Podcasts about air force reserve

Kijuan Amey had a plan. He was finishing school, building a business, and still serving in the Air Force Reserves. Then a motorcycle crash changed everything. He lost his sight, suffered major injuries, and had to figure out how to move forward in a world that suddenly looked very different. In this conversation, we talk about what that recovery really looked like. Not just the surgeries or physical rehab, but the mental side too. The frustration, the isolation, the doubt. And also, the turning point when Kijuan decided that this wasn't going to be the end of his story. He talks about learning to live with blindness, adjusting to daily challenges, and building a new mission through mentoring, speaking, and writing. For veterans who feel stuck or disconnected, this episode is a reminder that your circumstances don't define you. How you respond to them does. If you're navigating life after service and trying to figure out what's next, there's a lot here that will hit home. Timestamps 00:01:00 - How military service rewired Kijuan's mindset 00:08:45 - The motorcycle accident that changed everything 00:19:00 - Adapting to blindness and finding new strength 00:25:00 - Turning tragedy into motivation for others 00:33:00 - The first step when life punches you in the face Links & Resources Veteran Suicide & Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1 Website: https://ameymotivation.com Follow Kijuan Amey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kijuan-amey-783889121 Transcript View the transcript for this episode.

What does it take to lead at every level and shape the leaders of tomorrow? SUMMARY Long Blue Line podcast host, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99 sat with Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Sherman '95, the U.S. Air Force Academy's vice superintendent, for a deep dive into leadership, humanity and building a world-class service academy. This episode is packed with wisdom for aspiring, emerging, and seasoned leaders alike.   SHARE LINKEDIN  |  FACEBOOK   GEN. SHERMAN'S TOP 10 LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS  - Leadership is a human experience - focus on connecting with and caring about people.  - Love what you do and love the people you lead; passion inspires others to follow you.  - Embrace failures and challenges as opportunities for personal growth and development.  - Set the right culture and values within your team to build trust and mutual support.  - Be present and engaged with your team, understanding their motivations and experiences.  - Leadership is about more than rank or position - it's about earning genuine trust and respect.  - Invest time in understanding different generations, cultural nuances, and individual perspectives.  - Balance professional excellence with personal growth and life experiences.  - Support your team's development by providing encouragement and holding them accountable.  - Your legacy is built through individual interactions and the positive impact you have on people's lives.   CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction to Major General Thomas P. Sherman 01:29 Choosing Leadership Over Flying 07:23 The Impact of Mentorship and Values 12:46 Heritage and Evolution of Security Forces 17:43 Personal Growth in Aviano, Italy 24:17 The Importance of Work-Life Balance 29:50 Culminating Command Experience at Bagram 42:25 The Role of Family in Leadership 51:29 Continuous Self-Improvement as a Leader 56:27 Embracing Failure as a Growth Opportunity 01:00:06 Legacy and the Impact of Leadership   ABOUT GEN. SHERMAN BIO Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Sherman is the Vice Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. He is serving as the chief operations officer to the Superintendent and overseeing the Academy's blend of military training, academics, athletics, and character development for cadets. Gen. Sherman commissioned in 1995 from the Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. He built a distinguished career as a security forces officer. He's held command at nearly every level. His key assignments include leadership of the 88th Air Base Wing at Wright-Patterson AFB and critical staff positions at the Pentagon. In May 2024, Gen. Sherman was tapped to serve as the Academy's Vice Superintendent   CONNECT WITH GEN. SHERMAN LINKEDIN     ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS       TRANSCRIPT SPEAKERS Guest, Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Sherman '95  |  Host, Lt. Col. (ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99   Naviere Walkewicz  00:00 Welcome to Long Blue Leadership, the podcast where we share insights on leadership through the lives and experiences of Air Force Academy graduates. I'm Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99 today. I'm joined by a leader whose career has taken him from the flight line to the halls of Congress and now back to the very institution that launched it all. Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Sherman currently serves as vice superintendent of the Air Force Academy, where he plays a critical role in guiding the development of our future officers and ensuring the Academy remains a world class institution for leadership, character and Day 1 readiness to win the future fight. A 1995 Academy graduate, Gen. Sherman has spent nearly three decades serving in key operational, strategic and command roles. He's led at every level, from squadron to wing command, and his assignments have included everything from nuclear security enterprise to homeland defense, policy development at the Pentagon, and legislative affairs at the highest levels of the Department of the Air Force. Prior to his role as vice superintendent, Gen. Sherman served in the Office of the Deputy Secretary of Defense, where he was a principal military assistant leading policy integration across joint staff, interagency services and combatant commands. He's perhaps best known in command circles for leading the 88th Air Base wing at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, one of the largest and most complex wings in the Air Force, with a focus on people first, leadership and mission excellence. Gen. Sherman, welcome to Long Blue Leadership. We're so glad you're here too.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  01:32 It is great to be here. Thank you.   Naviere Walkewicz  01:33 We're excited and we're going to dive right in, because I think what is so special for our listeners is really hearing these moments that have changed your life. I'd like to start at the Academy. You turned down a pilot slot. You were rated, but said no.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  01:48 Well, actually it was a little bit before that. You know, it's kind of interesting, because that was the draw that brought me here, is I just had this incredible passion to want to fly, and I love flying, and I truly enjoyed it, especially through all the different airmanship programs and things like and things like that we had here. The experiences were fantastic. But, you know, as I was starting to learn more about myself going through the Academy, I was starting to feel my heart getting pulled in a direction of wanting to really lead people and really spend a lot of time working with the enlisted. And I think that came from a couple different areas. I think it was some really unique exposure that I got during my ops Air Force time, which I went to Ramstein Air Base in Germany, during ops, and just had our action officer that worked this, I think just did a phenomenal job. And I really started getting pulled to what was then called security police. That is actually when Laurie and I got together and started dating, because Laurie is here in Colorado Springs, but she grew up as an Air Force brat. My father-in-law is a retired Chief Master Sgt., and so there was a lot of mentorship that was taking place around dining room table when I was a young cadet. And I think one of the things that her parents really taught me was just the value of the enlisted force, and so I was feeling my heart really getting pulled. And so obviously, there's a conundrum. There's a conundrum on what were the root desires that brought me here — what were the things that I was learning as a cadet, my joy of flying, and also, particularly the culture at that time, was that that was really the job that you needed to aspire to be, that was the expectation of cadets. And so then to really kind of run counter to that strong current was really kind of a unique, you know, almost unnavigated area, right? And so to really kind of take the story out to its next level is that I'd really gotten to a point where talking with people there — we hadn't had the AMT program, but there were these NCOs that were kind of tangentially attached to cadet squadrons. And so I got a chance to talk to one of the master sergeants that was there who was a maintainer by background. And I was kind of pouring my heart out to him on, you know, what had I been talking to him with my now in-laws, about where was my heart pulling me? And so he said, ‘Give me just a second.' And he picked up the phone, and he called my AOC and he goes, ‘Hey, you're gonna be there for a little while.' And this was a Friday afternoon. He said, ‘I got a cadet that needs to come talk to you.' And he hangs up the phone and he goes, ‘Now you go tell your AOC what you just told me.' And so I ended up going to my AOCs office that day, and we had about a two-hour conversation about this. I sat down and really, kind of took the time to explain to him what was I feeling, And obviously, I really try to see the best in people. And so I think from a noble place, he was doing his best to convince me that I was making a grave mistake. And went on to talk to me about what his concerns were, the career field that I was looking at, things along those lines. And we can save that conversation for another time, but I think really where the foundation came in is where we started to talk about leadership. And you know, what I was asking him to do was to pull my rated recommendation form, so we had just submitted them, and I was asking him to pull my rated recommendation form. I didn't want to compete for it anymore. And so we started to talk about leadership. And he says, ‘Hey, Cadet Sherman, you need to understand that leadership in this Air Force is being the lead F-16 pilot on a bombing run, you know, putting iron on target.' And that's true. It's a very important part of leadership. It is a very important part of tactical operational leadership in this Air Force. So he's not wrong in that space. But I was looking at it from a different lens, and I was looking at it, I think, on a larger level. And what I don't think he realized is that 30 seconds before I walked into his office, he set me up for success. I just happened to be waiting outside the office, and all of a sudden, I looked on his cork board, and somebody, and I don't know who it was, had pinned a note that was written to Airman Magazineby an airman first class. And this airman first class titled this, “I need a leader.” And this A1C felt so strongly about what they were feeling — and I have no idea who this person was — felt so strongly about it that they put pen to paper, and this would have been the fall of 1994, and sent this into Airman Magazine, and it says, “I need a leader.” Commissioning sources. ‘Send us lieutenants that we can look up to that will hold us accountable when we do wrong, that will encourage us when we do well, that will be an example that we can look up to, that will care about us as human beings, because you are not sending them to us now. Air Force, I need a leader.' Like that 30 seconds just before I walked into his office — that changed my life, and it changed my life, because for me, at that moment, what I was getting ready to go ask my AOC to do, what I was looking at inside myself, that became my charge. And so as we spoke, you know, 20-year-old Cadet First Class Sherman — I might have been a 21-year-old at the time — Cadet First Class Sherman pushed back on my AOC, and I said, ‘Sir, I disagree.' I said, ‘I want to be that guy. I want to be that guy that that A1c is asking for on your cork board outside, because that's leadership in this Air Force.' And so, to his credit, he said, ‘Hey, I want you to go think about this over the weekend. You know, think about what you're doing. Come back to me on Monday. No questions asked. I'll pull it if you want me to.' And I left there, and I remember feeling like, not like a weight had been lifted off my shoulder, but I almost felt like this sense of like, ‘Now I've got my purpose,' because that little article has shaped me my entire career, and I mean to this day, and at a scale. You know, as a lieutenant, my scale is this big on what I'm affecting to help do and be what that A1C needs to a wing commander. I always keep it in the back of my head, and after all of these years, I am still thinking about, Am I doing right by that A1C that 31 years ago, felt so strongly about something that they wrote a note to Airman Magazine, and that became my charge.   Naviere Walkewicz  08:09 That is incredibly powerful. I'm a little bit without words, because I'm thinking about, first off, being brave enough to disagree with an AOC. I mean, I think that takes courage in showing your leadership there. Were you always like that? Have you always been someone that is steadfast in a decision and being able to kind of speak out?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  08:30 So I get that from my parents. And, you know, I grew up in Corona, California. My mom and dad are amazing people. And we didn't grow up with a lot of money, and we grew up from a pretty meager background, and my mom and dad had made a decision early on in their marriage, when they had my sister and I, that my mom was going to focus to make sure that Nancy and I got an education, and my dad was going to work as many jobs as he had to to put food on the table. And sometimes my dad was holding down three jobs to make sure that we had nutritious food to eat, and my mom was working miracles to make sure that we were fed well, but that also that she was dedicated and had the time to volunteer for things like PTA, being involved as a class volunteer, making sure that we were involved in things and had exposure to things that what they did was they also instilled in me this really strong blue collar work ethic. And it was this aspect of, if I just roll up my sleeves and put in the work, anything is possible. And so on that line, this young kid growing up with a West Coast father and an East Coast mother, and just this, really neat family background that things for me, that I believed in I would go after with all of my heart and soul. And so I found out about the Academy when I was 12 years old. And so, you know, when I at 12 years — we were going to a community event there in Corona, and there was an officer recruiter — Capt. Craig. was her name — and we started talking. She says, ‘Hey, did anybody talk to you about the Air Force Academy?' And I said, ‘No, this sounds great.' So from there, I just made this decision as a 12-year-old, and I worked all the way through junior high and high school to get here, because to go to your point like, ‘I made a decision, I'm gonna see this thing through.'   Naviere Walkewicz  10:30 Whoa. OK, so you knew you were going to the Academy before you graduated high school.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  10:35 Yes, in my mind, there was no other option.   Naviere Walkewicz  10:39 And so anyone in your family serve, or were you the first one in your family to serve?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  10:43 So I am the first officer and career member of the family. My dad was drafted and went to Vietnam in 1967 and stayed through Tet of 1968. I had an uncle, Harry Lee Schmidt, who was a C-47 loadmaster in World War II and Korea, and my grandfather was actually a part of the initial kind of what was the foundation of the OSS and the Navy doing beach recon on beaches in the South Pacific, prior to island hopping campaign and island landings. And so there was this real heritage of service, right? Just not career service. But even then, as a kid, I always had in my mind, ‘OK, one way or another, I'm going to serve, and if I do an enlistment and then go to college afterwards —' but I had this idea that, ‘OK, I'm going to serve,' and then all of a sudden, this became this amazing conduit that got me here, right?   Naviere Walkewicz  11:38 And they also had ties to aviation. How did they feel about your decision, your family?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  11:43 It was interesting, because they knew how passionate I was about aviation growing up. I mean, we did not miss an air show at March Air Force Base, the Chino air show, which was planes of fame, which was all historic aircraft. I volunteered as a high school student to work there, and we helped restore airplanes with me and my friends. You know, it was interesting, because my parents were very supportive in ‘OK, where's your heart leading you? And, what makes you feel so strongly about this?' Because when I first talked to him on the phone, I called him from Ramstein Air Base and said, ‘Hey, I think I know what I want to do in the Air Force. I want to go to security police. And my mom was like, ‘What's that? And, so, as time went by and I explained it, I think my parents probably all along knew that that was probably going to be a very good fit. And then after commissioning and at my first assignment, I think that they were certain of it, right? Yeah, they were absolutely certain.   Naviere Walkewicz  12:37 That is amazing. Well, I want to dive into this profession a bit, because it's interesting. You know, you've mentioned, when you came in, it was security police, and, security forces and you hear people saying defenders and peacekeepers. So there's this lineage and this heritage. Can you maybe talk a little bit about that and then maybe lead us into that next transformational moment that you might have had in this role?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  12:58 OK, I'm very proud of the fact that, you know, I am part of an ever decreasing group of folks that came in when we were still security police, and that was really still the peacekeeper days, because this was all kind of the follow on on the Cold War. The peacekeepers were our cold warriors and that was a huge part. Our defenders came in and really, that name started to really grow in 1997 when the name changed from security police to security forces, and we were actually going back to some of our heritage that was in Operation Safeside, which was the combat security police squadrons in Vietnam. So when you think about the courage that was displayed during the Tet Offensive at places like Tan Son Nhat that those were safe side warriors that were a part of these combat security police squadrons. And so the very — part of the lineage of the very beret, and flash that we have is actually a tip of the hat to the lighter blue berets, and that flash with the Falcon and the crossed runways that goes back, actually, to our Safeside heritage days. The beret goes back even farther than that. It goes back to Strategic Air Command, Elite Guard back in the 1950s. So it's this great lineage. And so, you know, for me, part of it was like when I got my first beret, wow, that meant something to me. And then, you know, as we then kind of transformed along the way, and this amazing career field grew, and the aspects of this air based ground defense, which was really, I would say, was kind of the draw that got me into wanting to go into security police, was I really liked this idea of, ‘How do we do base defense?' The law enforcement side was intriguing to me, but it was based defense that just had me just had me captivated.   Naviere Walkewicz  14:44 And was that something that you found out early in your career? After you graduate the Academy, you're now in security police. Is that when you kind of realized, ‘This is where I want to go in, air, base, ground defense.'?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  14:54 It even happened at ops. So as we were spending time with the security police squadron, I ended up spending time with a captain who was heading up the Elite Guard, and there was an interaction we had as I was doing a ride along. He's like, ‘Hey, you need to come see me.' And so I went and met up with him, and he took me around and introduced me to all of his airmen that were part of the guard. He knew something all about them. And then we went to his office and talked, and he had gone to Ranger School and Airborne and things like that, and said, ‘Hey, like, the future of the career field is actually us looking to the past.' And really kind of got me fired up on what we call back then, air base ground defense. So when I got to McChord — McChord Air Force Base was my first duty station. And the great thing about going to AMC first is it AMC is a mobility — I mean, it is all about mobility and the operations associated with it. And so the first thing that that my task was as the second lieutenant in that squadron was, I was the air base ground defense flight commander. So that was, I mean — we would go out to Fort Lewis, and we would bivouac for days. And I had, you know, a 44 person team that was a base defense sector. I had specialized K-9 units heavy weapons. And back in those days, we had 81mm mortar teams and fire direction centers that we would set up. So I just got completely on board with the air base defense piece. And so that was that was very passionate for me, which then made the next step to Korea an absolutely logical next location, going to the wolf pack at Kunsan, not only getting a chance to then stand up Gwangju as a part of the first Air Expeditionary Unit to go back to Korea since the Korean War, but then doing the mobile reserve aspect of it. And it was just a great assignment.   