About Damien Rodriguez (Salty)
Hey, I'm Damien — born and raised in the Bronx, but shaped by war zones around the world.
In 2015, I left everything behind to join the YPG in Rojava, Syria. There, I learned war not from books, but through firefights, drone screens, and brothers-in-arms from every corner of the world. I served as a QRF rifleman, combat medic, and part of the infamous Humvee unit led by a Kurdish legend known as Cowboy Commander. I was also one of the first to fly a DJI Phantom drone over the frontlines of Raqqa. 👽
After ISIS fell, I answered the next call — Ukraine. I served with the Ukrainian Marines from 2018 to 2021 in a recon unit, earned medals for valor, and returned when the full-scale invasion broke out in 2022. Since then, I’ve commanded foreign volunteer teams under Ukraine’s 131st Recon Battalion, leading boat raids and recon missions across the Dnipro during the Kherson offensive — again earning honors, including one from the President’s Office.
After the Kherson offensive, I joined Chosen Company as commander of their FPV teams and operated in Pokrovsk, conducting strikes, recon, and support ops alongside some of the most capable volunteers in the region.
I’m currently serving as a Fixed-Wing UAV Operator with Ukraine’s 3rd SSO, where I continue to bring precision eyes and reach to the battlefield.
Your support helps keep the mission alive — from drone parts and comms gear to a hot meal and a strong cup of coffee between missions.
If you believe in freedom and those willing to stand up for it — you're already part of this fight.
— Stay sharp. Stay free.
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