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April 26, 2024

Episode 4b: Tel Aviv, Echoes of Conflict Experiencing Israel Through a Contractor's Eyes

Episode 4b: Tel Aviv, Echoes of Conflict Experiencing Israel Through a Contractor's Eyes
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Embark with us on a gripping sojourn into the heart of Israel's diplomatic security landscape, as I chronicle my experiences alongside Duke, a seasoned Diplomatic Security Service agent. Our mission: to navigate the treacherous terrain of Gaza, where the camaraderie of embassy staff interweaves with the high-stakes game of international relations. 

Yet, the episode takes a somber turn as we recall the harrowing aftermath of an attack at Mike's Place, the resilience it demanded of our community, and how it starkly contrasted with the vibrancy of life's mundane moments. We wrap our journey with reflections on the evolving private security landscape and the personal growth we garner from our relentless pursuit of mission success. Join us for an episode that promises not just stories from the field, but a profound exploration of the human elements that shape our trials and triumphs.

Support the show

Chapters

00:01 - Safe Passage Mission in Gaza

07:23 - Range, Weapons, Armored Vehicles

16:15 - Policing Arm and Diplomatic Missions

27:05 - IPSC Shooting Range Encounter

35:28 - Building Skills and Team Dynamics

47:25 - Team Leader's Pompous Attitude Dilemma

52:17 - Leadership Challenges and Networking in DynCorp

01:01:41 - Nightmare at Mike's Place

01:07:04 - Update From Israel

Transcript
WEBVTT

00:00:01.701 --> 00:00:02.342
And we're back.

00:00:02.342 --> 00:00:03.984
This is episode two, part B.

00:00:03.984 --> 00:00:11.656
So my wife, who is camera shy, did not wish to take part in the interview process here.

00:00:11.656 --> 00:00:14.505
So, anyway, there we were right.

00:00:14.505 --> 00:00:19.294
We land at Ben Gurion, van pulls up, old boy gets out sunglasses.

00:00:19.294 --> 00:00:23.410
I swear I think he was wearing a Hawaiian shirt Duke.

00:00:23.410 --> 00:00:26.739
His call sign was Duke and he would.

00:00:26.739 --> 00:00:35.234
He was a State Department Diplomatic Security Service agent and he would run our program for the first.

00:00:35.234 --> 00:00:38.286
I got several months right.

00:00:38.286 --> 00:00:47.262
Good guy had been around a lot and it was no secret that we were there to augment safe passage to and from gaza for diplomatic missions.

00:00:47.963 --> 00:01:12.308
Our counterparts in jerusalem would do the same thing for, uh, the west bank and jericho, you know and and probably, I'd say it's a good, it's 40 minutes from tel aviv to the gaza strip, probably a good hour or so from tel aviv to Jerusalem, and, um, yeah, so you know they would, unless there was need for crossover.

00:01:12.308 --> 00:01:22.664
You know, for augmented security, the Jerusalem team would largely run operations in the West Bank and, and, uh, Jericho, and we would take the Gaza Strip.

00:01:22.664 --> 00:01:27.242
So so Duke was our, our guy, like he would roll on missions with us.

00:01:27.242 --> 00:01:35.305
So we get there, and I swear it, it was a, it was like a Saturday Saturday, it was like a Saturday evening and it.

00:01:35.305 --> 00:01:38.242
What was wild, though, was he's like hey boys, all right, I'm, you know.

00:01:38.242 --> 00:01:38.382
I'm.

00:01:38.402 --> 00:01:39.885
Duke, nice, to meet you, this and this.

00:01:39.885 --> 00:01:41.106
He's like come on, just get in the vehicle.

00:01:41.106 --> 00:01:46.483
So we get in the vehicle, we go straight through passport control, boom, boom, boom, like right through the diplomatic line.

00:01:46.483 --> 00:01:48.870
We get stamped and processed and off we go.

00:01:48.870 --> 00:01:51.667
Our housing wasn't ready yet.

00:01:51.667 --> 00:01:54.430
They had apartments for us, but they weren't ready.

00:01:54.430 --> 00:02:06.683
So he's like well, we got you rooms at the Israel Hotel right across the street from the embassy, and the embassy is on the water, it's on the beach, it the water, it's on the beach, it is is beautiful.

00:02:06.683 --> 00:02:18.421
So there's a street in front and a street behind, but right across the street there's like a beautiful brick promenade that just goes like from one end to the other and just shops and little little um beach, uh, beach bars, like right down on the sand.

00:02:18.421 --> 00:02:19.525
You know, it's just pretty wild.

00:02:19.525 --> 00:02:29.693
It looks like somebody's uh down in the weight room, so might might hear a few crashes and and gr of look at me, look at me how hard I work.

00:02:29.693 --> 00:02:31.104
But it is what it is.

00:02:31.123 --> 00:02:31.786
You know what I mean.

00:02:31.786 --> 00:02:32.508
What can you do?

00:02:32.508 --> 00:02:36.469
You can, it is what it is, right, anyway.

00:02:36.469 --> 00:02:45.729
So we get there, we do a quick drop the bags off in the hotel.

00:02:45.729 --> 00:02:52.229
So now, because of the way they're dealt, cheese and I end up in the same room at the hotel.

00:02:52.229 --> 00:03:03.510
So we got like five minutes, man, drop your bags, freshen up and meet downstairs because we're going to have a dinner, get to know Duke and talk about the next coming days.

00:03:04.639 --> 00:03:07.646
So we get into our room and, like I said, john was tall.

00:03:07.646 --> 00:03:11.747
Oh, it's behind me, for God's sake.

00:03:11.747 --> 00:03:19.510
So yeah, he's the one in the blue shirt on the far left, so you can see he's like almost a head taller than me, right?

00:03:19.510 --> 00:03:26.093
So we get into the room and he was just a good guy, man, a good guy.

00:03:26.093 --> 00:03:28.787
He, you know, walks down the hall.

00:03:28.787 --> 00:03:36.108
There's like a nice kitchen area here, nice sitting area here, hallway, bathroom, bedroom.

00:03:36.108 --> 00:03:44.770
He looks in the bedroom, comes back out into the hallway, he goes hey, brother, I'll flip you for the bed.

00:03:44.770 --> 00:03:49.228
Obviously there's one bed and I took one.

00:03:49.228 --> 00:03:49.688
Look at him.

00:03:49.688 --> 00:03:52.237
And I'm like john, take the bed, man.

00:03:52.237 --> 00:03:53.901
I'm like, look at me, I'll fit.

00:03:53.901 --> 00:04:01.185
I'll fit perfectly on the couch, like I'm not tall, you know, but I thought it was really like humble and very nice.

00:04:01.185 --> 00:04:02.225
Okay, I'll flip you.

00:04:02.225 --> 00:04:03.408
I'm like, flip me.

00:04:03.408 --> 00:04:07.882
I'm like, dude I, I I'll be comfortable here, you won't, you know.

00:04:07.882 --> 00:04:09.445
So I was all right, you know.

00:04:10.106 --> 00:04:15.566
So we, we put our stuff, you know, downstairs, we go, we go right across the street directly.

00:04:15.566 --> 00:04:27.521
Um, next to the embassy there was another hotel and next to that there was a little corner cafe called Mario's and, by coincidence, the owner's name was Mario.

00:04:27.521 --> 00:04:49.889
So we get there, nice guy, really nice guy, and uh, he's, you know, made these beautiful handmade pizzas, you know, and like we're sitting in this like private dining room which, when you see the place and after we got familiar with it, there are just sometimes you just want to come out swinging like a madman.

00:04:49.889 --> 00:04:57.548
Yeah, look at me, look at me, it is anyway.

00:04:57.548 --> 00:05:02.795
Um, yeah, so fantastic dinner.

00:05:03.274 --> 00:05:12.906
And duke has given us a brief, a lay of the land and what was very, very, very interesting too, and I know we're having fun, you know, with this and us and he was like guys.

00:05:12.906 --> 00:05:16.889
He said, you know, not too long ago, none of this was necessary.

00:05:16.889 --> 00:05:32.271
He said when foreign service officers, usaid personnel, when they had business to conduct in Gaza.

00:05:32.271 --> 00:05:38.187
They'd self-drive, They'd sign a vehicle out from the embassy pool, they would drive down, conduct their business.

00:05:38.187 --> 00:05:45.334
He said, I guess and I don't recall how many years he had been there, but they do rotations like any other government agent.

00:05:45.334 --> 00:05:57.406
And he said, you know, when I first got here, he's like they used to have like Fourth of July celebration for the embassy, have it at a beach hotel down in Gaza to.

00:05:57.406 --> 00:05:59.932
You know, again, the diplomacy being key.

00:05:59.932 --> 00:06:06.050
Like you know, you live up here, the embassy is up here, but you're fostering diplomacy, you know.

00:06:06.050 --> 00:06:08.764
So it was all good.

00:06:12.100 --> 00:06:14.048
But you know, those days were over.

00:06:14.048 --> 00:06:19.452
Now, all of a sudden, at the drop of a hat, you know, you could go down and you could set your clock by it.

00:06:19.452 --> 00:06:33.855
If there had been something in the news where, let's say, president Bush came out in support of an Israeli position, we'd be driving through on a mission and people would like throw stuff at us, you know.

00:06:33.855 --> 00:06:44.531
And conversely, you have a situation where maybe, you know, the White House's stand was in opposition of an Israeli policy, was in opposition of an Israeli policy.

00:06:44.531 --> 00:06:52.742
We drive through the same marketplace, you know, a week, two weeks later or whatever, and people are cheering and waving at us.

00:06:52.742 --> 00:07:04.492
So you realize that the volatility of it hinges, like on any number of things, but you know that was the need for the enhanced security for the, you know, us Foreign Service personnel you know.

00:07:05.180 --> 00:07:20.571
So we get there, we get a briefing, we have a great dinner and the plan is the next day we're going to go into the embassy, we're going to draw all of our gear and we have a mission on Monday and again getting back to, okay, well, there's skills you're supposed to have.

00:07:20.571 --> 00:07:34.411
And I think every one of us, in our own way, was kind of like okay, we get these weapons, there's no range we're not going to, we're not going to fire these weapons before Now.

00:07:34.411 --> 00:07:36.867
They've been fired, they're in the inventory.

00:07:36.867 --> 00:07:38.920
You know, there's not, we picked them up off the street.

00:07:38.920 --> 00:07:47.095
But the difference between a BZO, you know like, hey, these weapons have been BZO, that's, that's good, keep you in the ballpark.

00:07:47.095 --> 00:07:56.834
But I never, ever, did anything with any firearm for work purposes that I didn't take to the range and fire myself.

00:07:56.834 --> 00:07:58.944
I mean, I've never.

00:07:58.944 --> 00:08:08.144
So I think every one of us was kind of like, ok, but ultimately you play the hand, you're dealt and you support the mission, you know.

00:08:08.144 --> 00:08:11.392
So nobody said a word, nobody complained about it.

00:08:11.392 --> 00:08:14.507
But again, like you know, kudos to Jim.

00:08:16.572 --> 00:08:19.500
Jen criticizes me for this every so often.

00:08:19.500 --> 00:08:23.988
Well, I talk with my hands all the time on this camera.

00:08:23.988 --> 00:08:25.050
You make a motion.

00:08:25.050 --> 00:08:25.992
It looks like a thumbs up.

00:08:25.992 --> 00:08:29.906
A little cartoon bubble of a thumb shows up on the screen.

00:08:29.906 --> 00:08:34.823
I didn't know if that yeah, duh, right, what's in the recording too.

