Podcasts about general clark

The Indo-Pacific is one of the most consequential regions in the world. It's home to economies, trade routes, and allies vital to American prosperity and security.It is also a region where the Chinese Communist Party, building on decades of defense sector cooperation with Russia, has expanded its military capabilities at a breathtaking pace. The more capable the Chinese military has become, the more aggressively Beijing has acted to coerce its neighbors and undermine American interests.Someone who grapples daily with this reality is General Ronald Clark, the Commander of U.S. Army Pacific, or USARPAC.For those who are not denizens of the Department of Defense, USARPAC is the Army service component command within U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. In other words, you can think of him as the top American soldier in the Pacific. A combat leader with decades of experience, General Clark has led American soldiers in Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific. He's a veteran of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom. But now he focuses full time on the Pacific.He joins guest host Bradley Bowman, Senior Director of FDD's Center on Military and Political Power, to discuss why the Indo-Pacific matters to Americans, the role of land power there, and what the Army is doing to deter and defeat adversaries—including forward-positioning forces, conducting rigorous training, and deepening cooperation with key allies such as the Philippines.

The Indo-Pacific is one of the most consequential regions in the world. It's home to economies, trade routes, and allies vital to American prosperity and security.It is also a region where the Chinese Communist Party, building on decades of defense sector cooperation with Russia, has expanded its military capabilities at a breathtaking pace. The more capable the Chinese military has become, the more aggressively Beijing has acted to coerce its neighbors and undermine American interests.Someone who grapples daily with this reality is General Ronald Clark, the Commander of U.S. Army Pacific, or USARPAC.For those who are not denizens of the Department of Defense, USARPAC is the Army service component command within U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. In other words, you can think of him as the top American soldier in the Pacific. A combat leader with decades of experience, General Clark has led American soldiers in Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific. He's a veteran of Operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom. But now he focuses full time on the Pacific.He joins guest host Bradley Bowman, Senior Director of FDD's Center on Military and Political Power, to discuss why the Indo-Pacific matters to Americans, the role of land power there, and what the Army is doing to deter and defeat adversaries—including forward-positioning forces, conducting rigorous training, and deepening cooperation with key allies such as the Philippines.

In today's addition of "Two Intellectual Idiots Fostering Political and Cultural Literacy" Dan, Corey, and Bel "The Bodysnatcher"  take YOU, the disenfranchised or politically homeless sane person into: 1) The 1500 page spending boondoggle that congress is trying to pass just hours before they head home for their Holiday break.  What's in it? Nobody knows. And certainly not any of the congresspeople. 2) The impending TikTok ban being taken up by the Supreme Court prior to it's implementation on January 19th (a very convenient date) AND MORE...  IF YOU LIKE: Breaking Points With Krystal & Saagar The Fifth Column The Tom Woods Show Scott Horton Reason Magazine The Reason Round Table The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie The Grayzone Dave Smith's "Part of the Problem" Blocked and Reported NPR Based Politics The Daily Wire StatusCoup The Jordan Harbinger Show The Jimmy Dore Show The Joe Rogan Experience Useful Idiots "Honestly" With Bari Weiss Matt Taibbi Glen Greenwald Aaron Matè Max Blumenthal 

Brian Campbell, Assistant Vice President for Athletics Development at the University of Miami, shares his journey from growing up in Columbus, Ohio, to becoming a leader in athletics fundraising, his experiences as a cadet at the Air Force Academy, the challenges he faced, and the resilience he developed.  SUMMARY In this conversation, Brian Campbell, Assistant Vice President for Athletics Development at the University of Miami, shares his journey from growing up in Columbus, Ohio, to becoming a leader in athletics fundraising. He discusses his experiences as a cadet at the Air Force Academy, the challenges he faced, and the resilience he developed. Brian emphasizes the importance of leadership, surrounding oneself with great people, and the impact of private investment in athletics. He also reflects on his transition from military to civilian life and his current role in shaping the future of athletics at UM.   OUR TOP 5 FAVORITE QUOTES   "I think it's important to be really authentic with people, and that has worked. It's worked well for me, especially when those decisions are consistent with being authentic to what we're trying to accomplish."   "I think a lot about the elements that we put into it, because it's hard on a daily basis to know if you're doing a good job being a leader, but if you take those pieces of the fabric that we learned at the Academy, and you keep doing it the right way and thinking about these things and surrounding yourself by people with with surrounding yourself with people of those kinds of values, and people that you can take little pieces of what they do and try to try to bring them with You. I think it's the right road."   "I don't think I've arrived as a leader and I but I started to think that I probably that I would be willing to bet that General Clark might say the same thing, and Coach Calhoun might say the same thing. So I think it's always a work in process."   "If you take those pieces of the fabric that we learned at the Academy, and you keep doing it the right way and thinking about these things and surrounding yourself by people with with surrounding yourself with people of those kinds of values, and people that you can take little pieces of what they do and try to try to bring them with You. I think it's the right road."   "I think it's always a work in process, but I think it's important to be really authentic with people, and that has worked. It's worked well for me, especially when those decisions are consistent with being authentic to what we're trying to accomplish."  - Brian Campbell '08, the Long Blue Leadership Podcast   SHARE THIS EPISODE FACEBOOK  |  LINKEDIN   CHAPTERS 00:00: Introduction to Brian Campbell 02:52: Growing Up in Columbus and Early Athletic Influences 06:14: The Journey to the Air Force Academy 08:59: Life as a Cadet: Challenges and Resilience 11:53: Leadership Lessons from the Academy 15:10: Transitioning from Military to Civilian Life 18:06: Fundraising and Philanthropy in Athletics 21:00: The Kutra Legacy Center: A Personal Connection 23:53: Current Role at the University of Miami 27:06: Leadership Philosophy and Key Takeaways   TAKEAWAYS Brian's journey highlights the importance of resilience in overcoming challenges. Authenticity in leadership fosters trust and connection with others. Surrounding yourself with talented individuals can enhance personal growth. Private investment plays a crucial role in the success of athletic programs. Experiences at the Air Force Academy shape leadership philosophies. Fundraising in athletics is about building relationships and trust. Transitioning from military to civilian life requires adaptability and networking. The Kutra Legacy Center represents a significant investment in future cadets. Leadership is a continuous journey of learning and growth. Engaging with alumni can create impactful opportunities for current students.   ABOUT BRIAN CAMPBELL '08BIO Brian Campbell '08 joined the University of Miami in May of 2023 as Assistant Vice President for Athletics Development. In this role, Brian has oversight of fundraising operations, programs, and the development team for Miami Athletics. Brian came to UM from his alma mater, the United States Air Force Academy, where he had spent the previous five years, beginning in 2018 as the Assistant Athletic Director for Development and finishing as the Executive Director of Development for Strategic Programs and Athletic Giving. At Air Force, Brian was responsible for the fundraising strategy and execution for athletic capital projects, endowments, and major giving, in addition to other revenue generating initiatives.  He also served as the liaison to the Air Force Academy Foundation Board of Director's Athletic Committee.  The academy experienced unprecedented fundraising success during Brian's time at USAFA – most notably completing a $270 million campaign nearly 18-months ahead of schedule, headlined by multiple record-breaking years of fundraising. As part of the campaign, Brian led a $37.5 million fundraising effort to support the $90+ million modernization of the east side of Falcon Stadium.  Additionally, he managed the philanthropic component of a $500 million public-private partnership to develop a new hotel and visitors center outside USAFA's north gate.  Other accomplishments during this stretch included a lead gift to launch the renovation of Air Force's baseball venue, Falcon Field, and building the Wayne Baughman Wrestling Endowment, which seeks to provide operational funding for Air Force Wrestling in perpetuity. Brian brings 15 years of organizational leadership experience to UM from multiple sectors.  He rose to the rank of captain in the US Air Force, then climbed to the partner level at Anheuser-Busch InBev   where he led the sales and marketing efforts for the Northwest region, including several of the largest sports and entertainment partnerships in the portfolio. In each of the communities he's lived in, Brian has supported local initiatives – serving on the boards of the National Football Foundation of Colorado, the Missouri Veterans Initiative, and the Boys and Girls Club of Alton, Illinois.  He was a football student-athlete at the Air Force Academy and earned his MBA from the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis. - Copy Credit:  University of Miami   CONNECT WITH BRIAN LINKEDIN     ABOUT LONG BLUE LEADERSHIP Long Blue Leadership drops every two weeks on Tuesdays and is available on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn + Alexa, Spotify and all your favorite podcast platforms. Search @AirForceGrads on your favorite social channels for Long Blue Leadership news and updates!          FULL TRANSCRIPT SPEAKERS Guest, Brian Campbell '08  |  Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99   Naviere Walkewicz  00:00 My guest today is the Assistant Vice President for Athletics Development, Brian Campbell, USAFA, class of 2008. Brian joined the University of Miami in 2023 as Assistant Vice President for Athletics Development, where he oversees all fundraising for UM Athletics. In 2018 he served as Assistant Athletic Director for Development for Air Force Athletics, ultimately becoming Executive Director of Development for Strategic Programs and Athletic Giving. Brian led several highly successful, multi-million dollar fundraising campaigns, including playing a significant role in securing funding for the Falcon Stadium's newly open Kucera Legacy Center. While at the Academy, Brian was a football cadet-athlete and later earned his MBA from the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis. He also spent five years in sports marketing with Anheuser Busch. We'll talk with Brian about his life as a young athlete, path to the Air Force Academy, his days as a cadet, leadership opportunities, and how he now uses what he learned to lead and positively impact others. Finally, we'll ask Brian to share advice for developing leaders and those in leadership aspiring to reach similar heights in their careers. Brian, welcome to long blue leadership, and thank you for joining us today.   