#305 AJ Pasciuti - Marine Scout Sniper on Hunting Juba, the Deadliest Enemy Sniper in Iraq

#305 AJ Pasciuti - Marine Scout Sniper on Hunting Juba, the Deadliest Enemy Sniper in Iraq

From The Shawn Ryan Show by Shawn Ryan

May 18, 2026 · 8h 31m

About this episode

AJ Pasciuti discusses his military career and the mission to hunt down the deadliest enemy sniper in Iraq.

AJ Pasciuti grew up in Sunnyvale, California, the son of Italian and Argentine immigrants. After 9/11 reshaped his sense of purpose, he enlisted in the Marine Corps and was assigned to 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division — one of the most storied units in the Corps — where he served as a rifleman and team leader. Over twenty-one years of service, he deployed three times to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, including the Battle of Fallujah. He led a Scout Sniper team that tracked and killed the most lethal enemy sniper in Iraq — a figure known as "Juba" — and recovered a stolen Marine sniper rifle in what was the first mission of its kind by an American service member since Vietnam. He went on to serve with 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion and 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company, deploying to Helmand Province, Afghanistan, during Operation Enduring Freedom and later with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit. As an instructor, he taught at the Scout Sniper School at Camp Pendleton, created the Recon Team Leaders Course, and helped develop the Infantry Marine Course at School of Infantry–West, modernizing foundational training for enlisted Marines. Selected for the…

People in this episode

Host: Shawn Ryan

Guest: AJ Pasciuti

Topics covered

  • military service
  • sniper operations
  • Iraq War
  • Marine Corps history
  • veteran experiences

Keywords

  • AJ Pasciuti
  • Marine Corps
  • sniper
  • Iraq
  • Juba
  • military history
  • veteran
  • Battle of Fallujah
  • reconnaissance

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Marine Corps, University of Southern California, School of Infantry–West, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit

Places: Sunnyvale, California, Iraq, Fallujah, Helmand Province, Afghanistan

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