The Truth Behind Benghazi Told by Kris “Tanto” Paronto

we weren’t a team that had been together
for more than 30 days you realize when
we all got there that the mission that
we’re supposed to be there for it was
bigger than us it was bigger than an
individual train train train train your
highest level push yourself in training
get as much experience as you can
because when the panic sets in or you
can’t have the opportunity to panic your
body will shut down and you will go to
your highest level of training my gut
feeling at that point in time that early
on is that they just panic and when you
panic they went into what we call the
black they they shut down they didn’t
know what to do if 13 hours if the movie
would have came out sooner it would add
a major impact on my life I think even
if we were just said something sooner it
would have so many movies in the history
of elections have impacted elections
because they’ve taken shots at certain
presidents you can think about Black
Hawk Down which came out the story of
what happened in Somalia back in 1993
when Bill Clinton was president and then
you have the documentary Fahrenheit 9/11
that came out that kind of took shots at
Bush’s the administration of what they
were doing with Michael Moore and then
you have the movie 13 hours that came
out by Michael Bay which the book became
obviously very bigoted if you go on
Amazon right I don’t know if you’ve seen
the stats on this about 13 hours it’s
3,500 reviews on Amazon all five-star
and it’s a pretty controversial story
but did a lot so it premiered January 12
2016 at the AT&T Stadium here in Dallas
Cowboys Stadium
you said roughly 35,000 per se 35 37 it
was and I know we’re splitting hairs
there but no there was there was a lot
of people there a lot of people there
I’m sitting with kris paronto which kris
paronto known as Tonto Tonto if you saw
them will be 13 hours Pablo how’d he say
his lessons right driver Schreiber and
by far the best actor in the movie Jon
you did good Krasinski but published you
got Top Billing I know that was awesome
how he’s Jenny Jackson’s yeah I am too
not like Paula Pablo’s jack Pablo’s
Jackie first of all thank you for your
service playing thanks for coming out
here today walk us through this whole
thing and obviously you wrote another
book called the de Ranger way that’s a
leadership book certain things that you
can apply in personal life as well to
succeed I want to talk about that as
well but before doing that first of all
the whole Benghazi situation that took
place I know this has been
talked about many many times but you
know it’s been past the time where some
of the stuff can be talked about walk us
through what happened there’s obviously
a lot of stuff leading up to it we’re on
TV we’re watching a no show this man
made this YouTube video and he offended
people on 9/11 2012 and this is why they
tell you the embassy you would have
thought they could have thought of
something better than that but that’s
we’ll get into that as a team we’ve been
there now we all for people that don’t
know the story we weren’t military we
were all were veterans at the time we
all were contract security contractors
for the CIA
at the time and we weren’t a team that
had been together for more than 30 days
people realized that it wasn’t like oh
you come in as then you when your Ranger
unit or your marine squad a SEAL team
you were there for but as contractors
you come in every individual you coming
in under our guys and I don’t wanna get
into any more than that we get into
tradecraft
but you come in and the team just kind
of melded then now I’m not saying we all
got along either we don’t I’ll tell this
to people when I do my speaking events
me and oz we don’t get along till today
till the day we tolerate each other then
you realize when we all got there that
the mission that we were supposed to be
there for it was bigger than us it was
bigger than an individual and in that
line of work you find a way to work
together we’re gonna get in the Ranger
way that’s one of the fastest errors it
doesn’t matter if y’all get along you
find a way to work together to succeed
and in that sort of thing if you don’t
succeed well people die here at the
highest levels of successful people here
we got there we’ve been there for about
30 days together now individually each
of us had been there certain amount of
times myself and Boone who’s sitting
over here but he won’t be on camera he’s
still shy he’s got the keys cover box
cover make him a knight actually were
supposed to go home earlier and we
extended I don’t think it was a
coincidence set that team was supposed
to be there that night him and I were
acts both coma I think couple weeks
prior we stayed longer same with Rowan
were you guys friends prior or him and I
are the only two that had worked
together though he’s a Marine and you’re
we had started we had started
contracting at Blackwater security in
2003-2004 and I carried him through all
the contracting of course I had him drag
him gonna shoot me no we met there a
black one it looks like he’s great we
picked you up and he sat back there
didn’t say single word and I felt this
red mark in the back of my head I was
like some shits back here I don’t know
it was heating up
and now it’s starting to make Senegal is
that a laser laser focus thought it was
no actually Boone and I hadn’t been
together for 10 years we’d contracted
and together worked in Afghanistan Iraq
Pakistan Yemen and so forth in Libya
course bottom line is is the night came
about there was an attack on 9/11 2012
without getting into any more of the
prior stuff which there is more in the
book has more of it in there the US
consulate was under siege and we weren’t
US State Department facility we were CI
security officers and there was an
ambassador by the name of Chris Stevens
there and Chris Stevens of course
high-level ambassador a very
high-ranking individual there were other
security officers at his side and they
were overrun they were essentially
overrun immediately very little security
on this facility does that come about
yeah it was very odd and that’s the part
of the story as if people that know 13
hours or if you do start to learn about
it that’s what was very odd about that
particular event and why I think it
started to make headlines and climb is
because as people found out that whoa we
got an ambassador that had worked as a
way up from the ground level on up and
that’s when you obtained a certain and
it’s not rank but there’s a level that
ambassadorship that his that when you
get to a Chris Stevens level that it’s
not donating to a foundation and here
you’re giving an ambassadorship is that
you have worked your way up and now you
are looked at highly and if you want to
put a rank to it if you want to put
equivalency ambassador Stevens is a
three-star general if that’s seriously
that’s the high level guy three-star the
reason I can say that with with some
authorities because I work for the State
Department and that protected
ambassadors before I went to the CIA so
I do know the different levels of
ambassadorship the bottom line is you
leave this guy he’s a high-value target
they get overrun long story short
they’re trying to call the State
Department guys are trying to call us
for assistance we’re the only game in
town that they know of that can get to
them and we are told basically to wait
stand down then wait again and then we
finally buck orders and we go there we
disobey our CIA directives to stand down
and how much how long did you stand 30
minutes there’s different timelines – 30
minutes because that’s what I’m going by
my watching I’m not going by some DC
report I’m not going by see what
somebody saw on Facebook at the end
Langley on my watch how far are you
we’re three quarters of ma so you’re
hearing everything now we’re watching
and seeing it and it’s I tell it
everybody that’s out there see it’s it’s
beautiful it’s gorgeous when you’re
watching firefights it’s it’s beautiful
you’re
hearing things you’re seeing the tracers
go up in the air tracers are the rounds
that burn advantage for US military and
US contractors and anyway there is a
pair of military military personnel
within the United States is that the
advantage of night-vision that we have
is incredible
they still use tricksters they still use
bullets that burn so they can adjust
fire and it limits them but it leads to
a great light show as you’re watching it
from not afar but really when you were
watching it did you know what it was
what was yeah you do become acclimated
to the sound of gunfire as you spent
time overseas no I get it but did you
know where it was yeah it’s like they
were attacking last we heard a little
rout of ten not thinking of anything and
then there’s a call on the radio from
our GRS cool that’s what we our global
response now from our team leader and he
says we need your us in the team room
and then when he said with a little bit
more vigor we need to jerison the team
room now that’s kind of when you’re like
this isn’t the normal a k47 gunfire in
the beer because there’s soccer team one
sort of gunfire something’s going on and
when you get out the door as soon as we
got out of our front door as soon as you
see the tracers bounce up there because
of the experienced levels of the guys
there is you pieces together like whole
crowd that’s the consulate they’re
getting hit and then you start hearing
