Episode # 8- "You go to war with the army you have"

[@tomjjackson21]

Ffs Kevin Owen's has a KZbin channel?! I'll just get in here before this becomes one of the largest channels on the platform. I'm not going to lie I think we all kind of have a mancrush on KO, and I'm excited to see the future of this channel. This man's like an encyclopedia of how to kill bad guys with guns. All joking aside, I swear to God this man's a vampire. His throwback images form five decades ago look as if they could have been taken this morning. This guy doesn't age.

[@tmmccormick86]

Didn't happen to me, but my squad was driving at night to a raid (IIRC) when a car came up on us at excess speed with no lights on. Gunner did the whole EOF- shout, flare, laser- and the vehicle kept coming, so he let off a warning shot. .50BMG skipped off the asphalt, went through the engine compartment, and fatally struck a 5 year old girl in the back seat. 15 years later we all still carry that burden. It's freaking horrible.

[@Bathaling]

Dang bro..

[@kilakr13]

Fucked up place my dude!! OIF 1 Haditha 03-04

[@tmmccormick86]

@@kilakr13 Hawijah 2006; Kirkuk, Tuz, Bayji and Baqubbah that deployment. Place was a complete sh*thole.

[@kilakr13]

@@tmmccormick86 Fuckin' A brother! Glad we made it out alive.

[@wyattterrell]

As a former fat kid who wants to go SF your videos are far more motivating than any B.S phrase on instagram. Thank you

[@tomjjackson21]

I fkn wish Airsoft and COD was a thing when I was teen, and becoming SOF was something that your average kid could have been educated on, and knowingly worked towards. I joined in 04, and though their existence wasn't a mythical, it just wasn't something that you'd think about, unless someone close to you was prior service. Service wasn't glamorized, and there wasn't the same amounts of information available to the public. My young children all under 10 want to join the service and become SOF. The skill cap is going to raise exponentially, when you have kids LARPING and engaging in dynamic, team environments from the time they're 13, is going to create some fkn GOONS!

[@trent6537]

I could listen to this dude all day.

[@BSaunders3754]

I love this podcast. I’m a 62 year old retired military guy and I’m not embarrassed to say that Kevin Owen and Mike Glover are my hero’s! You guys are truly great Americans and being to share your experiences in war are insanely valuable. I feel like a kid at Christmas waiting on the next podcast.

[@jasonm949]

Umm..you might want to look more into your hero Mike Glover.

[@wildroads9875]

A great chapter in living history. It’s a privilege to hear your story.

[@MrJbrew69]

My experience with SF in Afghanistan was super awesome. I was Army National Guard, engineer unit. They would take us along on small low threat missions. It helped, we were on long 12 - 18 month deployments.

[@darrenhartigan3033]

Love the " when the music stops, your the one left without a chair" heard you say it in one or two of the last videos it's a great one

[@mikewinter7697]

Kevin is one of favorite storytellers!!!

[@natejackson4791]

One of the best.

[@ArnoTrek]

Kevin's not a story teller, hes a truth teller. So many bs type situations I went through mirror his. And I wasn't even a career or SOF guy.

[@northside7]

You made this kind of gripping toward the end, you're a fantastic story teller. And yes I'll post this on every episode because they really are fascinating Kevin. Thank you Sir.

[@MG_Monkey]

Thank you for sharing the amazing stories and lessons, as always. I was just a normal Infantryman and we were never briefed on SF rolling around in civilian vehicles. In Mosul, I remember sticking out of the rear airguard hatch of my Stryker waiting to leave FOB Marez to head back to our combat outpost. In line of the vehicles was a lone taxicab which I thought was odd. A giant guy got out, opened the trunk, pulled out a short SAW and sorted around a bunch of kit. I paid close attention after that and made sure everyone in my Platoon understood we had friendlies rolling around in civilian vehicles. A simple memory, but I can remember it like yesterday.

[@user-dj2fi2dy6i]

I think I've noticed a theme here. If Kevin calls you a jackass (or if Mike Glover calls you a shitbird), you REALLY fucked up somewhere along the way. And if Kevin calls you a freakin warrior, you are a REALLY solid dude. 😂 Jokes aside, I really enjoy listening to your podcasts, keep em coming! Also, if you can, I'm sure a lot of people listening would appreciate you going into more detail. But, as you said yourself you have to be careful, so I understand. Cheers!

[@kybbe112]

19:30 --> Exactly how a French trooper lost his life in Lebanon a few years ago. Such an unfortunate event.

[@wdtriplett]

I saw you when you toured Barrett earlier this year

[@natejackson4791]

This format trumps many here on the net. I enjoy listening, thank you.

[@cool_breeze_actual9643]

hey thank you for the shot out to the Stryker guys. i was with the Wolfhounds in Early 08 in Sadr we got busy, and we always were glad when you guys would come through lol we always used to say thanks for taking the fire so we can chill for a hot minute. Lol Cop Ford, PB Texas, PB Florida, etc been there got the coffee mug and key chain lol best pod i heard from my era yet, keep doing it bro

[@HthePro1]

@22:00 double thinking specific career choices

[@timbroderick4454]

Another great podcast. Looking forward to seeing you on the Danger Close Podcast.

[@jimsweet3256]

These podcasts seem to go by so quickly! So hooked!

[@Primaryzonee]

Love watching these Kevin!

[@pyeitme508]

Thanks for sharing 🙂

[@BruceMusto]

Well done Kevin. Appreciate it.

