Chris Fettes - A SEAL Team 6 Sniper’s Worst Nightmare | SRS #156

Chris Fettes, a former Navy SEAL, served for 13 years with SEAL Team 10 and Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU), deploying to combat zones in Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia. During his military career, Fettes developed a passion for making ice cream, often bringing his high-end Italian ice cream machine on deployments. He would create frozen treats for his teammates and even distribute ice cream to local children in war-torn areas.

After leaving the military in 2016, Fettes pursued his passion for ice cream making by enrolling in Penn State University's Ice Cream Short Course. In 2022, he launched Be Free Craft Ice Cream, an artisanal, small-batch ice cream company based in Virginia Beach. Fettes' business pays homage to his military roots with flavors like ‘Cookie Commandough’ and ‘Pointman Pistachio.’ He is currently exploring his next venture of opening a brick-and-mortar shop in Virginia Beach.

00:00 Introduction
27:15 Childhood and Family Background
50:45 Childhood Reflections and Early Trauma
01:08:14 Joining the Military Post-9/11
01:33:03 Graduation Guilt and Imposter Syndrome
01:49:54 First Kinetic Operations
02:11:32 Turnover and First Kill Reflections
02:19:12 Collateral Damage and Moral Dilemmas in War
02:33:37 Starting a Family and Secrets to a Successful Marriage
02:41:04 Selection and Training for DEVGRU
02:59:13 Graduating Green Team
03:29:24 The Impact of War on Family
03:37:17 Operation in Somalia
03:50:29 Struggles with Trauma and Addiction
04:36:37 Extraterrestrial Encounters and Theories
04:51:13 A Passion for Ice Cream
05:13:15 Meditation and Mindfulness Exercise
05:21:46 Conclusion and Final Thoughts