Introduction

In this section, the host introduces the guest and provides an overview of what to expect in the interview.

Guest Introduction

• Chris Van Zant, former Delta Force operator, is introduced as the guest for the interview.

• The host mentions that Chris was involved in the Saddam Hussein raid which led to his execution.

• The audience is encouraged to like, comment, and subscribe to the channel and podcast.

Show Promotion

In this section, the host promotes their show and merchandise.

Show Promotion

• The audience is encouraged to subscribe and leave a review on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

• A newsletter is mentioned as a way to stay updated on new merchandise releases.

• Merchandise such as gummy bears are mentioned as being back in stock soon.

Guest Introduction

In this section, the guest is introduced and some background information about him is provided.

Guest Background Information

• Chris Van Zant's military career in Special Operations Army Special Operations out of the unit is mentioned.

• He now works in business consulting and is heavily involved with All-Secure Foundation.

• The host expresses admiration for Chris's inspiring story and knowledge.

Childhood & Military Career

In this section, Chris talks about his childhood, how he got into the military, and his military career.

Childhood & Military Career

• Chris talks about growing up in a small town in Texas where he learned hunting skills from his father.

• He joined ROTC while attending college but dropped out after two years to join the army.

• After basic training at Fort Benning, he went through Ranger School before joining Delta Force.

• Chris talks about his experiences in Delta Force, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Injecting Good into the World

In this section, the host and guest discuss the concept of injecting good into the world.

Injecting Good into the World

• The host and guest talk about how positive actions can have a ripple effect on the world.

• The guest shares personal stories of how things seem to align in his life when he puts positivity out into the universe.

• The conversation turns to health concerns as an example of negative energy that can be turned around with positive thinking.

Engagement Under Northern Lights

In this section, Chris shares a personal story about getting engaged under the Northern Lights.

Engagement Under Northern Lights

• Chris tells a story about wanting to propose to his wife under the Northern Lights in Alaska.

• He initially thought it was impossible because he didn't know there were seasons for seeing them.

• While filming content with a friend, they unexpectedly saw the Northern Lights for several hours.

• After picking up his film crew, Chris drove around for an hour looking for a place to propose before finally finding a park at 1 or 2 am.

• Despite being freezing cold and tired, he proposed under the Northern Lights.

Listening to the Universe

In this section, the speaker talks about how he has learned to listen to the universe and pay attention to subtle signs that something might be wrong.

Family History of Heart Disease

• The speaker's grandfather, father, and brother all had heart attacks or open-heart surgery in their 40s.

• Despite being aware of his family history, the speaker did not take care of himself as well as he should have.

Taking Action

• After getting out of the service, the speaker went for a check-up and found out that his cholesterol was high. He made an appointment with a cardiologist and got on medication.

• When he started feeling funny at work one day, he paid attention to it and went to see a doctor. It turned out that he had some heart disease issues like his family members before him.

• The speaker underwent several heart procedures over six weeks but is now doing better.

Making Changes

In this section, the speaker talks about making changes in his life after experiencing health issues.

Career Change

• The speaker left his job after seven years because it was causing him stress and wearing him down mentally. He felt lighter almost instantly after leaving.

• He started a consulting company because he loves the defense industry and wanted to use his knowledge and experience to help companies get good innovative products into users' hands.

Happiness

• The speaker feels happier now that he has made changes in his life and is no longer carrying around the weight of his previous job.

Gift Time

In this section, the speaker receives a gift from the host.

The Gift

• The speaker receives a heavy gift that is legal in all 50 states and is food.

• After some guessing, the speaker opens the gift to find out what it is.

Childhood and Military Service

In this section, the speaker talks about his childhood in Dover, Delaware, and how he grew up playing baseball. He also discusses his misbehavior as a teenager and how he eventually joined the military.

Growing Up in Dover

• The speaker grew up in Dover, Delaware.

• He had a normal upbringing in a small community where everyone knew each other.

• The speaker played baseball as a child, which helped him develop his competitive drive.

Misbehavior as a Teenager

• As a teenager, the speaker started drinking and getting into trouble.

• However, because of the time period and location, he was fortunate enough to not get arrested or charged with anything serious.