the radio chatter from the State
Department the security officers we had
same radio frequencies they did and Alec
Henderson one of the State Department
officers one of the ambassador’s
security personnel he’s calling us on
the radio saying GRS we need you GRS
we’re taking fire obviously we know that
we can see it GRS the cost has been
overrun within the first five minutes we
knew from when we got called we knew
that that cost that was getting just
hard balls with RPGs Rockwell grenades
ak-47 fire PKM fire grenade oh yeah you
know you’re seeing it you’re hearing it
and your mindset as a team E and again
that’s why I say we had a great team
there nobody panic everybody was pretty
salty all of us in our 40s all of us had
multiple deployments all of us of course
had great training within our military
branches not everybody did their job we
all had responsibilities and when I do
the leadership talks I tell the people
that say you know it’s kind of like a
lessons learned train train train train
your highest level push yourself in
training get as much experience as you
can because when the panic sets in or
you can’t have the opportunity to panic
your body will shut down and you will go
to your highest level of training and
again we were very blessed because the
team had so much experience and training
that everybody just went into what their
job was to do
nobody barked orders nobody yelled at
anybody everybody had a responsibility
our GRS guys the CI personnel yeah
they’re panicking
they’re running everywhere and you’re
seeing them oh yeah we’ll call the shots
and listen we don’t we don’t believe
these guys they’re not telling us in let
us go to me there was essentially two
standouts there was one by our CI
personnel our CI chief of base and our
CI chief of station and Tripoli my gut
feeling at that point in time that early
on is that they just panicked and when
you panic they went into what we call
the black they they shut down they
didn’t know what to do and instead of
making a decision they made no decision
I remember that and I’ve even testified
this I don’t think their initial don’t
go stand down was a political I think
they just didn’t know what the hell they
were doing but the egos kicked in and
people that didn’t know what they’re
doing they didn’t say hey you know what
we don’t know what the heck we’re doing
you guys do go ahead out they just kept
holding on the ball thinking that either
it would work itself out or they just
would maybe think of the right thing –
how much of it was you know cuz you’re
here oh we can get her up because she’s
sleeping and no one’s getting a hatch
was that propaganda was that actually
like we cannot go to hold them in a bow
to make a decision I think as more
propaganda oh god of course it was I
honestly believe that if this story the
true story would have come out and we
would have found out that it yeah there
wasn’t a video there was no abbulu about
a protest because the election was going
on actually Obama was not he was him and
Romney were pretty dang tight at that
point in time part of his a critical
platform was al-qaeda was on the run
al-qaeda was part of the attack that
night Libya was al-qaida in the Maghreb
and I saw Surya I don’t think it would
have want if it would have been if the
truth would have come out like that I
really do not think and and the truth
didn’t if 13 hours if the movie would
have came out sooner it would add a
major impact on her life I think even if
we would have just said something sooner
it would have and but nobody did do you
think 13 hours affected Hillary’s
campaign or for not winning I do I think
a lot of people started to see the
things that they already knew there is a
deep state there is people and the
politicians change history to fit their
own narratives and and the media
especially mainstream media change
history to fit their own narratives so
they can keep pushing whatever agenda
they want people started to see that and
I do believe that I don’t think I’m
going on a limb saying that not because
of what happened there and and what us
coming out speaking out and Benghazi but
because it helped other people start to
stand
up and say you know what this isn’t
right you know what this isn’t right now
we sacrificed our careers by telling the
truth we were we were essentially fired
we lost our security clearances or they
were suspended as a contracts all of us
as a contractor you get a security
clearance suspended you’re not working
anymore that’s essentially you’re
getting fired we didn’t just get our CI
security crash you’re suspended we lost
our State Department one and I lost my
DoD one as well my department defense
one so of course there were
repercussions because of it but you know
what we knew that was going to happen
not crying about it that’s how the
government was a lawyer losing their
license again practice they can’t
practice it we can’t we can’t deploy
anymore I do honestly believe yeah that
that it had a negative detriment on her
political aspirations become president
but it was well deserved Hey she made
the decision and stand down that the
military or now that was a political
stand and that was about it’s hard to
say on time that said about midnight cuz
the military guys on the ground whether
it was 555th fighter wing and Aviano
what it was the Fast Company Marines at
Sigonella the tankers that were in
Sigonella the attend special forces
group that had brief position and had
been moving towards us the commander’s
extremity force those things were all
shut down at midnight and we did find
out later that that was a State
Department call and who was in charge
the State Department well Hillary
Clinton then you got Patrick Kennedy and
Charlene lamb which were the under
secretaries that people don’t know much
about and those two are just directly
responsible as well but then you also
have to put a lot of the responsibility
onus on the commander-in-chief he’s in
charge of the military why didn’t you
step in and do something political
aspirations took precedence over guys on
the grounds lies my friend I was telling
me kind of a little bit about when I was
at Fort Campbell and he’s the guy that
went to the channel story I am one and
became Special Forces in one time he and
I were talking he was in somewhere in
the Middle East somewhere in Europe or
the Middle East and I said who do you
follow on the news he says Pat I don’t
trust anybody I said tell me what you
mean by says Pat and no one is telling
the truth I said honestly but who is
pretty close and he gave me one name at
that time he says you know bill it’s a
little bit closer what he says you know
we were talking I’m not Billa Billa he
said Bill O’Reilly a little bit close on
some of the stuff that was happened in a
war but he says I don’t believe anybody
else I said so what is your reaction
when you watch he says you have no idea
how frustrating it is to watch it to the
phone we don’t even want to watch it
anymore is that kind of the feeling you
had when you were watching a idea the
feeling with Bill well I was on Bill
show once Bill’s an asshole
say he didn’t let us say one word it was
the first time we were house on TV he
was my break into the media but at that
time point in time too we couldn’t
really say too much because it’s right
at the beginning dang what an arrogant
ass at that point in time – yeah he
can’t be hey he could be he pointed me
and he did say things that I thought
were fairly accurate not everything
because every media outlet has an agenda
they do my opinion at that point in time
and this is a reason why we did his show
and he was Bret Baier I thought he was
fantastis being so humble dud to me he
come he’s a he’s a stud and he and his
hair never met his hair we were drinking
after the show his hair he drank more
and I didn’t his hair never messed up it
wasn’t unbelieving he drinks it’s good
for my gosh are you can’t seriously I
mean press I’m gonna watch it now from a
standpoint of Budweiser this message is
completely have a good person but he’s
an Isis and I just call me by the way
just recently I don’t know if you saw
that he in a week I know you don’t we
don’t we don’t need to talk about that I
heard you I love Co me if he’s Six Feet
Under
that’s what it said is that am I gonna
offend people there – there’s no love
for James Comey here either let me ask
you is there no love for James Comey or
is there no love for the FBI period the
FBI guys on the ground do their job okay
our heart and I’ll say this from any
aspect the guys on the ground do their
job even us I mean I deployed for 10
years there were a lot of crooked things
going on in the government that honestly
I just chose either not to pay attention
to or my job is here whatever’s going up
there if they want to be shady didn’t
you – let them be shady my job said
watch my brothers back and that’s how
the FBI is the administrator the head
people at the top especially at that
point in time terrible same thing in
politics same exact is its megalomaniacs
brother how should we differentiate
between the regular guy that works got a
family got kids is watching CNN Fox
MSNBC where is a source for us to be
able to tell the difference versus a guy
like you that’s on the field seeing it
happen I said this when the Bergdahl
case came out on Bowe Bergdahl what were
his troops saying what were the guys
