History of Military Joint Forces

Danger Close's guest is Billy Birdzell, founder of Horatius Group, an independent investment bank focused on creating exceptional outcomes for founder-led and family-owned businesses, and Horatius Impact, a non-profit dedicated to training and equipping scouts to defend endangered species like rhino and lion from poachers in Africa.

Billy began his career as an infantry and special operations officer in the United States Marine Corps. On September 11, 2001, he was in New York City — an event that would forever shape his path. Soon after, he deployed to Iraq, meeting his platoon in combat and leading Marines through the fight to Baghdad. In this conversation, Billy and Jack discuss what it means to lead in the chaos of war, the relentless push to “just keep moving forward,” and the weapons and gear that defined those early battles.

They revisit the Battle of Najaf in August 2004 and the historic January 2005 elections in Iraq, reflecting on the cost and meaning of those moments. Billy shares his journey from conventional infantry operations to Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC), his experiences training for special operations, attending French language school, and deploying to Africa.

The two also look back on their long friendship and Jack’s transition from the Teams to becoming an author, before diving into Billy’s post-military mission — building Horatius Group and Horatius Impact, and his ongoing work in Africa protecting wildlife and empowering local defenders on the frontlines of conservation.

FOLLOW BILLY

LinkedIn: @BillyBirdzell

FOLLOW JACK

Instagram: @JackCarrUSA

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