Special Forces Mountaineer Bryan Ray - Part 1 | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 131

Bryan Ray always wanted to be the best soldier. He served 20 years in the U.S. Army, 15 of which were in Special Forces. He's deployed to Afghanistan, Africa, and Iraq, going from the most inexperienced infantry to ultimately running teams as command. He's also a mountain man, schooling amateurs on everything from moderate hiking to ice climbing at some of the highest elevations on earth. Over the course of his career, Bryan's had a lot of close calls, from ISIS ambushes to a Taliban prison raid and even a hair-raising story of an AC-130 call gone wrong. And since then he's pivoted into Health Via Modern Nutrition, a Mike Drop favorite for fans of high-energy operations. But one thing he knows for sure is don't be a leg - and never, ever quit. ---------- Chapters: 00:00 - Intro 02:00 - Traveling to Italy 04:15 - A Very Cold Shower 09:45 - Born on Fort Bragg 14:45 - Paintball with Dad 20:15 - "Don't Be a Leg" 23:45 - Fort Polk with the 509th 32:45 - Deployed to Iraq 36:15 - A Wayward Ambush 42:15 - The Army's Corporal Recruiting Program 45:15 - The Special Forces Qualification Course 58:00 - Back to Iraq as Special Forces 01:01:00 - Operations in Niger 01:04:00 - Meeting My Wife 01:08:00 - Conquering Mountains at SWC 01:21:45 - First Trip to Afghanistan 01:23:30 - The Difference Between Fighting ISIS and The Taliban 01:33:45 - Mortars on ISIS 01:38:45 - A RON Site Tragedy ---------- Support Bryan Ray: Website - HVMN & Ketone-IQ - https://hvmn.com/pages/ketone Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/b.ray_dol ---------- Sponsors: MUD/WTR Go to mudwtr.com/mike to support the show and use code MIKEMUD for 15% off ---------- BUBS Naturals The BUBS namesake derives from Glen ‘BUB’ Doherty, who was heroically killed in Benghazi, Libya in 2012. In addition to remembering Glen for the patriot he is, the BUBS ethos centers around the passionate and adventure seeking life that Glen lived. BUBS Naturals products are rooted in sustainably sourced ingredients and controlled consistency to provide our customers with the highest quality Collagen Protein & MCT Oil Powder that help you feel amazing and live a fuller life. Our mission is simple. FEEL GREAT. DO GOOD. 10% always goes back to charity, helping military men and women transition back into civilian life. Go to bubsnaturals.com and use code MIKEDROP for 20% off your order. ---------- Athletic Greens Athletic Greens is going to give you a FREE 1 year supply of immune-supporting Vitamin D AND 5 FREE travel packs with your first purchase. All you have to do is visit athleticgreens.com/MIKEDROP! ---------- Ketone-IQ You can find Ketone-IQ at hvmn.com. Visit hvmn.com and use promo code MIKEDROP at checkout to save 20%. Again, that’s hvmn.com and promo code MIKEDROP. ---------- Fueled by TeamDog | www.mikeritlandco.com | @Teamdog.pet ALL THINGS MIKE RITLAND: SHOP for Fueled By Team Dog Performance Dog Food, Treats, Apparel, Accessories, and Protection dogs - MikeRitlandCo.com - https://www.MikeRitlandCo.com Team Dog Online dog training - TeamDog.pet - https://www.TeamDog.pet This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5531509/advertisement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices