Warrior Toughness - Mind, Body, Soul with FLTCM David Isom

In this interview, Fleet Master Chief David Isom discusses the Navy SEAL selection process, the endurance required to survive “Hell Week,” the daily dangers of being a member of a SEAL team and how the stress of that danger is managed, and how the US military approaches resilience at an organizational level. He even talks about his role in the planning and rescue of Private Jessica Lynch when she was a prisoner of war in Iraq.

Fleet Master Chief David Isom assumed his current duties as Command Senior Enlisted Leader for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command in June of 2022. He previously served as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader, Special Operations Command Pacific; Command Senior Enlisted Leader, Special Operations Command North; Command Master Chief, Naval Special Warfare Group TEN; and Command Master Chief, Special Reconnaissance Team TWO. His other assignments include Naval Special Warfare Development Group, Joint Special Operations Command, Tactical Development and Evaluation Squadron ONE, and SEAL Team ONE.

Master Chief Isom's assignments have included a full range of duties in Sea, Air, Land (SEAL) Teams at Theater Special Operations Commands, and across the joint environment. His combat and operational deployments include Operation Desert Shield, Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, as well as deployments throughout the Pacific and the Horn of Africa.

“It turned into a massive joint force effort. A lot of people focus in on my unit and of Navy SEALs for that, but to be honest we could not have done it without the total joint force and all the services – Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines – all that participated in various ways to execute that really big mission…it really serves as a great example of the lengths that the United States will go to to leave no one behind…that has really stood as a pillar of our ethos.” FLTCM David Isom discussing what the April 1, 2003 rescue of PFC Jessica Lynch means to him.

Warrior Toughness - Mind, Body, Soul with FLTCM David Isom

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