Joining the Military

• The speaker realized that he needed structure in his life during high school.

• He decided to join the military for two reasons - to gain structure and discipline in his life and to avoid wasting his potential by going to college without self-discipline.

• The speaker's family had a history of military service, which also influenced his decision.

Joining the Military

In this section, the speaker talks about his interest in joining the military and how he was drawn to Special Operations.

Drawn to Combat

• The speaker was influenced by movies such as Navy Seal movie with Charlie Sheen, Delta Force movie with Chuck Norris and Lee Marvin, and John Wayne's Green Berets.

• His grandfather's stories about being in the service were all about being at war.

• He did some research on different branches of the military and found out about Air Force combat controllers from a friend.

• He talked to various recruiters but was disappointed with their answers until an army recruiter told him more about Army Rangers.

Joining at 17

• The speaker signed up for the military at 17 years old and went to basic training after graduating high school.

• Before joining, he worked as an ocean lifeguard which he describes as one of the hardest physical things he has ever done.

Joining the Military

In this section, the speaker talks about his decision to join the military and his parents' reaction to it.

Reasons for joining

• The speaker joined the military at 18 years old.

• His parents had mixed feelings about it. While they both wanted him to go to college, his dad also wanted him to try playing ball at the next level.

• The speaker's mom was scared due to her father's struggles with addiction after returning from World War II.

First Unit

• After basic training and Airborne school, the speaker attended Ranger Indoctrination Program (RIP).

• He was assigned to Third Ranger Battalion in 1995/1996.

• Despite being in peacetime, there was a lot of legacy and history associated with Third Ranger Battalion.

Difference between Schoolhouse Rangers and Regimental Rangers

• Ranger School is an Army school that focuses on leadership courses for small unit tactics in various environments.

• The Ranger Regiment is a unit where soldiers serve as Army Rangers without being Ranger qualified.

• Soldiers who attend Ranger School but never served in the Ranger Regiment are considered "Ranger qualified."

Understanding Army Rangers

In this section, the speaker explains what it means to be an Army Ranger and clarifies some common misconceptions.

Difference between Regimental Rangers and Tabbed Rangers

• If you have served in any of the three battalions of the ranger regiment or in the regiment itself, you are an Army Ranger.

• If you have attended Ranger School but never served in a ranger regiment, you are considered "Ranger qualified."

Purpose of attending Ranger School

• Attending ranger school is part of a pipeline for young soldiers serving in ranger regiments.

• Infantry officers and combat arms officers in the Army typically attend Ranger School to gain leadership experience, training, hardship, and overcome challenges before leading troops.

Speaker's Experience

• The speaker joined the ranger regiment as a young private.

• He had an alcohol-related incident that resulted in a DUI.

• At the time, if you had an alcohol-related incident, you were not allowed to attend Ranger School.

Army Ranger Culture

In this section, the speaker talks about his experience in the Army Ranger regiment and how it shaped him as a soldier. He also discusses the culture of the regiment and how it differed from conventional units.

Experience in the Ranger Regiment

• The speaker was hesitant to call himself an Army Ranger at first because he only spent a short time in the regiment.

• However, he later learned that anyone who served in the regiment can call themselves an Army Ranger.

• The speaker received extensive training and leadership development during his time in the regiment.

• This training helped him overcome obstacles and gave him personal confidence when he faced challenges later on.

Culture of the Ranger Regiment

• The Ranger Regiment was known for being one of the hardest training places in the army.

• Soldiers were always doing something, with PT every morning as a platoon or squad.

• The culture shock was significant when transitioning from Rangers to conventional units where soldiers were not necessarily hard-charging or well-trained.

• Despite this, soldiers could still excel quickly due to their experience in the regiment.

Transitioning to Conventional Units

In this section, the speaker talks about his transition from serving in the Army Ranger regiment to serving in a mechanized infantry battalion. He also discusses differences between soft units like Rangers and conventional units.

Transitioning to Conventional Units

• The speaker went directly from serving in third ranger battalion to third entry division without any other assignments.

• He was a mortar guy in the Ranger regiment and became an 11 Charlie in the mechanized infantry battalion.

• The speaker moved across post to join third ID, which made it difficult for him to adjust.

