Ryan Hendrickson

As I begin my last Afghanistan deployment I start to think back on all my previous deployments and just how much has changed. We will be one of the last here as we continue to close bases down and commence our troop withdraw. Its crazy to think how much blood, sweat, tears and emotion has been pored into this country by US service members and now its done. I am human like everyone else and I cant help but wounder if it all was worth it. During these trying times whether in Afghanistan or home with everything going on in the states, it is critical to keep your mind and body sound. I know the gym is my stress relief and thank God we have a good one at my FOB but each of us has to find our happy place, our safe place to recoup and recharge, ready ourselves to get back into the fight. Check on your family, friends, neighbors and anyone who could use a little help. We are all in this shit together so take care of one another and in the end we will be still be standing once the dust clears. God bless America.

Reporting to quarantine Dec 4th I felt like this was going to feel like years to get through till the 20th. Well, today waking up I can see the finish line in sight, only 3 more days here, then it’s back to Afghanistan. I think I’ve done more pushups and burpees than I’ve ever done in my life but I have stayed busy. Catching up on work, doing podcasts, and refocusing my mind have made this time in isolation a blessing in disguise. Always remember, regardless of the situation you may find yourself in, stay busy, occupy your mind and body, and you will feel rewarded in the end.

It’s that time again, another trip to Afghanistan but this deployment comes with a twist. On this, my 8 deployment to Afghanistan, I have to quarantine in Dubai for 16 days. I’m not one who can sit around or be locked up for very long so this will be a true test of my willpower. Now there are a few ways someone could approach this situation. One way would be the boredom route and what in the hell am I going to do for all these days. The second way would be to exercise your mind route. In the world today it is very easy to get caught up in the day-to-day hustle, going off muscle memory and just letting life go by or as one would say “going through the motions”. I’m going to try the second option, I’m going to use these 16 days to exercise my mind, read those books I want to, slow down and do a deep cleaning of my mind, and overall, use this time to recenter myself. There will be a lot of push-ups, air squats, and any other workout I can figure out, but for once in my life, I have no deadlines for 16 days. Time for a deep dive and some great mental maintenance.

It is a rare thing in life to be surrounded by greatness. Throughout my career, I have been a soldier working with many heroes. It seemed like everywhere you looked there was a man with an unbelievable story that would fill the pages of millions of books. Every Green Beret knows where we come from and the men who paved the way for my generation of Special Forces soldiers. Well, Roger Donlon and John Meyer are two Vietnam era Green Berets who set the standard of what a Green Beret is today. I’ve had a lot of opportunities in my life but this one is very special to me, the chance to swap book with heroes, a man amongst giants.

Quick trip to San Diego for an amazing opportunity to be on Jocko’s Podcast. It’s rare in life to run into someone that you know will have a lasting impression on you but Jocko is that guy. His passion for service members, veterans, and America cannot be denied. Was an honor, I appreciate the opportunity and keep killing it bro.

Putting yourself out there and taking chances is all apart of spreading the word about my book. November 1st, I decided to take a Facebook friend up on her offer and head to Sacramento. With multiple unknowns out there including I only knew of my contacts from Facebook, and having no clue what I was getting myself into, I decided to go. I guess it goes back to the old saying if you don’t try, you will never know. The event was in Auburn California which is a little Gold Rush town in Northern Ca. Needless to say, Auburn California was absolutely amazing to me and I want to thank everyone for their amazing hospitality. The best part of the whole event was being able to raise $1000 for Elk Grove firefighters.

“It’s all in the title – Tip of the Spear is an incredible story. A journey through life as a warrior punctuated with making tough decisions that most have never fathomed. This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn about leadership, overcoming adversity, and what it means to serve something, or someone, greater than oneself.” Major Scott A. Huesing USMC (Ret)Bestselling Author Echo in Ramadi | The Firsthand Story of US Marines in Iraq’s Deadliest City

When I mailed my book to President Trump I had zero expectations that he would actually get it. Definitely shocked when I checked my mail and saw this. With the elections, COVID, and everything else going on in our country, the Trump family took the time to send me a little note. Thank you Mr. Trump and family for taking the time to respond and I hope one of these days you get the chance to read my story.

Such an amazing night tonight signing books, tasting some amazing beer from Long Tab Brewing Company (@longtabbrewing). Drinking coffee with Black Rifle Coffee Company (@blackriflecoffee), and checking out some workout supplements from Alpha Elite Performance (@alphaeliteperformance), all veteran ran organizations gathered together for an amazing cause. I want to send a special thank you to the @greenberetfoundation for setting all this up, opening your doors and heart for this amazing opportunity! I can’t wait to work with you all in the future! @bald_bros.inc thank you for the shirt and swag!!!!

Thank you to everyone who came out to Stripes last night to get a book signed and help support the Fisher House of the Emerald Coast. Right now we have over $600 in donations to the Fisher House with more on the way. It was amazing meeting new friends and seeing my SF brothers come out to support me and my book. Very special thanks to Rob and his Stripes team for hosting Dawn and me giving us an amazing location to get my story out there. Rob is the definition of a military supporter and he lives these values day in and out. I also really want to thank The Fisher House and their extraordinary efforts in providing comfort to families during times of crisis. The Fisher House in San Antonio was the reason that my family was able to be there and live there to support me throughout my injury. The fisher house typically has their facilities located right near the military hospitals so when the service member is either ill or injured their loved ones can be right nearby to support them and not have to worry about hotel costs. They allowed the family to be able to fully focus on their loved ones and not worry about where they are going to stay. I cannot even imagine my family having to worry about housing while I was in the hospital and recovery. Lotsa love to our Military town @Stripes Pub & Grill