Today we have a Combat Story where we bring two F-15E Strike Eagle aviators - a front seater and backseater - together to talk about what it was like flying at the same time and some of the adventures that come with that life. Both Tom “Gunny” Moser and Mike “Pako” Benitez are decorated aviators, both Fighter Weapons School qualified and both former Marines (Tom an 0311 and Mike a helicopter aircrew member and door gunner). We interviewed both Gunny and Pako individually if you’re curious about their other near misses and danger close shots (or the origins of their call signs…Pako shared his call sign origin story with us on air for the first time!).
Pako now distributes The Merge newsletter that provides an inside and more fun look at the defense industry with over 20K subscribers and hosts The Merge podcast. Gunny is now a commercial airline pilot flying domestic routes across the US.
Special thanks to Ryan “Stinger” Fishel for connecting us with these two vets and with that, please enjoy this rare opportunity to hear from two combat aviators 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.
This episode was sponsored by Give Legacy.
Listeners can use the code COMBATSTORY to get 10% off everything on the site
You can find out more by going to www.givelegacy.com. That’s givelegacy.com.
🔗 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
00:55 - Guest Profile: Mike Benitez
00:19 - Marines Becoming Friends
03:28 - Mike and Tom First Meeting
10:32 - Teachings in Fighter Weapons School
22:25 - Mike's Close Calls
31:09:12 - Tom's Close Calls
41:44 - Flying Together Down Range
51:16 - Working With Foreign Forces
01:00:56 - Dropping Bombs
01:28:09 - What Do You Miss Most
01:36:48 - Listener Feedback
Flying Special Operations MH-53 in Combat | CV-22 Osprey, Apache, and Cobra Aviator | Sean Borland
MC-130 Special Operations Aircrew and Navigator | 8th Special Operations Squadron | Mike LaFeve (Round 2)
Marine Special Operator (MARSOC) Commander | Mozart Group Founder Andy Milburn
F-16 Fighter Pilot | Evaded Multiple Surface-to-Air Missiles | Gulf War Desert Storm F-16 Combat Aviator | Fighter Weapons School Top Gun | Jet Jernigan
Special Ops Chaplain and Army Green Beret, 270 Jumps and 400+ Flight Hours, Strategic Advisor to 8 Four Star Generals - George Youstra
DEVGRU | SEAL Teams One and Two | Contractor in Iraq and Afghanistan | Tier One Tactical | Chris White
Ryan Flies With The Patriots Jet Team and Scott "Intake" Kartvedt
Origin of the CIA and Military Armed Drone Program | CIA War Zone Chief of Base | Never Mind, We’ll Do It Ourselves Author | Alec Bierbauer
Teaching Tom Cruise to Fly | The Making of Top Gun:Maverick | Revolutionizing Aviation Film Making and Stunt Flying | Combined 40K Flight Hours | Patriot Jet Team | Scott Intake Kartvedt, Randy Howell
Navy SEAL and DEVGRU Squadron Commander | Operation Red Wings | Afghanistan Immediately Post-9/11 | The Honor Foundation | Matt Stevens
CIA Covert Action Program Against Russia in Afghanistan | Drone Program | Green Beret and CIA Officer - Mike Vickers
Special Forces Green Beret (18E) | 3rd Special Forces Group | Eric Neal
MC-130 Special Operations Aircrew and Navigator | 8th Special Operations Squadron | Mike LaFeve (Round 1)
Green Beret | 10th Special Forces Group | 18D Special Operations Combat Medic | Ryan Neel
82nd Airborne Medic in Iraq | Special Operations Combat Medic (SOCM) | Playwright ‘Bent Compass’ | Colin Sesek
Ryan Rogers Interviews Ryan Fugit | Choices Not Chances Podcast
Terminal List Author | Navy SEAL | Sniper | Enlisted and Officer SEAL | Jack Carr
Army EOD Blinded in Explosion | Inspirational Story of Overcoming Incredible Odds | Navy Chef | Company Founder | Aaron Hale
Former CEO ARMA Global & ARCTOS | Ranger | Armor Officer | James Fugit
TOPGUN Instructor and Graduate | F-16, F-18, F-22, F-35 Aviator | Combat Aviator | Combat Ground FAC | Echelon Front Instructor - Davide Berke
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