This is jack gas number three. Fifty seven with echo charles and me java, willing good evening echo good evening. Since kept moving- and I stopped him by putting to his back sir any You asked me do I am here: you know that same stopped solely pivoting on the peace tone he walked back to me. I know that staff sergeant bill, I have never once questioned that in you I took a moment. It was cool the silence of this area of open, nothing, was now invaded by giant generators. Humming bird lasting light brighter than a texas high school football stadium. An area that was essentially a path that required night vision. Two weeks ago was now amassed with army heavy equipment, trucks crane.

It connects trailers of work or be contractors and soldiers endlessly moving equipment. Twenty four hours a day for the big you're theatre, move to felicia. What do you got sergeant? I am more worried about losing people now than losing people in ten years and In the disrespect where you were coming from, I just can't think that way. We are going to lose people. We will lose some of these men. The reality of what he just said seem to him act him in real time as if he was unaware of what was coming out of his own mouth. He paused sergeant I don't know if I'm prepared for that either we both looked at each other. all I wanted was the felicia fight. I dream for this test. I was

excited about the prospects of actually impacting this war now, with captain sims the reality of it seemed to hit me at once. He looked at me Bags under his eyes, stress worry. his wet. I seem to read from long hours and late nights. no way around this. I need you, It's going to be really rough. He said. We need you, sir. You got us here and you will get us home. Let's get as many back home as we can. Yes, sir, we were, in two opposite directions that night captains- and toward the glowing lights me into the pitch blackness of the barracks.

When I think of captain sean sims, I see him in his DC use bright and knights glow of the light. with only a home in on his head. had aside arm on his leg, walking into the light and that right there reserve excerpt from above old, remember the ramrods an hour. he brotherhood in war and peace by day, Bolivia. That's a conversation that took place Prior to the second battle of felicia operation, phantom fury the bloodiest battle of the iraq war and the heaviest concentration of urban combat it's the vietnam war, the captain

Captain sims was the commander of alpha company second battalion. Second infantry regiment, known as the ram rods. Who organizing, the third brigade combat team first infantry division, David Bellevue, was a squad leader interpreter of our for company. That's what I was a conversation between officer the offered their company commander. and one of his noncommissioned officers as a prepared for the worst combat that they could imagine. You're a short time. After that conversation, they cross breach into. Where they met the enemy- Prove their metal as soldiers as warriors and as american fighting men

There was great sacrifice during that battle. including over five hundred wounded americans, and five killed. And for his actions during one house fight in that battle, David Bolivia was awarded the medal of honor and he has written about his experiences in two books, the first called house to house and a new. I just came out that I mentioned which is called remember the ramrods and it's an honor to have David Bellevue here with us tonight. To share his experiences and his lessons learned David thanks for coming out man thanks how appreciate that reading that section the book. I remain but when we were getting relieved in romania My task was getting believed and remedy and the new task you,

We take our place and were given a money. In brief and guys that were really as well. They were coming from any diego california seal team, five, and I remember given my brief and I was told them you are going to take casualties, and you could see, even though these guys these guys had been them took. Barclays funeral, they ve been mikey monsters funeral a couple weeks prior, but you know they got on the ground and there me and Tell telling them hey you guys. Are we to take casualties, it's it's a rough thing to to face and conversation that you had with captain sims. You know an end, Look how old were you at that time? I was twenty eight twenty eight years old and you have That attitude like hey. This is what this one has more to do. that's what I've been waiting for,

I want to go find food, these guys from team five. God bless them what they want. Do they wanted to get into it? Of course,. and that reality check of. This is where it's going and This is war and casualties are gonna, come It's a it's a heavy everything to walk into it? It rearing you read that I I it's it's so it's it's strange to me because I, I think of you know the guys that get hurt are the ones who really know what you can get shot at repeatedly. A snap, a hiss. I'm u want when your first in country near his laugh, New guy does not demonstrate incoming and outgoing lay hey. What are you doing? You're running for the bunker right, it's like when a babies born the past

fire falls and you sterilize esteem and autoclave it. You know, then, after like the second third, kid you're, like you know, come on put some more dirt on it. It's good for the immune system. The reality is that, once you have been shot- and you know- and you see your friends that have experienced it. there's it's not real. Until that happens, and we remember the ramrods is a book about how we all are trying to. I used to think that I missed war. That for the my entire remaining adult years after I left the military I missed. I missed adrenalin. I missed they, ultimate, I mean you go into a job interview and it's like. Are you good enough? What's on your resume, may you know what greedy. You have your credit score

civilian life we we we like before we trust you go on to date. Are you worthy of my time? Do I trust you in the military. I trusted before I'd still not like half these guys. You know, but I trust whom you know like that, it's a totally different, and so we look at those days and we think that was the best time of my life, is in also. We know that weird for civilians to hear right do we know that that's odd and I thought those were the best my life and I realized it wasn't the war it was. The relationships are worth. It was the people, it was the sense of validation, and purpose everyday I woke up- I knew I had to do. I knew I was needed and being needed in a fight it rate leading men is an incredible honor, but having a purpose in a fight is the greatest exe

Periods ever when you're being shot at and it's almost like the enemy is only shootin at the guys they want to take out of the battlefield Do you know everyone a bit of not getting shot at? That means their willing to keep you out there for a little while exactly a threat to anyone that damn it a great deal, in two to know that this my generation every reason people are divided today. our generation at war had all the problems people have today. We gay people, we have people definite different, different religions and yet we can't leave each other's vote out every year. So we the same debates and then When the bell rang, we went out there, get our job and and and learned to live with each other and respect each other and love each other, and that to me is something that we

everyone talk was missing? It's our responsibility, to remind our citizens. Why We therefore have a devil play in the world, can make you do what you did honestly seriously as a college. Dairy cows judge that bad that europe go into a vacation and remedy. I mean it's ridiculous, it's absurd to say so. Do You grieve? Do you know you ve ever been able to do something with your career. That to me is I'm I'm tired of people same look what he did. I want people to say, look what I can do. if it's not inspiring to see people like you, then it's a waste if it's just about one individual and that's why this award war to this awards ridiculous, because what do you do or team tall about? but, however, but there's one guy, you know what the only award for the entire living

but the entire war an honour and agent into its disrespectful. I, I could name you seven names from, a foolish alone. They should have the medal of honor. So now you one award? I'm someone what is: are we gonna go and just each rent for the rest of our life is now the time to go and you know go off into any and started to elsie show my medal of honor life. You know what what about what to do with this kid? I know how bout We remember who we are every single day I'm still a soldier are still an average remain. I will always be a knock commission officer and I'm Example of my leadership and end latest compliment alive, you can have is when his subordinates eclipse him and that's tough for There's tough guy is twenties.

run around with people. Stand is about the military, but we can allow. A guys that were division, one studs that brought a gun to bobo brag. This we get a lot of guys screwed up and these are these are guys it could be plain on sunday, any sport they want There are times that you want to professional gold turned a little bit and be like lives hard archer he's smart knees physically fit describe. Destroys careers. Take my job. I don't want to give him a good report, a good counselling statement. I want given a ward and then you start to realise that The reason why our military is elite is because every generation is better than the previous anne and you have to embrace a greatness, that's what a leader is a leader is saying this. What I did look at what my twelve guys did their better. And are better fathers there, better citizens and their better soldiers that I was

That's what you want to be able to say until you say that you know you're, your plane paint ball at with it with a with College fund is now real. This is what it's all about is make. It is making a better for the next group. I think there's a lot in these books that are definitely are gonna help a lot of people to build a move through these things, less given to where you came from a little bit background on you, sir you're born born enough. What nineteenth Many five year end up in western new york, I say your tell name: lyndonville, ville, Yeah value population, eight hundred and thirty. Eight that's right Yes, I two thousand and lenses we're. I gotta get an arena football franchise, Joseph, but it's a real small town apple downright offer farming

merely off of lake ontario and it's about an hour from buffalo and in your dad. What would you do Dennis? Father was a dentist and he chose rural instead of suburban. He could have done anything practiced anywhere. It's where he wanted I raise a family and what about your mom was young. She was working at the practice. She would stay at home. Helped them out was a partner all throughout a great family, great youngest. for an everyone had has a masters double masters phd there. These are my dad. Is all about education be approved? National how'd that work out for well I'll. Tell you what it was weird that he as a dentist. His whole thing was, you know he had great empathy want to always take people out of pain, and I would hang out my granddad was a is still alive, is one hundred and two and he was a normandy that he did.

Sicily, north africa, enormity and get them on the podcast. By the way I'll tell you what that'll be a twelve hour, he won't shut up. Do you just give them olive garden? I usual, but but grandfather would would die my mom it's my mom's dead, any it shit like thirty road sisters, and I would get these stories at an age that you proud Probably shouldn't be talent. I remember there was a time I went target shooting when my data had a twenty two rifle and I was he was like David you're grouping is good, but let's try to get at center and I'm like, because it was low right mps Why you shooting, let's get it in the middle and I'm like that's where the for moral artery as its by the hip bone and grandad says like lives, no more store about where the leaders that will we want, but but

would tell me these stories of of combat that we're almost there were filtered there. Were victorian in the sense that there is no better no nobility, but there was always this contrast of don't ever think the enemy is just nazis are horrible. Imperial japanese were the worst people in the world, but they're human beings and there's something that happens to you. When you go to war, you'll, never ever look at life the same, but it wasn't as if it was a warning of don't do this. It was you can't ever appreciate any. and unless you're in that environment, with other people doing something together against evil so when I went to Kosovo in cave for Bravo, no offense to the Clinton

duration, aren't really find evil you that we didn't interrupt. You know the cleansing we found the ethnic cleansing. We weren't a kinetic for standing up against milosevic's, or you know that the greek orthodox against the ethnic albanians, it was just can like we're here. We're just hang out a rat. Was it all again. It was. I saw evil I saw it. I saw people that wanted to hurt myself. My friends it it's a you know you can be victimized by that trauma or you can be empowered by it and you can say: listen there can't be a bad day ever after that right I mean I can't be there's nothing. You can do some sort your grandfather made that impression on you at the

a pretty young, a cable. The stories were ridiculous, he's I ob sleeping in a cold day and by stone, and it was a dead pig frozen pig at an he would well. These stories of how he would go, into these french areas that were friendly to the nazis, and like my guys, having eaten and weeks you, Has any eggs in their like no eggs, no, nothing! Either you're a liar french civilian here, look they will throw. These are your line you have you been given aims to the nazis. Haven't you? Is we Our barrels, a champagne we found ham salted ham. We feasted on that, and I was like what's message here: the messages in a grip it was pillaging of civilians, the mess the judges salted ham and whatever luxury you could find was the best ill of his life has hidden

of his day was. And to morrow and I'm twelve and I'm thinkin. You know Dad? Could you imagine not knowing what tomorrow is gonna, be like and just having this opportunity for fellowship come robbery and a warm meal. and you will literally do anything just for that moment and he's the time he was in his eighties now dotterine two. He still thinks about their meal, it doesn't matter star four star. He thinks about that meal in a barn you know. Next to a blow. rob eighty eight a dashing credible to me? So you got this on one side. Meanwhile, your dad is all about education. Want you to how you doing in school, I you know I was, but my parents raised me right at a great school, great teachers. Everything was this wasn't I went to college and I I was checking the box and I remember

my senior year. I was in a library and out I was a goofball and I was just trying to be funny in and be popular in And the little tv on the little you roller cart tv they pay a good end. It was october. Ninety three and on watch bill Cleveland, get dragged through the streets of Somalia and I felt like a complete, fraud. It I've never felt like this was in the car, I've come to an out about experience where I thought I'd. I we can't be fun me. We can't laugh This is an american who dedicated his life to protecting us and has been dragged by truck truck and ripped apart by kids in mogadishu and black hawk down and I and I remember, saying a prayer that I didn't what life I would live. I had no idea it's going to be Dennis tomorrow, twelve kids, one kid never married, I'm going to avenge bill cleveland,

that's all I wanted to do was just give me ever was week. Missionary trip I'd, find a way get into the market place in mogadishu, Let's get a stack up adjusting, polaroid incentive, the cleveland family, to say we got em an and in the one thing that I never understood about. Soldiering was how important avenging losses and how what that means for your morale, what that means for a family and again- another disconnect with civilians, but knowing that the person that destroyed your life and took something away from you that we got em when a war became nothing by these nuthin You never saw the enemy listen in music and you disappear in a mist in a war. When you had the chance to see the enemy fix them. and there are now afraid of you- that's why we fought.

And full remedy more to die barkeeper those areas Mosul. They gave us the opportunity actual fight back when so many of the losses in iraq. At that point, were you know, ghosts basically I want to get to the point where you get done with, high school, but there was a part of this book that I promised myself had to be read so that everyone can hear it go when I was seventeen in the summer. my junior year, mice, my dad started a group for teens, whose mission was to wait until marriage to have sex. or for July was the biggest ventnor small town the population of seven hundred fifty, would balloon to three thousand one afternoon. The fireworks parades the chicken barbecue, the mac plant hangers made

This the go to location in order county, inevitably there was going to be a float for his new organization. My other came to mean explained how difficult it was to get older kids to join his group, and this group like, as there is a group for people that are good. Stay virgins until they're married? I, stunned. How richly bazaar was the teenagers didn't wanna ride, downtown, declaring to all appears they were virgins and not open for business with a sigh we're face and piercing eyes. He asked me David. I would if you to be the king of our virgin float having read the bylaws, the group to see if this sort of nepotism was allowed, it was quickly reveal that this was an acceptable policy. There was no disco vacationing being related to an officer of the group in naming me the king of all virgins without a proper boat or at least having a board meeting. I was a good kid shy

not exactly ladies man and, in fact, a real bona fide virgin at seventeen Just really didn't want to be on a float being pulled by a john deere tractor in my home town, declaring to my entire community that my prom night didn't end like I told my friends I was introduced to my queen she was twelve years old. The other kid on the flow range from the ages of now. into a very mature thirteen, but I love my father, I could not let him down people like you and if people like you and if they see were waiting, maybe they will wait to he said to me: had. You are far over my ability to influence my peer group. No one cares. This is humiliating. I rode on the float on a throne of chastity, while girls who had even reach puberty tossed touchy, rose to my laughing peers. I wore that crown war that sash that red I dont until I do

That was the most emasculating twenty five minute tractor right. If my life, when the parade ended, my dad came up to me and said something I never forgotten David. That was a very difficult thing. I asked you to do remember this. If you live your life, doing things that are difficult, but that our right you'll find the strength to do tat. but things when they count the most my hero. S do it and I wouldn't change the thing because it made my father proud I know you're courageous guy, but I was wrong. I can tell you when I was seventeen years old that won't be happening for me. I would have ran away. I think I you know I just it to me. It was always obligation. Was you know your your father was your father and I love my dad and there were times it. You know when you become a father, you think I would have done that. I dunno if that lesson works out well today, but it it it it. You know the I the top,

this thing. I've ever had to do. My life was love my army, when my army, treating me like garbage at and there's nothing more difficult than that, is to love your branch love your chain of command when there is no reason to do it and that relationship with my officers was very much like. My relationship with my father. This is these: are the rules that you grow where you're planted? No one picked their unit. Very few people get a chance to pick the people and when they do it's different, but here I am, these are my people and they're going to tell me what's going and I'm going to I'm going to knock it out, I'm going to find something, because I would fear the enemy can kill you. The enemy can hurt you, the enemy could take. Your eyesight, in your body parts, but the shame of letting down some one. That was an officer

in charge me or senior and seo was far greater than what the enemy I was more afraid of what they can do to me than what the enemy can do and it sound. Stupid to say out loud in your forties, but I felt the same way about my dad. I mean this ban was, he was five foot through He never told me to lie, and yet I'd look at his driver's licence from your estate and, like it says, five nine nine what's going on here, but but that my dad? I loved him in, and that was a ridiculous require every ridiculous request by making him proud was everything to me. Deeply sports nice would you play out somewhere else, Moscow? We didn't have football, so we were soccer which is very difficult in motivation. but we did the basketball soccer baseball. Those are my three. And then you say you end up going to college yeah and

What are you planning when you go to college? What years away years you graduate ninety four? Ninety four went to college start off in new Hampshire and again I went premed. Biochemistry was the major, but it was the pre med and then I had no, you know really sheltered in a really small area, and so I wanted to meet you know. Girls, I wanted to be popular. and so I figured all the guys I met in the theater programme. Just weren't, then interested in women really strange there as well, our hope, if maybe be like a theatre, minor and just canada. Hang on this crowd and I had no real ability to do anything, an endless. shocking. They didn't care where nobody wants to see me dancer, sing or even attempt to act there. Just like you want to be in this group. Go on like this is, like a degree,

Would you need to have some semblance which is a walking around everyone the girl just like go now. a turtleneck on your part of club and you're gonna spend money to get a degree in something and we don't even care if you're, even good at it. Really believe in their sides, guys cared me had at least path, some do well if a damn about you know the fact that I couldn't do anything. So were you in place or something I mean you are- you have to be in everything, but the I mean you're good at should really have to be involved, but it is in then like the wood What's your grated on your effort? like you're graded on how much you smile like how this is confusing to you. Just like this is like I don't. I don't get it, and so you wonder why there's so many delusional people going to l, a and new york, and it's because

For four years, they're, like you are really trying hard all Can I work? Can I get a job we? you have a law, a federal on a credit card. That's it You pay the minimum. In twenty years, is what you're gonna pay, but you walk into a college today Image agree in shakespeare shakespeare stage. And no one has an obligation to be like that. I your job by the way you're never going to make money. What are you going to make it to thirty at nothing? How do you do a profit and loss? There were a lot of guys in theatre departments and film that just you know what is Andy warhol, fifteen hours of a guy sleeping its art. Maybe you could be like Andy warhol, so yeah, I didn't I

So how are we going to use stay in college, for I stated for the remainder was my senior year of college second semester, and I had a professor tell me and I was getting more and more rebellious and in the idea of I felt like it, my friends, were in the army. My friends are doing cool things I just as I doing this. For my father, I'm doing this for my mom, I'm doing this for everyone, and then these professors we're just unlike what have you done in theatre? What have you dive? ever been in a movie or written movie or anything and the guys like You leave this school he'll come back, you tell between your legs and I was like a do. What each driver do like what what am I gonna do. If I leave here, I would have you how are you cheat? You listen I go to the range someone ike it's a guy who really know how to shoot a machine gun teach me how to shoot a machine gun, some guy was like. I have this creed.

You dream about an eighty four millimeter rocket. Let me give you a lesson on it. There actually are subjects are expert. I didn't stand by these people were professors and why they would do, and so I, just my last year said. I know I don't want to do this anymore. I want to leave, I want to go in, and You know maybe I'll write a screen player, maybe I'll read a book or maybe I'll do something. To show that I don't need. This degree brother is all had it. My brothers How did it was like a check the box, this I'm serious of? I went, the dead, that's a series of lobbying, an adult I give you know, take your variously. I gotta be the papers is I'm serious. You know this is real. I put money into what I wasted time, I'm a real adult I was like nah, I don't. I don't want to do that. on to something that you don't think it's intellectual, but I think, is intellectual and I can't think of anything every time I watch I'm a big buffalo bills fan

every time watch football in the trenches. I go to war with that guy, it's a war is always a metaphor. I just want a war, so came home from my college one summer and we had a home invasion. These two drug attics broken my parents house, and I was like this- is my time this, my fun. This is what I've lived, my whole life for a grab remedy in shock on and I loaded it up and I was I'm shoot these guys, their shortlist short lived, I was just running around the house. wires off a tvs thrown into the car Moving in and out, I had a rottweiler at the time I put them, yah well in the garage, because I was afraid the rottweiler would buy them and you want like there to be a liability issue like maybe they were my parents, friends. Maybe it was a misunderstanding, but I wish,

I was scared, and I rather shocking I loaded up. I felt it just like I had done previously and I brought it up the stairs- and I saw these guys my mom had had next surgery now take care her. They were on the other side of the house, and I just thought you, your gun. You're gonna murder, these guys, you gonna, kill these guys and we got to move out of the house. No every time I look at you differently and what is really deal was just buying time right by time for them to do something and run away or, and they din and they looked at me- would like zero fear and that hurt. But that was that's in three. A m inventory No one saw that, but then my dad came on after these guys role If they get arrested, they go to jail, hope trial, but ready

do they drove off that day. My dad looked at me and he looked at me in a way that was just thousand masculine have your dad, look at you and say: you're, twenty to twenty three, and you're not ready for the world. That was it down and I'm like, I'm going to summer camp of bad haircuts, I'm going to go. I'm going to get my phd at the university in fort benning, georgia and human studies that I'm going to I'm going to I'm never going to be. if there's a noise. anywhere on that any situation I'm in I'm gonna handle it s, situation. I'm in and you know you be bigger than me stronger than me more skills in me, a terrier eyes out or shoot repeatedly, there's going be a series of escalation. The reality is, I'm gonna handle it I'm gonna handle it. I am ability to control my destiny. I know ability to him.

Let me anything and The army gave me the opportunity to say we're. Gonna teach enough to get. You have good. In a fight, but we're gonna teach enough that you can control your your your destiny and I need that. desperately, but there was no war go and I was ninety nine ended delete nineties and it was just learn how to march and do pity, and that's what I thought I needed so infantry they told me eleven x ray met extra spanish, what I get the word ban, I'm like I'm an x ray they're like I'm a bravo and I'm like. What's that they're, like that's, really infantry, I'm like no, they lie to you but when I I got when I got to forbidden george, the first night, there were kids, I cry and a nervous. I I slept the best. sleep overhead of my life in that Could I knew this is who I was. This is where I be safe, this I'm

there was no stress, you know these kids right nineteen eighteen hours like this nothing, What are you worried about like this? This is this is why we're here were here and this earth. We were born to do this now we don't get a war. That's apart, that's gonna sock is we're just going to end up with a bumper sticker on our car. What does you say, we're a vet and get a free meal at applebee's, but but listen we and we we offered. There was nothing for us to do so. You are that the earth, fired up like day one of bouquet I had no idea was I wore khakis and a button down shirt. I wanted impress your friends, my drill, cited professional. it told me that I was going to be there for like fifteen weeks, and so I didn't I knew I had to shave my head by thought. I was going to grow back brought a hairdresser.

when they shook my bag they're. My bag, like one piece of shit like this, is my first challenge. I do I own it then, unlike yeah, my hair drier, they told me it was a couple months here. I wasn't aware the jews are paid a haircut. You didn't tell me that low, but but honest I had no idea really was get into, but the more I learned- I just I looked at these jewel sergeants and I was like tat. Are amazed. The end ceo became so glad. I didn't go officer honestly because all these ants, yells- and I was just like this- is ever they have always want to be. If I can have a son- and I could see a person shoulders back. Looking you in the eye and not you, not waiting to speak but listening here and what

and if you don't know the answer you say I don't know like aware of what is this magic? If you dont know something, you actually admit that in You make a mistake. You say, as I did that, but you know what it's not going happen again if this was like learning new language. A new way to this was this was true north. nothing else is north, but that this is right. This is wrong and an own it accountable responsible. And and ready for more. to show that you are ready for more you take whatever I'm gonna guarding this little drinking found, but you know What no one is stealing that drinking. I just return. No, fire on my fire guard dishes, This is a great thing for me, so you, reboot camp really, no fact. for your kind of love in it love and a

Is that where you gonna actually did all one one stage, one big for you so ever trees, all whatever you why they they said, I was going to be mechanized, which you know four drum fort hood, it'd matter. I just wanted to do you know. What's up sure I mean I just blew me away and then I thought to myself wait a minute. If a bunker is just this little thing, guys, hang out, they shoot you what's a window. we all know we have a different battle, draw for their prom like, but it's really a bunker, isn't it? And While this is a thinker, we gotta so so now these guys. So it limit, let's explain something to you about idle drill, is like an audible. You see the linebacker come up. You see you're not man coverage now you're, like I think we're just going to react to this. I attacked, but in that reacting to the contact, a million things can happen and you got it aside. So am I didn't even fundamentally understand I want to give you

wanna get close enough to kill you. That's the game right. So in order for media closer, you have to stop shooting at me I can move Wait, wait a minute, this room with a huge firms. Now, All these movies are making sense. So I gotta keep your head down so plunging fire. is different than just shootin over your head right out. I don't wanna hit. You necessarily do what will be granted. take ever went out, and but it's not the way, work they're moving to their get away to provide, Give you something to think about and get closer to and the closer I get the more accurate I get an watch, cover was concealment, pay, the only thing I would give one more class if you're going downrange fighting europe or asia or the middle east, what kind as a in the trunk cars have engines in the front first day you hide behind.

what you think is an engine block and those roles come flying through it. Like lay a knife through butter, you're like oh, those damn germans, they put it in the back. You know that's the one thing I would change, but cover concealment understand this right. Now I gotta get education. We have to be educated. You have to learn and having what the young kids have today what I didn't have all my sardes were: make it up stories about panama. I was at the soccer stadium every you know, bosnia. Let me tell you how bad you know there was not haiti you're right, I almost jumped almost jumped in eighty almost did this almost did that gulf war, these men, women. Today they got stories these wheel. These leaders like, let me tell you why you want your chance to on Let me tell you why that sadly plates important, why we get low? Why,

important to bring the elbows in what control old fire actually is. What do you want? There is no drywall in the Middle east, all concrete. So when you start shooting inside of a close quarters that is coming back to you. tik tok tolling around right, a grenade is great right, grenades throw the grenade and everything's over unless you don't event, ventilation now just through a small grenade in a room and the only people know you're in there is the bad guy cause you don't know where they are you number the house before? Are they all know where the door is where you are so that frank? Let's hope it was a smart Frank got. You know all of these lessons learned that we never had and we learned the actual battle? and the ability to take information at the highest level lois level and share that information. I've never been in an organization on the civilian side that shit

There's lessons learned like our military does and it's it it's a it's a combat multiplier. Without a doubt about that, so you're learning from the from where I was jumped in panama, rich guy blossom. We now they were ready. They want to do the job they were ready answer what what's your first duty station, then, where do you end up? What do you get? Where do you get assigned when you get done with bootcamp a? I t you're now a what are you and he to at this point and he three and he won so basically, but the only advice I got from the drills. The recruiter was your your. You can be a spec. You can be a specialist ii for college. Don't do it oh gotta earn their. I didn't realize. All I do is basically just not get a dui for twelve months and It happens automatically, but that first promotion felt like

