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Crosspoint Highlights: Big ideas, short episodes … for your busy schedule Guests: Joshua and Lindsey Bowen From Episode 54: “The importance of small group fellowship.” Listen to the full episode here. Highlight Summary: In this Crosspoint Highlight, Joshua and Lindsey Bowen reflect on the lasting impact of biblical community, mentorship, and servant leadership during their time in the military. They share how their early experiences in a diverse OCF small group at Fort Carson shaped their spiritual maturity and inspired them to pour into cadets at West Point years later. From late-night Bible studies to one-on-one mentoring moments, Josh and Lindsey offer a deeply personal look at how fellowship across generations can transform lives and prepare future military leaders for both spiritual and professional challenges. Find an OCF group near you Find out more about Christian mentoring Key Takeaways: Intergenerational fellowship fosters growth: Being surrounded by older couples in their Fort Carson group helped Josh and Lindsey mature spiritually and understand what Christlike leadership looks like in marriage, military life, and beyond. Mentorship happens in everyday moments: Watching how mentors cared for their spouses, shared struggles, and modeled vulnerability left a deep and lasting impression on the Bowens—one they now strive to replicate. Leading means serving: As small group leaders at West Point, Josh and Lindsey invest time, energy, and emotional bandwidth into cadets—not just during Bible study, but through desserts, coffee chats, and showing up when it matters most. Spiritual black holes are real: Without proactive preparation, cadets can find themselves spiritually adrift after graduation. Josh shares candidly how his own post-academy faith stagnated, and how he now helps cadets plan ahead to avoid the same pitfall. God equips those He calls: Lindsey never saw herself in women's ministry or spiritual mentorship—until someone invited her. Now she thrives in that space, walking alongside young women facing challenges she never imagined when she was in their shoes.
A HUGE RAID IN COLORADO SPRINGS FINDS DRUGS, GUNS AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS And some members of the military from Fort Carson, either partying or working as security at what is being called an "underground" nightclub, though I'm not sure exactly what that means. More than 100 people who are in the country illegally were swept up in the raid that also found drugs and guns. This was a DEA investigation in cooperation with ICE, so it wasn't JUST about finding people in the country illegally. I've got someone from the DEA on today at 2:30 to find out more details.
Travis Wilson is a Native of Wichita Falls, Texas and has lived in various other states to include Alaska and Oregon. In 1993 Travis Graduated from East Anchorage High. He attended Wentworth Military Academy for one year before deciding to enter the Army in 1995. In 2001 Travis left the Army to attend Boise State University and study Exercise Science. In 2003 He reentered the Army to attend the Special Forces Qualification Course. At the end of 2005 Travis Graduated the Q course and was stationed at Fort Carson's 10th Special Forces Group.
Register here for the live online event to learn about ‘Cleveland's Amazing Cash Flow Opportunities' on Thursday 3/20. Keith discusses the potential elimination of property tax, highlighting its impact on home affordability, rent stability, population influx, and retiree financial relief. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis supports a constitutional amendment requiring 60% voter approval to abolish property tax. Hear about the broader economic implications, including the potential for increased sales tax and widened wealth inequality. GRE Coach, Naresh, analyzes the impact of federal layoffs on the DC housing market, predicting a decline in home values and increased private sector job opportunities. Both emphasize the importance of the BRRRR strategy for real estate investors. Show Notes: GetRichEducation.com/545 For access to properties or free help with a GRE Investment Coach, start here: GREmarketplace.com GRE Free Investment Coaching:GREmarketplace.com/Coach Get mortgage loans for investment property: RidgeLendingGroup.com or call 855-74-RIDGE or e-mail: info@RidgeLendingGroup.com Invest with Freedom Family Investments. You get paid first: Text FAMILY to 66866 Will you please leave a review for the show? I'd be grateful. Search “how to leave an Apple Podcasts review” For advertising inquiries, visit: GetRichEducation.com/ad Best Financial Education: GetRichEducation.com Get our wealth-building newsletter free— text ‘GRE' to 66866 Our YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/c/GetRichEducation Follow us on Instagram: @getricheducation Complete episode transcript: Automatically Transcribed With Otter.ai Keith Weinhold 0:01 Welcome to GRE. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, there's a proposal to eliminate the property tax. Is a Washington DC real estate crash upon us, then a terrific guest and I are talking about the future of interest rates in inflation. And finally, an event you won't want to miss all today on get rich education. Speaker 1 0:23 Since 2014 the powerful get rich education podcast has created more passive income for people than nearly any other show in the world. This show teaches you how to earn strong returns from passive real estate investing in the best markets without losing your time being a flipper or landlord. Show Host Keith Weinhold writes for both Forbes and Rich Dad advisors and delivers a new show every week since 2014 there's been millions of listener downloads of 188 world nations. He has a list show guests and key top selling personal finance author Robert Kiyosaki, get rich education can be heard on every podcast platform, plus it has its own dedicated Apple and Android listener phone apps build wealth on the go with get rich education podcast, sign up now for the get rich education podcast, or visit get rich education.com Corey Coates 1:09 You're listening to the show that has created more financial freedom than nearly any show in the world. This is get rich education. You Keith, Keith Weinhold 1:25 welcome to GRE from Fort Carson, Colorado to Carson City, Nevada and across 188 nations worldwide. I'm Keith Weinhold, and you are in for another wealth building week at get rich education. I don't like to predict interest rates, because it's really hard to do. But it does get interesting today, because our guest says that he will with his tight read on the economy, this is a unique time, perhaps in my entire life, where we have more new policies shaping the economy and real estate. Then, anytime I can remember, policies are made by politicians, but we don't get into the politics here, rather the policies and how it affects you and her. Any of these policies spicier than this one from earlier this month. Be mindful that this voice is from a person that made his name as a real estate investor. Donald Trump 2:29 I also have a message tonight for the incredible people of Greenland. We strongly support your right to determine your own future, and if you choose, we welcome you into the United States of America. We need Greenland for national security and even international security, and we're working with everybody involved to try and get it. But we need it really for international world security. And I think we're going to get it one way or the other. We're going to get it. We will keep you safe. We will make you rich, and together, we will take Greenland to heights like you have never thought possible before. It's a very small population, but very, very large piece of land and very, very important. Keith Weinhold 3:17 Yes, the long time New York City Real Estate Investor there has gone well beyond Gotham now with plans to expand America's real estate empire, if you will. Is this imperialism or America First policy? Or is it abject comedy? I guess that it could be all three. I'll let you decide. Well, the federal policy shakeups like that, also what they seem to be doing are emboldening others, including at the state level, where Florida, interestingly, recently proposed eliminating the property tax, taking it to zero. What is property tax free? Real Estate coming to you as well. Let's look at the prospects for this and what the effects would be of eliminating the Property Tax with some things that you probably never thought about before, and yes, your mind might shoot ahead. You might anticipate saving 1000s in lost tax dollars every year, even saving over 10,000 bucks a year per single family home in high tax areas. And you know, property taxes, sharpest critics, they say you have got to get rid of this thing, because you basically just endlessly rent your house from the government, and the rent goes up every year, and so therefore it's like forever rent that you have to pay. What's even worse is that the. Amount of property tax you pay is based on your homes or your apartment buildings market value. Well, because the government prints so much money and creates inflation that pumps up all the housing values, many of which are fake, inflated gains, and then your property tax goes up based on this phantom gain. And we've really seen that over the last five years, both real gains and Phantom gains. And then, plus, of course, each full dollar that you earn from your work right now is already taxed, say, down to just 70 cents, is what you've got left over. Well, then your 70 cents is further whittled down by property tax and all the other taxes that you have to pay out of that currently, all 50 states have a property tax every one of them, and you might already know that property taxes, they're basically highest in really two main places. When we look at property tax as a percent of your income. Those places are Texas and the Northeast, where they're upwards of 4% even 5% in fact, it's more than 5% of your income every year that goes to property tax in the state of Maine, but it's 4% or more in a number of states. And of course, if you don't pay them every single year until you die, the government will repossess your home from you. And almost 5 million Americans lose their home every year, many of them to this tax foreclosure. And in the US, the property owner pays the property tax, of course, but effectively, renters do too, because as landlords, we pass it along to tenants. It's embedded in that market rent amount, all right. Well, can we end the property tax? Well, former presidential candidates like Ron Paul and Herman Cain have proposed it. They didn't get elected. Texas has discussed it a lot, but yeah, it's Florida that has newly and boldly proposed eliminating the property tax. And like falling dominoes, if this gets abolished in one state, it increases the chances that more will follow. And Florida is a big state, the third largest in population. Well, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis came out and said this, taxing land and property is the more oppressive and ineffective form of taxation. That's what he said. Now let me tell you why he says that before we look at the chances that property tax will be eliminated, DeSantis says it's oppressive, because look see, you can personally dodge your income tax by making your paycheck smaller, although that might not be desirable, you sure could, and you can certainly avoid sales tax by consuming less, but see there is no escape from property tax. That's the oppression that's being referred to here. Let me tell you where we're at with eliminating the property tax, and then what the absolutely Titanic impacts of this would be DeSantis goes on to say, property taxes are local, not state. So we'd need to do a constitutional amendment which requires 60% of voters to approve it, to eliminate them, which DeSantis supports, even to reform or lower them. Right? But he goes on to say this, and here we go. We should put the boldest amendment on the ballot that has a chance of getting that 60% that's the end of the quote. Okay, so that's what it's going to take to eliminate property tax in Florida, where, if it happens, it could be a model for other states to follow, like we're seeing a little bit with the zero income tax states. All right, here's what I think would happen if they were eliminated. First home affordability would massively improve, skyrocketing property values. So many more people could afford the lowered monthly payment without property tax making prices soar, especially the values of lower price to median priced homes. They could really bring those into the affordability range, and they are the exact ones that make the best rental properties. What about rents? If property taxes went to zero, rents would stay stable. Landlords would do little or nothing to drop them. That's just how it works when people are already used to paying a certain price. Also population influx to the affected area. I mean that population influx that already works for states in attracting residents. That have zero state income tax, it would with property tax too. I mean that would clearly be desirable for people to own property tax free homes, especially in the beginning, before this settles in and those home prices soar. Also, retiree financial relief would take place. Those people on fixed incomes would really be helped. But you know what would not happen with governments slashed property tax revenue. They couldn't reduce their spending proportionally. I have no faith that they could. They would have to get their income from elsewhere and see shifting away from property tax over to beefing up your sales tax, that would hurt poor people the most. For example, in Florida's case, it's been studied, and they discovered they would have to increase their sales tax from the current 6% up to 12% to maintain the same services. Can you imagine 12% sales tax, and another effect of abolished property tax is that wealth inequality would widen because the property owners are the ones that benefit the most. So those are the big effects. But look, there are more problems eliminating property tax, that means the areas would need to find another way to pay for schools and roads and parks and local services like police and emergency responders. Maybe some of that stuff could be privatized. But if the tax, if that were just shifted away from local government and that went toward state and federal government, well, then local control would be lost. So that is a really undesirable side effect. But as a real estate investor, come on. The prospect of an abolished property tax that has got to excite you. I wouldn't count on it happening anytime soon, but now you know more about the prospects for it happening and what the impact would be with an elimination of property tax. coming up soon. Here on the GRE podcast, what the Bible says about money when Pastor John joins us, it's going to be a show unlike any we've ever done before, and maybe will ever do again. You might not be a Christian or religious at all, but this is still relevant to you, because the Bible is the top selling book in the history of the world, and it has an indelible influence on the people around you. The book the Bible, says some things that make you wonder if wealth accumulation is even virtuous. We're gonna face those verses head on and get pastor John's insights there. That's a really anticipated show. I'm also gonna ask him what other religions have to say about money. Also some well known guests down the road here on the show, including the get rich education debut of Laurel Langemeier and more. LAUREL she was known as the millionaire maker since back in the days when a million dollars was actually a lot of money. To be sure that you don't miss these upcoming episodes on your pie catching device, hit the Follow button right now while it's on your mind and you'll be all set. Let's meet with this week's guest. This week's guest is a familiar one, because he's on Team GRE, yeah, it's an in house chat with our super helpful investment coach. What he does is he helps you devise your big picture real estate strategy all the way down to connecting you with the exact right property addresses. He does that free at GRE marketplace business speaker Jim Rohn said, formal education will make you a living. Self education will make you a fortune. He's got both with an MBA from Duke. Then he worked at both banks and financial publishing companies before landing here at GRE in 2021 but importantly, for years now, he's been an active real estate investor, just like you and I are. Hey, a big welcome back to the show. Naresh Vista, Naresh Vissa 14:13 hey, thanks for that wonderful, wow, amazing introduction, and thanks for having me back on. It's been a few months. Keith Weinhold 14:20 Yeah, we haven't heard from you since October here. So what's going on in the real estate and economics world? From your vantage point, everyone's got a different slant on it based on what they see. Naresh Vissa 14:32 There's a lot happening. As you know, Keith and our listeners, I'm not sure if they're following, but we're seeing tremendous, tremendous changes in the financial markets in general, and the financial markets include the real estate markets, and the impact is going to be widespread for better or for worse, I think, for better over the long haul. So what I'm talking about right now is, for example, interest rates, mortgage rates, home value. Use inflation, those are all very important parts of the economy. And we have this new government department called Doge, the Department of government efficiency. And Doge has gone in. And I loved your newsletter where you talked about Doge a little bit, and the walk that I took, as you called it, the awkward walk with a box full of your stuff or something like that. The sure, because I've been fired before. Yep, yep, it's happened to me once too. I took the awkward walk with the box of of random stuff. Yeah, lots and lots of of layoffs are happening within the government. The private sector continues to lay off people as well, like it usually does, and this is a big deal. The reason why it's a big deal is because aggregate demand. I don't want to say it will be killed, but we're already seeing an impact on home values in places that are very dependent on government workers, places like Washington, DC, Virginia, Maryland, there's actually a 10% year on year decline in home values in those areas. I don't know if you knew about that, Keith, but that's been the impact, and that's based off of the February statistics, the February numbers. So we've seen a decline, and that decline will likely spread to other areas that are dependent on federal workers, or where federal workers make up a good chunk of the local economy. I bring this up because we have providers in Maryland who we work with, who GRE has worked with for three or four years now, and they're seeing somewhat of a decline in the area as well. Because just you don't have to work in DC to be a federal worker. You can work in a major city like Baltimore or in a suburb in between Baltimore and BC. So we're seeing somewhat of a decline in our investors have all of a sudden gotten interested in investment property in the Maryland area because they knew, hey, we know GRE works in the Baltimore operates in the Baltimore area, and just want to scope out some homes. So previously, two years ago, three years ago, when list price was not negotiable. Now all of a sudden, the sellers are open to offers when there was no budging on offers three years ago. So I bring this up because the Department of government efficiency, I believe, to my knowledge, we're up to six figures. More than 100,000 workers have either been laid off or taken the buyout package, so we're somewhere in the six figures of people who got that now, they do have eight months severance. But with that being said, you would think that most humans, they'll immediately start looking for the next job. They're not gonna just enjoy for eight months and then scramble to find that next job. So this is having a widespread impact on housing, home values on it's going to have an impact on interest rates. We're seeing that interest rates are coming down, and if there's any sign, which I don't think there is, but if there's any sign of a recession, if there's any sign of bleeding, then the Fed is going to start cutting interest rates again. So I think we saw peak interest rates a few months ago, those interest rate values, those mortgage rates, aren't going to be going back up anytime soon. We know that almost it's almost a fact that we know that, because the Fed is not going to be raising rates, the most punishing thing they can do is just keep rates steady for a long period of time. But I didn't anticipate that later this year, they're going to start cutting again because of these widespread mass layoffs. Keith Weinhold 18:32 And of course, Washington, DC is essentially ground zero for these federal layoffs. Federal jobs account for about 25% of DC jobs. You the listener, probably find it to be no surprise that that is the highest in the nation. But of course, this can also affect private companies, those private companies that have federal government contracts as well, and Naresh, before we open it up to the nation, we just think about DC. Do we have any idea of what properties are going to be hurt the most? A lot of times you might think of that in the case of what is the income range of these federal employees that are being laid off now, a lot of them are probationary employees, meaning that they're in their first year of employment. Naresh Vissa 19:19 Well, it's a huge mix keep. That's a really good question, because I think a broker, like a real estate broker who's trying to sell will try to beef up the price and say, Oh, this doesn't affect us, and this only affects very high income folks. Well, that's the fact of the matter. Is there, if you work for the federal government, you're not necessarily ultra high income or ultra high net worth, you get the perks, and you get perks of working a government civil servant Job while taking somewhat of a lower pay. So it's actually a mix, because you have people in the first two years of employment. So the youngsters. Now, those aren't your homeowners, though, the 2223 24 those. Just say the people in their mid 20s, they're not the homeowners, they're the renters. So you can expect them to leave. They'll probably if they can't find a job, which it's going to be much harder to find a job in that DC area, they may move to Philadelphia or New York or California or wherever they can find a job. They'll just get up and move and move, and that's one of the benefits. I did that when I was in my early and mid 20s, many times where I just packed up and moved. I was more than happy to do it. So they're not your homeowners, but the homeowners are going to be the people who are getting laid off. So there are mass layoffs happening right now, and those people are homeowners, and then the people who are taking the buyout packages very likely, because they're either approaching or at retirement age, and it remains to be seen whether those people it's like a retirement gift, like, Hey, this is a great party. You know, getting eight months of free pay. Like, that's pretty amazing and happy retirement. Or maybe folks were like, they didn't say for retirement all that much, and they were planning to work another 10 years. Those are the people who could be sellers. Bottom line is, when you have this amount of mass layoffs, and we're seeing it in the data, there are more homes for sale today in that DMV area. I By the way, I used to live there. I used to live in in Maryland, great. More homes for sale today than I believe in the lab, definitely over the last five years. And it could be even over the last 15 years, to my knowledge. Keith Weinhold 21:29 And for those that don't know DMV, that means Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, that area, yep. So Naresh Vissa 21:34 there are more homes for sale, and the home values actually are now. This is a crazy thing. The home values in on average are back at 2020 levels. So basically, the peak of 2020, is what the home values are at today. And just my prediction. I don't think it takes a genius to predict this, but the layoffs are just getting started. They're just scratching the surface, and they're going to continue, because this Doge is a an 18 month program or an 18 month project. It's supposed to, it was called the Manhattan Project of our time. So they're just scratching the surface. And I'd expect home values in those areas to continue to fall. And you're gonna see it's not immediate. It's not like there are mass layoffs one day and then home values fall the next month. A lot of these effects, we won't start seeing them where the DC area won't start seeing them. 678, months down the road, Keith Weinhold 22:27 Doge is more than just a meme coin. Now our own in house investment coach, Naresh Vissa and I are talking about the state of real estate today. More we come back, including nuracious thoughts on the future direction of inflation. This is Get Rich Education. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold you know what's crazy? Your bank is getting rich off of you. The average savings account pays less than 1% it's like laughable. Meanwhile, if your money isn't making at least 4% you're losing to inflation. That's why I started putting my own money into the FFI liquidity fund. It's super simple. Your cash can pull in up to 8% returns, and it compounds. It's not some high risk gamble like digital or AI stock trading. It's pretty low risk because they've got a 10 plus year track record of paying investors on time in full every time. I mean, I wouldn't be talking about it if I wasn't invested myself. You can invest as little as 25k and you keep earning until you decide you want your money back, no weird lock ups or anything like that. So if you're like me and tired of your liquid funds just sitting there doing nothing. Check it out. Text family to 66866, to learn about freedom family investments, liquidity fund again. Text family to 6686 Hey, you can get your mortgage loans at the same place where I get mine, at Ridge lending group NMLS, 42056, they provided our listeners with more loans than any provider in the entire nation because they specialize in income properties. They help you build a long term plan for growing your real estate empire with leverage. You can start your pre qualification and chat with President Caeli Ridge personally. Start now while it's on your mind at Ridge lendinggroup.com that's Ridge lendinggroup.com Jim Rickards 24:34 this is author Jim Rickards. Listen to get rich education with Keith Weinhold, and don't quit your Daydream. Keith Weinhold 24:49 welcome back to get recidiation. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, it's an in house chat with our own GRE investment coach, Naresh Vissa. He's been talking about the fallout on DC area. Jobs with the regime shakeup that we had in the White House starting earlier this year. And Naresh, I know that you have some thoughts about what this can do to the future direction of inflation. Tell us about it. Naresh Vissa 25:12 Well, the first thing Keith is, if you look throughout history, or even your lifetime, what we saw from 2021 until today, really, because inflation is going up. I don't want to say it's going back up, but it is going up. We've seen an inflationary cycle that I've never seen in my lifetime. It's worse than any short term inflation cycle that this country has faced, at least in my lifetime. And I was born in the late 80s, let's just say 1990 and moving forward. So I bring that up because this is some pretty bad inflation that the world and that the United States has seen, and we don't need to get into all the details about how it happened or the mistakes that were made at the time when the Fed should have started raising rates, when the government should have stopped spending. That's all history. Moving forward, I'm actually very optimistic now that we've actually reached peak inflation. And when I say peak inflation, I mean during this micro cycle where inflation has gone back up from a 2.4% rate to a 3% rate. I think that's the highest we're going to get during this micro cycle. It did reach some I believe it was above 9% in 2022 yes, we're definitely not going to going to reach that. But 3% is still too high for the Federal Reserve. It's still too high for Americans. It's a major reason why Americans went to the voting boots and or the ballot boxes and made the decisions that they made because of inflation. It's the most important issue on most Americans minds. And I bring this up because I'm very optimistic that we've seen this 3% peak and that we're going to be going down moving forward because of the first half of this interview, the fact that all of a sudden, it is a sudden thing, because a lot of people weren't expecting this, I was, but a lot of people weren't expecting these mass government layoffs. And these mass government layoffs, they hit corporations. They hit private businesses. Anyone with a government contract is going to be hit anyone who was profiting off of waste, fraud, abuse, which you'll be surprised how many private and many times this is legal, like it's legal waste, it's legal abuse, and all of a sudden those checks are going to stop coming in, or the way of doing those business practices are going to stop because the government is clamping down on it. Why? Because it's taxpayer money, and taxpayers are upset. So the pullback or the elimination of waste, fraud, abuse, is definitely a good thing, but also the mass layoffs, we're going to see a decrease in aggregate demand. And when we see a decrease, I'll just say demand. I mean, that's more common, so we'll see a decline in demand. So when there's a decline in demand, what happens? Prices go down, and we're already seeing it. There's already proof of it. I already I brought up the housing market in the DMV area, and I can also tell you oil prices, for example, which is one of the main drivers of inflation, oil and gas energy prices one of the top three drivers, along with government spending. So you got mass layoffs, which will kill a lot of that aggregate demand, you have the oil, gas and energy, and then the reduction in government spending. So all that combined is going to lower inflation, going back to the energy prices, oil is down for really since the inauguration. That trend should continue, given the policy change, and that drives it drives inflation, it drives deflation, it drives pricing, because any good that you need, it's probably going to be transported with the use of energy the microphone you're using, Keith, how was it shipped? Maybe in a truck, and the truck is powered by fuel, or maybe something was sent in an airplane or in an actual ship. All that requires energy and fuel. So if you can lower energy costs, then we're going to see a continued decline in inflation, and energy costs continue to fall, continue to plummet. So I think this is good for inflation. Yes, it is. There is pain. We talked the first entire half of this episode on layoffs. Layoffs are they're painful. Taking that Walk of Shame is painful. There is going to be pain. But at the same time, remember, there are more than 10 million available private sector jobs, and we already have more than a million jobs that are opening up as a result of investment within the United States since January, 20 of this year. We have companies like Apple. We have Taiwan, semiconductor, Eli Lilly, the list goes on and on and on, of major corporations, big corporations, mid sized companies, who are opening up more operations within the United States. So the private sector jobs, which are really the innovative, long lasting jobs, they are growing there is just a tremendous. To opportunity, especially for young people. If I was young again, I wouldn't want to work for the government. I'd want to go work for one of these companies, where they're essentially going to be recruiting and begging youngsters to come work for them Keith Weinhold 30:12 to corroborate nourishes lower inflation expectations. Since the beginning of the year, we've had a fairly sharp decrease in bond yields now. GRE listeners know by now that mortgage rates somewhat move with Jerome Powell's federal funds rate, but they're more closely tied to bond yields, specifically the yield on the 10 year T note. Okay, so then what makes the 10 year go lower? Hence, mortgage rates along with them, that is lower inflation expectations in a slowing economy. And another reason that bond yields and hence mortgage rates with them, fall, is when people sell stocks and make a flight to safety into bonds, that pushes up bond prices and lowers bond yields. So again, those are two factors that move bond yields and, resultantly, mortgage rates. And that's what has been happening. Naresh Vissa 31:08 absolutely. And the important thing to remember something you touched on and what I talked about earlier, which is, yes, there is going to be a reduction in federal government and federal government jobs, and I think this is going to pass on to states as well. I think many states, in fact, I know that many states, even blue states, are taking a look at their books and saying, hey, you know what? We should be making cuts too. Because states, they operate on much tighter budgets, whereas the federal government, they basically have access to a printing press. State governments do not so the point that I'm making here is that, yes, it's painful. We're going through some pain right now. The DMV area is going through some pain. The stock market has gone through some pain. The Crypto markets have gone through some pain. Everyone's gone through some pain, but they say no pain, no gain, and the jobs are being transferred, as I brought up earlier, from the government sector to the private sector, and the private sector is where we can see tremendous, tremendous growth. Look at GRE for example, we're a private company, and we've seen tremendous growth, right? Tremendous growth in just innovation and and our services and our offerings. Now, imagine a bigger company that, and how much growth they can have. I think overall, I'm very optimistic and about inflation coming down, hitting that 2% target by the end of this year. In fact, I think it'll hit that 2% target a few months before the end of the year. And once we hit that target, then the Fed is going to start cutting rates again, and there's a chance that they may even start cutting rates before we hit that 2% target. I don't think they should. I thought they made a mistake doing that last year when they started cutting, when inflation hit 2.4% I think or two and a half percent, they started cutting again. I think the inflation rate has to hit actually 2% across the board, and then they can start with their gradual cutting. So if somebody asked today, hey, narration, which many do as, hey, how low do you think interest rates are going to go this year? My answer is not very low. This here, you'd have to have a cataclysmic Black Swan event, which it's called Black Swan because none of us can predict it, none of us can see it. So you'd have to have an event like that for the Fed to just basically slash rates overnight, which I don't see anytime soon. The other most popular question I've gotten this week is, are we going to go into a recession? You know, it seems like the world is falling apart and world war three and and stocks are tanking, and crypto is tanking, and this is tanking and that's tanking. This is when people told me a few weeks ago, actually. And my answer is, No, I don't think we're going to see a recession unless there's a black swan event. But I don't think so. And the reason is because of the tool that the Fed has. The Fed can cut, cut, cut. That's one of the Ben now, if we were at low interest rates, if we were at, let's say, historic low interest rates, and we were in this situation today, I would be very pessimistic and say it's not looking good. But any sign of a recession, the Fed is going to act at their next meeting. They won't even need to call an emergency meeting. They'll act at their next meeting, whenever that may be, they'll act and start cutting rates, and that's going to quickly stimulate the economy and get investors like our folks, because that's going to affect the bond yields, that's going to affect the mortgage rates, and investors are going to jump in to buy real estate, and people are going to jump in to buy discounts in the stock market, et cetera, et cetera. Keith Weinhold 34:44 To your point, thank goodness the Fed has some ammo. Since the federal funds rate is about 4% they do have some ammo, and they can cut that rate down. You can imagine if the Fed funds rate was zero, like it was a few years ago, and they couldn't make cuts because they don't want to. Make it negative. So Naresh and I here talking about a number of forces that are largely outside your control. So these are the sort of things you can keep your eye on. However, there is something you can do that's very much in your control, and it happens this Thursday, where you can join Naresh and a co host on our upcoming live event. Tell us about it, Naresh. Naresh Vissa 35:22 well, like you said, it's this Thursday, we're going to be talking about the BRRRR strategy, which has become the most popular real estate investment strategy. GRE has seen in its existence. Our investors are almost hooked onto this burst strategy. We're going to talk more about it on the webinar. Burr stands for buy, rehab, rent, refinance, repeat, and we'll get into all that in the webinar. It's a great way to build equity in a property very quickly, and to use that equity towards your down payment, so that you're not paying that standard, traditional 20 to 25% down. Some of our investors have done BRRRR's in markets like Tennessee, where they put zero down, or where they even made money on the if you want to call it the flip, so we're going to be talking about them. It's specifically geared towards we've done a burr event before on the Memphis, Tennessee market. This is a burr online event that covers the Cleveland, Ohio market, and that's a market that we have not touched on much here at get rich education, we've promoted some properties here and there. It's a really popular market, and it's a state that is growing and looking if someone were to ask me, Hey, Naresh what's the one state that you think can become the next Florida. And we've covered Florida here before. I live in Florida. Politics aside, Florida has boomed Since 2020. Or so. The number of how you can judge a state's growth is by its GDP numbers. And most importantly, are people moving there? That's the key. Are people moving there? And I would say Ohio is that next state where I think many people in the Midwest are going to say, hey, you know what, I want to go move there, because they're looking to make a lot of changes that are pro growth, that are pro real estate, including potentially eliminating the property tax, school choice programs there. That's huge for kids, universal school choice, and, most importantly, potentially eliminating the income tax now, these are all long term plans. It's not happening anytime soon, but those are the visions and the goals for Ohio, and I think they're going to happen by 2030 I would expect many of these plans and policies to happen. And what that means for real estate is it's going to boom because people are going to move to Ohio because of that, there aren't a lot of states that offer no income tax. So those are my thoughts on Ohio, and we're going to talk a little bit more about that on the webinar. Keith Weinhold 37:50 Many expect Vivek Ramaswami to be the next governor of Ohio. If that comes true, Vivek has a lot of the same pro business policies that Ron DeSantis does in Florida, for example, Ohio has a high population, a stable population, America's seventh largest population, and a slow growing one with a great diversity of industry there in Ohio and Cleveland. Naresh Vissa 38:15 So Keith, we have we're approaching record numbers of registrations for this event. We still have room for several more people. So I highly recommend people go to GRE webinars.com. That's GRE webinars.com. You can register for the event. It's going to be fun. All of our webinars recently have been a ton of fun. We've gotten great feedback, a lot of engagement. I think you'll learn a lot for sure. So I'm looking forward to seeing everybody there. Keith Weinhold 38:42 Your co host, Phil, was on last week's show with us, both you and Phil, we'll be talking about this burr live event in Cleveland. I really suggest you, the listener, attend live. You might get a better Property selection that way, and you'll surely be able to ask questions, and sometimes with the other participants, they ask a really good question that you had not even thought of previously. It's our live burr event for Cleveland cash flow properties. You the listener probably remember when Phil was here last week, we gave an example of where you can get eight to one leverage and up to $500 cash flow on a single family home in Cleveland. I really recommend that you attend, and you'll be hearing more from the race, then you can sign up at GRE webinars.com We'll see if we break that record of, I think, 538 registrants last webinar that we had late last year. Do you have any last thoughts about the event? Naresh, Naresh Vissa 39:41 like I said, before our events have it's free to attend. That's the first thing. You don't need to pay us anything. But we sell out these events. So I highly recommend that people go once again to GRE webinars.com. We can only hold a certain number of people. It's a few 100 people. So we want to sell out again. We hope you can. Join us and you will not regret I think you're gonna really like the Cleveland market. We're gonna talk more about that, the Ohio market in general. And I think folks are really, really gonna like this strategy. I know a lot of you have invested in Burt, in other markets, or have been researching Burr and you really like what you hear this is the market. I think that you should pay really, really close attention to our team is really strong there. Phil's team, really strong, very honest. They're quick, they're reliable. So if you've had a bad experience doing a burr elsewhere, I think you'll have a better experience with our team over here. Keith Weinhold 40:35 We'd call it a sellout crowd, but you don't have to pay anything. We'd call it a standing room only crowd, but you don't have to stand up. You can sit down and enjoy it from the comfort of your own home this Thursday at 8pm eastern at GRE webinars.com. Thanks for coming on to the show. Naresh, Naresh Vissa 40:51 thanks a lot, Keith. Keith Weinhold 40:57 Yeah, strong insights from our own new race today, inflation expectations cut back and forth like a knife with big policy decisions on layoffs and tariffs and more tariffs on lumber and gypsum board. I mean, they are two of the major inputs that can increase the cost of homes. Gypsum board just means drywall tariffs, slow trade, less fuel is used to ship things like we touched on. And a lot of people ask, well, doesn't an economic slowdown mean lower prices, but yet don't tariffs raise prices? Well, you got to take on that from Naresh today. Now, sometimes I am asked, where is the real opportunity in today's real estate market? I've been a guest on other business shows lately, and I've been asked that question, where's the opportunity in today's real estate market? And I've got two answers. If you have more money and less time. Go with new build properties, because builders are still awarding you with massive rate buy downs, often to near a 5% mortgage rate. They are buying it down for you, but instead, if you have less money and more time, because you have to wait a few months for a rehab, then go with the burr strategy. That is the other opportunity. It's going to give you a higher return than new build in most cases, because what you get is in improbably high leverage along with strong cash flow. And those are two notions that typically don't go together. Well, on Thursday, we're bringing that to you with our live event. I mean, is there a more seasoned pro with the burr strategy in the entire nation than one co host for the event? Phil and then the mind spring of knowledge and ideas from Naresh as the other co host, and they're both active investors themselves, bringing you the opportunity in Cleveland in just a few days. And of the hundreds of registrants, not all of them attend live, but do attend live. If you can give yourself an advantage, you can be connected with available properties conducive to the burr strategy. If you're interested, or maybe you're just more interested in how it all works one last time it is GRE 's live event for Cleveland's amazing cash flow opportunities this coming Thursday, the 20th at 8pm Eastern, 5pm Pacific, healthy real world monthly rents that are more than 1% of the purchase price single family properties, many for under 100k in investor sweet spots. It's free to attend. It's from the comfort of your own home. Registration is still open at GRE webinars.com until next week. I'm your host. Keith Weinhold, don't quit your Daydream. Speaker 2 44:04 Nothing on this show should be considered specific, personal or professional advice. Please consult an appropriate tax, legal, real estate, financial or business professional for individualized advice. Opinions of guests are their own. Information is not guaranteed. All investment strategies have the potential for profit or loss. The host, is operating on behalf of get rich Education LLC exclusively. Keith Weinhold 44:28 You know, whenever you want the best written real estate and finance info, oh, geez, today's experience limits your free articles access, and it's got paywalls and pop ups and push notifications and cookies disclaimers, it's not so great. So then it's vital to place nice, clean, free content into your hands that adds no hype value to your life. That's why this is the golden age of quality newsletters, and I write every word of ours. Myself. It's got a dash of humor, and it's to the point because even the word abbreviation is too long, my letter usually takes less than three minutes to read, and when you start the letter, you also get my one hour fast real estate video. Course, it's all completely free. It's called the Don't quit your Daydream. Letter, it wires your mind for wealth, and it couldn't be easier for you to get it right now. Just text GRE to 66866, while it's on your mind, take a moment to do it right now. Text GRE to 668666. The preceding program was brought to you by your home for wealth, building, getricheducation.com.
