Dino Mavrookas

I leave the SDV team. I go over to Team 2, and I augment Team 6. So that means, like, you're not at Team 6, but it's like if you're a college basketball player getting to go train with the New York Knicks for a couple months. And that's what it felt like, too. And so I go on this deployment, and I show up, and this is... I show up the very first day. I didn't even meet anybody.

I leave the SDV team. I go over to Team 2, and I augment Team 6. So that means, like, you're not at Team 6, but it's like if you're a college basketball player getting to go train with the New York Knicks for a couple months. And that's what it felt like, too. And so I go on this deployment, and I show up, and this is... I show up the very first day. I didn't even meet anybody.

I leave the SDV team. I go over to Team 2, and I augment Team 6. So that means, like, you're not at Team 6, but it's like if you're a college basketball player getting to go train with the New York Knicks for a couple months. And that's what it felt like, too. And so I go on this deployment, and I show up, and this is... I show up the very first day. I didn't even meet anybody.

They're all in the team room, and they're briefing this up. And the person that picked me up from the airfield walks me into the team room, and I kind of just slide in, and I'm looking around the table. And these are men, right? beers, mid 30, like these are the most seasoned operators on the planet. And this is my very first, this is my first time overseas.

They're all in the team room, and they're briefing this up. And the person that picked me up from the airfield walks me into the team room, and I kind of just slide in, and I'm looking around the table. And these are men, right? beers, mid 30, like these are the most seasoned operators on the planet. And this is my very first, this is my first time overseas.

They're all in the team room, and they're briefing this up. And the person that picked me up from the airfield walks me into the team room, and I kind of just slide in, and I'm looking around the table. And these are men, right? beers, mid 30, like these are the most seasoned operators on the planet. And this is my very first, this is my first time overseas.

And they throw me in the middle of this team room. And the team leader who's briefing the mission was going through the things like, I need somebody that can, I'll tell this. I need somebody that can blend in with the local populace. And everybody looks at you. Yeah. I mean, I'm Greek. I have tan skin. I grow a beard. I blend in very well in that part of the world. So he looks around the room.

And they throw me in the middle of this team room. And the team leader who's briefing the mission was going through the things like, I need somebody that can, I'll tell this. I need somebody that can blend in with the local populace. And everybody looks at you. Yeah. I mean, I'm Greek. I have tan skin. I grow a beard. I blend in very well in that part of the world. So he looks around the room.

And they throw me in the middle of this team room. And the team leader who's briefing the mission was going through the things like, I need somebody that can, I'll tell this. I need somebody that can blend in with the local populace. And everybody looks at you. Yeah. I mean, I'm Greek. I have tan skin. I grow a beard. I blend in very well in that part of the world. So he looks around the room.

He's like, you. And then he kind of does a double take. He's like, who the hell are you? And I'm like, oh, I'm from team two. He's like, whatever. Shut up. Stop talking. You're coming with me. And so that was my first op. And coming off of that deployment. What were you doing? We were just doing some low-vis stuff in Bagram. I mean, it was pretty basic.

He's like, you. And then he kind of does a double take. He's like, who the hell are you? And I'm like, oh, I'm from team two. He's like, whatever. Shut up. Stop talking. You're coming with me. And so that was my first op. And coming off of that deployment. What were you doing? We were just doing some low-vis stuff in Bagram. I mean, it was pretty basic.

He's like, you. And then he kind of does a double take. He's like, who the hell are you? And I'm like, oh, I'm from team two. He's like, whatever. Shut up. Stop talking. You're coming with me. And so that was my first op. And coming off of that deployment. What were you doing? We were just doing some low-vis stuff in Bagram. I mean, it was pretty basic.

Running surveillance ahead of a broader, a bigger group. And ran a bunch of ops with them. Spent three months on that deployment. Came back. Went to Iraq for six months with Team 2. And I went right to Green Team.

Running surveillance ahead of a broader, a bigger group. And ran a bunch of ops with them. Spent three months on that deployment. Came back. Went to Iraq for six months with Team 2. And I went right to Green Team.

Running surveillance ahead of a broader, a bigger group. And ran a bunch of ops with them. Spent three months on that deployment. Came back. Went to Iraq for six months with Team 2. And I went right to Green Team.

Right into the fire. I'm like, oh my gosh. But those guys were great. I mean, honestly... truly the best operators in the world. And seeing that, that's what gave me the drive to then say, okay, I want to go to team six. That's what I want to do with my career from here. I want to be a part of that. That was incredible. So come back, go to Iraq for six months with team two.

Right into the fire. I'm like, oh my gosh. But those guys were great. I mean, honestly... truly the best operators in the world. And seeing that, that's what gave me the drive to then say, okay, I want to go to team six. That's what I want to do with my career from here. I want to be a part of that. That was incredible. So come back, go to Iraq for six months with team two.

Right into the fire. I'm like, oh my gosh. But those guys were great. I mean, honestly... truly the best operators in the world. And seeing that, that's what gave me the drive to then say, okay, I want to go to team six. That's what I want to do with my career from here. I want to be a part of that. That was incredible. So come back, go to Iraq for six months with team two.

Come back, go to green team. And green team's sort of the tryouts for CLT. It's another six month selection process. I did not know that there was such a high attrition rate where you have experienced seals that are selected as top performers that are going through the selection course and you still have another 80% attrition rate.

Come back, go to green team. And green team's sort of the tryouts for CLT. It's another six month selection process. I did not know that there was such a high attrition rate where you have experienced seals that are selected as top performers that are going through the selection course and you still have another 80% attrition rate.