Podcasts about army rangers

Hunting legend Jim Shockey opens up on the MTNTOUGH Podcast about recent devastating losses — friends and family battling cancer — and how it's sharpened his view on life, gratitude, and living with zero regrets. He reflects on his dad's influence, the spiritual connection of wilderness solitude, why hunters crave the real over the artificial, and why North American hunting will endure despite technology and cultural shifts. Raw, honest conversation on mental toughness, generational legacy, and making every single day count in the outdoors.Join Dustin Diefenderfer, Founder of MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab and creator of the MTNTOUGH+ Fitness App in the top podcast for Mental Toughness and Mindset. (P.S.

Send us Fan MailWelcome to The Helicopter Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS!In this episode of The Helicopter Podcast, Halsey Schider sits down with Ryan Walters to talk about his path from Army Ranger to pilot in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.Ryan shares how his time in the Ranger Regiment shaped his perspective early on, and how working alongside the 160th during that period ultimately influenced his decision to transition into aviation through the warrant officer program. After seeing those crews operate up close, the goal became clear—get in the front seat.The conversation focuses on the realities of that transition, the demands of training, and the standard required to operate in a unit built around precision and consistency. Ryan also reflects on the level of performance he witnessed in the field, where training, preparation, and trust in the team allowed people to do extraordinary things under pressure.This episode is a look at what it takes to move into high-level aviation roles—and how the right environment, mindset, and team can shape what's possible.Thank you to this episode's sponsors, Airbus, Hillsboro Heli Academy and Robinson Helicopter. 

Interested in really nailing down your nutrition? Check out Fully Guided Nutrition. Registration is open now: https://mtntough.com/products/fully-guided-nutrition-3-month-group-coaching-programMTNTOUGH Director of Product Nate Hill sits down with registered dietitian Kyle Kamp to break down the brand new Fully Guided Nutrition program launching in June. Kyle shares his powerful story of losing 130+ pounds through practical nutrition, then reveals how the 12-week small-group program (capped at 30 people) delivers weekly live coaching on the 12 most confusing nutrition topics for backcountry hunters. Learn how to fuel training, optimize performance on multi-day hunts, build sustainable habits, and integrate nutrition with MTNTOUGH programming for real results — no more guesswork, confusion, or crash diets.V I D E O S TO W A T C H N E X T

Nick Black is the founder and CEO of GoodUnited, a former Army officer, co-founder of Stop Soldier Suicide, a Presidential Leadership Scholar, and a UNC Distinguished Alumnus. Nick focuses on a cost most leaders refuse to calculate: isolation. What happens to your people when no one is checking on them? After deploying 27 months in combat with the 173rd Airborne, Nick watched one of his soldiers survive war and then lose his life weeks after returning home. That experience reshaped how he thinks about leadership, connection, and responsibility. In this conversation, Nick explains why isolation is the common thread behind many of the losses he has seen, both in combat units and inside organizations, and why the peer group surrounding people is not a culture perk but a lifeline. He also shares what it took to carry mission driven urgency from the battlefield into the nonprofit world and then into a scaling company. For leaders who want to protect their people and not just manage them, this episode offers a more honest standard for what leadership actually requires and what it costs when it is missing. Find episode 513 on The Leadership Podcast, on YouTube, channel @theleadershippodcast, or wherever you get your podcasts! Watch this Episode on YouTube | Nick Black on The Leadership Cost of Isolation https://bit.ly/TLP-513 Key Moments [05:43] How 9/11 changed everything for Nick [10:54] The moment that led to Stop Soldier Suicide [15:01] What every leader needs to know about mental health [16:34] The balance between reflection and dangerous isolation [19:27] Leading people vs. taking care of people [20:49] The biggest leadership lesson learned outside the military [22:43] Bringing military training discipline into business [24:04] Why onboarding is where most companies fail [26:15] What "taking the hard road" actually looks like on a resume [27:14] Why offensive linemen make better leaders [29:07] How a lifetime of service shapes who you become [32:35] Closing thoughts on leadership and mental health Memorable Quotes "When in doubt, lead the way. That has yet to steer me wrong." "Isolation is your enemy. Never allow yourself to sit in a room with your thoughts." "Give that friend a call — your strongest friend, your quietest friend. Let them know you're still in their corner." "I have no idea what to do, but I seemingly have a PhD in what not to do." "Mission first, people always — and the only way you get the mission is through your people." "Find ten people that can do the work of a hundred." "You don't need to go be an Army Ranger. Show me how you got out of your comfort zone, took something on, and didn't quit. It could be anything." "Go find your passion and then go serve it." "If you can't laugh at yourself, you're not being honest with yourself — and I don't think many people are going to follow you." "The secret is not to give up hope. It's very hard not to, because if you're really doing something worthwhile, I think you'll be pushed to the brink of hopelessness before you come through the other side." — George Lucas Explore the full archive at www.theleadershippodcast.com or wherever you get your podcasts! Resources Mentioned The Leadership Podcast | theleadershippodcast.com Sponsored by | www.darley.com Rafti Advisors. LLC | www.raftiadvisors.com Self-Reliant Leadership. LLC | selfreliantleadership.com Good United Website | goodunited.io Nick Black LinkedIn | www.linkedin.com/in/nick-black-7658ab37

Outnumbered and outgunned, a soldier finds that his faith holds firm even when survival seems impossible. On today's edition of Family Talk, Dr. James Dobson continues his inspiring conversation with decorated Army Ranger and veteran Jeff Struecker, who survived the deadliest battle in American military history since Vietnam. He shares how that harrowing night in Mogadishu ignited a lifelong calling to prepare others for eternity. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/707/29?v=20251111

What if the same symptoms we see in combat veterans — the broken sleep, the irritability, the brain fog — were already quietly spreading through the healthiest, highest-performing people you know?In this episode of Health Longevity Secrets, Robert Lufkin MD sits down with Neil Markey — a former US Army Special Operations captain from the 75th Ranger Regiment turned McKinsey consultant, now the co-founder and CEO of Beckley Retreats and a Harvard Chan School student researching psychedelic-assisted integrated health. Neil walks us through his own journey out of post-combat trauma, the neuroscience of why psilocybin opens a rare window of neuroplasticity in the adult brain, and why he believes this work belongs upstream as preventative medicine for the well.CHAPTERS:00:00 — Introduction02:34 — From Mathlete to 75th Ranger Regiment02:50 — Iraq, WMDs, and the Pretense of War03:16 — Two Afghanistan Tours as a Ranger Captain07:14 — How Meditation Reached Him First11:49 — The Peer Group Where Everyone Was Secretly Breaking12:25 — Why the Environment Always Wins15:15 — The Neuroplasticity Window Psychedelics Open17:18 — Amanda Feilding and the Beckley Foundation18:20 — Why Set and Setting Decide the Outcome20:58 — The Fresh Snowfall Metaphor for the Brain24:09 — Preventative Medicine for the Well, Not Just the Broken32:18 — The Real Safety Profile of Psilocybin33:27 — Beckley as a Public Benefit Corporation39:38 — Bringing Rigor at Harvard Chan40:12 — Jamaica, the Netherlands, and the US Legal Path45:04 — A Green Beret's Son Finally Came to Him46:34 — Why Awe Beats BurnoutKEY TAKEAWAYS:• Psilocybin opens a measurable window of neuroplasticity in the adult brain• Set, setting, and integration determine outcomes far more than the compound itself• Psilocybin is non-toxic with low incident rates when used in controlled environments• The "betterment of the well" use case may be as transformative as clinical treatment• Oregon and Colorado have legalized supervised use; New Mexico and Massachusetts are next• Chronic stress in high-performers replicates many PTSD-like symptoms• Awe, empathy, and connection are measurable outcomes — and they beat burnoutSTUDIES & SOURCES MENTIONED:• Neil Markey — Beckley Retreats (use code LUFKIN for 10% off)• Beckley Foundation — Amanda Feilding's psychedelic research institute• Dr. Robin Carhart-Harris — UCSF Psychedelics Division• Johns Hopkins Center for Psychedelic & Consciousness Research• Oregon Psilocybin Services — first US regulated program• JAMA Psychiatry meta-analysis on psilocybin for depression (2023)• Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health⭐ Enjoying the show? Please leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts — it takes 30 seconds and helps more people discover the science of health and longevity. Thank you!New episodes every Tuesday & Thursday. Subscribe so you don't miss one.Continue this conversation on Substack: https://robertlufkinmd.substack.comLies I Taught In Medical School — Free sample chapter: https://www.robertlufkinmd.com/lies/Web: https://www.robertlufkinmd.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/robertlufkinmdX: https://x.com/robertlufkinmdInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/robertlufkinmd/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@robertlufkinLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertlufkinmd/

In the chaos of the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, one Army Ranger found peace in the face of certain death. On today's edition of Family Talk, Dr. James Dobson sits down with decorated soldier and chaplain Dr. Jeff Struecker to discuss his harrowing experience in the battle immortalized by the film, Black Hawk Down, and the faith that carried him through it. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/707/29?v=20251111

Jeff Struecker is a former U.S. Army Ranger, Silver Star recipient, pastor, author, and Army Ranger Hall of Fame inductee who fought in the Battle of Mogadishu, the real-life mission behind Black Hawk Down.In this episode of The Resilient Show, Chad Robichaux sits down with Jeff to talk about his experience in Somalia, the rescue of Todd Blackburn, the moment he believed he was going to die, and the supernatural peace that carried him through one of the most intense firefights in modern military history.Jeff also opens up about faith, combat, conscience, leadership, and what it means for warriors to live with the weight of the decisions they make in battle.This is a raw conversation about courage, sacrifice, and the soul of the warrior.Follow Jeff on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jeffstruecker00:00 Intro: Jeff Stryker and Black Hawk Down02:17 Riptide and Patreon Support03:56 Welcoming Jeff Stryker04:53 How Black Hawk Down Changed Chad's Life09:10 Watching the Movie With Todd Blackburn's Family11:32 Did Black Hawk Down Get It Right?13:41 Hearing Somalia's Side of the Story14:37 Why Jeff Became an Army Ranger17:03 Life Inside the 75th Ranger Regiment23:10 The Marines' Role in Somalia25:23 Arriving in Somalia Before the Battle27:16 Why Somalia Turned Against America32:20 When the Mission Went Sideways39:15 The Decision to Go Back Out01:26:29 Warriors Soul: Trailer——Stay up-to-date with all things Resilient by subscribing to our Resilient Times Newsletter: https://resilienttimes.substack.comRESILIENT:Follow Us On Patreon: ⁠https://patreon.com/theresilientshowFollow Us On Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/resilientshowFollow Us On Twitter:⁠ ⁠https://twitter.com/resilientshowFollow Us On TikTok:⁠ ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@resilientshowLIVE RESILIENT STORE:https://shop.theresilientshow.comFollow Chad: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/chadrobo_officialhttps://x.com/ChadRoboSPONSORS:Smith & Wesson: ⁠⁠https://www.smith-wesson.com⁠⁠Vortex Optics: ⁠https://vortexoptics.com⁠Gatorz Eyewear: ⁠⁠https://www.gatorz.com⁠⁠Allied Wealth: ⁠https://alliedwealth.com⁠BioPro+: ⁠⁠https://www.bioproteintech.com/CHAD30⁠⁠BioXCellerator: ⁠https://www.bioxcellerator.com⁠Core Medical Group: https://coremedicalgrp.com/chadpodcastcmg------The Resilient Show is a proud supporter of military and first responder communities in partnership with ⁠Mighty Oaks Foundation⁠.

Mark Huelsing (Brand Manager at Exo Mtn Gear and host of Hunt Backcountry Podcast) joins the MTNTOUGH Podcast for a raw conversation on intentional business, US-made gear, long-term mindset over short-term growth, and why mental toughness separates good hunters from great ones. They dive into the Experience Challenge, death hikes, avoiding rage-content culture, persistence on multi-day hunts, and how to train your mind like your body. Packed with practical wisdom for backcountry hunters who want to level up physically, mentally, and ethically.Join Dustin Diefenderfer, Founder of MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab and creator of the MTNTOUGH+ Fitness App in the top podcast for Mental Toughness and Mindset. (P.S.

Ultra-marathon legend Dean Karnazes joins the MTNTOUGH Podcast to share his incredible journey from quitting his corporate job on his 30th birthday to run 30 miles, to completing 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days, and now living in the Greek Blue Zone of Ikaria. Dean opens up about mental toughness, embracing discomfort, the power of community and present-moment living, Greek longevity secrets, and how to stay capable and dangerous into your 60s, 70s, and beyond. Raw wisdom on purpose, risk, and pushing human limits from one of the greatest endurance athletes alive.Join Dustin Diefenderfer, Founder of MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab and creator of the MTNTOUGH+ Fitness App in the top podcast for Mental Toughness and Mindset. (P.S.