Jeff talks with Nate Springer about how Care and Share is helping families put food on the table when it really matters. Nate also talks about his experience as Garrison Commander a Fort Carson and why food struggles even affect our service men and women. That and more on this Friday edition of Crosswalk Colorado Springs.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this special episode, we welcome two distinguished leaders, COL Caryn Vernon and COL Sabrina Thweatt, both serving as Medical Brigade Commanders. They share insights into the challenges and rewards of leadership in Army Medicine, their journey to command, & how they balance high-stakes careers with family life. From leading teams in complex environments to prioritizing personal well-being, these accomplished officers provide invaluable leadership lessons and career advice for aspiring leaders, working parents, and military professionals. A Virginia State University graduate, COL Thweatt holds M.S. degrees in Human Resource Management (University of Maryland University College) and National Resource Strategy (National Defense University). She has served as Chief of Staff, Medical Readiness Command, East, and previously commanded Troop Command, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and the 10th Field Hospital, Fort Carson. Her key roles include Deputy G-1, 44th MEDCOM, Chief, Personnel Services (Task Force 44, OIF 08-10, Iraq), J1-Chief, JTF Cap Med, Deputy G-1, Europe Regional Medical Command, Brigade S-1, 30th MED BDE (Germany), and Deputy Commander, Task Force Medical Afghanistan (Bagram). She also served as Executive Assistant to The Surgeon General and CG, U.S. Army Medical Command. Her military education includes AMEDD Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, CGSC, The Eisenhower School, and multiple HR and healthcare administration courses. Her awards include the Bronze Star Medal, Legion of Merit (1OLC), Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (4OLC), Army Commendation Medal (7OLC), Army Achievement Medal (2OLC), and multiple campaign and service medals. She is a member of the Order of Military Medical Merit and serves as the 70F Consultant to The Surgeon General. A University of Arizona graduate, COL Vernon earned an M.A. in Health Services Management (Webster University) and an M.S. in Strategic Studies. She has held diverse leadership and operational roles, including Evacuation & Treatment Platoon Leader (261st ASMB, Fort Bragg), XO, 2nd ACR Forward Surgical Team, Commander, C Co, 702nd MSB (Korea), S3, 261st ASMB (OIF 2004-2005), Ops Officer, U.S. Army Special Operations Command Sustainment BDE, J4 Health Service Support Division (Joint Staff), Plans Officer, 1st MED BDE (Fort Hood), Battalion Commander, 232nd MED BN (JBSA-Fort Sam Houston), and Commander, MEDDAC Fort Knox & Ireland Army Health Clinic. She most recently served as Director, Strategic Initiatives Group, Office of The Surgeon General before joining the 44th Medical Brigade. Her military education includes U.S. Air Force Air War College, CGSC, Medical Strategic Leadership Program, and Joint Medical Planners Course. Her awards include the Legion of Merit (2OLC), Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal (8OLC), Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal (4OLC), Army Achievement Medal (4OLC), and various campaign medals. She holds the Expert Field Medical Badge, Parachutist Badge, Army Staff Identification Badge, and Joint Staff Identification Badge. She is a member of the Order of Military Medical Merit and holds the AMEDD 9A Proficiency Designator. COL Vernon is the 70H Consultant to the Army Surgeon General. Tune in for an inspiring conversation with two outstanding commanders!Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are the guests and host's alone and do not reflect the official position of the Medical Service Corps, the Department of Defense, or the US Government. All information discussed is unclassified approved for public release and found on open cleared sources.For more episodes listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube @ Be All You Can Be MSC For more information, suggestions, or questions please contact: beallyoucanbemsc@gmail.com
Today we sit down with Joseph Zolper from the Road Home Program. Joseph discusses his military transition and how he overestimated how easy it would be. After landing a job, he found himself trying to fill a void that could only be filled through helping veterans. He eventually found the Road Home Program and all the stars aligned. Listen in as he talks about their program and the amazing impact and results they are having helping those in our veteran community.Joseph Zolper grew up in suburban Chicago, earned a BS from Illinois State University, and was commissioned from Army ROTC as an Infantry Officer in 2015. He served with 4ID, out of Fort Carson, CO, and deployed to Afghanistan in 2018-19, earning a Bronze Star and Combat Infantryman Badge. Following his military service, Joseph worked as an Operations Manager at Amazon, leading a Military Employee Resource Group. This passion for supporting the military community brought him back to Chicago to the Road Home Program, where he is the Manager of Veteran Outreach & Networking. At Road Home, he continues his service to the military community by bringing needed mental healthcare to veterans, service members, and their families.#vetsos #vetsospodcast #military #militarylife #transitioningmilitary #militarytransition #militaryspouses #militaryspouse #militaryfamily #militaryfamilies #militarycommunity #militarysupport #militaryveterans #vets #veterans #veteran #veterantransition #transitioningveterans #veteranservices #honorveterans #veteranswife #supportourveterans #veteransupport #veteransusa #veteranshelpingveterans #careerchange #transitioningservicemembers #linkedin #sof #coastguard #navy #spaceforce #marines #army #nationalguard #airforce #usmc #usmcr #us #usa #education #podcast #entertainment
This episode continues a theme of bringing on guest's who crossed paths with Alex in the Army and helped shape his perspective on human performance. SGM Jaime Espinoza's career started with troubles involving weight gain, mental health, alcohol abuse, and more. But thanks to help from several people along the way (some human performance professionals, but also just fellow soldiers) he managed to overcome those hurdles and excel professionally. He joined us to talk about how, and how lessons he learned in the process can help improve outcomes for people experiencing the same challenges. Sergeant Major Jaime Espinoza is a native of Azusa, CA. Upon enlisting in the Army in August 2006, he attended basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, followed by advanced individual training at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. After completing advanced individual training, he was awarded the MOS 35F Intelligence Analyst. His assignments, in ascending order, were with HHC 2-6 IN, 2 BDE, 1st AD, Baumholder, GE; Bravo Company, 304th MI, Fort Huachuca, AZ; HHD, 525th MP BN, Guantanamo Bay, CU; HHC, 4 BDE, 1st CAV DIV, Fort Hood; HHT, 1-9 CAV, 1st CAV DIV, Fort Cavazos; HHC, 4th BDE, 1st CAV DIV, Fort Hood; HHC, 3rd BDE, 4th ID Attached to Foundry Fort Carson, CO; Delta MI Company, 299th BEB, 4th ID, Fort Carson, CO; HHD, 1ST IO CMD Land, Fort Belvoir; United States Special Operations Command (USASOC). He has deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom(OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). He served in a variety of leadership and technical positions, including Junior Analyst, Targeting Analyst, S2 NCO, ASAS-L Master Analyst, Special Security Representative, Detainee Mail Analyst, S2 NCOIC, Senior Intelligence Sergeant, Platoon Sergeant, First Sergeant, Operations NCO, Observer Controller and Trainer, Foundry Instructor, Operations Sergeant Major. SGM Espinoza's military education includes the Joint Special Operations Forces Senior Enlisted Academy (Class 74). Other schools include the Small UAV Course, Army Basic Instructor Course, Foreign Disclosure Officer Course, Military Police Pre-Service Course, Army Space Cadre Basic Course, Master Fitness Trainer Course, Critical Thinking Course, Integrated Data Sources and Enhanced Analytics Course, Information Operations Capabilities, Application and Planning Course, Army Operations Security Program Manager / Officer Certification Level II Course, Anti-Terrorism Officer Basic Course Airborne Course and SERE course. He holds an Associate of Arts degree in Applied Sciences in Intelligence Operations from Cochise College, a Bachelor of Arts in History with a concentration in Military History from Southern New Hampshire University, and a Master of Arts in International Relations from New England College. SGM Espinoza's awards and decorations are the Meritorious Service Medal (2nd Award), Army Commendation Medal (7th Award), Army Achievement Medal (6th Award), Army Good Conduct Medal (6th Award), National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal (1 Campaign Star), Iraqi Campaign Medal (2 Campaign Stars), Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal,Humanitarian Service Medal, Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (2nd Award), Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (5th Award), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (3rd Award), NATO Medal, Luxembourg's International March of Diekirch Medal, Presidential Unit Citation (2 nd Award), Meritorious Unit Citation (3rd Award), Army Superior Unit Award. He has earned the Parachutist Badge, Army Basic Space Badge, Canadian Jump wings, Italian Parachutist Badge, German Bronze Parachutist, Polish Parachutist Jump wings and Netherlands Parachutist Jump wings, Norwegian Foot March Badge, Driver's badge with wheel and track clasps. SGM Espinoza is a recipient of the Military Intelligence Corps Association Knowlton Award.
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the eighty-first episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.' Hosted by COL Ricky Taylor, the Commander of Ops Group (COG). Today's guests are the Commanding General and Division Command Sergeant Major of the 4th Infantry Division, MG David Doyle and CSM Alex Kupratty. This episode was filmed on Veterans Day during a decisive action training environment rotation at the JRTC and aired on Thanksgiving Day. Veterans Day, celebrated annually on November 11, honors the service and sacrifices of all U.S. military veterans. The date reflects the historic moment of 11:00 AM on November 11, 1918, when the armistice ending World War I took effect—symbolizing peace after immense sacrifice. Originally known as Armistice Day, it was renamed in 1954 to recognize veterans from all conflicts. Veterans Day not only commemorates those who have served but also emphasizes the ongoing need for service to the nation. It serves as a reminder of the dedication required to protect freedom and the responsibility to support those who have borne the burden of safeguarding it. The 4th Infantry Division, also known as the “Ivy Division,” has a distinguished history dating back to its establishment in 1917 during World War I. Its nickname and patch, featuring four ivy leaves arranged in the Roman numeral “IV,” symbolize tenacity and endurance, as ivy clings to any surface, just as the division perseveres in all missions. The division's motto, “Steadfast & Loyal,” reflects its commitment to excellence and reliability in combat. Known by its call sign “Ivy,” the division has played pivotal roles in major conflicts, including the D-Day landings at Utah Beach during World War II, extensive combat operations in Vietnam, and deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, the 4th Infantry Division continues to serve as a premier mechanized infantry unit, exemplifying innovation and adaptability on the modern battlefield. In this episode, we discuss critical preparations for large-scale combat operations, emphasizing the importance of mastering fundamental warfighting skills and leader development. The team highlighted the need for proficiency in combined arms maneuver, sustainment, and reconnaissance, while stressing a return to basics like fieldcraft, effective communication, and the disciplined use of warfighting functions. With the modern battlefield presenting challenges such as contested environments and the need for reduced electromagnetic signatures, the integration of multi-domain capabilities was identified as essential for mission success and survival in combat. Leader development and training management were also prominent themes, with a focus on prioritizing training to build cohesive, resilient formations. The importance of equipping junior leaders to certify and lead their units was emphasized, particularly in addressing gaps caused by rapid promotions and personnel shortages. Prolonged field exercises were cited as effective for exposing soldiers to realistic combat conditions and building operational endurance. Additionally, we discussed adapting reconnaissance strategies to align with structural changes, encouraging creative task organization and leveraging tools like small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS) to enhance situational awareness. These insights reflect a comprehensive approach to preparing for the complex demands of LSCO. Part of S01 “The Leader's Laboratory” series. For additional information and insights from this episode, please check-out our Instagram page @the_jrtc_crucible_podcast Be sure to follow us on social media to keep up with the latest warfighting TTPs learned through the crucible that is the Joint Readiness Training Center. Follow us by going to: https://linktr.ee/jrtc and then selecting your preferred podcast format. Again, we'd like to thank our guests for participating. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and review us wherever you listen or watch your podcasts — and be sure to stay tuned for more in the near future. “The Crucible – The JRTC Experience” is a product of the Joint Readiness Training Center.
Welcome back to another episode of The Hunt, Lift, Eat Podcast! Join Luke Cox, Kerri McAllister, and our special guest, Mike Herne. Mike's a career military man stationed at Fort Carson, and despite still being on active duty, he's made a name for himself in the hunting industry. From his military background to his involvement with Black Rifle Coffee and now working in community marketing for Born Primitive, Mike's journey is a unique one.In this episode, we're diving into how Mike transitioned from the military into the hunting world, the challenges he faced, and the lessons he's learned along the way. Whether you're gearing up for your first hunting season or looking to build your own path in the outdoor space, this episode is packed with valuable insights.We'll also talk about Mike's unforgettable mountain goat hunt in the deadly Maroon Bells, the extreme terrain that pushed him to his limits, and how he overcame his fear of heights on some gnarly cliffs. Plus, we'll touch on the importance of skill development, networking, and how to break into the hunting industry.Get ready for some real talk, plenty of laughs, and a deep dive into what it really takes to make it in the hunting and outdoor space. Let's jump into it!mike_herne on InstagramWebsite: www.huntlifteat.comGive us a follow on YouTube @huntlifteatofficial and be sure to subscribe so that you do not miss an episode!Please drop a follow on IG @thehuntlifteatpodcast and @huntlifteatofficialDrop us rating and review on Apple & Spotify!
CSM Alex Kupratty, 4th ID and Fort Carson senior enlisted leader joins the NCO Journal podcast to discuss his article based on a new program he designed to bring Soldiers in to talk about their professional issues and creative ways to solve them.
Chaplain Paul Lynn retired as a Qualified U.S. Army Family Life Chaplain, which is an above-and-beyond counseling skill identifier. He was a cohort leader of eight peer chaplains in the eighteen-month Masters of Marriage and Family Therapy at Texas A&M -- Central Texas with over 500 clinically supervised hours. Since graduating in December of 2018, Chaplain Lynn has provided thousands of hours of counseling, trauma and marriage therapy, coaching, and training to military members, families, and now civilians.Additional information is that I grew up in Scranton, PA and married a girl from Hershey. We're together for 31 years in July. She has a Doctor of Ministry, DMin. from Denver Seminary in Leadership and is an Upper School Dean for Covenant Christian Academy in Harrisburg, PA. We have 5 children; three are adults now, and 2 still in school. My military career as a U.S. Army Chaplain, would be the focus of our time. We were stationed at Fort Liberty, NC, Fort Richardson, AK, Fort Carson, CO, Fort Cavazos, TX, and lastly Fort Huachuca, AZ. We are now settled back into civilian life in the greater Harrisburg, PA area.Contact Paul Lynn:1. My book, "Resilience Unlimited, How to Always Find Your Best Path," found on Amazon and every major book seller.2. My team and I at Trekk Unlimited provide Resilience Training in person or on-line, counseling or coaching, as well as Certification to be a Resilience Unlimited Trainer. My website is: www.trekkunlimited.com. "Find Your Best Path"3. I write a weekly resilience blog called RUnlimited: 4 Resilient Points in Under 300 Words. It features a resilient quote, a current news article on resilience, a resilient point to ponder from my book, and a resilient vocabulary word.Dr. Kimberley Linert Speaker, Author, Broadcaster, Mentor, Trainer, Behavioral Optometrist Event Planners- I am available to speak at your event. Here is my media kit: https://brucemerrinscelebrityspeakers.com/portfolio/dr-kimberley-linert/ To book Dr. Linert on your podcast, television show, conference, corporate training or as an expert guest please email her at incrediblelifepodcast@gmail.com or Contact Bruce Merrin at Bruce Merrin's Celebrity Speakers at merrinpr@gmail.com 702.256.9199 Host of the Podcast Series: Incredible Life Creator Podcast Available on... Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/incredible-life-creator-with-dr-kimberley-linert/id1472641267 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6DZE3EoHfhgcmSkxY1CvKf?si=ebe71549e7474663 and on 9 other podcast platforms Author of Book: "Visualizing Happiness in Every Area of Your Life" Get on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3srh6tZ Website: https://www.DrKimberleyLinert.com The Great Discovery eLearning Platform: https://thegreatdiscovery.com/kimberley
Chaplain Dawn Dimick is the first woman to study military chaplaincy in BYU's graduate program. Her journey began when she enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2013 on a prayer, and in need of money for school. She later received undergraduate degrees from Utah State University in International Studies and Religious Studies, with minors in Russian and Military Science. She went on to receive a Master's Degree in Chaplaincy from Brigham Young University, and now happily serves the Soldiers of 6-17 Aviation Combat Support Unit in Fort Carson, CO.Chaplain Jenna Carson is the first female military chaplain endorsed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.She is a chaplain and officer in the United States Air Force and currently serves as chaplain at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi where she provides spiritual care for Airmen, Guardians, Marines, and Sailors. She earned a BA from Brigham Young University and a Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School.Chaplain Dawn Dimickhttps://www.deseret.com/utah/2022/4/2/22991301/first-woman-student-military-chaplain-brigham-young-university-faith-religion-lds-church-missionChaplain Jenna Carsonhttps://www.thechurchnews.com/23283247/chaplain-latter-day-saint-military-air-force-jeremy-jaggi-jenna-carson-byu-harvard/38.9.7 Latter-day Saint Chaplains, Church Handbook https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/general-handbook/38-church-policies-and-guidelines?lang=eng#p753
Being a life-long blind person I have never served in the military and thus only understand the military way of life vicariously. There is reading about it, of course and there is talking to military people about their lifestyle. Today you get to hear a conversation not only about military life, specifically the army world, as it were, from a 20-year career soldier, Chase Spears who recently retired from the military as a major in the army. Chase grew up always interested in the news and what was going on in the world around him. He attended college, both undergraduate studies and later graduate work at universities in Tennessee. Along the way an army recruiting officer persuaded him to join the army. By that time, he was well married to a woman who, surprising to him, supported his decision to leave college and join the army. Chase's telling of this story is wonderful to hear. As you will see, he is quite the storyteller. He and I talk a great deal about the world of a soldier, and he puts a lot of things into perspective. For those of you who have served in the military much of what you hear may not be totally new. However, since Chase served in public affairs/relations duties throughout most of his army career, you may find his observations interest. Chase and I had a good free-flowing and informative conversation. I personally came away fascinated and look forward to talking with Chase again in the future. A few months ago, Mr. Spears retired and entered into a doctoral program at Kansas State University where he is conducting research concerning how military life impacts the citizenship of those who serve. You will get to hear a bit about what he is finding. About the Guest: U.S. Army Major (Ret.) Chase Spears is first and foremost a Christian, Husband, and Father to five children who help to keep him and his wife young at heart. Having grown up with a passion for news and policy, Chase spent 20 years in the Army as a public affairs officer, trying to be part of a bridge between the military and the public. He merged that work with a passion for writing to become one of the Army's most published public affairs officers, often to resistance from inside the military. Chase continues that journey now as a doctoral candidate at Kansas State University, where his dissertation research explores how military life impacts the citizenship of those who serve. His other writings focus on topics including civil-military dynamics, communication ethics, and the political realities of military operations. Ways to connect with Chase: LinkedIn/X/Substack/Youtube: @drchasespears www.chasespears.com About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can also subscribe in your favorite podcast app. Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us. Michael Hingson ** 01:21 Hi there and welcome once again to unstoppable mindset. And we have a I think really interesting show today are interesting episode we get to chat with major retired Chase Spears. I've been saying ret all morning because he's got Rhett in parentheses. And I didn't even think about it being not a name but retired. But anyway, that's me. Anyway, he has been involved in a lot of writing in and out of the military. He was a major military person for 20 years. He's now in a doctoral candidate program, Kennedy C candidacy program. And my gosh, there's a lot there, but we'll get to it also. Major Rhett major Chase spears. Welcome to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're here. Chase Spears ** 02:13 just thrilled to be with you, Michael. Thanks for having me. Now Michael Hingson ** 02:17 that now that we've abused you with Rhett, but that's okay. Chase Spears ** 02:20 I think God worse. Well, there Michael Hingson ** 02:22 you are. And by your friends, I bet. So that's what really makes them more fun. But we're but I really am grateful that you were willing to come on and spend some time with us. Why don't we start I love to, to start this way to give people a chance to get to know you. Why don't you tell us some about the early Chase spheres and growing up and all that stuff? Chase Spears ** 02:44 Well, it's yeah, it's been quite a journey. I grew up in the southeast us My family was out of Florida. And when I was a teenager, we ended up moving we went out to Texas, which was really just kind of a an entire change of culture for us. If you can imagine going from the kind of urban parts of Florida that are really highly populated a lot of traffic, a lot of tourism, a lot of industry. And we went up to North Central Texas in my teen years. And if you can imagine going from from that, you know, Florida to a town of about 9000 people it was a an oil and agricultural cattle town, and Graham, Texas and it was really kind of a culture shock at first, but turned into some of the best and most formative years of my life where I I really learned the value of hard work working on the fields with my dad really got to kind of connect with nature and just taking some gorgeous sunsets in the evenings out working in the fields enjoying the views of the wildlife Hall. I was out working. But one thing that I did learn from hard manual labor, was it made sure that I kept on track for college. And so I ended up going to Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee in 1998. Right after I graduated from high school, I was homeschooled and met my Hi my sweetie there, Laurie. We were married by senior year we decided neither one of us we wanted to graduate and leave the other one behind. So we got married start a family pretty young afterwards. Went on to the University of Tennessee at Knoxville afterwards because I thought, hey, I want to work in journalism. And it'd be great to have a master's degree in journalism to prove my commitment to the field make people take me seriously. And it was during that time that I ran into an army recruiter while I was working my part time job at a law firm. I was working at the courthouse one day filing paperwork. And this gentleman and I just struck up a conversation in an elevator he was there in his full dress uniform was very impressive to me as a civilian at the time. And so I started asking him questions about what he did. In what army life was like just trying to be friendly, conversational, I was genuinely curious, though I was not looking for a military career. Well, as a good recruiter does, he managed to coax a phone number out of me. And seven months later there I am raising my right hand, swearing into the army in Knoxville, Tennessee. And so we were in the army for 20 years, we moved to several different parts of the nation, we've landed in northeastern Kansas, just on the outskirts of the Greater Kansas City, Missouri area. And now we're kind of starting a new phase of life after the army enjoying being kind of planted Gayndah. Watch our kids grow in a smaller community. And we're excited about what's next. So Michael Hingson ** 05:42 what is the postdoc? Where are the doctoral degree in, that you're seeking. Chase Spears ** 05:47 So I am in a program entitled leadership communication. But I'm kind of a misplaced public policy scholars what I've learned, but the faculty there have been so wonderfully gracious to me, and I've been very supportive of my research agenda. So I'm a career communicator. In the army, I was a public affairs officer. So everything I did was about stuff like this. I didn't community engagement, I did interviews, I was did social media strategy, I was part of the bridge that the military tries to build between it and the public, which is incredibly important in our form of governance. And so I love all things communication. And I also love team leadership, small organizational leadership, I had the chance to, to lead teams, I had the chance to lead a company while I was in the army, so fell in love with that. So when I saw a degree program that merged both of those, you know, they had me at hello, I was a sucker from the get go