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Today we hear Round 1 of a two part Combat Story with former F-15E Strike Eagle Weapons Systems Officer (WSO) Mike “Pako” Benitez. In this episode, we follow Mike’s very unlikely path to the cockpit that begins with a career in the Marine Corps as a helicopter mechanic and aircrew member in the very first push into Afghanistan to fighting in Iraq during Fallujah II.
Mike’s path is anything but direct as he found his way to becoming an expert tactician and aviator in the F-15E. Since retiring, Mike has gone on to create The Merge (themerge.co) newsletter - which has 20K subscribers - and podcast - which has 40 episodes as of this airing. The Merge brings defense and tech news and insights in a more lighthearted and interesting approach that I’m confident most listeners of Combat Story will appreciate!
We only found Pako thanks to former guest Ryan “Stinger” Fishel who was a beneficiary of the tough love and tutelage of Pako (Stinger mentions a crusty older Weapons Officer during his interview who made Stinger look info up as opposed to handing it to him - that was Pako). Stay tuned for a follow-on episode after Rounds 1 and 2 with Pako to hear both Pako and Tom “Gunny” Moser be interviewed together about their experiences in Afghanistan and Syria leading units together.
Join hundreds of others with our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan each week about the show, life, and the military.
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🔗 Find Mike Online:
- The Merge https://themerge.co/
- The Merge Youtube https://www.youtube.com/@TheMergeMedia
🔗 Find Ryan Online:
- Ryan’s Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory
- Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combats...
- Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory
- Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial
- Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial
- Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus
- Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle
Join hundreds of others with our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan each week about the show, life, and the military.
👇 Show Notes:
00:00 - Introduction
00:52 - Guest Profile: Mike Benitez
02:13 - Start of Interview
02:37 - PAKO Callsign
07:45 - Finding Aviation
10:03 - Family Military Background
11:17 - Recruitment
13:43 - Bootcamp
21:29 - Time in Marines
23:43 - 9/11
33:23 - Hello Fresh Ad
34:37 - Time As A Mechanic
40:15 - First Raid Outside the Wire
50:25 - Reenlistment to Weapons Officer
01:06:30 - Mint Mobile Ad
01:07:51 - Transition From Marines to Air Force
01:11:12 - Path to Strike Eagle
10:18:24 - Welcome to First Air Force Unit
01:20:00 - First Operational Squadrant
01:39:07 - First Danger Close
01:42:02 - First Fatality
01:42:03 - Listener Feedback
Delta Force Operator and Sergeant Major John Shrek McPhee | Reflections on 100 Episodes
Medal of Honor | Only Living Iraq MOH | Infantry Squad Ldr | 2-2 Infantry | Author | David Bellavia
Marine Corps Silver Star Recipient | Operation Utah | Vietnam Veteran | Community Activist | Danny Hernandez
Prisoner of War | Ukraine Marines | Tortured in Captivity by Russia | Aiden Aslin (Round 2)
Marine Special Operator | CIA Global Response Staff | Savage Actual | Jason Lilley (Round 2)
1st SFOD-D Operator | Delta Force | Sniper | Ranger Battalion | MusiCorps | Derek Nadalini
Marine Infantry & Civil Affairs | The Wolves of Helmand | Author | Attorney | Frank “Gus” Biggio
Delta Force Operator | 3rd Special Forces Group | Green Beret 18B | Hades Consulting | Zack Harrison
UK SAS Sergeant Major | 7/7 SAS Ground CDR | Who Dares Wins TV | The Hard Way | Billy Billingham
Combat Engineer | First Female Reservist Ranger School Graduate | Engineer | Talent War | Lisa Jaster
JSOC Tier 1 Sergeant Major | 26 Yrs JSOC + SpecOps | 1st Ranger BN | CIA | DCM Consulting Dutch Moyer
Marine Corps Officer | Combat Leadership | Talent War Group | Joe McNamara
Marine Sniper from D1 College Football | Team Rubicon & Groundswell Founder | Jake Wood | Combat Story Episode 88
Marine Special Operator | Silver Star | CIA GRS | Savage Actual | Jason Lilley (Combat Story Ep. 87)
Marine Special Operator | Battle of Fallujah | MARSOC | Financial Podcaster | Christian Holloway | Combat Story Ep. 86
SEAL Team 3 & DEVGRU Intel Officer | Silicon Valley | Kristen Murdock | Combat Story (Ep 85)
CIA Legendary Ops Officer | Fighting Terrorists | Senior CIA Officer | Author of Black Ops | Enrique ‘Ric’ Prado | Combat Story Ep. 84
Becoming a Navy SEAL Not Knowing how to Swim | Terminal List | Actor | Author | Remi Adeleke | Combat Story Ep. 83
Creation of JSOC and 1st Ranger BN | Vietnam Veteran | Pablo Escobar Hunter | Keith Nightingale | Combat Story Ep. 82
Combat Story (Ep. 81): The Real 13 Hours in Benghazi | Ranger | CIA GRS | Author | Entrepreneur | Kris ‘Tanto’ Paronto
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