Delta Force Operator Tyler Grey | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 121
Tyler Grey grew up in Bakersfield, California, joined the army in 1998 and quickly advanced from training into the 75th Ranger Regiment, 2nd Battalion, spending most of his time there as a Sniper. He spent the rest of his career at Ft. Bragg. Grey deployed four times - two each to Afghanistan and Iraq - before he became disabled from an explosion that occurred during a late-night house raid that turned into a gun-battle in Baghdad in 2005. Nowadays, Tyler's an actor, producer, and director on the CBS show SEAL Team, where he puts his skills to work teaching others about the challenges our country's heroes face every day. But how did he get to work on an actual television show? Do people assume he used to be a SEAL? And what exactly happened in that late-night house raid in 2005 that changed everything?
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Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
02:00 - ...But I Play One on TV
07:30 - Military Rivalries
10:00 - Morning Routine
12:30 - Hit on a Motorcycle
16:00 - Combat in Hollywood
22:00 - Filming Action Isn't Easy
24:00 - I Do All My Own Stunts
30:00 - Breaking Into Hollywood
36:00 - Real Kits, Real Guns
42:00 - Breaching Pyrotechnics
44:00 - On-Set Shootings on The Crow & Rust
49:00 - Growing Up in Bakersfield, CA
54:00 - Green Beret Dreams, Army Ranger Realities
1:11:00 - A First-Mission Combat Story
1:15:00 - The Best-Kept Secret in the Military
1:20:00 - Spec Ops Training Starts at Zero
1:27:30 - Feeling Like a Superhero
1:28:00 - A 2-Man Graduation
1:30:00 - Big Boy Pranks
1:32:00 - A Delta Force Operator
1:36:00 - A Thirty-Thousand Foot View
1:37:00 - Horribly Wrong
1:42:00 - A Fallujah Walkout
1:44:00 - Brilliantly Operated
1:50:00 - Military Married
1:52:00 - Second Deployment, '05-'06
1:54:00 - A Morbid Curiosity
2:01:00 - A Cool Dog Story
2:06:30 - Getting Blown Up: A Play-by-Play
2:31:30 - 60 Days in the Hospital
2:35:30 - 30-40% Mobility
2:38:00 - Being In Sets You Up for Being Out
2:43:30 - A Fundamentally Self-Destructive Person
2:46:15 - L.T.S.D.
2:52:30 - Self Destruction is Growth, Kinda
2:57:30 - Finding RAMBO
Support Tyler Grey:
IG: / tyleragrey
SEAL Team on CBS: www.cbs.com/shows/seal-team
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Guys! This was like a therapy session for me. I'm a retired CW5 Army Aviator,.The last 3,000 plus hour was flying Blackhawks. I've flown Army delta, Navy SEALS at the candidates at the sniper school at Camp Atterbury in southern Indiana, and many Operators in Iraq, and I want to say that you are worth way more than you think. Guys like you are Hero's to this country, even though most will never realize it !!! Dude you rock !!! You deserve the best in the rest of your life, and if you ever need anything, let me know !!!
I've always wondered how fast a Blackhawk vs a Chinook is...I know the Google Stats or is it like a F1-Schoolbus so much faster
The Vne (velocity never to exceed), or redline on the airspeed indicator is 190 Knots for the Blackhawk, but you could only get that fast in a dive. It's VNE of 170 Knots for the Chinook. That doesn't tell the whole story though. In level flight the Hawk might get to 150 to 160 Knots if they're light loaded. The chinook has so mush power that in level flight they would run off ahead of us (assuming no external loads, etc). In high altitude mountain passes like in Afghanistan the Chinook was much more capable, because the Hawks couldn't carry near anything like the Chinook.@@richardclary6267
"I'll never say no." "Do you want to go camping?" 🤣 I think that one sailed right past him, Mike.
🤣
Yes, I was waiting for a some SF smartassery smackdown and was sadly let down. SEALS 1 DELTA. 0
Yes!!!! You all beat me to this comment! Your people heard you Mike!
@@denForlibertycamping is when you go out in the woods/wilderness and kind of “live off the land,” or so to speak. Most people do it with family or friends, and the boy scouts use it to teach their kids too.
@Mr. Zimmz if you were out camping and woke up with a condom sticking out your ass and didn’t know why, would you tell anyone? No? Wanna go camping?