that were with him what did they say
about him and they all came back
negative that that’s who you’re
listening to it what were the media
saying don’t worry about the media
saying what are the guys that are around
him saying I guess you have to pick and
choose I’m not going to tell you how I
listen to listen to Brett barrel down
even though I like him I thought
was great with us listen to Sean Hannity
or listen Anderson Cooper I’m not gonna
say that see just watch
see who they’re interviewing now that’s
talking about troops on the ground yeah
it’s hard when you get into the politics
because now that you got both them
playing the the cloak-and-dagger sort of
thing where you got a supporter for
Trump then you got a supporter for
Bernie Sanders on if there’s stuff that
goes on where you have guys in a unit
that have been working with them like
the FBI and they’re saying one thing I
don’t care what the media is saying if
they’re all saying the same thing those
guys that worked or served with this
gentleman especially at the ground level
then you listen to that but I don’t
watch the news either I’ll read a little
bit every once in a while you never know
which way you’re gonna get slanted
whether it’s left or right so it’s first
to say you and Judy are now going on a
campaign trail to help promote the book
you know loyal hire I can’t wait that
was a perfect title for us but a higher
loyalty had a higher loyalty to himself
that’s basically Comey a higher loyalty
to himself and whoever else that asked
us he was kicked kissing before she
didn’t get elected I did that was that
too obvious now we’re gonna go back and
walk us through where you were at so
you’re there you’re seeing it you’re
saying on your watch it’s at 30 minutes
I watched every calling in you guys are
saying let’s just go all the other
Marine units they’re kind of hanging
time I have all these other military
units we didn’t know they were getting
spun up we found out after the fact Trey
Gowdy’s committee actually did a good
fact-finding or yeah I wish you would
have his job wasn’t to find fault but he
had enough information to find fault but
he didn’t he didn’t pinpoint anything
even though his report was fantastic
what he did with Hillary Clinton on that
one trial like the way yesterday it was
good I think he could have taken it
farther where he could have said this is
your fault
but he didn’t but you know why do you
have an opinion why his job was job
Wooden to do that his job was to collect
information was the job was to take it
further FBI well who was that they’re
combing there you go god this all comes
back to where you’re at and this is this
is why for you feeling toko towards
Comey is from and at that point it
wasn’t just something that came up where
I decided right then and there I’m gonna
know I’ve been letting this go and I’ve
just been paying attention and
collecting information over the last
what now has been six years you were
talking about math hey when the numbers
add up then that’s what the answer is
gonna be and if the numbers don’t
up within its nut but the numbers have
added up that this is what’s just too
complacent and that she was being
protected but yeah get back to what was
going on that night we finally got a
call from Alec Henderson saying GRS if
you don’t get here we’re all gonna f and
die the movie is very awkward that’s
exactly what he said and we just took
them ourselves and we left we left
without orders the CIA our space chief
still stands – oh I told them they could
go they could go assuming with our team
leader but not we in fact I remember
Boone and I were in our car trying to
get our team leader in the car saying
get in we need to go get your and I’m I
don’t know for we had a Juris team
leader and he was a sore throat God and
we had a chief of Base yeah why we’re
trying to get out of there he still
wouldn’t get in her car and we’re you
know it’s time to go and we had to
basically cuss his ass out to get him in
the car
and I remember saying get your fucking
ass in the car and then we shut off the
gate and because of that 30 minutes that
we waited as Austria in a queue I am al
Qaeda were able to basically get dug in
in their positions and we had actually
fight the next 400 meters we got close
it was about 400 meters away we had to
stop Park and then we had to fight our
way on foot which took us another about
30 minutes to go that 400 meters which
we split up and tease me and boon to two
Libyan guys I don’t know how I could
trust my just thought I could grab them
and then tie and Jack and John went down
another right and we split and far away
on foot the rest of the way to get in
there so by the time we actually got
into the consulate from the first call
came to us about an hour and then we get
in there and it’s people have seen fires
when all that’s going on and you see
that it’s it is beautiful I think I said
I’ve been asked that’s the most horrible
express that all these if undutiful to
you what do you mean by beautiful stick
colours oh the colours when stuff like
that happens you have the option to
either the journal on over takes shoes
give this tunnel vision but everything
just kind of comes in like this you can
slow down for you or do things go faster
from honestly things go open it’s think
of a horse with little racing button
things go like this but that was from
experience over time those from
different situations that’s from being
overseas so much if that would have
happened earlier in my career yeah I
made a state like this but because at
that point in time and I was happy to be
there so I was like God thank you for
putting me here whatever happens happens
but I’m gonna have fun and fight my ass
off while I’m here and make sure my
brothers go home and there’s actually a
psychological or physiological response
is called the
and your wall just go people that
doesn’t slow down to the speed up no it
doesn’t do any of that it’s just you’re
just able to see everything and colors
just pop they’re bright sounds just
incredible I see you smile thinking
about it
so I remember seeing that fire and
seeing the believin that diesel smoke in
the dark it’s just still blackest night
it’s just it’s it’s unbelievably awesome
either in your element or you’re in the
fetal position and it doesn’t mean any
one of us are superheroes it’s just that
that’s our element what all of you like
that all six oh yeah I would honestly
say all of us were like that because of
the actions nobody took a pause when we
were moving that was what was so
impressive it was like a symphony that
night whenever a decision needed to be
made a guy made it and there was no
argument and it was generally a decision
that all of us agreed on like that
wasn’t need to be talked about like when
Boone said hey I’m going this direction
I’m gonna go pull security Roger that
Rollins I’m going in the building to
check for the ambassador cool gotcha
I’ll be over here I’m pulling security
this way it was no argument just was but
that says a lot for the Special
Operations community and that says a lot
for the Marine Corps so even though
we’re at different branches of service
you get put through a lot of the similar
training and you’re able to work well
together it was amazing all guys there
was not one guy there that that locked
up which I was saved like froze through
but again like I said in the beginning I
think there was a reason that team was
supposed to be there I’ve been on teams
where guys have frozen and this team did
so for the next hour so we’re on the in
the compounds of nine acres for those
that don’t want to get in relative size
that’s three football fields that’s the
size of the US consulate there’s six of
us trying to clear this nine-year
compound nobody wears uniforms you don’t
know who Friend or Foe is you have no
clues you only know what is they shoot
at you and it’s a pretty intense I mean
you’re clearing out I was tired and I
remember a fact I’m sitting here with
Mel tell story about Boone right now he
jumped over that back gate I remember
and I said when you go this back gate
please open it so I don’t have to jump
over because I’m hey I’m Keri little bit
more weight than he is I’m carrying a
machine guy
I was tired we’ve been jumping over
walls and this point what time is it
maybe about 11 o’clock got it he jumps
over the back gate and I remember all I
seen was take off running and I’m like
open it because I had to climb it to me
was unsafe so he’s clearing it and all I
could think of was get your head back
ass over here self enough to climb but
had to climb it anyway so we get on that
gate in this
just funny things that you remember that
happened we get in there i clumb over
the top and I remember I pulled a
blocking position I later said my
machine gun I lay down the prone and got
behind it and TIG didn’t think I was in
the right spot so he said I can you
point your gun that way I’m like you hey
motherfucker I’m fucking tired no I’m
not doing then I moved over a little bit
and then I remember he started moving
and he says Tony we got to clear this
and we just started clearing the
compound ourselves we had to clear two
buildings that we still hadn’t cleared
to found survivors because we didn’t
know who was alive all it is is
essentially moving through a compound
moving through they had a vineyard there
you know they had buildings that are
burnt and there’s fire everywhere then