I was thor like getting promoted and seen the increase in year. You know in your pain like this, Brady also etude ether, Read a private, I have a rocker on my little private wings? This was I'll tell you. I was poor new especial for me, so I I got duty assignment to afford hood texas. In the process of doing that. My son is born Annie's born with a kidney issue, and so the army. Basically it's like hey, there's, no infantry duty station that has these pediatric nephrologist that you need you've got one at home, we're going to put you on a compassionate the assignment? I know you know what that was and they are like so go. Beer recruiter

you've got a good g t score. We're going to keep you for two years on a compassionate reassignment till your son is old enough to go where you need to be and we'll keep you in buffalo. I was like you know. They made up jobs for me to recruit. Station and I just was miserable- I mean cereals- that's what they did. That's what you did you have. I got rid of the first eight months of my army career. I was in recruiting station I would volunteer to be a pure w at that point I mean it was abs. I there's no dip more difficult job than being an army any recruiter. Deem everyone's disqualified. It. The game should be if you finally find someone else during the phone. You know The more I mean you just disqualified, disqualified. This glass, I mean it's ridiculous. Everyone's disqualified for once I found a guy. He commanded. The army. I brought his pack it in I had

open the door or like I'm like a one those hover boards floating through the office. I go to my stage commander unease. I hate this guy was born on christmas day. yeah people get bored on christmas day, his name's christopher gringo well, like that's a weird kuwait, he's a gear and area an area. You just charges santa claus back again no idea that there were people out there. That would waste your time in that you know just you're in the a corporal recruiting programme where the the end, then they give you an answer, your rank, and so at the time that september left. had the army, obviously the military across the board. Let's move people get on your career. Were you in that in her when certain eleven two yeah, so from ninety nine, until he had also number eleventh. I was in recruiting and they said, look here. Three choices, rico

as vital another job. Go back to hiv, get another job. That's near a place that the army will the care of the kid get out of the army or go on. What's an all others tour, which is thirty six months away from dependence, and I'm like well, which one gets me war and, to be honest with you, I love my country. I love my army infantry, but recruiting also will make you want to go to war to hold the hell out of that oven, they're like germany, And I'm like germany, what is in the big red one? I'm like I've seen the movie like, I love the big. I want to be in the big red one afghanistan and there are they going to Afghanistan, Well, no, no, no big red one has done anything. Sanitizing that'd be six. We will we're only in charge of the very dangerous battleground of Kosovo I was a close. Was a war right now

the glare glimpse of war. I mean you're, not gonna, get combat pay, but you get like combat almost pay. It could be that was our big fight. We are peacekeepers for deployed, germany peacekeepers and the big red one? Really has been the big red one for along time since the gulf and even the gulf war, we were there. We were kind of like the the egg barn door that saddam chased? You know in the gulf war, so it wasn't the vietnam big red water, the The war were too big rainwater, obviously the first world war. It was the peace time peacekeeper, yeah stuff, and so I said sign me up. I want to do. I want to do anything that is in recruiting and ass. He did so you go over there and how did you enjoy your time in Kosovo, we'll get a six month toward the became a nine month, tour and north

as to the minnesota national guard? But I don't think you gotta relieved by the dinosaur national guards. Do you know if ever listen. National guard units are credible their awesome, but when you know a group that it ever ever we got relieved by a national guard unit that was calling like their sergeant major phil and, like I was like what it was a totally different world. I never experienced it before so we were, we just felt like we were in the backwater. Everyone whose getting afghanistan, but my units, in the second every tree to to- the tree, the ramrods. I am first idee an alpha company capped walter cap, sims together colonel newell sermons, Falkenberg, so major bond. These guys all decided to take that nine months ago, swore three months extended and make it the practice for cook for Iraq

and I'll tell you what that save somebody lives begin now. Where were we to gather for two years right it with fifteen our patrols of watching d ogs mate in Kosovo. Nothing happening begging. For someone I mean that the net thing was going on, but after the fifteen hours, you're in the snow and your training for the debt for the desert. You knock it aware that box of inaccurate, where those boots get in or desert uniform, out there in the snow and legit mean for rack. In Kosovo we all the rounds we wanted. whatever we wanted, claymore, never seen a clay. Morrison's basic. You know, whatever we want and we had access to and we blew up palestine, grenades, pals C4! We were right. for combat, because it had close, will not happen. We would have got that training. So we graduated to a level that on day one we could. We can fight and that's why we were six

and then you guys end up getting word that you're gonna go to Iraq. Finally, in Kosovo were told worth in that in the shoe, so it got we'll serious. We lit we would wish when our nine months. I think we re fitted for sixty days, but that's like leave and require vine and right back to work to the fight so by the fall we're in germany, and then we were three months maybe I think, is what we had we when radically and get ready for iraq, how many seconds the book here when the army deployed the ramrod to Iraq in February two thousand and four we had a basic idea of where it'd be going inside the country. We ended up but father normandy, which, by the way, directed via when my vietnam, veteran friend the basic his its efforts, be so I don't know I said the the whole time, so there when the transition to an aw guys from vietnam. We

We say fob now so far: normandy, diallo province. Section of Iraq between baghdad and the iranian border. Our area of operations, including luke, always was it muqdadiyah, looked at the move to deal. a size amidst nicety of about a hundred fifty thousand fits when you, your guys, was wounded in urban firefight in April to thousand for only a couple months after we arrived in theatre, north of the city, lay open rugged terrain when americans think of iraq war. The images conjured up are the street scenes in Baghdad where the fat expanse of open desert in the western. a country but our aol more like vietnam and nineteen sixty eight thick. palm groves grew in low spaces between gentle sloping hills. There were canals and rivers that local farmers and harnessed to turn the land so bountiful that they had become known as the bread basket of iraq. Among the heavy visit vegetation and Eric It feels small community straddled, the roads leading out they were,

ramshackle impact. Risk places but see it among them were wealthy sunni connected to saddam hussein's once ascendant bath party, blow these elites, the vast majority, the population, were she muslims with strong ties to neighbouring. I ran after the marriage an invasion in two thousand. The colonel of resistance formed to them. turkish occupation in one of these world towns called since ill. In the early stages of the insurgency. They were actually only a few locals involved who forge ties within. I ran to secure important weapons, explosives and ammunition the pie. I'm groves around sincere and its sister village became ideal places to cash. Those applies when the ramrods first arrived at normandy, the fourth infantry division of been battling, this growing threat there I five six men as the leaders in the insurgency, known as the sincere six before I

he's intelligence, guys, put their faces up on a wall map and then connected them to various known hideouts and accomplices, with different colored yarn this time I saw their bad guy map. It reminded me of a hollywood stalkers layer. With, since it being the nexus of the insurgencies leadership. It became one of them, important sectors in Oreo captains frequently took us out there to meet the locals drink tea with their leaders and disk. the needs of their communities classic counter insurgency. When there, arts in mind stuff. They came straight from the vietnam playbook within three days of our arrival: the since six had grown too sincere. Ten we tracked down and Here too, the original members when they, intel learned, there were three brothers moving between syria and central to arrange another flow of weapons. That area, then upon a young crossed wall map to one of our special operation, seemed located trapped and killed one of the brothers, the other two escaped each time. We thought we deal with this. We dealt with the sin cell.

when blow they emerge stronger with even more support from the local population. It was like fighting a country just virus for every patient. We treated threem. Infectious, would crop up the sincere ten greatest sincere twenty than thirty. After that we just lost track as a wave of recruits, organizers and well trained iranians operatives flooded into the bread basket that spring. The insurgency erupted all over the country between the first. your uprising that displaced the sunni ruling class rebellion newly recalling unit, was inundated with insurgents planted ideas, planning, ideas nor operational area executing. And bushes and launching attacks are key targets as the weeks war on our trips to sincere trick turned into netteke version of ground hot day. We'd go out. captain since could contain You did try to develop relationships with the local iraqi power base, while he was talking to them drinking tea. The insertion

would be alerted to our presence and establish ambushes for us that is caught up paints a picture of what you guys rolled into yeah fourthly of treaty division in at the also. Started to see the extensions vienna stopped ass. Those going on when Iraq kicked off in a lot of people, thought there out of the military and they were kept in or then you have the floor. first, real extensions ethic was karbala, was first armor division that did die response to nine months. Everyone's gonna do nine months, and then it became a year and then a year became fifteen. and there were years they do in eighteen, and so we really have with with the kinetic ten oh that was going on afghanistan rack. How are we going to replace these units? Are they doing statement? You know stabilization operations, or these still kinetic you know I didn't we didn't. We were told, don't you get to see I'd, be you're, not gonna, get a common instruments badge and united

combat. Pay told you that when you got to national laws for the mission accomplished the war was over. You had to be engaged by the enemy, the kept changing. What engagement was slackness out, so you got there in February. Why I was there as well. I was rapid my first deployment, so I got There are two thousand three thousand baghdad and in April of two thousand afore suggest after you arrived, we win, my task unit. My is actually just there is michael tune, we went and we captured one of saddam's top lieutenants rule down in a job, we were there ok, so when we did that it ignited everything, in April of all foreign april of office, of the big fight was supposed to be in April of all four five duke just the big five that we created in April of all four was it outside of the jha fucker that is,

after my brigade the where the dupe forget third brigade. First idea, the that was the g I've. Never so you but the terrain. You know a lot vegetation humanity, no jobs was straight up, the oil bubbling, I mean it is just now then, but sand and damage the biggest cemetery in the world is in a job and after august of all four the added a couple hours, those horrible muqtada solder- was this toothless self defined, cleric. You didn't have the street credit to be a real cleric, but his dad ray and that my hearty militia- I sought or city in Baghdad. These my hearty militia. Guess it was weird to see the gestation of the insurgency. Demonic militia knew enough to get killed, they really were. Not they were their uniforms that were a gold and black.

They didn't really have a whole lot of tactics. when the iranians started to bring the coots forces in a rainy revolutionary guard got a whole different that their their indirect five. much more accurate that they are peachy. Seven, as opposed to the five the way they were trying to go after vehicles and tracks in the you have peace on the ideas, but do you The thing was when we started make a rack the insurgent all starting. Bring it in these boys from chechnya. I mean when you go through felicia and pick up passports, appealing france, ITALY, chechnya. You know, bosnia, There was a guy in dearborn michigan. Can you imagine that you are so hell bent that you decided go to a rack I may want to, but everyone from all over the world, not just those two first time our universe,

It will show. What will I should their unit armoured first cab. Fourth idee before us third idea before us. but the first ever division in that away. I've wondered to showed that tanks and move we find it? Vehicles belonged in an urban fight, No one was using the abrams in the city. No one thought once a bradley fighting vehicle. The thing about a good and and again all fishermen, think the mechanized or lazy and fat, and they just want it. Watch tv and we hate the attackers and garrison were beaten up the tankers. More than war, training every you know every tree tankers you're rack infantry attackers are the best of friends, because if you can support that again so many units that they take their platform. support by fire base its it's five tonne truck with fifty cow

drop you off a goes home, you carry that support by fire base with you. You work in concert with the browsers on providing security for you, you're blown. peace in the fun sized pieces for the other. That too the five millimeter high explosive otto cannon is one of the greatest gifts. The penny god gods have ever given us and when you wanna, I don't need a clear house. If I can have a goner put, two eighty rounds in a room it's over with you pretty good about it. When we were worried, we like that draft kings has us as the favourite do. What made me think it out. As I could see, your leadership telling you in what would it be in february or maybe even january two thousand for like hell, you're not going get combat action right, you know, you're gonna go is weak, but I guarantee,

by April when that, when, when they, when this with the mighty malicious will militia, went berserk right, you're you're, but to get that combat actual, whether you like it or not, its common rose, they went. I he was like a one. Lady degree turn we were, I mean the I was up I gotta. We went down in the job to grab this guy jacobi, who was one of his lieutenant and we brought him back action by the time we got back, you are always a signal for us. It was another mission now we'd been targeting solder for a long time, but then wouldn't let us do it and they finally said you know what let's see what'll happen. Let's see, what'll happen, we grab one of his guys. So they send us to go. Do that it was total. may have not actually fell back the horrible, because the conventional forces got caught off guard they weren't ready for it and, like insider city, went totally insane the lot of cash he's there, and I remember the the baghdad. Where I was we, we will get an occasional mortar.

They're, all of a sudden, the front gates getting attacked. I mean he was on. It was a radical change that happened when when, after that mission and it really fueled the insertion there's a couple of videos we're getting ready, go to new chaff. We saw, I think, the poles the polish army, was at like a camp kilo which was right, it outside of the city, so the eu, you're uprising in April, for was the insurgents attempted baghdad off and yet highway five which went from the east, india Allah all the way across baghdad You had the full loser, which was always considered to be like the wild west of iraq. Even when surround was in power and end, they built their homes, elect the ship population, vast majority of iraqis worshipper said made the bath is party which was sunni but was weird about a racks culture as opposed to any other middle eastern countries. It, since I was able to make pan airbus him in the

war against IRAN. He convinced have the country to die for rack, the flu ag, and so when he puts inshallah on the flag, this is like every One was pro a rack in that war with IRAN, which was very bloody and costly, the people over there, and so by the time your building real estate. If you're innocent area, you are very insecure. and you're building your homes. Very thick walls you got guns slits on all I mean you're ready for any minute the government's gonna roll up and take your house so you're. It's like see. Warfare in a man neighbourhood, Everyone is ready for. What's going on, I mean: did the glass there was embedded in the car? the crete when he crawled over the walls. I mean it was a very insecure culture, but no job was that easter uprisen, If you go to Arlington cemetery in section sixty April, eighth and ninth,

you will see casualties from remedy, felicia dollar province, backyard. solder city mosul, that's really when everything started was in that and that one week in April from the marines dealing with don't resolve it and what they What to do when ramadi and fallujah they had to be? Basically, I mean they were why they were successful. They they took the, but you had lg, era and l arabia tv in any idea, civilians every became a pr war and it started with fortunately, with Abu and and that horrific story. Where you had a national guard unit using prisoners and it just fuel on the fire. What a water, freakin horrible I yo loss for america with these knuckle heads right now, you you

You remember the contractors, the black water contractor large, that happens where you, and that happens soil. brewster of traditions first brigade was brought in April of one four for the felicia fight with the marines and again I am bar, was you in airborne hands off. By province in April of all four. and the marines Take over amber There is really no or I'm the army. Debt is allowed, their their blocking positions, support It's not a it's, not an army mission anymore. When an bar is run by the marine corps we ve got. The wrong to the country and there's a whole lot to do by the way. But all the tension, is on the I used to love, then l, six. When I went to remedy when you were out there, it was it you couldn't say amber, prompted, say, restive and bar problem. the restive and by crowded everything's, I ever province like their aid,

goliath their different people there, so tough, amber are really is the first domino to fall with with the pacification of you know when the insurgency starts to really fall, back it's the sons of an bar That area, though, in all four of the first ids first brigade, comes in to help in visual resolve which is April, and then they basically lose that felicia brigade they pull out of the city, and that was a policy to like just catapult, the dead cow over the wall. Let him get sick, I will wait until April, but because we had a job and we were able to pick up and move that guy fits counterfeits? Was my pirie? Was the first one later he got shot in April eighth level for and moved to die. The king, I shall, by three different web assistance and what I

still love is when a new guy would show up. I'd, be like that, Eighteen, seventy four different ballistic. Let me show you on his elbow and he got and by the seven sixty by three nine, the p km, which is the bigger of some six to buy what five one fifty five before fit for and what the seventy four is, what a five four or five attic show yeah. So that was the baby korea, but all three, so we were getting popped with and we we took out. I think I over two day period we took a hundred sixty and end. They saw that that bradley fighting vehicle, not to play with their was not to play with, and co acts. Twenty five got into job, show that we can work well, marines that puts a pin on a board where someone says hey, I want to take felicia.

How are we going to do it? Give me those army to seven from our first cavern, two two and one six, three from our first id, and so we were just there to help out the marines and a block in a one wing and ended up being. You know something a little bit bigger than that, but that's how we got our our street craig. You got an interesting exchange, and here in the book that I was very very stoked I say this: the map board hung on otherwise jailhouse bear walls right beside my caught, the homemade crucifix that held my helmet and body armor no photos of home near my space, just the board, with three maps of our area of operations, one depicting the road net, one to taking the political the graphics and one topographic. surrounding them with the latest satellite overhead images that lieutenant colonel noodles intel shop and pushed down to us, course says we need to our moves the moose, the hell. Does that mean we're

ardor stay out longer be ferocious. Never let them out workers dig in sometimes take the high ground when possible grab, if, without turning the lights on in a house, never do the same thing twice. had. Never given you that damn book lieutenant David hack worth had been a staff guy. Vietnam writing counterinsurgency manuals in the pentagon when he was ordered to put his theory. into practice. He was sent to south east asian, given commanded the worst battalion in theatre. He transformed into a viet threshing machine, known as the hard core were condos. They damage the enemy every time they left. The wire fits given me hack words, member memoir steal my soldiers hearts before we left veal sec, which is where you are in germany. I read and absorbed its lessons. Then one day at normandy, I sent him a random fan. Boy email through is pub we sure an agent for use email to hack words, euro publisher here,

bonded. He was in mexico dying of bladder cancer without violating operational security. I sketched out our situation and asked what he would do. He offered excellent advice. Like a tactical, dear abbe We corresponded often and this is what he wrote you never let them out work you and you will never be ambushed again. Your men will bitch, there will hate you, buddy, twenty years, when you are all older, they will realise how much they appreciated the attention you paid to the details. Of war work harder. Do you best to leave enemy where you killed him. If you come, and makes you police up the dead, make him bleed enough for his buddies to know what happened there. Send the message mess with us and get wrecked they EL fear are ferocity I if you know, but this book right here

about face, brightened afford for the new release of that book. It's classic glass, our huge as the fact that he responded the valid I caused today. What I wanted. I was a bit of a smart enough to email by law and and and and his ability to cause his whole thing in vietnam and again, vietnam. We didn't invent counterinsurgency avenue the password Vienna out moves, the mood is what he would say cause. He was always talking about I'll call? You know our enemy and out the algae, the g out. Yet exactly and I was now guerrilla the gorilla, and so there disciplined were more disciplined. But if you again. We were doing this thing where I would dismount out of abroad. and I would see- and I d and unlike Bobby dismounted, because they saw the tracks there so we're not just like they do with the blackhawks fake land Vague land weren't you the bread. You know just my left

I'm goes down. No one gets out, we drive romford, undercover kilometers dismount, more, no one gets out. Sometimes we stay in the bradley so as we leave on the first third, the fourth, whatever never ever, eager Ass, the the you know, leave the battlefield, the same spot, the dismounted and you'd. walk up on these guys and in the future, when you get after you know, you're cold, I mean people die, it's fifty degrees. What was one hundred twenty during the day magic would drop in temperature and you're cold in your miserable and even the smokers couldn't smoke, we wouldn't let the dipper dip you know, everyone's gonna sock together, but when you get, you know you when you get enemy in you knock em cold and they don't even see you come. There is christmas day is a beautiful day that we all love and get it. About, but when you can shoot a terrorist that doesn't know you're there, it is the greatest feeling in the universe, tat, papa guy.

Like loading a fuse on an hour p that is greatest experience in the world. You but try to hurt us kill us and you never know where their dad was die took. I took the counter, I d counter ambush missions. They were the more the porn part of my life, and I was just apps Literally, almost to a point where you, I was a little bit of obsessive compulsive about hey the tankers guy got hit over here. there were using propane and bound, tina propane. Take up to hit these guys at chef, chest escalate, there there would be mobility he kills, but they would wait. You would see a van, and with a bunch of camera equipment? I were doing A wedding I want to see the video, You're doing a wedding, a casket. You are talking about the bigger, I remember the day that I pulled my my testicles out metaphorically.

Was the most bridging thing. I've ever done, my life dating. ever want us to interact with you know: you're when a funeral, a wedding women are respected, respect to culture, there was coming ass on open up a casket and that took as because I'm telling you that could have been the end right there, but it it didn't seem right, it didn't seem rival, wasn't it oh body, a guest wrong under one boy, replied I wish I was. I was thinking this is where I carry munitions. I would I would do a fake funeral, I do it. Could they show up at the grave in the job you saw? Thus in the cemetery all the time. You know are you bearing a body you know, but you had to think like that and you're gonna be wrong and you're gonna, You're gonna make a mistake, but

Your guys are not thinking like that, and- and we had to think outside of the box, to be able to to to fight the enemy. The way we had to, but I I guess another one, but there wasn't a wedding another. Where you want rapid there were, there were filming checkpoint. I got there You mentioned fits you talk about future. I remember watching fits get hit over and over again being dragged himself to cover still shooting, as he moved when he went down I thought he was dying. It was like a tectonic, shift seeing him like that. My world rocked when fits, was gone back at hospital somewhere safe I'd, never felt more alone. one gave us status reports on our wounded, healthy in guys you got evacuated died. Men like tyler, prove a tanker medic, whose foot was mangled by rocket that struck his home. These dore, we as to the scene cleared the elsie for a dust off they loaded among the matter back. There is no sense of sudden urgency. He was

Had it been treated his own wound, the morphine undue smile and day go kill a piece of shit thumbs up. He was fine with wars over my squad, The plastic chair, the insurgent used to ambush them must squad with you held a track. This guy murder when its giant order orange wasp native to that region stunt Joey Swanton more than eight times in the face ass, he was clearing out a cash. This guy I had on standby, we stayed well past nighttime in a dense palm grove soaked to the bone head. pounding from dehydration, just to maintain the promise of shooting this guy for prove it agitation was too thick. The trail dried up. Two days later, a drinking a cup of coffee in the chow hall, when his platoon sergeant told me that he died of a blood clots. is made no sense. I wouldn't we have given up for the night. If I knew hours tracking proves killer, I would alive out there for weeks I was shocked and felt selfish for quitting

it fits returned to us. It was a lazarus moment. For me, the lazarus moment for me, just assumed you'd be the same. He was before he got hit, but that pipeline was hospitals, the physical debilitation, changes a person. I couldn't. We stand what he was going through. I could see his physical pain also. He knew the sound a bullet made when it smacked into bone, Every round that Iraq nearby reminded him of that possibility. He knew the agony of lead mushrooming into your muscle fibre. He boeing with every shot. Expecting impact fits was right. He'd seen that side of war that I had missed. The combat Support hospitals, the emergency surgeries as men, blot out in the operating room tables heed what and up surrounded by burned. Limbless men and women cling into life, as the nurses and doctors struggled to patch them together, his will who is different.

that was the route of his caution. When he came back to us, it wasn't that he feared that for himself feared it for us fits feared it for me. so there's a next level bad ass right. He gets freakin shot with three different types of ammunition. cause of act out of the country and he's still wounded me still messed up. And when they say you know hey. Where do you want to go back to in america? What are you wanna do for the you know for the rest of your recovery. He says I'll. Send me back to Iraq on the beat my boys yeah and an honestly this point in my life, I'm twenty eight- these kids are eighteen. Nineteen have this huge cycle of life that you go through at that asian. You know with a family and responsibilities

kids fits was in the army much longer than I had been done, more newt, his tactical proficiency. You know watching him. It was always decided when you have to dismount squads. It's always a race to the objective who gets there first, you know you don't want to be the support element. It's the worst, you know your local support and in training. He date. You know he was the guy, the big personality, the senior squad leader and every every you know, rotation we did his unit was the always the assault unit. I second there and then I'd be in the back of it. I'd move my position in the bradley in the combo. I want to be in the back they're going to hit the back. They hit the front, I never we're, never gonna, agile I'd, so when, when I learned from him, though, was his ability to Did the elevation on an urban battlefield in oh, we talk about

round and gettysburg that you're not gonna, get that in the desert. Scape we're to get that in Middle EAST. Some we're gonna use our buildings, but were also be careful not to just go through the front door. Every time right. we go roof to rueful, try that, but we can also We find ways that, if I've got the outer court on in accord on in and I'm around a building. If I Have some from the outside is clear to corners. I can tell a guy went to the door, worry about corner three and four wanted to use good What's it going to be, right knows, can be your lap focused and what's important, also I was obsessed with booby traps. Platter charges, doors blow up grenades and a handle any like, listen, in no time for that it's either gonna happen or it's not gonna happen, It's here are we just heard about special force unit just had a building contained idea, they lost everyone. He's, like you tell these age here. Ok,

it's that there are wires out there that they're gonna trip over there. I think- Are those wires? This our gunners arm. Could it be look forward, we're not gonna. I would I go to the classes. The delta force and special forces were train. They kick like to end ceos per company and I'd guy like you they're just hockey, helmets and they're talking about and and they'd they built a little less talk about and rationally enjoys havoc, one intellect and one just like giant. You know he is like eight heads on his bicycle just there and the intellect I would be like think about this one. This way to move through a building and they put the flyers up right that they would send someone forward. That's what elite people do: small unit elite, folks that have the training will do that. We're, not only right we're, not go and you go into a house and find a cookbook.

I believe one guy a bullet is head, there's a family of seven, they don't even know dead dead and the cookbook is missing. That's what you do. We don't do that were high intensity. No, your role know your lane know you're skill level and master it just master. What you do we have to strong law. We have One firewall keep all of our fire contained, and you know what, if it takes a break a twenty Well, I remember the first time I got in a house fight away before god are crescendo to violence, was graduating because We were gonna gone, it would have an over we had engaged at close quarters. We had taken targets out and buildings and every single time new twist and we learn from those twists and allowed to mature. So by the end of a rotation, influenza happened. We were ready, but I remember what by a team leader took a shot. Saw gonna took a shot and

I was saying I was still giving the handlebars rarely clear clear. Clearly, bro, you just dropped a guy. You know they know you're here you know after you shot the guy in the living room, the guy upstairs stairs aware. Maybe the americans are here there is no point in a whisper. It has no point, and you know the old days with a rolling t in a hallway or you'd, see a couch or refrigerator and it'd be like okay, I'm going to open one. One two or door like that. This is what the trade talk is all horse shit and put a round through it put a round through the couch put a round through the curtain. don't even bother with the crazy in dealing with was I, I was in a minefield. They were stallion topers. I never even seen on land mine in my life. In fact, I thought there are regions. I really thought

but what a bare like lay a bunch of cigarettes at an ashtray wages, put our produce fins and there's wires connecting them, and I'm like. Oh my god! Oh my god. What do I do? What I do you know answered some going through a guy at the range. everyone turn off their electronic. Prove their way back, and I look and everyone's gone. I really got out the danger. I was still there and I'm trending git, underneath one the minds and put some C4 down there and I look over and there's fits It wasn't even near me. He got to me the guy that wants to be in a minefield with me. Only They tell me as tubes and ceos that electronic bullshit you're man. I love you. I love you, don't you by the book but but list If it were not given me I'll, be here no expert. He always watching us who gives a shit

Would you do a minefield avoiding get the hell out of it, avoid it and then he sammy down he's like obstacles. Why do you put nostril out there like well you're watching it is like yes I know put an article down examined over wash the ask. So what does that tell us till some ones here: some want just to go through that. Now now let's start a box around these open objectives, us think an end use. What were learning that's what he did He gave me like that right see, ride every day, and when he left are obviously now I'm the guy. What do I mean you know? didn't. I I was learning a lot to and how What was he gone for He's so yet heard in a brutal came back in august. Sets a you know of a pretty law. I mean that was a big shot but when he came back. I thought we were going to be the you know

and eagles again. I thought we were getting real ago that the road warrior tag team and it was noticeably different It wasn't that he was afraid he was in the fight all the time, but it was like, let's be smarter about this You know, there's no need to you but I love taken the bradley and bashing through building as well. My fair thanks to a real worker and he's like what happens if we lose our bradley like we fix it is like ok, in three weeks when you get the parts I just lost a bradley guess what at one less six guys and have another firepower we treat treating with respect. You know I should add, through anything, has broken over tabloid will work. What am I supposed to do like were so so we started to realize that the guy lane lean. These didn't know that, people Panem, and the guy's wire- and it didn't know the people laying down so why Don't we start digging holes? Why

we start putting ideas down. Why don't we intercept this machine? The only difference? What I wanted to kill the bad guy and captain sims wanted into for colonel newell and the s to shops, and that's the part that broke my brain, because I thought we were gonna win the war by killing that's, not necessarily the way you win insurgency. Youngest son of appointment. Booker you talk about is yours. Differences with capital. How you guys reconciling those differences well, he was of the mind, hey. We need to form relationships with the local populace. We need to learn from them. We need to support them. We need to keep them safe who like hey, we need a killer, is how this bad guys and do you guys got some tension over that I mean if you could randomly go through a marketplace and every one of these days

guys is on our bolo last. Why is it that something could be that we, that was totally like, while two percent population does the assholes. The restroom are good people it's a city of five hundred cerebral yeah. It's a lot of asshole hot ass, two percent of of dad's, a crazy disproportionate amount of assholes living in zip code. So he was right and- and I think history prove that I think that the the counter insurgency model. The surge argued that the fog is one thing, but the cab was very successful way to say: look we're not just gonna engaging fight and leave we're gonna live here, We must stay here, we're in our own the violence? only use the violence when it's when its necessary. I didn't grasp that I was still think an old testament. I an end, so all the iraq war and our year in iraq, cowards or do a huge part of what we

doing it, was very early in the beginning of implementing that pollution was not a counter. There's? U R. Romani was not that type of fight now You had some incidents that ray leave. Gotta brought this to add a couple, and since it really brought this to head with captain, since one was this giant guy, that comes walking down the street. You guys are in a position and this guy I comes work, it's my iraqi! He comes. Walk down the street he's got a freak and sword and talk through talkers. Do what happened there look out would always be shocked that I would see a twelve year old iraqi and he looked like a six year old back in the united states that they wasn't a well fed population, and you don't see giant. This guy was like six. Eight three thirty and he was a big. The corn fed big dude and he was just acting crazy? No, we knew people were doing drugs. We gone. You know

you deal with all that you got the drugs weather. Alcohol policies or liberal or conservative people are still drinking percent people still doing drugs, but disk I was at an end of it. We were getting some? There was his weird schizophrenia going on a military at that time at least and in the army, where we wanted to kill the enemy to get out of a report but you also wanted to win hearts and minds and have a quiet area. So you're gonna have allowed a fight that show, upon some generals radar. You want to be a fight where a marrow These were killing bad guys and not getting killed. you never wanted the report of Oh, you lost ten guys and you killed. Maybe twenty once we over overwhelming, so that if you got on a generals desk, it was because you guys were were bad ass, an increase one side was you wanted nothing on the report. Bigger that meant you doing your job and there were I'll be happening. So

we found that the first year of true division was, you know, do in a pretty the job of a oil. Two was one really start to see the enemy in a treated through special forces in- and other units marines and amber and everyone else and there was this weird attaboy you making us proud. Current We're gonna get stars based on that. But then you had the guys on the ground in the shops in the intel and their alike and the isaf guys we're, like you, know, we're just going to stir the hornets nest I mean our green braes were like I'm gonna go piss off about five and our people, and then we're gonna call you boys in she. Just you know, today. Did there go into an area we took up guy out, we surgically remove someone, but they have like forty friends hey, you guys go handle that and this was the relationship. This,

I, and it was a day when we had a bigwig fly in, and was in the area and there like no contact just this is gonna be one night where you're just gonna new testament, in your orders are go out there and just no. No, I don't think it gunfight, dont give me I'm gonna. Do me favourable? Don't don't tonight if you get to enter- and it was legit- and it was all the way down- and I had no intention to get in a gunfight- but the guy guys- six foot- eight- I'm not you- know great see trained. You know what I'm saying. I don't have the cauliflower ears and I dont have, but I learned enough to know if I hit a guy- and I I pop them good or I use my helmet and you know a buttstock something I could. I could subdue someone, and I got enough guys to zip time this guy was like he was huge. I mean he was huge and

got to the point where I had no choice? I slung moss bird and I m for and when he was he had, a mosque and it was slung on my eye ba so one you know he had. He had pasok control over overshot gun, and and we had to put him down in and it was just ass. He was really angry and the guy had a mental issue. tradesmen. Is a community local. that everyone loves and adores. Big gentle giant You know whether he was drunk or higher, bolster who knows, but it destroyed the commit it destroyed our relationships with the community and ended we're jugs position to combat where soldier could be honourable and protect its people, and

and guy could be beloved and a really good guy too, but when those paths cross It will come as why wars, wars hell what all of this arms. I learned from account from my army counterparts and in remedy was good shot. Bad result running like hey this guy I whatever was wrought way. We was drunk or whatever we acting crazy and you where she could go different way. But here's this guy you try and subdue him. He fights now he's fighting you. Now you find a guy that six foot, eight, whatever two hundred pounds, now all of a sudden. He has your shot gun. and there's yes like this. This is just what's going to happen. You have to kill this guy. If I walked away from it now he's I mean how many times I've had we had kids. That would give you no numbers in four vehicles. I've pack come in this way.