I’ve worked with/encountered Tyler thru the years-I’ve always had a lot of respect for him--to watch him share his lessons/wisdom earned and to articulate it to the community in such an honest fashion is amazing and ultimately makes him a great role model that will help others make their way forward towards healing👊🏼🇺🇸
One thing about CAG operators that I’ve seen on YT interviews, is that the vast majority of them don’t look like what you’d imagine.. He looks like he works at the paint counter at your local Lowe’s, and coaches his daughter’s little league softball after work… But he’s pretty much a world class assassin..🤣 I absolutely love it…much respect!🇺🇸
The cag guy I know has a balding mad-scientist looking haircut, and is very soft-spoken.
That’s not true for all of them, some of them look like straight military monsters, the Pat Mc’s, the Dale Comstocks and Dan Savage and even Robert Keller when he had a beard, a lot of them don’t look so intense because they are all clean shaven now but you see them with full beards and they definitely look a lot more rugged.
@@James_Edward59coach any football or hockey team and you can’t tell who the gamer is by looking at them. You don’t know until they play.
PRETTY MUCH? I'm biased but as CCT Delta as a whole on a Soldier to Soldier Evaluation.....Delta is IT flat-out...Tech,Gear,Experience,Profeciency...just a step ahead of anyone in the World 🌎
Tyler is the most genuine guy, this is the third podcast I’ve have listened to with Tyler and also Mike is just such a cool interviewer.
I’m glad you ask these guys how they wake up every day … it’s so hard when you get out & get into a funk & you dread every morning & just want to sleep & you see all the civilians running around being all happy … it’s hard to live knowing you’ll never be that badass again & the mind hurts & the body hurts … that’s what we signed up for .. as long as you don’t give up things get better with time
Couldn't have said it any better! You literally took words out of my mouth
That sounds like being a concrete guy.
2:54:36 I have watched dozens of Tyler's interviews and short videos, and I admire this guy's perspective, but this one is different, this is how you can save a life of a younger former army operator like myself. Thanks, guys. Respect from Egypt.
Delta doesn’t always pick the best guy, they always pick the right guy 💯
and they do a goddamn good job...CAG is 100% our finest tip of the spear unit. Devgru is up there but I think when you look at history and being squared away as an Org, CAG all day long....you chirp even a bit and they don't like that shit unlike their Navy counterparts who pretty much are encouraged!
So true, I thought this also when he said about the 5 minute mile gent. Dale Comstock said this and It's so true.
Courtesy of Pat Savidge🇺🇸🤘
They picked a rapist once in the early years. Marshall Brown.
@@stephen3762 Unfortunately no screening process is perfect.
Brilliant. "I need chaos to be calm." Profound. This needs to be studied. Thank you Mike and Tyler.
Tyler and his ‘friend’ he speaks of were 2 of my best snipers in our sniper detachment while he served in 2nd Ranger Bn. I was a section leader in in Sniper Detachment and I was truly blessed to lead Tyler and his friend. Mike, ask him about the deployment to Jordan, Operation Early Victor, it was epic! I have not been in contact with Tyler in years. I would love to one day link up again and have a beer or even a simple phone call. Mike and company or Tyler if you see this, it would be my honor to link back up. Mike great podcast as usual. RLTW
Thank you for everything you do brother! I’m in admiration!
😅
Many thanks to you, sir.
L l
Seal Team is my favorite show. This is epic 🤟
I absolutely love that show lol. Now I know why. Had no clue this dude was delta.....
@christoph9587 yup. Brock and cerberus are real life K9 as well. Cerberus is Brocks dog in real life. The dogs real name is Dita I believe.
Last few episodes were awesome. Especially the end of s6 e10.
@mrcarr9890 I haven't seen it yet...I'm scared 😬😬😬😬
Tyler Grey and Mike Ritland is the most down to earth and sincere, can easily listen to Two-.three hour long episodes with full interest all through the episodes. Sorry for my bad English, I’m Swedish and always a student ❤️
A true humble Warrior
MINT episode. I hope Mike & his team read this comment. The structure of the episodes & the questions Mike asks make this the best, most interesting and educational show going around. Perfect for me as I love listening to stuff I know nothing about and lIstening to these amazing guests makes me have the utmost respect & admiration for all of them. Thank you Tyler for sharing your story and all the very best for the future.
Thank you ma’am
Yes! Absolutely!
2:12:30 That was a blue on blue, pretty sure Devgru blew the door while they were inside...Andy Stumpf tells it from his perspective. This was the JSOC hit where he got shot.
Unit guys are way more in the vest than any other unit, respect. Every interview of a unit guy makes it he listener want more. Love Tyler's commitment to his unit and even more so to his service, commitment and his contribution to propping up the SOCOM community through his work via shows like Seal Team. In today's climate, shows like this fill a void and visualize real world struggles of SOF units. Mike consistently brings to light military endeavours in a manner that respects the person yet explains the job and struggles to the civilian populace. Mike Drop is a top 5 podcast 8n any genre. Thanks for that.
