Green Beret | Operation Pineapple Express | Evacuated Afghan Allies from Kabul | Last Man Out Writer | Scott Mann

Combat Story

Ryan Fugit

History

4.8 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 7 January 2023

⏱️ 97 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

EXCLUSIVE - This episode was sponsored by Ten Thousand, a clothing brand for tough, durable gear for the outdoors, working out, and a more active lifestyle. I just took mine to Alaska and they held up like a champ. They also use former Special Operators to test and improve their clothing, which you know we love on Combat Story! Check out https://tenthousand.cc/combatstory and get 15% off and help Combat Story continue to grow! I got their long sleeve t-shirt and it was awesome.

Today we hear the Combat Story of Scott Mann, a long time Green Beret in the pre- and post-9/11 era. Ten years after his army service, he gained notoriety for his role leading what is now known as Operation Pineapple Express in August 2021 when he and a large group of veterans and active duty service members helped evacuate 1,000 Afghans as the Taliban returned to power and what was sure to be brutal retribution.

Scott served in the jungle and mountainous terrain of South America and spent years in Afghanistan executing a combination of direct action and village stability operations. Like any Green Beret we’ve interviewed, Scott’s desire to work with, by, and through local forces shines through.

He’s gone on to write several books in addition to Operation Pineapple Express, a play called Last Out that the Gary Sinese Foundation is helping to turn into a larger production, and a leadership company called Rooftop Leadership, all of which leverage the experiences he had in combat.

I hope you enjoy this very real and raw Combat Story with someone who never gave up helping others as much as I did.

Find Ryan Online:

- Ryan’s Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory
- Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combats...
- Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory
- Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial
- Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial
- Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus
- Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle

Find Scott Online:

- Scott's Website: scottmann.com
- Scott's Linktree https://linktr.ee/rooftop_leadership
- Scott's Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYOQ7CDJ6uSaGvmfxYC_skQ
- Instagram @scottmannauthor https://www.instagram.com/scottmannauthor/
- Facebook @Scott Mnn https://www.facebook.com/ScottMannAuthor
- Twitter @RooftopLeader https://twitter.com/RooftopLeader
- RooftopLeader Podcast https://linktr.ee/rooftoppodcast
- Rooftop Leadership Website https://rooftopleadership.com/

Show Notes:

0:00 - Intro
1:08 - Guest Introduction (Scott Mann)
2:17 - Interview Begins
2:54 - Last Christmas I evacuated Afghans out of Afghanistan
7:18 - Scott's ability to thrive in uncomfortable enviornments
8:39 - Scott's whiteboard with the first Afghan Evacuation plans
10:20 - Scott's childhood and planting the seeds of a Leader
12:09 - Scott's first encounter with a Green Beret Soldier
15:07 - What influenced Scott to join the Military
15:45 - Scott's opinion on bullies and the Military
16:35 - Scott's trejectory to end up in Special Forces
18:46 - Scott's battle with alcoholism in the Quartermaster Branch
21:14 - The value Quartermaster service had on Scott's knowledge and career
24:57 - The reputation of 7th group
26:17 - First assignment with the 7th group in Peru/Ecuador conflict
34:33- Cliff Patterson and the affects of 9/11
42:42 - Scott's advice on loss and grief
46:49 - 1st time outside the wire in Afghanistan
51:07 - Scott's experience with the Afghan National Special Forces
58:16 - Afghan National Army's first encounter with the Taliban
01:07:51 - Operation Pineapple Express
01:26:52 - Last Out: Elegy of A Green Beret
01:30:00 - Is there any sentimental items you brought with you into combat?
01:33:00 - Would you do it all again?
01:34:39 - Listener comments and shout outs

Transcript

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0:00.0	And so I flew up to Bogram Air Base and went right into the two-star and nominated bottom-up
0:07.8	a plan for our special forces teams to go into an operation called Namdong, which was
0:13.2	named in honor of Roger Donnellan and ODA 726, the team that I had led as a captain
0:17.3	and this team was going to lead as well, a mission to basically take the 205th call in
0:22.0	to bat in a Ruzgong for the first time.
0:24.5	And they allowed us to do it.
0:25.7	They chopped howitzer cannons to us that we slungload in for the first time since Vietnam.
0:31.1	We had a couple of Chinooks and dust off and 60s cut to us.
0:37.5	I mean it was, we had a UAV which at the time at 05 was unheard of and it was armed.
0:42.7	And so we went in there and we went in with like four ODAs and a couple of hundred Afghan
0:49.0	national army.
0:50.0	Welcome to Combat Story.
0:51.3	I'm Ryan Fugit and I serve Warzone Tourers as an Army attack helicopter pilot and
0:55.4	ACIA officer over a 15 year career.
0:58.0	I'm fascinated by the experiences of the elite in combat.
1:01.5	On this show, I interview some of the best to understand what combat felt like on their
1:05.7	front lines.
1:07.0	This is Combat Story.
1:08.6	Today we hear the combat story of Scott Mann, a long time green beret in the pre-imposed
1:12.8	9-11 era.
1:13.8	Ten years after his Army service, Scott came notoriety for his role leading what is now
1:17.9	known as Operation Pineapple Express in August 2021 when he and a large group of dedicated
	...

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