57. John Gartner - Reflections on a lifetime of service in the Special Forces

Today, I spoke with John Gartner, whose career as a professional soldier and security adviser spans more than five decades. During that time, he served in the Australian SAS, Rhodesian SAS, Selous Scouts, South African National Intelligence Service and as a trainer for Sri Lankan Infantry and Special Forces units. He also provided security and close protection advice to a former Saudi Arabian oil minister as well as for the Brunei Royal Family.

John joins me today to discuss lessons learnt throughout his career, which is also captured in incredible detail in his memoir titled ‘The Fading Light’. I recently finished this book, which is a combination of unbelievable operational detail as well as reflections of a man who’s seen the best and the worst side of war.

Some of the topics we covered are:

• John’s entry into the Australian SAS
• Reasons behind joining the Rhodesian SAS
• The (changed) profile of a Special Forces soldier
• Life and operations in Rhodesia
• Reflections on taking a life
• John’s perspective on PTSD
• The importance of ‘purpose’
• War, atrocities, and ‘bad apples’
• Selective Western military engagements
• Living and working for a Saudi sheik and Brunei Royal Family
• The power of cultural and linguistic immersion
• The impact of John’s career on his family

Throughout the episode, I referred to several discussions with previous guests. You can find those here:

Jason Pack - On the ’Global Enduring Disorder’

Marc Garlasco - War through the eyes of a Pentagon Chief of High Value Targeting

Harry Moffitt - A Humble Warrior

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