The Washington Roundtable is joined by Representative Jason Crow, of Colorado, an Army Ranger veteran, member of the House Intelligence and Armed Services Committees, and one of the so-called Seditious Six, members of Congress whom Donald Trump threatened to have arrested for recording a video which reminded servicemembers that they are not required to follow illegal orders. Crow is also co-leading the Democratic Party's effort to recruit and train a new generation of congressional candidates, placing him at the center of an urgent dilemma: how can the Party translate growing anxiety over the economy and the war in Iran into a coherent, winning message? His answer, in part, is to go “hyper-local,” build coalitions, and ignore the noise. “I tell these folks that you're basically running your campaign like you're running for mayor of your district,” Crow says. “Ignore Fox News, ignore the cable news networks, ignore the algorithms. You can't control that, anyhow.”See the Washington Roundtable live at 92NY on June 4th.This week's reading: “When Trump's Away,” by Antonia Hitchens “What the Gerrymandering Wars Mean for the Midterms—and 2028,” by Isaac Chotiner “Will Donald Trump be Allowed to Destroy His Records?,” by Ruth Marcus “The Looming Disaster of the Border Wall in Big Bend, Texas,” by Rachel Monroe The Political Scene draws on the reporting and analysis found in The New Yorker for lively conversations about the big questions in American politics. Join the magazine's writers and editors as they put into context the latest news—about elections, the economy, the White House, the Supreme Court, and much more. New episodes are available three times a week.  Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Dan discusses the dichotomy of Democrats who served courageously in the military but now hold anti-American views in politics. He highlights Jason Crow, a former Army Ranger, who's now a congressman, and Senator Mark Kelly, a decorated astronaut and war hero, who's sharing classified information with the enemy. Dan questions how these individuals can go from being brave in combat to being cowardly in politics. He also touches on the topic of abortion, the Democratic Party's stance on it, and how it relates to the party's willingness to do whatever it takes to gain power.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Legendary traditional bowhunter Fred Eichler joins the MTNTOUGH Podcast to share jaw-dropping stories from a lifetime in the wild — including being charged by grizzlies and brown bears, a terrifying political situation in Zimbabwe, and the moment he thought he wouldn't make it home. He talks about growing up with a Green Beret dad, going all-in on recurve bows, the mental game of true bowhunting, passing the torch to his sons, and why challenge and risk are what make hunting (and life) meaningful. Raw, authentic, and full of hard-earned wisdom from one of the most respected voices in the hunting world.Join Dustin Diefenderfer, Founder of MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab and creator of the MTNTOUGH+ Fitness App in the top podcast for Mental Toughness and Mindset. (P.S.

Trigger Warning: This episode contains discussions of war, PTSD, suicide, addiction, self-harm, and graphic violence.Jimmy from Knot Lucky joins Barely Famous in part 1 of this conversation for a raw and emotional conversation about life before, during, and after serving as an Army Ranger in Iraq and Afghanistan. What starts as a discussion about his nonprofit taking veterans offshore fishing quickly turns into a deeper conversation about combat, PTSD, addiction, brain injuries, and surviving some of the darkest moments of his life.Jimmy shares how fishing became the one thing that kept him going, eventually leading him to create Knit Lucky a nonprofit helping veterans heal while honoring fallen service members through great white shark tagging and research. The episode also dives into propaganda, media narratives, misconceptions about war, and the realities many veterans face after coming home.Follow Jimmy Here and for more information on Knot Lucky check out https://knotlucky.org/Get your Fatherless Behavior Tour Tickets HereFor full video episodes head to patreon.com/kaillowryThanks for supporting the show by checking out the sponsors!Nutrafol: Start your hair growth journey with Nutrafol nutrafol.com promo code FAMOUSQuince: Give yourself the luxury you deserve with Quince! Go to quince.com/famousTo find the right home for you head to apartments.comProgressive: To get your auto insurance quote head to progressive.comDirect TV: Go to directv.com/genrepacks and sign up today.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You're not crazy— It really does feel like some people are pulling ahead faster than ever… While everyone else is stuck in place. That's not random. It's the result of a K-shaped economy. On one side: Asset owners. Investors. People using leverage. On the other: Wage earners. Savers. People avoiding debt. And the gap between the two is getting wider. Here's what most people miss: Since 2020, trillions of dollars have been injected into the economy. That money doesn't hit evenly. It flows first into assets—real estate, stocks, commodities. So if you own assets? You win. If you rely on income alone? You fall behind… even if you're earning more than ever. This is exactly what played out during COVID. The people who had access to capital… Who were willing to use debt strategically… Who owned real estate… They didn't just recover. They accelerated. So how do you actually get ahead? It's not about quitting your job. It's not about taking huge risks. It's about one simple shift: Use your income to acquire assets—and use leverage to do it faster. Because in this environment: → Inflation works for asset owners → Leverage multiplies your upside → Time compounds everything In this episode of The Real Estate FastPass Podcast, I break it all down: What a K-shaped economy really means Why “playing it safe” is actually risky now How inflation quietly transfers wealth Why real estate is uniquely positioned to benefit And how to use leverage without blowing yourself up If you've been feeling like you're working hard but not getting ahead… This will connect the dots. – Jimmy P.S. The system isn't broken—but it is changing. Once you see how it works, you can use it to your advantage. About Jimmy Vreeland Jimmy graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, spent 5 years as an Army Ranger, and deployed three times twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan. On his last deployment, he read Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki which led him down the path of real estate investing. As his own portfolio grew, eventually he started a real estate investing business.  Since 2018 his team at Vreeland Capital has supplied over 100 houses a year to high performing, passive investors who want to work with his team and his team is now managing over 800 houses. Get in touch with Jimmy and his team at www.jimmyvreeland.com/getstartedinrealestate More about Jimmy Website: www.jimmyvreeland.com Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-vreeland Instagram: www.instagram.com/jimmyvreeland Facebook: www.facebook.com/JimmyVreeland Youtube: www.youtube.com/@JimmyVreelandC >>>>>>Get free access to the private Ranger Real Estate facebook group

Former U.S. Army Ranger, Barry Todd, was out celebrating a professional milestone with his wife and several friends at a local watering hole in Yuma, Arizona, when he was attacked by a drunken patron along with some buddies. Barry was slammed headfirst into a cement wall, incurring a concussion and other bodily injuries until his gun went off and shot the man who'd insisted on attacking him.The police were called and incomprehensibly arrested Barry, who explains how self-defense and stand your ground laws don't always protect you as they should. Police in his case didn't actually know the law in Arizona, and elected DAs often pursue charges & convictions rather than the truth, as is their legal obligation. Barry also discovered that one friend of his attackers was linked to the local police. Barry walks us through his battle of five years to get his case dismissed, and his record cleared, and how he feels a calling to help anyone unfairly charged with a crime. All proceeds from his book, “Stand Your Ground: One Man's Self Defense Nightmare,” go to his foundation that helps the charged person and their attorney successfully get their case dismissed.The original culprit was never charged.Heroes Behind HeadlinesExecutive Producer Ralph PezzulloProduced & Engineered by Mike DawsonMusic provided by ExtremeMusic.com

Former Navy SEAL and CrossFit Games legend Josh Bridges joins the MTNTOUGH Podcast to share his incredible journey from wrestling phenom to BUD/S, elite operator, and top CrossFit athlete. He opens up about fatherhood with a newborn and teenagers, navigating identity after leaving the Teams and pro competition, the power of not quitting, and how he's adapted his training for long-term strength and capability. Raw stories on grit, brotherhood, purpose, and staying dangerous through every season of life. A must-watch for anyone chasing mental toughness and real-world readiness.Join Dustin Diefenderfer, Founder of MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab and creator of the MTNTOUGH+ Fitness App in the top podcast for Mental Toughness and Mindset. (P.S.

PopaHALLics #163 "Pop-ping up Everywhere"Buckle up, kids! On this episode, we zoom around from deep space to 1998 New York to Palestine to Ireland to a Mormon community in Utah to Elle Fanning's bedroom. Note: Three of the trailers below open with someone waking up gasping. Prepare to be breathless!  Theaters:"Project Hail Mary." In this huge sci-fi hit, a high school science teacher (Ryan Gosling) must reluctantly save the Earth. And make an unlikely friend in the process. Based on the novel by Andy Weir ("The Martian").Streaming:"Caught Stealing," Netflix. Watching his neighbor's cat forces a former baseball prodigy (Austin Butler) into contact with some very bad gangsters in this violent dark comedy. With Regina King, Zoe Kravitz, Liev Schreiber, and Vincent D'Onofrio. Extra points if you spot Griffin Dunne!"Margo's Got Money Troubles," Apple TV. A single mom college student (Elle Fanning) uses her creative skills to get money through an Only Fans account in this comedy drama. With Michelle Pfeiffer and Nick Offerman."Trust Me: The False Prophet," Netflix. In this documentary, a cult expert and her husband embed themselves in a Mormon community, where Samuel Bateman claims to be the successor to imprisoned prophet Warren Jeffs."War Machine," Netflix. During the final stage of Army Ranger selection, an elite team's training exercise turns into a very real fight for survival against an alien threat in this action thriller. Starring Alan Ritchson and Dennis Quaid."The Truth and Tragedy of Moriah Wilson," Netflix. This documentary explores "the vibrant life of a pro cyclist, her shocking murder, and how far her killer went to evade capture" (Netflix).Books:"Too Soon," by Betty Shamieh. This 2025 debut novel follows three generations of Palestinian women as they navigate love, identity, and displacement from 1948 to the present day."Murder in G Major: A Gethsemane Brown Mystery," by Alexia Gordon. In this 2015 cozy mystery, a struggling African-American conductor' takes a job working with high school musicians in Ireland and living in a cliffside cottage. The ghost of the cottage''s owner, a famous composer, asks for her help in clearing his name of the murders of his wife and himself. Witty and fun.The Fair Use Doctrine of U.S. copy[right law allows for the limited unauthorized use of copyrighted materials for purposes such as comment and criticism.

Get ready! In this episode of What's New to Netflix, we talk about all of the titles coming to Netflix in April 2026. Soon after, it's the Martin Scorsese three-hour crime epic where Robert De Niro owns a casino, Sharon Stone is his unpredictable girl, and Joe Pesci is his even more unpredictable friend in Casino from 1995. Then, a knight goes on a quest to defeat a green knight in The Green Knight from 2021. And finally, a killer alien robot takes on a group of Army Rangers-in-training, including Alan Ritchson, in War Machine from 2026. All of this plus Madagascar movies, Mission: Impossible movies, hot new trendy legal dramas, anal beads, imaginary friends, Scream 5?, country music, farming, hunting, and Man on Fire as a TV show. got a suggestion for the show?: whatsnewtonetflix@gmail.com

MTNTOUGH Coaches Nick Bechtold and Zac Salvat break down the brand new 4-week Murph Prep program coming to the app! They explain the origins of the Murph workout (honoring Navy SEAL Michael Murphy), how the program builds volume safely with smart accessory work to prevent injury, and why it's designed for all levels with beginner, intermediate, and elite tiers. Learn how to use Mini Murph Mondays, targeted push/pull/core days, aerobic capacity sessions, and modifications so you can attack Memorial Day Murph with confidence. Perfect for mountain hunters, first responders, and anyone chasing real mental toughness and functional fitness. Get ready to grind, honor the fallen, and stay dangerous.V I D E O S TO W A T C H N E X T

Matt Chandler, lead pastor of The Village Church and author of the new book Becoming Like Jesus, joins the MTNTOUGH Podcast to share his powerful story of faith, suffering, and transformation. Diagnosed with a life-threatening brain tumor in 2009, Matt opens up about the "coil" of life—seasons of epic highs and brutal lows—and how God uses every part of it to form us into the image of Christ. He unpacks the dangers of performance-based identity, why dependence on Jesus is the starting point, the sneaky power of pride, honest confession/repentance, and how spiritual warfare shows up in every season. A raw, hope-filled conversation on mental toughness, spiritual resilience, fatherhood, marriage, and living a holy life in a fallen world. Essential listening for men navigating struggle, distraction, and the daily pursuit of Christ.Join Dustin Diefenderfer, Founder of MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab and creator of the MTNTOUGH+ Fitness App in the top podcast for Mental Toughness and Mindset. (P.S.

In the final part of Episode 288 on the Mike Drop Podcast, Mike Ritland continues his conversation with retired Army Ranger and jiu-jitsu academy owner Greg Anderson. They dive into Greg's upcoming 3,100-mile unsupported ocean rowing expedition from Washington to Maui, including boat logistics, team dynamics, extreme endurance challenges, and the personal drive behind pushing human limits. The discussion also covers his book Courage Through Adversity, lessons on leadership, ownership, and becoming a better man, plus reflections on writing, self-publishing, and inspiring the next generation. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Mike Herne joined us to talk about the path from Army Ranger to the hunting industry, the origin story of Tricer, and why the tripod world has been building legs upside down for years. We get into 74 coyotes in a season, what turkey hunting actually teaches you about calling elk, why predator hunting might be the best training a big game hunter can do, and the "burn the boats" philosophy. Plus the honest math on American-made gear, what a hunting film should leave on the cutting room floor, and why the LP is the head everyone remembers by feel instead of name. This episode is brought to you by OnX (onxmaps.com), Trophium (trophium.co), and Latitude Outdoors (latitudeoutdoors.com).

Adventure racing pushes every limit, but what actually determines success (especially for the multi-day distances)? We sit down with Coach and athlete Nick Hurff to explore how team dynamics, fueling, sleep, and strategy come together for success. If you're used to thinking about single-sport racing, this conversation will shift how you think about performance altogether.Links:USARA - United States Adventure Racing AssociationNick Hurff Coaching and follow Nick on InstagramGRIT Adventure Racing More about our guest: Nick Hurff, MS, CSCS, is an expedition adventure racer, ultra-endurance coach, race director, and former Army Ranger. As an adventure racer, Nick has raced all across the world, from the Amazon to New Zealand. He is a multiple-time ARWS World Championship competitor, including a top-25 finish at the 2025 ARWS World Championship in British Columbia.  He is also a co-founder of GRIT Adventure Racing, which creates a range of events, from family-friendly to advanced multi-day races. Nick has coached multiple world records, including the U.S. 50 Peaks Guiness World Record and several FKTs. At Alvernia University, Nick served as the Director of Sports Performance, coaching over 34 NCAA teams, 1,200+ athletes, and numerous NCAA All-Americans. He was also a graduate professor in the Department of Athletic Training. Nick Hurff's endurance coaching combines his formal education and practical experience to elevate athletic performance.  -------  Drop a question in our free Patreon Community and get access to bonus content with Bob and Dina by upgrading to the Gold Level membership. You'll also be showing your support and helping to keep the podcast free of sponsorship ads.   Let's connect on your platform of choice:  Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.  The show is brought to you by eNRG Performance and The Nutrition Mechanic.  

