The Shawn Ryan Show – Ep. #276: Nick Brokhausen: The Deadliest Stories from Vietnam with MACV-SOG

Guest: Nick Brokhausen – Green Beret, MACV-SOG, Author
Host: Shawn Ryan – Former Navy SEAL, CIA Contractor
Date: February 2, 2026

Episode Overview

In this emotional and unflinching episode, Shawn Ryan sits down with Nick Brokhausen, a legendary Green Beret who served multiple tours in Vietnam—including covert operations deep behind enemy lines with the highly secretive MACV-SOG (Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group). Nick recounts the brutal realities of unconventional warfare, the price of survival, the trauma and brotherhood forged in battle, and the complexities of returning to a world that neither understood nor wanted to hear about what happened in the jungles of Southeast Asia.

The conversation covers his upbringing, Special Forces selection and training, harrowing combat missions, the legacy of MACV-SOG, and life and loss after war. Throughout, Nick’s dark humor, wisdom, and the hard-won lessons of a lifetime spent on the edge shine through.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Generational Respect, Evolution of Special Operations (00:05–07:27)

• Shawn expresses deep respect for the Vietnam generation, highlighting how they inspired him to serve.
• Nick reflects on the professionalism and spirit of today’s special operators, while discussing the evolution from multi-faceted guerrilla warfare to post-9/11 door-kicking tactics and, eventually, a return to foundational SF skills.
• Discussion of OSS roots—origins of SF traced to World War II’s Office of Strategic Services and the value of adaptable, independent operators.

Quote:
"The same spirit, the same drive, the same professionalism is still there... It gives me faith that we actually have a chance to recover the Republic."
– Nick (01:22)

2. The OSS, Centralization, and Reimagining Special Forces (03:45–13:00)

• Nick breaks down the influence of the OSS, rivalries with the FBI, and postwar transformations leading to today’s SOCOM structure.
• Dissects a recent white paper suggesting unified, independent special operations—potentially under a new “OSS” style branch with consolidated units and authority.
• Both agree this consolidation could decrease inter-branch competition and asset hoarding, making SpecOps more agile in a crisis.

Quote:
"They've got the ability to act without massive oversight...really it's all based on a SEAL team and an A team. Those guys are where the rubber meets the road."
– Nick (08:02)

3. Early Life: Survival Skills from Rural America (20:19–26:29)

• Nick recounts his tough, resourceful upbringing on North Dakota and Minnesota farms—hunting, trapping, and working odd jobs to get by.
• Early exposure to hardship and the outdoors set the foundation for his resilience and operational skills.

Quote:
"I hunted, I fished, I skipped school to go squirrel hunting...I was very adept in the woods."
– Nick (21:46)

4. First Combat Experiences: Korea & Vietnam, Joining Special Forces (26:29–44:00)

• Describes being drafted, serving first as a Marine, then in the Army, experiencing combat on Korea’s DMZ during the Pueblo Incident and the shift to Special Forces.
• Notable anecdotes about deadly and bizarre encounters—from mini-subs on the Imjin River to hands-on combat experiences.

5. Special Forces Selection & Training—the “Q Course” (47:39–59:10)

• Details the grueling, multi-phase Green Beret selection, advanced weapons and demolitions training, and “insane but brilliant” SF medics.
• Humor and strange mishaps from training (e.g., eating nitro charges—47:57).

Quote:
"I'd rather have a Special Forces medic treat me than any doctor."
– Nick (55:17)

6. Early Operations and Adventures Abroad (61:12–70:13)

• Pre-Vietnam assignment instructing Bolivian Rangers on tracking and heavy weapons—chasing brutal bandit groups.
• Smuggling stories, including accidental cocaine transport.

7. First Assignment at MACV-SOG: Orientation into Madness (70:13–84:44)

• Arrival at CCN (Command and Control North)—Nick is confronted with the unvarnished, chaotic daily life of SOG operatives.
• Stories about colorful characters and the gallows humor that sustained cohesion under extreme stress.

8. Harsh Realities: Combat & the Rhythm of Survival (91:48–102:12)

• First SOG mission: immediate ambush, close-quarters chaos, and rapid depletion of ammunition in hellish firefights.
• The terrifying difference between line infantry combat and covert SOG missions—sound, smell, violence, and the ingenious brutality needed to survive.
• Description of SOG recon team sizes, the role of Montagnard (“Yard”) tribes, and why they were “the finest natural warriors.”

Quote:
"You have no idea how loud combat is...You're many times fighting at very close range."
– Nick (96:35)

9. Weapons, Tactics & Morbid Innovations (112:31–118:33)

• Modifications like sawed-off RPDs and shotguns for jungle warfare—plus inventing deadly custom ammunition.
• Macabre anecdotes such as the accidental death of the team’s pet monkey (106:47).