You know we had leaders that we're like. Under no circumstances will you gave children at all, pay I don't want that on my conscience. No one does but there are also giving away our position. So if I'm not, engage him. You know, leave we're gonna, take this kid down and get a motto: If you let a guy and a battlefield, you know point out where everyone is in a year giving away everything. So he has to be confronted. Weather What the means you confront him are the other the way but when you're thrown a sword around and your cut and soldiers and swing in it. You know again I got myself in that situation. I should love. I did. I found myself in that spot. I had to get myself out of it. We did I learned a lot lessons and lessons are dead. You know the orders are no shooting, you'd avoided you not in the open.

You go when you take a house down to get on a rooftop you're, not standing in the street you're, not pulling security. The way we did had fits been there. I don't think that would happen, but it wasn't- and you know it happen- and again there's look I'm reading little excerpts in this book. This book is of is an incredible book just there. So much in here there's there's entire story lines in this book that we're not even touching on in order to talk about today. So if you listen just get the book, It really help you this part. is one of the stories. One of story lines about this sort of differences in between you and captain sims, and just just given some more about then sims here just to give some background on him you say, the sims walk like a man who had a bolder on his back, but was too proud and stubborn to admit. The weight was crushing him upright

older square. He made his way to us in some ways I suppose, taking alpha company into felicia was his destiny. All along. He was the son of an army officer who survive to tours in vietnam. His uncle we also fought in vietnam, completed to tours and was disabled by wounds received there grandfather- was a thirty six year to war veteran of our beloved service. Sean in born in taiwan. Went to high school in korea came home for college to the country his family had given their lives to defend, seems been a high achiever, never type a but rather a devoted studious, an introspective officer with plenty of grit. He checked all the boxes. I find or an airborne school ranger school are, the officer school at it. at infantry officers basic. He had been the petitions top graduate along with The weight of leading a company into

worst urban hell escape. U s forces had experienced since way: city, vietnam and nineteen sixty eight, I've been shown, sims carry them. I of his family's heritage on his shoulders as well so lot, A lot for this guy to be, you know, do yeah yeah, I I love west point and annapolis are great institutions, but so many of these rotc guys, you know they've officers or officers and and the good one, You know you learn a lot from bad leaders without doubt you you learned. What's what you don't want to but the good ones. Sometimes that seed gets planted and a grows and bears fruit twenty years later, and I guess having someone that so intellectual and forward thinking that he's like there's a way that we can fight wars and not lose our soul.

I would have mortgage my soul, I mean honestly, if you were to tell me this- is going, be the future, but you can control the present save lives to bring everyone home and be successful. What would you be willing to give? I would have given you everything everything I don't care about. Being forty I don't think I'm gonna make it to twenty nine at you. No one's thinking about. You know no buying a thirty year mortgage when their deployed to remedy unit you're not looking at the future. You look at it now and have these people that we're like listen, there's a way to do this as a way to do it. When a new soldier came in, I wanted them to see the enemy. especially if we killed the enemy. That done is that something that If you're not a custom to you, no more

when body off the battlefield, wives unimportant its there's a reference it we're we're not out there cowboys we're, not disrespecting the enemy. We respect the enemy. Will we, It's it's it there's a wholly relationship between combatants on the battlefield and you have to respect the enemy, but also have to acknowledge that there is something special about what is going to be needed for you to be able to go home, walk off. More importantly, win the abyss, active that were there to win right so. I can have a guy brand, new and country who see a body and completely, you know Unglued this. This is a part of the business, so here's the deal, I don't need you to be on point for the first two weeks but I need you to follow up, I need. You know what it's like them of a rifle crack. Next to your ear. I need to know what it's like, to be near a fire fight, even if, don't do anything cause your brand new

but when that, when the after math. We go through that limit of advance and we cross out battlefield. I want you to pick him up. I want to put him in the back. I want you to own this, because this is all of our actions and- and this is something you are have to get accustomed to- and the red prince. You show the rebel to show, because I'd nothing would a we as much as I would want up punk, At the end, your life, if you disrespected one of our fallen, I mean that's, there's that's unforgivable but I also was highly defensive over the way the enemy was treated as well. We're not savages were not. Russians were not chinese were not motion dean were american soldiers will conduct ourselves. That way were professionals. and you will show respect the enemy, we're gonna, kill him and, in others, One have to raise kids, my boy he's? Gonna kill your boy too. That's this too, we are but there's

way that you respect the enemy on the battlefield and and you're standing that decide their meat there, just you know, leave him out there to rot. Leave him out there to be. You know whatever that there's a time when that's on accepting civilians have to know where the good guys were always to be the good guys in any circumstances? So now we're vans and through this deployment, and now you guys find out you're, gonna felicia That take place as far as are used prepare in any particular way, and what the timeframe between you guys getting tasked with going to florida and actually getting there and in like what what timeframe so particular task we're supposed to go to muzzle. That was the first rumour mail and Charlie company ends up, go and instead of us, but no that were could be used again to understand April

for a job that was supposed to be the fight. The fighting happened until august, so The army command is realising that this is the year we gotta start doing something or we're just gonna be. can the canned on the road. Felicia was really depending on the presidential election between pushing carry the virus will tat. in october. You know the gates puppets politics, the elect, when I can a major battle before an election. Look bad wait until after the presidential elections, so that was november eighth, that year and so we knew that we had our orders. You know what happening the army by how good your food automatic become an you know how some shit he's common because, like a less redo, their chow hall, nevertheless, poison toilets you now they deserve cable there. It's all this and we start getting brown a route, people and electricity, in power have water

and all that all these things are happening, we're late. Logan. Problems with vehicles for a very long time and all of a sudden, like a g s, fifteen master. Car bulgaria's like, I could fix your rooms and you know, you want to new gun tube for that abrams. I've got four in the truck and they were fixed in everything every and then I I was like hey. Can I we were one point on a bullet count right. At one point we have to be like how we you gotta every day, come up with a certain amount of bullets so that we're not you know, we know who shooting what when, as all that the reporting, and then there was a when they were just like hey. What do you want? You want claymores do. I want clear earlier- gimmick powers C4. I know you know what I did I was away and engineers the new task force in the arm,

platoon engineers, protruded tigers, Fortuna infantry. Let's go fight, you know the global gnp. What we These engineers are brute there, the intellect of combat arms, gotta. Try they have the prescription. ass that are fashionable. Their super smart and our eighty second engineers are great. Their shown me like a gator aid bottle and they're like eyes. So we're put the sea for the bottom puts a cardboard, and would he got links but I shall casey's whatever you have. That's the metal, we're gonna put timing. Now, listen dad cord timing, views different right, it is their own. You know, writing all this down, no idea what the hell I'm doing, I'm like well, these I said I can you shall casings and links. I just throw bullets in these days, That would be a carbon multiplier. Slow little comes up

wow? That is a horrible idea. That is a horrible idea. So now you're alive around, like grocer, are thrown on a bonfire jewel outta here just mindlessness, but at this meantime, I remember these claymores. I had these cleaned, unlike located Cord is way too short for claymore and so like, I wanted to start hundred mile an taping claymores. Two ideas we found reich, I figured beat you're, getting a ditch clicking clack, a blue. up the ideas I e o d was like I mean we heard it existed. No one's actually see the easter bunny. It was like a sasquatch when I saw the hurt locker, I'm like shut up. Where were those dudes? I've never seen an e o d, a robot, a guy in a suit and they're. Amazing god bless them. But

They were always eu here. You waited for two days for your data show up and and on my own got time for this. Let me just show me enough I'll blow But myself I got my C4, I got my blasting can and they'll get a crimped, the blasting cap and unlike crimp, when you say crimp, do you mean what now is tell you? primitive too hard. Unlike I cringe too hard. Isn't it crippled enough. I'm worried about how many texts do I need you know how many should I and no I'm get myself. Some really really stupid. I'm getting nervous over. A dam is so dumb and ujiji. It's like you to give them but he hang greedy, and so we got to the point where I had these claymores and I thought you know. I've got all these alleyways amateur spray paint the backs orange so I could see them, I'm a take a motel.

harm on our cord and I'm a time to the top of buildings. So if I is coming through an alleyway way. I'm going away our security in every alley on a building, we're here like the alamo. We gonna defend ourselves out, just get it why you're claymore wanna guys run and underneath it right, not realising that the little prongs on the claymore actually supposed to be in the ground for stability, like claymore, dying, do it I'm cord, it's like You know tat. We like the, which way is it first time, man, it happened and its that's like you're not going to the zoo, and you got that to our window with a line is awake You don't owe me you're, like super excited language, a gathering, the kids like so much when you hear that, like that,

The windbreaker pan and you just year on every year, like spidey such evidence to article three of this is happening here. They cup did the bad guys common and come to the ilo and the alleyway way on my computer. Oh it's like! Do I hit it immediately? Do I wait once you know now you're nervous in you, but you're the ansi, oh you're, trying to build guys, let's I get nervous about my command, but it just everyone. Ok, I won't drinking everyone's good home. Did you talk among mom ways to die? I? Finally, the point like: I'm ready go, and this thing just I mean there are seven hundred of those thirty two caliber in that thing, seven hundred, and that thing

I just went flying in the air I mean flying in the air like it was a critical to satellite out. It was the dumbest thing in the world and it was like throwing a bomb just like launch. Like spin came forty millimeters right over your head and they were like what did you think was going to happen, thought it would just like you know like competent artillery round her, but I'll tell you what Not only was that alarming for us that guy was just shit, his pants that dude, I'm sure that guys in dental school, chases labour and he got out of there- went back to the philippines and is a productive member. But now that you you, you want to think outside the box. Sometimes you get a little too much knowledge and it could burn you alright what's got into were let's get into fusion a little bit. Now serves over there's gonna book houses.

Out and I'll, tell you what the arc of the writing and the far process between these two boxes, amazing to see so you you had written this one came out two thousand seven, the right right. So you'd written it may be two thousand and five two thousand It's something that so you Fresh off the battlefield and you're in this book, and it is as an unbelievable account is really it's. It's just an unbelievable account of you and your guys and then you know just to finish what I'm talking about the the way that arc goes into. Remember: ramrods, your new book You can see how much you've thought about it, how much just the perspective of getting older and time and the everything's impacted and when you look back what it looks like now, but to be able to sit. For me, anne and read these two books.

I just see that arc is is incredible. Finally, as a lesson in both books, They're both incredible books get em This is going to the book its house to house an epic memoir of war. And you say this I meet with since a wanted fit for a final briefing. We walnut will roll out in the morning, and our mission is now to find sims details the assault plan and explains our jobs with step by step. Precision each platoon will play different part in the initial attack. Falluja is a city designed for siege warfare and you talk to not that earlier on That's your aside. The insurgents have had months to prepare for this battle. They dug fighting positions, mine the street, booby trap the houses built bunkers and cleared fields of fire, every road into the city is strong, pointed mind and blocked with captured texas barry flus you're, shaping up to be the very of the war on terror we face.

The battle of attrition fought within a maze of interlocking fortresses, attrition is such a sterile word. Will we trading our lives for theirs. this makes it clear that our initial objectives will be heavily defended the inside agents have deployed foreign fighters on the cities, approaches they form the outer crust of their defence in depth. So wilson, it's them. First intelligence reports tell us that will face syrians iranians, saudis, filipinos. Even italians and chechens. They well trained, ideologically motivated and armed with ample ammunition and equipment they ve rain for years to kill us infidels sum of cut their. peace in chechnya, afghanistan and somalia. They are veterans, just like us are regular, is lost all star team? We can expect pop we thirty percent attrition at an urban breach like this seems, tells us.

I've been writing down. Everything seems said now I pause and stare at the initial casualty. S estimate thirty percent. just to get into the city there's no way we can keep everyone alive once inside, the city obviously we will issue. We will not use the main roads. They are all heavily. I e deed. Our lead tracks must create their own pass. With help from the engineers look over the maps, have to improvise most of these routes. I'm not! going to rattle off with the acceptable attrition is, according to command, gentlemen, will seize highway. Ten and pushed into the industrial district expects of the heaviest fighting in this area. For when g will use hit and run tactics, but there are enough fighters and the sea for them to have a mobile reserve. We could face com, our attack during the first day, the enemy has the forces to mass against us you know calling in met chap choppers, once you're in the city it'll be too high for blackhawks will have

the ground of back our casualties to this cloverleaf east to the cities. each of the city end quote the bad use continues. As captain sims closes his laptop and turns to us. We expect Surgeons have stockpiled drugs. be facing drooped fighters hopped up on dope. Again I look up the fits, and I know what he's thinking if this is true, these guys, you're going to be hard to kill so that is a friggin that That is a bout as a heart of a brief to sit there listen to bonkers, I these booby traps interlocking field to fire. Strong indeed buildings- and this is just for anybody? That's an hasn't been in the military that doesn't understand the the litany of enemy

power that I just went through. You can't make it any worse, not gonna, get me harder than what what I just read why Gaza was that day was the first day that we realise were actually going in. May we thought that the marines were Why do we had iraqi intervention forces and marines? And we were just on the flanks providing you. It was the the the fane that the face invasion. Seals had gone in on the day that we, take it down. Pollution took the hospital out and what's a hospital was isolated there was a one road that connects intersects felicia highway. Ten right, and so you ve got a northern side which is These homes are all economy comes on top of each other south of way. Tat is all industrial so as to completely never ways to do mount, and in industrial as dangerous as as a living room. Because- wide open, anything can happen but was, so crazy that then

he was giving us an attrition number and then he was I I'm not going to tell you a command is expecting so we're star I think this is a normandy, beach landy. This is that the Higgins boats doors the other ramp is very similar or bradley. They higgins boats coming down and you just gonna get one hour. you can get to a foothold, hold it and let them. It's come through within its it's on them right. That's that's pretty much the way looking at this and I thought to myself. Do I share that with my guys, do I take them back in the do those a time early in the deployment, platoon sergeant- is a guy from Missouri who'd is she I mean if you went to central casting defined platoon sergeant, I read the book housed how's that he learned to kill any.

They can shed outdoors and life for me. If I give you your view to dump outside this guy, you never gave an. He would send these dear videos. His mom would send a deer hunting, videos and the format? I started watching them and there was a moment when a deer honour will will will be like and the dear really and and they'll take the shot I was doing that to insurgents. Were you you couldn't get the shot you wanted and use billy hey and the guy who like war and you just you'd pop them, and I'm like this. This works. This is incredible, you know, so he was. He was always cool. All the it's like. I was. I was a meatball. I thought my first name was Jesus and my last day with cries, because that's what he said before my name, there was no rag used. Is Jesus Christ relevant? There was no doubt who was the running the show it was him.

I remember there, the day that he looked call me over his bradley new smoking, a cigarette, and he said, hey, look at me and his face was white and he was like. I just got. I've confirmed it three times no time for bulls. we ve got two hundred to three hundred white hearts come through this. On growth and their expecting to be in about twenty MIKE's and I was like impossible- is its oral platform this not a ground surrounds radar. This orbital plan from the track at him right now. We ve got three guys cure f, twenty minutes fast movers, twenty five! That's how much time you ve got sustain this area for two five minutes- and I'm like this- is gonna, be like a candid camera. You know what am I do. How am I going to react- and I remember thinking the guys always know when the spare barrels came out shit with every breath they when this

when you in time to set up a teeny and have a spare barrel. It was gonna, be a bad one, but I thought not going to tell them. I'm not going to tell him I'm gonna prepare, like the bat, when team is gonna break out, but weren't words, can ever mags ready. We're gonna have our prime minister This position up and you know or knock down with there- was a guy stack flower up. There was, I got for rose a flower bags and, unlike well married, dash, dash vision, one night, you'll get elevation low, high ditches, whatever action. Find a culvert here a and and we waited and we waited. And finally, the thing was like a: I got the wrong twelve digit or the you know that this is a guy relayed from a share of network in life. So someone else's his saluted messed up right now, but it's you and I thought to myself. I an incredible lesson cause you either

and your guys and you're ready or you're not do More importantly, drama and every drama major. I can tell you another good at it, but I can tell you that you're doing it for the effect Some leaders need that this is good and to be the worst day of a gentleman prepared and offend yourselves right. That is, does the line you wanna have a john wayne moment? Is that weakness? is that strength? Do you If you really doing your job, let three hundred guys come I'll, each other you give me honor. If the meter stand off distance and thirty seconds warning, my guys can eat a burrito. and we're gonna. We're gonna hold this ground. That's what I want out of my forces, while one of my guys, so I thought to myself it takes an information back and do I tell them

look around the root cause. You know that talk. You probably sat through a brief. You look around the room to your left and right Not all of you will make it out of this meeting. You really want everyone this dramatic everything's life and death, the time it erodes trust, it erodes fidelity and it erodes swagger. So the one thing I wanted to be careful as with families Will the family running this group depend and what unit urine family they're all about. You know gossip and you got so wives are going to the range and, like you know, they know whose deploying who's dead it could be You don't have a command unit at home, willing to take these casualties? and handling themselves as prose you have some real problems at a unit which is gossip in whatever I hated the people that were colony, I hated the distractions of bills and kids

and I tried as much as I could just to get them away. This burger king at the other, five, don't eat, it, don't need it. No there's a pizza hot at war horse, and I know they have really good food and blue cheese- don't need it. I want to be as miserable as possible knock. As I hate you now, because I'm in secure- and I want to show you my alpha- I will us all that when we blew cheese to have it we have a whopper, it's gonna because there's no more fight, You earned the whopper, Oh, your wife in your girlfriend want updates and It's a rhine, bikes and retreating. Otto. Damn about any of that, going on and if you are thinking about your girlfriend or your wife, or what's going on, is Joe becoming over what's happening. You are not in this game and you're, no good to me you're, no good to me. I got you on you, your focus is on that move that clean in his body of hair put in,

bag insane his prayer because he knows he's gonna die here. well she's gonna die. When I came from Iraq, and leave I met a vietnam guy was a tall rat. That's a shit said the horse job the, and I was plainly to him about how I was mad that the? U p s man was, celine and happy and we are going through all this mess like. I could see these kids grocery stores guys in their girlfriends at the mall get no latte and, unlike these freaking, you. Have no respect you will you do have a limp? are you stuttering? Why are you gonna, hair cut one are you too good for europe? country who the hell did he and I had a very or inferiority complex, and vienna. That looks at me and he says you I'm back in a week and you

you promise and I'm like what is it, you think you'll come back and I was like What do I? I have spent my mom. I know if I should cross the feed. Commissioner, would you I'm not coming back he's not in your head you're, not coming back. If you fight like europe, back you're going to not not make the choices. Is you need to make you're gonna always think about some one else. He's right now close your eyes. Casually notification came is talking to your little boy. Your mom and dad just changed, star from blue gold. Do you see it all right? It's over it's happening. That's your reality! Now, fight fight now get out there and realize it's going to happen. You don't know when it's going to happen. It's gonna happen. Sixty two or heart attack an hour on a you know: jungle gym the granted. It's can happen tomorrow with a bullet through your face.

You dont control it giving do it you're not coming back fight like you're, not my back and you will never lose an inch ground, and you'll never lose a soldier because you were afraid to not given the fight. You want the changed my life, I'm a gazelle, what you did how are you guys are all insane with long hair in your we'd yearned woodstock ease that's how we fought. That's how we survived, and The only way you can you can make it through and when I thought about them I started to live that I was like all of these things are distractions. I want you to have a wonderful marriage. I want you to a wonderful family, but you're not gonna have any of those things if you're thinking about halloween and about that bike ride. we gotta go take care of people that our goal- so what we would watch nicholas burg to beheading video every second of that guy in his head cut off by our colleague influenza

Let's watch beheading videos, let's watch the people. At the towers jumped out the windows. The heat it was too much they jumped that's what we're avenging. That's, who were found in every one of these guys cut off nick Berg head? every one of these guys is raping and destroying, and they killed our citizens on september? Eleventh, that's the mindset. I want to hear about your family and I want to do but your wife- and I want to but shit pay, bills. If you don't, have a relationship that you can trust someone to pay the cable bill. make this really easy for you re list. real last gives you're gonna need the income right. We are here to do a job. This is our focus, any thing else is is sedition you. Are committing a crime to me your committee, a crime to the country, because you're here for a purpose, and I'll, give a shit about what your ambition or hope is right. Now, it's us, I know

my dad didn't, I didn't know my dad you have to do. I don't give a damn we are all these different walks of life and socio economic issues focus, and that did it that did it. And as the best possible thing you can do for your troops. I think so help so top so fast forward a little bit. ramrods taken me. He calls send a grave lie in his grave and gravity. Gravel the southern draw. There are times I think, he's speaking of foreign languages. Southern action is so indiscernible. It's like across between John wayne and ross pierrot, our task What is known as the ramrods, those of us in our alpha company are the terminator saw alpha company. Forms a horse. You around Our major falkenberg. We get down on one day in weight at first He says nothing. He's It's a water, redman chewing tobacco ended the dirt as I or as the eyeballs us with a squint

it's time to look each of us in the eyes I stay Back at him to me, he's always been. It seemed a bit Is a grizzly bear twice a scary, but now, as I study him, I realize he's wiring short. It's the way. if his character it makes him seem so large men. I cannot be more proud of you. If you my own kids, we wait for him to continue. He hesitate he's struggling with his emotions and we see his eyes messed up. That's it sends a surge of emotion through me. Part love part despair. blind loyalty. I couldn't, the more proud looking at for you all, have come and what you are about to do He paused again and lowers his head his eye. in itself, discipline fighting a losing battle with his heart. That's all go get em.