two vehicles that were on fire it’s
chaos but it’s it’s what I call I like
enjoyable chaos and the rest of us
wanted to be there and what you’re doing
is you’re just okay what do we need to
do let’s move forward we know how to
move forward guns up okay there’s a
building let’s clear this bill clear the
rooms you you’re CQB that you’ve been
trained find the survivors okay now what
do we need to do okay keep looking over
your shoulder make sure there’s nobody
pointing a gun at you you look and you
check in my cell you got getting shot
this entire time that point in time we
did actually TIG and why we were able to
get on and onto the consulate is because
TIG we had a 40 millimeter grenade
launcher and TIG was hammering them with
this 40mm grenade launcher and that
thing that will tend to disperse to bad
guys it will get him off there at least
initially but they’re gonna come back
which they did and about 11:30 we had
found there was five survivors and we’re
getting State Department guys collected
to get off the objective to get a
consulate and I remember we were pulling
security I remember Boone he came up to
me and I said we lost one if anybody’s
ever met him before he doesn’t get angry
very often at all and I remember it kind
of worried me because he was angry I
mean he gets angry but not motherfucking
that son of and that’s how it was I’m
like what’s going on go sleepies and I
remember I do remember distinctly saying
if he just would have let us leave on
time and then I knew exactly what he was
talking about he was talking about Bob
keeping us they’re telling us to stand
down and when he said that my heart was
like we lost him by somebody just died
he didn’t even need to tell me I said
what do you mean and I go what happened
he goes we lost somebody and so I
thought it was a Tyrone or take or Jack
and I go what do you mean he and he said
the IT guy and at first I didn’t
remember who it was because he hadn’t
been there for that long
Shawn Smith and I remembered it was
Shawn and like
you go through these centers you deploy
for so many years you know I’ve never
been shot but shot at never been shot
Shawn had been in Libya for what two
days and he’s dead you know and that’s
justice but that’s war you know I
remember looking I said sergeant I go
what’s good and he locked it back on he
locks back on we’re back on mission and
I’m gonna run back for Anna compound and
I saw Jack Silva with Dave Rubin
over Shawn’s body and Shauna’s dead
smoke inhalation yeah you’re watching
but you have to fight through it we
don’t know what helps come and we still
got to find the Ambassador we’re on this
nine acre compound it’s a freaking block
party now there’s Libyans everywhere you
don’t know people how many people there
Ghiberti when we first got on the
compound we’d push the majority of them
off I think maybe saw five or six and
when that happened I think there’s
probably 20 and I could my numbers could
be low at 2030 they’re just everywhere
I remember just seeing all seeing Sean’s
dead body I remember seeing Scott
Wicklund rocking Scott was with the
Ambassador that night you lost control
of them I can’t condemn him for that I
mean he doesn’t know if he’s gonna live
he’s watching himself get cooked alive
in that safe room I do remember I me
going and pulling security and then a
big explosion going off I’m going I went
the corner of the villa and somebody
starts shooting at us first an RPG hit
blew up didn’t it was an RPG because I
didn’t hear the first explosion and I
had just got reactivated to my position
and there was a Libyan that rahem by for
me and he has no hand as he wanted by me
like so my gun comes up I see him he
goes in front of me he’s holding his arm
and where’s hands should be issued not
it’s not there and it’s funny it
actually quite funny not because of that
in the interviews now he’s an asshole
that what was funny is his buddy will
ran behind him after him so this guy
runs by think of a carnival game guys
coming by you you know you’re shoot the
car things go my gun comes up he runs by
go what happened guys remember he’s got
no hand his buddies behind him he has a
piece of his hand and he’s chasing them
with so mine this is what you’re trying
to figure it out I like you dude he’s
got your hand go back and get your hand
here that’s what I want and I’m laughing
and all I can get out though is I go
what happened I don’t know if even the
guy speaks English and the guy goes
grenade so what he says that I remember
I relaxed I put my gun down a little bit
because I thought they do try to throw a
grenade at us basically you don’t
cooking a grenade off I thought he
pulled the pin held for three seconds he
held for too long when you cook a
grenade off you do it so your enemy
can’t throw it back well I thought he
pulled the pin and he instead of
counting the two he counted two three
as he threw it he blew up because he was
throwing it at us so I’m like well
Sergey right don’t throw grenades us
anymore so I’m thinking in my head then
you should we start getting shot at
getting shot at when high velocity
rounds are pretty close
there’s not really a whiz when they get
close to your head they break the sound
barrier so it’s a snap
and it’s pretty he’s pretty awesome oh
the whip it sounds like think of
somebody cracking a whip somebody that’s
what it sounds like it snaps up and
that’s when you know we’re getting shot
at and Boone still gives me shit about
he goes that was a terrible tactic I
like I know I wasn’t thinking tactics
all I was thinking of I thought about
Ranger history I thought about when the
Rangers jumped into rioja tow and Panama
they landed on an airfield no cover when
they had they get off it they didn’t go
run and try to find cover they just
started shooting back I did Finchley
find cover behind a Land Cruiser he did
as well he took the back fender I took
the front fender but we didn’t realize
we had taken cover behind the State
Department guys vehicle and they didn’t
want her to leave they wanted to leave
we wanted them to stay cuz we needed
their level seven armored vehicle to
cover us they left and Scott was driving
he kept honking to me to get to get away
from his vehicle because I was shooting
over the hood and booms on the back
fender he just kept going like this
honking at me you know so there’s mass
chaos already people shooting he’s
talking to horn at me and I’m just like
can you give me a few seconds dude were
getting shot at and he won’t have it so
I just say hi remember to step back and
I go come on well I didn’t tell Boone
they were moving so he they start moving
in I’m seeing him sidestep a little bit
he’s wondering where the hell is our
cover going and they left us and they
butt and then they went left and then
they went left again and the movies
accurate they got hammered what we see
in the movie that is yeah they they
actually ants Austria had a safe house
right next to the consulate so the group
that attacked the consulate was their
neighbors State Department and I’m gonna
even go any more net where we kind of
beat that dead horse but State
Department wasn’t very good at deciding
where they should put their consulate or
they basically took it over right next
to the terrorists the terrorists did try
to coax him in to get in there like they
did the movies and at least Dave Ubben
and Scott and Alec had the worth all did
not fall for it they punched it but they
got hammered at least all the way back
to but we were under attack and I
remember I took Annie out in the open
and that’s what I’m doing gives me shit
about he goes now as terrible attack I’m
like dude I’m just trying to show
keep shooting but he’s right but I want
there was no cover I could find anywhere
little Libyan took a knee next to me he
started shooting with me and then boom
he saw I actually did to my m4 at that
point in time too and he saw was running
out of ammo and that’s the beauty of
working with somebody who’s worked with
forever I don’t need to say a word he
already has a magazine in his hand I
mean he slid across the road I
reinserted he shooting next to me and
there’s three guns and we’re just making
sure nobody can get through this bad
game are you guys all communicating the
entire time yeah we are community sort
of not really so much voice commands at
that point in time and you get you get
along enough far enough down lines it’s
just really visual or you’re seeing what
does he do okay I know what I need to
know it’s a big compound so you’re
hearing some contacts on the radio but
when the Bulls start fun there’s no
there’s no time to talk on the radio I’m
watching him he’s watching me
I see tick tickets actually upon that
Villa the the master Villa that’s on
fire he just started shooting it off
that Villa
I mean that’s pretty ballsy right there
long story short Rina fighting them off
and we have to make a decision because
we do have and we talked about DC see
what was going on the rest of the
country this yeah they were seeing what
was going on at that point in time
because we had a drone a drone was
overhead at that point in time watching
it in real-time everything that was
going on and we had a drone us had a
drone from Derna that was overtop of us
at that point in time watching us at
11:30 Benghazi time 11:30 11:45 seeing
what was going on and every place the
United States had a drone feed from DoD
AFRICOM which would have been seventh
