We're Out of Time
We're Out of Time

The Green Beret Who Lost His Leg and Returned to Combat | Nick Lavery

July 28, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Nick Lavery, an active-duty Green Beret and Silver Star recipient, is the first above-the-knee amputee to return to combat with a U.S. Army Special Forces team. In this conversation, he explains how he rebuilt his life after losing his leg in a catastrophic insider attack in Afghanistan, and why the same mental toughness that makes elite soldiers effective can also lead to their undoing.

The Mechanism of Self-Destruction

Lavery identifies a double-edged sword at the heart of military culture. The traits that make service members exceptional—discipline, mental toughness, consistency, work ethic—are the same traits that can lead to catastrophe when applied in the wrong direction. "It's just what direction are you moving in? And what kind of weight do you continue to add on before something breaks?" he says. The problem is compounded by two factors: first, a fear of being seen as a liability if you admit you're struggling, which can threaten security clearances, deployments, and career progression. Second, a sense of nobility wrapped up in simply continuing to push forward, adding more weight without relief. This makes it easy to justify ignoring symptoms or self-medicating, because the identity of "operator" or "soldier" is built into who these people are.

Owning Reality as a Practical Strategy

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:00) **The Urgency of Planning for Transition** - Nick argues that service members must start planning for civilian life years in advance, not wait until their last day in uniform.
  • 2 (01:30) **Introduction: Nick Lavery's Unprecedented Return** - The host introduces Nick as an active-duty Green Beret, Silver Star recipient, and the first above-the-knee amputee to return to combat with a Special Forces team.
  • 3 (02:20) **Gratitude and the Foundation of a Powerful Partnership** - Nick describes the unique bond with his wife, which began at his lowest point in the hospital.
  • 4 (08:44) **No Atheists in a Foxhole: Finding Faith** - Nick traces his return to faith, from running away from Catholicism to finding God in a gunfight.
  • 5 (11:40) **Raising Children with Faith** - Nick discusses how he and his wife intentionally weave Christianity into their children's upbringing.
  • 6 (14:20) **Why Veterans Self-Medicate: The Double-Edged Sword of Military Culture** - Nick explains the two main drivers of the mental health crisis in the military.
  • 7 (19:56) **The Story of Losing His Leg and Owning His Reality** - Nick recounts the 2013 insider attack in Afghanistan where an Afghan police officer opened fire, leading to 12 U.S. casualties and the loss of his leg.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Some people survive adversity. Nick Lavery went back for more.

Richard Taite sits down with Chief Warrant Officer Nick Lavery, an active-duty Green Beret, Silver Star recipient, and the first above-the-knee amputee in history to return to combat with a U.S. Army Special Forces team. After losing his leg in Afghanistan in 2013 during the most catastrophic insider attack of the Global War on Terror, Nick refused a medical retirement, spent a year recovering at Walter Reed, passed a grueling 15-week assessment, and deployed back to Afghanistan for full-spectrum combat operations.

Nick and Richard talk about rebuilding identity after loss, how faith carried him through recovery, why veterans struggle to ask for help, the double edge of the warrior mindset, and what he learned from losing nearly a dozen brothers in combat — and three times that number outside of it. Nick also opens up about retiring after 20 years of service, the identity crisis that follows when the uniform comes off, and building his next chapter through MCHN, the human performance company he founded.

Nick is the founder of MCHN, CEO of Precision Components LLC, and bestselling author of Objective Secure: The Battle-Tested Guide to Goal Achievement.

Richard Taite is one of the foremost experts on addiction in the United States. He lost 25 years to addiction before achieving 21 years of sobriety — an experience that drives his work helping others through it.

“We’re Out Of Time” dives into the issues America can’t afford to ignore — addiction, mental health, parenting, resilience, and hope. Raw truth, real stories, life-saving conversations.

Learn more about Nick Lavery: https://mchn.co/ & https://www.precisioncomponentsllc.com/

More on Richard Taite and Carrara Treatment Wellness & Spa: https://linktr.ee/richardtaite

https://www.wereoutoftime.com/

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