Ep.10, Nick Rizzo USMC

Nicholas Rizzo joined the Marine Corps in July of 2008. After completing infantry training as an 0311 rifleman he was assigned to 2nd Bn 8th Marines on Camp Lejeune NC. In May of 2009 he deployed to the city of Garmsir in the Helmand Province as part of Operation Khanjar and conducted combat operations with Echo Company as the southern most element of the battalion effort. After being inserted by helicopter in what was the largest helicopter operation since the Vietnam War, Echo company regularly faced attacks from the Taliban consisting of small arms fire, indirect mortar and rocket fire, and improvised explosive devices. In January 2011 he deployed again with 2/8 Echo Company to the infamous Taliban stronghold city of Sangin in Afghanistan. After being discharged from the Marines as a Cpl he attended Umass Boston and graduated with bachelors degree in political science and went on to work as the advanced representative for Governor Charlie Baker from July 2018- December 2019. Nick became a Boston Fire Fighter in January of 2019 and was promoted to LT in June of 2024. In this episode we discuss the realities of his deployments, his leadership lessons he learned along the way, and how he views the Afghanistan War 15 years later.