floor of the CIA seventh floor of the
State Department which is the high level
floors at your directors and you’re also
your Secretary of State the Pentagon
White House and then every military
facility that has that capability which
command structure they’re seeing that
we’re in a firefight at that point of
timeline under siege so for when they
first came out said well we weren’t sure
what was going on I was bullshit they
knew because they were watching it and
that drone was giving us information
that was a drone that told us hey we’re
seeing what’s going on guys they’re
going to attack the annex you got to get
back from the annex who’s telling you
this we’re actually getting word from
our chief and our team leader which is
getting word from the command structure
there in Tripoli and Tripoli which is
getting word from either
AFRICOM or they’re getting word from the
7th floor in Langley so everybody’s
seeing everything that’s going on and
all the radio communication is being
heard on everybody’s radios that has a
SATCOM radio
everybody that’s fitted into that
channel which is every CIA base in the
world is hearing everything that’s going
on every CIA base in the world is
hearing that happened that has a
particular SATCOM radio and it’s with
tuned to that channel again I can’t get
any more than that but that’s what it’s
what time is it over here it’s 11:30 our
time night time so it’s the after it’s
afternoon it’s not not like everybody’s
sleeping
now it’s 11:30 p.m. and would be honest
this is this is not we’re still in 9 9
11 2012 it hasn’t even got to no I know
it’s not no mm but what day is it is it
you know what that’s a good question you
have to look that up I don’t remember I
honestly say I can’t remember I mean
we’d have to google it
what 7 hours ever so so it’s it’s seven
hours and we’re actually ahead so seven
us is behind that’s right right so it’s
afternoon yeah I was definitely I mean
it was staged no everybody was up it’s
dinner time it’s it’s it’s happy hour
know everybody’s seen it
and the drone says you guys got to get
back to the annex –an I do this as a
lessons learned to when I do the
leadership talks as well as a leader
sometimes you have to make a decision
and it’s the decision that may haunt you
forever and it does we made the team
made a decision and we made a decision
get back to the annex even though we
hadn’t found the ambassador every branch
of service has it you know never leave a
fallen comrade Ranger creed part of the
fifth stanzas you never leave a fallen
comrade to fall as the enemy but we did
we left the master we left him there we
didn’t know we tried to find him and I’m
telling you I remember taking my turn to
running that Villa that was on fire it
felt like hitting a pizza oven hitting
that door and all that heat and fire and
it’s unbelievable how bad it is but
bottom line is is that when we went back
to our annex to protect it because the
ISR the drone was telling us to get back
to it to defend it because there were
people starting to mass nearby to go
attack the CIA annex we made the
decision to leave and The Bachelor was
found in his safe room 1:00 in the
morning or so when the fighting moved
from the consulate to the CIA annex he
was found in there when the fire died
down by locals I believe he was already
dead from what I understand and I I do
believe that he was already dead a smoke
inhalation there’s no way he could
survived all that I mean just by me
running in there when I could and trying
to get back to where he was at there’s
just no way you hear some vicious things
what they did to a mother which may be
ugly things and you have to do a fact
check to see I don’t believe that and
I’ve seen that before too when I was in
Iraq
they can do some pretty me and they did
me stuff to kick in when they Kaka Davi
same thing yeah unless you do falling
off so he will say of his anal cavity
yeah
you’ll never know yeah I did inspect his
body the next day when they brought him
to us to get him on the plane when the
militia had him at the air at the
hospital Brock
I did not see desecration I didn’t see
drew you know like he was dry like Black
Hawk Down I didn’t see some rapes I
didn’t see anything like you didn’t feel
but also he also had his you know he
also had his his clothes on so and I
didn’t take him off to sea but as far as
face Nick and the little piece of his
hands that I didn’t see I didn’t see
like you know even if somebody’s been
drugged everywhere you’re gonna see it
and you’re gonna see the scrapes you’re
gonna see the blocks a hair out you’re
gonna and I didn’t see that but as far
as the sodomized ation that makes
aye-aye-aye no one would know I don’t
know it’s amazing that you say what
you’re saying and to you we watch it and
you’re kind of like oh my gosh this guy
really that can’t be real did you really
go through that and to you that’s your
job to do that Michael Bay did a
phenomenal today and not making it a
political mess
I’m not putting so not putting the
Transformers and it’s all that CGI in it
but we talked about like okay when he
got picked as I go you can get a some is
an amazing job from the beginning to the
end it was 133 minute video it’s not
heavy it was no it was two hours in like
two hours and 13 minutes yes it was a
long movie with and you’re sitting
you’re watching but he really goes why
so quick you pop all of a sudden you’re
done with it you’re wondering what
happened with it so when this thing came
out and you’re watching it prior to that
what happened with you you were asked to
go to trial and you decided not to show
up did that create a lot of a better
when we were first asked to to testify I
said no we’re not I’m not going to and
it would have been closed door to for
Mike Rogers house until house and tell
subcommittee I didn’t I was like no I’m
going back to work and the thing is is
it wasn’t ever pushed I guess the CIA
figured as long as I was deploying then
I’m on control boy he’s not gonna say
anything he’s still deploying so you
were epic and I was that was that so it
was never pushed when we as a team
decided to finally tell the truth and
write the book and the reason we did
that but it wasn’t monetary well it was
what medium can we get it out where it’s
not slanted
we just talked about the the news you
know you don’t watch the news because
yeah you don’t forgetting the truth we
did thing you know what do we do Fox
would you seen it no you know how can we
do this where it stays a political we’re
just telling you what happened book by
though many years that we had contracted
we’d make contacts with people we knew
people that had written books about
influential figures and working at
Blackwater you know I knew the author
that written the book about Eric prince
so we had opportunities to do that but
we also saw what had happened to a
gentleman that wrote new easy day in
that book there’s there’s nothing the
pill killing of Osama bin Laden
there’s nothing classified in that book
but he didn’t he got heat for it he got
heat because he did not he didn’t go
through the proper channels okay so we
added the proper channels first channel
is to hire a clearance lawyer and make
sure security clearance lawyers that
specializes in dealing with books to
work where you have a security guard so
that’s why Comey said my book had to be
cleared before I can publish it yeah
that is the project that is the process
and that’s what we did we hired a
clearance lawyer by the name of Mark
Zaid and we just started doing it the
correct way what does he do does he tell
you you guys can’t this is this is what
yeah this is what he does and then he
also goes to the agency and says this is
what they’re gonna say this is we’re
gonna do what is classified what is not
and it’s not do you want them to say it
it’s is this classified or not that’s it
because there was a lot of things booked
they didn’t want to say but it wasn’t
classified in fact the majority read our
but there’s nothing classified the
decision on what is classified the the
agency has a clearance board and a lot
of them aren’t even from CIA they’re
they hire from out cities they’re like
it’s like a contract in fact this
clearance board that we dealt with they
were a contracting company hired by CIA
they weren’t even CIA personnel which
shocked me I didn’t even know that for
the first till the book was almost done
and that’s because Mark told his aide
and uh but yeah he’s the one that does
all that and in the meantime we just we
continue to put our thoughts down and
continue to do what we need to do to get
the book so when we say go you guys can
write it then we’re we’re off and
running as far as being able to say
anything at that point in time we have
to get the okay from mark and Mark was
giving us okay our clearance lawyer this
is what you can how much was taken out
what percentage was taken out actually
there was there’s nothing classified in
the book the only thing that we couldn’t
do in the book first came out was we
couldn’t put our true names
when you see the title where it says
written by 13 hours of the what really
happen in Benghazi written by Mitchell
Zhukov and the annex security team
that’s what I we had to put Deanna
security because we got our names
cleared yet got it and when we finally
got that okayed argument was there was
wait a second you guys gave Tyrone and
Glen’s name out first thing first day
when they passed you said these are the
