
20+ Years as a Navy Rescue Swimmer | Flying Missions in Iraq with Jack Carr & SEAL Team Ops
From Calm in the Chaos - U.S. Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer Podcast by Brian Dickinson
February 11, 2026 · 1h 15m · Episode 51
About this episode
Jeff Strickland shares his experiences as a U.S. Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer, reflecting on his career and missions in Iraq.
I deployed twice to the Persian Gulf with Jeff Strickland , a brother who went on to serve more than two decades as a U.S. Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer and aircrewman . His career spanned multiple combat deployments, high-risk rescues, and unforgettable missions — including flying Iraq mission sets with SEAL sniper Jack Carr , and an intense injured SEAL medevac following a ship takedown. In this episode of Calm in the Chaos , Jeff reflects on the highs and lows of a long Navy career — the camaraderie, the chaos, and the call to serve that never really fades. His perspective captures what it means to live the Rescue Swimmer creed long after the uniform comes off. In this episode: Deploying to the Persian Gulf and Iraq Flying with Jack Carr during real-world SEAL missions The injured SEAL medevac that tested training and heart Lessons from 20+ years of service and leadership in the Navy Brotherhood, resilience, and life after active duty 👉 Subscribe, share, and review — it helps more veterans, first responders, and families find hope through these stories. CALM IN THE CHAOS PODCAST Episode 51 So Others May Live! 🫡🇺🇸 Keep Calm in the Chaos Merch (Link in bio or…
People in this episode
Host: Brian Dickinson
Guest: Jeff Strickland
Topics covered
- Navy Rescue Swimmer
- combat deployments
- high-risk rescues
- SEAL missions
- military service
- life after active duty
Keywords
- Navy Rescue Swimmer
- combat deployments
- SEAL missions
- medevac
- military service
- leadership
- camaraderie
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: U.S. Navy, SEAL Team
Places: Persian Gulf, Iraq
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