• The speaker did not get to work with Rangers during his time at the agency.

Differences Between Soft and Conventional Units

• In soft units like SEALs, everyone is involved in mission planning and putting together target packages.

• However, this was not the case in the Ranger regiment where they were run like a standard rifle company with a strict rank structure.

Evolution of the Ranger Regiment

In this section, the speakers discuss how the Ranger Regiment has evolved over time due to changes in mission requirements.

Changes in Mission Requirements

• The Ranger Regiment has grown and changed significantly since pre-9/11.

• The global war on terror led to more direct action missions, which caused many units, including the Ranger Regiment, to evolve.

• The regiment was utilized in a lot more circumstances than they were built for, such as independent assault forces with capabilities equivalent to most special operations units.

• While expanding their workforce allowed them to hit more targets at a time, it also meant losing some things that seasoned special operators bring to the table.

Training Cycles at the Ranger Regiment

In this section, the speakers discuss training cycles at the Ranger Regiment and how they prepared for different scenarios.

Training Cycles

• The regiment had cycles where they did a lot of shooting and range time.

• They also had fixed wing and rotary wing bilats where they did jumping and airfield seizures or infills with helos and fast rope training.

• They had an on-call battalion ready to go anywhere within 18 hours or less if someone called 911 for the United States Army.

• Compared to regular army units, there were fewer days where soldiers did nothing.

Deployment with the Regiment

The speaker talks about his deployment experience with the regiment and how they proved their capability to jump in behind enemy lines.

Jumping into Germany

• The speaker did not deploy to combat with the regiment as it was peace time.

• He went to Germany with the regiment and jumped in, then did a 40-mile movement on foot to an objective.

• Crystal was in the regiment at that time, and they wanted to prove that the regiment had the capability to jump in behind enemy lines and move an excessive distance like that.

Training with Germans

• They did some training exercises with Germans, including cross-training and getting their German marksmanship badge.

• They also did a foreign wing jump and other things during this period.

Moving from Regiment to Conventional Army

The speaker talks about how he moved from being part of the regiment to joining conventional army after getting a DUI.

Getting a DUI

• The speaker got a DUI which led him out of the regiment.

• He was sent to third amateur division where he became a mechanized infantryman instead of jumping out of planes.

Good Things Happened Despite Trouble

• After getting into trouble, they still went ahead with their exercise in Germany because they needed all bodies for it.

• He had good leaders at third ID who changed his career path.

Operation Desert Thunder

The speaker talks about his experience during Operation Desert Thunder.

Deployment to Kuwait

• After the First Gulf War, they controlled all the airspace over Iraq and patrolled it.

• They deployed an entire mechanized brigade for Operation Desert Thunder, which was a show of force against Saddam.

• They forward deployed to Kuwait right on the border of Iraq and spent six months living in the desert.

Building Compounds

• They built compounds called cabools or something similar by erecting dirt berms around them.

Live Fire Exercises

In this section, the speaker talks about his experience with live fire exercises during a six-month period. He mentions that they did live fire exercises four to five times a week and shot more rounds than most guys in an infantry mortar unit ever shot.

Experience with Live Fire Exercises

• The speaker did live fire exercises four to five times a week for six months.

• Shot more rounds than most guys in an infantry mortar unit ever shot.

• The experience helped the speaker understand what being deployed felt like and being away from family.

• Leadership-wise, it turned out to be a great experience for the speaker.

Leadership Roles

In this section, the speaker talks about how he pursued leadership roles during his time in the military. He also discusses how his background as an Army Ranger made him stand out among other soldiers.

Pursuing Leadership Roles

• The speaker aggressively pursued leadership roles when he realized he could be a PT stud and push other guys to excel in physical fitness.

• Younger soldiers had more respect for the speaker because of his background as an Army Ranger.

• The speaker saw that younger soldiers responded well to his leadership style and pursued it further.

A Difficult Conversation

In this section, the speaker recounts a difficult conversation he had with his platoon sergeant regarding race in the military.

Race in the Military

• The platoon sergeant asked why there were not many black soldiers in the Ranger Regiment.

• The speaker responded truthfully, saying that there were only four black soldiers in the Ranger Regiment.

