I met this dude and his team in western Iraq back in 2006. We were the Marine Corps base that allowed his unit to stay with us on our shitty ass FOB for several days since the task force declared that the airspace was RED. We gave them our sleeping bags, warming layers, and stuff so that they could camp out with us in the courtyard of this abandoned school where our hooches were located. I remember that some of the operators reminded me of pirates since the had these sawed off shotguns they kept rigged behind their should shoulders. When it was time for them to bounce, they gave our platoons these high speed low drag flash bangs as like a gift for our hospitality. Our 1st Sgt confiscated all of them (except our squad 😎). We did a raid shortly after, and we threw in one of these bangs into our targets front door and made entry, but the bang just kept banging! Me and the other dude in the initial stack all got banged by our own equipment. We all walked away with an awesome story and some green silkies that needed to be changed.
This guy spent time in Baghdad and some of the most dangerous places in the world and doesn’t want to go back to Chicago. What does that tell us about Chicago. After all he’s been through he’s still smiling and funny when telling his story. We need more men like him today.
What it tells us about Chicago? It tells us that 1. He didn't have to rent a house in Baghdad 2. He can't walk around with a full auto AR & Grenades like he could in Baghdad and 3. Can't wear military grade body armor like he could in Baghdad.
@Flare - hahahaha so naive, you see to invade the usa, china, or any country, would need a navy which they dont have. they dont even have a way to transport 50k troops across the pacific, much less a full invasion army. china cant even invade taiwan, whose mere existence is a loss of face for china and which sits miles off their coast, much less america thousands of miles away, and having to fight past our carrier groups. so yeah i wouldnt worry about that at all.
@Flare - you can say you will invade someone all day long, that doesnt make it true. taiwans existence is a literal slap in the face of china, yet china is so weak they cant do a thing about it.
Loved when he said “They would say I’m an asshole, but I’m technically and tactically proficient at everything I do” - this guy is my fucking spirit animal.
John is a true warrior and the best combat proven NCO I ever worked with. He was my Team Sergeant on my first Iraq rotation. When an operation came down, everyone to include the supporting unit command leadership looked to him for guidance. I'm am fortunate to have served along him. John take care brother.
I am going to comment something different from what most people are commenting. I am just very happy to see a guy with so much time in combat being able to enjoy life. He is able to relax and be funny. We need to study guys like this to learn how we can help others to be happy once they get out. And i understand he might also have his moments, but he seems to be doing very good. It makes me very happy when i see a retired warrior living a good life.
This is a damn good comment. You need three things to be able to go through the worst trauma a man can go through and appear to be normal to normal people. 1. Graveyard humor: We can crack jokes in the middle of something incredibly sad, scary, or even life threatening and get a laugh. You couldn't pay us to ever get offended. 2. Service to others: Men like us do little for ourselves but find great joy in doing whatever we can for others. We will gladly go out of our way and sacrifice even for strangers. It's a level of selflessness to such an extreme that it doesn't allow us to have self pity, let alone committing suicide. 3. Principles: We are die hard principled men who will not abandon principles for anything. You couldn't pay us enough to go against them. Because of this, we have a fairly easy time accepting things for what they are, which allows us to be calm under pressure and in most cases perform even better because we thrive in stressful situations.
“I love chaos”, explains why this man is a legend. He knew equipment would break including himself, learned from lessons and prioritized his training to what he knew were essentials. So grateful for people like this.
John, I was raised by my Dad to be a Diesel Mechanic, and a Welder. I too was a late Bloomer. My Dad rest his soul was a Korean War Bad Ass. I thank Him every day for the knowledge He gave Me. I now own and operate my own Welding Business. I love Your story, Thank You for Your Service!....and Your Story. 😀👍
Ok sparky- I’m gonna test your movie knowledge since you’re a welder. If I misspell some words, give me a break. Ok, what movie/and or movie character said: “Settlin? Mik? Tik? What did I say!!!”
@@Patrick-cr7ql china isn't scared of us. america is crumbling socially and demographically, and china is strengthening significantly in this area. they're playing an intergenerational game and the US is constantly focused on the next year or two.
My grandfather served for 26 years all over the world. He served in japan at the end of ww2 as a paratrooper, in the 24th infantry unit in Korea, and in the signal corps in Vietnam, as well as many other places. He never once talked about war. He didn’t overshare anything
"The Italian job, what was that raid done in? Like 17 seconds? And during daylight...That is why the unit is the unit and then there is everyone else, you cant compete with that"
@@jackpeter642starting with a damn report, followed on by your leadership, battle buddies, family, writers, congressional hearings etc etc etc etc....everyone asks these guys to describe what happened, over and over. Yeah, it gets streamlined a bit, and exagerrated a bit, but they actually did the damn thing. It's just a byproduct of the process.
@@sosmotorcycles That's a bit of a stretch, bro. Just because you're resilient and flexible with morally complex situations doesn't mean you're a sociopath. But I would agree that the sort of mental agility this man has is more like a feature of many sociopaths, but that's also true with psychopaths to a lesser degree.
@GettingAIDS BeatsGettingWOKE I always wanted to know how those types of guys interact when they're on the same team/ODA or whatever. A lot of SF dudes have said assholes and bloated ego dicks slip through the cracks so I wonder if those guys are just really high speed operators who do their jobs really well or if the chill, even keeled smart guys like McPhee operate even better during missions
That is not too far off, usually when the Unit reaches out to you its via some sketchy email inviting you for a brief. Then if you pass the screen and fill a need youll go to tryouts. Usually end up failing selection a few times before getting invited to OTC. You only get another try typically if youre already in Group or Batt. You can get into the Unit as conventional, I got my first invite as a commo dude supporting 5th Group - and failed of course.
We're so fortunate to have had you, thank you for everything you did Mr. McPhee. I appreciate what you said about the importance of getting appropriate rest and the pitfalls of relying too heavily on booze.
This man is a beast. I remember how legendary The Unit was in the Army. It was like a mythical pantheon of demigods. You never knew who they were but you knew they were out there whenever needed.