CIA you didn’t even say Tyrone and Glen
State Department you said CIA security
died in the next day so yeah and now
you’re telling us you can’t we can’t use
our names and then Boone and I didn’t go
the award ceremony I didn’t go to the
joke CIA war ceremony it was ridiculous
but AHS and TIG and Jack ball went when
they left that a war ceremony the see I
gave them bags it said CIA on him with
their true names on the bags to leave
Langley so that guys don’t even they
were they didn’t wants to choose our
true names because it would have made it
they could have disputed the book or
discredited it even more so they tried
to get us to change our names and not
use our real names in the book itself in
the book your name yeah that was one of
that was one things that held it up for
a little while longer and we fought it
like no and this is why let me ask you
what’s the 30-year rule is there a
30-year rule you know I I know which one
of them yeah you know there as far as
where there’s a statute of limitations
for 30 years you can say all you want
the government can do whatever the hell
they want if they want to come after you
in 30 years they can come after you if
you write a book and you don’t get it
cleared if anybody hasn’t found out from
all this craziness that’s gone on all
the all the deep state stuff and there
yes there is I do believe that all the
government can get away with murder
literally and not get tried for it the
government can do whatever they want you
have 30 years and then you write
something and they want to come after
you they’re gonna come after you
regardless so you have to protect
yourself and they can still come after
us they could come after any of us in
hammer assay how much did life change
for you after the moon after the after
the book came up and after the movie
came out well after the book came you
see what am i doing now nobody knew who
the hell I was I live in a Brassica for
God’s sake that tells you how much I
want people to know they’re very good
the jumping guys jumping and my two
ex-wives volleyball players I’m just
saying you guys you guys that date ball
about players you know what I’m getting
at
awesome she’s gonna drive in the car
that if that would have been recorded
they waited with it itself man abrasca
I’ve been to Nebraska have you been
through Nebraska you saw cornfields you
saw the Nebraska volleyball team that is
outstanding that they are I mean they’re
the best in the country
yeah outstanding when the book came out
it’s just like anything else it’s like a
new toy this is new to me okay you know
how do i how do i rationalize this to do
it it’s new okay I get to be in the
spotlight people are starting to know
who I am isn’t that’s what everybody
wants that’s why we have social media is
how many freakin followers you have it’s
who who’s following you now who’s liking
your pictures in that first year you’re
getting into that like wow this is
people recognizing me but you’re still
trying to stay within yourself because
way say I didn’t do this to be
recognized were doing it to get the
story out and I don’t really to honor
Tyrone Tyrone and Glenn who gave
everything they died that night so we
all can and they were our two medics if
that tells you anything about their
character they’re not only shooters
they’re also lifesavers we lost our two
medics right there off the bat and I
remember Roni right before he died he
I’d cut my arm up pretty good we went
over a wall we were jumping over at the
beginning and when the walls fell um I
fell down and I just hammered my arm and
he had just come up and wrapped me I’ll
rinse it out with saline and wrap my arm
before he died so that was one of the
last thoughts I remember Ronis he’s
coming and taking care of me he’s
running from every evil every building
taking care of everybody and also
fighting but you’re private but you
enjoy that you try to make lemonade out
of lemons
the daddy’s home premiere yes that was
fun got to go hang out got to go see
paramount gotta see the studio’s right
in the book the books out got to do all
those book signings yo you see you’re
meeting people and they’re thanking you
further served there you’re seeing the
positive side of people you’re also
starting to seal it with the negative
the real big negative side of being
called Liars being all you’re doing this
for money even even public holiday
actually the house until Select
Committee Mike Rogers actually that was
one of the one of his questions to us
was yeah it was worth as it’s just doing
us to make money with your book because
like that’s kind of importation it was
I’m saying it in context it was a little
bit more eloquent because it was
technically what they say that comes out
it’s like the first thing that comes out
and they don’t make money make yeah I
was nearly its newly divorced at the
time so yeah come on
I’m having a I’m having a good time I’m
enjoying it but just like any a psychic
toys not my life so it starts to get
empty then the movie you know then we
start pitching the movie so it’s into
something else new now I’m getting to
okay this is quite one incision what
you’re a pigeon when the movie came out
16 January 12 to 15 2015 we’re starting
to pitch the movie how long did it take
to make the movie actually Michael did
it he filled it in three months nine
months told her I want to say from when
the pitch came out scriptwriter Chuck
Hogan averse for those who don’t know
Chuck Hogan is we had an all-star team
for our movie people that’s how I got me
I mean three hours to entertainment with
earns her one star for me come on her
when stuff started as Keanu Reeves agent
he’s blindside broken he said we got him
him in our corner Richard Abadi who’s
who’s a huge book agent he’s in our
corner he’s part of three arts as well
then you get Chuck Hogan who wrote the
strain who wrote the Prince of Thieves
which is was made into the town which
one in osceola he’s he’s our
scriptwriter
and then you come in he got Michael Bay
and bass Studios behind it did they all
say we want to be part of it yeah it was
like I want to be a part of how that
that was it we didn’t go ask anybody did
you pitch Michael Bay who did you pick
we pitched the studio’s we never pushed
this let’s make a movie out of this we
let everything come to us we didn’t and
if it didn’t it didn’t it wasn’t all
we’re gonna make this into a movie
people approached us it wasn’t us trying
to reach out to a to agents and I think
that’s why it did so well is because it
wasn’t us trying to find somebody that
reluctantly I’ll do it it was hey we
want to do this and when you got Michael
basing I want to do this we met with
Michael had dinner with him and you know
we got me first of all he loves veterans
huge military support of people I don’t
know that was all he’s awesome but my
thing was I go you know this is gonna be
you’re gonna be hammered from the left
and I said you know Hillary might come
out you know he said and he may not he
remember he said but I remember him
saying this was fucked Hillary I don’t
care he’s Michael I said it wasn’t like
I’m Michael Bay who’s gonna come but
that’s how I took it it was I’m not
gonna Bay he’s gonna mess with it he’s
right who any doesn’t give a shit you
see what movies him he he makes what he
wants to make by the way I don’t think
it was politically Lana for him no cuz
he’s very quiet about his political
Louie he’s just like look I want to make
movies on movies and he kept it he kept
it to the story he didn’t make it for
the movie isn’t political it shows it
shows what happened to us whether it
didn’t help
local candidate will so be it that’s the
political mechanics think one time
Hillary or Obama was mentioned in the
medium parameter and they weren’t going
to be because was very smart to do that
because if you would have been it would
have been like look they’re really
reached regional yeah yeah and and but
it still was still deemed as a
right-wing movie and there’s a lot of
theaters that didn’t play that movie I
think it could have done a lot better it
did do well it didn’t get maximum
exposure even though we did at AT&T
Stadium you a lot of theaters especially
anything you do box box office with what
65 million years 50 million made 65
million and that doesn’t count that
didn’t can you know they did all right
of course not that movies gonna do all
right for a once I told Mike ever this
thing’s a marathon this thing’s not a
sprint
even if it gets cult status but it’s
gonna give every 9/11 this thing’s gonna
go Blackhawk down became a cult today
and that’s a great movie I was very
blessed from my father my father’s are
very here’s a football coach we talked
about that I’m he coached at Brigham
Young and that was when they were
national championship when they had the
Steve Young’s and then Jim McMahon’s at
Robbie Bosque and you don’t make coaches
like lavell Edwards anymore you don’t
have orbit Marla they don’t make classy
guys like that anymore and for me to
grow up in that environment very
charismatic and my dad is very
charismatic very good speaker very well
in front of the TV and I would just I
watched him and also when you don’t give
two shits what people think about you
it’s very easy to get in front of the
camera don’t care people think and my
dad having and seeing him how
professionally he was on camera as a
coach or talking in front of a group to
leading men because he was a head