when I saw the marketing. So I applied and they very kindly accepted me. So I've been studying leadership communication, but my research agenda is actually more in the policy realm. My dissertation work is studying how did we come to this concept that the military isn't a political and air quotes institution, when it is funded by the government when it is commanded by elected leadership? When when we exert our national will, on other nations with it there absolutely political connotations to all of that. And And yet, we kind of say the opposite. So I was curious, I was like, this would be something fun to explore, how did we How did we get to where we believe this in spite of what we do? And so that's what my research Jind agenda is all about. And I'm having a lot of fun writing. Michael Hingson ** 07:37 Well, and I guess we could go right to why well, so why do you think the reason is that we are not a political but we say we are? Oh, are you still researching it to the point where you're not ready to answer that yet? Well, I Chase Spears ** 07:57 have, I have some theories and what I believe are pretty educated guesses. I'm trying to make sure that I don't bore your audience going too deep in the weeds on this. It's really kind of comes out of the Second World War. When you look at the history of the United States. Traditionally, we are a nation, our ancestors were part of a nation that were really cautious about the idea of having large standing military forces during peacetime. Because there had been this historical observance over hundreds of years, particularly in Europe, that large forces during peacetime ended up causing problems for society and the nations that bred large armies inevitably found ways to use them, that might not always be to the benefit of the populace. So we come out of the Second World War, and the nation has decided we're going to become the global military superpower, we didn't want to be caught off guard again, like we were for what Germany had done in the years after the First World War. And we also have a rising Russia, we need to counter that. So we decided as a nation, yeah, we will become a global, permanent, large, highly industrialized, highly institutionalized force. Well, how do you gain public support for that when the public has traditionally for hundreds of years been very, very suspect of that and very much against it? Well, Samuel, in walk Samuel Huntington, a brilliant political scientist who writes the book, the soldier in the state, and in it he proposed a theory of military supervision in which officers would abstained from voting and then over time that grew legs into Okay, well, now we're just not involved in politics and then in time that grew legs into where a political, but if you go around the force and ask most people what that means, if you ask them to define that word, few would actually be able to define it. It's one of those kind of discursive terms that we've come up with kind of like for the public good. Well, what is for the public good? Can you actually define that, and it's largely often in the eyes of the beholder. So that that's where I believe it came from, I'm still doing quite a bit of work and reading in that. But historically, it's very fascinating to see where we've come and just 70 years on that topic. Yeah. Michael Hingson ** 10:25 And also, we're in a phase of all of that, where it seems to be at least that it's changing and morphing again, I mean, with what's happened in the last seven years in this country, and the, the lack of desire for discourse, the the desire on some people's parts to really involve the military and a lot of things. It seems like we're possibly changing again, or perhaps even strengthening the military in some way. And I'm not sure what that is. Chase Spears ** 11:04 We there's really kind of been somewhat of a public backlash, the last, I'd say, five to 10 years, we saw an increasing comfort with military members publicly advocating for political policy for political parties, which is absolutely within their constitutional right to do, George Washington himself said, we did not lay aside the citizen to assume the soldier. But again, that that discourse coming out of the Second World War, really kind of conditions the American public to think that when you're in the military, you do give up your rights to expression that you do give up your rights to citizen agency, and, and, and meaningful involvement in civic processes. And while we do rightly give up some expressive rights, and that is captured and codified in military regulations, and the Uniform Code of Military Justice, there's some legitimacy to that argument. But I would say, you know, if you're, if you're holding a ruler in your hand, the regulations kind of restrict us somewhere between the two and three inch mark on the ruler, whereas the perception that's just kind of come out of the repetition of these terms and ideas is more that we're up around the nine or 10 inch mark on the ruler, if that makes any sense for you. So we we've seen in the last few years, more military people being willing to get involved politically, and there has been somewhat of a backlash to it. And therein is the problem. You if you're going to hold to a belief to a doctrine to a discursive claim, then you have to match it. And the military is really kind of at a point right now they have a decision to make, are we going to hold on to this discourse to this idea? Or are we going to acknowledge that? Well, the regulations are much less restrictive than what people have been led to believe? It's it's a tough spot to be there's not a perfect answer, to help the institution requires cracking down on constitutional freedoms. And well, what is the institution there to serve? So it's a very sticky issue? Michael Hingson ** 13:11 Well, it does seem to me that in no way, because the person becomes a soldier. And even in their oaths, do they give up the right to be a citizen of the country? So I'm with George Washington? Chase Spears ** 13:26 Oh, absolutely. No, I am with with George Washington himself, you know, the greatest American? And I think we would, it's a, it's a good reminder of the importance of knowing our history and knowing where we came from. It's in my interviews with military members on this topic. In my research, I'm finding that that like me, most of them were just kind of told these things verbally. They were never pointed to the actual rules. They were never actually pointed to the actual laws. I only know the regulations because I have a personal fascination on the topic. And I went and looked them up. But no one ever told me where to find them. That was research on my own team and figure out where do I look for this. So it's, we really need to do better, nationally, to know our history and know where we came from. Michael Hingson ** 14:14 We do have a really interesting paradox in the world, because we've gotten in the last two government administrations, to different views of not only how to govern, but to a degree how the military needs to be a part of it, and that's gonna not be very helpful to things either. Chase Spears ** 14:34 Absolutely. The the military at the end of the day is controlled by the Civilian governance. Now. I'll acknowledge that General Mark Milley didn't really seem to think so and there have been other figures in military history who MacArthur being one of them who who seemed to challenge who was actually in charge of the military. But at the end of the day, constitutionally, we We are governed by by civilians. And that that is right, that is proper any anything else would be a coup and you don't want that. So we, it comes down to how does the military try to hold a consistent line? When you have governments that change every two to four to eight years and have drastically different perspectives on policy? How do you as a military hold an even keel and another wise stormy sea. And in previous generations, we had senior general officers who were pretty good at that they were pretty good at saying, regardless of what the ship of state is doing, the ship of military is going to remain on a heading to serve everyone. And there's been somewhat of a lack a breakdown of discipline at the senior ranks in the last probably 10 years, that's really kind of shuttered the ship of the military. And I think the current some of the recently promoted, general officers understand that I think General GA is the new Chief of Staff of the Army, I think he understands that and he's trying to do some things to reintroduce some stability, but it's a hard thing. Michael Hingson ** 16:16 Yeah. And the other part about it is that the military, in some ways is a part of society. So we've had things like the whole Don't Ask, Don't Tell dealing with LGBTQ types of issues. And, and of course, even women in the military, and there's been a lot of things that haven't necessarily been as visible as they have become, and are issues that we are starting to face and deal with more. But it seems to me that the military, like it or not, is part of society. And we do need to recognize that collectively, as well. Chase Spears ** 17:02 We were absolutely drawn from society. We serve society, we exist, you know, for the protection of society. But I will say there's one thing that's all always kind of set Western militaries apart a little bit, and the US military hails from that Western tradition of understanding that just because society chooses to take a move in one direction, doesn't necessarily mean that it's in the national security interest of the United States for the military, to follow suit. And then there's kind of a reason that the military has always tried to, in some way, set itself apart, of acknowledging that there's some things that society will do or want to that are affected by the times as Shakespeare himself noted, there's always a tide in the affairs and man, the tide comes in the time tide goes out the the, the winds shift. And but one thing that was said at the military part was this idea of, at the end of the day, if it's a societal change that enables us to better defend the nation, then that's the direction we'll move. If it's a societal change that could potentially be a friction point or cause additional challenges in securing the nation, we might, we might think on that one a little bit harder, we might be a little more a little slower to adopt that. And we've seen that has kind of broken down the military is very much going out of its way to be reflective of society. And in some ways that can be good in some ways that's caused additional unnecessary frictions to the force and is rightly being having questions asked about it. Michael Hingson ** 18:45 And that's where having good solid leadership in the military at the highest echelons, has to be an important part of it, because that's where ultimately, the direction that the military goes, is at least in part, going to be authored. Yes, there is a civilian government that and civilian commander in chief, but still the military leaders have to really be the ones mostly to figure out where the military should go in terms of policies and how it deals with different issues or not, I would think. Chase Spears ** 19:27 And the key word that you hit on there, Michael is leadership. Back a few months ago, I wrote a piece that was published by real clear defense called seven new things the new Sergeant Major of the Army could do to restore trust in the force. And the argument that I made his predecessor was one who was very kind of reactive to the, to the whims you might say, of a the younger generation of soldiers. He was very much all over Twitter about telling me your issues. Let me get involved in your issues. And he was, in some ways a very divisive, senior official in the military. And I equated it to you, you want to look at kind of the British constitutionalist position, the British Crown, if you're looking overseas, it has traditionally been something that it's kind of the rock, unmovable, unshakable, the parliament will do what parliament will do that the Tories and Labour will do what they will do, but the crown is unmovable the crown serves all. And that's kind of something that the military reflected, and I call out to the new rising generation military leaders to remember that, to remember that we don't own this, we owe nothing in the institution, we all leave it one day, as I left it a matter of weeks ago. All I have are my memories and and hopes that I was able to leave some things better than I found them and that the people I served that I hope I served them well. But at the end of the day, we hand it off to someone else. And it's so important for to have good leaders who recognize that we we steward the profession, that we we want to do the best we can with it in our time, and recognize the decisions that we make, will impact those who serve long after our time and do our best to hand it off in the best possible condition that we can for them. Because then to the to society, we returned. And then we depend on this who came after us for our national defense. And so it's the steward mindset to me as key. Michael Hingson ** 21:41 Yeah. Well, and going back a little bit. So you're in graduate school you got recruited in and accepted and went into the military. What did you do? What was it like when you first went and that certainly again, had to be quite a culture shock from things that you would experience before? Ah, Chase Spears ** 22:02 yeah, I figured absolutely was you'll never forget your first shark attack at basic training for for anyone who's unfamiliar with that, it's when you once you've done your initial and processing there, whatever base you get your basic training at, for me, it was Fort Jackson in South Carolina. And then they eventually buss you off to your your training companies, which is where you will actually conduct your combat training. This is after you've received your uniforms and done all your finances, paperwork, and life insurance and all that. And then the buses stop and the drill sergeants, they're just there waiting for you. And it's a moment you never forget. And of course, you jump off the bus and they're giving you all these commands that they know it's impossible for you to, to execute to any level of satisfaction. And then when you fail, as you inevitably will, you know, the entire group just gets smoked over and over and over again. And I remember that moment just having that realization of I have not in Kansas anymore, like the next next few months of my life are about to be very different than anything I've ever experienced. And it was it absolutely was. I got through that. And I think the first thing that was really kind of shocking to me be on to the training environment was the use of last names. So yeah, I go by chase my friends call me chase people who know me call me chase. I'm I'm not hung up on titles. I'm a simple guy. In the military, you are your rank and last name. I was specialist Spears sergeants First Lieutenant spears or LT Captain spears, major spears. And I remember at my first unit, there were other other people who in my unit there were the same rank as me. And so I thought were peers I'd call them by their first name. And they never gave me problems about it. But our higher ups would you know, people have rank spears, we don't go by first names spears. And I never I never 20 years and I still never really adjusted well to that I learned how to how to keep myself from getting as many talking to us about it over the years is I had in previous times. But that was a culture shock. And, and just the the constant what we call the military, the battle rhythm, you know, civil society would call it your work schedule, while in the military. It never really ends your day start very early. You have physical training that you're doing with your unit at 630. Depending on what unit you're in, you may be off at a reasonable time in the late afternoon, early evening, or you may be there. I've remember staying at work one night till 4am Just because the boss gave us a job to do. Frankly, it was an unreasonable job. But he gave us a job to do and an extraordinarily tight deadline and it took us till 4am to get the job done and And I was at work by 630, the next morning. So you never, ever really do get used to that in some ways, because you kind of come to accept it. But it's been really eye opening to me in the last nearly three months now that I've been now, looking back and having some control over my schedule now for the first time in 20 years, and realizing, wow, that was such a foreign existence I lived. But when you're when you're swimming in a fishbowl, you don't know you're wet. So every time you do adapt to it, but it's been neat being on the other side and realizing, you know, can kind of breathe in and start to have some say over what a schedule looks like, because I'd forgotten what that was, what that'd be like. Michael Hingson ** 25:44 But as you rose in the ranks, and I assume took on more responsibility, did that give you any more flexibility in terms of how you operate it on a day to day basis. Chase Spears ** 25:56 It all depended on the position, there were there were some jobs I had, where were, regardless of the rank, I had flexibility. And then there were other jobs, where I absolutely did not even as a major want, there was a job that I had, where the boss was very adamant. This is the time you will be here and you will be sitting at this desk between these hours and you are authorized authorized is a big term in the military culture, you are authorized a 30 minute lunch break period. And you will be here until this time every day. And this was when I had you know, I think I was at my 1718 year mark. And I remember thinking to myself, golly, do I need to ask permission to go to the bathroom to see, it seemed I didn't. So it really kind of depended on your job. There's a perception a lot of times that the higher you go in rank, the more control you have over your life. And I observed that the opposite is actually true. The higher you go, typically, the more the more demands are placed on you. The more people are depending on the things that you're doing. And and the bigger the jobs are. And the longer the days are was my experience, but it had been flooded depending on what position I was in at the given time. Michael Hingson ** 27:17 Now, when you first enlisted and all that, what was Laurie's reaction to all of that. Chase Spears ** 27:23 I was shocked. She was so supportive. She actually grew up in an Air Force household. And so she knew military life pretty well. Her dad had been been in, he spent a lot more time in the air force than I did the army. And then even after he retired from the Air Force, he went on and taught at the Naval Academy as a civilian. So she is just always had a level of familiarity with the military as long as she can remember. She joked with me that when she got married to me and then had to give up her dependent military ID card that it was kind of a moment of mourning for she didn't want to give that thing up. So one day, there we are Knoxville, Tennessee, and I approached her. And I'm trying to be very careful, very diplomatic, very suave, and how I bring it up to her and let her know I've been thinking about the army. And I'm kind of curious what she might think about that. Because it'd be such a drastic lifestyle change from everything we've been talking about. And I was bracing for her to look at me and be like, are you insane? And instead, she was like, Oh, you won't get in the military. And I get an ID card again. Yes. She was she was supportive from from Jump Street. And so you talk about a wife who just was there, every minute of it, and loved and supported and gave grace and rolled with the punches. milori Did she was absolutely phenomenal. Though, I will admit when it got to the point that I was starting to think maybe 20. I'll go ahead and wrap this up, because my original plan had been to do 30. But when I started talking with her about that she was she was also ready, she was ready to actually start having me home regularly for us to be able to start making family plans and be able to follow through with them. Because we had the last three years we had not been able to follow through with family plans, because of the different positions that I was in. So she was very, very supportive of me joining and then she was equally very supportive of me going ahead and and calling it calling it a day here or the last just at the end of this year. But what a what a partner could not have done it Michael Hingson ** 29:41 without her. So where did she live when you were going through basic training and all that. Chase Spears ** 29:46 So she stayed in Knoxville for nonGSA. Yeah. And then from there, she actually ended up moving up to her dad's and his wife's place up in Maryland because my follow on school after base See training was the Defense Information School. That's where all the Public Affairs courses are taught. And it's so happens that that is located at Fort Meade, Maryland, which is just about a 45 minute drive traffic dependent from where her dad lived. So while I was in basic training, she went ahead and moved up there to Maryland so that while I was in school up there, we could see each other on the weekends. And then from there, we didn't have to go back to Tennessee and pack up a house or stuff was already packed up so we could get on the road together there to wherever our next duty station was. And it turned out funny enough to be Colorado Springs, Fort Carson. And here's why that's funny. When, when I approached Laurie, about joining the army, one of the things that she was really excited about was seeing the world if you're in the military, you get to see the world, right. And my first duty assignment was the town that she had grown up in, because her dad had spent the last few years of his career teaching at the Air Force Academy there on the northern end of Colorado Springs. So so her her dreams of seeing the world with me, turned out that our first tour was going to write back home for her. Michael Hingson ** 31:14 Oh, that has its pluses and it's minuses. Chase Spears ** 31:17 Yep. So it was neat for me to get to see where she had grown up and learn the town little bit. Michael Hingson ** 31:23 I've been to Fort Meade, and actually a few times I used to sell technology to folks there. And then several years ago, I was invited to come in after the World Trade Center and do a speech there. And so it was it was fun spending some time around Fort Meade heard some wonderful stories. My favorite story still is that one day somebody from the city of Baltimore called the fort because they wanted to do traffic studies or get information to be able to do traffic studies to help justify widening roads to better help traffic going into the fort. So they call it the fort. And they said, Can you give us an idea of how many people come through each day? And the person at the other end said, Well, I'm really not sure what you're talking about. We're just a little shack out here in the middle of nowhere. And so they ended up having to hire their own people to count cars for a week, going in and out of the fort was kind of cute. Chase Spears ** 32:23 Well, there's quite a bit of traffic there. Now that basis when Michael Hingson ** 32:26 I was then to there wasn't just a little shack, of course, it was a whole big forest. Chase Spears ** 32:32 Yeah, yeah, it's I was back there. Golly, I want to say it wasn't that long ago. But it was about five years ago now is back there. And I almost didn't recognize the place. There's been so much new built there. But oh, I know, as far as army assignments go, it's a it's a pretty nice place. Michael Hingson ** 32:50 Yeah, it is. And as I said, I've had the opportunity to speak there and spend some time dealing with folks when we sold products and so on. So got to got to know, people, they're pretty well and enjoyed dealing with people there. They knew what they were doing. Yeah, Chase Spears ** 33:07 yeah, that's a it's a smart group of people in that base. Michael Hingson ** 33:10 So you went through basic training and all that and what got you into the whole idea of public relations and what you eventually went into? Chase Spears ** 33:20 Well, I had studied in college, my undergraduate degree was in television and radio broadcasting. My master's was in journalism, I'd grown up kind of in the cable news age, and the at the age of the emergence of am Talk Radio is a big, big tool of outreach. And I grew up thinking, this is what I want to do. I love communication. I actually thought it'd be really neat to be an investigative reporter on if, if you remember, back in the 90s, it was this big thing of, you know, Channel Nine on your side, yeah, had this investigative reporter who tell you the real deal about the restaurant or the automotive garage. And I always thought that would be amazing, like what a great public service like helping people to avoid being ripped off. And so I wanted to be a news. I'm sure you're familiar with the Telecom Act of 1996. That That caused a tremendous consolidation of media for your audience who might not be familiar with it. It used to be that really, if you had the wherewithal to buy a media station or a television station or radio station, you were unlimited in what you could you there were limits, I should say on what you could buy, so that you couldn't control too much, too much media environment, the Telecom Act of 1996, completely deregulated that and so large media companies were just swallowing up the nation. And that meant there's a tremendous consolidation of jobs and the my junior year in college. I was in the southeast us at the time at Lee University. Atlanta. Nearby was our biggest hiring media market, my June Your year CNN laid off 400 people. So I could tell really quick, this is going to be a chat and even more challenging field to break into than I thought. And that's why I ended up working part time in a law firm was in, in Journalism School. Afterwards, because I was looking great. I was looking for a backup plan. I thought if journalism doesn't work out, I also love the law. It'd be nice to get some experience working in a firm to see if I want to go to law school. So it was a natural fit for me when the army recruiter started talking to me. And he was asking me what I was interested in. And I told him, Well, here's what my degree is in, here's what my career plan had been, here's who I really want to do with my life. And he said, we have public affairs, I said, What's that? It turns out, the military has radio stations, and they have television networks and you PR, I had no idea. I was a civilian. And I was like, Well, that sounds good. And so I thought, yeah, sure, I'll I will enlist for that come in, do one four year contract, I'll build a portfolio and and then I'll be able to take that portfolio out into the civilian realm. And hopefully that will make me more competitive for a job in the news market. And of course, a couple of years into that. I was in Kuwait deployed to camp Arif John. And my brigade commander sat me down to lunch one day, and made it very clear that he expected me to apply for Officer Candidate School, which was nowhere on what I was interested in doing was nowhere on my radar, I applied, I really didn't have a lot of confidence. I thought, I looked at officers and I thought they were people who are way, way more intelligent than me, way more suave than me. And I really didn't know if I'd get in, well, I got in. And after I commissioned officer candidate school is about like basic training all over again. So that was fun. And I ended up being assigned to a combat camera unit. And then afterwards, I was able to put my paperwork in to branch transfer right back into public affairs, it was a perfect mess was everything I wanted to do. I didn't get to work in news directly. I wasn't a reporter. But I got to work with reporters, I got to be an