Podcasts about Colonel

Catherine, Princess of Wales marked St Patrick's Day with the Irish Guards, continuing a long-standing royal tradition tied to her role as Colonel. She presented shamrocks to soldiers and mascot Seamus, awarded medals, and met with families and cadets, reinforcing her steady return to public duties.Meanwhile, Meghan Markle offered a rare glimpse into family life, sharing a video that briefly captured the voice of four-year-old Lilibet, alongside a candid moment with Prince Harry. The post followed a deleted Instagram story that sparked online debate. Reports also claim Meghan has secured a $1 million fee for an upcoming wellness retreat appearance in Sydney.Harry and Meghan also weighed in on a major U.S. tech trial focused on children's online safety, calling it a “turning point” and saying, “These companies are on trial in the court of history.”And in a lighter moment, King Charles surprised onlookers in Manchester by stepping behind DJ decks during a visit to Aviva Studios. After trying his hand at mixing, one instructor said, “He did great… It's not every day you get to DJ with a King.”Get episodes of Palace Intrigue by becommming a paid subscriber on Apple Podcasts. Click the button that says uninterrupted listening.  Just $5 a month, and that includes many ofther shows on the Caloroga Shark network.Our royal newsletter written by Deep Crown is available for free.Royal Books:Revenge: Meghan, Harry, and the War Between the Windsors by Tom BowerWilliam and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside StoryThe Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King and Princess Diana

A video game villain. A tribute to a sci-fi author. A Technicolor hero. A big boy. A WWII cyborg. Which are hot, which are not? The Girls of the Hot Squad continue their evaluation of Who's Who #5's entries based on sheer datability. Featuring permanent panelists Elyse, Isabel, Josée, Nathalie, Shotgun, and Amelie. Listen to Episode 27 below (the usual mature language warnings apply), or subscribe to the feed on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Relevant images and further credits at: Who's Hot and Who's Not ep.27 Supplemental This podcast is a proud member of the FIRE AND WATER PODCAST NETWORK! Visit our WEBSITE: https://fireandwaterpodcast.com/ Like our FACEBOOK page: https://www.facebook.com/FWPodcastNetwork Use our HASHTAG online: #FWPodcasts Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/fwpodcasts Subscribe via iTunes as part of the FIRE AND WATER PODCAST NETWORK. And thanks for leaving a comment.

Marilyn Boyer is a descendant of a Revolutionary War soldier and daughter of a World War II veteran. She is deeply patriotic and passionate about our Christian history. This July 4th marks our nation's 250th birthday and with it our Constitution, our freedoms, liberties and system of government, all of which mark us as a nation like no other. We often take for granted what we've been gifted by God through those who've come before us. We must never forget such heroes and their Christian faith as they built this nation while exhibiting character qualities such as humility, justice, courage, great determination, fortitude and valor. Therefore it's vital that we pass their stories on to succeeding generations. This is where Marilyn comes in. She appeared on Crosstalk to share brief details regarding key early Americans and the character traits they had that made a huge impact on the forging of this nation. From volume one you'll hear about George Washington, when he was a Colonel. Marilyn detailed the humility he showed and the fact that he believed he was an instrument in God's hands as he was shielded from death from many bullets fired by the Algonquin Indians. Samuel Adams represented the quality of passion. While known as the firebrand of the revolution, he wasn't fond of violent resistance as long as there was a chance at a peaceful solution. What he did have was the ability to deliver fiery rhetoric. He believed that God was the author of liberty. His passion was to be used as an instrument by God and that's what happened as God used him to encourage others during the dark days of the revolution.

A video game villain. A tribute to a sci-fi author. A Technicolor hero. A big boy. A WWII cyborg. Which are hot, which are not? The Girls of the Hot Squad continue their evaluation of Who's Who #5's entries based on sheer datability. Featuring permanent panelists Elyse, Isabel, Josée, Nathalie, Shotgun, and Amelie. Listen to Episode 27 below (the usual mature language warnings apply), or subscribe to the feed on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! Relevant images and further credits at: Who's Hot and Who's Not ep.27 Supplemental This podcast is a proud member of the FIRE AND WATER PODCAST NETWORK! Visit our WEBSITE: https://fireandwaterpodcast.com/ Like our FACEBOOK page: https://www.facebook.com/FWPodcastNetwork Use our HASHTAG online: #FWPodcasts Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/fwpodcasts Subscribe via iTunes as part of the FIRE AND WATER PODCAST NETWORK. And thanks for leaving a comment.

Leslie is joined by Colonel Cedric Leighton (Ret.), CNN Military Analyst, to examine growing concerns over President Trump's foreign policy decisions. From a top counterterrorism official resigning over what he says was a war with Iran lacking any imminent threat, to Trump openly talking about “taking” Cuba, the conversation raises urgent questions about judgment, intelligence, and accountability. Colonel Leighton breaks down whether these moves reflect strategy—or dangerous escalation—and what they could mean for global stability, U.S. credibility, and the risk of wider conflict. The Colonel's handle on Blue Sky is @cedricleighton.bsky.social and on X it's @CedricLeighton. His website is CedricLeighton.com.

Catherine, The Princess of Wales, revealed she has become far more careful about alcohol since her cancer diagnosis while visiting a brewery along London's Bermondsey Beer Mile with Prince William.The royal couple also visited Borough Market, where they chopped cheese, served desserts and even made coffee for shoppers before taking a speedboat down the Thames to visit the Royal National Lifeboat Institution station in Westminster.We also look ahead to Catherine's appearance at the Irish Guards' St Patrick's Day parade in Aldershot, where she will present shamrock in her role as Colonel of the regiment.Plus, William and Catherine prepare to welcome Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during his state visit to the United Kingdom, Prince William surprises rugby fans by singing the Welsh national anthem in Welsh, and Catherine quietly marks Mother's Day with a message about the importance of early childhood.And in court, a Mail on Sunday journalist reveals she once chose not to publish a major scoop about Kate's first pregnancy after learning about it days before the news became public.Get episodes of Palace Intrigue by becommming a paid subscriber on Apple Podcasts. Click the button that says uninterrupted listening.  Just $5 a month, and that includes many ofther shows on the Caloroga Shark network.Our royal newsletter written by Deep Crown is available for free.Royal Books:Revenge: Meghan, Harry, and the War Between the Windsors by Tom BowerWilliam and Catherine: The Monarchy's New Era: The Inside StoryThe Royal Insider: My Life with the Queen, the King and Princess Diana

Marilyn Boyer is a descendant of a Revolutionary War soldier and daughter of a World War II veteran. She is deeply patriotic and passionate about our Christian history. This July 4th marks our nation's 250th birthday and with it our Constitution, our freedoms, liberties and system of government, all of which mark us as a nation like no other. We often take for granted what we've been gifted by God through those who've come before us. We must never forget such heroes and their Christian faith as they built this nation while exhibiting character qualities such as humility, justice, courage, great determination, fortitude and valor. Therefore it's vital that we pass their stories on to succeeding generations. This is where Marilyn comes in. She appeared on Crosstalk to share brief details regarding key early Americans and the character traits they had that made a huge impact on the forging of this nation. From volume one you'll hear about George Washington, when he was a Colonel. Marilyn detailed the humility he showed and the fact that he believed he was an instrument in God's hands as he was shielded from death from many bullets fired by the Algonquin Indians. Samuel Adams represented the quality of passion. While known as the firebrand of the revolution, he wasn't fond of violent resistance as long as there was a chance at a peaceful solution. What he did have was the ability to deliver fiery rhetoric. He believed that God was the author of liberty. His passion was to be used as an instrument by God and that's what happened as God used him to encourage others during the dark days of the revolution.

Is the American Dream still attainable for most of us? That's the topic to open the show as Chad shares some data from a new study about how optimistic or pessimistic people feel about the state of our country before Colonel David Hunt returns to the show with analysis of how the US is handling the war in Iran.

Are we losing sight of the American Dream and is it attainable anymore? Chad opens the show with that question before two segments with Colonel David Hunt on Iran to close out the first hour. Later, we have Overrated, Underrated or Properly Rated, a conversation about if our blizzard or The Oscars lived up to their hype, Chip Scoggins on sports and much more!

Colonel David Hunt joins Chad with smart and honest talk about his disappointment in Pete Hegseth, the difficult task of protecting ships traveling the Strait of Hormuz, and what must be done to consider this war worthwhile for the United States.

(00:00-6:41) Pre-Gabe Drops of the Week.(6:49-11:40 ) Tonya Harding is Doug's favorite sports story of all time. Martin gets emotional over Monica Seles. You don't see hubcaps anymore. Wipin' down white walls. HomeGoods and bongos.(6:49-35:57) The Colonel, Gabe DeArmond of Power Mizzou joins us breaking down the Tigers loss to Kentucky and their prospects of making the tournament. The game played out exactly like Gabe expected it to. Are they still in? Won't hear any outrage outta Gabe if they don't get in. What can they realistically do in the tournament?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Colonel Rajesh Pawar (retd) is a former officer of the Indian Army and is now a seasoned war correspondent and defense journalist for India Today. He is best known for his fearless ground reporting from some of the most volatile conflict zones in recent history.His expertise lies in global geopolitics, modern warfare tactics, and defense strategy. Most notably, he provided extensive on-ground coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war, reporting live from Kyiv even as the city was under siege.More recently, he has covered the Israel-Hamas war, reporting from locations like Tel Aviv and the Dead Sea to analyze the conflict's military and human impact. His work often focuses on the intersection of military action and its geopolitical ripple effects, making him a critical voice for understanding how global conflicts impact India's strategic interests.

Frank Milstead joined Bruce & Gaydos to share his thoughts on comments made by Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos on the Nancy Guthrie investigation.

Discover how enterprise AI and data strategy are operationalized at scale in one of the most highly regulated industries in the world. Louis DiModugno, Global Chief Data Officer at Verisk, shares how he builds AI-ready data foundations across 40+ petabytes of insurance and risk data, and the best practices behind embedding AI into enterprise products. He discusses unstructured data, deepfakes, and the shift from governance to observability, offering practical insights for data leaders scaling AI responsibly. Key Moments: From Military Leadership to Chief Data Officer: Data Integrity as a Competitive Advantage (03:02): Louis shares how his experience as a U.S. Air Force Colonel has shaped his approach to data governance, data quality, and enterprise AI leadership. He explains why integrity, service, and operational excellence are essential foundations for modern CDOs building trusted, decision-ready data environments. Building AI-Ready Data Foundations at a 40+ Petabyte Scale (17:13): Managing more than 40 petabytes of insurance and risk data, Louis breaks down how Verisk transforms complex, multi-source data into AI-ready infrastructure. From entity resolution and master data management to benchmarking and predictive analytics, he outlines what it takes to prepare enterprise data for AI and advanced analytics at scale. Designing an AI-First Data Strategy for Enterprise Decision Intelligence (20:00): Louis breaks down how Verisk evolved toward an AI-first data strategy across more than 150 insurance and analytics products. Rather than treating AI as an add-on, he explains how embedding AI into core workflows enables smarter underwriting, pricing, regulatory reporting, and risk management. He also discusses the strategic role ThoughtSpot plays in delivering natural language search, embedded analytics, and scalable AI-driven decision making. AI Fraud, Deepfakes, and Risk Management in Financial Services (26:11): As AI-generated images and synthetic claims become more sophisticated, Louis discusses how the insurance industry is combating deepfake fraud and AI-driven manipulation. He shares best practices around AI risk management, vendor partnerships, and regulatory collaboration to protect policyholders and maintain trust. Unstructured Data and AI: Why Governance Still Matters (29:28): Louis explores how expanding beyond structured data is reshaping enterprise AI. He explains why incorporating unstructured data into vector databases, graph models, and knowledge systems can significantly improve model accuracy and decision confidence. At the same time, he emphasizes that stronger governance (or observability as he reframes it) is essential as organizations scale AI across regulated industries. Key Quotes: “The more data that you bring to the equation, the more elements that you have in the algorithm, the higher level of accuracy you should be able to reach with your outcomes.” - Louis DiModugno “I've tried to move away from using the word governance as much as I like to use the word observability, because I really think observability shows more aspects of what it is that we are doing with the data.” - Louis DiModugno “The underlying aspect of what ThoughtSpot's delivering to them is our insights that not only give them their answer, but also give them insights that maybe they weren't looking specifically for. One of the big benefits of ThoughtSpot is that it's trying to anticipate what you're asking for.” - Louis DiModugno “We've partnered with ThoughtSpot, which brings AI embedded within its product. By having our data available through the data sets that we populate through the ThoughtSpot products, we've got the opportunity to utilize Spotter and the natural language processing capabilities to interact with the data, so that you can ‘talk with your data'.” - Louis DiModugno Mentions From Months to Weeks: How Verisk Scaled Embedded Analytics Breaking Down Digital Media Fraud for Claims in the AI Era Randy Bean's 2026 AI & Data Leadership Executive Benchmark Survey Guest Bio  Louis DiModugno brings more than 20 years of career experience in data and analytics to his new role. He has held several leadership positions in insurance and (re)insurance at firms including The Hartford and AXA US, where he served as the company's inaugural Chief Data & Analytics Officer. Most recently, DiModugno pioneered the role of Chief Data and Technology Officer for Hartford Steam Boiler. Before entering the private sector, DiModugno served with distinction as a Colonel in the U.S. Air Force and Air Force Reserves. He has held teaching positions at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and he currently serves on the Chief Data Officer Advisory Council for the George Mason University School of Business. Hear more from Cindi Howson here. Sponsored by ThoughtSpot.

