CS#61: Freedom Fighter | Fought ISIS in Syria | Fought in Ukraine | Ukraine Military
About This Episode
Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more.
Today we hear the Combat Story of Aiden Aslin, a UK citizen who deployed multiple times into conflict zones to fight ISIS in Syria and Russia in Ukraine.
[NOTE: We're launching on Patreon soon. Register to get notified at https://www.combatstory.com/patreon]
Aiden was not part of the British military. He simply decided the people in Syria being terrorised by ISIS needed more support and found a way to get down range to help.
During his multiple deployments into Syria fighting with other westerners against ISIS and nearly dying, Aiden had been following events in Ukraine. He again decided, instead of sitting safely in the UK, to step up and fight for people who needed help.
Today, Aiden is officially part of the Ukrainian military. We had to record this particular interview quickly before Aiden deployed to the frontlines again, where he is now.
His Instagram account (cossackgundi) is worth a look too where’s amassed 20K followers and describes himself as a “British guy Rocking it out in the Ukrainian marines” with what he calls “Warzone Photography” and “Conflict news”.
I hope you enjoy this humble and understated Combat Story of someone who left everything behind to help others in two vastly different conflicts as much as I did.
Also, Aiden is on the front lines of Ukraine today and suggested we meet again when he's back for a firsthand account of being on the line during these tensions.
Instagram @cossackgundi https://www.instagram.com/cossackgundi/ Twitter @cossackgundi https://mobile.twitter.com/cossackgundi
Ryan’s Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial Email ryan@combatstory.com Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle
Show Notes
Ukraine Military
Chapters
- 0:00Intro
- 0:50Guest introduction (Aiden Aslin)
- 1:56Interview begins
- 2:16Current location and mindset getting ready for another deployment
- 5:04Childhood and working with adults with special needs
- 11:55Leaving safety and social work to go to Syria
- 19:46Deciding to go to war and getting into Syria
- 34:19Training and first time on the frontline making contact with enemy
- 41:03Combat Story #1 First real contact and feeling positive after the outcome
- 45:52Combat Story #2 A friendly fire incident that left him with panic attacks
- 1:05:31Returning to Syria despite traumatic experiences
- 1:11:35Combat Story #2 Ukraine conflict and joining Ukrainian Marines
- 1:25:32What did you carry into combat?
- 1:26:13Would you do it all again?
- 1:28:47Advice for someone considering this type of path
- 1:32:57Listener comments and shout outs
