509: The Need to Lead: Lessons from Dogfights, Dunker Drills, and Ego Checks. With Dave Berke.

This is Jocko Podcast number 509 with Echo Charles and me, Jocko Willink. Good evening, Echo. Good. In the Battle of Ramadi 2006, every single operation conducted by coalition forces was critical. It was an all hands-on deck.

Violent insurgents controlled two thirds of the city, regularly launching complex coordinated attacks on friendly forces. Every day American service men and women were wounded or killed. To overcome the enemy, or even to survive, we needed to work together. Soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines brought their specialized equipment, skills, and war fighting ability to the fight. During that battle, I was the commander of SEAL Team 3's Task Unit Bruiser.

For a small unit, we had a relatively powerful and unique capability: highly trained snipers, forceful breachers, aggressive machine gunners, crafty point men, and elite combat medics. But in order to maximize our effectiveness in this battle, we had to integrate with the conventional units of the Army and the Marine Corps. These were the circumstances in which I met Dave Burke. He was a distinguished graduate of the rigorous Marine Corps Basic School. He finished at the top of his class in flight school and became a naval aviator.

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