Remembering John Eimen In this replay, we share a conversation we had with John Eimen, may he rest in peace. Honestly, he was one of the sweetest and kindest men you could ever hope to meet. John, as a young man, was involved in so many important pieces of pop culture, both on TV and in print media. He was a child star in shows like Twilight Zone, Wagon Train, Leave it to Beaver, McKeever and the Colonel, and more. We talked with Jonn about his work, his exit from Hollywood, and why he made the choices that he did. We talked about the music he made and his influences on that music. It is our hope that you will listen to this replay and see the beauty of John Eimen - well that, and the bloopers Tim makes trying to say goodbye .... For more on John Eimen, please visit the following - His IMDb Biography - https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1775065/bio Pop Culture Addicts Theme song "Racing in Darkness" by Nautilus '54 - https://nautilus54.bandcamp.com/album/the-fell-star-2 For more on our show partners - Level Up Sabers - https://bit.ly/LevelUpFSF Once Upon a Tee - https://www.onceuponatee.net/?ref=pcapod Sign Up for Free Loot here - www.pcapod.com/contact For more on our Show - Join our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/popcultureaddicts Join our Discord! https://discord.gg/cpry4fCDTq Visit our website: https://www.pcapod.com PCA on Instagram, and Threads - @pcapodshow This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Host Trey Reid welcomes Colonel Joe Williams, chief of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission's Enforcement Division, to discuss Williams' upbringing near Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge, his hunting and fishing roots, and the game warden encounter that inspired his career. Williams describes earning a degree from the University of Arkansas at Monticello, interning with AGFC, entering the academy in 2009, and learning under mentors like former Director Pat Fitz during his 13 years in Ashley County before becoming a supervisor in Calico Rock. He explains game wardens' community-oriented role as educators and public-safety officers. He also outlines the demanding academy and hiring process. Williams highlights specialized capabilities such as dive team, honor guard, disaster response, accident reconstruction, and canines, and shares how to contact wardens, including the 24-hour dispatch number 833-356-0824.

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 45, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Elanor is very shocked after her meeting with Willoughby, but still feels some compassion for him after his confession and apology. When she goes upstairs, she finds Marianne awake and feels fearful of betraying herself to her sister. In 30 minutes, she hears the carriage of Colonel Brandon and runs downstairs to greet and calm her mother's nerves. She embraced her child, and as soon as she was recovered, went to see Marianne. She was overjoyed but tried to stay calm for her daughter's sake. Elanor tries to go to sleep, but Willoughby is in her thoughts. She doubts if, after telling Marianne of all that passed, if Marianne would ever be able to feel happy. The following day, when they finally got some time alone, Mrs. Dashwood tells Elanor that Colonel Brandon confessed his love for Marianne to her. The mother is overjoyed with this news, and Elanor is not surprised by the remarks. He confessed seemingly without thinking and claims that the Colonel said that he loved her from first sight. Elanor says that she highly values the Colonel and would look on this attachment as a blessing on the family, which satisfies her mother greatly. Mrs. Dashwood also dismisses the age gap, saying that his person is exactly the time that would make Marianne happy. SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

In Bucksport, Maine, a dark stain on a granite monument has inspired one of New England's strangest legends. Some call it the mark of a witch's curse, a permanent accusation left on the grave of the town's founder. But behind the story of the “witch's foot” lies something even more unsettling: the way folklore can rewrite a man's legacy long after he's gone. YouTube -  https://www.youtube.com/@HauntedAmericanHistory   hauntedamericanhistory.com   Patreon- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/hauntedamericanhistory⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   LINKS FOR MY DEBUT NOVEL, THE FORGOTTEN BOROUGH   Barnes and Noble -   https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-forgotten-borough-christopher-feinstein/1148274794?ean=9798319693334   AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FQPQD68S   Ebook   GOOGLE: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=S5WCEQAAQBAJ&pli=1   KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-forgotten-borough-2?sId=a10cf8af-5fbd-475e-97c4-76966ec87994&ssId=DX3jihH_5_2bUeP1xoje_   SMASHWORD: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1853316   !! DISTURB ME !!   APPLE - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/disturb-me/id1841532090   SPOTIFY - https://open.spotify.com/show/3eFv2CKKGwdQa3X2CkwkZ5?si=faOUZ54fT_KG-BaZOBiTiQ   YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/@DisturbMePodcast www.disturbmepodcast.com TikTok- @roadside.chris LEAVE A VOICEMAIL - 609-891-8658 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

(00:00-27:03) Bed head. Like Doug said, if the Blues just win every game the rest of the way, they're in. 4 in a row on the road. Chip and a chair, baby. The under hits on players moved at the deadline. The Blues are like going back to your ex. Faulk and Schenn gone. Schenn will be back in town tomorrow. Will he fight a former teammate? Colton Parayko talking about what that odd 24-48 hours was like for him and looking forward to still being a Blue. Who's the next captain? Blues going through phones looking for the leak.(27:11-43:33) Jackson still working on getting over the MIzzou loss on Saturday. Announcers couldn't stop talking about how tired Mark Mitchell was. Colonel got a little frustrated on the post game show. Mizzou and SLU are probably in at the moment but beware the bid stealers. Brad Underwood wasn't happy this weekend. Is Joe Lunardi releasing multiple brackets? Jackson has no interest in driving to OKC.(43:43-1:07:08) Drowning your kidneys in mozzarella cheese. Tough loss for SLU on Saturday. Avila dealing with some plantar fasciitis. Josh Schertz post game talking about the disappointing loss to end the regular season. Opposing defenses adjusting to SLU's style. Planes are successful at landing when they land.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

(00:00-10:58) Joined by voice of the Blues, Chris Kerber. Travel logistics with Kerbs. What's been the difference with the Blues winning 5 of 6. Outstanding goaltending. Did the two week break give the team a needed reset. Robert Thomas and Jimmy Snuggerud's play. Schenn back in St. Louis with Islanders tomorrow.(11:06-32:57) I dare you to tell me this isn't the jam. Uh oh, somebody's in a dark place. What does it mean to "get after it?" Active phone lines, let's go to Bofa Deez first. Libby Jack spoutin' off at the mouf. Marriage number 10 coming up. Calling an audible, let's go to Nick. Nick doesn't understand how the whole Blues team has regressed. Alright Ben, you're next. Ben's got answers for Nick. Not happy with Jordan Kyrou's flip flops. Ben sounds like he and Jackson would be fast friends. The Brandon Roy years.(33:07-48:24) Joined by Gabe DeArmond of Power Mizzou. Somebody dropped mud in the student section. Colonel had to tell someone to "Grow the F up" in his post game show. Gates lobbying for his team to make the tournament. Comparing the Tigers record to Gabe's preseason predictions. Gabe thinks they're in but being left out is still possible.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Grahams, Wade and James, are in alongside Charlie White to review Round One of the 2026 NRL season. We look at the impressive showing from South Sydney in Brisbane yesterday – is centre Latrell’s best spot? Is David Fifita back? The Raiders managed to win in golden point thanks to Ethan ‘The Colonel’ Sanders, and Jimmy has praise for Manly. Wadeo suspects big things inbound for his beloved Cronulla Sharks, and we look at what happened to the reigning premiers as Penrith held them to zero in Brisbane. Plus, our new segments ‘Cool Your Jets’, ‘Put A Line Through’ & ‘I’ve Seen Enough’ make their debut on the Monday show, and the boys have contrasting opinions on the Alex Johnson ‘storm the field’ situation. Check out Triple M NRL's Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Grahams, Wade and James, are in alongside Charlie White to review Round One of the 2026 NRL season. We look at the impressive showing from South Sydney in Brisbane yesterday – is centre Latrell’s best spot? Is David Fifita back? The Raiders managed to win in golden point thanks to Ethan ‘The Colonel’ Sanders, and Jimmy has praise for Manly. Wadeo suspects big things inbound for his beloved Cronulla Sharks, and we look at what happened to the reigning premiers as Penrith held them to zero in Brisbane. Plus, our new segments ‘Cool Your Jets’, ‘Put A Line Through’ & ‘I’ve Seen Enough’ make their debut on the Monday show, and the boys have contrasting opinions on the Alex Johnson ‘storm the field’ situation. Check out Triple M NRL's Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week we have...Ryan T. Reichert @ryan.t.reichertRyan T. Reichert, a born-again Christian, author, speaker, and servant leader whose life has been defined by purpose, resilience, and redemption.A retired Lieutenant Colonel with 23 years of military service, including airborne, ranger, and multiple combat deployments, Ryan brings hard-won insights on leadership, discipline, and transformation. After his military career, he served in the Fortune 500 world, gaining deep experience in corporate strategy while continuing to guide others through faith-based recovery and coaching.Enjoy the episode.Visit his website Our Protector Developmenthttps://ourprotectordevelopment.com/Instagram @ryan.t.reichert⁠Vote For Us - Best Podcast Through April 11, 2026 (Links Below)⁠⁠⁠Sans Bar Academy Awards - Vote Here⁠⁠⁠Direct Link⁠⁠⁠ https://www.thesansbar.com/sba-2026-awards-finalists⁠⁠⁠Website ⁠⁠⁠www.sobernotmature.com⁠⁠⁠Sans Bar ⁠⁠⁠www.thesansbar.com⁠⁠⁠Visit us Podcast  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.sobernotmature.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Store  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.sobernotmatureshop.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Hobo ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.themoderndayhobo.com

  ### Segment 8 Headline: Taiwan's Strategy and Observations Amid the Middle East Conflict and Drone Warfare Summary: Colonel Grant Newsham analyzes Taiwan's energy concerns, the demonstrated effectiveness of Americanmilitary power against Iranian defenses, and the increasing importance of drone technology in defense. Guest: Colonel Grant Newsham Number: 8 (8)1932 TRENTO IN SHANGHAI

Marco was a little nervous going into this one. When the guest is a Lt. Colonel, combat veteran, and published author, it suddenly feels like you're sitting at the big-boy table. In Part 2 with Lt. Colonel Clay Novak, the conversation picks up where the first episode left off—diving into leadership under pressure, decision-making when the stakes are real, and the lessons that only show up when responsibility lands on your shoulders. Clay talks about the ideas behind his newest book, what separates preparation from bravado, and why pressure doesn't build character—it reveals it. Marco may have walked in wondering if he belonged in the room. By the end, it was clear he did. Pull up a chair. The big-boy table has room.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-war-locker-show--6767179/support.Join us for War Locker LIVE — formerly Locker Room Live! Stream (almost) every Thursday at 7:30 PM PST on YouTube, where we dive deep into current events, culture, and the real conversations shaping modern society. Remember: If we release a War Locker Interview, we will be LIVE the same day! Support War Locker and War Locker LIVE by leaving a review and sharing the show! Visit www.warstoriesofficial.com to listen to past episodes, grab exclusive merchandise, become a patron, and follow us on Instagram and Facebook for updates, behind-the-scenes content, and community discussions.

