Close CALL in SADR CITY*

About this video

Ritland recounts a combat experience from his time as a Navy SEAL in Sadr City, Iraq, where he and his sniper team provided overwatch for a hostage rescue mission. After occupying a rooftop position, his team came under intense enemy fire from RPGs and machine guns, becoming pinned down with concern they might be mistaken for enemy combatants by friendly air support. According to Ritland, an F-16 pilot performed a low pass with flares that created enough of a lull in the firefight for the team to escape the rooftop.

Key takeaways

• Ritland describes his team becoming pinned down by heavy enemy fire while providing sniper overwatch in Sadr City
• He recounts the danger of potential friendly fire when unable to communicate with air support observing armed personnel on their rooftop
• According to Ritland, an F-16 pilot’s decision to perform a low pass with flares instead of engaging created the opening his team needed to evacuate their position

Episode details: published August 11, 2026 · 439.9K views · 1:41 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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