Secret Green Beret Mission Before the Iraq War
April 13, 2026
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2:58:22Now PlayingSecret Green Beret Mission Before the Iraq War
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YouTube Description
as posted by the channelBefore the Iraq War officially began, a different fight was already underway.
U.S. Army Special Forces teams were operating in Northern Iraq, linking up with Kurdish fighters and preparing to open a second front against Saddam Hussein.
They were building relationships, planning in uncertainty, and moving toward a mission that would shape the early phase of the war.
In this episode, retired Lieutenant Colonel Mark Grdovic walks through that experience from the inside.
From training for an unknown mission, to infiltrating Iraq, to fighting alongside Kurdish Peshmerga forces against Al-Qaeda affiliates in the mountains, this conversation captures what unconventional warfare actually looks like on the ground.
What This Episode Covers:
- This is more than one mission. It’s a full look at the path to it.
- Why Mark chose the Army and Special Forces
- What Ranger School and Green Beret training actually teach
- The reality of early deployments in Bosnia and Africa
- Where he was on 9/11 and how it changed everything
- The strategic context behind the Iraq War
- Building trust with Kurdish Peshmerga fighters
- Planning a mission without a clear timeline or full support
- Leading a 570-mile infiltration flight into Iraq
- Fighting Al-Qaeda forces in mountainous terrain
- The mortar duel that shifted momentum on the battlefield
- How small teams created the illusion of a much larger force
- The role of information warfare and psychological pressure
- What leadership looks like when decisions carry real consequences
Why This Story Matters:
This mission helped open the northern front in Iraq.
It disrupted enemy forces, enabled follow-on operations, and demonstrated how small Special Forces teams working with indigenous partners can influence the outcome of a larger conflict.
It also shows the human side of leadership in combat. Trust, ambiguity, and responsibility at every level.
🎙️ Guest - Mark Grdovic
Mark Grdovic is a former U.S. Army Special Forces Green Beret who worked alongside Kurdish fighters in the early days leading into the Iraq War. His story offers a rare look at unconventional warfare, partnership on the ground, and the human side of conflict before the world was watching.
🔗 Find Mark Online:
📕 Book (Those Who Faced Death)
🎙️ Host AJ Pasciuti
AJ Pasciuti is a retired Marine Force Recon Scout Sniper and Infantry Weapons Officer (Marine Gunner), author of Darkhorse: Harnessing Hidden Potential in War and Life, and host of the Combat Story Podcast, where veterans share honest, unfiltered stories of service, leadership, and life after combat.
🔗 Find AJ Online:
📕 Book (Darkhorse)
🎧 Featured Combat Story Episodes with AJ
👉 Combat Story Podcast – Part 1 (USMC Sniper & Force Recon)
- Battle of Fallujah | Shooting w/ Chris Kyle | American Sniper | AJ Pasciuti
👉 Combat Story Podcast – Part 2 (Sniper vs Sniper Battle)
- Killing the Enemy’s Most Lethal Sniper | Force Recon | AJ Pasciuti
🔔 Watch. Listen. Follow
If you value real stories and honest perspectives from those who lived it, follow Combat Story wherever you get your podcasts.
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