22 SAS Operator Phil Campion: The Truth About the SAS, Life After the Military & More
Inspire change.Show Notes
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In today's episode, Jordan sits down with Phil Campion, known to many as Big Phil Campion, a former UK Special Forces operator who passed selection into D Squadron. Phil opens up about a turbulent childhood spent in and out of children's homes, including abuse and relentless bullying, and explains how learning to control his own suffering as a boy shaped the calm he would later rely on under fire. He details the winding path that took him from a scholarship at a public school to the Royal Hampshire Regiment, and the blunt ultimatum from his commanding officer that finally pushed him towards Special Forces selection.
The conversation moves through the realities of selection itself, the humbling first months inside the regiment, and the ethos of self-discipline that Phil credits as the single lesson that has shaped his life the most. He recalls being wounded by shrapnel on an operation in Africa, a harrowing capture and imprisonment in a shipping container in Togo, and a tense standoff during a kidnapping incident in Afghanistan. Phil is candid about the difficult transition into civilian life after his time on the private military circuit, including a period of heavy drinking and financial recklessness following operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.
He also talks about rediscovering purpose through boxing, including organising charity fights between teams of SAS veterans and Navy SEALs, and reflects on the humility he believes defines genuine Special Forces operators. The episode closes with Phil's advice for young people who feel they have no clear path forward, drawn directly from his own journey through the care system and into one of the toughest selection courses in the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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