I have read a *lot* of military history and memoirs. I have never heard of a guy going out on missions alone. This is so next level, it's like it isn't even a concept. Very cool.
I love how he was talking about trash talking. Spent 8yrs in the army, another 4yrs as an army civilian cop, and 9yrs total in the oil field, trash talk is a way of life!!!! And the people that get pissy about it don’t last.
YES ! Understand this guy so much I grew up in Toledo Ohio all the elders spoke Southern dialect all the old sayings and ways . It's a million miles away from that now . Thanks for your service . My son Rory McFarland now serves .
I love how warriors get old and no longer look as dangerous as we actually are. An old warrior is still a warrior. This is one DANGEROUS human and someone may not recognize this because of his age. Great Great Great Interview!! #grateful
Woah...he hinted that there have been SOCOM General(s) that have overdosed on narcs on the job...I dont think people realize how "good" a operator is to be allowed to go on solo missions let alone hundreds. Shrek was the elite of the already elite. Absolute legend!
So much Fun ! My dad was from Back Of the Yards. Marine Veteran with 2 tours Vietnam. I was born in North Carolina. Fishing hunting from the age of 5. Thanks for the show !!!
John is like the uncle that everyone wants. I imagine he is a lot of fun to hang out with and probably hilarious after a couple of beers. Thank you for your service sir.
This guy has done so much that he talks about going to combat, in probably the most elite fighting force in the world, like he just took a trip to the grocery store
@@Soulrollsdeep actually there's plenty of people that can attest to that. When it comes to the elite of the elite tag is the most premier and capable unit in the world. Has nothing to do with my maturity. Get your head out of your ass. Ryan Fugit, former Apache pilot and then CIA has a RUclips channel called combat story in a lot of the podcasts he's done everybody pretty much unanimously agrees tag is the best unit in the world. Even Chris Ryan former SAS operator has a podcast and he had John Shrek McPhee former CAG operator and Chris Ryan even admits himself that tag has taken the number one spot simply because of the funding that goes into the unit and the level of training but please tell me to grow up again you f****** idiot
@@Soulrollsdeep and the reason why I mentioned 9/11 is because before 9/11 the United States really didn't have a lot of experience in special operations but once we had the ball rolling in Afghanistan and Iraq and the fact that we've been in Afghanistan since has only sharpened their blade especially special operations so shut the hell up
"There's kinda gotta be something wrong with me if I do what u expect me to do" that statement sums it up for all of us. Get well brothers keep pushing
Me too brother. 1982! Kids from this generation have no clue. Weird getting older right? Mentally I want to keep doing what my body could handle 20 years ago and my body, broken down from life, is arguing with my mind the entire time 😅. I think sometimes, if I live another 20 years, I'm going to be one grumpy, miserable old man 😂.
I was born in 95 and I feel the same about anyone born 98 or later. It’s a narrow range of time. But I think a few years really made a huge difference in how much you experienced “analog” life in your formative years.
That "hall pass" analogy at 1:20:00 is spot on 👌🏼 At some point, we all have to get back to class and pick up where we left off. The hall pass just buys us some goof off time. I had a mentor tell me, "Life will enroll you in classes you need to pass to advance. And it'll keep re-enrolling you in the same course until you pass it."
I was actually going to go the gym and stumbled across this podcast. i don't think I've actually laughed so much listening to John' what a amazing story and badass! so much for my workout, listening to him was well worth missing a workout!
Most real bad asses are. For the ego is an illusion and a defensive tactic..most people w large egos are scared deep down! The reality is that once you realise your stronger than nearly everyone else you no longer have a desire or need to make sure everyone knows that! You take an attitude of they will find out, if it goes to that!
He hit me in the feels with the Army and VA talk. My back sprain was actually broken vertebrae, no discs left and crushed nerves. That happened in 06 I deployed again in 08 and by 2010 I couldn't walk. VA left me doped up. Took me almost 11 years but I'm running again and narcotic free thanks to civilian Dr's.
Good for you man. I have not been able to run for 4 years. I need a surgery or two but I hope to run again one day. I know that I need one new knee, maybe two. I have patience, being in my 40s and life being what it is but it still sucks waiting 😂.
John you are totally correct!!! Dealing with PTSD sucks!!! Wish our leaders could have that knowledge !! 82nd, 10th Mountain, and 2nd ID… DMZ 1980s!!! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸💪💪💪
Easy top 3 interviews. Amazing content and I'd buy the Shrek a beer every time I saw him. He's a legend in the operator space. He's a legend story teller. Thanks for your service gents!
One of the best podcasts/interviews I’ve seen. Especially where we are now in current events. The world is messed up. Good luck to all of you as we progress into the future.
Many thanks, @Combat Story. These interviews combine great storytelling with a lot of life lessons. My favorite episodes are John "Shrek" McPhee, Tom Shea, Dale Comstock and Tom Satterly. I appreciate the laid-back approach and that you let each guest tell his story his way. Keep up the great work. Thank you all for your service.
every other interview or video i’ve watched on this entire process is so serious and go into great detail about how hard it was. then you have this man who is basically just like “idk it wasn’t that bad”
I've noticed that too w Delta guys. It's like it was all fun for them. SEALS, other special forces, when they tell stories it's more dramatic, its life and death. (not knocking them at all cuz it literally is)..but the delta guys tell the story like it's a funny night out on the town...it's very different. These guys are scary.
45:19 he says “when you deal with negativity everyday of your life you start to think negatively” i’m a junior in hs rn and i’ve been homeless for almost the whole year, it’s been pretty hard my entire life dealing with things a lot of people deal with... but this resonates with me and i’ve been trying to find a reason and or a stronger incentive to join the military and he pin points it with what he talks about in this podcast.