Stijn Schmitz welcomes Douglas MacGregor to the show. Douglas is a retired U.S. Army Colonel and Decorated Combat Veteran. In this in-depth discussion, MacGregor provides a critical analysis of the current geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, particularly focusing on the conflict involving Iran, Israel, and the United States. MacGregor argues that the current military strategy against Iran is fundamentally flawed, with no clear purpose or achievable end state. He suggests that the United States and Israel are attempting to destabilize Iran, but this approach is unlikely to succeed. The colonel emphasizes that Iran’s primary goal is simply to survive, while the U.S. would need to completely conquer the nation – an impossible task given Iran’s size and resilience. The conversation delves into the broader economic implications of the conflict, particularly its impact on global oil markets and supply chains. MacGregor predicts significant economic disruption, with oil prices potentially exceeding $100 per barrel and widespread increases in commodity prices. He highlights the critical importance of resource sovereignty, emphasizing the need for nations to control their fuel, food, fertilizer, and defense supply chains. A key theme of the discussion is the potential acceleration of de-dollarization and the emergence of a new global financial system. MacGregor suggests that the United States and Israel are essentially “fighting against the future” by resisting these inevitable economic shifts. He points to the growing influence of BRICS nations and the increasing interest in alternative currency systems, potentially backed by gold or a basket of precious metals. MacGregor concludes with a stark warning about the destructive nature of current geopolitical strategies, arguing that these “pointless wars” are counterproductive and potentially catastrophic. He calls for more measured, strategic approaches to international relations and economic development, emphasizing the need for stability, long-term planning, and cooperation between governments and private sectors. Timestamps: 00:00:00 – Introduction 00:00:56 – Middle East Assessment 00:01:32 – Strategic Goals Discussion 00:02:55 – Oil Dependency Impacts 00:04:52 – Global Economic Shutdown 00:07:28 – Logistics and Escalation 00:09:01 – Lack of Planning 00:11:32 – Israel’s Internal Problems 00:13:00 – Oil Markets Analysis 00:16:16 – Conflict Motivations Explored 00:20:05 – Emerging Alliances Support 00:26:27 – Reshoring Supply Chains 00:39:12 – Gold Currency Future 00:42:04 – Concluding Thoughts Guest Links: Website: https://douglasmacgregor.com X: https://x.com/DougAMacgregor YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@douglasmacgregorTV Articles: https://breakingdefense.com/author/doug-macgregor/ Substack: https://substack.com/@coloneldoug Douglas Macgregor is a decorated combat veteran, an author of five books, a PhD, and a defense and foreign policy consultant. Macgregor was commissioned in the Regular Army in 1976 after 1 year at VMI and 4 years at West Point. In 2004, Macgregor retired with the rank of Colonel. In 2020, the President appointed Macgregor to serve as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Defense, a post he held until President Trump left office. He holds an MA in comparative politics and a PhD in international relations from the University of Virginia. Macgregor is widely known inside the U.S., Europe, Israel, Russia, China and Korea for both his leadership in the Battle of 73 Easting, the U.S. Army's largest tank battle since World War II, and for his ground breaking books on military transformation: Breaking the Phalanx (Praeger, 1997) and Transformation under Fire (Praeger, 2003). Macgregor's recommendations for change in Force Design and “integrated all arms-all effects” operations have profoundly influenced force development in Israel, Russia and China. In 2010, Macgregor traveled to Seoul, Korea to advise the ROK Ministry of Defense on force design. In 2019, Transformation under Fire was selected by Lt. Gen. Aviv Kohavi, Chief of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF), as the intellectual basis for IDF transformation. His fifth book, Margin of Victory: Five Battles that Changed the Face of Modern War from Naval Institute Press is available in Chinese, as well as, English and will soon appear in Hebrew. In 28 years of service Macgregor taught in the Department of Social Sciences at West Point, commanded the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry, and served as the Director of the Joint Operations Center at SHAPE during the 1999 Kosovo Air Campaign for which he was awarded the Defense Superior Service medal. In January 2002, at Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's insistence the USCENTCOM Commander listened to Colonel Macgregor's concept for the offensive to seize Baghdad. The plan was largely adopted, but assumed no occupation of Iraq by U.S. Forces. Macgregor has also testified as an expert witness before the Senate and House Armed Services Committees and appeared as a defense analyst on Fox News, CNN, BBC, Sky News and public radio. He is fluent in German.

We have had some extremely distinguished guests over the last 6 years, but we haven't secured one who combines, a Rhodes Scholar, US Army Colonel, Counter terrorism expert, leading the US's cyber intelligence defence agency, and a lecturer at Oxford and beyond, whilst also having worked at Morgan Stanley, and now CEO at RSAC. Jen plots a journey from Oxford to Westpoint, from Colonel of the US's first Cyber Battalion to the Whitehouse, working under Condoleezza Rice and then chosen by President Biden to create CISA, The US's first cyber defense agency.In a whirlwind, world-wide tour, Jen plots the risks, defines the adversaries, reflects on intelligence, cooperation, and the real and present cyber risks to industries.She offers advice to boards, the existential risks for businesses who think this is just a “technology issue” and leaves us with a stark observation. If the cost of annual cybercrimes were aggregated into one number, it would be equivalent in GDP terms to being the third largest economy in the world! The Money Maze Podcast is kindly sponsored by Schroders, IFM Investors, World Gold Council and LSEG.Sign up to our Newsletter | Follow us on LinkedIn | Watch on YouTube 

Chad shares a good mix of fun and serious stuff today as we begin with Swift Takes, talk about Iran and the war with Miad Maleki and Colonel David Hunt, get Jim Petersen's thoughts on the Wolves, hear excellent stories about Lou Holtz, and catch up with Jason DeRusha.

Colonel David Hunt is back with Chad to talk about the positive and negatives he sees so far during Operation Epic Fury in Iran before Jason DeRusha joins for his extended Thursday segment.

Colonel David Hunt has plenty to say with Chad today on the problems he sees with Operation Epic Fury and the politics surrounding it, plus some praise for the work of our military members.

What's next for Israel, Iran and the Region? Conricus, Lt Col (R) and IDF past spokesman, Senior Fellow at FDD (Foundation for Defense of Democracies).  For more info visit :  FDD.org PODCAST INFO:Podcast website: https://yishaifleisher.com/podcastYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/YishaiFleisherTVSUPPORT & CONNECT:Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/yishaiFight4Israel: https://fight4israel.givecloud.coTwitter: https://twitter.com/YishaiFleisherLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yishaifleisherFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/YishaiFleisher  Support the show

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen chapter 43, narrated by Isaac BirchallSubscribe on YT or Join the Book Club on Patreon and support me as an independent creator :D⁠https://ko-fi.com/theessentialreads⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfOFfvo05ElM96CmfsGsu3g/join⁠Summary:Marianne got up the next morning as usual, but as the day progressed, she started shivering and got sicker, and sicker. The Colonel felt alarmed by Marianne's state, but Elanor dismissed it. Eventually a doctor is called, and he states that Marianne will be better in a few days, and that her infection is minor. At the word of infection, Mrs. Palmer leaves with her baby to stay with some relations, where Mr. Palmer is to join her in a few days. Mrs Jennings says that she will stay however, to help nurse Marianne, and while the Colonel wishes at first to leave, he is persuaded to stay by the stern woman. Marianne laments that they are again forced to stay more time from home. Marianne is no better on the following day, but she seems not to be any worse. On the third day, the doctor declares that Marianne is getting better, and Elanor rejoiced in the fact that he letters to her mother were light-hearted. At the end of the day however, Marianne falls seemingly more ill than before and Elanor decides to sit up with her sister all night. Marianne gets more and more disturbed and soon calls out in her fever for her mother and claims that she mustn't go by London. Elanor tries to sooth her sister but checks her pulse and it is not good news. She runs down to the drawing room where she finds the Colonel and tells him what has happened. He offers to ride all night to collect Mrs. Dashwood, and in the time, it takes for Elanor to write a short message to her, his horses are ready, and he sets off. The doctor eventually comes and in spite of Marianne's state, he declares that she will be better. Several hours go by and Marianne is still sick. A heavy storm has begun, and through the storm Elanor believes that she can hear the sound of a Carriage. She runs downstairs, and though it seems to early for the Colonel to be back, she feels nearly assured that it is him, but when she opens the door she sees for the first time in months, Willoughby… SEO stuff I don't want to do. Jane Austin's timeless classic Sense and Sensibility follows the story of two girls, Elinor and Marianne Dashwood, and their endeavors in love, marriage, and societal expectations. Love is not easy however, and Elinor finds her sense tested by her charming brother-in-law, while Marianne's sensibility brings her nothing but heartbreak.

The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET. Brad is first joined by CNN Military Analyst Col. Cedric Leighton (USAF-Ret.). The two discuss the military and foreign policy aspects of the Trump administration's airstrikes against Iran, the decision to kill their leader, whether the President had the authority to start this war despite being unprovoked, and more. Then, Sarah Jones, Editor-in-Chief of PoliticusUSA, is our special guest for the second half of the show. She and Brad cover the domestic repercussions of the new U.S. war with Iran, including rising gas prices, which experts say could surge to $4 dollars per gallon. Sarah also breaks down the Paramount purchase of Warner Bros., which includes CNN, and the dangers of media consolidation. This is the same group that recently blocked Stephen Colbert's interview with Democratic politician James Talarico.  Paramount was in position to do this because they recently acquired CBS News, the network that airs Colbert's show, in a recent merger deal. Col. Cedric Leighton is the Founder and President of Cedric Leighton Associates, a strategic risk and leadership consultancy serving global companies and organizations. He founded the company in 2010, after serving in the US Air Force for 27 years as an Intelligence Officer and attaining the rank of Colonel. His website is www.CedricLeighton.com and his handle on BlueSky is @CedricLeighton.bsky.social. Sarah Jones' handle on BlueSky is @politicussarah.bsky.social and the website for PoliticusUSA is www.PoliticusUSA.com. Brad is on the National Journal's panel of political insiders, is an American political analyst for The Times of India TV, and is a national political analyst for WGN TV and Radio in Chicago and KNX Radio in Los Angeles. Brad also writes a political column every Sunday for 'The Hill.' You can read his columns at www.MuckRack.com/Brad-Bannon. His handle on BlueSky is @bradbannon.bsky.social.