The mechanics and support I start to cheer. Somebody shout gave him how other shout as well. For a moment, I can't move sergeant major sergeant. Major Falkenberg is our father figure he's the man I've most wanted to impress. I've wanted and needed to believe he was proud of me and what I done with my squad. I never felt I did anything to be worthy of my own fathers pride. My father was the first person in the history of this of the state of new york to go from junior college dental school, starting with absolutely nothing in accomplishing so much on his own. sought his affirmation, but always seemingly in vain. I always They never quite measured up to his eyes. to me. It was my fault for squandering so many chances here now I want more than anything to stand with sergeant major falcon. As we head into the fight and measure up at last.

this time. I am determined not to fail. His few words have had a more profound effect on me than any of the pet talks of the past week. A great Each is only partly about what is said, often What matters more is who says it and how it is delivered. sergeant, majors, vulnerability and love for us spoke volumes, as everyone else gets up. Head for their Brady's. I stay a heartbeat longer, or can bird turns his steel blue eyes to me? No words spoken, but in his eyes- see something of feeling coming. My way respects

I'm going to get you to read these books on audio man. That's it I it just. It sounds so much cooler air- and you said Falkenberg is a guy who is first of all, he was forty five when he died. He was the first american to be killed in the battle of felicia and you want to talk about like your watch, a movie and the hero of the movie is the first got a drop and there is no explanation. It's the most morale, killing thing in the universe right, I remember hearing that he was forty five and I'll. Stick it out for you at the time. I was the same age. He seemed like a dinosaur the oldest person in the world. You know an end any his body on the stretcher. He was even big enough to cover the entire pole later, when I would add the guy just was a giant in every

You always had the worst rifle aid. In a way, in a four. With nothing on it. He's like let the fancy guys have the fancy shit, I don't need it, you don't need nothing. Iron sights and I just absolutely adored him an end I I always hate. I only liked me not really, I can tell you with with authority- that he did not like me, but I loved him, and I and I in the end. Had you liked me, I don't think I would have He was such a a guy who's been in the military for twenty five thirty, they ve been every armpit every bottle the world they seen at all. There's nothing you're going to tell them that they don't know The day we shall have to farm normandy forth, you're divisions on one side. First, I he's on the other are to be challenged to wait two to every which way

the way is the order march at normandy beach, Ironically, it took the floor. Steering through division of the battle that. did you know their baggage normandy, but their first enormity. First, that's their unit, this. Fourth ideas are major steps up and he is the most eloquent guy. The whirl he's a gentleman. On the other side that where there is an enemy, that enemy will take your life. We are here, learn from us Do you not? I mean like it, it was. They were dirty their uniforms were rat, ripped it and we rejoice with he actually may noise. I start by deasey ears I made Lord jointly combat ridiculous. You don't ever need that right and an falconry gets up after this eloquent speech about you know. The world is a date you're a place where the beacon of light and freedom and Falkenberg just turns to us doesn't talk to them. It says: don't

trust? A single one of those sandra burgers they're, going to steal your non vision and go deer on with them and he's like. Don't put your night vision, they'll put in your gas tank they're gonna lie. They're gonna steal squad leaders. I want a green green, every five hours one single for thirty guy in your living quarters, I've seen this shit- they, your friends, steal all your gear. Go home to clean and they go dear on with your night vision, and we all know, and the guy was everyone was. I would that guy wrote that's who he was He didn't give a shit if he was an elementary school principle, you'd be the worst ever he was in french remain any all he cared about was these are, I kids, these are my boys and the idea that he would be the first to go down and out that you want to talk about, you know losing

officers losing senior ngos and these young kids saying? Ok, I'm not opportune, saw no more. Now, I'm a first sergeant natalia in our or to see who can run the company, I mean there too, you're pulls away, but that that to me was Sign of you know this is real ike you we'd lost forty plus guys. the point, the deployment every one of them stings every one of them hurts but he's much more than a leader here, They become your mass, the become your empathy there there there. more than leaders there there, the identity of who you are there you're validated every single day. not a good day unless he says it's a good day. You're not you know ready until he tells you you're ready and when that's gone, it is a father figure. It's it was dead. stating it was devastating now you're, not even in fight. Yet let you really

you're going to the normal beach and the guy gets hit in the Higgins boat and now you're The ramps are dropping and everyone's like what just and you're like forget it forget it everything's, ok, everything's cool or keep going, and in you the report that there's an angel dried that was the radio chatter an angel, We got a ramp ramrod, seven angel seven year like yellow disk. Well, you know what let's go work. Our mission is to get the guy the killer Falkenberg. That's we're doing right now you serious were yes, I got the mission. The guys in this block killed some major. Let's go get em It doesn't matter where we were in bosnia, we're getting the guy's a guess. Somebody falkenberg doo doo,

I'll be the one to come home to a ceremony and see his widow and his daughters and say that you didn't have something to do with getting the person that got him. That's the only thing we can control right now. This is last one. We're gonna take right, but it was a fake. You don't know when to you. You can only compartmentalize so much, and so these two books are deal with twenty years. After that and do we maintain our promises to our friends. Did we sit? with the kids. We all talk about it when you old enough unsaddled gonna tell you you dad was How many of us have actually done that how many of us have actually still stood with a widow. I would a story of a woman, the law, asked her husband in the war and she got married again, and I thought to myself that way too soon. That's disrespectful like how do you do that? You, your husband, you loved him, he loved you.

you talked about you all the time and you're just gonna marry another guy, it's so until music Bellevue. There was twelve years ago, man, twelve years years ago. Let this woman move on with her life you're. Holding on this you have no idea what she's been through you have no idea what this guy is you. You can't think like that this is these families have gone through so much and we promised that we would be there. Have we been there can lives? Have we lived we said we're, gonna live for them, it'd be twice as good, because there, here. We have to do more with our lives. How many have done that instead, we're talking about suicide and addiction and how people of quit you know what you're thinking about your body, the died in a war. If you're thinking about you know killing yourself getting high or or

or giving up you. we're, betraying all of that. We ve been far too soft with this generation. I have seen all aids except to let a choice. You make it a choice. It's a valid choice is bullshit there's, not a valid choice, you made a promise in our view, would have killed yourself as well. Thank you. Not a house how would that have been received. Oh yeah, you decide you can do it at home when it's over now now we have a purpose and we have to honour our word, and this book is how I didn't I didn't, and it took a step, but oh this award, the guy oh, my guys together again and we realized we don't need any the stories we don't the glory we don't need the attention we need each other,

That's why we did it. We need each other. We need to be present in each other's lives and validate and acknowledge that there's purpose and then and that we all have. We all have a journey, and some of us are struggling. Some we're doing great we gotta honour those promises we made each other when it when we thought the world was going to end in twenty four hours. At this point. I'm going fast forward little bit. It's basically go time and is theirs I gonna have to read this park as we get a new character gets involved introduced into the scenario here. You say as throughout alpha company digital cameras appear, and soon the men are posing for one another nearby are embedded reporters. they called. You call this in their cost.

stir together, like new kids and second rate watching the scene is awkward outsiders. These photos are crucially important form of insurance against our own mortality. A few months We lost a man and realized to our unending dismay that no one had a single photo of him to display at his memorial service is it's graceful. Surely this is in the back of anyone's mind now this time we will have a record of every soul who goes through the breach. Michael, where breaks ranks from the buster of journalists with yuri in tow they come over. her platoon and offered to take our picture. The platoon. ends up and they go to work the their embed, see this and promptly stream to their assigned units taken cameras and snapping pictures them as they click away. They are no longer awkward, outsiders now found a way to help us they circulate among the soldiers and start to fit in. They show MR human and the company, upon sheets that, after

I call on you refinish finally, finish up. I led a smoke and stretch out on the ground. Next, the track. It's almost zero. Nine hundred the morning is chris, old and punctuated by distant artillery barrages. Every few minutes and apache funders overhead fast, moving fighter jets, crisscross above them in the sky. Is where I belong First time in my life tat, I found my place. It reassuring thought that easy some of the butterflies fluttering around in my gut? I want if it was like this for the soldiers of the union army during the civil war. Counting on the old camp ground and all quiet on the potomac have been replaced by percussion heavy metal, Modern rifts of mud, vain and dope, but we're still be sickly the same. details vary from war, the war, but no matter what epoch. The camaraderie remains is a close, miss that no civilian will ever really understand a brad.

he swings out of the column and starts towards us lieutenant colonel riding shot gun in the turret yells The troops as he passes he looks like pat, must have looked as he raised alongside one of his flying columns and a jeep dress like he was ready for a parade patent sometimes stood on the passenger. She said Two shouted to his g eyes. Newell can't do that in a modern day, bradley fighting vehicle, but the similarities and striking. Nonetheless, our task force is a hundred vehicles, long strong, was track, runs the length of our column. Like a steel, sheep, dog shit. bringing us forward ass. He passed is by. I hear him. Bello, let's go go, go. Cigar, Michael, where whose is australian journalist, a year is the other guy that I mentioned where's. He from russia got here and these guys are embeds and

How much did you know about Michael where this that, when you first met him so Michael? Where was, in my opinion, Michael, where was public enemy number one? because he was the face of western journalism to the terrorists. So all these beheading videos they were trying to basically circulate threw him. He was embedding with balls I do, and so I didn't know what a journalist did and I didn't really give a damn, but when he showed up- and we really mean what am I- He showed up and he was time magazine cnn. All these things were going to work through him, any the respect of being the guy that has gone to every horrible place in the world, and so I I didn't see him. I farmers a partisan. I saw that he has an agenda. What I learned in full, one the reasons why I came in a better report when I got out was because I had such a mean. I grew so close to respecting this guy because at a certain point,

Our radios are only as good as what there you know. I can't get on the horn at my rank and level and talk to a general in the marine corps. It's on the flank five kilometers way. He would pick up a say, phone and call the embedded journalist with brains, and if you like, listen, we need our killer. We we need it now. I'd be like they're, like that. welcome welcome to team america where he was doing things and and he sat down and gave us his own briefing and and that that change the that changed. The way we faultless you know you get command, they tell you dispositions, and you know I always grossness but when you saw an enemy deprecate you, learn a whole lot about what you're fighting you know. Diarrhoea is good good sign. These guys are nervous they're, not healthy they're, not the tired, they're they're, not you can

see the mucous thou want that. What'll, I mean I want from nice. I want to see that right. Dear me, more diary, I want, I want to see the enemy, suffering and scared and not healthy right, Michael. Where gave us a briefing on what type of any we were fighting and in a way that these guys, you know their rocket. teams he's a you're gonna look for little designations. One buildings can have number rockets in it then building another medical supplies. The next building. Just bullets, if you start I out like you're doing you're really get the wrong building. The whole thing is gonna. Go up he's a look they read your your books; they know how you like to add our buildings. We would go into a building on the top floor, all the stairs were removed, all of em you would jump from a roof to another roof and they took normally the roof, but the sex The story is well you're, following all the way down the first floor and they got you know these rod

in glass and constitute a wire you you, you get, there's gotta the way that you, you acknowledge knowledge that if you're coming from the road and you're going through front door, they know you're gonna, take that door right down. The door they want you to take. You would find or preteen like also a maze of just really crudely put together, cinder blocks, maybe eight feet tall and they just work here in turn in a turn, and then you look up and that the overhead? Where that p, I is mounted and he's going to fire at you. Why you're like a rat in amaze, he's like this? it had way too much time to prepare he's like tunnel networks They know they have to protect their wires and ended. they leave their wires in the open. There's too much artillery and bombs out there they're going to cut those wives, all of those wires going to be dug. All of them so

you see a hole in a wire coming out as leading to a house. I've seen it. I knew what these guys are doing. I like this is this: is it this is really good stuff and This is a guy who did not care about being famous. He didn't care about being a camera. He was he was just about wherever you go and ongoing, and I want to the stories like and I can tell the truth- and that's why you was hanging out with the enemy one another. truth. Who are these people where they come from I love that guy. I dont think if you didn't film that house fight there is no way that diesel this award? What happened? I don't think it. It was fifty years they, the video and his documentary and circulating, gave our youth.

credibility, gave that award credibility. We hear a lot of stories in all. Unless you see it or hear it, you know you have. I mean that the chairmen story is so unbelievable that had. I not seen a drone footage myself, That is one of the most incredible things any Can I dont know Is your warfare. Roberts rigid and there what they knew that the birds shot down the seals working with air force and again a sometimes you know those things help just kind of the picture little bit better, but mike aware had no business goin in any I was, he had no business to any that and he did it, and I just I'll he's like family to me now. I love him. I

just I don't know I've never had a relationship with a personal sought, a uniform that I could actually say. I tell him now you're You were born in the wrong job. You you do, you should have had a rifle, not a cannon. There was a part in fallujah. What I thought about get my rifle and the only three to my didn't was. I could imagine what their report would look like if my guy got shot, because he you know nodded up I don't know I had to go to survive that in that document It's called only only the dead rear, the IRA We're gonna came out. Leaving your forwarded to me like hey this dude friggin, with the moose amos. Due to doing this, it's with moves in remedy. Unlike what of side like what're you talking about and when watched it it is crazy to watch it created crazy to watch it crazy to he's he's yeah

at some point, is embedded with. Americans some points he is embedded with moose and its great It is due to watch and see and and then you know, there's a story behind it, but yeah it's it's a it's! A crazy documentary he's a he's, a lunatic yeah. I know I love them. I know not. I I valor that we show people fight cancer, show valor people stand up to. Police show valor soldier, cops firemen, and I I never thought journalists could do that. Ever in time, your journalists being so brave, you know you had deed, you know, you run a teller, prompter, you know, I'm saying you went to make up a get your hair done. Excuse me, if I don't celebrate the holiday might just go to work today, instead of heavy wolf blitzer day but is there are guys out there and girls that we want from CNN the afghanistan. What's her name,

don't know, though the lady there was, I bet, adult cheese. The cheese the the I know: I've had a woman on the spot, gas holly, mackay and she's gone over and done all kinds of free and, unlike what she's ike social media like messaging, I'm sending you know like messages get out of there we have to say, was falling. I was trying to pass measures like you need to get out of there now, but you know she's committed to doing her job yeah, it's weird man, the video of this house know what to tell people read the book for this is my this in mind: vice don't watch video, yet read the book house to house. spend a few hours pride. Take you seven or eight hours to read this book. Read this book. Kind of like it seemed crazy. But you know but it has really happened like that you're you're, you can have questions in your mind and then you go watch the video near like holy shit. So there

my advice read the book and then go watch the because a video that just giving you the a documentary for sure, but it's crazy that he was there to capitalism. Video is created a point in the village he doesn't mentions, but there's a pole. I took a shot at him and he's got the camera and act at young people. Think that eu you, the close quarter. Fight you lose. Your hearing hid hear anything anymore, more, straining gunfire for you you totally death and this duties you're in the middle of a dark hours, you, the gay, with a brush trillion access, he asked The journalist and I'm like dude, I'm going to pull the f, is I'm going to blow your head off. You know my you speak in English and I I took a shot and he led the round like hits the side and he used to say he's right back,

for years. I thought he just put the camera down. I voted put the camera down the house and laughed and he- and I was doing it- do not radio show, and I said that, and he at the first time we contact Waves, the military, are you son of a bitch. I was in the house with you the whole time I have the entire video and I watch his documentary and the first reaction you have is, I was way cooler you don't really get your road ahead. You you hear yourself screaming and it's like? I, I can't believe how scared I sounded and then you alive I was the only way I like you, seriously, you hear a story. The army loves to you. Now they will they want their guys. This is the version. This is what happened very clinical verse sterile. It all happened within two seconds: videos, twenty nine minutes long and in totality

would have told you that that entire fight was two minutes long. That's way too much of just an end. Maybe we block when go through? Something you forget about it or you don't think about it or you can't remember it or you don't want to remember it, but I can remember. Is these so dark that you just think. It's the same guy, you know, and you you just you're, not you're, bleeding you're, not bleeding the five five six, almost cauterizes, you don't get the the that you can't draw if you're not hitting pelvis or someone in the face. They're moving You know, and so you you you're, not getting stopping power and and and the other thing that that was so strange. Is that, like you don't know where you're guys are and so you're kastl you. You know thinking, then you're gonna get to a spot and these guys gonna frog out.

you start juice, getting you trained him to do you trained him to err on the side of area, have wire at all. Dives they're gonna go through a spend decks in here with two fortys and empty four, nine saws and forty millimetres and want to be on the receiving end of that. So how do I just get out? But and then it gets personal, and the moment it becomes personal- is the moment where you go through so many in a cold quarter battle? It's well. You know its strength, its will its euro spirit, it's what you're fighting for your country, your friends, your family, it all it's. The most gets a frantic experience that anything can turn that battle, and I ve never been in an god. I've never been. You know, But there's something you can do that can intimidate me in

thirty second window or however long it is, and in am a match. I at least dominated you enough. Why do something and got you thinking cycle actually I've got you thinking, and sometimes it registering that the guy that you're fighting against is scared, you right and there was a moment so that house fight is really three different fights right. You got the we walk in, we get ambushed and then the tough the thing that caused me, the most thinking was just a scandal. Doorway with a saw there was the naughtiest dad. Could you that's? You go with unknown other too, whether one is or what is it all unknown you ve, never seen the house before and I I hope my finger second knock on. We were butterflies. You know this is the training that in the military, it's just the teeth.

I was second and I I hooked it cause. I'm like deep. If I go down estate is going to keep firing right and then I have a runaway. And the another challenge had a runaway is on the range and you point them. You point, the machine guns rage break a leg, but to do that, and I think when it is actually this is actually will take a good look, but that thing fires a lot around and Now I'm in this unenviable position of helping the people, the design the saw fn. What was it the advent of the event. People have fixed that magazine issue where you could put up four magazine head and there lose so so I'm trying to feed a magazine to get a magazine get all thirty rounds. Do whatever, And- realize it. Now you these guys, talk and it so

they had a room that I've stairwell go up at a jersey barrier come out and I there were two machine guns the army has there own version, I guess, was a peak amateur. Ok, excuse me Thinking that pig he understood ways out a link to the pomp on god, my my mind, but the Jews in that door and tune gets on one side and the other guy either side. What I mean I on the stairwell now I'm looking over and I got often left, and I just amber them talking to each other, and I did not even a wounded and for two under round and like three feet that just took everything I had my mojo was done. So I star beaten tale. And as I'm running out, I just feel the heat and the tracers behind me

and I'm like I'm running out. I felt like I was in that house with those two guys again like I'm running under broke. I take my life and I break contact and so is grass my age harnesses. I leave the courtyard just pull me like a rag doll out just like that. And then we're taken fire from the roof, so so limited through this house just just to clarify for everybody. So you guys enter this house year and users. I mean, think about what you just said. There's a jersey barrier me in that they move had brought freaking concrete barriers like a jersey barely on the highway. They were, they had it up the stairs night it was under the stairwell honor me this. There will they have a jersey barrier to like they built a bunker inside this house, does what you guys are up against. They ve got so you're your your teams in there and while they're engaging and your your team is

pretty much stock right. There pin down they can't get out of this house and you're standing there and you realize that somebody's gotta put down so cover fires ever get the hell out of their right. So you got? Our machine donors are outside and their firing a guys in the kitchen, and these are two young kid just wants jameson, dangled. They have two forty bravoes, which is the m16 version today and their firing there, Jeanne guns into the house, the bad guys are shooting from this. Everyone who are living room, and the walls are fallen apart at so you ve got Then it's like thrown a log out a fire. You got the rounds just going everywhere. You can't get up you're out your literally hugging ground and you can't get up and so on he's gonna rolled the left side of the room and the entire poultry. and was on the right.

And I remember trying to squeeze my rifle and adjust it. There was something in the trigger well around it hit the the maggots. meanwhile and pop the magazine open with the spring, and the bolt was, I thought, was a double feed, but it I, the rifle was in up there's no way I could. I could do it. So I just said: throw me a machine gun. Gimme a saw and someone slit a sovereign and that's what I disagree asked for. Like you know I'll help you lift the couch and then the couch is vital need over the the saw came over and it was. It was ready to go and I just needed time. I needed time like I my legs were like vienna lacked a gas it and just concrete they would move, and it s just like you just like this is it.

this is gonna ass. A mile afar process was get low, sucker as many robs you can, the sap replaiting helmet and if they're gonna hit you hit your leg, though hitter you know your your arms, but just bringing bring those arms doc walk in as low as you can add, just try to get well aimed fire to keep their heads down and just kill these guys walk right into the bunker. They'll never expect that you walk right in and ran away sousa, pull the trigger nails just for clarity. What is that I when he had a runaway so open bolt weapons. Close bolt. You know the like a machine gun a week. We train people for three. Second, bursts right so just as long as you pull that trigger down an automatic weapon is going to fire rounds as long as that triggers depressed and semi you gotta squeeze every time when I pulled it and I chewed up so many rounds that the autumn

attic machine gun just was seared and was just firing. The roused, regardless of where my finger was, so you pull the trigger and it keeps you too it's just going to stop so in a training situation when he was about breaking or or it could be to combat situation, but once it's running away, meaning you'd, let you off the trigger and it's just bullets- are still flying one of the things you can do. Is you take the you grab the bell of the machine gun, the ball, the bullets and you break it off, and and it will only ship shoot how real left in that it stops. you know he had to make the decision well. Should I break this off? Oh no, wait. A second. This is working here is basically the same thing happened. Alec Baldwin here too, I would know nobody, but once it's over, it's really weird feel a bit you think in. In you know, in a car that situation use it ragists point but the problem is that there are two hundred round, it's a drum hard plastic

drum and there's turn around and you don't realize how far ass. Those rounds are gone because once the rounds are gone, I don't have any more link. Damn. Oh I'm not a saw gunnar, I'm hoping that These guys are just gonna get out of. We have a these guys, of the australian peel many drivers puzzle harvard of trades a grunt. You can things, you don't know, so I learned australian peel could but I'm never going to learn. I'm not really use it cause, I'm an elite mary. Never woman. I break contact right dry as first we did it and it basically look. I'm gonna go forward. You're gonna get out, so I the gun ominous move in you're just and I just need to know last man, though I've got you says the last man, so I know everyone's out and then I'd, go with him, I'm in a fire everything I have and and run away our brain contact and,

I don't hear last mammy the guns going crazy and I'm way I can on the stairs above them. little bunker and I'm just kind of trying to bend It gives a leaf blower. I just tried to like get it in there. If nothing's have it was a disaster, it was pretty bad. but I don t like it was a curious. Could you have not put their part it late? It would be great if only the cool parts wherein there but Fortunately, the arrogant, you say in it the rash you're right about this. It's crazy to read about it. Ah, the trigger did still the press, my mind, races suppress the enemy. Now I should kill them. My heart urged me forward against the stairwell get out of there

clear. The room rum adduced these guys. I try to step forward, but my fee wont. Let me my legs feel actor chained to the floor. I can't advanced the ten feet needed to end the fight, don't be a bitch move forward. I strain against my own body. I cannot move the sauce bulk, lacks back and forth as choose through my ammo supply. Probably have about a hundred and ten rounds left. What, if I make a plea to get on the stairs? No, my body still refuses my heart rageous I see the saw along the barriers, more foam explodes out the basket state on the floor. It looks like snow fall in hell in the firelight gloom, hey. I've got progress and a hundred rounds left this time. The move get fort finish. This finish this now I push I swear my legs won't budge. The enemy remains on her hiding behind the ripped up barriers. I can't do it my our seas with contempt? Then my saw runs away from me. Sometimes that weapon. Once you go cyclic, you can't stop it stop it. I e

the trigger, but it remains locked back. The bolt charges on its own the gun, it's at least fifty more rounds. Think clocks on an empty chamber amount of ammunition I'm still in the stairwell room, any second, fuckers under the stairs, will pop their heads backup see that I'm an open target finish me. My Suddenly, free up I've gotta get out run. I spent right and both through the doorway thinking Mcdaniel has to forty will be there in a four year to compromise if I dont see misa anywhere but but of the living room in a four year are completely empty. I charge you both and out the front door, as I fly into the courtyard and autumn, weapon clatter, sir give me another automatic weapons scream? Still standing in the courtyard yo pull back fifty else. I need to These gimme secure, free fire bullets, crime over my left shoulder hit the outer wall in front of me. I keep my legs pumping furiously and then on. Through the gate and with my

and miss appears at the gate, throw me the side outside the street. I you, man, you're good, we're safe, so you get out of the house. honestly. That was pretty, I think, was the angle of the other house. You're. The guy on the stairwell can only hit you when you're in the house and the gas from the window had do either moved away from that vanished. because if they were hidden miguel swans and we're right outside with a couple of guys and they were exe changing machine gun fire at point, blank range, if those guys were they with the ammo that they had. I mean it would have been too easy. There were pillar in front as well, but for some reason, What I was an efficient, a barrel form, but I can feel it

and what was so crazy is that you know I'm just thinking to myself. My mai drain only when you're at that two mile more point in IRAN and you ve had the wall and your legs just Breathing is you're? U run so are that you can't feel anything the adrenaline just going nuts but you're like eventually have to stop, and when you have to start at that moment. It's a little. You can't just stop, a dime you, gotta least walk it out after you hit the wall May I went from zero to sixty and I was I felt by bud cheeks I thought I gotta hit in the end, the in the ass and I I think it was my heels Like I'm a kicking, my own ass, I had muscle spasms. You know me, like I a charlie horse. Just from nothing to full sprint and a fighter flight and I had soreness like on the back of my hand,

string and, and my quads and and my glued now just like in my hit what happened and the and they re the realisation that I did nothing to the enemy, at least If I got two of our one, let's get the bomb. and the problem of pollution is that the bombs became like a butcher shop. You know you got a big set play yet three fixed wing- and I'm like, I need a bomb, ok Here's what's gonna happen for your bomb, mister in a bomb all artillery stops, The aviation assets, are, god you're, getting your bomb and better be important, and your number fifteen because forty other guys need a bomb. Mister. damn we you know I need my life is done now And you are on a list and if you do have a radio you don't have rank you're, not gonna bomb, so we asked for the bomb. I wanted the bomb

didn't get the bomb, but now I'm on the street with platoon and everyone is Dokken for cover and it was just such a horrific feeling of I can't I'm it would have told you that that moment of my life was the moment I I was born to have an It never, in my mind, ended with me running screaming with nothing, no dent in in July the armor just it was crazy. I can't really nothing up now. That being said, yeah a normal human being would be like. Well. Thank god. I got out there and every one of my people, too, is ok cool. later what happened? I know what you mean, what would happen. If you were in front of your men, that you care, for love and everything else and then

you start given orders and there like? No sir, I'm listened him right, that's what they did. Ok and that- just piss me off. I lost it. I went from cabotage is happening to ass. This Do you guys want elicited fits you guys? Well, listen, lawson what we get we couldn't get accountability. Is someone in the house? Is anyone then give all your quick? I couldn't get any Everyone was scattered from still get shot, it so fits and law. Us indeed, what we are trained to do, which is bright, contract to another building set up five, superiority, get elevation eyes on, suppress and consolidate, come up with a new plan, that's a normal plant at platelets northwestern. I had Michael, where an eye he claims I'm pacing the streets like a lunatic. I don't remember that, but

Do you remember looking to MIKE aware and I just looked at him and he looked at me. He looked exhausted sweaty and he was just like I felt like he was telling me you could do this absolutely there's two guys in the house go you're good for two year out. There You know thinking yourself: we write a book like what what the hell kind of example that I just exactly then start with giving my fuckin rifle, who, as my fucking life choices, which is clear. Ethnic right, you'd argued. You know from your rifle to somebody else. You took the saw, and you're like eating more pissed off by the minute Like my referred in my head, I was telling my guys what to do and they were not listening. I was turn lies in that is

bolivia shook big sarge is at the same. Guy he's scared. He ran like a little bitch. I Look a lot and fitch these guys are cool com collected They are all the time right and I was just like you- are right- our I like this. I would you think I wasn't. There is no rational, you're, not you're, emotional and and and and reynolds going crazy and the only guy that idea get any. You know my my doktor phil. strain from time magazine and here, am I going to end. The bullets are: listen I don't know, what's happening to me. I can't see me. I could see him and there bought all round him just bring pumping and he was just like standing there. Some like this gaiters and death wish, or he really believes that I can do this

and if we believe that you do as I need and so I was like- let's go over the plan. and by plane was a bar. I need a bomb right now. You get some brad these up there charles bat bradley lumber up the street, the polluter scatters as the brad arrived, some some get behind it for cover the we're traverses his gun, barks, the shell slowed. The shells explode hind the side into the kitchen and living room onto sheer is that right, or is say one to sheer walks his fire back and forth see sawing between the two rooms he pauses his cantrell sweeps the track free of the shell casings, which tumble hot The smoking street control axe, the brat up to up the street, to where he can lay down a current of fire on the rooftops. Most the shells go high, but the incoming shots cease for the moment. Anyways. What else you got you think we got em control asks, Michael, where here's the question

over the din of the brad's engine shots he shut, out. There is no way he's gotta sergeant bell there's no way where, had been in the courtyard when the shit hit the fan he had to dodge the machine gun fire from the kitchen. In my heart I know he's right, but at this in time. There's point and wasting any more ammunition. The brad just can't get a kill shot into the house. At best the barrage drove the insurgents away from the front windows overlooking the courtyard I think, we're good. I tell the brad crew we're back to square one. I start to pace again. Walking back and forth my inner monologues spills out of my mouth, ok, myself and foreign, where in front of the men on live it. The whole situation is taken. My dignity I to find the strength to get it back on What an over used ward! It's an abstraction who can define it all year in iraq of students, my men, if they fill sandbags until three in the morning, I'd be out there in the dirt mud with them

would never given order then go relaxes. They worked. My example is all I have is a noncommissioned officer. I take pride in that that is my honour. Always told my men not be afraid and combat when the bullet our flying. They demand up and dish it back ten fold how at times it by drilled this into them, perhaps telling them to be on afraid is unrealistic. We're all human fear walks with us in every battle. We cannot allow fear to dictate us who we are and how we act. We cannot let it control us. We must master it that is another essential element of honour. As I say storm around in the street. Struggling with myself, where regards me curiously, the last thing I want right now is a journalist watch me grapple with my own demons. I turn away and paste back up the street slipping on a couple of twenty five millimeter shell casings in the process and other spray of sport. flares around me, do I have the balls Why have the nuts to do what my fucking heart wants me to do? If I,

go in veil of one many times have we heard that american soldiers rely on fire power and technology because they lack courage. How times. Has our enemy said that man for man they can beat us? That's nothing new the germans and the japanese said the same thing during world war two side. That house I surrendered my honour and my manhood. Now I have to take both back or live with the fact that they are right about me, that is acceptable. I ran and swear with abandon down the street. I see sergeant nap, taken care of my men like there is little brothers. I want to cry, I'm so proud. I love. these kids in a way. I will never be able to express. I see their faces one by one John Ruiz luke, abernathy peter socialists alex stocker, victor santos, bread pudding, trust in max field. They deserve more from me. I start

pacing and let out a deep rattling sigh only where room remains by me on the street. Everyone else has moved away. Perhaps my display is convinced them off gone mad, but what there are still here the journalist our position. Unofficial intel officer, we stare intently at each other, fuck it I say fuck. It agrees where that settles. It I'm going back in. It seemed very rational at the time again. I really thought there were two bad guys in that house. I know I'm good for two. I figured even though their talk I had two of hit them with something ricochet peace, a concrete, maybe there I went through their ammo, but the clock is ticking and

biggest fear the reason one of bradley the streets are very narrow and there's high walls, the bread the currently traverse of certain elevation, so it was only getting the upper stories and the gate was only so wide right. The my fear was just give him some think about so the little run out, because the last thing I want to do this was really retentive. Twelve bad guys which everyone's local potential, vegas and it was in a structure of homes that was blocked off by for tax. So we had thermals I couldn't believe this block therein here somewhere- and this is More has to go. This is all of em. we think we hope it's all. I don't want to get back in the house that we are too cleared in our plane. The wax all again and we're gonna get someone killed or or her hurt, and but but again talking of someone these, I her thought. Someone said we're gonna die and so

the video, I'm yelling we're not going to die and all the guys today will tell me no one said that there was in my head just unrest, but but they thought do you have a full blown conversation and then was no one. You were tied to the end during question you you're too he'd food orders like give lost your friggin mind an end I think we're sense that I think I think, where sense that I was coming unglued okey days. I beg you, will use basically like this guy. I think we ve got it. We ve got some all pierre look. What are you thinking? without saying it is I who do you think I'm thinkin I want to do this, and I was I was right, I saw, gave me an m16, a four with the two or three I had one grenade. I had one forty millimeter and I made the mistake. of giving magazines away because I saw the end

he was wearing our uniform effluvia brigade had oliver uniforms. I saw a guy runnin around with a with a marines rifle and this guy, the bandoliers the idea and just thought someone died and they got all of his ammo. and there's no way, I'm going to go in here and get waxed and then gibbs cause. I was we were carrying. I dunno how many magazines the combat load as it sounds, so you know I don't want the guy to have everything. So I carried five magazines. One of them was empty, which was my mistake. So I had four full magazines and I probably should have taken much more than you don't know that there was a huge mistake, but I was thinking I don't want these guys here too much, but then so, the plan is Annie. Many saw gunners, as I can now. True doctrine is wanting. You ve got your own stack, our military victory, seven dash! Eight, you know non special,

forces doctrine. Is you got a point? Man rifle and You go with your raw grena dear than you got your automatic weapon, and then you got a leader team leader, squalid awareness What we learned very quickly influenza is, I need machine guns automatic for I'll, give a damn what it is shot, guns and machine, and so we incredible our battalion and our brigade and our division to just find brand new saw Most of these saws word older than our saw gunners, whether time we deplore we got everything was new and they at the combat saw the smaller rifle the collateral bus that this was. This is good step, so we all carried jaws as many saws and get so. We have I said I wanted. Four guys around the building I was gonna run in there like a lunatic try to push him out of the house, and then I saw gunners would shoot em up. That was that was

