Jamie Pennell's INSANE War Stories - Taliban Kabul Attack in 2011 & Working with Willie Apiata
Episode Description
Jamie Pennell is a former Army and SAS member who has been awarded our 2nd-highest military honor, the NZ Gallantry star.
He now has a book out about his unimaginable life experiences called “Serviceman J”
In this episode we talk about his early years and his initial decision to join the army.
What’s involved with becoming a member of the SAS.
His deployments to Afghanistan and encounters with Taliban suicide bombers.
Fighting alongside Willie Apiata, being awarded the NZ Gallantry star, how he found himself again after leaving the military and adjusted back to civilian life and much more.
I found this conversation super inspiring-Jamie Pennell and seen and done some terrifying things and has had to do a lot of self-work to make sure his transition back to a regular civilian has been a success.
This episode is an edge-of-your-seat and deeply human look into the life of a dedicated serviceman. Jamie was so generous with his time and experiences, which involve revisiting some pretty grim situations, so I hope you guys like it.
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Brief Summary
Serviceman Jay discusses his military experiences, mental health challenges, and the Intercontinental incident in Afghanistan.
Key points
- The Reality of Operations. Jay reflects on the harrowing experiences faced during operations in Afghanistan.
- Patriotism in New Zealand. Jay contrasts the patriotism in New Zealand with that of America.
- The Call to the Army. A pivotal moment where the speaker had to choose between paths in life.
- The Weight of Expectations. Adjusting to lower expectations after military life is a challenging transition.
- The Intercontinental Incident. A shocking attack at the Intercontinental hotel leads to chaos and confusion.
- Facing Terrorists. A tense confrontation occurs as soldiers engage with terrorists in a hotel.
Ask about Dom Harvey
Episode highlights
- The Reality of OperationsJay reflects on the harrowing experiences faced during operations in Afghanistan.“It's another spectacular attack.”5:44Sep 24, 2024
- Patriotism in New ZealandJay contrasts the patriotism in New Zealand with that of America.“Patriotism is something they do very well.”16:34Sep 24, 2024
- The Call to the ArmyA pivotal moment where the speaker had to choose between paths in life.“It was perfectly positioned where I had a fork in the road.”25:33Sep 24, 2024
- The Weight of ExpectationsAdjusting to lower expectations after military life is a challenging transition.“My expectations have lowered somewhat, but I'm still pursuing excellence.”40:07Sep 24, 2024
- The Intercontinental IncidentA shocking attack at the Intercontinental hotel leads to chaos and confusion.“19 Taliban, 20 civilians killed.”59:53Sep 24, 2024
- Facing TerroristsA tense confrontation occurs as soldiers engage with terrorists in a hotel.“Both started firing, Steve stood his ground.”1:10:51Sep 24, 2024
- The Calm in ChaosAmidst the chaos, a soldier finds a surprising sense of calm during the operation.“I recognized that I was just calm.”1:16:26Sep 24, 2024
- Time Distortion in CrisisThe soldier reflects on how time perception changes in high-stress situations.“It took us 5 hours, but it felt like an hour.”1:28:04Sep 24, 2024