football coach as well and then not
giving a crap what you what people think
of you it’s very easy to was he always
like that now my dad is professionally
my dad right now here what did you just
say son on TV he’s from Lubbock Texas
very disciplined but he’s very also a
very very good father understanding you
got a good relationship oh no I love my
dad my dad’s my hero
people ask me who’s my heroes my dad no
it’s nobody else my dad’s my hero what
do they think about the whole thing that
took place they’re very proud that I
meant spoke up especially when I when
the allah and we’re getting political
game but i use that as an example
because my mom was very adamant about it
I remember when Hillary was saying you
know women don’t vote for Trump and on
it and my mom was like and women don’t
vote for other women that leave their
sons to die in foreign countries so my
mom is extremely supportive of what we
did in speaking out my dad’s proud of me
speaking out he does which I wish I
clean up my language a little bit more
they’re very extremely supportive of me
they also understanding that I wasn’t
raised to do what I’m doing now but
they’re very proud that we taught her
son that when when things change that
past change we can he can adjust to it
and continue to excel do I enjoy it
no did I enjoy it in the beginning it
was new yeah I learned from it do I
enjoy it now being public figure where
the hell you want to call it no I don’t
if you’re gonna do anything and that’s
why you become a ranger marine or SEAL
you’re gonna do I do it 110% you’re
gonna do it the best that you see at
your ability and that was started for my
father and then it was just hammered
into me and multiply times a million
become an arranger if I’m gonna do it
I’m gonna be good at I’m gonna be the
best at it
so let’s transition into that book with
arranger ways yeah so I was looking at
the the book in the reviews I mean it’s
remarkable reviews you got with how
people are talking about it and it’s
great when I was just telling you about
Jocko willing with yes Dylan held a Navy
SEAL and I was sitting with him and he
came out with the book extreme ownership
and we’re reading it our entire company
read it and you’re sitting there saying
these principles apply to business talk
about one what inspired you to write the
book and what are some of the principles
in that book that we can learn you know
what I wanted to do I didn’t want to do
it Jocko it’s a great book and B you see
a lot of those military books how you
how do you apply Ranger School to
everyday life how do you apply seal
training to everyday life I didn’t want
to do that I wanted to say guys I’m like
everybody else
I failed just like everybody else’s so
it’s more of failing even when I was a
kid what did I fail at what did I fail
here how did I got kicked it I got
kicked out there on my first time I was
in first time I was in I got booted out
of the army and what did I do
I went to grad school I took my Giri and
I went to grad school because I had to
take two years off I couldn’t reapply
for the military how do you understand I
was 27 at the time I went to grad school
got my master’s degree I were enlisted
back in and because my my dad yeah my
dad’s voices saying if you start
something son you finish it and I really
listed back in so there is some military
stuff there there’s some places from
some some examples of other
places I’ve been to as far as Iraq and
Afghanistan but the book is about how to
succeed you have to fill and you have to
learn how to fill and you have to be
able to pick yourself up and get back on
that horse and continue on and it’s it
has actually stuff about not just
military but just failures in my life
that everybody goes through I said we
aren’t superhuman we’re not any
different anybody else we failed just
like everybody else the only difference
is we don’t know how to pick ourselves
up and to continue to keep moving that’s
it all that just take one step back go
to so that’s that’s what we do and
that’s what the Ranger Way is about it’s
about learning how to fail which today’s
youth actually needs that today’s youth
doesn’t we were common core they say
they don’t want me the best thing that
happened to me is join a military was a
one-point a GPA kid I went in I came
back and I think a lot of undecided
eighteen year old boys today meet the
army for a couple years to County
whatever branch it is to go through I
don’t think most people know what is
Ranger school like what is the time line
up so talk about like because I know
what it is but this is not like a a I’m
Airborne School you see guys that have
an Airborne badge I was Air Assault
Ranger is like one of the top four most
difficult things to go through in
Mittman Navy SEAL Ranger Special Forces
once you talk about the Ranger and first
so it’s being Ranger qualified having
the Ranger tab gun range school doesn’t
mean you’re a ranger you’re Ranger
qualified it was it was something you
earned going through what we had we call
the Ranger and dock Ranger
indoctrination program which is three
weeks of basically just hell it was just
a nut check could you do it then you get
to your battalion then you have to prove
yourself again you have to be a private
at your and being a nun tab private at
the 7/5 Ranger Regiment at least when I
was in I’m sure it’s the same now it’s
awful you’re getting and I got like hey
Nancy Pelosi all them we got hazed every
day hazed we got it was it was awful
they have to see if you want to be there
because if you can’t take that in
peacetime you can’t take that when
you’re back in the States how you gonna
take it when you start getting shot at
and that was the best thing that
happened me just got you get you to
level knock down but you have to prove
yourself physically and with your weapon
systems and mentally and emotionally and
then you can go to Ranger School then
after all that then you get to go to
Ranger School and Ranger School is if
you can’t rap a rap rasp Ranger
assessment which is which is where you
go through to get your pre training for
range goal of basically Spri Rangers
what it is pre range you go to pre
Ranger for three weeks they’re teaching
you the small unit action teaching a few
tactics you get to eat a little bit but
you’re not
a sleep that’s three weeks then you go
through zero week which is based your
pre reading for all the infantry
officers to get there see the base is
just another week a hill at Ranger
School and then I OBC guys entry
officers come in and all the officers
come in and you start actually doing a
Ranger School that’s two and a half
months if you go straight through you
may recycle give me some of the crazy
things you guys were doing well you’re
not sleeping if I got four hours of
sleep and one night that was good I do
remember specifically you got four
though if you got four
I do remember specifically one time we
were walking and we were at we’re at
Benning phase and I remember and we saw
the old nods at the old they’ll buy
they’ll the cycloptic seven deltas they
don’t single and they’re heavy
I remember we’re walking and we’re and
it’s starting to rain it’s just like can
this get any worse it’s already we
already messed up our OP we already
didn’t get our goes I was on the team
leader I didn’t get my go my station
where you have to get graded and I’m
walking up the hill and then it starts
pouring on us and then you just start
falling over each other and I’m like
holy crap I’m like a weekend of this
shit Cup and then I fall on my face I
remember that I think that the seven
deltas imprinted themselves a serial
number imprinted itself um even with my
I had my Kevlar on it still went smack
and it’s just little things like that
that’s what range go I tell guys Ranger
school isn’t it’s like a little hits
every day until you just want it I want
to quit and then towards the end of it I
remember Florida face there was one
specific I did Avery actually talked
about this in a ranger way it was our
last humpback it was about 12 13 miles
there one more hump but we’ve got to do
a ruck march back and then we’re done
I’m done how much you carry me at this
point time actually I I was carrying it
was about 70 pounds and I had that 240
but we also had a sleeping bag we care
because I went through in the wintertime
winter time is still cold I’m a winter
Ranger is miserable we’re at this was
actually an Eglin Air Force Base in
Florida Hurlburt but it’s holy shit it’s
colder I know I just got out of
Dahlonega so I was getting out in the
snow and sprinting I’m like oh fuck I
could be in Florida and I get to be
warmed up no it’s not one in Florida
there’s the last pump and I’m coming
back and I remember that I started to
fall behind and I’m strong I’m a strong
ruck March or at least at that point I
don’t fall back I don’t ever have pause
ruck March in and I’m falling behind
everybody and we’re at six miles in we
guess I got six miles to go and I can’t
keep up yeah no you’re going hilly and
my shoulders are screaming it–and never
feel like this and there was this one
guy from
I owe BC that I had help through some
extra stuff when he was falling behind
not that you our eyes know this but I
would smuggle a couple cool bars
everyone salon I knew this apply started
in Florida and he would kind of so I but
I gave him to the squad so I fed him a
little bit wasn’t physically strong just