That was what we drew on other dirt rights law Washington is a buddy of mine. Lawson died in two thousand and thirteen great kid great guy. He was our weapons squad leader. He had an m fourteen only for felicia no night optics on it, so when they have, Fourteen goes away beyond these guys. Pereira and You know this, but next to like gold, a nine millimeter magazine with hearts. Five. You would do anything to find an extra nine millimeter magazine. They were just you. Could not every poke you know sitting around whether traffic they all have the nine millimeter magazine we couldn't find I'm. So we only had to magazines of nine mail. and he had his nine millimeter and that was it and night vision with no optics, obviously to hang on so we set up our guys. as soon as I walk into the house, the third time right. So we were in the house

Leave the house, the bradley fights. That's like the second fight, and then I get in the house the second time that the real fighting everything is different. That bradley fighting vehicle rearranged. Everything in that place, First thing I noticed is that, Four plumbing system they have is all over the ground and it smells like a menstruating anchovy right. It is horrific. It is her riddick I mean just fowl was smashed, is dirty water in the world. It slick I ate in and I durst fires. everywhere, so the areas and wet have five is going on. And I'm seeing these, I thought they were at it at the time that the law and I had was I'd vision and the blink you of the shots were fired. The traces. And now I'm seeing that what I thought were bricks are just blocks of that plastic p for

the shitty C4, though this out and there's one like most on the ground and unlike this, entire freaky floor is wired, and I think I gave you Drugs are not very well today, dodo, they know as much about explosions as I do and there's like these really long. You know popsicle stick size, blasting caps and there out there's some were hanging. Like other speakers, I just really poor. they do not in the brad, just rattled everything, so your water and then there's broken meares everywhere and you good luck. Look up in the corner and you could see a broken mere through the fire in the night vision, and you can see the core so they saw us common when we walked in that work two ways: clay see them the seven eleven that they built with their little meares and not, and then I could hear

one of the guys like doing his prayer. Are you saying saving over and over again, and that's when he started to la he put he you screw and views on a rocket and his body. under the stairwell was holding the rocket and he was basically fixing the rocket to fire. The arpeggio he's got an open door behind him and I was like ok game's over lawson's inside the gasser outside he fires our p d at the bill, I'm not Macgyver What issued a rocket at a bunch of classics? Was it's gonna blow up ray? I don't know what else going on. I mean was right: invoke these. You know so I explosives and all that work he's got there. rocket he's going shoot it we're all done so the plan was now everywhere walking with a water. It still awake a little.

ripples everywhere, so they know the someone's in here so nor have any choices, decide its we're doing. It so loss and, as you know like what's the plan was what are? We were with reason: we're just if he's just in there with his nine mil nine mil a year, do I go there with a camera and michael? Where were they trying to get your night? What do you see through your night vision that cause the yacht the fires in there that screws it up? You know ambient lighters that ambient light working for you like what do you seen through your night vision? So I wasn't an airborne guy, but I was told that the airborne infantry changed the way the night vision works. So when you make a sudden jerk of your head, the night vision shuts off and whether it was just running or just The motion of whatever I was doing. My peers fourteenth were cut off and turn it back on,

was the worst time. The only reason I got their rifle got a peak to alpha, which is in force Add flashlight an infant red laser now you're annie oakley. Without thing I don't have the aim it. I I'm I'm pop and do from the hip with a peak to elf. I've got a line rachel again. You know your soul, but without the peer fourteen Its crap, then these things are just on and off their just go on in it never happened before I had great knife. I was proud of the work the care. My night began to break their knives. Isabella Q, dear responses or here ravine yoda marine would do to have that get a seven. Bravo for the rest of your life. You don't deserve the plans, for that was cool thing to add the p for teens While we took great care of em, I never in an issue and all of a sudden like you need it, you need to make that flight adds delayed in your

crude and my my vision start coming on and off, and so I just said I turned it off. turn it right back on em like I just need just get through that door. Again, I'm thinking there's two guys in this house. The only two people have seen are under that stairwell, and that's it and nobody's communicating their. We don't know what the Platoon is doing there on the other side of the street. They know where I am the bradley. The a lot of confusion, but I walked in at door and I saw his eyes and I was like oh yeah like you have no idea of all the things you thought back door tat thought they think it backed or to write I put the guy's. There are super loud there get around the house now we're gonna come through the back door and keep the front door again, and I see this guy's teeth and their beautiful teeth. like veneer teeth like my dad's deniston, dentist, good, tease

this guy smiles- and I just I just start shooting and and then my vision dies again, but a guy, quality aimed shots were the peak to alpha. And I figured I got them both and One guy ran and the other. we got trapped between the jersey barrier and the stairwell he he could move out of that area, so he was pretty much done and but the other guy ran to the kitchen affront was like. Ok one guy. That's it one guy laughed and he's wounded him couple times. And then, as I'm doing, that I'm walking backwards away from the stairwell, and I'm like this is a room and I'm just standing in the doorway of a room. and then, if sues unthinking, I'm thinking cleared this room yet gaff the kitchen start, shooting back and then lawson,

Nine mill is just you know, gagged. You're from the side just pop and this guy and this guy so shooting lawson out from the kitchen and as he's doing, that lost it just kind of pops back into the water and whether he had hit through the wall or got I dunno, I dunno was dark. I dunno what's happening, he's not saying anything which is smart guy. You don't want to the tough guy he's been hurt before and he has never cried or screamed or anything. So you just kind of went back and he just his whole arm. Just drops and he's got his hand on his shoulder and he's. too for his neck and he's like is this blood or water? And, unlike us now,

as not the choice I can't see either it feels slick. I'm like put the water slick. You know the one sitting exams. If he's doing this, like with his handy nam, he can't move his fingers so he's like he just points to his weapon and with one finger says I have one mag left doesn't just one and I'm like okay, and so I should switch out mags and I back into this room and it's a master bedroom and I have there's like a bed a wardrobe. And I got a clear it right and as I'm doing that these guys come running through the door. Ass an hour changing fire but I'm noticing that there are tracers going horizontally in the room. I'm thinkin it my zero off like him. I am I just you know like june from the hip and appears for You d up

and unlike my shooting side, you know peek a two: did it get damage? Did it get jostled what's happening where these rounded on horizontal and my platoon sergeant screaming and my radio and would that noise from my ear, everyone- and I hear a cavalcade of foots steps upstairs next room over and I'm like this radio it's gonna, be the death of me. So I take, I told him, I said, to efforts down one hour php- I'm really stressed out I'm really stressed out right now and I just through the radio in the water and In that that's when I realized that I could start to cheat a little bit and use the gap of me, now visions solid for a little bit and I have at peak too, and I can use the gap between the frame of the of the door. The conakry

mental frame as a whole, and that dad did was to site like trying to creep up on the door Now my I gotcha yo and I just put the rounds through that gap, and I couldn't have done it without a laser, obviously, and he buckled and but the weirdest Davis guys would fall. Look over there weren't there. And so I'm like it is this which obviously for crap, but I mean, is this the same guy or It is a different guy, eighty run up down the stairs. What's going on. And just as that happens and another guy, comes tearing down the stairs and I could hear his pants and and he hits the water again that ripple. Gave him away in the water and he just started firing and I popped him and then the guy you,

the kitchen, the original guy. That was what came out of the kitchen, and then all of a sudden color, relaxed and everything's cool and I hear some guy screamin from the stairwell enemies. I think british, a british accent and he's just like talk in. I don't know if it's, boston at all. If it's microwave microwaves, australian is he. I can do me, but this guy's, like talking about like their you'd, do mommy. I find your dog tags and, like his base with my my you know what I dunno he trying to intimidate me: so I'm speaking broken arabic first provision manual, stop or I'll shoot you. I resist first american aid per tree, all that crap and then I hear like dog or something save kelp whatever, and as I'm going through all that another

the target appears in the door and opportune that target. And I see a long stream of of rifle fire that is from my left out of a wardrobe straight into the wall and I'm like, I did not. I didn't you shoot at there was on me here. I mean economic, like, oh, my god, there's a dude in this room and as soon as I even process that the door is complying open and he runs out and he's gotta stop was a k under his armpit. So he's running this way in the rifles point of behind him and he just squeeze in it like behind ah worker rights or he's planning to try and get out of the religious life trying to get a priest. It's dark and I can't see anything and the, wardrobe falls on its doors, which again there's a lot of miracles, but that, Probably the most miraculous thing is Entire wardrobe, like a foot locker

you know, like a wall, augur that only on its doors, because of that thing would have fallen flat. He shot right into that wall locker and that wardrobe and had that thing been fed At their we're, gonna write into me and this at the wall as well and it just absorbed through the the wall I took. I I I thought I hit the elbow and it just instantly it's it's wet but I'm went to so it's like. What's going on, but burma gravel, my arm and I've doing this inventory of, like you did it you gotta and something bad as other bet it hurts. You can't see it, but you are now a bullet shot the victim of a bullet wounds at all, these guys. It acted tough. You now know what they went through you're, just as tough as they are. You not get it

you'd iconic, scream manic, you're not going to leave. You got breathe yeah shot in the arm and you're gonna go you're lucky stay in the fight any good. and then I'm like did really hurt me like a really hurt and, unlike ok down like I'm, I'm psycho myself up right, dude is at, the court is leaning against the metal, the doors weren't like real doors there, like metallic tin doors and easily against it, and I hit em now get. I thought I hit him six or seven times the video it's like three shots, but again what I'm thinking what actually happened. I thought and repeatedly by governmental, lower back and It was the first time are so unlike actually scream, really loud. And he moved his way out the door, but I hear him up the stairs.

and this is the time I get to do my little field, a medic, I'm on a treat, my own arm wound, put a tourniquet on yeah. I know it like it's below it's right here in the little joint near my elbow and I'm like. Oh my god, I feel a bullet like the bullet is actually in my arm, and this is crazy because there's no kevlar and it would make no sense that a bullet would lodge and just kind of stay there. So I'm like, oh, I feel dizzy, but as the smell isn't my nerves, I can't pass out now and I just kind of flick it out and I feel it it's a. it's. A piece of work is a splinter like do you want from almost being shot by a bullet to us, splendor and you're gonna take yourself out of this fight. You write a relay call of matter back for a splinter. I went from thing I'm just like every other, tough guy saw get shot being like you, don't even it kid

His blood argue we're gonna, Pa Javert, splinter man you're lives, like my head, is gone from like super covenant too. but when he left any turn- and I saw his face- unlike he's scared, like the fact that I hit him repeatedly. he's wounded any scared and he wants to run away from me. So I figured ok lawson good I'm your loss of I need saw And shot guns and fits and first squat get it we're gonna get the whole paternity and he's like I'm not leaving, and I like how you go eve because we need to get everyone in IRAN. so I don't want to be on that floor because I'm thinkin bradley fire or the guys just come. Mr spraying, I know where to get cover and the best place I want.

We have at least on sang afforded, tell them a you know: small grenade flare, I'm here right but I know that guy's there and I look up, stairs and I could see his wet feet. But then there's blood like a lot of blood on the stairs. and I make my way up and between my wet shoes, my wet boots and the blood. I take a step on the puddle of blood and both feet just go completely out like like I lost my footing completely and- lost my footing at that moment, around just went off from the second lit the level of the stairs, and it was right in our but our bullets when they hit like brick or concrete ricochet, that some six to just it just worked. It just went right through it, but I could see it and I was like that's where my head was.

Right and so I went from. I got this guy too. I just slipped in avoiding stand up. I would have been done, and I got the second level my peers for teens went out when did when I went to flick em on they went to I r. At the light, my yeah that charge and I saw his face- and he was just all kinds stressed- and he was very stress that allows like disguise mine a more more that's it. Some do my head like one two three or that one, two, three four, I am just trying to do an inventory of how many others too, people live downstairs. And I just leave lawson and where would alive guys or is this just two guys and I'm just lose. You know if lawson went to get the rest of the squad, yeah, I'm a keener anything. My hearings gone and Now that I can't do that,

The building is so big and thick dead, with a water if it was empty in dry. Maybe you could hear. echoes of whatever, but the The good really here was what was coming at you. What you want something went from. the water? The water was to give away that there was someone coming. Could you could hear the split ash and you could see the signature of it, but upstairs is dry. It was super dry up there and now I'm I'm back to. I got my rifle and I charged a magazine, and I think I this was the last. What felt it felt like twenty then had maybe just one of those I recharged and didn't have full thirty, but I took out my grenade and- and this is where I was going to practice my cook and off. I was so proud of how I cooked grenades I- was cooking- grenades off the twelve grade level.

I was really good at that point and that sizzle you now so many guys would tape there spoons And then they just throw the grenade with this tape off, but the spoon would stick to the casing right. It pull your pen and you through, and remember- never went off because a spoon stuck to the they had been tape for so long. So I would say, as I have said to me, and I and I brought my ear, you gonna be evoke. As you know, the feds contractors five seconds to say this, but I couldn't here the sizzle. My ears are so shot that I was like one too, and I just was like. Oh no, you feel like that's how this story, one be blowing my own head off with a grenade in my ear. Like he's a call me massage bolivia for data.

As I turn to look at them. I, the room was an l shape right, so I had to look a like a perpendicular. I threw the great I hit him with a grenade, but went into a big pilar. These foam mattresses and I heard a canoe, and I heard him you yellow hurt and a bit by something shrapnel, headed somewhere, but When I came into the room, I instantly tripped over mine, my shin scraped off the top. Just at mess appropriate tax, I mean the entire room was forever propane I fired one around and I just smelled dislike, billy oily facts about. That was like plastic, foam, burning and natural gas. And I just like, I can't I can't shoot again because I'm gonna blow the tanks upper do whatever,

so I just gotta use my rifle to find him in the room of smoke and waved the smoke around and just try to find where he Is an wakeham as hard as I could, and that's where you know I we just started well and each other. I the dark in the smoke just come If, where is he? Where is he at? And I didn't want to bend the barrel that the m four is a rifle that you know I but stroked people with that plastic, but and it's it doesn't really do what you want I do but the problem with the m four is that if you wax on hard enough you're going to bend your barrel right, so I mean that your take your rifle out of the fight a got. Santos his rifle, but its heavier the of the aid for had that stock. That was you know, and so that that much better to go under the fight with an forward the site to try to take advantage of that, and I I really is-

the first time I realized how how exhausted I was, as I was really spent. You know, and I I was starting to feel like my stomach- was tightening and breathing became harder, and and I was hoping that I could just get close to home and shoot em right like be able to get a close shot into one but I also realise that when a person is fighting for their life, they're not gonna, give you any those openings, and I could tell he was older, thus the foam would burn and then die and then a flame would pop and then I would die and then a flame would pop again and he had a grey beard and he was wearing a a bandolier like you know around his waist

and so yeah. We, it was like every time I thought I had an advantage. He had a big out of his arm is forearm had the giant bite from shrapnel, and so when he would do something to me? I was kind of put my hands in that that moon and that I just can't pull it off. The heat that was so much pain that he would you Tom is guard was down. But this is why we need to teach self defence and and jujitsu or something because in the gear it hard not to move. You know, god for If I'd elbow pads on out, I wanna made it, but that the vest is so heavy in the way we load the vast is. He makes it even more unbalanced I don't have any moves, I don't have a choice I didn't have anything to do and my hands were wet

I usually hair. So I I stuck my finger in his eye and I figured that that was gonna. to do it and I I was so freaked out by the way and eyeball. You know ruptures that it it just a nerve May the whole thing was just so it like us, cheating unanimous like. I was doing something that was not what we're to do. I never had an experience with awe with anything like that before I've never done anything like that in my life if training, no one's ever given us a power, porn or class on that and. And I am a helmet. You know an, and so I figured Mohammed is probably, but I have my peers fourteen run the helmet the tie down at the point when it took the helmet off the we. These guys

No one ties elites, don't die things down, but we tie everything down. Conversers, basel, you never know when you lose something and I had a I tied down. But when I took my homework off my fourteen fella. Now you got like this. A pendulum answered, It's not you not able to get what you want, now that the the part of the story that gets misinterpreted a lot is the I took a sappy play and everyone say to my sappy plate out. I opened my vest. And I know I ba at that time. It was velcro ones I had a plate. The other side didn't answer, was. I was trying to hit him. I wasn't get enough force with my home it I I took his head and I just kind of use the open vest to subdue him.

If you ask me, that's when the fight really stopped that, I would think that I've that at that point it was, I don't think he was we weren't, calls at that point. Whatever you got the upper hand, yet lay the wounds that he was sustaining to his hair between the home at the sap plate were enough to either disorient him or or make him just north of. A problem, at least in my own head. I thought everything was great and he goes to the ground. and when he goes to the ground, I put my hand over his mouth and am literally all my force. It's got one hat. The one arm is wounded the when I put my leg on it, he's like his hips, are coming up and he's its hurting them. But then, each year clean, and then I, your guy above us, yell back and that's when I completely want from

I'm in control a nominal ok to complete it all a panic of I dont have the strike. I don't have the strength to do this right any wounded me shoot me four times. You know, I don't know. If I can do. What he's doing, but if there's a other guy that I have not yet met. Two hundred percent healthy, I'm in deep trouble. I'm in in trouble and so as work were, I've lost. please pause control, my rifle at this point now trying to find it with one foot and just kind of Pro my foot out to find my strap, I could drag it, took to mere do whatever, and bites, my hand really aggressively right and it's it's like now. I'm I'm firing on,

You know I thought I had a minute and a good grip rack, at least, and I thought the fight was out of him. And he just start biting me and then, as I move up my body the hand that I was not holding I just I just heard allowed crack of what turned out to be a soviet forty, five I know where he had it all came from, but I just fire directly in the wrong. He did thank god. You know where my head was, but it was closer to my head that it went from not being will the here cloudy too, like ringing not being able to hear you know which is its like a a night s verses. I just can't hear you know, and that was that was really affected my equilibrium and affected my thought. Process became dire. I went from super confident to like this, isn't gonna work out in the end

when I stood up looking for my rifle, I felt that I had my girl her in my cargo pocket, not on my belt, which would have been almost impossible with the adrenalin and the sweat and the water to to pull that out. It was so tight to my belt that it would have been you know, but it was in my cargo pocket and and a lot of people think that's a multi tool. They say he killed the multi tool came out. It was the rex applegate. You know a very quick release. And, and I I just figured I would I would just pop them. I was just going to let them know you know no pitched escape yeah. I was speaking broken arabic. It turns out, knew speak arabic, but I was just trying to tell him to shut up, and so I could hear what was being said or how many were you know was. Is it our guys?

Maybe it's it's my guys come up and I just can't hear inside just I was just let him know I've a knife and, and then it was he bit me again and when he bit me, you know Well, you be been piano, my lower body in, and that was unbelievable pain, it was unbelievable pain and it was just a. Complete adrenaline spike and it became I'm going to I'm just going to jab him. You know I'm gonna, I'm going to cut them and when I want to put it in it, his collarbone and it cut my side of my pinky down my hands kind of went off the blade and kind of went to the till the knife, and it nothing happened. It was hard and it was not in the right region and then, when I put my hand over his neck, like a kind of felt, were orchid, guided and asked

would I put it in it was a cold night. It was a rainy night. I felt steam like warm hot steam and there was a noise that I couldn't I could hear the noise, but I could feel the noise it's a it's like you. There was a the spurt was this is and everything just auto rebooted he was just like it was over. It was like there was no, yet there was no. in response to it you know, and I the only thing I took enough science to know that I could speed it up, and so I just kind of was doing like a little bit of like a cpr. Almost I just get just to end the

it, you know just get all of it out, and so I just started putting you know like doing cpr ah to to to end it, and- and that's that was it and after all that I I was ridiculous and I wasn't I want a cigarette I went outside in and again my home. It's gone investors open. My rifle is somewhere on the ground. I have a magazine, maybe I know a rounds left ten rounds owed much less than thirty and I know there's a guy above me, but it's a porch and there's a roof out of it, and so I just can't I kept my hand.

but I wanted a cigarette to be like my light right cause. I have no night vision and I figure. If I get that cherry going, I could at least signal, so one of the common in you know you gonna, get least see something gets nicotine mayor, I wanted nicotine, but I also wanted to see what was going on they don't do whatever and as a dragon that outside open air. I just here like a john elegant, someone like took our scuttle a feat,

I, like the the most grotesque, Joe Theismann snap I've ever witnessed. I play sports. I've seen guys break legs and compound fractures achilles injuries, I've. Never. That was a bad one and whatever he landed on completely immobilized am relying on the ground and he was was in severe distress and and emotional about how much he was hurting and the magazine swiveled out of his or you know no buttstock on the AK and it was a short AK with no buttstock and the magazine was out and when I threw it back in and and reach recharged it it just who was way it burst. It was on automatic and adjust burst. Am very little accuracy. I dont think I hit em with.

ok and then, when I ran into the the building. Ah, he fell like back into our water tank in the corner and couldn't move has like he was complete. One leg was the only thing that was caused, his ability to both the rifle, I ran into the rifle and my rifle, and so I put is up and I just shot until it went empty and I dont item I could see it. You know, I hit him and I hit his wounded leg and I hit him in the back near the kidney and all I know is I There was a landing he can't if there was a canopy underneath that part of building but I just heard the saws open up on. So when I looked

over. Finally, I could see that he was in no head first in the in the palm area and the two mission in gunnar said, had done their thing and then the guys come flying in and lawson ends up getting shot by a shotgun, lawson, total accident, but lawson basically was on the second story and he was, like term airs, guys, recalled toenails turner's come in any kind of turned the corner and if someone had em savvy play, but that could have been horrific and so the there are like bomb, is coming in come in and I just my voice was horse. I was like totally like ghetto shook. nah. We ran out of the house, and fast mover dropped a bomb and it went right through the ha. You hear it like teen talk like you'd hear it like it,

go off and then they brought. So that was a two, fifty they brought in five hundred. Nothing bounced, and I don't know if it was. our laser. If it was the few out what happened to bombs were duds. The final one was a two thousand pound bomb and we are all like outside of the house that blast was worse than anything the evidence of ass. I think they're just voided. All of our I mean just like we just font like uncontrollable, Many like through you were just outside the house, when the two thousand bradley, so rallies all pulled up on line and the guy's got inside the brad lease and mine. Zipped up and fits have grabbed me as I was making sure all the guys were in the brass. He just grabbed me and threw me in a hole and honestly we got the best end of it, because the guys that were in the bratz got just completely can cost from that box

in area and all that munition I mean danger. Close say, was two hundred metres where the bomb went off and the all periscopes, Ancyra Brad's were all shattered and the guys were all like woozy in farm and it was really bad and they got shook really really good we were outside and I think we got the better end of it. I think, I think, we're low and in a whole waiting get nearly is messed up along, but we go back in time. the bodies out do you know start when our inventory, and the next day I want eyes, are executive officer and then jason mass and died and then sims died, and I just can't

was like crazy day, but there's like twelve other crazy days to go, and we just kind of did our thing thinking and then fifteen years later I get a call that the d o d is doing. An investigation and people I haven't talked to in fifteen years are calling me telling me that they're looking into every aspect of my military career and I'm thinking like a lot of guys, have happened. Some gets a little jealous so its upset and these at some happened. The way I had a reporter, investigating in them Well, terry calling I lawyered up I got a lawyer you know I'm not going to jail. I what's to on home, then trump card hit it before you get that so that the this Story that you just told us, been in this house. This is no, amber tenth thousand for your beer. Twenty ninth worked twine idea

two days into the battle gets khazars a couple of days and there's a little bit of a low as it kicks off? You know it's hard for you guys to get through the breach you guys get in there, the in and it takes a couple days. I mean there's action at the gate, but it, but this is actually a highlight for what you guys we're doing. like you said, lieutenant ye one november twelve he's. Standing in a brad. he's actually wave in good vida to wear who's going to like fit Phyllis. report or whatever he's gonna do and he gets hit with her it was an hour. Fiji arbitrary doesn't that NATO's awful. You you got in the book. Remember the ramrod! You ve got this. This quote: do they taken in brother had died and explained this in a book and again there somebody there so many things in this book, but you his.

Other had died in eighteen, eighty, nine and so eddie one day his parents want him buried. You know amateur in a small town in nebraska, believe and there's a inscription on his grave about about, Can it eddie wants? As Ed lived every moment he stood in the rain, heard the thunder dance to the lightning lived in rainbows, that's the twelve the net today, that the individual that we ve talked a bunch about Captain sims, whose you're hoosier commander, a guy. in its its inner outbreak. I covered this, but you guys are going in, you know this guy realise what kind of a fight your about going to and it's not gonna, be hearts and mind fight any you guys are really come together.

As he knows, you gotta be relying on his dark hackers and. So the next day after but you won't eyes. captain sims keys, Kennedy It's not what you guys on the battlefield, you guys, retired and gonna go base. if we do a strong point of building gonna set up a little command post or something and well you're, like hey boss? Let me let me go clear that thing for you. Let me get my squad in there. Let me clear that thing and he's like no, you guys get some rest stand down. He says air out your feet, yeah, we'll take care of it and arm It was a building. Tat had been cleared, but you know if that had been laughed and cleared and laughed and when, these guys go in it begin to gunfight captains. Captain sims is killed. and, like you said you know, this is then this is

Something sometimes people forget is that would someone gets killed to combat combat continues You still have a mission used to have enemy and you still keep going. That's. What that's? What happens? guys keep going up. or a total of ten days, it's november. Seventeenth, you guys finally come out of the field. And you got some great That's great perspective in there as azure coming out of the field and what that why'd. You answer now seen way more than anybody else to sing and certainly the Remsen rear in other china hell you to get your uniform squared away and stuff, and always that that dec contrast between the guys that on the phone lines are guys at all, the time magazine. Article comes out so MIKE aware, like you said, works more time, so

you guys are out of the field on November seventeen november twenty second, this article comes out that he's written it's called into the hot zone and its it's too. It's in your story. Your is telling your companies story. And, of course I mean you know, the felicia event was in every isn't, as the entire news for you have three week period and so now everybody is reading this article about you about your guys, and all that being said, the point is not over yet. You guys. still have another three months of deployment left. What are you guys doing when you get out of fallujah? What's that covering like an and now what your mission towards the ended opponent. So in a way don't really know about, a magazine, the article, but

Everyone in our sector knows what solution and they although when we were gone, we were replaced by units that didn't have. The same logo on their arms, the insignia and what that meant, that the red one? we were in felicia and that boss a tremendous monastery credit with them with a the bad guys. You know with it some we were super. Hockey where super confident and we weren't, you know the mistakes that we made, the zig zag and in the old days long gone the chances we were taking They always talk about how, when you know John John John baseload story of we know you get a guy, does crazy things, guadalcanal and then you must go back to ie, will and dead unit that he led I mean they got up john bass alone.

