Greg Shaffer, an author and retired FBI agent is joining me for this week's podcast. Shaffer spent ten years in the Coast Guard and twenty years at the FBI, working in various roles. He served as an Operator at the Hostage Rescue Team (HRT), conducting operations around the globe. He spent several years working on a joint task force in a counter-terrorism role. Shaffer finished his career coordinating security for major sporting events in the Dallas, Texas, area.

We discussed his time working on the D.C Sniper case in 2002, where HRT Operators arrested the perpetrators. Shaffer explains why HRT deployed alongside the military's Special Mission Units to Afghanistan and Iraq. We also touched on Greg's time working on counter-terrorism investigations across Asia. Greg founded the Shaffer Security Group, providing various services, including training and security. Tune in

Get a copy of Greg Shaffer's book:

Stay Safe: Security Secrets for Today's Dangerous World

Greg Shaffer: www.shaffersecuritygroup.com

@Shaffersecuritygroup on all social media platforms

This episode is sponsored by 4 Patriots, a survival food company. You can visit www.4patriots.com and use the code RECON for 10% off

Connect With John Hendricks

www.globalrecon.net

www.instagram.com/igrecon 

Music provided by Caspian:

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Joining me for this week's podcast is a veteran foreign correspondent and author of First Casualty: The Untold Story Of the CIA Mission to Avenge 9/11 Toby Harnden. Harnden is a Royal Navy Veteran from the United Kingdom and has spent years covering wars in conflict zones worldwide. We discussed his journalism career, and he cut his teeth in Northern Ireland, covering the conflict there. He's also spent time in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The initial American response to the 9/11 attacks was a secret eight-man CIA squad called Team Alpha. Team Alpha rode into battle on horseback alongside the Afghan warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum. Mike Spann, an ex-Marine and member of Team Alpha, was the first American killed in combat in Afghanistan. We discussed his book in detail, including the role of Delta Force, The British Special Boat Service, and Army Green Berets in routing Al Queda during the early days of the war. Plus many more topics. Tune in.

         Main Takeaways

This episode is sponsored by Ten Thousand, a men’s training brand.

Visit www.tenthousand.cc and enter code Global Recon for 15 % off

Connect with Toby Harnden 

www.tobyharnden.com

Connect With John Hendricks

www.globalrecon.net

www.instagram.com/igrecon 

Music provided by Caspian:

www.caspian.band

oining me for this week's podcast is recently retired Australian SASR Operator Andrew White. White served for nearly 30 years in two different armies. He began his career in the British infantry with deployments to various areas of the world. White was part of the initial invasion of Iraq and would deploy there three times. Due to an issue with his command after his third deployment to Iraq, he transferred to the Australian Army.

He passed selection into the Australian Special Air Service Regiment, where he spent the remainder of his career with multiple combat deployments. White was on the operation where SASR Trooper Jason Brown was tragically killed in Afghanistan. He illuminates the skill and courage under fire displayed by his troop to recover Brown. A few members of the Australian Special Forces are accused of committing war crimes in Afghanistan. The situation has been very controversial, and we discussed this in detail. We talked about his experiences in Afghanistan, and Iraq, working as a dog handler, and his advocacy for those SASR Operators accused of war crimes. Plus more. Tune in.

This episode is sponsored by 4 Patriots, a survival food company. You can visit www.4patriots.com and use the code RECON for 10% off

Connect with Andrew White: www.instagram.com/dirtybeardedpilgrims

Connect With John Hendricks

www.globalrecon.net

www.instagram.com/igrecon 

Music provided by Caspian:

www.caspian.band

Joining me for this week's podcast is retired Chief Warrant Officer 4 Gregory Coker. Coker wrote the book "Death Waits in the Dark: Six Guns Don't Miss!" and has donated 100% of the profits to organizations that support veterans. He flew helicopters in the Army for over 20 years and spent 15 of those years in the world's most elite helicopter unit, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment. He flew the MH-6 Little Bird, an attack helicopter with thousands of hours spent flying in and out of combat.

Coker was shot down in Iraq, supporting an assault force during a daytime operation. He remained with the assault force after he and his co-pilot made it out of the downed aircraft, where they were engaged in a six-hour gun battle. We discussed this operation in detail and some of the aerodynamics of controlling a helicopter as its crashes. Blades for Brothers is partnered with Shied 91, a 501c3 non-profit started by Greg, to craft blades and help veterans learn how to bladesmith. Greg had experienced a traumatic brain injury from combat, and we discussed this, plus veteran's mental health issues and much more. Tune in.

This episode is sponsored by 4 Patriots, a survival food company. You can visit www.4patriots.com and use the code RECON for 10% off

Get a copy of Greg Coker's book: Death Waits in the Dark

Follow Greg on social media: www.instagram.com/bladesforbrothers

Connect With John Hendricks

www.globalrecon.net

www.instagram.com/igrecon 

Music provided by Caspian:

www.caspian.band

Retired Army Special Missions Sergeant Major Erick Miyares is joining me for this week's podcast. SGM Miyares's family immigrated from Cuba to Florida, where he lived until joining the Marine Corps and served for six years. He transitioned into the Army, serving as a Signals expert in the 7th Special Forces Group. He was shot during a deployment to Ecuador in the late 90s. After recovering, Sergeant Major Miyares tried for and got selected to serve in the Army's Special Missions Unit, where he stayed for 20 years. We discussed working with the SEALs, counter-terrorism, hostage rescue, and veterans' mental health. Tune in

        Main Takeaways

This episode is sponsored by Ten Thousand, a men’s training brand.