Hey brother i grew up in homeless shelters im 32 now and ive paved my own path. Keep putting one foot in front of the other in the right direction and embrace the suck. You will be fine
i was in boot camp with a couple fellas that were previously homeless (as in homeless the day before recruit training indoc) and they breezed through... after living on the street, navy boot camp was a cake walk... one dude went to college and became an officer... if youre willing to take the advice from an old bubblehead, id say go and just talk to a recruiter, take the asvab, learn your options/possibilities... if nothing else it can help remove the negativity and allow you to live a life of choice... your choice
Shrek probably should try his hand at stand-up comedy. This guy is a kill! That how you know how legit he is, by how matter-of-fact he is about things. “I fixed my own compound fracture, walked thru a mine field, scaled a fence...”
I met John last week at a Carbine class. He is one hell of a good guy. He is made of granite. I hope they put up a statue of "ShreK" in the middle of Washington D.C. He is an American Bad Ass.
Agreed lol so I’m a Leo been to two of his classes for law enforcement but originally before i was Leo i went to his pistol video diagnostics class an became a better shooter in 7 min lol after quite sometime of shooting an classes
We had a guy at Ft Benning with a PhD in philosophy and he was enlisted infantry. We called him Doc, and i believe he went on to be an infantry officer. Nicknames and presonas were great in the Army. You had to have tough skin, but it was a great experience overall.
Bro u ever watch sheriff of Baghdad podcast or booze an views tons of great content if u go to beggining of podcast i think 2015-16 he started it all good stuff
this is the best interview. Shrek is a natural but the interview would not have been the caliber it is without Ryan's talent in enabling John to share his stories. Perfect recipe of experience and skills.
What a great guy. Midwestern people have a practical sensibility that you understand if you're Midwestern. Funny is in the DNA. Great to watch on the 4th of July. God Bless America 🇺🇸🙏❤.
I did not expect to watch the full 1:46 when I clicked play, yet here I am. Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this conversation. Thank you for your service, gentlemen.
First: *Respect, respect, and respect brother!!* Second: a moment of analysis on trash talking... *my son (26ish) and I (45ish), trash talk A LOT. I actually believe it serves a truly invaluable tactical purpose, that is that it *'keeps the skin, from getting too thin'* so instead of getting too mushy and sensitive, one becomes a bit more hardened to the banter. I think it's a stress coping skill also. Be well. Thank you for sharing, sir. 😎🇺🇸
Outstanding. The whole thing from start to finish was full of great info, advice and some big laughs. Five stars from me. Shrek is a big man among men.
And the first scene is like an old Clint Eastwood western where he’s in the middle of the road with two pistols, a sheriffs badge, and boot spurs... as a tumble weed blows past the screen and women and children seek cover, a shadowy figure from the other end of the street emerges... it’s... Osama Bin Laden riding a goat with a suicide vest on. The sheriff tilts his head slightly, cowboy hat covering his eyes and with one swift motion calls in an air strike and suddenly, in what seemed like a split second... an AC-130 gunship emerges overhead and drops every single round of ordinances on the enemy. Target neutralized.
1:23:00 He's right, positivity can be contagious in combat. Once we were getting indirect fire in Iraq and one of my buddies was terrified. I just told him it's ok, there will only be three or four more rockets and we can go back to sleep. It worked. He relaxed and sure enough we were back to sleep within a half hour.
Hey check out Sheriff of Baghdad podcast it’s all him an some guest as well a lot of episodes available on Spotify an iTunes im sure elsewere but it’s awesome content go to beggining you’ll learn tons about him his career tactics etc.. very smart man
My video diagnostics I got from the Sheriff was eye opening. There is nothing like seeing what your doing wrong on film. Then he corrects all of your faults and the results are outstanding. I specifically wanted the carbine class so that I didn't go out and practice "wrong" things with expensive ammo. It is well worth your time and money for your pistol or carbine. I also gave the Sheriff a bottle of Angel's Envy for a Booze n Views... Find a class and go!
@@remedy-1879 I served but I never SERVED. But this guy SERRRRRRRVED. Some people are just next level. These guys are above Olympic level of conditioning.
@@MobileAura don't forget the lucky as fuck to still be alive factor hahaha . These guys do fuck it up and some how death fucks it up too and they make it home after messing up some shit. It's like mission what the fuck just happened? Not sure but we made it home by mistake glad we did. Lol 😆 🤣
Awesome guy. The best of our soldier class and just a great American. A true Hero and role model for young men which we desperately need in these times.
I've never heard anything like that in my life! What a legend. Irreverent awesomeness from a new angle, what a perspective! There was genius in that hour an three quarters for sure.
I’ve enjoyed many of your combat stories. This was the best one yet. You’re very good at what you do, great questions and you know when to let your guest go without interrupting. Nice work. Thanks.
These delta guys are amazing humans. For those who don't know, delta force recruits from rangers and special forces and about 95% of those guys fail selection.
Hey FYI delta also allows marines an pj an even a cook could apply but likely won’t go to selection due an limit on amount of people that could tryout an more qualified soldiers will get the spots like rangers an SF guys lol
@@kojoe6984 our DFAC NCOIC was old school SF. He served in Vietnam and was later injured doing operations in Honduras. He reclassified because cooks were the only other MOS with the same rate of promotion as infantry. I know the point you were making but Thought I’d share because this was one spooky dude.
I heard about this dude as a young soldier. But to watch this interview was just freakin amazing. The skepticism and knowledge and the casual demeanor about it all. It’s fantastic.
If you cant see your self as a mechanic i tell you sir i sure af can. Your personality type is the one that brings people together and that can stop the world easier thsn others. Thank you sir.
Thank you both for your service. A previous knee injury showed itself in basic for me in 90 and back then , they didn’t want “broke dicks”. So my military career was extremely abbreviated. My oldest son serves in the Army. I live about a 1/4 mile from the eastern edge of Ft Bragg now. I know a few DBoys here in Raeford. Much love to you guys and to all who currently or previously served. You guys are the line in the sand. Salute to you all!🇺🇸🇺🇸
Good family friend was a green beret. Was the most normal man I’d ever met. Only difference I’d seen was he can handle a firearm like no other and when I went hikin with the dude he carried like 200lbs. on his back, with a small propane tank and tent and his meals and snacks and clothes. Was maybe a 5 mile hike in and out which isn’t a lot but this trail was a lot of ups and downs and turns. First half mile is a steep upwards hill cause it’s up in the mountains. He taught us some songs to sing to pass the time and they were funny af and you could tell he learned them while he was deployed and stuff. Great man, great family.
