F-15E Weapons System Officer | Distinguished Flying Cross Recipient | Mike "Pako" Benitez (Round 2)
Combat Story23 Mar 2024

F-15E Weapons System Officer | Distinguished Flying Cross Recipient | Mike "Pako" Benitez (Round 2)

Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more!

In this second round interview with Mike "Pako" Benitez, we dig deep into a series of combat experiences in the air that you won't believe, including a low pass to danger close strafing run covering two troops-in-contact almost simultaneously to Pako's description of the operation where he earned his Distinguished Flying Cross (you'll feel like you were in the cockpit with him).

Mike now creates and distributes The Merge (themerge.co) newsletter - which has 20K subscribers - and podcast - which has 40 episodes as of this airing. The Merge brings defense and tech news and insights in a more lighthearted and interesting approach that I'm confident most listeners of Combat Story will appreciate!

We only found Pako thanks to former guest Ryan "Stinger" Fishel who was a beneficiary of the tough love and tutelage of Pako (listen to the end to hear Pako's commentary on Stinger - it will come as no surprise to those who listened to Stinger's interview). Stay tuned for a follow-on episode next week with Pako and Tom "Gunny" Moser interviewed together about their experiences in Afghanistan and Syria leading units.

Join hundreds of others with our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan each week about the show, life, and the military.

This episode was sponsored by Give Legacy.
Listeners can use the code COMBATSTORY to get 10% off everything on the site
You can find out more by going to www.givelegacy.com. That's givelegacy.com.


🔗 Find Mike Online:
- The Merge https://themerge.co/
- The Merge Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@TheMergeMedia
🔗 Find Ryan Online:
- Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory
- Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combats...
- Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory
- Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial
- Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial
- Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus
- Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle

Join hundreds of others with our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan each week about the show, life, and the military.

👇 Show Notes:
00:00 - Introduction
00:55 - Guest Profile: Mike Benitez
01:52 - First Fatality During Deployment
13:20 - Tough on New Recruits
20:47 - Harrowing Flights
28:23 - Give Legacy Ad
29:45 - Earning The DFC
01:00:57 - Time in Syria
01:09:54 - The Merge Newsletter and Podcast
01:15:10 - Sentimental Items
01:16:32 - Would You Do It All Again?
01:16:55 - Story About Ryan Fishel
01:18:20 - Closing Thoughts
01:18:49 - Listener Feedback

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(236)

Reconnaissance Man — Episode 3: Evil Eye

Reconnaissance Man — Episode 3: Evil Eye

The Cold War was fought long before the first shots of Vietnam captured America's attention. By 1966, more than 400,000 U.S. troops were committed to the war, Marine Corps Captain James "Jim" Steele a...

21 Sep 50min

Why the Marine Corps Killed Sniper School | The Four Horsemen

Why the Marine Corps Killed Sniper School | The Four Horsemen

Four career Marine scout snipers packed into one room, no script, no agenda — and what comes out of it is some of the funniest, most specific war stories you'll hear all year, sitting right next to a ...

14 Sep 2h 27min

"From the Infantry to Fighting for Allies" | Andrew Sullivan, No One Left Behind Executive Director

"From the Infantry to Fighting for Allies" | Andrew Sullivan, No One Left Behind Executive Director

Andrew Sullivan led an Army infantry platoon through two tours in Iraq and commanded a company in Afghanistan — and says his own interpreter carried more risk, and more of the war, than he ever did. T...

24 Aug 3h 1min

Why a Wounded EOD Gunnery Sergeant Refused to Leave His Team & What Happended After| Timothy Colomer

Why a Wounded EOD Gunnery Sergeant Refused to Leave His Team & What Happended After| Timothy Colomer

Gunnery Sergeant Timothy Colomer was a decorated EOD technician in Iraq when a daisy-chain IED detonated directly beneath his truck. The blast broke his helmet in half. It should have sent him home. I...

3 Aug 2h 33min

Sniper Alex Lemons: Friendly Fire, the Battle of An Najaf, and the War Still in Veterans' Bodies (Part 2)

Sniper Alex Lemons: Friendly Fire, the Battle of An Najaf, and the War Still in Veterans' Bodies (Part 2)

Alex Lemons survived the Battle of An Najaf without a scratch from the enemy — and nearly died from friendly fire instead, when a young Marine mistook him for an insurgent and put six rounds past him ...

27 Jul 3h 20min

946 Days as a Hostage in Iraq | Peter Moore's Only Full Interview

946 Days as a Hostage in Iraq | Peter Moore's Only Full Interview

He thought he was accepting a routine IT contract. Instead, Peter Moore disappeared into captivity for 946 days. In 2007, British IT consultant Peter Moore traveled to Baghdad believing he would be he...

20 Jul 3h 13min

Writing Darkhorse, Carrying Combat Story, and What Comes Next | AJ Pasciuti & Ryan Fugit

Writing Darkhorse, Carrying Combat Story, and What Comes Next | AJ Pasciuti & Ryan Fugit

What happens after the writing is done and the book has to face the world? Nearly two months after the release of Darkhorse: Harnessing Hidden Potential in War and Life, the microphone changes hands. ...

14 Jul 42min

The Air Assault That Changed Modern Warfare | Frank Hancock on Desert Storm

The Air Assault That Changed Modern Warfare | Frank Hancock on Desert Storm

What does it take to lead one of the largest air assault operations in military history? Retired Army Colonel Frank Hancock joins Combat Story to share a firsthand account of planning and executing th...

6 Jul 2h 17min

Populært innen Vitenskap

fastlegen
romkapsel
tingenes-tilstand
jss
liberal-halvtime
forskningno
sinnsyn
rekommandert
villmarksliv
rss-paradigmepodden
fjellsportpodden
tomprat-med-gunnar-tjomlid
grunnstoffene
nordnorsk-historie
rss-nysgjerrige-norge
tidlose-historier
psykopoden
rss-rekommandert
rss-inn-til-kjernen-med-sunniva-rose
smart-forklart