Bryan Stern, the combat veteran who leads Grey Bull Rescue, made headlines in December for rescuing Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado using a getaway car, two boats, and a private plane. Now the Tampa, Florida, nonprofit organization is being inundated with pleas from Americans who need help evacuating from places like Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Iran.
Grey Bull Rescue is made up of military special operations and intelligence veterans who are ready to activate and conduct rescue missions around the world. Stern called me via a shaky Starlink satellite connection from a chartered plane flying from Mexico to the Middle East. He said he had just rescued a couple that was stuck in cartel territory.
When asked if he was nervous during the operation despite having over 25 years of service in the U.S. Army and Navy, Stern did not hesitate. “Every minute,” he said. The next mission is to evacuate Americans stranded by the war on Iran.
While his plane flew over the Middle East, Stern told me what those rescues might look like. His responses have been lightly edited for clarity and length.
