Podcasts about Fort Sill

Born at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Eddy Gibbs was raised in Checotah by his mother. Only 10 when his father passed away, Gibbs felt a strong need to provide for the family.  After graduation from high school, he began installing fences in Tulsa, followed by apprenticeships in Kansas City, Missouri and Bakersfield, California to perfect the trade. He returned home to start his own company and, eight years later, began manufacturing fence products.  Ameristar became the largest ornamental fence manufacturer in the world. Upon sale of the company, with terms that the company remain in Oklahoma, Gibbs distributed a portion of the proceeds from the sale to employees as a token of appreciation.Close to his Owasso home, Gibbs' weekend retreat is northeast Oklahoma's Shangri-La Resort. After it fell into disrepair, he purchased the property and restored the resort's reputation, dramatically increasing tourism to the area and employment opportunities for local residents.          Listen to Eddy talk about his inventions, how 9/11 affected his business, and his huge donation to Rejoice school on the podcast and oral history website VoicesOfOklahoma.com.

In episode 27,  we take you behind the scenes of one of the Army's most critical missions—bringing top medical talent into the force. Join us as we sit down with CPT Ryan Harakel, a current Army Healthcare Recruiter, to learn what it takes to connect passionate professionals with purpose-driven careers in Army Medicine.CPT Ryan M. Harakel currently serves as the Army Medical Department (AMEDD) Officer in Charge at the Portland, Maine Medical Recruiting Station. A native of Little Falls, Minnesota, he began his Army career in 2003, completing Basic Combat Training at Fort Sill and AIT at Joint Base San Antonio, earning the MOS 68P (Radiology Specialist). In 2017, he commissioned into the Medical Service Corps as a 70B (Health Services Administration Officer).His leadership and operational assignments include Officer in Charge at Portland ME Medical Recruiting Station; HHC Commander, Mobilization & Missions Officer, and Executive Officer with the 7456 Medical Operation Readiness Unit in Des Moines, IA. As an enlisted leader, he served in multiple platoon sergeant and readiness roles across the U.S., including at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Camp Shelby, and Rochester, MN.CPT Harakel holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences from Mercy College of Health Sciences. His professional military education includes the AMEDD Captains Career Course, Health Care Recruiter Course, Master Fitness Trainer Course, OC/T Academy, AMEDD Senior Leaders Course, Air Assault School, and many others, reflecting his broad experience and commitment to readiness and training.His awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (6 OLC), Army Achievement Medal (7 OLC), Meritorious Unit Citation, Iraq Campaign Medal (2 campaign stars), and multiple other decorations. He has earned the Gold Recruiter Badge, Air Assault Badge, and Norwegian Military Marching Badge.With over two decades of service, CPT Harakel brings deep experience in both enlisted and officer ranks, combining operational expertise with a passion for mentoring and building the future of Army Medicine through healthcare recruiting. 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

PART 3 They were the Comanche, or Numunuh—meaning "The People"— and they were the undisputed "Lords of the Plains," fiercely guarding their vast homeland across Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, and New Mexico. Masters of horseback warfare, they resisted westward expansion as the U.S. government pushed settlers into their territory. In an 1836 raid on Fort Parker, nine-year-old Cynthia Ann Parker was taken captive. She embraced Comanche life, later marrying Chief Peta Nocona. And their son, Quanah Parker, became a legendary leader. As the U.S. broke the Treaty of Medicine Lodge, Quanah led his people in the Red River War, the last major conflict between the southern Plains tribes and the U.S. military. Realizing continued resistance meant destruction, he surrendered at Fort Sill in 1875 to secure his people's survival. Straddling two worlds, Quanah worked to bridge the divide between Native and white societies. Though never elected chief, he was appointed the Comanche Nation's Principal Chief. To his family, he was a beloved grandfather who championed education and Comanche traditions. To history, he remains the "Last Chief of the Comanche." In parts 1 and 2 of this series, I spoke with one of Quanah Parker's descendants, Jody Parker. Now in part 3, you'll hear directly from Quanah's great grandchildren: Jacquetta Parker Ardith Parker-Leming LaNora Parke Sandra Chesnut Don Allen Parker Jody Colbert The family shares insights on: - Quanah's influence on the importance of education and always showing up dressed to impress - His vision for a school and church for his people - What Quanah was like as a master horseman and a great warrior - The significance of Comanche oral history and that much of their knowledge came from both their elders and the Mennonite missionaries Quanah worked with - Did Quanah really tell a missionary she was "ugly"? You may be surprised by the answer! Finally, the elders share a heartfelt reflection on how Quanah bridged two worlds—the world of his people and of those who had taken over. Unfortunately, when I recorded this 2 years ago, my sound and video were messed up. So thank you for your patience, as it has been cleaned up as best as possible. Native ChocTalk Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast All Podcast Episodes: https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/

Jon Holdaway was born and raised in Pleasant Grove, Utah. He served in the Korea Seoul Mission, where he met Sister Juliette Landsem. They have two children. Jon graduated from Brigham Young University and BYU Law, and served in the Utah Army National Guard. He later became an Army JAG officer with assignments including Charlottesville, Virginia, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and Darmstadt, Germany, where he also served in church leadership roles including bishopric member, high council member, and stake mission president. After leaving the Army, Jon moved to Los Angeles and practiced law while serving as bishop in the Venice/Marina del Rey area. He later returned to government service, working in the national security field for 12 years and serving in various church leadership roles, including high priest group leader and stake young men president. Jon and his wife moved to Korea in 2020, where he works as a senior civilian attorney and legal advisor to the United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and U.S. Forces Command. He currently serves as president of the Seoul Korea Military District. Links Share your thoughts in the Leading Saints community Transcript coming soon Get 14-day access to the Core Leader Library Highlights Jon shares shares insights from his unique leadership role within a transient community of military personnel and their families, highlighting the challenges of leading in a district where members frequently move, often serving in leadership positions for only a short time. He discusses the importance of revelation in leadership, emphasizing that leaders must be proactive in seeking divine guidance and making timely decisions. Jon shares personal anecdotes about his journey to Korea, his military background, and the diverse community he serves, which includes members from various countries and backgrounds. Throughout the conversation, Jon stresses the significance of ministering to individual leaders and ensuring their well-being, particularly in high-pressure environments. He explains how he fosters a culture of quick adaptation and responsiveness, encouraging leaders to "do something" rather than wait for perfect conditions. The episode also touches on the importance of having a clear mission statement and aligning efforts with the priorities set by church leadership, such as focusing on the rising generation, missionary work, and temple service. Jon's experiences illustrate the necessity of building momentum in leadership roles, even amidst constant change, and the value of creating a supportive environment where leaders can thrive. 05:04 - Jon Holdaway's Journey to Korea 06:03 - Military Background and Current Role 07:10 - Personal Connection to Korea 08:02 - Career Path and Revelatory Process 10:12 - Unique Calling as District President 11:00 - Reporting Structure in the Military District 12:36 - Coverage and Responsibilities of the District 13:43 - Diversity in the Military District 17:52 - Interaction with Korean Stakes 19:09 - Managing Transient Leadership 20:05 - Importance of Revelatory Leadership 25:16 - Coaching New Leaders on Revelation 30:20 - The Need for Quick Decision-Making 32:31 - Building Momentum in Leadership 35:35 - Aligning with Prophetic Priorities 37:10 - Customizing Efforts for Branch Needs 39:18 - Feedback and Improvement in Meetings 44:05 - The Importance of Quality Meetings The award-winning Leading Saints Podcast is one of the top independent Latter-day Saints podcasts as part of nonprofit Leading Saints' mission to help Latter-day Saints be better prepared to lead. Learn more and listen to any of the past episodes for free at LeadingSaints.org. Past guests include Emily Belle Freeman, David Butler, Hank Smith, John Bytheway, Reyna and Elena Aburto, Liz Wiseman, Stephen M. R. Covey, Elder Alvin F. Meredith III, Julie Beck, Brad Wilcox, Jody Moore, Tony Overbay, John H. Groberg, Elaine Dalton, Tad R. Callister, Lynn G. Robbins,

The Trump Administration’s attempted federal funding freeze has left many agencies and organizations in Pennsylvania scrambling for information. The administration also says schools and churches are no longer off limits when it comes to immigration enforcement. The State College Area School District’s superintendent addressed the issue this week, as concerns circulated about immigration enforcement turning up in the community. Hundreds of people are protesting the termination of the Susquehanna County Library’s administrator and demand protection of LGBTQ-plus books. Penn State Children's Hospital in Hershey is one of four locations which will be sharing $3.6 million with the goal of improving health outcomes for newborns and their mothers. Appalachian Trail hikers in Port Clinton have faced a set of steep, sagging stairs and an active railroad at their base. The Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club and the Reading & Northern Railroad worked together over the past few years to improve safety on a small section of the trail in Schuylkill County. A 22-year-old from Lackawanna County has died while taking part in boot camp at Fort Sill in Oklahoma. The Justice Department appears poised to take a very different approach to investigating voting and elections. But, concerns are being raised by voting rights groups over President Trump's nominee for Attorney General, Pam Bondi. She supported Trump’s legal efforts to overturn the election results in Pennsylvania in 2020 and has reiterated his false claims about his loss that year. Public health departments investigate and respond to outbreaks of infectious diseases, inspect restaurants, and collect all kinds of health data. But most counties across the state do not have their own health departments. New research has found those that do tend to have better health outcomes. . Support WITF: https://www.witf.org/support/give-now/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tax advantages, confusing tax brackets, marginal vs effective tax rates, and more! Spener and Jamie discuss how military service members benefit from unique tax advantages, including untaxed allowances and combat zone tax exclusions. They also break down real examples of effective tax rates for different ranks and locations, explain tax brackets, and discuss investment implications, particularly for Roth vs traditional retirement accounts. Main Topics & Questions Covered: How did Jamie pay an effective tax rate of only 10% in 2023? What military pay components are not taxed? BAH (Basic Allowance for Housing) BAS (Basic Allowance for Sustenance) OHA (Overseas Housing Allowance) Overseas COLA Combat Zone Tax Exclusion Pay (CZTE) Hostile fire/imminent danger pay How do combat zone tax exclusions work? Areas designated by presidential executive order No limit for enlisted members Officers capped at highest enlisted monthly pay Real examples of effective tax rates for: E5 at Holloman AFB (single) E7 at Fort Sill (married with children) O3 at Wheeler Army Airfield (married with child) O5 in Hawaii (with children) How do tax brackets actually work? Progressive system explanation Standard deduction impacts Marriage tax advantages Common misconceptions about brackets Investment implications: Roth vs Traditional retirement accounts Why Roth often makes sense for military members Tax considerations when transitioning to civilian life Key takeaways: Military members often have very low effective tax rates Understanding true taxable income vs. total compensation Importance of tracking tax information on LES Resources for military tax assistance (Military Tax Experts Alliance) The hosts emphasized two main recommendations: Consider Roth retirement contributions while serving Be cautious about buying houses while on active duty Links: Military Tax Experts Alliance Military One Source's free tax prep software (miltax) Money Chimp's tax calculator IRS designated combat zones (CZTE zones) Money Chimp's Compound Annual Growth Rate calculator (CAGR) IRS Tax Brackets Podcast episode about state taxes #27 Episode #130 with Pual Allen from Military Tax Experts Alliance Episode #119 with Kate Horrell on taxes for military spouses For a limited time, Spencer is offering one-on-one Military Money Mentor sessions! Get your personal military money and investing questions answered in a confidential coaching call. Our new TSP course is live! Check out the Confident TSP Investing course at militarymoneymanual.com/tsp to learn all about the Thrift Savings Plan and strategies for growing your wealth while in the military. Use promo code "podcast24" for $50 off. Plus, for every course sold, we'll donate one course to an E-4 or below- for FREE! If you have a question you would like us to answer on the podcast, please reach out on instagram.com/militarymoneymanual or email podcast@militarymoneymanual.com. If you want to maximize your military paycheck, check out Spencer's 5 star rated book The Military Money Manual: A Practical Guide to Financial Freedom on Amazon or at shop.militarymoneymanual.com. I also offer a 100% free course on military travel hacking and getting annual fee waived credit cards, like The Platinum Card® from American Express, the American Express® Gold Card, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card in my Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. Learn how to get your annual fees waived on premium credit cards from American Express in the Ultimate Military Credit Cards Course at militarymoneymanual.com/umc3. The Platinum Card® from American Express and the American Express® Gold Card waive the annual fee for active duty military servicemembers, including Guard and Reserve on active orders over 30 days. The annual fees on all personal Amex cards are also waived for military spouses married to active duty troops.  

Happy Veterans Day, listeners! To honor the holiday we ventured out to Fort Sill—the 94,000 acre Army post near Lawton—for a visit to the National Field Artillery Museum. Fort Sill has a long history as an artillery school, so it makes sense to of the have artillery museum here. Gordon Blaker, director and curator for the museum, guides us through the collection (which also includes a steel beam segment from the World Trade Center and a fragment of the Berlin Wall) for our guest interview of the week.  Also on this show, the editors talk about the veterans in their own lives, and podvents lets us know about a beloved Robin Williams classic hitting the Tulsa PAC stage. You won't want to miss it!

Retirement isn't what it used to be. In the U.S. military, retirement is mandatory at 62 years of age, but U.S. Army Garrison Chaplain (MAJ) Lisa A. Northway is an exception to that. Lisa, who's currently stationed in Fort Sill, OK, has been called the “Grandma Moses” of the Army Chaplaincy. She recently received permission to extend her chaplaincy for a few more years.In this podcast, Karl Vaters talks with Lisa about how to have vibrant ministry past retirement age, includingThe value of long-term experience in today's ministry environmentHow to pace yourself for the long-termHow not to block the way for younger ministersHow to mentor younger ministers Links from this Episode:Elizabeth Fulgaro's Eagles NestBook: The Fantasy Fallacy by Shannon EthridgeBook: Unwanted by Jay StringerBook: The Awakened Brain by Dr. Lisa MillerBonus ContentNavigating the Challenges of Being a Woman In Ministry, with Lisa NorthwayWhat roles does the Bible allow women to serve in the church? This is a hot-button topic, for sure. In this conversation, Karl Vaters talks with U.S. Army Garrison Chaplain Lisa Northway about the challenges she faces as a woman in ministry, and how to address those issues among the troops she serves.

Retirement isn't what it used to be. In the U.S. military, retirement is mandatory at 62 years of age, but U.S. Army Garrison Chaplain (MAJ) Lisa A. Northway is an exception to that. Lisa, who's currently stationed in Fort Sill, OK, has been called the “Grandma Moses” of the Army Chaplaincy. She recently received permission to extend her chaplaincy for a few more years.In this podcast, Karl Vaters talks with Lisa about how to have vibrant ministry past retirement age, includingThe value of long-term experience in today's ministry environmentHow to pace yourself for the long-termHow not to block the way for younger ministersHow to mentor younger ministers Links from this Episode:Elizabeth Fulgaro's Eagles NestBook: The Fantasy Fallacy by Shannon EthridgeBook: Unwanted by Jay StringerBook: The Awakened Brain by Dr. Lisa MillerBonus ContentNavigating the Challenges of Being a Woman In Ministry, with Lisa NorthwayWhat roles does the Bible allow women to serve in the church? This is a hot-button topic, for sure. In this conversation, Karl Vaters talks with U.S. Army Garrison Chaplain Lisa Northway about the challenges she faces as a woman in ministry, and how to address those issues among the troops she serves.

During cold weather, most people want to huddle inside around heat sources, but some jobs force people to brave the elements. Waco businessman and historian Roger Conger delivered groceries for J. C. Crippen & Sons as a teenager in the 1920s. He recalls a winter delivery to Waco High English teacher Marie Leslie that can only be described as a learning experience: "Her house was on the west side of North Eighteenth Street right across from Providence Hospital. And I pulled across the street to the wrong side of the street, it was. In other words, I was heading north, and it's a steep, downward hill there. And I pulled against the curb, and there was ice on the curbs that particular Saturday. Was a cold, cold day. I left my engine running, and I pulled the combination clutch release and brake of a Model T, which is to your left hand. I pulled that up and thought that I had locked the brakes. Left the engine running, went around to the back, got her order off, and went inside Miss Leslie's house and delivered her groceries. And when I came back out of her house, to my consternation, I couldn't see any truck. I hurried out to the curb, and I looked down the hill, and there was a filling station at the foot of the hill down there, and I saw a crowd of people around in this gasoline station. And with my box in my hand I ran down the hill and found that my truck, still loaded with Crippen groceries, had careened down this icy hill into that filling station, crashed into the back of an automobile that was getting some gasoline in it, and had thrown my load of groceries all over that end of Waco. (laughter)" Fortunately, both the driver of the vehicle and Mr. Crippen were very understanding. In the late thirties, George McDowell of Houston, a recent West Point graduate, was stationed at Fort Sill in Oklahoma with the 18th Field Artillery, a horse-drawn regiment. One of his assignments concerned a horse-drawn unit at Fort Sam Houston in Texas, the 12th Field Artillery, which was becoming motorized and had equipment and horses it no longer needed: "Our battery was designated to drive down from Fort Sill to Fort Sam Houston, pick up 246 horses, 8 guns, and 16 wagons and march them overland back to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, right in the dead of winter. When we got down to Fort Sam Houston, we found out that half of these horses we were going to take back had never been in draft pulling a gun or wagon or anything. So after we left Fort Sam Houston, we—first day, we only made about sixteen miles; the next time, about twenty-four. And we were hitting about thirty to thirty-two miles a day. But we'd try to bivouac by three o'clock in the afternoon. But then it got below freezing at times, and we weren't sleeping worth a damn. And you didn't have sleeping bags in those days. You just wrapped up in blankets and other things like that and did the best you could. The horses were not taking that cold weather. So every morning we'd have a—almost a rodeo getting hitched up. It was dark, and daylight didn't come till about seven o'clock. And so that march taught me, I said, ‘Well, I sure don't want to go to war with horses.' (laughs)" Shortly after this operation, McDowell was transferred to the army air corps as an ordnance officer and served in North Africa, Italy, and the Pentagon in World War II. During a wintertime assignment, George McDowell saw firsthand the challenges of using horses in combat. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hey there, listeners! Have you ever wondered what it takes to shape the leaders of tomorrow? Or how a military school experience can impact a young man's life beyond just preparing him for armed service? Well, you're in for a treat with Episode 117 of the "Carlsbad: People, Purpose, and Impact" podcast!This time around, we sit down with an exceptional guest, Lieutenant Colonel Roland Miraco, commandant of cadets at the prestigious Army Navy Academy. Roland isn't just a decorated military veteran with tours in Iraq and Bosnia Herzegovina under his belt; he's also a proud alumnus of the academy and has been instrumental in nurturing the next generation of changemakers.In this episode, we'll dive into the academy's rich history, its mission to mold young men of character, and the diverse futures its cadets pursue—from Ivy League halls to innovative industries. Roland will share how the school's unique all-boys boarding model, small class sizes, and new programs like culinary arts and aviation are setting students up for success.But that's not all! Roland gets personal, sharing his own journey from cadet to commandant, and how his family is continuing the legacy. Plus, we'll bust some myths about military schools and hear heartwarming success stories of students who've thrived under the academy's guidance.Curious to learn more? Roland extends an invitation to explore the Army Navy Academy's offerings. Tune in to this insightful conversation and discover a community dedicated to excellence right here in Carlsbad. Don't forget to check out the academy's website or call the Admissions Department at 760-729-2385 for more info. Listen, learn, and be inspired—right here on "Carlsbad: People, Purpose, and Impact."Roland Miraco's Bio:Lieutenant Colonel Miraco graduated from Army and Navy Academy in 1990. After attending the Academy, he moved on to New Mexico Military Institute. He received his commission as a Second Lieutenant in the US Army.Roland served in the United States Army for 29 years. He was an Artillery Officer in Germany, Bosnia, and Fort Sill. He taught ROTC at the University of Southern California and was an Academic Chair at the Naval Postgraduate School. As an Information Operations Officer, Roland served with the Department of the Army Staff, and the Undersecretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict at the Pentagon, Division Staff at Fort Bliss, TX, and Branch Manager at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He also completed two tours in Iraq, from 2005-2006 and 2009-2010.He earned a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice from California State University Long Beach. His military education includes the Field Artillery Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, the Combined Arms Service Staff School, the Basic Cyber Planners Course, the Electronic Warfare Planners Course, the Military Deception Planners Course, and the US Army Command and General Staff College. Roland's awards and decorations include the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with 4 Oak Leaf Clusters, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with 1 Oak Leaf Cluster, the Army Achievement Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal with three stars, the Office of the Secretary of Defense Staff Badge and the Army Staff Badge. He also earned the Joint Meritorious Unit Award with Oak Leaf Cluster and the Army Superior Unit Award with Oak Leaf Cluster. Did this episode have a special impact on you? Share how it impacted youCarlsbad Podcast Social Links:LinkedInInstagramFacebookXYouTubeSponsor: This show is sponsored and produced by DifMix Productions. To learn more about starting your own podcast, visit www.DifMix.com/podcasting

In this episode, NAWL Board Member, Chair of the NAWL Women in Military and Government Service Affinity Group, and Retired Lieutenant Colonel, Mary Card Mina, speaks with Sean Watts, a Professor in the Department of Law at the United States Military Academy at West Point. This is the final part of a series of three episodes and is offered in response to current world events and international conflicts, it informs on applicable laws in these conflicts for listeners who wish to learn about this highly specialized area of the law and to better understand the conflicts taking place in our world from a legal perspective.Sean Watts is a Professor in the Department of Law at the United States Military Academy at West Point where he co-directs the Lieber Institute for the Law of Land Warfare. He serves as co-editor-in-chief of the law of war blog Articles of War.Professor Watts is also the James L. Koley '54 Professor of Constitutional Law at Creighton University Law School. He co-founded of the annual Creighton Law School Nuremberg to The Hague Summer Program in international criminal law. He serves as a Senior Fellow with the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Center of Excellence in Tallinn, Estonia. He is a Visiting Professor at the School of Law, University of Reading, United Kingdom.From 2010-2016 Professor Watts participated in drafting both volumes of The Tallinn Manual on International Law Applicable to Cyber Warfare. From 2009-2011 he served as a defense team member in Gotovina et al. at the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia. In December 2017, he testified as an expert in the law of war at the Military Commissions at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.Prior to teaching, Professor Watts served as an active-duty U.S. Army officer for fifteen years in legal and operational assignments as a military lawyer and as an Armor officer in a tank battalion. He later served in Army Reserve billets at the Army JAG School, West Point, and U.S. Strategic Command.Watts holds an LL.M. from the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's School, a J.D. from the College of William & Mary School of Law, and a B.A. from the University of Colorado, Boulder. He earned his commission as an Army R.O.T.C. distinguished military graduateMary Card Mina is the Supervisory Senior Financial Disclosure Counsel, at the Office of General Counsel, Ethics Division, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  Before this position, Mary served on active duty for more than 22 years in the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. She served as Assistant Legal Advisor, Department of Defense, Office of Military Commissions, and as the Staff Judge Advocate for Aberdeen Proving Ground.  She served as the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate at the U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, as the Chief of Judge Advocate Recruiting at the United States Army Legal Services Agency, and as an Executive Officer for the Assistant Judge Advocate General for Law and Military Operations. Her deployments include serving as the Command Judge Advocate for Task Force Falcon, with duty at Camp Monteith, Kosovo, and as a Brigade Judge Advocate for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, with duty at Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Iraq. Mary also served with the 1st Armored Division in Germany and at Camp Humphreys, Korea. Her areas of practice include government ethics, administrative law, military justice, and the law of armed conflict.Mary holds a Master of Military Arts and Sciences from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College; an L.L.M in Military Law from The Judge Advocate General's School, U.S. Army; a Juris Doctor from the Columbus School of Law, The Catholic University of America; and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with a minor in philosophy, from The Catholic University of America. Mary has served as an adjunct faculty member with the University of Maryland and with the Columbus School of Law, Catholic University.She is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, the Court of Appeals for the United States Armed Forces, and the Court of Federal Claims, and is licensed to practice in the State of Connecticut. Mary's awards include an HHS Office of General Counsel Leadership Award, a Legion of Merit and Bronze Star from the Army JAGC, and a Presidential Volunteer Service Award. Mary is currently serving as Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Catholic University of America Alumni Association as well as on the Board of the National Association of Women Lawyers.