institutional insider and help facilitate them and help to tell the stories of what some great American patriots were doing, and wanting to serve their countries. And so it was, for the most part, more often than not, it was a really, really fun way to earn a living living. Michael Hingson ** 37:34 I collect as a hobby old radio shows I'm very familiar with but back in the 40s was the Armed Forces Radio Service, then it became Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. And so I'm aware a little bit of, of the whole broadcast structure in the military, not a lot, but but some and know that that it's there. And it does, I'm suspect, a really good job of helping to keep people informed as much as it can as they can with the things that they have to do in the world. It's Chase Spears ** 38:04 definitely it's a comfort over the years, if you're spending a lot of time overseas to have kind of that that taste of home and our forces network does a really good job of that letting I think we're starting to see some debates inside the military. Now. What do we want to continue of it? Because now information is so ubiquitous, if you will, you can pull it down, you can stream whatever you want, wherever you are in the globe. So I kind of wonder in the next 1020 years, will it still be a thing, but during my early career during my early deployment before he could stream stuff, it was really cool to have an AFN radio station to tune into is really cool to have an AFN television network to tune into to be able to get a taste of home. That was much a comfort, Michael Hingson ** 38:52 right? Yeah, it is. It is something that helps. So you can't necessarily stream everything. I spent a week in Israel this summer. And there were broadcasts I could get and pick up through the internet and so on. And there were stuff from here in the US that I couldn't get I suspect it has to do with copyright laws and the way things were set up but there was only so much stuff that you could actually do. Chase Spears ** 39:20 And what a time to be in Israel you will I bet that trip is even more memorable for you now than it would have been otherwise. Michael Hingson ** 39:27 Fortunately, it wasn't August. So we we didn't have to put up with the things that are going on now. But still Yeah, it was very memorable. I enjoyed doing it. spending a week with excessively over there and got into getting to meet with with all the folks so it was definitely well worth it and something that that I will always cherish having had the opportunity to do get Chase Spears ** 39:51 for you. If it's on my bucket list. I've always wanted to spend some time over there. Michael Hingson ** 39:56 Hot and humid in the summer, but that's okay. Let's say but they love breakfast. Oh, really? So yeah, definitely something to think about. Well, so you, you joined you got you got the public relations, jobs and so on. So how did all that work for you over? Well, close to 20 years? What all did you do and what, what stories can you tell us about some of that? Chase Spears ** 40:25 It was it was fascinating. It was fascinating because everything that I got to touch was, in some way a story. And so my first job was in radio and television production. I did quite a bit of that in Kuwait. And it was actually there that I got my first taste of crisis communication, and I was immediately addicted. Do you remember back in? It was December 2004. Donald Rumsfeld said you go to war with the Army you have not the army want or might wish to have it another time? Yeah. I was there. That that was uttered in camp you're in Kuwait. And that was such an interesting moment. For me in terms of a story to tell. I was with the 14 Public Affairs Detachment we were deployed to camp Arif John to provide public affairs support for for Third Army's Ford headquarters. This was back during the height of the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. And so there's a lot of military going over there. We were part of that. And I remember hearing this tasking that had come down that the Secretary of Defense is going to come out here is going to do this town hall meeting with the troops. There's going to be no question that you can't ask. You're going to be allowed to say anything you want to say to the Secretary of Defense, nothing's going to be scripted, nothing's going to be put through for review. And by the way, 14 pad you guys are going to make sure that it can be televised live back to the United States. And so here I am thinking what can possibly go wrong. And so we helped we all the event, Secretary Rumsfeld hindered and handled it really, really well. They set up this big, you know, fighting machinery display, they're in a in a big aircraft hangar epic camp bearing which is in northern Kuwait, just not too far south from the Iraqi border. And he gets up he gives the speech. He's well received by the troops. And it goes to the q&a part. And soldiers were asking him all sorts of questions. Most of them are jovial, you know, hey, when when do we get to go to Disney World, stuff like that. They were kind of big jocular with them. Michael Hingson ** 42:42 Seems a fair question. Chase Spears ** 42:44 Yeah, you know, I felt them right. And so finally, this one guy, I'll never forget his name, especially as Thomas Wilson from the 2/78 Regimental Combat Team. Tennessee National Guard asks him a question about when are they going to get the body armor that's needed? And in true Rumsfeld style, he's he says, Well, I'm not quite sure I understood the question. Can you ask it again, which is a great technique. He used to buy him some time to think the answer. And then it came back after the second question. And the whole hangar about 1000 of us in there. It was hast. I'll bet you could have heard a plastic cup hit the floor at the back back of the room. I mean, everyone was like, what? Oh, no, what just happened? What's about to happen? And Rumsfeld makes that remark, you go to war with the army have not the one you want or need. Yeah. And and then the questions went on. And there was not be after that. There was no awkward moment for the rest of the time. And I and I thought, wow, that could have gone south. But it didn't cool. It was just it was neat to watch. I was running the television camera that caught the moment. I was in the room. And so we me and my sergeant had to stay up there the rest of the day because there were some other television network interviews with other officials that we were running the satellite transponder for. And it was a long day our commander was kind of being a jerk to us. So by the end of the day, we were tired we'd been up there sleeping on cots for a couple of days, we were kind of just ready to get back to data camp Arif, John to our beds and put the whole mission behind us. And then we drive to three hours through this pouring pouring rainstorm in Kuwait, and a Canvas side Humvee that's leaking. All you know, water just pouring into this thing on us. So we're done. We're done. We're done. We're like, we just want to get a bed. We get back to our base. We're offloading all the equipment, putting everything away. And at this point in time, I forgotten about the moment earlier in the day when that question was asked, and I walk in and there we had this wall of televisions you know, tracking all the different news networks back in the US and on all of them Their Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, you go to war with the army have not the army won or wish to have another time. And at that moment, I was like, it's about to be an interesting few weeks around here. And it turned out, it turned out indeed to be an interesting few weeks, an interesting few months. And I got to be on the front end of what the public affairs response to that looks like. And I can tell you, I've never seen armored vehicles flow into a place as quickly as they did in the following month. So the power of a message transmitted is a real thing. Well, Michael Hingson ** 45:39 so whatever happened to specialist Wilson? Chase Spears ** 45:44 I don't I don't know. I know that news coverage. When that news reporters were asking that very question and coverage that I saw said, Oh, his unit, his assured that nothing bad will happen to him. He was a national guardsmen, so he kind of fall under a different, different command structure than us. From time to time, I have wondered that and I've tried to look him up online, and just try to find out what happened to the sky and what was life like for him? I'd love to talk to him and ask alright, what was it like, man, what is your unit do? But I, I have no idea. I can't find him. I presume he's gone about his life and doesn't want to be famous about it. But it also goes back to National Guard culture versus active duty culture. We talked earlier about the citizenship aspect. And the National Guard gets that way more than the active component. At the end of the day, they demobilize. And they go home. Right, you're running into the same people you serve, with the church, at the grocery store, at the grocery store, at the PTA, places like this, some of them might be your neighbors. And so they have an entirely different outlook. This is what they do to serve the country when needed. And then they go on about their lives. I don't think you would have seen an active duty soldier ask that question. I really don't because the culture is so so markedly different. And there's a level of kind of freedom of thought and expression, present that guard that that is much more lacking in the active component. Michael Hingson ** 47:19 Should there be more freedom, in that sense in the active component? Or do you think that it's really appropriate for there to be the dichotomy that you're describing? Chase Spears ** 47:32 And the act of force you need discipline? You need a discipline force, who, when they're given a lawful order, will carry it out hastily, because lives could hang in the balance. That's absolutely important, and we can never lose that. But sometimes we can use discipline I say sometimes, often, more is the more appropriate term often we confuse discipline with silence. We confuse discipline with a lack of willingness to ask tough questions. We confuse discipline with just saying Yes, sir. When you know, in the back of your mind, there might be something you need to dig into more. We we need, unfortunately, since the end of the Second World War, going back to my comments earlier about this large, industrialized, institutionalized force we have it breeds careerists. It breeds a mindset that's fearful to ask tough questions, even if you know they need to be asked. Because you want to be promoted. Right? You want to get assignments, right. And it breeds a culture where you really are much more timid. Or you're much more likely to be timid than someone who's maybe a reservist or National Guard member. We need people who will ask tough questions. We don't need indiscipline, we don't rush showmanship, we don't need people who are being performative just to be seen. But there are valid questions to be asked is, you know, is US defense policy? Better set for a 400? Ship navy or a 300? Ship? Navy? That's a valid question. Is it better for us to use this route of attack versus that route of attack? Given the Give Me Everything we know, those are valid questions. We need people in the military who who are willing to be critical thinkers, and there are a lot of extraordinarily brilliant people in today's armed forces, as there always has been. But there is on the active duty side a culture that works against original thought and that's really to our detriment. And I think the manner in which the evacuation of Afghanistan ended is one more blatant indicator of that. Michael Hingson ** 49:48 It was not handled nearly as well as it could have been as we have seen history tell us and teach us now Chase Spears ** 49:56 Absolutely. i It broke my heart. I'm A veteran of that conflict I'm not one who cries easily, Michael but I can tell you that morning when I saw the some of the images coming out of cobbles especially there's a video of a C 17 cargo jet taking off and people literally hanging to and falling to their deaths. Just i i fell off, I fell off my on my run into a sobbing human being on this on the ground for a little bit it is there's a lot to process and it has continued to be a lot to process. And there again, there's a great example of why you gotta be willing to ask tough questions. There was no no reason at all. We should have abandoned Bagram and tried to evacuate out of downtown Cabo. But that's a whole nother conversation. Yeah. Michael Hingson ** 50:52 Well, speaking of you, I understand that you weren't a great fan of jumping out of airplanes, but you got used to doing them? I Chase Spears ** 51:01 sure did. Oh, yeah. I always thought that would just be something that no, I don't want to say no sane person would do. I mean, I enjoy watching skydivers, I think it's really cool. And obviously, they're saying, I never thought I'd be among them. I thought, Nah, that's just something, I don't think I'm gonna do that. And when I was an officer candidate school, I was roommates with a guy who had been to Airborne School earlier in his career. And he was like, man, don't do it. Don't let him talk you into going to Airborne School, though, you'll be stuck at Fort Bragg, you'll just you'll be broke all the time, you'll be hurting all the time, the army takes the fun out of everything. And he's right. To an extent the army does take the fun out of most things that touches. But I got to my first unit as an officer. So I'd done enlisted time for three years, then I went to Officer Candidate School. And then my first job as an officer was at the 55th combat camera company, which is not a full airborne unit, but it's a partial airborne unit. And they had a hard time keeping enough active duty paratroopers on hand. And so I remember day one, when I was in processing the unit, there are all these different places you go, when you're in process, you gotta go see the training room, and you got to go see the administrative room, and you got to go see the Transportation Office and all these places, and they're just checking your paperwork. And so I see the training room, and there's the sergeant in there. And he's looking through my list. And he's asking me all these questions, you know, when was your last PT test? Where's the last physical, you know, making notes on me for the unit record? And then he says, Do you want to go to Airborne School? And without thinking, I said, Absolutely not. I have no interest in going to Airborne School. And his reply to me was go ahead and get an airborne physical. And I thought, There's no way I'm ever getting an airborne physical because I'm not going to Airborne School. So a few weeks later, I'm in the unit, I'm more comfortable. And I'm across. I'm in a different office across the hall from where this guy worked. And I'm joking around with this other sergeant. And I'm like, sir, and you're just such a cool guy. Like you've got all together, you're, you're like everything I want to be when I grow up. What how do you do it? He said, Well, sir, you got to go to Airborne School. That's step one. The other guy across the hall ever hears that, you know, mouse ears, I don't know how. But he darts out of his office across the hall into this opposite we're in, looks me straight in the face and said, Did you say you want to go to Airborne School? Like no, is not what I said, I absolutely have no interest. I'm not going to Airborne School. And he again replies with schedule your physical. And I thought, I'm not going to disappoint me scheduling a fiscal. So I get back to my office that later that day. And I thought this guy is not going to give up. So I came up with this brilliant plan. It was smart, smartest plan you'll ever hear of, I'm going to pretend I'm going to get my airborne physical and then he'll forget about me, leave me alone. So I called him and said, Hey, Sergeant, what's the phone number I have to call them schedule an airborne physical and it gives me the phone number and the the name of the person to talk to and I said, Great. I'll talk to him. There were two or three other lieutenants set to show up to the unit next in the next month. So I thought he will assume I'm getting a physical which I'm not getting and there's other guys will show up and he will convince them to go and I will fall off his radar. I was incorrect. That was a bad bad miscalculation on my part, you might say a flawed operation Michael Hingson ** 54:39 with your the and you were the one who was talking about brilliant people in the army Anyway, go ahead. Chase Spears ** 54:43 I know I know. Right? Yeah, I am a paradox. And so that within an hour I get an email from him with my he's already put me in for school. I already have orders generated to go to jump school. And then he calls me he's like Hey, by the way, your report in like three weeks, I need your physical as soon as you can get it. And I thought this guy, I told him I'm not going to Airborne School. Well, at the same time, our unit commander was a paratrooper, and he loves jumping out of airplanes. And I had two or three paratroopers in my platoon who were underneath me. And I thought, There's no way I can go now. Because if I, if I get the commander to release me, one, I'll lose face with the old man. And I'll lose face with the troops that I lead because the soldiers have to compete for this. They're just giving it to me. And so I went, protesting, kicking, screaming the whole way. I hated ground week. I hated tower week. And then they put took me up to the 250 foot tower and dropped me off the side of it under a parachute. And I loved it. I was like, Oh, this is fun. I actually asked if I can do it again. And they said, they don't get what's right. So the next week, we go into jump week in there I am in the back of an airplane, and it comes to my turn to get up and exit it. And I do, and I get to the ground and I survive. And I literally just sat there and laughed uncontrollably because I couldn't believe I just jumped out of a plane. And it was my first of 40 jobs. So I was I was absolutely hooked from that moment on. Michael Hingson ** 56:20 And what did Lori think of that? Chase Spears ** 56:23 She was a little bit surprised. She She again, was supportive. But she was surprised she never thought it's something that I would take to and it ended up being a great thing for us. Because having been on jumped status, it opened the door for me to request the unit and Alaska that we ended up going to for six years, you had to be on airborne status to be able to go to that job. And so had I not going to jump school, I would not have qualified to go into Alaska for that particular job. And so it ended up being a wonderful, wonderful thing. But I would have never guessed it, it just it's another one of those poignant reminders to me that every time that I think I've got a plan, it's God's way of reminding me that he has a sense of humor, because what's going to work out is always going to be very different from what I think. Michael Hingson ** 57:10 And you help Laurie see the world. So well worked out. Absolutely. Chase Spears ** 57:15 Yeah, she we never, we never got to spend time together overseas. But Alaska was an amazing adventure. And, gosh, if if no one in your listeners haven't been there yet to go see a Sunday? Michael Hingson ** 57:29 Yeah, I went there on a cruise I didn't see as much as I would have loved to but still, I got to see some of them. It was great. Chase Spears ** 57:38 It's nothing like it. No. Now you Michael Hingson ** 57:42 as you advance in the ranks, and so on you, you started being in public relations, being a communicator, and so on. But clearly, as you advanced, you became more and I'm sure were viewed as more of a leader that was kind of a transition from from not being a leader. And just being a communicator and doing what you were told to be more of a leader, what was that transition like? Chase Spears ** 58:07 That was another one of those things that I would have never seen coming. After I did my three years as the spokesman for the Airborne Brigade. In Alaska, I ended up becoming the deputy communication director for US Army, Alaska, which was the highest army command there in the state responsible for 11,000 troops and their families in multiple locations. And I remember one day, my boss came to me and saying, hey, the general is going to give a speech to the hockey team at the University of Alaska, about leadership. And so I need you to write it. And I looked at him and I said, boss, all right, whatever he told me to write, but the general has forgotten more about leadership than I know, like, how do where do I start with this? And I don't remember the exact words, I think it was something to the effect of, you're smart, you'll figure it out. And so I put together a speech, it was by no means anything glorious, but it was the best I had to give that moment in time and what leadership was fully convinced that I was not one. And then over time, I there are people who spoken to me at their headquarters who called out leadership that I didn't see they were pointing out influence that I had there pointing out people who I was able to help steer towards decisions that I didn't realize that I didn't know and it made me start looking back in other parts of my career and realizing, Oh, my goodness, I actually led that team. This man actually looks to me for decisions. I actually I am a leader, I had no idea. There's something I always thought if if you were in the military and you're a leader, you were some grand master, you know, like, like Patton or Eisenhower and I didn't think think myself anything like that. And so finally, in 2015, I was offered A chance to take command of a company which in civilian terms, that's kind of like being the executive director, if you will, of an organization of 300 people. And I was so excited for it. Because by that point in time, I finally made the mental transition of saying, I'm not, I'm not merely a communicator, communicating is what I've done. But occasionally it's I've worked on delivering us on passionate about, by came to realize, I love that so much because communicating is a part of leading and, and I, I am a leader, it's just something. Looking back. Of course, my life has always been there, I just never knew it. I never saw it, I never believed in it. And so by the time I was offered the chance to command, I was very excited for it, I was very eager for it, because I realized this is going to be an a wonderful adventure getting to lead a team at this level of this size. And it was the hardest job I ever did in the army, and the most rewarding. I don't know if you've ever watched any of the Lord, Lord of the Rings movie. But there's this moment where Aragon is being chided, is set aside the Ranger Be who you were meant to be to be the king. And that meant that came back to my mind several times I had to challenge myself that just because I only see myself as a communicator all these years doesn't mean that I can't do other things. And so it was a joy to actually walk into that. Believing is not easy. There's there are a lot of hard days or a lot of hard decisions. Especially when I was a commander, I agonized every decision. So I made because I knew this will have an impact on a person, this will have an impact on a family this, this will change the directions and plans that people had. And so it's a heavy weight to bear. And I think it's good that those kind of decisions come with weight. And I would question someone who who can make those kinds of calls without having to wrestle with them. Michael Hingson ** 1:02:01 When you look at all the things that you've done, and the work that you do, and the work that you did, at the end of every day, or at some time during the day, I know you were pretty busy. But did you ever have the time to just kind of sit back and reflect on how did this go today? How did that go? What could have been better? Did you do any kind of introspection? Or did you feel you had time to do that? Chase Spears ** 1:02:24 I didn't really feel I had time. And it would be easy for me to blame the unit, it'd be easy for me to blame people. But that responsibility rests with me. It's a discipline that I didn't develop until way too late in my career. And I eventually did develop it, I eventually came to realize the importance of reflection of introspection of taking a mental inventory of what I've accomplished I didn't accomplish and what I can learn from it. But it was sadly something that I didn't do as much as I should have. And I didn't do it as early, I was really, really bad at assuming well, because the unit needs this right now. I can't take care of this thing that I need to take care of that will that will allow me to be the leader that I need to be you know, I get in a car, someone slams on my car, and I need to get them to take care of it. Why don't have time unit Scott has to have me We gotta move on. Well, I've got six screws in my left hand and my left shoulder right now because I was always too busy to listen to the physical therapist and take care of myself, you know, the unit needs me the unit needs me the men need me. And so it, it was a hard, hard learned lesson. The importance of sitting back and reflecting is something I wish I would have learned much sooner. But once I did, it served me well. And it's a discipline that I still practice now. Michael Hingson ** 1:03:46 Yeah, yeah, it's, I think a very important thing. And a lot of things can can stem from that. What's the best position your favorite position in the army and why? Chase Spears ** 1:03:59 The best thing I ever got to do is company command. And it's hard to say that because it's really it's really closely tied with being a brigade director of communication. And t
The 299th Combat Engineer Battalion was the only combat engineer unit to land on both Omaha and Utah beaches during the D-Day invasion. Some of the engineers landed before any other allied soldiers set foot on the beaches earning them the nickname “First on Omaha”. Chief Warrant Officer James W. Tucker was among them. His daughter Jean joins us to share more about the “Famous 299th”. James commanded a group of eight armored tractors whose mission was to clear obstacles and open paths off the Normandy beaches. One third of the Combat Engineer Battalion that landed on Omaha beach was killed missing or wounded. For their heroic efforts that day, they would be awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. Tucker was also assigned the somber job of creating the first American cemetery in Normandy. There were so many bodies on the beaches that the equipment could not land without driving over the bodies of their fellow soldiers. Tucker used a bulldozer to dig a mass grave while still under fire and he and his comrades “stacked the bodies like cordwood.” These remains were eventually relocated. Members of the 299th would fight and build their way across Europe to the heart of Germany. Jean was so inspired by her father's stories she has become a passionate advocate for their history. She single handedly manages their website and is continuously tracking down photos and stories from the families of members of the 299th Combat Engineers. Family or living members of the Battalion are encouraged to contact Jean through their website. Jean and I also spend a great deal of time discussing the importance of recording these stories and history of generations that are rapidly passing away. She also regularly interacts with the “descendants” of this famous group – the 299th Brigade Engineer Battalion currently headquartered at Fort Carson, Colorado. Jean also shares an intriguing story of the “spat” between the Army and the Navy over who should have responsibility for clearing obstacles on the landing beaches. They eventually agreed that any obstacles that were visible at high tide they would be the Army's responsibility.