Naviere Walkewicz  16:40 Wow. So you were right in from the very beginning. You got kind of just into it all.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  16:45 So when we go back, when you were talking to me about, ‘Hey, when you make your mind up...' So I had this five-year plan built out. And, you know, my five-year plan was ‘OK, I'm gonna do my first assignment at the first opportunity to PCS. I need to go remote. I need to go to Korea. And then, OK, how can I get another overseas assignment after that? And then what do I need?' So the thought was, “Let me get to as many match comms as I can, as fast as I can in my career, and use that as a place — OK, because I want to build my experience base out. Because even as a lieutenant and young captain, I didn't want to come across as a one-trick pony. So my thought was, “Let me just get as much as I could under my belt early on.' And so after I left Kunsan, I ended up going to Aviano Air Base in Italy, which, for me, when you look at like those moments in life that are transformational, this was transformational on a different level. You know, some assignments you go to are very much professional growth assignments. This assignment, for me, was very much a personal growth assignment.   Naviere Walkewicz  17:52 OK, so tell me more.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  17:55 I mean, when you think about it, four years at USAFA, very uniquely focused on a plate that is overflowing with things that you need to get done. So you are, you're focused on, you know, everything from grades to military training to all of those things. And then I get to my first base, and I am just working, and I'm volunteering for everything, and we have got a heavy ops tempo of exercises and things like that. And my leadership was fantastic, because they were throwing me into every opportunity I could. And then, boom, I go to Korea, and that is a unique warfighting focused — and at Kunsan especially was heavily warfighting focused. So now all of a sudden I am spending really, when you think about it, the last almost seven years being uniquely focused on mission, right? And so I get to Aviano Air Base, Italy, and the first thing that happens is Operation Allied Force kicks off. So I get there in January, boom. Allied Force kicks off. I think it was in end of February, beginning of March. And wow, what? Again, what an amazing, mission focused experience. And then after we finished up Allied Force and the base returned back to more of its steady-state standpoint, it was the Italians that took me under their wings, that because I made a specific choice, because I grew up — my mom's side of the family are all Italian immigrants — and I was always at my Nonnie and Papa's house, and there was just a lot of that growing up, which is that whole, like, you know, West Coast dad, East Coast mom thing, but I didn't know, you know, my mom and her brothers never spoke Italian. And there was a lot of that, that thought back in those days that, you know, ‘Hey, we're here to be American, so we're going to learn English, and we're not going to speak, you know, the language that we came from,' right? And so my mom and her brothers really never learned to speak Italian. And so my thought was, ‘Gosh, I grew up with this as such a strong part of my childhood that I need to put myself in a position where I can learn the language and start to kind of get an appreciation on the culture. Together.' And so I specifically — and really lucked out on a location, but I was about 20 kilometers away from Aviano. I was in an amazing town. I was the only American living in the complex that I was in. So I was like, ‘If I'm going to learn, I need to just dive in the way that you do, in the way that I do, and just start learning.' And so I ended up kind of building this support group of Italian families that all kind of took me under their wings.   Naviere Walkewicz  20:27 Wait, I have to ask you a question, because back when you're at the Academy, you said you spoke to your now in-laws. So was Laurie not a part of this?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  20:35 So Laurie and I, right. So that's an important part of the story. Laurie and I dated for two years while I was a cadet, and when I was in tech school, her and I made the very difficult decision — and as painful it was — to part ways, so her and I actually parted ways for a few years. I was single at the time. Laurie was still here in Colorado Springs, and I was getting a lot of assignments under my belt, which, to be honest with you, you know, in retrospect, it was very fortunate, because I may not have made the same assignment choices had I been married at the time. And because I wasn't married, there were no other variables that I needed to factor in, other than personal experience goals, right, that I wanted to play into, and so I could just put down whatever assignment I wanted, and that allowed me the opportunity to just focus on job. And while Laurie and I stayed in touch, and I stayed in touch with her parents over the years, I was in Aviano, and her and I were not together at that point,   Naviere Walkewicz  21:39 That makes sense. I was like, why were you alone in Italy?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  21:43 It's a fair question. But I also think that being single in that environment allowed me — and that's where I think it helped me develop as a person. And so there are a lot of, I think, really wonderful things that happened during that time, and that was because I was so uniquely mission focused. It was these, this amazing group of Italian friends together, that really kind of taught me about there, there's a time to relax, you know, there's a time to work, there's a time to relax, and there's also a real human need to enjoy life and enjoy time together, which is quintessentially Italian. And so, as my pool of this, these amazing people — that  by the way, for the last 25 years, we've been going to visit. It's the same families that took me under their wings when I was a lieutenant, are the same families that were all tuning in as we were doing a live stream of me pinning on my second star. And so I've never been stationed anywhere else in my career where I felt more at home. And so I think this sense of like, ‘Wow. This like independently as my own person, this feels like home.' And as time went by and I started to get an appreciation for actually things that were a part of my childhood. Because, you know, we would have these long, huge meals, we would spend four or five hours at the table as a family. And for me, this was all normal. Well, that was also a part of kind of normal Italian life and normal Italian culture. You're not going out to dinner with your friends unless you're investing at least three hours at the restaurant. But for me, this was all — this felt normal to me. And so it was about, you know, you don't need to eat your food in five minutes.   Naviere Walkewicz  So contrary to USAFA, by the way.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN You know, you don't need to chew no more than seven times and swallow. So it was about experiencing that, and learning even just some things that became personal passions. Like, you know, how wine is made and why wine pairing matters, and how is this process? And so all of a sudden, this personal experience — and I think growing as a human being was taking place there, and I was maturing as a human being because I had gotten all of this phenomenal job experience under my belt, but this was where I was growing as a human being. And you know what's interesting, as time has gone by, I have noticed just how impactful that time was, because there are things that I've noticed, even as a senior officer, that I feel very strongly about, that I don't think I felt as strongly about as a junior officer, and it was because of that experience, and it was the aspect of when people are on leave, let's let them take leave. There is a part of the human experience that you need to enjoy time with people that you care about, because what it does is you're not slacking off from work. You're not leaving everybody hanging. What's happening is that, because you're taking some time to just enjoy life with people you care about, when you come back, the restorative effects that have taken place because you simply breathe and you enjoyed what it was that you were doing and whatever your passion was, you know, unencumbered, you could enjoy that. And we all realize that there are times, especially as you get into positions of authority, that, hey, they're going to need to call you periodically. But what was interesting is that, especially, I mean, I'll give an example as a wing commander. As a wing commander, despite realizing how important that mission is and how big Wright-Patt was, we, Laurie and I took leave, and we took two weeks of leave, and we went back to Italia and visited our friends and enjoyed life, because the culture helps us to slow down. But what it also did is I gave my staff some parameters. ‘Hey, here are the things that I think are important, like on a scale of one to 10. Here are the things that I think are an eight. So an eight or higher, call me. Don't text me.' I said, ‘Physically call me, because I will answer the phone knowing it's for — and then you have my undivided attention.' But what it also does is it means that my vice wing commander who is there, that I am empowering my vice wing commander and showing to everybody else I trust this leader to lead this wing in my absence. And if it's something that really needs my involvement, they'll get a hold of me. But I think our junior leaders need to see that at the senior most levels, that I can physically trust and emotionally trust my vice, my deputy, to hold things down while I'm gone, and that I'm not irreplaceable, and that if I did my job as a leader, I set the conditions that allowed the wing to thrive in my absence, and didn't mean that the wing had to hang on every decision I made or every word that I said, that I set the conditions that allowed them to be successful and fostered the leadership that allowed them to lead in my absence. And I felt great while I was gone, because I knew the people that we had there, and I knew the investment that we made in them. So that was kind of a long, you know, trip around this…   Naviere Walkewicz  27:26 I mean, I think it was so powerful that you kind of learned that about yourself in Italy. And then would you say that there was anyone that you saw emulating that? Or was it just something over time, you developed this realization that you need to enjoy life and you need to allow people the space to do so.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  27:43 So I would say the people that I was emulating in that aspect were a lot of the families that were there. I have been fortunate that I have worked for some commanders who, at different times in their life felt the same way. Conversely, I also worked for commanders that did not feel the same way. And, you know, an interesting case in point on something that on an experience I had in a command bill and after I had left Aviano — this is when Laurie and I were back together; we were married at this point. I had a group commander that was frustrated about me taking leave and called me every day at 1500; every day at 1500 I got a telephone call. And you know what that does is now all of a sudden, you're eating lunch, and the clock is getting closer to 1500 and you start to get that knot in your stomach and you're like, ‘OK, what are we going to talk about today?' And so, unfortunately you don't see some of the same appreciation for that across the board. So how do we deal with it? The best thing that we deal with it is that that's where the buck stops. We don't pass it down to our people. So after I got the call from him, I didn't call back to the squadron. I got the call from him. We went through the call, we answered the questions, and I didn't then immediately turn around and call back to my ops officer who was running the Squadron at the time, and say, XYZ. And we just left it there, because at that point in time, the bucks got to stop it at that point. So I think that that's kind of the, you know, the alpha and the omega of learning and then also having your own personal resilience and courage to say, ‘I accept that the buck stops here, and I'm not going to let this roll downhill to my people.'   Naviere Walkewicz  29:41 That's an excellent leadership lesson, because I was going to ask you, ‘What does that look like, and how would you how would you handle that?' And so you went right into that. Thank you so much for that. So what has it been like leading security forces — defenders? What's it been like? Has there been a moment in time where — a particular assignment or something's really stuck into your mind or into your heart, because it's just really affected you?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  30:05 Absolutely. I will tell you, as we go back, as we were kind of talking about decisions that you make in your youth, and that critical decision that I made in the fall of '94 I mean, I have worked with some of the most amazing people I've worked in my life. I have gotten a chance to go to places I never thought that I would see. And so, when you kind of roll up, I would say it was my final squadron command, and I would say that that was a real culminating squadron command. So I commanded four squadrons, and we command early, and we command often, and there's a lot of responsibility that that's placed on us as young officers to command as a young officer. And so having the opportunity to command two times as a captain, or one time, you know, as a major-select, then as a major, then as a lieutenant colonel. So that culminating command would have been Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan in May of 2012 to May of 2013 and you know, it was interesting because all of my previous squadron commands had all been vested in either the contingency response or the kind of combat contingency environments. And it was almost like all of those were leading me to this moment. So let me just kind of set the conditions on what Bagram was like at that point in time. We had grown the squadron to about a 1,200-person squadron, huge squadron. And what we were also responsible for is we had taken over battle space ownership from the Army. So the Air Force was controlling 220 square miles of battle space throughout Parwan province, which is a huge. I mean, it's twice the size of Washington, D.C., if you want to try to give a comparison, more or less is fair to look at that level as just a huge amount of terrain in which our airmen were responsible from everything from humanitarian operations and goodwill outreach to engagements to literal kinetic action and combat in the battle space. And so a part of this culmination was, was an environment where as the defense force commander — as that squadron commander to them as a lieutenant colonel at that point — I mean how we are weaving ourselves into their lives, and how we are working with their section commanders, and how we're working and managing the value of our perimeter defenses with our teams that were going outside of the wire doing legitimate patrolling and engagement and things along those lines, was huge. And I think that that is an example. And when you look in the rearview mirror to say, ‘Gosh, now this, a lot of this makes sense, like all of these assignments, whether by design or whether by fate, somehow gave me an experience that at this moment, I needed it most.' And I think, as I talk, we've really enjoyed being here with the cadets and talking to them about, how does a leader really develop trust, and how does trust really manifest itself? And so, through the time that we were there, and the engagement as their leader — not just the leader who's just simply circulating, because that's important, but they also need to see your decision making and your strategic thought. And how do you react under pressure? How are you reacting as we've got incoming in, and what do you do being the person in the joint defense operations center, helping to manage that, and how are you both taking care of people, and how are you managing mission? And they see that. And so I would say that the development of that level of trust, especially in an environment where you are literally dealing with high costs, is huge. And so I think there was one, situation that really rests on my heart that and I don't talk about this to give validation, but I think I talk about it on it's about how people connect, and why do I feel so strongly that leadership is a human experience, like this is a what we are doing as a human experience. And so I was retiring my chief. So I was asked by my chief at Bagram — this was some years later. He's out of the 105th Base Defense Squadron out of the New York Air National Guard, and him and I were a phenomenal team there. Dave Pritchard and I just made a great team. And so he was retiring, and asked me to come back and do his retirement. So we had done the retirement ceremony. We were at the VFW afterwards, having his after-party and so forth. And so I had gone into the bathroom for a comfort break and washed my hands and things like that. And I noticed, as I was kind of moving towards the bathroom, there was kind of a young man who was kind of floating. You know, floating around. And so I came out of the restroom as I was finished, and he was waiting there at the exit of the restroom for me, and kind of, you know, got in front of me, and he stood there, and he looked at me, and he goes, ‘Hey, sir, I just, I needed to let you know this, that I was one of the airmen in one of your patrols that got hit by an IED, and he said, your investment in us, and the words that you used and when you came to talk to us, and the faith that you had in us gave me the courage to go back outside of the wire when you asked us to go back outside.' And so why that rests so heavy is when you think about what, what is the what is the con? The consequence there is that somebody believed in you so much that when you spoke to them and said the word, they were going to go back out and do it again, in spite of what had just happened to you. And I don't think there is any stronger level of trust that you can ask from somebody than to have one of those moments. And so that moment just resides very, very heavy on my soul, because I think it puts into real, tangible context, what is the responsibility of leadership? What is your responsibility of leadership?   Naviere Walkewicz  36:42 I'm letting that sit a little bit, because I can't even imagine the amount of feeling that you had first for him, the courage to share that with you. Because I'm sure that he really wanted to share that. I'm curious if you can remember perhaps, what he might have been referring to, like what you were sharing with the men and women there.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  37:02 So, you know, it was also a part of things that, in times after Bagram have really been used for me as a senior leader on why I reinforced the importance of values. And, this was one particular incident there that really comes to mind is, and I use this when I when I talk to people, because I again, it's the consequence, and it's why our responsibility as leaders to set the right conditions and culture and all of that is so incredibly valuable. And so I talked to people about a story about we had had a situation where we had some real destabilization in the battle space. There was a particular village that we were having some unique challenges with, and we were doing a lot of kind of battlefield shaping, and we were doing some particular village engagement, and the engagement just wasn't happening. And so we were now kind of starting to escalate our interaction with the village a little bit more and as we were doing that, we were now going to start doing more shaping operations. So it just so happens that one of these nights —this was in the late fall, early winter of 2012 — and we were sending one of our patrols outside to do some shaping and engagement operation there. But this was in the evening. This was a different aspect that we were working for this particular mission. And so mounted up that the airmen are ready to go. They're pushing outside, they're right on time, and everything is going according to plan, and they are getting close to what we call the objective rally point. So that was where they were going to rally up before they actually moved into the village after that. And so everything was going according to plan. And the only thing they needed to do before they got to the objective rally point was really kind of go down a small gully over a rise, and then they meet at their objective rally point at that point. And so teams are moving out. First truck over the rise, getting to the point. Second truck over, everything's going fine. Third truck over, fourth truck after that, BOOM, off goes the IED. And what had happened is, they were waiting for this opportunity, and they knew exactly what to do. And that is, if you hit the last truck in the movement, you've got three trucks that are gone ahead of time, and now we've got folks in a very precarious situation. And so what I talk to people about, when we talk about conditions and the real impact that a leader has, is I'll talk to them about who was in that truck, who was in that MRAP that we were sending down at that point in time. And inside that MRAP was the face of America. And the explosion was significant, and it did some considerable damage. It threw the engine out of it, penetrated the hole, ripped one of the doors off the side in the front. And so, you know, the truck commander was National Guard from, actually from Tennessee, and he had gotten injured, broken an arm because that door had peeled back. And as the door peeled back, his arm got caught and broke his arm. The driver, Asian American coming out of the state of California, active duty. He had injuries to his legs because of the penetration of the hole. We had a gunner up in the turret, African American female from the New York Air National Guard. She had a broken pelvis at the time, and she just stayed on the gun the entire time despite her injuries. We had our radio operator. European American female coming from the Midwest. She was actually Air Force Reserve. She had a case of TBI from the explosion, and she was still making calls on the radio. We had two of our riflemen in the back, both came from Hispanic heritage, one of them from Puerto Rican heritage, one of them from Mexican heritage. They were very fortunate that while they got tossed around the back and had some minor TBI issues, they were more or less bumps and bruises, and they were all by themselves. Yeah, because they were all alone, they were in the middle of Afghanistan, they had just gotten hit. And so for me, what's so important about that story is that if we did not set the right culture and the right values and the right expectations and be in a leader by example, and they were harassing each other on Bagram, and they were assaulting each other on Bagram, and they weren't respecting each other on Bagram, and they didn't care about each other on Bagram, they would have died out there that night. But they treated each other like a family, and they cared about each other like a family, and they took care of each other like a family that night, and they lived and they all came home. So for me, if we're going to talk about what is the true consequence of leadership — and I use consequence deliberately, because oftentimes that's used in a pejorative manner — but this is the true result of your actions, that if you don't set those conditions, then you are legitimately putting your people at risk. And so that whole experience at Bagram, and in so many ways that we all carry our scars and our bruises and things like that. I wouldn't trade that experience for the world, but that was tough. And I often describe it as a tale of two cities. You know, it was the best of times. It was the worst of times.   