In this episode, NAWL Board Member, Chair of the NAWL Women in Military and Government Service Affinity Group, and Retired Lieutenant Colonel, Mary Card Mina, speaks with Sean Watts, a Professor in the Department of Law at the United States Military Academy at West Point. This episode is part two of a series of three episodes and delves deeper with specific examples and how the law of war applies. This podcast series is offered in response to current world events and international conflicts and informs on applicable laws in these conflicts for listeners who wish to learn about this highly specialized area of the law and to better understand the conflicts taking place in our world from a legal perspective.Sean Watts is a Professor in the Department of Law at the United States Military Academy at West Point where he co-directs the Lieber Institute for the Law of Land Warfare. He serves as co-editor-in-chief of the law of war blog Articles of War.Professor Watts is also the James L. Koley '54 Professor of Constitutional Law at Creighton University Law School. He co-founded of the annual Creighton Law School Nuremberg to The Hague Summer Program in international criminal law. He serves as a Senior Fellow with the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Center of Excellence in Tallinn, Estonia. He is a Visiting Professor at the School of Law, University of Reading, United Kingdom.From 2010-2016 Professor Watts participated in drafting both volumes of The Tallinn Manual on International Law Applicable to Cyber Warfare. From 2009-2011 he served as a defense team member in Gotovina et al. at the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia. In December 2017, he testified as an expert in the law of war at the Military Commissions at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.Prior to teaching, Professor Watts served as an active-duty U.S. Army officer for fifteen years in legal and operational assignments as a military lawyer and as an Armor officer in a tank battalion. He later served in Army Reserve billets at the Army JAG School, West Point, and U.S. Strategic Command.Watts holds an LL.M. from the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's School, a J.D. from the College of William & Mary School of Law, and a B.A. from the University of Colorado, Boulder. He earned his commission as an Army R.O.T.C. distinguished military graduateMary Card Mina is the Supervisory Senior Financial Disclosure Counsel, at the Office of General Counsel, Ethics Division, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  Before this position, Mary served on active duty for more than 22 years in the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. She served as Assistant Legal Advisor, Department of Defense, Office of Military Commissions, and as the Staff Judge Advocate for Aberdeen Proving Ground.  She served as the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate at the U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, as the Chief of Judge Advocate Recruiting at the United States Army Legal Services Agency, and as an Executive Officer for the Assistant Judge Advocate General for Law and Military Operations. Her deployments include serving as the Command Judge Advocate for Task Force Falcon, with duty at Camp Monteith, Kosovo, and as a Brigade Judge Advocate for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, with duty at Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Iraq. Mary also served with the 1st Armored Division in Germany and at Camp Humphreys, Korea. Her areas of practice include government ethics, administrative law, military justice, and the law of armed conflict.Mary holds a Master of Military Arts and Sciences from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College; an L.L.M in Military Law from The Judge Advocate General's School, U.S. Army; a Juris Doctor from the Columbus School of Law, The Catholic University of America; and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with a minor in philosophy, from The Catholic University of America. Mary has served as an adjunct faculty member with the University of Maryland and with the Columbus School of Law, Catholic University.She is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, the Court of Appeals for the United States Armed Forces, and the Court of Federal Claims, and is licensed to practice in the State of Connecticut. Mary's awards include an HHS Office of General Counsel Leadership Award, a Legion of Merit and Bronze Star from the Army JAGC, and a Presidential Volunteer Service Award. Mary is currently serving as Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Catholic University of America Alumni Association as well as on the Board of the National Association of Women Lawyers.

In this episode, NAWL Board Member, Chair of the NAWL Women in Military and Government Service Affinity Group, and Retired Lieutenant Colonel, Mary Card Mina, speaks with Sean Watts, a Professor in the Department of Law at the United States Military Academy at West Point. This episode is part one of a series of three episodes offered in response to current world events and international conflicts and informs on applicable laws in these conflicts for listeners who wish to learn about this highly specialized area of the law and to better understand the conflicts taking place in our world from a legal perspective.Sean Watts is a Professor in the Department of Law at the United States Military Academy at West Point where he co-directs the Lieber Institute for the Law of Land Warfare. He serves as co-editor-in-chief of the law of war blog Articles of War.Professor Watts is also the James L. Koley '54 Professor of Constitutional Law at Creighton University Law School. He co-founded of the annual Creighton Law School Nuremberg to The Hague Summer Program in international criminal law. He serves as a Senior Fellow with the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Center of Excellence in Tallinn, Estonia. He is a Visiting Professor at the School of Law, University of Reading, United Kingdom.From 2010-2016 Professor Watts participated in drafting both volumes of The Tallinn Manual on International Law Applicable to Cyber Warfare. From 2009-2011 he served as a defense team member in Gotovina et al. at the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia. In December 2017, he testified as an expert in the law of war at the Military Commissions at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.Prior to teaching, Professor Watts served as an active-duty U.S. Army officer for fifteen years in legal and operational assignments as a military lawyer and as an Armor officer in a tank battalion. He later served in Army Reserve billets at the Army JAG School, West Point, and U.S. Strategic Command.Watts holds an LL.M. from the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's School, a J.D. from the College of William & Mary School of Law, and a B.A. from the University of Colorado, Boulder. He earned his commission as an Army R.O.T.C. distinguished military graduateMary Card Mina is the Supervisory Senior Financial Disclosure Counsel, at the Office of General Counsel, Ethics Division, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  Before this position, Mary served on active duty for more than 22 years in the United States Army Judge Advocate General's Corps, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel. She served as Assistant Legal Advisor, Department of Defense, Office of Military Commissions, and as the Staff Judge Advocate for Aberdeen Proving Ground.  She served as the Deputy Staff Judge Advocate at the U.S. Army Fires Center of Excellence, Fort Sill, Oklahoma, as the Chief of Judge Advocate Recruiting at the United States Army Legal Services Agency, and as an Executive Officer for the Assistant Judge Advocate General for Law and Military Operations. Her deployments include serving as the Command Judge Advocate for Task Force Falcon, with duty at Camp Monteith, Kosovo, and as a Brigade Judge Advocate for the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, with duty at Forward Operating Base Kalsu, Iraq. Mary also served with the 1st Armored Division in Germany and at Camp Humphreys, Korea. Her areas of practice include government ethics, administrative law, military justice, and the law of armed conflict.Mary holds a Master of Military Arts and Sciences from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College; an L.L.M in Military Law from The Judge Advocate General's School, U.S. Army; a Juris Doctor from the Columbus School of Law, The Catholic University of America; and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with a minor in philosophy, from The Catholic University of America. Mary has served as an adjunct faculty member with the University of Maryland and with the Columbus School of Law, Catholic University.She is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, the Court of Appeals for the United States Armed Forces, and the Court of Federal Claims, and is licensed to practice in the State of Connecticut. Mary's awards include an HHS Office of General Counsel Leadership Award, a Legion of Merit and Bronze Star from the Army JAGC, and a Presidential Volunteer Service Award. Mary is currently serving as Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Catholic University of America Alumni Association as well as on the Board of the National Association of Women Lawyers.

Lt Col Allen West has not only had a distinguished career serving in the military but he also served his country in Congress.  His life has been all about service.  He joins us to discuss the latest GOP primary results and why immigration is the No1 issue with voters.  Allen is currently running for the Dallas County GOP chair, 'Fight Local: Win National' is his tagline and we start with why local politics is so important.  Dallas is without a Republican representative so he has put himself forward as the person to put the party on the front foot and win back some of those seats to provide an opposition block to the Democrats.  We the move onto Trump's latest triumph in the primary where he defeated Nikki Haley in New Hampshire, it seems that no one can stop the Trump Train that has America First as its key policy above all else, Haley is hanging on, but for how much longer?  We then look at immigration and why this issue has become so important to voters. Are they are beginning to realise, If you don't have a border, you don't have a country? Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Allen B. West is a Christian constitutional conservative, combat veteran, and former Member of the US Congress. Allen West was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia in the same neighbourhood where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once preached. He is the third of four generations of military servicemen, all combat veterans, in his family. West was commissioned through ROTC at the University of Tennessee as a Second Lieutenant (2LT) on July 31, 1982. He entered active-duty service in the U.S. Army on November 1, 1983 at Fort Sill to attend the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course. He later attended airborne and jumpmaster training at Fort Benning. West's first assignment was as an airborne infantry company fire support team leader and battalion training officer in the 325th Airborne Battalion Combat Team. In 1987, he was promoted to Captain and attended the Field Artillery Officer Advanced Course. He was then assigned to the 1st Infantry Division, where he commanded Bravo Battery, 6th Field Artillery Regiment and was a Battalion Task Force fire support officer for 2d Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment. While with the 1st Infantry Division, he participated in Operations Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. West's culminating assignment to his career was as Battalion Commander of the 2d Battalion 20th Field Artillery, 4th Infantry Division. He assumed command of this unit on June 6, 2002. He deployed with his unit during the Iraq War in 2003 and continued to command his battalion until his retirement from the Army in 2004 after 22 years of honourable service in defence of the Republic. In November of 2010, Allen was honoured to continue his oath of service to his country when he was elected to the United States Congress, representing Florida's 22nd District.  West holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and two Masters, one from Kansas State University and another from the US Army Command and General Staff Officers College. He is the former Executive Director of the National Center for Policy Analysis in Dallas Texas. West is an avid distance runner, a Master SCUBA diver, a motorcyclist, and in his spare time he enjoys cheering his beloved Tennessee Volunteers. Connect with Lt Col West... Substack           https://allenwest.substack.com/ GETTR               https://gettr.com/user/AllenWest X                         https://twitter.com/AllenWest?s=20&t=xdPqNPtV13hYDp0RSja_Iw Interview recorded 24.1.24 Connect with Hearts of Oak... WEBSITE            https://heartsofoak.org/ PODCASTS        https://heartsofoak.podbean.com/ SOCIAL MEDIA  https://heartsofoak.org/connect/ Support Hearts of Oak by purchasing one of our fancy T-Shirts....  SHOP                  https://heartsofoak.org/shop/ *Special thanks to Bosch Fawstin for recording our intro/outro on this podcast. Check out his art https://theboschfawstinstore.blogspot.com/ and follow him on X https://twitter.com/TheBoschFawstin?s=20 

Geronimo's Story of His Life is the oral life history of a legendary Apache warrior. Composed in 1905, while Geronimo was being held as a U.S. prisoner of war at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Geronimo's story found audience and publication through the efforts of S. M. Barrett--Lawton, Oklahoma, Superintendent of Education, who wrote in his preface that “the initial idea of the compilation of this work was . . . to extend to Geronimo as a prisoner of war the courtesy due any captive, i.e. the right to state the causes which impelled him in his opposition to our civilization and laws.” Barrett, with the assistance of Asa Deklugie, son of Nedni chief Whoa as Apache translator, wrote down the story as Geronimo told it --beginning with an Apache creation myth. Geronimo recounted bloody battles with Mexican troopers, against whom he had vowed vengeance in 1858 after they murdered his mother, his wife, and his three small children. He told of treaties made between Apaches and the U.S. Army--and treaties broken. There were periods of confinement on the reservations, and escapes. And there were his final days on the run, when the U.S. Army put 5000 men in the field against his small band of 39 Apache.Geronimo had been a prisoner of war for 19 years when he told his story. Born in 1829, he was by then an old man, no longer a warrior, and he had come to an accommodation with many things “white,” including an appreciation of money. U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs personnel took him to the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904, where he roped cows in the “wild west show” and signed his name for “ten, fifteen, or twenty five cents.” By then he was perhaps the United States' most “famous” Indian. In 1905 he was even invited to ride horseback in President Theodore Roosevelt's inaugural parade (though still a prisoner of war!).Geronimo dedicated his book to Roosevelt with the plea that he and his people be allowed to return to their ancestral land in Arizona. “It is my land, my home, my father's land, to which I now ask to be allowed to return. I want to spend my last days there, and be buried among those mountains. If this could be I might die in peace.” Geronimo died at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in 1909, still a prisoner of war. (Introduction by Sue Anderson) --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/librivox1/support

