Combat Story

Today we have round one of a fantastic two-part Combat Story with a former guest: Darrell Utt, a long time Green Beret and retired Master Sergeant.  Darrell just finished writing a book (Grit to Glory) going into great detail about one deployment when he was a Team Sergeant with ODA 043 in 2006 to Iraq that includes all the highs and lows of leading a team of elite Green Berets.  We met with Darrell two years ago for an episode (#74) watched by over a 100K+ people and this time around we get into more of the moments, experiences, and emotion in some of the fighting that Darrell has unearthed while writing the book. If you pre-order his book before Veterans Day (2024), you get a signed copy of the book and one of the coolest challenge coins you’ll find. Pre-order the book at ballastbooks.com/purchase/grit-to-glory/. You can find Darrell on the socials at darrell.utt on Instagram or darrell-utt on LinkedIN. If you haven’t seen the first episode, don’t worry, you’ll get all the context you need in this one to be up and running and I’m sure you’re going to enjoy his very real, raw, and down to earth storytelling as much as I did. Darrell on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/darrell.utt/?hl=en 00:00 Intro 00:35 Darrell Utt Bio 03:09 Writing the Book: Challenges and Inspirations 10:12 Morgue Day: A Haunting Memory 19:26 Growing Up: Building Grit and Resilience 21:15 Family Struggles and Finding Strength 32:44 Military Path: From Humble Beginnings to Special Forces 44:53 The First Marine in the Family 45:16 Mentorship and Military Service 45:48 Challenges in Joining the Marine Corps 47:48 Receiving the Green Beret 50:28 Reconnecting with Influential Figures 54:08 Operation Ugly Baby: The Initial Invasion 01:06:05 Cultural Encounters and EPW Camp 01:18:03 Navigating Mosul and Military Strategy 01:26:13 Strategic Reflections and Military Planning 01:27:18 Looted Infrastructure and Insurgency 01:29:04 Early Signs of Trouble in Iraq 01:31:11 The Ba'ath Party Dilemma 01:33:22 WMDs and Misconceptions 01:35:27 2006: A New Team and Mission 01:47:20 Challenges and Leadership Decisions 02:03:57 Owning Up and Moving Forward 02:07:44 Conclusion and Upcoming Content   #usarmy #veterans #combat #specialforces  

Today we have our second account of the brutal fighting within the Arghandab Valley in Afghanistan from Will Yeske, a former 82nd Airborne RTO at the time. Will went on to write the book Damn the Valley: 1st Platoon, Bravo Company, 2/508 PIR, 82nd Airborne in the Arghandab River Valley Afghanistan. Will recounts his experiences fighting and surviving in this brutal location in Afghanistan which takes place at the same time (and just across the river) from the same experience faced by our former guest Andrew Bragg who was in Charlie Company. The IEDs, the suicide bombs, and more come to life in both this interview and the book.  Since leaving the service Will has gone on to write two books and, despite initially dropping out of college, now has an Ivy League degree. When many other kids in their mid-20s were partying and living it up, he elected to serve and, one year later, found himself fighting for his life. I’m sure you’re going to enjoy the multiple combat experience Will shares with us in this episode and, if you’re like me, will be getting your own copy of the book. Check out our Combat Story Newsletter at www.combatstory.com/newsletter   Find William Yeske Online: Book https: https://www.amazon.com/Damn-Valley-Airborne-Arghandab-Afghanistan/dp/1636243657 @damnthevalley on social William Yeske on LinkedIN   Find Ryan Online: 🎙️ Connect with Ryan & Combat Story: 🔗 Ryan’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/combatstory 🛒 Merch Store: https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/ 📸 Instagram: @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory 📘 Facebook: @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial 📖 Learn more about Ryan: https://www.combatstory.com/aboutus 🎵 Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle   Show Notes: 00:00 Intro 00:28 Introduction to Combat Story 00:47 Will Yeske's Background and Book 02:09 Connecting with Andrew Bragg 02:42 Experiences in the Argandab Valley 04:10 Writing and Sharing War Stories 06:35 Memorable Artifacts and Stories 08:55 The Brutality of the Argandab Valley 15:03 Joining the Military: Will's Journey 26:42 First Combat Experience 39:56 Mission Overview and Initial Challenges 40:29 Controversies and Unpublished Accounts 41:26 Hard Moments in Argandob 42:23 IED Incidents and Minefields 49:27 Command Changes and Midtour Leave 01:00:26 Courage and Bravery in Combat 01:03:59 Writing the Book: Challenges and Reflections 01:08:03 Sentimental Items and Lucky Charms 01:10:27 Final Thoughts and Future Projects

