What Jumping on a Grenade for Your Fellow SEAL Says About Our Troops: Mike Sarraille | Navy SEAL DEVGRU | Marine Recon
Combat Story
This is the Podumentary with former guest Mike Sarraille, former Marine Recon and a SEAL Team leader who served 20 years in the special operations community, earning a Silver Star, multiple Bronze Stars with Valor, and more. He finished his career in the Teams with Naval Special Warfare Development Group (or DEVGRU). Mike served in multiple leadership roles to include the Battles of Ramadi and Sadr City, to name just a few. Since retiring from service, Mike founded and is the CEO of Talent War Group, a specialized executive search firm and talent advisory; he’s co-author of ‘The Talent...
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RH 2 SEP 2025: Ryan and Glenn on Russia, Guyana, SOC, Ceasefire Predictions and More
Combat Story
🌍 Welcome to the RH Podcast! In this special preview, host Ryan Fugit sits down with Glenn Corn — a veteran of 34 years in the CIA, State Department, and U.S. Army. Glenn has served as a multi-time Chief of Station and senior intelligence officer, bringing decades of experience from the frontlines of national security and diplomacy. 🚨 Want to get the full episode? This is just the beginning. Catch the rest of the conversation exclusively at 👉 or head to our Don’t miss Glenn and Ryan's full take on geopolitics, foreign policy, and the realities of intelligence work — insights...
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Randall Parkes - Warrior to Mentor
Combat Story
Welcome to Combat Story. Today, I’m joined by retired Marine First Sergeant Randall Parkes—a parachute rigger in Recon, founding member of MARSOC, Drill Instructor extraordinaire, and now a leader in both real estate and defense tech—plus everyone’s favorite podcaster, the man who started it all.., Ryan Fugit. Randall’s career spans from enlisting in July 2001 to a remarkable 20 years of service that took him to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Africa on four combat deployments. As a founding member of the 1st Marine Raider Battalion, he helped shape the early years of Marine Special...
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1-36 Infantry in Ramadi & the Sunni Triangle | Ranger | Infantry School | 2x Author | Will Bardenwerper
Combat Story
Welcome to Combat Story. For the first time, I’m joined by my new co-host AJ Pasciuti as we sit down with Will Bardenwerper—former 1-36 Infantry and Civil Affairs Officer, Princeton grad, and acclaimed author. Will shares his journey from a finance career in Manhattan, inspired to serve after 9/11 and the example set by Pat Tillman, to boots on the ground in the Sunni Triangle during a 13-month deployment in 2006. He opens up about the realities of war, the loss of close friends, and the challenges of Civil Affairs in Iraq. After the Army, Will became a journalist and two-time author. His...
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Inside Trump–Zelensky Meetings: Secret Schedules, Russia’s Next Moves & What It Means for Ukraine!
Combat Story
Get a daily intel brief delivered directly to your email (for free) covering all things Russia, China, Middle East, and more at In this episode of the RH Podcast, former CIA officer 🎖️ Ryan Fugit and multi-time Chief of Station Glenn Corn (34 years at CIA) break down the high-stakes Trump–Zelensky meetings in Washington, DC 🇺🇸 following Putin’s Alaska summit 🇷🇺. 👉 Here’s what you’ll learn: 🔹 Why Putin skipped a key lunch with U.S. Treasury & Commerce officials 🍽️ 🔹 The hidden “carrot & stick” strategy behind Trump’s...
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Generation Kill to MARSOC: Jason Lilley’s Combat & Personal Journey
Combat Story
In this unfiltered Combat Story episode, we go deep with Jason Lilley — Recon Marine, MARSOC Raider, CIA Global Response Staff, and co-creator of Savage Actual. Jason opens up about his path from a turbulent youth to serving in some of the most elite units in the U.S. military, facing the chaos of Iraq and Afghanistan, and building a new life as a creator and veteran advocate. In this episode: From family struggles to joining the Marine Corps First Recon, Generation Kill, and the invasion of Iraq Intense firefights in Fallujah and Afghanistan Life in MARSOC and the CIA’s Global Response...
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Trump-Putin Alaska Summit: Former CIA Officers Break Down Looming Meeting
Combat Story
🎙️ Time-Sensitive RH Intel: Trump-Putin Alaska Summit Analysis 🌍🇺🇸🇷🇺 Join Ryan Fugit and Glenn, both seasoned former CIA officers 🕵️♂️, as they unpack the high-stakes Trump-Putin meeting in Alaska 🏔️—a pivotal moment for US-Russia relations and the Ukraine conflict. This timely episode dives deep into international diplomacy, geopolitical tensions, and the shifting dynamics of the global security landscape. Get a daily intel brief delivered to your email at to get a curated set of insights and reporting on Russia, China, Iran, the MIddle East...
