In this episode of the Shawn Ryan Show, former Delta Force operator Larry Vickers shares his journey from a small Ohio town to becoming a Green Beret and Delta Force member. Vickers describes his involvement in Operation Acid Gambit, which involved rescuing Kurt Muse from Panama's Modelo Prison, and his squadron's role in hunting Scud missiles during the Gulf War.
The episode also covers Vickers' post-military career, including his work with Heckler & Koch on the HK416 rifle and the founding of Vickers Tactical. Vickers discusses his current challenges, including legal issues related to firearm imports and his battle with follicular lymphoma, as well as his efforts to restore his gun rights and repair family relationships.
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Larry Vickers grew up in Adams Mills, Ohio, a small town with strong military traditions. His father and uncle, both World War II veterans, heavily influenced his career path. Vickers recalls spending his youth hunting and exploring outdoors, maintaining a close relationship with his supportive mother while experiencing a more distant connection with his father. Inspired by his father's stories about the Rangers and motivated by Reagan's presidency, Vickers enlisted in the Army immediately after graduating high school in 1981.
Through a special program known as the "SF Baby Program," Vickers joined Special Forces directly from high school, becoming a Green Beret before turning 19. His time in Delta Force included participating in Operation Acid Gambit, where he led the breach team in rescuing Kurt Muse from Panama's Modelo Prison. Though successful, the operation faced complications when a helicopter crashed during extraction. During the Gulf War, Vickers' squadron, thanks to Commander Eldon Bargewell's foresight in desert training, became instrumental in hunting Scud missiles in Iraq.
After retiring, Vickers partnered with Heckler & Koch to develop the HK416 rifle, addressing issues identified in the Crane Report regarding M4s. He founded Vickers Tactical, providing specialized firearms training and developing accessories with companies like Blue Force Gear and Tango Down. Vickers also launched the Vickers Guide series, collaborating with photographer James Rupley to create comprehensive firearms reference books.
Vickers currently faces legal challenges after pleading guilty to illegal firearm imports and violating an Obama executive order. He's potentially facing a five-year term and substantial fines, with sentencing expected in 2024. Simultaneously, he's battling follicular lymphoma, which led him to sell most of his gun collection for his family's financial security. Vickers openly acknowledges past shortcomings as a husband and father, while actively pursuing the restoration of his gun rights with support from Kurt Muse and former Delta Force officers.
1-Page Summary
Larry Vickers' early days in Adams Mills, Ohio, and family history molded his path towards a career in the military.
Born in 1963, Vickers was raised in a very small town known for its strong military background. In Adams Mills, Ohio, a place without even a traffic light, military service was a proud tradition, especially with many World War II veterans living there, including his father and Uncle Bill.
Vickers' father served in North Africa and Italy during World War II and occasionally mentioned the war, possibly suffering from PTSD as he recollected friends who had died or been killed. His mother contributed to the war effort by working at a factory producing artillery shells. The prevalence of veterans in his life, like his dad and Uncle Bill, who also fought in Korea, played an essential role in Vickers' decision to join the military. Ronald Reagan's presidency, which rekindled American pride and a positive military view, alongside his father's experiences, solidified his choice.
Vickers embraced the freedom of outdoor exploration, hunting with BB guns and rifles. His interest in the outdoors developed around the age of eight or nine and remained unhindered, as he and his friends traversed miles from home, much to their parents' nonchalance.
He found kinship with his mother, who was always ready to acquiesce to his wishes and whims. Conversely, his relationship with his father was more distant; despite understanding his father's love, Vickers never heard verba ...
Vickers' Early Life and Path to the Military
Larry Vickers, a retired US Army 1st SFOD Delta operator, speaks about his 15 years of service in Delta Force, reflecting on key operations and the rigorous selection and training that shaped his military career.
Vickers joined Special Forces through a program colloquially known as the "SF Baby Program," which allowed individuals to join directly from high school post-Vietnam when a need for personnel was recognized. He enlisted at age 17, between his junior and senior years of high school, and completed the Special Forces Qualification Course at 18, becoming a Green Beret before turning 19.
Once in Delta Force, Vickers participated in a comprehensive selection process that included survival and land navigation training considered to be some of the best in the US military. The qualification course also involved physical challenges, such as an Army Physical Fitness Test, a 100-meter swim in full gear, and an 18-mile rucksack march. Vickers described this selection phase as a stress test, pushing candidates to their physical and mental limits to ensure only the fittest would join the elite unit.
