Ep. 232 | Blayne Smith | Special Forces, West Point, Armor Officer

Blayne Smith is a former Special Forces soldier that started his career off as an Armor Officer after graduating from West Point. Blayne deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan before leaving the service and writing Perseverance Is Greater than Endurance. Support the show https://patreon.com/formeractionguys https://jcramergraphics.com https://ANGLICOshop.com Blayne's links Company: https://www.appliedleadershippartners.com/  Book: https://www.amazon.com/Perseverance-Endurance-Resilience-Adversity-Together/dp/163774627X 00:00:00 J Cramer Graphics Ad 00:00:30 Journey to West Point 00:06:08 The History and Heritage of West Point 00:11:59 Transitioning to the Army and Armor Branch 00:14:47 Pre-9/11 Military Training and Mindset 00:20:56 Iraq Combat Ops and Recon Missions 00:35:27 Surveillance and EOD Escort Missions 00:42:32 Combined Arms 00:46:54 Special Forces Selection Process 00:52:50 Moral Ambiguity in Special Operations 00:59:15 Insights from the Qualification Course 01:10:23 Building Team Cohesion | Team Dynamics and Training 01:14:48 Deployment Decisions and Responsibilities 01:19:09 Mission Objectives and Local Forces 01:24:53 Engagements and Tactical Challenges 01:32:22 Ambush Experiences and Lessons Learned 01:38:18 Leadership Under Pressure 01:43:09 Reflections on Loss and Moving Forward