Mike Ritland

So I had to go through the whole process again, which was I had to go through MEPS as an E5, going back through MEPS, the whole duck walk thing, all that stuff. I had to go back through all that to get back in. And they had a program, which is kind of similar to what's called 18X right now, where you can come in off the streets and try out for selection.

And if you make it, they'll send you to special forces training. And if you don't, you simply just go back to your sister unit. Or if you don't have a unit, whatever your job is, they'll find a job for you in that position. Now, how old are you at this point?

And if you make it, they'll send you to special forces training. And if you don't, you simply just go back to your sister unit. Or if you don't have a unit, whatever your job is, they'll find a job for you in that position. Now, how old are you at this point?

And if you make it, they'll send you to special forces training. And if you don't, you simply just go back to your sister unit. Or if you don't have a unit, whatever your job is, they'll find a job for you in that position. Now, how old are you at this point?

yeah that's a lot of courage I was young when I hit the ground I mean I was running we immediately deployed to Afghanistan how many guys are on your team roughly well I think at that time maybe 10 10 dudes yeah we're most attachments are light by nature of guys coming and going and like I said my 18 Bravo senior was got was uh in surgery So he had to get a surgery, recover.

yeah that's a lot of courage I was young when I hit the ground I mean I was running we immediately deployed to Afghanistan how many guys are on your team roughly well I think at that time maybe 10 10 dudes yeah we're most attachments are light by nature of guys coming and going and like I said my 18 Bravo senior was got was uh in surgery So he had to get a surgery, recover.

yeah that's a lot of courage I was young when I hit the ground I mean I was running we immediately deployed to Afghanistan how many guys are on your team roughly well I think at that time maybe 10 10 dudes yeah we're most attachments are light by nature of guys coming and going and like I said my 18 Bravo senior was got was uh in surgery So he had to get a surgery, recover.

And so we deployed that year to Afghanistan with a little bit of a light package. What year? This was 05, early 05.

And so we deployed that year to Afghanistan with a little bit of a light package. What year? This was 05, early 05.

And so we deployed that year to Afghanistan with a little bit of a light package. What year? This was 05, early 05.

Yeah, part of the job is running Indige. I mean, when I reported... As an 18 Bravo, I was in charge of about 144 Afghan commandos.

Yeah, part of the job is running Indige. I mean, when I reported... As an 18 Bravo, I was in charge of about 144 Afghan commandos.

Yeah, part of the job is running Indige. I mean, when I reported... As an 18 Bravo, I was in charge of about 144 Afghan commandos.

So I was in charge of all of them. As a new guy. As a new guy. Holy shit. I'll never forget. He said, hey, your guys are formed up waiting on you. Waiting on me? Yeah, you're the 18 Bravo. Get up there and... and be their commander because everybody else had other stuff to worry about.

So I was in charge of all of them. As a new guy. As a new guy. Holy shit. I'll never forget. He said, hey, your guys are formed up waiting on you. Waiting on me? Yeah, you're the 18 Bravo. Get up there and... and be their commander because everybody else had other stuff to worry about.

So I was in charge of all of them. As a new guy. As a new guy. Holy shit. I'll never forget. He said, hey, your guys are formed up waiting on you. Waiting on me? Yeah, you're the 18 Bravo. Get up there and... and be their commander because everybody else had other stuff to worry about.

I mean, the 18 Charlies had to run the fire base, which is a full-time job of the base security and the actual physical structure, the generators, the water system, everything, the commo, base defense.

I mean, the 18 Charlies had to run the fire base, which is a full-time job of the base security and the actual physical structure, the generators, the water system, everything, the commo, base defense.

I mean, the 18 Charlies had to run the fire base, which is a full-time job of the base security and the actual physical structure, the generators, the water system, everything, the commo, base defense.

What are your living conditions like? Shit, I mean tents living on a cot living on a cot surrounded by stacked sandbags and a Concrete ish just mud mud hut. Okay on the second floor of a little structure. I