Visit www.tenthousand.cc and enter code Global Recon for 15 % off

Connect with Erick Miyares

www.instagram.com/erick.miyares

Connect With John Hendricks

www.globalrecon.net

www.instagram.com/igrecon 

Music provided by Caspian:

www.caspian.band

Joining me for this week's podcast is Marine Corps veteran Nick Laidlaw. Laidlaw spent seven years in the Marine Corps as an 0311 Rifleman and Security Forces Marine. He wrote the book "What War Did To Us: Ukraine." Providing first-hand accounts of all aspects of the conflict in the first 150 days of the war. Nick runs the popular Instagram account Battles. and.Beers, where he posts photos and videos of war stories from civilian and soldier perspectives. We discussed talking with veterans from both sides of a war, including Ukraine and Russian soldiers, plus much more. Tune in.

Here is a short story told on the podcast by Laidlaw. It is of Anton Kryll, a Ukrainian soldier who fought at Mariupol's besieged Azovstal steel plant. They were surrounded, entirely out of food and water, and medicine.

" Anton, what do you want to do when the war is over?" He replied, "Here in short, we are always relying on each other. We are in history now, and we have done everything possible and impossible. After we are pulled out of here, I will immediately marry my girlfriend, and everything will be Ukraine. " Anton Kryll was killed the next day on May 14th, 2022.

This episode is sponsored by 4 Patriots, a survival food company. You can visit www.4patriots.com and use the code RECON for 10% off

Follow Nick Laidlaw on Instagram: Battles.and.beers

Check out his book here: What War Did To Us Ukraine

Connect With John Hendricks

www.globalrecon.net

www.instagram.com/igrecon 

Music provided by Caspian:

www.caspian.band

Joining me for this week's podcast is retired Lieutenant Colonel Scott Mann. LTC Mann spent a career as a leader in the Special Forces with multiple tours in Afghanistan. Scott is the author of Operation Pineapple Express, a New York Times Bestseller detailing the effort of a group of retired special operations veterans led by Scott who saved 500 Afghans being hunted by the Taliban. We discussed the harsh lives of the men who served in the Afghan Commandos, how they moved families to safety, and much more. Tune in

Follow Scott Mann: www.scottmann.com

This episode is sponsored by 4 Patriots, a survival food company. You can visit www.4patriots.com and use the code RECON for 10% off

Connect With John Hendricks

www.globalrecon.net

www.instagram.com/igrecon 

Music provided by Caspian:

www.caspian.band

GRP 167-Black Ops: The Story Of A Cuban Refugees Journey Into The Upper Ranks of the Central Intelligence Agency.

Joining me for this week's podcast is Ric Prado. Ric witnessed a firefight at seven in Cuba during Fidel Castro's revolution. After his family fled, they relocated to Miami. Prado would go on to serve as an elite Pararescuemen in the Airforce and spent 24 years at the CIA, retiring at the rank of Senior Intel Service-2, the Major General equivalent at the Agency.

He was the Deputy Chief of Station of the original Bin Laden Task Force and later served as the head of Korean Operations for the CIA. We discussed Castro and Che Guevara, his time in Nicaragua, countering terrorism in the Philippines, and tracking Bin Laden. Tune in.

Main Takeaways

This episode is sponsored by Ten Thousand a men’s training brand. 

visit www.tenthousand.cc and enter code Global Recon for 15 % off

Follow Ric Prado: www.ricprado.com

Connect With John Hendricks

www.globalrecon.net

www.instagram.com/igrecon 

Music provided by Caspian:

www.caspian.band

Two active-duty Ukrainian Special Forces Operators are joining me for this week's podcast. Back on the show is Mikko, and joining us for the first time is his teammate Quebec. Quebec joined Special Forces in 2014 when the Russians annexed Crimea.

He was wounded during a battle in eastern Ukraine, leading to his retirement from the military. He later worked as a security contractor in Afghanistan. Once Russia invaded Ukraine, he went back into Special Forces and has been fighting ever since. We discussed the Partisan movement and undercover operations in Russian-controlled territory, Bahkmut, the Wagner Group, and much more. Tune in.

Main Takeaways

Connect with Mikko: www.instagram.com/1_am_mikko

Connect with Quebec: www.instagram.com/denys_q.u.e.b.e.c

Check out the website below if you want to support them

www.psdinfo.store

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Instagram

Music provided by Caspian:

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My guest for this week's podcast is retired Marine Corps Major General Arnold Punaro. Punaro went on to serve for 34 years, finishing his career as the Commanding Officer of the 4th Marine Division and reaching the rank of Two Star General. He was shot during a firefight as a young Officer leading Marines against an enemy position in Vietnam.

After the war, he went to work for Senator Sam Nunn in National Security matters serving as his director of National Security Affairs and then as Staff Director of the Senate Armed Services Committee. His latest book, "The Ever Shrinking Fighting Force." Highlights the issue of how more money being spent is not equating to a more effective fighting force. We discussed General Punaro's time in Vietnam, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and China, and his book. Tune in.

Website

Book

www.globalrecon.net

Instagram

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