The printed conversation is totally incorrect.laughable

Bring this back

Let's give wider context. Yugoslavia was held together by the force of personality of Josip Broz Tito, with a certain amount of force. At a political level, the West had concerns about what would follow once he died, which happened in 1980. To the south, Albania was at a lower economic level under a rather more brutal dictator, Enver Hoxha, who died in 1985, and beyond that, Greece, under the rule of the Colonels until 1974, so the area was fairly new to de-Balkanised democracy. To the North, the Warsaw Pact was on its last legs, collapsing in 1989. Europe was fully aware of what was going on (I'd personally briefed Wim van Eekelen, WEU's SG, on the Warsaw Pact situation and the role played by Russia's need to finance its military behind that), so the policy of benign non-intervention, in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, meant all things would come in good time. So, as Yugoslavia disintegrated, it was useful to refrain from overt intervention, allowing the dust to settle. As it was, Serbia, which considered itself the Orthodox heart of Yugoslavia, felt offended by the breakaway States, and started to become more militaristic about it, which is the point at which Billy picks up. Russia certainly had some political pressure in that, but recovering from the collapse of the USSR, lacked the influence to deliver. The militaristic approach locked the breakaway identities in, until the Kosovo crisis threatened the fragile Albanian economy I'd just restabilised.

I wonder how Billie’s brother’s doing 🤔

As the CO said in 2002 rememberance sunday "what is selection?" Whole gym silent. "It is not about fitness, it is about selecting natural leaders! "

When you're at the bar; the bartender is the leader. Tip them.

Much respect Billy, my late father, WW2 veteran, New Guinea, then the Phillipines campaign. If he were still here would be a Billy fan. He was a boxer in his time in the Canal Zone circa 1938-early 1941. Then back to the recruiter right after Dec 7. Stay well SgtMajor 🍻🇺🇸🇬🇧

At one point, Yugoslavia was the Worlds biggest producer of landmines!

It all depends on What Motivates the person going forward.! if you are scared for your life, you will do as you are told, If you are trained to deal with the bell ends who are threatening you, you have nothing to worry about.! Change the perception, and you will get the same type of people ignoring the real threat, Just keep yopur eye on what we tel you.!

Hi Billy. Do you think you might do interviews/ chats with fellow SAS operators you’ve been on operations with ?

In Bosnia and Herzegovina theres a saying: "Comrade Tito you died at 305, at 310 we were neck deep in shit." Also flag shown at 31:14 is actually coat of arms of Kotromanic dynasty, medieval bosnian king Tvrtko.

Good man Billy!

I lived outside Hereford and everyone was an SAS bloke. I even met a bloke with a large gold ring with the winged dagger on it. Absolute agricultural prick.

People write things that they’d never have the bollocks to say to ones face.

Good job Billy , do you still get your knees in the breeze every now and then ?

100% true. If you tell a team mate that they've done a good job - even if they might not have , that person will move mountains for you next mission/job. Everyone likes to be appreciated.

I lived in Serbia from 87 till 97 I was in the Serbian army I had many operations in Serbia security counter reprise missions on Kosovo I respect the sas but there in the zone for a short time maybe three months I was there for the whole time o walk on the street in Australia and I look at a guy and I go he’s in the SAS iota just I suffered hyper alertness

Absolutely 100% agree with you Billy ,and to be totally honest I'd rather have people like your great self as a role model ,than any flipping footballer .. Very well said..👍

As a Serb I was bracing for antiserbian propaganda but I was pleasantly surprised with the honesty of this man.

kzfaq.info/get/bejne/Y7p8YM-jqa60faM.htmlsi=9_i13KwcPOyE3By4

Billy, what was the video you mention at 32:15? or is it book form? TIA

Computer age, beep boop, file not found.

I live in Dubrovnik,bring Irish naturally interested in the history of former Yugoslavia,many tales in Bosnia and Croatia of cleansing,it was a catastrophic war with no real aid groups intervention from the western world.atrocities everywhere,a friend of mine photographed a lot of the Bosnian front and it was horrendous

33 year retired firefighter here. Love the pod cast. Always trust your crew to do the right thing until they prove otherwise. Lots of chat and joking during supper but I always gave the crews time to whinge and discuss issues while they made up the night time rest stations in their dormitory on their own. They called it “ pillow talk” chunter basha sounds less poofie but same idea.

Very good thank you, I would have just asked one more question, no details needed, but was he surprised or not they separated?