Damn. I’ve watched almost every interview that Tyler has done and this one was far the most in-depth regarding his service. Wow what a stud. The community will always support you Tyler because you ARE worth it. WE are worth it, and sometimes we need those little reminders of why we have to keeping fighting for. Not only for ourselves but for those still out there in the “mental trenches”. These long form interviews help so many people. Keep up the great work as well @mike, you are much appreciated.
Exactly I just got to this, and soooo much more than SRS
@@richardclary6267 I love SRS as well, but what I appreciate about guests being interviewed by different hosts is different questions are asked, different discussions are had based on different answers, and no story will ever be told the exact same way every single time. It’s almost like hearing a story for the very first time, but just from the slightly different viewpoint.
What a guest!!! This podcast keeps outdoing itself. Super excited for this one ❤
I gotta give it to ya Mike. You are doing awesome with these interviews. You get alot out of people with how you ask your questions and it's awesome!!!! Keep up the great work man. Your killing it!!!!!
Tyler is on the selection with Ray Cash Care, Marcus Capone and other tier 1 operators. Thanks for taking the time to tell your story Tyler and thank you for making this interview happen Mike 🇺🇲🫡
Great show
Andy said what happened was, one side of the door had the CAG operators and the other side had Devgru guys and the Devgru guys breached a door with a large explosive while the CAG guys were on the other side, which ended up injuring a bunch of people. That's what Tyler didn't wanna say. It was blue on blue.
Yup
Where did he say that at? Do you know the podcast and episode number?
@@Flymike_5 I believe it was in this interview kzhead.info/sun/m7x9lLGIpqaAioE/bejne.html
@@Flymike_5Took me a while, but I found it lol. It's Andy's podcast he did with Mike Ritland Link: kzhead.info/sun/hpyqfdR9maSHpHA/bejne.html Time stamp where he starts explaining it: 1:31:37
@@safaqi01 thanks
“He didn’t bite him, he fuckin ate him.” 😂😂😂 Classic
What a coincidence. Just last night finished streaming the entire 'Seal Team' and thought it was time I visited my mate Mr Mike Ritland. Todays notification couldn't have been timed better.
Great show badass guest I watch Seal Team awesome program I’ve watched the seasons over so many times I learn something new every time hope there is a season 7 thank you sir for all you do in your podcasts 👊🏻
Thanks Mike, one of the top relevant content podcasts out there. And the humor you weave in is always refreshing.
TRENT! Seal Team is Top Tier, one of the best TV shows ever
LTSD is EXACTLY what I’ve been experiencing. Once the abuser was gone and my environment was calm- I didn’t know how to calm myself. You have blown my mind.
This dude is the only reason I watched Seal Team past season one. They turned it into a soap opera. I love watching his internal debate regarding how to answer some of these questions without getting PNG'd at the Unit! lol All the best, Tyler!!!
Love how the entire episode is timestamped! Thankyou!
As a fan of both Mike Drop an Seal Team,enjoyed this alot! Thank you both!
Yes . Been waiting on this one for a while
Nice to see him on the podcast, I’ve watched the seal team show since the beginning it’s had its ups and downs but it’s an overall decent show with some good action.
Great show in my opinion. Seems pretty legit the way they move and do cqb. I totally get why now. I had no idea this guy was delta!!!! So bad ass.....
Great job, Mike. Thanks for sharing this episode with us.
thank you for your service.
I’ve been waiting a while to see Tyler on podcast. Living legend. Thanks for this one Mike!
2:43:44 Damn…a switch turned beginning at this timestamp. Tyler, thank you for your service and thank you for sharing all you did. Beginning at that timestamp, you gave language to what I’ve been experiencing. Very grateful for these words and your story. It is helping me process through mine. Mike, thank you! Incredible episode!
Exactly! Same here! Thanks guys!
Same issues as a kid. Directly leads to the belief you’re not worth being happy, which directly leads to being cheated on, etc… Awesome to hear there is a way out. 🤙🏻
Loved this show. Thank's Mike and Tyler. Best "Mike Drop" podcast I've tuned into. I'm a big fan of Tyler's career 1st as a Delta Operator and Actor/Producer of "SEAL Team". Great interview Mike. Thanks for having him on.
Andy Stumpf was on that mission. Dude is an amazing guy.
