Combat Story (Ep 41): Chris VanSant [Part 2] Delta Force | Ranger | All Secure | TYR Tactical

Combat Story

Ryan Fugit

History

4.8 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 11 September 2021

⏱️ 93 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today we complete the second segment of our Combat Story with Chris VanSant, a retired Army infantryman, Ranger, Green Beret, and Operator in 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment - Delta (1st SFOD-D).

You can hear the first round with Chris at https://youtu.be/tdSA8O_T6mE.
We left our first interview with Chris at the height of his career: in the Unit, combat rotations, and close friends. We pick up in round two where things start to get more difficult and the optempo, intensity, and constant fighting begin to take a toll.

Chris describes how he overcame some very dark days that many can relate to and found new opportunities he never would have imagined.
He’s gone on to become the Chief Operating Officer of TYR Tactical and is a board member for Tom and Jenn Satterly’s All Secure Foundation, both of which continue to protect those in need.

I hope you enjoy this deep dive into combat and recovery from a very humble Tier 1 operator as much as I did.

Find Chris Online:

Instagram @vansanttyrtactical
Website TYR Tactical
Board Member at All Secure Foundation (Tom Satterly’s organization)
Instagram @allsecurefoundation

Find Ryan Online:

Follow on Instagram @combatstory
Follow on Facebook @combatstoryofficial
Email [email protected]
Learn more about Ryan
Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle
Video Edited by: Owen Fugit

Show Notes

0:00 - Intro
1:00 - Guest bio
1:52 - Interview begins
2:37 - Chris’ thoughts on Afghanistan
14:18 - Where does the exhaustion come from?
17:18 - What are some other interesting fear responses?
17:24 - “Fight or flight is the first response when someone thinks they may die.”
20:11 - The next deployment
30:00 - Tactics and Procedures
32:40 - Different ways to attack a building.
36:23 – When did the trauma and stress start
43:33 – Early Indicators that will help others
48:25 – Pivotal moments during combat
57:39 - “You got to understand the individuals in your charge to get the best out of them; you got to know what motivates them, what makes them tick.”
58:48 – Starting to change
1:09:04 - Key things in your journey that you try to make sure a wider audience hears
1:10:05 - “Open up. Talk to the people that matter to you. It doesn't have to be a lot. It just has to be a few.”
1:13:13 – Getting fired from the Unit
1:18:53 – Pushing yourself
1:19:11 - “There are winners and losers. A loser is just a winner that tried one more time.”
1:22:40 – Pieces of advice
1:31:11 – Getting in touch with Chris

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Vehicles involved, pulled up to a house and stopped, so it turned into a daylight
0:04.2	helo assault to an objective.
0:06.4	Pretty much every enemy combatant that we encountered had suicide best on.
0:11.5	So not only were they shooting at us, but they were all prepared to blow themselves up,
0:16.3	just to kill us. We had guys wounded, we had a couple helo pilots wounded.
0:21.6	There was just no emotion associated with that at all.
0:25.3	And looking back for me, that was like a pivotal point.
0:29.1	It was like, why don't I feel anything anymore?
0:32.4	Like, what's wrong with me for lack of a better term that I don't feel anything anymore?
0:40.5	Welcome to Combat Story. I'm Ryan Fugid and I serve Warzone Tourers as an Army attack
0:44.8	helicopter pilot and CIA officer over a 15-year career. I'm fascinated by the experiences
0:50.3	of the elite and combat. On this show, I interview some of the best to understand what combat
0:55.4	felt like on their frontlines. This is Combat Story. Today, we complete the second segment of our
1:01.5	combat story with Chris Van Sam, a retired Army infantryman, Ranger Green Beret and operator
1:07.0	in First Special Forces Operational Detachment Delta. We left our first interview with Chris
1:12.4	at the height of his career. In the unit, multiple combat rotations and close friends.
1:17.6	We pick up and round two where things start to get more difficult
1:20.6	and the hot tempo, intensity and constant fighting begin to take a toll.
1:24.8	Chris describes how he overcame some very dark days that many can relate to
1:29.2	and found new opportunities he never would have imagined. He's going on to become the chief
1:33.5	operating officer at TYR Tactical and is a board member for Tom and Jen Satterley's All Secure
1:39.3	Foundation, both of which continue to protect those in need. I hope you enjoy this deep dive into
	...

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