Show notes and Transcript Col Allen West (Ret) joins Hearts of Oak once again to give us a birds eye view of US politics.  Its been nearly a year since the Republicans took control of the House of Representatives so what has changed and have they been successful?  Kevin McCarthy was voted in after a long and gruelling process but is he delivering on the concerns of American people who are witnessing an increasing power grab from every government institution?  And what is happening in Col West's home state of Texas? Is Governor Greg Abbott even a Republican and why does he not secure the Texas border? With Mitch McConnell malfunctioning and Nancy Pelosi seeking re-electing does America need more politicians who have been part of the system for decades and made it their career?  And finally we finish looking at the Republican Primary and Col West shares his honest assessment. Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Allen B. West is a Christian constitutional conservative, combat veteran, and former Member of the US Congress. Allen West was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia in the same neighbourhood where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once preached. He is the third of four generations of military servicemen, all combat veterans, in his family. West was commissioned through ROTC at the University of Tennessee as a Second Lieutenant (2LT) on July 31, 1982. He entered active-duty service in the U.S. Army on November 1, 1983 at Fort Sill to attend the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course. He later attended airborne and jumpmaster training at Fort Benning. West's first assignment was as an airborne infantry company fire support team leader and battalion training officer in the 325th Airborne Battalion Combat Team. In 1987, he was promoted to Captain and attended the Field Artillery Officer Advanced Course. He was then assigned to the 1st Infantry Division, where he commanded Bravo Battery, 6th Field Artillery Regiment and was a Battalion Task Force fire support officer for 2d Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment. While with the 1st Infantry Division, he participated in Operations Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. West's culminating assignment to his career was as Battalion Commander of the 2d Battalion 20th Field Artillery, 4th Infantry Division. He assumed command of this unit on June 6, 2002. He deployed with his unit during the Iraq War in 2003 and continued to command his battalion until his retirement from the Army in 2004 after 22 years of honourable service in defence of the Republic. In November of 2010, Allen was honoured to continue his oath of service to his country when he was elected to the United States Congress, representing Florida's 22nd District. As a member of the 112th Congress, West introduced seven major pieces of legislation, and was the original sponsor of H. R. 1246 which reduces costs at the Department of Defence, was passed unanimously (393-0), and signed into law by President Obama as part of the National Defence Authorization Act. Congressman West voted for the Balanced Budget Amendment, and voted for over 30 different bills designed to empower small businesses, reduce government barriers to job creation, boost American competitiveness, encourage entrepreneurship and growth, and maximize American energy production. West holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and two Masters, one from Kansas State University and another from the US Army Command and General Staff Officers College. He is the former Executive Director of the National Center for Policy Analysis in Dallas Texas. West is an avid distance runner, a Master SCUBA diver, a motorcyclist, and in his spare time he enjoys cheering his beloved Tennessee Volunteers. Hold Texas, Hold the Nation: Victory or Death by Lt Col Allen B West (ret) available on Amazonhttps://www.amazon.com/Hold-Texas-Nation-Victory-Death/dp/1612542980 Follow and support Col West at the following links... Substack: https://allenwest.substack.com/ GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/AllenWest X: https://twitter.com/AllenWest?s=20&t=xdPqNPtV13hYDp0RSja_Iw Gab: https://gab.com/AllenWest Podcast: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/b58w7-26cd73/Allen-West-%7C-Steadfast--Loyal-Podcast The ACRU The American Constitutional Rights Union GETTR: https://gettr.com/user/theacru X: https://twitter.com/The_ACRU YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/theacru Interview recorded 14.9.23 *Special thanks to Bosch Fawstin for recording our intro/outro on this podcast. Check out his art https://theboschfawstinstore.blogspot.com/ and follow him on GETTR https://gettr.com/user/BoschFawstin and Twitter https://twitter.com/TheBoschFawstin?s=20  To sign up for our weekly email, find our social media, podcasts, video, livestreaming platforms and more... https://heartsofoak.org/connect/ Support Hearts of Oak by purchasing one of our fancy T-Shirts.... https://heartsofoak.org/shop/ Please subscribe, like and share! Transcript (Hearts of Oak) Colonel Allen West, it is wonderful to have you back with us again. Thank you so much for your time today. (Col Allen West) It's good to be back with you, Peter. Thanks for having me. No, thank you. And everyone can follow you @AllenWest on Twitter. And in case any of our viewers don't know who Colonel Allen West is, Executive Director, American Constitutional Rights Union Action, former Texas GOP chair, former Florida representative, retired army lieutenant colonel. I never know if it's left tenant or lieutenant. That's where I get my U.S. and English mixed up. Author, host of Steadfast and Loyal podcast. And I saw one of your recent guests was Mark Huck. The pro-life pastor who had his home-raided by the FBI which is a huge story and maybe we'll get touching on how the FBI have been weaponized to that extent and of course your Substack alanwest.substack.com all the links are in the description for our viewers and listeners.  Midterms and we're now, approaching a year since the midterms ten months in. The Republican Party obviously has had control of the House of Representatives. I want to know your assessment, I think, of how the Republicans have performed within those 10 months as someone who has been an elected official and understands the ins and outs in the different levels of political life. What are your thoughts as you look on what's happening at the moment? Well, I will tell you first and foremost, the only constitutionally mandated duty and responsibility that the House and the Senate are supposed to pass every year is to create a budget. That means that they're supposed to pass 12 appropriations bills. They're supposed to resolve them and send those to the president to be signed. And so once again, we're not going to make that, constitutionally mandated goal, which has to occur by 30 September. They're already talking about a continuing resolution, which means that the fiscal calamity that we see that over $30 trillion in debt, $2 trillion in annual deficit, is just going to continue on. So I would have to grade them with an F for not being able to do what was necessary to get those appropriations bills passed in the House, because they do have control of the House, but the onus is on the Senate to do something. At least they have passed one appropriations bill in the House. The Senate has not passed any whatsoever. But I will tell you that one thing that I will give them great credit for and commend them for is what they have uncovered as far as the corruption of the President Biden's family. I don't see how anyone could dismiss this. I mean, why does this family need 20 secretive LLCs, 150 some odd suspicious financial activity reports? We know that there has been payments that have come from countries such as Romania to the Biden family members, nine different members. And so when you look at some of these connections, you know, the Hunter Biden laptop is for real. It's not Russian disinformation or misinformation. And you start to see the connections between his son to Ukraine, to China, to Russia, and of course, some of the issues we have now with our foreign policy. You just have to wonder if we do have a president that is compromised. And I think that's one of the things that they have to be commended for getting to the bottom of this or at least getting this out there to be discussed in the political sphere.  Do you think that was a bit slow? Because I know we have had Garrett Ziegler on before, we've had Miranda Devine, here in the UK the Daily Mail will publish, regular stories of Hunter and his escapades, for want of a better word, and all the information has been there and they have got round to it. Do you think it was maybe possible to get to that point quicker or is it there just is not the support in the House to move it forward quicker? Well, there was not the support in the House under the Democrat control, but without a doubt, when you have people like the Daily Mail, Miranda Devine, the New York Post that are uncovering these things, you know, thankfully we did get the House back under the Republican leadership of control. You had to get the hearings done, and now we start to see all of these different things. We're starting to get confirmation of evidence and things of this nature. I think that where we are right now, and Kevin McCarthy coming back and saying, yeah, we got to do an impeachment inquiry, I would have said, you could have made that assessment a couple of months ago, without a doubt, before you go on August recess, so you can get your appropriations bills done and you can continue on with this. But I'm glad to see that Republicans have grown a little bit of a spine, not a complete spine, but a little bit of a spine, and they're standing up to the corruption and the unconstitutional actions of this administration. It is quite a difficult situation to be in. And a lack of spine is something we see certainly here in the UK as well, amongst most of our politicians, but there's a lot happening, with the destruction of the country and the economy through Bidenomics. It's quite difficult, I guess, as an elected official, to respond to that, to hold Biden to account, but also to realize there is a lot of destruction being done to the country. No, you're absolutely right. I don't even see how anyone could debate this. The facts are very clear. when Joe Biden came into office, inflation in the United States of America was 1.4%. Within no time, he had taken it up to 5%, to 6%, to 9.1%. Now I know you have a lot of people, such as the White House mouthpiece, Karine Jean-Pierre, would say that it was all because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Well, before Vladimir Putin did that, the inflation was at 7%. So now they're touting, well, inflation is down to 4%. Well, guess what? It's still higher than it was at 1.4%. Now there's talk within the next couple of months, it could take back up to 5%. That is an unseen form of taxation on the American people. When you think about it, you look at the price of commodities, goods and services and things of this nature. It is absolutely horrific. Then you look on top of that, the Biden administration war against our energy independence and our energy sector. We were at a point where we were energy independent, producing, consuming and exporting our resources. And when Biden came in, The price of gasoline, the average price of gasoline was $2.40. Now it's back up to close to $5, $6 in some places. So I don't understand how he thinks he could go out and tout the economy. Maybe there are some onesie-twosie things he can try, but overall, the American people know that this is not going in the right direction. And then on top of that, Peter, you have allowed six to seven million people to come into the country illegally. What other country does that? What other country says, we don't care about our sovereignty, just walk across the border, come in, and we will tell the American people to give you free benefits. That is also destroying our economy as well.  I remember back in April when I drove across many parts of the states, six, seven different states from on the east, central and over in the West, and ended up in California, realized why I'd never been to LA and realized why I never wanted to go back.  I don't blame you. But wish I kind of had been there through Reagan's time as governor. He kind of looked back in history and you wish you'd been there at that time. But I was even surprised at the difference in fuel prices across the country here in the UK it's more or less the same across the country and I kind of in my head I was thinking how long do those individuals who live in California put up with the fuel prices, with crime with drugs, with everything that's happening and I kind of couldn't square that and talk to people and they said yeah it's bad but yet they'll happily vote in the same institutions, the same party, the Democrats and continue that spiral. Well, it's amazing, and you know, I live here in Texas, and I can tell you, you see countless amounts of California license plates now in Texas, and there's a big joke about how many U-Haul vans are, you know, coming into Texas. They're not going back to California, they're coming to Texas. So you do have a huge migration, and based upon the last census, California has lost a massive amount of population to the point where they lost two congressional representative districts. So people are starting to realize it, people are starting to feel it. But the problem, Peter, in America is that you have Democrat control of all the major urban population centres. And that's where you see all the greatest amount of failures. You see the poverty, you see the crime, you see the drug trafficking, and now the human and sex trafficking because of the open borders. So even in a place like California, where a good part of that state is still very strong, red, conservative, especially the Central Valley, Northern California. It's the coastal elites, and it's the major population centres. You look at a state like Washington, and everyone looks and sees Seattle and Tacoma, and they figure that the rest of Washington is like that. It's not. It's that one county and the county north of King County that causes, you know, Washington to be a blue state. And sadly, we're seeing that happen here in Texas, I live here in Dallas County, Dallas County and Dallas, Austin and Travis County, the capital, the Houston, Harris County, San Antonio, Bear County, El Paso. These are all very strong Democrat strongholds, and that's the major population centres. It is amazing to me that we cannot do a better job of messaging that shows that, look, there's a reason why the crime is spiking. Austin, Texas is now the 15th highest city for homicides in the United States of America. The capital of Texas has the 15th highest rating for homicides. Their police chief just resigned. And why is that? Because they have a communist city council in Austin that defunded their police by $150 million. So I think we've got to start stressing the one key issue, which is individual safety. You can't go out downtown Austin anymore because of the homeless situation, because of the crime situation. And I think another big issue that will play, Peter, going into the 2024 election cycle is parental rights and protection of our children. I mean, when you've got Joe Biden, his wife Jill Biden, Kamala Harris, and Karine Jean-Pierre standing up and telling the American people that their children are not theirs, they belong to all of us, that's crossing the Rubicon, as I think many people understand. I think that's what you saw happen in the last state-wide election in Virginia, when all of a sudden education became an issue, and the Democrats don't want school choice. The teachers' union is here. Rand and Weingarten is so powerful. I think a lot of these basic kitchen table, homegrown local issues are going to be very important nationally in 2024. I want to pick up on that, and I watched the Virginia elections closely, and they were interesting, that issue on parental rights. But just on Texas, you were a chair of the GOP. You had convictions. You had fight. You had issues you believed in and stood for, and that conviction politics we don't see often, certainly not here in the UK and probably the same in the US there. But how does that fit in with the governor Abbott? Because I know you were certainly critical of him and it seems as though he's put up a few floating barriers in the river and supposedly that fixes immigration. There's a disconnect there between actually as a Republican governor what he should be doing and actually what he is doing and there seems to be a huge gap. There is a huge gap, and as a matter of fact, the Constitution of the United States of America says very clearly in Article 4, Section 4, that the federal government is supposed to protect every state in the union from invasion. When they don't do that, Article 1, Section 10, Clause 3 says exactly what states can do, the actions they can take when actually invaded. And then also in the Texas state constitution, Article 4, Section 4, it says that the responsibility of the governor of the state of Texas as the commander of the Texas Military Department. The National Guard and things here, he is supposed to repel invasions. When you put out 1,000 meters of big orange toys in the middle of the Rio Grande River, when Texas has a border with Mexico that is about 1,249 miles, 1,000 meters is not going to do anything. I was just a month ago down on the border in between Eagle Pass and Del Rio in Kenny County and talking to the law enforcement there and the sheriff there, he said, people just go around it. So this band aid on a sucking chest wound type of mentality, this political optic to say that, look, I'm doing something, I've got the guard down there, but no one is being turned back. And I'm sure the people in the UK know about Governor Abbott putting people on buses and sending them to New York, Washington, and to LA also. Well, you know, as I said, the governor is aiding and abetting human and sex trafficking. He's continuing to send illegals who are here illegally deeper into the United States of America. So he's actually violating the constitution as well. And furthermore, Peter, each illegal immigrant is about $1,400 for a Texas taxpayer to pay for them to be on one of these buses. I didn't sign up for that. I don't think any Texas taxpayer signed up for that. So my criticisms of the governor is that he does not, you know, stand up and do what he is supposed to do as the governor of Texas, to include some unconstitutional actions where, you know, he extended his emergency powers over the state of Texas unconstitutionally. He did not go through the legislature during the whole COVID issue. Who would have thought in Texas we'd have mass mandates and shot mandates, but we did. So that's why I say it is not so much a Democrat versus Republican issue anymore in the United States of America. It is about progressive, socialist, Marxist on one side and constitutional conservatives, and we must understand the proper role and relationship between the institution of government and the individual. And there are some people that don't get that. They want more power concentrated in seats of government, being at the federal level or even the state level or even the local level. And they usurp more individual rights, freedoms, and liberties. I mean, look at what is going on in New Mexico, where you have the governor in New Mexico saying that because of the crime issue that the policies of Democrats created in Albuquerque, releasing criminals on the streets, the drug trafficking, human sex trafficking, we're going to suspend the Second Amendment. We're going to create a public health crisis. You can't do that. So we have a real issue in America of elected officials that are not abiding by the rule of law, and I think that's the most important thing that we have to correct here in this country. Obviously, we in the UK look at states like Florida, like Texas, as bastions of free speech, as those who hold the line on the American dream, and yet you've described something different. The Governor's position, Governor Abbott, how does it fit in? What checks and balances are there on him? Because I'm assuming that Texas is still a red state in some ways. Yeah. No, it is a red state, but I would challenge anyone to go back and look at the 2020, presidential electoral map broken down by county. You can Google it and they'll pull up. And you can see the concentrations of blue in the state of Texas. Texas has 254 counties. It's a pretty doggone big state. But when you focus and concentrate on those major population centres, it's a numbers game, because you don't have enough population out in rural counties, being West Texas, where there are some counties you may have 4,000 or 5,000 people, or over in East Texas. So that's the strategy of the left. I mean, they've done that in Georgia, where the major population centres, Atlanta, Macon, Augusta, Savannah, Columbus, That's the reason why all of a sudden you've got two socialist senators from the state of Georgia. So we really have to pay attention to that. But Texas, the governor is supposed to be restrained by the legislative branch. But when the legislative branch does not do their job and allow the governor to run roughshod over them, just the same as you can see that at the federal government level, you know, we're not supposed to be ruled by executive orders and edicts and mandates and decrees. We're supposed to have a legislative process. But too often people are allowing governors and also presidents to just, you know, sign off on something and people believe that it's law, and it is not. So we've got to get back to that blocking and tackling of understanding what it means to live in a constitutional republic. Back to the national side, Kevin McCarthy, you talked about the Republicans maybe getting an F in the House and of course Kevin McCarthy is Majority Chair there in the House and his becoming elected was a fraught endeavour of many negotiations and votes. What about him personally And where does the position or the role or the place of the Freedom Caucus fit into his role in the House? Well, I think the Freedom Caucus is just trying to restore what we what we call regular order up there in the United States House of Representatives to do things by the regular processes and procedures that they're supposed to operate under and not have you know bills basically be written in the Speaker's office or in the Majority Leader's office and you know, you get told a couple of days out, this is what you're going to vote for, like an omnibus spending bill, which, you know, they continue to do. And that's what gets us into this fiscal mess that we find here in the United States of America. So I applauded the people for saying that the election of a speaker is just not a coronation. There are some very serious things that we want to see happen, and Kevin McCarthy had to go through that crucible to get their support. But again, on this back side, we still don't see them getting the appropriations bills passed and things of this nature. And we don't have to sit around and wait and impeach Joe Biden on this corruption thing. What he is doing on the border is a violation of the Constitution. That's his policy. I mean, he came in and he said, we're going to allow illegals to come into this country. That's treasonous. When you are selling oil from our strategic patrolling reserve to China, to me, that's treasonous, but that's what this administration is doing. When you're undermining your country's own energy independence, to me, that's a high crime and misdemeanour. When you are restoring the Taliban back into power in Afghanistan, that's aiding and abetting a terrorist organization. So there are so many things that you can hold Joe Biden accountable for. But I think that, like I said, at least we don't have Nancy Pelosi still as the Speaker of the House there, and we would not know anything about the level of corruption we see with this Biden family. One thing I guess, people like Pelosi and maybe Mitch McConnell can say is they don't remember, we've seen... Poor Mitch McConnell has his issues, lets say.... Is that ageist? I didn't say such a thing. No, but how does that fit because in in the UK? It's kind of a rush or a move towards, younger and younger, where America seems to be older and older and with Pelosi she's going to run again and she's what, 82 or 83? At some point you have to retire and I don't know whether that fits in with the American political model. Well it's interesting enough, I think it was George Mason who said 17 June 1787 that nothing so greatly impels a man to regard the interests of of his constituents than the certainty of returning to the general mass of the people from whence he was taken where he shall participate in their burdens. Our founding fathers never meant for us to have a career political class, a political elite, but due to the apathy of the electorate here in America, this is exactly what we have. So interestingly enough, Peter, what you have seen because of the last couple of episodes of Mitch McConnell just blanking out. And what has been up, Diane Feinstein and her health issues and John Fetterman, I mean, who cannot hold a clear sentence. People are asking for term limits there in the House and Senate at the federal government level. There are many states that have term limits on their representatives, but we don't have that. I remember when I was sworn into Congress, there was a congressman from Michigan by the name of, I think, David Dingell. And Dingell had been in office longer than I had been alive. And so you just ask yourself. And of course, when he finally dies, who gets to take his seat? His wife! And so this is not the cronyism, nepotism that we wanted to have in America. So yes, people are starting to ask a question about mental acuity. I mean, you look at our own president, and this is not good on the public stage. What would the media in America say if Donald Trump had ever said at a press conference in a foreign country, I'm going to bed now? I mean, they'd go berserk. And so I think that Americans do want something different. And I got to tell you, this is something that Nikki Haley has been talking about. It's time for a new generation of leaders. And I think she's 50, 51 years of age. And this is something that's striking the tone with the American people. And I'll be very honest, you know, even President Trump, I think he's 77 or 78. And so the American people are sitting back saying, I mean, we got an 80 year old and a 77, 78 year old, we're gonna be voting for them to be president once again. They're not happy with that setup. Well, Sleepy Joe, he does need a sleep, I'm sure. And I wanna touch on the Republican primary, But just last thinking on the Mitch McConnell situation, obviously the Republicans in the Senate decided he was the best person for the job. Does that mean the calibre isn't as high in the Senate as it should be? Or are there others that could step into that position and be voted in? Well, I think what they decided and voted on is this same old thing. He's been there and that's who should be the leader. And he can raise the most money. There have to be better qualifications than just that. You need someone that is sharp, that has the ability to go out there and go head to head on the debate floor with the Democratic leader, Chuck Schumer. You cannot have someone that says they're a leader and they're having these moments of blanking out. And I would think that it would be the honourable thing for Mitch McConnell to say that, you know, I'm not up to this anymore. I'm going to step aside and let someone younger, John Thune or whoever to step into this position. So, but again, it comes back to the American people now starting to ask, should there be term limits? Should there be mental acuity testing on individuals there in the House and the Senate or maybe in the Supreme Court. You mentioned Nikki Haley and obviously the Republican primary and I watched the first debate. I was over there in Virginia and I watched it. The main candidate, obviously Trump, was not there. I thought Nikki Haley did well. I thought Vivek did well, although I'm not sure exactly where he's come from. Obviously, I've watched DeSantis, has been a very good governor. What are your thoughts on the field? Because my initial thoughts were, if someone like Donald Trump is running, then you don't even get in the ring. It's not your time. But these individuals have chosen to put themselves up against the gorilla in the room, in effect. What are your thoughts as you look from the outside at the campaign, at the primary? Well, I will tell you very simply, and I've said this publicly on many interviews, is that Donald Trump has to change the narrative. Donald Trump should be on that debate stage, because right now the media is painting him as someone, a former president under indictments, several different states. What he has to do is be the former president that is running to be president again. And the only way you change that is to go on offense, to be on the debate stage, to defend your record, to talk about your record, to talk about where you are now. And if you're going to be, I'll use your metaphor, if you're the gorilla, well then you got to beat down all the chimpanzees, but you can't run away from them. And I think that that's the important thing that he has to do. So if he continues to skip debates, my concern is he makes himself less and less relevant when it comes to talking about the issues. And you can go on Tucker and everything like that and have what, I don't know, 10, 12 million people check it out, but still you were not on the debate stage. And I think it's a little disingenuous to the American people to say that, I'm leading in the polls, I don't need to show up, I'm gonna win it. Well, I'm a big college football fan. And I will tell you that every year you have your preseason ranked number one team, and It just so happens it's Georgia, and Georgia, of course, they've wanted to last national champions. But even being a preseason number one, that doesn't mean they skip all of the games in the season. It doesn't mean that they say, well, we're only going to play teams with a winning record, or we're only going to play our home games. We're not going to go travel to anybody else's stadium, because we're the preseason ranked number one. Every single weekend, Georgia has to go out and validate their ranking. And every team has to do that. So I think that President Trump should not sit back and just say, hey, look, I'm ahead. I don't need to go. You got to show that you are the gorilla. You do deserve that ranking. You do deserve that polling support. and get that narrative changed. I watched my first football game when I was over there, USC against someone else, and after three and a half hours, I had lost the will to live. So yeah, sometimes I need to be educated on the ins and outs of American football.  Peter, let me tell you what, one of these days, I graduated from the University of Tennessee. I'm going to take you to the good old-fashioned South-eastern Conference football game. You're absolutely going to love it. I'll walk you through and talk you through everything, but the best part is all the tailgating, man. It was confusing, but I will take you up on that offer, definitely, someday. You mentioned parental rights, and I've just actually written a piece for Our Church magazine on this issue, which we are facing a hugely hot topic, currently debated in Parliament over the last few weeks even. I was at a demo yesterday outside Parliament on this very issue. We've watched those debates with parents, those school meetings, and the frustration of parents even getting access to materials and this has certainly been a huge topic here and over there. How is that playing out in the political sphere with many organizations trying to educate parents to what is happening, getting parents more involved, trying to wake up politicians to what's happening. Well, I will tell you again, let's go back to what happened in Virginia. And you saw a state that had just gone for Joe Biden in the 2020 election by 10 or 11 points. And then a year later, they lose the governor's mansion and they lose lieutenant governor, they lose attorney general. Why? Because all of a sudden, Tara McAuliffe gets on the debate stage against Glenn Youngkin and says the quote that the left has always believed secretly and in private, but he said it in public. Parents do not have a right in deciding what their children are being taught. That unified people, R&D didn't matter. It was just parents who want to have the best opportunities for their kids and the best opportunities comes from a great education. And when you start to look now at the schools and our kids that are failing, not reading and not doing math at grade level across the country, but yet, you know, everyone is saying everything's fine in our schools. When you have school choice that got passed in a Republican legislature in North Carolina, but the Democrat governor, Roy Cooper, comes out and declares a state of emergency, against school choice. No, this has really lit a fire under a lot of parents. No one has ever really paid attention to school board meetings. People are showing up to school board meetings. People are running for school board. They wanna make sure that the right educational policies are there. They don't want these filthy books that are showing up in school libraries. In California, they're out there saying that if your child, a little boy, wants to be a little girl, you have to go along with her or else the state of California is going to take your child away from you. This is huge, man. I don't know what the left is thinking. Having this drag queen exposure of our kids. That's contributing to a delinquency of a minor. You can't take a kid to a strip show, or they talk about this gender mutilation surgeries. If you're under the age of 18, you can't even get a tattoo. But now we're supposed to believe that an 11, 12-year-old can decide that they want their bodies to be mutilated, and parents are supposed to go along with it or else lose their child. This is a huge issue going into 2024. And when you have an organization called Moms for Liberty, that really is out there, you know, standing up for parental rights, and they're designated as a hate group. I mean, the FBI is classifying parents as domestic terrorists that are going to, you know, school board meetings. This is lighting a fire on a lot of people here in the United States, American parents and grandparents, and I think it's going to play hugely in the 2024 cycle. Yeah, we've had Tina Descovich on twice, talking to her about what Moms for Liberty are doing, and extremely jealous of the success they're having, and we need something like that here. But I'm wondering, what about churches? What's the church's position and role and engagement in this protecting children issue.  I think churches are waking up, as a matter of fact last week I was up in Ohio, you know they have this ballot initiative coming up in November which which will basically codify murder. It says in the Bible of Deuteronomy 30 and 19, I sit before you, heaven and earth, and life and death, and choose life so that you and your descendants shall live. I mean, it's very simple. Psalms 121, verses three through five, talks about children are a blessing from God, and the man that has more of them is like arrows in the quiver. Jeremiah chapter one, talk about I knew you before I formed you in the womb. So I think you're going to see a lot of the churches standing up against this, because this is infanticide. This is not just about, okay, I'm a victim of rape, I'm a victim of incest. This is about murdering unborn babies all the way up to the time that they're born. Even in some states—California, a couple others—they're talking about, if you don't want the baby after it's born, still kill it. Now, to me, I don't understand how you justify that. This is also going to be a huge issue. The left, I think, believes that they could win on this, but when you really describe it, what they stand for, and Planned Parenthood, and Margaret Sanger, who was a white supremacist and a racist, people aren't going to go for that. It's been a destruction of the Black community. I want everyone to understand, since Roe v. Wade in 1973, over 20 million Black babies have been murdered in the womb. And in any other sense, people would say that's a genocide. So it's those simple bits of information and education we've got to get people out there. But yet, 70 to 73 percent of Planned Parenthood clinics are located in black communities. So this is targeted. This issue play out in the Republican primary itself, the issue of pro-life, which some candidates are certainly much more, some are afraid of engaging, and on the issue of parental rights and responsibility of children, which are two huge issues, but obviously quite separate issues. How do you see that playing out in the Republican primary itself?  I think Republicans need to go on offense, and I think that people are looking for someone that is strong on those issues. Lots of times Republicans will, and these are the establishment Republicans, say, don't talk about the life issue, don't talk about social issues. Well, they're here. You're talking about a group of people that believe in murdering children up to the time of birth. You're talking about a group of people that want to expose our children to sexual deviancy and perversion. You're talking about people that want to mutilate the bodies of our children, and they don't want our kids to get a good quality education. So I think that there's an incredible opportunity here for strong constitutional conservatives who just happen to have an R after their name to go against the Democrats and say, why do you hate children? I mean, that's the question that we should be asking. Why does this party have such an angst against children? They want to kill them in the womb after they're born, if they allow them to be born, they want to mutilate their bodies. They want to expose them to sexual deviancy and perversion. You know, we've got this thing in America now where the left is saying you can't say paedophiles anymore, Peter. You have to say minor attracted persons. Well, let me tell you something. I've got a two year old grandson, I got another grandson on the way. You will see someone come down on you like Thor if you mess with my grandsons. And so we've got to protect our kids. But with all that being said, they still don't want to educate them. They have a good future. I mean, it's appalling what is happening in the system of education in America where our kids can't read and do math at grade level. So yes, I think that this is an issue that should be talked about. It's an economic issue, because the more that you have future generations dependent upon the government, you know, who's going to pay for that? So we are dwindling our economic opportunities by way of lessening our educational opportunities.  Can I finish on something a little bit different? Your background is military and here in the UK we've had that with the royal family, we've had the military connection, we've had originally, traditionally, many serving the military going into public service in politics and I know you've also had that in the States. Is that becoming less so with military shrinking, with less influence? The route you've taken, is that not really as viable to others? Well, I will tell you that I come from a military family. My dad served in the Army in World War II in the European Theatre. My older brother was a Marine infantryman in Vietnam. My dad challenged me to be the first officer in our family when I was 15. And so I went through college ROTC and was commissioned in 1982, served 22 years. My nephew is a lieutenant colonel right now in the Army. My father-in-law did 24 years of service, two combat tours of Vietnam. Both of my son-in-laws are soldiers. And so that sense of generational service to the country, I think we're losing that. And as a matter of fact, it was about a month and a half ago, the current Secretary of the Army, Christine Wormuth, said that she doesn't want to recruit future soldiers from families that have generations of service to the country. Wants to look at a new and different type of recruit. Well, first of all, what a slap in the face to families that have had a lifelong commitment to this country of service and sacrifice and commitment. And I think everyone knows that the recruiting and retention in our military is down. Why? Because they're focusing all these social pet peeves and ideological agendas of the left. You cannot have an effective military fighting force if you're instituting cultural Marxism that says, well, you know, Peter, since your skin colour, you're bad, you're an oppressor, there's nothing you can do about that. Alan, because of your skin colour, you're a victim, you're oppressed. So how are we supposed to get in a foxhole together, Peter? How are we supposed to trust each other in a situation called combat? But yet that's what's happening in our military, and this whole emphasis on gender dysphoria, and how we're spending taxpayer money to allow, you know, soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines to take paid leave. To go and murder future generations of soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines in their womb. We have got to change things in the Oval Office because the most important title for a president of the United States of America is Commander-in-Chief. Right now, when you think about what Joe Biden did with that debacle in Afghanistan, where 13 Americans unnecessarily lost their lives. Many others were wounded at Hamid Karzai International Airport, but the story is not told about the other Marines who have committed suicide because of that fateful day, and how so many feel that they were abandoned. I spent two and a half years in Afghanistan. So we have got to change things with the leadership of our military, especially the civilian side. When you've got a Secretary of Defence that's writing letters to females in the military saying that you just need to go ahead and be prepared for biological males to be in your shower and latrine facilities, that's not what the American people want to support in our military. Because the military in the US has been an institution that has united the country traditionally. You have much more respect, I think, for your military even than we have in Europe. And I kind of see that, as a foreigner looking in, as slowly unravelling. Is that a kind of fair assessment? It's a very fair assessment. And the thing is that it is not that the trust and confidence is lacking for the individual, the young troops, soldier, sailor, airman, marine. It's the lack of trust and confidence in the leadership of our military, be it the civilian leadership or the senior military leadership that is lacking. So until there are changes there, that lack of trust and confidence is going to continue. Colonel Allen West, I appreciate you coming on today and obviously the viewers can get more of your own steadfast and loyal podcast over on Rumble and elsewhere. And I will certainly take you up on your offer of understanding college football. I will sometime, but thank you so much for coming on and sharing your expertise and understanding what's happening stateside. Thank you, Peter. It's a pleasure and God bless you and God be with you.

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, US Army COL John Agnello discusses the Army's pursuits related to Information Advantage. Our conversation traverses the meaning of Information Advantage, the functions of Information Advantage, how Information Advantage fits within the larger Information Environment, as well as related initiatives. One such initiative is the Theater Information Advantage Detachment (TIAD) concept which will be Army theater-level teams that influence and inform–especially during the competition continuum phase of operations. Research Question: John Agnello suggests an interested student examine ways to help commanders “see” the information dimension; take every piece of information, bring them together into a decision space which enables speed and accuracy. Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #24 John Davis on Modern Warfare, Teamwork, and Commercial Cognitive Security #125 Journey from conception through JP 3-04 #131 Brian Burbank on the Ghost Team, Transparent Battlefield Concepts and Multi-Domain Operations FM 3-0 Operations 3.0 (October 2022) Like War by Peter Singer Army of None: Autonomous Weapons and the Future of War by Paul Scharre Art of Invisibility: The World's Most Famous Hacker Teaches You How to Be Safe in the Age of Big Brother and Big Data by Kevin Mitnick Link to full show notes and resources Guest Bio:  Colonel John Agnello is a United States Army Cyber Branch officer currently stationed at the United States Army Cyber Center of Excellence (CoE), at Fort Gordon, GA, as the Director of the Army Program Office for Information Advantage, where he oversees the development and implementation of Information Advantage across elements of DOTMLPF-P for the CCoE. Prior to that assignment, COL Agnello was the Director of the Commander's Planning Group, where he was responsible for Public Affairs, Protocol, strategic engagements and planning on behalf of the Commanding General. Prior to his assignments to the Cyber CoE, COL Agnello was assigned to United States Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM), in Fort Meade, MD, as the Chief of the Development Branch in USCYBERCOM's Acquisition and Technology Directorate (J9), responsible for all offensive and defensive tool development as well as data science and data analytics. Prior to that, he was a Joint Cyber Operations Team Leader in USCYBERCOM; responsible for supporting Combatant Commanders' objectives include planning, coordinating, directing, and executing daily cyber missions through four separately focused cyber teams, in addition to maintaining infrastructure, training, capability development, mission execution, and support services.  Prior to his assignments at USCYBERCOM, COL Agnello was stationed in Wiesbaden, Germany as the Research & Development subject matter expert for the Defense Science and Technology Center – Europe, where he reviewed international technologies on behalf of the US DoD; followed by the Deputy Director of the Ground Intelligence Support Activity – East; where he was responsible for managing nine different networks at over 45 various locations throughout Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, and established the first Intelligence Support Cell for Defensive Cyberspace Operations in US Army Europe (USAREUR).  Prior to his cyber specific roles, COL Agnello was a Field Artillery Officer and spent nine years in the 3rd Infantry Division in roles including Sustainment Automation Systems Management Officer, Rear Detachment Commander, Company Commander, Assistant Operations Officer, Battalion Fire Direction Officer, and Division Fire Control Officer. Prior to his assignments at Fort Stewart, GA, COL Agnello was a Battalion Fire Direction Officer, and a Battery Executive Officer at Fort Sill, OK. John is a combat veteran of Operations Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn, and his various military decorations include the Bronze Star with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Joint Service Achievement Medal, the Army Achievement Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Combat Action Badge, and Basic Parachutist Badge. His military training includes the Joint Network Attack Course, Joint Computer Network Operational Planners Course, the Information Systems Management Course, and many more. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

In this episode, Dr. Stephanie Weyrauch is back with a great interview with COL Zack Solomon, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS, to discuss the importance of resiliency in life and in leadership. Colonel Solomon shares his 25-year career journey, starting with his master's program at the US Army Baylor program and his time at Walter Reed and Fort Riley. He also describes his experience as a brigade physical therapist in Iraq during the surge in 2006 and 2007. Additionally, Colonel Solomon discusses his role as a brigade medical officer in a basic training brigade and his time at Aberdeen Proving Ground. Tune in to gain valuable insights on resilience from Colonel Solomon's military experience.   ·      "The views, thoughts, and opinions presented herein are those of the speaker and do not necessarily represent the views of the DoD or the U.S. Army.”   Show notes:  [00:01:12] Resilience in the military. [00:07:58] Overcoming acute events. [00:11:36] Building resilience in the Army. [00:15:17] Recovering from spinal cord injury. [00:19:16] Building trust and confidence. [00:23:16] General Shelton's incredible recovery. [00:27:06] Setting desired end state. [00:32:03] Resilience in leadership. [00:36:00] Autonomy in physical therapy. [00:42:44] Promoting resilience and reducing burnout. [00:45:15] Providing constructive feedback. [00:48:30] Modeling behaviors as healthcare providers.   More About COL Soloman: COL Zack Solomon earned a Master of Physical Therapy degree from U.S. Army-Baylor University and a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree from Baylor University. COL Solomon also graduated from the U.S. Army War College with a Master's degree in Strategic Studies.  COL Solomon most recently served as the Branch Chief, Army Medical Specialist Corps, Human Resources Command, Fort Knox, Kentucky. COL Solomon's previous assignments include Commander, California Medical Detachment, Presidio of Monterey, California; Chief of Physical Therapy, Dunham Army Health Clinic, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania; Chief of Physical Therapy at Blanchfield Army Community Hospital, Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Assistant Program Manager, Army Institute of Public Health, U.S. Army Public Health Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland; Brigade Medical Operations Officer, 434th Field Artillery Brigade, Fort Sill, Oklahoma; Chief Physical Therapy and Chiropractic Clinics, U.S. Army Health Clinic, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii; Brigade Physical Therapist, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom; Assistant Chief, Physical Therapy Clinic, Irwin Army Community Hospital, Fort Riley, Kansas; Physical Therapist, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington D.C.  He is a board-certified orthopedic clinical specialist from the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties and a certified strength and conditioning specialist from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.   More About Dr. Weyrauch: Dr. Stephanie Weyrauch is a self-employed physical therapist at Movement X in Billings, MT. She earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy and Master of Science in Clinical Investigation from Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Weyrauch is a highly sought-after speaker and consultant specializing in burnout, generational issues, and injury prevention programs within the workplace. Her clinical expertise has been featured in various media outlets, including NPR, Kaiser Health News, Glamour, Life Hacker, and NBC News. Dr. Weyrauch serves as Chair of the American Physical Therapy Association Nominating Committee and has served on multiple national task forces for the organization. She has performed scientific research through grants from the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation at institutions including Stanford University and Washington University in St. Louis. Her research examining movement patterns and outcomes in people with and without low back pain has led to numerous local, regional, and national presentations and a peer-reviewed publication in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, a top journal in rehabilitation.   Follow Dr. Karen Litzy on Social Media: Karen's Twitter Karen's Instagram Karen's LinkedIn   Subscribe to Healthy, Wealthy & Smart: YouTube Website Apple Podcast Spotify SoundCloud Stitcher iHeart Radio      

Rain is helping ease Oklahoma's drought,Fort Sill is getting a new leader.Oklahoma film productions get Emmy nods.You can find the KOSU Daily wherever you get your podcasts, you can also subscribe, rate us and leave a comment.You can keep up to date on all the latest news throughout the day at KOSU.org and make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at KOSU Radio.This is The KOSU Daily, Oklahoma news, every weekday.

