Retired Royal Marine Commando Lee West joins us on Urban Valor to recount the moments when he was nearly kidnapped by Al Qaeda at a checkpoint in Baghdad. Lee served from 2003 to 2020, rising to the rank of Color Sergeant, and brings a firsthand account of frontline combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

During his second deployment to Afghanistan, Lee was ambushed and blown off his feet by a massive IED blast. His story includes undercover work in the Calais migrant camps while still on active duty, revealing shocking flaws in UK border security.

Watch as Lee opens up about brotherhood, trauma, and the sacrifices soldiers make—both on and off the battlefield.

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Video Chapters: 
00:00 - Ambushed on Patrol
04:09 - Growing Up in Swansea
07:21 - Early Interest in the Military
10:59 - Choosing the Royal Marines
14:15 - Passing Commando Selection
18:15 - Brutality of Marine Training
21:30 - Lessons from Early Marine Life
28:25 - Graduation Day & First Posting
35:12 - Surviving Arctic Warfare Training
38:24 - Deployment to Iraq Begins
42:21 - Forming a New Special Forces Unit
46:02 - First Missions in Baghdad
50:04 - Friendly Fire & Chaos of War
53:26 - The Reality of Combat Loss
57:24 - Nighttime Snatch Attempt by Al Qaeda
1:00:42 - Saved by a US Convoy
1:07:37 - Hostage Rescue Training
1:11:54 - Helmand Surge Deployment
1:15:27 - On the Ground in Afghanistan
1:23:02 - “Fix Bayonets” in Live Combat
1:26:23 - Jungle Warfare Instructor Course in Brunei
1:30:39 - Blown Up by IED in Yak Chal
1:34:15 - Continuing the Mission Despite Trauma
1:38:17 - Final Stand in the Village of Fad
1:46:11 - Training Replacements for Afghanistan
1:49:49 - Medical Discharge and the Fallout
1:57:45 - Losing Purpose After Leaving Service
2:05:54 - Struggles with Alcohol & Isolation
2:09:22 - Why Simplicity in Combat is Missed
2:13:33 - PTSD vs. Lack of Purpose
2:16:51 - Undercover as a Homeless Veteran
2:20:45 - Smuggling Into the UK as a Migrant
2:24:12 - Rebuilding Life & Staying Sober

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