John ‘Shrek’ McPhee recalls harrowing details of solo missions while in the US Army

John ‘Shrek’ McPhee’s name might sound like meme fodder, but trust… this guy’s life reads like a wild mashup of Bravo storytelling and battlefield grit.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills stans have been buzzing ever since Erika Jayne stepped out holding hands with a mystery man in summer 2025. That mystery man? John “Shrek” McPhee, a retired US Army Special Operations Sergeant Major turned private security pro with stories that’ll make even the most seasoned reality TV watcher go, “Wait, what?!”

From run-ins with hostile fire to long, solitary nights overseas, McPhee’s army tales are intense.

John shared harrowing details of solo missions

John doesn’t sugarcoat what life was really like on solo missions. And honestly, some of his stories sound like scenes straight out of a war movie.

Speaking candidly on the Live Q or Die podcast in 2022, he’s opened up about being repeatedly shot at while driving alone through checkpoints in Iraq.

“I’ve been shot at. I’ve had vehicles shot,” John said. “I’d roll up in a taxi, and they’d point their gun at me and say, ‘I’m gonna shoot you,’” he said.

“Yeah, by myself all the time,” he admitted. “And I loved it.”

One of the most intense moments he recalled was the very first time he came under fire.

“The first time I was shot at a checkpoint, I was livid. I was fighting mad,” he said. “I was like, ‘My name is McPhee, what the hell are you doing?’”

But instead of panicking, John says he learned to lean into the chaos. His survival tactic? Swearing like a true soldier.

“The best thing to do is start cussing with your best slang,” he laughed. “‘What the f*** are you doing, you stupid f***?’ Then they’d be like, ‘Oh yeah, he’s definitely in the army.’”

“If you say something like ‘mother, father,’ they’re like, ‘Shoot him. He doesn’t even know how to cuss.’”

He also described rolling up to checkpoints at night in unmarked vehicles, surrounded by heavily armed guards who had no idea who he was, and with very little visibility.

Despite the danger, John says he never blamed the soldiers on guard duty.

“That kid sits in a sandbag tower in 130-degree heat all day just waiting for someone to blow him up. You can’t blame him.”

Between getting shot at, driving undercover, and navigating life-or-death misunderstandings, John’s solo missions were intense, unpredictable, and mentally exhausting. But, they shaped the fearless, no-nonsense man we’re now seeing step into the Bravo spotlight next to Erika Jayne.

He gained a reputation in the army

Before he was Erika’s new beau, John spent more than 20 years in the US Army, rising to the rank of Sergeant Major in special operations, a tenure that earned him the nickname “Sheriff of Baghdad.”

His reputation wasn’t just from combat; it was also about leadership and presence.

He’s described his younger self as intense and even abrasive, admitting “I wasn’t fun to be around” and that he was “an a**hole all the time” during parts of his service. He’s shared stories about how burnout affected him and how other soldiers reacted to his tough demeanour, complete with war-zone gallows humour.

John’s post-military shift into private security and tactical training, serving as part of Heidi Montag’s security team and founding SOB Tactical, only adds to his legend.

It’s a career move that fits someone comfortable with high pressure and responsibility. Though he also openly discusses the personal costs, including multiple divorces tied to the strains of life in the Special Operations community.

Enter Erika Jayne. The RHOBH star confirmed on her Diamonds in the Rough podcast that she met McPhee after recognising him from past interviews and felt an instant connection.

They were first spotted holding hands in Los Angeles in July 2025, her first public romance in years. And she’s since described him as a “nice man” with whom she feels comfortable.

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