82nd Airborne Medic in Iraq | Special Operations Combat Medic (SOCM) | Playwright 'Bent Compass' | Colin Sesek

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Today we hear our first Combat Story from an 82nd Airborne soldier and medic, Colin Sesek. Colin would go on to serve in Special Operations but started his career as a medic fighting in Iraq during the surge and we've had so many fans asking for a Combat Story from a conventional soldier in the 82nd Airborne and Colin does not disappoint.

While downrange, Colin participated in infantry operations and raids while also wearing his medic hat managing mass casualty events, significant trauma incidents, and even treated insurgents who were wounded on the battlefield.

After leaving Iraq, Colin went on to write a play titled Bent Compass that is touring in the US and Canada about a soldier changing as a result of the war and conflict he's experienced that I got a sneak peek of and I know our listeners will really appreciate.

This was a really fun episode and I hope you enjoy Colin's perspective from the conventional and SOF sides of the house as much as I did.

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- Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle
Find Colin Online:
- Bent Compass https://neilbrookshire.com/bent-compass/
- @BentCompass https://www.instagram.com/bentcompass/?hl=en
- Learn more about Bent Compass https://www.kivitv.com/news/bent-compass-tells-the-story-of-a-combat-medic-from-boise

Show Notes:
00:00 - Intro
00:54 - Guest Introduction (Colin Sesek)
01:50 - Interview begins
02:43 - A conscientious objector
09:10 - Going the Medic route
12:19 - Black Hawk Down generation
15:09 - Bent Compass Play
19:03 - Recruiter Office stories
21:41 - 4Patriots
23:00 - Medic training
24:05 - 82nd Airborne Division
36:24 - Deployment
41:34 - First time outside the wire
42:57 - First contact
44:24 - Time in Iraq
46:10 - Combat medic
57:16 - Deciding to engage
1:01:08 - Memorials
01:06:09 - Most courageous thing
01:08:03 - Almost going outside the wire
01:20:28 - The VA
01:28:30 - Bird Flu
01:32:18 - Hardest thing to do downrange
01:37:59 - Conventional to Special Forces perspective
01:42:24 - Bent Compass
01:50:02 - Sentimental items
01:50:45 - Would you do it all again
01:52:45 - Listener comments and shout outs