Greg Anderson returns to the Mike Drop Podcast. The former Army Ranger and U.S. Marshal breaks down the conflict with Iran, the strategic ripple effects, and what's really happening in the Strait of Hormuz that isn't being talked about. He also explains why he wouldn't want his kids to join the military—and why he believes U.S. foreign policy needs a serious shift. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On the second episode of Airpril, Apocalypse Video puts on some shackles and boards the Jailbird: a specially designed aircraft that houses the sickest, most depraved criminals in the country. But when Cyrus the Virus and his cadre of lunatics hijack the plane, former Army Ranger Cameron Poe must use all the power of his training and his slow motion hair to stop Cyrus and ground Con Air for good.I'm your host and Captain, Dave, and joining me on this flight are my co-pilots and fellow Army Rangers, Mike, Jackie, and Ryan.Topics of discussion in this episode include the enduring legacy of Con Air, including that magnificent Nicolas Cage hair gif; we dub Cameron Poe's attorney as Worst Lawyer in All of Alabama; and finally, we get into the proper pronunciation of Buscemi, and why Steve gave up on fighting this losing battle long ago.Be sure to rate, review and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can also Like Us on Facebook, Follow Us on Instagram, or shoot us an email at apocalypsevideopod@gmail.comThat will do it for this leg of our Airpril flight through 90's airborne action. When we return, we'll be suiting up with Wesley Snipes for some sky diving thrills as we try our best to avoid going splat in Drop Zone.

Clay Newcomb, host of Bear Grease and a leading voice at MeatEater, joins the MTNTOUGH Podcast for a deep conversation on hunting heritage, fatherhood in the outdoors, and preserving wild places. From his roots in rural Arkansas to decades of storytelling through Into High Country and Bear Grease, Clay explores how wild experiences build patience, self-reliance, and problem-solving in the next generation. He addresses the grizzly bear debate, genetic connectivity, political interference vs. science-based management, and why hunters remain the true conservationists funding wildlife recovery. Clay also discusses technology's impact on hunting culture, the balance between tradition and innovation, and the responsibility to pass down a love for the land. A must-listen for mountain hunters, dads, and anyone fighting to protect the American hunting heritage and wild places for future generations.Join Dustin Diefenderfer, Founder of MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab and creator of the MTNTOUGH+ Fitness App in the top podcast for Mental Toughness and Mindset. (P.S.

Send us Fan MailWelcome back, everyone, for the conclusion of my interview with Retired FBI Special Agent, Author, and Professor Raymond Carr. When we think of bank robberies, it conjures up visions of iconic movies like Dog Day Afternoon, Heat, and, of course, Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze battling it out in Point Break. My guest on the show today, retired FBI Special Agent Raymond Carr, hunted down hundreds of real bank robbers. Today's episode, we will break down that one defining case of a career for Ray, the most prolific bank robber of all time, who was known as the Friday Night Bank Robber, Carl Gugasian. Carl evaded capture for thirty years before Ray was on the case. Carl is believed to have been involved in over 50 robberies before Ray ultimately arrested him. We will also dive into Ray's life after leaving the bureau, being a college professor, and writing the book, 30 Years On The Run: The Hunt For The Most Prolific Bank Robber In History.Please enjoy this fascinating conversation with the FBI agent who caught the bank robber who was on the run for over 30 years and brought him to justice.  In today's episode, we discuss:·      The Friday Night Bank Robber, Carl Gugasian. When and how he first become aware of him and started working on the case?·      A breakdown of the case. ·      Carl's background.·      Over 30 years of robbing banks!·      Army Ranger and 3rd degree black belt in karate.·      Troubled youth.·      His bunkers.·      His sometimes violent robberies·      How he was arrested.·      How Ray got a confession. ·      Statute of limitations on bank robberies and how this played out in this case.·      Ray's relationship with Carl. ·      When is Carl eligible to get out of prison?·      Life after retirement. What Ray misses the most about being in the FBI, or least?·      Ray's book, 30 Years On The Run: The Hunt For The Most Prolific Bank Robber In History. Why write it?All of this and more on today's episode of the Cops and Writers podcast.Check out Ray's website! Check out my newest book! Police Stories: The Rookie Years - True Crime, Chaos & Life as a Big City Cop!What's the craziest thing you saw when you were a cop?My first week on the job, a guy running at me with a butcher knife. He'd just killed his brother over the last hot dog.That's chapter 1. There are 33 more.Police Stories: The Rookie Years just launched - available on Amazon. Search 'Police Stories Patrick O'Donnell' or click thSupport the show

Jason Matzinger, creator of Into High Country, returns to the MTNTOUGH Podcast to discuss fatherhood in the outdoors, how wild places build self-reliant, problem-solving men, and why hunters are essential to protecting wildlife. From early film days to season 17, Jason shares lessons on patience, conservation, and raising boys who understand the circle of life. He dives deep into the grizzly bear debate, genetic connectivity, political interference, and why hunters—not activists—are the true frontline conservationists. A raw, hopeful conversation on technology's impact, present-moment living, and leaving wild places better for the next generation of mountain hunters and backcountry athletes.Join Dustin Diefenderfer, Founder of MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab and creator of the MTNTOUGH+ Fitness App in the top podcast for Mental Toughness and Mindset. (P.S.

In this episode of Case Studies, Casey sits down with Jason Van Camp - West Point graduate, Army Ranger, Green Beret, and founder of Warrior Rising - for an unforgettable deep dive into resilience, leadership, and building a life of purpose through discomfort.Jason shares his journey from a football scholarship at West Point to the front lines of Iraq, revealing what it takes to endure the most elite military training in the world, and how those lessons translate far beyond the battlefield. From Ranger School to Special Forces selection, Jason unpacks the physical and emotional challenges that tested his resolve, the power of expectation management, and the surprising leadership truths he learned in combat.They explore how to lead under pressure, why discomfort is essential for growth, and what it really means to earn trust. Jason also opens up about life after the military, managing health challenges, and how service to others gave him new purpose through Warrior Rising.This episode is a masterclass for entrepreneurs, leaders, and anyone striving to operate with more grit, loyalty, and conviction. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to Engineer Your Appraisal Number - Maximize ARV, cash-out refinance, and BRRRR equity But what if you could engineer that number before they even arrive? In this tactical episode of The Real Estate Fast Pass, Jimmy breaks down the exact process his team uses to anchor appraisers higher, reduce valuation risk, and maximize cash-out refinances. You'll learn how to build a simple appraisal packet, choose the right comps, document your rehab scope, and position your property so the appraiser sees it as the premium asset it is. Because the difference between a weak appraisal and a strong one can easily mean $30,000+ in additional capital for your next deal. In this episode: How to use anchoring psychology with appraisers The 3 highest-value comps to hand them Why your scope of work increases valuation confidence How to prevent unrenovated comps from dragging your ARV down The role of leases, rent rolls, and occupancy Why one better appraisal can accelerate your next acquisition If you're using BRRRR, refinancing rentals, or trying to recycle capital faster, this episode will help you stop leaving equity to chance. About Jimmy Vreeland Jimmy graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, spent 5 years as an Army Ranger, and deployed three times twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan. On his last deployment, he read Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki which led him down the path of real estate investing. As his own portfolio grew, eventually he started a real estate investing business.  Since 2018 his team at Vreeland Capital has supplied over 100 houses a year to high performing, passive investors who want to work with his team and his team is now managing over 800 houses. Get in touch with Jimmy and his team at www.jimmyvreeland.com/getstartedinrealestate More about Jimmy Website: www.jimmyvreeland.com Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-vreeland Instagram: www.instagram.com/jimmyvreeland Facebook: www.facebook.com/JimmyVreeland Youtube: www.youtube.com/@JimmyVreelandC >>>>>>Get free access to the private Ranger Real Estate facebook group

Can you be a Christian and kill the enemy in combat? Black Hawk Down Army Ranger Jeff Struecker has been asked this question a lot and in this episode of March or Die, he gives his answer to Jeremy Jeff Struecker survived the 18-hour Battle of Mogadishu, outnumbered 100 to 1 with no air support, no armor, and no way out. He was 100% certain he would die that night. But instead of fear, he had supernatural peace. When the battle was over, hardened Rangers were waiting to ask him about Jesus. Jeff went from elite Army Ranger and special operations operator to military chaplain, and now serves as a senior pastor. In this conversation, we unpack his faith journey that started at 13, the battle that changed everything, the Christ-and-combat question he's answered thousands of times, and what it looks like to march when everything in you wants to quit. CONNECT WITH JEFF STRUECKER:https://jeffstruecker.com "A Warrior's Soul" free mini-series: https://jeffstrueckerministries.com/the-warrior-s-soul Hit Subscribe, share this episode with your community, and drop a comment on what landed hardest for you. Want more reinforcement? Subscribe to our newsletter, The Forward Edge, to go beyond the podcast and dig deeper into these topics and more: https://marchordie.substack.com! Join us daily for encouragement and biblical truth with the Mighty Oaks Daily Devotional, you can sign up for reminders: https://mightyoaksprograms.org/daily-devotional or text JOIN to (832) 333-8794 Follow March or Die:https://instagram.com/MarchOrDie https://Facebook.com/MarchOrDieShow https://TikTok.com/March_or_Die Follow Jeremy:https://instagram.com/jeremystalnecker https://jeremystalnecker.com Follow Sean:https://instagram.com/seantopgunkennard https://youtube.com/@SeanTopGunKennard Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Get to know John Chronological Experiences - John grew up in Ogden, Utah.  He was the oldest of six brothers and one sister.  After serving a church mission in the Canary Islands in Spain, John went to basic combat soldier training at Ft. Leonard Wood, MO. He then proceeded to Ft. Sam Houston, TX to be trained as a combat medic and a surgical technician and was the Distinguished Honor Graduate of his class.  He served with the Utah 144th Combat Support Hospital.  John went to Weber State University and earned a B.A. degree in psychology. During college, John worked part time on campus for the Services for Students with Disabilities, reading college text books for blind students. John stayed busy by also participating with the folk dance team, the institute chorale, a fraternity, the LDSSA committee, and the Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) where he finished as Honor Graduate, class of 1997. Following a successful Army ROTC Advanced Camp and ranking in the top 5% of the nation, John was commissioned as an Army Intelligence Officer.  After receiving his Top Secret Security Clearance and finishing his Tactical Intelligence Officer training in Ft. Huachuca, AZ, he was stationed at Ft. Gordon, GA with the 513th Military Intelligence Brigade. Here he served as a Company Executive Officer, Battalion Maintenance Officer, and Headquarter Company Executive Officer.  John was deployed to Saudi Arabia in 1999 for Joint Task Force Southwest Asia (JTFSWA).  He worked directly with the commander, Major General Schmidt, during Operation Desert Fox.  He worked in the Joint Air Operations Center during real-time flight operations over Iraq and briefed the commander during these missions when Saddam Hussein was still in power.  John was also responsible for theater-wide combat search and rescue (CSAR) operations.  John was the liaison to the Saudi Arabian government officials as well as the French and British military officials who were part of the coalition.  He produced and disseminated the releasable multinational force intelligence information for these partners.   After several years of active duty, John again joined the Utah Army National Guard and his unit was activated to pull security at the Olympic Village for the Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympics and Paralympics following the 911 attack.  He worked directly with the Presidential Secret Service as well as the directors of intelligence and foreign dignitaries for various security functions. In 2002, John was deployed to war-ravaged Bosnia and Herzegovina as Operations Officer for Security Force 12. He led a counter intelligence team and nine human intelligence teams, consisting of Army Rangers, HUMINT collectors, and local interpreters.  His teams produced intelligence information that was used by President Bush and Dick Cheney as justification for the second war in Iraq (declassified by Dick Cheney).  John loved serving his country, but frequent absences were hard for a family with young children.  So after a 10 year military career, he separated and finished his master's degree in business marketing. John spent several years working in various business ventures and industries including the National Federation of Independent Business. This is a small business lobbying group where he met with hundreds of business owners to understand their challenges with taxes, burdensome regulations, workers' compensation costs, and government overreach. Most recently, John has worked for major pharmaceutical and medical companies like Novo Nordisk and Myriad Genetics in pharmacogenomics testing.  He has received many national awards and recognitions for his leadership and performance.    During these decades, John enjoyed serving in his faith in various capacities and particularly as a scout master and ecclesiastical leader for his church.  This time working with the youth has been some of his favorite years.  Feeling the need to serve in all aspects of his life, he has also served for the past 20 years as a state delegate, county delegate, and precinct chair for Precinct SY11 in the Republican Party. Family - John is most grateful for his wife, Carrie. They have been married for 30 years and have six children, a son-in-law, a daughter-in-law, and a granddaughter.  He is honored that his three eldest children currently serve their country in the Army.  John has always tried to instill the value and blessings of serving in all capacities and for these reasons, he has felt the need to give more during a very turbulent time in our country. Faith - Above all, John considers himself a disciple of Jesus Christ.  This is fundamental to everything he does.  His faith, his family, and his freedoms are his greatest fundamental priorities.                   Hobbies & Fun Facts - John loves reading, writing, and studying. He is fascinated with eschatology and scripture, including Apocryphal texts. He loves to see how current world events align with scripture and sees prophecy being fulfilled in our day. He enjoys history and science and loves a good documentary. John loves playing basketball, softball, football, tennis, and soccer. He enjoys snow skiing, kayaking, cliff diving, and sky diving. He loves an ice plunge in a cold mountain lake. He still loves to do backflips on skis in his 50s, to the dismay of his wife. He loves hiking, canyoneering, camping, backpacking, fishing, gardening, and landscaping. He once made news on Disappointment Peak Grand Teton after a half ton boulder dislodged and landed on him breaking both his legs, among other injuries, but was miraculously saved. Rescuers needed a 300 foot rope and a helicopter to hoist him off the mountain. Working with youth has always been a priority for John and he especially enjoyed being a Scoutmaster. He is an Eagle Scout and helped many youth earn theirs. John saved two lives using the Heimlich Maneuver that he learned in scouts. He also loves coaching youth in soccer, basketball, and tennis. John enjoys a good workout and does marathons, triathlons, and Spartan obstacle course races. He once placed 51st out of 3999 contestants and 2nd in the 45-50 age category in a Spartan Super Race. He plays the piano and percussion/drums and has taught drum lessons. He has played in bands and once performed a drum set solo at the Venetian in Las Vegas for over a thousand people. He loves writing and composing music on the Clavinova and has composed several soft-pop songs. John loves to dance and will be seen on the dance floor at every work social or wedding reception. He loves to sing and do karaoke. John has worked many interesting jobs with his entrepreneurial spirit including the following: selling golf balls as a kid, washing dishes and prep cooking at Carol's Kitchen restaurant, building a house from foundation to finish work in high school construction, and peeling logs by hand. He worked for Mr. Mac, Matrix Marketing, Office Max, RGIS Inventory Specialists, Bell Janitorial sales, NFIB political lobby consulting, Buckeye International chemical sales management, and K-Designer remodeling. He once worked as a paid Girl Scouts instructor for high-risk girls in downtown Ogden. He was an EMT and a surgical tech and has assisted in a wide variety of surgeries. At WSU Disability Services, he assisted blind students. He is up for any challenge including wearing the Deranged Easter Bunny outfit for a company presentation in front of 500+ peers as well as wearing the same said outfit to a job interview at Kneader's restaurant. John is known for being fearless and is always up for a good adventure. He is known for his work ethic and is always willing to volunteer. John believes we should enjoy all the ups and downs in life, that pain is gain, and that integrity and service are paramount attributes to develop.https://www.johntaylor4utah.com/about