00:08:34.823 --> 00:08:41.904
So, and I'm not doing this, I'm not doing this, but if you throw two thumbs up, you get a burst of fireworks.

00:08:41.904 --> 00:08:49.878
So maybe we'll do that at the end of the episode, or or when I pull a fucking wily coyote and drop an anvil on this motherfucker.

00:08:49.878 --> 00:08:50.879
Maybe.

00:08:50.879 --> 00:08:55.672
Wait a minute, man, the coyote never wins, does he?

00:08:55.672 --> 00:09:07.892
So that, never mind, as you were, that'll go sideways real quick, you know, um, so anyway, yeah battle, battle.

00:09:07.912 --> 00:09:08.231
Zero.

00:09:08.231 --> 00:09:10.975
Like like a basic, like a basic zero.

00:09:10.975 --> 00:09:13.664
Like like the weapons been been zeroed.

00:09:13.686 --> 00:09:29.509
Yes, yeah, yeah, yeah and and again, like for the most part, we didn't pick them up off the streets, we didn't, you know, buy them from some guy at a out of his trunk, so we had no reason to think that they wouldn't function properly or fire properly or that they wouldn't be zeroed to a.

00:09:29.509 --> 00:09:38.386
You know, they should have been good enough for any purpose, but we didn't fire them Right, and absolutely nothing we can do about that, cause there's no range.

00:09:38.427 --> 00:09:50.072
This wasn't like uh, like um and like one of the James Bond movies where there's like a tunnel under the embassy where we go right, you know, and then like there's your, you know that would have been kind of cool if you did have some type, even like a short range.

00:09:50.072 --> 00:09:52.235
You know that you could have just test fired, but we didn't.

00:09:52.235 --> 00:10:00.171
So neither had we driven the vehicles and these things that you learn right, level four armored Suburbans.

00:10:00.171 --> 00:10:05.799
And I remember this because each one of us because it was a small team, everyone had collateral duties.

00:10:05.799 --> 00:10:14.419
So, for example, when the two teams of four formed up, john Cheese and I were on opposite teams, right.

00:10:14.419 --> 00:10:38.852
So the breakdown of the teams there was it was Jim as our team leader, mark Parsons, dear friend of mine, and Mike and myself we were Bravo team, and then Alpha team was Swervin Cheese, kurt and an empty space because Mike didn't, didn't make the trip.

00:10:38.852 --> 00:10:42.666
So now we're waiting on his replacement.

00:10:42.666 --> 00:10:48.048
They're going to expedite the process, you know, so forth, so forth, but until they did we were one man down.

00:10:48.048 --> 00:10:50.905
So you know we draw our gear.

00:10:52.019 --> 00:10:55.870
The vehicles were level four armored vehicles, suburbans.

00:10:55.870 --> 00:11:05.245
But one of the things that we found out, and Chee's one of his tasks, he was the training counterpart on Alpha Team, but he was also in charge of the vehicles.

00:11:05.245 --> 00:11:09.398
That was one of his, I'm pretty sure one of his um, um collateral duties.

00:11:09.398 --> 00:11:12.947
I mean he had driven armor before, you know, as a member of dev group.

00:11:12.947 --> 00:11:19.849
Uh, actually, both of those units do a good bit of like very high risk um, uh close, like PSD, you know protective services If you remember, like the beginning of um Afghanistan before.

00:11:19.849 --> 00:11:25.580
Uh, you know protective services If you remember, like the beginning of Afghanistan before.

00:11:25.580 --> 00:11:27.443
You know.

00:11:27.443 --> 00:11:38.453
I'm not going to go down a political rabbit hole, you know, but before our allies were capable of protecting themselves, delta and Dev Group would be on opposite rotations.

00:11:38.453 --> 00:11:51.272
So you would have TF Green would be Delta, tf Blue would be Dev Group, and in addition to a lot of their other missions, one of the things they would do is they would assign a protective team to Karzai.

00:11:51.272 --> 00:12:05.043
And in fact this is kind of interesting when we were still at Crucible boom, like midday makes the news there's an attempt on Karzai's life and his security detail, puts down the threat and so forth and so forth.

00:12:05.043 --> 00:12:07.128
And sure enough, you know those were.

00:12:07.128 --> 00:12:19.032
I couldn't tell you at the time if it was green or blue, I don't recall who was there, but you know, as we're getting ready to go to Israel, like, this is another reminder like shit's happening, that's like happening real time, but that was a big deal.

00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:24.765
And somewhere somewhere in the archives it comes up every once in a while in my Facebook feed.

00:12:24.765 --> 00:12:40.008
Somewhere in the archives, it comes up every once in a while in my Facebook feed, there's a really cool picture of Jim in Beirut, lebanon, with the US ambassador, you know, on a protective detail and just so, like I said, I mean to me to be able to have learned from some guys like that.

00:12:40.008 --> 00:12:43.153
There's no school for that, you know, there's really not.

00:12:43.153 --> 00:12:46.120
So that's like right, hey, right on, you know.

00:12:46.120 --> 00:12:52.426
But again, you know, the, the, the personality is like here's Jim and he's just like what in the world did they send me?

00:12:52.426 --> 00:13:08.541
Right, but you would have never known it because he maintained his poise and his bearing and um, so we, we go on our first mission and again I mean just bad luck.

00:13:08.561 --> 00:13:16.142
But Mike draws, and the way we ran was you'd have an American driver, an embassy driver, in the first suburban, duke, he was our state department, he was, we were his guys.

00:13:16.142 --> 00:13:27.841
So he was in the right front seat, okay, the uh, the package, the USAID or foreign service officer would be in the backseat of that, the lead vehicle.

00:13:27.841 --> 00:13:34.943
And then we were the QRF, you know, the quick response force, the maneuver element, whatever you want to call it.

00:13:34.943 --> 00:13:46.541
So while Duke, the State Department agent, would have control of the package, jim had tactical control of the whole package of the mission package.

00:13:46.541 --> 00:13:50.979
Jim had tactical control of the whole package of the mission and he would ride right front in the Suburban and the three of us would do a rotation week to week was.

00:13:50.979 --> 00:13:56.009
You know, mike started off as the driver and I guess he had said that he had driven before.

00:13:56.009 --> 00:13:57.881
You know more than Mark and I.

00:13:57.881 --> 00:14:00.011
We did some motorcade operations.

00:14:00.072 --> 00:14:02.801
And this is something to the company that I'd worked for previously.

00:14:02.801 --> 00:14:20.052
We did a lot of schools, which was great, you know, from SUVs, suburbans, lincoln town cars, like the town car was, I guess, like a standard, you know, and I remember going through a really good driving school in Virginia and you know, it is it's, it's.

00:14:20.052 --> 00:14:23.174
You can't put a price tag on it.

00:14:23.174 --> 00:14:25.697
It was awesome, but we never drove armor.

00:14:25.697 --> 00:14:32.471
The dynamic's different and, like I said, just with the rifle, I could zero a rifle, hand it to you, it'll probably work.

00:14:32.471 --> 00:14:36.200
It'll probably work, but you should really zero it yourself.

00:14:36.200 --> 00:14:39.890
The smart person, the prudent person would zero it themselves.

00:14:39.890 --> 00:14:44.051
So, similarly, I'm like no, I understand how to do these evasive maneuvers.

00:14:44.051 --> 00:15:00.365
So, similarly, I'm like no, I understand how to do these evasive maneuvers.

00:15:00.365 --> 00:15:04.991
I remember every skill, every tactical maneuver, pitting.

00:15:04.991 --> 00:15:07.456
They're nuances, but they're things that I'm glad I know.

00:15:07.456 --> 00:15:13.326
Oh, you know, if the road's blocked and you have to ram right, I mean what makes sense?

00:15:13.326 --> 00:15:20.785
You know, am I going to hit that car in the front, where the engine is and where it's heaviest, or am I going to hit it in the tail, where it's lightest, and move it out of the way?

00:15:20.785 --> 00:15:23.389
Well, I'm going to hit the tail but move it out of the way.

00:15:23.389 --> 00:15:27.778
Well, I'm going to hit the tail, but guess what I have?

00:15:27.778 --> 00:15:31.840
I have airbags, right.

00:15:31.840 --> 00:15:33.629
So the prudent person in that type of situation would have disconnected the airbags.

00:15:33.629 --> 00:15:34.916
And you know, essential personnel are wearing their seatbelts.

00:15:34.916 --> 00:15:37.182
So if you're going to ram, you're going to give it a good push.

00:15:37.182 --> 00:15:43.328
You know also, if situation, time permits, you know, maybe don't hit it with the front of your vehicle, right.

00:15:43.328 --> 00:15:48.508
But again, you know, maybe don't hit it with the front of your vehicle, right, right, but again, you know things that look good on TV and things that how they translate.

00:15:48.508 --> 00:15:53.168
But now here we are, like 24 hours, 48 hours after.

00:15:53.168 --> 00:15:57.782
We know not even we hit the ground Saturday night, we're rolling Monday morning.

00:15:57.782 --> 00:15:59.205
So we had Sunday to get our gear.

00:15:59.205 --> 00:16:00.408
Do a quick.

00:16:00.408 --> 00:16:01.912
You know, here's a map.

00:16:01.912 --> 00:16:11.664
You know we don't know where we're going.

00:16:11.664 --> 00:16:15.134
And one of the things too and this is this is not funny and this is no kidding At the time the Palestinian Authority was in charge of the Gaza Strip.

00:16:15.154 --> 00:16:16.418
All right, it was like the governing body.

00:16:16.418 --> 00:16:18.767
They had their policing paramilitary arm.

00:16:18.767 --> 00:16:24.364
You know, and I'll never forget this State Department agents that briefed us before we rolled.

00:16:24.364 --> 00:16:26.388
One of them.

00:16:26.388 --> 00:16:29.854
Eric, just again, the best, these guys are the best.

00:16:29.854 --> 00:16:31.605
I remember him telling us.

00:16:31.605 --> 00:16:35.447
He was like, okay, he goes, when you see them, you'll know.

00:16:35.447 --> 00:16:43.908
And he was like they're going to meet us at the crossing and we'll follow them from point to point for the meetings of the day, them from point to point for the meetings of the day.

00:16:43.908 --> 00:16:47.631
So again, you know, like red flag number, whatever.

00:16:47.692 --> 00:16:51.436
At this point we're like all right, don't know these people.

00:16:51.436 --> 00:16:57.561
Right, they're supposed to be our counterparts in Palestine.

00:16:57.561 --> 00:16:58.121
Don't know them.

00:16:58.121 --> 00:17:07.388
Hamas was already active, right, they were more like a movement at the time, but they were gaining momentum and this was back in 2002.

00:17:07.388 --> 00:17:08.250
It's how long ago.

00:17:09.411 --> 00:17:18.799
But one of the things we found really odd was all right, we and again I mean I guess you go back to like ancient warfare right, all these are our counterparts.

00:17:18.799 --> 00:17:22.296
You know they're from, you know another clan, but they're going to lead us through the.

00:17:22.296 --> 00:17:24.099
How do you know?

00:17:24.099 --> 00:17:28.315
How do you know, until you know that this guy's not going to turn around and bite you in the ass?

00:17:28.315 --> 00:17:33.924
Well, you know, a year and a half later they did, because it was it.

00:17:33.924 --> 00:17:35.797
Anyway, we'll get there.

00:17:35.797 --> 00:17:42.480
But so, you know, here we go and we're like we've got weapons that haven't been fired.