• The platoon sergeant asked why the speaker thought this was the case, and the speaker rolled the dice and told him the truth.

Building Relationships in the Military

In this section, the speaker talks about his experience building relationships in the military and how it impacted his life.

Building Relationships with Leaders

• The speaker talks about meeting a leader who took an interest in him and helped him succeed.

• He discusses how leaders can have a significant impact on individuals' lives by showing they care and taking time to listen to their stories.

• The speaker shares how two leaders took a personal interest in him after he made a mistake, which changed the course of his career.

Reenlisting and Moving Forward

• The speaker discusses reenlisting for another year after having a conversation with his Battalion Commander.

• He talks about moving to Fort Bragg to continue working towards Special Operations.

Humor as Coping Mechanism

• The speaker shares that he tends to resort to humor during periods of high stress.

• He mentions using humor during a tough situation with his superiors.

Joining 82nd Airborne Division

• The speaker talks about joining the 82nd Airborne Division as a mortar guy.

• He mentions not knowing if he could go back to the regiment after being booted out.

Becoming a Special Operator

In this section, the speaker talks about his experience as a mortar section sergeant and how he ended up becoming a special operator.

Experience as Mortar Section Sergeant

• The speaker was a mortar section sergeant for Alpha County second three two five, the white Falcons.

• He ran their training, did their counseling, led troops, and had his own mortar team with two teams.

• As the mortar section sergeant, he attended both NCO and officer meetings.

Relationship with Lieutenant Paul Karen

• The speaker developed a good relationship with new lieutenants that would come in and help them along the way.

• He met Lieutenant Paul Karen who was a West Pointer and they became friends quickly.

• Paul asked him why he wanted to become an operator and explained that he didn't have to be a Green Beret to attend selection for that side of the house.

Reclassing to 11 Bravo

• The speaker reclassed from 11 Charlie to 11 Bravo after being asked by Paul Karen to join him in the reconnaissance platoon.

• He reclassified as an E5 promotable because points were maxed out back then when he reclassed.

Selection Process

In this section, the speaker talks about his experience with the selection process and how he failed the first time but succeeded on his second attempt.

First Attempt at Selection

• The speaker had submitted his packet for selection and was accepted to attend.

• He met the unit star major and was scared out of his mind.

• The speaker failed the first time due to a time standard issue.

• He wanted to do it in the same season because he wanted every aspect in his favor.

Second Attempt at Selection

• The speaker waited a full year before attempting selection again.

• He made smarter choices during his second attempt and was successful.

• The speaker believes that some guys are rejected on purpose to see if they will come back.

Failure at Selection

In this section, the speaker talks about how failing selection did not crush him. Instead, he felt comforted by knowing that he gave it everything he had.

• Failing selection did not crush the speaker as he knew he gave it everything he had.

• During his exit interview, they told him that he did a good job for a young inexperienced guy and encouraged him to come back and try again.

Career Progression

In this section, the speaker talks about his career progression after attending selection.

• The speaker showed up to the regiment in 1995/1996 and spent a year there.

• He sprained his ankle playing basketball a month and a half out from selection in August 2001.

Fear of Drill Instructor Duty

In this section, the speaker talks about his fear of being a drill instructor and how he managed to avoid it.

Fear of Drill Instructor Duty

• The speaker was afraid of being a drill instructor.

• He was on orders to be a drill instructor but was rehabbing an ankle injury at the time.

• The unit recruiter told him not to worry about it and not to report for duty.

• He eventually went to West Virginia for selection after 9/11 happened.

Motivation for Selection

In this section, the speaker talks about his motivation for going through selection and how 9/11 played a role in it.

Motivation for Selection

• The speaker's motivation for going through selection was the realization that he would be going to war if he made it through selection and operator training course.

• He wanted to be part of the force that fought those responsible for 9/11.

• There were other guys like him who had done selection before, but they didn't talk about 9/11 during their time there.

Professionalism at Selection

In this section, the speaker talks about the professionalism at selection and how it compared to OTC.

Professionalism at Selection

• The speaker describes selection as the most professionally run course he has ever attended.

• The Cadre maintained professionalism throughout the course, which helped maintain separation between students and Cadre.