Patrick Leddin reveals the negotiation mindset that helped him close a 50/50 book deal with James Patterson — and the one relationship trap that nearly cost him everything. Patrick Leddin is a professor at Vanderbilt University, former U.S. Army Ranger, and co-author of the New York Times bestselling book Disrupt Everything — co-written with James Patterson. He has taught negotiation and leadership for over a decade, and his work has been brought to life as a Franklin Covey course: Disrupt Everything: Innovate for Impact. In this episode, Patrick unpacks the surprising link between disruption and negotiation — and why the habits of a positive disruptor make you a sharper negotiator. Connect with Patrick Leddin: Website: patrickleddin.com / disrupteverything.com Buy The Book: Disrupt Everything Community: Share your disruption story at the community page on his website Franklin Covey Course: Disrupt Everything: Innovate for Impact Contact ANI ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Request A Customized Workshop For Your Company⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Kwame Christian on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠negotiateanything.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to buy your copy of Finding Confidence in Conflict: How to Negotiate Anything and Live Your Best Life!

Former Royal Marine commando Tim Howell joins the MTNTOUGH Podcast to share his extraordinary journey from guiding clients through Big 5 territory in South Africa at 18, to earning his place in one of the world's toughest military units, and now pushing the absolute limits as an elite wingsuit BASE jumper and mountain athlete. Tim breaks down how he views and conquers fear, the power of calculated risk versus reckless adrenaline, attention to detail, reserves in the tank, and why discomfort builds unbreakable mental toughness. From combat deployments and high-altitude expeditions to first BASE jumps and record attempts (including multiple tries on Lhotse), he reveals the mindset that separates survival from thriving at the edge of human performance. A raw, inspiring conversation for hunters, athletes, fathers, and any man ready to break fear, live with purpose, and stay dangerous in the present moment.Join Dustin Diefenderfer, Founder of MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab and creator of the MTNTOUGH+ Fitness App in the top podcast for Mental Toughness and Mindset. (P.S.

1 - Will Thibeau, Director of the American Military Project at the Claremont Institute and former Army Ranger, joins the show today to break down just how miraculous this rescue mission in Iran to save two pilots was. What separates the kind of soldiers that are able to execute this mission from the average soldier? What kind of experience does the pilot of a mission have? With the latest CNN poll taking the temperature of the American public on the risk and reward of this mission and the total cost of war as a whole? What is the off-ramp with this war? 115 - We take a listen into Trump's press conference regarding the rescue mission in Iran. Is gas 5 dollars yet? 120 - What was Trump like at the Easter Egg Roll? What does the CNN poll say? Your calls. 130 - What's the latest Somali scam? Why is Minnesota bragging about high graduation rates with poor proficiency numbers? 135 - Your calls. 140 - Is Jersey getting what they voted for? 145 - Dom Giordano Presents: Progressive Women Gone Wild! 150 - Who is this NJ State Senator celebrating affordable housing?

12 - Dom kicks off the week blasting the Catholic Church on their stance regarding the war in Iran. Why is this Military Archbishop playing morality police on what is right and wrong in a war vs a country that hates us? 1215 - Side - all time rescue missions 1220 - More on the Archbishop and the Church's stance on the war. Your calls. 1235 - Matt Brouillette, the Founder, President & CEO of Commonwealth Partners and author of “YOU GOTTA WIN PENNSYLVANIA!” joins us this afternoon to discuss his new book. Why is Matt warning against PA becoming the next battleground state turned deep blue, like Colorado? What does Matt want the entrepreneurs on the right to realize and do regarding deploying their resources and influence? Is Josh Shapiro too arrogant for his own good? How close is PA to being that blue? 1250 - Where did Dom hide the Easter eggs? 1 - Will Thibeau, Director of the American Military Project at the Claremont Institute and former Army Ranger, joins the show today to break down just how miraculous this rescue mission in Iran to save two pilots was. What separates the kind of soldiers that are able to execute this mission from the average soldier? What kind of experience does the pilot of a mission have? With the latest CNN poll taking the temperature of the American public on the risk and reward of this mission and the total cost of war as a whole? What is the off-ramp with this war? 115 - We take a listen into Trump's press conference regarding the rescue mission in Iran. Is gas 5 dollars yet? 120 - What was Trump like at the Easter Egg Roll? What does the CNN poll say? Your calls. 130 - What's the latest Somali scam? Why is Minnesota bragging about high graduation rates with poor proficiency numbers? 135 - Your calls. 140 - Is Jersey getting what they voted for? 145 - Dom Giordano Presents: Progressive Women Gone Wild! 150 - Who is this NJ State Senator celebrating affordable housing? 2 - Scott Presler joins us for his weekly installation on The Dom Show. What kind of work has Scott been doing in Virginia and PA in order to protect the Republican majority in the House? What would Scott like to see from our elected officials regarding the war in Iran? Why does the messaging need to be better? How effective was this trap to remove CDLs from illegal migrants and arrest them? How is his race shaping up? 210 - Some more from Trump's press conference. 215 - Dom's Money Melody! 225 - Your calls. 235 - Would the military would have actually abandoned the Colonel who went down in Iran? Your calls. 250 - The Lightning Round!

Welcome back to the Hollywood Hangout, your premier destination for all things cinema and pop culture! This week, we're looking ahead at the massive slate of action and thrillers hitting screens in 2026. Join Boxman as he dives into a spoiler-free breakdown of the most anticipated releases of the year.Whether you're looking for high-octane stunts, gritty crime dramas, or mind-bending sci-fi, we've got you covered. Here is a look at what Boxman is tracking this week:The Rip (2026): Matt Damon and Ben Affleck reunite in this Joe Carnahan-directed heist thriller. When a group of Miami cops seizes millions in cash, trust becomes a deadly luxury.War Machine (2026): Alan Ritchson brings the muscle to Netflix in this sci-fi actioner. An Army Ranger selection process turns into a fight for survival against a threat no one saw coming.Mercy (2026): Chris Pratt stars as a detective in the near future who must prove his innocence to an AI judge (Rebecca Ferguson). Can he beat the system in just 90 minutes?One Mile: Chapter One & Two (2026): Ryan Phillippe takes on a secretive, off-the-grid community in this two-part survival thriller. It's a father's worst nightmare turned into a high-stakes rescue mission.Shelter (2026): Jason Statham returns to the screen as a former government assassin forced back into the fray. Directed by Ric Roman Waugh, this promises the grit and intensity Statham fans crave.Grab your popcorn and pull up a chair—it's time to talk movies!

My guest today on the Online for Authors podcast is Terry Weaver. We are going to chat about the differences between writing a novel and writing a screen play. Terry grew up in San Bernardino, a suburb of Los Angeles, California. After graduating high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Military as a Navy Corpsman. He was deployed as a combat medic with the U.S. Marines and served a tour of duty in Kuwait and Iraq from 2002 to 2003. After five years of active duty, Terry received an honorable discharge.  He attended Mays Business School at Texas A&M and received the Pat Tillman Foundation Scholarship, established in the namesake of Army Ranger and NFL star player Pat Tillman, who was killed in action while serving his country.   Terry earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in 2011 and completed his Master of Arts in Biblical Studies in 2020 at Grace School of Theology. He spent over a decade in sales and marketing, and while doing so he founded VEL INSTITUTE, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit. Terry has published five books, two non-fiction and three fictional works. His latest book is titled A Long Night Cry.  He's the award-winning lead actor in the television series, Breaking Strongholds. Additionally, he has acting credits and writing credits in television and narrative film and has produced multiple short films and commercials.   In 2025, Terry wrote, produced and directed his first feature film titled The Beast of Trinity Texas, which is available to watch on Amazon and Tubi.  He's happily married to Chelley Weaver. They have four children and reside in a suburb of Houston Texas.  Terry's life mission is to inspire those he loves and the world through his faith, creativity and writing.  Books mentioned during the podcast: The Anatomy of Story by John Truby: https://amzn.to/47t5xHM Consider This by Chuck Palahniuk: https://amzn.to/4cx8vyA The War of Art by Steven Pressfield: https://amzn.to/4stpGFM Subscribe to Online for Authors to learn about more great books! https://www.youtube.com/@onlineforauthors?sub_confirmation=1  You can follow Author Terry Weaver Website: https://terryweaver.substack.com/ FB: @Terry Weaver FB: @thebeastoftrinitytexas IG: @terryweaverjr IG: @thebeastoftrinitytexas/ Watch Terry's film, The Beast of Trinity Texas, streaming on Amazon, Tubi, and Apple TV - https://thebeastoftrinitytexas.com/  Teri M Brown, Author and Podcast Host: https://www.terimbrown.com FB: @TeriMBrownAuthor IG: @terimbrown_author X: @terimbrown1 Want to be a guest on Online for Authors? Send Teri M Brown a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/member/onlineforauthors #terryweaver #terimbrownauthor #authorpodcast #onlineforauthors #characterdriven #researchjunkie #awardwinningauthor #podcasthost #podcast #readerpodcast #bookpodcast #writerpodcast #author #books #goodreads #bookclub #fiction #writer #bookreview  *As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

In this episode of The Real Estate Fast Pass, Jimmy sits down with investor, attorney, and operator Francis Baalmann, who has built a portfolio of 550+ rental properties, manages 2,700 doors, and has grown nearly $90 million in real estate assets. But this conversation goes far beyond the typical “buy rentals for cash flow” advice. Francis breaks down why appreciation, strategic leverage, tax advantages, and equity-based lines of credit have been the real drivers behind his wealth-building journey—and why many investors may be focusing on the wrong metrics early on. You'll hear how he went from buying a $30,000 foreclosure in rural Kansas to scaling into large portfolio acquisitions, private lending, and a lifestyle built around family, fitness, and intentional freedom. In this episode, you'll learn: Why equity may matter more than cash flow The 5 pillars of real estate wealth How to use portfolio lines of credit to buy bigger deals Why better neighborhoods often outperform “better cash flow” areas The role of cost segregation and bonus depreciation How to build a portfolio around the life you actually want Why Francis says “balloons are for clowns” when structuring debt If you've ever wondered whether you should optimize for monthly income, long-term appreciation, or lifestyle freedom, this episode gives you a practical framework from an investor who has done it at scale. :headphones: Listen now and learn how to turn your portfolio into a true wealth engine. About Jimmy Vreeland Jimmy graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point, spent 5 years as an Army Ranger, and deployed three times twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan. On his last deployment, he read Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki which led him down the path of real estate investing. As his own portfolio grew, eventually he started a real estate investing business.  Since 2018 his team at Vreeland Capital has supplied over 100 houses a year to high performing, passive investors who want to work with his team and his team is now managing over 800 houses. Get in touch with Jimmy and his team at www.jimmyvreeland.com/getstartedinrealestate More about Jimmy Website: www.jimmyvreeland.com Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/jimmy-vreeland Instagram: www.instagram.com/jimmyvreeland Facebook: www.facebook.com/JimmyVreeland Youtube: www.youtube.com/@JimmyVreelandC >>>>>>Get free access to the private Ranger Real Estate facebook group

In this special episode, I sit down with Kevin Briggins and former U.S. Army Ranger and war correspondent Chuck Holton to discuss the crisis facing young men today. Chuck shares his vision for The Frontier Forge, a hands-on summer leadership camp designed to get boys off screens, build real skills, practice servant leadership, and grow in biblical manhood. Links: Find out more at: frontierforge.org Chuck Holton's podcast “The Hot Zone": https://www.youtube.com/@hotzonepodcast

