James Yeager: Edinborough Risk Ambush

[vikingbloodUS]

Ive read the after action report on this incident, and it seems pretty damning of Yeager. First there is the matter of thinking his car had been disabled when in reality he had the parking brake on. The article also mentions Yeager seeking cover without ever effectively engaging the enemy who was shooting at them. Two other team members did engage the vehicle AND tended to the wounded. Yeager couldnt engage the enemy from his new position. So at that point he was just a spectator.

[allofem121]

I dont know the whole story on this. But I feel like James had to make a fight or flight descison and in that case he had to retreat for at least a small distance. Obviously the people that ambushed his team took their time setting up and knew where everyone was. It was in that case pretty stupid not to fall back or retreat. Not trying to be one of those "well if I was there ida done this" people but just my opinion.

[georgethedriver]

I remember during a "fighting rifle" class I took. James was especially hard on us during an excersise in which we had to administer buddy aid while returning fire in an ambush. No matter how many times we did the drill it seemed like we couldn't get it right and he just leaned in harder and harder on the class... I know know why....

[urukhai31]

Rest in peace fallen.

[swedishvolvo]

Why the fock would you sit on the X? Always keep moving! Never stop! If they get the first shot off then keep moving and try to return fire. The only time you should ever stay put is when you're the one who initiates that ambush. That's a tough video to watch.

[rotorleopard]

@swedishvolvo They were on their way to their destination.

-road blocked by coalition forces because of IED up ahead

-PMC didn't want to be compromised and then ambushed in a soft convoy position

-set up defensive posture, compromised

-attacked by multiple PKMs, some from armored trucks (they had only MP5s, SAWs and AR-15s)

-only one of the cars were armored

[swedishvolvo]

@rotorleopard Sitting in the middle of the road in three black Mercedes-Benz is not traveling in a low profile manner. Everyone around you will know that your ether government or a contractor which in Iraq are both targets. If the road is blocked then they should have had an alternative route planed or at least turn around and drive in the opposite direction for awhile then turn around again once the road is clear. My point is once again never stop moving.

[0xide00]

Just to let you know I read 2 people in this car died in or after the attack (3 total). I believe the driver in vehicle 3 (the one you hear talking in the beginning) was immediately killed (shot in the head (Chris Ahmlemen)) and 2 others later succumbed to their injuries( femoral injuries)Jay Hunt, Stef Surette ) . I believe you can hear Johnson (another operator) say that he was hit in the femoral. (Stef Surette was in the lead vehicle)

[clap5]

where's Yager?



[JihadAeon]

@clap5 He was in the forward vehicle to the right and can be seen firing over the trunk of the car before taking cover in the berm to the extreme left of the frame.Critics and haters dump on him for taking cover during an ambush away from a riddled, unarmored vehicle or that he didnt heroically administer aid to the fallen while under direct and deadly fire. I pray if I ever have to engage a bad guy(s) they have the same unrealistic bullshit approach to a firefight. I'll live, they'll die.

[Stompajiggayo]

I have recently recieved and sent comments to James through his Youtube page and he appeals to me as a straight asshole,and not too bright to boot.Anyone interested in seeing why I think this can look at the comments he sent me on his video "yeager's carry gear".

[88warwolf]

a real combat weapon is an ar15/m4/m16 carbine with an acog not an mp5 with an aimpoint. thats a lame weapon for the job. 9mm sub machine guns up against ak47s at a distance? thats insane.

[bestbet25]

I believe Yeager always said "get off the X" .. It looks like thats what he did, I would have most likly done the same. Besides cars can be hit from hundreds of yards while people are more difficult with most combat weapons. Combat accuracy is 10 shots in 10 inch at 100 yards.

[nsnate02]

You all are missing the main point. Car should have never been parked. Car should have been in gear. Car's parking brake should not have been on ........... It's arguing fault after the fact while ignoring the main problem.

Had the above procedures not been violated, all that followed possbily could have been mitigated or avoided all together. Whether or not he did the "right thing" after doing all the wrong things is irrelevant.

[1cme1]

@nsnate02 you weren't in the gunfight, so why are you talking about what anyone should have done? their procedure was to do exactly what they did. they were forced to stop because the road was blocked i believe because there was an IED threat ahead. so they parked their cars in a defensive position. maybe if they didn't do that they wouldn't have been exposed, but suppose they didn't do it and still had their cover blown. they were all ill prepared, but most of them lived through it.

