The Weight of War: Lessons from Vietnam with Clint Smith

The Jack Carr Channel

Jack Carr

Society & Culture

4.9 • 2.8K Ratings

🗓️ 21 May 2025

⏱️ 78 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Clint Smith is a Marine Corps veteran, Vietnam combat veteran, former law enforcement officer, and the founder of Thunder Ranch—one of the most respected firearms and tactical training facilities in the country. Since its founding in 1993, Thunder Ranch has set the standard for innovative, practical firearms instruction, training students from all walks of life with an emphasis on safety, discipline, and mindset. In this raw and powerful conversation, Clint shares hard-won lessons from his time in Vietnam, offers honest reflections on combat, and pulls no punches when it comes to modern misconceptions about war and the warrior mindset. From early firefights and booby traps in the triple-canopy jungle to post-war perspective and a lifetime of training others, Clint’s insights are forged from experience and rooted in humility. FOLLOW JACK Instagram: @JackCarrUSA X: @JackCarrUSA Facebook: @JackCarr YouTube: @JackCarrUSA FOLLOW CLINT Instagram: @clintsmith.csss Facebook: @ThunderRanchIncSchool Website: https://www.traintr.com/ SPONSORS CRY HAVOC – A Tom Reece Thriller https://www.officialjackcarr.com/books/cry-havoc/ Bravo Company Manufacturing - BCM Stock MOD3: https://bravocompanyusa.com/bcm-stock-mod-3-black/ and on Instagram @BravoCompanyUSA THE SIGs of Jack Carr: Visit https://www.sigsauer.com/ and on Instagram @sigsauerinc Jack Carr Gear: Explore the gear here https://jackcarr.co/gear

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode of the Danger Close podcast is brought to you by Cry Havoc.
0:04.0	From New York Times number one bestselling author, Jack Carr.
0:08.0	Cry Havoc, a Tom Rees thriller, order now.
0:16.0	All I remember the sensation is just like, you kind of wonder who the hell hit me.
0:20.0	I mean, it's not like, oh God, I've been hit and wounded, I'm dying.
0:23.6	You know, no.
0:24.6	So by the time I got back, covered in mud, then I got blood all over me, so it looks like my face has been blown off.
0:29.6	Everyone's shitting himself.
0:30.6	I'm fine.
0:31.6	You know, mom, I'm fine.
0:33.6	We're just getting ready to rocket this thing. Now everyone's shooting. We're shooting back. Everyone's shooting. It's a happy meal.
0:52.0	Clint, thank you so much for everything, for having us out here and for all your love and support over the years.
0:56.7	It means the world to me.
0:58.6	Well, some people may or may not know, but you and I've known each other for decades now, multiple.
1:04.4	So we've been around.
1:06.7	So I think they had to go like, oh, he's just interviewing this guy and getting a, no, actually, we've known each other for a long time.
1:13.5	So this was interesting to have people who are real writers yourself, okay?
1:20.2	Stephen Pressfield for sure.
1:21.4	Wow.
1:22.0	Yeah, right.
1:22.2	So, but I think it's a good time.
1:25.7	And, you know, he's an interesting individual.
	...

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