The battlefields were not the only places that threatened death during World War I. As conflict raged on and supply lines tightened, the allied powers of France, Britain, and Italy faced a fundamental problem: keeping their soldier and civilian populations safe from starvation. Wheat at War: Allied Economic Cooperation in the Great War (Oxford UP, 2025) describes how, faced with this immense challenge, the Allies devised a multilateral institution--the Wheat Executive--to do what no state could do alone. Rosella Cappella Zielinski and Paul Poast examine the difficult considerations made by the allied powers when ceding authority to an international body that would make decisions for them. Beyond successfully managing wheat shipping and distribution, they argue, the Wheat Executive proved to have significant influence in the evolving landscape of interstate cooperation. As a case study, the Wheat Executive improves our understanding of international institutional design, the importance of commodities during wartime, economic coordination amongst wartime coalition members, and the legacies of international cooperation during the First World War. As one of the first great experiments in supranationalism, the Allies' management of wheat while at war provides lessons about the emergence of international organizations and their contours. Jobie Turner is a military historian who studies logistics in warfare.  His most recent work is Feeding Victory:  Innovative Logistics from Lake George to Khe Sanh, 1755-1968 which discuss the impact of technology on transportation across three centuries of warfare.  Jobie is a retired Colonel in the USAF and a pilot for United Airlines email: here  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

The battlefields were not the only places that threatened death during World War I. As conflict raged on and supply lines tightened, the allied powers of France, Britain, and Italy faced a fundamental problem: keeping their soldier and civilian populations safe from starvation. Wheat at War: Allied Economic Cooperation in the Great War (Oxford UP, 2025) describes how, faced with this immense challenge, the Allies devised a multilateral institution--the Wheat Executive--to do what no state could do alone. Rosella Cappella Zielinski and Paul Poast examine the difficult considerations made by the allied powers when ceding authority to an international body that would make decisions for them. Beyond successfully managing wheat shipping and distribution, they argue, the Wheat Executive proved to have significant influence in the evolving landscape of interstate cooperation. As a case study, the Wheat Executive improves our understanding of international institutional design, the importance of commodities during wartime, economic coordination amongst wartime coalition members, and the legacies of international cooperation during the First World War. As one of the first great experiments in supranationalism, the Allies' management of wheat while at war provides lessons about the emergence of international organizations and their contours. Jobie Turner is a military historian who studies logistics in warfare.  His most recent work is Feeding Victory:  Innovative Logistics from Lake George to Khe Sanh, 1755-1968 which discuss the impact of technology on transportation across three centuries of warfare.  Jobie is a retired Colonel in the USAF and a pilot for United Airlines email: here  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

The battlefields were not the only places that threatened death during World War I. As conflict raged on and supply lines tightened, the allied powers of France, Britain, and Italy faced a fundamental problem: keeping their soldier and civilian populations safe from starvation. Wheat at War: Allied Economic Cooperation in the Great War (Oxford UP, 2025) describes how, faced with this immense challenge, the Allies devised a multilateral institution--the Wheat Executive--to do what no state could do alone. Rosella Cappella Zielinski and Paul Poast examine the difficult considerations made by the allied powers when ceding authority to an international body that would make decisions for them. Beyond successfully managing wheat shipping and distribution, they argue, the Wheat Executive proved to have significant influence in the evolving landscape of interstate cooperation. As a case study, the Wheat Executive improves our understanding of international institutional design, the importance of commodities during wartime, economic coordination amongst wartime coalition members, and the legacies of international cooperation during the First World War. As one of the first great experiments in supranationalism, the Allies' management of wheat while at war provides lessons about the emergence of international organizations and their contours. Jobie Turner is a military historian who studies logistics in warfare.  His most recent work is Feeding Victory:  Innovative Logistics from Lake George to Khe Sanh, 1755-1968 which discuss the impact of technology on transportation across three centuries of warfare.  Jobie is a retired Colonel in the USAF and a pilot for United Airlines email: here  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/military-history

In this episode of The Winston Marshall Show, I sit down with former British Army officer Richard Kemp to break down the US and Israeli strikes on Iran, the legality of intervention, and Britain's refusal to fully support its allies.We examine whether military action against Iran is justified under international law, the doctrine of self defence, and the Responsibility to Protect. Colonel Kemp argues that Iran has been at war with the United States and Britain for decades through proxies, and that recent attacks on British sovereign territory in Cyprus change the legal and moral equation.The conversation explores Prime Minister Keir Starmer's stance on international law, Britain's military readiness, and whether domestic Islamist pressure is shaping UK foreign policy. We discuss the perception of British weakness in Washington, the collapse of deterrence, and what this means for NATO, Russia, and China.We also analyse the battlefield itself, from air superiority and ballistic missile strikes to the degradation of Iran's military command, Hezbollah's position in Lebanon, and the possibility of regime change in Tehran. Finally, we examine the wider geopolitical consequences, including oil markets, China's strategic calculations, Russia's reliance on Iranian drones, and what this war could mean for Hamas and the future of Gaza.A hard headed and wide ranging conversation about war, deterrence, sovereignty, and whether the West still has the will to defend itself.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------To see more exclusive content and interviews consider subscribing to my substack here: https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA:Substack: https://www.winstonmarshall.co.uk/X: https://twitter.com/mrwinmarshallInsta: https://www.instagram.com/winstonmarshallLinktree: https://linktr.ee/winstonmarshall----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapters00:00 Introduction 01:58 Iran's War on the US Since 197906:36 The RAF Akrotiri Drone Strike07:23 Is British Foreign Policy Dictated by Islamists?11:20 What Britain's Weakness Signals to Russia & China12:26 How Americans Now See the UK14:42 Is This Another Iraq War?15:37 No Boots on the Ground: The Key Difference18:46 Who Could Replace the Ayatollahs?20:25 Regime Infighting & The Iranian Army Factor23:51 Air Superiority & Destroying Iran's Missiles26:31 Iran's Strategy: Chaos, Honour & Regional Strikes31:22 Hezbollah, Lebanon & The Northern Front34:39 Saudi Arabia, Israel & Shifting Middle East Alliances39:02 Oil, China & The Bigger Geopolitical Play42:36 Trump's Red Line vs Obama's Legacy46:28 Is Britain Militarily Ready for War?52:53 What This War Changes for Israel, Gaza & Global Jihad Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The guest host for today's show is Brad Bannon. Brad runs Bannon Communications Research, a polling, message development and media firm which helps labor unions, progressive issue groups and Democratic candidates win public affairs and political campaigns. His show, 'Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon,' airs every Monday from 3-4pm ET. Brad is first joined by CNN Military Analyst Col. Cedric Leighton (USAF-Ret.). The two discuss the military and foreign policy aspects of the Trump administration's airstrikes against Iran, the decision to kill their leader, whether the President had the authority to start this war despite being unprovoked, and more. Then, Sarah Jones, Editor-in-Chief of PoliticusUSA, is our special guest for the second half of the show. She and Brad cover the domestic repercussions of the new U.S. war with Iran, including rising gas prices, which experts say could surge to $4 dollars per gallon. Sarah also breaks down the Paramount purchase of Warner Bros., which includes CNN, and the dangers of media consolidation. This is the same group that recently blocked Stephen Colbert's interview with Democratic politician James Talarico.  Paramount was in position to do this because they recently acquired CBS News, the network that airs Colbert's show, in a recent merger deal. Col. Cedric Leighton is the Founder and President of Cedric Leighton Associates, a strategic risk and leadership consultancy serving global companies and organizations. He founded the company in 2010, after serving in the US Air Force for 27 years as an Intelligence Officer and attaining the rank of Colonel. His website is www.CedricLeighton.com and his handle on BlueSky is @CedricLeighton.bsky.social. Sarah Jones' handle on BlueSky is @politicussarah.bsky.social and the website for PoliticusUSA is www.PoliticusUSA.com. Brad is on the National Journal's panel of political insiders, is an American political analyst for The Times of India TV, and is a national political analyst for WGN TV and Radio in Chicago and KNX Radio in Los Angeles. Brad also writes a political column every Sunday for 'The Hill.' You can read his columns at www.MuckRack.com/Brad-Bannon. His handle on BlueSky is @bradbannon.bsky.social.

