This Isn't DEVGRU or SAS But It's Better At Hostage Rescue?

About this video

Mike Ritland interviews a former JTF2 (Canadian special forces) operator about his career, including close quarters battle tactics, sniper training, and deployments to Iraq. The guest compares JTF2’s methodology to other tier-one units, explains Canada’s strict firearms laws even for operators, and recounts his time training Kurdish forces against ISIS in Mosul. He describes JTF2’s sniper program, which he claims is the best in the world, and discusses the record-breaking 3.6 kilometer kill shot achieved by a teammate.

Key takeaways

• The guest explains that JTF2 differs from other special operations units by maintaining multiple CQB styles that adapt to different environments and national mandates, stemming from the unit’s roots in police hostage rescue
• According to the guest, JTF2 runs what he considers the best sniper course in the world, and a JTF2 sniper holds the longest confirmed kill at 3.6 kilometers using a .50 caliber rifle during operations in Mosul
• The guest recounts his Iraq deployment working with Kurdish forces against ISIS, describing it as alternating between tense moments and relative calm, with restrictive rules of engagement that limited direct combat opportunities

Episode details: published March 15, 2026 · 252.9K views · 23:49 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.

← Previous: Helicopter Crash K*lled 7 SEALs, and We Had to Keep Going · Next: “Only 10 Out of 160 Made It” - Inside the 1977 Delta Force Selection →

All Mike Ritland videos · Mike Ritland profile · Mike Drop (official site)