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Former CIA Officers Talk Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Iran, China on Restricted Handling w/ Glenn Corn
Combat Story
🔥 New Podcast Drop! This exclusive crossover episode introduces my brand-new show Restricted Handling 🔒 — hosted by me - Ryan Fugit - and former CIA Chief of Station Glenn Corn 🕵️♂️. 🎯 Combat Story fans — don’t worry. That show will continue strong under decorated Marine Sniper & Recon Operator AJ Pasciuti 🦅. But if you crave deeper dives into intelligence, military operations, and high-stakes geopolitics, Restricted Handling is your new must-listen. 🕵️ What’s Restricted Handling? In the Intelligence Community, “Restricted Handling” refers to...
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The Toll it Takes: Delta Force Operator & Veteran Advocate Derek Nadalini
Combat Story
Delta Force Veteran Derek Nadalini: Unfiltered Combat Stories, Hard Truths, & the Battle for Redemption Step inside the untold world of America’s most elite warriors. In this explosive episode of Combat Story, we sit down with Derek Nadalini, a former Delta Force operator, veteran of Joint Special Operations Command, Army Ranger, and Navy serviceman, for a raw and riveting conversation about the realities of modern war and the fight to find peace after the guns go silent. Check out our Derek Nadalini’s Journey: From a military family shaped by Vietnam to a career that spanned the...
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Delta Force to Healing Force | Tom Satterly’s Battle Beyond the Battlefield
Combat Story
This is a unique Combat Story and part of a new Podumentary series where we interview some of our fan favorite guests and go even deeper on the moments in combat that forged them. This week we have Tom Satterly, former Delta Force Sergeant Major whose first battle was in Operational Gothic Serpent (Black Hawk Down) and his last was some battlefield in the post-9/11 era. Many will recall our original interview with Tom on Episode #11. Tom co-founded and runs the All Secure Foundation with his wife Jen. All Secure helps save vets who are dealing with challenging times. About All Secure...
info_outlineWelcome to Combat Story. Today, I’m joined by retired Marine First Sergeant Randall Parkes—a parachute rigger in Recon, founding member of MARSOC, Drill Instructor extraordinaire, and now a leader in both real estate and defense tech—plus everyone’s favorite podcaster, the man who started it all.., Ryan Fugit.
Randall’s career spans from enlisting in July 2001 to a remarkable 20 years of service that took him to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Africa on four combat deployments. As a founding member of the 1st Marine Raider Battalion, he helped shape the early years of Marine Special Operations and was named MARSOC Support Marine of the Year in 2011. He later became a Parris Island Drill Instructor, shaping the next generation of Marines, and commanded 97 Marines and Sailors during a CENTCOM deployment in 2017.
In his final active-duty role, Randall returned to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, capping his service before retiring on September 30, 2021. Since then, he’s launched The Parkes Realty Group with his wife Heather—selling over $40 million in residential real estate—and now serves as Mission Operations Deployment Lead at Anduril Industries, helping drive innovation in modern defense technology. His academic credentials include a bachelor’s in Business Management (magna cum laude) and an Master of Business for Veterans, an innovative and one of its kind program from The University of Southern CA.
Randall’s combat stories are intense, unfiltered, and at times deeply personal—so much so that this is only part one of his Combat Story. We’ll be sitting down with him again in the future to share his incredible role in saving lives during the chaotic fall of Kabul, a moment that speaks volumes about his leadership, grit, and unwavering commitment to others.
Let’s dive in—here’s part one of our conversation with Randall Parkes.
Find Randall Parkes Online:
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/randall_in_sandiego/?hl=en
📘 Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/randall-parkes
🔗 Official website: https://theparkesteam.com/agent/randall-parkes
Find Ryan Online:
🔗 Ryan’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/combatstory
🛒 Merch Store: https://www.bonfire.com/store/combats
📸 Instagram: @combatstory / combatstory
📘 Facebook: @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial
📖 Learn more about Ryan: https://www.combatstory.com/aboutus
🎵 Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle
Find AJ Online:
🔗 Official website: ajpasciuti.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ajpasciuti/
📘 Linkedin : https://www.linkedin.com/in/angelo-pasciuti/
📕Personal Website & Book Pre-Order (“Darkhorse”): https://www.ajpasciuti.com/
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:48 Introduction to Combat Story
01:12 Meet Randall Parks
02:59 Randall's Early Life and Military Beginnings
04:09 Joining the Marine Corps
13:31 Bootcamp During 9/11
33:41 First Deployment to Iraq
47:30 Loaded for Battle
47:52 A Close Call with a Civilian
48:45 Cultural Differences in Handling Disabilities
49:13 A Sergeant's Tough Love
49:37 The Reality of Deployment
50:57 IED Encounter and Aftermath
57:58 A Model Marine's Worries
59:10 The Impact of Movies on War Memories
01:00:10 Returning Home to Personal Turmoil
01:04:51 A New Assignment and a Change of Plans
01:07:21 Joining MARSOC
01:10:42 Deployment to Afghanistan
01:21:47 Facing the Taliban's Mortar Attacks
01:29:58 Spotting the Enemy
01:30:33 Engaging the Mortar Team
01:31:39 Aftermath and Reflections
01:34:32 The PX Gunny Story
01:43:58 Returning Home and Getting Married
01:44:53 Drill Instructor Duty
01:48:51 Challenges and Successes as a Drill Instructor
02:04:55 Final Thoughts and Reflections