Brian Campbell  01:18 Thanks, Naviere. I am honored to be on the podcast, and I'm really happy to be back in Doolittle Hall, albeit remotely, and I want to welcome you to the “U.”   Naviere Walkewicz  01:29 Thank you so much. I will take that warm weather. Yeah, well, we're really excited for this. Brian, I think a lot of our listeners love to hear the different paths that our leaders take from getting to the Academy in life after but we like to start by rewinding the clock a little bit. And we'd like to get to know you, Brian, as a young boy. Tell us about what life was like growing up, where you grew up, etc.   Brian Campbell  01:51 Yeah. I mean, I was, I grew up mostly in Columbus, Ohio. My family was from California, but my dad's job took us to Columbus when I was young. And you know, as I've reflected back on some of my career and the things that have led me to different spots, I think being a kid from Columbus, and regardless of people's feelings about Ohio State, which tend to be fairly negative here at the my current institution, the lens at which I grew up in was through a place with a massive presence of college athletics, you know, everything, everything in that community, with the fabric was Ohio State. I played every sport growing up. I'm very grateful to have grown up at a time where, you know, we went out in the yard, in the neighborhood, and did everything all day. We figured out our differences in the backyard. There are a couple other guys in the neighborhood who went on to very successful athletic endeavors as well. So, you know, athletics were very important all throughout and then as we got more serious and into competitive things later on, they become, you know, more and more formal. But you know, sports and the community were tied together, and they very much provided the context at which my career followed.   Naviere Walkewicz  03:14 That's awesome. So, you're really into sports. Did you have siblings as well? Or where was your neighborhood? Kind of the sibling playground for you.   Brian Campbell  03:22 I have two sisters both swam in college, although if one of them listens to this, I think she had like a cup of coffee on the swim team and realized that the rest of the extracurricular activities were a little bit more appealing. But my little sister swam all the way through in a very competitive college program. But there were but outside, in the streets and in the yard were where we spent our time. We would change by season. So, in the fall, we play football in the yard, and then the winter, you know, you'd shovel off and play basketball, and then in the summer, we'd play baseball. So, so all of the above.   Naviere Walkewicz  04:01 I love that. And I noticed you didn't say you ever went to the pool, so I'm sure that your sisters could definitely outswim you.   Brian Campbell  04:06 I went to the pool too. There was plenty of swimming in our family.   Naviere Walkewicz  04:12 Wonderful. So, you know, life as a child, you were really into athletics, and I think it developed your sense of competitor, you know, being a competitor about and winning. But also, it's probably teamwork. You know, what other things as a child could you share with our listeners about what it was like for you in Ohio?   Brian Campbell  04:32 I think all the above. I think, you know, when you have to work things out. You know, we weren't an era then the kids had cell phones or anything like that. You had to knock on someone's door, see if you could form a team, get out in the front yard and go take care of things. But yeah, we did stuff really. I mean, I'm kind of thinking back to one of my neighbors who went on to play some college football. He one time he broke his leg in the yard and kept playing.   Naviere Walkewicz Oh my goodness.   Brian Campbell Yeah, but, you know, you learn to get along with other people. You know the saying of taking your ball and going home, that's, you know, you have to figure out how to get past those things. And I think the social dynamic that you gain from those experiences very much stayed with me, and I think is some of the foundation and the work that I do now, and being able to identify with different people in different situations.   Naviere Walkewicz  05:28 Alright, so I like what you're sharing about kind of you know, the social aspect that you've experienced growing up. Tell me about how it the Academy came into the picture. Then was it, was there someone that you grew up learning from that went to the Air Force Academy. Or how did that happen?   