Naviere Walkewicz  42:34 I think a lot of times, when leaders go through experiences like that, they have some more fortunate than others, but a support network. And I would guess it would be your family. How has your family played a role in these moments in your life, in helping you as a leader?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  42:54 So I will say it's primarily my wife. I have got this wonderful support of parents and my in-laws and so forth. And what's been truly fortunate is how close I am with my in-laws. Because when Laurie and I were dating while I was a cadet, anytime I had an overnight or weekend pass, I was over at her mom and dad's house and so I think that being married to somebody that has truly known you from the beginning, you know, where, whether we got a training weekend going on, or something like that, or I'm working first BCT or whatnot, that Laurie was a unique part of all of these things. And I would say that it has been incredibly heartwarming to watch her interact with the cadets here, because it's fun, because her and I do everything together. And so as we're going to events, I'll have a group of cadets that I'm talking to, and then I'll look over and Laurie's surrounded by a group of cadets who are asking her just very insightful questions about our experiences together, and ‘Was it tough sending them away on deployments?' Or how, you know, in those tough times, ‘How do you how do you keep your marriage together?' Just really insightful questions to ask, but she has just been so central to everything that I do. And so going back a little bit and talking about, like the strength of our relationship and how much that helps, we actually needed to have that breakup period as horribly painful as that was, and wow, was I carrying a torch for her all of those years. I mean, I remember, you know, as time was going by, I would talk to my mom, and I'd be like, ‘Mom, I just wish that Laurie could see the man that I become.' But we needed that time because oftentimes, and what we found in ourselves, we didn't know it at the time, because you're living in your environment and you can't see it, right? Is that in youth, things are often absolutes. And you often will get to a place where you're starting your marriage, your relationship is growing. And if you start to talk about marriage, there are things that we have found were absolutes for us. You know, certain things that we did, how we practiced our faith. Did we open up presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, but the expectation was somebody was going to have to give up their particular tradition to conform to the tradition of one of the spouses. And in your youth, that seems reasonable, and I think we needed that time to be apart, having had that time together at such an important time in each of our lives here. But we needed that time apart, because I think we needed that frame of reference as we grew as people into adults. Grew as young adults. And now all of a sudden here I'm getting multiple assignments, and now being thrust into leadership positions with accountability and authority, and then coming back to that, all of a sudden, you're realizing, ‘Gosh, the world just isn't always in absolutes. And maybe a marriage doesn't have to be zero sum, but maybe a marriage can be positive sum.' And do we really have to make somebody give up something that is important to them, that is a part of their identity? Because somehow you feel like you have to conform your marriage into one side or the other. And so, I think for us that was that was so incredibly important. So to kind of get to that story is that, you know, I left Aviano and I went to Al Dhafra. I was in Al Dhafra actually for September 11. It was my first squadron command, but it was a squadron command I wasn't expecting, because I came there as a chief of security forces for about a 70-person security forces flight as a part of the 763rd Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron at Al Dhafra. And then all of a sudden, 9/11 happens, and we went from about 400 people on Al Dhafra to about 4,000. And you know, U-2s came in, ISR platforms came in. Everything changed. And all of a sudden, this 70-person security forces flight that I had grew into about a 350-person security forces squadron. And AFSET said, ‘Hey, Sherman, you built it, you keep it, and we'll replace you with a major when you leave.' And I was a six-year captain, and so then finishing up that assignment, and I got picked up for — there was a point to that story — but it was about coming back, is that, hey, I got these new, unique experiences that grew me under my belt. And then I came back to do an AFIT program at Cal State San Bernardino. And that was the moment that brought Laurie and I back together.   Naviere Walkewicz  In what way?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN And so, I had a health scare. Nobody knows what it was. We never figured it out. Doctors never figured it out. But it was one of those things, like, all of a sudden, I shotgun something out to everybody I knew. I said, ‘Hey, doctors are a little bit concerned, you know, keep me in your thoughts.' And so Laurie, Laurie is like, ‘Holy cow, you can't just send a one liner and leave it at that.' So she called my mom and dad and said, ‘What's his phone number?' And so it started to turn into ‘Hey, give me all of your test results after you get it back.' Then pretty soon we're talking a couple times a week, and then pretty soon we're talking every other day, and then we are talking every day. And the beauty of this was that we already knew each other, so we already knew what everybody's favorite color was — by the way, Laurie's is purple. We knew what music each other liked. We knew things about each other. And some of the things that actually drew us together when we were dating here was, you know, we had things like some common family traditions, like, you know, Italian fish on Christmas Eve and sitting around the table for hours and stuff like that were all things that we had in common. So we already knew that about each other. Now, her and I on the phone, we're getting into some real, like substantive discussions, children, faith. How do you how you raise children? How do you know, what are we going to do for different traditions? What happens if I have to take a remote; what does that mean? And so we were getting into these really, deep conversations. And, you know, I would come back from either class or then when I PCs to the security forces center out at Lackland, you know, I would come home from work, and this was in the old flip phone days where you had a battery that came off the back. So I would have one battery in the charger, and then I would have an earbud in, and I'd have the phone in my pocket. Yeah, and I'd come home and to call her, and we would just go throughout the evening. So I'm ironing BDUs at the time, shining my boots and stuff like that, and so, and we were just talking. And then we were just kind of like living life together. And, after that point, it became very clear that those two young people who sincerely cared about each other, now, each of us grew up and had experiences in a place that allowed us to really appreciate each other and really love each other. And you know, we were married just a little over a year after that. And it has been phenomenal, her support. And I think one of the great testaments to that was, 10 days after we got married, I went to Baghdad, but she's like, ‘I grew up in the Air Force. I know how this works. We're gonna move the house. I'll get the house put together.' And she's also a professional in her own right, which is great. So she was working in a legal office here as a paralegal and legal assistant here in Colorado Springs, and has been a GS employee for the last 18-plus years. So what's great is she, too has her own aspect of service. What I love about it is that in the jobs that she's in and then the jobs that I'm in, we can talk shop, and then we cannot talk shop, right? And so she's the first person I go to if I have to ask a question, she's the first person that I'll go to say, ‘Hey, did I do that right? Or do I need to backtrack on that a little bit?' Because she knows me, and she knows me completely, and that level of trust and love and faith that we have for each other has truly enabled me to be able to serve our airmen on a level that I don't think would have been possible without her.   Naviere Walkewicz  51:59 Would you say that she's had a role in your development as a leader, in the way that you lead.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  52:05 Oh, absolutely, absolutely, because, and I love it, because her experience as a brat and her dad as a chief gives her a very unique lens to look through. And so the advice that she gives me she can give me from her teenage self in some way, you know, from that experience, watching how her dad interacted with something or knowing her aspect about this. And then as she's developed professionally, working on the E-Ring at the Pentagon a couple different times, working for very senior leaders, knows how to navigate that space. So then I'll go to her for advice, like, ‘Hey, how did your boss handle something like this?' ‘Well, let me tell you what, how we work through this...' And so I would absolutely say that that Laurie has uniquely influenced and helped me to become the best version of myself that I can be.   Naviere Walkewicz  53:03 Wow. Well, I want to ask you a little bit about developing yourself as well, because one of the questions we like to ask is, what are you doing every day to make yourself a better leader? Can you share what that might be?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  53:17 I've said it a couple times during this: I truly believe that leadership is a human experience, so for me, it's about the interaction. And so oftentimes, advice that I've given to people — like there are amazing resources abound that can help people, give people leadership perspectives, and we can either learn it from history, or we can learn it through study. We can learn it through analysis. We can learn it through books. And I've always talked to people about use the external tools that help to grow you, but make sure that you're using it to influence the personality that you already have. Because oftentimes what happens is, is that people will have this really strong desire to say, “OK, I want to make sure that I do this right. And so in doing this right, let me make sure I've got my checklist, and so I'm going to greet them, I'm going to ask them how their family is, I'm going to ask them if the kid did all right in the baseball game. And I'm going to go through my checklist, and if I do that, I fulfill my leadership obligation.' Now not everybody does, and I'm making generalities on but, but I think that there can oftentimes be the allure that when you are focusing on what may be the theory or the principle of the day, and not using it to supplement and grow and mature your personality, that there is a strong allure to want to wholesale replicate what it was that you learned, and you're doing it in a noble place. It's not nefarious. It's being done in a noble, genuine place. But there's that allure to say, ‘OK, good, I really like what I've learned. I'm going to do these things and step through.' And so why I talk so much about the experience, and why I talk so much about the interaction, is that the more that you know the people that you may be influencing by just simply being there and understanding what that means. It means you're eternalizing the value of your presence. You're listening to their stories, and you're understanding for them, what are the things that are motivating them? What are the things that they value? Because each generation, each environment, each condition is going to require something a little bit different from you, and if you don't take the time to understand your environment or generation or cultural nuances or things like that on where you're at, then you are missing that opportunity to develop trust, where they start to believe in you as a person, and not just the rank and position that you hold, because they'll do the right thing for the rank and position that you hold. That's the caliber of people that we have in this Air Force of ours. They'll do the right thing. But if you transcend that in the fact that they believe in you wholeheartedly and trust you, oftentimes with their own lives, it means that you've invested something into them, where they truly know that you care. And that goes back to that A1C on the cork board that said, ‘I need somebody who cares about me as a person.'   Naviere Walkewicz  56:41 You know, as I think about what you've experienced through your career and the lessons you've learned, both professionally and personally, what would you say to yourself back then that you should be doing back then to get to where you're at now? Because we have listeners that are like, ‘What can I start planting today, that will bloom down the road?'   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  57:03 Absolutely. And so I think if I was to go back and put my arm around Cadet First Class Sherman, I think what I would do is — because it is, it is oftentimes easy to look in the crystal clear mirror of hindsight, right? But I think instead, what I would do is I would put my arm around him and say, ‘Keep following your heart and let the failures happen, because the failures are going to grow and let the stumbles happen and enjoy the triumphs with people and be appreciative for what got you there.' And I think it would be more of the encouragement of like, ‘You have laid out a path for you take the path wherever it goes, the joy, the pain, the triumph, the failure, all of those things, because all of that helps to develop the leader.' And oftentimes you want to go back and say, gosh, if I was going to talk to my previous self, then I would say, ‘Ah, don't do that one thing,' right? But I'm looking at it saying that if I didn't do that one thing, then I'm not sure that I would be where I'm at at a time to make sure I didn't do that thing at a moment that was incredibly catastrophic. And so while we have this desire to want to prevent ourselves from the failure, I think that what we have to do is say you're going to fail and you need to fail, and it's going to sound — relish in the failure, because it is often emotionally troubling, especially those of us that come here because we are Type A perfectionist, and that's part of the draw of coming to this amazing place. Is there a certain personality traits that help us to be successful here, but not all of those personality traits make us uniquely successful in all situations outside, and so you've got to have that failure at some point in time. And the failure that you can get up and say, ‘OK, I did this. This happened. My soul is bruised. My ego is bruised. I may have to take a little bit of accountability for this. OK, now I need to have the courage to take the next step forward again.' Because I could easily retreat back to a safe place, and I could become risk averse, and all that does is hurt the people around you. OK. I have to have the courage to breathe and take the step again and get back in there. So I would tell my — I don't think I would want to prevent myself from doing anything. I think even the growth that took place while Laurie and I were apart — and, like I said, that torch that I carried for her — I think if I had whispered in my ear and said, ‘Hey, just relax, you're gonna marry her.' I think I needed that torch, because that in my own mind and my own emotion was me needing to become a better man, and so I think I needed to go through — like, sometimes you need the struggle, and sometimes the things that are most valuable are the things that you had to go through the struggle for, right? And I think that's where my blue collar ethics background comes in. It's like, I'm just going to roll up my sleeves and I'm going to work through the struggle.   Naviere Walkewicz  1:00:36 Wow. Well, we took a look back. I just want to ask you a question forward. So do you think about legacy? And what do you want your legacy to be? Is that something that plays in your mind as you wake up each morning or go to lead people?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  1:00:50 I think the way that I look at it is, I look at it in a in a different aspect, and the way that I look at it is in a very confined point to point. It's not about what is going to be Tom Sherman's legacy when he retires someday, but was that interaction that I had with somebody to give them some encouraging words when they fell down, did that matter to them at that moment? Because there are people for me in my failures that were commanders, that were leaders, that were mentors, that were senior enlisted, that, you know, grabbed that lieutenant by the arm and helped to lift me up. And their memories are etched in my fabric. And so I think that it's about that individual event that your legacy will live in the people in which you made a difference to them.   Naviere Walkewicz  1:01:49 Well, I'll share with you, I was telling my son — he's a cadet, a third-class cadet, actually, now he's about to be a C2C — that I was doing this podcast with you, and he said, ‘What an incredible leader, Mom, he motivates me. He's so inspiring.' So your legacy is already through my son—   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  1:02:05 Thank you! That means — thank you so much for sharing.   Naviere Walkewicz  1:02:10 —that you really made an impact. So we're going to get to your final thoughts here in a little bit. But before we do, I want to make sure that you know our podcasts publish on every second Tuesday of the month, and you can certainly listen to Gen. Sherman in any of our other podcasts on longblueleadership.org. So Gen. Sherman, what would you like to leave our listeners with today? This has been incredible, by the way. Thank you.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  1:02:32 I have truly enjoyed this, and it's just been — it was just wonderful having the conversation with you, and it's in real honor to be a part of this. I truly believe in what you're doing here.   Naviere Walkewicz  1:02:43 Thank you. It's my pleasure to help share your story and help inspire others. And is there anything we might leave with our listeners that that they can part with tonight?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  1:02:51 I think, for me, you need to love what you do and love I think, is one of the most powerful words in language. And I don't just say the English language. I say in language because of the strength behind the meaning and how wide the meaning can be impactful. If you love what you do, people will feel that your very presence will make a difference. They'll feel that if you love what you do, then you're being, you know, internally, inspired by the love that you have for what you're being a part of, right? If you love and care about your people, they will follow you to the ends of the Earth, because they know the passion that you have and the belief that you have in them. So I think that as we go back to these things, we oftentimes look at the terms of courage and love may seem diametrically opposed, and I would attest that you can be most courageous and that your courage will be most effective only when it's buttressed by the love that you have in what you do and who you do it with.   Naviere Walkewicz  1:04:08 Thank you, sir, for that. Thank you for being on Long Blue Leadership.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  1:04:11 Absolutely. Thank you. This was a wonderful time. It was a real honor.   Naviere Walkewicz  1:04:14 Thank you. Well, until next time, I'm Naviere Walkewicz. We'll see you on Long Blue Leadership.     KEYWORDS Leadership, Air Force Academy, Major General Thomas P. Sherman, mentorship, personal growth, security forces, work-life balance, family support, continuous improvement, legacy       The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation        