00:17:42.480 --> 00:18:15.730
We're meeting an element that supposed to be our allies and they're going to lead us because the night before it's SOP, the night before we would send, we, the State Department, would send them our itinerary for the next day, oh, we're going to meet you at this time at the crossing, At the crossing, at the Erez crossing, where you would process through Subsequently we had several of us brought this up more than once Can we not enter from any of the other crossings, from north to south?

00:18:16.332 --> 00:18:23.153
Why don't we just and I get that the PA has to be involved tell them, we'll meet them on target, we'll meet them at the first venue.

00:18:23.153 --> 00:18:26.180
You know, at least let us get there.

00:18:26.180 --> 00:18:28.369
No, you can't do that.

00:18:28.369 --> 00:18:30.375
You know diplomatic relations.

00:18:30.375 --> 00:18:34.804
I'm like, okay, all right, so again, kind of put that off to the side.

00:18:34.804 --> 00:18:43.877
But you know, for right now, for the minimum weapons we haven't fired, like for all I know, I'm going to pull the trigger on one of those little flags that says bang is going to come out, the barrel, right.

00:18:44.509 --> 00:18:55.692
So okay, but I will say this though the personnel that we rolled with, you know, couldn't have asked for more.

00:18:55.692 --> 00:19:03.115
You know, duke knew his job, he knew his business and we were glad to have him there with us and I think he was glad to have us there, as you know, augmenting the security process.

00:19:03.115 --> 00:19:07.291
And again, you know, jim, jim knew his stuff, no doubt in cheese.

00:19:07.291 --> 00:19:09.836
You know, couldn't have asked for more.

00:19:09.836 --> 00:19:12.641
Mark, we didn't know each other.

00:19:12.641 --> 00:19:14.785
We're all total strangers, you know to this point.

00:19:14.785 --> 00:19:23.636
But Mark and Mike, Mike's driving there we go, mark and I are in the back and we're, you know, watching left, right and really it was so great, like you'd sit sideways.

00:19:23.636 --> 00:19:28.823
So you're looking out, you know, left and right and watching for anything unusual.

00:19:29.329 --> 00:19:31.031
But there was nothing covert about this.

00:19:31.031 --> 00:19:35.395
We're in clearly marked the was it CD?

00:19:35.395 --> 00:19:37.438
Charlie Delta, I think, was the prefix.

00:19:37.438 --> 00:19:39.240
Pretty sure that was it.

00:19:39.240 --> 00:19:58.479
But the license plates were alphanumeric and they're just like long rectangular, white with black trim and black alphanumerics was was the identifier for the US embassy and then the number, you know for the vehicle, diplomatic plates and all that which is super duper anywhere else.

00:19:58.479 --> 00:20:01.834
Right, but one, you kind of identify yourself.

00:20:01.913 --> 00:20:10.521
Two, you know they're not black suburbans because it's you know, the Middle East and it can be hot, but they're like a silverish gold kind of, you know, less heat reflective.

00:20:10.521 --> 00:20:17.700
One of the things Cheese pointed out real fast was um, he was like you know, guys, these are level four armor.

00:20:17.700 --> 00:20:20.791
I said that several times before and the point I'm getting to is they're heavy.

00:20:20.791 --> 00:20:27.712
There was nothing done with the hinges on the doors, right, they're standard factory hinges.

00:20:27.712 --> 00:20:31.585
So the additional armor didn't take into account like you've got.

00:20:31.585 --> 00:20:39.000
You got junior varsity hinges and you got a varsity weight capacity right In the in the door itself and the brake pads.

00:20:39.000 --> 00:20:41.071
So the brakes and the brake pads, right.

00:20:41.071 --> 00:20:43.878
So now you're trying to stop a heavy vehicle.

00:20:43.878 --> 00:20:49.940
Now, for us in Tel Aviv really didn't matter, you know, it's relatively flat, relatively flat and level.

00:20:49.940 --> 00:20:51.992
40 minutes of interstate driving.

00:20:51.992 --> 00:20:55.434
And I remember Eric briefed us up on the Palestinian Authority.

00:20:55.434 --> 00:20:56.538
He goes oh, you'll recognize them.

00:20:56.538 --> 00:21:01.679
He's like sometimes, guys, they can look like the Keystone cops and he was like other times.

00:21:01.679 --> 00:21:03.691
You know, they're sharp, you know.

00:21:03.691 --> 00:21:06.980
And he said but you'll recognize them because they wear what the hell does?

00:21:06.980 --> 00:21:10.816
He call it Snake Plissken, camo from Escape from New York.

00:21:10.816 --> 00:21:13.339
Right, he goes, snake Plissken, just remember that he goes.

00:21:13.339 --> 00:21:18.619
And when you get there, when you drive in, he's like you remember the movie the Omega man with Charlton Heston.

00:21:18.619 --> 00:21:21.778
It was based on I Am Legend.

00:21:21.778 --> 00:21:25.053
Right, honest to goodness.

00:21:25.053 --> 00:21:30.258
He's like when you first get there, he's like you're going to be driving through and you're like, oh my God, like, look at this.

00:21:30.258 --> 00:21:39.457
And you know you find different reasons for this.

00:21:39.457 --> 00:21:42.038
I guess there is something in the like by Palestinian law, you don't pay taxes on a building if it's still under construction.

00:21:42.038 --> 00:21:43.446
So typically, what would happen in these new construction sites?

00:21:43.446 --> 00:21:52.097
They wouldn't finish them, so you'd still have like exposed rebar and concrete block and all this and it's like, ah, but it was, it was odd, you know, it was just kind of odd.

00:21:52.097 --> 00:21:55.243
Sometimes the streets are channelized, and you know.

00:21:55.243 --> 00:22:10.705
But I do know this and this is a fact I've been on trips where checks, money was given for infrastructure, for 7-Up.

00:22:10.705 --> 00:22:26.179
Oh yeah, today's meeting we're going to meet at the villa of the president or the owner of the seven up bottling company, and USAID is presenting a check for like a hundred million dollars or something astronomical, and I'm like Roger that.

00:22:26.179 --> 00:22:36.958
So this should benefit the people, right, and you get a hundred million dollars for your infrastructure and you get $100 million for your infrastructure and you're going to start bottling like a son of a bitch.

00:22:36.958 --> 00:22:38.920
You know it didn't go there, right.

00:22:38.920 --> 00:22:43.523
So you see that this is part of a process that you're like are we doing anything here?

00:22:43.523 --> 00:22:45.165
And I say that.

00:22:45.165 --> 00:22:47.007
Then I step back and I say you know what?

00:22:49.829 --> 00:22:53.972
For a long time I did believe yeah, we're keeping the people who are doing these missions, we're keeping them safe, right To the best of our ability.

00:22:53.972 --> 00:22:56.574
We're keeping the people who are doing these missions, we're keeping them safe, right To the best of our ability.

00:22:56.574 --> 00:22:57.095
We're keeping them safe.

00:22:57.095 --> 00:23:08.521
So, first day, you know, we roll on our mission, we get our objective, we do our thing, we're coming back out and I don't remember exactly what happened, but we get word.

00:23:08.521 --> 00:23:10.502
Hey, pick up the pace, get out.

00:23:11.083 --> 00:23:27.190
Any time there was any type of activity whether it was Palestinian on Israeli, israeli on Palestinian, anything like that the first thing that would happen very, very quickly was the borders would be shut down and secured.

00:23:27.190 --> 00:23:42.604
If it had been a type of retaliatory strike, because oftentimes there'd be mortar and rocket attacks from Palestine into southern parts of Israel Ashkelon, ashdod you don't want to be caught on the wrong side as a Westerner when that happens.

00:23:42.604 --> 00:23:46.511
So like, okay, expedite, no, boom, here we go.

00:23:46.511 --> 00:23:51.663
And again heavy vehicles not used to the weight ratio and the braking capacity.

00:23:51.663 --> 00:23:56.349
And all that, sure enough, boom, we hit the lead vehicle right.

00:23:56.349 --> 00:24:00.740
And I don't remember how far we got.

00:24:00.740 --> 00:24:02.092
I mean, those are.

00:24:02.112 --> 00:24:03.116
I remember the impact.

00:24:03.116 --> 00:24:04.516
I remember hitting, it wasn't bad.

00:24:04.516 --> 00:24:15.763
I mean it was just like, oh, we're going to, we're not going to make it Dang right, and of course Jim's just like you know, stoic, but it's all right, great.

00:24:15.763 --> 00:24:24.779
So, one thing and another, we get the vehicle to a point I think we just cross, loaded into the other vehicle and off we went.

00:24:24.779 --> 00:24:33.698
And then, sure enough, we had enough liaison personnel in the embassy to, hey, we're going to call a tow company, they're going to go down, bring the vehicle back to Tel Aviv.

00:24:33.698 --> 00:24:35.477
We'll use another one in the short term.

00:24:35.477 --> 00:24:38.419
But I do remember this, and these are like the highlights.

00:24:38.419 --> 00:24:44.540
I keep waiting to hear oh, my foot, my foot.

00:24:45.809 --> 00:24:55.976
But anyhow, one of the first things like maybe, as I recall, maybe even that night we had a really nice.

00:24:55.976 --> 00:24:59.303
Well, for quite a while we were still in the hotel.

00:24:59.303 --> 00:25:03.395
You know, I don't know how long a week maybe we get our apartment.

00:25:03.395 --> 00:25:05.712
Alpha team still didn't have.

00:25:05.712 --> 00:25:07.857
I think we got ours a little bit earlier.

00:25:07.857 --> 00:25:09.221
Ours was ready, theirs wasn't.

00:25:10.130 --> 00:25:16.663
So we had a really nice open floor plan, kind of like a loft and then a rooftop.

00:25:16.663 --> 00:25:20.135
It was only a four-story building so we had half of the top floor.

00:25:20.135 --> 00:25:27.221
The gentleman and his family who lived the other half owned a market on the ground floor.

00:25:27.221 --> 00:25:28.564
It was so cool.

00:25:28.564 --> 00:25:32.303
It was one of those like roll-up doors, you know, from side to side, top to bottom and year-round.

00:25:32.303 --> 00:25:35.794
The door to side, top to bottom and year round the door was like rolled up.

00:25:35.794 --> 00:25:47.252
And I remember the gentleman that lived right below us was an older gentleman and every evening like this to me was all part of the upside of it, the gentleman that lived below us.

00:25:47.252 --> 00:26:06.263
Every evening you'd see him in the store sitting at the counter playing chess with the owner and I mean, you know they got to know us and you know short order and and I'll tell you like we were always welcomed and treated like neighbors to the to the nth degree, to the to the best.

00:26:07.630 --> 00:26:12.199
When our guys were killed, I never experienced anything like it.

00:26:12.199 --> 00:26:20.791
I mean, you realize, like we've gotten to know each other in a short period of time, we've become very, very close and, again you know, everyone was neighborly, everyone was cordial.

00:26:20.791 --> 00:26:33.762
When our guys were killed, it took on almost like a, almost like a family level, like it was wild, it was surreal, and I think too, maybe a part of it was, and I'm getting way ahead.

00:26:33.762 --> 00:26:36.954
I'm getting way ahead, but it was just, it was nice, right.

00:26:36.954 --> 00:26:40.490
So here we are back at close to the beginning, and Jim's like all right guys.

00:26:40.490 --> 00:26:43.900
He's like everybody up on the roof, we have a team meeting.

00:26:43.900 --> 00:26:47.732
We're like oh man, we're fired already, you know.

00:26:47.732 --> 00:26:53.603
So we get up there, he's got a cooler full of Corona beer and we're sitting there and we're cracking beers and he's like all right.

