“‘We Are So F*ed’ — Cody Alford’s Closest Call Under Machine Gun Fire

About this video

Cody Alford, a guest on the Mike Drop Podcast, recounts his most intense combat mission in Afghanistan, where he and a UAE officer came under heavy machine gun fire while retrieving medical supplies for a wounded partner force member. Alford describes running through enemy fire, hiding behind minimal cover, and coordinating with his team to escape using smoke and suppressing fire. He also discusses his later deployments, including Africa and his final deployment to Afghanistan, where he served as a team chief and reflects on the mission shift from direct action to advising Afghan forces.

Key takeaways

• Alford recounts being pinned down by machine gun fire with a UAE officer while trying to deliver medical supplies, describing the moment as one of his closest calls where he thought ‘we are so fucked.’
• Alford describes the challenges of his final Afghanistan deployment as a team chief, where his mission was to advise and assist Afghan special forces rather than conduct direct raids, which frustrated younger team members eager for combat.
• Alford argues he was not surprised by how the Afghanistan evacuation unfolded, stating he believes Afghans made rational decisions to protect their families rather than fight an unwinnable battle at that moment, and expresses disgust at how the withdrawal undermined those who believed in the war effort.

Episode details: published January 25, 2026 · 6.8K views · 22:58 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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