He Couldn't Get Hired, So He Bought a Plane Ticket to Darfur | Finding Purpose Before the Military
Combat Story25 Okt 2025

He Couldn't Get Hired, So He Bought a Plane Ticket to Darfur | Finding Purpose Before the Military

Sponsored by Veterans Help Group — supporting veterans navigating VA benefits.

In this incredible, unconventional story, Nate reveals how he discovered his life's purpose by taking a radical leap of faith.

In 2004, feeling adrift and disturbed by the ongoing genocide in Darfur, Sudan, Nate knew he had to do something. Rejected by countless NGOs due to his lack of a college degree and "special skills," he refused to accept "no" for an answer.

With nothing but determination and a bold elevator pitch, he bought a plane ticket to Chad and found a way onto a UN flight to the refugee camps. Despite being interrogated by local authorities, Nate's perseverance paid off, and he was put to work—an experience that transformed his life in ways he never imagined.

This powerful, two-month journey ignited Nate's passion for service and ultimately led him to enlist in the U.S. military. A must-listen story about the warrior spirit, rising to the occasion in a time of crisis, and choosing action over complacency.

🎙️ About Ryan Fugit:

Ryan is the creator and host of Combat Story, a podcast that captures the firsthand accounts of combat veterans, and Restricted Handling, which explores authoritarian activity and international security through conversations with world-class experts. Check out the Retricted Handling podcast at www.restrictedhandling.com

🔔 Subscribe for more interviews with military veterans, intelligence professionals, and leaders shaping the future of national security.

Find AJ Online:

📸Instagram: / ajpasciuti

📘 LinkedIn: / angelo-pasciuti

🔗Personal Website & Book Pre-Order ("Darkhorse"): https://www.ajpasciuti.com/

👉Combat Story Podcast (Part 1 – USMC Sniper & Force Recon in Fallujah):
https://open.spotify.com/episode/4aqn

👉Combat Story Podcast (Part 2 – Sniper vs Sniper Battle):
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast

👉Urban Valor Facebook Feature:
/ 602000529075284

👉DVIDS Video on Infantry Marine Course:
https://www.nationalguard.mil/Leaders


Find Ryan Online:

🎙️ Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory

🔗Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combats

🛒 Email ryan@combatstory.com

📸 Instagram @combatstory / combatstory

📘 Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial

Check out the Retricted Handling podcast at www.restrictedhandling.com

📖 Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial

✔ Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus

🎵 Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle


📘 Chapters:

00:00 Introduction 00:30 Nate's Journey to Darfur 02:10 Challenges and Experiences in Darfur 04:30 Joining the Military: From Darfur to the Army 14:49 Family Reactions and Early Military Days 29:25 Special Forces Training and Deployment 35:04 Reflecting on Physical Fitness and Aging 36:26 Deployment to Iraq: A Journey Through History 38:19 Experiences and Challenges in Iraq 40:36 The Complexities of War and Foreign Policy 46:34 First Missions and Initial Encounters 57:49 Training and Selection of Iraqi Soldiers 01:03:41 Balancing Military Service and College Football 01:06:47 Internships Abroad and Early Deployments 01:07:01 Experiences in Afghanistan 01:07:17 Combat Encounters and Reflections 01:09:36 Returning Home and Transitioning to Football 01:10:10 Balancing Military and Football 01:11:02 Challenges of Transitioning from Military to Civilian Life 01:23:19 Veterans Help Group and Support Systems 01:28:09 Merging Vets and Players (MVP) Initiative 01:33:05 Personal Reflections and Future Plans

Det här avsnittet är hämtat från ett öppet RSS-flöde och publiceras inte av Podme. Det kan innehålla reklam.

Avsnitt(225)

From Iraq to Firefighter | The Weight of Service

From Iraq to Firefighter | The Weight of Service

What happens after the uniform comes off? In this episode of Combat Story, AJ Pasciuti sits down with Army combat veteran, firefighter, MMA fighter, and author James McDevitt for one of the most hones...

25 Maj 1h 48min

"We Thought We Were Going to Die Every Night" | Ramadi Veteran Story With Marin Raider Joshua Shores

"We Thought We Were Going to Die Every Night" | Ramadi Veteran Story With Marin Raider Joshua Shores

Today on Combat Story, we hear the story of Joshua "Josh" Shores — Marine infantry combat veteran, Purple Heart recipient, former Marine Raider, retired firefighter, entrepreneur, and author of Counti...

11 Maj 2h 6min

He Was in Vietnam Before the War Began | Reconnaissance Man Ep. 1

He Was in Vietnam Before the War Began | Reconnaissance Man Ep. 1

Before Vietnam became the war America remembers, James Lyle Steele was already in it. In Episode 1 of Reconnaissance Man, "Good Morning, Vietnam," Steele takes us into the earliest days of America's i...

27 Apr 36min

The Secret War Before Iraq | Green Berets, Kurdish Fighters, and the Northern Front

The Secret War Before Iraq | Green Berets, Kurdish Fighters, and the Northern Front

Before the Iraq War officially began, a different fight was already underway. U.S. Army Special Forces teams were operating in Northern Iraq, linking up with Kurdish fighters and preparing to open a s...

13 Apr 2h 56min

FBI SWAT Sniper: The Shot That Saved His Team | Jeremy Rebmann

FBI SWAT Sniper: The Shot That Saved His Team | Jeremy Rebmann

What does it feel like to make a decision that saves your teammates… but stays with you forever? In this episode of Combat Story, AJ sits down with Jeremy Rebmann, former FBI Special Agent, SWAT snipe...

30 Mars 3h 16min

Marine Scout Sniper Alexander Lemons on Iraq, Hidden Wounds, and the Real Cost of War | Combat Story

Marine Scout Sniper Alexander Lemons on Iraq, Hidden Wounds, and the Real Cost of War | Combat Story

Former U.S. Marine Scout Sniper Alexander Lemons joins AJ to talk about Iraq, the confusion and chaos of the initial invasion, and the hidden damage war leaves behind. A Bronze Star recipient and co-a...

16 Mars 2h 4min

The CH-53 Mission to Recover a Downed Night Stalker Helicopter | Ret. Lt. Col Isaac G. Lee

The CH-53 Mission to Recover a Downed Night Stalker Helicopter | Ret. Lt. Col Isaac G. Lee

A downed U.S. helicopter in Afghanistan. Forty-five knot crosswinds. No power margin. In this episode of Combat Story, AJ Pasciuti sits down with Isaac G. Lee, a retired U.S. Marine Corps CH-53 heavy ...

2 Mars 3h 25min

0321 Day Special Edition | Marine Recon Brotherhood, Gold Star Retreat, MRF  & The "Recondo Hundo"

0321 Day Special Edition | Marine Recon Brotherhood, Gold Star Retreat, MRF & The "Recondo Hundo"

0321 Day is more than a date. It's a gut-check, a brotherhood check-in, and a reminder that no Recon Marine (and no Recon family) is ever alone. In this Combat Story Special Edition, AJ Pasciuti sits ...

19 Feb 41min

Populärt inom Vetenskap

p3-dystopia
dumma-manniskor
allt-du-velat-veta
kapitalet-en-podd-om-ekonomi
rss-ufobortom-rimligt-tvivel
svd-nyhetsartiklar
rss-vetenskapsradion
det-morka-psyket
rss-spraket
paranormalt-med-caroline-giertz
sexet
halsorevolutionen
rss-vetenskapsradion-2
rss-odla
rss-broccolipodden-en-podcast-som-inte-handlar-om-broccoli
medicinvetarna
dumforklarat
rss-ronden
rss-italiensk-dagbok
vetenskapsradion