I listen to many podcasts on my commute to and from work, but Combat Story is my absolute favorite. Ryan is an excellent interviewer, and the quality of his guests is second to none. Keep up the great work Ryan, you fill a void that many of us vets have been trying to fill. Thank you , especially for the Just Cause stories. Pviolette95b

I don’t know how he does it, but every episode I’ve listened to is riveting.

I rarely sit still long enough to watch an episode, but I look forward to each podcast to listen while I am going about my day. I have recommended the show to a number of my fellow Vets. These are some great stories and you are doing important work in getting them recorded. Great job, Ryan! 7-29-23 Great interview with the Chaplain! Really interesting career path and food for thought. Well done, again! 11-05-23: Wow! I was listening for awhile but I just knew that I needed to sit down long enough to watch the new one-on-one format. There’s definitely something about seeing the face of a person pouring out their personal stories that makes it more impactful. I will still mostly listen as I go about my daily life, but I will surely be watching as many as I am able to. Great job! 8-26-24: I finally got a chance to go back and hear some previous episodes and just listened to Lisa Jaster and her great stories about Engineering and Ranger school. What an amazing lady! As always, especially up to the current date, you do great work and have some really interesting guests! I still haven’t seen Ret. MG Dailey from the 160th come up, but I sure hope you can get him interviewed soon. I’m always looking forward to the next episodes!

GREAT PODCAST I learn something every time I listen. Snippets of recent history, the human condition. It’s like reading a novel, overcoming adversity, chasing dreams, the effects of CHANCE and fate. Real emotion and personal.

Great show love it

It’s great you gave voice to intel analysts from two distinctly different admins.

I obsessively listen to podcasts and books about modern day war history and this is one of the best weekly podcasts out there and one I listen to immediately, when episodes come out, since Episode 1!!! Thank you, sir, for taking the time to produce these interviews and please keep going!!!

The last episode the connection was so bad Ilost interest in the first five minutes. I hate to say this because I love your pod-cast.

What are the outstanding show. The guests are consistently, interesting knowledgeable and entertaining. He does a great job of bringing out their story in a way That is very thorough. And very listenable. It’s usually my first stop of the day to see if there’s a new show available. is preparation, for each show is very apparent. He also has a skill of a great interrogator combined with an ability to make these shows exceptionally entertaining and informative.

Love this podcast! I am not a veteran, but, I have friends and family that have served. It is such an amazing podcast that highlights what our hero’s do for this country and the many sacrifices that not only they make, but, their loved ones as well, don’t forget their brothers and sisters that serve. Thank you for making a great podcast!

Just when I think I’ve heard the best, I listen to another episode.

Just found this podcast on a simple "military podcast" search query and I'm 5 episodes deep on my trip to New Orleans and back. Thank you, Ryan, for giving us civvies in the private sector an inside glimpse of the heroes that keep the blood of freedom flowing through the heart of America! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Keep up the good work! Thank you for telling veterans stories. I really enjoy the podcast and I’ve been going back and listening to all the past stories on here. I’d like to also thank you and all the veterans who have sacrificed so much.

Interesting that you recently put up this interview. I’ve been hoping for a while that you’d do something with Cav/Tankers. I was young when Desert Storm kicked off but I love hearing these stories and learning the history. Another amazing episode and interview. Always looking forward to the next interview. Thanks Ryan!

Great interview with Pete Blaber. The truth is both shocking and tragic.

It’s a cool podcast but, I wanna listen to COMBAT STORIES, not there whole life story. I’m here for the action. I hate having to fast forward through 4-60% of the show before I actually hear something good. That’s just me though.

I found your podcast when you were a guest on Jack Carr’s podcast. Your story was so interesting. Thought I’d check it out. It’s fantastic. Working through them at work. Keep it up. You rock. !!!! Thanks so much. Sandy Utecht

This podcast is an excellent podcast ( which I love I totally recommend!!)

Just listened to my first episode, Ryan’s interview with Glenn Horn…riveting, inspirational, and am looking forward to hear many more!

Ryan does a great job of interviewing these individuals! The stories highlight the actions they have taken in service of their country! Very interesting and informative!

