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
Purple Heart in the Korean War from 7th Infantry Division Infantryman Joseph Mills Wise
Signal Interceptor in Combat | Special Forces Linguist | 82nd Airborne | 7th Special Forces | Clay Jensen
Navy SEAL & 160th Aviator (MH-47 Pilot) | 17 Combat Deployments | Mike Rutledge
CIA Legend | Former Director of the Directorate of Operations | Case Officer | Jose Rodriguez
Navy SEAL | SEAL Delivery Vehicle Unit | Entrepreneur | Comedian | Jonathan Cleck
Fighter Pilot with Air to Air Drone Shootdown | Homeless to the Cockpit | Distinguished Flying Cross | Ryan “Stinger” Fishel
Special Operations Ranger in Iraq and Afghanistan | Ranger Movie on Amazon Prime | Operation Red Wings | David Waterhouse
Top Gun Maverick Stunt Pilot to F/A-18 Combat Aviator to Blue Angel to F-35 Squadron Commander | Scott “Intake” Kartvedt
AH-64 Apache & Air Force Combat Search and Rescue Pilot Cleared Hot Author | Trauma to Triumph Brian Slade
Navy SEAL | Seal Team Four | Co-Founder of ZeroEyes | Rob Huberty
Top Gun Pilot and Combat Aviator | Founder of Top Gun Foundation and Top Gun Options | Matthew “Whiz” Buckley
Marines in The Battle of Marjah | USMC NCO | Author | Choices Not Chances Podcast | Ryan Rogers
Combat With USASOC Operator Rick Hogg | K-9 Handler | 7th SFG | 82nd Airborne | War Hogg Tactical | On the Range Podcast
Green Beret | Operation Pineapple Express | Evacuated Afghan Allies from Kabul | Last Man Out Writer | Scott Mann
Combat Controller in Black Hawk Down | Air Force Special Ops | World Record | Author | Dan Schilling
Green Beret Silver Star Destroying Enemy Tanks with a Javelin | 3rd Special Forces Group | Changing Hearts and Minds Podcast | Jeff Adamec
Aircraft Crash on Robert's Ridge | 160th Night Stalker | MH-47 Chinook Combat Aviator | Alan Mack
UK SBS (Special Boat Service) | World Record Holder | Security Expert “Relentless” | Prince Harry Close Friend | Dean Stott
Four Star General George Casey | Army Chief of Staff | Commanding General, Multi-National Force-Iraq
160th Night Stalker | AH-6 & MH-6 Pilot | DFC | Silver Star | CW5 Steve Lapping
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