It's a legend, an icon, sullen war, boss he's dating hollywood starlit, something this was a national hero and air. We want hung at everything. You said he had so much street credit. He didn't last. What fifth? in minutes on evil and- and so there are three things that the reason why they take you out when things like flu, remedy big set plays where units do crazy. Things is cause you you don't have a sense. of your mortality in you. You do do take chances that you think my has happened yet in all our role But until you know we fold and our unit was due. When that I may, we were just like. In the old days. If you took fire the enemy stopped, you know you'd give chase, you do your job, but at the end of the day he fired they stop they ran away. Who cares after fellatio we we were gonna, kill you like we're gonna.

Thank you out and it didn't matter how long it went down it didn't matter. You no good guys going through tunnels and you It is very difficult to clear an attic. You know that's one of the most dangerous things you can do because you're literally just popping up in the middle of a floor and anything can hitch and those are always, you know guys were just doing things they'd never done before because they survived. What was you know, an epic? the urban fight, and I noticed it- and I noticed that election day was the big thing. A battle. Fuji was because January, two thousand and five was going to be the first free election and all. The craziness that we're going with that was going to a ban on election day as well. she came to just we had a pretty good handle on dial a province before felicia when we left there was that period?

They regressed a little bit just cause the unit. You know your brand new, you don't know the area very well great soldiers, they just didn't know our area and so they were only there for a month and a half, and we start to see that there were taken liberties. We took the liberties back, we counter punched with great things, but also became aware like it. It was real. Now, like the guys were gone. They weren't eighty s seen they weren't going to a different duty station. They were No longer there in the memorial services in the you know, and you just take more loss towards the end of a deployment. You think why are we taking loss at the end were so close? Just go home like ism was the point: what are we doing. And so that became more of a struggle of keeping our poise and our focus, but also the discipline was the hardest for leaders at the end.

That's when all the crazy happens like in the last thirty days were deployment is when Nothing can be rationalized, no loss, no injury, no death, nothing makes any sense because you're that close to the finish line and its attacks the law to just kind of there, maybe I'm going low, but you crazy. You know what you don't want. if you dont want you know that guy. get out of the army, you ve got a month Then the combat zone- and this is jerry rice as last football game. once one more touchdown before he hangs it up. I don't want a guy who wants one more fight. You know before it hangs it up. You know so you you want to be reasonable, but at the same time professional discipline, but that was that was tough, because you know there's and then The units are coming under, replace you and, it does nothing, but read you become our unit became like army rock stars, you know, did they

or in magazines, and there are many times in the end, so guys, are taken photos with these new guys and sign in furniture This is the coffee maker from the governor of the? U dont like a day. It was a weird feeling to hear your unit and these names of guys you work every day and they're rolling, still magazine therein there on CNN their talk about, hey turn on. Could you take me for news they're doing especial on on sarbanes Falkenberg, like what like issues our major like it was the It was very surreal experience to go for. the backwater anna unit that really peaked in vietnam to the first year. Richard vision, back where it's cool again and all these guys, who just did their jobs, are now you know doing interviews you ve got rope,

orders that our sneaking out of the fog to interview the boys from felicia month later as to site it was very surreal you know because it it's just a lot of it engine and it's not necessarily pupil process it differently. and you guys end up going home in February two thousand five yeah and at what point Are you deciding that year we get out of the army, you, don't milo thing was so. I didn't know anything about the timing, see everything you hear about. You know you're in a vacuum, but The there was a big award ceremony going out for the division and a welcome home again our german unit, and it was it's a lot of silver stars and bronze stars, and a lot of these guys. That did incredible things. You know it was hard to get a private, a specialist ne five, the award that they deserve. A lot of guys

there really never wheezed around we're getting awards? It probably you know our service awards not valor wards, you you have then every unit, but it was apparent that They were going to take this felicia fight and essentially make this award a distinguished service cross and that's the way was billed we did the unit the brigade commander, Paul ray smith, had just received the medal of honor, the first recipient since vietnam posthumously, for what happened in two thousand three at the airport. baghdad, and so this was going to be the second the distinguished serves cross, which would have been the first to string cross since vietnam, so we got the metal bonds and distinguish there's groton. This is what you hear about your award. Yes I'm getting the deep. That's that's the way.

The ceremony is gonna, be all the guys get their silver stars of bronze doors and hold the ds. The secretary of the armies coming to germany whole division, its ds, your? I did a commercial for our forces network talking about getting the dmz and that the seas in the bat and without it happening and if that's go all going down there ITALY, saying no one knows anything more than the dsl and it's not a war that you know you don't know how to write it in the witnesses, and so the division did the dsl with the taliban. Witnesses and whatnot and search the army shows up day. The award were, Do the rehearsals were getting ready for the live, the band, the division commander, and the secretary of the army, like Bellevue, not get the dizzy, and so I'm like.

Well. Alright, you know like what that kinda sucks. I maybe we did the commercials, I'm in my uniform just going on and they're like they're upgrading now and I didn't even know I was like they're upgrading the dsc. I mean it doesn't make any sense like what is going on and it went from in upgraded to just you know, army times, usa? Today all these media people, telling the world that I'm going I'm nominated fundamental water, which is not something the army puts out. No one puts that out. You can't say your nominated for anything. It's not here approved her. You gotta, get you dull, there's no like, you the medal of honor, given the dfc. It the mental water, nothing right you can t get silverstone of greater. You can take it d c and upgraded put. You know, get like a fool back award

doesn't work in reverse, so I go. I leave. There was a lot that have on their deployment, and our unit was disbanded, so half of the guys went to another unit and deployed in in eight months the rest of the guys went to stop law skies went home. Everyone went home, and I just was like I'm going to be a civilian and I want do some embedding. I wonder: do You know some other stuff works and vets groups were not, and then I get out a package in the mail and it's a silver star, and it Is it my citation and start my name, and I Like this, it has to be a mistake right, it's none of my duty to fourteen. It's, not your citation. If not your name, noises like a jumped out a tank and yeah, I suppressed the anime, it's basically the The silver star was for studying the doorway with a saw got it. and then there's something with a bradley that I didn't do

and then my middle, my name is vulgar, but my duty to working and the orders our side from like you know, what's going on in there Oh everyone's, like you're, gonna, get the malabar and the media is like this is happening. The silver stars and interim award you're a whole lot of that and our near to get the mental why Will that goes on forever and then it nothing happened, and so people are. What are you doing so now. It's you're out of the army among the army, I'd I decided I want. Back in the army. But I don't. I have a family and I wanna be a dad I want to get a normal job and then I hear so you're conflicted conflicted. I I go and become an embedded reporter. I start a veterans group. We start running democrat republican veterans for congress. We have

great class least Selden who's running for governor new york was one of our first guys. Alan west was one of our first guys. We we had some good ones, revenge backwards, but we ran you know, quality, guys and and and girls and in the process of doing that, I meet all of these like there's a class that is started where this, like a professional veteran class that comes out of afghanistan, rack and I'm super cognizant that oughta wanna be that guy and I want to be the deed to fortune guy. My car is how to find a real guy that law, crawling. The copier It's like hey, what time, wolves, zero niner we're going to start another brief or fraley you work in an office depot like you did not have an actual depot, and so I don't wanna, be that guy to be like a normal guy, but every time something happens with the war, my local newspaper by local, whatever is a gift as getting the medal of honor

and then people want to write books and books, the writing or not. the stories that happened there like then you know what you see is killed. Eight people single handedly but that that's one storage, only people killed over here, and it is a way to second, first of all how much money what's going on here, like you're making. Many of our friends our stuff. What's what's, Why are you sharing these stores? They're, not true, and then I got to hang out with guys like Marcus luttrell and I saw the van inside of celebrity in a way tat made if super grateful for my life, because marcus was a fifty fifty fifty percent of the country's thought marks trial is truly one. The greatest treasures we have in our planet he's a humble decent,

wonderful man that went through some crazy things and then fifty percent we're I hate him because he successful and known why is he famous Why do I care about mars the trail and watching and go through this and I'm scene for every gather wants to shake his hand for every girl, well. That was his phone number. There are fifty people that want to put in jail and there's thirty people that want to call him a fraud, and go after a story go after as friends and he's do in this journey and italy he's a pioneer like steel discovery. The organ trail and he's doing all by himself I charted waters uncharted waters with grace and dignity and he can't win. Every everyone's outer took to snipe em and marie told me one day, we're in still southern me said you

so lucky it's not the medal of honor criss crossed. Since this is the milan be worse and online. you know what maybe you're right blessed. Sal gmt First living recipient, see this guy on at the superbowl he's on the letterman show. I look at his face and I'm like this I got the weight of the world and he is just just gettin buzz sod. I mean there's you're the great you can't take anything away from south. To what he stands for what he did, who he is, how he leaves is, but there still people don't want to just rip him to shreds and go drink unit in his decisions, and does he What I heard he was come on may give the guy and he's the only one there's no net. There's no support, there's no one. He could talk to. Vietnam got nothin, just gene

on his own doing his own thing, and I said thank god this one I armed and then it became Well, maybe the story isn't true, you didn't get it war that they said you run again they did investigation and, obviously that asia. This is bullshit synonimas, wait. A second from going from being like the susan Luigi of combat veterans nominated for a daytime every free tv years carried it It is an honour to Rinaldo now You do your embedded reporting, This is linked to two thousand and six. You free in in remedy. When I'm there. I know so that his crease and MK major macc megan Mcclung was the PA yo, who lost her life in the for the marines, and I thought I got approved because I'm like the only guy that wants to be there at the end,

that tore at the end of that little time she said. Will you sign my time magazine and I was like no. Why are you doing here? What do you think we're still very like you show up your normal to be here. You just want to make sure you are coming here to be a hero and you are come here, do some stupid and when it was appeared, it was apparent that you had your heart in the right place. We thought you could you could use your platform to what we're doing, because we're doing great things romani nodes talked about it at all. What was like when you run aground her in romania. That was the worst place. I've ever been in my life. I would, I would take remedy. I get an apartment, a solution before in two thousand six romani was insane and and I'm not telling you anything, you don't know, but I'm europe as you. Sometimes you don't say you, you can go through. Something is really bad compared to another bad thing, but unless you have the perspective to know like Ok, I saw the army

marine corps and the seals right. there was no different. The only time you can tell a lie people, just by the way they move the out. Did the flu nature of how special operations do their thing. The rangers credible, ma ma sat at the marine special operations marsala. You know all these guys recon. These are some studs right I never was in an area where I could not tell because of just the over the just on, the disproportionate amount of brazen enemy attacks. You couldn't differentiate. What unit there were. Packing until forty minutes, another fight and they objectives were being pushed and you and you can actually see it was that crazy could one hundred first could have been third married? It could have been navy seals,

sixty guys runnin around, do whatever the hell they want to do, and it is just snipers in hides That was where we found the guy on up on a table, with a whole cut in the table, and those human waste human urine hooked up with? I the bags and so it is women there through water. On a black eye me, the debt occasionally just lay in a hide with an eye. be for your food, thou Romani was nuts and you know that the cement truck bomb the video of it. No one was covering it. We had a time was too alchemy journalism you heard story Stringer gave you a video of an idea. You pull on the news, nothing on the ground, nothing tat goal Are we willing Romani was a fight that actually was like an ant.

honda just squeezing the life out of these insurgents more you killed. You saw, I could a reduction of violence I mean a clear reduction of islands like You might have five got you couldn't recruit when you just hand that kinetic fight the snow, Where's, your crazy, the mortars were crazy. It was in dumb. And the civilian population was was still there, but you the beginning of the sons of Iraq. You son, beginning of the amber awakening in two thousand six, but most importantly. You saw the population see, enemy combatants There were mujahideen, as the actual occupiers does a first, Time was Romano six when a man, cancer like there, the bigger tribe there goin anywhere the good people their honest? They just want to be left alone.

Power play the game work, the job do whatever take their money, but the gas from syria and alarm on a want. These guys, come in from wherever There, the occupiers, get, ran out, get these people out an and we'll be fine, but in it was not a good place and, and it was it would also weird to see people Lou. Their life and wash someone mourn. One that I didn't know the guy I never been around someone who was hurt or killed. That I never connection to and watch that extra the personal you feel like a stranger, you feel like you're intruding, that that's not why we're were there when that's a very personal thing. And that was that was really crazy, and when I was in romania, a kidney stone- and I remember

in medevac. but one of the seals out there and then ask the he told me I mean I was true and I don't want to drink their water because it was weird then, why didn't want you they're like no one cares about you, you re, four days now I what to dunno as move on. And so they were like, I'm in a buy you a drink and I was like yeah I guess you meant he gimme pain, meds But what I came to I was on the on the shoulder of a grown man whose biggie, please don't know who I am the anomaly I don't want to be the driving time magazine its being carried off like ghetto sandbag, but they did surgery on me there and removed the stones and gave me a after I had stance put in it was not. and then they sent me back out in a remedy

and I remember this guy. This guy came out to basic hey. I got your flow max. Jenny flora the flow max prescription for we have evolved since two thousand four, but that I got to see the hospitals and the surgical units and our those men and women work in the ground units, but the people love remedy- gave me hope that this is actually go in the right direction. I consent about the Allah. The owl was worse and, and I went back to on away, say mary that I fought in I went back to flee you're no sex, really seem all our great. I what I mean it wasn't better and then in two thousand dating back to flutter and they had a fight, the council meeting over solar lights for their traffic say: those- and I was thinking there- We are there more green than we are the that's for sure, but yeah

The moral of the story is when. When I got out the award, I didn't know what was happening with it and it everyone kind of turn. The mediately people were like this isn't real this year, bullshitting this story, Three is not true, you know, garber would have given you a nice You don't live in sunday. What happened like this? This doesn't make any sense, and yet everyone said there was a tape, there's a table there, and I have a relation issue like aware but they're like there's a tape out there and I'm thinkin ocean. I have no more drama to show me. What's the what's on the tape like as good as a bad like I don't, I don't want to, you know, do whatever and then he sold his documentary and when he saw this documentary. Everyone started talking about again and the book started. If you read the book and they want

making a movie. They want to do all these different things. I thought this is getting into the territory that I was really happy. I never was in and then you got dakota codeine. wherever he went through in Cairo- and you know all these guys as will swenson and just it just seemed like after the population was like attaboy, here's, a free tickets, disneyland and the rest were like I'm, hunt you down and make sure you can never work a job again it's such a schizophrenia world, then it's so two thousand at eighteen. I might have my own business and I get to get there. I mean there's a huge amount of time that is passing by so it's now, two thousand and five, two thousand and six you're doing some two thousand and eight year.

in reporting. So I was I I worked in Washington. I I started a veterans group called vets for freedom. Pete hikes at fox news we had Marcus was part of that. There was all these guys that we tried to just get the politics out of warfighting sent us to fight, and if you don't like it, don't vote to send us, but you can't de fund a war while were in the process of finding, and then I just, I want to go back home, I want to be a dad. I wanted coach soccer and I wanted to just see my kids and is what we fought for. So I just became an at a normal, you know a guy. I work at a milk plan. I was doing you know, advocacy work for like the power grid nothing crazy, like you can't be against protecting the power grid, you know what- and work. In our milk plan, everything was cool and an opportunity came up to do some radio and am buffalo

of mount town. I love the bills. I love everything about buffalo and I like hey, you know But when one the radio, no one is talking about the army, whether traffic guy, so in a way which your, whether traffic, I know, I'm just saying I'm talking about just cat decline in bags like nothing remotely united. If they did you, the book yeah, but let's talk about this cat, the clause why? decline- can cut their fingers off. Are you happy with yourself and in a way, the control, my Narrative, her you didn't know what I look like. You just heard it every day and yet I controlled. What you knew about me, If you wanted to ask me a question, why someone I wanna talk about, I just switch the star hung up on you. You know I let them be facebook? I don't have to go, not sudden it all

want to talk about the war in that there's moments. Where you have a book out, you go on fox. You talk about the end of the war. The way obama ended the war bush. What do you think about this? What are you think about trump? What do you think about the caliphate? Those are things you know you feel like doing them or you don't, but I'm not a professional veteran, and that shock of my life was amazing? You know and then I started going through all the things all my friends are going through. You know: chuckie agar, I saw what ninety nine, what are they talk of The sound berries, twenty four dude we're talk, ensure gigs entire life and we're zamboni is twenty four: it's just I am who gives a shit. He had kids get a job at businesses. Nobody wants to talk about chuck yeager there. The time when you twenty four and you guard to realize that if you live your life and moment. That's all all you're gonna, be and everyone going through while gone through, went through a divorce. Divorce socks, war, socks

you move on. You meet new people, you know relationships, but I Never I figured that the guys were the war my old unit, my old life was the thing bearing in a time capsule and so those guys the more heard about him. The more there were problems. I'm not squad leader any more. I can. help you any more it's time to move on. And then all of a sudden I get these phone calls from Gaza and haven't to him ever gets the pentagon people I met You know and wash your dinner overseas and they're. Like you? U yours happening, which is like the worst. We started start a conversation. Did you hear what they're doing gm? they do a lot of information that a lot of stuff

and yet that your initial fought with their investigate if they were investigating they're asking questions were marked out. You know who you are. You told me to follow your ass. You think the medal of honor just was never gonna happen at so absent. You figure. I asked what year did you obstinately say: hey you know it's been for years? This should happen. I got myself star with my name. Misdoubt knew there was a guy like that, all the men living the recipients where afghanistan and the obama. Administration was very clear that Iraq was the bad war. Afghanistan was a good war, we don't talk about a rack, the caliphate moving through. The cut no one wants to revisit. Iraq were making a rack movies that we avoided, because those too close to reality your superman's making movies- and you don't remedy like all these things were happening, that the culture was just like no more rack, and it was ok and this was like-

two thousand tat her son. I wish I'd say here down ten. There was like ok, fine and by the way, I saw what happened. Marcus I saw what was happening all these other guys and we did savage dakota meyer from theirs apps we nothing. No one can rationalize why that guy goes from american hero on a pedestal, you don't you you take, will swenson and Dakota Meyer what each branch service you get more exact. Same thing, you don't That's weird for those two guys, you you don't they your creating. Why are you doing that you can and say that will swenson did something incredible, that day, Dakota mired in southern incredible that they know. That's what you do you make it about branch rivalry. You take two guys you're digging into people's lives. This is trauma this is they their identity right and then the dakota

size to be a man and get married and book does he marry someone? We gotta pull antium, see he's now a celebrity think it's follow. by gotta. Come on. This is the kids are young but their whole lives in front of you lucky, they didn't end up. You know, like Elvis in some vegas hotel. Just get out peanut butter challenges are mean you you can't do. That to young people and not give them the opportunity to become normal again These guys can't work normal jobs. The key be normal, you don't want to be normal. You want them to sell war bonds but then, when they make money or they become successful, you attack, for being whores, and I mean it's it's unsustainable and it and it's horrible to see its watching a slow moving freight train abate. the plane with a reduced, dynamite and you.

To this end all I could think of. Is it my harbour, So these guys I know them all be honour, wonderful man, but I'm so glad I'm not the air. I'm sorry oh glad for whatever reason my path was different and I could just control it. You know I love that and then it became up merit that now we was this gotta be serious, but reporters seemed porters going after navy seals fer. You know doings, These things, The same guys, love in the leavenworth dudes arrogant, thrown in jail these are porters were like hey. Tell me about this incident. Tell me about this. Tell me about that and I'm like you know what you can all eat a bag cause. I am. I'm lawyer up dude you're, not touching me, not touching me right and these guys like did one or two things happening: either you're gonna go to jail for forty years or you're going to be the best

frank. I will never seen before. Like they're no was do acknowledge editing doing the radio show one day my car ass, the wind blows up like we give, tickets to man, I'm steamroller and it's someone from army personnel- that's like you, must pick up the phone or will come to your house and unlike army personnel like that's not like, there's no care, Middle see I there's no CBS show is going to spawn off g one. You know the rv person out of a seventy one, lima and on this episode of seventy would leave with patrons x, ray we're gonna have to get the housing studio food crisis. Now it's ridiculous and then like a senior member. The duty was to talk to you and I'm like maybe it's a idiocy right.

this autumn senior member gotta be chief of staff. You know whoever and then one day they like are you boy, foam reboot your phone, unlike air and the like the senior member the duties calling are. You suspect at this point that you think the dsc you think the yeah yeah by a senior member. They would you say, you're getting them, but just tell you I'm a grown man. I mean what are we doing? Its alike When we go to the book phone rings. I took a breath then answer the phone, hello, David and up the woman's voice. Too said to me my name is madeline and I've present rob on the line wishing to speak. You is now the time what the hell I also said that allowed fortune. I got myself yeah now is a good time I blinked suddenly heard present donald trump voice. Compromise phone speaker, david? How are you going? I am calling. I'm a little nervous. I admit it. You should be

airbus- I should be nervous, ok, You know what you ve been recommend recommended for in that incident, I knew what was coming was far more life. Changing then throw away allegations. The war was over. I moved on Fourteen years ago I was told I was nominated for the medal of honor, sir a lifetime of go back. And the thought of being awarded america's highest. Valor medal was seemingly a dream, come true, a validation of my skills and professionalism as a soldier. It would erase the insecurities. I had wrestled with constantly and be a tangible symbol of my service to my father, for all these years. I could go home to her, with something he could take pride in about his youngest son. None of that happened well David. You gotta tromp said just like that. And when you want to david our ballroom cern, I live or it's it's now travel.

I the first united states and honestly It was so surreal the moment I heard the moment. You know you get a call from a flashy number and it's the switch of the white house. Then it can't be the dsc you know, but the amount cloaking dagger? This behind this thing is just so crazy and then it's not just you. Can the mental water now the only guy from Iraq. So now this guy every weeny from the mainstream media and opportunity be like, let's read adjudicate, why we went to war in Iraq Am I just a recipient of the mental of honour? Am I a mass got? Am I the guy that you just want up? You know. Why is this happening? Why, These are only one. Why are there so many afghanistan only one over here, and you know I I I mean When you look at the timeline, something

as read the medal of honor for ten years fifteen years. You know whatever why I think the old gentle was like two thousand and twelve, maybe eleven, and somehow or other. Amounts long, the army, when that happened, so on the old, the second all this of the g wat recipients, from one of the newest recipients right, and so it's like I can't they navigated. All of that and kind of put that away. You know We do want to give it to a twenty three year old, go out there, and enjoy it and have fun and you know get a you know. a car dealership in over our cars. Do what you want to do with it. But at this point it's like you know year thirty five and seven delivers the shetland pony dear dorothy dear, like no santa I was eleven when I wanted you know like that- it's not it's not what I did. It displays a life.

and then it did start happening and then every eu you realize. Oh you know here the key to the city, and you know, here's an allegation. Here's the you know what what Why? Why did you say this on the radio? Did you did? You actually imply that this person should be beaten to death. I mean like a balloon same thing for seventy come on the attention. And now and then everywhere you go you're in the past tense. They talk about two thousand for didn't, want to hear about two thousand and twenty two than one here, but the future of its you know you're in a frozen in time near your own funeral everywhere you go and all thought about was I went through this with forty of the most beautiful people I've ever known in my life. May we I'll just go through them again. What have we

make this a war, instead of being the guide of stands up their awkwardly any. no form you probably never worn a soldier. In a bunch of shrimp, an enemy like jimmy him all right, I don't you just say: look I'm in be? The guy dead, just constantly redirected to the kids. It got nothin right. the ones that get everything I asked him to do and never received any you know. Maybe we just bring the band back together. Yeah, let's make the medal of honor about the unit Why do you not go? I don't you get to invite people to it? He you get. these people come to the white aspect. Can invite the guise of actual? Were there that day? Why don't? you want to do that, What why isn't this a unit award? Why don't you bring it? All of are we all? Did it right? There was a kid.

were there, those one guy in, and you know became a story the people talked about, but tat. I do it what I have done it again I'll tell you I get I do it again, knowing what this was I would have called a bomb and awaited board paisley and there's no way you want. This is you are a person that is it live your entire life. You know, based on the past, I don't know of any other ward where you have to wear it. Where have you interviewed, will smith and he brought the oscar you'd think he was a total douche bag you might be introduced bulgaria, but you may be right, but my point: you don't bring that everywhere. You go This is an award use most aware everywhere you supposed to dry Kennedy. It's like. I know it's there.