[Donnybrook10]

Looks like a cluster fuck to me. I don't anyone doing anything remotely intelligent.

[RosenKrantz666]

SEEMS Yeager did the SMART thing. cars=bullet trap. obviously 1cannot tell from video alone whether any of the vehicles had high-rated armors, regardless, Jim walked the talk: get the frak away from the car when someone is shooting at you with a PKM! Not sure whether rest of his crew were trained or taught the same way, but it's understandable WHY he did WHAT he did. Plus, not sure if he simply had an AR, or an AK, regardless, the low prone would've seem to offer better concealment/aim as well.

[rotorleopard]

@RosenKrantz666 2 were soft skin and 1 car was armored.

[iceveiled]

Shit I would've booked it to the ditch behind the only armored vehicle too...Can't observe and fire to support your team if you're slumped over the dashboard dead.

[scdefion]

Everybody has something to say about Yeager. The fact is YOU DONT KNOW how you will react to an attack until it happens. You can think about it all you want and you can plan all you want , but that shit usually goes right out the window when the lead starts to fly. "everybody has a plan , until they get punched in the mouth " Mike Tyson

[hitman5652]

@ConcealedXDm hahah yeah he should've taken those PKM rounds in the chest like a man. fucking jokers.

[RomeoEchoGolf]

Typical gung-ho, I know better than you contractor....the entire LC series of contracts has been full of them.

[ersmtruth]

Not sure the criticism about James comes from what he did out there on the ground. As people rightly say it's all too easy to judge someone's actions while sitting in front of a computer.

The criticism he gets - and deserves - is by the way he defamed his colleagues, bragged about killing more terrorists that day than anyone else and tried to sell his 'experience' to those who knew no better.

That's why the man's a swinging dick.

[powerman2442]

@ersmtruth Yeah, was watching videos on pistol cleaning tips. Then, ran into a video of his posted a response. Only took reading a few comments he posted (and receiving one) to see that he's a complete fucking tool. Now I know better and won't be watching anything further from this douche bag.

[RahRahRaharu]

Read the AAR and glad not to have been in there. The main mistake mentioned was the lenght of time which their convoy remained static, and I concur. The MP5 was also wrong. And not having a 7.62 weapon, MG or Marksman's rifle prevented any effective discouraging/killing/wounding fire. All in all a bad day with some hard lessons learned. And who is to say what's what after the fact. Not me, I am merely tossin my two cents. RIP dudes. :(

[mike82y]

i would not have stopped

[SpartanCombativesGrp]

@mike82y i can dig that.

[TacticalTupperware]

My take, shit hit the fan, survival mode kicked in. The insurgents were shooting at the cars so James got out of the car and took cover. In my eyes, the other guys should have done the same thing. You can't blame the man for that. I'm not going to judge, only the almighty can do that. But I will say that youtube "arm chair comandos" who are playing monday morning quaterback need to take a step back and truly reflect on the situatuon before they judge. I am glad it wasn't me!

[JamesTHETEETyeager]

@TacticalTupperware No, when you sign up for such a task like this, you need to stick to it and be loyal to your friends to the death, not leave them behind. They stood by each other and defended each other. James ran away. He's a piece of shit.

[LibertyCzar]

I wonder how far the ambushers were away from the convoy.

[estigia]

They blew their cover,they were going low profile and insurgents picked up on it. The price to pay when you want big bucks...

[ffemt596]

Stationary targets?  WTF?

[TMHonfire102]

looks like all the arfcomer did not do shit and Yeager was the only guy that took care of the killing

[supra297]

@TMHonfire102 Looks like u on crack brah

[ersmtruth]

@TMHonfire102 Think Yeager only took care of himself

[maloso1313]

Where is james?

[praharin]

@maloso1313 What, right now? Camden, TN probably.

[deadwood223]

@maloso1313 Lead car, driver seat I believe. Not sure however.

[Ech0Sierra]

@maloso1313 He starts out in the BMW in front, jumps out driver's seat, starts booking it to the median ditch, and you can see his legs next to that frilly thing blocking the camera view.

[bestbod85]

@Ech0Sierra I would have taken cover in the ditch too, cars are bullet magnets, the rest of his team should have done the same