What does courage look like under fire? In captivity? In command? In service? This edition of Long Blue Leadership was recorded on location at the U.S. Air Force Academy's 33rd National Character and Leadership Symposium. We've explored these questions with our guests and captured the conversations for you. Ted Robertson, Multimedia and Podcast Specialist for the Air Force Academy Association and Foundation, hosts this special episode featuring voices shaped by combat, crises and lifelong service. Their message to cadets is clear: Leadership is earned through character, and character is forged in hard moments. - Seg. 1: Lt. Col. Mark George and C1C Jaime Snyder, officer and NCLS cadet director, respectively, set the stage for this year's NCLS and for the podcast. - Seg. 2: Senior Master Sgt. (Ret.) Israel "DT" Del Toro on courage in times of crisis. - Seg. 3: Task Force Hope developer and facilitator Maj. Tara Holmes on preparing future leaders to handle crisis before it happens. - Seg. 4: Former POW Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Edward Mechenbier '64, on leading in circumstances out of your control. - Seg. 5: Annapolis grad and Vietnam-era aviator, Capt. (Ret.) J. Charles Plumb on how character breeds courage. All of our guest's lives and careers reflect the reality of this year's theme through combat, crisis and service.     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 OUR SPEAKERS:  - Host, Ted Robertson, Multimedia and Podcast Specialist, United States Air Force Academy Association and Foundation  - Seg. 1: C1C Jaime Snyder, NCLS Cadet Director; Lt. Col. Mark George, NCLS Officer  - Seg. 2: Senior Master Sargent Israel Del Toro  - Seg. 3: Maj. Tara Holmes, Task Force Hope  - Seg. 4: Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Edward Mechenbier '64  - Seg. 5: Capt. (Ret.) J. Charles Plumb   Ted Robertson 0:00 Welcome to Long Blue Line Podcast Network coverage of the 33rd annual National Character and Leadership Symposium. I'm Ted Robertson, multimedia and podcast specialist for the Air Force Academy Association & Foundation, coming to you from Polaris Hall located here at the United States Air Force Academy. This year's symposium centers on the theme Courage to Lead in the Profession of Arms: Combat and Crisis-tested Character, where attendees and cadets will explore how courage in all its forms shapes leaders when uncertainty, fear and consequence are real. Our coverage will start with the Center for Character and Leadership Development's Lt. Col. Mark George and NCLS director, Cadet 1st Class Jaime Snyder. They'll set the stage not only for NCLS, but for today's coverage. Then we'll talk with four key leaders speaking at the symposium, including Senior Master Sgt. (Ret.) Israel Del Torro on keeping courageous during times of crisis. We'll also talk with Task Force Hope developer and facilitator, Maj. Tara Holmes, on preparing leaders to handle crisis before it happens. Then, former POW, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Edward Mechenbier, USAFA Class of '64, on leading in circumstances out of your control. And finally, Annapolis grad and Vietnam-era aviator, Capt. (Ret.) J. Charles Plumb, on how character breeds courage. All of our guests' lives and careers reflect the reality of this year's theme through combat, crisis and service. So I want to bring in our first two guests to help, as I said, frame the discussion today. We're going to dig in to learn what this is all about and sort of the “why” behind it. Cadet Jaime Snyder, 2026 NCLS director. Cadet Snyder, you've helped lead the organizing of the National Character and Leadership Symposium — 33rd year for this, as you know, and part of that work, you've trained cadets and permanent party. I'm going to ask you to explain permanent party, all of which helps strengthen your own public speaking and leadership communication skills. You want to kind of expound on that a bit? C1C Jaime Snyder 2:20 Yes, sir. So a part of my role being in NCLS is to, one, provide the guidance, the support and resources on the cadet side to succeed. But what really makes NCLS special is that we integrate permanent party with cadets. So oftentimes me, in supporting and training permanent party, is giving them cadet perspective, because while they're over here and the Center for Character and Leadership Development, we're over there in the Cadet Wing, and I can be the mediator between both parties. Ted Robertson 2:46 Let's talk a little bit about permanent party. What does that term mean? Who does that describe? C1C Jaime Snyder 2:52 Oh yes. Permanent party describes the civilian and military faculty that works in the Center for Character and Leadership Development that assists with the execution of NCLS — the National Character and Leadership Symposium. Ted Robertson 3:05 How big is the team behind this event every year? C1C Jaime Snyder 3:08 It's kind of complex where we'll get search cadets. We'll get a large number of volunteers, approximately around 300 from the Cadet Wing. Internal staff consists of 50 cadets who work it throughout the entire year, and around 50 staff members who are permanent party who work in the Center for Character and Leadership Development. Ted Robertson 3:29 I want to bring in next Lt. Col. Mark George, who is the experiential and training division chief and NCLS program director, the very fortunate man that gets to work for some incredibly talented cadets. Col. Mark George 3:43 That is absolutely true. Thanks to for having us on. Cadet Snyder has done an outstanding job leading this team. I came into this a little bit late. You know, we've had some reorganization here at the Academy, and after some shuffling, I got the honor and the privilege to take over NCLS while the planning was well underway. So my job was to just make sure this train kept rolling, that people had the resources that they needed, the top cover they needed. And as Jamie said, he was training me as a permanent party member to make sure that I had the cadet perspective. And then, you know, we were moving this ball forward as we got to this event. Ted Robertson 4:23 So coming up in the podcast we'll get to the sort of “why” and what's at the core of NCLS. Colonel, let's start with you. What is National Character and Leadership Symposium designed to do for cadets?   Col. Mark George 4:38 Sure. The National Character and Leadership Symposium — NCLS — is designed to bring exemplars that embody the core values and the traits that we want cadets to have when they become leaders on Day 1 and inspire them to a lifetime of service.   Ted Robertson 4:57 Cadet Snyder?   C1C Jaime Snyder 4:59 We definitely see at USAFA, there is a clear correlation with NCLS and character development. One thing we want cadets to get out of NCLS is to further develop leaders of character who are going to join the fight in the Air Force and Space Force, and that's why I see the epitome of NCLS as it's an opportunity to hear people's perspectives as well as learn from it and apply it to their daily lives. Ted Robertson 5:24 Gentlemen, this year's theme focuses on the courage to lead in the profession of arms. Cadet Snyder, we'll start with you. How did that theme come together, and why is it especially relevant for cadets right now? C1C Jaime Snyder 5:40 With our current structure at USAFA, we've had some implement of change. We recognize that the future war conflict is more prevalent than ever, and that it's important for the cadets to understand that we're changing the way we approach training, as well as what we're learning in curriculum. So this NCLS was an incredible opportunity to discuss courage when leading in the profession of arms, but furthermore, courage and crises-tested character. Which is what we're trying to further push along with what we do in training as well as what we teach in leadership. Ted Robertson 6:15 You make good decisions when your character is strong. You make those decisions with integrity when your character is intact and it's strong. Would you agree with that, Colonel? Col. Mark George 6:25 Absolutely. And I think Cadet Snyder hit the nail on the head that we really want the cadets to understand that the environments that they're stepping into are going to require that courage to do hard things. In my day, like we didn't necessarily think about the fight in that way. You know, we were kind of stovepiped in. And these cadets, whatever environment they may be stepping into, the next conflict is going to require a lot, a high demand of them, and their character is their foundation for that. Ted Robertson 6:59 One of the things you can say about this event is that it brings together voices from combat, crisis, athletics, academia and industry. How intentional is that mix, Cadet Snyder, and what do cadets gain from hearing such different perspectives on leadership and character? C1C Jaime Snyder 7:18 I think by hearing different perspectives, you get to see how universal courage is. When we say courage, it's not just one thing, it's also moral, social, spiritual. And by looking at different versions of courage, you can understand that there's different ways to actually apply courage. Understanding that courage is not the absence of fear, also knowing that courage is not simply being a confident individual. That it's more complex than you may define courage, and so you can then apply it that way — by looking at different perspectives. Ted Robertson 7:53 Colonel, I'll address this one to you as well. Col. Mark George 7:56 Sure. Courage — we're talking about courage here, and there's a heavy focus on the combat side with this year's speakers. The thing that sticks out to me is that courage always involves a decision to do the hard thing. And that's what all of our speakers brought this year. They're showing how in different environments, whether it's in a prison cell in Hanoi or up on the Space Station or — there's a hard decision and the right thing is sometimes pretty obvious, but it doesn't mean it's easy. It does not mean it's easy to do. And so courage always involves a decision to do the right thing. Ted Robertson 8:39 Cadet Snyder? C1C Jaime Snyder 8:40 What he said I find to be very true — understanding that courage is not simply doing something physical, but also in a leadership role, especially — we're talking to cadets who are going to soon be commissioned officers. It's important to know that you need to make the right decision on and off the battlefield. Ted Robertson 8:58 So from your perspective as a cadet — and this one is just for you, Cadet Snyder — what does it mean to help shape an event like NCLS while you're still developing as a leader yourself? C1C Jaime Snyder 9:10 What I've seen through NCLS is taking the time to relax. Don't focus on the future and focus where you're at right now, and that's character development. So don't let the pursuit of tomorrow diminish the joy today. We all have this aspiration to graduate, throw our hats in the air, Thunderbirds fly over. But right now it's important to focus on character development as that's going to be important as future officers. Ted Robertson 9:35 That makes 1,000% very clear sense. But I do want to ask you, less than 100 days from the day you toss your hat — you're giving me a big smile right now — talk about how that feels right now for you. C1C Jaime Snyder 9:47 It's incredible, and a part of it is less daunting, because I can say this institution has really prepared me to commission, and so it's more liberating than daunting for me. Ted Robertson 9:58 Col. George, I'm going to direct this one straight to you, and this is an ask of you from the leadership perspective: How do we events Like NCLS fit into the broader effort to intentionally develop leaders of character here at the Academy. Col. Mark George 10:14 So I get the honor of leading the experiential and training division in the Center for Character and Leadership Development. So we're all about creating experiences and those opportunities for cadets to have different types of environments where they'll learn about character. And right now, NCLS is an opportunity to listen to where people's character was tested, how they overcame it. And then we also have different events that we try to put the cadets in where we'll actually test their character. And that could be on the challenge tower, it could be through our character labs where we're having discussions. NCLS is a huge part of that, because the planning cycle is so long. Ted Robertson 10:59 Cadet Snyder? C1C Jaime Snyder 11:00 Yes, sir. One thing I wanted to add on to that is with NCLS, one thing that makes this event the most unique experience that I've had is the fact that we get to engage in meaningful dialog. This isn't a brief. This is an experience for everyone who attends. I've had the opportunity to talk to Col. George's son, who aspires to possibly come to the Air Force Academy. So I don't want to say this is just for cadets, but it's also a promotion tool. And understand that what we do at NCLS is very important. And anyone who wants to attend can come and see what we're doing and how important it is.   Col. Mark George 11:33 I want to thank you for that, by the way. He looks up to you, and that meant a lot.   Ted Robertson 11:37 That's pretty visionary stuff. That's touching the next generation. That's fantastic. All right, this is for you both. When cadets look back on NCLS years from now, what do you hope they're going to remember feeling or being challenged to do differently?   C1C Jaime Snyder 11:56 There is a very strong human component to NCLS, and with that, there's a human experience. Understanding that we're getting speakers and we'll see their bios that they're incredible. They have incredible stories of making the right decision when tensions were high, and getting to hear their stories and understand that they ultimately were no different than we are. Some of them were Air Force Academy graduates. Some graduated from the Naval Academy, West Point, other colleges, but they were young, 20-year-old people like we were as cadets. And so getting to understand where they're coming from, human experience is vital to NCLS, and how do we grow and understand where they're coming from? Ted Robertson 12:38 Col. George? Col. Mark George 12:39 Yeah, I think what I would want the cadets to remember is how these speakers made them feel. You're right, you won't remember every nugget of wisdom that was said. I just had the opportunity to talk with Gen. Scott Miller, and he was an incredible leader. And I feel like everything he was saying was gold. I wish I'd been able to write it down. But he really makes you feel like you understand just how important your role is going to be as a young leader. And when you come away as second lieutenants from this place, you've had incredible opportunities and now you're stepping out in the real world. I would think I want the cadets to remember that like, “Hey, what I do matters, and how I lead is very important to getting this mission done.”   Ted Robertson 13:24 Lt. Col. Mark George and C1C Jaime Snyder, officer and cadet in charge of the 33rd NCLS. Congratulations on the event. Well done, and thank you for spending time here with us on the podcast today. Hearing from both the cadet perspective and the senior leadership behind NCLS makes one thing very clear: This symposium is intentionally designed not just to inspire but to prepare future leaders for moments when character will be tested. And that brings me to my first featured guest, a man whose life story embodies what combat and crisis-tested character truly means. Israel “DT” Del Toro, welcome to the podcast. It's an honor to be with you here at the National Character and Leadership Symposium. Senior Master Sgt. (Ret.) Israel Del Toro 14:18 Thank you, Ted. Thanks for having me. Good to see you again.   Ted Robertson 14:21 Yes, it's not the first time we've gotten to spend some time together. Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 14:24 It's always great to talk to people, try and spread the word of the whole spark and the promise of my dad. Ted Robertson 14:30 The spark and the promises are the two things that really stood out to me about that interview — your heart and your soul man, from a very, very early age. Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 14:39 You know, losing my dad at 12, and then a year and a half later, losing my mom to a drunk driver, and being the oldest, you know, having to now kind of step up to be, like, the parent figure to my younger siblings. It was challenging.   Ted Robertson 14:55 Out of all of that, you wound up as a retired — you are currently a retired senior master sergeant. You took responsibility for your siblings, as you say, after you were orphaned as a teenager, and ultimately in the service combat-wounded airmen, and you survived catastrophic injuries against incredible odds, and that did not keep you down. One of the things that you did was you became an Invictus Games gold medalist. You're now a national speaker, and you talk a lot about resilience and purpose.   Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 15:27 Yes, sir. Yeah, Invictus, I won gold in shot put. It was pretty awesome. You know, everyone was just going nuts. Ted Robertson 15:37 You kind of make me feel like that was a soul-feeding, motivating time for you.   Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 15:42 It was. At that time, I was probably one of the senior guys, kind of. Obviously, I was one of the senior guys, wounded guys on the team, and so a lot of people looked up to me. And sometimes I wish — people would say, “Man, it's great. You're such trailblazer.” You're sometimes like, “Man, I just want to be one of the guys. I just, I just want to be No. 10.” You know, everything's all done, and no one's focusing everything on me. But it's a burden that I'm willing to carry on to try and continue to help people.   Ted Robertson 16:19 I want to linger here in your background a bit, because it's more than just impressive. I think impressive is pretty trite to describe what your background is. Let's start with before the Air Force and before combat, and just how your life demanded responsibility at such a young age. And what I want to ask is, how did stepping up for your family shape the leader that you became? Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 16:40 Well, I contribute that totally to my dad. I truly do. My dad was there. My dad, you know, I went everywhere with my dad. My dad — you know, he came from Mexico to this country, and he gave up a lot. You know, my family in Mexico is very wealthy, their ranchers and all that. He came here with nothing. And he always used to tell me, he's like, “Don't ever be envious of someone that's successful. Learn from them. Ask them questions.” He also used to tell me, “If you don't succeed, it's no one else's fault by yourself. Don't blame where you came from, where you grew up from, the situation. It is only your fault.” So my dad always had told me these little lessons and obviously the last lesson he gave me the night before he passed: Always take care of your family. And that just stayed with me, that kind of continued to shape me all throughout my life, all through my journey, at a young age to teenager to young adult to the military and to now, to this day, that really guided me to who I am. Now, it's like, I always hear people say, “Oh, man, I don't know if I can do it.” I was like, “Yeah, you can. You Just never know. You weren't ever put in that situation” I always believe — you always hear the fight or flight. “What are you gonna do?” I just fight, and I continue to fight. I just don't see the flight in me. And, you know, being the promise of take care of your family. Yes, I tell people, that originated with my family — my brothers and sisters. But throughout time it has evolved to now anyone I see that's having a hard time that needs maybe to hear a story or read a book or hear a journey to help them find that spark, because I see them now as my family. I see that as my family, as my mission now.   Ted Robertson 18:50 Let's stay with spark for a minute. It's just one of my favorite things that you've ever talked about. You're down, you've been badly burned, you're worried about whether you're going to survive, and a medic is helping you out, and he does something for you. He says something to you.   Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 19:07 Yeah, you know, the medic — I always like to say, you know, yes, I'm Air Force. Those guys were Army, and we bust each other's chops. But, we're all brothers and sisters, and we're down range, you know? We take care of each other, we tell stories, we talk about our family. So these guys knew what had happened in my past with my family. So when I'm, you know, laying there, after I coordinate getting air, and I started the adrenaline going down, I started getting scared. I was having a hard time breathing, and I just wanted to lay down and sleep. The medic came and reminded me, “DT, remember what you promised your son, that you'll never let him grow without his dad. Fight for your son. You got to fight for your son.” And he's just making me yell it. You use anything you can to keep your guy motivated, to help that spark go, keep going. And that's what he did. He found that spark to keep me going, to keep me fighting until that medevac came and to get me on that helicopter, to the FOB, to the hospital, and then to eventually San Antonio. Ted Robertson 20:24 After that injury, that's when the fight shifted. You had to get off the battlefield. You had to get that out of your head. You had to start battling for your recovery. So what did courage look like when progress seemed like it was slow and at one point nothing was guaranteed? Israel Del Toro 20:46 Yeah, it, you know, when he had a shift from now being on the battlefield to now a different kind of battle and your recovery, your way of life — it's difficult because you have people telling you this is what your life's going to be. You know, being told that you're never going to walk again. You got to be in a hospital for another year and a half, respirator for the rest of your life and your military career is pretty much over. You know, I like to say there's two choices again: Who you're going to be? Are you going to take the easy path, which is, I'm going to sit in a chair, accept what they say, hate life, you know, curse the world. Are you going to take the hard path where I want to fight? I'm going to show you I can do this. I'm going to prove that I still have value, and I want to come out of this ahead and show not only my son but the rest of the world. You stay positive, you find that spark, you will come out ahead. Ted Robertson 21:48 All right, last question on your background, because we're going to roll all this into why you're here and what messages you want to share with the cadets and the attendees that are here. You did something I don't think most human beings would even think about after that ordeal that you had been through all those years, everything. You reenlisted, and it wasn't just a medical milestone. It wasn't because you could, it was a conscious decision. So what internal commitment had to come first for you to make that decision. Israel Del Toro 22:22 You know, I guess it was, for me it was I loved my job. I knew I could teach, I could be prepare these next guys to [be] the next generation operators. Ted Robertson 22:38 You've never stopped being committed. You've never stopped. So it brings you to NCLS. This is the 33rd year for NCLS, and when you speak to cadets here, what message do you want them to take away with them? Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 22:53 I guess my message more is about that when you're in the military, no matter whatever happens to you, you still have a role to play. Even when I got hurt, did I miss being with my teammates? Yes, but now refocusing, OK, I'm here in this hospital, and I see all these wounded guys here as I guess I'm wounded also, but in my head is like I was still NCO in the Air Force. I still have a job to do. Yes, I'm hurt, I'm wounded, but the job of a leader is, no matter where you're at, is you try and take care of your troops. You try and make things better for them, even if you never see any of the benefits — that is your role. And so that's kind of what I want to leave with these guys that, you know, you're going to always have  challenges throughout your career, but you've always got to remember it's not about you, it's about the guys under you to take care of you. You know, I had a group of cadets yesterday and they were just asking me about leadership. So you know what? The best way to be a great leader is to earn the respect of yourtroops. If you demand it, you're not a leader, but when you earned the respect and they'll die for you, that is the greatest feeling. You know, I gave an example of one of the best moments I had after my injury, is after I got hurt, they sent my replacement, and he comes in and obviously introduce him to the scout team, to the Army company, individuals in leadership, and then the SF team, and all these guys I'm supporting. And the guy comes in like, “Hey, I'm here to replace DT.” And all of them, “You can't replace DT.” And I told that was the best moment that that's the best moment of respect, because I had Army guys saying, “He's our guy.” And that's the thing I told them, it's like, when you get to that moment when your guys say, “Nah, he's our guy,” I was like, “He can't replace him.” That is where you've truly earned the respect of your troops.   Ted Robertson 25:21 Israel, the only word that I can pull out of myself right now for your journey to describe it as “remarkable,” and you continue to give of yourself, and that's a wonderful thing. Your opportunity for a couple of final thoughts here, before we close out.   Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 25:38 Final thoughts, man, putting me on the spot, aren't you. I guess my final thoughts would be, you can't do it on your own. I'm not here right now, because I did it my own. I did it. I'm never gonna say that I did. I had friends, I had family, I had my wife that were by my side all throughout my journey to medical individuals. And I had those dark times, and I'm going down that spot, that rabbit hole, they were there to pull me out of it. So I think it's like, you know, don't try and do it on your own. We all need help. You know, the goal is, don't be prideful. There's a reason pride is one of the seven deadly sins. But, you know, ask for help, ask for advice. It's not going to hurt you. If anything, it will make you stronger and better. That's parting thoughts for the individuals listening to this. Ted Robertson 26:53 Perfect. Israel “DT” Del Toro, what a privilege to sit with you again. Want to say thank you from all of us for your service and continuing to lead by the example, which is a very rich and broad and deep example. Your story reminds us, and should remind us, that courage doesn't end with just survival. It always continues in service to others. Israel, thank you for being here.   Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 27:18 Thanks, Ted. I appreciate it. Thanks for having me again.   Ted Robertson 27:21 Israel's story reminds us that crisis and moral injury don't always arrive on a schedule, and that leaders are often expected to navigate those moments without ever having been taught how. That's where our next conversation takes us: into the intentional work of preparing leaders before crisis arrives. Maj. Tara Holmes, welcome to the podcast. It's great to have you with us as part of the National Character and Leadership Symposium.   Maj. Tara Holmes  27:46 Thanks for having me; glad to be here.   Ted Robertson 27:48 You are currently deputy chief of staff here at Headquarters USAFA. You are formerly chief of cadet development for CCLD, the Center for Character and Leadership development. By way of background, you flew.   Maj. Tara Holmes  28:01 So I am a B-52 electronic warfare officer by trade, and then moved over into white jets. So instructed in the in the T-1 and I've kind of been in education and training for, I'd say, since about 2017.   Ted Robertson  28:19 You also hold a Doctorate in Business and Management, and you are an AETC master instructor. I will let you explain AETC.   Maj. Tara Holmes  28:27 Air Education Training Command, that's one of the that's our majcom that's responsible for education and training, and they have a pathway to become a master instructor. So I finished the qualifications for that while I was in white jets and working over at Squadron Officer School.   Ted Robertson  28:46 So let's talk about your work with Task Force Hope. We'll talk about what Task Force Hope is, but you are and have been a developer and facilitator of Task Force Hope, which is a crisis and moral injury leadership workshop.   Maj. Tara Holmes  29:01 Task Force Hope is about providing immediately useful tools to our workshop participants to prepare them to lead through crisis, whether that is no-kidding combat related, or whether that's crisis on the home front, going through stuff in life that's really hard. We work through a series of key concepts and exercises, through storytelling and participant engagement that hopefully provides our participants some self-awareness and some tools to recover as it deals with their relationships.   Ted Robertson  29:39 We talked about this. There's a lot of nuance in what you're teaching these people. There's discernment in it. Who should you talk to, who you should trust with information that you want to share? Because ultimately, some of this becomes a pressure release valve, right?   Maj. Tara Holmes  29:52 Yeah, so one of the key concepts that we talk about is worthiness, right? I think often people feel pressure to not share what they're going through because they don't think their problems are worthy of attention, whether theirs or someone else's. That's one thing that we spend a lot of time on. And like you said, you know, who to who to share with, and at what level, some people are more free with sharing than others, and that's OK. So we work through some frameworks that help illustrate how people can kind of work through those levels, or gain some self-awareness and some clarity around where they fall. Something that is a, you know, deep seated secret for you, maybe something that somebody else is willing to openly share, they just don't see it as that big of a deal. So it's definitely about self-awareness and learning some tools to help relieve some of the pressure and drain on our batteries, as it were, that comes from holding these things in.   