• OTC is different from selection in that it's phased and more about integrating students into the unit mindset.

Vigilance Elite Patrons

In this section, the speaker thanks Vigilance Elite patrons and talks about what they can expect from the Patreon page.

Vigilance Elite Patrons

• The speaker thanks Vigilance Elite patrons for their support.

• The Patreon page offers behind-the-scenes content from The Sean Ryan Show and videos on self-defense, home defense, firearms, mindset, and more.

Prepping for Firearms

In this section, the speaker talks about prepping for firearms and directs viewers to a website.

Preparing for Firearms

• The speaker advises viewers to visit www.patreon.com/vigilanceElite or click on the link in the description to access information on prepping for firearms.

• Viewers who do not want to visit the website can continue watching the show.

A Fight Scene

In this section, the speaker describes a fight scene he witnessed.

Witnessing a Fight Scene

• The speaker sees a man waking up and swinging off.

• The speaker could have taken action since there were no rules of engagement at that point.

• Instead of taking action, the speaker continues walking towards him as he closes in.

• The man drops something after seeing it was an "alien versus caveman."

Sexuality and Religion

In this section, the speaker discusses how religion can affect sexuality.

Religion and Sexuality

• The speaker believes that religions often cause problems by forbidding sexuality.

• He shares his experience of being part of a religious institution where sexuality was forbidden.

• To figure out who he is, he decides to start living in isolation.

Going Down Rabbit Holes

In this section, the speaker talks about going down rabbit holes and getting interested in various topics.

Exploring Different Topics

• The speaker went down many rabbit holes while exploring different topics.

• He started with projects before moving into ancient times.

• He wanted to know why things were certain colors or patterns.

Sexual Orientation

In this section, the interviewer asks about the speaker's sexual orientation.

Sexual Orientation

• The interviewer asks if the speaker is attracted to women.

• The speaker responds that he is not.

• He fell in love with Kristen, who is a woman.

Selection and OTC

In this section, the speaker talks about his experience with selection and OTC.

Selection and OTC

• After finishing the stress phase of selection, the speaker went through a board process.

• A guy he looked up to told him that they were going to take a chance on him and accept him into an operator training course.

• The speaker had less than two weeks back at his unit before reporting to the compound for OTC.

• He was chomping at the bit after 9/11 happened.

Timing and Training

In this section, the speaker talks about the timing of his career and how it led him to where he is today. He also discusses his experience with training, starting from the basics and advancing through a professional course.

Career Timing

• The speaker reflects on the timing of his career, particularly in relation to 9/11.

• He believes that there was some kind of universal force at play that led him to where he is today.

Basic Training

• The speaker describes his early training as starting from zero, even for experienced soldiers.

• The course began with basic rifle marksmanship and focused on fundamentals.

• The instruction was professional, organized, and focused on teaching candidates like in basic training.

Operator Training Course

• There was no hazing or humiliation during selection or operator training course.

• The philosophy was to push candidates past their limits while focusing on skills and fundamentals.

• While there was pressure due to high levels of detail and scrutiny, it was a professionally run course without buffoonery or unnecessary elements.

Nemesis

• Every candidate ends up with a nemesis during the course but it's not clear how they are chosen or if they work it out amongst themselves.

Retention and Accidents in Training

In this section, the speaker talks about the retention rate of their course and an accident that occurred during training.

Retention Rate

• The course started with 15 participants.

• Finished with 11 or 12 participants.

• Lost a few guys during the direct support portion.

Accident During Training

• A guy blew his hand off during team CQB training.

• He was prepping his charge when he test fired the West device, which detonated the caps in his hand.

• The instructor turned to them after the medics took him away and said "next team up".

• They continued training without halting it.

Challenges in CQB Training

In this section, the speaker talks about challenges faced during CQB training.

Complex Environment

• CQB is a complex combat environment with multiple things happening at once.

• Multiple entry cqbs are taught where good guys and bad guys are present in different rooms.

• Operators need to be aware of what's in front of, behind, and around their targets.

Operator Training Course

In this section, the speaker talks about the Operator Training Course (OTC), which is a rigorous training program for special operations forces. He discusses how the course is structured and how performance is assessed throughout the entire course.