This week on the No Regrets Podcast, Steve Sonderman is joined by John Groth, Area Director for the Mid-Atlantic with Priority One. In Part One of this powerful conversation, John shares his remarkable journey from growing up as an atheist to finding Christ—and the moment his father challenged him to live out what he claimed to believe. That turning point led John into ministry, serving as a chaplain in the Air Force Reserves, teaching as an adjunct professor, and now leading men through his work with Priority One. John opens up about leading while struggling, the toll of ministering to others without taking care of yourself, and the impact of PTSD. He reflects on hard-won lessons from his time in the classroom and emphasizes why honesty, humility, and authenticity matter—especially to the next generation. As we kick off a month focused on discipleship, John's story is a timely reminder: God doesn't need us to have it all together to use us in powerful ways. Learn more about John's work with Priority One: priorityone.org

Join us for Season 2 Episode 1 of Built to Serve with new host Torrey Garrison. In this episode, we sit down with Master Sergeant John Ables, a veteran of both the US Marine Corps and the Air Force Reserve. John shares his remarkable journey, describing how a chance encounter during a motorcycle trip with his wife led to a pivotal moment in his military career. He candidly discusses his role in the Air Force safety department and later his transition to religious affairs, reflecting on the profound impact of both.John also shares insights into his current role in environmental health and safety at Performance Contractors, revealing how a shared lunch with “a chicken wing prophet” unexpectedly steered him towards his current path. Join us as John Ables explores the twists and turns of his career, highlighting the profound connections and unexpected opportunities that have shaped his journey of service and leadership.

We have published 120 episodes since 2019. For this new season, we thought it would be a good idea to look back on some of the highlights of our conversations and select 20 episodes that resonated with veterans, service members, military families, and the civilians who support them.But first up, you'll hear from some of the folks at Home Base who wake up every day with the same mission in mind, no matter what they do at the Center of Excellence in the Navy Yard and beyond. Welcome back to Home Base Nation! For this episode, you will hear a brief conversation with Air Force Veteran and Family Support Team Manager, Stacie Frederiksson, who has worked in the non-profit arena serving veterans and their families for the past 15 years. Stacie served 14 years on active duty in the Air Force as an intelligence officer, supporting flying and space operations, before transferring to the Air Force Reserves, where she spent the last 9 years of her career at USCYBERCOM, retiring in 2016.Following the conversation with Stacie, you'll hear an episode featuring award-winning storyteller and filmmaker Spike Lee, recorded in London, England, in 2019. Home Base caught up with the legendary director before the first-ever Red Sox–Yankees game at the London Stadium. Although we were not happy with the series outcome, Mr. Lee was indeed a lifelong Yankee fan. Ron and Spike discuss some of the history of service by Black Americans and get a preview of his Vietnam War Film, early released at the time, Da5Bloods.Many thanks to Stacie Frederiksson for all her work at Home Base in support of this mission to stomp stigma and treat the invisible wounds of veterans and military families.Run To Home Base: Join Ron and his team and sign up individually or on another team at the 16th annual Run To Home Base on July 26th, 2025, at Fenway Park! Go to runtohomebase.orgPlease visit homebase.org for updates, programming, and resources if you or someone you know is struggling. Home Base Nation is the official podcast for the Home Base Program for Veterans and Military Families. Our team sees veterans, service members, and their families addressing the invisible wounds of war at no cost. This is all made possible thanks to a grateful nation. To learn more about how to help, visit us at www.homebase.org. If you or anyone you know would like to connect to care, you can also reach us at 617-724-5202.Follow Home Base on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedInThe Home Base Nation Team is Steve Monaco, Army Veteran Kelly Field, Justin Scheinert, Chuck Clough, with COO Michael Allard, Brigadier General Jack Hammond, and Peter Smyth.Producer and Host: Dr. Ron HirschbergAssistant Producer, Editor: Chuck CloughChairman, Home Base Media Lab: Peter SmythThe views expressed by guests on the Home Base Nation podcast are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Massachusetts General Hospital, Home Base, the Red Sox Foundation, or any of its officials. 

Episode Summary: In this episode, Heather "Lucky" Penney talks to Lt. Gen. David Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Charles Galbreath, and Anthony "Lazer" Lazarski about the top defense issues this month in Washington, D.C. and beyond. They unpack how the FY26 defense budget is unfolding—what is good and where is it falling short? The factors involving reconciliation versus the standard budget are throwing in some unpredictable factors to consider. They also discuss Golden Dome from a challenges and opportunities perspective. Past that, news coverage suggests that E-7 might be on the chopping block. Are we ready for a set of capabilities that are entirely space-based? Our experts also discuss a broad range of spacepower developments, plus they evaluate Ukraine's novel strike on Russian bombers. Join us to learn about the latest when it comes to air and space power! Credits: Host: Heather "Lucky" Penney, Director of Research, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin  Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: Lt Gen David A. Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Dean, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Guest: Charles Galbreath, Senior Resident Fellow for Space Studies, The Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence (MI-SPACE) Guest: Anthony “Lazer” Lazarski, Principal, Cornerstone Government Affairs Read: 1. Air Force and Space Force Vectors for the Incoming Trump Defense Team 2. Want Combat Airpower? Then Fix the Air Force Pilot Crisis 3. Air Force Reserve faces steep fighter cuts, uncertain future Links: Subscribe to our Youtube Channel: https://bit.ly/3GbA5Of Website: https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MitchellStudies Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mitchell.Institute.Aerospace LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nzBisb Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mitchellstudies/ #MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #TheHill #Rendezvous #Budget

We have published 120 episodes since 2019. For this new season, we thought it would be a good idea to look back on some of the highlights of our conversations and select 20 episodes that resonated with veterans, service members, military families, and the civilians who support them.But first up, you'll hear from some of the folks at Home Base who wake up every day with the same mission in mind, no matter what they do at the Center of Excellence in the Navy Yard and beyond. For this episode, you will hear a brief conversation with Marc Moyer, a U.S. Army Veteran who served with the 3rd Infantry Division in Iraq and is now a Veteran Outreach Coordinator at Home Base. Following my conversation with Marc, you'll hear an episode featuring Bonnie Carroll, a retired major in the Air Force Reserve and founder of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, also known as TAPS. This organization has created a vital support network for those mourning the loss of a military loved one.Many thanks to Marc Moyer for all his work at Home Base in support of this mission to stomp stigma and treat the invisible wounds of veterans and military families.Run To Home Base: Join Ron and his team and sign up individually or on another team at the 16th annual Run To Home Base on July 26th, 2025, at Fenway Park! Go to runtohomebase.orgPlease visit homebase.org for updates, programming, and resources if you or someone you know is struggling. Home Base Nation is the official podcast for the Home Base Program for Veterans and Military Families. Our team sees veterans, service members, and their families addressing the invisible wounds of war at no cost. This is all made possible thanks to a grateful nation. To learn more about how to help, visit us at www.homebase.org. If you or anyone you know would like to connect to care, you can also reach us at 617-724-5202.Follow Home Base on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedInThe Home Base Nation Team is Steve Monaco, Army Veteran Kelly Field, Justin Scheinert, Chuck Clough, with COO Michael Allard, Brigadier General Jack Hammond, and Peter Smyth.Producer and Host: Dr. Ron HirschbergAssistant Producer, Editor: Chuck CloughChairman, Home Base Media Lab: Peter SmythThe views expressed by guests on the Home Base Nation podcast are their own, and their appearance on the program does not imply an endorsement of them or any entity they represent. Views and opinions expressed by guests are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Massachusetts General Hospital, Home Base, the Red Sox Foundation, or any of its officials.

