Ep. 232 | Blayne Smith | Special Forces, West Point, Armor Officer

Blayne Smith is a former Special Forces soldier that started his career off as an Armor Officer after graduating from West Point. Blayne deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan before leaving the service and writing Perseverance Is Greater than Endurance.

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Blayne's links
Company: https://www.appliedleadershippartners.com/
Book: https://www.amazon.com/Perseverance-Endurance-Resilience-Adversity-Together/dp/163774627X

00:00:00 J Cramer Graphics Ad
00:00:30 Journey to West Point
00:06:08 The History and Heritage of West Point
00:11:59 Transitioning to the Army and Armor Branch
00:14:47 Pre-9/11 Military Training and Mindset
00:20:56 Iraq Combat Ops and Recon Missions
00:35:27 Surveillance and EOD Escort Missions
00:42:32 Combined Arms
00:46:54 Special Forces Selection Process
00:52:50 Moral Ambiguity in Special Operations
00:59:15 Insights from the Qualification Course
01:10:23 Building Team Cohesion | Team Dynamics and Training
01:14:48 Deployment Decisions and Responsibilities
01:19:09 Mission Objectives and Local Forces
01:24:53 Engagements and Tactical Challenges
01:32:22 Ambush Experiences and Lessons Learned
01:38:18 Leadership Under Pressure
01:43:09 Reflections on Loss and Moving Forward