One of the high points of Vickers' career was Operation Acid Gambit—aimed at rescuing Kurt Muse from the high-security Modelo Prison in Panama. Vickers was the first to breach the prison entrance and participated in securing Kurt Muse, an American civilian imprisoned for anti-regime activities. Muse was rescued, but the operation was not without complications.
The planning for the operation passed through different squadrons, each refining and rehearsing the mission. Vickers, who had recently joined Delta Force, partook in the preparations that included mock-ups of the prison and intelligence-gathering, which ensured precision during the actual rescue. Vickers recalls this operation as meticulously planned and credits his team's preparation with its success.
However, a helicopter crash marred the success of the operation. After extracting Muse, one of the rescue helicopters, heavily loaded and attempting to gain altitude, crashed beside a cemetery. The quick reaction of the Delta medics and ground forces ensured the wounded were evacuated and Muse's safety. Vickers remembered these m ...
Vickers' Career in Delta Force, Including Key Operations
Larry Vickers, after retiring from Delta Force, has carved out a new path as an innovator in weapons development and as an entrepreneur in the firearms industry.
After leaving military service, Larry Vickers entered the field of weapons research and development. It was during this time that he became involved in the creation of the HK416 rifle. Vickers' partnership with Heckler & Koch (HK) was instrumental to the development of this firearm, which addressed problems identified in the Crane Report regarding M4s with high round counts. The HK416, designed with close quarters battle in mind, quickly became successful and globally adopted, praised for its reliable performance from the start.
Vickers worked closely with HK to improve the design of the assault rifle, using a G36 style gas system. He was particularly involved in refining the hand guard rail system, ensuring that a free-floating hand guard could be removed for gas system maintenance without losing the zero on a rail-mounted laser, a feature that added to the rifle's acclaim and has been widely imitated since. Vickers regards the HK416 as a fantastic gun that represents both his and Ernst Mauch’s significant contributions to weapon design.
After leaving active duty, Vickers initially returned to his unit as a contract instructor, worked for a spell with a government agency, and then launched Vickers Tactical. The venture sprouted from Larry Vickers' recognition of a market need for specialized firearms training, following encouragement from others to capitalize on opportunities.
Vickers Tactical blossomed due to Larry Vickers' recognized expertise in pistols, particularly with the 1911 model. He is renowned for his skill in building these pistols and imparting that knowledge through classes on their assembly, maintenance, and troubleshooting. This focus on quality training and his distinguished 1911 pistol knowledge ensured his company’s success.
Vickers extended his brand into the realm of firearms accessories, collaborating with companies such as Blue Force Gear and Tango Down. His first product with Blue Force Gear was very successful, a ...
Vickers' Post-Military Career as an Innovator and Entrepreneur
Larry Vickers, a known firearms expert, is currently facing legal troubles for his involvement in illegal firearm imports and violating an Obama executive order. He pled guilty to both charges on October 23. Vickers acknowledges his hyper-focus on firearms and admits to knowingly violating rules, laws, and regulations, which led to the ATF seizing his guns in August 2021. He is potentially facing a five-year term and a million-dollar fine, but the sentencing might not happen until 2024, with the possibility of further delays. Vickers chose to plead guilty to avoid bankrupting himself and sparing his family additional hardship. He is seeking a pardon and restoration of his gun rights.
Vickers anticipates a long sentencing process with many variables that even his attorney can't predict. If Trump returns to office, Vickers hopes it might change his circumstances, potentially leading to a pardon and the restoration of his gun rights. Vickers confessed to conspiring with others to falsify paperwork to import firearms for his personal collection, which, at its peak, consisted of 650 firearms.
Apart from his legal woes, Vickers is battling follicular lymphoma, a cancer that is treatable but not curable. He has undergone a stem cell transplant, resulting in a complete remission, but the process wiped out his immune system, necessitating re-vaccination. The diagnosis led him to sell most of his gun collection for his family's financial security. He suspects that the cancer may be related to his time at "the unit," as many of his peers also have cancer, although he cannot prove it.
Vickers confesses he has not been the best husband or father, acknowledging that he has neglected his family which has contributed to his son's s ...
Vickers' Current Legal and Personal Struggles
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