Episode 248 - Nick Lavery
Nick is an active duty member of The United States Army Special Forces. Commonly known as Green Berets, the Special Forces perform critical missions including counterinsurgency, unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, and special reconnaissance. In 2013, on Nick's second combat rotation to Afghanistan, he and his Detachment fell victim to an insider attack ultimately resulting in the loss of his leg.
Following a year of surgeries and initial recovery including the use of a prosthetic at Walter Reed National Medical Military Center, he returned to his unit. Refusing a military medical retirement, Nick set his sights on returning to operational status. In 2015, at the conclusion of a challenging, comprehensive assessment designed to evaluate Nick's abilities to operate, he returned to his Detachment and was subsequently deployed once again to Afghanistan conducting full-spectrum combat operations. Nick is considered to be the first Green Beret to return to combat as an above-the-knee amputee.
Nick is currently serving the United States citizens as a Special Forces Warrant Officer / Assistant Detachment Commander and is widely recognized as an experienced subject matter expert in special operations, intelligence fusion, and mission planning and execution across all operational continuums. A former Special Forces Weapons Sergeant, Nick is Airborne and Combat Diver qualified, holds instructor certifications in Modern Army Combatives (MACP) and Special Operations Combatives (SOCP) programs, and is a graduate of both the Network Development Course and Unconventional Warfare Operational Design course. Nick is the first amputee to complete the Special Forces Warrant Officer Technical and Tactical Certification course, the SOCP Instructor course, and the Combat Diver Qualification course in military history.
Nick's awards include the Silver Star, three Purple Hearts, two Bronze Stars, Bronze Star with “V” for valor, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, two Meritorious Service Medals, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and the Special Operations Command Excalibur Award. An extensive world traveler, Nick provides training and motivational speeches to private sector corporations, schools and universities, sports teams, and a variety of different non-profit organizations. In his TED Talk ‘Living by an Ethos,’ Nick speaks about the Warrior Mindset and the importance of sacrifice, determination, and selflessness.
Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, Nick is a husband, father, athlete, student, and author. He speaks multiple languages including Dari, Farsi, and Russian, and has earned a Purple Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