Baseball hero and color barrier-breaker Jackie Robinson once said, "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives." As coaches, we make impacts on others' lives every day, sometimes in large ways and at other times in very low-key ways. This year I have had one standout opportunity to do so. When Nate, a young man I coached, was in need of a place to live when he would turn 18 years old in March, I didn't hesitate to jump in to help. The original plan was to find a temporary home until he would enter the Army in July. But an unexpected turn of events led to me offering Nate a room in my basement, which would be a safe and more positive place for him to spend the next 3½ months. From there we got him back on his school's track team so he could finish his senior year on a positive note. He overcame being born with fetal alcohol syndrome by graduating from high school, which is achieved by only a small percentage of those who start life with it. Nate impacted me profoundly as well as I have never been a "father" before, and he taught me a lot about patience, dedication, and how to better understand how the brain of someone of his generation works. It was a challenge to be his chauffeur, stay on my toes with his changing plans, and do my best to ensure that he would have the greatest possible chance to succeed in his future military life and beyond. But despite the setback I incurred from helping him, it was all well worth it, and I don't regret for a second helping out this young man. Best of luck to Nate, who is now entering Army basic training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.This experience also made me realize something. I have coached for more than three decades and have had so many interesting, unpredictable, and entertaining episodes occur that I would like to share with others. So I have begun writing these stories that I'll add to a blog that will someday become a book I've wanted to write. I'll share the blog address once I have figured out how to set one up!Bill Stahlsilly_billy@msn.comFacebook Bill StahlInstagram @stahlor and @coachstahlYouTube We Are Superman Podcast

Theodora is joined by Lia Pender. Lia talks about her role as a Distinctive Religious Group Leader at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Lia gives a preview of her Pagan children's books that she will soon publish.Elsie and Pooka Books by Lora Craig-Gaddis YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thewyldewysp8687 

IN THE NEWS We celebrate the career of Marine Corps veteran Dale Dye, and his contributions to more accurate and realistic portrayals of the military in the entertainment industry. THIS WEEK'S GUEST Marine Corps veteran and Navy Cross recipient Justin "JD" LeHew talks about his role as the first post-Vietnam generation National Commander of the Legion of Valor of the United States of America, his work with History Flight, a private MIA search and recovery organization, and his cross-country journey along the Medal of Honor Highway with Team Long Road. RAPID FIRE Top enlisted soldier calls out leaders to ‘show up' at PT Food delivery driver dashes into Army ranks after chance encounter Reddit post leads to top Army leaders crashing soldier's reenlistment Special Guest: Justin "JD" LeHew.

As a current Brigade Commander Colonel Jon Harvey oversees an embedded team of human performance professionals as part of the Army's Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) program. Because human performance in a military setting is so dependent on leader buy in, we wanted Colonel Harvey's perspective on how he utilizes this team, and why he is personally so passionate about the program. It is obvious in this conversation that he is all in, and they're already seeing some impressive results. Colonel Jon Harvey is a US Army Field Artillery Officer and commander of the 18th Field Artillery Brigade at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He has commanded soldiers at every level from small units up to brigade, and he has extensive staff experience to include the Joint Staff, the Army Staff, and U.S. Forces Afghanistan. His postings have taken him all over the world from Korea, to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, to Fort Drum, New York, to Washington, D.C and now to the center of the universe at Fort Bragg. Operationally, he has served in Kosovo, Afghanistan, Haiti, and Iraq. He has a bachelors in political science from Eastern New Mexico University, a Masters from the Army Command and General Staff College, and a Counterterrorism and Public Policy fellowship from Duke University where he focused on military senior leader decision making and the Army's professional military education of staff officers. You can find Colonel Harvey on his (very active) Instagram page. The 18th FAB H2F team (STORM) also has their own Instagram page.

Jesse F. Peak, a certified MUFON Field Investigator for the State of Pennsylvania, the City of Philadelphia, completing dozens of cases, A MUFON ERT (Experiencer Resource Team) helping Experiencers on an everyday basis to find answers to their experience. Member of the SCU (Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies), Advocate for the Planetary Society working with Congress to extend funding for future Space Exploration, Project Director for Project BATTECH 404 Research Electrical Malfunctions Associated with UFO Sightings/Encounters, EM Topic Mod/Co Founder of "UAP Medical Coalition", with Certifications in Astronomy, Space Exploration, Space Advocacy, Case Management, Introduction to Computer Technology, Basics of Digital Imaging, PowerPoint, Public Speaking and Disposition into Investigations. Also, a published writer in the MUFON Monthly Journal, ex-Army National Guard MOS-13 Bravo (Artillery Cannon Crew Member), where I did my training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Councilor for five years teaching classes to young adults, and Eagle Scout. I am also the Host/Creator of the “UFO Encounters World-Wide” Podcast and Website with new episodes every Thursday, bringing the best and brightest in the field of Ufology, the Paranormal, and Experiencers themselves. I have starred in two UFO documentaries, the latest coming out in June called In Plain Sight: The Intelligence Community and UFOs” produced by Doc Side Media, helping to educate people with accurate information within the field of ufology. I have been interviewed on major radio stations and podcasts and am always happy to collaborate with others. Check out Jesse's Podcast UFO Encounters Worldwide on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/7MF3qYwUD6Unqs7vsQ926w if you found this content beneficial please consider donating:Paypal @typicalskepticmedia Or maybe Join the Patreon for bonus content New Unreleased shows every week for less than a cup of coffee: Help me keep making videos!patreon.com/typicalskeptic Check Out Our Merch: Typical skeptic podcast t shirts:https://merc.li/KmGQPE9Nb?sv=0 For more typical skeptic podcast interviews go to: www.youtube.com/c/typicalskeptic www.anchor.fm/typical-skeptic www.rokfin.com/typicalskeptic www.rumble.com/typicalskeptic Affiliates: Tachyon Living- tachyonliving.com/rob.html and use code skeptic free gift for a free gift -Book a reading with Debra Moffit Intuitive readings: Use Code TSP2023 https://www.debramoffitt.com?cc=STP2023 -Natural Shilajit and Monoatomic Gold from Healthy Nutrition LLC.use code: ROB And my affiliate link to share: https://glnk.io/77v6/3 -Starseed Activators https://www.indigoangel222.com/starse... Code TypicalSkepticP #mufon #extraterrestrial #contact #alien #podcast #typical_skeptic #youtubepremiere #alienabduction #extraterrestrialcontact #orb #paranormal --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/typical-skeptic/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/typical-skeptic/support

Rätselraten in Washington: Wird Trump wirklich angeklagt und sogar festgenommen? Und: Kann der TikTok-Chef durch seinen Auftritt im Kongress das drohende Verbot seiner Plattform noch verhindern? Und warum ist Nina nach Fort Sill, Oklahoma gereist?

The state's Attorney General issues an opinion on new rules from Superintendent Ryan Walters.A bill to reduce penalties for cockfighting advances at the State Capitol.Ukrainian soldiers in Fort Sill are completing their training.You can find the KOSU Daily wherever you get your podcasts, you can also subscribe, rate us and leave a comment.You can keep up to date on all the latest news throughout the day at KOSU.org and make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at KOSU Radio.This is The KOSU Daily, Oklahoma news, every weekday.

