Navy SEAL & DEVGRU Squadron Commander | Afghanistan Post-9/11 | The Honor Foundation | Matt Stevens
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Today we have a fascinating Combat Story from Matt Stevens, a Troop and Squadron Commander in Naval Special Warfare Development Group or DEVGRU, the unit many know from the Bin Laden raid and the Captain Phillips rescue.
After tours with SEAL Teams 4 and 8 and one rotation with a SEAL Delivery Vehicle (SDV) unit, Matt successfully assessed for and was accepted into DEVGRU. He and his Troop deployed to Afghanistan immediately following 9/11 and supported efforts in the south of the country, on the “giving end” of things as Matt so aptly describes it.
Matt was, unfortunately, intimately involved in the aftermath of Operation Red Wings in 2005 while serving as a DEVGRU Squadron Commander that included all the tactical and political challenges that come with that leadership role.
Today, Matt is the CEO of The Honor Foundation, a non-profit that helps elite warriors like himself successfully transition out of the military and into a civilian career. Part of the process for veterans in the program is how to manage your identity post-military, which so many of us struggle with, and Matt shares some of the tactics the Honor Foundation uses to help in this effort.
I hope you enjoy this front row seat to stories from a leader in one of the elite Tier 1 elements of our military as much as I did.
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- Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle
Find Matt Stevens Online:
- LinkedIn / matthewpstevens
- Learn more about Matt www.honor.org/people/matt-ste...
- The Honor Foundation www.honor.org/
- Instagram @honorfoundation / honorfoundation
Show Notes:
00:00 - Intro
00:45 - Guest Introduction (Matt Stevens)
02:00 - Interview begins
02:07 - Missions after 9/11
09:20 - Lobbying to get mission sets
12:03 - The Honor Foundation
18:49 - 4Patriots
20:07 - Childhood
23:59 - Deciding to join the Military
29:12 - Playing the clarinet
31:30 - Deciding to go the SEALs route
34:29 - Working alongside older Veterans
36:09 - Welcoming as a Junior Officer to SEAL team
38:51 - Jump to DEVGRU
46:22 - Measuring up to the competition
47:39 - Family reaction to going DEVGRU
48:44 - First mission set in Afghanistan
55:07 - Difference between training and live Ops at night
58:30 - Operation Red Wings
01:16:39 - Moral during Operation Red Wings
01:25:44 - Leadership position complications
01:29:32 - Experience with high ranking officials
01:31:24 - Advice for identity after service
01:44:39 - Sentimental Items
01:45:21 - Would you do it all again
01:47:01 - Final thoughts
01:47:12 - Listener comments and shout outs
Пікірлер: 54
Ryan, great interview as always.
When I want to complain about mundane shit, I just fire up Combat Story. 🙏 League of extraordinary ladies and gentleman!
@user-rt8ik1ow4i
3 ай бұрын
Why,it's here too,more than anywhere, good soldiers, bad bosses
Hats off to the Honor Foundation! It sounds like a fantastic approach to help veterans integrate back to civilian life.
Amazing podcast guy's. 👏
This channel has grown sooooo fast! Awesome work Ryan!!! This is one of the 3 channels I'll pay attention to anymore. Notification bell is definitely on👍
@CombatStory
Жыл бұрын
Thanks for being here! That means a lot
One of the best yet
Great video ryan
I retired in 1996 and I wish I had something available to me life the honor foundation. It took me 4 years to find a full time job and then it was nothing comparable to what I did in the Navy. I would go to an interview and bever get the second interview. It was so frustrating!! I Retired as a Navy Master Chief and the only jobs I could find were entry level Retail positions.
Awesome channel.
Phenomenal interview. That must be the definitive telling of Red Wing.
Happy 4th Of July & thanks for your service, salute!
Ooorah! Matt and his XO Tom Donovan were great shipmates!
this is one of the most underrated podcasts!!!
Greay interview~ Rat Patrol - heck ya! Thanks you for your service Mr. Stevens.
The Honor Foundation seems to be doing great work. The point was made that the services do mediocre work in helping people transition to civilian life. I’d like more information on how to get the military to improve its transition program and learn from the Honor example.
Thank you for sharing your story and for your service, Matt. Thank you Ryan. 🇺🇸
🏆🤗🙏🇺🇲🎖️ Thank you for sharing
What a sqaured away stud through and through 💯 never stopped thinking about his brothers 🙏🫡
I went through basic training when shaving lines into your eyebrow was a thing and one dude did it during the first couple weeks of basic and the DS made him go shave off both eyebrows and he looked goofy af but the rest of the time at basic the DSs nicknamed him Grasshopper.
Hello, The sound quality of the guests' mics is often quiet weak, which has a rather big impact on the listening experience (sound is just as important as image for any content on this platform). How about identiyfing a cheap but efficient microphone that you would send to the guest before the interview takes place ?
Smallworld my husband and I were stationed in Panama during just cause
It just keeps getting better! How do you find these people and convince them to share their story?
@c-v-n3322
Жыл бұрын
I think these men/women have something to give others and this is why he finds people willing to do these stories, each an everyone of these people all have made some type of business outside of the military that help so many ex-military members.
@ericgibson2079
Жыл бұрын
Made them feel less worthy, here at home. That's how.
@ericgibson2079
Жыл бұрын
Wawawawashed Up!
Unfortunately the world has idiots for leaders in office that put the lives of the innocent at risk. From a family that fought in the Revolutionary War, Civil War and countless others... I salute soldiers with real heart. My relatives had no special weapons, hospitals.... just heart and determination. Family... Lt. Joseph Allison, U.S. Revolutionary War; Colonel Robert Allison C.S.A. Please pray for peace, war is hell.
Ya should look into talking with Craig Morgan he was 5th group in Panama and all
GULAB was the afghan man that found Latrell and brought him back to his village.another elder village member took Latrells note to the American base. I would have thought this guy would know who Gulab was. Good podcast with this man
@DGillian6406
10 ай бұрын
He mentioned Gulab a few times
Robert O'Neill was under his command on June 2005 (Redwings), he talks about it in his book! Great work on this chanel Ryan! This is QUALITY entertainment from the most elite! I love it. Cheers from Seattle Washington!
What squadron where you commander?
Ahh, in school suspension (IS) Sigh, The good old days... or not so good.
@erickiyoshiphillips2323
Жыл бұрын
Lol I remember having to be in school suspension. And it was in a gym with desk it was so boring. Literally had go do homework and u couldn't talk and had to sit there quietly all damn day. Smh
I've never heard of Rangers having to turn around and go back because of weather.
@ericgibson2079
Жыл бұрын
Good. Maybe it was because they were not prepared for the weather? To that I say, thank God. Great, no frostbite, or thermias, no suffering that puts us on HOLD, SLOW MODE. We don't get to puff our chests out tho as tough guys? Look at just how valuable that is still... Wow. There is more for us here than the ole, Titan thing. Well learn. No mistakes that cost, great, turn around. FIX THESE PROBLEMS. One day we will be able to walk into the eye of the storm, and conquer the sun.
Guests Recommendation: Jim Semivan
Anyone who questions how difficult driving at night can be stay awake for 48 hrs then get behind the wheel of a Hummer in a convoy, drive with blackout drive lights keeping distance to the lead vehicle for hours and hours!!! It is truly brutal. And this was just training. Officer letting the pig go from the TC seat is awesome!!!
@erickiyoshiphillips2323
Жыл бұрын
Mike Ritland talked bout the same thing in the invasion of Iraq
@ericgibson2079
Жыл бұрын
Cmon dude, the body goes into go mode, second, third wind like after it's forced awake. Same as hunger. Did you complain about that too? I'm hungry....
Why arent you asking about the first combat story anymoee? It used to be a regular thing now its not even a thing. We want to hear the emotions of first battles and first kills.
did he talk about neil roberts
All fluff until 58:30
I grewup in Muscat Oman and it sucked in 80' 90'.
Can you get George hodgin
Do we reflect on Robocop differently today? As a lesson in survivability? Whats the connections here? The full intentions of those films, then and how far behind do our guys feel now because of it?
Sounds very safe around the fuel dump part. Makes me want to confiscate it instead. I hope we have this abilities in the future, soon. Trucks, full? Gas and Trucks, available??? That much freedom of movement. I hope we can improve to make our capabilities much more valuble and profitable. It seems like we sure could.
He wont say anything that we cant know abiut dev
⛩
Has anyone ever charted how many of the operators are Christians?
Woman thanhk 😂
Its just so disapointing to hear these stories, from whats supposed to be our best ok. Were all trained out and deployed. Millions and Billions. Then we just undermine and choke, time and time again! H2O! Freezing Out! And our whole posture is regulated by these lame conditions that some how we cannot be ALWYS prepared for. Please tell me at least that there are demotions for failing to operate Most affectivly? Please tell me that we have Lessons Learned for next time? Something has to change folks... Civilians could have done all that, smoke jumpers! We waste ours and others money and more big time. Our human assets are invaluble, how dare we...STOP. K.I.S.S. Make the time, assets, energy, etc. Make being fully prepared part of every mission. No matter what. Or else Be Able To Support Properly. If you cant do it right, dont do it at all, untill we learn. Suffer the consequenses of not being 100percent capable untill we get it right. Obviously we have a planning and mind set, mission set, goal setting, etc. PROBLEM. Why send a millon dollar SEAL to suffer thirst and being frozen? When anyone can do it? Whats our problem? Why cant we get it right? America stop playing superman, etc. Stop with your over ideologies. Let men lead men where they truly can purely.
Woman thanhk 😂