Great interview Ryan! His survival tip of NOT giving your own aircraft your own position was a trip! It totally contradicting the way we were taught, but made sense. The interview was super wide ranging and really insightful.
These are the war heroes of our generation and I am so proud to be an American 🇺🇸 thank you
I met this dude and his team in western Iraq back in 2006. We were the Marine Corps base that allowed his unit to stay with us on our shitty ass FOB for several days since the task force declared that the airspace was RED. We gave them our sleeping bags, warming layers, and stuff so that they could camp out with us in the courtyard of this abandoned school where our hooches were located. I remember that some of the operators reminded me of pirates since the had these sawed off shotguns they kept rigged behind their should shoulders. When it was time for them to bounce, they gave our platoons these high speed low drag flash bangs as like a gift for our hospitality. Our 1st Sgt confiscated all of them (except our squad 😎). We did a raid shortly after, and we threw in one of these bangs into our targets front door and made entry, but the bang just kept banging! Me and the other dude in the initial stack all got banged by our own equipment. We all walked away with an awesome story and some green silkies that needed to be changed.
Dope story !!! Haha thank you for sharing , I got a kick outta that!
Legend AF story.
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz,
This is the best thing I ever heard, never laughed so hard.
9 banger?
This guy spent time in Baghdad and some of the most dangerous places in the world and doesn’t want to go back to Chicago. What does that tell us about Chicago. After all he’s been through he’s still smiling and funny when telling his story. We need more men like him today.
In true chicago fashion. He spent about 5 minutes just talking about being from Chicago. My man.
He could do something about Baghdad, he can't do anything in Chicago
What it tells us about Chicago? It tells us that 1. He didn't have to rent a house in Baghdad
2. He can't walk around with a full auto AR & Grenades like he could in Baghdad and
3. Can't wear military grade body armor like he could in Baghdad.
@Flare - hahahaha so naive, you see to invade the usa, china, or any country, would need a navy which they dont have. they dont even have a way to transport 50k troops across the pacific, much less a full invasion army. china cant even invade taiwan, whose mere existence is a loss of face for china and which sits miles off their coast, much less america thousands of miles away, and having to fight past our carrier groups. so yeah i wouldnt worry about that at all.
@Flare - you can say you will invade someone all day long, that doesnt make it true. taiwans existence is a literal slap in the face of china, yet china is so weak they cant do a thing about it.
The most important thing here is that he lived to tell his stories.. job well done sir 🙏🏽💪🏽⚡️
Loved when he said “They would say I’m an asshole, but I’m technically and tactically proficient at everything I do” - this guy is my fucking spirit animal.
Underrated comment
John is a true warrior and the best combat proven NCO I ever worked with. He was my Team Sergeant on my first Iraq rotation. When an operation came down, everyone to include the supporting unit command leadership looked to him for guidance. I'm am fortunate to have served along him. John take care brother.
@Danny Stoddard Even 20 years later and in retirement?
@Danny Stoddard you thought wrong
@Danny Stoddard they made movies about tier 1 operations lol wtf are you talking about
@Danny Stoddard they made movies about tier 1 operations lol wtf are you talking about
Fucking legend! Truly inspirational!
I am going to comment something different from what most people are commenting. I am just very happy to see a guy with so much time in combat being able to enjoy life. He is able to relax and be funny. We need to study guys like this to learn how we can help others to be happy once they get out. And i understand he might also have his moments, but he seems to be doing very good. It makes me very happy when i see a retired warrior living a good life.
This is a damn good comment. You need three things to be able to go through the worst trauma a man can go through and appear to be normal to normal people.
1. Graveyard humor: We can crack jokes in the middle of something incredibly sad, scary, or even life threatening and get a laugh. You couldn't pay us to ever get offended.
2. Service to others: Men like us do little for ourselves but find great joy in doing whatever we can for others. We will gladly go out of our way and sacrifice even for strangers. It's a level of selflessness to such an extreme that it doesn't allow us to have self pity, let alone committing suicide.
3. Principles: We are die hard principled men who will not abandon principles for anything. You couldn't pay us enough to go against them. Because of this, we have a fairly easy time accepting things for what they are, which allows us to be calm under pressure and in most cases perform even better because we thrive in stressful situations.
AMEN
❤AMEN
I remember him saying in a different interview that he has so much weird and crazy shit in his head that he didn’t have time to get CTE
That's basically what everyone is commenting...
“I love chaos”, explains why this man is a legend. He knew equipment would break including himself, learned from lessons and prioritized his training to what he knew were essentials. So grateful for people like this.
John, I was raised by my Dad to be a
Diesel Mechanic, and a Welder. I too
was a late Bloomer. My Dad rest his soul
was a Korean War Bad Ass. I thank Him every day for the knowledge He gave Me. I now own and operate my own Welding Business. I love Your story, Thank You for Your Service!....and Your
Story. 😀👍
Ok sparky- I’m gonna test your movie knowledge since you’re a welder. If I misspell some words, give me a break. Ok, what movie/and or movie character said:
“Settlin? Mik? Tik? What did I say!!!”
Real combat veterans like this man don't want to talk much about combat. There's something about this guy I really like.
As long as America produces men like this, the rest of America can rest at night. However China may want to think twice.
@@Patrick-cr7ql china isn't scared of us. america is crumbling socially and demographically, and china is strengthening significantly in this area. they're playing an intergenerational game and the US is constantly focused on the next year or two.
@@levitatingoctahedron922 We are still out here, we are the ones thathave kept this continent from being directly invaded.
My grandfather served for 26 years all over the world. He served in japan at the end of ww2 as a paratrooper, in the 24th infantry unit in Korea, and in the signal corps in Vietnam, as well as many other places. He never once talked about war. He didn’t overshare anything
I’m willing to bet he isn’t over sharing either.