Only so many living in and there's only so many in our history. Let's, let's just everywhere, you go it's this award first and I'm taking him. some man that that its wrong, So many less talk about the iraq war, less action Have a discussion about what was sacrificed in what was accomplished I'll, tell you. What are you people want to ignore rack for ten years dad's more likely to host a summer olympic games in Kabul? Is You actually look at the two wars and say that is around better today, then the good war, the war of choice in Afghanistan and that's through now fault of american valor american blood, but you get a present elected tomorrow. That decides. Ukraine's worth american treasure and blood. You get a prize tomorrow the wants to hit nova scotia for some real. I look. We don't make those all. But we fought a fight of our generation and we did

with valor we just went beyond the highest expectations of of what our military just ask of us and proud to be a part of their generation. Might not have voted to go to war with iraq, but I'm proud of my war and my war was a rack and proud of men and women marijuana serve with with and make the word about that yet and just to clarify you. You. You are the first living the one that's right for you live from Iraq, Paul ray smith. It was the first recipient, but in that story, is you know, as close to Audie murphy's you're going to get? the u detail this, the you know as it goes from their so, First of all its it's it's it's incredible. You know, as you make this decision, to bring everyone in and our region out your old friends and your your reach, not

gold, star families, the widows, the moms, I mean it's, it's incredibly emotional, to read through it, and how that goes down, and what you're feeling and what you're thinking and then you know you get to the point. We are. Actually you take through the ceremony. I you know. I attended mikey monsters, medal of honor ceremony at It helps and you know, obviously honour to be able to be there for that, but you just being able to read your expense and what that was lichen and reflect. What I saw I mean you just did a great job of capturing the the ceremony and what happens. yeah? It's it's it's a very powerful, a very powerful thing.

and this idea that you talked about you know why not make it everybody else's aboard and did it's something that you're saying right now: it's what you actually did you reach out everybody. You got the band together is those are the words that you use in the book. They allowed us to take those guys on stage. Oh no, that was that was. That was awesome. That was epic. That really was cool it and and listen. I gotta check I dont know I would have reacted, they handled it with grace and love, and the ram rods of my unit were dirt? I don't think, you don't mind. My twenties, I couldn't tell another man, you know We need them well jerry. We're super weird about. You know we laugh and things that are you look at today? in your like you would never say these words. Are you never left these jokes, but expressing love in my twenties was: could not

be done. You could go up to a guy, you're thirty's or your twenties in uniform feel like I love you don't ask, don't tell just maybe write me a note or something, and then, when you hit a certain age, you realize. I love you, and I want to tell you that I care about you. I really am proud to be in your life, it's a gift that you and I are connect. did and no matter what happens in this world, no matter what disappoint me. You have I know who you are. I know what you're capable of anna. Would you, for me- and you know these the questions that I was always afraid of. What a gun. This thing when I was twenty nine, I probably would have been an idiot. I probably wouldn't and I were wrong- our foes emotionally mature enough to be able to to realize that you're a product of the people. Your with you know we,

smoke cigarettes of fourteen and we blame you, no peer pressure, but peer pressure also makes kick door down peer pressure, if a clear road ideas message about, the helicopter with a rope, it depends we appears are, if you quality people, they're, gonna, you're gonna, be all right go with it. Following the herd. It's ok! If the people are are worth it. If you got dirt bags, scumbag you're, gonna be an idiot, so these kids are men there, all great people, I'm blessed him in my life? I'm glad we're back, but you know it doesn't give you pass an and there's always gonna be. You know that yellow directors in its it's it's crazy! How we think that something that we get is, You know somehow are gonna make you coast through, like I think, there's a mindset

that you don't need to do anything anymore. Get it. Do you why tomorrow and find out the first They say it won't be, it all. A random guy in buffalo, with a radio, show gonna be all deal. You know the mental vonnegut. Do I as it should be. I'm gonna, be. Why don't we need here it s hard to do. yeah pretty pretty awesome. On that day, when you talked about them coming onstage, you say the president asked my family to join us on stage. Is that, right after you receive the medal of honor this I'm a traditional gesture to acknowledge the family, my mother walked up, Mr president, along with my brother's dead and ran away. Three beloved children, their mother, stepped up to sharing. The stage of them was unforgettable, my friend together in front of countless people across the world, the effects of november tenth of rippled through their lives ever since. Even if the it did not known they earn. This

esther. That was once in homage to them by our power incident and atonement. for all the hardships, we'd experience as a family, since my return as I stood, air, though my heart had told me this needed be first and form foremost, the ramrods spotlight their moment. I knew Did you give this honour their on stage with the president to the men, Two merrily and collins sims wear it. rightfully belonged. I moved present trump and asked him. Sir. Can I bring my ramrods up here? I pointed to the audio Tromp was surprised. This wasn't just a brief in protocol. This was making a wrecking ball to it, but the despair. Isn't it was never one to adhere rigidly to past traditions. He asked how many are we talking all of them, sir? He looked over at them and said: let's do it bring em up, come on up your guys present Tromp rolled his hands over to welcome them get up here. The rain, rod flowed onto the tiny stage. This felt right this

my ward. This was our award our moment. Not mine, We fought the battle flues as one family, we We would share this stages, one family, it reminded me. I was never alone. I always had them these men never betrayed me. Never let me down, they did it. Everything I asked of them and more they are the reason I'm alive and did I have my reunion with Evan, after all, of course, they were also the reason I was wearing this award there. We were sure What are the shoulder one more time then sins lead the way If at this moment he shut is that true leadership didn't end with our time in combat it took me, fourteen years to figure that out. he wanted us to fight scrupulously, not because he saw it as a path to victory. But because he knew it was the only way would we would survive the aftermath of war. I had never known an officer who looked far ahead? He wasn't

to just be our commander in Iraq. He felt that responsibility would be his forever this event unfolded. I unrest The division of our forever commander. The medal of honor had brought us back together. It was unifying force, and I pretty awesome is given goloshes on youtube. I hate it yeah, but on youtube in its region, freaking outstanding to say it was awesome. It was asked to go through an engine. Oh, and so then the army watch back and to help out recruit, do all those things and you one of the things that really opened my eyes. The army is all I. I love my army and I I that's a soft spot. It's always been. Don't let you know your harm me is depending on you and you ought to do its best,

but the army also as changed a little bit and it's another generations army. It's not really. Army anymore. I think that's not necessarily a bad thing, but it's not a good thing, you're. All right, then, There were times during this process where I had and people in my life. I I I wanted. to be able to experience this award with with the folk said. I I had a new item new brotherhood of of people that I cared for, and because of the situation, you know with divorce in the army in the white house, get involved in all the pr people, the communications people in it. They were, making calls and dictating decisions that were really.

putting me first right and it's tough, it's tough because you have to think well. This is about the institution. This is about this. but it was supposed to be an organisation that is lethal it's ready for the next fight, and we are far too in the weeds as as an inch, two should right now I don't know the navy or the air force or the marine corps, but I can tell you that you know there is this generation, we were supposed to know they talk about it. The famous class and west point during the civil war that had all this experience in the mexican than the indian campaigns and how great they were in battle in the civil war, because of all the experience that that was supposed to be us after twenty years of war, which must have the best job the rules and the best colonels, because every one of these young lieutenants cut their teeth and combat. We didn't have it after the gulf war,

They all went away and anyone peace time in pieces. Great. We love peace, we fight for peace, but my god your hammer, jean ff are too many like Those in major said are just saying is now worth it and the guy Sticking around four stars. I within ten years, they're, the ones that need it, they are not enough to do, There was a time when our forced our generals were the best of they were see owes you know. I won retired the other day. This guy could work anywhere in the country. He's a good paul. Funk is one rains, generals the army's ever seen what can happen nears. Are we going to have the best of the best or are we not people that just hung out? long enough, survivor island. They kept. I held out the torch and their there. It's it's it's sad, but I

want my commands. Our may just all been privates in romania collusion. While my generals to have been lieutenants in kabul and in afghanistan without we're losing it. That would certainly be an an ideal thing, and, We can of ideal things you get, you have given a speech and this it's the next day. This is at the hall heroes, the pentagon and you and have given this speech. It is an amazing speech, as if an amazing speech ads. Bunch of using at once. Again, you know watch this, but the EU in the speech, a lot of. Is it you just paying a trick You, two men, you fond alongside you pay homage to all the services. There's one part of speech that I think

captures what you just said of what the ideal, what the, what the american military is supposed to be. And I want to read this real quick. You say this: and go watch this whole speech on youtube. You say this: the entire military. Is one cohesive, dedicated force and the threats to our nations. They don't sleep. They're, watching our every move. I ran russia, china, north korea isis Al Qaeda. they may be watching this right now Our military should not be mistaken. For a cable news, GAB fest show you, don't care what you look like: we don't who you voted for, who you worship? What you worship, who you love. It doesn't matter if your dad left you millions when he died or if you knew who your father was. We been honed into a machine of lethal moving parts that you would

be wise to avoid. If you know what's good for you, we want be intimidated, we will not back down we ve seen war we don't want war. But if you want war with the united states of america, there's one, thing, I can promise you so help me, god. Someone else will raise your sons and daughters. We fight so our children never have to weave For one day when our children and our enemies, children can discuss their differences without fear or loathing we fight so that anyone out there thinking about raising arms against our citizens or allies, realises the futility of attrition against a disciplined, professional and lethal force built stand anything you can dream of throwing at us. Americans want this kind of country, america,

we want this kind of world and we stand, ready to defend it to protect us help us god may die god bless this beautiful army made god bless our marine corps are navy or air force and our coastguard made god bless our allies. and we already know that god bless america, because He gave us the greatest fighting force this world has ever seen to to frontiers and the first infantry division. Thank you, ramrod. Its duty. First dukes. again to me. That's the military that I tried to join that military. I tried to represent when I was in

many of those I served alongside that's exactly the way they felt. new captured it incredibly. I appreciate that A little editorializing at the end of the great funny force worlds that receive. You know that by behind burly, but my point in, and that is that in all I think we're all raised differently in the in the military, our leaders gave us tough love. But now that we're out, we were still ambassadors and it's very, very important that people start to see veterans. You know we're not some infomercial for Sally Struthers for nine nine cents, a month's private snuffy- can get a cup of coffee. You know what I mean like you, we got. You know the moon, the dogs in cages, building houses at a love, those institutions, but we're going to run out of houses to build.

we're gonna run out a wounded men and women who gave us everything for our country, god, blue. As their sacrifice. God bless their service, but. When a cottage industry of you, to recruiting commercial, its followed, I a guy lost his limb trying to open his kitchen cabinet. That's really a a frantic message to send to america's young people, how you honor service and sacrifice without book, ending it next to a commercial. Sane join us and we too will give you a kitchen countertop that allows you to cook in front of your family in case the worst thing happens: hey listen everyone knows what's going on with service and the men and women who have sacrificed to out there. They are our us there with them walking vessels of valor. Are generational valor? No one should keeping that knowledge denigrate that by two thousand and two. Additional car? In fact,

from a rack. What look do you rocky people, pay reparations for our dead and our injured, I'm all about it. I've no grounds for that at all at the same time we still have to have a warrior class in america, and this is just The victimization veterans is something that just absolutely fine repugnant and is not helping us it's not making us more deadlier or more lethal on the battlefield. It's not intimidating our adversaries and it's not bringing used or allies its just. shows that Eventually, America will get it. Eventually will understand that the great His generation was the greatest generation of american because they knew who they were at war and they had to do everything to win their war you want to say no to war forever, I'll be with I don't want to see war again, but it this is gonna happen. It's got the overwhelming death

stating at a reminder to your future generation goaded dental school learn a trade, don't fight against americans because it is going to end in tears every single time I just don't think we're that military anymore and I dont think our like that officials want us to be their military anymore. You know every hearing the stories of peace will join in our military to to get hormone therapy. Is What are you doing, you're coming? ineffective. You can't deploy Why why? Why would I want you in my team, worried? I want a college degree fought. You want to call you fantastic, you wanna, be a citizen, fantastic you. A better yourself, better your community better, your country. All about giving you the tools to make your society better for serving you dont, bettering yourself, because yourselves

and you see yourself in a different light, and this is what best. For me, some basri communities are best for your country, its best for you. and that's the options literally a hundred a degree from what we're supposed to be I just don't know why more people are standing up, especially You know our generation same just because I'm Hu, we are, does not offend. You owe me representing our are true self of what the military is. What veterans do is not some It invokes pride right. It gives us swagger, it gives a security, it gives us pride, it gives us patriotism if its offensive to you. That's the problem That's your problem is not the insult. The institutions problem actual sick and tired of having to apologize for what

What do you want me to the first question that we got asked when we did the whole little media thing off? The mental water is, what do you say to the families who lost loved ones in iraq or afghanistan, and of thinking to myself? The fact that you have it? ask that just shows me, I mean what do you do step in with your own? You wouldn't side, you tell a family member, that their love one died so that we could live. That's what happened there sat suffice could have been any one of us. They, put themselves in a position so that we could have a tomorrow and a future, and if that is different for you to understand that you never served honestly the part of me wants to think that maybe we think we're better and civilians and other, I want to say: well some people can't do that. Some people don't want to do this. I get all of it, but there are certainly people that are offended

people who make the choice to serve their country or serve in you know any sector above responders or any these other folks is defended by everything I honestly, I don't give a damn about matured you're, just a vacuous. Non entity at the end of the day, if you're not put the fire out if you're not gonna, help Tell everyone there's a fire how you want to do is common on why the fire get put out, then you just jack off, like there's, no no there's nothing in the chain. That says I need more of that. So stop acting, like your on an equal platform with a disabled veteran. You know Well, let's give a service dog to everyone. If you need a dog, if a dog not offended A dog, I think you need a pot belly pig I think, you're being obnoxious with a peacock. I think when you brought a bull with ferrie, and better you just been ass. We

can differentiate between the people that need to be put on a pedestal and the people who just want to be acknowledged for being every day wanted to serve. They love our country, the love, our family, we're all different walks of life. But that doesn't mean that we're not proactive to people that are obvious. they try to get in the way of this family Additional today, if you're join in the marine corps, the army's cause you're dead, did it because your uncle did it? Why isn't this a decision? Everyone is begging. You We have an obligation to go to college, everyone has an obligation. We got you're not going to college. What's wrong with you. What do you mean? You're not going to college there? Obviously you're, not serious about succeeded in life, it's ridiculous, and then you think yourself. Why is in every single eighteen year old saying I'm gonna do my two years and fine. myself,

learn about people and be uncomfortable and be different and sad graphite and see the world and see different people and be surround by diversity, indifference. The force. The diversity is already there. Diversity everywhere right and it's in, the military, it's in every walk of life. There's diversity embrace it's beautiful, but it's different and you have to be exposed to that different to grow, I don't understand why every able bodied person is insane I want some of that. I want to be better I want to take care of myself. I want individual rights, in this I want to be tough. I want to survive right. And you got a generation of of website developers. Then you know, I mean seriously if a zombie apocalypse happens. I look. There was a time when you know, a person said I want a partner who's gonna be

there for me when it all goes down, and now That decision. Isn't I want someone who? What look? I understand that you know things have changed. We can't you We have to be the same yesterday today forever in the military cannot adapt to. This gets a frantic nature of hey today. We believe the following individuals, you know, are a protected class. Today. We believe the following individuals can reproduce today we believe the following? I mean you're gonna kick off fifteen thousand people for vaccinations what you do with anthrax? Did you do honourably discharge them. What did you tell him? You said you dont want the anthrax. Will you no you're, not gonna, defend your country with all the people you trained with four year while to take the anthrax? That was the true

ice. Am I gonna knock deploy with these men that I could did her family to me, because what I don't know what answer if which was naturally occurring outside of training grounds in san diego. Would people not respected over This vaccination thing to me is it is. It is a bit of an object, lesson and how. We have completely decided that we want our universe. Instead of our universe is becoming more like. Are our military we're deciding to make the military plug and play to everything. That's happening in society; and, unfortunately the enemy gets a vote and the enemy doesn't give a damn about. Inclusiveness are feeling good. The enemy wants to kill you. They want to kill you as quickly as they possibly can and I don't want a military that feels good at the end of the day about who they are and what the military to feel

about who they are because they dominate the battle space and me arrogance. Dont know what a mortar incoming and outgoing sounds like that's around problem yeah, The military has one purpose and thus to be able to fight, destroy the enemy. That's what it is if, if you're doing things, the military, that don't enhance that capability, its problem and if you said that The enemy doesn't care what they're doing what we're doing. Actually they do care what we're doing in they're trying to encourage as much as possible that they want us to be as weak as they can possibly make us they can get drugs over the border. They can put up. Programmes on your phone that that your brain with a bunch of stuff that makes you think things that are not healthy like that stuff, Actually happening, that's actually happening, so

Hopefully we will say one thing: these books, it you ve written. In my estimation, any fifteen, into twenty three year old mail that reads these books will be encouraged. To move in the right direction. Because they lay what it means. And and like I said there, there an incredible just incredible arc between the two books. Incredibly powerful and- and this is these- are stories that need to be told these stories. That need to be told so people understand what it takes and what it means and what a brotherhood is. inside of a military organisation and what Sacrifice really is. and we can never forget these things, and you would think you would think the way civilian, populous sometime whose behaves you think that these wars didn't happen. They happen a couple years ago. You know they happen.

a couple years ago, and you know what they're gonna happen again they're gone, happen again and there's there's theirs always gonna be war. There's always that conversation do you have if that at that does go down. five years you're talking to an eighteen year old and there like. did you foresee this coming? How what what you go to universities and know some people don't touch the vienna Vassar giving talks on the circuit, but one of them is it young people in college will always ask you know a veteran is what can we do to prepare for the future, And sometimes the answer of unity, we prefer to kill twice, communist rabies, twenty million People want you dead.

there's a way that we could save the chinese government. The p of china are not the enemy. The people of europe. are not the enemy the people over Iraq, Ghana, stand are not the enemy, but no venezuelan leader or mullah, ran or or wherever leader of china is, is going to dictate what the world how the world behaves. So I dont think, though I would have told you at the end that I hung up my uniform. The door was better and safer and I'm I'm disgusted that. You know, as we grow into our twilight, our kids. going to have to learn, to shoot, move, communicate and that's heartbreaking. and- and- and I don't know what, how do you have that conversation- theirs One thing that's more heartbreaking than that, and that is if they don't learn to shoot, move and communicate cause if they dont learned a shoe, moving, communicate The they will be overrun, Some point you have to be:

will the back up all the way you want to live? don't just get to walk around the world, do whatever you want without being able to defend that way of life, and if we maintain that ability to do and the way of life that we often take for granted. Here it'll go away, it'll go away. Right books coming out november, eighth, everyone by immediately. Remember the ramrods working people find you right now. What are you doing right now? So We are an odyssey, a calm. The David Bolivia show five days a week for hours a day, tons of content that Not really meant to upset anyway, pretty pc thirteen stuff, but I gotta tell ya: I find debt, what I'm trying to do with my radio show is to have discourse in all

I don't see the world the way a left wing progressive sees the world. I respect them. I want them, I need them in my culture in my society, I dont want to cancel them, want to learn, but I need you to understand that if we disagree, we need it. Discuss how to disagree and there's a way that you have a discussion with someone you disagree with and leave it with respect, and we No ability to have discourse in the in the country today It's what I try to do. My little piece of the other of the world is just facilitate quality, critical thinking and discourse. This is Now you I disagree with x Y, energy, inflation, energy, oil. Is what I feel about abortion, marriage, wonderful, I don't care what you think. Really it's boring to me, I urge you to how do you think why do you think the dance farm more interesting. Which is going to come to a selfish exercise:

I feel this way because I robbed vague and I, like to be reformed, no bail, The boys, like there's, always a story that makes you have. Why are you against? You know pan asian trade well I'll tell you I've, The tyre comfort and my intellectual property was it there's always a reason for it. So what you think? No one cares about. Why you think it and how you think to me is the is the secret sauce, and so what I try to do in a talk show is get eighty year old, people and twenty zero people from all differ walks of life- to tell me you know, your transgender tell me what do what? What? What? What more debate you to call into a talk show. What do you want people to understand, because I get it we discussed by. I don't understand it. How we understand it? No I'm not here you're a tab. You understand, I'm here to tell you you're wrong of you? Why do a problem with that

asking you to help me understand something and you refuse to die. swear everyone's shuts down, and we label each other and where you're this you're that I'm just saying I want to know what, where you come from and wise important that I give a shit about what you where you're coming from cause. I bet you you, don't you don't care right, I can bore you for four hours with the buffalo bill, secondary and why the Tampa too and you're gonna be like no one cares, do no gives a damp. I do Why do you care so much about it? Why are you so into a football team? is there anything else going on in your town? Maybe there is a wings waves cool, you know we ve gone awake is fond logan berry Why do you feel this way? Why is it important that I understand where you're coming from? I get your respect enough to see me as a person, then I I You're, not even all you're doing is is, is annoying people

no really, and we have to stop annoying each other and you say: look we come from. Why because I'm a veteran does not make we better than a personated, a veteran and for long I thought that way in my heart to heart, I'm better than you right. That's not true. I've learned in my elder years at that Nicholas your patriotism and nothing to do with what you did in the military out of the military right, I just would like you to love the home team. I think they love our team, and I'd be supportive of it. At the end, the day? If you can respect people and disagree with them man, I think we could solve all our problems right. It's fun. it's a little frustrating for how long is this show it four hours a day, five days a week and it's the it's a good luck canadian eighty nor the canadian skyward close buffalo is close to toronto. Decay

It is no more about constitutional widow, and the canadians have nothing, but like state run information they don't have choices so they'll be like listen, Let me tell you about the second amendment. Why it's important in all this, articles of confederation and allows for a standing army of like where are you from brampton are you're supposed to do? Emea. You know your prime minister needs a haircut like the way it always is is an education and its superfine, and I think it's a great site did you say we have to be better. We can be better optimism is it doesn't make you naive, be hopeful, look for the future, but it's all all about the way we conduct ourselves and our discourse and how absolutely toxic and can be by just saying, nope.

You're one of them. I don't wanna, hear it and nothing is done after them to find you David Bolivia, dot com day will be that come and go to odyssey dot com and what is even odyssey dot cod as yet a you d, I see why use we enter, come enerkem change odyssey What about your social media? Do you actually have it? I really do I mean I just for the book we started. A dvd bolivia, add tv, bolivia, twitter and facebook. One what happens if you get all these like nigerians, People create a europe of online dating sites like I need money to get out of iraq. You know, could you help me? Do a thousand bucks and trapped in you know in nepal like now? That's on me

but there's a lot of those out there, but you're. Not. Are you on instagram too, or no? It's ok! I'm on everything by dg bill dg bella via David bell, via instagram david Bolivia on facebook and all that stuff, but Dg Bella villa because there's so many accounts on twitter, but that's that twitter but for the most part I dont really do that. The social media thing is just main adieu. Are you nuts, over them? I'm not on it, but I'm on it and I wonder how long I see whether the time right right with the work announced earlier do you get a good response from that people get? no, I mean so people, china, india, people, people, german jeremy, any comments. You know how I looked through the common sometimes, but you know I don't care, I don't get all hyped up about, anybody says I mean if someone says I'm cool, I'm stoked, but if there's someone who wants to do no say something negative

literally, doesn't bother me at all I just gonna like article you know it's about. You know that it is right. This is about. people get really spent up about that stuff is looking at him about. We really get spot up about it of computer program. In russia, something that's putting that information to you but no I've. I've found social media to be most we good I've, acted with some incredible people. I'm enough. Had people come on a park ass, our deal, vietnam, world war. To that that I connected with and through social media, so that's been also great feedback from people. What we the sums from the stuff I make or get feedback asian make this you should make out of my goal. That sounds like a good idea to think of that I think, if you go into social media with like apart, if mindset is cheesy. Is that sound of like ok, there's gonna be some good stuff in here, you're gonna find

if you go in there worried about a bunch of negativity which there's deafening gonna be it'll drive me crazy, so Aren't you wrap it around any of it when they take for you to get to that that had lied meant? Was it it man I was on Joe romans park. and generally Hey. Do you know like at some point he goes hey. This is the first time I was on. This was two thousand fifteen and he do you know, and this comes out. Don't read the comments? is a warning, I think you know the military. You get thick skin right, and so I would say I definitely have thick so they came out and I rose. I sat in my daughter, my daughter's room, my oldest daughter and, we were reading the comments and I was laughin, is technically gives some pretty freedom funny about. You know I'm in the end or fall, and obviously I could barely spring assent is given all these things and I ll just laughing at seem funny, and so I think, from day one aid from romans comment like I don't read the comments. I didn't take that literally

what I took it was is hey, look, there's be people that are assholes and when you read people, yet for people at her assholes just say: Roger that, in some of them, like I said, someone were pretty funny, so Didn't take me long at all then take me. but you know it's a thick skin, you you're in the military anyway. Weakness that you show is immediately pounced upon by your platoon mates and you're gonna get torn apart. so did you literally the worst defence in the world is to say ouch they all river, sir, please don't ever mention my goitre. Come up. Eighty five. I've got something in the world that really Well, there's me and I never told anybody what it is. I m and I never will apply, leave it in my last will intense testament say: hey yolland the that? Did this sometime or if you want to really pissed me off. If you would have done this, it really what a bothered me but I've, never let you bastards no sort of only about it. You know so I started telling young people there

you should be. The same way about your dreams everyone should have a fake dream. They get. No, don't know how to utilise this. Don't ever share what you really want to do in life. It's no one's. You have to protect that That's what you want. What do you want to be in ten years, when I owe my telling you, there's one school of thought of that is like when I say, hey man, I'm going to lose thirty pounds and I posted on the internet, hey everybody, I'm gonna lose thirty pounds and then you're like. Oh, I better lose it or else I'm going to look like a shepherd or hey, I'm going to run a marathon and I'm gonna run it on this date, and so there's I forget, there's a name for that. You know what name for that is long lines of public accountability, public accountability. So that's a thing where you say hey my dream is too, you know or create. my own write a book right, and so we, u tell everybody and now you're gonna, get pressured what's your reasoning behind not telling people, I don't. I think you should protect you have,

a people in your life trust is everything right so people in your life, that you trust these very life partners and everything else that that's what that relationship is all about right gather we're gonna, raise a family worth thinking about by sheep farm outside of san diego, raise them together in harmony, I'd that with the moment you go out and start telling people This is my ambition. Why when I want to expose what want or what I meant, not manifest. I dont need accountability for people, if only and thirty pounds again at this is, I think we we as a generate worth same roughly, I think the social media of we, are the ones that screwed up social media, if not the young kids, it's the it's. The gen exercise, that you know in the old days I

DR by your house, would be like you're allows out the window, and now I stopped at the driveway. Unlike, let's wait for combat it not the scream. Your loser now get away to my car to be like whose, gonna come out and debate me on whether or not I think your loser. And we put things on a social media that are just like were, thirsty for some sort of response, that of unpaid I'll bet you're losing thirty pounds good for you, you know Do you know what that healthy? Who give the damp either you do, we you want to do it or eugenic, as you want people to think, you're doing it at the end. The day. If you, I have a dream to be a fifty year old law school graduate. shut up day's work they should find out about your aren't, be album the day. You drop it, not I'm. The studio. Do you know what I mean cause? All you can do. Is you're going to hear for three months? What the hell are you think your child has got a cookbook

It also looks sheared the day it comes out. Why am I telling everyone busy in the kitchen today so work it on the recipe? So there's where I think now at now I see I'm capturing. I see, I see a similar vein with people where vegas At his faction, Joe by saying you know em? I've, always one right. A couple: mama come up with a book and vague it a boost from that they get on what is an adore endorphin adobe been hit, bigoted dope women hit to open I telling you, hey man, I'll write a couple. right. Now. Is enough to make me feel good that I don't actually do anything right as opposed to me not getting the instead of going in freedom, hammering on my computer. With my stake recipes. Would you would you rather have four? twenty seven is biceps order. Other vegetable oil in your arms,

like, I know closely. You could lead the way. You would look if you that a rainy and hope that guy who does you'd, vitamin a move and he can't lived the couch. He can't do anything he he has also out of the equivalent for you of telling you what my dreams- I don't I don't just retaliating, what does it wouldn't injecting, thereby sets echo charles vice, unlike what it was a less did you have this in this house? If you add a new girlfriend or a wife, would you ever show anyone a picture of so, when that you were romantically, connect, How long was I romantically jerry? I said what you the only time they should ever see your partners in person. Does the dumbest thing? That is a little women's? Why would you do that? I will show you home dating then you wait for like what is the response was to build all my? Is she who's. Your problem is you're normal. Why don't you ask you

hey, that's it and we have to be ready as judges. The picture. My car, I, if that's your friend and you like, if you're dating somebody new like yeah. What tell me I dunno, I feel like this normal I had. I knew a guy who had a family and and all his daughter and his wife there in bikinis- and I just said, listen man, you gotta know you gotta take his picture down because it it's it's not only inappropriate, there's no way this is safe? This is not safer Any what they make a comment there, weird they don't your comment there probably normal right, but I would you even do that. Don't in the military rule number one, you never show a picture if anyone you are involved with, because there's no point to it, it's weird now that you're productive, that's a horrible thing to do. That was one thing when I was reading your book and you are no. When you were talking today also in your book like one too, by my wife asked me,

and appointments in ramadi and my wife says. Oh, the kids want to see a picture of where you sleep. You know and I had like we, we had some old saddam building and we had you know bill or will plywood freaking beds in there and stuff like this. and so on my cool, and I would e my wife think once a week you a little update, you know: hey charles great miss you probably how to get an we'll take a picture of where I slept at night, and I realize is like no picture so I went until like man went to my freedom, locker pulled out pictures of my wife and kids pinned em up took a picture took. Well down, put it back and folder foot in the door shut it cause, marty, I just like your document like the last thing I need you to be thinking about over. There was my wife gives absolute, and That seems like a be. That seems like it's not healthy, but I think it's completely healthy. You gotta, depending on your decision. Making without a doubt be doesn't mean that you don't love it's like. Whenever I see a facebook profile, it's like Joe,

oh and Kim jones, we all know like ooh aahs, and you know what I mean like you're there. You don't want to be a two headed monster. Gotta have autonomy, but you don't have to have trust I the luxury of my wife being very I've discuss emotionally depended so she didn't need me to be like telling you you know, hey, I hope, everything's greatness. She was like I got this. I got home I got to, bringing water heater when it breaks. I got the whatever the toilet when it gets stopped up you handle you're. You know what your business overseas I'll take care of the stuff, and I was pretty very lucky. it be enough, but to me it an end is the ultimate in in just you know, being making those choices in putting those barriers up a certain in today's you know private sector and jobs they isn't absolutely no army. The gear you bring you bring. Your lunch to work. You don't me

lunch at, were you don't comes due to the kitchen and start constructed a bialik, whatever the hell is wrong with you I have one the bed pay. The drives me nuts is the wet hair. What's the wet hair, anyone that shows up with wet hair or is it raining out or you have no time management or just be late, be late and presented. This is coming from a guy that bought a blow job. You know, I learned lessons in life, but there's no reason why someone should be running into work, brushing their teeth, doing it's just cause. I'm gonna be late and then I'm going to show up in a presentable and ready to go. This isn't a meeting with you know, tribal elders or the first forty five minutes, where you're going to waste time at target about the weather show up, be ready, everything's cool guided scornfully cubicle, the cubicle How are you doing what's goin on

we have no line of like what's personal worried? What are you doing this? We can never your damn business bomb get my my expansion. Is that really what we're we're bodies you wanna, be friends? I don't wanna be friends out. I want to just get the kids. with dry, her lower because you're gonna questions do not sometimes echo growth a car bomb. The man when I heard a lonely dopamine syrians it thinks real through David, any any closing dots I want to say honestly what you do is it's important to our generation. and a lot of people look up to you and it's rare. The mead someone's worthy of that is a lot of people think that had the pedestals. products. This is what I want the world to see this as the person I want to be, and the perception and you're legitimate

a year. You are who you are you who you eat, there's no difference, whether microphones as but your wish, when the mangas went when your minds job over the legs, odd, ecstasy and and that's it fresh and I really was afraid: that's gonna meet you. And I was gonna be like, may wonder what that guy would be like who's? That was a guy like you ve ever done. We If someone- and you really really thought they were just totally we're in a way this is, I can look up to the mentor and then, now. I have done it, but I'm just wondering what ms asshole jacko would be. That girl, you told him alive. we have voted hold. What would I be doing covered? jacko verger algeria, I had covered a couple times? There is no factor,

I remember when that when you cut a video that you had covered, there was like those controversy to go. What what did he do well I'll. Tell you when I shall be a covert people like. Oh, he must be your. I was doing events where I live. During covert there were times when I went to like them, first live event that I did with covert window but it was a thing and I went to this thing it was in arizona and africa a month it was but I went and ours it like go how freaked out as everybody gonna be and I wasn't rig up of covered on crossing. The young and healthy, and we will this went and and then there s some can people shake your and when you dont like an echo, and so I stepped down off a stage in the lineup. five hundred people out of a thousand and one ever killer slowly was was there was reason jack. I was a few people, there's probably ten people they had masks on as they approached me cry, so they caught they come up to the picture they shake my hat

take their mask off to take the picture we may get closed, feel like I just so. Yeah got killed, It's been. Maybe that's. The the evil jacko you would figure if you're going to be a person, it's usually when you're sick, or your sound by what I would, but but those Those were that the viral jacko video Those are not what you expect them to be there not like that. There's that it's a controversy It's just something that happened to you. The people viral, because I can't believe it's like if you and covered it, was a declaration that you want to talk much vaccines does the time when the question was asked. Some people who want to talk about it. Some people did so we will. That's none of your business, but the assumption that you had covered it meant something about factually status. We now know is ridiculous, digg, is a yankee there and judge he had cobler would like. I can't believe you didn't get vaccinate

I still do that by the way when I hear that song gets covered, I'm like why, wouldn't you want to get vaccine? That's so weird that you should know better the vice president. The united states, You should get vaccine for it safe and effective like do it everyone's doing it yeah. It kills me. I I love that I remember that moment. Specifically whenever it was, was asking like what was he doing yeah. Well, as you know, from doing radio four hours a day, you can't pretend to be someone for four hours a day just like on this park ass. You can't come on you. I can't come on hearing talk for hours and hours and like beans, I'm character mode were on pretend and be someone that I'm not either louder from her tears. Lotta, mme guys alive guys that just are not. I mean look at.