Yeah how Tyler got blown up from what has been said in other podcasts. It was friendly (Gold ) that set charge on a door and unfortunately CAG was on the other side when they initiated the blast . It was joint op with CAG and Gold Squadron . Gold was entering from the front and CAG from the back . Andy got lit up right before entering from the front . I'm basing this all off memory so if I'm wrong someone let me know.
Nope. 5 Gold operators were attached to a cag squad because jsoc wanted them to deploy together
@@privateskonto4902 lol I was close
Tyler seems like such a humble guy. Would love to meet him!
Mike, you did everything you could with this guest
Almost in tears due to the therapy session Tyler gave. Dude, you should become a therapist. You explained more about my life in 3:00:00 than anyone EVER has. Mike, keep it up! By far this is my favorite episode yet, no Army bias included.
Great interview.. always wondered why as the shit gets deep, I get calmer… his explanation makes sense to me… thank you. God bless ya, Brother. We probably chewed a lot of the same ground in Iraq
Awesome episode, thank you Mike & Tyler!
Well, that was definitely worth watching. Especially the final hour. It seemed to change towards the end once Tyler settled in and even got excited about some topics.
he has given so much. wow. God Bless this man.
Awesome podcast. Tyler's story of when he got hurt he didn't mention it was on the same OP that Andy Stumpf was on where he got shot too. They were working together during that time.
Thanks for the info
Solid Gold gents. Thank you guys
Awesome interview Mike !! Go TYler ! MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL !!
What an amazing episode…amazing. Thank you!
LTSD-definitely a "condition" many experience who have been early exposed to extreme situations/conflict-thanks for your bold sharing/analysis
His mannerisms, speech patterns and emotions completely changed after he finished telling the story of his "near death" experience.
wouldn't yours?
“And these two little kids came up to me and said are you gonna blow up our cars?” 😂😂😂
Mike always asks really good and interesting questions.
Hell of a show Mike. Looking forward to seeing Tyler branch out in acting. Keep up the good fight.
This is the best interview I've heard about Delta! .
Thank you for your service and sacrifice. Love the show and you need more dialog. Semper Fi
Awesome interview
Wondering how things have been. Still subscribed to greyman on youtube after all these years.
Tyler is a freaking warrior and a patriot!!! Much respect for him and his career. Honestly though, I wish you would've pressed him harder on his "better" plan for operation phantom fury Mike. I lost a couple buds there and am still curious as to what he thinks should've been done differently. Thanks for a great show and great guests bro. Semper Fi
Incredible insight into the integration/reintegration aspect. Really opened my eyes to the battle that veterans have at home. Understanding is the first step towards helping. Thank you.
Tyler was extremely articulate. I enjoyed this one.
Great episode! Thanks Mike!
Great interview Mike!
Thank you for your service sir.
Love the tv show....I thought the lead was Clark for about a minute....but he didn't yell out "owned it" thanks guys for your service as always
lol
I hear they offered him the part but he had his hands full at the time.
@@dazofthemoo1531 🤙🏻😎🤙🏻
LTSD... I felt that. Thanks brother.
Best one yet, Mike 👍
Mike Drop Podcasts are one of my favorite podcasts. He asks thoughtful questions, lets the guest speak, listens, and most importantly humorous when needed.
What a cool gift. There’s a heart beating in old James after all 😂
Mike drop, drop the mic... crushed it! God bless you and yours
I have a good friend that was in the Army that was blown up by an IED... The explosive power of those things is unreal... The doctors and medics that were out there were amazing miracle workers the best in the world at the time. Hes good and its like nothing ever happened! Except of course for the emotional damage.
i didnt expect a special forces guy be so down to earth,it was a very interesting life story thank you for sharing a world i will never see....i guess very few does.
If you type in Navy diver Badwater in the search engine, it comes up with an interview of the navy hard hat diver that Tyler mentioned. States he came first in a bunch of different Badwater races throughout the years, mentions he was in special operations (started in 2001, there’s a clue) and he was a navy diver.
Pretty admirable that he didn't drop the dime on the explosion. If the shoe were on the other foot, I don't know if that would be the case...
It’s classified so he could get in serious trouble
@@totenfurwotan4478 it's classified but everyone knows the story??? I've heard it talked about by multiple operators who were on the hit. Both Army and Navy
@@MrCashewkitty details are classified
@1:09:19 this CAG Operator who was formerly a Navy Hard hat diver has been referenced in interviews multiple times(here and on Team House podcast) Hope one day someone is able to get this Legend to sit down and tell his story
which team room episode
@@unchartedmediaproductions286 Ep with Jamey Caldwell. Dave from Team House had served in the Navy(also as a Hard hat diver) - with the Operator in question - before both jumped over to Army SOF. Dave joined 2/75 and the other diver went to CAG.