If he was a Navy Seal he'd already have a TV show, 5 books, a podcast, and an action figure.
"The Italian job, what was that raid done in? Like 17 seconds? And during daylight...That is why the unit is the unit and then there is everyone else, you cant compete with that"
Seals swim. Forget the ocean, it takes a special breed to want to be a frogman.
@@Warpath1337
SEALs are douche bags. Tough guys but hated as much as enemy
Maybe so but seals are much more tactically sound and capable than Delta. No comparison
@@texastoast5202 🤣🤣🤣🤣 What?
Shrek is so humble but is literally the top tier of the top tier. He did the most dangerous missions in delta force. 🇺🇸
Don’t forget he did them solo. Alone and unafraid like a legend
Yes sir … I read about him 10 years ago .. killing bin Laden by dalton furry aka the late maj Greer .. forever in debt to the warriors of Delta
Bit exaggerated tho
@@jackpeter642starting with a damn report, followed on by your leadership, battle buddies, family, writers, congressional hearings etc etc etc etc....everyone asks these guys to describe what happened, over and over.
Yeah, it gets streamlined a bit, and exagerrated a bit, but they actually did the damn thing. It's just a byproduct of the process.
@@jackpeter642I can almost guarantee a lot of it you couldn't comprehend what it was like
SGM McPhee is so casual about his experience , he makes it sound like he accidentally stumbled into being a Delta Operator :D
He did.
lol i think its because he probably is a bit of a sociopath but you kind of need that in a way i imagine to live that life.
@@sosmotorcycles
That's a bit of a stretch, bro. Just because you're resilient and flexible with morally complex situations doesn't mean you're a sociopath. But I would agree that the sort of mental agility this man has is more like a feature of many sociopaths, but that's also true with psychopaths to a lesser degree.
@GettingAIDS BeatsGettingWOKE
I always wanted to know how those types of guys interact when they're on the same team/ODA or whatever. A lot of SF dudes have said assholes and bloated ego dicks slip through the cracks so I wonder if those guys are just really high speed operators who do their jobs really well or if the chill, even keeled smart guys like McPhee operate even better during missions
That is not too far off, usually when the Unit reaches out to you its via some sketchy email inviting you for a brief. Then if you pass the screen and fill a need youll go to tryouts. Usually end up failing selection a few times before getting invited to OTC. You only get another try typically if youre already in Group or Batt. You can get into the Unit as conventional, I got my first invite as a commo dude supporting 5th Group - and failed of course.
This is so good. I’m an ex medic, I’ve been to Baghdad. This is some of the best advise I’ve heard in my whole ptsd journey.
We're so fortunate to have had you, thank you for everything you did Mr. McPhee. I appreciate what you said about the importance of getting appropriate rest and the pitfalls of relying too heavily on booze.
He’s brutally honest, especially in how F’d up things were. “ We did the best we could”.
Yeah, it's funny and Beautiful!
The "best they could" happened to be the best in the world, tho.-)
He'd definitely get some calls from the Bragg Brass tho, if They didn't already Know what the SgtMaj's response would be!
This man is a beast. I remember how legendary The Unit was in the Army. It was like a mythical pantheon of demigods. You never knew who they were but you knew they were out there whenever needed.
A pantheon of mythical demigods!! Well put sir!!
Truly mythical
I have read a *lot* of military history and memoirs. I have never heard of a guy going out on missions alone. This is so next level, it's like it isn't even a concept. Very cool.
I think that typically tends to be more agency type endeavors based on what I’ve heard through the grapevine. Which would make him sort of aberration.
Rambo the character is based on Delta. A teams. ARMY is AWESOME
I keep coming back to this episode. Such a good interview. Love John’s candor and storytelling
Wow. He did a static line jump in his 50s. And his partner was in his 70s lmao. These guys are bad ass. Much respect
Yeah because static-line jumping can be executed by retarded chimpanzees.
You can never go wrong with the SOB. He’s a riot, and he’s been there and done that. Great interview 🇺🇸💪💪🏿💪🏻💪🏽🇺🇸
I love how he was talking about trash talking. Spent 8yrs in the army, another 4yrs as an army civilian cop, and 9yrs total in the oil field, trash talk is a way of life!!!! And the people that get pissy about it don’t last.
He is also great teacher one od the few to actually show your ass and corrects your shooting
@@soonerfrac4611 Depends who’s trash talking. If it’s a close friend or some dude you met yesterday and he’s being a d about it.
@@MobileAura in the military it doesn't matter if your friends or not you're gonna endure some ball busting regardless
@@SaltySeaCaptain True, but there are also a lot of d bags who trip on power.
The hall-pass sections made me realize he is so much more than a war fighter. The guy is a philosopher and genius.
Much like a psychologist, it helped me a lot hearing that, I could relate
Easily the most entertaining revealing and incredible video I’ve seen in years. The world needs more of this man, and more men like him
YES ! Understand this guy so much I grew up in Toledo Ohio all the elders spoke Southern dialect all the old sayings and ways . It's a million miles away from that now . Thanks for your service . My son Rory McFarland now serves .
I love how warriors get old and no longer look as dangerous as we actually are. An old warrior is still a warrior. This is one DANGEROUS human and someone may not recognize this because of his age. Great Great Great Interview!! #grateful
Woah...he hinted that there have been SOCOM General(s) that have overdosed on narcs on the job...I dont think people realize how "good" a operator is to be allowed to go on solo missions let alone hundreds. Shrek was the elite of the already elite. Absolute legend!
yeah but can he ride the 4 train through Manhattan?? now thats good
So much Fun ! My dad was from Back Of the Yards. Marine Veteran with 2 tours Vietnam. I was born in North Carolina. Fishing hunting from the age of 5. Thanks for the show !!!
John is like the uncle that everyone wants. I imagine he is a lot of fun to hang out with and probably hilarious after a couple of beers. Thank you for your service sir.
I love this guy...!!! Clearly he is the epitome of adapt and overcome !!!
This guy has done so much that he talks about going to combat, in probably the most elite fighting force in the world, like he just took a trip to the grocery store
Professional chaos maker and death slinger.