I love the sport and I think those guys are ot. Tim Kennedy is one of the coolest guy. Totally I mean I love that dude he's funny he's just a maniac, but there are a lot of people that just aren't tough people, the the the the facade is they're tough, but there are tough, you know what I mean, and I just think that that's it's cool that there's! No, you know you, don't you don't have to put that out there and it's this it's genuine and it's real and you don't have to you don't have. This is not a pond casimir veto. The podcast format is low. This is our jockers he's the one,

Let me tell you what I like. I like fudge, I like fudge and cookies, and I like pumpkin pie and you do a podcast about just you. You're, sharing this platform, a lot of people given opportunities, putting the light. That's on you on other people, helping people sharing ideas being consistent. It's important! It's appreciated! I don't know if you get enough, but I really do appreciate this, and I appreciate you you, let me be a part of it and everything you continue to do, because it means a lot seeing people that you emulate turn out to be. Honourable indecent is awesome, so thank you new. I dunno, but I'm still on the fence at present. That dopamine thing scared me that way too. It's real dopamine learning, guess well, man, it's you don't have to, That is a couple times and on the spot. Asked I mean if you could sit down and talk with John bass alone.

for three four or five hours like what I wouldn't give to be able to do that, so he's from buffalo. To be able to sit here and talk to you for do. You know how many hours we ve been going on. It's just an honour, and I know that so many people are going to learn so much from this. So thanks for coming thanks the lessons learned from thanks for your service. Obviously Thanks your leadership and thanks for the example that you set, for for everyone in the army and and everyone in the military and really for the citizens of our country of how to be how to be honorable. That means that means a lot. I really appreciate that my last question: whew, I'm gonna. Let you go If you could do it over again, what said what elite branch do you think? How would you rank them the the all the branches.

each one of the elite branches, they all great guy who's. The one group, though, that you worked with it said, and you thought these guys are like that were equals. I would I worked with special forces, guys there are better than me. I work with marines that were better than me. I work with whom I met an hour. the army rangers that were better, I worked with admit, mitten. I've worked with guys from a hundred first that were better than me constantly and three seven: eight were better than ie routers Studies in all these groups also worked with every one of those groups that with guys that were not as good with guys it. You didn't want to go on a mission with you. So to me, there is great credible guys in in in all units and and then there is also in all units. There's people that are are crap budget as it is, institutionally delta, where you got the euro mars ikea, got the air force

specialized right individuals, there's gonna be good and bad. But the one group dealer captain said well, if I wasn't seal and want to be that's. If I wasn't a ceo, if you weren't a ceo, can't be can't you see, I'm innocent lives. You didn't get the vaccination here. Actually, animal stay in their god, if I wouldn't have, if I wouldn't have joined the navy, I most likely would have joined the marine corps. because, like every while, like most of the young when I grew up with when you looked the marine corps, you thought pay, it's the marines, They do such a good job with their culture and with their image, and in the marine corps is an outstanding group probably would have ended up in the marine corps and if I wouldn't end up in the marine corps, I would have been in the army because the same thing, let's see I'm dodgy or get a noun feel like I'm dodging your question of who, I would argue, we would if your daughter said she wants to go. What would you suggest if my dog

since you want to go into special operational. She wanted to join the military. What branch would you think what you want, your daughter in the air force? not without, maybe that a bunch life why is that well, my ipod, just my eldest daughter, came to mind she's very analytical, she's, really smart. I think that she could bring us to the table in that car environment, probably being an intel officer. She really good at a similar, information and she, probably you really good at that job. So there you go nor should I can only. I would be horrible at that job not just being being an intel officer in the air force. I don't think it would be a good fit for me. Have you ever been? Could you be a pilot, or are you too big to be a pilot? because our colleague jockeys yeah they're a little bit like jockeys one. Am I really good friends is popcorn pie would be marine corps and I tat I had

no desire whatsoever to be a pilot. None zero, I had no desire, and you know even like riding in a bradley, I never liked riding in a bradley. I always felt like I wasn't in control like it was this machine and I couldn't really now look. I wasn't driving the bradley also sit in the back, like you were frequent, sweat minutes, often wonder where the hell was right. No situation I'd rather be in a higgins yeah that you can see where you are yeah. That was so so, but being a pilot for me. I never had any desire I'd watch a movie and I don't care I want to see what the grants were doing I always wanted to be on the ground and more specifically, I want to be someone I have a commando of some kind. I wanted to like put cammie paint on and sneak over beaches and kill people. That's what I wanted to do. That's the only that's the first job. I remember wanting when I ve realized, I'm gonna grow up, and I had to there's something I wanted to do that, something where I put candy,

cork on my face. You know cause to burn the cork and to put the black on her face. When you were little kids, I wanted to do that over the water into me territory and kill bad guys. That's only thing I remember want to do so. That's why? If I want to join the seal teams, it would have been a marine cork. Has the marine corps was in the water, and I knew that much even as a young kid but pilot was never it was never was never into it. Never even thought about it for a minute, so I always wondered that because, when I think about, like the young, you wanna watch avatar I'm ready for the marines in that the brenner guys were the arrow The blue people are the ones that, like I like they're, always watch the movies for the guys that I can identify not that their evil they amber the other one for blue people. That I just said I get it. I understand that in the navy, the guy everything watch enables your movie there's a guy comes out the water like betrayed her.

the body Oh yes, and a real thing now now, that's the! The move that movie is called active, valor and data We now have no there's no real. They d that sector that movies, like our and thirty minute, music, video of the basket with real bullets other day. You know it's a big recruiting thing. It was a big recruiting thing. when they got some guy to play the roles in the movie the they hired these guys. They hired this boxing company to make a recruiting video and the guys said hey, we can make a recruiting video authorities. Or one minute recruiting video or we can make a ninety minute feature film. What do you want? Then? It Naval special warfare at the time said. Well, we need people, let's do it and so is a big recruiting tool and do no end the navy benefits from that, because, because no one

Basically, no one makes it through seal turning that's a very small number of people and make it there's your training, so the knee he gets all these deeds and. it that's one thing: that's that's horrible about trying to go in the seal teams. Is that if you don't make it through the cassiope, if you'll make a few basic seal training you're in the navy and if you're type of personality? That wants to be a machine, gunnar you're, upon a ship in engine room, turning wrenches or change oil or whatever and look That's a legit like value which job for some people, some people love turn wrenches some people- of being at sea on a ship some people love that kind of job, that's what they should do and they join the navy to go to that which is perfect. But if you join, because you want to be a seal and you don't know, get your can end up in a job that you really don't want it off. We see, what's nice about more sock or special forces in the army, if you'll make it, The special forces selection cool yearning, for the line you you're you're, still in an awesome spot, you can go back later. You'll learn more same thing with the marine corps

we'll teams is rough and not aspect man, you don't make it through sealed training, yoda ear doing a job at you most likely dont want to do, and I have ass in an assertive. What so careful that man, the careful daddy young people out there. That's why gonna wormy colony army become an infantry, If you pick your own mls there, you go anywhere and you can be extra special extra awesome man. Thank you. So much thank you appreciate it with that David Bellevue has left the building and oh crazy town, crazy yeah. It's honestly. If you listening this right now, get these books and read them they're, really powerful and there's so much theirs? like I said during the park ass. Theirs our storylines that are in these books that I dont think even come close to mentioning threat

raymond get. We get close to that part of the story, which is a story runs the whole thread this other stories in there the whole time her. So what's goin on, he does such a great job capturing it. The house to house book, You can tell when you read it that he's for years off the battlefield, but his mind is not off the battlefield yet, his mind is in the game. When you read nothing is very intense, it is very raw and then you get to read. Remember the ramrods just what almost two decades later. Well, I guess, fifteen years later, fifteen years a long time.

in a man's life fifteen years a long time, and you can learn a lot and you see a lot and you go through a lot more and you get perspective on stuff. So it's the really incredible read both these books so check these books out. There also there was a couple of things that he mentioned, smells like really put into perspective in a crazy where, where he, where he described a sniper, that they found he was attached to like. Have you heat just to stay there the whole time? And what did he mean he? He said there was a hole in a table yep It is late middle east lang, so he didn't have to go to the bathroom or nothing just right there through the hole in the table just staying there for just days and days and days to be a sniper that is committed. That is committed person emitted insurgents, they're ready to die for their costs.

Did you notice? He said that some super small consent, but like here, because when you use anticipating, maybe the olive honour scenario in someone's, like oh there's, also a tape out there and then like all, does the tape show me the tape and then he said: what's in the box, it's show me what's in the box and then he kept going to talk or do you know what that's from? What's in the buy du Nord, it's from it's from the movie. Seven right, which is trusting cause again because he's now older, First of all, he knows he's forgotten things. Second, while you learn eventually that you're perception what's going on in combat, isn't same as what's really going on in combat, so he now now at this. age. He knows that oh there's a video. I wonder what I knew it he's a. He knows. He knows what he thinks he did. He know

was what he thinks he said. He also at that age knows that what he thinks he said and what he thinks he did may or may not be on there it may or may not, be pursued if the same way by everybody else. So that's ways like what's the box, though, to me those pretty much perfect movie annette Jesus is very impressed. Yeah what's in the box, he wants to know, but he don't want to know it seems in that kind of deal. I liked it so much respect for that as well. Yeah and if you get that you can watch on parts of it on youtube. I didn't know that. There's he mentioned a twenty nine minute version so that be the entire, entire event, probably from the time get to house. They go in the house They get everyone out of the house. They wait for the bradley sprung. Like that whole thing is probably twenty minutes. There's one click that I've watched you it's maybe like five minutes long and its basically from the time they are getting to the house. The last time when he's to go in and kill everybody. That's all

the one you too, but you can go watch and look it's not like a movie cosmos. if it's just black. like flashes noises explosions, you don't really know what's happening, you now? What you read the book, and now you hear the podcasting back. Ok, that must be was ok, that's and but then you You know at the end of it there there dragging these bodies out of this house, that this guy went in there and killed and yeah it's, it's definitely while than that movie bye, bye, where the the movie, the only the dead, it's definitely of fascinating movie to watch and in you you have to understand his perspective a little bit. It takes a little getting used to call for me, you watch Oh wait, this guy's with mujahideen forces that are attacking americans, like I hate this guy. What are you doing

you're embedded whereby hate you at once? You stop them. and so, but then you realize he's trying to figure out. What's going on in So you end up understanding what he's doing, even though, at the time and there's some. I I for I actually yeah well, I need to watch it again cause there's some that dichotomy is brought out in a way that is makes it easier to understand, because, let's face it, you forget friggin sitting there, while mujahideen forces are getting kill, americans and you're not doing some to stop, and I got a problem with you. You know and I think some of it is like he's with them and he's like. Oh shit, they're doing an attack and he kind of just he knows if he says anything. They'll just kill him and, It's it's a really, but then then, at a certain point, the movie he basically stops embedding with the move. Could he realizes that their evil anything combating with the americans, but he has, gladly pass lot and he passes a lot of entail. to the americans and especially to like David Bolivia,

in his petunias, given them exact in how about who the fighting in ie it's real the clear in the book, how helpful he was from our perspective, but who knows maybe at some point we can have Michael, where his peace hack on all kinds of crazy stories from his all the insane thinks he's done, as weird. You know like I guess, the the the the highest degree of, of explaining all that would be a documentary right. But at the same time a documentary is only going to be an hour long, and you know you got limitations in what you can put in there and how long you want to, whereas if this common explained some stuff on the podcast and maybe a little bit longer format, you can get down to some

what information that may not be conveyed properly in the in there in an hour and a half locked documentary, hey how heart like we have you? Don't you just go with full gear, like the food, the egg, How is it a lot different like it feels like where she, just even how he saw dimension is seems like thing that might be a lot harder Actually, no, it's it's not it's not a lot harder it. It's not a lot different. It's a little harder. It's a little different. It's not a lot of either I feel like. Then again, then this is more of a question like the bottom game would feels like you'd be a lot more different than the top game. Would it be that we know that burger both about the same different offer their that that was a excuse that guy used by people when it came to training more

shall I send you do too in the seal themes. It was like while ujiji just where a gay you don't we. The squire to just where a rash guards with unrealistic and you're not going to be able to fight when you have gear on and which is they would say the same thing about you or what I would make comparison to parachuting because new parachute with military equipment, it's big parachute and you ve got. You could potentially have a weapon with you potentially have a rucksack with you. You gotta protects potentially, have you web gear with you and you have all these things on. So it's a lot different. Then me running down to san ysidro or wherever and dune of civilian jump around, just like literally wearing a pair of shorts sneakers, and I jump out a little back little little as you know, my back to jump out throw you know, it's really easy and slacking cool. But here's the thing if you really good at those slick, cool civilian jobs, and you put him Military rig on Uribe really good, same was shooting sometimes guys. We want to learn the bad habits of tea.

We'll, get, shooting or of three gun shooting, which has a certain competition type of shooting you don't. The bad habits from that, but you take a guy that is a three gun, shooter competitive. And now he's in combat he's gonna be infinitely better. Now, Are there certain little things you gonna watch out for? Yes, there are certain little things that you gonna watch out for you know No, if you ve ever heard the story, there's theirs a shoot out floored. I think it was in florida and a cop when they, the cop got killed and when they did like the investigation. he had the shells from his revolver in his pocket, which me and then ass. He was reloading instead of just dump and shells from his revolver. He was catching on. Putting him back. His pocket, which is a habitat he got from being on the police range and you don't want to. To bend down a pick up your browser? You just put him in your hand, you put in your pocket, so he had lost whatever

three quarters of a second or a second and a half on every reload, because he had this habit. So do you have to pay attention to what bad habits you may or may not get from me doing these civilian activities that are common, mary to europe military career, so for instance, there are positions in jujitsu where it may. not be the best thing to do, because all you gotta cider, relax so your police officer, there are certain positions you want to use because it doesn't expose your weapon doesn't who's, your weapons being grabbed So you wanna do certain things that are a little bit different. Now, Would I rather be a cop? That's a purple belt in jujitsu. that might have one bad habit for all

Some cop that has no experience in jujitsu, is going to get the ship it out of you. If you're going to get the shit beat out. That's what's going to happen, so he so so. jujitsu with gear on, is slightly different, slightly harder. But very, very similar and its in its similar enough that it's gonna make all the difference. In the world, yet one of these nurses in yes and keep in mind, even if it was like a lot bulkier in a lot harder, it's still better than no jujitsu the end which I've always thought or whatever. But I was wondering at the time you know you. Obviously he tells the story all good. So I'm like thinking about it like how that looked and how that felt or whatever and like I can imagine like trying to choke someone, you know like you Maybe if you have the guiana their fighting, your choker whatever and maybe they're not here

isn't that good, but it's easier to fight a choke with the guiana vs, with no gear cause. You can just grab any part of that thing or whatever. So, with the bulky gear on plate helmet like all this stuff, it's like kind of I would think he'd be harder, so make sure, don't wonder how freakin, or even if the duties untrained. I wonder how much harder that would be it be the same as training, verses, untrained legged, you do too fighter some. That doesn't know, jujitsu is lost. Yet I feel like sometimes- a lot of times. You do it you don't you do you do too? Maybe they'll do another marshall, art or maybe they'll advocate for another marshall they'll. Do the strongman thing whether it be like yeah, yeah, a poor guard in the street or whatever. I think it's really common knowledge that someone who knows jujitsu and they get in a fight with a guy in the street or in a kill house or whatever they're, not going to put garden the guy they're going to use its lakes. Hey lemme

exactly what they do is they look for the most inappropriate move of jujitsu and they say what you're going to do that that move on the most inappropriate time, whatever when the the reality is no jiu jitsu is like a bunch of moves, actually infinite, and you know, a certain amount of those infinite moves and you're gonna do literally every single time that you possibly have the most appropriate move for the appropriate tat in elite guard, is one of the many moves. That's more yes geared towards a training scenario. You don't like with another jiu jitsu guy or with you know, a tournament scenario whatever, but that's not like a yeah. That's not a self def ants or a real fighting. No man. Unless you know like four four bella, via this dude comes out of the closet. If you would just like, like hate him and knocked him to the ground, and all of a sudden or even Bellevue is on the bottom oil and thus not pulling guard that very different. But you are on the bottom and you are going to need to get out from the bottom or at least control the guy from killing you and you better know So you better no guard at that point. So

you know that's exactly what what he said do you know and look you got. You got all your friends. You got a machine gun All your friends got machine guns. You got a pistol. All your friends got pistols. You gotta I saw your friends got knives you'd, think there's a pretty slim chance, you're gonna have to actually kills one with your hands with your helmet with your knife, it's pretty small chance, but there you go there. You go so keep training, everybody, everybody training, awesome, Honour to have him on with, speaking to train and when you train to feel your system. It's true! It's true jack of you! So again, I know it's common knowledge or whatever, but this is one of those deals where you know you can get plenty supplements from plenty places. You know, but you want the first clean on one of the only upside, no downside. So I had to add, MR so the drinks,

The energy drinks which have no bugger in them. The energy drinks, which have no chemical preservatives in them. This is what everyone else is feeding you, this buff, that sugar and at the stuff, that as chemical preserves in this but that has chemical flavouring and if we have any that this stuff is literally get for you. You can get it get mark get ready to drink marked by the way we had a little jacko fuel meeting today we are discussing how much mork ready to drink. We should make an omelette I think in the comments be made, you know it's going to be this investments going to do this thing. We gotta do this far to advance important information what how much we bomb where back and forth. And finally, as it hey make as much more as you can as much as you can like we have it at the gym. Beer victory selling out in like a day is gone

so everybody loves the ready to drink milk. So we are going to make as much as we possibly can yet it to everyone, because it's the best the hits batteries degree so good so good for you so convenience now. Look. Do you get the powder mark? Yes, I have the powder bulk, that's my desert, but sometime We need that mid day. Header isn't what you think man, it's gonna. Take me four minutes to make a mock nope nope, not gonna, she's, going to open up, on our tv ready to drink. Did you are you familiar with the term artie is that a normal I am to be familiar with, as everyone knows that are ready to drink. You know what I think. It's a. I think it's a industry turn, and you know excellent t d, like a normal person, doesn't say the rtd rtd ready t. I might be thinking emery yeah. That's me already ready to eat or no. This is different, but it is or drink and it's ready, let's just say,

the very similar, so hey check it out for jogerfy. Also, look you want a jackal fuel dot com you can get. Drinks at walla? You can get all the stuff it vitamin shop, it's all at the military, commissaries, its at the hand of food supermarkets up their north. Dash stores in maryland, wake anne and shop right circle k in florida where it eighty be. You know that texas, if you're taxes, gray gb. I know you're gonna, gb gray, gb go to juggle fuel, get what you need so we got it in there for you apparently taken ass down an hiv, so thank you go get some and murphy's down salvaged. That's where you can get shock of you you dont have those retails, doors in your area, doc, fuel backup, go get some one else at origin. Can forget about that america,

made stuff started with digital geese. Yes, we did, but now A lot of genes boots new washes of the genes. By the way I got all three: all you wait, a sec it or you know the added I did get of yet sir some people got at ease. Think somebody would on its own. Till it yet Amanda roberts about demand, Amanda roberts. I know you listening right now. You know what I need. I dont want the lead, I don't mean nothin me off, I didn't realize it sent me off because I'm going to say I don't need the super light ones, but pete was reminding me pizza. He was driving his motorcycle anyway, It was a sunny day and the really light genes, they don't absorbed the heat, the job so yeah, ass Amanda roberts to Robert. Please look really send all three watches of genes to my house as soon as you can I agree with you there that you don't strike me the light wash genes wearing type. I will

But that's what I hesitated, but then I remember what p robbers so functional p robbers, so me for it's not like I'm out in the desert heat, I don't know where a black pair of genes weapon I spent a light pump light. Once you make a good point. Oliver fit the same This will have on channel functionally sound hundred percent per se. Are genes boots some belts, the belt, even though its aside feels like a sort of thing very impressive very impressive above if gonna make it make it real good, The kind of the overall concept right. Yes, sir army in america, by the way, the ed well, that's not even by the way that's a hey, listen up made in america if you care about human beings, don't buy stuff from other countries, because there Taking care of their human beings. There in enslaving human beings to make your product they don't care. The environment, but who care what they do?

the die when it's done dying, whatever their making. They just put it in the ocean. Putting the rivers kill all the animals they put, it did the crew in the atmosphere Would you care about people, I about planet earth and if you care Bout. America- what origin, usa and get some more wsj dot com? That's where we got picked up. Also Dakota stores called jackal store, so we can represent the path. Discipline equals freedom, good. You seen that video before we know that concept good you want to, Presents wreaking get it also goes short locker, which is a new shirt every month subscription scenario news are some cool designs on now good feedback on that one, but yeah, that's a you can get that at chaco store dot com as well, subscribe to. The pond casts don't forget about doc a underground. Don't forget about the you two generals right the jackal park. as you too general

I do a lot of assistant directing and let's face it when I do that, it's kind of a big deal you do where all Origin. Usa, has a? U to general Fiona see what's happening at origin. Usa check that one out where No one kind of what's going on behind the scenes, their psychological warfare. I've been saying, I was gonna, make another one of those like five years, slowly were kinder being created with some of that stuff. And little bit good soul, a psychological or for if you wanna go mp3 activity for yourself, a moment. A weakness. Footsore canvas, Dakota, meyer kind of it. Trusting today. Speaking of Dakota Meyer, I asked David all hey what what flavour drink? Do you want as it we got this we got daddy, got out and a black cherry vanilla and I was like cool, ran down gotta, go by the way, that's that Dakota Meyer's drink, that's his signature, flavor! I tell ya so

I got a picture that new domini. Well, you know what I bet you can pull some off the camera off the video when he's taking a drink right of course. Yes, sir, you can do that right, yup. We can send Dakota it'd, be like a dakota birds of a feather, bunch of books. Have these two books remember the ramrods in army brotherhood in war and peace? and then house to house both by David Bolivia, just outstanding books? if you have any interest in history and combat in war in humans each in the limits of men in kind on an individual lead full of bravery. Get these books will both be available on our website, but suppose we will weigh would do up what what book should I read their own website on the web. Go to jocko, podcast dot com go to books.

pod, the there's a tab set the right work, this there's a tab and get does get get only crime for the living by holly. Mackay final spin I'm bombed it via talk to me for ten minutes about how much he freaking loved final spirit. It was great blah, blah blah and we and we didn't, we weren't, recording we weren't recording echo charles next to his great job. It's my bedroom. He had one job, two jobs. What was the other one and a half yeah, so surgical check out the leadership books. I've written the kids books of written, making the dragons May the work at one two, three four about face. We talked about that today I wrote the forward to the new version that so get in there. Extreme ownership, dichotomy of leadership. Echelon thought have a leadership, consultancy illusion

can where we work with companies all over the world, teaching of leadership. What have we learned on the battlefield if you're interested in that for your organization go to echelon, front dot com? It is an individual that wants to come to an event wants to learn these principles face to face. You can also go there check out our events. We also online training, online, training for leadership and life. Look leader! It was a mindset, that's going to help you in every aspect of your life. It's not necessarily! Oh I'm in charge of forty two people, and these are the leadership principles I need to know know it's like. Oh I'm in charge of me I'm in charge of my two kids in charge of the three Here's that I haven't work, I'm in charge of my group of seven friends when or whatever it is. If you're, interacting with other people, you are leading people so learn how to make your life better by the way it all starts with you learn to lead yourself, learn a decision making process for the things that you do. He all that. Two courses and to live in

active training on extreme ownership, dot com check that out and if you want help service members, active and retired, you want help their families have So our families check out mark leaves while she's got an incredible charity organization, if you wanna do may or you want to get involved, go to america's mighty warriors dot, org and also don't yet about michael think, who is taking vets up into the wilderness so that they can search and find themselves heroes and horses dot org, and if you want to connect with David via gotta David Bela vehicle calm he's on instagram, sometimes related to reluctantly. It also got that radio show. Facebook is even bella radio so check that out. For us we're on twitter have one on the gram on facebook. Hipaa echoes echo Jos. I am at jock or willock of

course. Then we kind of this discussion by intrude all as not all good social if you can like fire fire fire can be good cookie food. Keep your social media can give you connect with people. Give you some information fire can so burn your house down and kill your whole family guesswork social media can cause a lot of significant mental problems as well. So we careful that's what I'm saying once again, thanks to David Bellevue for common on here for sharing your story and We will not forget what you did. We won't forget. Your proud to two ramrods duty. First, and thanks to everyone else in the army, the navy air force, the marines oh for your service and sacrifice. Thank you all for being. Best military in the world and dumb lose

cited that thanks. Well to our police and law enforcement. Firefighters, paramedics, empties dispatchers correctional officers, border patrol secret service offers responders. Thank you for protecting us here at home. And everyone else out there there has been much sacrifice for our freedoms. To make sure that we live to honour them. Let's live like lieutenant ed do from his epitaph Ed, who lived every moment.

Stood in the rain, heard the thunder danced to the lightning and believed in rainbows. Go live every moment can until next time the zero and jacko out.