OTC Performance Assessment

• Most guys who fail to complete OTC do so towards the end of the course.

• The board assesses overall performance and takes input from all instructors on personality and demeanor to make decisions.

• Each squadron within an organization has a different vibe, so they try to place guys where they fit best.

Competitive Culture in OTC

In this section, the speaker talks about competitiveness in OTC and how it affects training.

Camaraderie vs Competitiveness

• There is camaraderie among teammates because they are going through the same things.

• Teams are competitive with each other; everyone wants to be faster and better.

• The speaker's team was very competitive with another team until they were switched up late in the game.

Individual Competitiveness

• Running courses or shooting competitions are individual events that can be very competitive.

• Evaluations along the way prepare you for culminating events.

• You see your standing compared to others during evaluations.

Perception of Competitiveness

In this section, the speaker talks about his perception of competitiveness in special operations forces based on his experience in OTC.

Feeling Like an Outsider

• The speaker felt like he was struggling every day while others seemed good at everything.

• He later found out that those guys had similar struggles but handled them differently.

• From an outsider's perspective, some guys seem more capable than others due to age or experience.

Team Changes

• The speaker's team was switched up late in the game, and he had to integrate into a new team.

• It took a minute to adjust, but it was a good experience to be pulled out of his comfort zone and still meet the standard.

Conclusion

In this section, the speaker concludes by discussing how competitiveness is an inherent part of special operations forces.

Competitiveness in Special Operations Forces

• The speaker worked with guys from KAG who were ultra-competitive.

• Competitiveness is an inherent part of special operations forces due to the nature of their work.

Peer Evaluations

The speaker discusses the peer evaluation process in his training and how it was conducted.

Peer Evaluations

• The speaker does not remember if they did peer evaluations during their training.

• Instructors evaluated the trainees, and the top five and bottom five were identified.

• The speaker aimed to be in the middle of the pack as he struggled with shooting drills that required more thought.

• Trainees learned on 1911 .45 caliber pistols, but they may have switched to 9mm by now.

Delta Force Recruitment

The speaker talks about Delta Force's recruitment process and how it differs from other special forces units.

Recruitment Process

• Delta Force recruits from all branches of the military, regardless of where a candidate comes from.

• Personal drive, attributes, and mindset are what make a competent operator rather than high requirements.

• Pulling guys from different backgrounds gives perspective from various angles and makes them collectively better.

Selection Process

In this section, the speaker talks about the selection process for joining the unit.

Qualifications and Evaluations

• The unit has a baseline of minimum time in service, rank, physical fitness standards, IQ testing, and psychological evaluation.

• The psychological evaluation is as important as any other qualification because it helps determine if someone has the aptitude to function in that environment and come home and be normal.

• The assessment on the front end determines guys that have the aptitude or capability to be successful. They've got it down to a science.

Squadron Placement

• After graduation from OTC, squadron placement is determined by performance metrics such as shooting skills, PT scores, personality evaluations by instructors from each squadron.

• At the board meeting, senior non-commissioned officers from each squadron and their commanders make decisions based on recommendations.

Squadrons

In this section, the speaker talks about squadrons within the unit.

Squadron Composition

• There are squadrons that are SF heavy or Ranger heavy or mixed bag of nuts heavy.

• Each squadron has its own culture depending on its composition.

Drafting Process

• It's like an NFL draft where whoever has first choice picks based on performance metrics and personality evaluations.

• Senior non-commissioned officers from each squadron and their commanders make decisions based on recommendations at a board meeting.

Squadrons and Environments

In this section, the speaker talks about his experience with different squadrons and how each squadron had a different personality. He also discusses the differences between sea Squadron and other squadrons.

Differences Between Squadrons

• Each squadron had a different personality.

• Sea Squadron was more laid back compared to other squadrons.

• Other squadrons were more competitive and gruff.

• No one he knows has switched from CAG to DEVGRU.

Adaptability of Operators

• Operators can adapt to any environment they are in.

• Sea Squadron had operators from various military branches.

Marine Corps Policy

• The Marine Corps policy is that if a Marine joins CAG, they are still technically Marines.