Not probably... CAG is as good as it gets. Pre 9/11 SAS Post 9/11 CAG
@@picolascage5270 Yeah, because you can quite easily play 'top trumps' with special forces based on the date of your choosing. Grow up.
@@Soulrollsdeep actually there's plenty of people that can attest to that. When it comes to the elite of the elite tag is the most premier and capable unit in the world. Has nothing to do with my maturity. Get your head out of your ass. Ryan Fugit, former Apache pilot and then CIA has a RUclips channel called combat story in a lot of the podcasts he's done everybody pretty much unanimously agrees tag is the best unit in the world. Even Chris Ryan former SAS operator has a podcast and he had John Shrek McPhee former CAG operator and Chris Ryan even admits himself that tag has taken the number one spot simply because of the funding that goes into the unit and the level of training but please tell me to grow up again you f****** idiot
@@Soulrollsdeep and the reason why I mentioned 9/11 is because before 9/11 the United States really didn't have a lot of experience in special operations but once we had the ball rolling in Afghanistan and Iraq and the fact that we've been in Afghanistan since has only sharpened their blade especially special operations so shut the hell up
John makes call of duty campaign seem not so far fetched
The more i hear about SOF stories the more realistic call of duty gets lmao
@@SanLeMans cod black ops was based on the story of John Plaster in SOG just FYI ..
For real!
@@kxkxkxkx I love hearing the SOG stories on Jocko Podcast
They just send them on like 20v100 missions it’s insane. Cod/movies is nothing compared to what they go through daily basis.
100 Face. 200 No Face. 300 No Hands. 400 No Head. 500 No Light Between The Legs. 600 Triangle. SOB's dope. Always evaluate distances by this mantra.
What part was this??? I missed it I guess. And this is meters?
@@jaksahn3370 No it's not in the video. I just mentioned as it's good stuff and from him. Here's the link: ruclips.net/video/ODgYcy7M6_0/видео.html
That’s fucking incredible information, thanks man 🙏!!!
Ty for sharing this.
thanks for sharing
"There's kinda gotta be something wrong with me if I do what u expect me to do" that statement sums it up for all of us. Get well brothers keep pushing
I was born in 1982(41yo). This guy speaks like guys from my generation. He's awesome.
Me too brother. 1982! Kids from this generation have no clue. Weird getting older right? Mentally I want to keep doing what my body could handle 20 years ago and my body, broken down from life, is arguing with my mind the entire time 😅. I think sometimes, if I live another 20 years, I'm going to be one grumpy, miserable old man 😂.
I was born in 95 and I feel the same about anyone born 98 or later. It’s a narrow range of time. But I think a few years really made a huge difference in how much you experienced “analog” life in your formative years.
@@PinkFZeppelinOMG.. I was born in 58' and still think I'm a kid.....but I got sneakers older than you guys
That "hall pass" analogy at 1:20:00 is spot on 👌🏼
At some point, we all have to get back to class and pick up where we left off. The hall pass just buys us some goof off time. I had a mentor tell me, "Life will enroll you in classes you need to pass to advance. And it'll keep re-enrolling you in the same course until you pass it."
Well said!
If you're gonna fuck it up, fuck it up so bad they wonder how ya did it... Love it! Words to live by.
Great quote. I also love if you can't beat them with brains, beat them with bullshit
Kill them all!
Gotta say this is one of my favorite episodes so far, John has some crazy stories and he seems like such a good dude.
Ive taken a few classes with John and was able to have dinner with him a few times, he is an awesome person. His classes are so worth it.
The thing I like the most about Shrek is that his mind is so rational and modest despite what he's been through.
People like him are hard to come by.
My guy was out here doing side missions as a taxi driver lmfao. What an incredible guy and soldier such a bad ass
What an honest and funny guy. Best comment “ Who shot the hostage, game”. Love this guy.
God bless you and the sacrifice you have made for us.It’s men like you who motivated me to enlist,and it’s men like you who kept me alive.
It’s absolutely mind blowing how one man accomplished all this. What a legend.
I was actually going to go the gym and stumbled across this podcast. i don't think I've actually laughed so much listening to John' what a amazing story and badass! so much for my workout, listening to him was well worth missing a workout!
I stumbled across this video. This is a great man reminds me of my dad. Instantly love this guy. God bless ❤️
This guy is overly humble for how much of a badass he is
It's hard to picture him as a savage but don't be fooled.
All sf guys are nice af
First time ever heard of this channel I am subscribed🇺🇸🏁
Humility and killing of the ego is required to operate on highest level
Most real bad asses are. For the ego is an illusion and a defensive tactic..most people w large egos are scared deep down!
The reality is that once you realise your stronger than nearly everyone else you no longer have a desire or need to make sure everyone knows that! You take an attitude of they will find out, if it goes to that!
He hit me in the feels with the Army and VA talk. My back sprain was actually broken vertebrae, no discs left and crushed nerves. That happened in 06 I deployed again in 08 and by 2010 I couldn't walk. VA left me doped up. Took me almost 11 years but I'm running again and narcotic free thanks to civilian Dr's.
Oh man! Glad to hear you're up and at it again man! That must've been one helluva ride...
Awesome
Good for you man. I have not been able to run for 4 years. I need a surgery or two but I hope to run again one day. I know that I need one new knee, maybe two. I have patience, being in my 40s and life being what it is but it still sucks waiting 😂.
He speaks the truth about being positive and letting it go. That's how I feel and live now. Great stuff.
I used to have a friend who was a navy seal he had such bad ptsd but he told me so many awesome stories
John you are totally correct!!! Dealing with PTSD sucks!!! Wish our leaders could have that knowledge !! 82nd, 10th Mountain, and 2nd ID… DMZ 1980s!!!
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸💪💪💪
The best title for a movie about him would be "Shrek goes to Baghdad"
Shriek: Adventures in Baghdad. 😂😂😂
Shrek does Baghdad
I think this wins "Shrek's your baghdaddy"
Are we talking live action or animated feature lol
Easy top 3 interviews. Amazing content and I'd buy the Shrek a beer every time I saw him. He's a legend in the operator space. He's a legend story teller. Thanks for your service gents!