Join this podcast's Facebook Group: The Dental Marketer SocietyJoin my newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/[Click here to leave a review on iTunes]‍‍Guest: Sana YusufPractice Name: Sana Dental Studio & SpaCheck out Sana's Media:‍Instagram: @sanayusufdmd‍‍Other Mentions and Links:Unreasonable HospitalityExcite Realty GroupTricare InsuranceVolkswagenHumanaMichael Dinsio - Next Level ConsultantsHeartland DentalMorpheus MachineTransdental MarketingMVP MailhouseArt of Dental MarketingRenew Digital‍‍Host: Michael Arias‍Website: The Dental Marketer Join my newsletter: https://thedentalmarketer.lpages.co/newsletter/‍Join this podcast's Facebook Group: The Dental Marketer Society‍‍My Key Takeaways:Balancing work and home life can be tough. Making time for YOU is just as important as both!If you are saying yes to everything, you are also saying no to many other opportunities. Keep this in mind when agreeing to obligations!Cosmetic and spa offerings can be a big draw for your practice. Try keeping up with what patients want in addition to a dental experience.In the US Army, Sana learned to take a conservative approach to procedures. Sometimes if a procedure isn't needed immediately, patients appreciate you working with their schedule and feelings.Do not count on team members to stick with you forever! It is important to respect their choices and have a backup plan if another opportunity arises for them.‍Please don't forget to share with us on Instagram when you are listening to the podcast AND if you are really wanting to show us love, then please leave a 5 star review on iTunes! [Click here to leave a review on iTunes]‍p.s. Some links are affiliate links, which means that if you choose to make a purchase, I will earn a commission. This commission comes at no additional cost to you. Please understand that we have experience with these products/ company, and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions we make if you decide to buy something. Please do not spend any money unless you feel you need them or that they will help you with your goals.‍Our Sponsors & Their Exclusive Deals:‍‍‍‍Dandy | The Fully Digital, US-based Dental Lab‍For a completely FREE 3Shape Trios 3 scanner & $250 in lab credit click here: meetdandy.com/affiliate/tdm !‍Thank you for supporting the podcast by checking out our sponsors!‍Episode Transcript (Auto-Generated - Please Excuse Errors)Michael: Sauna. How's it going? Good, how are you? I'm doing pretty good. Thanks for asking. If you don't mind me asking, where are you located? Sana: So we are in like north suburbs of Tampa. So Wesley Chapels, specifically Wesley Chapel, Florida.Oh, Michael: nice. Okay. So the weather right now over there is pretty Sana: Yeah, I was gonna say, let's see, let's check 81 degrees. It's great. . Michael: Oh man, that's winter right there for you guys. So in summer, how does summer look? Sana: It's like very hot, but I'm also not like a native Floridian, so for me, I'm like, oh, this feels great.Like, I don't know, I was made for the desert, so I Michael: like it. It's made for the desert. No, that's good. That's good. I, I hear Tampa Bay, it's really beautiful. So It is, yeah. Sana: I, my husband and I talk about it all the time, like it feels like we're on vacation. Mm-hmm. every day, and I'm like, wait, we live here.This is kinda cool. . So like, if we go to the beach, it's not like we have to like, pack up and like go to our hotel. We're like, okay, now we just have to drive to our house. So this is cool. Yeah. So it's nice. It, it definitely is a nice, nice place to Michael: be. Nice. Awesome. Okay, so son, tell us a little bit about your past, your present.How did you get to where you are today? Sana: Okay. I was like, how, how far back are we going? I was July 10th, 1991. I was born, no, I'm just kidding. , you were born Michael: July 10th, 1991. Sana: I was, yeah. I'm a. I'm Michael: 30. I'm 31. Sana: I'm 31. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Millennial as it gets, that's Michael: millennial as it gets. Okay, cool. So then talk to us about, I dunno, you can go as far back as you want, but like, okay.I Sana: won't go that far back. It's kind of boring. Like, you know, tons of like generational traumas and like all that, like stuff that you're trying to like break through and like, whatever. So we won't go through all that stuff that's like for therapy, but like professional. Right. Okay. So I, um, graduated high school oh nine and I went straight into like, um, Seven year dental program at Detroit Mercy. So, , I did three years undergrad and then you go like automatically into dental school as long as you like D a T scores, science, gpa, all that stuff. Mm-hmm. . So, I kind of decided, I was like, Hey, like I don't wanna live in Detroit for seven years of my life.I was born in Detroit, so that's cool. But I grew up in like suburbs of Chicago, so like I don't wanna live in Detroit. So I kind of decided, hey, I'm gonna get my bachelor's in three years so that way I can apply to any dental school I want and then I can move back home to Chicago. So that was like always the goal.Mm-hmm. . So I took, I remember one summer I took 21 credit hours of summer school at three different community colleges, Michael: and I was pregnant. Sana: And you were pregnant? And I was pregnant, yes. Surprise, surprise team mom. Anyways, everybody knows that, but it's fine. Who? Whoever didn't know it now knows it.Yeah. So I had a son when I was 19, but um, yeah, so like the summer that I was pregnant with him, I took 21 summer, like 21 credit hours of summer school. Mm-hmm. at three different community colleges. Cause I was like, no, I have to like, I have to graduate in three years. Like that's just my goal now. So I took all the like sociology and psycho, all the like required for your degree, but like not science courses all in summer.So graduated when I was 20 from college. That was cool. That was 2012 and then started dental school immediately. And so I did get into school back in Chicago. I went to Midwestern University in Downers Grove. So I did four years there. I decided to join the Army after I got outta our dental school. So I did the H P S P scholarship.Um, I commissioned when I was still an undergrad, so was in the army, got out. got outta dental school, became active duty in the Army. So that was four years. 2016 is when I graduated dental school. So 2016 to 2020 I was in, in the Army. I was stationed at Fort Hill, Oklahoma. So that's my, my lawyer.Okay. Yeah, . So I was stationed at Fort Sill, so I did four years active duty, which was fun, difficult, definitely, you know, you're kind of like trying to be a soldier, but also trying to be a dentist, trying to figure out how to be a soldier. Also, still trying to figure out how to be a dentist. So it was a lot of like figuring out for four years.and then I decided after I did my four year commitment that we were, yeah. That I was gonna get out. and I wanted to kind of explore private practice and like just being like a civilian dentist. So immediately that happened right when Covid started. So it's like a whole thing where like, . I felt like the world was ending.I mean, I'm sure everybody did when Covid ended, right? But I was getting out of the army where like everything is guaranteed benefits, guaranteed pay. Like, oh, I'm sitting at home because everything is shut down and I'm getting paid and I have like my Tricare medical benefits for my entire family and everything is great and dandy.And I was like giving up all of that security to like jump into like the real world where I'm like, I have to pay $1,500 a month to have health insurance for my children. what? Do you guys need it? Are you okay? Like, can you not fall down? Don't get sick. How about that? Like just, just drink your orange juice, like Rick Juice, like let's save $1,500.Like what is And. . I remember like, so when I was getting out of the army, my husband and I were both from Chicago, so we're like, okay, like let's, we were trying to like decide like, what do we wanna do? Like, do we move back to Chicago? Do we like pick somewhere new? Do we move to Texas? Like, what are we doing?And like, just, we were like, okay, we're gonna move to Florida. So literally we're like, Hey, now where do we move in Florida? Do we go to Miami? We're like, no, that's like two party. Party. And like, we're trying to like have a family and like kids , I don't wanna be in South Beach. Like if I'm down there, I'm gonna wanna be at South Beach and like ha like at a party.And I also my mom, and so I have kids so I can, that I, okay, we can't go to Miami. Miami is off the table. So, okay. How about Orlando? And I'm like, no. Like I hate traffic. And also like, it's very touristy. So like, okay, we're not moving to Orlando. And so we're like, all right, let's move Tampa. Like, Tampa's like up and coming.Like I was like, it's like the Austin of Florida. Like that's like the way I had like term, I was like, it's the Austin of Florida. Yeah. Cause my like, best friend lives lives in Austin and so we like moved here and this is like before Tom Brady was here. Michael: Cause I thought you were following Tom Brady, but nevermind. Sana: Yeah. I was like, before selling Tampa, like we were here just like, so I didn't move here cause everybody's moving here. We literally picked it and we're like, we're gonna go there. So, yeah. So we moved here like June of 2020. So it's like, what the height of Covid, like the middle of Covid.Mm-hmm. . And as I'm like moving, so my husband got, my husband's a high school teacher, so he like got a job. He was like ready to go. And then I had a job, like as an associate everything's shut down. And so like we're moving here in June and in April they're like, Hey, like by the way, we have to pull your contract.Like, sorry, you can't work here. And we're like, what? I'm like, wait, hold on. Excuse me. like I just can't work here for like the month of April and May because I wasn't gonna be there anyways. Like it's fine. Yeah. And they're like, no, never like until we figure out what's happening with Covid. I was like, people still need dentists during Covid.It's fine. I'll wear a mask. I need a job. You need a dentist? I'm coming. that didn't happen. That didn't happen. So they pulled my contract and I was like, in my head I was like, do I just like stay in the army? I was like, oh, so I should just stay in the army. Like that's like my logical thing.I was like, pull my packet. Like I'm sit, captain Yiv is staying, guys, don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. I'm still here. Don't worry. Like not leaving. But my husband's like, no, I have a job in Florida. Like, we're moving. Like, it's fine. We'll figure it out. My husband's like very, like, we'll figure it out. And I'm like, no.Like we must plan. Like I must have a plan for my plan for the backup plan. Like that's how I am. So we're like very opposite and he just is very like, go with it. So like in my head, like, we're moving here. I was like, we should like rent a place, get the lay of the land, like figure it out. Like, and my husband's like, no, I don't wanna move twice.Like, we're just gonna, we should just buy a house when we get, we should just buy a house. And I'm like, dude, like it's covid. Like we have, we haven't, we can't fly there to look at house. We don't need to look at it. They can FaceTime us. is that? What happened? Michael: Yes. , Sana: My husband was like, no, it's fine.They can just FaceTime us. That's fine. So the realtor literally like FaceTimed us. We like saw this house. She sent us some videos and we're like, all right, like let, yeah, let's, okay, let's buy it. Sure. Cool. So like we bought this house site, zine, site unseen. Michael: Is it better than what you expected or worse?Sana: Yeah, I'm like so grateful. I'm like I said, a prayer. My husband actually, like, I was still like filing out, so I couldn't leave Oklahoma as soon as he could. Cause I still have to do like all my paperwork and whatever with the army. And we like got a call like, Hey, your furniture's gonna get delivered on Monday.And we're like, wait, what? Like you guys said it was gonna take two weeks. So like we're all planning like two weeks. Like it'll be perfect timing. So, Once it goes into storage, like, I don't know, I'm sure like everybody who's listening who has done like a military move understands like, do not put your stuff in the storage if it is gonna get delivered straight to your house.Like you accept it, you accept the shipment to your house and you drive 19 hours without stopping to Florida to get your household goods. Otherwise you'll see it in 90 days. Yeah, because once it's a storage, it's gone. So literally my husband and my son got in a car and drove from Oklahoma to Florida.Saturday they left and then Monday our stuff got delivered and they were there to accept the shipment. So anyways, and my husband like calls me, he's like, wow, babe. The front hall's actually a lot bigger than it looked like in the video. And I'm like, I'm so glad that's unthankful . Michael: Really? This is the one thing I wantedSana: It's like I'm so glad that it's like a welcoming the entryway. This is so good. Yeah, so it's so funny. But yeah, so we moved here 2020. Thankfully I like found an associate position. literally in May, we got here in June and like in May, I was just like submitting my Indeed application to like everybody and their mom.And I was like, oh, like you would like somebody at this nursing home to check people's dentures. Of course, yes. Please take my application. Yes, I will come do that. That's what you need. I will do that. . It was, I literally, I think I submitted my, I think people are still responding to my Indeed applications like three years later.we found a great position for you. I was like, not interested, not looking. Thank you. Stop. Stop. S t stop. Unsubscribe, . So yeah, I literally applied to everything that I could think of. So got a job that was cool. Started my first associate position like two weeks after I moved down here. And so at that point it was,It's like culture shock. Like all of a sudden I'm like a dentist in private practice and it's very different than being a dentist in the military. And all of a sudden you're like, oh, like people have to pay for the things that I'm telling them. Like it's just not all free and included. Yeah. And then they don't trust me.Like they think I'm just trying to make money off of them. And I'm like, no, like I'm telling you this because like, you need this, right? Like you need these fillings or you need this crown. And they're like, like, you just want me to pay for your Mercedes. I was like, dude, I drive a Volkswagen, but thank you.Michael: But I would like a Mercedes. So Sana: yes, those are expensive. Tell me about it. How do I ? So if you do this, actually you know what? You should let your tooth fall out. So then you need a, an extraction and then auto the input. And that'll help me pay. Michael: That'll help pay. Yeah. that was like a culture shock then, Sana: It was very like sticker shock and like, honestly, okay, coming from the military, like that was my first experience as a dentist was like dental school where everything's like $5 and nobody cares how you do it because you're a student and you're just trying to learn. And then it's the military where it's like everything's free because they're all soldiers and we're like serving the soldier.We're like getting the soldiers ready for going down range and like being deployable and whatever. and this is gonna sound really bad, but I'm gonna tell you guys the truth. I'm gonna say the truth. in the Army, I got paid exactly the same if I did a filling or I did a crown, or if I watched Game of Thrones in my office.Like, if I told you you needed a filling, it's because you really needed it. I would've preferred to be watching something in my office, I'm getting paid to like sit here and like type some things and like eat my food and like watch Netflix on my phone. I got paid the exact same.So like, yeah, for me, like that's kind of where I got my like treatment planning philosophies was like, oh, you absolutely need, like, you need this and so we're gonna do it. And I think that's, I mean, of course all dentists do that, right? Like, you need this, we're gonna do it. Some people are a little bit more aggressive on the treatment planning side.Some people are a little bit more conservative. I'm very conservative. Like, I would like to give you the benefit of the doubt. Like let's watch if we can. And if I'm like, no, like we can't watch 86 things like you, you need fillings. Sorry. Mm-hmm. . But I think that was kind of. . The switch for me was like, I'm telling people they need these things because they really need them.I wanna be watching tv. You need these fillings. I'm doing these fillings for you. So now I'm in the real world and people are like, well, you just want me to pay for your car. But I'm like, no, but you really just need these fillings. you're not paying for my car. I don't understand what's happening right now.And so it was, it was like a very like, weird, like and it was like, also like covid. And everybody's like, well, can you put your mask? I was like, I have two masks on. Thank you. what do you want from me? I don't understand what I'm a yellow banana suit. I have three masks on. I don't, I don't get it.Like, and you don't want this filling, and I don't want to do this filling. So I'm gonna get covid because I'm doing this filling on you. yeah, yeah. I have the short end of the stick here, guys. I don't want $26 and 15 cents from Humana for this filling, but you need it. So here we are. And like, yeah.So that was like deep dive, like into like private practice. , and I mean, I technically worked for like a corporate office mm-hmm. , and it was a, it was a different type of like, corporate, it wasn't like corporate, corporate, it was just like, like more private practice feel, but still corporate. I don't know if that makes sense.But Yeah. I mean, and there were some like really great things about it and some knots. So really great things about it. I did find myself, and maybe it's like my, innate leadership ability, I guess, if you wanna call it, or like my four years in the Army where I was like forced to be a leader.So now I'm always just like thinking of like, how can we do things better? How can we do this more productive, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, whatever. So I'm over here like, just turning this dude's practice around basically like a mini like owner. Like, okay, like guys, like, we need to like really hone in on our ordering.Like, why are we ordering 86 different types of composite? We don't need that. Like, we use two things. So let's like stick to those two things. Mm-hmm. , like whatever, like, just like really streamlining things and like, Switched the whole practice around. Everybody's like, wow, we like patients, staff.Everybody's like, we just love coming here. It's so great. And I'm like, oh, you're welcome guys. I'm And yeah, so then at that moment I was like, wait, I'm like doing this for somebody else. So like why don't I do this for me? And that's kind of like where like the whole like switch happened a little bit where I was like, well, I should, I could, I could do this for myself.Okay. So I'm also like very like squirrel brained. So like all of this is gonna connect, I promise this will all connect. It's connect. Yeah. It's connected. Yeah. So I'm gonna pause that story for a second. I'm gonna tell another story and then I'm gonna connect the two stories. Okay. Okay. So whoever, maybe if somebody like from the Texas State Board can like message me on Instagram and tell me how this happened, feel free.But when I was in the military, so I was in Oklahoma, which was right above Texas, and so I had my Texas license and my Oklahoma license. . I got my Texas license in 2017, just like for reference of timeframe. I got my Texas license and then all of a sudden I get a call from somebody and they were like, Hey, where from blah, blah, blah.Like real estate company. Like are you interested in like opening up your own practice? And like, and so, you know, we'd love to help you like find some space, whatever. Actually I think I can just say it like, it's fine. Cuz they helped me. This is why I ended it was Excite Realty. a, a healthcare realty firm or whatever.So they have an office in Texas. They have an office in Florida. So, calls me, this guy calls me, what was his name? Tristan, Tristan called me and I was like, no, Tristan, I'm in the Army. Like I am not looking to open my prac.Like, I'm literally like active duty military. Like I'm not opening a practice. Like, thank you. And I'm like also not very like. , please don't call me. Stop calling me. I was like, yeah, like, not right now. Tristan, thanks for calling. Like have a great day, whatever. Okay. He's like, all right, sounds good. I guess he like kept me on his list.Mm-hmm. , because he literally called me every October until 2021. Oh man. Yeah, he was like very persistent. Tristan was very persistent and so it's like 2017 all the way, 2021. So like at this point, so he calls me in 2021 and this time I was like, yo, I'm not even in Oklahoma anymore, bro. I don't even have my Texas license anymore.Like, so I like, at this point I was like a little bit more assertive also, I had an eight month old baby, so I was like probably sleep deprived. just all the things like, yeah, you know what? So I just was like, Kristen, stop calling me. So this was the first time in like, what, five years that I said it to him, Hey Tristan, listen, I'm not in Oklahoma.I'm not in Texas. I'm not gonna open a practice in Texas. Like I just, what? Can you take me off the call list? Like, thank you so much. He's like, oh doctor, real quick. Where are you? I was like, I live in Florida now. I live in Florida. And he was like, oh, we have a branch in Florida, bro. What? ? Michael: Yeah. I Sana: was like, Christine.I was like, and so, okay, fine. You know what? I was like, literally, and I remember this, I literally remember this because I was so, I was like nursing my daughter, she was eight months old. I'm sitting in the car at the outlet mall, like, so I don't remember my mother-in-law, somebody was in the mall and I was like, I'm just gonna sit in the car nurse her, like, just leave me alone.So, and I answered the phone to tell him, please stop calling me. And then he's like telling me like, well we have a, we have a location in Florida. And I'm like, Tristan, . Okay, what do I have to pay you? Like, let's just start there. Like what does this cost me? Like you keep telling me like, what does this cost me?And so this is like at that junction where I'm like doing all this for this other guy, like building up his practice and I'm like, I should do this for myself. Then Tristan calls me and I'm like, well, okay, maybe I should like entertain it. Like, okay, Tristan, how much does it cost? And he is like, oh, you don't pay anything.The landlord pays for it. I was like, this is Bri. Why did you start with that in 2017? Dude? open with that. Open with this doesn't cost you anything. Like maybe I would've been nicer for the last five years. Who would've thought? Yeah, so, okay, all right. I was like, all right, okay, let's give this the shot.And this was like kind of when my startup journey like began, oh no, sorry, this is October of 2020. So this is, yeah, 20, 23 years. Three years there. Mm-hmm. 20 17, 20 20, yeah. October of 2020. So I was like, okay, fine. Entertain me. That's fine. Let's see. So I gave him like what my like. to do my list was like what?Like what I want. Perfect practice, whatever. And like the place that I live is very like up and coming, so it's not like established. And there's a lot of like families coming in here. So like everybody from like California and New York. everybody that's like coming down here from there is like now moving to Wesley Chapel. So it's very like up and coming. So this is also where I live. And so I was like, Hey guys, like I want a practice like where I live.Okay. Like in retrospect, maybe I shouldn't have done that, but that's a whole other story. But I was like, I want something like close to home, like two minutes from my house, I can go home for lunch. Like this is great. Like that's what I want. So it's very specific. Is Michael: it right now two minutes from your house?Sana: five minutes from my house. Yeah. Oh man. Yeah. Yeah. Like we can't be that. so I gave him like this like list where I was like, this is like finding a unicorn, they won't be able to do this.Mm-hmm. . And I took, I was like, look, I really like my position. I'm making good money. I'm happy in what I'm doing. The thought has crossed my mind if the stars in the moon align, like, yeah, maybe I'll do it. So off you go, do your homework. Bye. So obviously like this area's up and coming, there's no practice acquisitions because everybody is a millennial dentist, so they're not retiring.Mm-hmm. , or they're like too young to be retiring. So there's no nothing to acquire around here. So it's all like, it has to be a startup. So we're looking, looking, looking. We found a few places like, you know, and so like the type of person I am, I'm always like prepared for like the other shoe to drop, right?So I told Tristan, all right, yeah, dude, put me in touch with your Florida guy. Let's do it whatever. Florida dude contacts me and then give him his homework. And I'm like, he's not gonna find anything, but that's fine. So I'm just waiting, like at some point I was like, this entire process will end somewhere.it won't ever complete because they won't find a location, we won't find the lease, the construction budget will be out of wac, like whatever, right? Like something's just not gonna align and then it won't happen. Mm-hmm. . So we started this search October of 2020 for reference. I signed my lease in July of 2021, October, 2020 to July of 2021.So, and we started like Lois and stuff in March of 2021. . So it took me a while. Mm-hmm. for us to like really just like get things together. and again, like I said, the entire time I'm waiting for like the other shoe to drop. So, yeah. So we like found a place, it was this really awesome, like in an ortho building, and I was like, oh, this is perfect.Like there's an orthodontist in this building, there's this like endo, there's perio, and then like, I can be here. Like this is cool. Like everybody I would refer to is like just right around me. Anyways, like that was the first LOI I put in, and that didn't go anywhere because the guy decided to like, keep it for himself.I'm like, bro, why would you waste my time? Like, yeah, it's fine, whatever. So then we put in like an L LOI at another place, which I had a feeling like it wasn't gonna work at that place, but I just like rolled with the punches. I'm like, all right, yeah, whatever, whatever. So we put in our l o I and in there in my head, like I had already put in there that I wanna have like cosmetic procedures.potentially Botox, fillers, whatever, that type of stuff. I wanna be able to do it at some point. Mm-hmm. . And they were like, yeah, no, you can't do that. Like, there's an ALTA in this plaza so you can't do cosmetic procedures. I'm like, what? Michael: Isn't Alta like just like hair? Or let's Sana: make up, I was like, I was like, because the, because they do free makeup if you buy $50 worth of makeup.And that's considered called is. Is that what like, wait, I have no idea. He like, wouldn't give me any insight. I was like, bro, what? Like literally I was just like, what? I was so confused and so like, I tried like a little bit to negotiate this leave. Mm-hmm. and I was like, ok, fine. I can look past that. Like this is like on the second floor and Okay.Like everybody knows how complicated dental plumbing is. Right? So the first floor, like whatever was below that space, was already like built out. Mm-hmm. . So we had told them like we would need to go through their ceiling. to do our plumbing, but we'll do it like after hours on the weekends. Like we will not disrupt business hours.And the landlord's like, Nope, not allowed. We're like, can we like ask the the person else it? I was like, no. He was like, no, not allowed. We're like, all right, well here's your l o I. Here's your lease. Bye. Like, okay, this. So like at that point I'm like, see guys, like this is why I'm not committed to anything.Like, cuz I knew what was gonna happen. Yeah. I already lost like two places at this point. I've spent like $5,000 on lease reviews to go nowhere. I'm like, well this is just really stupid. I'm like, this is a lot of money. And I was like, now I need to go work extra hours at my job. Like, this is dumb. Yeah. So then I found this.and we're like, okay, so we're doing the lease review. And like the landlord here, same thing was like, there was just like so much back and forth. They have never like leased out to a dentist. So they just trusted nothing because we don't have, like, I don't have like a solid business plan. It's like me, my word document that I made with all my projected things that I'm like, I can accomplish all of these things because I believe in myself and here's my business plan and this is what most dentists do and this is what's projected.And here you go, enjoy. Right? And they're like, yeah, no, that's like not real. Like this is all made up. And I'm like, you're right, it is. I made it all up. It was really great . And they're like, great. I made all that up. It's so great. I made it up on my kitchen table, so it's fine. Yeah. Um, yeah. And so that was very difficult for them to like, trust us.Like, trust me. Mm-hmm. , they're like, you won't be able to pay your rent. I was like, I mean, your rent's a little high, so, Couldn't Michael: negotiate that down a little bit. Negotiate, you're probably right. Sana: Little high's a little high, but whatever. so, yeah. So we ended up negotiating that lease and it worked out and I signed my lease July of 2021 and that was it.And then we signed the lease and we were here. Okay. So that's like one pause, that's like one story. We're gonna pause right there. Okay. Okay. So I have three kids by the way. Okay. So I, three kids. I have a 12 year old, I have a three-year-old and I have a nine month old. Yeah. So, yeah. So after my second, yes, so after I had my first two kids, I was like, yeah, like I'm not having, I'm not having any more kids.Like I can't. Maybe t m i, but whatever, like real life here it is. Like I had fertility problems, so like mm-hmm. , having my daughter was very difficult. And like after going through that, my husband are like, okay. Yeah. Like, okay, we're good. Like we got one boy, we got one girl. Like, it's good. Like we're done.Yeah. Okay. So like, that's fine. Right. Okay. Tell me why. Like August of 2021, I found out I was Michael: as soon as you, when did you sign the, in July of 2021. And then in August. How were you, talk to me about that thought process when that happened. Like how were you thinking in the sense of like, why me, why now? Or were you like, this is great, this is fantastic. Sana: No, I was like, so how do I get outta his leaseI was like, wait a minute. Ok. I was like, it's fine. Right? It's fine. We can get out of it. Like, dude, I signed a 15 year lease. it's a very long lease. Yeah. So, yeah, no, I was like, what? That can't be right. That's, that's not true. That's not true life. And it was, it was a very true life. And I remember when my, when I started with my consultant, he told me two things, do not make any big purchases and do not get pregnant.Who is your consultant? Mike Ncio. Next level consultant. Okay. Yeah, Michael: yeah, yeah. How do you like Sana: working with them? Oh my god, he was amazing. Awesome. I think I referred like everybody to him and he is awesome. So everybody who's watching this should also go call Mike because he is literally amazing. And all of this would not be here if it wasn't for him.because he got me through a lot of crap, like a lot like dude, I was like a hormonal person, right? Like my diapers are really Michael: expensive. Diapers are, they still aren't really expensive. They're expensive. And Sana: I just sleep trained My eight month old or how old is she? No, she's a year and a half. Oh God, no.My son now is nine months old. Kidding. Everything confused. Like that's how discombobulated I am. But yeah, no, Mike really helped me through a lot of stuff. And so I called him and I was like, Hey Mike, I have to tell you something. And I remember this like, he was the, besides my husband, who also didn't believe me that I was pregnant.Mike was the second person that I told that I was pregnant. And he also didn't believe me. He like thought I was joking. Yeah. And I was like, no, I'm not. Like I'm, I'm serious. I'm so serious. p my entire like buildout, I was also building a human inside my body. That was kind. Yeah. So, yes.Michael: That's pretty intense. Mm. That's Sana: okay. And so we opened in March of 2022. My son was born on four 20 of 2022. Michael: Yeah. Sana: Wait, did you catch his Michael: birthday April? Oh, oh, okay. I was like, I thought just a month later, I don't get it, but No, yeah, yeah, I get it. Sana: But yes, it was a month later, literally, so like I opened and it was, I was like literally nine months pregnant when I opened.And then I had my son a week a month later, and then two weeks after I had him, you better believe I did 17 fillings on my first day back, man. Michael: Yeah. So, okay. So you opened your practice, right? Yeah. And we can talk about, like, a little bit about the whole part of, uh, opening up. I actually wanted to go back a little bit and talk about that generational trauma, but we can do that another episode or something like that.But when it comes to the opening up the practice and now you're, how many months or years open now? Sana: so 11 months open now. Michael: Okay. And has, how does the trajectory look? Has it been like Sana: okay, so it was like this, okay, so we are like hyping up to like open, like open, and then it's like give birth, boom,Okay, cool. So it's like, okay, so, so we're here like, oh, everything's really cool. People like this pregnant dentist. Like, okay, she's so cute. Oh my God, you're having a baby. Oh, practice. We're so proud of you have a baby. Literally like rapid decline. And then I came, so I came back from maternity leave, like I came back from maternity.Okay. Just two weeks count as maternity leave. No, it doesn't. I came back from giving birth. Yeah, right. 10 days later. Okay. I was like, I'll be back from vacation guys. I'll be our B. Just, yeah. Don't let anything break when I, you know, until I get back. Literally. . So then when I got back I was only seeing patients like once a week because I was like, guys, I just had a baby.Like I need to heal a little bit. So like Michael: need to heal. You just gave life, you need to heal a little bit. Sana: Also some stitches like, don't mind me, but like I, you know, one day a week. Yeah. So came back one day a week and then in, so that was like all of May. I was here for one day a week and then in June is when I came back, like came back from maternity leave.So that was like three days a week. And then in May I'm just like trying to like build this back up like very slowly to like get ready for June. So we're like building back up. And then my hygienist, cause I hired a hygienist cause I hate h sorry, hygienist, but like, it's probably like for the benefit of my patients that everybody doesn't get a deep cleaning.Cuz if I see them, that's what they would get. Oh. Because it's I don't have the hands of an angel. So. . I have a hygienist against all the things that everybody says for startups, you don't need it, do your own hygiene, blah, blah, blah. Yeah. Anyways, I got a hygienist, so literally as I'm like recovering from birth giving, she gives me her notice cuz she's like, Hey.Yeah, right. Freaking heartland. She was like, Hey Doc, like I need benefits and this Heartland office is gonna like give me medical insurance for my kid. And I was like, you know, like I respect that. Mm-hmm. and I like, can't be mad at you for it. So thank you for the couple of days that you gave me. Good luck.I'll send you your W2 next year. And, uh, how many Michael: employees at this time have you had? Sana: okay. I feel like I have a lot of employees. Again, another topic for another day because against all startup things, I think I have like, I'm like, just like way overstaffed, but like in a good way. How many do you have right now?Oh my God. Okay. Lemme count. I'm my office manager, Diana. I have my treatment coordinator who is like double serving as my assistant right now because long story short, my assistant quit last week, so that was kind of cool. Anyways, so my treatment coordinator Casie, so it's two.Mm-hmm. . Then I have my hygienist, three, I have my life assistant. That's a whole other topic for another Michael: life assistant you said? Yes. Okay. And she works at the practice? Sana: Yeah, she does like things for me here and then she would like do things for me, like all the errands that I would need to do, like all like a bunch of like admin stuff that like, it's not like office manager stuff, it's just like more like me stuff, but like, I just like responding to emails and like she runs my social media and like just that kind of stuff.Okay. But now since last week we've had a lot of changes, so now she's at the front desk, so she's. receptionist also now. Okay. She's like, my life is slash office receptionist. That's four. And then I have a nurse practitioner because I'm also a med spa. So that's a whole other topic. Yes. So five. And then my nurse practitioner has a medical assistant, so that's six.Michael: Okay. So you have six employees in total. Why'd you decide to become a med spa? How did you like H? How's that coming along? The med spa Sana: part? Oh my god. It's like a whole other story. Okay. Okay. So we'll back up. So when I was making this like concept, right? Mm-hmm. , people hate the dentist. People love the spa.So I was like, oh yeah, like we'll make this like dental experience, very spa-like that was like the goal spa-like dental experience. So then I'm doing my branding and all this stuff, so I'm like, oh yeah, dental studio and spa. So like in my head when I'm like, it's a spa dental studio. There's aromatherapies, you get fuzzy blankets, you get noise canceling headphones.Like all the millennial stuff, right? Like all the millennial things. Yeah. And that's what, that's what it was in my head. And then I started like doing all this, like marketing and stuff and people are like, so what's the spa? And I'm like, it's the fuzzy blanket. and this. Branded Chapstick, Oh, you wanted a facial? Yeah. I don't have that. Sorry. Oh, Michael: okay. Sana: Oh, you want a massage? Yeah, we don't do those here. Sorry. that's how it started. I was like, okay, so people are respecting a spa, like, okay, sounds good. So like, eight months pregnant, opening a scratch startup, and people want a freaking spa.So I'm like, what the heck? What? So I had like, I have four, I had four empty ops. Cause so my office has seven ops. I got equipment for three, and then I had four empty ones. I was like, all right, we're gonna rent one of these out to an esthetician. There you go. Wesley Chapel, here's your facial. Come and get one.There you go. Yeah. , I rented it, I rented out a room to an esthetician and then, so that was whatever, like, I'm, I wasn't like really in charge of anything. Like she did her own thing. It was just like rented space. And I was like, oh, thanks for like the $500 for my super expensive rent. Yeah. Put that Michael: towards that as one.Wait real quick. Put a timeout. How much is Sana: rent? Oh my God. Stop. We really wanna know. It's like $8,000. Michael: How many, how many ops do you have? Seven. Are they all plumbed and, oh, okay. Sana: But that's just my rent. Like I'm just paying this guy to pay his mortgage. Michael: Was there any free rent? Six months. What was your tie?Sana: Allowance?Oh my god. What was it? 72,000. Not a lot of thousands. Not Michael: enough . Not a lot of thousands. I'm looking to be a millionaire. Not a thousandaire. What is wrong with that man? Like, what is Sana: this? I was like, dude, I was like, I'm signing a 15 year lease, 15 years. I was like, the baby that's in my stomach will be 15 years old.Oh yeah. Like he'll be getting his license. That's how long this lease is. Okay, thank you. Michael: So here's showing 2000. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So un paused back to the, the spot. Sana: Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So then I got the esthetician and then people were getting facials and that was cool. And then I was like, oh, I wanna do Botox and fillers and like I had taken a course for it, but I'm the type of person, like I'm a perfectionist, like, I don't wanna do it.but I know people want Botox and fillers. I kind of nervous, so I got a nurse practitioner. I was like, ah, like one day a week, just like, come, like, Botox these people up. Mm-hmm. , we started doing that. And then I guess like all the laser reps in the United States, just, I, I don't, I don't understand, like, do they have like a, oh, this person advertised that they do Botox.Let's go attack them with our sales rep, Venus Literally they would like just, they would just show up. They would just show up at the front desk. this is before my therapist taught me that I have to put boundaries. Okay. So like, I've, I've done a lot of therapy in my life. Hang out again.Michael: Pause you going, you going to therapy? Hell yeah. What, when did you start going? Sana: So I was in therapy before When I went through like all the oh my god, there's like so much you don't know about me, but , , there's a lot. I just met you right now. just met me.There's so much you don't know about me. But, so I went through like all this stuff, like in high school, like in college, whatever, like teen mom, like okay, like all this like traumatic, traumatic stuff, right? So like, just like a synopsis, like I'm a survivor of like domestic abuse and sexual assault, right?So like that's like a lot of my traumas. And so I was going to therapy before, but I was like lying in therapy and like just F y I, if you lie in therapy, it doesn't work. So I was lying in therapy and it didn't work very well. So I stopped going to therapy and then I restarted therapy last year maybe.Yeah, I started restarted therapy last year and now I have this really awesome therapist who's like a mom therapist. and she just like understands like working moms. Anyways, Michael: my therapist what, real quick, what made you want to start therapy? Sana: as you can tell, I have the brain of a squirrel and I have a lot of things I need to talk about.And my husband doesn't understand anything about dentistry. He also doesn't understand anything about owning a business. He also is not a mom. And I just like, I basically talk to patients. I talk to my staff, I talk to my kids, I talk to my husband and that's it. I was like, I need an outlet.Like also I have all of these like negative coping mechanisms and I have zero boundaries, so I literally gotta get my together. negative coping mechanism is basically like, , I'll just like let people just do whatever and I like, don't, I just like, I'm like, OK, sounds good. Like I'm very like PE people pleaser. Even if I'm like, no, like I don't wanna do that. Like, or I'm like always just like preparing for the worst. So like, I'll be like in this like really great like celebratory moment and I'm like, I need to prepare for like the apocalypse.And it's like, dude, we're literally just eating Taco Bell. Can you relax? Yeah. And well, no I can't, I can't celebrate this Mexican pizza comeback right now. . I'm afraid that the Mexican pizza will also then be taken off the menu. So the Michael: Mexican pizza combo, , it didn't get taken off. Didn't it again? Or, I dunno.It's Sana: not taken off. Okay. Then it came back and now. , I'm supposed to celebrate this comeback of the Mexican pizza, but in my head I know that they will take it away again. Michael: Okay, . So those are the negative coping mechanisms. What I mean, ok, I Sana: get you, I get you Like very, more like dramatic, like other types of things, but that's just like me trying to again, like deflect and make something a joke, like that's another negative coping mechanism.I just make all this serious stinky stuff a joke all the time and I'm like, it's, it's fine. It's ok. It's ok. I like, you know, like that meme where it's like everything's on fire around Michael: other guy. Like, it's fine. This is fine. This is fine. Sana: It's, it's fine. Yeah. That's like me as a person. Michael: Okay. Okay. Okay. So un pause, fast, fast forward back Sana: to the, the med spa and the laser reps and having no boundaries.Like, I would be like, oh yeah, if somebody wants to like, come talk to me, like, yeah, just let them know. Whatever. Right? So I'm like getting pulled out of the operatory. They're like, oh, doc, so and so wants to talk to you, so and so called for you. And I'm like, oh, cool. Ok. And I'm like, wait, I can't talk to all these people.Like I just, I can't do it. And I'm also really bad at saying no. So somehow these guys come in, then they convince me with all their sales preppiness that I need a Morpheus machine. And I'm like, yeah, you're right. I wanna get rid of my double G. So, you're right. Let's get a amorphous, it's fine. Let's do it.Okay. That's a lot of thousands of dollars. Okay. Sounds good. Did you get it? Yeah, I, I got it. Michael: Man, their sales preppiness is good. Huh? Sana: Or my boundaries are lacking. Yeah. Right. Yeah. Michael: Like that's true. You could have just been so looking at IT app, but what have you improved that or what, what's going on with Sana: that?Yeah. No, I've improved it. I stopped buying stuff. I've been cut off, so I'm not buying things anymore. Mm-hmm. , but I've also. . I was just, I just was looking like, where is, how is society going? Like what's like on the up and on, the up and up and it's med spas that is on the up and up, right?Mm-hmm. , everybody wants to be in aesthetics and cosmetics and this and that and whatever. And so I'm like, all right, well people are expecting a spa, so we're gonna make it a freaking spa and we're gonna become a med spa. Like, that's it. We're doing it. I don't wanna be like, oh yeah, come get your facial.Like, no, you can go down to the salon suite down there. Go get your facial over there. Mm-hmm. , we have lasers here. We have a medical director that's this, this person is the medical director. Like we do medical things here. So it just like was a really quick, like all of a sudden it started as Botox and fillers.Then all these reps are coming in and they're like telling me about all this like, cool stuff. And I'm like, wait, like why aren't we incorporating this? Like that just like makes natural sense, right? And then my practitioner, she used to work at another med spa, she had all that experience and I was, I was like asking her, I was like, well, what could we do to like build this side of the office?&

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Chaplain Lisa Northway comes back on the Great Big Podcast, prior to her departure to Fort Sill, to discuss the holidays, holiday stress, and how to advocate for yourself during the next few weeks. This is the last episode of the year, but don't worry, we're leaving it on a good note with some well wishes and music from the 1st Cavalry Division Band. SUBMIT: FortHoodPAO@gmail.comFACEBOOK: /usagforthoodINSTAGRAM: @usagforthoodTWITTER: @usagforthoodAll music obtained, royalty free, through Filter by Songtradr: "Gun Metal Grey" - Delicious Allstars; "Learning By Doing" - Niklas OlovsoThis podcast is a production of U.S. Army Garrison Fort Hood and Fort Hood Public Affairs.