Tom moser’s story was not only entertaining but it really his experiences hit home reminding me of what my life was like as an Air Force aviator. I really enjoy the way you share these experiences and bring the stories to life for the listeners! Rodger McElrea. USAF retired

Love this podcast, but can hardly hear audio quality. I will continue to support, just wanted to share my honest opinion.

First of all thank you for your service. I’ve been listen for 6 months trying to play catch up. Great Pod Cast

This podcast is truly great in terms of the catalog of guests and the way the host allows them to tell their story. If the audio was better and more clear this podcast would be a 10/10 in my opinion. In a lot of the episodes the audio quality is quite poor. I will keep listening nonetheless though.

I listen to quite a few podcasts in this genre but Ryan just has a way about him that makes me feel like i’m sitting on the couch with a couple of friends listening to their amazing stories.

You HAVE to fix your sound issues. Sounds like you’re recording in a cistern. Such a bummer.

Combat Story is absolutely amazing! Ryan is the perfect blend of interviewer, friend, storyteller, listener and shoulder to cry on, all the while keeping the audience engaged and the story in motion. There are funny times, suspenseful times and sad times and you feel a part of every one. Combat Story is my go-to podcast and my absolute favorite when I’m on long solo road trips as I don’t get interrupted! Thank you to everyone at Combat Story for doing what you do, and giving these warriors a voice!

I am new the podcast and it is awesome. I might have guest for you his name is Manuel Jo Herrera. He has been USMC tanker for over 25 years. He was the longest serving tanker when the USMC disbanded the tank battalions. He would be awesome to listen to. I served with him in Iraq in 2008-2009 when they pulled tanks out of Iraq.

As a USMC vet of the 80s I’ve heard a few episodes, following regular now. Thank you for what you’ve done and more importantly what you’re doing. These stories must be recorded for history. Thanks again keep up the great work.

Listen to this daily when I’m out walking my dog. Hearing other stories are amazing and pretty cool hearing stories about dudes I served with! Love this and shared it with my son for him to get another prospective besides dad’s as he prepares for the USMC! Semper Fi Ryan! 3x Iraq (Battle of Fallujah) Marjah, Afghanistan 0311/0369

Mike Drop is my FAVE and Combat story is running a close second! Found this podcast after listening to Mike Drop and then was so happy to hear Mike Ritland #teamdog here! Keep up the great work and telling ALL the stories!

I love it when the show goes into the nitty gritty detail of hiw and why things happen in the field, please never shy away from the intelligent conversations for the lowest common denominator… Not that I see you ever doing that. Thank you, keep up the great work bringing out the philosopher in each warrior. PS Would be fun to hear from morw soldiers of the worlds militaries, hear the differences in culture and practices.

It’s a really great show with great quest. Please please do your best to improve the audio quality. You have an amazing podcast, great interview style, and unique guest. The audio is the only thing really holding you back. Love the show keep up the work.

Great podcast! Just stumbled upon it and listened to the two episodes with Mike Edwards. Well done! In it, you mentioned something about Chaplain Youstra so that was my next episode. So rich! As an Army Chaplain, the two perspectives tied together by the SOF experience and their relationships with God was balls-out refreshing. Thanks for interviewing them both. What really stuck out to me in those three episodes was the cleanliness of the interviews. They’re ones I will share with son in hopes they will inspire him as they have inspired me. Thanks again! #nextgen

Great interviewer even better guests, well done!

Such a great podcast!

Wrenching podcast, tear jerker 🇺🇸

I actually stumbled upon this podcast while watching an episode of the Marcus Luttrell Podcast “Team Never Quit” that he does with his wife. The first episode I watched was Ryan’s interview with Dr. Tony Brooks and I’ve become absolutely hooked. Ryan is one of the best at interviewing his guests, and you can tell Ryan really does his homework on the background of his guests, something that is missing on a lot of shows. Keep up the incredible work Ryan, and I look forward to listening to your show for years to come. Sincerely, Derek Bayer

I cannot handle the phone call/zoom interviews. It’s hard to hear the guest. If this was more like the Shawn Ryan Show it would 5 out of 5