We talk to Senior Master Sgt. Walt Davis, Air Force Reserve, and Captain Tom Holder, Marine Corps JROTC, Highland Springs HS, will discuss how JROTC works and the many life and career benefits our JROTC students receive, and eliminate many myths about JROTC.

Youtube FacebookSpotifyBioImSoTyRell is making noise with “Big Plays”, a high-energy, emotionally grounded hip-hop track that fuses hard-hitting beats with rich melodies and a powerful backstory. Drawing on his personal experiences, the track tells the story of a New York native from Queens who relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina, determined to break cycles and choose a different path from the one laid before him.The track opens with a striking image: a six-year-old TyRell watching his mother cut drugs on a dinner plate. Rather than glamorize this upbringing, “Big Plays” tells a story of resilience, personal choice, and ambition.“This song is based on my life,” he says. “I saw where the drug life could lead — I lived in it — but I made a decision to do something different. This is me taking big swings. Big plays.”While the song references his past, it also defines his present: an artist committed to authenticity. His name, ImSoTyRell, isn't just a moniker — it's a mantra.“Throughout my journey, people would say, ‘You should sound more like this or that.' But I wanted people to know: I'm always going to be myself. I'm so me. I'm ImSoTyRell.”Rooted in Queens, Grounded in CharlotteTyRell's musical roots span coasts and cultures. Raised in Queens, he was inspired by local legends like 50 Cent — whose pre-fame days he remembers from childhood — and stylistic innovators like Missy Elliott, whose influence shaped the R&B-infused complexity of his sound. He moved to Charlotte during his senior year of high school and has since made the city his creative home, performing at major venues like the Spectrum Center, Raleigh showcases, and curated open mic events.“I perform where I know I can make a moment,” he says. “It's not about clout — it's about connection.”Art Beyond the MusicImSoTyRell is also a storyteller beyond the studio. He's currently producing an original YouTube series titled “Make Some Noise,” which he wrote, scored, and stars in. The project blends scripted fiction with music, allowing TyRell to further explore his storytelling talents and give voice to real-life issues through a creative lens.“I don't want to be put in one box. I like to create music that takes you on a journey — and leaves you with something meaningful,” he says. “Too much music today feels like a run-on sentence. I want my art to make you think, feel, and reflect.”Service and Self-InvestmentTyRell's commitment to excellence led him to temporarily step away from music in order to stabilize his finances — and return on his own terms. As a Technical Sergeant in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, he proudly serves while investing in the quality of his work.“If I'm going to do this, it has to be top-tier. I won't release something I'm not proud of.”With a strong creative team, The Fly Family (@theflyfamily), TyRell now has the support and production quality to match his vision.What's Next: “Funds Up” and MoreFollowing “Big Plays”, TyRell is set to drop his next single, “Funds Up” featuring Kash Kyla, and release Episode 2 of “Make Some Noise”, planned as an eight-part series.Still, “Big Plays” stands as his mission statement — a call to action for anyone aiming to break generational cycles, dream bigger, and bet on themselves.“It's a triumphant sound. It's about stepping out, making major moves, and feeling good about it,” he says. “It could be a sports anthem or a track for a kid hooping in the park — whatever the context, it's about showing up for yourself in a big way.”And for ImSoTyRell, this is just the beginning.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/creator-to-creators-with-meosha-bean--4460322/support.

In this episode, we're joined by Angela Betancourt, a seasoned global communications expert and storyteller with a rich and diverse career. Angela has spent her life embracing bold moves, whether it was helping rebuild economies in post-Ebola Sierra Leone, promoting sustainable tourism in Central America, or even joining the U.S. Air Force Reserves in her late 30s. With over 30 countries under her belt and experiences across multiple continents, Angela has always found herself chasing the next adventure, embracing the unknown, and connecting deeply with people from all walks of life.Through her incredible journey, Angela has learned that the most powerful stories are the messy, life-changing ones—stories that connect us across cultures, languages, and distances. In this conversation, Angela shares reflections on her boldest decisions, the highs and lows of her career, and the lessons she's learned along the way.Tune in as we swap stories and reflect on what it means to step outside of our comfort zones and embrace change. Angela's experiences are sure to inspire a little wanderlust in your heart and ignite a desire to live fearlessly and authentically.https://groupbetancourt.com/about-us/

Send us a textStrap in, kids—this episode is a buffet of DoD chaos, spicy geopolitical moves, and “WTF are we even doing?” headlines. Jared unleashes on everything from the sketchiest Air Force One replacement idea ever (thanks, Qatar) to Golden Dome missile pipe dreams and the absolute circus that is Cyber Command's latest identity crisis.We're also sending ICE to Marine bases, cutting 14% of Space Force civilians (brilliant), and relying on $26 million to keep Reserve pilots in the sky. Oh, and if you thought privatizing base lodging was gonna save anyone money—LOL, you're adorable.All this while the Air Force plays catch-up with drone integration, and Netflix somehow makes the Thunderbirds look cost-effective. Welcome to another day in the Pentagon's magical clown tent.

Send us a textOn this insightful episode of The Plant Movement Podcast, we sit down with Mr. Bob, a pioneering entrepreneur who built his career selling workers' compensation insurance to the largest nurseries in Miami-Dade County. Discover how Bob identified a gap in the market and filled it with dedication, expertise, and an unwavering commitment to service.Bob shares his incredible journey from his early days working for a State Farm agent during his summers as a teenager to founding his own successful insurance company. He reveals how his passion for insurance began with his father's friendship with a State Farm agent and how a pivotal decision to join the Air Force Reserve shaped his career path.Tune in to learn how a chance meeting on the golf course introduced Bob to the nursery industry and set the stage for his workers' compensation success story. He reflects on key relationships, including working with industry leaders like Tony Costa, and how timing, opportunity, and networking propelled his business forward.Now in his next chapter after selling his insurance company, Bob continues to share his wisdom, emphasizing the importance of service, integrity, and strategic growth. This episode also touches on the evolution of insurance in the Green Industry, lessons learned from decades of experience, and advice for entrepreneurs looking to build their niche.Don't miss this episode filled with stories of growth, resilience, and community impact!TRMGEmail: bob@trmg.netCall: (305) 281-4151Web: https://www.trmg.netFollow IG: https://www.instagram.com/theplantmovementpodcast The Plant Movement Podcast Email: eddie@theplantmovementnetwork.com & willie@theplantmovementnetwork.comCall: (305) 216-5320 Web: https://www.theplantmovement.comFollow Us: IG: https://www.instagram.com/theplantmovementpodcast A's Ornamental NurseryWE GROW | WE SOURCE | WE DELIVERCall: (305) 216-5320Web: https://www.asornamental.comFollow Us: IG: https://www.instagram.com/asornamentalnurseryThe Nursery GrowersCall: 786-522-4942Email: info@thenurserygrowers.comIG: www.instagram.com/thenurserygrowersweb: www.thenurserygrowers.comPlant Logistics Co.(Delivering Landscape Plant Material Throughout the State of Florida)Call: (305) 912-3098Web: https://www.plantlogisticsco.comFollow Us: IG: https://www.instagram.com/plantlogisticsDirected and Produced by Eddie EVDNT Gonzalez Disclaimer: The contents of this podcast/youtube video are for informational and entertainment purposes only and do not constitute financial, accounting, or legal advice. I can't promise that the information shared on my posts is appropriate for you or anyone else. By listening to this podcast/youtube video, you agree to hold me harmless from any ramifications, financial or otherwise, that occur to you as a result of acting on information found in this podcast/youtube video.Support the show

In this one, co-host Micah Hollinger and Cody talk to Adrian Williams. Both of them grew up skating the streets of Anchorage, at spots like Hanshew Middle School and Abbott Elementary. Those two spots in particular were important to their upbringing and their skating. It's where they met up with friends, learned tricks and got shots. They were both on the Boarderline Skate Team too, where the yearly shop video gave them even more of a reason to push the limits of what local skating could look like. Staying motivated was important to progression, especially in a place like Anchorage, where the weather isn't always conducive to skating and it's easy to put limits on yourself. But Adrian was never about that. He was about making the most of his environment, which meant skating tennis-court-skateparks and schools in the summer and cold parking garages in the winter. It was a struggle, but he and his tight-knit group of friends made it work. It's this perseverance that molded Adrian's style into what it is — calm, technical and driven. And a lot of his perspective, he learned from his older brother, Angel, who actually got him into skating and remains one of his biggest influences. His part in Business As Usual, Think Skateboards 2013 video, marked a major turning point for Adrian: Not only did it prove he could hold his own among the best skaters out that year, but it also signaled the beginning of the end for Think, the company he had skated for since 2007. When Think went under, it was a blow to his career. He was now out of a board sponsor and everything that came with it — skate gear, a travel budget, connections to photographers and filmers, and the momentum that comes from being part of a functioning team. It was a jarring reset after years of building toward something bigger. But it never dampened his love for skating. He just had to pivot. So, he picked up more traditional jobs at companies like UPS and Amazon and always made sure that skating stayed a priority. Lately, though, that priority has shifted. In search of more consistent, less physically demanding work, Adrian recently enlisted in the Air Force Reserves, where he'll be training in Heavy Aircraft Integrated Avionics. It's a new chapter, for sure, but the same mindset: Still rooted in dedication, persistence and putting in the work. But even with his focus shifting to a new career path, skating will always be a part of who he is.

Michael Jones is a native of Phoenix, Arizona, has been happily married to his wife for 32 years and is the proud father of two adult sons. He earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Creighton University School of Dentistry in May 1993 and has since established and managed his own private dental practice. In addition to his professional career, Michael dedicated 10 years to the Air Force Reserves, where he honorably served as Chief of Dental Services and achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Beyond his work in dentistry, he has been actively involved in ministry as an Elder, serving as the men's director at his church for the past eight years. Currently, Michael is furthering his passion for impacting the lives of men through counseling by pursuing a graduate certificate in Christian counseling at Grand Canyon University, equipping himself to better support and guide others in their spiritual and personal growth. To contact Michael, you can email him at mjones936712@gmail.com -------------------------------------------------   If you want to help us transform the lives of even MORE MEN for God's glory, please take a minute to leave us a helpful REVIEW and SHARE this podcast with any man you know who's in need of help and hope and is hurting.”  And to make sure you don't miss a podcast episode, as well as contest give-a-ways, special announcements, and much more, make sure you "Stay Connected" by visiting us at https://station.page/realmen to join our online community of podcast listeners.   Talk with Dr. Joe 1-on-1: Are you tired and stuck? Want to go to get your faith, marriage, family, career and finances back on track?  Then maybe it's time you got a coach. Every CHAMPION has one. Schedule an appointment to chat with Dr. Joe on how we can help you spiritually love and lead your family better and become the hero of your home.   Dr. Joe takes on only a few Breakthrough Calls each week to help you with your faith, marriage, work, and financial challenges.  The call is FREE, but slots are limited to ONE call only.  NO RESCHEDULES.  Just click on the link below and select the BREAKTHROUGH CALL option to set up an appointment: http://TalkwithDrJoe.com  If no slots are available, please check back in a week.   Also join us on: Online Podcast Community (on Station):  https://station.page/realmen Facebook: @realdrjoemartin YouTube: http://www.RealMenTraining.com Instagram: @realdrjoemartin Twitter: @professormartin Website: https://RealMenConnect.com

My guest today is Air Force Chief Master Sergeant (Retired) Michelle “Taz” Zayatz.  Michelle grew up in Pittsfield, MA and graduated from Taconic High School.  In 1982 she joined the Air Force with an Air Force Specialty Code of 276 Aerospace Control and Warning System.  Her first assignment was to the 667th Air Control and Warning Squadron at Hofn Air Station, Iceland in 1982.  After completing that remote tour she was assigned to the 2nd Communications Squadron at Buckley Air National Guard base in Colorado.  During this assignment, she met and married her husband, Allen.  In 1986, Michelle separated from Active Duty and accompanied her husband as he finished his Active Duty career in the Air Force.  Throughout their subsequent PCS moves, she continued her career by joining the Air National Guard in MS, NY and CO.  In 1998, she transferred from the COANG to the Air Force Reserves and became a founding member of the 8th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley AFB.  In 2006, Michelle moved to the 310th Space Group at Schriever AFB.  In 2007, she requested to be reassigned to stand up the new 310th Mission Support Group in Denver.  Chief Zayatz retired in 2011.

