🎖️ From Marine Sniper to Army Special Operations Veteran | Erick Miyares' Unbelievable Combat Story 🇺🇸. In this powerful episode, we sit down with Erick Miyares — a retired Special Operations soldier who began his journey in the U.S. Marine Corps and went on to serve in the Army's 7th Special Forces Group and an Army Special Missions Unit under U.S. SOCOM.
 
Eric takes us deep into the realities of war, from the jungles of Central and South America to the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq. He opens up about taking a life, losing brothers, living with post-traumatic stress, and finding healing and purpose after decades in the shadows.
 
This is more than a combat story — it's about resilience, identity, and redemption. Eric's transition from elite soldier to PhD student in Cyber Psychology shows how warriors continue to serve even after the battlefield.
 
🔥 What You'll Learn in This Episode:

The truth about life inside Special Operations
 
How elite warriors process trauma and rebuild
 
What it's like to order a kinetic strike — and live with it
 
Lessons in discipline, humility, and healing from a 30-year veteran
 
The mindset of those who operate in the world's most dangerous environments

 
💡 About Eric Ez Miyares:

Retired U.S. Army Special Operations veteran
 
Former Marine Corps sniper
 
Served in Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Afghanistan, Iraq, and beyond
 
Now a PhD candidate in Cyber Psychology, studying cognitive resilience
 
Advocate for mental health and veterans' reintegration

 
💬 Support & Resources:
If you or someone you know is struggling with post-traumatic stress, reach out for help. You are not alone.
👉 Visit VeteransHelpGroup.com or call (855) 231-6144.

 

🎙️ About Ryan Fugit:

Ryan is the creator and host of Combat Story, a podcast that captures the firsthand accounts of combat veterans, and Restricted Handling, which explores authoritarian activity and international security through conversations with world-class experts. Check out the Retricted Handling podcast at www.restrictedhandling.com

🔔 Subscribe for more interviews with military veterans, intelligence professionals, and leaders shaping the future of national security.

 

Find Erick Miyares :

📘 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erick-miyares/

 

Find AJ Online:

📸Instagram:   / ajpasciuti

📘 LinkedIn:   / angelo-pasciuti

 🔗Personal Website & Book Pre-Order ("Darkhorse"): https://www.ajpasciuti.com/

👉Combat Story Podcast (Part 1 – USMC Sniper & Force Recon in Fallujah):
 https://open.spotify.com/episode/4aqn

👉Combat Story Podcast (Part 2 – Sniper vs Sniper Battle):
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast

👉Urban Valor Facebook Feature:
  / 602000529075284

👉DVIDS Video on Infantry Marine Course:
https://www.nationalguard.mil/Leaders

Find Ryan Online:

🎙️ Ryan's Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory

🔗Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combats

🛒 Email ryan@combatstory.com

📸 Instagram @combatstory   / combatstory

📘 Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial

Check out the Retricted Handling podcast at www.restrictedhandling.com

📖 Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial

✔ Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus

🎵 Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle

📘 Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction: Meet Eric Ez Miyares
01:00 – Marine Corps beginnings & escaping the streets of Miami
02:00 – Lessons learned from the Corps: discipline and humility
03:00 – The weight of pulling the trigger and ordering strikes
05:00 – Facing death in the Middle East and processing fear
07:00 – Living with Post-Traumatic Stress (without the "D")
08:30 – Opening Pandora's Box: therapy and healing
10:00 – Rediscovering purpose through resilience and service
11:00 – Sacrifices of family life during decades of deployments
13:00 – Cognitive fatigue and the toll of 20 years at war
14:30 – Finding brotherhood, connection, and purpose after combat
15:30 – The dual life: operator and intelligence professional
17:00 – The veteran bond and the humor that keeps them going
18:00 – The lighter side: local food, culture, and MRE memories
20:00 – Healing, time, and reflecting on legacy
21:30 – Lessons learned and why he'd serve again
23:00 – Closing reflections on purpose, family, and discipline