He Couldn't Get Hired, So He Bought a Plane Ticket to Darfur | Finding Purpose Before the Military
Release Date: 10/25/2025
Service Beyond War: Combat, Kidney Donation, and Endurance with Matt Cavanaugh
Combat Story
In this episode of Combat Story, AJ Pasciuti sits down with Matt Cavanaugh, retired U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel, combat veteran, strategist, endurance athlete, and living kidney donor, for a conversation about what service really looks like when nobody’s watching. Matt is the author of Best Scar Wins: How You Can Be More Than You Were Before, and his story goes far beyond combat. We start with his experiences in Iraq and the weight of leadership under pressure, then move into the harder-to-talk-about parts of life after war: grief, identity, responsibility, and the quiet choices...
info_outline
Holding the Line in Mosul: A 10-Hour Urban Battle with Blackhawk Co.
Combat Story
In this episode of Combat Story, Joe Troutman takes us inside one of the most intense and least-documented firefights of the Iraq War — a 10-hour urban fight in Mosul where Blackhawk Company, 1-23 Infantry, held ground without air support, under sustained RPG, machine-gun, and IED attacks. Joe served 18 years on active duty in the U.S. Army as a 13F Fire Support Specialist and Forward Observer, deploying multiple times to Iraq and Afghanistan. From the early days after 9/11, through the birth of the Stryker Brigade, to the brutal street fighting that followed, Joe’s story captures what...
info_outline
From the Streets, to Service, to Stand-Up: Michael D’Angelo’s Military Comedy Mission
Combat Story
In this episode of Combat Story, we sit down with Michael D’Angelo — a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who turned a turbulent childhood, military service, and hard-earned life lessons into a career built on laughter and connection. Raised in a rough environment where stability was never guaranteed, Michael found in the Marine Corps something he didn’t have growing up: structure, purpose, and a way out. Serving as a Marine machine gunner, the Corps gave him direction — and later, perspective — on both pain and resilience. After leaving the military, Michael found a new mission through...
info_outline
“A Shadow Dance”: A Marine Officer’s Story of Fallujah, War, and Understanding the Enemy
Combat Story
In this episode of Combat Story, we sit down with Elliot Ackerman—former Marine infantry officer, CIA paramilitary operations officer, journalist, and bestselling author. Elliot takes us inside some of the most intense moments of modern warfare, from the brutal urban combat of Fallujah in 2004 to special operations deployments in Afghanistan and later transitioning into the CIA. He walks us through a harrowing platoon-level fight where his unit was surrounded, badly wounded, and forced to blow their way out under fire—starting the day with 46 Marines and ending with just 21 combat...
info_outline
Azad "Mike" - Special Operations Interpreter to United States Marine
Combat Story
In this episode of Combat Story, we sit down with Azad, known overseas as “Mike,” whose life represents one of the most extraordinary and unlikely journeys to come out of the post-9/11 wars. Born Kurdish in Baghdad, Azad was still a child when the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq began. His first exposure to Americans didn’t come from movies, television, or Western culture — it came from U.S. soldiers operating in his hometown, at a time when alliances were fragile and the cost of being seen as a collaborator could be fatal. Driven by curiosity, survival, and a desire to understand the...
info_outline
Dauntless Courage: Inside Fallujah II and the Hardest Fought Battle of the War
Combat Story
The Second Battle of Fallujah — also known as Operation Phantom Fury — was one of the most intense urban combat engagements fought by U.S. forces since Vietnam. In this gripping documentary, real Marines, soldiers, and corpsmen recount the chaos, courage, and sacrifice that defined Fallujah, Iraq, in November 2004. This is not a scripted Hollywood war story. These are the firsthand voices of men who fought house to house, clearing buildings block by block in what became a defining moment of the Iraq War. Through raw interviews and authentic battlefield audio, this film captures the human...
info_outline
Invite to the Battle of Fallujah II Dauntless Courage Premiere on Combat Story with Ryan and AJ
Combat Story
This is an invite to watch the Premiere of a Combat Story special episode titled Dauntless Courage focused entirely on combat stories taking place during the Battle of Fallujah II. To join the premiere later today, go to YouTube at and click notify me. The Premiere starts on Nov 8 at 8pm EST / 5pm PST. Ryan and AJ will be in the chat watching the video live with everyone, including other Marines who fought in Fallujah!