One of the best podcasts/interviews I’ve seen. Especially where we are now in current events. The world is messed up. Good luck to all of you as we progress into the future.
You too man
2.3 million well deserved views, this dude is awesome.
I would definitely take this guy fishing and/or hunting. Love this guy and am grateful for his bravery and service to our great country.
Many thanks, @Combat Story. These interviews combine great storytelling with a lot of life lessons. My favorite episodes are John "Shrek" McPhee, Tom Shea, Dale Comstock and Tom Satterly. I appreciate the laid-back approach and that you let each guest tell his story his way. Keep up the great work. Thank you all for your service.
Hey bro all great guys check out Jamey Caldwell he was in Tora bora wit shrek also a d boy
@@kojoe6984 know any good podcasts that had jamey on?
every other interview or video i’ve watched on this entire process is so serious and go into great detail about how hard it was. then you have this man who is basically just like “idk it wasn’t that bad”
I've noticed that too w Delta guys. It's like it was all fun for them. SEALS, other special forces, when they tell stories it's more dramatic, its life and death. (not knocking them at all cuz it literally is)..but the delta guys tell the story like it's a funny night out on the town...it's very different. These guys are scary.
This man speaks some serious truth. Great, brutal, honesty spoken here.
You can tell from photos of him back in the day that he was a badass. More badass in one finger than most of us will ever be
45:19 he says “when you deal with negativity everyday of your life you start to think negatively” i’m a junior in hs rn and i’ve been homeless for almost the whole year, it’s been pretty hard my entire life dealing with things a lot of people deal with... but this resonates with me and i’ve been trying to find a reason and or a stronger incentive to join the military and he pin points it with what he talks about in this podcast.
Hey brother i grew up in homeless shelters im 32 now and ive paved my own path. Keep putting one foot in front of the other in the right direction and embrace the suck. You will be fine
Life has ups and downs but overall it will improve. Hang in there, hope you're doing well.
Good luck man stay strong and work hard
i was in boot camp with a couple fellas that were previously homeless (as in homeless the day before recruit training indoc) and they breezed through... after living on the street, navy boot camp was a cake walk... one dude went to college and became an officer...
if youre willing to take the advice from an old bubblehead, id say go and just talk to a recruiter, take the asvab, learn your options/possibilities... if nothing else it can help remove the negativity and allow you to live a life of choice... your choice
U can do it brother your already more of a man then half the men I know .....u got this
"I kinda washed it with my canteen and pushed the bone back in"...I f'ing dying over here! SOB is THE MAN!!
Just imagining that makes me whince like a bitch. I'd like to be able to say "I'd do the same thing" but fuck me, that shit hurts to even look at lol
Shrek probably should try his hand at stand-up comedy. This guy is a kill! That how you know how legit he is, by how matter-of-fact he is about things. “I fixed my own compound fracture, walked thru a mine field, scaled a fence...”
Thank for your service and the public service you continue to do...I'm a Vietnam veteran's daughter..thank you again 😊
Fuck Rambo, this guy is the most real and cognitive well together, all round soldier I've ever tell it how it really is so fucken good...Respect
The only one that beats his cognitive abilities is another Delta detachment soldier by the name of Tom Satterly
Heard so many stories about this guy in books and articles and he seems like a real nice guy considering what a badass he is.
Only book I can remember at the moment is “Kill Bin Laden” by Dalton Fury.
I met John last week at a Carbine class. He is one hell of a good guy. He is made of granite. I hope they put up a statue of "ShreK" in the middle of Washington D.C. He is an American Bad Ass.
Agreed lol so I’m a Leo been to two of his classes for law enforcement but originally before i was Leo i went to his pistol video diagnostics class an became a better shooter in 7 min lol after quite sometime of shooting an classes
They should put it up in Bragg
That’s my coach! Been a member for a few years and have learned more from him than I ever did in the Army on combat deployments as a regular joe
This guy and fucking pat Mac together would be a God damn duo to hear tell stories and teach us civilian minutemen.
We had a guy at Ft Benning with a PhD in philosophy and he was enlisted infantry. We called him Doc, and i believe he went on to be an infantry officer. Nicknames and presonas were great in the Army. You had to have tough skin, but it was a great experience overall.
Bro... 100s of solo operations alone. Absolutely amazing
Thank you so much for getting Shrek on here. I haven't been able to find many deep interviews with him and this didn't disappoint.
Bro u ever watch sheriff of Baghdad podcast or booze an views tons of great content if u go to beggining of podcast i think 2015-16 he started it all good stuff
He has his own podcast, man. Check it out.
Super honest guy that was refreshing to listen to
Oh yeah, he talked about red wings on his podcast! He's very honest!
@@happinesshotel5375 wtf
@@xObscureMars why wtf
This guy is so real.. I love his personality and humbleness.. Great interview.. No bullshit just real world guy!. You Rock Shrek!
I did not expect to watch that whole thing. John was great. What a character.
this is the best interview. Shrek is a natural but the interview would not have been the caliber it is without Ryan's talent in enabling John to share his stories. Perfect recipe of experience and skills.
What a great guy. Midwestern people have a practical sensibility that you understand if you're Midwestern. Funny is in the DNA. Great to watch on the 4th of July. God Bless America 🇺🇸🙏❤.
The "let it go" is genius, I've never looked at it that way, and that could translate to stuff in civilian life too! Good stuff John!
Wow! Just gratitude. Thank God for people like CSM McPhee!
I did not expect to watch the full 1:46 when I clicked play, yet here I am. Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this conversation. Thank you for your service, gentlemen.
First: *Respect, respect, and respect brother!!*
Second: a moment of analysis on trash talking...
*my son (26ish) and I (45ish), trash talk A LOT. I actually believe it serves a truly invaluable tactical purpose, that is that it *'keeps the skin, from getting too thin'* so instead of getting too mushy and sensitive, one becomes a bit more hardened to the banter. I think it's a stress coping skill also.