Doug Collins is the 12th United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs, sworn in on February 5, 2025. A Republican with a track record of public service, Collins served as U.S. Representative for Georgia's 9th district (2013–2021) and in the Georgia House (2007–2013). An Air Force Reserve chaplain since 2002, he deployed to Iraq in 2008 and was promoted to colonel in 2023. With a Master of Divinity and a Juris Doctor, Collins combines faith, law, and military experience in his mission to overhaul the VA by focusing on efficiency, transparency, and veteran care. Shawn Ryan Show Sponsors: https://ShawnLikesGold.com | 855-936-GOLD https://AmericanFinancing.net/SRS | NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org https://trueclassic.com/SRS Upgrade your wardrobe and save on @trueclassic at trueclassic.com/SRS ! #trueclassicpod https://ZipRecruiter.com/SRS https://ExpressVPN.com/SRS https://hometitlelock.com/SRS Go to https://hometitlelock.com/srs and use promo code SRS to get a FREE title history report so you can find out if you're already a victim AND 14 days of protection for FREE! And make sure to check out the Million Dollar TripleLock protection details when you get there! Exclusions apply. For details visit https://hometitlelock.com/warranty https://Hillsdale.edu/SRS https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/SRS | Download the app today and use code SRS Secretary Doug Collins Links: X - https://x.com/SecVetAffairs Call 1-800-MyVA411 (1-800-698-2411) – This is always the right number to reach VA and available 24/7/365.   Are you a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one? Dial 988 and Press 1 to reach the Veteran Crisis Line – confidential and standing by 24/7/365. More information: http://www.veteranscrisisline.net/.  Call 1-877-4AID-VET (1-877-424-3838) if you are a Veteran at risk of homelessness or a family member, friend, or advocate. Confidential and available 24/7/365. You may also chat online: National Call Center for Homeless Veterans - VA Homeless Programs  Submit your question to https://ask.VA.gov/ if you prefer to digitally send VA sensitive or private information.   Login to www.VA.gov or use the VA Health and Benefits Mobile App to directly message your health care provider.  Schedule 1-on-1 virtual or in-person assistance with a VA Benefits Expert: https://va.my.site.com/VAVERA/   Find a VA facility near you: https://www.va.gov/find-locations/   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

President Trump is using his executive power to rip the lid off the deep state's most egregious fraud, waste, and abuse—starting with USAID. But what about Congress? Reps. Keith Self and August Pfluger join The Kevin Roberts Show to reveal how they're working to codify Trump's reforms, gut the bureaucracy, and put America back on the path to military strength and fiscal sanity. From cutting trillions in waste to dismantling Biden's radical policies, this episode breaks down the real fight for America's future.About Rep. Pfluger: Serving his third term in the U.S. House of Representatives, Congressman August Pfluger represents 20 counties in Texas' 11th Congressional District, including Brownwood, Killeen, Llano, Midland, Odessa, and San Angelo. August grew up in San Angelo, where he lives with his wife Camille and three daughters. August graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy before serving in the military for twenty years as a decorated fighter pilot and squadron commander, including two deployments to Syria and Northern Iraq. August also served on the United States National Security Council (NSC) during President Trump's first presidency and still serves as a colonel in the U.S. Air Force Reserves. In Congress, August is the first Member to represent Midland and Odessa on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. He also serves as Chairman of the Republican Study Committee – the largest caucus of conservatives on Capitol Hill – and as Chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence. Additionally, August co-founded the MACH 1 Caucus and the Texas Ag Task Force. He is a conservative Republican, a proud husband and father, and a devoted follower of Jesus Christ.About Rep. Self: Keith Self was born in a military hospital during his father's service in the United States Army and was raised in Texas.  After graduation from High School in Amarillo, he accepted an appointment to The United States Military Academy at West Point, where he began a 25-year career of service to our country.Keith's Army tours included Airborne Infantry Platoon Leader, Airborne Infantry Company Commander, Special Forces Detachment Commander and Special Forces Company Commander.  His service took him to Europe, the Middle East, and the Pentagon, where he worked on the most sensitive military programs.  He deployed to Grenada, Bosnia, Afghanistan, and Iraqi Freedom. During his career, Keith received the Master Parachutist Badge, Ranger Tab, Special Forces Tab, and Joint Staff Badge.  He retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.Upon retiring from the Army, Keith was elected County Judge in Collin County, TX, in 2006.  He served three consecutive terms before retiring in 2018.Keith and his wife Tracy have been happily married since his graduation from West Point.  They reside in McKinney, TX and are active members in their church and local community.

Kevin Randle was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, grew up in Denver, Colorado and entered the Army in Texas. He learned to fly helicopters, had a tour in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot and then left active duty for college. He attended the University of Iowa and upon graduation was commissioned into the Air Force Reserve. Randle spent most of his Air Force career as an intelligence officer. In 1986, he was released into the inactive reserve. Randle became interested in UFOs as a teenager and continued his studies after joining the Army. He served as a field investigator for APRO, was one of the first to investigate cattle mutilations and was the first to report an alien abduction from inside a home. His most important work has been in the Roswell UFO crash case. With Don Schmitt he wrote UFO CRASH AT ROSWELL and THE TRUTH ABOUT THE UFO CRASH AT ROSWELL. He has also written THE ROSWELL ENCYCLOPEDIA. His other UFO books included PROJECT BLUEBOOK EXPOSED, A HISTORY OF UFO CRASHES, SCIENTIFIC UFOLOGY and THE ABDUCTION ENIGMA. Randle has appeared on numerous TV programs, in many documentaries, and even appeared briefly, if you knew where to look in the Showtime original movie, ROSWELL.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-x-zone-radio-tv-show--1078348/support.

In this special episode of Long Blue Leadership, we present our Long Blue Line Podcast Network coverage of National Character and Leadership Symposium 2025. ----more---- SUMMARY The theme for this year's symposium was “Warfighters to Win.” Cadets heard from leaders who model the warrior spirit of our Air Force and Space Force. Host, Ted Robertson, Multimedia and Podcast Specialist for the Air Force Academy Association of Graduates and Foundation, spoke with organizers, speakers, and panelists who came to NCLS from all across the military and academia.   OUR GUESTS FOR THIS EPISODE SEGMENT 1 Topic:  a look inside CCLD, the annual production of NCLS, and a preview of who is guesting in this podcast. Ms. Danielle Brines NCLS Program Director Dr. Michele Johnson NCLS Speaker Engagement Team Lead SEGMENT 2 Topic:  the thinking behind NCLS and how the Academy and cadets benefit and gain from the event and year-round programs. Dr. Doug Lindsay '92 Executive Editor, Journal of Character and Leadership Development Author, In Your Moment:  Mastering Your Leadership Thresholds    SEGMENT 3 Topic:  Sharing their journeys to careers in support of Strike Eagle Squadrons. 1st Lt. Gabrielle "DARE" Sutedjo '21 Intelligence Analyst for the 4th Fighter Wing, Seymour Johnson AFB supporting four Strike Eagle squadrons. Capt. Joel Zamot '18 Lead Weapons Systems Officer, 335th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson AFB supporting four Strike Eagle squadrons.   SEGMENT 4 Topic:  Task Force Hope:  Crisis Leadership and Moral Injury Recovery. Task Force (TF) Hope equips participants with the tools to face adversity head-on, lead decisively through crisis, and recover with resilience from the lasting weight of moral injuries. Forged in the crucible of operational challenges, it embodies 14 years of relentless refinement, evolving from a 2010 Squadron Officer School (SOS) paper into a powerful SOS elective and further sharpened by the innovative rigor of the 2020 SOS Think Tank. Tested and validated by over 2,000 Air Force captains, three academic years of Air War College students and faculty, the 55th Operations Group Global Squadron Command Summit, and multiple Air Force, Army, and USSOF units, TF Hope empowers leaders to master their craft, make bold decisions amidst uncertainty, and outpace the chaos of crisis. The resounding feedback from participants underscores its impact: “Why didn't I hear this earlier in my career?” Col. Jonathan Sawtelle Founder of Task Force Hope Air Force Weather Career Field Manager at Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington D.C. Lt. Col. Brandon Murphy '07 Director of Operations for the 306th Operations Support Squadron at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Maj. Tara Holmes Chief of Cadet Development at the Center for Character and Leadership Development at the U.S. Air Force Academy.   SEGMENT 5 Dr. John Torres '82 Topic:  "No Excuses." Dr. John Torres is a self-described “Air Force brat” who graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1982. His 32-year military career in the Air Force included active duty as a C-130 Hercules pilot and service in the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve as a flight surgeon. His military service also included a tour of duty in Iraq in 2004, as well as rescue missions at the South Pole and in response to Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. Leveraging his combined medical and military experience, Torres helped establish training courses for NATO Special Forces soldiers to ensure a high level of consistency across various nations, languages and cultures.   SEGMENT 6 Topic:  Preview of our interview with the four winners of the Capt. Sullenberger Award for Courage. The podcast was hosted by Bryan Grossman, Association of Graduates and Foundation Senior Director of Communications. Publication is set for March 13-16, 2025. Capt. Claire Eddins, USAFA '18 Capt. Carla Nava, USAFA '18 Capt. Logan Cowan, USAFA ‘18 Capt. Kyle Abraham, USAFA '19, All warfighter graduates distinguished themselves in what has been called the largest air-to-air engagement in over 50 years when they helped turn away Iran's April 2024 attack against Israel. Their extraordinary airmanship contributed greatly to preserving regional stability, protecting Coalition forces, and saving countless civilian lives." Copy Credit:  USAFA Superintendent's Office     VIEW THE FULL VIDEO PLAYLIST OF ALL SPEAKERS AND PRESENTERS           The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association and Foundation      

Bethany Carolus, owner of Swift Shine Cleaning, is originally from Central Pennsylvania. After high school, Bethany obtained a business entrepreneurship certification for a community college in Maryland. Following this period, she joined the Air Force Reserves, which brought her to Pittsburgh in 2018. In 2019, she became a yoga instructor and started school for massage therapy. She cleaned houses on the side while in school to make money and really enjoyed the flexibility; thus, the inception of Swift Shine Cleaning!

This episode we meet Victor Garcia III. Victor is a Puerto Rican and Cuban originally from Antioch, CA but currently residing in Manteca, CA. He has been an athlete his whole life but got into running in 2014. Since then he has ran different distances to include on ultra marathon. Victor has been serving in the Air Force Reserve for the last 14 years and has 3 kids: boy 10 years old, daughter 8 years old and daughter 4 years old.

Send us a textIn today's episode, I am chatting with Dr. Josh McConkey. Dr. (Colonel) Josh McConkey is an award-winning/best-selling author and esteemed Emergency Physician with over two decades of clinical experience. He served as a professor at Duke University and maintains Board Certification in Emergency Medicine. With 22 years of military service, Dr. McConkey now commands the 459th Aeromedical Staging Squadron in the US Air Force Reserves, demonstrating exceptional leadership and dedication. He is a devoted father of three and his greatest passion lies in shaping future American leaders alongside his wife, Elsa. Key Highlights:Josh's Career: Serving as an air transport/CCAT doctor in the Air Force Reserves, where he provides critical care during medical evacuations. Insights into his work as a flight surgeon and how his perspective on adrenaline and risk-taking has evolved since becoming a father.The Weight Behind the Spear: Discussion on his book, which encapsulates his leadership ethos and was inspired by the increasing mental health challenges he has witnessed as an emergency room physician. Despite the divide in our country, his books talks about empowering and equipping the next generation. Taking Action on Mental Health: The importance of community engagement, personal empowerment, and leveraging individual strengths to make a meaningful impact.Personal Development & Leadership: A deep dive into his book flight, featuring titles that have shaped his leadership philosophy and personal growth.This conversation is packed with wisdom, experience, and actionable insights—don't miss it!Connect with Dr. Josh McConkey:WebsiteInstagramTwitter/XLinkedInPurchase The Weight Behind the SpearBooks and authors mentioned in the episode:Harry Potter series by J.K. RowlingThe Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe)Mornings on Horseback by David McCulloughBook FlightCall Sign Chaos by Jim Mattis and Bing WestAn Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth by Chris HadfieldEverything is F*cked by Mark MansonReady for a monthly literary adventure? We now have the BFF Book Club. Join us each month to explore a new book. After reading, connect with fellow book lovers and meet the author in a live interview! Can't make it live? Don't worry—we'll send you the recording. You can find all our upcoming book club selections HERE. Support the showBe sure to join the Bookish Flights community on social media. Happy listening! Instagram Facebook Website

Michaela Fachar is a former national security professional who served as an All-Source Analyst in the U.S. Air Force Reserve for six years and held various intelligence roles within the U.S. government. In the fall of 2021, during her first semester at Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service, she had a profound experience making contact with NHI. With no prior knowledge or exposure to the phenomenon, she was informed of her contact by an element of the U.S. government. Committed to her career in national security, Michaela confided only in a close circle, keeping the experience secret to avoid misconceptions and remain focused on her mission. However, a year later, her NHI contact intensified, ultimately reshaping the course of her life. Accepting the end of that chapter, she launched a social media presence on X in August 2024 and, in December, publicly shared her experiences with NHI. Her revelations gained traction on UFO Twitter, reconnecting her with colleagues from the intelligence community. Earlier this month, Michaela came forward as a whistleblower, sharing details from her 2020–2021 Air Force deployment to Qatar in hopes of corroborating information disclosed by Matt Livelsberger to Shoemate on The Shawn Ryan Show. Michaela On 'X' https://x.com/MichaelaFacharBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/total-disclosure-ufos-coverups-conspiracy--5975113/support.

Ever wondered what it's like flying for the Air National Guard? In this episode, Ben joins Dylan and Max to share his journey from high school aviation dreams to the cockpit of a KC-135. We break down the steps to becoming a Guard pilot, how to balance it with a civilian flying career, and why the Guard might be the ultimate flexible gig for pilots. Plus, insider tips on navigating deployments, training, and building a career that works for you. Connect with Ben on LinkedIn Show Notes 0:00 Intro 2:51 Ben's Aviation Journey & Opportunities 10:18 Training Path & Pay 20:23 Scheduling & Extended Deployment 25:01 International Guard vs Air Force Reserves 30:20 College Path & Tuition Assistance 42:27 Incentives & Benefits 47:10 Boom Operator Rapid Fire Questions 56:35 Final Advice From Ben   Be sure to subscribe to 21Five's Youtube Channel to see our luggage review videos! Hard Landing: The Epic Contest for Power and Profits That Plunged the Airlines into Chaos by Thomas Petzinger Jr Connect with us on LinkedIn Our sponsors: Move your airplane without breaking your back or the bank! Max said the Amigo AeroTow's affordable T1 tug has 'changed his hangar life'. Learn more about AeroTow's family of aviation tugs and see why its earning rave reviews from top 40 aviation podcast hosts around the globe. Use code "21five" at checkout for $100 off any AeroTow product! -- Harvey Watt, offers the only true Loss of Medical License Insurance available to individuals and small groups. Because Harvey Watt manages most airlines' plans, they can assist you in identifying the right coverage to supplement your airline's plan. Many buy coverage to supplement the loss of retirement benefits while grounded. Visit harveywatt.com to learn more! -- Advanced Aircrew Academy enables flight operations to fulfill their training needs in the most efficient and affordable way—anywhere, at any time. We do this by providing high-quality professional pilot, flight attendant, flight coordinator, maintenance, and line service training modules delivered via the web using a world-class online aviation training system. Visit aircrewacademy.com to learn more! -- Tim Pope is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and a pilot. His financial planning practice provides services to aviation professionals and aviation 401k plans. Tim helps clients pursue their financial goals by defining them, organizing & optimizing resources, planning, implementing, and monitoring their financial plan. Visit https://link.21fivepodcast.com/timothy-pope to learn more. Check out Tim's new podcast: The Pilot Money Podcast -- Employee Compensation Software That Answers "What's the Going Rate?" The AirComp Calculator™ is business aviation's only online compensation analysis system. It can provide precise compensation ranges for 14 business aviation positions in six aircraft classes at over 50 locations throughout the United States in seconds. -- VAERUS MEANS RIGHT, TRUE, AND REAL.Buy or sell an aircraft the right way, using a true partner, to make your dream of flight real. Connect with Brooks at Vaerus Jet Sales | Learn more about the DC-3 Referral Program -- The 21.5 Podcast is supported by our friends at ProPilotWorld.com - The Premier Information & Networking Resource for Professional Pilots -- Do you have feedback, suggestions, or a great aviation story to share? Email us info@21fivepodcast.com Check out our Instagram feed @21FivePodcast for more great content and to see our collection of aviation license plates. The statements made in this show are our own opinions and do not reflect, nor were they under any direction of any of our employers.  

