Before DEVGRU: We Ran 100 Raids in 6 Months

About this video

A former Navy SEAL recounts his experiences during his first deployment to Iraq in 2006-2007 with SEAL Team 10, operating primarily in Sadr City, Baghdad. The guest describes conducting 80-100 raids over six months and shares two memorable operations: one where he called in JDAM airstrikes that destroyed a compound while his patrol exfiltrated, and another IED attack that killed three teammates, including Jason Lewis and Steve Doherty. The guest reflects on the exceptional cohesion of his platoon and the moral complexities of aggressive decision-making in combat.

Key takeaways

• The guest describes his platoon conducting extremely high operational tempo, running approximately 80-100 direct action raids during a six-month Iraq deployment in 2006-2007
• The guest recounts calling in two JDAM airstrikes to suppress enemy fighters, allowing his patrol to exfiltrate while walking away from the explosions
• The guest describes an IED attack that killed three of his teammates when leadership decided to conduct an additional mission deeper into Sadr City despite concerns from platoon chiefs
• The guest emphasizes that his platoon’s exceptional efficiency and trust enabled them to conduct audible missions and respond to targets within 10 minutes

Episode details: published February 27, 2026 · 26.8K views · 24:47 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Stories told by Mike Ritland’s podcast guests are the guests’ own accounts, attributed to them — not independently verified. Commentary is Ritland’s, presented as his analysis.

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