Green Beret to Night Stalker: Surviving the Dark Side of Special Operations | Ep. 264 | Pt. 1

Join host Mike Ritland on Mike Drop Podcast for an unflinching conversation with Nick O'Kelly, a retired Green Beret turned Night Stalkers Black Hawk pilot from the elite 160th SOAR. From the high-stakes chaos of his first combat insertion—where a last-second sharp turn into a dusty, high-speed landing pushed the limits of control—to the invisible war he fought against crippling suicidal ideation that began in flight school, Nick pulls no punches. His debut book Stigma, releasing October 21st, exposes the raw truth behind mental health struggles in special operations.

Nick traces his path from a strict Christian upbringing in Washington state, through SF selection and Okinawa deployments, to mastering aviation amid family pressures and a newborn son. He shares the culture shock of warrant officer training, the adrenaline of Everest Base Camp treks, and the surreal focus of flying tier-one operators under fire. Faith, perfectionism, and Vince Lombardi's pursuit of excellence weave through his story of resilience.

As Covid extended his final deployment, knee surgery grounded him and forced a reckoning with anxiety, panic disorders, and systemic failures in military mental health care. Nick's journey from zombie-like survival to revival highlights the cost of silence—and the power of speaking out. Essential listening for anyone in high-performance worlds.

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