Why did Mike Hayes refuse a general's order in Afghanistan in 2012?

Mike Hayes said a Green Beret team watching through a drone called in a strike that killed eight or nine Taliban planting roadside bombs. Higher headquarters then demanded a boots-on-the-ground damage assessment under a new policy. Hayes and the team judged the narrow road a likely ambush, so he refused, knowing he could be sent home. The general had Afghan forces go instead; two of their three vehicles were blown up and three or four Afghans died. Hayes says the team's captain later told him at least three of them were alive because of his call.

• Hayes says he read Matthew 24:26 from his deployment Bible before calling the general back with a final no.
• Hayes said this was the decision in his life he is proudest of.

▸In their words

“And sometimes you just got to go against the grain and do what right is.” Mike Hayes · at 3:52:10 — open in the transcript →

Source: our own transcription of the episode. The full conversation is on The Shawn Ryan Show (2026-10-22). Read the whole episode summary →

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