Regular listeners of The Spear will know that the majority of the stories we feature are from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. And anyone who has deployed to either of those countries knows that helicopters are a rather persistent feature. Whether they were conducting close-air support, reconnaissance, resupply, troop movement, or MEDEVAC—helicopters were often seen and heard overhead. That’s why we have featured a number of pilots as guests on The Spear. This episode features another, but it is remarkably unique. Because pilots spend their time well above the ground, the threats they face don’t include one of the most common dangers ground troops encountered in two decades of war: improvised explosive devices. But in the very brief time Maj. Jesse Lansford spent on foot outside the wire during a deployment to Afghanistan as a lieutenant, Kiowa pilot, and aviation platoon leader, he experienced the IED threat firsthand. He joins this episode to tell the story.
You can listen to the full episode below, and don’t forget to subscribe to The Spear on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. While you’re there, we would love it if you would take just a second to give the podcast a rating or leave a review.
Note: This episode was originally released in 2019.
Image credit: Cpl. Clay Beyersdorfer, US Army