Veronica Rector from The Boerne Star sits down with retired Special Forces veteran Tyr Symank to trace his 31-year military journey — from an 18-year-old who enlisted for college money to becoming a Green Beret combat medic deployed to Afghanistan. Tier shares stories from the First Cavalry's Horse Cavalry Detachment at Fort Hood, his experience in Special Forces selection during 9/11, grueling land navigation training in the North Carolina sandhills, and a unforgettable field amputation performed in a mud hut on the Afghan-Pakistan border. The episode closes with details about the upcoming Tides of Gratitude Gala benefiting the Real Warriors Foundation, a veterans' mental health nonprofit.

 

0:00     Intro — Veronica Rector welcomes Tyr Symank to The Boerne Brew

0:20     Early inspiration — Why Tier enlisted at 18 (college money, ski resort life, Marine recruiting ads)

2:11     Choosing the Army — Marines wanted 6 years; Army offered the same tank driver job for 2 years (he stayed 31)

2:55     Fort Hood & the Horse Cavalry Detachment — Ceremonial unit, parades, and rodeos across Central Texas

4:24     Trying out for Special Forces — Selected as a SF medic; 9/11 happens during training

5:01     9/11 experience — Working with FDNY weeks before the attacks; watching the second tower hit live

6:03     How 9/11 changed his motivation — From personal challenge to real mission

6:23     Special Forces training: Land Navigation — The infamous "Star Course" in North Carolina sandhills

8:03     Mid-show  — Veronica resets for new listeners

8:19     SF training phases — Small unit tactics, specialty selection, the year-long medic course (highest attrition)

9:27     Deployments — Language training (Thai), SERE school, then Afghanistan in summer 2003

10:08  Afghanistan environment — Bagram, "Disney Drive," conventional forces flooding in

10:47  Mission work — Weapons cantonment in Mazar-i-Sharif; border operations in Kunar Province

12:27  Naray outpost — Northernmost coalition presence on the Afghan-Pakistan border

13:28  The amputation story — An elderly Afghan local with an unhealed leg fracture; Tier prepares to amputate in a mud hut

15:33  Improvising surgery — Missing Gigli saw handles, thermobaric grenade rings, a Sawzall, and a "five-second rule" skin graft

19:26  Post-military life — Retired May 9, 2026; emceeing the Tides of Gratitude Gala

20:03  Tides of Gratitude Gala — Nov 7, Spring Branch, TX; benefiting Real Warriors Foundation (veterans' mental health)

21:20  Outro — Where to find the replay (boerneradio.com)

Original Air Date:  October 10, 2026, as heard on Boerne Radio 103.9FM

https://www.boernestar.com/

Veronica Rector from The Boerne Star sits down with retired Special Forces veteran Tyr Symank to trace his 31-year military journey &mdash; from an 18-year-old who enlisted for college money to becoming a Green Beret combat medic deployed to Afghanistan. Tier shares stories from the First Cavalry's Horse Cavalry Detachment at Fort Hood, his experience in Special Forces selection during 9/11, grueling land navigation training in the North Carolina sandhills, and a unforgettable field amputation performed in a mud hut on the Afghan-Pakistan border. The episode closes with details about the upcoming Tides of Gratitude Gala benefiting the Real Warriors Foundation, a veterans' mental health nonprofit.
&nbsp;
0:00&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Intro &mdash; Veronica Rector welcomes Tyr Symank to The Boerne Brew
0:20&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Early inspiration &mdash; Why Tier enlisted at 18 (college money, ski resort life, Marine recruiting ads)
2:11&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Choosing the Army &mdash; Marines wanted 6 years; Army offered the same tank driver job for 2 years (he stayed 31)
2:55&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Fort Hood &amp; the Horse Cavalry Detachment &mdash; Ceremonial unit, parades, and rodeos across Central Texas
4:24&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Trying out for Special Forces &mdash; Selected as a SF medic; 9/11 happens during training
5:01&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 9/11 experience &mdash; Working with FDNY weeks before the attacks; watching the second tower hit live
6:03&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; How 9/11 changed his motivation &mdash; From personal challenge to real mission
6:23&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Special Forces training: Land Navigation &mdash; The infamous "Star Course" in North Carolina sandhills
8:03&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Mid-show &nbsp;&mdash; Veronica resets for new listeners
8:19&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; SF training phases &mdash; Small unit tactics, specialty selection, the year-long medic course (highest attrition)
9:27&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Deployments &mdash; Language training (Thai), SERE school, then Afghanistan in summer 2003
10:08&nbsp; Afghanistan environment &mdash; Bagram, "Disney Drive," conventional forces flooding in
10:47&nbsp; Mission work &mdash; Weapons cantonment in Mazar-i-Sharif; border operations in Kunar Province
12:27&nbsp; Naray outpost &mdash; Northernmost coalition presence on the Afghan-Pakistan border
13:28&nbsp; The amputation story &mdash; An elderly Afghan local with an unhealed leg fracture; Tier prepares to amputate in a mud hut
15:33&nbsp; Improvising surgery &mdash; Missing Gigli saw handles, thermobaric grenade rings, a Sawzall, and a "five-second rule" skin graft
19:26&nbsp; Post-military life &mdash; Retired May 9, 2026; emceeing the Tides of Gratitude Gala
20:03&nbsp; Tides of Gratitude Gala &mdash; Nov 7, Spring Branch, TX; benefiting Real Warriors Foundation (veterans' mental health)
21:20&nbsp; Outro &mdash; Where to find the replay (boerneradio.com)
Original Air Date:&nbsp; October 10, 2026, as heard on Boerne Radio 103.9FM
<a href="https://www.boernestar.com/">https://www.boernestar.com/</a>

Sponsored by The Boerne Star as heard on Boerne Radio 103.9FM - Saturday's at 8am

Sponsored by The Boerne Star as heard on Boerne Radio 103.9FM - Saturday's at 8am

The Boerne Brew with Jeff Flinn

The Boerne Star presents The Boerne Brewwith Jeff Flinn- Managing Editor of The Boerne Star in Boerne, and along with Sportswriter Kerry Barboza.

You'll hear special interviews and conversations on the issues in Boerne, Texas (water, traffic, fire, growth, politics, and other newsmakers).  Plus insights in the Boerne sports world with Coaches and Player interviews.

Produced at the Boerne Star Studios as heard on Boerne Radio 103.9FM every Saturday at 8am.

The Boerne Star presents The Boerne Brew with Jeff Flinn- Managing Editor of The Boerne Star in Boerne, and along with Sportswriter Kerry Barboza.
You'll hear special interviews and conversations on the issues in Boerne, Texas (water, traffic, fire, growth, politics, and other newsmakers).  Plus insights in the Boerne sports world with Coaches and Player interviews.
Produced at the Boerne Star Studios as heard on Boerne Radio 103.9FM every Saturday at 8am.