00:26:53.623 --> 00:26:54.545
I want to go around the table.

00:26:54.545 --> 00:26:58.893
Everybody introduce yourselves, you know, tell us a little bit about yourselves so we get.

00:26:58.893 --> 00:27:01.015
You know, boom, boom, boom, we get all around the table.

00:27:01.015 --> 00:27:02.674
It's all good stuff.

00:27:02.674 --> 00:27:05.770
And Jim's like right, he goes.

00:27:05.770 --> 00:27:06.632
Well, I'll be honest with you.

00:27:06.632 --> 00:27:12.498
He was like I was kind of surprised with what they sent us.

00:27:12.498 --> 00:27:18.685
All right, he said I expected more specifically, I expected more special operations personnel.

00:27:18.685 --> 00:27:25.979
And he's like but and I'll never forget this to this day and I've used this more and more he's like but you go to war with what you got.

00:27:25.979 --> 00:27:29.398
And he was like so first order of business.

00:27:29.398 --> 00:27:31.838
He's like Rocky, find us in the thumbs up again.

00:27:31.838 --> 00:27:32.914
I love that little guy.

00:27:32.914 --> 00:27:39.651
If you could control that like, I'd put little eyes on him you know, thumbs up, pops up, he's got a face.

00:27:39.691 --> 00:27:45.963
He's like but, um, he's like Rocky, you're the, you know the team training officer.

00:27:45.963 --> 00:27:50.198
He's like find us a range, find us a range like right away.

00:27:50.198 --> 00:27:58.391
Um, he's like Mark Mark was um, like right away.

00:27:58.391 --> 00:27:59.694
Um, he's like mark mark was um, his primary collateral.

00:27:59.694 --> 00:28:00.377
He was a medical.

00:28:00.377 --> 00:28:04.872
And he's like want you to come up with a couple periods of instruction for um, emergency, emergency medical aid, right?

00:28:04.872 --> 00:28:08.619
He's like mike, um, you're driving the first week.

00:28:08.619 --> 00:28:12.174
He's like come up with a good presentation on, on, defensive driving.

00:28:12.174 --> 00:28:15.163
And there was no ifs, ands or buts.

00:28:15.163 --> 00:28:22.136
I mean like you would come up with it, you would present it, boom, so early on.

00:28:22.136 --> 00:28:23.421
Like I said, it was early on.

00:28:23.421 --> 00:28:24.893
Cheese is the trainer.

00:28:24.893 --> 00:28:27.019
You know the training officer for Alpha Team.

00:28:27.019 --> 00:28:33.117
So I get online and we find a shooting range which is not too far north of the embassy.

00:28:34.510 --> 00:28:35.854
And now in Israel.

00:28:35.854 --> 00:28:39.462
It's like Friday and Saturday are the weekends, right.

00:28:39.462 --> 00:28:49.695
So we decide we're like well, hey, if we get up early enough and get up there on Friday morning, we'll hit the range early.

00:28:49.695 --> 00:28:56.115
You and I will go advance it, check it out, meet with management, see how easily it would be for us to train there.

00:28:56.115 --> 00:28:58.221
Great, so we get there.

00:28:58.221 --> 00:29:02.265
And it's really not that, you know, there's not a lot of people there.

00:29:02.285 --> 00:29:03.289
It was a beautiful facility.

00:29:03.289 --> 00:29:13.160
I mean, they had pictures up all over the place of the Israeli Olympic team for, like what's the event called?

00:29:13.160 --> 00:29:15.790
Biathlon.

00:29:15.790 --> 00:29:16.939
Yes, yeah, for like what's the event called?

00:29:16.939 --> 00:29:17.924
Like, you know, when you Biathlon?

00:29:17.924 --> 00:29:19.740
Yes, yes, they had photographs of that.

00:29:19.740 --> 00:29:22.758
They had photographs of, like, their rifle team and that kind of thing.

00:29:22.758 --> 00:29:23.580
Very, very cool.

00:29:23.580 --> 00:29:25.256
And it was a nice facility.

00:29:25.256 --> 00:29:27.236
You had like indoor ranges, you had outdoor.

00:29:27.236 --> 00:29:28.661
It's like super.

00:29:28.661 --> 00:29:39.103
So we get there and, sure enough, as we're standing there waiting to meet with management, one of the guards from the US Embassy had his Israeli Guard Force.

00:29:39.103 --> 00:29:43.339
So one of the guards comes walking by and he's like hey guys.

00:29:43.790 --> 00:29:45.217
We're like, hey, buddy, what's up?

00:29:45.217 --> 00:29:48.720
And he's like well, my IPSC team is practicing here.

00:29:48.720 --> 00:29:51.752
And we're like, oh, OK, great, so what are you doing here?

00:29:51.752 --> 00:29:54.576
Oh, we're going to meet with someone to see if we could use the place to train.

00:29:54.576 --> 00:29:56.417
He's like, oh, yeah, come with me.

00:29:56.417 --> 00:29:58.579
So you know the person we talked to.

00:29:58.579 --> 00:29:59.922
They're not sure who to direct.

00:29:59.922 --> 00:30:04.226
Well, it wasn't like that, but our guy knew exactly who could hook us up.

00:30:04.226 --> 00:30:09.795
So he takes us in, introduces us.

00:30:09.795 --> 00:30:11.356
Hey, he goes, why don't you?

00:30:11.356 --> 00:30:13.220
He goes, you know, come on out and meet some of the guys.

00:30:13.220 --> 00:30:19.277
So we go out to the range and we're talking with some of the other shooters and all that, and what?

00:30:19.297 --> 00:30:21.694
What I found really, really interesting too, was none of us.

00:30:21.694 --> 00:30:23.119
When we got there, none of us spoke Hebrew.

00:30:23.119 --> 00:30:25.856
So we thought, hey, this is a great opportunity.

00:30:25.856 --> 00:30:34.016
Like we'll, we'll learn the language, right, what we found was when we would mingle with, like, younger people, they all wanted to speak English.

00:30:34.016 --> 00:30:36.838
So, like nobody, we didn't, we didn't learn.

00:30:36.838 --> 00:30:37.798
And God bless him.

00:30:37.818 --> 00:30:43.683
Man, john had this uh, I don't know if it was he didn't have a Texas accent at all Like he's.

00:30:43.683 --> 00:30:56.471
You know, you, I'm detectable, you know, non-issue, but when he would try to, oh, my God, god, I love him, I love him, I love him, I miss him every day.

00:30:56.471 --> 00:30:59.328
But he'd ask for a check.

00:30:59.328 --> 00:31:07.180
And you're like dude, I'm not even sure what you said, but it sounded so awkward like you were gagging.

00:31:07.180 --> 00:31:09.826
How do I say it?

00:31:09.826 --> 00:31:10.449
Let's wait a minute.

00:31:10.449 --> 00:31:17.991
Hashbon, hashbon, Hashbon, check, hashbon, right, bevakasha, hashbon, bevakasha, check.

00:31:17.991 --> 00:31:24.929
Please, like what?

00:31:24.929 --> 00:31:29.077
Like I'm not even sure that means anything, let alone what you think it means.

00:31:29.077 --> 00:31:33.111
You know, but he was just a good dude, but that's anyway, we get there right.

00:31:33.771 --> 00:31:37.857
And um, the the president of their club.

00:31:37.857 --> 00:31:44.705
He didn't speak english, so our guy from the embassy is translating for us and he's like, hey, uh, you know, nice to meet you this and this.

00:31:44.705 --> 00:31:47.353
And he's like, hey, well, you know, do you want to shoot with us?

00:31:47.353 --> 00:31:51.490
And both of us were like, you know, you never pass up an opportunity to shoot.

00:31:51.490 --> 00:31:56.391
But we're like, well, we didn't, we didn't bring anything, like we're not, you know, and that was that was kind of ought to.

00:31:56.391 --> 00:31:58.655
We didn't typically did not carry off duty.

00:31:58.655 --> 00:32:09.430
You know, we, we were credentialed to do so like we had our little you know, little permits or what have you, but as a rule we didn't so okay

00:32:09.450 --> 00:32:09.631
great.

00:32:09.631 --> 00:32:10.413
So we didn't bring anything.

00:32:10.413 --> 00:32:11.836
Oh, don't worry about that.

00:32:11.836 --> 00:32:15.131
He's like everybody here has extra gear, great.

00:32:15.131 --> 00:32:20.688
So someone gives john a glock, the holster and mag pouches.

00:32:20.688 --> 00:32:26.303
I get this tricked out and these are spare weapons, granted.

00:32:26.303 --> 00:32:37.361
So whoever I got, like my benefactor, like this is a spare, this is a custom 1911 in .40 caliber, custom, everything right.

00:32:37.361 --> 00:32:41.715
I have a holster for it, but I've got no mag pouch for the mags.

00:32:41.715 --> 00:32:45.571
So I take the spare magazines and I tuck them in my belt, right.

00:32:45.571 --> 00:32:48.897
So okay, here we go, we're downrange, we're listening to the

00:32:48.938 --> 00:32:49.298
briefing.

00:32:49.298 --> 00:32:54.212
I don't even remember the courses of fire off the top, but IPSC is kind of cool if you've ever seen it.

00:32:54.212 --> 00:33:03.730
I don't even remember what IPSC stands for international IPS, international pistol shooters associate club, anyway, ipsc.

00:33:03.730 --> 00:33:05.394
And of course is a fire.

00:33:05.394 --> 00:33:12.372
So they'll, they'll bring in like like doors on roller rolling casters and it's like okay, you know it's.

00:33:12.372 --> 00:33:19.722
You open the door and you step through and then you engage right, or you know knock down steel, you know poppers or any number of different

00:33:19.762 --> 00:33:20.184
scenarios.

00:33:20.184 --> 00:33:22.875
But what's very, very cool is it's super organized.

00:33:22.875 --> 00:33:24.912
The course of fire is already laid out.

00:33:24.912 --> 00:33:27.153
So you come up as the next shooter.

00:33:27.153 --> 00:33:36.078
You know the line range master will be like okay, on this course of fire, you will boom, boom, boom, okay, great.

00:33:36.078 --> 00:33:42.778
So at one point, and again it just goes to show you right, unfamiliar gear, never fired it before, not even.

00:33:42.778 --> 00:33:46.076
I don't even like the tolerances of this thing, I don't even know it yet.

00:33:46.076 --> 00:33:52.494
Right, chambered in 40 caliber, those rounds are not light, okay, and it's all customized and all this.

00:33:52.494 --> 00:34:02.681
So at the buzzer you will draw your weapon and you'll engage these plates, steel plates right, knock them down, super so here I am, I'm ready, right.

00:34:03.363 --> 00:34:04.105
I draw the pistol.

00:34:04.105 --> 00:34:14.775
As I'm coming up out of the holster, I bring my hands together, I just tap, the magazine release magazine falls out and it's, it's.

00:34:14.775 --> 00:34:18.786
It's like bright, I wouldn't say chrome, but like bright, stainless yeah.

00:34:18.786 --> 00:34:25.565
So as it falls, one I can feel it, because it's like you know, it's heavy, so I feel it.

00:34:25.565 --> 00:34:31.141
But I also see this like flash of, like silver, got around in the chamber, right.

00:34:31.141 --> 00:34:34.570
So as I'm coming on target, the magazine drops.

00:34:34.570 --> 00:34:39.559
I go, bam, I'm on the you know, I'm on the spare mag.

00:34:39.559 --> 00:34:40.831
Boom, boom, boom, boom, right.