Be well.
Thank you for sharing, sir.
😎🇺🇸
Outstanding. The whole thing from start to finish was full of great info, advice and some big laughs. Five stars from me. Shrek is a big man among men.
Imagine if they made a movie about him and called it “Sheriff of Baghdad”
BOOOOM 🤯 yesssss sir
Let's do it.
That would be badass!!!!
And the first scene is like an old Clint Eastwood western where he’s in the middle of the road with two pistols, a sheriffs badge, and boot spurs... as a tumble weed blows past the screen and women and children seek cover, a shadowy figure from the other end of the street emerges... it’s... Osama Bin Laden riding a goat with a suicide vest on. The sheriff tilts his head slightly, cowboy hat covering his eyes and with one swift motion calls in an air strike and suddenly, in what seemed like a split second... an AC-130 gunship emerges overhead and drops every single round of ordinances on the enemy. Target neutralized.
There isn't an actor that could play him. They are all pussies
1:23:00 He's right, positivity can be contagious in combat. Once we were getting indirect fire in Iraq and one of my buddies was terrified. I just told him it's ok, there will only be three or four more rockets and we can go back to sleep. It worked. He relaxed and sure enough we were back to sleep within a half hour.
This was the most entertaining interview I’ve ever watched. What a great American. Great message as well.
That’s an impressive guest, I don’t really see Shrek doing that many interviews. Thanks for another great episode!
So true. He's got an impressive story to say the least!
@@CombatStory Are there more women or men in the American army? 🇺🇲 sorry for the question, Answer please🖐
@@tanks6868 9 men for every woman.
I was thinking about that. Fucking guy is a legend. Legit no bullshit hard charger
Hey check out Sheriff of Baghdad podcast it’s all him an some guest as well a lot of episodes available on Spotify an iTunes im sure elsewere but it’s awesome content go to beggining you’ll learn tons about him his career tactics etc.. very smart man
My video diagnostics I got from the Sheriff was eye opening. There is nothing like seeing what your doing wrong on film. Then he corrects all of your faults and the results are outstanding. I specifically wanted the carbine class so that I didn't go out and practice "wrong" things with expensive ammo. It is well worth your time and money for your pistol or carbine. I also gave the Sheriff a bottle of Angel's Envy for a Booze n Views... Find a class and go!
This is the kind of guy stolen valor folks pretend to be
Dream they could be.
This guy is an absolute legend.
I served. And I wish I was this guy. Lol.
@@remedy-1879 I served but I never SERVED. But this guy SERRRRRRRVED. Some people are just next level. These guys are above Olympic level of conditioning.
@@MobileAura don't forget the lucky as fuck to still be alive factor hahaha . These guys do fuck it up and some how death fucks it up too and they make it home after messing up some shit. It's like mission what the fuck just happened? Not sure but we made it home by mistake glad we did. Lol 😆 🤣
Awesome guy. The best of our soldier class and just a great American. A true Hero and role model for young men which we desperately need in these times.
Shrek is such an interesting, likeable and intense dude! I'm proud Americans like this are out there fighting for us! 👍🏻🇺🇲🐅
"Chaos is my Jam".
I felt that too
I've never heard anything like that in my life! What a legend. Irreverent awesomeness from a new angle, what a perspective! There was genius in that hour an three quarters for sure.
I’ve enjoyed many of your combat stories. This was the best one yet. You’re very good at what you do, great questions and you know when to let your guest go without interrupting. Nice work. Thanks.
Thank you for everything that you have done, and all whom served, are serving and will be ahead. Much love to all, God is good.❤❤
At 45-50 minutes this Gentleman gives the best description of military service I've ever heard. I've have 23 years in. Cheers.
I love this dudes energy. How lucky are we to have people like this deticated to our freedom.
These delta guys are amazing humans. For those who don't know, delta force recruits from rangers and special forces and about 95% of those guys fail selection.
Hey FYI delta also allows marines an pj an even a cook could apply but likely won’t go to selection due an limit on amount of people that could tryout an more qualified soldiers will get the spots like rangers an SF guys lol
@@kojoe6984 well I would argue that marine recon and marsoc are pretty qualified
@@rileyshepherd3862 they are very qualified I’m not arguin that
@@rileyshepherd3862 was referring to cook with qualify
@@kojoe6984 our DFAC NCOIC was old school SF. He served in Vietnam and was later injured doing operations in Honduras. He reclassified because cooks were the only other MOS with the same rate of promotion as infantry. I know the point you were making but Thought I’d share because this was one spooky dude.
I heard about this dude as a young soldier. But to watch this interview was just freakin amazing. The skepticism and knowledge and the casual demeanor about it all. It’s fantastic.
If you cant see your self as a mechanic i tell you sir i sure af can. Your personality type is the one that brings people together and that can stop the world easier thsn others. Thank you sir.
This was the second time I sat through that conversation, still freaken fascinating. I’m super glad John is on our team !!!
Thank you both for your service. A previous knee injury showed itself in basic for me in 90 and back then , they didn’t want “broke dicks”. So my military career was extremely abbreviated. My oldest son serves in the Army. I live about a 1/4 mile from the eastern edge of Ft Bragg now. I know a few DBoys here in Raeford. Much love to you guys and to all who currently or previously served. You guys are the line in the sand. Salute to you all!🇺🇸🇺🇸
Good family friend was a green beret. Was the most normal man I’d ever met. Only difference I’d seen was he can handle a firearm like no other and when I went hikin with the dude he carried like 200lbs. on his back, with a small propane tank and tent and his meals and snacks and clothes. Was maybe a 5 mile hike in and out which isn’t a lot but this trail was a lot of ups and downs and turns. First half mile is a steep upwards hill cause it’s up in the mountains. He taught us some songs to sing to pass the time and they were funny af and you could tell he learned them while he was deployed and stuff. Great man, great family.
Great interview Ryan! His survival tip of NOT giving your own aircraft your own position was a trip! It totally contradicting the way we were taught, but made sense. The interview was super wide ranging and really insightful.