info_outline
Australian SAS Officer Mark Wales: Combat Stories, PTSD, and the Warrior Spirit | Combat Story
Combat Story
In this incredible episode, Mark Wales, a former Australian SAS officer, opens up about his military journey. From his initial days in the Australian infantry to transitioning into the elite Special Forces, Mark reflects on his most pivotal experiences, including dangerous combat missions and the mental and physical toll of war. He shares intimate details about his service, his motivation to join Special Forces, and the challenges of losing friends in combat. Mark's story isn't just about the highs of military life; it's also about the realities, the struggles with PTSD, and the transition...
info_outline
He Couldn't Get Hired, So He Bought a Plane Ticket to Darfur | Finding Purpose Before the Military
Combat Story
Sponsored by Veterans Help Group — supporting veterans navigating VA benefits. In this incredible, unconventional story, Nate reveals how he discovered his life's purpose by taking a radical leap of faith. In 2004, feeling adrift and disturbed by the ongoing genocide in Darfur, Sudan, Nate knew he had to do something. Rejected by countless NGOs due to his lack of a college degree and "special skills," he refused to accept "no" for an answer. With nothing but determination and a bold elevator pitch, he bought a plane ticket to Chad and found a way onto a UN flight to the refugee camps....
info_outline
Combat Story - Podumentary - Erick Miyares
Combat Story
🎖️ From Marine Sniper to Army Special Operations Veteran | Erick Miyares’ Unbelievable Combat Story 🇺🇸. In this powerful episode, we sit down with Erick Miyares — a retired Special Operations soldier who began his journey in the U.S. Marine Corps and went on to serve in the Army’s 7th Special Forces Group and an Army Special Missions Unit under U.S. SOCOM. Eric takes us deep into the realities of war, from the jungles of Central and South America to the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq. He opens up about taking a life, losing brothers, living with...
info_outlineSponsored by Veterans Help Group — supporting veterans navigating VA benefits.
In this incredible, unconventional story, Nate reveals how he discovered his life's purpose by taking a radical leap of faith.
In 2004, feeling adrift and disturbed by the ongoing genocide in Darfur, Sudan, Nate knew he had to do something. Rejected by countless NGOs due to his lack of a college degree and "special skills," he refused to accept "no" for an answer.
With nothing but determination and a bold elevator pitch, he bought a plane ticket to Chad and found a way onto a UN flight to the refugee camps. Despite being interrogated by local authorities, Nate's perseverance paid off, and he was put to work—an experience that transformed his life in ways he never imagined.
This powerful, two-month journey ignited Nate’s passion for service and ultimately led him to enlist in the U.S. military. A must-listen story about the warrior spirit, rising to the occasion in a time of crisis, and choosing action over complacency.
🎙️ About Ryan Fugit:
Ryan is the creator and host of Combat Story, a podcast that captures the firsthand accounts of combat veterans, and Restricted Handling, which explores authoritarian activity and international security through conversations with world-class experts. Check out the Retricted Handling podcast at www.restrictedhandling.com
🔔 Subscribe for more interviews with military veterans, intelligence professionals, and leaders shaping the future of national security.
Find AJ Online:
📸Instagram: / ajpasciuti
📘 LinkedIn: / angelo-pasciuti
🔗Personal Website & Book Pre-Order (“Darkhorse”): https://www.ajpasciuti.com/
👉Combat Story Podcast (Part 1 – USMC Sniper & Force Recon in Fallujah):
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4aqn
👉Combat Story Podcast (Part 2 – Sniper vs Sniper Battle):
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast
👉Urban Valor Facebook Feature:
/ 602000529075284
👉DVIDS Video on Infantry Marine Course:
https://www.nationalguard.mil/Leaders
Find Ryan Online:
🎙️ Ryan’s Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory
🔗Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combats
🛒 Email ryan@combatstory.com
📸 Instagram @combatstory / combatstory
📘 Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial
Check out the Retricted Handling podcast at www.restrictedhandling.com
📖 Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial
✔ Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus
🎵 Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle
📘 Chapters: