JSOC (Regimental Reconnaissance Company), OMEGA (JSOC-CIA Hunter Killer Teams), Expert Breacher and Free Fall, Plus Earning a Silver Star in Combat - Mike Edwards Round 1
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Today we have part one of a two part Combat Story with Mike Edwards, a former special operations soldier and leader with 18 combat deployments with the Ranger Regiment, Regimental Reconnaissance Company (RRC), and as part of the Omega Program where JSOC and CIA personnel were paired together to form lethal operational units downrange.
The Washington Post described the Omega Program as “units comprising CIA personnel and troops with JSOC…using co-mingled bases in Iraq, Afghanistan and Yemen” and “mostly designed against specific high-value targets.”
In this first interview, we dive into Mike’s entry into the military as an 11M and his first round of deployments with Ranger Regiment post-9/11, including earning what is often referred to as the mustard stain on his jump wings after a static line jump to seize an airfield at the outset of the Iraq war (he ends up very much like Shrek did on his first combat jump!). We dig into hunting the deck of cards, earning an EIB, then CIB, losing friends to a female suicide bomber, and then the intense operation in which Mike was awarded a Purple Heart and Silver Star.
Stay tuned for part two with Mike where we dive into some of Mike’s more intense combat experiences, low vis tactical work, and fighting in Omega and RRC.
Special thanks to our brothers Jack, Dave, and Dee at the Team House for introducing us to Mike! And with that, please enjoy this first episode with Mike Edwards.
👇 Show Notes:
00:00 - Introduction 00:48 - Guest Profile: Mike Edwards 02:06 - Start of Interview 02:38 - Childhood 05:15 - Serving with Family 09:53 - Path to the Military 10:55 - Decision to Enlist 14:50 - Start of Career and Korea 22:35 - HelloFresh Ad 23:50 - Switching to Ranger Battalion 27:06 - Overlap of Special Forces and Regiment 30:35 - Welcome into the Ranger Community 36:40 - Welcome into the Unit 41:42 - First Deployment 47:57 - First Combat 52:30 - Coming Back After First Deployment 54:07 - Injury During Operation 01:08:25 - Realizing Invinciblity 01:15:25 - Learning from Gunfights 01:17:25 - Strykers 01:18:30 - Snot Story 01:20:46 - Listener Comments and Feedback
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This episode was sponsored by HelloFresh! Go to HelloFresh.com/combatstoryfree and use code combatstoryfree for FREE breakfast for life!