could push himself and there was a
couple times where I just like you’re an
idiot
you’re Nate I would talk down to him
because I you know you you just get mad
you get angry especially when you’re
hungry and you can’t sleep and you don’t
sleep well I remember he just seen me
falling back and I mean come on I’m
almost done six months I’m not gonna
make this and I don’t fall out of ruck
marches I can do that this is our easy
and he came up to me and he goes hey man
can I take that from me it humbled the
hell out or makes him I holy crap this
guy said it to you he came to me it
almost brought tears my eyes like holy
crap I’ve been giving you shit dragging
you along gonna get your ass up and then
you’re gonna actually be a bigger man
and you’re gonna come and say can I take
that from me and he traded me he took
the 240 and I had the only sleeping bag
that the squad had we carried the
sleeping bags just in case somebody got
hypothermic we never got to use them we
just got it I just had to carry it so I
had it all discombobulated on my rug so
that’s why my shoulders were all
screaming because I wasn’t sitting right
and we got he got a fix for me and I
made I was like oh okay and I took off
and I was fine that was it but it was
just one of those things were and that
really showed me even though I passed
and I got through and I was miserable
and it sucked and we were freezing and
he showed me character he showed me that
sometimes you know the guy that you’re
thinking not gonna make it the guy that
you’re giving crap to that yes you’re
helping but really you’re helping him
maybe out of pity one anything else
he’s the one that’s gonna come in you
know he’s gonna be able to take the
illnesses and he’s the one that’s gonna
get you through that’s a trip it was
humbling it was amazing I wish I
remembered his name – I just I remember
specifically because I really thought I
was done I thought was like crap on
through I’ve been through all something
afterwards you’re almost there you’re
you’re wrapping it up yep six miles Rama
I’m like shit I’m gonna have to do this
all over again and he just comes out of
nowhere hey hey man hey and he could the
way I acted turn he could have said you
know f you dude is the 242 saw what
would that’s the big machine gun the old
end 60 is now the 240 so it’s the big
seven six to belt-fed it’s it’s a lot it
call it a saw or no no I saw as a
smaller one saws also too fun I used to
carry the saw it can be single person
but it’s usually you have a machine
gunner then the ammo the assistant
gunner than the ammo bear that’s not a
like what no no
pretty now is that was a lot in because
I was one of the stronger guys in the
squad honestly I think God said you know
what we’re gonna humble you you’ve been
an arrogant sob getting through this
thing straight through we’re gonna we’re
gonna scare you a little bit humbly and
we’re gonna say yeah I do or always
think that because I I never fall out I
was very blessed to have good leg
strength be a good runner and could
carry a lot of weight and yeah he
humbled the hell out don’t be that
arrogant leader anymore well I tell you
not a lot of people would would be
Ranger every time you saw somebody that
was range or Special Forces the level of
admiration was at a whole different
level you see officers and you have to
salute him but when you see an enlisted
guy who is a ranger and he would tell
the stories we had the utmost respect
for him I remember that for that two and
a half three year period being at Fort
Campbell how it meant to us to see
another person there was a it’s Ranger
sorry
freezing out there nicely yeah but I can
I can see having a blast with you I’m
sure anybody that was at your unit with
your level of sarcasm and jokes and all
that there is a level of camaraderie in
the military that till today the amount
of pranks and jokes that it’s if the
world knew about the pranks that are
pulled in the army you would create the
number one youtube channel in the world
with the pranks in the Chapmans just
adjust the monitor i used to chop shit
all the movies that’s right Kevin guys
that’s where you rub your dick on some
if you leave it out I’m rubbing my dick
on it that’s what it is
alright I know where you lost all our
Christian sponsorships right there my
bad guys reach other young people say
chubbers you know we sit we founders
Britain the movie or apology that’s
right that’s what I said I found I
remember guys with their mouths open
that was answers were all over the map
you requestor damn right you’re gonna
get this use your visualization with it
would you know teabag teabag without the
teabag yeah yeah it is what it is
this message is sponsored by US Army you
who thought of that slogan we’re
supposed to be all that you can spit all
over so I’m getting all motivated
getting all excited not shoving and she
know what was crazy something that’s
couldn’t handle it some guys who
couldn’t handle it but that’s that’s
what was so hard right because again if
you can
handle those little jokes how are you
gonna handle more overseas together for
six months to a year how are you gonna
handle if we get in combat are you oh
man I had a plan yeah that’s all I can
say I had a flippin blast with the time
that I was in it’s probably one of the
best memories of my life being in a
military school I got one more I got one
more we’re at the beginning of range
school I remember at the beginning we’re
at we’re at Benning face and 70 bad boy
that calls bat boy 75th guys are called
masturbating phase here in Georgia or
Georgia okay a fourth where it’s new
call it banning phase it’s not enforced
fates not swamp neon swamp phase they’re
gonna mount phases Dahlonega thinning
phases bank so we’re at being at all the
bat boys all the guys from the same
fourth Ranger Regiment
you can’t smoke us and be and we’re
going we’re gonna make fun we’re gonna
have joke so we’re gonna laugh it
whenever we get sucked up we’d be yes
give us some and you hear everybody that
wasn’t a bad boy especially the officers
it for Memphis our officers basic
they’re like shut up they’re gonna keep
smile like they’re gonna keep smoking us
regardless just have fun with it embrace
it and break and you would see bat boys
just it was move everybody else is been
crying
but else was the benefit of being a bad
boy too is also you being at battalion
you have to be pretty physically fit you
have to be able to run you have to be
doing I mean doing the the minimum one
or two miles well I’m actually and this
isn’t this is I ran my two miles in 1115
I could do a hundred and nineteen
push-ups in two minutes and 120 sit-ups
in two minutes oh so you’re 300 plus
three yeah it’s very odd I was blessed
with good genes I was good for you 119
and to me and I were there 82 was the
number 422 and I think my highest PT
score was 387 no 87 388
you know that has a 27 28 years yes not
even yes and that’s but thing is that in
the military especially Special Ops
that’s that’s the first thing you see
what’s your PT school and you can gauge
a lot of people’s character off their PT
score and then when you come in and they
find out oh my gosh II can actually
still write a complete sentence – then
you’re like you’re like oh he knows how
to use that he diligence but we can use
a meal kiss that was fun I mean I just
remember all the other people crying on
the crying in you know you guys shut up
she’d be like stop whining your little
it’s not many little bitches is you
keeping it they’re gonna smoke us anyway
enjoy it and that’s why we you know and
that’s why we
fun that’s why even that night min Ghazi
I’m telling jokes oh we’re enjoying it
how do you you make fun you just gonna
bring your morale das gonna bring your
motivation down you’re a better fighter
when you’re loose and happy it’s my
opinion maybe I don’t know it but I’ll
see you gotta be able to turn it on but
it’s motivating turn it on not no no
keep fighting have fun with it so listen
book the Ranger way we’re gonna put the
link below I’m sure the pictures up
right now if you go on the description
section it’s gonna be below what’s your
what’s your handle on Twitter and
Instagram actually it’s just my name if
you just search Chris with a K though
kris paronto PA ro NT o the twitter is I
mean at Twitter just kris paronto
just search kris paronto and i’m gonna
pop up it’s a crisp okay you have to
handle right here um and then the
Instagram is actually Chris likes it
Carol underscore paronto PA ro NT or
underscore Tonto and then Facebook I do
but honestly that lady over there Judy I
don’t even guys I don’t even mess with
face so on my facebook his name is
really Judy it’s really if somebody
messages you with no curse words it’s
not it is maybe then if it’s all oh hey
this is sweet all hugs and kisses that’s
so so send a tweet at chris chris
paronto again handle will be right here
let them know what you took away from
this episode if you watch 13 hours and
it made an impact in your life when you
were watching it and you have a certain
level of respect and admiration make
sure you let them know and if the book
if you if you are somebody in the
leadership business and that world go
pick up the book as well the ranger way
there’s a lot to be learned from anybody
that goes through that school and a guy
that makes it at the level that he made
it so with that being said brother
thanks brother so much really had a good time