{"href":"https://api.simplecast.com/oembed?url=https%3A%2F%2Fechoes-of-the-vietnam-war.simplecast.com%2Fepisodes%2Fadvising-the-ruff-puffs-HIS_5gsA","width":444,"version":"1.0","type":"rich","title":"Advising the Ruff Puffs","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/44019877-043d-4f71-8b2a-51b1eb88e99e/02131db8-f248-4da4-a7ce-26eb355eecdb/echoes-episode-61-advising-the-ruff-puffs.jpg","thumbnail_height":300,"provider_url":"https://simplecast.com","provider_name":"Simplecast","html":"<iframe src=\"https://player.simplecast.com/be9d21e4-de35-498a-b745-dc25398210ac\" height=\"200\" width=\"100%\" title=\"Advising the Ruff Puffs\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"></iframe>","height":200,"description":"From 1968 to 1972, Mobile Advisory Training (MAT) teams worked alongside the South Vietnamese Regional Forces and Popular Forces — known as Ruff Puffs — who were the units responsible for protecting their local villages and hamlets against communist attacks. Bob Blair, who led MAT Team 44 in 1971, shares his experiences in this episode."}