He quickly saw the difference between ISIS' fanatical battles with their suicide missions in Syria to the sheer scale of artillery at the feet of Russian soldiers in the fields of Ukraine near Kherson.
Macer, whose commander had the call sign 'Sneaky', was used to skirting No Man's Land, gathering intelligence, looking for minefields and preparing the way for Ukrainian assaults in Kherson.
MACER Gifford's mission was simple: clear Ukraine's No Man's Land of mines and find out everything he could about the Russians without getting killed.
Within seconds, a hail of bullets was raining down on Macer and his Ukrainian comrades as they lay stock still - praying they wouldn't be hit.
But it was during his treks across Ukraine to share the knowledge he'd gained fighting ISIS terrorists in Syria that he learned of the horrors committed by Russian soldiers in Bucha and Irpin.
