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 showhttps://patreon.com/formeractionguyshttps://jcramergraphics.comhttps://ANGLICOshop.comBlayne's linksCompany: https://www.appliedleadershippartners.com/ Book: https://www.amazon.com/Perseverance-Endurance-Resilience-Adversity-Together/dp/163774627X00:00:00 J Cramer Graphics Ad00:00:30 Journey to West Point00:06:08 The History and Heritage of West Point00:11:59 Transitioning to the Army and Armor Branch00:14:47 Pre-9/11 Military Training and Mindset00:20:56 Iraq Combat Ops and Recon Missions00:35:27 Surveillance and EOD Escort Missions00:42:32 Combined Arms00:46:54 Special Forces Selection Process00:52:50 Moral Ambiguity in Special Operations00:59:15 Insights from the Qualification Course01:10:23 Building Team Cohesion | Team Dynamics and Training01:14:48 Deployment Decisions and Responsibilities01:19:09 Mission Objectives and Local Forces01:24:53 Engagements and Tactical Challenges01:32:22 Ambush Experiences and Lessons Learned01:38:18 Leadership Under Pressure01:43:09 Reflections on Loss and Moving Forward