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A 16-year-old mom. No father. A troubled Montana kid who didn't fit anywhere. Three days after graduation, he shipped out to become an Army Ranger—and almost quit before the war even started.

Retired Command Sergeant Major Mike Burke takes us inside the pre-9/11 Ranger Regiment—when money was tight, morale was low, and the mission wasn't clear. He shares the brutal truth about toxic leadership, nearly throwing his rifle at his platoon leader, and the moment Delta Force legend Josh Wheeler kicked down his door at 4:30 AM and changed his trajectory forever.

From that first chaotic Afghanistan deployment in 2002 to watching the Takur Ghar footage before shipping out, Mike pulls no punches about the fog of early GWOT operations, the Rangers who didn't want war, and what it really took to become the leader who would go on to command thousands across 14 deployments.This is the raw, unfiltered origin story of a warrior who survived bad leadership to become great leadership.

🎙️ Subscribe for untold special operations stories, leadership lessons, and the real cost of 24 years at war.

⚠️ Viewer discretion: Discussions of combat, trauma, profanity, and the realities of military service.#MichaelBurke

🎯 FOLLOW CSM(r) Michael Burke:
Instagram @michael_s._burke @legendsofthe75th
Website:
https://legendsofthe75th.com

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