In this episode of Long Blue Leadership, Joel “Thor” Neeb '99 explains this simple framework. “Yes” builds experience. “No” protects focus and time. SUMMARY In this episode of Long Blue Leadership, Joel Neeb '99 explains this simple framework. Yes builds experience. No protects focus and time. Leadership is knowing when to shift.   SHARE THIS EPISODE LINKEDIN  |  FACEBOOK   JOEL'S TOP 10 LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS 1. Time is your most finite — and most misused — resource. Facing mortality created instant clarity: Stop letting others waste your time. You must actively protect time to focus on what matters most. 2. Regret comes from inaction — not failure. Neeb didn't regret failures — he regretted not trying things that were uncomfortable. Leadership growth = bias toward action in uncertainty. 3. Imposter syndrome + growth mindset = a leadership superpower — “I don't belong here… yet” paired with effort fuels growth. Elite teams are full of people quietly thinking the same thing — and pushing forward anyway. 4. Reinvention is not optional — it's continuous. You don't “transition” to a new role — you start over from scratch. The best leaders willingly become beginners again. 5. Comfort is the enemy of growth. When things become easy, growth stops. Leaders must intentionally seek discomfort, not avoid it. 6. Elite teams + inspiring mission = peak human performance The most meaningful work comes from: Being on a team where you feel you must earn your place and pursuing a mission bigger than yourself. This combination drives purpose and performance. 7. Say yes early in life, say no later in life. Under 35: Say yes to everything → build capability through exposure. Over 35: Say no to almost everything that doesn't align with your goals → protect focus. Leadership maturity = ruthless prioritization. 8. The future belongs to those who disrupt themselves first. AI (and any disruption) rewards those who move early. “Stay slightly ahead of the rate of change” = competitive advantage. 9. AI should be a thought partner in everything; not a replacement but an accelerator. Leaders who integrate AI into daily workflows will move exponentially faster. 10. Think in five-year transformations, not three-month wins. People overestimate short-term output and underestimate long-term transformation. Leadership requires a bold long-term vision and daily actions from that vision.   CHAPTERS 00:00:00 — Introduction: From Fighter Pilot to CEO-Level Leadership 00:00:49 — Stage 4 Cancer Diagnosis: The Moment That Changed Everything 00:03:48 — Clarity on Time, Regret, and What Truly Matters 00:07:02 — Reinventing Yourself: Leaving the Military & Starting Over 00:10:04 — Growth Mindset, Imposter Syndrome & Elite Teams 00:13:38 — Learning the Language of Business 00:17:14 — AI Is Disrupting Everything: What Leaders Must Know 00:22:46 — Using AI as a Thought Partner to Move Faster 00:24:58 — Say Yes Early, Say No Later: Mastering Your Time 00:35:06 — Big Goals, Long-Term Thinking & Final Leadership Lessons 00:37:22 — Joel's Big Audacious Goal: Leading Through AI Disruption 00:42:47 — Using AI to Learn Faster (Even While Working Out) 00:48:14 — Closing Thoughts and Key Takeaways   ABOUT JOEL BIO Joel "Thor" Neeb '99 is a recognized business leader in the software-as-a-service (SAAS) industry. He most recently served as vice president of execution and transformation at VMware, where he led a cultural and operating model transformation for the 40,000-person company as well as helped launch VMware's AI roadmap and strategy. Prior to VMware, he served as chief executive officer at Afterburner Inc., where he led more than 100 elite professionals, including former fighter pilots, Navy SEALs, and Army Rangers, in helping global organizations achieve breakthrough performance. Neeb is a former United States Air Force F-15 mission commander. He was the tactical leader of 300 of the most senior combat pilots in the U.S. Air Force and oversaw the execution of a $150-million-per-year flight program.   CONNECT WITH JOEL LINKEDIN  |  8x8   CONNECT WITH THE LONG BLUE LINE PODCAST NETWORK TEAM Ted Robertson | Producer and Editor:  Ted.Robertson@USAFA.org Send your feedback or nominate a guest: socialmedia@usafa.org   Ryan Hall | Director:  Ryan.Hall@USAFA.org  Bryan Grossman | Copy Editor:  Bryan.Grossman@USAFA.org Wyatt Hornsby | Executive Producer:  Wyatt.Hornsby@USAFA.org     ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS     FULL TRANSCRIPT SPEAKERS: Guest, Joel "Thor" Neeb '99 | Host, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99   Col. Naviere Walkewicz 0:11 Joel, my friend, welcome to Long Blue Leadership.   Joel Neeb 0:13 Thank you very much. So glad to chat with you.   Col. Naviere Walkewicz 0:15 Oh gosh. Well, we are excited for this. It's going to be just a filled conversation of incredible insights, and you have so much to share. And I think what's really special about this is how we're going to touch into AI, because it is relevant, and it's everywhere now, but I actually want to dial it back first to a very specific moment in time, and it's probably an area that has really transformed your life, right? So you went through stage 4 cancer. I mean, not many people can say that they have gone through that and survived it, and I think it also really impacted others in your family. Can you just share a little bit about your story? Joel Neeb 0:49 Yeah, so back in 2010 I was flying, on top of the world. I was going through the interview process for the Air Force Thunderbirds, and I found out, out of nowhere, that I had a stage 4 cancer diagnosis. So within just a couple of weeks, I went from feeling like I was at the peak of good health to now being told that I had about 18 months to live and a 15% chance to live five years. And those would be a pretty gruesome five years if I did make it that far. And so that was the new reality that I had to contend with. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 1:19 I can't even imagine that. I mean, just… Was there some kind of indication, like, you went in and you were checked up and they found this? I mean, it just wow, just boom. Joel Neeb 1:30 You know, it's funny. I actually have to credit the flying role with most likely diagnosing and solving this for me early. Because when I would fly and I'd have my G suit on my abdomen, it would inflate against me when I pulled Gs, and it was a pain that I was experienced on the right side of my abdomen that right around my appendix. On a scale of one to 10, it was like a two. So nothing big, but big enough that when I went and saw the flight surgeon for my annual physical, I mentioned it, and I said, I'm sure it's nothing, but they did the right thing, and did some quick tests and ultrasound on that area and some MRI work, and they were able to very quickly determine that a big tumor grown in that spot. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 2:09 Wow. Well, I guess right there, just a lesson off the bat is listen to your body. You know your body, and if something doesn't feel right, seem right, you know, say something and get it checked out.   Joel Neeb 2:18 That's exactly right.   Col. Naviere Walkewicz 2:19 Oh, my goodness. OK, so you got that diagnosis. You're sitting there with that information. How do you process that? What is the conversation with your wife, you know, what's the next step when you're given some kind of timeline like that? Joel Neeb 2:34 Yeah, you know, it's interesting. I would have thought having gone through like fighter pilot training and even the Air Force Academy, and, you know, all the things that build resilience in life, that I would have felt more prepared for that moment. In other words, that I would have felt more prepared than the average individual. But I did not. I felt, I felt very much like I was in a catastrophe from which I couldn't see how to get through the day to day activities. I was a zombie around the house and it really relied on my wife and my family stepping in to help me. And so for a good couple months, it's was just kind of inconsolable and, you know, I always like to say it was, I would wake up and go through my day very, very tired because I didn't sleep the night before. And then I go to bed staring at the ceiling fan spinning, trying to figure out, you know, any options that I would have to extend my life for my kids to remember me a little bit. I had a 1- and a 3-year-old and so I went through life for a couple of months just a zombie and doing very poorly. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 3:38 So what changed in that couple of months that, I guess, changed the trajectory of how you looked at things, or how you approached her, or what happened? Joel Neeb 3:48 Yeah, you know, there's a great quote that I repeat a lot, which I think makes a lot of sense, which is “the dying have the most to teach us about life.” And what it really means is that when you're faced with these types of struggles, that all of a sudden, whether you're 80 or 33 like I was, you get a certain amount of clarity right in that moment and it's good for eliminating the rest of the noise in your life and identifying what's most important and what should have been most important all along. And that comes through and is in the forefront is it was fascinating to me that the moment I got the diagnosis, immediately I was mad at myself for spending any extra time at work, like it was like a light switch in my head went off and said, like, “You shouldn't have stayed that extra hour at work just to watch the clock turn. You were done with your job there.” I had a boss at the time that I was a huge fan of and he was a clock watcher, and wanted just to be in there to fill up time. And my mind immediately went to “now my finite resource is time, and I've been wasting it.” And I remember vowing that I'll never waste my time again, and I've been very disciplined against letting anybody steal time from me from that point forward; that was one of the key things I took away. And then looking back in my life, there were things I regretted, things that I celebrated and that I was proud of, and also considered what I would do differently if I was given a second chance. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 5:05 So, you know, you wrote a book called Survivor's Obligation. I'm curious about this journey, though, because obviously you beat it 15 years later, you're here. So, you know, you beat the odds of the 18 months. What was that like when you still had to provide for your family? You know, you were still working like, what was that journey like? Joel Neeb 5:25 Yeah, first of all, I have to credit the Air Force with showing up in a huge way. At that time, I was watching other people in the civilian sector who were undergoing cancer struggles, and they had a much more difficult time than I did. The Air Force had stepped in and was making meals around the clock for my family. I didn't have to show up to work. I you know, they afforded me every opportunity to get better and I really credit the Air Force family with getting me through that period of time, in ways I just certainly would not have been able to get through on my own, and in terms of, like how I looked at my life as I was thinking about the things I was proud of and the things I regretted. The things that I was proud of I was a little surprised by, and the things I regretted I was surprised by. I didn't regret my failures, of which there were many. I didn't regret them, because what I actually regretted were those times that I didn't try, where there's times where I didn't make the effort into doing something new that was a little bit scary, that would have put me outside of my comfort zone, and maybe would have challenged my ego a little bit. And now the end of my life was here, and I'd never have a chance to do anything else. You know, my story was complete. And I said, you know, really angry at that. Had I gotten a second chance, I would do things very differently. I love being a fighter pilot, but I would have preferred it to have been a chapter in my life, not the entire book. I would have tried to go to the business world and done all these things, and when I did get that second chance, and basically, God called my bluff and said, “All right, let's see if you actually follow through with this.” Then, of course, I had to hold myself accountable to living differently in that next chapter.  Col. Naviere Walkewicz 7:02 So that's what you're doing now. You're living in this next chapter. And so, I mean, I think there's a transition out of the military. Obviously, you retired as a lieutenant colonel. And so talk us a little bit about in this moment of what you're going to do if given a second chance. Let's talk about what some of those things that you took a chance on, maybe in the business world first. Joel Neeb 7:24 Sure. So our mutual friend, Kovacic, he says, “I'm in the middle of my Texas Longhorn MBA right now. It's amazing. It's just down the street from you.” He knew — he was following my cancer struggle closely. And he said, “Look, you're two years into this journey. Who knows what the future holds?” But I talked to him about wanting to be in the business sector and trying something new. And he said, “If you're serious about that, you should join the MBA program.” And so that's what I did. I went and joined the MBA program and had a blast being the dumbest guy in the room, by far, in business school. At the same time, it almost reminded me of being a fighter pilot again, or at least the early days of being a fighter pilot, because it was a little bit of a combination of terror and exhilaration, which is really what I loved about being a fighter pilot. That first time you go upside down by yourself and in pilot training and you prove to yourself you can do it, you're a little bit terrified, but fully exhilarated, and knowing that this is exactly what you should be doing. At the same time, I had that same sentiment as I'm sitting in business school classes, as I'm trying to keep up with the conversation there, and you say, “Well, you know that's so different from flying a plane, how are you getting the same joy out of it?” And it's really because where I landed with, you know, what did I value most in life. It came down to the times when I was on an elite team with an inspiring mission, an elite team, meaning I felt like I didn't deserve that spot there. And the little secret was, everybody on the elite team didn't feel like they deserve that spot there. But boy, are they going to try to earn it. And then that inspiring mission that we're pursuing, whether it was our time at the Air Force Academy, I always felt like I didn't deserve to be there. I felt like that was an incredibly elite team with an inspiring mission. Felt the same way about being a fighter pilot. Had a healthy dose of imposter syndrome going through all of this, but I've learned to believe that that's a bit of a superpower, in a sense, because if you have imposter syndrome coupled with a growth mindset, which means I don't belong here today, but I can sure earn the right if I try hard. I think that helps us to really realize the full potential of our lives. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 9:26 Really well said. And I think that actually kind of helps us see how you're able to make that transition. I want to go back to the fact, — first off, Kope is amazing. I love that he, you know — it talks about the Long Blue Line and our networks from the Air Force Academy. They really are for life. And I think, you know, you just, kind of just showed that you applied and you participated in this MBA program when you're in your mid-30s. Then can you talk about that a little bit? I think there's an interest in, “Oh, if I didn't do this in my 20s, it's too late.” Can you talk about that transition in, you know, your mid-30s, and do you think that was the right time? Can people do it later in their life, etc? Joel Neeb 10:04 So I would say you certainly can do it at any point in life. You can recreate yourself at any point. A lot of — gonna go totally off topic, but a lot of longevity science is saying that the first person to live to be 150 is alive today, meaning we're all going to see a lot more healthy years hopefully in our lives than ever before. So that should mean that all of us should pursue multiple chapters, and there's certainly not a point in life where we're done reinventing ourselves. But the key is the word “reinventing.” And I was at a point in my career where, at 33 years old, I was very, very comfortable flying. I was very, very comfortable doing air shows and flybys and leading missions and signing autographs. And so my identity was a lot of ego and not a lot of growth, meaning it felt good to be told how great I was at doing a certain skill set, but it wasn't that hard to do anymore. It becomes rote, and I wasn't growing at this point. In order to go into the business world, I had to completely reinvent myself. And I like to tell people that are transitioning out of the military, as difficult as it was to do the first thing, whether that's be a fighter pilot or an intel officer, or how you had to reinvent yourself at 23 years old — that's just as challenging as it's going to be. You have to sign up again for the B course, as we call it, as fighter pilots. The thing that introduces you to being a fighter pilot and realize that you're devoting that much effort to reinvent yourself. And people would push back and say, “Yeah, but you've already led in these environments. You have all of these things that should carry over. Wouldn't it be easier for you just to make a transition and less of that initiation energy that's required to start this new thing?” The answer is no, you literally have to start it over, as if you're 25 years old. You got to eat a lot of humble pie and realize you're not special in this environment. But the good news is, you can become special very quickly if you're willing to reinvent yourself now — you bring perspective that nobody else can carry. Nobody else knows how to navigate high stakes, life-or-death environments like we've learned in the military. Nobody shows up with the processes that we've learned through checklists and through cultural training, all the things that maybe we didn't even aware that we're seeing. As soon as you see the opposite in the business world and you realize, well, we don't have that great of a culture here. We had a great one in the military. That's a huge resource that you can bring into that environment, but only after you've completely reinvented yourself and translated your skill set into something that's meaningful for that business setting. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 12:28 So Joel, that's fascinating, because what you're saying is you're almost stripping yourself of all these experiences to really open up your aperture for what's new. And I'm curious if this was a way you came into that? Sid you go in with your eyes wide open with that plan, or did you learn this about yourself? Joel Neeb 12:47 I came into it arrogantly. I went into these conversations thinking, “Wait till they see how much I have to offer. I've been in very complex scenarios. I've led my way out of them. I have all these awards for being a good leader and a good instructor, and so just wait until they see what I've got to offer.” And that's why business school helped me out a lot, because in a sandbox setting that really didn't have consequences, I got to participate in conversations and learn very quickly I didn't know what they were talking about and that they were — they had an understanding around business already that I didn't have. I didn't understand the language, and I needed to really reeducate myself to become ready in this moment. And so there were moments in that period where I would have done very differently in approaching that next transition, had I known how far I had to go to really having something to offer the business sector. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 13:38 Was there a moment during that time when you were getting your MBA that, in a way that cancer startled you as a life-or-death situation, and you changed your you know — “If I'm given a second chance.” Was there a moment in the business, you know, getting your MBA where you like, really, like, linked into like, this is what I'm going to be doing. It was so clear to you the next move in this, in this journey. Joel Neeb 14:04 Yeah, I say that. I mean, there's one that stands out that really showed how little I understood the business world. So they're talking about pipeline in this conversation at my MBA school, and they said, “You know, we need to improve pipeline. We're working on getting better pipeline for our needs.” And I'm listening to this thinking, “What are they talking about? Is this like an oil pipeline? Is this pipe plumbing? What do they mean?” And for those in the business sector, of course, you understand. They're talking about a sales pipeline. A sales pipeline is a sales funnel that shows that the leads that turns into the sales and the conversion rate and all the things that that, of course, I know intimately well. Now, at that point, it showed me that there's an entire language I just haven't been exposed to, because I'd been talking about missiles and G forces and airplanes for so long that it didn't matter how much experience I was bringing to the table. There was a language I didn't understand. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 14:50 I think that is really, really thoughtful in how you showed that, because then it helped you probably in navigating when you're leading, you know, other teams that have different experiences coming to the table. So when you learn that language, and I want to talk a little bit about, you know, CEO of Afterburner, let's just talk about your role in the civilian sector, your multiple roles, I'd love for you to share a couple of stories where you've grown as a leader and where you've continued to learn things about yourself in that space. Joel Neeb 15:22 Yeah, so at Afterburner, what we end up doing at Afterburner, more often than not, was leading in keynotes, doing workshops for training, and what we would show them is how you can leverage the things that we learned in the military on the elite teams that we participated in, whether that's Green Beret, fighter pilot, Navy SEAL — we hired all those backgrounds, and, of course, look for teams that had a business degree on top of that. What we ended up doing was getting on stage in front of these folks and sometimes talking to 10,000 people. So I've done presentations in front of 10,000 people in my past. And what I was surprised by — thinking about the learning opportunities and where the growth came from — is that even after having done 3,000 briefings, you know, in a fighter pilot setting, and getting in front of the red flag team in Nellis and doing a presentation there, I would be behind the scenes at some of these huge presentations, and I would get incredible stage fright, I guess is the only way to say it. Butterflies. I would feel like I was going to pass out. And the reason I share this is because I was frustrated that it didn't translate better to this new thing that I was looking to do with public speaking. Now I'm talking for an hour, and I had to be engaging and comical at times, and, you know, bringing the audience into it. I say that because, once again, I was finding that that combination of terror and exhilaration and proving to myself that I could do it, and I had a new place that I needed to grow into for that now, I've done this enough times where my heart rate doesn't go up a beat when I do this at this point, but that's after doing thousands of presentations and I think the key takeaway for me was our growth is never over with, and it's growth that really feels good, and so leaning into those areas of discomfort has been something that's been really important to me my entire life, particularly after cancer. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 17:06 So what is growing you now? What is new for you that you are pursuing in your personal growth and development? Joel Neeb 17:14 Yeah, so it was new for me now is what's new for society, this next era with AI. AI is going to disrupt every one of our lives. And just as aggressively as AI disrupted my life with cancer, or, excuse me, as cancer disrupted my life, or even becoming a fighter pilot or joining business school disrupted my life, we see the same thing take place on a personal and professional level because of just how powerful this new technology is. And if you're sitting there wondering, “It hallucinates still, and I don't really buy it, and we'll see where this ends up,” I'm here to tell you, as somebody who's at the bleeding edge of AI that's going to transform every single thing we do in very good ways, but also disrupt the way you think you add value today, and the way you think that you know we should participate on teams right now. And so that's it's going to disrupt everything. And so I'm looking to constantly reinvent myself in the context of this next era. And I'm also looking to lead our 2,400-person company at 8x8 on that same journey, so that we can disrupt ourselves before we're disrupted. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 18:14 So what does that look like right now? Share something maybe that is on the leading edge of that, you know, that forefront of being disruptive before you're disrupted in your organization. Joel Neeb 18:27 Yeah, so for us, it's making this new technology as accessible as possible so that we can break down the barriers for using it and realizing that, much like in the '90s, we went from only a small technical portion of the company that was using computers, then expanded to, of course, everyone in the company is using a computer on every desk. But that wasn't always like that in the late '80s and early '90s; that was just reserved for a very technical portion of the group. Now that expanded. Of course, everyone's on the net. You wouldn't dream of trying to get a job without being internet savvy and having computer skills. We're going to see the same thing take place with AI and so, and I don't just mean using AI. I mean using AI to code, using AI to build things, and it's not just going to be reserved for that technical component of the company anymore. And so what that looks like for us: We conduct a weekly session where we talk about the use cases from the previous week on a personal and a professional level. Why is that important? Because now we're breaking down that barrier. So last week, I'll give you an example. We had somebody whose father passed a couple months ago, and this person had he lives in the UK. He's from Africa. His father had never met his son, so this person's grandson, his father's grandson, he'd never met. And by using AI at his funeral, he was able to take their images and create a moment where they came together and hugged and picked up the grandson and played this really touching video for the rest of the people there to share in that moment that never really happened, of course, but was able to celebrate this person's life and that connection through the grandson. And it was just a really I mean, they were people that were getting emotional, talking about it, listening to the story. And then we have somebody else say, I had my basement flood, and I took pictures of it, and I used AI to imagine how we would have to renovate it and build it back better. And somebody else says I successfully used AI to combat the tax increase on my house, because I came up with good comparables around the area and a good way to beat it. By the way, it's a really good one to use, if you have…    Col. Naviere Walkewicz 20:32 A mental note right there.    Joel Neeb 20:33 Exactly. So we're lowering the barriers on a personal level. So then when I tell you on a professional level, here are my expectations for how you'll bring AI to the table to accelerate the things you're already doing, the teams are ready to do that, and that's been a really important aspect of this journey. Naviere Walkewicz 20:50 Is it important for an organization to already have a culture that is open to — I think what you know is you're going to get a bunch of different perspectives. You're going to get a, you know, maybe thinking outside the box that you wouldn't have thought of. So would you say that the organization was ready for that? Or have you had to create that culture along the way? Joel Neeb 21:11 Yeah, I'd say, you know, change is hard. Nobody likes change. We like being through change. And so one of the things that growth provides an opportunity to change for the better, but it's always start to get that activation energy to really pursue change. And so what we had to teach the culture at 8x8 is to not be change weary, but to be change ready, and to understand that in this era, our ability to stay a couple months ahead of the rate of change will be a superpower the likes of which no one can compete with us. Meaning as difficult as it is to pursue this change and to continue reinventing yourself — and when I say revenge up, I mean if you're doing the same thing today in six months, then you're gonna be passed by — literally changing that fast. And we're seeing that inside of our company. And so the new constant will be changed. The new constant will be disruption. And the faster we get comfortable with that, and the faster we realize that if we disrupt ourselves a little bit faster than the competition, that's a superpower, but we're already enjoying it internally within 8x8, but it's because we've forced ourselves to get a little bit ahead. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 22:15 that's really interesting. And I imagine, would you say that it takes, you know, when you are in this transformation mode, because this is what you're taking your organization through, you know, how are you coaching as a leader? How are you — maybe it's through the repetition of trying it in their personal life. But you know, what are you sharing from a leadership perspective that's helping them think that way constantly, right? I mean, it's different from, “OK, I'm going to do this today and…” But how are they constantly ingraining that in themselves? And how are you leading that?   Joel Neeb 22:46 Yeah, a couple of ways. One, we're saying that AI should be a thought partner in everything that we do, maybe not a thought leader, meaning, I'm not going to hand off a decision or an activity to AI, per se, but literally in everything that we do. So I'll give you a quick example in your role. So you're doing podcasts, and these are amazing. And by the way, you're poised, and I'm not surprised after knowing you at the Academy, because you were very polished then. But this is incredible. You did a phenomenal job with this. But let's say that you want to get some feedback after this session. You can take this transcript, upload it to AI, and you would say, “Give me the key themes from this session that we discussed.” You could say, “Create emails that will be enticing and send them out to the entire team based on this transcript that we have for this conversation.” You could say, “Create new episodes and new questions for the next 10 guests that will continue to weave a red thread of common questions and common themes throughout all these.” Where I'm going with this is when you consider how to use AI as a thought partner in everything that you're doing, you can go 100 times faster on the key things that we want to accomplish. