Army Units Collide in Blue-on-Blue Firefight & MRAP Crash in Iraq

This week on Urban Valor, we sit down with Army Veteran Daniel Perez. Born in Riverside, CA, Daniel grew up in a challenging childhood marked by his parents' separation and lack of supervision. His early years were consumed by fighting, drug use, and being expelled from high school. Motivated by stories of Iraqi sniper "Juba," Daniel enlisted in the Army National Guard as an 11B infantryman. His deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan brought harrowing experiences, including a blue-on-blue firefight, MRAP crashes, and tense confrontations with civilians in life-or-death scenarios. Daniel's story also discusses the challenges of reintegration into civilian life, from battling mental health struggles to finding his footing after the Army. 👍 Like this video to support to show appreciation for Daniel and/or Urban Valor. 🗣️ Comment your support or ask any questions. Sometimes, our interviewees respond, and we at Urban Valor will do our best to respond as well! ✅ SUBSCRIBE to support Urban Valor and the courageous Veterans who tell their stories AND so you NEVER miss a weekly episode of our veteran stories. New stories every Sunday! Your engagement greatly supports our mission to share authentic and impactful veteran stories. Video Chapters: 00:31 - Childhood Challenges and Family Separation 01:52 - Struggles with ADD and Early School Issues 02:59 - Turning to Drugs and Fighting 11:25 - Military Inspiration from Childhood War Movies 18:37 - Enlisting in the Army National Guard 28:34 - Intense Combat and Blue-on-Blue Firefight 45:55 - Substance Abuse and Mental Health Challenges 56:12 - Life-Altering Decisions in Combat 1:24:57 - Survivor's Guilt and Post-Combat Struggles 1:45:47 - Transitioning to Civilian Life #military #urbanvalor #warstories #usarmy #usarmyveteran #warstories #veteranpodcast