The Real Marine Behind Generation Kill | Brad Colbert

The Real Marine Behind Generation Kill | Brad Colbert

Author: dee takos June 26, 2026 Duration: 2:20:57
Brad Colbert, retired Marine Force Recon veteran and one of the real Marines behind Generation Kill, joins us to talk about his path into the Corps, recon selection, 9/11 while forward deployed, Camp Rhino, and the early days of the war in Afghanistan.
We also get into the 2003 invasion of Iraq, how recon Marines were used as shock troops, his Royal Marines exchange, HBO’s Generation Kill, and the lessons he carried into life after the military.

Find Brad here:⬇️
https://bradcolbert.us/

Today's Sponsors:
GhostBed ⬇️
https://www.ghostbed.com/house

FOR 10% off! 
Blue Chew ⬇️
https://bluechew.com/
Get 1 month free when you buy 2 of BlueChew Gold with code "HOUSECALL"

Quince⬇️
go to: https://www.quince.com/house
for free shipping and 365 day returns 

For ad free video and audio and access to live streams...JOIN OUR PATREON! 

https://www.patreon.com/c/TheTeamHouse
To help support the show and for all bonus content including:
-live shows and asking guest questions 
-ad free audio and video
-early access to shows
-Access to ALL bonus segments with our guests

Subscribe to our Patreon! ⬇️
https://www.patreon.com/TheTeamHouse

___________________________________________________
GRAB JACK'S NEW BOOK "THE MOST DANGEROUS MAN" 
⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/803651/the-most-dangerous-man-by-jack-murphy/paperback/

Subscribe to the new EYES ON podcast here:⬇️
https://www.youtube.com/@EyesOnGeopoliticsPod/featured


Jack Murphy's book "We Defy: The Lost Chapters of Special Forces History" ⬇️
https://www.amazon.com/We-Defy-Chapters-Special-History-ebook/dp/B0DCGC1N1N/

Or make a one time donation at: ⬇️
https://ko-fi.com/theteamhouse

Social Media: ⬇️
The Team House Instagram:
https://instagram.com/the.team.house?utm_medium=copy_link
The Team House Twitter:
https://twitter.com/TheTeamHousePod
Jack’s Instagram:
https://instagram.com/jackmcmurph?utm_medium=copy_link
Jack’s Twitter:
 https://twitter.com/jackmurphyrgr?s=21
Team House Discord: ⬇️
https://discord.gg/wHFHYM6

"Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio"


00:00 — Start
03:04 — Carry On Podcast and Generation Kill Connections
04:08 — Rough Childhood and the Road to the Marines
11:06 — Recon Selection and the Recon vs. Force Recon Divide
15:52 — Okinawa, MEUs, and a Rare Marine Port Call in China
22:37 — 9/11 While Forward Deployed
25:25 — Camp Rhino and the Longest Amphibious Assault
32:31 — First Real Recon Missions in Afghanistan
40:34 — Afghanistan Lessons and the Ramp-Up to Iraq
50:00 — Iraq Mission Changes: Recon Marines as Shock Troops
55:54 — Crossing the Berm on Iraq D-Day
59:07 — Evan Wright, the Embedded Reporter, and Generation Kill
01:21:16 — The Royal Marines Exchange
01:29:04 — Fallujah 2007 and “Garrison Combat”
01:48:39 — HBO’s Generation Kill and the Legacy of the Story
01:58:37 — Leaving the Corps for the Intelligence Community
02:15:05 — Closing Thoughts: Standing on the Shoulders of Giants

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-team-house--5960890/support.

Hosted by Jack Murphy, The Team House is a long-form conversation built around a simple, powerful premise: to understand national security, you need to listen to the people who have been there. This podcast deliberately steps away from the partisan noise, offering a fiercely apolitical space where special operations veterans, intelligence professionals, and frontline reporters can share their experiences and analysis. Many guests here are speaking publicly for the very first time, providing raw, firsthand accounts that you won't find elsewhere. Each episode is a deep dive into the realities of conflict, the nuanced tradecraft of intelligence work, and the underlying geopolitical forces that shape global events. The conversations are detailed, often technical, and always grounded in the lived expertise of the guests. Alongside this main show, the The Team House network includes the sister program Eyes On Geopolitics, hosted by Mick Mulroy, Andy Milburn, and Jason Lyons, which continues the focus on global dynamics with a similarly experienced lens. For listeners seeking substance over soundbites, this podcast delivers complex narratives about modern warfare, espionage, and international relations, told directly by the individuals who have operated within these shadowed worlds. It’s a rare opportunity to hear unfiltered perspectives on the most critical security challenges of our time, making each episode an immersive lesson in the human and strategic dimensions of power.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Team House
Podcast Episodes
Force Recon in Vietnam & Is WW3 Actually Possible? | Bing West [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:40:39
Bing West looks back on a lifetime of war and policy, from serving as a Force Recon Marine in Vietnam and writing The Village to working in the Reagan administration and covering Iraq and Afghanistan alongside U.S. troop…
Is America's Influence Eroding? | EYES ON GEOPOLITICS [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:00
We break down Russia’s use of gig-economy recruits and online networks for espionage and violence, the growing damage to U.S. bases across the Middle East, and what Iran may be gaining strategically from the conflict. We…
Inside the Pentagon on 9/11 | Ambassador Matthew Klimow [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:25:06
Ambassador Matthew Klimow recounts his path from West Point and a 30-year Army career to the highest levels of U.S. national security, including his firsthand experience inside the Pentagon on September 11, 2001. We also…
Army Special Mission Unit Operator | Erick Miyares (throwback ep) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:04:34
original airdate 4/15/22Erick Miyares recounts his path from the Marine Corps and 7th Special Forces Group into a highly secretive Army special mission unit, conducting intelligence and advanced force operations across A…
NYPD Detective on Murder, Mobsters & Old New York | Jason Allison [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:25:53
Jason Allison looks back on 20 years in the NYPD, from growing up in the Bronx and working anti-crime and narcotics to investigating homicides, armed robbery crews, and federal cases with the ATF. We also discuss the dar…