00:34:40.831 --> 00:34:42.130
So ting, ting, ting, ting ting.

00:34:42.130 --> 00:34:44.853
I'm like Jesus, mary and Joseph, like that's embarrassing, right.

00:34:44.853 --> 00:34:49.396
So I hit the targets safe holster, you know lines, clear.

00:34:49.396 --> 00:34:53.697
I pick up the mag, you know range, ferry my gear, right.

00:34:53.697 --> 00:35:06.728
So we turn around to come back now like I'm gonna top off my magazine and we've still like they're hospitable, gracious, but we're still feeling like dude, we're the outsiders, you know so.

00:35:06.728 --> 00:35:07.851
We're like you know.

00:35:07.851 --> 00:35:11.097
So I I said the cheese, like as I'm loading I go man.

00:35:11.117 --> 00:35:12.952
How bad was that like I'm not looking at him.

00:35:12.952 --> 00:35:14.356
I'm like, how bad was that?

00:35:14.356 --> 00:35:16.965
And he's, you know, he's messing with his gear.

00:35:16.965 --> 00:35:18.871
He goes, dude, nice, he goes.

00:35:18.871 --> 00:35:21.847
You hit everything you aimed at and you got back in battery really fast.

00:35:21.847 --> 00:35:23.030
He's like good job.

00:35:23.030 --> 00:35:24.614
I'm like, yeah, you too.

00:35:24.614 --> 00:35:26.887
So he's, you know, again, he's just ting, ting, ting.

00:35:26.887 --> 00:35:28.632
He's killing it and we're, we're having fun.

00:35:28.751 --> 00:35:32.552
You know a couple of the other things we're like okay, you know, you at the buzzer you're facing up range.

00:35:32.552 --> 00:35:41.346
At the buzzer you turn, you move down, there's a table, um, your weapons unloaded, so you pick it up, load it and then engage through the door, through the window, whatever the scenarios.

00:35:41.346 --> 00:35:44.835
So we shot for a good while, you know, we shot for a good while with them.

00:35:44.835 --> 00:35:49.856
So the next thing, I know they invite us for refreshments.

00:35:49.856 --> 00:35:53.547
Like right in the next little room they had set up like coffee and you know, cookies or whatever.

00:35:53.547 --> 00:35:59.150
So we go over, we're making small talk and this and this and somewhere I still have this.

00:35:59.210 --> 00:36:00.934
I I've got to dig it out at some point.

00:36:00.934 --> 00:36:03.068
I haven't seen it in 20 years.

00:36:03.068 --> 00:36:11.672
So the president of the club comes over with our guy from the embassy and he says something to him in hebrew and then he says repeats to us.

00:36:11.672 --> 00:36:25.952
He goes hey, he'd like to know if you'd like to join our team, and I'm like I look at Cheese and I'm like dude, right, and Cheese is like yeah, you know, so we're like yeah, so they come out with these polo shirts.

00:36:26.052 --> 00:36:31.588
You know the Tel Aviv chapter, you know the Ipsic crest and all that I was like man, this is so cool.

00:36:31.648 --> 00:36:32.889
We made the team, you know.

00:36:32.889 --> 00:36:34.570
And so we went back.

00:36:34.570 --> 00:36:35.610
I couldn't wait to tell Jim.

00:36:35.610 --> 00:36:40.375
I was like hey, not only did we find the range, it's awesome, it's good for everything we need.

00:36:40.375 --> 00:36:44.818
And they invited me, and they invited us to shoot with him.

00:36:44.818 --> 00:36:47.541
We shot with him and we're on the team and he's just smiling.

00:36:47.541 --> 00:36:57.596
He's like all right, all right, but I think to the point, so we didn't work together before, we didn't go through the same schools before.

00:36:58.056 --> 00:37:34.313
So Jim made it a point, a priority, that we're going to go get these weapons tight and we're going to work small unit tactics and we're we use that facility so many times like we would go up with both teams together and we'd bring our vehicles into, like there was an interior, um, an interior outdoor range, so it was outdoor, but you'd be inside the compound, right, and I mean we would stage the vehicles like you know vehicular ambush or you know lead vehicles down, you know position the follow vehicle in support, move out, you know engage targets, downrange.

00:37:34.313 --> 00:37:43.260
And so we took what we had and we made the absolute best of it and the training that we didn't have together we got.

00:37:43.260 --> 00:37:44.322
We got it.

00:37:44.322 --> 00:37:46.210
We took it upon ourselves to make sure.

00:37:46.210 --> 00:37:51.510
You know, jim took it upon himself to make sure that we had that training and driver training.

00:37:51.570 --> 00:38:03.155
I mean, he identified an amusement park that was closed for the season and this guy would do all kinds of route reconnaissance on his own and you know, google searches and all this, and he was like all right guys.

00:38:03.155 --> 00:38:21.704
He said, you know, we're going to sign out some vehicles tomorrow, we're going to do some driver training, this amusement park and we're in this, like the roadway that leads up to it and then the, the traffic circles around it, and just, you know, I mean anything that we were lacking.

00:38:21.704 --> 00:38:28.119
He made sure that in short, short order, we built up those skill sets and I thought that made us.

00:38:28.119 --> 00:38:38.090
We even were able to um, they had some armored vehicles that were set to be scrapped, so they told us where they were, they allowed us to have them.

00:38:38.806 --> 00:38:42.416
And we did breaching exercises on them, which was incredible.

00:38:42.416 --> 00:38:47.652
I mean you know manual breaching tools that we carried sledgehammer, halogen bar.

00:38:47.652 --> 00:38:48.936
It was just great.

00:38:48.936 --> 00:38:52.788
I mean you know the vehicle's down and you've got, you know, americans in it.

00:38:52.788 --> 00:38:53.612
You can't get them out.

00:38:53.612 --> 00:38:54.346
So what do you do?

00:38:54.346 --> 00:38:56.108
You know, identify the weaknesses.

00:38:56.108 --> 00:39:03.719
Work the hinges with wedge and sledgehammer, work the weak points in the windows with the sledge and the halogen.

00:39:03.719 --> 00:39:06.153
And you know we learned that really fast.

00:39:06.153 --> 00:39:10.717
And again, you know you've got the talent and the skills, like Cheese had worked as a breacher before.

00:39:10.717 --> 00:39:15.110
And you know he was schooling us up on the use of the manual tools and everything and you know was schooling us up on the use of the manual tools and everything.

00:39:15.110 --> 00:39:17.552
And you know such was my mindset at 38.

00:39:17.753 --> 00:39:19.695
I was like yeah, man, I'll be the, I'll be the breacher.

00:39:19.695 --> 00:39:23.840
You know I love this, you know, so, carry a sledge and you know, just just go to work.

00:39:23.840 --> 00:39:34.925
But, like I said, you know you realize the magnitude of the situation and you realize the training available and maybe you strike that perfect balance where you're like, hey, what'd you do today.

00:39:34.925 --> 00:39:36.771
Strike that perfect balance where you're like, hey, what'd you do today?

00:39:36.771 --> 00:39:37.373
Are you kidding me, man?

00:39:37.373 --> 00:39:38.659
We breached armored vehicles, like that's what we did today.

00:39:38.659 --> 00:39:42.590
But it's all a very small piece and, you know, hopefully a skill set that you don't ever use.

00:39:42.590 --> 00:39:55.329
But you know, and I think, conversely too, and I will say this, I'm gonna wear mittens from now on when we do this, because every time I move, that little bastard pops up.

00:39:55.329 --> 00:40:02.052
But, um, so we start to.

00:40:02.152 --> 00:40:08.914
You know, we're getting a lot more range time and I'm like, all right, so a couple of us are running red dot optics on our rifles.

00:40:08.914 --> 00:40:12.630
So the next thing, you know, we buy them, we don't mount them, we get them to the range.

00:40:12.630 --> 00:40:16.244
The next available opportunity, boom, throw them on, and now you zero.

00:40:16.244 --> 00:40:25.219
So one of the guys on the team um wasn't jim or mark or cheese or kurt or vick.

00:40:25.219 --> 00:40:27.407
Vick was the replacement that they sent in for mike.

00:40:27.407 --> 00:40:29.853
Really good dude, really la county sheriff.

00:40:29.853 --> 00:40:36.737
And um, the guy had some some situational awareness.

00:40:36.737 --> 00:40:46.592
You could tell he wasn't like a public affairs officer, he didn't sit at a desk, I mean he definitely brought that with him, but there's a lot of good range time.

00:40:48.110 --> 00:40:50.351
So we get there, we zero our red dots Great.

00:40:50.351 --> 00:40:54.335
So now the one guy that didn't want one, now he decides he wants one.

00:40:54.335 --> 00:41:02.590
But he says to me in passing when we're back at the house hey, rocky, just make a list and order me one of everything that you got.

00:41:02.590 --> 00:41:11.472
And I'm like when monkeys fly out of my butt all right, order me one of everything you've got.

00:41:11.472 --> 00:41:12.750
Do you even know what I have?

00:41:12.750 --> 00:41:18.110
Or is it, gucci, that, like you see shit that's on my rifle that you think looks sexy and you want that?

00:41:18.110 --> 00:41:21.938
I'm like this isn't, this is an amateur hour, you know.

00:41:21.938 --> 00:41:23.250
And I mean like, yeah, we didn't.

00:41:23.250 --> 00:41:27.025
A lot of us did not come from spec ops, backgrounds or tier one units.

00:41:27.025 --> 00:41:27.666
But you know what?

00:41:27.666 --> 00:41:34.130
You're right here, you're right now and you're fortunate enough to be working with guys who did so.

00:41:34.130 --> 00:41:51.706
You want to put something on your rifle, find out what it is, how it works, use it, get good at it, because to me, that strongly suggests that you are going to be that guy that's going to put it together, have no idea how it works, you know, I mean, and one thing I will say about red dots.

00:41:51.706 --> 00:41:58.518
Uh, you zero it properly, these things will hit whatever they aim at, whatever it's on, that's what's going to get hit.

00:41:58.518 --> 00:42:06.032
I've had the lens on more than one red dot shattered and there's still enough of it to project that dot.

00:42:06.032 --> 00:42:06.974
The dot still works.

00:42:06.974 --> 00:42:14.972
So you know, but I wouldn't just slap it on and hope for the best, you know.

00:42:15.686 --> 00:42:34.898
But anyway, yeah, he wasn't with the team much longer either, but you know, as it turned out, we ran some good missions, ran some really good missions, and I don't know, you know, you just sometimes you reach a point where, well, personnel changes, right.

00:42:34.898 --> 00:42:46.067
So Jim had an opportunity to move on to Iraq, and I don't remember what time of year it was summertime, I recall and so he had already made his selection.

00:42:46.067 --> 00:42:47.851
Mark was his second in command.

00:42:47.851 --> 00:42:52.851
So Jim was Bravo one, mark was Bravo two, I was Bravo three and Mike was Bravo four.

00:42:52.851 --> 00:43:01.835
So, as it would turn out, you know, mark would slide into jim's spot and, um, jim ended up taking another uh position in iraq.

00:43:01.835 --> 00:43:16.994
So we're like, okay, super, I mean, he was missed, he was missed, but I think he I believe this with all my heart I think he left with the confidence that he was leaving the team in good hands because mark was an absolute professional and I think that's one thing too, that that I always appreciated.

00:43:16.994 --> 00:43:35.615
Mark had no military background at all and didn't matter a bit, because I think because of that, I think he drove himself harder than anybody else to make sure that he was absolutely on point all the time and Jim couldn't have picked a better number two, could not.