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 23:52 I believe that wholeheartedly. And just a little side story, I'm coaching my son's fifth grade basketball team. Never coached basketball before, and he's going to be middle school next year, so it's the one and only year. But I used ChatGPT to build out my coaching plan, and we are — we only lost our first game and we've been undefeated since so I'm going to hand it off to my ChatGPT coaching partner.   Joel Neeb 24:13 That's amazing. That's a great story. See, that would be one we'd love to hear at our session that we do every week around how accessible AI is. Because people hear that and they say,” I can do that too. I want to bring that to my kids game.” The more we use it every single day, the better prepared we're going to be for the big changes that are coming. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 24:27 Excellent. So Joel, I want to dig into your personal life a little bit, because you have such a fascinating way of — I mean, you make everyone feel that the moment that they're spending with you is 100% theirs. But I know in the background — and your time is important, you talked about that — but I know in the background, you are doing so many things. You've got your family is a key pillar. You know, your health and fitness is a key pillar. You're traveling all the time. As a leader. You know, how are you navigating all of that and doing it so well? Joel Neeb 24:58 Well, first of all, I appreciate the sentiment. I certainly don't feel like I'm always doing it well, but I'll tell you my philosophy and how I mentor people that are that are pursuing a path to their dreams, and whatever that dream might look like, is the following. I tell them, “If you're younger than 35 years old, you need to say yes to every opportunity that comes your way.” What do I mean by that? When the boss asks you if you're able to give a big sales presentation, even though the voice in the back of your head says you're not ready for this — “I don't think you you're gonna do well,” the answer is yes. You prepare yourself, you go out there, you embarrass yourself, you do it better next time. And that's how you learn through that process. When they ask you if you're ready to go lead this mission, your answer is yes. You're gonna figure it out. You're gonna do everything behind the scenes to make sure that you're successful. And you're going to push yourself into that discomfort zone and ensure that you're leaning into all of those opportunities as aggressively as you can. Why? Because it's exposure to all of those areas of discomfort that really owns the discipline for us to perform in this positive way when you get to those areas now. When you're after 35 years old, the main advice that I give to people is that you're flipping the script. You are no longer going to say yes to everything you're asked. You're going to aggressively say no to everything you're asked unless it aligns to your key things that you want to pursue in life. So you're completely looking at it in a different direction. I've said yes to everything for the first half of my life. Now I'm saying no to everything in the second half. Why? Because it's the distractions that stop us from doing the big things in life. Once we pass about 35 years old, the better you are at saying no to things, the freer your time will be to say yes to the most important things. So while it looks like I'm juggling a lot of things, to your point, I'm aggressively saying no to everything else that doesn't align with a few things that I have really focused my time on. Naviere Walkewicz 26:52 So let's pull that thread a little bit more, because saying no is uncomfortable, and it may feel to some that they are letting others down. How do you or how might you coach them through telling someone no? Joel Neeb 27:09 Yeah, I would say that I don't have that problem. I probably did, and certainly prior to cancer, I would have. I am at the place now after I've learned how short all of our lives are, not just my life because I had a cancer battle. And the big surprise for me was not that I might die in 18 months, it was that I was going to die at all. Because for all of us, that notion of death is so far away and really something that we don't really come face to face with very often in life, that all of a sudden I had to accept the fact that I was going to die someday, and I better make good use of the time between now and then. So when people ask to have my time, I aggressively say no. I never feel bad about it. And then I also introduce gatekeepers to my time on top of that. So I don't even — most of the time you're working with my executive assistant, most of the time you're gonna be working with somebody on my team, and that's because I want to jealously guard my time at this stage so I can be as incredibly impactful on the few things that I want to do as possible. That desire dwarfs any emotional attachment I would have to say no to somebody else that long time. It doesn't even cross my mind to think twice about it. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 28:25 I think that's a great lesson right there. I mean, I think if you actually put time as the, you know, main, the thing you're protecting, right, everything else on to your point, it dwarfs behind that. And I think the way you did that, you actually made it very doable for people to say no, because now you've created gatekeepers, you put some stops in there. And I think that's a lesson that people can take away as they're looking to navigate their journey forward. So thank you for sharing that for sure. So, you know, you wrote two books, I'm sure there's probably more. Is that something you've always wanted to do, or has that been a realization of “I've experienced this, and there's a — I need to share this. Like, what was the impetus behind writing books on your experiences? Joel Neeb 29:09 Yeah, great question. Very different reason I wrote both books. So the first book was born out of this feeling that as I was going through cancer, that clarity that I experienced: The dying-have-the-most-to-teach-us-about-life piece of it, I came back to the sense that, wow, I wish I knew this before I had cancer, I would have lived my life very differently, and I had made a deal with God that, you know, if I do make it through this, I want to share these insights and share what you know, my perspective was from being on this precipice with death and what I take away from it, because I did think it was valuable enough for my life to share with others in my immediate vicinity and then to write it in a book. And I just needed to get that out of me. The second one for the insight age is much more around what is the template that I wanted to pursue within companies to help take them from the Information Age where we have universal access to information, to the Insight Age, where we now have universal access to AI-driven insights, and how you prepare for that. I wanted people to have the template for it and understanding about how I approached it before I showed up so that we could all be on the same sheet of music when I led the transformation. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 30:15 OK, that's really helpful. So as we think about AI in business, and, you know, having a template for that, can we talk a little bit? And we went to the Air Force Academy, and so I, gosh, I can't even imagine how I might have been a better student had we had AI back in the day. But how do you see AI disrupting? You know, our service academy cadets are, you know, anyone going through, you know, degree programs, you know, how do you use it where there's still original thought, but obviously it's, there's a thought partner that is helping you and maybe accelerate that. I mean, how is that working? Joel Neeb 30:49 It's the same shift that you and I both experienced with universal access to information in the Information Age. And so in other words, there was a time where you had to memorize every phone number that you would call in your network, right? I mean, I sat down — we went to a high school reunion recently and we all sat down and we're trying to rattle off the phone numbers across the table. And we got most of them out there, still lingering in our head somewhere, these memorized phone numbers for everybody. I couldn't tell you, like, my kids phone numbers at this point, like, because I'd push a button and I just get it. And where I'm going with that is we're now in an era where memorization of rote facts and phone numbers and just facts that you can find in the internet is no longer required, and we're used to that, right? And so I wouldn't say that we think less. I would say we think a lot more. At this era there's a risk right now of saying, “I'm no longer going to be required to do critical thinking, because AI is going to do some of that for me.” And the answer is, it will. But much like I got a calculator for every GR that I got to go to — I did a math minor at the Academy…    Col. Naviere Walkwicz 31:54 That's why I didn't see you in any classes.     Joel Neeb 31:59 I brought a calculator to every test, but it certainly didn't make it easier. If anything, it made it harder. I would have had an easier time like writing down calculations and just having to do the arithmetic. Because I had something that did the arithmetic for me, it elevated my thought process and made me more responsible for the critical thinking. You're going to see the same thing with AI. So as you think about it, how AI will disrupt a knowledge institution like the Air Force Academy. At first blush, we would think, well, it's just going to make it easier to cheat. It's going to make it easier to do the things that we're doing today. Yes, it does, just like if I only was doing arithmetic, a calculator makes it easier for me to do that, and I can turn my brain off. But as we all know, it's just going to elevate the threshold for what is required of us, right? So we're going to go in right, we're going to go into this next era with a thought partner on everything that we do, but you still have to guide that thought partner. You still have to point it in the right direction. You have to ask it the right questions. This era is going to be much less about having the right answers and much more about asking the right questions to find success.   Col. Naviere Walkwicz 32:59 Which is critical thinking at its finest, honestly. Fascinating. So, you know, Joel, I think about you and, you know, when I see the, like, the things that you're doing, American Ninja Warrior, your family is involved in this. How do you see, you know, how do you bring your family into the vision that you have it with the growth mindset? Do you see that that's how your family is? All the children are raised that way your wife is. I mean, is this the way that the Neeb household kind of operates? And has it always been this way, or has it really been since you kind of came to that realization that life is too precious for me to live otherwise? Joel Neeb 33:35 Yeah, I mean, I try to live the philosophy that I want my family to live as well. And it's not the Joel show, meaning this is not just for them to support me and go cheer in the crowd at American Ninja Warrior. My wife has gone on and done physique competitions like you have as well. Col. Naviere Walkwicz 33:49 She's amazing. Your whole family's amazing. Joel Neeb 33:53 And she's a regional board member for a group called YPO. So she's in charge of 3,000 CEOs and a network for that. And then she just did a presentation to Europe yesterday on AI herself, and she's going to be traveling to Europe next month to do the presentation in a live setting. And so where I'm going with this is, I feel like because of my cancer battle, because of what we've experienced as a family, and we've learned how precious our time was and how incredible it is to experience that combination of terror and exhilaration, all of us lean into those moments, and we don't do it perfectly, and we all get mad at traffic, and we all are lazy once in a while, and, you know, myself included, but more, we try to do a little bit extra step into that direction, because it has been such a fun way to live after having the scare that we had as a family. Col. Naviere Walkwicz 34:43 That makes sense, and I can really see your family embracing that. You know, I want to ask you a question about yourself and what you're doing on a daily basis to be better, and it sounds like you're already thinking about it right? Reinvention on a constant basis. But if there was anything else you would say that you're doing on a daily basis to be better and better is, you know, in quotes, like you define what better is, what would that be? Joel Neeb 35:06 Yeah, I think that there's a couple of things that I think we should all try to do if we're trying to be, quote, unquote “better.” As you said, there's a quote I like that that says that we vastly overestimate what we can do in three months and we underestimate what we can do in five years. Col. Naviere Walkwicz 35:27 OK, wait, say that one more time. If you don't mind, say it one more time. Joel Neeb 35:30 Yeah, really, we overestimate what we can do in three months. “I can't wait for February. I'm going to do X, Y and Z.” And then we disappoint ourselves because we didn't accomplish all those things. And yet we underestimate what we can do in five years. What do I mean by that? It means that if we were intentional about what we wanted to do in the long term, about what we wanted to grow into in years from now, five years from now, you can reinvent yourself to be anything. I think conceivably, any of us could say, “I could accomplish just about anything in five years, if I put my mind to it.” The problem is we think in the short term, and so a lot of us think of I need this happen fast. I need the, you know, in three months. I need this to take place. That's putting the car before the horse. We need to define what we want to be in the long term and then back into what that implies we need to do right now. That also speaks to the focus that I have and saying no to other things, because if I have this big, audacious goal for what I want to be in the long term, then I have to say no to a lot of things if I'm going to take those steps necessary to start marching down that path. And so what I say to folks is that build that long term first, build that vision of what you want to be in the future that's exciting to you, whether that's a fighter pilot or a CEO or you name it, shoot for the stars, whatever that is that you want to be, and then start backing into it and celebrate the fact that you're doing this. In other words, then people get caught up and, you know, I feel like I'm not making enough progress, and I'm mad at myself for not taking enough steps, I would challenge that and say, don't put the pressure on yourself that you have to do this. Reverse that conversation. Say, “I get to, I get to pursue this vision.” Doesn't mean it'll take place. Doesn't mean to occur. But if I have a vision in mind, and I'm taking steps towards it, even if I don't reach it, I'm still going to be in an incredible place that I wouldn't have been otherwise. And so that's, that's the approach that I would take. Col. Naviere Walkwicz 37:18 All right, Joel, so what is your big audacious goal in five years that you're working towards? Joel Neeb 37:22 Big audacious goal? Yeah, so I am super excited about the future of AI. I think that it has a lot of positive and negative implications for society in general. And so I'll give you a quick example. Right now, we've got 9.5% of our recent graduates that are unemployed, which is much higher than it's ever been from graduating college. That's unique, and what I attribute that to is that we're just starting to see the workforce disruption that's occurring because of AI. We're starting to see the workforce drawdown that's occurring because of it. At the same time, we're seeing companies that are able to do much, much more with AI. And so they're questioning, well, how do I operate as a company? How do I teach everybody to stay on board this training and be successful in this new environment and then societally, we're challenged with, well, how do I set up our young people for success? How do I tell my 19-year-old what to do to do to be successful. So when I think about the big, hairy, audacious goal that I want to go pursue in this next chapter in five years, I want to be on the forefront, helping the government, helping companies, helping everyone to continue disrupting themselves and leaving as few people behind as possible in this next era. Because that's the real threat. And the challenge is cats out of the bag. If we don't do this, China is going to do it like others are going to pass it by. Pass it by. The wrong answer would be to try to step it back in the bag and say we're not doing any I we're going to put regulations around, putting our heads in the sand. We would just get passed by, like, in a few years by our biggest competitors out there, which we know we don't want to have happen. And so the key is, how do we keep as many people up to speed with his transformation possible? So I talked to, you know, graduates like August Pfluger, who's in Congress, and we have, yeah, he's awesome. And so we talk about, what does that look like in the future he's shaping, you know, the future from a government perspective? I talked to former Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger, is a good friend of mine, and we go on vacations together and a conversation we have about from a corporate perspective: How do we address this as well? So that's my big goal. That's what I want to influence over the next couple of years. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 39:22 Love that. So if you could rewind the clock and, you know, tell your young Joel, and this is really for anyone who is looking for preparing myself for that long term, right? So maybe it's not the five year, the big thing in five years, but it's — this is for what can I do today that is gonna — I'm gonna help myself — future me. What would you tell yourself, Joel? Joel Neeb 39:43 If I were to go back to Academy Joel, I would say, “Take this experience more seriously.” At the time, I kind of resented the experience that I was going through at the Academy, not understanding fully that they understood how to polish the coal to try to make it into a diamond. And I didn't always see the method to the madness behind the scenes and why they were doing things. And I would tell myself to take it more seriously, to lean into the leadership opportunities, lean into the experiences. I think it's a tendency as a cadet to lean away from those and to kind of look at those with resentment. I remember I did, and I wish I would have taken those more seriously. I wish I would have taken my 20s more seriously in terms of pursuing things that were uncomfortable, and not just getting comfortable towards the latter end of my 20s and early 30s, where I was flying upside down with ease every single day and really not doing anything that was challenging me too much. I certainly didn't have it all mastered and figured out. But my discomfort was all but gone in those moments. And so I would tell myself, “Keep leaning into those areas of discomfort, because it's in those areas that we find growth.” And growth is one of the top things that we can feel as a human being. Being a part of an elite team is growing together on an inspiring mission. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 40:56 Well, I know that you are, you know, constantly in the forefront of AI, but what makes you or what causes you discomfort now that you're working through? Joel Neeb 41:05 What causes me discomfort now is compelling a 2,400-person organization to move as quickly as I think we need to. In other words: right now. The things I'm talking to you about, I'm communicating with them about on a daily basis, and we have remotely dispersed teams. I'm staring into cameras like we are right now. So I'm not sitting in the room with them and helping them to learn these things. My discomfort is around how as a leader, can I be more compelling about the burning platform that they're standing on right now, that as soon as it burns away, their role is going to be obliterated, and we're going to be disrupted by the market. And how do I really excite them around this destination that we're pursuing together, where we're going a little bit faster than the rate of change? I'm proud of the progress that we've made, but in terms of the discomfort that I'm feeling, it's almost impossible to go fast enough in this era, and so I am. The thing that keeps me up at night is, how do I make this more compelling for them? And then ultimately, I know that whatever themes I'm learning right now to make it compelling is what I'm going to have to bring to society in this next chapter, as well as we try to keep the entire American society moving ahead of the rate of change that we're experiencing. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 42:14 Well, thank you for that. I would imagine you probably phoned your friend, ChatGPT, on some  ways to do that, but I think that what you really shared today has opened, I think, eyes of how we can partner with technology at our fingertips. I mean, you and I were just chatting before this, and I asked you this, because one of the things I remember you being really big on is finding time to read as a family. I remember you had like Saturday family time, we read. As much as you're traveling and as much as you're trying to move your organization at this rate of change with AI, where do you find time to read now? Joel Neeb 42:47 Yeah, so I use AI for that too. So when I'm in the gym, I upload a chapter at a time into ChatGPT for the books that I'm reading, and I ask it to read it to me in the voice thing that it can do. And so it's reading the book to me. But the really cool part is, it's not just audible. I'm not just hearing, you know, the recording of it. And by the way, you can even tell it talk two times faster or whatever you want to do for the right speed. And I'll interrupt it. The cool part is, I'll say, “Hey, wait a second. I didn't really understand that that part of the book. Break it down for me in simpler terms.” And it'll actually pause, explain it to me and put it in terms that my fighter pilot mind can understand, or I'll even say, “Yeah, tell me about that theme in the context of the company that I'm in, 8x8, and tell me how we can apply that right now, and look at our industry. And how can I take some of this to that team?” And so it takes a book that was generically written and makes it customized for my experience by leveraging AI to do that. So once again, it's a thought partner in literally everything that I do. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 43:42 What's the last book that you read in which you were able to take some of those things to, or maybe that you'd recommend to some of our listeners to listen in via ChatGPT. Joel Neeb 43:51 I just finished reading the Teddy Roosevelt biography, which is phenomenal. What an incredible American, and it was inspiring to read. And I was able to pause it in parts and challenge some parts of the books and say, “Did that really happen?” And,  “Tell me more about this incident in history.” And it explains some historical pieces that I wasn't aware of and the book didn't delve into as much as I would have liked it to. That's a little bit of a boring historian-nerd kind of answer, but that's what I took away from it. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 44:17 Well, thank you for sharing that. So Joel, is there anything that we didn't talk about today that you would really like to make sure that we touch on? Because this has been a really exciting and fascinating conversation for me, but I want to make sure, because this has been your leadership journey, and there's so many facets to that that that we hit on the things that are important? Joel Neeb 44:33 The thing that I've learned in my time is that the foundation that we receive in the military, whether that's the cultural foundation, how we are all aligned with similar values, with a common mission that's inspiring the adherence to what we call in the business world, standard operating procedures, what you would call in the military, a checklist, effectively. That foundation that we have is easily the most valuable resource that I carried into the business world and the teams that I've been on. And I think we underestimate just how powerful that experience is, that during our 20s, we're in this incredibly disciplined environment with a really strong culture, really strong sense of value, really strong sense of mission. Pay attention to that while you have that opportunity. While you're being exposed to it, pay attention to how it was built. Pay attention to how they that accelerated our success in those teams. Because I promise you, you'll want to someday carry those concepts to every team that you're on in the future. And so I think it's an opportunity for us to leverage the incredible team that we're on in the military, and talk about that in an exciting way with whatever team that we participate on down the road. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 45:50 Thank you for sharing that. And if I could just pull on that thread a little bit more in that just in that transition, and taking those to those teams, I want to just jump to your very first transition from military to Afterburner? How did that come about for you? And I think that just our folks will be curious on that. Joel Neeb 46:10 Yeah, so Afterburner is a company that's been around since 1996 and they basically took some of those things from the military that I just spoke to, brought it into a corporate setting and helped them to adopt the same levels of positive outcomes. And when I saw this company, I said, “Wow, they really tapped into something that I that I knew as well intuitively, that if we apply some of these same themes, we could really take over anything in the business world. And so I reached out to the CEO and kept bugging him and continue to stay on his radar until he agreed to bring me into the office in Atlanta. I was living in San Antonio, and I went out there on my own dime and did an interview with them, and it went well. And of course, the rest is history after that point. But I found the thing I wanted to do and pursue, and then a very aggressively got in front of the people that could make it happen and definitely was part of the journey for me that I needed in order to be successful. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 47:04 Yes, I definitely wanted you to share that, because I knew, obviously, you had that experience. You took those things that you learned, and you wanted to hone in as you led other teams. But I think the critical piece was you pursued it, and you continue to pursue it, and you continue to pursue it until you got there, right? And so I think that's a critical part of moving forward and getting what we want. So I really am glad that you shared that, because it may seem that it's really easy just to make the transition, right? You can check all these boxes and so you're the shoe in, but it sounds like that wasn't the case, and you had to make a case for yourself. Joel Neeb 47:39 One-hundred percent. I had to be my own biggest advocate, and not in an arrogant way, in a way that I could show I could add value for that team. And that was, that was a lesson that I've taken and tried to apply since then. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 47:51 Well, I'll tell you what, it's been, gosh, 1999. How many years is that? 25 years for us? I mean, I feel like, you know, this has been a true honor to be able to sit with you. I mean, I've always watched your journey and just really been cheering you on, but I think what's incredible is how you're able to now really give back to our Long Blue Line. So Joel, thank you so much for this time today. It's been really wonderful having on Long Blue Leadership. Joel Neeb 48:14 What a privilege, Naviere. And I would say, you know, you had just asked me back in 1999 if there's a dozen people from the Academy that I thought would be very successful, your name would have been one of them. I don't think there's another person at the Academy who would have said my name. So we came from very different starting points, but I'm super excited to see the success you created, and, more importantly, the impact that you have on our graduate community, because it is noticed by everyone that I talked to. So thank you for how you lean into that our community as well. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 48:43 Thank you for saying that. And as we come to a close, I'd love to offer a few thoughts before we go. What stands out to me today from our conversation is how leadership is both timeless and adaptive. Joel's journey from commanding F-15 missions to leading global organizations and navigating AI reminds us that leadership fundamentals remain steadfast, just like you said, yet in the context in which we lead, it's always evolving, and the ability to adapt is what sets exceptional leaders apart. His story of personal resilience, overcoming stage four cancer diagnosis underscores that leadership is defined by how we respond to challenges and how we make lasting impact. From lessons in the cockpit to corporate transformation and personal discipline. Joel offers a blueprint for leading with confidence in uncertain times. Thank you for investing your time and listening in Long Blue Leadership. I encourage you to share this episode with others who are also in their personal journeys, especially because it's my classmate and he's phenomenal. Thank you for listening to Long Blue Leadership. I'm Naviere Walkewicz; until next time.   KEYWORDS Leadership, leadership development, modern leadership, leadership mindset, growth mindset, resilient leadership, adaptive leadership, transformational leadership, leadership under pressure, leading through adversity, leadership lessons, executive leadership, high performance teams, elite teams, leadership philosophy, leadership strategy, personal growth, professional development, continuous improvement, reinvention, career transition, imposter syndrome, mental toughness, discipline, time management, prioritization, decision making, strategic thinking, innovation leadership, change leadership, leading through change, disruption, self leadership, accountability, peak performance, overcoming fear, stepping outside comfort zone, leadership habits, future of leadership, AI leadership, leadership in the age of AI, digital transformation, organizational culture, team culture, mission driven leadership, purpose driven leadership, high impact leadership.   The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation    