• The Navy processes those who come from the Navy into CAG and gives them an Army MOS.

Joining Sea Squadron

In this section, the speaker talks about his experience joining sea Squadron and what it was like being deployed immediately after joining.

Deployment to Afghanistan

• The speaker joined sea Squadron right before they were deployed to Afghanistan.

• He did not attend Halo school or Advanced Demolition training because he was deployed so quickly after joining.

Team Dynamics

• The team was welcoming despite him joining mid-deployment.

Joining a Team at War

In this section, the speaker talks about his experience joining a team at war and how it was different from regular army training.

First Deployment to Afghanistan

• The speaker got lucky that his first deployment was in Afghanistan because it wasn't that bad back then.

• His first mission with the team was a low visibility walk-in hit where he didn't pull the trigger.

• Being at war and joining an organization and team at war provided experiences that can't be replicated in OTC.

Integration with the Team

• The speaker talks about being on target in combat hunting bad dudes and how it was different from regular army training.

• He redeployed after three and a half months of being there, having done eight hits during that time frame.

• The speaker wasn't disappointed with the number of hits they did because he got to integrate with his team and get to know them on a different level.

Mentors and Lessons Learned

• Brad Thomas took the speaker under his wing when he arrived mid-deployment. Brad had been through some stuff, including being part of Biko 375 during Black Hawk Down incident on October 3rd.

• The biggest lesson for the speaker was learning how good these guys were at their job.

Trusting Your Gut

In this section, the speaker talks about an incident where he had to trust his gut and not shoot a friendly local law enforcement officer who was running towards their target area with an AK-47. He also discusses another incident where he regrets not pulling the trigger.

Trusting Your Instincts

• The speaker saw a local law enforcement officer running towards their target area with an AK-47.

• The speaker's teammate suggested shooting him, but the speaker trusted his gut feeling that something wasn't right about the situation.

• The speaker yelled out that he didn't think the man needed to be shot, and they later found out that he was a friendly local law enforcement officer who wanted to help.

• This incident taught the speaker to trust his instincts in combat situations.

Regretting Not Pulling the Trigger

• The speaker talks about an incident in Fallujah where they hit a target looking for a bomb maker.

• When they entered one of the rooms, there was a young boy who picked up an AK-47.

• The speaker almost shot him but instead kicked him several times while another teammate restrained him.

• Later on, they found out that the boy was actually an expert in IED construction and had been building bombs for some time.

• Another group of soldiers captured him and planned to take him for interrogation when he escaped during transport through downtown Fallujah.

• For years after this event, the speaker carried around regret for not having pulled the trigger.

Early Days in Afghanistan

In this section, the speaker talks about his early days in Afghanistan and how limited their assets were at that time.

Limited Assets and Targets

• The speaker mentions that they had limited assets during their early days in Afghanistan.

• He also mentions that there were not many targets to go after during that time.

• The speaker reflects on why a tier one asset was sent after eight targets during that time when there were not many targets available.

Reconnaissance Missions

• The speaker talks about doing reconnaissance missions to confirm if a bridge is out or not.

• He also mentions doing joint stuff with the kiwis with New Zealand SAS like some Mobility stuff down South.

• They did a low Vis hit where he was excited to be part of it.

Locations

• The speaker mentions being all over Afghanistan, including Bagram, Jalalabad, Osadabad, and Sadabad.

• During this time, everyone went to ground after torbor like when all those events happened so I think we were there right in that time when there was just nothing everybody went to Stone Age nobody knew where anybody was we'd killed a bunch of guys early on and dropped a lot of bombs and it just the targets dried up um so yeah there wasn't a lot to do no [ __ ] yeah yeah so like guys that when I got there like dudes that had been there afo for months and were involved in torbora

Break Time

In this section, the speakers take a break before discussing their experiences in Iraq.

Taking a Break

• The speakers take a quick break before continuing their discussion.

• During the break, there is some audio of a fleet of objects and a speech about secret societies.

• The audio mentions that US officials have confirmed another high altitude object was shot down Sunday afternoon.

• The audio ends with news about briefing every president since Bill Clinton on the subject of UFOs.

Personal Friends Assassinated

In this section, Dr. Greer talks about personal friends that have been assassinated since May 9th of 2001.