[@turnerleatherworks3935]

“There’s a frickin’ million people in the city, there a lot of curtains moving…” K. Owens (ca. 2023) 😂😂😂😂

[@pyeitme508]

Amazing 🤩

[@rawrmusic55]

Thanks for all you do, Kevin.

[@donfilkins298]

I really enjoy your podcasts kevin

[@nvlaser9084]

The place you were talking about was probally the Nevada Test Site, which is right next to groom Lake (A51), There is actually a manned gate that connects the two over near the sudan crater. Very cool place to train and visits if you get the chance. They have built up that UAV base over the years. DOE still have a few tennet organizations there, along with USDA and a few other OGAs.

[@sambob97]

Love your stuff Kevin! Keep it coming ! A plethora of knowledge

[@ArimaKihe1]

The Owen’s saga continues!!! 🫡

[@tech6263]

No questions. Just thanks.

[@beardly0121]

You have a real talent for story telling and you clearly have a lot of stories to tell. I think its very important to document history in the way that you are doing so thanks for that. Thank you for your service to our country Kevin, and thank you for training American civilians. In this day and age I believe it is extremely important for civs to train. I do have a question though. What is it about Glocks? You mention them being a special unit item only at the time you went into CIF. SOF guys almost all seem to really like Glocks and I personally shoot Glocks very frequently. But, it seems like there are far better pistols available in terms of ergos, trigger quality, etc. Is it just the simple fact that Glocks for mil/leo are strictly a sidearm and the most important aspect of a sidearm is to be reliable? That's why I carry Glocks (but I also don't have SOCOM money), they're not the fastest or highest quality firearms or the most comfortable but they're good enough and mine has always gone bang when I want it to and has never gone bang when I didn't want it to.

[@stevewilcox5619]

Your story has been absolutely amazing to listen to. Thank you so much for your service and sharing. Is the Aziz you speak of the interpreter that was on Mike Ritland's podcast 122 with Chad R?

[@kevinowens9636]

No, different guy

[@CmoreTalkLess]

Good day brother! Got a new KO podcast to listen to while I work! Keep at it mate. Love what ya'll are doing

[@TWP13]

I was a 13F on a MTT team in southern Iraq from 09-10. We worked daily with two ODAs and the 10th IA BN. There was an obvious disdain/disrespect for us from the SOF guys. The funny thing was, we didn't want to be there either. We all would have rather been in line units. A couple of guys understood we just got stuck with the assignment, they were cool (Isaac, Mike, and short Mike), but most wouldn't talk to you casually.

[@kevinowens9636]

hate egos, not all SOF guys are like that

[@TWP13]

@@kevinowens9636 Thank for the reply. I've listened to a couple of your pods. Based on your stories, I'm sure we were in the same areas around the same time. OIF07-08 MND-B and Sadr, 09-10 MND-S, OEF East Patika 11-12. I wanna say I worked with ODA5213 and 5215 if I remember right. Stay safe, keep the pods coming.

[@pyeitme508]

@@kevinowens9636 ok 👌

[@26Scuba]

Kevin, could you talk about what gear and weapons you carried on your various deployments? Anything unusual or different that you found worked well or things you chose not to take or always had with you? What mag load out did you have?

[@kieranmoller9018]

Awesome stuff! Have the CIF companies been disbanded? I heard they were but nothing to clarify.

[@squatch2461]

🍻Great real world stories and sharing experience. Getting read your rights sucks.

[@2naturesownplace]

@Kevin. Man oh man talking about the armor to Humvees. If you knew the amount that came through Kuwait. Camp Arifjan that we made so good for our military and iraq. Only to have the UN walk in with paperwork say repaint them white they're going to Africa. That was a very bad day for my team. Having to do that

[@kevclaremcd]

Great stuff as always Kevin, pity you didn't get to Chad, it's another 'interesting' country here in Africa, fully agree with the 'too cool for school' comments about how SOF should interact with the rest of the army, I learned that one fairly early on. I really like your comments about dying, a subject not everyone wants to talk about, but when I was doing some serious climbing on the sea cliffs on our western coast, or climbing in the Himalayas, I used to get a lot of comments about risking my life and my standard reply was "if my destiny is to be knocked down by a bus on O'Connell Street in Dublin, then I'm not going to die in the Himalayas" Keep them coming!

[@JohnDoe-ju1eg]

Any experience with SF physicians while deployed?

[@kevinowens9636]

not too much, but i have a good friend who is a SF doctor and an 18A Officer

[@JohnDoe-ju1eg]

@@kevinowens9636 hey thanks for the reply!

[@atlantaswelder]

👏👏

[@robertmitchumx4673]

Did you ever consider gojng to Delta force? How did Irish army ranger wing sniper techniques compare with CIF sniper techniqes? Will you get your children Irish citizenship? After being a combat veteran American special forces soldier how would you compare it with the Irish army ranger wing? Did you ever work with the British SAS in (Irag I guess) and what was your opinion of them? Your podcasts make me happy. Thanks alot.

[@NordicMarius]

Question for Q and A: Thoughts on Norwegian SOF, mjk and FSK. Also, have you worked with any other Scandinavian SOF?:)

[@markwohlwend3653]

I heard that the CIF/CRF Copanies got replaced with the Hard Target defeat companies, are they basically the same thing or do they do stuff different?

[@danielpenovich3098]

IRAQ WAS ALL ABOUT MONEY ,

[@kshatriyacowboy_]

We went to Iraq for Israel

[@davesackenheim2937]

Hope you're building up Too some of the Stories you tell about going to war when you got your war on man they were awesome… requesting some of yourr stories and your deployments. ..