Kevin Randle was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, grew up in Denver, Colorado and entered the Army in Texas. He learned to fly helicopters, had a tour in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot and then left active duty for college. He attended the University of Iowa and upon graduation was commissioned into the Air Force Reserve. Randle spent most of his Air Force career as an intelligence officer. In 1986, he was released into the inactive reserve. Randle became interested in UFOs as a teenager and continued his studies after joining the Army. He served as a field investigator for APRO, was one of the first to investigate cattle mutilations and was the first to report an alien abduction from inside a home. His most important work has been in the Roswell UFO crash case. With Don Schmitt he wrote UFO CRASH AT ROSWELL and THE TRUTH ABOUT THE UFO CRASH AT ROSWELL. He has also written THE ROSWELL ENCYCLOPEDIA. His other UFO books included PROJECT BLUEBOOK EXPOSED, A HISTORY OF UFO CRASHES, SCIENTIFIC UFOLOGY and THE ABDUCTION ENIGMA. Randle has appeared on numerous TV programs, in many documentaries, and even appeared briefly, if you knew where to look in the Showtime original movie, ROSWELL.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-x-zone-radio-tv-show--1078348/support.

In honor of Mr. Leon Crayton who passed away earlier in the month. With his WWI veteran uncle's encouragement, after Mr. Leon graduated from Decatur High School in 1953, he attended Tuskegee Institute on scholarship. Following in the footsteps of the first generation of Tuskegee Airmen in 1941, Mr. Leon, a Korean War veteran, served our country in active duty from 1955-59 and from 1961-1974 served in the Air Force Reserves. While in the reserves, he was in the 305th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron based at Selfridge Air Force Base in Detroit, helping the squadron find downed pilots.

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Dr. Josh McConkey, both a colonel and an accomplished best-selling author, has an esteemed career as an emergency physician with more than twenty years of clinical experience. At Duke University, he serves as a professor and is a board-certified specialist in emergency medicine. His notable military background spans over 22 years, during which he currently commands the 459th Aeromedical Staging Squadron in the U.S. Air Force Reserves. Dr. McConkey's leadership and contributions have earned him several awards, including his induction into the Alliance Nebraska Public Schools Hall of Fame in 2022 and the Distinguished Alumni Award from Chadron State College in 2023. In this captivating episode of Mr. Biz Radio, host Ken Wentworth interviews Dr. and Colonel Josh McConkey, who shares his journey through medicine, military, and entrepreneurship. Highlighting significant achievements and challenges, Dr. McConkey explores starting a business, overcoming adversity, and his ethos, "Be the weight behind the spear," which guides his leadership approach. The discussion addresses managing and retaining talent post-COVID, emphasizing resilience and adaptability in the younger workforce. Personal anecdotes underscore ownership and accountability in business. Dr. McConkey's military perspective offers lessons in empowerment, trust, and effective management, providing authentic insights on building robust teams in a dynamic corporate landscape. Key Takeaways: -Dr. McConkey highlights the importance of instilling ownership in employees to boost engagement and performance. -Lessons from Dr. McConkey's military experience offer valuable insights on leadership and resilience. -Strategies to attract and develop young employees in a post-COVID world. -Key lessons from Dr. McConkey's entrepreneurial journey on majority ownership and legal diligence. -Dr. McConkey's belief in contributing significantly by being the supportive force behind success. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/mrbiz/support

Retired Lt. Col. Olga Custodio, the first Hispanic female pilot in the U.S. military, and retired Lt. Col. Caroline "Blaze" Jansen, the first female Air Force Reserve pilot to fly with the Thunderbirds, share their experiences as trailblazers in the Air Force.

On this episode, Defense Information School instructor and host Jack Rous welcomes a special guest: Katie Spencer. Katie currently serves as a public affairs officer in the Air Force Reserve and is a veteran of Operations Enduring Freedom and Freedom's Sentinel. In her civilian role, she's the Sports Outreach Program Manager for the Department of the Air Force. Most recently, she supported the Thunderbirds during their flyover at Super Bowl 58. Today, we'll explore her unique role as a military communicator, and discuss her path to this position and plans for the program.

On this episode, Defense Information School instructor and host Jack Rous welcomes a special guest: Katie Spencer. Katie currently serves as a public affairs officer in the Air Force Reserve and is a veteran of Operations Enduring Freedom and Freedom's Sentinel. In her civilian role, she's the Sports Outreach Program Manager for the Department of the Air Force. Most recently, she supported the Thunderbirds during their flyover at Super Bowl 58. Today, we'll explore her unique role as a military communicator, and discuss her path to this position and plans for the program.

For Tom and Erik Lake, the passion for aviation runs in the family. This extraordinary father and son team has logged almost 500 hours together on the flight deck. Tom was his son's Captain when he took his first flight as a commercial airline pilot, and Erik was his dad's First Officer on Tom's last commercial flight. The experiences in between their career milestones created a captivating narrative of a real and rare family legacy on the flight deck.In this episode, Erik talks about his journey into aviation through the Reserve Officers' Training Corps and shares advice for aspiring aviators. Tom, who has trained countless aviators, imparts his wisdom after retiring from a rewarding career that spanned over three decades.Share this episode with friends, family, and colleagues. This story might just inspire a future family lineage of pilots. Are you interested in becoming a pilot? Check out the FAA's Pilots Portal to learn more about training and certification.Meet Our Guests  Tom Lake and Erik Lake are father and son commercial airline pilots who logged more than 500 hours flying together on two different aircraft over six years. Erik first learned to fly as a teenager when his dad taught him in tail-wheel airplanes. He started his aviation career as an Officer in the Air Force Reserves and flew the KC-135R and KC-46A air refueling aircraft conducting three deployments in his career so far. He later joined the airlines as a First Officer and the flew the MD-88, Boeing 737, and currently the A-320. On Instagram, Erik shares his life as a pilot as erik_cleared_for_takeoff. Tom retired in May 2024 after 34 years of service flying for a commercial airline. He served in the Air Force prior to the airlines as an active duty and reserve pilot over a fourteen-year period. He flew the C-141 Starlifter during that time and conducted special operations missions in various conflicts as well as during Desert Storm. In his airline career, Tom flew the Boeing 727, L-1011, Boeing 767, MD-88, and A-320. Both Tom and Erik still fly together in General Aviation aircraft today!  

Dr Josh McConkey's new book, Be the Weight Behind the Spear, is about how to fix America. McConkey, a Republican who ran unsuccessfully for Congress in North Carolina, believes that the strength of America has always been its people. So his focus is on motivating all Americans to be, what he calls, “the weight behind the spears” of the country's future leaders. For McConkey, an US Air Force Reserve Colonel and physician as well as aspiring Federal politician, America's future depends on this. The alternative, he warns, is increasingly sharp and perhaps even violent generational and political divisions. Dr. (Colonel) Josh McConkey is the proud father of three little Americans. His biggest mission in life is to help shape these children into the future leaders of America with the help of his wife, Elsa. Together, they reside in Apex, North Carolina. They are part of a very tight knit family with both Cuban and Irish heritage. The wonderful aromas that emanate through their house from cooking time-honored, secret Cuban family recipes brings a warmth, love, and security that only tradition can bring.Dr. McConkey has worked clinically as an Emergency Physician for over 20 years. He served in academics as a professor at Duke University from 2013-2014 and as adjunct faculty until 2018. He is Board Certified in Emergency Medicine with the American Board of Emergency Medicine and Fellowship Boarded in Emergency Medical Services (EMS), a subspecialty encompassing subject matter expertise in Disaster Response Medicine, National Incident Management Systems, National Response Framework, and National Disaster Medical Systems.Dr. McConkey has also had the distinct pleasure of consulting on international health policy and development, once meeting with New Zealand's Prime Minister, Helen Clark. He attended the National Security Course at National Defense University, College of International Security Affairs, Fort Lesley J. McNair, in 2017 where his policy discussions with members of Congress encouraged him to put his unique experiences to use in developing healthcare policy.Dr. McConkey currently serves as the commander of the 459th Aeromedical Staging Squadron at Andrews AFB and serves on the Air Force Association Council developing legislative and policy recommendations addressing quality of life, equipment modernization, and military construction issues that affect the Air Force Reserve.Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Last year, the Air Force hit its lowest point for recruiting since 1999. Recruitment now though, seems to be taking a turn for the better. The Air Force said it met its recruiting goals for 2024 for the active duty Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis has more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Last year, the Air Force hit its lowest point for recruiting since 1999. Recruitment now though, seems to be taking a turn for the better. The Air Force said it met its recruiting goals for 2024 for the active duty Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis has more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ralph Galati shares the story of his harrowing experience as a prisoner of war (POW) during the Vietnam War. Galati's capture occurred during Operation Linebacker, an air campaign aimed at disrupting North Vietnamese supply lines and military infrastructure. On February 16, 1972, while on a mission, Galati's F-4 Phantom II was struck by enemy fire. Ejecting from the aircraft, he and his fellow pilot, Bill Hill, were quickly captured by North Vietnamese forces. They were then transported to the infamous “Hanoi Hilton,” nickname of the Hoa Lo Prison. The conditions at the Hanoi Hilton were severe, with prisoners subjected to physical and psychological torture, malnutrition, and isolation. Despite these conditions, Galati, like many of his fellow POWs, displayed remarkable resilience. The camaraderie among the prisoners was crucial to their survival, as they developed a covert communication system using taps and codes to maintain morale and share information. This support network helped them endure the harsh treatment and isolation imposed by their captors. Galati's faith and determination played a significant role in his ability to withstand the hardships of captivity. He has often spoken about how his belief in God and his love for his family gave him the strength to persevere. His experience as a POW also deepened his sense of duty and commitment to his fellow servicemen, inspiring him to become a strong advocate for veterans' issues after his release. After spending nearly 14 months in captivity, Ralph Galati was released on March 28, 1973, as part of Operation Homecoming, the repatriation of American POWs following the Paris Peace Accords. Upon returning to the United States, he transitioned from active duty to a role in the Air Force Reserves and later pursued a civilian career in business and education. Galati has been an active voice in veteran communities, sharing his story to inspire and educate others about the realities of war and the resilience of the human spirit. He has worked extensively with organizations that support veterans and their families, emphasizing the importance of remembering the sacrifices made by servicemen and women. His story is not just one of survival but also of leadership and service, as he continues to dedicate his life to helping others, particularly those who have served in the military. #vietnamwar  #vietnamveterans  #airforce  #militaryhistory #veteran #interview #veterans #vet #veteransbreakfastclub #vbc #virtualevents #virtual #zoom #zoomevents #liveevent #webinar #military #army #usarmy #navy #usnavy #marinecorps #marines #airforce #pilot #aviators #coastguard #nonprofit #501c3 #history  #militaryveterans #veteransstories #veteranshistory #veteraninterview #veteranshistoryproject #veteransoralhistory #veteranowned #militaryretirees #armyretirees #navyretirees #warstories #vietnam #vietnamwar #vietnamveterans #koreanwar #coldwar #greatestgeneration #wwii #ww2  #worldwar2 #war #americanhistory #oralhistory #podcast  #scuttlebutt #thescuttlebutt #humor #storytelling #headlines #news #roundtable #breakfast  #happyhour #thirtyyearswar  We're grateful to UPMC for Life and Tobacco Free Adagio Health for sponsoring this event!

In this podcast episode we want to introduce you to our BCEN Friend, Adam Sorenson. Graduating in 2012 with his BSN, Adam Sorenson began his career as a pediatric nurse before transitioning to a role as a pediatric intensive care nurse. After a few years in the PICU, Adam shifted to working in an adult surgical intensive care unit (SICU) at a Level 1 trauma center, where he continues to work today. Adam's professional development includes advanced training, starting with Trauma Nursing Core Course (TNCC) and Advanced Trauma Care Nursing (ATCN) to obtaining his certification as a Trauma Certified Registered Nurse (TCRN). In 2014, during the Ebola outbreak in Central and West Africa, Adam joined the Highly Infectious Treatment Team (HITeam) at Denver Health Hospital, an all-voluntary group established to handle such crises. Denver Health was designated as an Ebola regional treatment center in 2015. In 2021, Adam took on a part-time role as a Biocontainment Unit Nurse Educator, focusing on training, education, and preparedness for viral hemorrhagic fevers, rare respiratory viruses, and novel viruses. Additionally, Adam has served as a nurse in the Air Force Reserves for the past five years. Come along as Michael Dexter and Hollye Briggs talk with Adam about his nursing career from pediatrics to trauma care to biocontainment. This episode is called, “Hero Dirt: Collaboration on Emerging Special Pathogens.” Adam can be reached on the Denver Health website at https://www.denverhealth.org/services/regional-emerging-special-pathogen-treatment-center and also recommends resources through the NETEC website at https://netec.org/ BCEN & Friends Podcast is presented by the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing. We invite you to visit us online at https://bcen.org for additional information about emergency nursing certification, education, and much more.

