518: Six Days in Hell, And Why That Was Just Normal. With Army Ranger Crazy Joe Claburn
Jocko Podcast
Jocko DEFCOR Network
4.8 • 31.3K Ratings
🗓️ 10 December 2025
⏱️ 247 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Joe Clayburn is a U.S. Army infantry officer who rose from a turbulent childhood to command Charlie Company, 1st and 506th — the “Gunfighters” — during the brutal Ramadi 2005–2006 fight. He led his unit through daily firefights, IED strikes, and ambushes, while building the company into a highly effective combat force. After Ramadi, he was selected to lead the 101st Pathfinder Company and later served with the British Parachute Regiment. His career reflects intense frontline experience, high-stakes leadership, and a deep commitment to developing soldiers.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is Jocko podcast number 518 with Echo Charles and me Jocco Willink. Good evening, Echo. |
| 0:07.2 | I don't think that they could even fathom what it's like to be mortared for three days straight on camp. |
| 0:13.1 | I don't think they can realize the scope and the magnitude of operations that go on on a daily basis here in Ramadi. |
| 0:21.1 | We get seven IEDs that go off here in one day or we kill 40 insurgents in one day |
| 0:27.0 | and it doesn't even make the news. |
| 0:29.8 | We lost five soldiers to IEDs on this road that we're on right now. |
| 0:34.9 | 20% of my company right now is eligible for the Purple Heart, which means that I've had |
| 0:39.8 | 20% of my company wounded in combat. Anything the locals do to supporting democracy is supporting |
| 0:48.0 | the coalition. And for that, you get your head cut off. We get mortared about four to five times a week we've had more |
| 0:57.2 | enemy attacks here in a day on this base than most units and have in two weeks I'll get |
| 1:04.0 | shot at by a sniper two hours later I'll get mortared two hours later I'll get |
| 1:08.2 | RPGed four hours later I'll get mortared again welcome to war |
| 1:13.3 | welcome to combat I'm in the wild wild west welcome to Ramadi bitch and those are some |
| 1:25.0 | quotes right there from then captain Joe Claiborne. |
| 1:30.1 | Charlie Company Commander, first of the 506. |
| 1:33.3 | Some of those quotes are from NPR News from an article June 19th, 2006. |
| 1:37.7 | Our others are from an old YouTube video called A Little Slice of Ramadi. |
| 1:43.1 | And Joe Claiborne call sign gunfighter 6 nicknamed |
| 1:46.7 | Crazy Joe is one of the most proficient and battle-tested combat leaders that I saw |
| 1:53.1 | during my entire career I remember him leading his company in prayer prior to going in |
| 1:59.8 | to the field with him. |
| 2:02.1 | And that made it crystal clear to me how dangerous this city was and how much he cared about |
... |
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