogs for west coast SEAL teams. He followed this path to build a successful business in Trikos training working dogs for clients and creating the Warrior Dog Foundation, among other ventures.

Mike has done so much to find purpose and continue serving after hanging up the uniform in a way that will, undoubtedly, be motivating to people seeking their own purpose and next chapter. With that, please enjoy this episode with Mike Ritland.

👇 Show Notes:

00:00 - Introduction
01:04 - Guest Profile: Mike Ritland
02:09 - Interview Begins
02:14 - Background of Navy Seal Dogs book
3:55 - Aftermath of Oil Rig Operation
13:36 - New Mission Cycles
15:52 - Gulf War Veterans for Iraq War
20:36 - First Leave and Becoming a K-9 Trainer
25:54 - Contracting Fungal Lung Infection
30:36 - Interest in K-9 Handling
32:51 - Mentors and Experience in K-9 Training
43:19 - Human and Dog Psycology
50:03 - Proudest Accomplishment
53:53 - Biases Against Former Warrior Dogs
57:16 - Sentimental Items
58:11 - Would You Do It All Again?
01:01:04 - Downtime
01:08:05 - Listener comments and shout outs

🔗 Find Ryan Online:

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

🔗 Find Mike Online:

- Warrior Dog Foundation https://warriordogfoundation.org/about-us/

- Navy SEAL Dogs: My Tale of Training Canines for Combat https://www.amazon.com/Navy-SEAL-Dogs-Training-Canines/dp/1250049695
- Mike Drop Podcast https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNZR15cy3w1fzGXgI5oy5aA

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