Patriotic Duty

• Dr. Greer believes it is a patriotic duty to speak out about the unaccounted money and how intact the constitutional government of the United States is.

• He questions how there can be so much money unaccounted for, with only $50 million going towards making the B2 stealth plane and the rest going into unsanctioned projects that neither the president nor Congress knows about.

Interview with Dr. Greer

In this section, Dr. Greer is being interviewed by Sean Ryan.

Introduction

• Sean Ryan welcomes Dr. Greer to his show.

Preparing for Iraq Invasion

In this section, Chris talks about preparing for the invasion of Iraq.

Deployment Preparation

• Chris's unit returned home in July and began full-blown training for a long-range desert mobility mission.

• They were excited to be chosen as part of one of the most elite organizations on the planet.

• The unit had done long-range desert mobility in the first Gulf War and was now hunting WMD throughout Western Desert based on current Intel beliefs.

• They believed Saddam had some type of WMD stored outside Baghdad or Tikrit in one of their outstations or animal supply points moving west into Western Desert.

Excitement and Nervousness

• Chris was excited but nervous about being on the initial front for invading a country.

• He felt more confident going into Iraq than he did going into Afghanistan because he had deployed once before and felt like they had trained well.

Deployment Timeline

• The unit deployed to Saudi Arabia in February 2003, which was their staging point to kick off the invasion.

• They were there for a couple of weeks before crossing the border into Iraq.

Coincidence

In this section, Chris talks about a coincidence that occurred during his deployment.

Co-location

• Chris's unit was co-located with two other units in Saudi Arabia: Charlie Company third range battalion and Alpha Company second three two five from the 82nd Airborne Division.

• Chris had been part of both these organizations at some point in his career.

• He found it strange that two out of the three organizations he had ever been a part of were all in that same spot at that point in time.

Anticipation and Crossing the Border

In this section, the speaker talks about the anticipation of crossing the border into Iraq and how they did it.

Crossing the Border

• The border between Iraq and Saudi Arabia is separated by a double berm system with Iraqi outposts in between.

• They crossed the two berms in between outposts using Aviation assets helos to take out two outposts on either side.

• After taking out the two guard towers on either side, they drove into Iraq.

Anticipation

• The team did not have a hard date for crossing until shortly before they left.

• They spent a night in Saudi Arabia before moving up to the Berm where they coordinated efforts with 160th to cross over.

• The first aircraft fire was heard after bedded down for their rest over day site.

Outpost and Ammo Supply Point

The speaker describes a hit on a guard outpost and clearing every bunker in the ammo supply point looking for WMD.

Hit on Guard Outpost

• The speaker describes a hit on a guard outpost where some shots were fired.

• The speaker drove up to the target house while some Iraqi guards were shot.

• Minimal skeleton crew was present at the facility.

Clearing Bunkers

• The team proceeded to clear every bunker in the ammo supply point looking for WMD.

• In some cases, they would pull up short, use flare ball, call in Cass, call in close air support and drop bombs before moving in.

Different Mindset

• The team had a different mindset than what they were used to as a counterterrorism force or hostage rescue force.

• They were doing infantry tactic raid-style missions on these compounds.

Full Gamut of Missions

The speaker talks about how they owned the night and had all air assets. They also did several things before any regular invasion started.

Owning the Night

• They owned the night and could see miles before anyone could see them.

Air Assets

• All air assets were available since no one was yet present in-country.

• They had been in-country for four days when the first Valley of Tomahawk missiles got fired into Iraq.

Before Regular Invasion Started

• They did several things before any regular invasion actually started.

Capturing Saddam Hussein Alive

The speaker talks about capturing Saddam Hussein alive and realizing how evil he was.

Capturing Saddam Hussein

• United States military forces captured Saddam Hussein alive.

• The speaker talks about how evil Saddam Hussein was.

Christmas Day 2003

The speaker talks about catching Saddam on December 13th and two weeks later, on Christmas morning, hearing guys singing Christmas carols in English.

Catching Saddam

• They caught Saddam on December 13th.

• Two weeks later, on Christmas morning, they heard guys singing Christmas carols in English.