00:43:35.615 --> 00:43:37.771
I mean, this guy was all over it.

00:43:37.771 --> 00:43:41.414
And so Jim leaves.

00:43:41.885 --> 00:43:43.472
We had another replacement come in.

00:43:43.472 --> 00:43:46.313
I want to say he was LAPD.

00:43:46.313 --> 00:43:49.032
He wasn't a bad guy, he really wasn't.

00:43:49.032 --> 00:43:53.215
But I really don't think he had like the big picture.

00:43:53.215 --> 00:44:02.012
I don't believe he had the big picture and at the time, oh my God, this was crazy, I forgot about this Swervin kind of self-destructed.

00:44:02.987 --> 00:44:09.454
He kind of self-destructed because, just like with Mike back in there, oh something's wrong and school me up on the M4.

00:44:09.454 --> 00:44:16.014
In the first week it didn't really happen early, early on, when we were in the hotels.

00:44:16.014 --> 00:44:19.851
I think that gave enough separation after hours that it that didn't happen.

00:44:19.851 --> 00:44:47.327
But once they moved into their team house, within the first week that they were in their team house, every member of that team came to jim because jim was basically like jim was bravo one, swerving was alpha one, but Jim was in charge of both teams, right, every member of that team came to Jim separately and they were like Jim, do any of your guys want to move to alpha team?

00:44:47.327 --> 00:44:48.927
I can't stay there anymore.

00:44:48.927 --> 00:44:55.335
And Jim was like and I just saw him last fall he came up to visit.

00:44:55.335 --> 00:45:11.800
He was like we know, we know, right, I mean so Jim was like Christ.

00:45:11.800 --> 00:45:17.188
He was like this, no thumbs.

00:45:17.188 --> 00:45:18.389
Jim was like Christ.

00:45:18.389 --> 00:45:19.351
He was like this no thumbs.

00:45:19.371 --> 00:45:20.231
Jim was like Christ.

00:45:20.231 --> 00:45:22.414
He's like everybody's asking me to come to our team.

00:45:22.414 --> 00:45:29.039
He's like, and I'm telling them, if you can find one of my guys that's willing to go own your place, then yes, nobody's going to leave.

00:45:29.039 --> 00:45:30.442
And we didn't.

00:45:30.442 --> 00:45:39.974
But that was just indicative that their team leader was on a bit of, a bit of a power trip, you know, and I do remember this.

00:45:39.974 --> 00:45:51.208
So you know, jim calls a team meet, a joint team meeting, and he's like here's what we're gonna do, you know, and I don't recall any, I don't recall any hostilities between the teams per se.

00:45:51.208 --> 00:45:53.192
Um, kurt's a good guy.

00:45:53.192 --> 00:45:55.375
Haven't seen him in a while, but he's a good guy.

00:45:55.375 --> 00:46:00.322
Haven't seen him in a while, but he's a good guy.

00:46:00.322 --> 00:46:04.664
Vic, I had no issues with A hard, hard dude, but a good operator.

00:46:04.664 --> 00:46:08.143
Cheese was the best.

00:46:08.143 --> 00:46:09.967
We didn't have any animosity between us.

00:46:09.967 --> 00:46:14.237
I think what was happening was again, a poisoned team leader poisons the team.

00:46:14.237 --> 00:46:17.994
Then that creates tensions that spill over to both teams, right?

00:46:17.994 --> 00:46:20.432
So I remember Jim calling this meeting.

00:46:21.786 --> 00:46:32.097
We had an office that there wasn't a lot of room for us in the embassy, so we had our gear locker down in the basement with all of our secure comms and all of our kit.

00:46:32.097 --> 00:46:40.110
But we had an office across the street in the in a like the little thoroughfare of the Israel Hotel, where we'd stay.

00:46:40.110 --> 00:46:46.230
So we meet and Jim's like right, he's like I have nothing to say, he's like I don't.

00:46:46.230 --> 00:46:47.873
He said so here's how this is going to go.

00:46:47.873 --> 00:46:49.666
These are the rules of engagement for this meeting.

00:46:49.666 --> 00:46:54.695
He was like I will be the monitor and he was like you will each have your turn to speak.

00:46:54.695 --> 00:46:57.746
You will not speak when someone else is talking.

00:46:57.746 --> 00:46:58.608
You won't.

00:46:58.608 --> 00:47:00.192
If you want to have a, you know you.

00:47:00.192 --> 00:47:02.237
You want to comment on something, you wait.

00:47:02.237 --> 00:47:11.510
And then, when that person's done, we'll go around the room, one at a time, so everybody gets a chance to retort or not, and he's like but you will not interrupt.

00:47:11.510 --> 00:47:17.356
And he said when I say stop, you stop.

00:47:17.356 --> 00:47:19.480
He's like there won't be arguments.

00:47:19.480 --> 00:47:22.208
And if you do, he's like when I say stop, you will stop.

00:47:22.208 --> 00:47:23.510
Roger that.

00:47:23.510 --> 00:47:24.693
So here we go.

00:47:25.594 --> 00:47:38.438
Um, it gets to the other team leader and he comes off with this fucking pompous and he really was.

00:47:38.438 --> 00:48:08.355
He had just this body language Like sometimes in my less mature days I would have said he just has a punchable face, you know, but he had this very pompous kind of bearing he's like well, I have to tell you, I'm just used to working with all special operations personnel and when I got here, I have to say this was by way of explanation, like you know, I might have seemed to be a dick, but here's why Because you don't all come from a special operations background and I'm used to working with all special operations personnel.

00:48:08.355 --> 00:48:09.650
It's exactly how he said it.

00:48:09.650 --> 00:48:12.753
So he was a former special operations.

00:48:12.994 --> 00:48:15.407
No, and he didn't.

00:48:15.407 --> 00:48:17.974
Here's the thing he was not.

00:48:17.974 --> 00:48:22.175
He didn't say he was, it wasn't like fraudulent or anything like that.

00:48:22.175 --> 00:48:23.847
He did.

00:48:23.847 --> 00:48:30.135
I want to say Marine Corps counterintelligence and not Marine Corps Raider, not MARSOC.

00:48:30.135 --> 00:48:32.512
You know, he was like Marine Corps counterintel.

00:48:32.512 --> 00:48:34.793
I knew a couple of those guys over the years.

00:48:34.793 --> 00:48:39.193
One of them was a good dude and I only knew three, including him.

00:48:39.193 --> 00:48:48.032
The other two, I thought, were just full of themselves, extremely full of themselves, and then I wonder if you struck upon that little niche.

00:48:48.032 --> 00:48:50.358
That's kind of like you know what?

00:48:50.358 --> 00:48:57.257
We're kind of cool, we're not spec ops, but we're spec ops adjacent.

00:48:57.885 --> 00:49:02.885
You know at least that was my take on it and, like I said, one of them was a solid dude.

00:49:02.885 --> 00:49:07.918
I worked with him before 9-11 and for the same company I was with on 9-11.

00:49:07.918 --> 00:49:09.289
And he's, you know, to this day.

00:49:09.289 --> 00:49:10.313
I see him on Facebook.

00:49:10.313 --> 00:49:11.489
He's a good guy, you know.

00:49:11.489 --> 00:49:17.789
The other two, I'm, like you know, a little full of yourself there, aren't you?

00:49:17.789 --> 00:49:20.376
And here's my measuring stick right, I hope that hurt.

00:49:20.376 --> 00:49:22.210
I hope that hurt.

00:49:22.210 --> 00:49:26.175
I hope you hyperextended your xiphoid process or something.

00:49:26.175 --> 00:49:30.670
You never know that I failed out of medical school.

00:49:30.670 --> 00:49:34.119
I'm impressed Right.

00:49:34.826 --> 00:49:37.492
And I'm not sure you can hyperextend a x xiphoid process.

00:49:37.492 --> 00:49:39.385
I know you can damage it and anyway.

00:49:39.385 --> 00:50:02.128
Anyway, um, my experience has been this and I just this is tried and true and I've defended to anybody I've been able to work with a very, very large number of spec ops personnel, you know on both, any branch, any branch a lot of tier one personalities.

00:50:02.128 --> 00:50:06.297
My experience has been anybody needs help.

00:50:06.297 --> 00:50:07.425
These guys are there to help.

00:50:07.425 --> 00:50:08.809
There's no criticism.

00:50:08.809 --> 00:50:11.056
There's no, you know, there's none of that.

00:50:11.056 --> 00:50:12.606
There's hey, man, right, we're going to get it up to speed, we're going to work towards the goal.

00:50:12.606 --> 00:50:19.985
There's hey, man, right, we're going to get it up to speed, we're going to work towards the goal, right.

00:50:19.985 --> 00:50:31.913
Then there's that other kind that's like this guy I'm talking about and that brand I guess you could say, where it's like, yeah, man, like we did something different and like it's cool.

00:50:31.913 --> 00:50:32.815
You know it's cool.

00:50:32.815 --> 00:50:36.324
Be proud of what you did, be proud of what you did, be proud of what you did.

00:50:36.324 --> 00:50:43.713
But this mission, right here today, let's follow these mission parameters and you know, those of us who did all moved on to something bigger and better.

00:50:43.713 --> 00:50:45.657
All right, I mean, I thought that.

00:50:45.657 --> 00:50:47.329
But what was crazy was.

00:50:47.730 --> 00:50:53.373
So he gets done with his piece and it gets to me and I said, yeah, I've got something to say.

00:50:53.373 --> 00:51:10.612
I'm like, dave, I hear you loud and clear and I'm like so you address the fact that you know you're used to working with special operations personnel and you're wondering, excuse me, you're wondering why some of us are here and I'm like, but you're not special operations, you're not from any of those communities.

00:51:10.612 --> 00:51:14.389
Well, yeah, I know, but I'm like no, no, no, you know.

00:51:14.389 --> 00:51:18.394
But I'm like no, no, no, you know, but that's a big gap, you know.

00:51:18.394 --> 00:51:22.219
So I guess any one of us could turn that same phrase, right?

00:51:22.219 --> 00:51:31.128
Hey, you know, I've worked a lot of jobs with guys who had been special operations from all over the world.

00:51:31.128 --> 00:51:38.199
You know the UK, australia, you know the US, all branches, but you're not any more than I was, or him or him, you know.

00:51:38.199 --> 00:51:45.130
So when we just all focus on the mission, move forward, oh, no, you know, I get you and I'm like I fucking hope you get me.

00:51:45.130 --> 00:51:47.139
I'm speaking English and I'm speaking clearly.

00:51:47.139 --> 00:51:50.929
I'm not really sure how else to say it, but you know.

00:51:50.929 --> 00:51:54.494
But I think what was, what was wild, was it was, and it didn't, and it didn't get ugly.

00:51:54.494 --> 00:51:57.340
I mean, I just I made my point, you know, point counterpoint.

00:51:57.340 --> 00:52:06.494
I'm like I'm not and all I wanted to get across was I'm like what the hell did you just say, like that makes really no sense, but kudos, okay.

00:52:06.494 --> 00:52:07.677
So it's done.

00:52:07.677 --> 00:52:11.030
And I think you know I'm not sure what the takeaway was.

00:52:11.030 --> 00:52:16.880
I believe you know Jim wanted to give it the opportunity to get it all out there, to clear the air, so to speak.

00:52:17.545 --> 00:52:32.494
Well, shortly after that, we had a visit from, you know, dyncorp sent like some dude, and at that point and it wasn't because of that, it was a scheduled program it was like, well, how's it going, how's everything going?

00:52:32.494 --> 00:52:35.875
And, sure enough, everyone.