@@vitigaymer1053 thanks brother love these pods
Yeah, heard him referenced a bunch. I think even Todd Opalski mentions him as well in interviews.
He was just mentioned on Kevin Owen's channel. He did a video on the Q Course. He said this individual had just passed Delta Force selection, and because he was Navy, had been sent to the Q course to earn an Army MOS. He said despite the guy being obviously one of the best there, he was FAILED on one phase and the cadre attempted to eject him, because they resented him going from conventional straight to Delta. An officer intervened, told them to pass him and send him the to the next phase. Owens said they STILL hassled him, told him to voluntarily recycle, and shittalked him to the other cadre (who ignored them).
I hope they make another season of SEAL Team
Thanks guys old school Mike Drop episode. Loved the Rambo comments at the end.
Seen the alternate ending where Troutman kills Rambo?
This is going to be a good one!
I’m fucking crying! This is a beautiful episode for sure … I’m finalizing my subscription tonight .
This would make a really good double bill with Andy Stumpf's podcast where he talks about the mission Tyler was injured on. Stumpf also suffered a career altering injury on the mission and his recounting of the event was intetesting.
Thank you for your service
He's very careful not to throw the SEALS on that op under the bus for essentially blowing that breaching charge right into them. Whereas I've heard Andy Stumpf throw some shade at the CAG guys in a couple of instances where he's talked about that night. I'd be interested to hear the two of them talk. I wonder if there's some lingering acrimony between the two camps.
Yep. From what I have pieced together. It seems like at portions of the firefight, the SEALs and CAG Operators were basically firing at each other - because each element wasn't fully aware of where the other was located.
That sounds about right, I don't like Andy stumpf because he's a SEAL....I just don't like Andy stumpf! Comes across as a real smart arse ,can't stand him
Would love to be pointed to a interview where Andy Stumpf painted the CAG guys from that night in a negative light. He has publicly stated multiple times there was a blue on blue from a breaching charge, and other from that he really ownly comments on his personal experience of being shot.
Excellent interview brothers, Hooyah
I recently found this podcast . In my opinion it rocks !
What an amazing interview and discussion. Tyler really embodies the silent professional / operator persona. You could see him really think through every answer and take pains to limit his responses and what he gives away. He almost doesn’t even directly acknowledge the unit he was in. Sharp Contrast with operators from a different branch 😊. Curious what watch Mike wears in this interview.
Thank you, it’s a Panerai luminor marina
@@MikeRitland thank you sir.
@1:33:40 on the Shawn Ryan podcast I believe Kyle Morgan revealed that circa 2012 to 2013 there had been a total of 980-ish Operators who had served in the Unit since 77.
I just listened to that one and I believe his number was 987.
965 was Kyle Morgan’s Delta Operator #
My best friend GOD rest his precious soul was 99!
@@kinch613 Call of Duty?
I remember hearing that, but in another clip I heard a CAG guy talking about a single operation that consisted of 150 unit guys in Iraq. Don't know where I heard that and can't provide a link, but those two pieces of info conflicted in my mind.
Thank you!
This guy was so cool. He really didn’t get into some crazy ticks that some others you have interviewed.
Damn. I just had an eye-opening experience about myself at the end. That realization that Tyler was talking about is like he was actually pulling the words that I can't come up with in my own brain.
Thank U for Ur service,,,,,,Ur great man...
Great podcast!!!
Great interview...i love hearing stories of our military heroes...i stayed up till 3am watching it, which happens often with your videos.
Yep. Missed my hole cos of it last night 😂 (Had to make a joke after that one- i forgot how bad it was- don’t get me wrong this version is heavily watered down but I remember the OG one. Sadly.
"Everything exploded" in the first minute had me flash back to when I was in a MRAP that was interrogating an IED with a robotic arm when "everything exploded". Off to the gym to run off my demons lol
Thank you Sirs! Shared.
SEAL Team is definitely hokey at times but it's probably the least shit military show on TV. Always liked this dude's calm and humble personality.
Thank you for a great podcast, Gentlemen. Thank you for being so candid about your entire experiences, Tyler. As a 30-year retired cop, 25 on SWAT, I understand your comfort in chaos theory. None of us come out of the careers we chose unscathed. Tyler, where can I find your movie “That Which I Love Destroys Me?”
Another great podcast!!!
Watching season 6 right now great show thanks for your hard work
Another Great one Mikey!