In this episode of Resilient and Rowdy, host Jess welcomes Sean Ambriz with a unique Army combat experience. Originating from Los Angeles, California, Sean joined the military as an MP, but his career took unexpected turns, including roles as a medic, SRT NCOIC, and marksman during deployments in Afghanistan. Sean shares his journey from combat experiences, dealing with PTSD, to writing a book that chronicles his story and honors his fallen comrades. His book aims to support and inspire others through his detailed accounts of historic battles and personal growth. Now serving as a senior enlisted advisor at Fort Carson, Sean remains an advocate for mental health and resilience, continuously offering support to those in need. Sean has many accolades including the Presidential Volunteer Service Medal, Purple Heart, and two Bronze Stars with valor. Check out his book: https://mentormilitary.com/products/ghosts-of-the-valley Follow Sean: www.instagram.com/chief_pinkmist Follow Resilient & Rowdy: www.instagram.com/resilient.rowdy
Joe's interest in the military was tied to his experiences with his Dad in the outdoors and participating in Boy Scouting. It was further fueled by popular movies and documentaries he saw in his childhood. Joe had an indirect route to the Military Academy. Enlisting in 1996 and serving as a soldier in support of West Point prior to being accepted as a New Cadet in 1997. Joe initially suffered from overconfidence in the skills and abilities that got him to West Point and an underappreciation for the amount of work he'd have to invest in himself to build the skills necessary to succeed. Joe would also struggle to learn how to and prepare himself in a way that allowed him to be smooth in the moment of execution. Joe would graduate West Point in 2001 and commission as an Armor Officer. He would serve at Ft. Riley, Kansas and deploy to Iraq in 2003 and 2005. Command a Tank Company in South Korea. Serve as an instructor at the Maneuver Center of Excellence. Deploying to Afghanistan in 2012 to serve as a Brigade S3 for the NATO Training Mission Afghanistan. Served at Fort Carson, Colorado and Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington as a Field Grade Officer before deploying to Saudi Arabia in 2019 to serve as an Advisor for the Saudi Arabian National Guard. Joe would serve as the Deputy Director for Exercises for I Corps at JBLM, Washington for three years before retiring in 2023. Joe talks about his experiences learning from the past, preparing for the future, and trying to live in the present. This is his story. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/joe-harrison0/support
On this episode we are thrilled to welcome Angie Leitnaker. Angie's journey through personal growth and overcoming grief has made her a passionate advocate for human potential. With 13 years of teaching experience and extensive work hosting global retreats, she has dedicated herself to helping others discover their inner greatness. Angie believes everyone wants to be seen, heard, and valued, and she emphasizes practical tools to not just survive, but truly thrive. Founder of C.A.P.E. Global, she empowers children and adults to break through barriers and achieve lasting fulfillment. Join us as we explore Angie's inspiring journey and insights, and how can discover or rediscover your own inner greatness! This episode is dedicsted to 22 Too Many veteran Andrew Saunders Andrew Jonathan Saunders, 25, passed away Wednesday, September 2, 2015. He was born in Asheville, NC on April 27, 1990 to Susan and William Saunders. Andrew went to school in Ridgecrest, CA where he found a love for playing music in jazz band with the trumpet, as well as playing guitar almost nonstop with his many friends. In addition to his musical talent, Andrew was also an accomplished discus thrower, being voted MVP two years in a row before competing in a CIF Championship. Andrew joined the US Army after high school. Once he graduated from basic training at the top of his class, he went to Apache helicopter mechanic training, where he also graduated top of his class. After tours in Ansbach, Germany, and Afghanistan, Andrew learned that he had been accepted into flight school, realizing his dream. After graduating from warrant officer school, he finished flight school as the “Distinguished Graduate.” He was then assigned as a Blackhawk pilot at Fort Carson, CO, where he was living at the time of his death. Andrew lived life to the fullest and brought out the best in everyone who knew him. He loved deeply and made lifelong friendships at every turn of his life. Andrew is survived by his mother Susan Lasell, step-father Richard Lasell, brother Brian Hoppus, and sister Sarah Hoppus. Final Rest: Riverside National Cemetery. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Angie can be found at https://www.cape-global.com/ Instagram: @angieleitnaker Facebook: CAPE Global - Creating A Powerful Experience --------------------------------------------------------------- Kerri can be found on Instagram: @running_with_the_rockstar Facebook: Every Run Has a Story You can find Paul - The Rhode Runner in the following places: Twitter: @TheRhodeRunner Instagram: @TheRhodeRunner Facebook Inspiring Journeys can be found on: InspiringJourneys.net Instagram: @InspiringJourneysPod Facebook You can also download and subscribe to the Inspiring Journeys Podcast at: Apple Podcasts iHeartRadio Spotify
This is a very special and personal episode for me. I want to introduce you to Nate Zayonc, a young man whom I am very proud of. His life was not in the most positive place a bit more than a year ago, but now he is thriving as a private in the U.S. Army. Nate was a top distance runner on the cross country and track teams at Bear Creek H.S. where I helped coach him. His desire was to run in college and then professionally. However, his life at home was difficult, and in fact he did receive a partial scholarship offer from UConn, but his parents for whatever reason never told him about it. Actually, his parents were an aunt and uncle who had adopted him. His biological mother was 14 when she had him and hasn't been in his life since he was a toddler. Nate was also born with fetal alcohol syndrome, which led to him having behavioral issues growing up. His father was 18 at the time and subsequently served time for statutory rape and is currently imprisoned on another charge. Nate's adoptive parents weren't great about supporting his running career, and after an incident with another boy on his high school team, they prohibited him from running during his pivotal senior year. Nate had told me that when he hit his 18th birthday, he planned to move out of the house, even though he had nowhere to go. This is where things got interesting. In today's society, and especially in public schools, insanely, it is frowned upon for an adult to show concern for a struggling young person who is not their own. A Bear Creek H.S. teacher reported me for offering to aid Nate, and I was immediately fired and all the athletic director and principal would tell me was “I don't know.” I only later learned that it was because I'd offered to help Nate out of his dilemma. At that point, there was no reason not to invite Nate to move into my spare bedroom in the basement. My original thought was that he would only be there for a few months until he left for Army basic training. We immediately got him back onto the track team so he could do what he liked best for the remainder of his senior year. The best part of Nate staying with me was watching him thrive in a positive environment for the first time. I've jokingly called it my late life fatherhood because all of a sudden, I was driving him all over and helping him in various ways to navigate his new independence. Following his basic training and subsequent stationing in Arizona, he has been assigned to Fort Carson, near Colorado Springs. What has been a pleasant surprise is that he is now home on most weekends, and we have bonded over everything from running to our common love of sports. He jokingly tells his fellow soldiers that he is staying with his stepdad. He's very proud of his status in the Army and is strongly considering going for Army Ranger school. And I'm proud of him, too. I likely forfeited my coaching career to give him this opportunity to live in a more positive home, but I have zero regrets about that. I don't understand why any school district would not support an educator being willing to go above and beyond for a student in need. My bottom-line message is to get involved when there is a young person in need – the rewards go both ways! I really hope you will enjoy this very special chat with a young man who is going to do great things and who has become like a son to me.Nate ZayoncInstagram @nathanzayoncBill Stahlsilly_billy@msn.comFacebook Bill StahlInstagram @stahlor and @coachstahlYouTube We Are Superman Podcast
Joining me today is Army Retired CW3 Jaime Hernandez. Jaime was born and raised in Ponce, Puerto Rico and graduated from Ponce High School in 1989. He attended Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico pursuing a degree in Accounting. He enlisted in the Army as an 11B and went to basic training at Fort Benning, GA in 2002. His first assignment was to B Company, 2/35 Infantry at Schofield Barracks, HI, and deployed to Afghanistan in 2004. In 2008, he reclassified to MOS 88N Transportation and went to Fort Eustis, VA for training. After being promoted to E-7, he again deployed to Afghanistan in 2010. During that deployment, Jaime applied and was accepted into the Warrant Officer program. He graduated from the Warrant Officer course in 2013 and was next assigned to the 4th ID at Fort Carson, CO. He was next assigned to Camp Casey, South Korea in 2016 followed by an assignment to Fort Hood, TX. He completed a Bachelor's degree in Transportation and Logistics management from American Military University in 2018, and then deployed to the Arabic peninsula in 2019. Jaime was promoted to CW3 and was assigned to his final duty station back at Fort Eustis. He retired in 2022.
Join us as we dive deep into the fascinating world of Army healthcare with our special guest, CW3(P) Goldie Cooper, a seasoned 670A Health Service Maintenance Technician. Learn about the critical role these experts play in ensuring that medical equipment is battle-ready and operational, saving lives both on and off the field.
Thomas Quinn offers lessons learned from a remarkable military careeer, from Penn State ROTC to Germany, Fort Carson, ATEC and DARPA. Along the way we discuss Hands on Leadership (3:50), the Fulda Gap (17:25), Fort Carson (22:15), the Officer/NCO Partnership (26:50), LTG Caldwell (28:40), Combined Arms Operations (34:10), DARPA (37:35), and Advice to the Troops (42:30). Donate to the Ranger Scholarship Fund Intro and Outro music from the brilliant licks of Kenny Kilgore, Low Riders and Beautiful Rainy Day.
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the fifty-first episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.' Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today's guests are two seasoned, former command sergeant majors, CSM(R) Adam Nash and CSM(R) Curt Donaldson. CSM(R) Nash is the former 4th Infantry Division Command Sergeant Major. CSM(R) Donaldson is the former 75th Ranger Regiment Command Sergeant Major, known as the Regimental Sergeant Major. The 4th Infantry Division is a division of the United States Army based at Fort Carson, Colorado and was established in 1917 as a key member of the American Expeditionary Force for World War I. They have the Hollywood call-sign of “Iron Horse,” but are commonly called “Ivy Division,” and the motto of “Steadfast & Loyal.” The 75th Ranger Regiment, also known as Army Rangers or simply as Ranger Regiment, is the premier light infantry unit and special operations raid force within the United States Army Special Operations Command. Their lineage dates back to Roger's Rangers during the French and Indian War in the 18th Century. Their motto is “Sua Sponte” or “Of Their Accord,” with their daily greeting of “Rangers Lead the Way.” In this episode we discuss warfighting on the modern battlefield, the process of developing junior leaders, and the need to focus leaders on combat mindset. Specifically we talk changing our units' fighting spirit from focused on garrison life to preparing for war. The modern Soldier's mindset must embrace the warrior spirit as it is vital to success on the battlefield. Every Soldier from the individual rifleman in a fire team through to the staff at brigade, must change their mindset from “going to JRTC” or “going to the range” to “going to war” because that mindset is what's going to win the day. Senior leaders have to prioritize establishing and maintaining a leader development program within their units. This includes mentorship between non-commissioned officers and commissioned officers, especially as it applies to standards. Part of S01 “The Leader's Laboratory” series. For additional information and insights from this episode, please check-out our Instagram page @the_jrtc_crucible_podcast Be sure to follow us on social media to keep up with the latest warfighting TTPs learned through the crucible that is the Joint Readiness Training Center. Follow us by going to: https://linktr.ee/jrtc and then selecting your preferred podcast format. Again, we'd like to thank our guests for participating. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and review us wherever you listen or watch your podcasts — and be sure to stay tuned for more in the near future. “The Crucible – The JRTC Experience” is a product of the Joint Readiness Training Center.
Major General Dave Doyle and Command Sergeant Major Alex Kupratty from the 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, Colorado join Lieutenant Colonel Lisa Becker and Mr. Rich Creed from CADD to talk about how to train for multi-domain operations. They talk about the first two principles of training as found in FM 7-0, encouraging creativity, and the role of senior leaders in prioritizing training.
Major General Dave Doyle and Command Sergeant Major Alex Kupratty from the 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, Colorado join Lieutenant Colonel Lisa Becker and Mr. Rich Creed from CADD to talk about how to train for multidomain operations. They talk about the first two principles of training as found in FM 7-0, encouraging creativity, and the role of senior leaders in prioritizing training.
Josh became infatuated with the military and flying after watching “Top Gun”. Josh did everything he could to learn about aircraft and to prepare to become a pilot, including participating in the Civil Air Patrol. Josh needed glasses to correct his vision so becoming a pilot wasn't feasible, but it didn't stop his desire to serve. Josh enlisted in the Infantry with the goal to apply to West Point and to enter the Academy. When he reported to his first duty station at Joint Base Lewis McChord he told his chain of commmand his intentions and his company commander supported his ambitions. Nine months after reporting to Joint Base Lewis McChord Josh would be reporting to the United States Military Academy Prep School and West Point the year after. Josh would graduate West Point and commission as an Armor Officer; serving in South Korea, deploying from Fort Carson with the 3rd ACR to Iraq, and later to Kuwait as a staff officer in the Coalition Forces Land Component Command (CFLCC). Josh would leave the military upon the completion of his initial military service obligation and began a journey of discovering his passions for elevators, photography, serving others, and Artificial Intelligence. This is his story. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/joe-harrison0/support
Major General David Doyle, Commanding General, 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, joins Leader Up for a second time to discuss a variety of leadership and leader development topics. Talking points include the critical role of Army Civilians and the importance of their professional education, the Ivy leadership methodology used within the 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, the significance of maintaining a positive climate and culture within an organization, Maj. Gen. Doyle's personal insights on mentoring and feedback, and more. Learn more about the 4th Infantry Division and Fort Carson at: https://home.army.mil/carson/units-tenants/4th-infantry-division Maj. Gen. Doyle previously joined Leader Up in episode 34 to discuss Strategic Leadership. For questions, suggestions, or feedback, write us at usarmy.leavenworth.tradoc.mbx.armyu-amsc-podcast@army.mil To learn more about the Army Management Staff College, visit our website at https://armyuniversity.edu/amsc No DOD or U.S. ARMY ENDORSEMENT IMPLIED. Any references to commercially available products or works are used for research and educational purposes only. Mention of any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the U.S. Army, Department of Defense, or the United States Government. The views and opinions of the authors expressed herein do not state or reflect those of the United States Government and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes. The mention of companies by name is solely for the purpose of representing educational framework and should not be implied as endorsement. Music: "Army Strong" composed by Mark Isham, arranged by Hector Munoz.
The 41st Chief of Staff of the Army, General Randy A. George makes his first appearance on the podcast for a great discussion about leadership, his vision, and the lessons he's learned over the course of his four-decade career. General George and Joe cover a lot of ground in this episode, discussing topics including:Encouraging professional discourseWhy leaders need to ask questionsThe training management program that's in the Chief's crosshairsWhy great leaders are great editorsWhat transforming in contact looks likeHow General George recharges his batteries after a long dayThe importance of professional boundariesWhat topics General George wants leaders to write about....and more!General Randy A. George assumed duties as the 41st Chief of Staff of the Army on September 21, 2023.George commissioned from the U.S. Military Academy in 1988 as an infantry officer. He served as a lieutenant in the 101st Airborne Division and deployed in support of Desert Shield/Desert Storm. George received his Master of Science in Economics in 1999 from Colorado School of Mines and then served at the National Simulation Center in Fort Leavenworth before attending the Command and General Staff College.In 2001 George went to Italy and served as the executive officer of 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade. He was later executive officer and then deputy commander of the brigade, during which time he deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Returning to the 101st Airborne Division in 2004, George commanded 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment and deployed a second time to Iraq. He then went to United States Naval War College as an instructor and then student. He deployed again as part of the initiatives group for the commanding general, Multi-National Corps-Iraq in 2007.In 2008 George returned to the 4th Infantry Division, where he commanded 4th Brigade Combat Team and deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Following command, he was a fellow on the Council of Foreign Relations, chief of the strategic policy division for the Pakistan-Afghanistan coordination cell on the Joint Staff, executive officer to the 33rd Vice Chief of Staff of the Army. He later returned to Fort Carson as the deputy commanding general (maneuver) of 4th Infantry Division.George took command of the 4th Infantry Division in June 2017. In this role he deployed again to Afghanistan. His most recent command was of I Corps at Joint Base Lewis McChord, after which he served as the senior military assistant to the Secretary of Defense.He is married to his West Point classmate, Patty. They have two children, Grant and Andrea.Special thanks to this week's sponsors!Veteran-founded Adyton. Connect Leadership With Action Across Distributed Formations With Mustr by Adyton. Mustr is your digital knife-hand for daily and rapid personnel accountability, real time response data visibility, and automated reporting. Learn more about what Mustr can do for your formation here! My favorite coffee is veteran-owned Alpha Coffee and I've been drinking it every morning since 2020! They make 100% premium arabica coffee. Alpha has donated over 22k bags of coffee to deployed units and they offer a 10% discount for military veterans, first responders, nurses, and teachers! Try their coffee today. Once you taste the Alpha difference, you won't want to drink anything else! Learn more here.
