“I Saw My Death Coming” MrBallen’s Insane Story Of Getting Hit By A Grenade

Summary

The transcript recounts a Navy SEAL's firsthand experience during a deployment in Afghanistan. He describes the intense training, the reality of combat, and the surreal moment of being hit by a grenade, which felt like rocks being thrown at him. The SEAL details the tactical operations, the camaraderie, and the high-stakes decisions made under fire. He also shares the aftermath of his injury, the medical evacuation, and the emotional impact of surviving a life-threatening event. The narrative offers a glimpse into the mindset and resilience of a soldier and the brotherhood within the SEAL teams.

Takeaways

• 🎖️ The speaker served as a Navy SEAL for seven years, completing two deployments with the shortest possible tour for SEALs, which is longer than the standard enlistment period due to the extensive training involved.
• 🏹 The SEAL's first deployment was to Afghanistan, where the team experienced intense combat situations, including frequent gunfights, which were part of their extensive training and preparation.
• 🏞️ The environment in Afghanistan, particularly the base called FOB Shank and the village of Zargar, was described as chaotic yet beautiful, with a stark contrast to the SEAL's normal life.
• 🌟 Witnessing teammates in action during combat was a standout moment for the speaker, highlighting the effectiveness of SEAL training and the high level of coordination and preparedness among team members.
• 💥 The speaker was injured by a grenade thrown by enemy combatants during a mission in Zargar, which led to a medical evacuation and the end of his deployment.
• 🚁 After the injury, the team called in a danger close air strike to neutralize the immediate threat, illustrating the high-stress decisions made under extreme circumstances.
• 🗺️ The mission in Zargar involved navigating a complex urban environment with many dead ends and IED threats, requiring careful and strategic movement.
• 🔄 The speaker's experience with the grenade was initially one of relief as he hoped the blast would be below his head, showing a rational thought process in a life-threatening situation.
• 🩹 The immediate aftermath of the grenade explosion was described as painless, with the realization of injury and the onset of pain happening days later during recovery.
• 🤝 A significant emotional impact came from the delayed conversation with the medic who saved his life, which only occurred four years after the event, indicating the psychological challenges faced by service members post-combat.

Q & A

What was the narrator's experience when hit by a grenade?

The narrator described the feeling as if rocks were being thrown at him, and he was medically evacuated from Afghanistan due to the injury.

How long was the narrator's service in the Navy SEALs?

The narrator served for seven years, which is the minimum time for SEALs due to the extensive training required.

What was the narrator's first deployment like?

The first deployment was to Afghanistan, where the narrator experienced gunfights and the reality of war, which was both terrifying and what he had expected.

What was the narrator's initial impression of Forward Operating Base Shank?

The narrator found FOB Shank to be filled with military activity, with planes, vehicles, and a sense of constant movement, which was intense and different from his normal life.

How did the narrator describe the experience of flying into Afghanistan?

The flight was initially relaxed, but as they entered Afghan airspace, the atmosphere became tense with the pilot instructing passengers to stay away from windows and a quick descent to avoid lingering at medium altitude.

What was the primary mission of the narrator's unit in Afghanistan?

The unit's mission was to find and stop suicide bombers destined for Kabul, the capital city of Afghanistan.

Can you describe the environment of Zargar, the village the narrator visited?

Zargar was an urban environment in Afghanistan with mud huts built on top of each other, creating many opportunities for dead ends and hidden threats, including IEDs and fighters.

What happened during the firefight in Zargar on April 19th, 2014?

The narrator and his team engaged in a long firefight with militants in Zargar, which resulted in several casualties and a tense situation that lasted for hours.

How did the narrator's encounter with a grenade unfold during the firefight?

The narrator's team unexpectedly came across a group of militants holding grenades. In the ensuing close-quarters gunfight, the militants threw grenades over a wall, one of which hit the narrator's shoulder and exploded near him.

What was the immediate aftermath of the grenade explosion for the narrator?

The narrator felt shrapnel hit him in the back and legs, but he did not feel immediate pain. He was then dragged to safety by his team, where a medic applied tourniquets to his legs.

How did the narrator's perception of the event change after speaking with his medic four years later?

The narrator discovered that his memory of the event was not entirely accurate, and the actual sequence of events was clarified through the conversation with the medic who saved his life.

What was the narrator's emotional response to watching the drone footage of the incident?

The narrator felt a sense of relief and was glad that there was a record of the event for posterity, despite the grainy and unclear nature of the footage.

How did the narrator's experience in Afghanistan affect him upon returning home?

The narrator was not prepared to talk about the specifics of what happened and avoided discussing the incident with his medic for several years after returning home.