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14. Col (Ret) John Alvarez - Helo pilot & first amputee to return to combat flight duty

14. Col (Ret) John Alvarez - Helo pilot & first amputee to return to combat flight duty

FromSOFcast


14. Col (Ret) John Alvarez - Helo pilot & first amputee to return to combat flight duty

FromSOFcast

ratings:
Length:
69 minutes
Released:
Mar 9, 2021
Format:
Podcast episode

Description

What happens to the operator when he becomes badly injured while deep in the jungle of a foreign country? Join retired Air Force Colonel John Alvarez with Senior Enlisted Leader CMSgt Greg Smith and Green Beret SGM Matt Parrish as they discuss the formation of “Special Forces with wings,” counter-narcotics missions in the 1990s, and John’s experience surviving a catastrophic helicopter crash in a piranha-infested Ecuadorian river. John describes his challenging journey back to the cockpit after becoming the first amputee to return to full combat flying status. He credits his family, teammates and generous civilian benefactors for his successful return to the Special Operations community. Today, he is a strong advocate for USSOCOM’s Warrior Care Program chartered with advocacy for the command’s wounded, ill, or injured service members and their families. We know you’ll enjoy hearing this compelling conversation about resiliency and the support network within the Special Operations community.
Released:
Mar 9, 2021
Format:
Podcast episode

Titles in the series (78)

Listen to members of America's elite special operations forces gather to discuss leadership and current issues. Hear from special operations personnel like Navy SEALs, Army Green Berets, Army Rangers, Marine Raiders, Air Force Special Operators, pilots, medics, communicators, and more! Join our hosts, USSOCOM Senior Enlisted Leader Greg Smith and Green Beret Sgt. Major Matt Parrish, as they speak with special operations guests, past and present, about their experiences. SOFcast is the U.S. Special Operations Command official podcast where we harness the power of storytelling to connect you directly to thought-provoking and unique perspectives from our force. The Special Operations Command Enterprise consists of special operations personnel and enablers from across all of the military services and this podcast is a rare opportunity to hear their stories directly from those that lived them! USSOCOM comprises some of the best leaders in the world and SOFcast highlights and connects these leaders’ stories and lessons learned to our worldwide audience. SOFcast gives the Special Operations community a place to share authentic stories and adventures to make us better, safer, and more effective. Sharing our unique perspectives and experiences creates a distinct opportunity to shape current and future SOF through conversations. We believe that leadership is critically important at all levels, throughout every element of SOF and that leadership can be honed through hearing and understanding the trials and triumphs of others. BONUS EPISODES - every few episodes our hosts will welcome a guest for a special “Shots from the Field” episode. These episodes feature real questions from SOF members about real issues within our force. Our panelists have 15 minutes per topic to give real in-depth answers that go beyond the Command talking points. These episodes are filled with back-and-forth debate and argument from the “devil’s advocate” side in order to get to the heart of some really controversial and relevant current issues. If you have a topic you’d like to hear discussed, please leave a comment! This is the official special operations podcast. These are our stories. New episodes released every two weeks. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ SOFcast is the U.S. Special Operations Command official podcast where we harness the power of storytelling to connect you directly to thought-provoking and unique perspectives from our force. Listen to members of America's elite special operations forces gather to discuss current issues. We believe that leadership is critically important at all levels, throughout every element of SOF and that leadership can be honed through hearing and understanding the trials and triumphs of others. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ #specialoperations #specialforces #military #sof #army #navy #marines #airforce #navyseal #sealteam #frogman #greenberet #ranger #marsoc #operator #tactical #theonlyeasydaywasyesterday #podcast