I Spent Every Day Hunting IEDs in Afghanistan | Bradley Knight

Royal Engineer searcher Bradley Knight breaks down the real job of hunting IEDs in Afghanistan, the psychological toll of search, and rebuilding identity after the Army. A raw conversation on Herrick 7, Herrick 12, and life after combat.Bradley Knight grew up in Salford, Manchester, and joined the British Army at 16. He deployed to Afghanistan as a Royal Engineer combat engineer searcher on Herrick 7 and Herrick 12, working IED threat, road and building search, and lead searcher tasks in Nadi Ali. Since leaving the Army he has processed the trauma of search through writing, coaching, and self reflection.In this episode Dan and Bradley cover:Growing up in Salford and joining the Army at 16Herrick 7 as a young driver and first exposure to indirect fireThe searchers course: road search, building search, tunnels, sewersHow a ten liner callout becomes a full search taskIsolation, ATO exploitation, and secondary searchBecoming lead searcher and switching off emotion under pressureTaking contact while searching a compound and finding multiple devicesATO Gareth Wood and his Military CrossBritish search doctrine versus American EOD, shaped by Northern IrelandIdentity loss after leaving the militaryWriting a book about Herrick 12 as a way of processing itTransition to civilian life: bike shop, the post-COVID bike market crash, waste workBreath work, nature, exercise, and reconnecting with people as tools for managing his mental health nowTimestamps00:00 Opening the conversation and recognising the searcher role01:02 Salford upbringing and unusual family story02:28 Why he joined the Army at 1603:56 Herrick 7 and early exposure to danger06:45 What a combat engineer searcher actually did08:56 Selected for the searchers course10:29 Why search was more than roadside bomb hunting11:24 Arriving on Herrick 12 in Nadi Ali12:16 How a ten liner callout becomes a search task13:43 Isolation, ATO access, searching for secondaries15:06 Becoming lead searcher and turning off emotion17:35 Cordons, infantry frustration, the reality of search18:56 The role of the ATO and Gareth Wood19:53 The patrol where a mastiff hit an IED22:49 Close contact in the compound25:34 Finding multiple devices under pressure27:48 Getting swapped out after a long day30:38 Moving to BRF and a more kinetic role33:30 Taking direct fire and fighting from a compound36:10 Why he would still do the job again36:41 The anniversary of getting blown up38:28 American EOD reactions to British search methodsWatch more Atomic Rambo Podcast episodes and find out more about Atomic Rambo Coaching, Dan's veteran-led mindset and resilience coaching, at the links below.Keep in Touch: Follow Dan in Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dutyhappybloke/Follow the pod on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atomicrambopodcast/ARC website: https://www.atomicrambo.comTake the free ARC assessment: https://arcassesment.lovable.app/Follow Bradley -  https://www.instagram.com/brimstone_bradk/Youtube - Hidden in plain sight- Brimstone_42