Welcome to Fight Story. For the primary time, I’m joined by my new co-host AJ Pasciuti as we sit down with Will Bardenwerper—former 1-36 Infantry and Civil Affairs Officer, Princeton grad, and acclaimed writer.
Will shares his journey from a finance profession in Manhattan, impressed to serve after 9/11 and the instance set by Pat Tillman, to boots on the bottom within the Sunni Triangle throughout a 13-month deployment in 2006. He opens up in regards to the realities of battle, the lack of shut associates, and the challenges of Civil Affairs in Iraq.
After the Army, Will turned a journalist and two-time writer. His first ebook, The Prisoner in His Palace, provides a singular perspective on the American troopers tasked with guarding Saddam Hussein. His newest, Homestand, explores the center of small-town America by means of the lack of a minor league baseball staff.
Will’s work has appeared in The New York Occasions, The Washington Submit, Harper’s, and extra. I first met Will by means of Pat Fagan, an in depth pal from ROTC, and we contact on that connection in our dialog.
I’m additionally excited to welcome AJ as co-host—a lot of you’ll bear in mind him from his standout visitor episodes, the place his firsthand expertise in Iraq, Afghanistan, and different hotspots introduced distinctive perception and power to our conversations. Having AJ alongside me as a daily presence will add much more depth and connection to the tales we share on Fight Story.
Let’s dive in—right here’s our dialog with Will Bardenwerper
Join with Will Bardenwerper :
Web site: https://www.willbardenwerper.com/
The Prisoner in His Palace: Saddam Hussein, His American Guards, and What Historical past Leaves Unsaid (https://www.amazon.com/Prisoner-His-Palace-Hussein-American/dp/1501117831)
Homestand: Small City Baseball and the Battle for the Soul of America
(https://www.amazon.com/Homestand-Small-Baseball-Battle-America/dp/0385549652/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.AcGCRhRl8NRmSeA_aMfn-OgmlGSwTaUAOpRP-ceKMBDGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.j9LdhKLXiU05C_CfiBFJIcS9hTX-AbfGE17VRDbDUvI&qid=1727296945&sr=8-2)
Will is a graduate of Princeton College, the place he majored in English. His ebook The Prisoner in His Palace: Saddam Hussein, His American Guards, and What Historical past Leaves Unsaid was printed by Scribner in 2017. He has had Op Eds and have articles printed in The New York Occasions, The Washington Submit, Harper’s, Outdoors, Newsweek, The Spectator, The Hill, The Pittsburgh Submit-Gazette, The Denver Submit, Huffington Submit, The Pittsburgh Tribune-Evaluate, and Job & Function.
Discover Ryan On-line:
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🎵 Intro Tune: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle
Discover AJ On-line:
🔗 Official web site: ajpasciuti.com
📸 Instagram: @ajpasciuti
📕Pre-Order AJ’s Guide Darkhorse: Harnessing Hidden Potential in Warfare and Life https://www.amazon.com/Darkhorse-Harnessing-Hidden-Potential-Life/dp/1400254973
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:43 Meet the Visitor: Will Barden Warper
04:13 Will’s Early Life and Training
08:34 The Impression of 9/11 and Choice to Serve
21:01 Becoming a member of the Navy: Challenges and Coaching
28:54 The Psychological Problem of Navy Coaching
29:40 Totally different Requirements Throughout Navy Branches
30:44 The Stress of Navy Exams
31:23 AJ Pesi’s Story and New Guide
32:44 Returning to Ranger Faculty
35:03 Modifications in Ranger Faculty Over the Years
42:45 Deployment to Iraq: Preliminary Impressions
48:35 Challenges in Civil-Navy Operations
52:45 The Actuality of Fight and Civil Affairs
59:51 The Significance of Non-Kinetic Approaches
01:02:43 Sponsor Message: Defend Your Privateness with Delete Me
01:04:10 Honoring Fallen Comrades: Jason West and Travis Petr
01:08:47 The Impression of Tribal Relationships in Iraq
01:13:20 Writing and Reflecting on Navy Experiences
01:16:31 The Story of Guarding Saddam Hussein
01:19:43 Exploring Americana By means of Baseball
01:24:47 Closing Ideas and Reflections
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