Donnie Vincent joins the MTNTOUGH Podcast to explore how wild places shape men, build mental toughness, and reconnect us to what truly matters. From fly-in drop camps in Alaska with his dad and now his own daughters, to facing grizzly country, ice-covered cliffs, and the raw reality of no easy button, Donnie shares why experiencing true wilderness is essential for identity, resilience, and purpose. He dives into the power of present-moment living, the dangers of technology addiction pulling us from real experiences, and why only those who fall in love with wild places will fight to protect them. Hunters, fathers, and backcountry athletes—this is a raw conversation on father-son adventures, recertification in the wilderness, the fragility of ecosystems, and raising the next generation to value soil, water, hardship, and freedom over screens. If you're craving deeper connection, mental toughness, and a life that matters, this episode delivers.Join Dustin Diefenderfer, Founder of MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab and creator of the MTNTOUGH+ Fitness App in the top podcast for Mental Toughness and Mindset. (P.S.

PART 2!! What a great journey - Sgt Pursley (Army Ranger)! Why the Army - growing up ready to join the military - Rambo - Leadership - and more! Sandy 11B Machine Gunner and team leader with Bco 3rd Ranger Battalion, Columbus Ga and special tactics for Special Operations Command,Tampa Fl 1992 graduated Army Scout Simmer 1993 graduate the elite Army Ranger school 1993 Operation Gothic Serpent, Mogadishu Somalia (arrived October 6) Earned the army's elite Master parachutist badge, Expert Infantry badge, Expert marksman badge, Ranger Tab, Jungle expert training, British parachutist badge, Egyptian parachutist badge, Practical weapons and tactics training expert ===== THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Nutrition World: https://nutritionw.com/ Vascular Institute of Chattanooga: https://www.vascularinstituteofchattanooga.com/ The Barn Nursery: https://www.barnnursery.com/ Optimize U Chattanooga: https://optimizeunow.com/chattanooga/ Guardian Investment Advisors: https://giaplantoday.com/ Alchemy Medspa and Wellness Center: http://www.alchemychattanooga.com/ Our House Studio: https://ourhousestudiosinc.com/ Team Montieth Real Estate - Lori Montieth: https://www.findchattanoogarealestate.com/ Ballinger and Associates - Risk Management: https://ballingerandassociates.com/ AirSpace Acoustics: https://www.airspaceacoustics.com/ BWELL4EVER: Labs and IV Therapies: https://www.bwell4ever.org/ ALL THINGS JEFF STYLES: www.thejeffstyles.com PART OF THE NOOGA PODCAST NETWORK: www.noogapodcasts.com Please consider leaving us a review on Apple and giving us a share to your friends! This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Kyle Thompson returns to the MTNTOUGH Podcast with a powerful message on why most men are trapped by fear of the future, regret of the past, and endless 2026 distractions. Founder of Undaunted Life and the Dominion Program, Kyle calls men out of performance identity and into daily discipline, present-moment living, and real foxhole brotherhood. He breaks down how “good things” (sermons, work, events) distract from ultimate things, why standards beat goals, and the power of execution—not motivation. Through raw stories from the Dominion Program, Kyle shows how investing in yourself and surrounding yourself with iron-sharpening brothers leads to real transformation. If you're ready to break free, live abundantly, and stay dangerous in your calling, this episode is for you.Join Dustin Diefenderfer, Founder of MTNTOUGH Fitness Lab and creator of the MTNTOUGH+ Fitness App in the top podcast for Mental Toughness and Mindset. (P.S.

