Breaking a Leg on a Combat Jump | Special Forces Sergeant Major Turned Military Memoir Ghostwriter | Randall Surles (SGM, ret.) Round 1
2Description
Today on Combat Story we have our first of two interviews with 32 year veteran and retired Special Forces Sergeant Major Randy Surles, who entered the Army in 1987 and retired in 2019. Randy saw combat early on in Operation Just Cause as a Ranger and then again for several rotations post-9/11.
Check out our Combat Story Newsletter at www.combatstory.com/newsletter.
In this episode, we cover Randy’s experience in Panama and attending Lancero training in Colombia which you can think of as something like Ranger school without any safety nets!
In round two, we dive into his time leading Green Berets in the post-9/11 era. Randy now helps veterans write their own memoirs as a ghostwriter with the aptly titled website the military editor. With that, please enjoy our first interview with Randy Surles.
Find Randall Surles Online:
- https://militaryeditor.com/
- https://thestoryninjas.com/
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/randall-surles-military-editor-mfa-creative-writing-5bbbbb66/?trk=public_post_main-feed-card_reshare-text
🎙️ Connect with Ryan & Combat Story:
- 🔗 Ryan’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/combatstory
- 🛒 Merch Store: https://www.bonfire.com/store/combatstory/
- 📸 Instagram: @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory
- 📘 Facebook: @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial
- 📖 Learn more about Ryan: https://www.combatstory.com/aboutus
- 🎵 Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle
Show Notes:
00:00 Intro
00:29 Introduction to Combat Story
00:48 Meet Randy Searles: Special Forces Veteran
01:21 Randy's Transition to Ghostwriting
11:36 Randy's Early Life and Military Aspirations
12:13 Evacuation from Iran
20:00 Joining the Military
25:17 Ranger Training and Sniper School
29:35 Life in the Barracks
31:01 Ranger School Challenges
35:37 Operation Just Cause
44:23 Injury and Recovery
52:32 Transition to Green Beret
01:03:44 Struggles with Weapon Assembly
01:05:14 Facing the Q Course Challenges
01:06:12 Mastering Mortars and Anti-Aircraft
01:06:52 Language Course and Deployment
01:07:11 Unexpected Armor Duties
01:10:08 Volunteering for Lancero School
01:20:38 Surviving Lancero School
01:32:04 Combat Stories and Future Plans
01:33:04 Listener Feedback and Closing Remarks
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