00:52:35.875 --> 00:52:40.811
Well, let me put it to you this way I was my position in the roster to go see him.

00:52:40.811 --> 00:52:44.297
A few guys had already saw him.

00:52:44.297 --> 00:52:48.407
So I get in and I'm like, yeah, he's like how's the housing?

00:52:48.407 --> 00:52:49.269
Oh, housing's great.

00:52:49.269 --> 00:52:50.393
You know how's the climate?

00:52:50.393 --> 00:52:51.376
Hey, climate's great.

00:52:51.376 --> 00:52:51.945
How's this?

00:52:51.945 --> 00:52:52.447
That's great.

00:52:52.447 --> 00:52:54.632
How's everything with that guy?

00:52:54.632 --> 00:53:00.746
And I'm like, oh, now I wouldn't have not.

00:53:00.746 --> 00:53:03.572
You know, how's everything with the team?

00:53:03.572 --> 00:53:04.976
How's everything with the inter team?

00:53:04.976 --> 00:53:07.092
You know, you can't not.

00:53:07.092 --> 00:53:11.246
I mean shame on you if you don't say something, because it was a big enough issue by then.

00:53:11.246 --> 00:53:15.896
But I didn't even get that opportunity by the time I got there like it had already been been aired.

00:53:15.956 --> 00:53:16.978
So he brings it to me.

00:53:16.978 --> 00:53:18.079
And I'll never forget this.

00:53:18.079 --> 00:53:24.333
He was like come on, mike, he's like you're a naval officer, you know, you're no stranger to leadership, what do you think?

00:53:24.333 --> 00:53:25.577
And I was like and here we go.

00:53:25.577 --> 00:53:27.670
And I was like, sir, it's no secret.

00:53:27.670 --> 00:53:31.706
I said you know, I think right now what we've got is like the well's already been poisoned.

00:53:32.148 --> 00:53:36.157
And I said, and you know, to Jim's, and I said, I'm sure you know this we already had.

00:53:36.157 --> 00:53:37.639
You know, how many meetings can you have?

00:53:37.639 --> 00:53:43.755
Right, how many meetings can you and I mean it this time no, no, no, okay, this is your last, last chance.

00:53:43.755 --> 00:53:48.048
And I said you know, we've had meetings, we've aired everything, we've got it all out on the table.

00:53:48.048 --> 00:53:54.097
And I said but I said I'm not sure it can be fixed, I'm really not.

00:53:54.416 --> 00:53:56.219
And he's like well, are you comfortable with him as a leader?

00:53:56.219 --> 00:53:58.606
And I'm like, no, sir, no, sir, I'm not.

00:53:58.606 --> 00:54:00.072
And I said I won't speak for anybody else.

00:54:00.072 --> 00:54:03.094
I said, you know, everybody had their chance, or will have their chance to talk to you.

00:54:03.094 --> 00:54:09.117
I'm speaking for me only, and I said and this is coming from someone who's not on his team right?

00:54:09.117 --> 00:54:18.547
I what happens?

00:54:18.547 --> 00:54:19.047
Hey, you know what?

00:54:19.047 --> 00:54:19.889
There's four of us on a team.

00:54:19.889 --> 00:54:22.594
There's a high likelihood that one day, your team's going to rely on my team and vice versa.

00:54:22.594 --> 00:54:33.929
You know, and you know at that time, jim was still with us, he was still the TL and you know I say this with 100% honesty he didn't prep us for any of that.

00:54:33.929 --> 00:54:37.335
He didn't say no, when you go in you know, hey, don't forget None of that.

00:54:37.817 --> 00:54:38.978
None of that, it's not his style.

00:54:38.978 --> 00:54:43.070
He was like, hey, man, these guys aren't stupid, you know, they see what's what.

00:54:43.070 --> 00:54:48.067
And the next thing, you know, he's moved, he's removed, sent somewhere else or whatever.

00:54:48.067 --> 00:54:52.449
And I'll never forget Vic, la County Sheriff, but prior to that he was a Marine.

00:54:52.449 --> 00:55:06.181
And there is a certain phraseology, you know, there's a bond across the board, all services there just is, you know, but Navy, marine Corps, you know naval terms, nautical terms, like that.

00:55:06.181 --> 00:55:07.722
And Vic I'll never forget.

00:55:09.385 --> 00:55:12.050
He said to me after it's over, he goes Rock, we just had a mutiny, that's basically what happened.

00:55:12.050 --> 00:55:14.416
He's like we had a mutiny, that's basically what happened.

00:55:14.416 --> 00:55:15.840
He's like we had a mutiny.

00:55:15.840 --> 00:55:20.132
He's like we went to, we bonded together and we had a mutiny.

00:55:20.132 --> 00:55:20.894
That's exactly what.

00:55:20.894 --> 00:55:22.425
Like he just got, we had a mutiny.

00:55:22.425 --> 00:55:25.932
And I'm like man, now you put a spit on it, like that.

00:55:25.932 --> 00:55:29.326
I'm like yeah, yeah, I guess maybe we did, but.

00:55:30.146 --> 00:55:33.612
And he's like, hey, he's like, don't get me wrong, he's like I'm just giving it a name.

00:55:33.612 --> 00:55:36.476
He's like you know, the, the decision was was right.

00:55:36.476 --> 00:55:41.782
But I mean so you know, looking at it again, how did he get there?

00:55:41.782 --> 00:55:50.668
Well, somebody knew somebody, or he, presented from a, you know, had a security clearance that was, you know, required for the position Um.

00:55:50.909 --> 00:56:01.432
I want to say, like his last, oh, I think he and cheese actually worked as instructors for um, for tsa, when there was a really big push on for air marshals.

00:56:01.432 --> 00:56:07.396
So you know, because john came from a tier one background and, and you know, dave was a, he was a very good shooter, he really was.

00:56:07.396 --> 00:56:08.686
But again, that's a piece of it.

00:56:08.686 --> 00:56:10.351
You know, it's one piece of it.

00:56:10.351 --> 00:56:22.199
It's like you know, I, yeah, I, I want guys with me that could help me win a gunfight, but I also want guys that can help me avoid the gunfight, so we don't have to win it, but if we do get into it, I'd like those guys.

00:56:22.199 --> 00:56:22.625
You know what I mean.

00:56:22.625 --> 00:56:24.610
I want that guy that can do both.

00:56:24.610 --> 00:56:28.913
But that was wild.

00:56:31.389 --> 00:56:31.971
Out of curiosity.

00:56:31.971 --> 00:56:33.414
I like hearing all this.

00:56:33.414 --> 00:56:39.114
Obviously that's why I'm here, but did you have an option to select Israel?

00:56:39.114 --> 00:56:42.271
What was they just sent an email.

00:56:43.264 --> 00:56:45.490
Well, again, he knew somebody.

00:56:45.490 --> 00:56:47.175
So did I, we all did.

00:56:47.175 --> 00:56:49.644
In fact, this was a small, small world.

00:56:49.644 --> 00:57:04.632
Mark had a colleague who put him in touch with folks at DynCorp league, who put him in touch with folks at DynCorp, and just so happened that this guy had been connected with Delta in some capacity.

00:57:04.632 --> 00:57:05.875
I don't believe he was an operator.

00:57:05.875 --> 00:57:10.172
I think he was, like, maybe you know, a part of the support community.

00:57:10.172 --> 00:57:12.538
I don't remember a hundred percent, but you know.

00:57:12.538 --> 00:57:15.331
Similarly, like you know, mark had his, had his, his mentor.

00:57:15.331 --> 00:57:17.157
You know I had mine.

00:57:18.869 --> 00:57:22.175
That was the next project that they were gearing up for and you know what.

00:57:22.175 --> 00:57:24.969
Really, looking back, I mean, that's a simple way, like that's how it happens.

00:57:24.969 --> 00:57:27.385
You know, like, so how do guys slip through the cracks?

00:57:27.385 --> 00:57:28.248
And you know what.

00:57:28.248 --> 00:57:33.559
Had mike loaded his magazine right?

00:57:33.559 --> 00:57:35.103
Had he been a little bit?

00:57:35.103 --> 00:57:39.413
You know, proficient and you know who knows who knows.

00:57:39.413 --> 00:57:45.592
But I also believe this you know, there are those moments where you're kind of like, all right, you're drinking from a fire hose.

00:57:45.592 --> 00:57:49.706
Now you know, there's skills that most of us had.

00:57:49.706 --> 00:58:01.360
Whether we were, you know, tier one or spec ops or not, there were skills that we had, that we brought to the table, whether we acquired them at a school somewhere or just training, training, training.

00:58:01.360 --> 00:58:24.043
Or, you know, for me, like years and years of working for a company who, while providing executive protection, spared no expense to put all of us through shooting schools, driving schools, you know you'd even and the more you did it, the more you'd learn.

00:58:24.043 --> 00:58:27.655
Like OK communications, you know you're going to take care of all the radios and and make sure that you know they're secure comms with our you know comms guy in the embassy.

00:58:27.655 --> 00:58:28.396
So you're our team liaison for that.

00:58:28.396 --> 00:58:28.918
So you know it's that.

00:58:28.918 --> 00:58:30.322
To me that was the fun part of it.

00:58:30.322 --> 00:58:33.228
There's like work but it wasn't, because it was enjoyable.

00:58:33.228 --> 00:58:37.143
But at the end of it you realize like why you're here.

00:58:37.143 --> 00:58:41.271
And it's not airsoft, you know.

00:58:41.271 --> 00:58:42.393
I mean it's not.

00:58:42.393 --> 00:58:46.411
People will get hurt if you're not on all the time.

00:58:47.860 --> 00:58:56.094
And one of the things that I will never forget, much like now, I would get up early in the morning and I'd hit the gym first thing.

00:58:56.094 --> 00:58:58.880
We'd get up early in the morning and I'd hit the gym first thing.

00:58:58.880 --> 00:59:05.947
And I remember one night Jim was like what time are we looking at here, brother?

00:59:05.947 --> 00:59:21.929
Yeah, we're wrapping up here pretty soon, but which sets us up for part three Because, remember, even though my beautiful bride created a small commercial break, this is still part two, a and B.

00:59:21.929 --> 00:59:25.208
I was going to give a thumbs up, but I don't want to.

00:59:25.208 --> 00:59:36.231
Actually, you know what, when we're done with this today, I'm going to give a double thumbs up and we'll see the fireworks, because it's goofy, but I do remember this and this would probably be a good place to stop.

00:59:37.740 --> 00:59:43.222
There was a bar on the seaside, right next door to the embassy.

00:59:43.222 --> 00:59:55.811
So when you'd go out the back exit or entrance of Marine Post number two, the backside of the embassy, there was a secure like courtyard.

00:59:55.811 --> 01:00:05.315
So we'd bring the vehicles up from the garage below, drive up, come around, pull into the courtyard and that's where we would load out all of our gear and then we'd roll out from there.

01:00:05.315 --> 01:00:11.228
Right next door directly was Mike's place and the story went as I recall.

01:00:11.228 --> 01:00:19.182
Mike was an American expat, expatriate American living in Israel, beautiful, I mean, it was a nice bar and the front was always open, you know.

01:00:19.182 --> 01:00:21.706
And and the front was always open and you're right out.

01:00:21.706 --> 01:00:24.190
There's a beaches out there, you know, beautiful and all that.

01:00:24.911 --> 01:00:36.065
So, uh, remember once Jim's just messing with me and he goes Rocky, how do you get up so early to go to the gym?

01:00:36.065 --> 01:00:38.014
And the only thing I could think I was like cause I'm in bed at seven, 30.

