Inside the Green Beret and Ethics on the Battlefield: Dan Pace's Journey and Modern Warfare Challenges

Combat Story

Ryan Fugit

History

4.8 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 22 June 2024

⏱️ 104 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

🪖 Today’s Combat Story dives deep into the career and combat experiences of former infantryman turned Cavalry officer turned Special Forces Green Beret, Dan Pace. Dan retired after over two decades of service in the military, seeing combat in both Iraq and Afghanistan on both the enlisted and officer sides of the house.

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📚 Dan recently wrote a book titled "It Was What It Was: A Tale of the 1st Infantry Division in Iraq (2006-2008)" where he details his experiences, particularly those with the 1st ID in Iraq during a pivotal moment in the war. In this episode, we dive into the transition from enlisted to officer and conventional to SF, some of the tougher moments in combat, and how perspective may change from that of a soldier to an officer.

🎖️ General Petreus on the book: "...the timeless tale of a young leader and his soldiers on the ground seeking to find meaning and purpose in the gritty, visceral reality of war at the small unit level.

🎧 Enjoy this wide-ranging conversation with retired Special Forces officer, Dan Pace.

🔗 Guest Online Information:

📧 Contact Dan: [email protected]

📘 It Was What It Was: A Tale of the 1st Infantry Division in Iraq (2006-2008) https://www.amazon.com/Was-What-Infantry-Division-2006-2008/dp/B0CW3MH7KT

📚 Grey Zone Ethics Courses https://danielvpace.com/courses.html

👨‍✈️ Join host Ryan Fugit in a gripping episode of Combat Story as he delves into the remarkable military career of Dan Pace, a former infantryman, cavalry officer, and special forces Green Beret. Dan shares his intense experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, from frontline battles to coordinating medevacs. Explore his journey from enlisted to officer roles, the evolution of military strategies, and the personal toll of long deployments. The episode also addresses innovative countermeasures against IED threats, fortified vehicles, and ethical dilemmas faced by troops and leaders. This raw and insightful look into Dan's life and the complexities of modern warfare sheds light on the creativity, resilience, and moral challenges within the military.

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🎵 Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle

00:00 Intro
01:03 Meet Dan Pace: From Infantryman to Green Beret
02:35 The Story Behind the Book Title
03:36 Reflecting on the Surge and Its Impact
09:23 Joining the Military: A Whimsical Decision
15:16 First Deployment Experiences
20:11 Life in Afghanistan: Challenges and Reflections
33:37 The Decision to Become an Officer
34:18 Encouragement and Motivation
34:57 Transitioning to Officer for Better Opportunities
36:03 Financial Incentives and Career Moves
36:51 Branching and Trading Roles
37:47 Formation of Brigade Combat Teams
40:52 Deployment and Initial Challenges
47:00 Extended Deployment and Coping Mechanisms
01:03:00 Leadership Decisions and Ethical Dilemmas
01:09:34 A Life-or-Death Decision
01:10:11 Moral Dilemmas in Combat
01:12:14 Humor Amidst Chaos
01:14:03 Economic Stimulus in a War Zone
01:14:52 Transition to Special Forces
01:22:20 Ethical Challenges in Special Forces
01:32:45 Training Mishaps and Close Calls
01:38:25 Reflections and Farewell

Transcript

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0:00.0	We see these runners running up the hill to our right, like straight up to back standing border.
0:06.0	And so the platoon starting takes off up top.
0:08.0	We take the trucks up the top of the hill next to him and we start getting in this firefight.
0:12.0	You know, then we get to call the PSG's got his leg shot off
0:14.8	and they're pulling him down the hill.
0:16.3	We get down there and so we coordinate this mag,
0:18.8	this medevac, it's just wild, it's just a wild night and it's all under knots, right they're bad knots is bad right and so you
0:25.5	you can just picture like I'm sitting down there there's 50 go and I'm looking down and they're just
0:28.3	loading the you know Gilbert this old tunes aren't up and he, you know, his pants are all cut up because the medics
0:34.4	try to get a turnicate on him. He's believed and you just, it's all this black and white scene, and it's so surreal, right? You can't see anything real. There's no ambient light.
0:44.0	Welcome to Combat Story. I'm Ryan Puget and I serve War Zone Tours as an Army
0:47.8	Attack helicopter pilot and CIA officer over a 15-year career.
0:51.6	I'm fascinated by the experiences of the elite in combat.
0:54.8	On this show I interview some of the best to understand what combat felt like on
0:59.3	their front lines. This is Combat Story.
1:03.2	Today's combat story goes deep into the career and combat experiences of former infantrymen
1:07.8	turned cavalry officer turned Special Forces Green Baray, Dan Pace.
1:12.5	Dan retired after over two decades of service in the military,
1:15.9	seeing combat in both Iraq and Afghanistan
1:18.7	on both the enlisted and officer sides of the house.
1:21.8	He recently wrote a book titled It Was What It Was, a
1:24.8	tale of the First Infantry Division in Iraq 2006 to 2008, where he details his
	...

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