Part 3 of 3 "I should never have surrendered. I should have fought until I was the last man alive." These are the words spoken on the deathbed of probably the most well-know Native American warrior in history, known as Geronimo. Some considered him a warrior, and many viewed him as a “sell-out, while others thought of him as a popular Native “character”, representative of all Indians in North America. I must admit, until I met Author (and retired PhD Physicist), W. Michael Farmer, I underestimated the significant warrior skills of Geronimo. Now I have an entirely new respect for this Apache fighter. In this episode of Native ChocTalk, you'll learn about: • The Chiricahua Apache • Geronimo's incredibly monumental warrior skills • The lesser-known story of the little girl, Trinidad and her encounter with Geronimo • Geronimo's friendship with Quanah Parker • The warrior's quest to be set free to go “home” • Skull & Bones Society, and the true-or-false controversy over Geronimo's remains Check out W. Michael Farmer's website where you can find the 3 books we cover in this episode: https://wmichaelfarmer.com/ • “The Odyssey of Geronimo, Twenty Three Years a Prisoner of War” • “Trini! Come!: Geronimo's Captivity of Trinidad Verdin” • “The Iliad of Geronimo” Yakoke, Michael for sharing your research and expertise! Native ChocTalk Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast All Podcast Episodes: https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/

Guest: LTC Allen West   Listen to LTC Allen West on his podcast Steadfast & Loyal on all the podcast platforms.   Bio from the Young America's Foundation (YAF) website:   Lieutenant Colonel (Ret) Allen B. West is a Christian constitutional conservative, combat veteran, and former Member of the US Congress. Allen West was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia in the same neighborhood where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once preached. He is the third of four generations of military servicemen, all combat veterans, in his family. West was commissioned through ROTC at the University of Tennessee as a Second Lieutenant (2LT) on July 31, 1982. He entered active duty service in the U.S. Army on November 1, 1983 at Fort Sill to attend the Field Artillery Officer Basic Course. He later attended airborne and jumpmaster training at Fort Benning. West's first assignment was as an airborne infantry company fire support team leader and battalion training officer in the 325th Airborne Battalion Combat Team. In 1987, he was promoted to Captain and attended the Field Artillery Officer Advanced Course. He was then assigned to the 1st Infantry Division, where he commanded Bravo Battery, 6th Field Artillery Regiment and was a Battalion Task Force fire support officer for 2d Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment. While with the 1st Infantry Division, he participated in Operations Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. West's culminating assignment to his career was as Battalion Commander of the 2d Battalion 20th Field Artillery, 4th Infantry Division. He assumed command of this unit on June 6, 2002. He deployed with his unit during the Iraq War in 2003 and continued to command his battalion until his retirement from the Army in 2004 after 22 years of honorable service in defense of the Republic. In November of 2010, Allen was honored to continue his oath of service to his country when he was elected to the United States Congress, representing Florida's 22nd District. As a member of the 112th Congress, West introduced seven major pieces of legislation, and was the original sponsor of H. R. 1246 which reduces costs at the Department of Defense, was passed unanimously (393-0), and signed into law by President Obama as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. Congressman West voted for the Balanced Budget Amendment, and voted for over 30 different bills designed to empower small businesses, reduce government barriers to job creation, boost American competitiveness, encourage entrepreneurship and growth, and maximize American energy production. West holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and two Masters, one from Kansas State University and another from the US Army Command and General Staff Officers College. He is the former Executive Director of the National Center for Policy Analysis in Dallas Texas. West is an avid distance runner, a Master SCUBA diver, a motorcyclist, and in his spare time he enjoys cheering his beloved Tennessee Volunteers.   LTC West tells the story of a young soldier Audie Murphy, a boy from Texas who joined the military and became the most decorated soldier during WWII.   What is it about the military that it was able to take a young boy and turn him into a man? West talks about the “crucible of combat” and the challenges that boys are looking for to help mold them into men - to be “All that they can be”!   Today's culture is pushing back and “canceling” anything that makes anyone uncomfortable or allowing one person to stand out above another - the military of tomorrow will face greater challenges in molding and shaping the men of tomorrow!   Can a young man find this “formula” of “do hard things” outside the military? West suggests that a young man start with reading the Bible and specifically recommends the life lessons found in Romans 5 that talks about “rejoicing in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope…” West also recommends that young people don't quit when they run into adversity - learn to push through tough times West suggests that a young man START with solidifying their spiritual foundation - before they build their lives and careers, having a solid foundation is the key to a successful life! West warns against the current culture that celebrates “immediate gratification” - good things are worth the wait. Learn to have that “stick-to-itivness” West warns about the culture of the “participation trophy” - giving a reward for doing “nothing” - as LTC West says you have to “learn to pay the extra nickel if you want to go first class”  

2 of 3 "I should never have surrendered. I should have fought until I was the last man alive." These are the words spoken on the deathbed of probably the most well-know Native American warrior in history, known as Geronimo. Some considered him a warrior, and many viewed him as a “sell-out, while others thought of him as a popular Native “character”, representative of all Indians in North America. I must admit, until I met Author (and retired PhD Physicist), W. Michael Farmer, I underestimated the significant warrior skills of Geronimo. Now I have an entirely new respect for this Apache fighter. In this episode of Native ChocTalk, you'll learn about: • The Chiricahua Apache • Geronimo's incredibly monumental warrior skills • The lesser-known story of the little girl, Trinidad and her encounter with Geronimo • Geronimo's friendship with Quanah Parker • The warrior's quest to be set free to go “home” • Skull & Bones Society, and the true-or-false controversy over Geronimo's remains Check out W. Michael Farmer's website where you can find the 3 books we cover in this episode: https://wmichaelfarmer.com/ • “The Odyssey of Geronimo, Twenty Three Years a Prisoner of War” • “Trini! Come!: Geronimo's Captivity of Trinidad Verdin” • “The Iliad of Geronimo” Yakoke, Michael for sharing your research and expertise! Native ChocTalk Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast All Podcast Episodes: https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/

Part 1 of 3 "I should never have surrendered. I should have fought until I was the last man alive." These are the words spoken on the deathbed of probably the most well-know Native American warrior in history, known as Geronimo. Some considered him a warrior, and many viewed him as a “sell-out, while others thought of him as a popular Native “character”, representative of all Indians in North America. I must admit, until I met Author (and retired PhD Physicist), W. Michael Farmer, I underestimated the significant warrior skills of Geronimo. Now I have an entirely new respect for this Apache fighter. In this episode of Native ChocTalk, you'll learn about: • The Chiricahua Apache • Geronimo's incredibly monumental warrior skills • The lesser-known story of the little girl, Trinidad and her encounter with Geronimo • Geronimo's friendship with Quanah Parker • The warrior's quest to be set free to go “home” • Skull & Bones Society, and the true-or-false controversy over Geronimo's remains Check out W. Michael Farmer's website where you can find the 3 books we cover in this episode: https://wmichaelfarmer.com/ • “The Odyssey of Geronimo, Twenty Three Years a Prisoner of War” • “Trini! Come!: Geronimo's Captivity of Trinidad Verdin” • “The Iliad of Geronimo” Yakoke, Michael for sharing your research and expertise! Native ChocTalk Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/nativechoctalkpodcast All Podcast Episodes: https://nativechoctalk.com/podcasts/