"My running talent has taken me to so many places. I've come to this country, I became a citizen, and that's an opportunity that a lot of people don't have. And I got it, and I'm very thankful for that. That's why I feel it would be a great honor for me to make the Olympics. That's why I keep pursuing that dream. And I know it's going to be valid one time." My guest for today's episode is Elkanah Kibet. The 40-year-old was in third place by 15 seconds going into the final mile of the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials but a charging Leonard Korir managed to catch him for the final spot that will likely go to the Paris Olympics. Kibet finished fourth in 2:10:02 – which set a new U.S. masters marathon record. He was so gratuitous after the race and handled the fourth place finish with so much humility. It was remarkable. Kibet has improved as a marathoner in his late 30s and isn't ready to call an end to his Olympic dreams. He'll be 44 at the 2028 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials and he's already planning the road there. When he's not running in the early or late hours of the day, he is a husband and a father of three. He also works a full-time job in the U.S. Army as a financial comptroller in Fort Carson, Colorado. He has a tremendous pride for this country. He shares his story of coming from Kenya and all of the opportunities that America has given him, which is why he doesn't hesitate to represent the red, white and blue at a World Championships and has done so four times in his career. We know the guys who make the Olympic team. Let's not forget the hard work of those who come close. Host: Chris Chavez | @chris_j_chavez on Instagram Guest: Elkanah Kibet | @airbornrunner on Instagram Time Stamps: 04:45: His thoughts on placing fourth at the Trials. 06:33: What was going through his mind as third-place finisher Leonard Korir went by him during the race. 07:55: Looking ahead to the 2028 Olympics, where he will be 44 years old. 08:59: Breaks down his race and how he was able to move up throughout the race. 12:32: Shares about moving to the U.S. on a scholarship, joining the army after finishing college, and how he was able to continue training while working full-time. 16:50: What running for the U.S. means to him. 17:36: His desire to bring a medal home to the U.S. next year. 19:30: How shoe technology has helped him stay consistent. 21:14: How he manages his training load around working full-time. 23:41: How splits runs into singles/doubles + his focus on recovery. 25:04: His relationship with his coach. 28:09: How he balances training while working for the army + getting deployed. 32:25: How long he plans on continuing to run competitively for. 36:59: What's next for him. SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS
D.O. or Do Not: The Osteopathic Physician's Journey for Premed & Medical Students
How flattering it is when amazing Osteopathic Physicians call US to be on the podcast! In today's episode, we welcome Dr. Mary S. Doellman, a board-certified otolaryngologist and allergy physician (ENT) with Phelps Health in Rolla, MO. As an active duty physician, she served as chief otolaryngologist in Fort Leonard Wood, MO, and as a staff otolaryngologist at Fort Carson in Colorado.Dr. Doellman speaks not only about her passion for fungi, but gives us a detailed window into a specialty unique for its blend of surgery, medicine, complex pathology, and longitudinal care. She covers the topic of her rural and military upbringing and how this guided her path into similar circumstances in her professional career. She gives pertinent advice to female osteopathic physicians on how to succeed as a woman in medicine, specifically in a competitive surgical specialty. The interview highlights Dr. Doellman as a strong example of how dedication and persistance can allow an individual to carve a path straight through the heart of medicine to acheive their dreams. We know you find her as inspiring as we did!
First off, Merry Christmas! The guys kick off this special holiday episode with Christmas vibes! From a holiday song to discussing their Christmas memories as they've transitioned from junior enlisted to senior enlisted Sailors. Oh my, how time changes things. Damon and Damo reminisce about their grandmothers who are no longer here. Remember, to cherish your family and cherish these moments. The guys play a round of “All I Want For Christmas.” A lot of new movies have premiered that are worth a little conversation about. Are there any good ones? Are there any really bad movies that were recently released? The rapper, Scarface just did a Tiny Desk concert, accompanied by Mike Dean that provided another classic hip-hop moment for Mr. Brad Jordan. A listener asked for thoughts on why people commit acts of stolen valor. Damo asked if he was wrong about a particular decision he made (or didn't make) on his last duty day. Go Navy, Beat Army - but we gotta win one? What happened to eNAVFIT? On a recent episode of The Joe Budden Podcast, military housing, BAH, and military came up. The guys decided to address the commentary from that conversation. Damon asks Damo what is his “first take” as a brand new father. Is Navy Federal favoring White applicants over African American applicants for home loans? Do we have time for some end-of-the-year “Do Betters”? What's this story about a Soldiers on Fort Carson not being able to make appointments before 0900? An update from the last episode regarding the Squadron Commodore of PHIBRON 5 clears up a lot of speculation. Remember to follow the ‘Permission to Speak Freely' podcast on TikTok, Facebook, Discord, Instagram, and Twitter, and subscribe on YouTube. Keep up with the ‘Permission to Speak Freely' podcast on our social media and YouTube - https://linktr.ee/Ptsfpodcast Links and more from this Episode: Restricted Hours on Fort Carson - https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/11/29/fort-carson-officer-restricts-hours-mental-health-care-and-other-services-make-time-physical.html PHIBRON 5 Commodore fired - https://coronadotimes.com/news/2023/12/06/navy-squadron-commodore-fired-after-thanksgiving-eve-dui-hit-and-run/ Second Drill Sergeant found dead in 8 days - https://www.military.com/daily-news/2023/12/18/second-fort-jackson-drill-sergeant-found-dead-base-month.html?utm_content=buffercc952&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer&fbclid=IwAR2JVyRkFLIxmUX3YGUF9nyg7dKUKg0FC4lgQ69l6i8ccUI1UD8vx18GI6o_aem_AcThacBMkKI2gDCUcJDcDJ8xIWWtq8WVsj1RDmBL4aDgxxtug_ssstropS4mabo5rdc Damo's Book of the Week: Talk Like Ted (Carmine Gallo) - https://www.carminegallo.com/books/talk-like-ted/ Additional Credits: PTSF “Theme Music” - Produced by Lim0 Intro Music: Artist: Robin Thicke Song: Merry Little Christmas Album: A ROC Christmas Label: Roc Nation Records LLC IMPORTANT: The holidays aren't happy for everyone. It's okay if you aren't feeling your greatest this season. Please remember that if you are thinking about harming yourself or others, reach out and talk about it. The following are resources if you are considering self-harm or having suicidal ideations: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK(8255) Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988 Crisis Text Line: Text CONNECT to 741741 Contains an excerpt of The Joe Budden Podcast, Patreon exclusive episode, “Freezer Burn.”
Today, you'll hear audio from the conclusion of a speaking session by CH(MAJ) Jake Snodgrass, USA, this past fall at Spring Canyon's Aspentime Retreat. If you're new to OCF and you've never heard of Spring Canyon, it's OCF's western conference and retreat center located near Buena Vista, Colorado. And if you've never heard of Aspentime, it's a weekend getaway at Spring Canyon for Christian military members and families, and it features teaching and small group sessions led by a speaker like CH Snodgrass. Participants at the weekend retreat explored the profound concept of spiritual formation through the lens of renowned authors such as John Mark Comer, Dallas Willard, John Ortberg, and Donald Whitney, and they uncovered principles and practices that challenge contemporary ideals, emphasizing the necessity of community in the pursuit of spiritual growth. There were also interactive discussions, activities, and real-life applications in which leaders discovered how to build and sustain a vibrant military ministry while fostering personal renewal in an increasingly secular world and military. About CH(MAJ) Jake Snodgrass, USA Chaplain Jacob Snodgrass is a native of Ames, OK, and graduated from the University of Oklahoma and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Applied Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City. He was commissioned from ROTC in 2002, and has served as a Chaplain since 2009, endorsed by the Southern Baptist Convention. He currently serves as the 10th Special Forces Group Chaplain and as the lead pastor of Agape Carson, Fort Carson, CO. Chaplain Snodgrass has served numerous assignments as a chaplain, pastor, and church planter, including Camp Humphreys, Korea; Fort Lewis, WA; and Kandahar, Afghanistan. He was named U.S. Army Chaplain of the Year in 2019. Chaplain Snodgrass has been married for 18 years to the former Heather Dostal of Leakenheath, UK, and they have six kids: Manuel 24, Karmen 22, Gage 15, Boyce 14, Jovie 11, and Bennett 8.
Today, you'll hear audio from Part 2 of a speaking session by CH(MAJ) Jake Snodgrass, USA, this past fall at Spring Canyon's Aspentime Retreat. If you're new to OCF and you've never heard of Spring Canyon, it's OCF's western conference and retreat center located near Buena Vista, Colorado. And if you've never heard of Aspentime, it's a weekend getaway at Spring Canyon for Christian military members and families, and it features teaching and small group sessions led by a speaker like CH Snodgrass. Participants at the weekend retreat explored the profound concept of spiritual formation through the lens of renowned authors such as John Mark Comer, Dallas Willard, John Ortberg, and Donald Whitney, and they uncovered principles and practices that challenge contemporary ideals, emphasizing the necessity of community in the pursuit of spiritual growth. There were also interactive discussions, activities, and real-life applications in which leaders discovered how to build and sustain a vibrant military ministry while fostering personal renewal in an increasingly secular world and military. About CH(MAJ) Jake Snodgrass, USA Chaplain Jacob Snodgrass is a native of Ames, OK, and graduated from the University of Oklahoma and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Applied Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City. He was commissioned from ROTC in 2002, and has served as a Chaplain since 2009, endorsed by the Southern Baptist Convention. He currently serves as the 10th Special Forces Group Chaplain and as the lead pastor of Agape Carson, Fort Carson, CO. Chaplain Snodgrass has served numerous assignments as a chaplain, pastor, and church planter, including Camp Humphreys, Korea; Fort Lewis, WA; and Kandahar, Afghanistan. He was named U.S. Army Chaplain of the Year in 2019. Chaplain Snodgrass has been married for 18 years to the former Heather Dostal of Leakenheath, UK, and they have six kids: Manuel 24, Karmen 22, Gage 15, Boyce 14, Jovie 11, and Bennett 8.
Today, you'll hear audio from a speaking session by CH(MAJ) Jake Snodgrass, USA, this past fall at Spring Canyon's Aspentime Retreat. If you're new to OCF and you've never heard of Spring Canyon, it's OCF's western conference and retreat center located near Buena Vista, Colorado. And if you've never heard of Aspentime, it's a weekend getaway at Spring Canyon for Christian military members and families, and it features teaching and small group sessions led by a speaker like CH Snodgrass. Participants at the weekend retreat explored the profound concept of spiritual formation through the lens of renowned authors such as John Mark Comer, Dallas Willard, John Ortberg, and Donald Whitney, and they uncovered principles and practices that challenge contemporary ideals, emphasizing the necessity of community in the pursuit of spiritual growth. There were also interactive discussions, activities, and real-life applications in which leaders discovered how to build and sustain a vibrant military ministry while fostering personal renewal in an increasingly secular world and military. About CH(MAJ) Jake Snodgrass, USA Chaplain Jacob Snodgrass is a native of Ames, OK, and graduated from the University of Oklahoma and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Applied Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City. He was commissioned from ROTC in 2002, and has served as a Chaplain since 2009, endorsed by the Southern Baptist Convention. He currently serves as the 10th Special Forces Group Chaplain and as the lead pastor of Agape Carson, Fort Carson, CO. Chaplain Snodgrass has served numerous assignments as a chaplain, pastor, and church planter, including Camp Humphreys, Korea; Fort Lewis, WA; and Kandahar, Afghanistan. He was named U.S. Army Chaplain of the Year in 2019. Chaplain Snodgrass has been married for 18 years to the former Heather Dostal of Leakenheath, UK, and they have six kids: Manuel 24, Karmen 22, Gage 15, Boyce 14, Jovie 11, and Bennett 8.
In this episode of The F.I.T. in Faith Podcast, host Tamra Andress sits down with special guest Ryan Griffis, also known as "Mr. Griffis." Ryan, an active-duty soldier, shares his powerful journey from struggling with mental health issues and a lack of faith to becoming a beacon of hope and inspiration for millions on social media. He candidly discusses how his faith transformed his life, leading him to use his platform to address the mental health crisis within the military community and beyond. Together, they explore the intersection of faith and mental health, the importance of authenticity, and the impact of Ryan's remarkable journey on both soldiers and civilians. Join Tamra and Ryan as they unmask the challenges and triumphs of mental health and faith in this compelling episode. Meet Ryan Griffis: Ryan Griffis, known as MRGRIFFIS, has taken the social media world by storm with his incredible story and inspiring content. With millions of followers across various platforms, Ryan recently graced the stage at EYA (Embrace Your Ambition), captivating the crowd with his powerful message. His audience spans across upcoming social media influencers, veterans, law enforcement, mental health advocates, teachers, youth, nurses, students, and proud Americans.Under the brand name MRGRIFFIS, Ryan represents proud Americans who are willing to break long-standing stigmas in the world. He emphasizes the importance of speaking up about our problems, dismantling the notion that vulnerability is a weakness. Ryan's mission is to be a beacon of light in someone's darkest days, spreading the understanding that "it's okay to NOT be okay."Beyond his online presence, Ryan's brand seeks to shatter barriers and create a supportive community. His commitment to raising awareness about mental health and advocating against suicide has earned him a dedicated following. As an active-duty soldier in the United States Army stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, Ryan draws from his personal struggles with mental health and PTSD to inspire others facing similar challenges.Ryan Griffis's determination to make a global impact and amplify important messages has solidified his position as a remarkable social media star. Through his engaging content, energy, and motivation, he continues to inspire millions while advocating for mental health and promoting a sense of community and support.To connect with Ryan Griffis and experience his motivational content, visit his website at https://mrgriffis.com Where to Find Ryan: The Rise of Mr. Griffis Documentary: https://youtu.be/eOq5YP8I9Io TikTok: mrgriffis http://www.tiktok.com/@mrgriffis YouTube: Ryan Griffis (MrGriffis) http://youtube.com/@mrgriffis Twitter: mrgriffis93 http://www.twitter.com/mrgriffis93 Instagram: mr.griffis https://Instagram.com/mr.griffis Facebook: mrgriffis https://www.facebook.com/MRGRIFFIS93 Clapper: mrgriffis93 https://newsclapper.com/MRGRIFFIS93?is_invite=1&r=mPbk9GbkJa&c=in&m=co Where to Find Tamra: ⁉️ Have a faith & or biz question you'd like to have me answer? Feel free to write it, along with your honest review on Apple Podcasts - I'll share you and give you the answer in an upcoming episode!
