SRS: Keith Stansell - Held Hostage 1967 Days, Nearly Executed & Calling Chuck Norris

Keith Stansell is a former U.S. Marine and Northrop Grumman employee who was captured by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on February 13, 2003, after his surveillance plane crashed in the Colombian jungle during an anti-narcotics mission.

Held hostage for 1,967 days (more than 5 years) alongside contractors Marc Gonsalves and Thomas Howes, Stansell endured harsh conditions in the jungle until their dramatic rescue by the Colombian military on July 2, 2008, during Operation Jaque.

A recipient of the Secretary of Defense Medal for the Defense of Freedom in 2009, he co-authored the bestselling memoir Out of Captivity: Surviving 1967 Days in the Colombian Jungle (2009) with Gonsalves and Howes, detailing their ordeal and resilience.

Father to twin sons born during his captivity, he advocates for awareness of hostage situations and supports military and veteran communities, emphasizing survival, family, and the human spirit in overcoming adversity.

TOPICS

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Welcoming Keith Stansell
00:59 Background, Family, and Growing Up in Florida
10:40 Military Path: Marine Corps to National Guard
18:09 Counter-Narcotics Ops in Colombia & FARC
47:10 Close Calls and Mental Battles
55:24 The Night of the Crash and Capture
01:11:24 The Death March and Jungle Captivity
01:53:14 Proof of Life and Betrayal
02:30:17 Witnessing Pain, Daily Struggles, and Torture
03:01:48 Faith, Coping, and Guard Relations
03:12:14 Holiday Moments in Captivity
03:16:09 The Rescue Mission & Escape
03:33:41 Reintegration and Life After Captivity
04:08:52 The Reality of War & Rehabilitation
04:17:30 The Bergdahl Case and Reflections on Justice
04:31:41 New Beginnings and Support Networks
04:57:52 Final Thoughts and Farewell

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