Quote:
"At close range, both barrels will blow a man in half. I know that for a fact."
– Nick (116:37)

10. The Unseen Cost: Trauma, Ghosts & Loss (118:33–129:42)

• Nick opens up about the psychic toll of violence—haunted for years by a specific enemy soldier’s death, and reoccurring nightmares.
• His generation’s approach: repress, drink, keep moving, and avoid the stigma and consequences of seeking help in the military.
• In-depth discussion of psychedelics (psilocybin, ibogaine, DMT) for healing trauma, including Shawn’s own testimony.

Quote:
"It's a nightmare...I reach over to touch his shoulder to find out why he's crying. He turns around and it's the kid, not him...he grabs my hand and I stand up, and he steps off the back of the boat with me, and I'm going down under the water and he's holding onto my hand and I can't get him to let go. And then I wake up."
– Nick (121:57–123:41)

11. After the War: Homecoming, Alienation & Restlessness (154:55–177:26)

• Return to the U.S. is described as “total decompression and shock”: alienated from civilians and even family.
• Cycles through relationships, divorce, brushes with the law, and the pull of war-time camaraderie over typical civilian life.
• Finds partial healing with new purpose and brotherhood in Berlin, serving in special missions with German counterterrorist police.

Quote:
"Once you've been on that kind of an adrenaline high, it's hard to give it up for ice cream cones and cognac, you know."
– Nick (157:49)

12. Later Missions: Global Adventures & Life After SOF (183:14–192:54)

• Chronicles post-military mercenary and security work in Africa, South America, Mexico, Russia, and Chechnya—rescuing hostages, training SWAT teams, engaging with shifting geopolitics.
• Candid observations on corruption, betrayal, and resilience in worlds beyond the battlefield.

13. Legacy, Storytelling, & the Path Forward (178:00–End)

• Nick reflects on attempts to reconnect with his estranged daughter, expressing regret but also acceptance of the consequences of his choices.
• Talks about his memoirs—written “not for the public, but for the guys I bled with.”
• Announcement of a forthcoming TV series, “American Ronin,” based on his exploits.
• Ends with a meditation on the fullness of a life spent both fighting and seeking meaning, leavened by signature barbed humor.

Quote:
"I love being human. Every aspect. The agony and the ecstasy. Good. And stay away from redheads."
– Nick (197:02)

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On generational spirit in SOF:
  "The same spirit, the same drive, the same professionalism is still there...It gives me faith that we actually have a chance to recover the Republic." (01:22)

• OSS origins and SF independence:
  "The whole thing was based on clandestine. We're not going to make a big show like the commandos...we're going to drop you...you'll provide intel back." (05:37)

• On the value of the Montagnards (Yards):
  "The finest, finest troops I ever worked with were the yards." (102:13)

• On the reality of intense SOG firefights:
  "You have no idea how loud combat is...you're many times fighting at very close range...I had two magazines left." (96:35, 95:33)

• Haunted by a specific killing:
  "I'd have a nightmare...he'd be like I last saw him with half his head caved open and one eye falling out..." (121:57)

• Psychedelic therapy for trauma:
  "It changed my life."
  – Shawn (127:41)

• Life after war:
  "Once you've been on that kind of an adrenaline high, it's hard to give it up for ice cream cones and cognac, you know." (157:49)

• Finding meaning in storytelling:
  "I wrote it for the guys I bled with. And I'm happy as hell when one of them walks up and goes, way to go, Nick." (181:11)

• Final thought:
  "I love being human. Every aspect. The agony and the ecstasy. Good. And stay away from redheads." (197:02)

Key Segments (Timestamps)

• 01:00–08:00: Generational tribute, introduction
• 13:00–20:00: Discussion on special operations reorganization
• 20:30–26:30: Early life, childhood, lessons in survival
• 44:30–55:00: Green Beret Q Course and team prep
• 70:13–84:00: First encounters with MACV-SOG operations, meeting the team
• 91:48–102:12: SOG missions, first firefight in Vietnam
• 118:33–129:42: Trauma, ghosts, and coping
• 154:55–177:30: Returning home, alienation, struggle for normalcy
• 183:14–193:20: Adventures after SOF, global security work
• 193:20–197:20: Reflections, legacy, upcoming TV project, final thoughts

Tone and Language

Nick’s storytelling is unvarnished, darkly humorous, and sometimes raw with emotion. He shifts from deadpan wit (“I’m cured for life of ever dating redheaded women”) to agonizing self-reflection, especially when discussing the psychological consequences of war and the loss of brotherhood. Shawn is deeply respectful, empathetic, and probing—sharing his own struggles and facilitating personal, cathartic moments.

Summary for Non-Listeners

This episode offers a rare, brutally honest look at America’s shadow wars in Vietnam through the eyes of one of its deadliest and most honest practitioners. It’s equal parts history lesson, war story, therapy session, and meditation on humanity, brotherhood, and trauma. Listeners walk away with a visceral sense of what MACV-SOG was—and what it cost the men who survived.

For more on Nick Brokhausen’s story, read his books: "We Few: U.S. Special Forces in Vietnam" and "Whispers in the Tall Grass." Stay tuned for the series “American Ronin.”