Love the podcast, Ryan! I have some favorite episodes, though I wanted to leave a general comment. It’s apparent (and you’ve mentioned it) that the caliber of your guests are such that they’re extremely humble. That’s probably an understatement. I love that you make the extra effort to connect with the guest’s former teammates and others that add a level of details, insights, and perspectives that might not always be apparent from the guest directly. It’s an awesome touch and adds so much to the story. Thanks for doing that! And thanks for being a guest on other episodes so we can hear more of your story, too! Cheers, Paul

Let me preface this review, saying I am old and I hate all social media but I love this podcast. In the course of my job,I met an 18Z who was retiring, and in the course of my interaction with him he told me about this podcast. It was about the time of the Brad Thomas interview and I was familiar with him from the book of Blackhawk down. I have been hooked ever since… To be honest, I wish something like this existed back in the early 80s when I was in the 82nd airborne division. Although I’m very proud of my career as I spent 24 years active duty, I have always regretted not going to Ranger school (when I became a good forward observer, my commander wouldn’t sign my 4187 to go) Hearing some of these elite warriors describe their difficult moments would’ve been truly inspirational for me. To me, their origin stories are always more interesting than their combat stories for the most part. One suggestion: I recently met a young female, who told me she’s planning to become in a Apache pilot. A very nice young woman but she giggled when I asked her if she was ready to kill people. she said she didn’t like to think about that, but rather the challenge of flying. Probably a prime candidate for PTSD in the future. perhaps Ryan could have an author on who has written about killing in combat such as Karl Marlantes or Mr. Grossman, who wrote “on, killing”

Ryan’s interviews of these veterans are top notch; they have great stories to tell and he does a good job of helping them tell their story with insightful questions. I think the fact that he is veteran himself helps the story be told. It’s interesting to hear the stories about their experiences in combat and how many of these veterans are moving forward with new missions that serve the veteran community and our society in general.

Grateful for the documentation of amazing first hand accounts of our combat veterans. Well done insightful and respectful interviews. Excellent work, job well done. Please carry on.

Wow, that store about the afghan aviator was amazing!! Very courageous and inspiring!

Grateful for all the men and women in uniform protecting our country and doing the work necessary to protect their individual teams. I have always admired the courage and dedication of our nation’s heroes and I really enjoy theirs stories. This is a great podcast to add to my list. I wish I could connect with someone who knew my grandfather with The 101st Army Rangers in Vietnam from 69 to 72 ..Sgt 1st Class Manzanarez Thank you Veterans!

This is a way overdue review of an excellent podcast. I love everything about this show, the adventures, stories of camaraderie and struggles. Ryan is an excellent interviewer. This particular episode had me in tears several times. Listening how others experienced trauma and deal with it afterwards helps me cope with the loss and related trauma related to losing people I was very close to. It helps me to realize I am not alone and sometimes it’s just life. Thank you Ryan for all you do. It’s an important mission. PS: Ryan, thank you for acknowledging the sound quality and your pledge to work on it. You have a lot of half deaf veterans like myself, who in the past have found it difficult to hear episodes. it has improved greatly over the years. Too many years exposed to firearms, aircraft, and freefall without adequate protection. This episode was spot on.

One of your latest interviews, with AJ Pasciuti, was The Best!… please keep up the Great Work!

Ryan does a great job introducing and interviewing his guests. Very respectful interviewer that keeps the topics and discussions interesting with thought provoking questions. I really appreciate listening to your podcasts!!

I retired out of Ft Rucker in 93 as CW3. I have been listening to the podcast for quite awhile and a recent one was from a female pilot from Afghanistan and I was so impressed with her courage and story that I want all my children to listen and be inspired her story. Thank you so much for doing this podcast.

Dear Niloofar Rahmani, I recently had the opportunity to listen to a podcast that highlighted your incredible journey as a pilot in the Afghan Air Force. Your story truly inspired me, and I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for your service. The United States is fortunate to have you and your family here, and I sincerely hope you receive the recognition and appreciation you deserve for your dedication and sacrifice. Thank you for your courage, and may you continue to inspire others with your remarkable achievements. I'll be buying the book you've written tonight. Wishing you all the best, Former USAF soldier