Yes, that is how Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon describes himself. Skip has served as an internal Medicine physician in the Army rising to the rank of colonel.   Throughout much of his life, Skip has also been a wrestler competitor, and he has been good at the sport.   In 2014 Skip discovered that he was suffering from a deep depression. As he worked through his condition and emerged from it he also wrote his Amazon Bestselling book entitled Wrestling Depression Is Not For Wimps.   I very much enjoyed my interview with Skip Mondragon and I sincerely hope that you will as well and that Skip's conversation and stories will inspire you.   About the Guest: Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon, MD is a transformed tough guy. Since recovering from depression in 2014, he's been on a quest to help ten million men struggling with depression, one man at a time. He's practiced Internal Medicine for over thirty years. Colonel Mondragon is a twenty-six-year Army veteran, spent eighteen months in combat zones, and is a national wrestling champion. Skip's book Wrestling Depression Is Not for Wimps! was published in February 2020 and is the author of Inspired Talks Volume 3, an Amazon International Bestseller. He's spoken on different stages, including at TEDXGrandviewHeights in December 2021. Skip's true claim to fame is his five independent and gainfully employed children, his four amazing grandchildren, and especially his wife Sherry. She's a fellow author and a tough Army wife. Sherry has endured raising teenagers on her own, a variety of moves to new duty stations, and far too many of Skip's idiosyncrasies for forty-one years of marriage.   Skip can be reached at: Email: skipmondragon@transformedtoughguys.com Website: www.transformedtoughguys.com Book: www.amazon.com/author/skipmondragon LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/skip-mondragon-66a-2b436 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SkipWNW/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/SkipWnw   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 an 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 Good morning or afternoon wherever you happen to be and welcome to unstoppable mindset. Today, our guest is Donald  “Skip” Mondragon. I met Donald not too long ago, actually at podapolooza. And we've talked about that before. It's an event where podcasters would be podcasters. And people who want to be interviewed by podcasters all get together. Sometimes one person has all three at once. But I met Skip. And we talked a little bit and I said would you be interested and willing to come on the podcast? And he said yes. So now he's stuck with us? Because here we are. Skip. How are you?   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  01:58 I am doing great. Michael, delighted to be here.   Michael Hingson  02:02 Now where are you located?   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  02:04 I am in the Dallas Fort Worth area.   Michael Hingson  02:06 So there you go two hours ahead of where we are and any fires nearby? Hopefully not. No, sir.   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  02:14 Thank you, Lord,   Michael Hingson  02:15 right now us the same way. And we're, we're blessed by that. But it is getting hot in both places, isn't   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  02:22 it? Oh, yes, indeed.   Michael Hingson  02:25 Well, tell me a little bit about you, maybe your early life and so on. And you know, we'll kind of go from there.   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  02:31 Yes, sir. And the third of eight children born of Hispanic parents, but meager means but born in Denver, Colorado. My father went to the Korean War, and came back a broken man. The man that went to war was not the man that came home. He suffered, I'm convinced with bipolar disorder, PTSD, and he was an alcoholic. And when my dad drank, he was violent. My sister, my eldest sister, Roma tells us that when my dad would come home, we would run and hide, because we didn't know which dad was coming home. The kind, gentle, fun loving dad for the angry mean, violent dad. So this was my early childhood. I actually don't have memories before the age of seven, other than a couple little fleeting memories. So I don't remember a lot of that I get history really from my sister, my older sister,   Michael Hingson  03:33 I help that because he's just blocked it out or something worse.   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  03:37 Yes. It's it's gone. Those I just don't have those memories are not accessible. But that was my early childhood. It was chaotic. It was. It was chaotic. It was traumatic. But I came from very loving family. Eight, you know, seven siblings were all close in age. 10 years separate us. We're still close to this day enjoy being together with one another loud, boisterous. Or they're very affectionate. No. My siblings are in Texas. I have a brother in the Baltimore area, Maryland, one in Raleigh, North Carolina. I'm here in Texas. The others are all in Colorado.   Michael Hingson  04:20 So I guess with a number in Colorado, that's the meeting place.   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  04:25 Yes, sir. Between my wife and I, my mother is the only living parent. And so we go back home as we call it to his in Colorado. Yes.   Michael Hingson  04:36 Well, there's nothing wrong with that. Indeed. So you grew up? Did you go to college?   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  04:45 Yes, sir. tended start my college career at the University of Notre Dame ROTC scholarship, left there, in my fifth semester confused, not quite sure what I was going to do. There's this tug, am I going to go into ministry or says medicine I was pre med at the time I left school I was out of school for three plus three and a half years trying to decide what I was going to do. And then I transferred into all Roberts University where I finished my undergraduate work for Roshan first in Tulsa, Oklahoma. And their I went to medical school and it's there for you that I met my sweetheart sherry. And this year we celebrated our 41st wedding anniversary,   Michael Hingson  05:30 Pierre just ahead of us by a year and a half, I guess because we will, our 40s will be in November. No congratulation, which is great. Now, we knew the marriage was gonna last I'm, I'm gonna get shot for this, I'm sure but we knew our marriage was gonna last because the wedding was supposed to start at four in the afternoon on Saturday, the 27th of November of 90. Yes, and the church was not filled up like it was supposed to be at four o'clock. And it got to be an I remember it well for 12 Suddenly, the doors opened and this whole crowd of people came in. And so we started although it was 14 or 12 minutes late, or 15 by the time they got in chair. And it wasn't until later that we learned that everyone was out in their cars until the end of the USC Notre Dame game. Being here in California, my wife getting her master's from USC, oh my gosh, we knew the marriage was gonna last when we learned that not what USC want the snot out of Notre Dame that   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  06:45 we took some weapons from USC, I'll be it you back. I was at Notre Dame that year that we we beat them and went on to win the national championship and 73. So that that was a turn of events, if you will, after taking some real whippings the years preceding that from USC.   Michael Hingson  07:07 I you know, I gain an appreciation for football and all seriousness. When it was a couple of years later, I was in Los Angeles and I had a meeting. And somebody was listening on the radio and keeping us apprised the fact that at the end of the first half Notre Dame was leading USC 24 to nothing. And then I got in the car and we started going home. And USC started scoring and scoring. It was with Anthony Davis and man who know about that game, and by the time it was over was 55 Switch 24 USC. But it's a great rivalry. And I'm glad it exists.   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  07:50 Right. I think the next year is when they came to South Bend. And they hug hug him in effigy. So I remember they had this thing there. And it's   Michael Hingson  08:00 like the USC, USC, don't let him run against us like that again.   Michael Hingson  08:09 What makes it fun? And as long as it's a game like that, and people view it that way. It's great.   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  08:16 There you go. It's a game. That's all it needs to be. Don't   Michael Hingson  08:19 take it too seriously by any means. No, sir. But it's a lot of fun. So, after Oral Roberts and so on you you went off and had some adventures?   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  08:32 Yes, sir. What kind of happen next? Well, I went to do further training, internship and residency and Canton, Ohio. And there was a turn of events I had expected I was going to do a military internship and go on and complete my residency with the military. But I received this Dear John letter, approximately six weeks before the interview season was going to close the army telling me I did not receive an army internship and I had to pursue a civilian internship, I think and are you kidding me? I was supposed to be in the Army next year, I hadn't even looked at civilian internships. And so I was scrambling. This was a day maybe days before the internet. You had to go to the library, look up programs, phone numbers, call them find out what they needed. So you could apply to that program what documents they needed send to each program individually, the documents the letters, arrange a flight. Now they have a centralized application system. So you complete one application, your letters of reference are all uploaded there. Then you decide which programs you want the sent to wait. So I'm doing this video post taste. Making this application season is ending Christmas is going to be approaching and then there's nothing going to get done. So I gotta get this done. And it was it was hectic ended up in Canton, Ohio. And it was fabulous. I had the best of both worlds great academics, fabulous clinical teaching. And it just so happened. The new program director was retired brigadier general Andre J. Augmentee. And he scared the snot out of us.   Michael Hingson  10:22 What year was this? What year did this take place?   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  10:26 I arrived there in 1985. Got it.   Michael Hingson  10:29 So he scared the snot out of you. Oh   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  10:31 my gosh, we call them Dr. Rowe, the big O or the Oh. And when he was when he was coming, we were like, Oh, no deals coming Fall, we'd be at Morning Report, we'd be talking about new cases that were admitted the night before. And he'd asked me to present the case or ask questions. And I would feel like I I felt like the voices on Charlie Brown. Go home and I tell my wife, oh, I can't seem to answer one interview. Question intelligently. When he is around, he must think I'm the stupidest intern he has ever seen. I I just get so flustered when he was around. I went down in a few months them because I was planning on doing physical medicine rehabilitation. But I had really fallen in love with internal medicine. Because my first few months were on the general internal medicine wards, and then a month in the internal or the intensive care unit. And I really fell in love with internal medicine, went to them and talk and said Dr. Rowe, I I'd like to talk to you. I am interested in drone medicine. But I don't know that I could be a good internist, I remember him looking at me and say, Skip, you could be a good interest. In fact, you could be a very good internist. And we'd love to keep you in the program. I could write letters that are permanent, so you can stay on the program and train here. That was a turning point for me. You away. He actually became very good friends. My last year, he actually asked me to be the chief president. I didn't accept because we were expecting our third child at that time preparing to move to join the army and I just couldn't put that pressure on my wife at that time. But we're still good friends to this day. Yes, wife. So it went from being that Bumbly Ugg boots, intern to a competent senior resident to friendship as the years went on.   Michael Hingson  12:49 So he figured you out and obviously saw something you and you kind of figured him out a little bit it sounds like oh, yes,   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  12:57 sir. Yes, sir.   Michael Hingson  12:59 Where is he today?   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  13:01 He is here in Texas. He is outside of San Antonio. He and his wife Margaret. A little   Michael Hingson  13:06 bit closer than Canton, Ohio.   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  13:09 Oh yes sir.   Michael Hingson  13:11 Well, that's great that you guys are still friends and you can see each other that is that is the way it ought to be. In the end, it's it's always great when you can establish a relationship with the teacher. You know, I wrote thunder dog the story of a blind man his guide dog in the triumph of trust at ground zero when I talked in there about Dick herbal Shimer, my geometry teacher. And to this day, we are still friends and chat on the phone on a regular basis.   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  13:41 That reminds me of my junior high wrestling coach John Gregerson. We were great friends to this day. And we hadn't seen one another for almost 1015 plus years. I'd seen him at the I think it was the 1992 1994 NCAA Wrestling Championships division one in North Carolina, and hadn't seen him to till 2000. Approximately 2015, something like that, when seen one another, but got in touch with him because he had moved back when he retired from teaching there in Colorado. He moved to Wyoming, then moved back to Colorado, gotten in touch with him said to get in touch with you, John, we met when another talks just just like we hadn't been apart. And I remember upon leaving, talking Adam say, John, I love you. And he looked at me and says, I love you too. And a great man, great relationship. And there's so much affection in my heart and appreciation for that man. The things he taught me.   Michael Hingson  14:56 So wrestling is a part of your life, I   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  14:58 guess. Oh my goodness. It's in my blood.   Michael Hingson  15:03 Well tell me about that a little bit.   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  15:05 Please. Oh, yes, I, I was miserable at sports any sport. Growing up, I didn't know how to throw I didn't know how to catch. I don't know how to kick. I didn't know how to run. I failed that tetherball. Okay. So I didn't know the skills, I wasn't taught the skills. So wrestling was the first sport that went out for an eighth grade that I thought after if you practice, I think I can be good at this. And IBM think i think i could be really good at this. That was the first time that I wasn't having to compete against boys that were a lot bigger than I was. Because I was typically the smallest kid in my class. And so I was wrestling in the 85 pound weight class in eighth grade, good lowest weight class. I was having good success. Only eighth grader on the varsity team. I didn't win a match that year. But I learned lots I gained a lot of confidence. The next year come in and the rest of the room. I'm the best wrestler in that wrestling. But I get so worked up before a match. I couldn't sleep a wink all night long. So I'd go into that match utterly exhausted mentally and physically. underperform. However, the summer afterwards, I won my first tournament I entered was a state freestyle wrestling tournament, one of the Olympic styles. When my first match, my second, my third match, win my fourth match. Now I'm wrestling for the championship. And I went after that my coach asked me, you know who this guy was you're wrestling have no idea coach. And he said that guy won this tournament last year. And that further cemented my love for this sport went on. He was a two time district champion in high schools, state runner up and honorable mention All American. So I had a lot of success. Moreso in freestyle wrestling a lot of state tournaments I won many state tournaments placed into Nash national wrestling tournaments as a high schooler and then after. After that, I've wrestled some in college and some in freestyle also. But last time it competed was in 2012 and 2013. In the veterans nationals.   Michael Hingson  17:33 How did that go?   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  17:35 Oh, how did that go? It went great. I had been wanting to compete again. At ba I still had that bug. Oh, I'd like to do this. The dates the training. I couldn't work that in. But I'm sitting up in the stands watching the state finals of the of the Georgia state finals with my youngest son Joey, he had completed his wrestling career had he not been ill and injured. He would have been wrestling on that stage that night. He was one of the best hunter and 12 pounders in the state of Georgia, but being ill and injured, he wasn't there wrestling that night. So we're watching this I had this wrestling magazine. I think it was USA Wrestling and I'm looking at these dates. Veterans national so it's gonna be held in conjunction with the senior nationals and I'm looking at this. Tucson, Arizona, May 5, and sixth I say Joey, she'll train with me. I'd like to compete. Well, my 18 year old son looks and he goes, Okay, Dad, you're gonna have to do everything I tell you. So Joey became my training partner, my trainer and my manager retrained hard, very hard. So this was mid February. And at first week in May, we're going out to Tucson. Those first six weeks and I was in great shape. I mean, I trained worked out like a fanatic, but those first few weeks, you know, oh my gosh, you know, I'd come home from practice. Oh, my wife and go Have you had enough old man. I think I'm gonna go soak in the tub, honey. I'd sit on the couch with ice on a shoulder or knee or elbow or sometimes all of those week. By week, my body toughen and there was the day I got up. Because I added an early morning workout in addition to my afternoon workouts, bring my weight down help a little bit with the conditioning. And my feet hit the floor. I got out to do my workout. I thought Oh, am I feeling good? I thought Joey, you better bring your A game today because your man is feeling good. So we went out to Tucson won a national championship. And we're sitting there taking this picture with the stop sign of a trophy. Now that I got here, it's big that Joey asked me Dad, was it worth it? All those hot baths, all those ice packs? And I look at him and grin. I say, Yes, it was worth. I had a blast. The next year was a national runner up. So those were the last times I competed, but I've coached I've been around the sport. My sons all wrestled my four sons, my brothers. For my four brothers. They're all younger. They all wrestled my brother in law wrestled my father in law was a college wrestler. Wrestling is in my blood. In fact, my kids call me a wrestling groupie. Because I collect wrestling cards. I get wrestling card sign, I get poster side I mug with all these wrestling greats have friends with World Champions and Olympic champions. That's my blood.   Michael Hingson  20:56 What's the difference between the Olympic style wrestling and I guess other forms like freestyle wrestling, and so on?   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  21:02 Okay, so freestyle and Greco Roman are the two Olympic styles. primary difference in those two styles is in Greco Roman, you can't attack the legs. That's the difference in those two. Now, the difference in our style, whether we call school boy or sometimes it's called catches catch can is you also have what we call a a Down and up position that are done differently the way that is in the scoring. To score for instance, a takedown when you take them to the mat, you have to have more control in freestyle is much faster or in in Greco you don't have to show the control, you just have to show the exposure of the back. Plus, you can get a five point move with a high flying exposure, the back or if you take a patient or a an opponent from feet to back in freestyle Aggreko, you can get four points for I said, if it's high flying five points, potentially. Whereas in freestyle, our in our style Americans out, it's two points for a takedown doesn't matter. Take them straight to the back, you could get additional points by exposing the back, if you help hold them there long enough, we'll call a nearfall. And then there's writing time. So if you're on the top position, and you control that man for a minute or longer, you're getting writing time. So there's those factors that that you have. So it's it's and the rules are, are somewhat different. So those are the basic differences in our style and the freedom and the Olympic styles.   Michael Hingson  22:41 But wrestling scoring is pretty much then absolutely objective. It's not subjective. It's not an opinion sort of thing. There are specifics,   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  22:51 there are specifics, but then you get into those subjective things. Yeah, it's a caution. It's a stall. It's it's this and you're saying, Are you kidding me? Or they say that's not a takedown you're going What? What do you mean, that's not a takedown? You gotta be blind not to call that thing. So there's still some subjectivity to it. Sure. There is, you know, are they miss? They miss something, the ref misses something in your thing. And you got to be blind dude, you know, that was   Michael Hingson  23:17 a tape. That's an answer. No, no, no. No, here's, here's my question. Is there ever been a time that both wrestlers go after the riff? You know, just check in?   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  23:29 I have never seen I have seen some, some, some come off there and give up. You know, escaping something. Yeah, you do to me, your GP and we have to say though, never leave it in the hands of the ref. Never leave it in the hands of the ref. And you you don't want to leave a match in the hands of the ref that don't let it come down to that. Wrestle your match. So there's no question.   Michael Hingson  23:55 Well, so you have wrestled a lot. You went from Canton then I guess you joined the army.   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  24:02 Correct? joined the army. Uh huh.   Michael Hingson  24:05 Well, if you would tell me a little bit about about that and what you did and so on.   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  24:10 1989 Our first duty station, Lawton, Oklahoma Fort Sill out there on this dreary day, January 3, I believe is gray, dark, you know, overcast, cold, only new to people. My sponsor and his wife. They were the only people we knew when we arrived. I had gone earlier to rent a home for us. And then we were waiting. We our household goods were arriving. Got there. We had three young children. Adam was for Christmas too. And Anjali was four months old. We get there we're moving in. getting settled. I'm in processing to the arm mean, everything's new to us. And then I start practicing as a doctor had two colleagues and internal medicine, within six months of me joining the army or if you will come in on active duty, I shouldn't say joining I had already been on inactive status in the army, going through school and training, but getting their report sale, they turn around and say, well, you're one colleague, like Keith conkel, was named. He's going to do a fellowship, infectious disease. And then my other colleague, Lee selfmade, or senior colleague in internal medicine was chief of the clinic chief of the ICU, he decided very abruptly to get out and do a nephrology fellowship, civilian fellowship, so he was getting out of the army. Now they say, well, you're now the chief of the internal medicine clinic, you're the medical officer, the chief of the intensive care unit. And guess what? You're the only internal medicine physician we're going to have for the summer. Have a good summer. Well, it was worse summer I've ever had in my life. Miserable Oh, it was horrible.   Michael Hingson  26:20 So I was so   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  26:21 busy there with with patients and care and responsibilities there and having to tell some patients I'm sorry, we don't have capacity for you're going to have to be seen in the civilian sector. Now, mind you, when my two new colleagues came, we had all these patients screaming back saying please, please, please, may I come back, because they knew the care we rendered was superior to what they were getting the care they were receiving in the civilian sector. But it was it was such a demanding physically and emotionally and timewise. spending enormous amounts of time at the clinic and hospital.   Michael Hingson  27:06 So what does Internal Medicine take in   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  27:09 internal medicine, we are specialists for adults, you think of the gamut of non surgical diseases. We take care of adults 18 to end of life. And so our training entails taking care of the common cold, a community acquired pneumonia, that you can treat as an outpatient, to taking care of a patient that's in the ICU, hooked up to life support. That's the scope of what we're trained in. So if you think of the common diseases of adults, high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, lung disease, arthritis, gastrointestinal problems, this is the Bailiwick of an internal medicine physician.   Michael Hingson  27:59 Our biggest exposure to that for Well, first of all, my sister in law was a critical care unit and ICU nurse for a lot of her life. And, and then retired. But anyway, in 2014, my wife contracted double pneumonia, and ARDS, ARDS, oh my gosh. And she ended up in the hospital on a ventilator. And what they were trying to constantly do is to force air into her lungs to try to push out some of the pneumonia. They actually had to use and you'll appreciate this, a peeps level of 39 just to get air into her lungs. They were so stiff. Yeah, they were so stiff. And no one at the hospital had ever seen any situation where they had to use so much air pressure to get air into her lungs to start to move things around and get rid of the pneumonia. Everyone came from around the hospital just to see the gauges.   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  29:02 And your they probably told you this risks injuring her lungs because the pressures are so high. But without the weather, we're not going to be able to oxygenate her.   Michael Hingson  29:15 Right. And what they said basically was that if she didn't have pneumonia, her lungs would have exploded with that kind of pressure. Exactly. Because what the average individual when you're inhaling is a peeps level of like between two and five. So 39 was incredibly high.   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  29:33 Oh, yes, absolutely. But she's glad she recovered.   Michael Hingson  29:37 She did. We're we're glad about that. She was in the hospital for a month and and she was in an induced coma using propofol and when my gosh when she came out of all that I asked her she dreamed about seeing thriller and bad and all that. I was mean. But but no she ordeal, wow. Well, and that's what eventually caused us to move down here to Southern California to be closer to relatives. But I really appreciated what the doctors did for her. And we're, we're very grateful and fully understand a lot of what goes on with internal medicine and she has a good doctor now that we work with, well, who I both work with, and so on. You're very pleased with that. But you say you're in charge of Internal Medicine. And how long did that last at your first station,   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  30:39 first duty station, we arrived in 89. We were there till 92 till summer of 92. So arrived in January 89. I graduated off cycle. And Canton, arrived in, left in summer of 92 went to Walter Reed Army Medical Center. But while I was at Fort Sill was first time I deployed to Operation Desert Shield Desert Storm, my first deployment and it was found out just days, like the week before, that my wife was expecting our fourth child or son Jonathan got home in time, for 11 days before his birth. Thank you, Lord. But that was my first deployment. And that was harrowing in that we were the first major medical group in theater, 47 filled hospital. And we knew that Saddam had chemical weapons, and that is Scud missiles could reach where we were at in Bahrain. So it was it was some harrowing times with that, getting our hospital set up. And knowing that we were well within range of Scud missiles, the alarms that go off and we'd be throwing on our protective gear we call our MOPP gear, our masks and our other other protective gear and these outrageous high temperatures. You know, within a couple of minutes, you were just drenched with sweat pouring off of you. In those those heat in that heat until you'd hear their alarms go off again and all clear. Thankfully, we never were bombed with the Scud. But we were well within the range. And we knew we had used chemical weapons, and we knew they certainly were in this arsenal. So we that was my first deployment. And then Walter Reed where I did a fellowship two years there in Washington, DC, and then we are off to Brooke Army Medical Center. And that was San Antonio, one of my favorite cities, that Fort Sam Houston. And we we were there for four years. And on the heels of that, I was deployed to Haiti for seven months, the last months that we live there, so I've gone I'm just redeploying returning home. And we're in the process of moving. Now we're moving to Fort Hood, Texas. There we spent, actually eight years at Fort Bragg. And there I was, again, chief of the Department of Medicine at Fort Hood, had amazing staff, great people that I worked with wonderful patients everywhere I went this wonderful patients to take care of. And then I was deployed during that time to Operation Iraqi Freedom was, Oh, if one Operation Iraqi Freedom one 2003 2004, stationed up in Missoula, treating caring primarily for the 100 and first Airborne Division aerosols. Major General David Petraeus was a division commander at that time, I got to work closely. My last few months, I was the officer in charge of the hospital, 21st combat support hospital and got to work closely interact with John Petraeus and his staff. Amazing man, amazing staff. incredible experience. Then from there after fort Fort Hood, we went back to Fort Sill, which was an interesting experience because then I was the deputy commander of Clinical Services, the Chief Medical Officer of the hospital. So first time I was there, I was a newly minted captain, new to the army, you know, expect you to know much about the army. Now I go to back to Fort Sill, I'm in the command suite on the Chief Medical Officer of the hospital now as a colonel, they expect you to know air everything. So it was it was interesting. Now, one of the first few days I was there, they give me a tour around to various places and the record group and we're talking and the the records lady, one of the ladies talking to us, telling us about different things and that she She says, You remind me of you remind me of Dr. Longer God, Dr. Monder. God, she had been there the first time I had been there, because we'd have to go down and review our charts and sign our charts on a regular basis. It was, it was amazing. But just some great people that I got to work with over the years, and that our last duty station was in Augusta, Georgia, at the Eisenhower Army Medical Center, where I was again, Chief of Department of Medicine, worked with great people helped train some amazing residents and medical students, PA students.   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  35:39 Just some great experiences. And while I was at Eisenhower Army Medical Center, I deployed for the last time to Iraq for another year 2010 to 2011.   Michael Hingson  35:50 How did all of the deployments and I guess you're 26 years in the military in general, but especially your deployments? How did all of that affect you in your life in your family,   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  36:02 it gives you a much greater appreciation. Well, a few ways. Certainly a much bigger appreciation for your your family and your time with your family, I lost over three and a half years, 37 months out of the life of my family. And you don't get that time back. No, you don't get that back. So all major these major events that go on your life, seeing things with your children happening. There are no do overs with that that's time last. So you get a better appreciation for that, you also get a better appreciation for the freedoms, the opportunities we have in this nation, when you go to some of those countries realize, you see what poverty can be like, you see how certain citizens are treated, you see women who are treated like cattle, in some cases like property, that the lack of rights, you see these people who want to be able to vote, that it's not just a rigged election, but they actually have a say, in their country's democratic process. The appreciation, and one of the things that was so poignant to Michael was the fact that these so many people, every place I've been whether that's on a mission trip to Guatemala, whether that's in Iraq, whether that was in Bahrain and other places that have been there, how many people would come and say My dream is to go to the US and become a US citizen, I heard that over and over and over again. And when I would get back home, I would feel like kissing the ground. Because I realized, by virtue of being born American, the privileges, the opportunities that I have, are so different than so many people around the world. So gave me appreciation for that. But being deployed, you get to see Army Medicine, practiced in the in the field, because Army Medicine is world class medicine, but you get to see it in the field practice again, in a world class way. It's, it's really mind boggling. Some of the things that we do in a field setting in a combat zone, taking care of soldiers, taking care of other service members, the things that we do, literally world class, not just back in brick and mortar facilities. But they're in the field. Unbelievable. And again, working with great colleagues, amazing staff that I had there, the 21st cache and other places that I've worked. So that appreciation and that idea that you're working for a cause so much greater than yourself, that brotherhood that you have. Now, when you've deployed with people and you've been in combat zone with people, let me tell you, you build some strong bonds.   Michael Hingson  39:15 And it's all about really putting into practice what most of us really can only think about is theory because unless we've been subjected to it and need medical help, or have been involved in the situations like you, it's it's not the same. We're not connected to it. And it's so important, it seems to me to help people understand that connection and the values that you're exactly what you're talking about.   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  39:46 Yes, yes. You were asking about the impact on my family. Well think about that. My first time employee My wife has three young children. Adam was six Chris was four. Anjali It was too, and she's expecting our fourth. We're deploying to this war zone that's very uncertain knowing he's got Scud missiles, he's got chemical weapon arsenal, that he's used this. And you're going into this very uncertain war zone. Not knowing when you're coming back home, or even if you're coming back home, all of this uncertainty. The night they announced that, okay, the war had started, that that officially had kicked, kicked off there, that hostilities it started, it was announced on TV. And the kids were at a swimming lesson at the pool, I believe. And somebody came running through some young soldier or something,   Michael Hingson  40:59 the war started, the   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  41:00 war has started. And the children all started bawling. And so Sherry's trying to gather them up and she's thinking, What are you doing, you know, trying to gather up the the kids and get them home. But she didn't allow them to listen to any reports do anything. Thankfully, we didn't have a TV at that time by choice. We didn't have a TV for many years. But she didn't allow him to listen to any reports, because she didn't want them to hear these things. But you can think about the uncertainty, you think about missing the events, you think about a spouse having to manage everything at home, taking care of the family, taking care of all the other things there that are involved in managing a household. That's what's left with that, that spouse and then them carrying on without you. So adjusting without you. And then as those children are a different ages, again, all of that, your spouse taking care of that. And your family, adjusting without you. Now if people don't realize they see these idyllic, idyllic reunions, oh, it's great look at they're coming home, and they're hugging and kissing and crying and looking at how wonderful that is. Well, yes, it is wonderful. It's magnificent. You can't believe the elation and the relief. But there's a short little honeymoon phase, if you will. But then the real work begins reintegrating into your family, finding that new normal, how do I fit back into this, they've done with it. They've been without me for several months, or even up to a year. My kids have changed. I've changed Sherry's changed, our family has changed. So how now do we find that normal? And I think that's what a lot of people don't understand that there is that work that needs to be done. And there's a lot of work that needs to be done after it. service members returned home from a deployment, that it's not easy. And it takes its toll. And I don't think that people realize the sacrifice when service members been gone. for months and months at a time years at a time, the sacrifice of that service member the sacrifice of their fam, with every promotion, every award that I received, I used to tell people, my wife, and my kids deserve this a lot more than I do.   Michael Hingson  43:50 And another thing that comes to mind in thinking about this back in the time of Desert Storm, and so on and maybe up into Iraqi Freedom, I would think actually is how were you able to communicate with home.   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  44:07 Oh, with your family. And in Desert Storm is primarily snail mail. We did have the occasional call that we can make. Now, as the theater matured and they moved us out of living in tents. We got to move into hardened structure in there. I could make a regular phone call when we got to if there we could, I could send e mail and that became snail mail. And e mail were the primary ways that we connected. The last time I was in Iraq 2010 and 2011. Again, it was email but I could also I had a car that I could charge minutes to that I can Make through an international calling system that I can also place telephone calls. But the primary way became again, snail mail and email to communicate with my family. Today, is   Michael Hingson  45:13 there additional kinds of ways of communicating like zoom or Skype? Yeah.   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  45:18 Oh, yes. Oh, yes. Now you're right. They can do face to face zoom. FaceTime there they have, they have their cell phone. So if they're not restricted from using their cell phones, and can even get the international plan and call, we weren't able to do those kinds of things. Yeah. There. Now we did have one thing when I was in Haiti, where it could go into a room. And you could do a as via satellite, it was on a monitor that I could speak to, and they were in this special room there that it was big monitor. But it was a very limited time. And that when that time ended, boom, the screen would just freeze. And the first time it ended like that the kids action starts, started crying because I'm in mid sentence saying something, and I freeze on the screen. And the kids didn't understand what was going on. Yeah. And they was so abrupt that Sherry told me later, can start crying when that happened,   Michael Hingson  46:25 cuz they didn't know they didn't know whether suddenly a bomb dropped or what?   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  46:29 Right, right. Yes. It's shocking to them.   Michael Hingson  46:33 Well, all of this obviously takes a toll on anyone who's subjected to it or who gets to do it. And I guess the other side of it is it's an honorable and a wonderful thing to be able to go off and serve people and, and help make the world a better place. But it eventually led to a depression for you, right?   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  46:55 Yes, yes. I ended up with major depression. And it culminated on April 17 2014, where I was curled up in a fetal position under the desk in my office. They're laying on that musty carpet. I had gone to work as I normally did, like, get to my office that day early, as was my custom. Nobody else on the whole floor. I locked my office turned on the lights, step inside. And everything just came crashing down on me. I was beat up, beaten down and broken. Should behind me lock the door, turned off the lights, close the blinds. And I crawled under that desk. And then for four hours. I'm asking myself skip, what are you doing? Skip? Why are you here? What happened? You're a tough guy. You're a colonel. You've been in combat zones for over 18 months. Your National Wrestling Champion, you're a tough guy. What happened? Then very slowly, looking at that, and scenes and memories colliding, looking at things, promise, difficulties, and I began to put the pieces together. And finally began to understand the symptoms I was having the past nine months, insomnia, impaired cognition is progressively moving these negative thoughts it just pounded the day and night. You're a fake. You don't deserve to be a colonel, you let your family down. You left the army down, who's gonna want a higher loss of confidence in decision, loss of passion and things that I normally have no interest in resting. Joy, no joy in my life. It's like walking through life in black and white. My body old injuries. Overuse injuries, the osteoarthritis body just a make it even worse. My libido my sex drive was in the toilet. Now you talk about kicking the guy when he's down. And I finally began was able to put those pieces together after four hours. Now I was finally able to understand, said scale. You're depressed? Go get help. And I crawled out from under that desk with a flicker of hope. And later that afternoon, I've seen a clinical psychologist to confirm the diagnosis of major depression.   Michael Hingson  49:25 How come it took so long for you to get to that point? Do you think   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  49:30 it was my tough guy mentality? This idea that you just keep pushing through that tough guy identity is like a double edged sword. That tough guys just keep pushing through. There was a lot of things colonel, combat that physician wrestler. So I took on this tough guy persona. And we even have a term for it in wrestling. We call it gutting it out. No matter how hard your lungs and what your lungs burn how much your muscles say, no matter how hard this is, you're just going to keep pushing and pushing. So that was my, that was my modus operandi. That's what I how I operated in my life. You just keep pushing hard and hard and pushing through these difficulties. With it, I couldn't see step back far enough to see what was going on. I knew it felt horrible. I couldn't sleep. I felt badly. I didn't want to be around people. I was withdrawn. But I couldn't step back even as a physician, and put these together to say, Oh, I'm depressed. It's just Oh, keep pushing. And the harder I push, the worse I got. So it was that blindness from that tough guy identity. That there probably some denial going on perhaps. But even as I look back retrospectively, that tough guy mentality just didn't help me. Allow me to see that until it got so crucial where I was just totally depleted. Ended up under that desk.   Michael Hingson  51:11 So how would you define being a tough guy today, as opposed to what you what you thought back then?   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  51:20 Yes, yes. Well, there are two sides to a tough guy, Michael, I see a tough guy. Certainly one aspect of the tough guy as that provider protector, that decisive individual, that decisive man that can do things that need to be done now, and can make those tough decisions, no matter what. That's one aspect of so yeah, but that other aspect to hit balances is. So we think of that one tough guy, you might say that's your impart your rugged, individualistic guy that you see that module, tough guy, that the screen portrays at least aspects of that. But then you see this other aspect of that tough guy, this is the individual that has, can be in touch with his emotions, can understand and able to dig there into that and say, Oh, I'm feeling sad. You know, what, somebody what you just said, really hurt. That's, I'm disappointed with that. I'm able to shed tears open, I'm able to show that tenderness that love very openly, but to balance it between the two sides appropriately. That's what I see as a true tough guy. It's not just the one or the other. It's that blend of both that we need in our lives to make us a tough guy. And if you have only one or the other, you're you're not a tough guy. You only have the tenderness and the warmth, and the gentleness and the ability to share your emotions. Well guess what? You're going to be a tough time you're going to run over people can take advantage of they're not going to be much of a protector for those you need to protect. But if you only have that other side of you. You're very limited. You're not going to be able to function in the full array of what we're meant to function in as men or women. Nor women. Absolutely. It's not just restricted to one sex. Absolutely. You're right, Michael.   Michael Hingson  53:51 So you wrote a book wrestling? Depression is not for tough guys. Right? Not for wimps. Yeah, not for wimps. I'm sorry. Wrestling. Depression is pretty tough guys. Wrestling depression is not for wimps. Tell us about that and how it affected you and your family writing that?   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  54:11 Well, that book, the genesis of that book came about about six weeks into my recovery, but still struggling. And throughout the time that I was sinking down deeper and deeper into the depression and the first several weeks in my recovery. My prayers had been lowered lower, please, please deliver me from this darkness. But six weeks into my recovery. My youngest brother Chris calls me he had been at a Bible study with Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham. In Franklin talked about the suffering of Christ. And the gist of what was if Christ suffered so brutally upon that cross why as Western Christians do we think we should be immune from suffering. And over the next two days, the birth that kept coming to my mind was from Philippians. To 13 Paul writes, oh, that I know him, and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings. I knew that verse I knew well, I'd prayed that verse hundreds of times in my walk with Christ, but in the midst of my suffering, I wanted deliverance. But over two days, my prayer shifted from Lord, please, please deliver me, the Lord. What would you have me learn? And how might I use it to serve others. And at that point, I knew I was going to have to share my story. I didn't know how, when but I knew I must share my story. So I began to note what lessons I had learned and what lessons I was learning with the intent of sharing those first time I got to do that was at a officer Professional Development Day, there at the hospital at Eisenhower Medical Center, our session, the morning, our session, the afternoon, and the hospital auditorium. And that became the genesis for my book, I want a writing contest in 2015, your have to retire from the army. And with that came a contract to have my book published. And then it was the process of going through the whole process of writing the book, editing the book, selecting the book, cover, all the things go into book, writing, that book was life transformed. It was transformational to me. And so I learned so many things about myself writing this book.   Michael Hingson  56:41 Did you have fun writing it,   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  56:43 I had fun at times. Other times, it was a grind, almost chickened out at the point where we had everything finished. It was ready to go to the publishers and I was I was I was on the cliffs, so to speak. i The book midwife as we called her, the lady is working with Carrie to read love the love with the lady with the company, their Confucian publishing is now called used to be transformational books. I called her and I said, Carrie, I don't know. I think I need to scrap this whole book. I think I need to start over. I can write a much better book. And she goes, No skip. This book is ready. We need to get it birth, we need to extend it to the publisher. And I'm thinking oh, no, no, no, I, I just can in Nice, I need to rewrite this whole thing. I can do a bunch better. This after working. You know, we've been working on this thing for two and a half years getting this thing ready. And I prayed about I'm talking about and then later I called her back in a day and a half and say, okay, Sherry talked me off the cliff. We're gonna send this book forward. But with that, learn things about yourself, going through that access some memories that I hadn't thought about, and some things, some promise that occurred that affected me in profound ways that I didn't realize how much of an impact that had on my life, and for how long that have an impact on my life. Case in point. I lost the state wrestling championship as a senior in high school by two seconds of writing time. Meaning my opponent, Matt Martinez, from greedy West High School knew Matt. There. He beat me by controlling me when he's on the top position for two seconds. He had two seconds more writing time controlling me on that map that I escaped from him three seconds earlier, you wouldn't have any writing time. And we had gotten into overtime. And I believe I would have beat Matt in overtime because nobody, nobody could match my conditioning. But it didn't get to them. So I really that that match. That was probably 10s of 1000s. But what it did is it it really devastated my confidence. And that carried on into my first couple years of college, the College wrestling. Just a lot of things about me. And what I didn't realize it took three and a half years. No, actually five, five years 73 It was 78 and spring of 78 when I was finally healing from that, regaining my mojo. And I didn't realize that until I was writing this book, that profound impact that loss had and the RIP holes, the effects that went on for those successive years there, the profundity of that. And there were other things that I came to light. So there'd be times I'd be laughing. There'd be times I'd be crying. There'd be times I'd be like, Whoa, wow. So it was an amazing experience.   Michael Hingson  1:00:23 So what are some tips that you would give to anyone dealing with depression today?   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  1:00:29 Yep. Thank you for asking that. Michael, first and foremost, men, or anybody if you're struggling, don't struggle. One more day in silence, please, please, please go get help to remember, you're never, never, never alone. Three, keep your head up. And wrestling, we talk about this, keep your head up, instill this in our young wrestlers. Why because if they're on their feet, and they drop their head, and get taken down to the mat, if they're down on the mat, the opponent's on top of them and drop their head, they can turn over and pin. But that's also figurative, and emotional, keep your head up. Keep your head up. And I needed people speaking into my life, like my wife, my family, my friends, my therapist, others speaking into my life, it's a skip, keep your head up. Psalm three, three says the Lord is our glory, and the lifter of our heads. So I tell people, you're never ever, ever alone. third, or fourth, I would say attend to the basics, sleep, healthy nutrition. And some regular activity. Those basics are the basics for good reason. And I call them the big three. And probably the most important of all of those, if you're having dysregulation of your sleep is get your sleep back under control. The last few that I'm sorry, go ahead. And then the last few that I would say is make sure you've got a battle buddy. Make sure you have somebody that you can turn to somebody that you can confide in somebody that, you know, would just listen and walk this journey with you and a prescription. And there's many other things that I talked about in my book, but a prescription that I have left with 1000s and 1000s of patients. I've written this on prescription pads. And I've shared this with patients and I say this medication has no bad side effects. This medication has no drug to drug interactions, and you cannot overdose on this medication. So I want you to take this medication liberally each and every day. Proverbs 1722 says A merry heart doeth good, like a medicine. broken spirit. Drive up the boats. When I was depressed, I had a broken spirit. So lack is good nets. So I say each and every day, laugh and laugh hard to find something that you can laugh about. It's goodness.   Michael Hingson  1:03:40 Oh, whenever I want to laugh, all I have to say is I wanted to be a doctor but I didn't have any patients. See?   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  1:03:55 Oh, that's great.   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  1:03:59 Well, I tell people, in retrospect, I say, gee, if I had only been my own doctor, I would have diagnosed myself sooner. See, well wait, I am a doctor.   Michael Hingson  1:04:15 Or you know what the doctor said Is he sewed himself up Suit yourself. Yeah. I got that from an old inner sanctum radio show. But anyway. Last thing, because we've been going a while and just to at least mention it. You have been a TD X speaker.   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  1:04:33 Yes, sir. I was a TEDx speaker. Indeed.   Michael Hingson  1:04:36 I got it that went well. Oh,   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  1:04:39 it was amazing. Was a TEDx speaker in Vancouver, in December of 2021. My talk is entitled tough guys are an endangered species. And standing up there on the TEDx phase and stage was a common addition of almost nine months of preparation, our mentor, Roger killin tremendous in helping prepare, myself and some colleagues for this, with the help of his sidekick, Dorthea Hendrik, just lovely, lovely people. But to stand on that stage, and deliver my talk, which is about 12 and a half minutes, started off in about six and a half 17 minutes, get cutting down, cutting it down, cutting it down, but stand there and deliver this message directed to tough guys talking about emotions, and the inability that men often have an accessing our emotions because of the way we've been conditioned, the way we've been raised the expectations placed on us. In fact, there's a medical term that was coined, that's masculine, Alexei timea, which means he leaves without words, and how that then sets men up, that I don't, I'm okay, I don't need help. I don't need to share my feelings and we lose contact with our feelings. Men don't seek medical care as often as women in general, much less when they're struggling with mental health issues, that denial, that tough guy, and now they seek it in maladaptive behaviors. I talked about that. But the ultimate behavior becoming suicide,   Michael Hingson  1:06:39 which is why you have given us a new and much better definition of tough guy. Yes, sir. In the end, it is very clear that wrestling depression is not for wimps. So I get it right that time. There you go. Well, I want to thank you for being here with us on unstoppable mindset. Clearly, you have an unstoppable mindset. And I hope people get inspired by it. And inspired by all the things you've had to say if they'd like to reach out to you. How might they do that?   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  1:07:14 The easiest way for them to reach out Michael is go to my website. w w w dot transform, tough guys.com W, W W dot transform Tough guys.com. And there, you could send me a message.   Michael Hingson  1:07:35 Send you a message looking at your book. Are you looking at writing any more books?   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  1:07:39 Yes, sir. I am looking to write another book. And still in the making. But I think the next book, maybe wrestling movies is not for wimps.   Michael Hingson  1:07:53 There you go. Well, we want to hear about that when it comes out. And so you have to come back and we can talk more about it.   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  1:07:59 Yes, sir. Well, thank   Michael Hingson  1:08:01 you again, skip for being with us on unstoppable mindset. I appreciate it. I appreciate you. And it's easy to say you inspire me and and all that. But I seriously mean it. I think you've offered a lot of good knowledge and good sound advice that people should listen to. And I hope that all of you out there, appreciate this as well. And that you will reach out to www dot transform, tough guys.com and reach out to skip. Also, of course, we'd love to hear from you feel free to email me at Michaelhi at accessibe.com or go to www dot Michaelhingson.com/podcast or wherever you're listening to us. Please give us a five star rating. We appreciate it. We want to hear what you think about the podcast. If you've got suggestions of people who should be on and skip Same to you if you know of anyone else that we ought to have on the podcast would appreciate your, your help in finding more people and more insights that we all can appreciate. So again, thank you for you for being on the podcast with us   Donald G. “Skip” Mondragon  1:09:08 there. My pleasure, Mike. Thank you.   Michael Hingson  1:09:10 Pleasure is mine.   Michael Hingson  1:09:16 You have been listening to the Unstoppable Mindset podcast. Thanks for dropping by. I hope that you'll join us again next week, and in future weeks for upcoming episodes. To subscribe to our podcast and to learn about upcoming episodes, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com slash podcast. Michael Hingson is spelled m i c h a e l h i n g s o n. While you're on the site., please use the form there to recommend people who we ought to interview in upcoming editions of the show. And also, we ask you and urge you to invite your friends to join us in the future. If you know of any one or any organization needing a speaker for an event, please email me at speaker at Michael hingson.com. I appreciate it very much. To learn more about the concept of blinded by fear, please visit www dot Michael hingson.com forward slash blinded by fear and while you're there, feel free to pick up a copy of my free eBook entitled blinded by fear. The unstoppable mindset podcast is provided by access cast an initiative of accessiBe and is sponsored by accessiBe. Please visit www.accessibe.com. accessiBe is spelled a c c e s s i b e. There you can learn all about how you can make your website inclusive for all persons with disabilities and how you can help make the internet fully inclusive by 2025. Thanks again for listening. Please come back and visit us again next week.

Geronimo by Geronimo audiobook. Geronimo's Story of His Life is the oral life history of a legendary Apache warrior. Composed in 1905, while Geronimo was being held as a U.S. prisoner of war at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Geronimo's story found audience and publication through the efforts of S. M. Barrett--Lawton, Oklahoma, Superintendent of Education, who wrote in his preface that “the initial idea of the compilation of this work was . . . to extend to Geronimo as a prisoner of war the courtesy due any captive, i.e. the right to state the causes which impelled him in his opposition to our civilization and laws.” Barrett, with the assistance of Asa Deklugie, son of Nedni chief Whoa as Apache translator, wrote down the story as Geronimo told it --beginning with an Apache creation myth. Geronimo recounted bloody battles with Mexican troopers, against whom he had vowed vengeance in 1858 after they murdered his mother, his wife, and his three small children. He told of treaties made between Apaches and the U.S. Army--and treaties broken. There were periods of confinement on the reservations, and escapes. And there were his final days on the run, when the U.S. Army put 5000 men in the field against his small band of 39 Apache. Geronimo had been a prisoner of war for 19 years when he told his story. Born in 1829, he was by then an old man, no longer a warrior, and he had come to an accommodation with many things “white,” including an appreciation of money. U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs personnel took him to the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904, where he roped cows in the “wild west show” and signed his name for “ten, fifteen, or twenty five cents.” By then he was perhaps the United States' most “famous” Indian. In 1905 he was even invited to ride horseback in President Theodore Roosevelt's inaugural parade (though still a prisoner of war!). Geronimo dedicated his book to Roosevelt with the plea that he and his people be allowed to return to their ancestral land in Arizona. “It is my land, my home, my father's land, to which I now ask to be allowed to return. I want to spend my last days there, and be buried among those mountains. If this could be I might die in peace.” Geronimo died at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in 1909, still a prisoner of war. 

