War Was the Easy Part | Eduardo Garduno

War Was the Easy Part | Eduardo Garduno

Author: dee takos August 29, 2026 Duration: 3:37:15
Eduardo Garduno recounts his path from a turbulent childhood in Southern California to the 75th Ranger Regiment, with deployments to Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq and combat against ISIS. He also opens up about his difficult transition out of the military, becoming a police officer, struggles with PTSD and alcohol, and the long road toward recovery and writing his memoir.
Follow Eduardo here:
https://www.instagram.com/eduardo__garduno/
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"Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio"
00:00 – Start
01:13 – Growing Up Poor in Southern California
09:10 – Early Hatred of Police & Growing Up Around Crime
16:44 – Fighting, Anger & Becoming a Troublemaker
28:02 – Getting Arrested for Shoplifting
37:17 – High School, Rebellion & His Brother’s Drug Business
51:18 – His Brother Gets Busted & Police Raid the Family Home
1:00:20 – Deciding to Join the Military
1:06:20 – Accidentally Signing an Option 40 Contract
1:10:54 – Basic Training, a Dear John Letter & Finding Motivation
1:15:33 – Surviving RASP
1:19:34 – Arriving at 2nd Ranger Battalion
1:27:22 – First Deployment to Afghanistan
1:34:33 – Going to Ranger School
1:41:48 – Recycles, Peer Evaluations & Eight Months at Ranger School
1:53:28 – Finally Earning the Ranger Tab
1:57:29 – Deploying to Syria as a Ranger Team Leader
2:01:22 – Dropping Mortars on ISIS
2:03:14 – When the War Suddenly Became Real
2:07:10 – Javelins, Close Calls & Nearly Getting Shot
2:10:29 – Taking Incoming Mortar Fire in Syria
2:19:09 – Returning Home & Considering Delta Force
2:21:05 – Deployment to Iraq With Delta Force
2:25:36 – Ranger Shenanigans & Getting in Trouble Overseas
2:34:14 – Leaving the Army & Struggling With Alcohol
2:38:15 – Becoming a Police Officer
2:48:05 – PTSD, Police Culture & Trying to Change the System
2:54:37 – Refusing to Give Cops Special Treatment
3:01:18 – His First Police Chase Ends in a Rollover
3:09:09 – Leaving the Police Department

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

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