Ted Robertson  30:52 People who are attending the workshop are going to learn some things that they may not realize are draining their batteries. You're teaching them to discern what those are, and to be careful to try to avoid those. It sounds like an example to me of things that we don't realize we do, that drains us, right, instead of energizes us.   Maj. Tara Holmes  31:10 So we use the kind of metaphor of a smartphone, right? So there are things that drain us, that are big, that we're taking a lot of energy to conceal the hard things that we're dealing with in our life. But then there's, like, the pesky background apps, there's the things that are always running in the background of our lives that drain our energy without us really even noticing it. You know, so for me as an officer, but also as a mom and a spouse, some of the things that are always draining my batteries are my to-do list, the laundry app, maybe social media apps. Sometimes I've probably spend way too much time reading the news these days. That's kind of always on for me. We have these big things that are draining our batteries, but then we have these like small things that are constantly going on, right? So Task Force Hope is about recognizing what those things are for us and then making a commitment to ourselves to make this space and time to recover.   Ted Robertson  32:09 So that brings us to a really unique place. You kind of function at the intersection of character, leadership and development pretty much every day. So how do you define character when you're responsible for shaping it across an entire Cadet Wing.   Maj. Tara Holmes  32:24 To me, character is the essence of who they are. It is how you show up day after day. It's the habits that you have. That's why, when you do something out of character, people are able to say that. You know, we talk about building character strengths as building blocks towards certain virtues. And virtues is really excellence of character. So it's easy to talk about how to be an excellent athlete, or how to be an excellent academic, right? And that's one of our core values, is being excellent. Well, how do you have excellent character? It's really about leveraging your character strengths in a way that can lead you to be more virtuous, and that's the goal.   Ted Robertson  33:05 You've served, both operationally and as an instructor. Tell me how those things shape the way you think about preparing leaders not just to perform but to endure.   Maj. Tara Holmes  33:19 What comes to mind is the importance of training and building those habits. We're, you know, in the previous question, we talked about it in terms of character. You know, you can, you can use any kind of training. It's about building readiness, right? And being able to build those habits so that when you are faced with a challenge, you have a way to work through the challenge, right? That really came out for me, both operationally and as an instructor. So operationally, you rely on your training to get your job done, and then as an instructor, you're helping others build those habits so that one day when your students are faced with challenges, they can rely on their training as well.   Ted Robertson  34:01 We've talked a bit about your experiences and how they shape the way you think about preparing leaders, not just to perform but to endure. And now let's bring it right down to the direct connection between Task Force Hope and why you are here talking about this program to attendees at NCLS. When we talk about Task Force Hope, it's a program that is really designed to prepare leaders to navigate crisis and recover from both emotional and moral injury. What can you tell me about a gap that a workshop like this fills, that traditional leadership education sometimes or often misses?   Maj. Tara Holmes  34:38 Task Force Hope is preventative in nature. It's training to prevent people from letting their burdens get the best of them so that they can show up. They have the tools to show up fully charged when stuff hits the van. And not only that they do that for themselves, but then they can help their teammates or their subordinates also get there. It's self-awareness, because we all perform self-care differently, and what you need to recharge your batteries is different from the way that I would do it. So it's being intentional and having some tools to be able to identify what works for you and then how to make space in your life, and building that commitment to yourself, to make that space so that the next time that you face a crisis, you're not facing it at 10%, you're full up, you're ready to go. So it's that sustained self-care, if that's what you want to call it. And it's important to say that you know, in a 75-minute session, we're really doing our best to provide exposure to key concepts and these tools. What we hope is that people walk out with the start of something. It's not it's not the end of their work to be done.   Ted Robertson  35:54 How often do you hear the question, “Why didn't I hear this earlier in my career?”   Maj. Tara Holmes  36:00 Every workshop. Last year, after the workshop, we had a 1970-something graduate say that exact thing. For me personally, I had four people say something, you know, “Hey, I was a cadet here in '90-something, '80-something, 2000-something. And, you know, I really wish that I would have had this earlier.” So that's what we're trying to do. We're trying to bring it as early as we can.   Ted Robertson  36:26 OK, so our last question of our visit, if cadets take just one lesson from Task Force Hope and NCLs this year, what is your hope for that lesson to be?   Maj. Tara Holmes  36:39 My hope is that they're worth it. No problem is too big or too small to be dealt with, and like we talked about earlier, I think often people keep things to themselves because they feel like they shouldn't bother others, or there's their supervisors or their teammates with what's going on in their lives. And that's a drain. Like, that's a drain on the system. It eats up your energy, right? But our cadets are worth it. Whatever they're dealing with, big or small, is worthy of being addressed. I hope that's the takeaway, and that we all deal with things, right? We don't always know what other people are dealing with.   Ted Robertson  37:22 Maj. Holmes. Thank you for the work you're doing to prepare future leaders, not just to lead in moments of clarity, but to stand firm in moments of crisis. We appreciate you being here.   Maj. Tara Holmes  37:32 Thanks, Ted.   Ted Robertson  37:33 That focus on preservation, resilience and moral courage brings us to our next conversation, one shaped by combat, captivity and a life of service under the most demanding conditions. Coming up next, my conversation with Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Edward Mechenbier. Gen. Mechenbier, welcome to the podcast. It is a huge honor having you here, sir.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier 37:56 I hope you feel that way in a half hour so well,   Ted Robertson  37:59 Well, the conversation does promise to be interesting, because your life is… interesting. That was a pregnant pause, sir.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier 38:07 Yeah, I've enjoyed it. It's different.   Ted Robertson  38:11 Just to sort of frame things, you retired as a major general, and what year was that, sir,   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier 38:15 2004   Ted Robertson  38:16 And you were USAFA Class of '64. You're a Vietnam-era pilot, having flown F-4s, you were shot down on your 113th combat mission, but that was you also your 80th over North Vietnam. OK, prisoner of war. Then for almost those entire six years following that, being shot down. You come with 3,600 flying hours across lots of different aircraft.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  38:42 I was privileged fly either for primary capability or for familiarization with 43 different airplanes.   Ted Robertson  38:49 And now you describe yourself as a lifelong advocate for veterans and public service.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  38:56 Well, yeah, I mean, I go to a couple prisons in Ohio, and “work with” is probably overstating my role. Veterans who are incarcerated for long periods of time. But my role is just to go there, spend some time, shoot the breeze with them, no agenda, no desired learning objective and let them know that somebody outside knows that they're there.   Ted Robertson  39:19 What I want to do is spend some time in your background. All right, I want to start with combat and captivity and how that tests leadership in its most extreme forms. And this is in course in keeping with the theme of NCLS here, what did character mean to you when circumstances were entirely beyond your control?   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  39:38 The Vietnamese kept us in small groups of one and two or three guys. I mean, we never really until near the end and later on when we got a little organization. But it got very down, very personal, when at one time, I was in a cell with four guys, three Class of 1964 Air Force Academy graduates and one poor Oklahoma State University graduate, and amongst the four of us, we had a senior ranking officer. And of course, you got the same rank, you go alphabetical. And so we made Ron Bliss the senior ranking officer in our room. We had a communication system. We had guidelines that, you know, which were basically consistent with the code of conduct. You know, name, rank, serial number, date of birth, don't answer further questions. Keep faith with your fellow positions. That was the key. Keep faith. Never do anything that you'd be embarrassed to tell somebody you did.   Ted Robertson  40:34 What you're explaining is how different leadership looks, and even how you describe it, how different it is from command. So now it comes down to trust and accountability and courage, and how do those show up in those conditions?   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  40:51 It was really a matter of, we always knew we were still in the fight. That was one thing that was with us, and so you just kind of conducted yourself with, OK, I'm not going to let myself be used. Now, we also knew that the more you resisted pushed back, the less likely they were to make you go meet an antiwar delegation or write a confession or do something else like that. So they tend to pick on, if you will, the low-hanging fruit or the easier guy to get to. So we always wanted to set the bar just a little bit out of their reach.   Ted Robertson  41:25 All right, having gone through all of that, it really can change people quite profoundly. So when you look back at it, what leadership lessons stayed with you long after you got out of captivity?   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  41:39 In the movie Return of Honor. Capt. Mike McGrath, Navy guy, describes the guys in their ability to resist torture and do things. And that's what you learn. Everybody's got a breaking point. If mine's here and somebody else's is there, that doesn't make me better or worse than them. So you learn to appreciate the talents and the weaknesses. If you know the foibles, the cracks in everybody around you and not to exploit them, but to understand them, and then to be the kind of leader that that they need.   Ted Robertson  42:12 Sir, one of the recurring themes when you're discussing leadership with leaders right is knowing something about each of your people so that you can relate to them in a way that that works for them and motivates them.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  42:23 Yeah. Mark Welch, who's also a graduate and he is a chief of staff of the Air Force, always had a saying: “If you don't know what's going on, it's because you didn't ask.”   Ted Robertson  42:32 Now we're going to roll all that into your long journey between captivity and your visit here to NCLS this year. When you're speaking to the cadets at this year's event, what's your main hope? What do you hope they understand about courage before they even ever face combat?   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  42:54 Well, courage is a reaction to a clear and present threat. Nobody knows how they're gonna — know he's gonna say, OK, I'm gonna go to Vietnam and I want to get shot down, and when the Vietnamese capture me, I'm going to give them a middle finger and I'm going to be the meanest bad ass and hardest-to-break prisoner. Yeah, it's how you respond to the to the immediate perception of bodily harm or being used or something else like that. So courage is, yeah, it just happens. It's not something that you can put in a package and say, “OK, I've got courage.” It's how you respond to the situation, because you might respond quite differently than what you think.   Ted Robertson  43:35 And I have to say, you presented your story and you delivered your message in kind of a unique way. You drew from some contemporary references, specifically three clips from a movie that you like, that I was curious. How did you sum up your entire life in three movie clips from Madagascar? How did you do that?   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  43:57 Well, the three movie clips — when I watched the movie, I was looking at it, I have got two favorite movies. Madagascar is one, and the other is a Kelsey Grammer movie, Down Periscope. I mean, I think that is a perfect study in in leadership. But in the movie Madagascar, the premise was penguins can't fly, but yet it opens up with them applying resource, innovation imagination, and they eventually get this airplane to fly. OK, great. Success. Well, like everything else in life, things go wrong, and you got to have, No. 1, a backup plan, an exit ramp or a control mechanism for the disaster that's pending. So that's the second movie clip we saw. And then the third one was towards the end of the movie, when the crash landing has happened and the skipper asks for an accounting, and he's told that all passengers are accounted for, except two. And he says, that's the number I can live with. And the message there is, you go through life — you're going to have successes, but you're going to have failures, and failure has a cost, and it's not always pleasant, but that's OK, because that's life.   Ted Robertson  45:15 How do you explain how leaders can prepare themselves morally and mentally for moments they can't predict or control.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  45:25 Watch movies like Madagascar and Down Periscope. You know, there's a breadth of unintentional, if you will, guidance on how to be a leader, if you know where to look or if you're looking for it. I mean, that's part of the whole progress program at the Academy. Nobody's going to say, OK, here's a scenario, lead these resources to a proper conclusion. It's kind of like, OK, here's the situation. What do we do? What can we do? What can't we do? It's like, in my presentation, I talk about being able to run across a pasture in nine seconds, in 10 seconds, but if the bull can do it, you're in trouble. So you got to realign your thinking, you got to realign your goals and you got to realign the application of resources. So that's the leadership part, right there. It's a realization of what you can and what you can't do. It's a realization of what you, your people, your resources, can and can't do. It's a realization of what the technology you have at your disposal to do your mission can and can't do. So it's all about workarounds and being flexible. And then the other thing is, we live in a world that just seems to be everything's got a prescription and a protocol on exactly how to do everything. Doesn't work that way. You got to be able to go left and right. You got to be able to be a little imaginative.   Ted Robertson  46:42 What parting thought did you leave the cadets with?   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  46:45 That failure is part of life. It's not death. And I'm part of an organization called American 300 — we go around and talk to young enlisted people and all the services to get them to understand that failure is a learning opportunity. It's not a dagger in the heart, and don't be afraid or ashamed to try, because if you don't, you'll never know what your true potential is. So with the cadets, we close with that last part from the movie Madagascar that basically said, OK, success comes with a price. Be aware and accept it.   Ted Robertson  47:23 All right, we've got to close it out here, but recap, if you would one more time that message that you want cadets to leave here with from having heard you speak.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  47:32 You are now a living, breathing, viable, productive part of our United States Air Force. You bring talents that are unique. Apply them, but understand that they're all very transitory, and you have part of a larger community. If you stick with a community rather than the “I did,” “I want,” I have,” you'll go a long way.   Ted Robertson  47:54 All right, and stepping outside of that very briefly for your final thoughts, what would you like to leave listeners with today.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  48:01 Be proud of the young men and women who are in our military now, not just those at the Air Force Academy. You know, our whole military structure has changed over the years. You know, it's a dynamic world. You got to be flexible and embrace change. We're so reluctant to change. Change is fine, except when you try to change me, is the old saying, but we all have to change. We have to be part of the world in which we live.     Ted Robertson  48:26 Gen. Mechenbier, I want to thank you from all of us for being here sharing those leadership lessons of yours and a lifetime of service that will continue to shape others — future leaders — for a very, very long time to come. We appreciate you very much.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  48:43 Thank you much.   Ted Robertson  48:44 Our final conversation brings us to leadership at the strategic level, where decisions affect institutions, alliances and the nation itself. Capt. Charles Plumb, welcome to the podcast today, sir.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  48:56 Thanks, Ted. Appreciate being here.   Ted Robertson  48:59 It is a privilege to have you. You retired as a Navy captain in 1991 and you have not slowed down, not one inch since. We're going to talk a little bit about the work that you're doing in some very interesting spaces. And what informs all of that. Naval Academy, Class of '64.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  49:15 Yep, the Great Class of '64.     Ted Robertson  49:17 The great —that's how you express class pride?   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  49:20 Everybody knows the Great Class of '64.   Ted Robertson  49:23 So you are an Annapolis man.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  49:25 I am, in fact.   Ted Robertson  49:26 No doubt. And a pilot. You flew F-4 Phantoms, and you are a Vietnam-era pilot. You spent most of your time over North Vietnam. Sometimes you got sent to South Vietnam, depending on what was going on. But you said that you have flown 74 combat missions.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  49:45 Actually 74 and a half, Ted. I have one more takeoff and I have landings.   Ted Robertson  49:50 We should remember that, because it's a very important part of your life we haven't talked about yet. Since you got out of captivity, and then you retired a few years later, you became a published author and a speaker, and as such, you have been to every state, several countries, 5,000 presentations you've delivered in the leadership and character development space. Is there any reason you should not be here at NCLS?   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  50:24 Well, I appreciate that. You know, this is a great symposium, and I'm really proud to contribute to it.   Ted Robertson  50:32 Captain, you are a former POW.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  50:36 Yes, I was shot down on my 75th mission and captured, tortured and spent the next 2,103 days in communist prison camps.   Ted Robertson  50:49 You said you got moved around a lot.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  50:52 We did. I was in six different camps, and some of those camps more than once. We never really understood why. We kind of suspected that they wanted to try to deny any fraternization with their guards, and they wanted to keep us on our toes, because they recognized that being military guys, we were going to have leadership, and we were going to have organization and community and we were going to organize, to fight them, and they didn't want that. So they moved us around and kind of shuffled us up, which didn't work. We always had a military organization in every camp that I ever went to.   Ted Robertson  51:31 You found ways to support each other. You found ways to have a leadership structure, even in captivity.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  51:39 We were all fighter pilots or air crews and most of us were we, you know, we had 10 Air Force Academy grads from '64 in five Naval Academy grads from '64 and so we had in a lot of other academy grads. I don't remember how many, but probably 70 total academy grads. And so, you know, we were, we were dedicated. We were lifers. We were, you know, we were very focused guys, which helped out a lot that we knew a lot about military leadership.   Ted Robertson  52:11 You grew up in the Midwest, and you married a Midwestern girl.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  52:15 I did, my high school sweetheart the day after I graduated from Annapolis, we got married in the chapel, and my buddies were holding up their swords as we came out of the chapel. So it was a beautiful day.   Ted Robertson  52:27 Let's go back to how you found your way to the Naval Academy.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  52:32 I was a farm kid from Kansas. Never seen the ocean, never been out of the four states of Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri. Never been in an airplane, and I needed an education. Found that the Naval Academy offered me an education.   Ted Robertson  52:50 Outside of Air Force Academy circles, you probably already know that we think of, you know, salty sea dog sailors when we think of people going in the Navy, but you chose aviation.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  53:02 I did. As a kid, I would see these Piper Cubs fly over and I was fascinated by flight, and wondered if I'd ever be able to ride in an airplane. That was my thought when I was a kid. I didn't have any hopes of ever being a pilot, you know, let alone a fighter pilot. That was, I was out of the realm. Nobody, as I grew up, ever told me that I could do that, or I should do that, or, you know, it would be a hope of mine to ever pilot an airplane. But I went to the Naval Academy and found out that was one of the options, and I took advantage of that option.   Ted Robertson  53:43 Yeah, and it led you, of course, to over North Vietnam, and the rest is that part of your history   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  53:51 Launched on the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk on my wife's birthday, the 5th of November, wave goodbye to her, and promised her I'd be back in eight months. I didn't make it.   Ted Robertson  54:04 Hard. Very hard story to hear. Let's talk about all of that informing your presentation now, again, 5,000 of these delivered in the leadership and character development space, but you talk a lot about, in your presentation — and you keynoted here at NCLS — the mental game side of this, the integrity, the choices that you have to make, and character that sort of frames all of that.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  54:38 My message to the cadets, and really to most of my audiences, is around challenge and adversity. And I tell the cadets that they work awfully hard trying to get a degree. They study, they go to computers, they read books all to get a degree. And what I point out to them is that more important than the degree that they will get from the Air Force Academy is a character that they build while they are here. That the integrity first, you know, is part of their motto. And if, in fact, they can learn and live that integrity, if they can learn and live the commitment that they have, if they can learn in and live these kind of ethereal things, the things that you can't measure, things you can't define, the things that, you know, that crop up in your in your mind, in the back of your mind, are more important than the lessons they learn from a computer. And so that's kind of my message.   Ted Robertson  55:49 You know, we're in a leadership laboratory here. The art and the science is character development. And you're talking about a kind of character that leads people to make good decisions and make those decisions with integrity in mind. How did that play into your captivity and getting you through that?   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  56:09 You know, of course, I studied leadership at the Naval Academy, and I think that my period of experience more than teaching me anything, it validated what I had learned. And the whole idea — and I love the fact that this is called, you know, the Character and Leadership Symposium, because lots of times you see leadership without character, that's a negative kind of leadership. And if a leader does not have character, he doesn't last very long, and he's not very effective. And so if you can keep your character up front, the leadership can follow easily. And that's pretty much what we had in the prison camps. Several of the qualities of leadership that I promote are the things that almost came natural in a prison camp. First of all, we had to find a focus, a reason. We had to find, you know — and that was developed by our leadership in the prison camp. Return with honor — that was our motto, return with honor. And we all rallied around that.   Ted Robertson  57:22 So all of that said, you're standing here in front of a really big group of people as a keynote speaker, lot of cadets, mostly cadets, yeah.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  57:31 Now there were cadets. I'm speaking on a panel with Ed Mechenbier, my good buddy, and we're on a panel with mostly cadets. The first presentation, the keynote was by invitation only. So there were a number of civilians in the audience, number of cadets. There were Naval Academy midshipmen in my audience today. And we had ROTC people, and, you know, from all over the country. So it was quite a wide audience.   Ted Robertson  58:04 Quite a wide audience. And so if we were just focusing on what you leave with cadets, what do you want them to take away from their experience today?   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  58:15 I hope they understand my message, that more important than the degree that they graduate with, is the character that they graduate with, and the importance of the integrity that that they learned here, because that was vital in the prison camp, is integrity. We had to have each other's back, and when we when we finally were released, we refused to be released until all the sick, injured and enlisted men had gone home, and it was a question of integrity, is a question that this is the right thing to do. It's not the easy thing to do. Largely, the integrity thing to do is not the easiest thing to do, and that's what I wanted to leave with the cadets. In addition, I want them to know that regardless of what situation they're in, they still have a choice, and their choice is the way they respond to the surrounding adversity situation that they're in.   Ted Robertson  59:21 An Annapolis grad of '64, Midwest kid from Kansas who makes it into the cockpit, and like you said, 74 and a half flights, then some time in captivity, then to a published author with thousands of presentations all over the country, and some in in other countries. What final thoughts would you like to leave today, sir?   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  59:47 Well, you know, I think I've already told you, you know, you're a great interviewer, Ted, and I appreciate your questions. I think, finally, this whole idea of self-determination and I think that we all, and not just the cadets, but graduates and families and business people, families. You know that we all have choices, and sometimes when we deny the choice and give up that ability to make our life better for ourselves. And you know, we do it sometimes even when we're not even thinking about it. It's just automatic to blame somebody else for the problem, and in doing so, we give away that choice.   Ted Robertson  1:00:34 Don't give away the choice. Yeah, build that character and stick by your integrity all the time. Capt. J. Charles Plumb, what a privilege it is to meet you, sir. Glad that you're here at NCLs and keynoting like you are, and I do hope that our paths cross again.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  1:00:52 Ted, thank you very much. I appreciate your willingness to tell my story. Thanks for that.   Ted Robertson  1:00:57 You're welcome, sir. Thank you. Ted Robertson Close As we've heard throughout these conversations, courage isn't a single moment. It's a lifelong practice, from cadets just beginning their journey to leaders shaped by combat and crisis to senior commanders responsible for forces and futures. Character is tested when certainty disappears and it's revealed by how we choose to lead. That's the challenge of the National Character and Leadership Symposium, and it's a challenge that extends far beyond these walls. I'm Ted Robertson, thank you for joining me for our Long Blue Line Podcast Network coverage of the 33rd National Character and Leadership Symposium. This podcast was recorded on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026.         The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation      