Today we hear a Combat Story from Marine Officer and US Army Special Operations Command (or USASOC) leader Varpas de Sa Pereira (de SA Pur-rare-a). His book Warrior Withdrawal: When BAMF No Longer Means Bad*$$ M^ther#u@!er is a great read for anyone trying to understand why so many of veterans - myself included - face challenges transitioning out of the military outside of just PTSD.  Varpas faced combat many times, deploying time and again with a variety of units in search of some "thing" he was missing. He was finally fully engrossed in the ‘system’ and had trouble pulling himself out of it. After 15 years of service, including time in USASOC at the tip of the spear, he finally retired and went back to school to study clinical psychology, where he realized what he had experienced was not abnormal. Many veterans, for whom being a warrior is ingrained in their psyche, struggle to adapt to life outside the military, often leading them to mental health challenges. Varpas coined this as Warrior Withdrawal Syndrome and now works as a psychotherapist to help veterans facing difficulties in their newfound lives. In this episode we talk through several of his combat experiences in Iraq and some really challenging experiences that officers often face in making life and death decisions in very ambiguous environments. He is currently a staff psychologist at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), where he provides mental health care to veterans and their families. You can get his book Warrior Withdrawal on Amazon. With that, please enjoy this unique interview with Varpas. Check out our Combat Story Newsletter at www.combatstory.com/newsletter Find Varpas Online: Instagram, LinkediN, X : @drvarpas Find Ryan Online: 🎙️ Connect with Ryan & Combat Story: 🔗 Ryan’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/combatstory 🛒 Merch Store: https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/ 📸 Instagram: @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory 📘 Facebook: @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial 📖 Learn more about Ryan: https://www.combatstory.com/aboutus 🎵 Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes: 00:00 Intro 00:49 Introduction to Combat Story 01:08 Meet Varpus Desaparara 01:56 Warrior Withdrawal: Understanding Veteran Challenges 02:40 Varpus' Unique Background 02:59 The Meaning Behind the Name Varpus 04:45 Family History and Military Service 07:45 The Concept of 'Left of Boom' 09:38 The Transition from Military to Civilian Life 15:30 The Making of a Marine Officer 18:16 First Deployment Experiences 28:00 General's Aide and Beyond 37:13 Reflecting on Regret and Mental Health 38:38 Memorable Events from the First Deployment 40:35 Taking Initiative and Facing Challenges 41:47 Combat Realities and Leadership Decisions 43:28 Navigating Friendly Fire and Tactical Decisions 48:32 Moral Dilemmas and Command Conflicts 55:44 Career Progression and Special Ops Aspirations 01:06:31 Leadership Reflections and Personal Growth 01:12:25 Leadership Challenges in Fallujah 01:14:01 IED Strikes and Quick Reaction Force 01:16:03 Engaging the Enemy and Emotional Toll 01:24:47 Transitioning to Regiment and Family Sacrifices 01:29:07 Special Operations and Missed Opportunities 01:33:42 Warrior Withdrawal and Psychological Impact 01:45:38 Reflections and Moving Forward 01:50:37 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

On today’s Combat Story we have a deep dive into intense fighting that took place in Afghanistan in the treacherous Arghandab River Valley with Andrew Bragg, a former Army infantryman who served back to back tours to two distinct places in Afghanistan, both with plenty of kinetic activity.   Andrew’s book The Devil’s Playground is about one of his deployments with the 82nd Airborne to the Arghandab River Valley where his unit experienced 50% casualties, including 6 KIA. Andrew traveled the country in his car to interview members of his unit from 12 years prior, many of whom had not seen each other since. Their common bond was the impact that the Valley had on each of them. I think you’re going to really enjoy this recounting of some incredibly challenging fighting experienced by just one of several units to survive the ‘Dab with Andrew Bragg.  Check out our Combat Story Newsletter at www.combatstory.com/newsletter Find  Andrew Bragg  Online: Book The Devil's Playground: The Story of Two Charlie and The Arghandab River Valley https://www.amazon.com/Devils-Playground-Charlie-Arghandab-Valley/dp/1636244718 Find Ryan Online:  🎙️ Connect with Ryan & Combat Story:  🔗 Ryan’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/combatstory 🛒 Merch Store: https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/ 📸 Instagram: @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory 📘 Facebook: @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial 📖 Learn more about Ryan: https://www.combatstory.com/aboutus 🎵 Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle Show Notes: 00:00 Intro 00:30 Introduction to Combat Story 00:49 Meet Andrew Bragg 02:06 The Devil's Playground 02:59 Andrew's Journey to Reunite with His Unit 04:16 The Heavy Toll of Combat 04:57 Andrew's Early Life and Military Beginnings 05:45 First Deployment with the 173rd 06:35 The Impact of 9/11 07:14 Writing the Book: A Collective Effort 07:38 Reuniting with Fellow Soldiers 12:50 The Argandab River Valley Deployment 14:34 The Harsh Realities of War 22:12 The Aftermath of Combat 32:40 A New AO: The Argandab River Valley 41:08 Arrival During Hibernation 42:09 Learning the Terrain and Locals 43:07 The Return of Conflict 43:49 Escalation and IED Threats 45:30 Close Calls and Ambushes 48:47 Operation: Loveless Shot in the Face 54:29 The Valley's Grip 59:05 Reflections and Reunions 01:11:08 The Healing Process 01:20:15 Final Thoughts and Book Release