I just ex-infantry (British Army) section commander. You make everyone in your section a leader or an expert in some domain. You give everyone a unique responsibility. Sometimes you have to invent something (get a lad counting paces per minute on a recce patrol, so part of the check navigation protocol). Empower your troops. Make them count. In NI (South Armagh, 1987) I had a young lad on the lookout for possible RCIED antennas. That was his job. He found a line of two-strand barbed wire suddenly become 3 strand. The cleverly painted 3rd strand was an antenna! Commanders don’t have time to do that kind of thing. They’d always looking at bigger picture (and in that sense leadership is easier than simply trogging along). 99% of his observations turned out to be false alarms. But this one time he hit the jackpot. We were, not for the first time, stood on top of a 1000lb landmine. His skill and mindset spotted what, say, the patrol commander or gunner can’t see. And the fact that he pretended not to have noticed it simply added to how well dialled his skills were. (We had 2 ECCM systems scrambling the ‘send’ signal). He revealed his ‘int’ on the patrol debrief. It turned out to be awaiting the installation of a premium (hi grade explosive, eg. Semtex) charge. The lad hadn’t excelled at much as a member of an infantry section. His actions that day fed into his confidence as an infantryman. He ended up in Recce platoon. I thought that’s an example of Billy Billingham’s message. Don’t ‘micro-manage’. The patrol-commander only micro-manages during the ‘orders’ phase of (in my case) a section-level infantry operation. The ‘Orders phase’. Absolutely critical. SAS do that better than anyone else. They do ‘Rehearsals’ better than anyone else. Gung-ho infantry lads thinking SAS are too cool for that haven’t a bloody clue. And if anyone reading this thinks : you guys were just grunts, we’re talking SF here; well I’ve worked with 22 lads in NI. That doesn’t mean I’m SF. It means we wet ed all stretched to breaking point. They do the basics to an exceptional level. And many will say that - until you specialise in your Troops & Sqns - that’s the key. I was only a British Army infantry section commander. I don’t bother trying to correct my civvy mates’ view that we’re just brainwashed bots. Few believe my antenna story. It’s not even my best dit! It doesn’t fit with their ill-informed narrative. I loved the infantry. The skill sets. The responsibilities of leadership. That included making leaders, making specialists. Barrackroom gobshites became ‘chat-up’ men on the streets of Derry. Taking that task off the patrol commander’s shoulders. « Why have you lads got 2 radios? ». (The 2nd or even 3rd antenna is ECCM). You need someone to flip that script. Everyone who got through infantry training (let alone P Coy, or CTCRM, or SAS, or whatever) has a talent. Find it. Exploit it. Empower the ‘Tom’. I’m 63. I live in rural France. I’m retired. Didn’t adjust to civvy st. I miss that life every day. I look up to Billy Billingham as an inspiration. And a remarkable ambassador for his regiments (Para, 22) and for the British Army. What’s left of it.

Fascinating insight into the adaption to this new role. ‘Actions on…’: coffee spill. Spot on. Billy is so grounded. Be interested to know if Billy worked with Lady Diana, Princess of Wales). She was the Col-in-Chief (from 1987) of my regiment (and Phil Campion’s). Love the ‘structured polystyrene’ metaphor. I was only British infantry but knew lads who could tab for Britain. Looking at them you’d never have thought it. What a credit Mark ‘Billy’ Billingham to his regiments and the British Army.

if The White Helmets "UN" are involved, Question everything.!

It's people like Billy and phil campion and foxy are the reason we are safe and free. We all owe them a massive debt of gratitude

Also UN helped Bosnian orthodox to capture unarmed peaople in Srebrenica, while they got every possible weapons from ex yugoslavia which was 4th military power and they let them do a genocide. Bosnian Muslims had to steal weapons from christians to start defending country, and they did, in 95’ america stoped the attack on christian orthodox in Banja Luka, if they didnt Bosnia would be fully Muslim country today.

how come whenever genocide is involved so are muslims some how xD

Serbs basically went full Machiavellian in order to ethnically cleanse the land of Bosniaks and Croats. There was nothing they wouldn't do to accomplish their goals. Most people killed were Bosniak muslims though.

I went to Yugoslavia as a kid before the war. A place called Rabac. It was amazing and a beautiful place. The people were so friendly aswell,I will always remember Marina I think her name was ,who looked after the kids in the hotel. I often wonder what happened to her.🙏

Cheers for the content mark, improves me every time I listen to your mindset

Huge fan of billy top guy ❤

Mag. Dick Winters would be proud of this Brit.

Anyone tell me who the friend character is ? He is familiar

What a Man...thanks bro I needed that

I was sent to Bosnia in the infantry under the UN the place was a mess but a very beautiful country and it was mined to fuck

You're leader of what exactly ? Few guys with rifles in a foreign hostile country that you'll end up leaving.

What a beautiful soul you did well for yourself billy

Terrible what's happening hope all the good people are staying and will be safe

Hopefully the situation gets better out there soon

Great information, stay safe.

I had just joined my regiment as they were deploying to Bosnia talk about getting in just at the right time for some action and then after that Afghan and Iraq guys before me had nothing to do for nearly 20 years after the Falklands and here's me just joined and getting all the good fun depending on how you look at it I do now suffer with PTSD and anxiety and depression but I think it was worth it especially after 9/11 anyway thanks guys for a great show ❤❤❤🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿💪🇬🇧✌️

Legend

Surprising how people can turn evil so quickly true talk 😢

VERY TRUE, LET PEOPLE LEAD

Awesome podcast!

What an "INSPIRATION ❤