The battlefields were not the only places that threatened death during World War I. As conflict raged on and supply lines tightened, the allied powers of France, Britain, and Italy faced a fundamental problem: keeping their soldier and civilian populations safe from starvation. Wheat at War: Allied Economic Cooperation in the Great War (Oxford UP, 2025) describes how, faced with this immense challenge, the Allies devised a multilateral institution--the Wheat Executive--to do what no state could do alone. Rosella Cappella Zielinski and Paul Poast examine the difficult considerations made by the allied powers when ceding authority to an international body that would make decisions for them. Beyond successfully managing wheat shipping and distribution, they argue, the Wheat Executive proved to have significant influence in the evolving landscape of interstate cooperation. As a case study, the Wheat Executive improves our understanding of international institutional design, the importance of commodities during wartime, economic coordination amongst wartime coalition members, and the legacies of international cooperation during the First World War. As one of the first great experiments in supranationalism, the Allies' management of wheat while at war provides lessons about the emergence of international organizations and their contours. Jobie Turner is a military historian who studies logistics in warfare.  His most recent work is Feeding Victory:  Innovative Logistics from Lake George to Khe Sanh, 1755-1968 which discuss the impact of technology on transportation across three centuries of warfare.  Jobie is a retired Colonel in the USAF and a pilot for United Airlines email: here  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/food