Nate Young brings almost 20 years of strength and conditioning experience to the table. He is currently working privately with remote clients. Previously, Nate was the Head Strength and Conditioning coach for Buffalo State College for 10 years, a public Division 3 college in Western New York where he was responsible for overseeing, designing, and assisting with the implementation of training initiatives related to the 18 varsity teams at the institution. Prior to his role at Buffalo State, Nate spent two years as a civilian musculoskeletal action team coach with the United States Army at Fort Sill in Lawton, OK where he was the subject matter expert in the FM 7-22, the Army's physical training manual. He spent three years as the men's and women's basketball strength and conditioning coach at Murray State University, and three years as an assistant strength coach at Florida International University. He began his professional career as a strength and conditioning intern at Binghamton University. Young competed in track and field as a thrower locally at Canisius College before transferring to Liberty University where he was the Big South shot put conference champion in the year 2000 and also played defensive tackle with the football team for one season. The native of Rome, N.Y. completed his bachelor's in exercise science from Liberty in 2003 and went on to earn his master's in exercise physiology and strength and conditioning from Florida International in 2005. Young is a certified strength and conditioning specialist from the National Strength and Conditioning Association. You can contact me via email: nate_62@yahoo.com or coach.natey@gmail.com Your Body Is Your Business! Shawn and Laura are professionals based out of Atlanta “Trust, respect, passion, & integrity. These core values can be offered on your journey to optimize your lifestyle changes. Our goal is to provide you with the tools, knowledge, & confidence to provide you the edge over your competition. ” Interested? Click on the link below! Use the link below to access this podcast on #applepodcasts, discount on #thorne #supplements, nutrition services, and my professional experience (Linkedin) https://linktr.ee/rootsrd Sponsors: If you are interested in sponsoring the show please contact Shawn at sportsrd607@gmail.com #podcast #nutrition #sportnutrition #strength #mentalhealth #sportsmedicine #atc #leadership #strengthandconditioning #performance #athletes #D3 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/shawn-pitcher/support

Description: Mil-kid, Austin, shares how explaining Autism to others helps him to fit in with other students.   This podcast has been made possible thanks to the generous support of the Luke Spouses' Club. https://www.lukespousesclub.org/   Bio:   Austin is an active-duty Army military child of 13 years. He started the seventh grade this year, which is the fifth school he has attended so far. His family is currently stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma where he lives with his parents and younger sister. Austin enjoys playing the piano, running track, and entering academic competitions. As a student who has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, he has developed a passion for self-advocacy and helping other students find their voice to have a seat at their own table with the adults who support them.

Here's part 2 of our discussion with Camilo Mejia, this one focusing much more on Nicaragua, the history of the Sandinista movement, and the many ways U.S. hybrid warfare affects it all. Road from Ar Ramadi: The Private Rebellion of Sergeant Camilo Mejia Camilo Mejia was born in Nicaragua but moved to the US as an adolescent. Shortly after graduating from high school, after only two college semesters, he joined the U.S. Military and was eventually deployed to Iraq in 2003. After five months in active combat, including posts in Baghdad, al Haditha, al Assad, and al Ramadi  he was sent home on leave, where he recognized and publicly condemned the Iraq war as criminal and immoral. He was subsequently court-martialed and charged with desertion, and sent to serve nine months of incarceration at Fort Sill in Oklahoma. Mejia lives in Miami and continues to actively speak out against U.S. imperialism. We're now on Telegram!!!!  Please come join us and talk about militarism and anti-imperialism: https://t.me/fortressonahill Main website: https://www.fortressonahill.com Let me guess.  You're enjoying the show so much, you'd like to leave us a review?!  https://lovethepodcast.com/fortressonahill Email us at fortressonahill@protonmail.com Check out our online store on Spreadshirt.com.  T-shirts, cell phone covers, mugs, etc.: https://bit.ly/3qD63MW Not a contributor on Patreon? You're missing out on amazing bonus content! Sign up to be one of our patrons today! - https://www.patreon.com/fortressonahill A special thanks to our Patreon honorary producers - Fahim Shirazee, James O'Barr, James Higgins, Eric Phillips, Paul Appell, Julie Dupris, Thomas Benson, Janet Hanson, Tristan Oliver, Daniel Fleming, Michael Caron, Zach H, Ren Jacob, Howard Reynolds, Rick Coffey, and the Statist Quo Podcast. You all are the engine that helps us power the podcast.  Thank you so much!!! Not up for something recurring like Patreon, but want to give a couple bucks?!  Visit https://paypal.me/fortressonahill to contribute!! Fortress On A Hill is hosted, written, and produced by Chris 'Henri' Henrikson, Danny Sjursen, Keagan Miller, and Jovanni Reyes. https://bit.ly/3yeBaB9 Intro / outro music "Fortress on a hill" written and performed by Clifton Hicks.  Click here for Clifton's Patreon page: https://bit.ly/3h7Ni0Z Cover and website art designed by Brian K. Wyatt Jr. of B-EZ Graphix Multimedia Marketing Agency in Tallehassee, FL: https://bit.ly/2U8qMfn Note: The views expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts alone, expressed in an unofficial capacity, and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.

The guys and I host Camilo Mejia, former U.S. Army soldier, conscientious objector, and native of Nicaragua, who shares his story of dissent within the ranks of the military as one of the very first conscientious objectors of Iraq War II.  Part 2 comes out next week!!! Camilo Mejia was born in Nicaragua but moved to the US as an adolescent. Shortly after graduating from high school, after only two college semesters, he joined the U.S. Military and was eventually deployed to Iraq in 2003. After five months in active combat, including posts in Baghdad, al Haditha, al Assad, and al Ramadi  he was sent home on leave, where he recognized and publicly condemned the Iraq war as criminal and immoral. He was subsequently court-martialed and charged with desertion, and sent to serve nine months of incarceration at Fort Sill in Oklahoma. Mejia lives in Miami and continues to actively speak out against U.S. imperialism. We're now on Telegram!!!!  Please come join us and talk about militarism and anti-imperialism: https://t.me/fortressonahill Main website: https://www.fortressonahill.com Let me guess.  You're enjoying the show so much, you'd like to leave us a review?!  https://lovethepodcast.com/fortressonahill Email us at fortressonahill@protonmail.com Check out our online store on Spreadshirt.com.  T-shirts, cell phone covers, mugs, etc.: https://bit.ly/3qD63MW Not a contributor on Patreon?  Sign up to be one of our patrons today! - https://www.patreon.com/fortressonahill A special thanks to our Patreon honorary producers - Fahim Shirazee, James O'Barr, James Higgins, Eric Phillips, Paul Appell, Julie Dupris, Thomas Benson, Janet Hanson, Tristan Oliver, Daniel Fleming, Michael Caron, Zach H, Ren Jacob, Howard Reynolds, Rick Coffey, and the Statist Quo Podcast. You all are the engine that helps us power the podcast.  Thank you so much!!! Not up for something recurring like Patreon, but want to give a couple bucks?!  Visit https://paypal.me/fortressonahill to contribute!! Fortress On A Hill is hosted, written, and produced by Chris 'Henri' Henrikson, Danny Sjursen, Keagan Miller, and Jovanni Reyes. https://bit.ly/3yeBaB9 Intro / outro music "Fortress on a hill" written and performed by Clifton Hicks.  Click here for Clifton's Patreon page: https://bit.ly/3h7Ni0Z Cover and website art designed by Brian K. Wyatt Jr. of B-EZ Graphix Multimedia Marketing Agency in Tallehassee, FL: https://bit.ly/2U8qMfn Note: The views expressed in this podcast are those of the hosts alone, expressed in an unofficial capacity, and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, Department of Defense, or the U.S. government.

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, LtCol Brian Schweers discusses the US Marine Corps' All Domain Effects Team (ADET) concept, which is considered to still be in the prototype phase. After describing the historical mission of the Marine Corps' Air-Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (ANGLICO), Brian unpacks the ADET rationale and composition. ADETs are task-organized forces that integrate information capabilities with lethal fires to achieve effects in the forward operating environment across the competition continuum in support of joint, allied, and coalition forces. These teams are intended to provide a scalable, mobile, and lethal force capable of operating across air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains simultaneously.  The first ADET employed in support of joint operations was in September of 2021, during Joint Warrior in Durness, Scotland. 2d ANGLICO and II MIG continue to refine the ADET concept in support of the Commandant's Stand-in-Force Concept. Brian's research opportunity or question to the IPA Community: How do we know that we're achieving effects? How do we measure effects in the cognitive realm and tie it to decision making? Resources: Cognitive Crucible Podcast Episodes Mentioned #13 Brian Russell on Behind Enemy Lines #95 LtGen Matthew Glavy on MCDP 8 Information #93 Todd Huntley on Information Operations and the Law THE CHANGING CHARACTER OF COMBINED ARMS by BENJAMIN JENSEN AND MATTHEW STROHMEYER Ukraine conflict reveals parallels to new Marine Corps war-fighting vision 2d Air-Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (ANGLICO) LtCol Brian Schweers Bio War in a 140 Characters by David Patrikarakos 2014 Gaza War (Operation Protective Edge) Link to full show notes and resources https://information-professionals.org/episode/cognitive-crucible-episode-102 Guest Bio:  After receiving a Bachelors of Arts from Miami University, Lieutenant Colonel Brian Schweers was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in May 2002.  Upon completion of initial training, he reported to Battery L, 3rd Battalion, 10th Marines.  His assignments included Forward Observer, Fire Direction Officer (FDO), and Platoon Commander.  He completed two tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  In 2006 Lieutenant Colonel Schweers reported to 1st Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, 1st Marine Headquarters Group.  His billets were Firepower Control Team Leader and Supporting Arms Liaison Team Leader.  He completed two tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and one tour in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.  Lieutenant Colonel Schweers attended the Field Artillery Captains Career Course at Fort Sill, Oklahoma in the summer of 2010.  Upon graduation, he reported to 1st Battalion, 11th Marines. His assignments included Battery C Commanding Officer, Battalion Operations Officer, and Battalion Assistant Fire Support Officer.  In 2014 Lieutenant Colonel Schweers reported to Expeditionary Warfare School (EWS) where he served as a Faculty Advisor and Curriculum Developer.  Following EWS, he reported to 1st Battalion, 12th Marines where he served as the Battalion Logistics Officer and Battalion Executive Officer.  In 2018 Lieutenant Colonel Schweers reported to Programs and Resources, Headquarters Marine Corps where he served as the Assistant Program Development Officer and Program Development Officer.  About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

In 1874 a group of buffalo hunters were camped about a mile from the site of where representatives of the trading firm of Bent, St. Vrain and Company had established a trading post in the 1840s.  Ten years later the encamped buffalo hunters, hide men and merchants fought the Second Battle of Adobe Walls on June 27, 1874. The hide hunters had built a number of log buildings and surrounded it with an eight foot high corral fence made from cottonwood tree trunks that they had harvested from nearby creeks. They had two stores, a blacksmith shop, and a saloon. The location served as a place for the buffalo hunters to sell their hides and stock up with supplies. The Plains tribes were not happy with the situation. The Adobe Walls camp violated the terms of the Medicine Lodge Treaty. A young Comanche prophet named Isa-tai called for the People to gather for a Sun Dance where he called for vengeance. He claimed they would be invulnerable to the bullets of the hunters. Quanah Parker and hundreds of others answered the call. Near dawn most of the hunters were trying to repair a ridgepole in Hnrahan's saloon when the Comanches, Kiowas, and Cheyennes led by Quanah Parker and Isa-tai attacked. There were twenty-eight men, including Bat Masterson and Billy Dixon and one woman, Hannah Olds who worked as a cook, in the camp. When the attack began they sought protection of cover in Jim Hanrahan's Saloon. Myers and Leonard's Store and Wright's Store They lost two men in the first attack, two teamster brothers that had been sleeping outside in their wagon.  The attackers also killed a Newfoundland dog. All three were scalped. The attacks continued until about noon, killing another man. A fourth defender accidentally killed himself by the discharge of his own gun. The attackers then set siege for about four or five days. They did not launch anymore attacks but set siege for about four or five days. It must have been a grim and tense period of time. It was on the second day that Willie Dixon made his famous shot. A group of fifteen to twenty Cheyennes appeared on a high mesa overlooking the post and from a distance of seven-eighths of a mile away Dixon fired, shooting one of the warriors off of his horse with his Sharps rifle. He hit the ground before the sound of the shot reached the group. Dixon himself must have been amazed. Word spread and other buffalo hunters came to the rescue. By the fifth day, when the Plains attackers withdrew from the fight, there were more than 100 defenders at Adobe Walls. The warriors had lost about thirty men, not being invulnerable to the bullets. Quanah himself was wounded and Isa-Tai had his horse shot out from under him. The defenders decorated the corral with twelve Plains warriors heads. Not long after the Second Battle of Adobe Walls, the United States military launched the Red River War of 1874 to 1875, which led to the Plains tribes settling on the reservations near Fort Sill in Indian Territory.  The Texas History Lessons Theme song, Walking Through History, was written and recorded by Derrick McClendon. Listen to his new album, Interstate Daydreamer! Available everywhere you find good music. Thank you Derrick! Twitter: @dmclendonmusic The song at the end of the episode is Kade Anson's Pawnshop Past Palestine. If you are enjoying Texas History Lessons, consider buying me a cup of coffee by clicking here! Help make Texas History Lessons by supporting it on Patreon. And a special thanks to everyone that already does. Website: texashistorylessons.com email: texashistorylessons@gmail.com Twitter: @TexasHistoryL Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Book mentioned in this episode (not an affiliate link)With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa by E. B. Sledge(2012-03-12): Books - AmazonToday, I have Major General Dale Alford, USMC on the podcast. He is currently the commanding general of Training Command in Quantico Virginia, which is not to be confused with training and education command or T com. Training Command touches the entire marine corps both officer and enlisted which includes close to 90, regionally aligned formal learning centers aligned under 17 unique O6 level commands with 15 commanded by marine colonels and two commanded by Navy captains. These learning centers are spread across the continental United states with additional detachments in Hawaii and Okinawa. At any given time there can be more than 28,000 marines and sailors under the command of Major General Alford. This includes both the instructor staff and students. All of these personnel are engaged in training associated with 242 different military occupational specialties. While I certainly can't list all of the formal learning centers, some of the more recognizable ones are officer candidate school, the basic school, the weapons and training battalions, school of infantry both east and West coast, three marine aviation training support groups, the different Marine Corps intelligence schools, Marine corps communication-electronics school, the engineer school, combat service support schools to include the all the different training at Ft Leonard Wood for motor transport and MPs, artillery training at Fort Sill, and field medical training battalions which train our corpsman on both the East and West Coast, and the assault amphibian school.

I stopped by Riverside Indian School in my hometown, Anadarko, Oklahoma last summer to hang out with my friend, Terry Ware and what a great conversation we had! This is a must-listen, dear listeners as you'll have the pleasure of hearing: • Terry singing a Kiowa hymn and the happy birthday song in Kiowa • About Riverside Indian School's upcoming 150-year celebration in May of 2022! • The history of Riverside including about the feral hogs that used to come around (until a fence was put up) • How Terry is a coach at Riverside, but before that, he was my dad's student there at the school • How he's a legacy student at Riverside, as his grandmother, mom, daughter and grandson attended • About his family's church - Wares Chapel - in Hog Creek where we grew up, and where my sister got married. And about the Chapel's inception in the 1800s and gathering of and transporting stones from Chickasha to Hog Creek. • About the Kiowa tail bustle and the history from the Omaha tribe in Nebraska to the Cheyenne to the Kiowa • What his research on the Carlisle Indian School Journals uncovered • Why the O Ho Mah hid their drums and pipes in the caves in Ridge Stone, west of Hog Creek • His love of singing and drumming in the O Ho Mah Lodge Singers group • His ancestors' names, such as “The Day the Sun Died” because his great great grandmother was born during the eclipse • About the Fort Sill vs Riverside rivalry (know what I'm talkin' about, Braves?)

On May 2, 1874, Texas Governor Richard Coke, who was originally from Virginia, gave a man named John B. Jones command of the recently created Frontier Battalion of Texas Rangers. John B. Jones is one of those interesting characters that fill the pages of Texas history. He'd been born in South Carolina in 1834 and came to Texas with his family in 1838, while Texas was still in its early phase of being an independent republic. He lived in Travis County at first and over the years moved to land that became part of Matagorda County and then to a site in modern Navarro County. Being from South Carolina, it should be no surprise that Jones was one of many Texans that opposed Sam Houston's desire to remain in the United States when the Civil War started. During the war, he established a reputation that led nineteenth century Texas Rangers' historian Wilburn Hill King writing that Jones had established “an excellent record as a man of superior business tact and judgment, and on the battle-field his coolness, quickness of judgment, breadth of comprehension, soldierly skill, and management had marked him as one to trust in time of difficulty."  Unhappy with the war's results, this unreconstructed rebel decided to go to Mexico to create a Confederate colony for likeminded folks. This didn't last long and he returned to Texas. In 1868 he ran and won a spot in the Texas state legislature as a representative for Ellis, Hill, Kaufman and Navarro counties. He never served, however, because the Republicans in power denied him his seat. The legislature authorized the formation of a battalion of Texas Rangers in January 1874 to enforce Governor Coke's demand an end to raids on settlements by Native Americans and the enforcement of law in the already settled interior. This became known as the Frontier Battalion, with six companies containing 75 men in each. This lead to Governor Coke naming John B. Jones as commander of the Frontier Battalion with the rank of major. Jones reported that during the battalions first six months of service the Frontier Battalion had engaged with fourteen of the forty known raiding parties. During the second six months they only engaged in four fights with the Native American raiders. After the first year, the Frontier Battalion Jones reported only six raids and one small battle. During this time, Jones reported an estimated thirty-seven Indians killed with the battalion only having six men wounded and losing only two to death.  It's important to remember that this time coincided with the United States Army's Red River war against the Southern Plains Tribes that resulted in the majority of the Comanches and Kiowas moving to the reservation at Fort Sill, near modern day Lawton, Oklahoma. Jones commanded the Frontier Battalion for seven years. One of the highlights of his command was the pursuit of outlaw gang led by Sam Bass, which led to Bass's death near Round Rock in 1878. Jones died at 46 years old in Austin on July 19, 1881 while serving as the state's adjutant general and still commanding the Frontier Battalion. A court order ended the battalion in 1900. The Texas History Lessons Theme song, Walking Through History, was written and recorded by Derrick McClendon. Listen to his new album, Interstate Daydreamer! Available everywhere you find good music. Thank you Derrick! Twitter: @dmclendonmusic The song at the end of the episode is by Texas History Lessons new spotlight artist, Payton Matous. The song, The Boy With Blood on His Hands is on the Campfire Sessions EP. If you are enjoying Texas History Lessons, consider buying me a cup of coffee by clicking here! Help make Texas History Lessons by supporting it on Patreon. And a special thanks to everyone that already does. Website: texashistorylessons.com email: texashistorylessons@gmail.com Twitter: @TexasHistoryL Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On April 25, 1875 three Black Seminole Scouts performed acts of bravery that earned them the Medal of Honor. If you want a little more information on the history of the Black Seminoles and the Black Seminole Scouts then go check out the full episode I did on Johanna July and the Black Seminoles. After living in Mexico since 1850, several Black Seminoles crossed the Rio Grande in 1870 with hopes of someday returning to Indian Territory. With that goal in mind, many of them agreed to serve as scouts in the United States Army and they quickly gained a great reputation for their valor and service as Black Seminole Indian Scouts. Based out of Fort Clark near modern Bracketville, Texas, they participated in regular patrols to watch against property raids by Native Americans. For much of the existence of the Black Seminole Indian Scouts were commanded by Lieutenant John L. Bullis. One of the scouts, Joseph Phillips, had this to say of Bullis: “That feller suffer just like we did out in the woods. He was a good man. He was a Injun fighter. He was tough. He didn't care how big a bunch they was, he went into 'em every time, but he look after his men. His men was on equality, too. He didn't stand back and say 'go yonder,' he say 'come on boys, let's go get 'em." For over a week Lieutenant Bullis and Black Seminole Scouts Sergeant John Ward, Private Pompey Factor, and Trumpeter Isaac Payne had been pursuing a band of Comanche or Apache raiders that had stolen about 75 horses on a raid. Remember that this was after the Black Seminole Scouts had participated in Mackenzie's Red River War the previous winter that pretty much led to most of the Kiowas and Comanches settling in Indian Territory on their reservation near Fort Sill. Still, some bands did not completely end their raids. Four days before April 25, the four had separated from a larger force and traveled west alone. They road their horses with a few supplies and armed with Spencer carbines. They followed a trail for 170 miles over three days. They found a fresh trail and northwest towards Eagle Nest Crossing and reached the Pecos River.  They found the raiders herding the horses across to the west bank of the Pecos. They counted 75 horses and twenty-five to thirty raiders. So what do you do with a force of four against those odds? Well, Lieutenant John Bullis decided to attack. Bulis, Ward, Factor and Payne crawled down the canyon until they were 75 yards away and opened fire. They held the position for about 45 minutes and their efforts had started to disperse the horse herd. The Comanches located the position of the four men and started to outflank them. Bullis and the Scouts started to draw back towards their horses. The Comanches were in hot pursuit. Ward, Factor and Payne were able to mount their rides and started to withdraw but Lieutenant Bullis's horse spooked and he was stuck afoot. Sergeant John Ward realized the dire predicament his commander was in and wheeled around to head to the rescue with Isaac Payne and Pompey Factor following. Payne and Factor laid down cover fire while Ward reached Bullis and pulled him up behind. Ward's carbine's stock had been shattered by a bullet just behind the breach. Bullis was definitely a dead man had they not done this and the threat was so great that their return could have meant their deaths too. Instead, as the raiders fired on them, all four were able to ride away and escape. For their courage above and beyond the call of duty at Eagle's Nest Crossing on April 25, 1875, John Ward, Isaac Payne, and Pompey Factor were awarded the Congressional Medal of honor on May, 28, 1875.  The Texas History Lessons Theme song, Walking Through History, was written and recorded by Derrick McClendon. Listen to his new album, Interstate Daydreamer! Available everywhere you find good music. Thank you Derrick! Twitter: @dmclendonmusic Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On April 19, 1875, Tsen-tainte, or White Horse, led his followers to Fort Sill in Indian Territory and surrendered after years of waging war against his enemies. The end had come to the way of life that they had struggled to maintain against the constant westward flow of settlers onto their lands.  White Horse for a very long time had been considered by white Texans to be the most dangerous man in a nation of fierce warriors, the Kiowa. Now his years of terrorizing settlers had reached an end. His reputation was one that he had fairly earned since his youth, and he had paid for it with the blood of his foes. The Texas History Lessons Theme song, Walking Through History, was written and recorded by Derrick McClendon. Listen to his new album, Interstate Daydreamer! Available everywhere you find good music. Thank you Derrick! Twitter: @dmclendonmusic If you are enjoying Texas History Lessons, consider buying me a cup of coffee by clicking here! Help make Texas History Lessons by supporting it on Patreon. And a special thanks to everyone that already does. Website: texashistorylessons.com email: texashistorylessons@gmail.com Twitter: @TexasHistoryL Texas History Lessons Spotlight Artists Jerrod Flusche Rosmand – Mando Salas Zach Welch Seth Jones Derrick McClendon Kade Anson Randy Hoyet on Spotify Robert Herrerra Jacob Charles Chris Cunningham Tristyn Sanchez The Oliver White Group Podcast Recommendations: Wild West Extravaganza Podcast The History Cafe Podcast Hymns of the Highway Podcast Off Mic, Off the Record Podcast Texas River Tonk Podcast TXRiverTonk Podcast LINKS: If you have any photography, videography or aerial photography and video, go visit PANTHER CITY AIR to see how they can fulfill your needs.   Tio Bruce's The Greatest Playlist In Texas and Hence the World.  Texas History Lessons Spotlight Artist Spotify Playlist 301 Productions Spotify Playlist Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In Today's Air Defenders Podcast - Ep. 7, we interview Kara, a 15-year-old who is the daughter of the Assistant Commandant Col. Daniels, at Fort Sill, Ok. Kara loves art and is looking forward to getting her driver's license. This is the second in a series of podcasts honoring our military children, for the Month of the Military Child.

In Today's Air Defenders Podcast - Ep. 6, we interview Peyton, a 9 year old who is living with her mother here at Fort Sill, OK. Peyton's mother, SSG Player is an integral part of the Air Defense Artillery Commandant's Office. We are honoring children in the military this April to celebrate The Month of the Military Child. Stay tuned for more episodes!

In Today's Air Defenders Podcast - Ep. 4, we interview Brig. Gen. Richard A. Harrison, Air Defense Artillery Commandant, Fort Sill, Okla. Brig. Gen. Harrison provides some experiences he's had as the first African American ADA Commandant and some key things to learn from Black History Month. Join us and listen to our conversation about ADA! First to Fire!