What a great journey - here is part one with Sgt Pursley (Army Ranger)! Why the Army - growing up ready to join the military - Rambo - Leadership - and more! Sandy 11B Machine Gunner and team leader with Bco 3rd Ranger Battalion, Columbus Ga and special tactics for Special Operations Command,Tampa Fl 1992 graduated Army Scout Simmer 1993 graduate the elite Army Ranger school 1993 Operation Gothic Serpent, Mogadishu Somalia (arrived October 6) Earned the army's elite Master parachutist badge, Expert Infantry badge, Expert marksman badge, Ranger Tab, Jungle expert training, British parachutist badge, Egyptian parachutist badge, Practical weapons and tactics training expert ===== THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Nutrition World: https://nutritionw.com/ Vascular Institute of Chattanooga: https://www.vascularinstituteofchattanooga.com/ The Barn Nursery: https://www.barnnursery.com/ Optimize U Chattanooga: https://optimizeunow.com/chattanooga/ Guardian Investment Advisors: https://giaplantoday.com/ Alchemy Medspa and Wellness Center: http://www.alchemychattanooga.com/ Our House Studio: https://ourhousestudiosinc.com/ Team Montieth Real Estate - Lori Montieth: https://www.findchattanoogarealestate.com/ Ballinger and Associates - Risk Management: https://ballingerandassociates.com/ AirSpace Acoustics: https://www.airspaceacoustics.com/ BWELL4EVER: Labs and IV Therapies: https://www.bwell4ever.org/ ALL THINGS JEFF STYLES: www.thejeffstyles.com PART OF THE NOOGA PODCAST NETWORK: www.noogapodcasts.com Please consider leaving us a review on Apple and giving us a share to your friends! This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

In this episode, Dani shares one of the most transformative experiences of her life: attending a psilocybin retreat with .She is joined by Neil Markey, CEO and co-founder of Beckley Retreats, who explains how psychedelic-assisted programs are helping people process trauma, reconnect with themselves, and build healthier habits.Dani also opens up about her own journey during the retreat, including unexpected emotional breakthroughs, confronting perfectionism and self-judgment, and discovering a deeper sense of self-acceptance.Together they explore how psilocybin, meditation, breathwork, and community can create powerful shifts in the nervous system, mental health, and overall wellbeing.This conversation dives into the science, structure, and personal impact of psychedelic retreats, along with why integration practices after the experience are so important.What You'll Learn in this Episode• How a former Army Ranger discovered the healing potential of meditation and psychedelics • Why chronic stress, disconnection, and modern lifestyles can keep us stuck in fight-or-flight • How psilocybin can help bring unconscious patterns and trauma into awareness • Why overthinking can disconnect us from our emotional experience • Dani's personal breakthrough around perfectionism and self-judgment • How group psychedelic experiences can create powerful healing and connection • Why integration practices are essential after a psychedelic journey • The role of meditation, breathwork, and embodiment practices in healing • Emerging research on psilocybin and its potential effects on inflammation, addiction, and neuroplasticity • How psychedelic experiences may help quiet rumination and support nervous system regulationBook a call with me to learn more about the program: https://calendly.com/daniellehamiltonhealth/discoverycallEnroll today! https://dhhealth.showitpreview.com/blood-sugar-masterySTAY IN TOUCH WITH ME:

I've been out of the loop on the state of psychedelics these days, particularly in the realm of therapeutic legality. So, it was time for a talk with the man who has his finger on the pulse… Jesse Gould is a former Army Ranger and a pioneer in psychedelic therapies for veterans. As Founder and President of the Heroic Hearts Project, he has spearheaded the research and acceptance of ayahuasca, ibogaine, ketamine, and psilocybin therapy programs for military veterans. Jesse has connected hundreds of veterans to psychedelic treatments, partnered with the world's leading psychedelic centers, and is researching psychiatric applications with the University of Georgia, the University of Texas, Austin Dell Medical School, and Imperial College of London. His mission is to help military veterans struggling with mental trauma and spread awareness of the benefits that psychedelic therapies offer as an alternative treatment to pharmaceuticals. You can buy his new book here.If you dig this podcast, will you please leave a short review on Apple Podcasts? It takes less than 60 seconds and makes a difference when I drop to my knees and beg hard-to-get guests on the show. I read them all. You can watch this podcast on my YouTube channel and join my newsletter on Substack. It's glorious. My first book, ONE LAST QUESTION BEFORE YOU GO, is available to order today. Get full access to Kyle Thiermann at thiermann.substack.com/subscribe

Greg Anderson is a former Army Ranger and deputy U.S. Marshal with two decades in law enforcement and combat, a 3rd-degree black belt, and the owner of one of the most thriving Jiu-Jitsu academies in the Pacific Northwest. His first book, Courage Through Adversity, just dropped. He's also about to row to Hawaii. The Row West Pacific expedition is a four-man team rowing a Ronic 45 from the U.S. coastline to Hawaii — no motor, no support vessel, roughly 60 days at sea. Greg explains why he bought the boat, what 3-on/3-off looks like when there's nowhere to stop, and what the trip is actually about. It's not the craziest thing he's signed up for, but it might be the hardest. We also cover what happens when local government decides your Jiu-Jitsu gym is an illegal operation. The answer involves a $40,000 parking assessment, federally protected buttercups, and a mandatory ratio of rhododendrons to parking spaces. Greg pushed back. It worked.  He talks about the book — why he wrote it, what he was actually willing to admit in it, and why authenticity isn't a marketing word. Then we get into cops and Jiu-Jitsu, lying about military service, wealth building, and where he thinks the country is headed. Greg's Book - Courage Through Adversity: https://a.co/d/02CV5tuu Andy's Book - Drownproof: https://www.clearedhotpodcast.com/book Join the Cleared Hot Mailing List: https://www.clearedhotpodcast.com   Today's Sponsors:  Black Rifle Coffee: https://www.blackriflecoffee.com LMNT: Head to https://www.drinklmnt.com/clearedhot to pick up your free sample pack