Colonel David Hunt joins Chad to talk about the start of military operations in Iraq as well as the questions he has as Operation Epic Fury moves forward.

The hour is focused solely on the attacks on Iran at the start of Operation Epic Fury over the weekend with excellent contributions from both Colonel David Hunt and Aaron David Miller.

We deviate a bit with Overrated, Underrated or Properly Rated and a visit with Chip Scoggins, but much of the show is devoted to the attacks on Iran kicking off Operation Epic Fury over the weekend. We get excellent contributions on that topic and the many ways it will impact the world from Colonel David Hunt, Aaron David Miller and Patrick De Haan.

NASA says complex organic compounds on Mars are becoming harder to explain through non-biological chemistry alone. Government UFO disclosure continues as Pete Hegseth discusses file releases and allegations surface that millions of UAP-related documents were wiped. A former Marine describes an unexplained encounter on a restricted military base, while Bigfoot sounds in South Dakota and a Pennsylvania Thunderbird celebration keep cryptid reports alive. We also examine alien ancestry claims, the two-year sealed Earth experiment, mysterious deaths in India, a chilling casket discovery in Kenya, and the haunted legacy of the Liberace Museum. Join Dave, Chachi, The Colonel, and Greg “The Paranormal Detective” Lawson for this week's Paranormal 60 News covering UAP updates, Mars discoveries, cryptids, ancient anomalies, and global high strangeness. It Came From Beyond Edition - The Paranormal 60 News PLEASE SUPPORT THE ADVERTISERS THAT SUPPORT OUR SHOWLove & Lotus Tarot with Winnie Schrader - ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://lovelotustarot.com/Visit Minnesota's premiere haunted hotel, The Palmer House -https://www.thepalmerhousehotel.com/ OR Call Now and Book a Room -320-351-9100⁠⁠⁠⁠ #Paranormal #UFO #UAP #MarsLife #LifeOnMars #NASA #Bigfoot #Sasquatch #Cryptids #Thunderbird #AlienOrigins #GovernmentDisclosure #UFOFiles #HighStrangeness #Unexplained #MilitaryEncounters #Interstellar #MysteryNews #Supernatural #ParanormalPodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send a textTrey Morriss is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel with thirty-one years of service, serving and supporting the legendary Eighth Air Force. His love of aviation runs deep―shaped by stories of his grandfather and uncle, who flew combat missions over Europe in World War II. Early in his career, Morriss took part in a top-secret, record-setting strike that opened Operation Desert Storm―the longest combat mission of its time and a turning point in modern warfare. He later flew 32 combat missions over Iraq and Afghanistan following 9/11.  He's a decorated veteran and sought-after keynote speaker. He lives in Louisiana with his wife, and they cherish time with their five adult children and three grandchildren.Instagram: @treymorrissColonel Morriss's book, Doom 34: https://www.amazon.com/DOOM-34-Firsthand-Top-Secret-Operation/dp/1493093614If you are interested in being a guest on the podcast, please email us at info@vsompodcast.com, or follow us on social media: @veteranstateofmindSupport the show

Colonel Grant Newsham explores why economic intertwining will not prevent war, noting China's willingness to endure domestic hardship for national rejuvenation and the failure of Western appeasement strategies to deter aggression. 31949

Colonel Grant Newsham describes how China attacked Baltimore through economic subversion and fentanyl, detailing US policy failures that welcomed China into the WTO despite missed requirements and systematic exploitation of American industry. 1

Colonel Grant Newsham explains Xi Jinping's psychological warfare tactics and mal-marketing strategies designed to make Americans dependent while China telegraphs military expansion through bases like Djibouti surrounding USinterests globally. 2

Colonel Grant Newsham discusses Document 9, which targets Western ideas for destruction, alongside China'smassive military buildup and the devastating political consequences of a potential fall of Taiwan for Americancredibility. 41905 Qing Dynasty

(00:00-15:10) Joined by voice of the Blues, Chris Kerber. Loved every second of that game yesterday. Binnington played incredibly under pressure. No idea what Binnington's future is with the Blues. Looking ahead to what should be a meaningful and impactful trade deadline. What this Olympics meant to some of the Blues involved.(15:18-30:57) Navy caps on the road. Ramon Urias, welcome to St. Louis. Doug is taking limited questions. Bring Brandon Crawford home. Call of UCLA's full court dash to beat Illinois over the weekend. Mick Cronin still somehow upset. Anger on the fan page. Are tots the most patriotic of potatoes?(31:07-52:53) Joined by Gabe DeArmond of Power Mizzou. Mizzou coming off their toughest week on the schedule with Vanderbilt and Arkansas. Gabe talks about the loss and Jacob Crews' downturn in SEC play. Colonel thinks 2-2 (20-11) will get the Tigers in. Gotta give people a deal to get them to spend money these days.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.