On this episode of Breaking Battlegrounds, Chuck and Sam sit down with bestselling author and investigative journalist Ashley Rindsberg to explore how Wikipedia launders regime propaganda and the implications of Kamala Harris's stance on censorship, including the potential for banning Elon Musk's X platform. Later, former Congressman Doug Collins joins the show to discuss the fallout from the Afghanistan withdrawal, anti-Israel protests, and the urgent need for Congress to focus on hitting singles—passing simple, effective bills—rather than swinging for grand slams. And stay tuned for Kiley's Corner, where she dives into the shocking trial out of France involving a husband who did the unthinkable to his wife. But, as always, we end the show on a high note with Jenna's Sunshine Moment!www.breakingbattlegrounds.voteTwitter: www.twitter.com/Breaking_BattleFacebook: www.facebook.com/breakingbattlegroundsInstagram: www.instagram.com/breakingbattlegroundsLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/breakingbattlegrounds-Show sponsors:Invest YrefyYrefy offers a secure, collateralized portfolio with a strong, fixed rate of return - up to a 10.25%. There is no attack on your principal if you ever need your money back. You can let your investment compound daily, or take your income whenever you choose. Make sure you tell them Sam and Chuck sent you!Learn more at investyrefy.com4Freedom MobileExperience true freedom with 4Freedom Mobile, the exclusive provider offering nationwide coverage on all three major US networks (Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile) with just one SIM card. Our service not only connects you but also shields you from data collection by network operators, social media platforms, government agencies, and more.Use code ‘Battleground' to get your first month for $9 and save $10 a month every month after.Learn more at: 4FreedomMobile.comDot VoteWith a .VOTE website, you ensure your political campaign stands out among the competition while simplifying how you reach voters.Learn more at: dotvote.vote-About our guests:Ashley Rindsberg is an investigative journalist and author of The Gray Lady Winked, a bestselling book that exposes how The New York Times' misreporting has shaped history. -Former Rep. Doug Collins (GA-09) and current America First Works Senior Advisor modeled public service after his father, a Georgia State Trooper, as he served his district for nearly a decade, becoming the Ranking Member of the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary. In this role, Doug led his Republican colleagues on a wide breadth of issues, including fighting for our police officers, safeguarding the Second Amendment, protecting the lives of unborn children, defending religious liberty, and overseeing our law enforcement agencies. As a U.S. Air Force Reserve chaplain, Doug has ministered to our country's military since 2002. He completed a 2008-2009 deployment to Iraq while stationed at Balad Air Force Base. Get full access to Breaking Battlegrounds at breakingbattlegrounds.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of the Must Read Alaska Show, host John Quick interviews John Hillyer, a retired veteran U.S. Air Force fighter pilot, as he enters the race for Alaska's House District 8. Hillyer, who has spent 32 years in the Air Force and Air Force Reserve, shares his motivations for running, his key priorities if elected, and what distinguishes him from other candidates.   

Modernization, low reenlistment, recruitment challenges, and re-orienting a force for great power competition aren't just concerns for the active Air Force. We'll talk these issues and more with the Chief of the Air Force Reserve, Lieutenant General John Healy. And of course, the week's top headlines in airpower. All powered by GE!

Curt Thomas, a dynamic keynote speaker with over 23 years of leadership and management expertise, shares his inspirational journey from overcoming the challenges of failing 9th grade to becoming a successful professional.  His diverse career spans from serving as an enlisted airman in the Air Force, a dedicated state trooper in South Carolina, to a seasoned account manager in a Fortune 500 company. Currently, Curt serves as a medical officer in the Air Force Reserve, demonstrating his unwavering dedication to service. Alongside, he is a thriving entrepreneur running CURT THOMAS UNLIMITED, LLC, and DENALI CONSULTING GROUP, LLC. With a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from Claflin University, a Master's in Leadership from The Citadel, and pursuing a doctoral degree at Trevecca Nazarene University, Curt leverages his educational background and rich experiences to guide organizations towards achieving their goals through authentic leadership. As an accomplished author of 9 published books, Curt empowers individuals to unleash their full potential and become their best selves. His impactful message emphasizes the power of mindset and resilience in the face of challenges, inspiring lasting positive change and transformation within organizations nationwide.  **Key Takeaways from the Show:** - Curt's temporary failures fueled his drive to work harder and achieve success in life. - Transitioning from a life he disliked to focusing on his desired identity inspired his personal growth journey. - In the face of adversity, Curt shares the choice to either succumb like a victim or rise above challenges with resilience and a determined spirit. - Years of personal development and learning from high achievers empowered Curt to understand the importance of mindset and attitude shifts in navigating both personal and professional difficulties, leading him to rediscover the path to success.

In episode 106, Mike "Flash" McVay, hosts Brigadier General (Ret) Max Stitzer where they discuss a wide-ranging career in the military, from being an enlisted target intel specialist to becoming a maintenance officer and eventually a general officer.Checkout Aura | See Who Has Your Data | https://aura.com/afterburn14-day free trial - No "Gotchas" - Cancel AnytimeJoin our free newsletter for insights into aviation, defense, and geo-politics - https://bit.ly/AfterburnNewsletterHe shares his experiences and favorite assignments, including his time at the Air Force Reserve and the Pentagon. General Stitzer also talks about the importance of mentorship and the impact of the AMOS (Advanced Maintenance and Munitions Operator School) program. He provides insights into serving in the Pentagon and navigating the political landscape. The conversation concludes with a discussion on the establishment of the U.S. Space Force.Gen Stitzer discusses the establishment of the Space Force and the challenges it faced. He emphasizes that the creation of the Space Force was driven by Congress and the recognition that space is a warfighting domain.Please leave us a review on Apple/Spotify Podcasts:Apple - https://apple.co/3dLradT Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3SAeSUr Support The Afterburn Podcast for on Patreon and gain early access and AD Free episodes. Plus access to “There I was…” stories. https://www.patreon.com/theafterburnpodcast Afterburn Podcast Links:Website – https://www.theafterburnpodcast.com Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/theafterburnpodcastInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/rainwaters27/?hl=enOur Sponsors:* Check out Policygenius: policygenius.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-afterburn-podcast/exclusive-contentAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

   We have a great conversation with Dr. Prasanth Reddy who's running for the Kansas Third District seat currently held by Sharice Davids.  www.reddyforkansas.com is his website and as a triple board certified cancer doctor and Lt. Colonel in the Air Force Reserves, he's uniquely qualified to talk about our troubling situation with Joe Biden.    Before he joins us, a leading Dem says it's all over for their party unless Biden gets out, Trump slams Kamala Harris at a campaign speech, Patrick Mahomes loves a new weapon on offense and OSU Coach Mike Gundy basically says he's been drunk and then drove home 1000 times.  What?  Only at KKHI!

Resiliency is often described as our ability to “bounce back” after being faced with challenges.  Our military-connected youth live a highly mobile lifestyle and developing resiliency skills can assist in navigating the unique challenges of this life.  Listen as Dr. Rachel Millstein and Stacie Fredriksson discuss programs that provide opportunities for youth to build these skills.     This podcast is made possible by our partnership with Naval Officers' Spouses' Club of San Diego and their generous support. To learn more, visit  https://www.noscdc.org/ . Audio mixing by Concentus Media, Inc., Temple, Texas.   Show Notes: Resources:   MCEC Global Training Summit Don't miss Dr. Millstein's and Ms. Fredriksson's presentation at the Global Training Summit. Virtual Session, Thursday, August 1, 2024 Resilient Youth for Military-Connected Children Resilient Youth is a six-session virtually-delivered program offered by Home Base at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), in collaboration with the MGH Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine and Child Resilience Program.  We have been able to reach youth across the country to teach relaxation, coping, and communication strategies through this innovative program.  Youth and parent feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, instructive, and pre-post intervention data are currently being collected.  The program is expanding as we seek to be able to offer this educational program as a preventive measure to help military youth cope with their unique stressors. https://www.militarychild.org/event/gts/gts-register/   Home Base, A Red Sox Foundation and Mass General Brigham Program https://homebase.org/   https://homebase.org/programs/new-england-programs/resiliencyprograms/   Bio: Dr. Rachel Millstein serves as the Clinical and Research Co-Director of the Mind Body Health team at Home Base, a Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Program. Since 2020, Dr. Millstein has been providing program development and oversight of Home Base Resiliency programming in collaboration with the MGH Benson Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine. Her clinical skills as a SMART and Resilient Warrior/Family/Youth group leader along with her documented research and data analysis background have helped lead the program's growth. In the Co-Director role, she provides clinical oversight and research management for the services provided at Home Base in the Mind Body Health Services directorate.    Stacie Fredriksson has been at Home Base for more than 5 years and currently manages the Family Support Team which provides peer support and resiliency programming.   A veteran herself, Stacie served 14 years in the Air Force on active duty as an intelligence officer before transferring to the Air Force Reserves where she served the last 9 years of her career at USCYBERCOM before retiring in 2016.   Stacie is married to her husband, also an Air Force veteran and together they have two children and two dogs who keep them both busy and focused on the importance of living each day to the fullest!  A native of Texas, Stacie has adapted to New England and enjoys spending time outside, cooking, reading and traveling.          

Listen to Part 2 of our interview with the fabulous BJ Lange. He has devoted his life to service of others. When a cancer diagnosis forced BJ, a former Air Force Reserve medic, onto the Temporary Disability Retired List in 2016, comedy and improv helped pull him through. Now he's using those same skills to help veterans overcome their disabilities. During the interview BJ spoke about: The Armed Services Arts Partnership for servicemembers and veterans to get involved at www.asapasap.org The Ledge Theatre, Hollywood https://ledgetheatre.org/bj-lange BJ @ The Second City https://oldwp.secondcity.com/people/hollywood/bj-lange/ The Easterseals Disability Film Challenge https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1045695952707987 The Air Force Wounded Warrior Program https://www.airandspaceforces.com/article/make-em-laugh-helping-vets-through-improv/

Today's Story: Strengthening the Reserves

Uriah Riley's journey in the close protection industry illustrates his unwavering dedication to learning and growth. While many individuals transition from the military to the private sector, Uriah took the opposite path. He entered the Air Force Reserves after embarking on a career in protective operations, seeking to expand his expertise in the industry. His military (and policing) background is a distinguished credential and a valuable asset, providing him with crucial training, knowledge, and networks, and a set of highly transferable skills that ensure his competence and effectiveness in both military and civilian contexts. The CiCP team discusses Uriah's path, protective operations, the importance of mentorship and coaching for personal long-term strategic growth, and his observations on risks he sees from his perspective as a public and private military intelligence profesisonal... and what a 38-year-old does in basic training! All this and more...  give us your perspective at protectiontalk@outlook.com   Note: All comments in the show represent the opinions of the team and the interviewee and do not necessarily reflect their affiliations with any organization.

Avination, welcome to episode 308 of the Pilot to Pilot podcast. Today's episode is with Wade aka Prada pilot. Wade is current major airline pilot and flying in the Air Force Reserves.

Rocket Lab launched the first of two back-to-back launches for NASA's PREFIRE. SpaceX is targeting June 5th for the fourth test flight of its Starship spacecraft, pending regulatory approvals. The Spaceport Company has been awarded a contract by the Defense Innovation Unit to deliver cargo from their mobile space launch complex, and more. Our 2024 N2K CyberWire Audience Survey is underway, make your voice heard and get in the running for a $100 Amazon gift card. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Remember to leave us a 5-star rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Miss an episode? Sign-up for our weekly intelligence roundup, Signals and Space, and you'll never miss a beat. And be sure to follow T-Minus on LinkedIn and Instagram. T-Minus Guest Our guest today is Aunika Yasui, Captain of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute's High Power Rocketry Club. You can find out more about the 2024 Spaceport America Cup at SoundingRocket.org. Selected Reading Rocket Lab Successfully Launches First of Two Climate Science Satellites for NASA- Business Wire Elon Musk's SpaceX Raptor engine test ends in a fiery explosion, Starship launch schedule remains unaffected - BusinessToday The Spaceport Company Signs Contract with the U.S. Department of Defense to Demonstrate Novel Sea-Based Space Launch Infrastructure Rivada Space Networks Announces New Partners at AsiaTechX 2024 Orbit Announces Successful Trial Of Airtrx30 Satcom Terminal Over Viasat Global Xpress (Gx) Satellite https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1874315/000143774924018333/satl20240522_6k.htm ESA Awards Contracts for Spain's Contribution to Atlantic Constellation China's Shenzhou-18 crew completes first extravehicular activity - CGTN Korea's inaugural space agency officially launches Space Force to accept Air Force Reserve volunteers for full-time positions America Is Getting Ready for Space Warfare - WSJ 'It's once in a lifetime': Man finds heavy, mysterious object in North Carolina mountains T-Minus Crew Survey We want to hear from you! Please complete our 4 question survey. It'll help us get better and deliver you the most mission-critical space intel every day. Want to hear your company in the show? You too can reach the most influential leaders and operators in the industry. Here's our media kit. Contact us at space@n2k.com to request more info. Want to join us for an interview? Please send your pitch to space-editor@n2k.com and include your name, affiliation, and topic proposal. T-Minus is a production of N2K Networks, your source for strategic workforce intelligence. © N2K Networks, Inc. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode we are joined by the amazing Maureen "Marty" Fromuth. Marty currently serves in the Air Force Reserves as the Chief of Staff for Legislative Affairs at United States Cyber Command. Her career spans nearly 17 years in and out of government and the tech industry. Tune in to hear Marty dive into topics like Housewives, the importance of vulnerability and learning from failure. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.