Dive deep into the intricacies of health services human resource management with our special guest, LTC Bethany Wagner. She'll be shedding light on the expansive role of the 70F AOC, which advises commanders and staff on a broad spectrum of matters:✨ The intricacies of directing personnel systems that address the comprehensive personnel management life cycle functions. We're talking strength accounting, promotions, casualty reporting, awards, and more! And for those of you on the job hunt or looking for new opportunities, we'll also be discussing some of the current AIM Marketplace Jobs that are open for applications. So, whether you're in the field or just curious about what goes on behind the scenes in health services HRM, this is one episode you won't want to miss!LTC Wagner commissioned in the U.S. Army in 2006 as a Medical Service Corps Officer. She is a graduate of Washington State University where she achieved her Bachelor of Arts in English, Professional and Technical Writing. After completing her Officer's Basic Training located at Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA), Texas, she proceeded to her first assignment as the Medical Supply OIC with 86th Combat Support Hospital (CSH), Fort Campbell, Kentucky. She has deployed in support of Operational Iraqi Freedom with 86th CSH and 526 Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne/Air Assault Division as a Company XO and Battalion (BN) S1. Other positions she has served include BN S1, Warrior Transition Battalion, Fort Carson, CO; Company Commander, Evans Army Community Hospital (EACH), Fort Carson, CO; Brigade S1, 16th Military Police Brigade, Fort Bragg, NC; Human Resource Intern, AMEDD Personnel Proponent Directorate, JBSA; Chief Human Resource Officer, EACH, Fort Carson, CO; Medical Service Corps Career Manager, Human Resource Command, Fort Knox, KY; Operations and Plans Officer, Readiness and Strength Branch, Human Resource Command, Fort Knox, KY. LTC Wagner's awards and decorations include Combat Action Badge, Meritorious Service Medals, Army Commendation Medals, Army Achievement Medals, National Defense Service Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Ribbon, Parachutist Badge, and Air Assault Badge. LTC Wagner's military education includes Basic Officer Leader Course I and II, Captain's Career Course, Command and General Staff College, How the Army Runs, Human Resources Mangers Course. She is also Combatives Level 1 and 2 certified. LTC Wagner earned her Master's in Human Resource Management, Health Services in 2015 from Keller Graduate School of Management and has since obtained a certificate in Strategic Human Resource Leadership and Compensation Studies from Cornell University. She is the recipient of the Army's LTC Karen Wagner Leadership Award and has been recognized by distinguished Army leaders for her professionalism, integrity, leadership, and competency throughout the years.Links to references: FM 1-0https://armypubs.army.mil/epubs/DR_pubs/DR_a/ARN33331-FM_1-0-000-WEB-1.pdfMore on 70F: https://www.cool.osd.mil/army/moc/index.html?moc=aoc_70f&tab=overview Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are the guests and host's alone and do not reflect the official position of the Medical Service Corps, the Department of Defense, or the US Government. All information discussed is unclassified approved for public release and found on open cleared sources.For more episodes listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube @ Be All You Can Be MSC For more information, suggestions, or questions please contact: beallyoucanbemsc@gmail.com
The CE experience for this Podcast is powered by CMEfy - click here to reflect and earn credits: https://earnc.me/cnI1Ua Today's show is brought to you by Eagle Financial Group. Find them on the web at eaglefsg.com Tariq Collins Sr. AKA (Dr. Black Wealth) is originally from Bronx, New York. He was raised in New York, with most of his life in Atlanta, GA. Tariq joined the United States Army after graduating from Stockbridge High School. He spent four years in the Army and Honorably Discharged in 2014 at Fort Carson. He has a beautiful family (wife and four kids). Tariq found his passion for finances and wanting to become a planner by attending a Networking class in Denver with Regis University. He met a recruiter of Northwestern Mutual and learned all he can about the business. He joined as an intern in the summer of 2017 and became full time in 2018. He is now an Investor & Business Owner of several companies. Tariq is a Financial and Tax Strategist that guides people in becoming financially secure with the proper education. His passion of Finance came from his struggle and upbringing in communities he was raised in, plus the lack of knowledge received while serving in the Army. Tariq's mission is to serve his community by educating them in the world of finance and business to uplift us out of our present condition and help Americans Reclaim Wealth. -+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+= Are you about to enter the residency match in the spring? MD Coaches is excited to be offering Highlighting Your Unique Value This is a special four-week group coaching experience specificially designed to help you identify and present your best self during match interviews. All participants received one individualized coaching session, and four group coaching sessions. The cohort begins Sunday, October 10 at 7pm Eastern. Cost for the cohort is $475, and if you are a member of the American Society of Physisicans, you qualify for a discount. Find more information or register at mdcoaches.store -+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+=-+= This Episode is brought to you today by Eagle Financial Group. Eagle Financial Group is here to help you understand your numbers to make wise decisions. From fractional CFO services to accounting, bookkeeping, and payroll, Eagle financial group is your partner to ensure that your practice keeps on serving your patients, and gives you more time to spend with your family and friends. It's time that you overcome your obstacles, and get control of your financial life today. Give Eagle Financial Group a call at 719-755-0043, drop us an email at clientservices@eaglefsg.com, or visit us on line at eaglefsg.com We are a proud sponsor of the MD Coaches family of podcasts. Join the Conversation! We want to hear from you! Do you have additional thoughts about today's topic? Do you have your own Prescription for Success? Record a message on Speakpipe Unlock Bonus content and get the shows early on our Patreon Follow us or Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Amazon | Spotify --- Show notes at https://rxforsuccesspodcast.com/168 Report-out with comments or feedback at https://rxforsuccesspodcast.com/report Music by Ryan Jones. Find Ryan on Instagram at _ryjones_, Contact Ryan at ryjonesofficial@gmail.com Production assistance by Clawson Solutions Group, find them on the web at csolgroup.com
Rob grew up in Columbus, Ohio the oldest of four kids. West Point offered him opportunity to go to college and the structure necessary to push and challenge him in a way staying in Ohio may not. Rob stumbled out of the gates with his Senate nomination interview with John Glenn, but recovered and secured a nomination from Congressmen Mike DeWine. Rob's experience at West Point mirrored that early interaction. Temporary setbacks followed by deliberate long term growth. Rob branched Military Police because he wanted to be active and “in the fight”, not just training. Rob stumbled out of the gates early at Fort Carson and ended up on the local evening news, but continued down a path of deliberate growth. Deploying around the world (Cuba, Iraq, Afghanistan, S. Korea) and tackling some of the most complex tasks we could ask of a Military Police officer. This is his story. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/joe-harrison0/support
Ever wondered what it's like to navigate the AIM Marketplace? Well, Zach's been through the gauntlet and he's here to spill the beans. If you're aiming to conquer the market like Cobra Kai, you won't want to miss this episode. Zach shares some invaluable tips to ensure the odds are forever in your favor! MAJ Zach Patterson was a AIM Mover in the 24-02 Marketplace last year October. Zach was matched in his Marketplace from the top 5 jobs he ranked. MAJ Zachary Patterson was commissioned as a Medical Service Corps Officer through the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) in August 2010 and is a Distinguished Military Graduate. He has a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama, a Masters in Supply Chain Management (M.S.C.M.) from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. and is a Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) from the Institute for Supply Management (ISM). His assignments include: Brigade Medical Supply Office OIC, 1BCT, 4ID, Fort Carson, CO; Medical Evacuation Platoon Leader, C Company, 4th Brigade Support Battalion, 1ABCT, 4ID, Fort Carson, CO; Support Operations - Medical Logistics Officer, 4BSB, 1SBCT, 4ID, Fort Carson, CO; Chief of Supply Chain Management, Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Fort Gordon, GA; Company Commander, Alpha Company, Dwight D. Eisenhower Army Medical Center, Fort Gordon, GA; Operations Officer – G3/5/7, Army Medical Logistics Command, Fort Detrick, MD; Deputy Director of the Business Support Office, U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency, Fort Detrick, MD. MAJ Patterson's current assignment is as a Medical Logistics Planner for U.S. Army Central Command, Shaw Air Force Base, SC. He also serves as the Deputy Medical Logistics Consultant to the Army Surgeon General for Strategic Communications & Outreach. MAJ Patterson's awards and decorations include: Meritorious Service Medal (1 OLC), Army Commendation Medal (1 OLC), Army Achievement Medal (2 OLC), National Defense Service Medal; Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Over Seas Service Ribbon, and Expert Field Medical Badge.Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are the guests and host's alone and do not reflect the official position of the Medical Service Corps, the Department of Defense, or the US Government. All information discussed is unclassified approved for public release and found on open cleared sources.For more episodes listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube @ Be All You Can Be MSC For more information, suggestions, or questions please contact: beallyoucanbemsc@gmail.com
On this episode Simon Villanoz (Coach V) previews a ton of teams (5A-2A) from down in Colorado Springs and the surrounding area He talks about Fountain Fort Carson, Mesa Ridge, Discovery Canyon, Harrison, Mitchell, Sand Creek, Sierra, TCA, and Palmer Ridge. He talks about last season, graduating seniors/departures, key players, and predicts next season. Intro 0:00- 3:10 Fountain Fort Carson 3:11- 26:51 Mesa Ridge 26:52- 40:11 Discovery Canyon Campus 40:12- 48:24 Harrison 48:28- 1:00:24 Mitchell 1:00:25- 1:02:48 Sand Creek 1:02:49- 1:11:40 Sierra 1:11:41- 1:21:49 The Classical Academy (TCA) 1:21:50- 1:37:07 Palmer Ridge 1:37:08- 1:51:06 Outro 1:51:07-1:51:57 https://linktr.ee/PlaymakersCorner Social Media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/PlaymakerCorner Tik Tok: Playmakers Corner Instagram: https:https://www.instagram.com/playmakerscorner/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PlaymakerCorner Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUEcv0BIfXT78kNEtk1pbxQ/featured Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/playmakerscorner Website: https://playmakerscorner.com/ Listen to us on: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4rkM8hKtf8eqDPy2xqOPqr Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-cycle-365/id1484493484?uo=4 Breaker: https://www.breaker.audio/the-cycle-365 Google Podcasts: https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9mODg4MWYwL3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz
Episode 2 with guest medical operations planner (70H) and Observer Coach trainer (O/CT), MAJ(P) Jessica Maxim we discuss personal observations and experiences from the perspective of an O/CT from the Mission Command Training Program (MCTP) to help you in your assignment on the Division Surgeon Cell as a medical operations planner. MAJ(P) Jessica L. Maxim graduated from the University of Wyoming with a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Health Sciences and a Bachelor's of Science in Psychology in 2002. She enlisted in the Army in 2006 and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 2007. MAJ(P) Maxim served in the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team (ABCT), 4th Infantry Division (2/4ID) at Fort Carson as the Treatment Platoon Leader (PL) in Charlie Company, 204th Brigade support Battalion (BSB). She deployed with 2/4ID to Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) 08-10 where she was a Detachment OIC and Treatment PL. Upon return from Iraq, MAJ(P) Maxim served as the Delta Troop, 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment Forward Support Company Executive Officer (XO), the Charlie Company, 204th BSB Medical Company XO, the Support Operations (SPO) Supply and Services Officer, and Battalion Operations Officer (S3). MAJ(P) Maxim deployed to Afghanistan in 2011 in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) 11-12 where she commanded Charlie Company, 204th BSB, 2/4ID. She and her organization provided area medical support and augmented Special Operations Task Force 310 with cultural support teams (CST) in the Kandahar Province. After relinquishing command in 2013, MAJ(P) Maxim served at the Maneuver Center of Excellence, Directorate of Training as the Medical Operations Instructor at Fort Moore, GA. She served as the 3rd Battalion, 11th Infantry Regiment (Officer Candidate School) XO from 2014-2015, and at Martin Army Community Hospital (BMACH) as the Chief of Medical Readiness and Training before serving at Joint Base Lewis McChord (JBLM), WA in 2017. MAJ(P) Maxim served as the Chief of Medical Operations at 7th Infantry Division and America's First Corps. MAJ(P) Maxim is currently stationed at Fort Leavenworth where she is an Observer Coach/Trainer (OC/T) for the Mission Command Training Program (MCTP). MAJ(P) Maxim's military schooling includes Officer Candidate School, Basic Officer Leader's Course Phase II (BOLC II), the Medical Service Officer Basic Course (MSOBC), Combatives Levels 1 and 2, Unit Movement Officer, Battle Command Sustainment Support System (BCS3) Operator Course, Commander/1SG Course, Digital Training Management System Operator Course, Army Basic Instructor Course, Faculty Development Course, AMEDD Captain's Career Course, Command and General Staff College, Joint Medical Planners Course, and Joint Medical Planners Tool (JMPT) / Medical Planners Toolkit (MPTk). Her awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (2OLC), Army Commendation Medal (1OLC), Army Achievement Medal (2OLC), National Defense Service Ribbon, Iraq Campaign Medal (2 campaigns), Afghan Campaign Medal (2 campaigns), Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbons, and a NATO (ISAF) Medal. Her unit awards include the Valorous Unit Award and the Meritorious Unit Citation. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this podcast are the guests and host's alone and do not reflect the official position of the Medical Service Corps, the Department of Defense, or the US Government. All information discussed is unclassified approved for public release and found on open cleared sources.For more episodes listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or YouTube @ Be All You Can Be MSC For more information, suggestions, or questions please contact: beallyoucanbemsc@gmail.com
Matt was interested in the Service Academy's at an early age. This early interest drove him to focus on sports and grades and being well rounded. Matt had family in the Marine Corps, but he was drawn towards West Point. Matt was accepted into West Point and walked into Beast barracks with the Class of 1999. After Matt's Yearling Year in the Summer of 1997, he resigned West Point and went to Taiwan for two years as a Mormon missionary. Matt returned to West Point in the fall of 1999 and graduated two years later with the Class of 2001. Matt branched Armor and posted to Fort Carson, Colorado with the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment. Deploying to OIF I in 2003. Matt transitioned branches to Military Intelligence serving in South Korea and Iraq before returning to West Point to teach. Matt transitioned from Military Intelligence to become a Foriegn Area Officer with a focus on China and Taiwan. Matt would spend the remainder of his career digging deep and investing in Indo-Pacific Foreign policy, culminating as a Security and Cooperation Officer in Taiwan. This is his story. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/joe-harrison0/support
In Episode 27: UFOs Over Fort Carson, we are joined by Tom, a young army veteran who has become a line haul trucker for Target. During Tom's time serving the country, he was hit with an IED blast. He shares with us about his experiences overseas in Afghanistan, how he began trucking, and his run-in with some strange UFOs above Fort Carson in Colorado. We hope you enjoy the show! KEEP US FUELED: buymeacoffee.com/hammerlane EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FOOD: www.preparewithhll.com LEAVE A VOICEMAIL: 515-585-MERK(6375) EMAIL US YOUR STORIES: hllpodcast@protonmail.com Website: www.hammerlanelegends.com Gear: https://www.hammerlanelegends.com/gear YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC5TWlB5Yqx8JlQr3p3bkkMg Facebook: www.facebook.com/hammerlanelegends Instagram Desktop: www.instagram.com/hammerlanelegends Instagram Mobile: @hammerlanelegends Twitter Desktop: www.twitter.com/HLLPodcast Twitter Mobile: @HLLpodcast Produced by: Jack Merkel Follow Jack on Instagram @jack_theproducer
After the arrests of Michael Corbitt and Freddie Glenn, Colorado Springs and Fort Carson could rest easier. The murders of Daniel Van Lone, Winford Proffitt, Karen Grammer, Winslow Watson III saw a conclusion. The murders of Jerry Romisch and Milford Abramson are still unsolved. If you have any information about these murders - contact the El Paso County Sheriff's Office at 719-390-5555. The story of Linda Abramson - https://gazette.com/news/lindas-world-murder-boxes-of-cash-tax-evasion-prison/article_498fbb57-4994-5b79-a136-54bc15017431.html —— Ways to support your favorite podcast: Join My Patreon Family! Subscribe to Military Murder Premium on Apple Podcast! Rate/Review the Show! Tell a Friend about Military Murder —— Thanks to Today's Sponsors: Ritual! Visit ritual.com/military10 for 10% off during your first 3 months. June's Journey! Download “June's Journey” on the Apple App Store or Google Play! Third Love! Visit thirdlove.com/militarymama for 20% off your first order! HelloFresh! Visit HelloFresh.com/militarymama65 and use code “militarymama65” for 65% off plus free shipping! ----- Military Murder is a military true crime podcast that focuses on murders committed by military members, veterans, and sometimes their family members. ---- Follow on social: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mamamargot TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@militarymargot Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/militarymurderpodcast Discussion Group: https://facebook.com/groups/militarytruecrime Email: militarymurderpodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The 1975 murders appeared random and unconnected: a cartel-style murder of a Fort Carson soldier (Jerry Romisch), the execution of a veteran leaving work (Daniel Van Lone), the kidnapping of a waitress after work (Karen Grammer), the stabbing of a soldier looking to score drugs (Winford Proffitt)…but then…a break in the case. Part 2 is available right away for patreon and Apple Premium subscribers. It will be available to everyone March 6. —— Ways to support your favorite podcast: Join My Patreon Family! Subscribe to Military Murder Premium on Apple Podcast! Rate/Review the Show! Tell a Friend about Military Murder —— Thanks to Today's Sponsors: June's Journey! Download “June's Journey” on the Apple App Store or Google Play! Third Love! Visit thirdlove.com/militarymama for 20% off your first order! HelloFresh! Visit HelloFresh.com/militarymama65 and use code “militarymama65” for 65%l off plus free shipping! ----- Military Murder is a military true crime podcast that focuses on murders committed by military members, veterans, and sometimes their family members. ---- Follow on social: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mamamargot TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@militarymargot Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/militarymurderpodcast Discussion Group: https://facebook.com/groups/militarytruecrime Email: militarymurderpodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome back to another interview on Unlocking Your World of Creativity. We had the pleasure and honor to sit down and speak with Major General Robert W. Mixon, Jr. In the US Army, General Mixon commanded the 7th Infantry Division and Fort Carson, Colorado. He has served in executive leadership positions in both for-profit and not-for-profit companies prior to starting his own leadership company, Level Five Associates, in 2014. He is also the co-author of a best-selling book on Amazon, “Cows in the Living Room: Developing an Effective Strategic Plan and Sustaining It” and the author of “We're All In: The Journey to a World-Class Culture”, which became a "Best New Release" on Amazon in 2017. In today's episode: Major General Mixon breaks down his 6 key principles of success in leadership The value veterans bring to the workplace General Mixons company, Level Five Associates and how his time in military service developed the insights, discipline, and vision necessary to transform capable people into unsurpassed business leaders.6 Principles of SuccessAzimuth - A term learned in the military. It's your cardinal direction for the organization, for the team. You set the azimuth, which includes your mission intent. Listen - Becoming more effective listeners. Trust and Empower - Empowerment is the embodiment of trust. But if we don't nurture that aspect of our culture, then we'll end up with an environment of distrust, which is toxic. Do the Right Thing When No One is Looking - “As we say, at the Pentagon, that briefs well, but it's very difficult to do because we have to value the process over the outcome and do the right thing.” When in Charge Take Charge - It's not being loud and profane and directive. It's being calm in the chaos.Balance the Personal and Professional - Taking your careers very seriously, your mission very seriously, but not taking ourselves that way. Promoting balance among each other. It's not all about time with work life. It's about having the values that you really believe in guide your actions, and that's where balance lives.“The plan is a basis for change. And if we are not adaptive as leaders, as organizations, and we are rigid in our fixation on the plan, then I think our chances of success are very low.”Value Veterans bring to the Workplace a sense of duty, a sense of doing what needs to be done. They're reliable. They're gonna be used to getting the mission accomplished. Sometimes when it runs beyond five o'clockThey're going to be team players. They understand that there's no eye in team.After General Mixon left military service, he continued to support and work for veterans with disabilities, mental health challenges, and has worked extensively in nonprofit work. Two organizations he is privileged to be a part of are:
This week, Francis speaks with Task and Purpose contributing editor Nicholas Slayton (@NSlayton) about trench warfare in Ukraine and the recent story where thousands of soldiers at Fort Carson, Colorado were ‘accidentally' teargassed during a pre-Thanksgiving fun run. Everyone who was in the Army just said ‘yeah, not surprised.' We have a Patreon with extra bonus content dating all the way back to 2017. Get it all for $5 a month! https://www.patreon.com/Hellofawaytodie *SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT* We now have a storefront to sell the patches, buttons, and magnets that we also give out as flair for our $10 tier. Buy some sweet gear here: https://www.hellofawaytodie.com/shop We have a YouTube channel now -- subscribe here and get sweet videos from us in which we yell in our cars like true veterans: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwlHZpNTz-h6aTeQiJrEDKw You can follow the show on Twitter here: @HellOfAWay Follow Nate here: @inthesedeserts Follow Francis here: @ArmyStrang
Interviews With The Hunting Masters - Big game Hunting podcast
Over the Counter Elk Hunting Stories with Mike Herne Show Notes: Mike Herne is here for a little campfire hunting story session. Mike's an avid hunter and bow hunting is his passion, although he recently picked up a rifle and enjoyed it. The army is Mike's day job where he works in a professional development academy. In his spare time, he writes hunting and outdoor-related content for Black Rifle Coffee through their publication, Free Range American. Mike shares some of his favorite hunts and elk is hands down his favorite animal to chase with a bow. He grew up on the east coast sitting in tree stands looking for deer and the first time he heard an elk bugle and saw an elk, he was hooked. Most of Mike's elk hunting experience has been in Colorado. He went on a cool trip last year with Aron Snyder and South Cox from Kifaru International where he called elk for Aron on a pretty awesome tag. Mike loves elk hunting because of the instant gratification you can get with bugling versus sitting and waiting for deer to show up. His first over-the-counter-archery elk hunt was when he was stationed in Fort Carson, Colorado. After a deployment, Mike took a couple weeks off to hunt. It was a tough hunt, and he shares some lessons he had to learn the hard way. The following season, Mike went back out and saw some quick success. The learning curve he experienced during his first hunt helped give him a leg up. He learned a ton about bugling, including when and when not to do it. Mike shares stories about a filmed trip he took with Free Range American that showed the reality of the over-the-counter hunting experience. We also talked about the similarities between calling elk and turkeys, hunting white tail deer, and lessons learned about creating illusions with noise and calls. Mike's a great example of someone who takes what he learned from previous hunts and elevates his game the next season. What's Inside: Mike's first elk hunt and the lessons he learned. How Mike used his experience to find success in hunting. Elk calling and bugling tips. Mentioned in this episode Phoenix Shooting Bags save 20% with code johnstallone Howl for Wildlife: https://www.howlforwildlife.org/ GoHunt: https://www.gohunt.com/ Short Description: Mike Herne is an avid bow hunter with some great stories, including a great one from his first time in Colorado. Mike shares some of his favorite hunts and elk is hands down his favorite animal to chase with a bow. He learned a ton of lessons and is a great example of someone who found success from integrating his experiences. Tags: big game hunting, hunting tips, hunting guide, buck hunting, hunting stories, elk hunting, bugle, Colorado, bow hunting, archery, over-the-counter hunting, deer hunting
On today's ZBT we've got 3 rounds in the magazine ... Round 1: Update the safety brief: 8,000 soldiers with the 4th Infantry Division swarmed a hill in Fort Carson, Colorado only to find themselves tear gassed to oblivion. Round 2: An investigation: Was an National Guard soldier lied to by his friend when said friend claimed to be a Marine? The investigation is on going. Round 3: Bad Ass of the Week: WWII veteran who was once in a Nazi POW camp turns 100 years old and gives some sage advice about life. SUPPORT THE SHOW: WhistlePig: Get your bottle at https://barstool.link/WPZBT or at a local retailer.You can find every episode of this show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube. Prime Members can listen ad-free on Amazon Music. For more, visit barstool.link/ZeroBlog30
On this episode of Expanded Perspectives, the guys start the show off talking about what they have been up to and the upcoming ADCC! Then, a US Army Sargeant, stationed at Fort Carson, Colorado, decides to go turkey hunting but ends up seeing a Bigfoot instead. Next, a listener writes in with terrifying encounter with the Greys when abducted at a friends house. After the break Cam brings up some strange tales/legends of missing treasure, pirates and more. Hidden treasures aren't just for pirates, movies, and pirate movies—there's actually treasure buried all over, including here in the United States. While some buried treasures have been found, there's still plenty out there just waiting to be discovered by metal detector, shovel, or puzzle-solving mind. Are you brave (and patient) enough to venture out in search of lost wealth? Finally, another listener writes in with a strange portal sighting in Philadelphia. All of this and more on this installment of Expanded Perspectives! Show Notes: ADCC ( Abu Dhabi Combat Club) When Bigfoot Stalk Elk, Hunters Beware! Sponsors: HelloFresh: Go to HelloFresh.com/EXPANDED16 and use promo code EXPANDED16 for up to 16 FREE meals and 3 FREE gifts! America's #1 Meal Kit. Lumi Labs: Microdose is available nationwide. To get 30% off your first order just go to Microdose.com and use the code EXPANDED Want to Share Your Story? Email: expandedperspectives@yahoo.com Hotline: 888-393-2783