Tim Kennedy Talks First Kill As Sniper, Realities of Combat: ‘It is horrible. It is young. It is pain.’

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

In a gripping episode of “The Shawn Ryan Show,” hosted by former Navy SEAL Shawn Ryan, Tim Kennedy, a renowned Master Sergeant and Green Beret, revealed the harrowing realities of combat.

Kennedy, also a New York Times Best Selling Author and retired UFC fighter, discussed his experiences with a directness that sheds light on the brutalities of war.

Kennedy recalled his first engagement as a sniper, describing it as “sad, like all war is.” It involved a young boy, around 11 or 12 years old, whom he shot while the boy was moving between resupply points.

“He was carrying a 1875 lever action British rifle,” Kennedy noted. This event led him to hang the rifle in his office, not as a war trophy, but as a reminder of the profound consequences of war.

“It reminds me of two things,” Kennedy explained. “One is every time I hear a politician say like why do you need a gun? Like what is the importance of the Second Amendment? We have F-16s and F-18s and M1 Abrams. I think back to a little boy, a peasant, a nomad that had been kicking the American Special Operations ass in this Valley for three days.”

“And he’s running around with an 1875 musket. One man with a rifle protecting his own land, how powerful he is and the power of the Second Amendment and how this insurmountable force of one, one good guy with a gun, how powerful that that is. So, that’s one reason.

“And the second is to remind me of the cost of war. It’s never the way that you want it to be. It’s never the way that it is in the movies. It is horrible. It is young. It is pain,” he continued.

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Kennedy’s reflections extended to a broader critique of war’s representation in media and politics. He expressed a desire for his son never to face the agonies of war, emphasizing, “War is horrible, not like in the movies.”

The interview took a more intense turn as Kennedy recounted an incident involving women and children casualties caused by a grenade he threw. “This guy had barricaded himself with women and children,” he said, underscoring the tragic complexities soldiers often encounter.

Kennedy also detailed his nightly routine during combat operations, where he would use thermal imaging to engage targets for hours. “Every night, I’d splash rounds into every heated body on the battlefield,” he said somberly.

Concluding the interview, Tim Kennedy reflected on the burdens of combat, “This is war. F*ck war.” His words painted a vivid picture of the stark realities faced by soldiers, far removed from the glorified portrayals often seen in popular culture.

Kennedy, apart from his military career, has made significant contributions through his company, Sheepdog Response, and his involvement in Save Our Allies, assisting over 17,000 American allies during the Afghanistan withdrawal. His commitment to service continues through his various ventures, including Apogee Strong, an alternative education program.

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