Retired Green Beret Terry Wilson Disputes an Official Chinook Shootdown Account

In this episode of his podcast, Mike Ritland sits down with retired Army Green Beret Sergeant Major Terry Wilson, a 24-year veteran of Seventh Special Forces Group with 11 combat deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Wilson opens with an account from a clearing operation in Helmand province alongside the 82nd Airborne, where a Chinook helicopter went down after taking contact. Official reporting attributed the loss to a surface-to-air missile, but Wilson says what he saw on the ground told a different story. The conversation then shifts into Wilson's rough upbringing and path into the military.

Key points

• The incident: Wilson describes a Chinook shootdown in Helmand province during a joint clearing operation with the 82nd Airborne, after a soldier was shot and a bird was sent in to assist.
• The discrepancy: Wilson tells Ritland that despite reports calling it a surface-to-air missile strike, what he observed looked more consistent with an RPG hit.
• His background: Wilson details a chaotic childhood in the St. Louis area, including homelessness, low-income housing, and a mother who married more than five times.
• His path to trouble: He recounts stealing car stereos and dealing drugs as a teenager, which led to three felony theft charges before turning 18.
• Carryover habits: Wilson shares his current EDC setup, a Glock 19 and Smith & Wesson Airweight, tying it back to firearms he trained on in Special Forces.

Quick take

The Chinook question is a small piece of a much longer conversation, but it's a pointed one from someone who was there. Worth a watch for the firsthand account alone, plus the broader look at how a rough start can still lead to a long career in Special Forces.

Watch the full video: Mike Ritland