01:00:38.014 --> 01:00:38.556
Like are you kidding?

01:00:38.556 --> 01:00:41.864
You know, I'm like, I don't, I'm not a night person at that time.

01:00:41.864 --> 01:00:49.847
So, um, it's a Friday and he was like, hey, he goes cause you know a lot of times what would happen.

01:00:49.847 --> 01:00:54.945
And then I mean I remember this, like it's, it's kind of makes me, uh, it's kind of sad.

01:00:54.945 --> 01:00:59.594
But Mark and I were like this you know, we're friends with everybody, we all got along.

01:00:59.594 --> 01:01:00.885
We all got along really, really well.

01:01:00.885 --> 01:01:04.070
But he and I were like rarely apart, rarely.

01:01:04.070 --> 01:01:20.280
And so what would happen was like Mike kind of had his own thing, kept to himself a bit, and Jim was like you know, he'd grab a bite to eat here, sometimes together, sometimes not, but we'd usually come up with like a rally point, you know.

01:01:20.280 --> 01:01:22.668
So that night he said hey, guys, you know what I want to do tonight.

01:01:22.668 --> 01:01:27.760
He's like let's all, we're going to Mike's place, we're just going to go to Mike's place, we'll have some beers, like yeah, sounds great.

01:01:27.760 --> 01:01:30.804
So I'm home.

01:01:30.804 --> 01:01:33.788
Mark gets changed, he goes oh, hey, I'm headed over.

01:01:33.788 --> 01:01:35.090
You know, I'm going to link up with Jim.

01:01:35.090 --> 01:01:38.172
I was like, yeah, yeah, he goes, come on, man, get changed, you know, come over.

01:01:38.172 --> 01:01:39.173
I was like I will, I will.

01:01:39.173 --> 01:01:41.219
So and I'll never forget this man.

01:01:41.239 --> 01:01:42.342
I'm watching a TV.

01:01:42.342 --> 01:01:45.592
I'm watching like a DVD probably, of like I was watching Black Hawk Down.

01:01:45.592 --> 01:01:53.548
I remember that I was watching that movie, but it's one of those movies that like to me, like I liked it so much, I'll put it in again and go back to that chapter.

01:01:53.548 --> 01:02:05.152
So I'm on the couch and I'm watching and my phone rings and I'm like hello, and it's Mark.

01:02:05.152 --> 01:02:06.221
He goes, hey, man, where are you?

01:02:06.221 --> 01:02:08.487
And I'm like I'm still at the house.

01:02:08.487 --> 01:02:10.050
He goes, are you coming out, right?

01:02:10.050 --> 01:02:11.521
And I'm like, yeah, yeah, I'm coming.

01:02:11.521 --> 01:02:16.507
I said, look, man, quick shower, I'll be right there, like I'm thinking a shower, like I'll be refreshed.

01:02:16.507 --> 01:02:22.061
I'm out the door, I grab the pillow that I'm like sitting against you know.

01:02:22.061 --> 01:02:25.670
I kind of scooch down on the couch and I'm out, I'm out.

01:02:25.670 --> 01:02:27.527
Sleep monster chokes me out.

01:02:29.280 --> 01:02:30.405
The next thing, you know, my phone rings.

01:02:30.405 --> 01:02:34.831
Man, I startle because I'm like God, jesus, like I'm up, I'm up, I'm up.

01:02:34.831 --> 01:02:35.501
I'm like I fell asleep.

01:02:35.501 --> 01:02:36.302
Damn it, I'm up, I'm up, I'm up.

01:02:36.302 --> 01:02:37.422
I'm like I fell asleep, damn it.

01:02:37.422 --> 01:02:40.967
So I answer the phone and it's Jim and he goes Rocky, where are you?

01:02:40.967 --> 01:02:43.931
So I'm thinking he's going to bust my balls like we're at Mike's.

01:02:43.931 --> 01:02:44.672
Why aren't you here?

01:02:44.672 --> 01:02:46.775
Right, I go, I'm at the house.

01:02:46.775 --> 01:02:50.293
He goes are you alone?

01:02:50.293 --> 01:02:51.559
I'm like, yeah, I'm alone.

01:02:51.559 --> 01:02:55.967
He goes, is anybody to me?

01:02:55.967 --> 01:02:57.349
Stay where you are.

01:02:57.349 --> 01:03:00.295
He goes, keep trying to call mike and mark.

01:03:00.295 --> 01:03:01.864
He's like mike's place has been hit.

01:03:01.864 --> 01:03:04.028
He's like we got to find everybody.

01:03:04.028 --> 01:03:06.141
And he's like but don't you leave, you stay there.

01:03:06.141 --> 01:03:07.664
And I'm like gotcha.

01:03:07.664 --> 01:03:09.929
So it's all over the news.

01:03:09.969 --> 01:03:19.905
What ended up happening was two suicide bombers approached the door casually, right, and they both got like some type of uh like messenger bag or backpack.

01:03:19.905 --> 01:03:26.900
I believe they were both backpacks, but they approached separately and there was a security man at the door.

01:03:26.900 --> 01:03:30.588
Like SOP is common practice over there security man at the door.

01:03:30.588 --> 01:03:34.344
So you could have your backpack, but I have to check it right.

01:03:34.344 --> 01:03:37.400
So the security officer says you know, let me see your bag.

01:03:37.400 --> 01:03:45.722
So the first guy opens his bag and, as it's being checked, the second because the second guy gave enough of an interval, as if they weren't together.

01:03:45.722 --> 01:04:01.045
So, as a security officer is checking the bag of the first individual, the second guy runs for the door, runs right past guy number one, runs into the interior and sets himself off right, right in the middle of the place.

01:04:01.045 --> 01:04:06.710
Okay, well, the first guy, I guess at that point, is like fuck this.

01:04:06.710 --> 01:04:08.565
So he runs down the beach.

01:04:08.565 --> 01:04:10.251
Well, not the beach, the street.

01:04:11.960 --> 01:04:18.588
So now, in the midst of all this, jim gets a hold of Mike.

01:04:18.588 --> 01:04:25.422
Mark shows up at the house.

01:04:25.422 --> 01:04:26.565
So you know all these calls go in which way and which.

01:04:26.565 --> 01:04:28.429
Mark ends up at the house, jim gets a hold of Mike.

01:04:28.429 --> 01:04:33.688
We're all going to reconvene and I guess, in all of the ruckus, eric.

01:04:33.688 --> 01:04:36.833
Now, eric is a, you know, really solid dude.

01:04:36.833 --> 01:04:38.864
I mean, as as I don't, there's not a.

01:04:38.864 --> 01:04:41.411
There's no love lost between me and the State Department.

01:04:41.411 --> 01:04:42.623
There's not none.

01:04:42.623 --> 01:04:44.768
Right, except for a handful of guys.

01:04:44.768 --> 01:04:49.128
Right, duke was a good guy, but we didn't really work with him.

01:04:49.610 --> 01:04:54.824
When there was trouble, like it was in the beginning, when things were relatively smooth, eric took his position.

01:04:54.824 --> 01:05:00.561
When he switched out, he was getting ready to redeploy elsewhere, relocate, so Eric took over.

01:05:00.561 --> 01:05:03.030
So Eric was our go-to right.

01:05:03.030 --> 01:05:08.224
When Mike's place was hit, eric was our guy that would roll with us, our State Department guy that would roll with us.

01:05:08.947 --> 01:05:17.713
So he talks to Jim and he was like, all right, he's like latest word is that one of the bombers was shot by the embassy.

01:05:17.713 --> 01:05:19.851
And Jim's like, okay, he goes, jim, please tell me, it wasn't one of your bombers was shot by the embassy.

01:05:19.851 --> 01:05:26.289
And Jim's like, okay, he goes, jim, please tell me, it wasn't one of your guys that did it, because that could have opened up a whole other can of worms.

01:05:26.289 --> 01:05:34.811
Like it turned out, it was one of the Israeli guards for the embassy and you know I was like, hey, listen, it wasn't one of us legitimately.

01:05:34.811 --> 01:05:45.431
But Eric was like it was not funny, but he was like I thank God, all right, like thank God, it wasn't, because that that would have presented a whole other you know issue.

01:05:45.512 --> 01:05:55.284
But, um, yeah, man, and, and you know we lost friends of ours, you know people that we came to know, um, uh, wait staff there.

01:05:55.284 --> 01:05:56.608
You know friends of their.

01:05:56.608 --> 01:06:04.793
I mean, again, it was just spoke volumes to the community there and how we were just kind of like uh, made to be part of that, you know.

01:06:04.793 --> 01:06:07.764
But I mean to me, you know I get it.

01:06:07.764 --> 01:06:10.070
I understand people's um, um.

01:06:10.070 --> 01:06:17.311
We call it their doctrine, their belief system, their, their, what have you.

01:06:17.331 --> 01:06:23.550
But never in my wildest dreams did I think of anything like uh, you know, there's no honor in suicide bombing.

01:06:23.550 --> 01:06:24.271
There's not.

01:06:24.271 --> 01:06:25.481
And I I get it.

01:06:25.481 --> 01:06:30.001
You know martyrdom and all this kind of stuff and I'm like, yeah, but you know what it's also the act of a coward.

01:06:30.001 --> 01:06:32.465
I mean, you want to be a soldier, you want to be a warrior?

01:06:32.465 --> 01:06:33.686
There's a way to do that.

01:06:33.686 --> 01:06:39.855
Running into a civilian establishment, you know, and that's not it, that is not it.

01:06:39.855 --> 01:06:44.581
But yeah, that was kind of heavy and kind of dark.

01:06:44.601 --> 01:06:52.614
Meanwhile we've got an incursion into the box because it's time to train, all right.

01:06:52.614 --> 01:06:54.144
So where are we?

01:06:54.144 --> 01:06:54.947
Let's check the time.

01:06:54.947 --> 01:06:58.570
Oh my goodness, it's a minute and six.

01:06:58.570 --> 01:06:59.400
We.

01:06:59.400 --> 01:06:59.840
Let's check the time.

01:06:59.840 --> 01:07:00.443
Oh my goodness, it's a minute.

01:07:00.443 --> 01:07:03.791
A minute, that's a minute and six, that's an hour and six, plus the a little half hour before my beautiful wife.

01:07:04.072 --> 01:07:07.625
So, all right, guys, that's, uh, that's part two, all right.

01:07:07.625 --> 01:07:09.331
So, uh, more to follow.

01:07:09.331 --> 01:07:09.853
We're still in.

01:07:09.853 --> 01:07:10.838
We're still in israel, man.

01:07:10.838 --> 01:07:12.382
Yeah, we're still in israel.

01:07:12.382 --> 01:07:15.670
So, no, there's no way to expedite it, man.

01:07:15.670 --> 01:07:21.371
You know, it's gonna be like one of those sitcoms, though, where the part of of Frane will now be played by Burke.

01:07:21.371 --> 01:07:26.590
But no, I mean, I enjoy having you here with this.

01:07:26.590 --> 01:07:29.351
It's cool, and you asked for it.

01:07:29.351 --> 01:07:31.079
I did ask for it.

01:07:31.079 --> 01:07:32.405
All right, I appreciate you, brother.

01:07:32.405 --> 01:07:46.621
All right, everyone thanks for joining us, and if you have any comments, uh, too bad, because the comments are turned off because, uh, you know, frankly, I don't want to hear any militant nonsense, right?

01:07:46.621 --> 01:07:50.005
So keep it light and uh, that's all for now.

01:07:50.005 --> 01:07:51.047
All right, out.