Combat Story (Ep 40): Ryan Hendrickson [Part 2] Green Beret | SF 18C | Silver Star | Author

Combat Story

Ryan Fugit

History

4.8 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 1 September 2021

⏱️ 139 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today we complete Part 2 of the Combat Story of Ryan Hendrickson, the former Green Beret and Special Forces Engineer (18C) who served multiple combat deployments to Afghanistan and training deployments around the world, particularly in South America, as part of 7th Special Forces Group.

For those who listened to Part 1, you’ll recall that we followed Ryan’s unique upbringing in the Northwest that included moving frequently and, at one point, living in a tent for an entire year being raised by a single father who had a tremendous impact on Ryan’s life.

Ryan first joined the Navy, where he was onboard the first ship to respond to the USS Cole attack, then served in the Air Force loading aircraft with munitions, and finally achieved his dream of earning the coveted Green Beret.

On his first deployment to Afghanistan with 7th Group, Ryan was leading a patrol clearing the path of IEDs and inadvertently stepped on an IED that changed his life.

At the end of Part 1, we left off as Ryan was coming to after the dust settled from the blast and he looked down to see two pearl white bones (his Tibia and Fibula) sticking out of his leg.

What happens next is nothing short of remarkable. If you ever felt sorry for yourself, this next session will help give perspective and an example of someone else who overcame tremendous odds to follow his dream, saving lives and inspiring others along the way.

Find Ryan H Online:

Website Tip of the Spear
Instagram @tipofthespearrmh
Facebook Ryan Hendrickson(Rmh)
LinkedIN Ryan Hendrickson
Book Tip of the Spear

Find Ryan F online:

Instagram @combat_stories
Email [email protected]
Learn more about Ryan
Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle

Show notes

0:00 - Intro
0:45 - Guest Bio
1:45 - Interview begins
11:46 - Ryan is back in the moment just after the IED blast.
25:48 - The flight out of country and multiple hospital visits.
37:35 - The decision to keep your limb or go for a prosthetic.
44:18 - When Ryan started recognizing the emotional side of his injury.
49:20 - The advice the changed Ryan’s perspective and his path.
58:34 - The program to stay in the Army.
1:09:21 - Returning to Afghanistan and the unlikely welcome.
1:23:20 - Taking the opportunities given (and how to escape the TOC)!
1:39:50 - Inserting into a big fight looking like a normal unit.
1:46:54 - An F-15 500lb bomb being dropped nearby.
2:01:30 - Going back for every man, including his Afghan brothers.
2:06:45 - Didn’t have to go back, but you did. “Had to be done.”
2:12:00 - Writing the book.
2:15:00 - What did you carry with you into combat.
2:16:35 - Would you do it all again?

Transcript

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0:00.0	This PKM opens up on us from 17 meters away and it was like the flame that shot out of that barrel.
0:09.0	It was almost like you could reach out and grab it because it was that dark and you have
0:12.8	nods on and so it's just right up in your face. So PKM opens up, we hit the deck like you're
0:20.3	supposed to and then the entire wall of the compound is just muzzle flashes.
0:25.2	Welcome to Combat Story. I'm Ryan Fugid and I serve WarZone Tours as an Army attack helicopter
0:31.9	pilot and CIA officer over a 15 year career. I'm fascinated by the experiences of the elite
0:37.4	and combat. On this show I interview some of the best to understand what combat felt like
0:42.4	on their front lines. This is Combat Story. Today we complete part two of the Combat Story of
0:48.5	Ryan Hendrickson, the former Green Beret who served multiple combat deployments to Afghanistan
0:53.2	as part of seven special forces group. For those who listened to part one, the or call that we
0:57.5	followed Ryan's unique upbringing in the northwest, where at one point he was living in intent
1:02.0	for an entire year being raised by a single father who had a tremendous impact on his life.
1:06.3	Ryan first served in the Navy and Air Force before earning the coveted Green Beret. On his first
1:10.8	deployment to Afghanistan with seventh group, Ryan was leading a patrol clearing the path of
1:14.8	explosives and after taking fire during a fight, inadvertently stepped on an IED that changed
1:21.3	his life. At the end of part one, we left off as Ryan was coming to after the dust settled
1:25.8	from the blast and he looked down to see two pearl white bones, his tibia and fibula sticking out
1:31.5	of his leg. What happens next is nothing short of remarkable. If you ever felt sorry for yourself,
1:36.9	this next session will help get perspective and an example of someone else who overcame tremendous
1:42.2	odds to follow his dream, saving lives and inspiring others along the way. Enjoy.
1:47.4	Ryan, welcome back to round two. Thanks for taking the time again.
1:51.9	Yeah, I had had a blast round one, so this is going to be a lot of fun.
	...

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