Brian Campbell  05:46 Well, as a sophomore in high school, as I was thinking of thinking back to some of these things, my dad actually took me to visit West Point, and we had a family friend who went to school there, and I remember going to visit him, and he was probably getting close to maybe in the summer before his senior year, and I remember him like getting pulled aside, and there was something that he had been doing wrong. Maybe. Is it related to escorting guests around the campus? It was during Sandhurst, and so we watched Sandhurst, and honestly, I remember thinking like this does not seem like any way to spend college, but as I went back, I was very fortunate to have like really, really good coaches in my life who were very interested in developing me and growing me and pushing out of my comfort zone. My high school football coach was very hard on me at times, but I think he saw something in me. And you know, when I began to look at colleges, and I was thinking about, like, could I play football somewhere? And there was a variety of schools, and I went on, I went on different visits in different places, and I just remember feeling like nowhere really made a lot of sense for me, like I didn't really feel like any of them really fit the things that were important to me. And then I got the chance to go on a visit to the Air Force Academy, and honestly, I was just like, I just, why not go see Colorado? I've never seen the mountains. So we took the trip out, and I was hosted on my visit by Rob McMenamin, who recently, unfortunately passed away, but was like just the greatest person you know, that could have possibly, that I could have come across at that time, and between him and the people I met on my visit, it was more about the fact that I felt like I was at home, and I had found a group of people that seemed so similar to me that I ended up deciding that that's what I wanted to do. Now we got back to Columbus, and my mom wanted me to talk to someone who didn't play football, and so they somehow found some other cadet, and I had, she's like, “You have to call him and ask him.” So, I called this guy, and I don't even remember his name. We'll see if he listens to the podcast. But he told me he's like, “I don't, I wouldn't do it, you know?” He's like, “It's, it's brutal, it's really hard.” And, oh, wow, I just don't think. But I got off the phone, and it didn't matter to me, like and so for me, it was, maybe it was just a feeling. It was the excitement of being part of something like that. I think I did understand how important the academies are, and what a serious opportunity that was. And maybe it was the fact that I never really thought I would have an opportunity to go to a place like that, but once I, it just kind of sat right, you know, I decided to pursue it.   Naviere Walkewicz  08:48 I love that. And I think what was really key about what you said was it felt like family or you're finding others that are like you. And so how did your parents respond to that? I mean, I think I love that your mom said, “Let's look at both sides.” Let's get everything you know, a perspective that's beyond athletics as well. And so, it's kind of a testament to, probably your upbringing, the fact that your parents are like, let's make some really sound decisions. Would you say that that's the case?   Brian Campbell  09:17 Yeah, I think once my mom got over the fact that it was a military academy. I mean, she asked the one of the coaches that came to our house, like, “What's, what happens afterwards?”, you know, but what was instilled in me at a young age, and when we that, my mom valued education a lot, and so that was, that was in me, and candidly, it was probably the best educational opportunity I was going to have, and it was the best athletic opportunity I was going to have. So those two things were really important. I mean, when we got to the Air Force Academy, I remember my dad being like, “Holy cow, this is a really big deal.” And, you know, I just, I sometimes think back to those times. Times where you know before you go through it, and you see the full grind and all the things that are required, you know, to go through our school, you forget how cool it is from the outside, and the mystique and the things that make it so unique. And I remember, I just remember all that and, and obviously the football piece was a big deal, despite how my football career ended up going to be, to be offered an opportunity to be a part of something like that. Just the weight was, you know, it was so significant, it outweighed any other opportunity I had.   Naviere Walkewicz  10:37 That's wonderful. So, let's talk about that transition then. So, you came to the Academy, you recruited football for what position?   Brian Campbell  10:46 Tight end.   Naviere Walkewicz  10:47 Tight end, awesome. And so, what was, do you remember day one? What was it like coming to the Academy for the second time after your recruiting visit?   Brian Campbell  10:55 Yeah. So, you know, as I think back to my time as a cadet, I mean, the things that really weave through everything are the relationships, and it's interesting. I don't know when we'll broadcast this, but right now we're 4 and 0 here. We just beat South Florida and because we're not for here right now. But okay, that doesn't feel good to me either. But you know, when I was, when I was there, I had a call on the way to Tampa with the first person I met on my recruiting visit at Southgate, when they were trying to figure out how to get us on the base.,   Naviere Walkewicz Really.   Brian Campbell Yeah, and it's just, you know, it's completely normal, you know, or, you know, it's not like we're out of touch. But like that, I talked to that person and the person I spent the day with Saturday before the game was the person that I roomed with in basic training and I still talk to the people that I'm very close with every day. But you know, to this day, the two people I probably met first were, I mean, we're just a very significant amount of time last week. So, I mean, I remember everything. I remember going down the shot line, getting all the things in my arm, and then the blazing hot scissors or whatever they put on our head and everything and then I remember standing in the hallway, but I honestly had no idea what was happening. And I'll never forget that the next morning, when they come and start pounding down the doors, and like, my hands were shaking and they're yelling about, like, BD us. And I was like, “What on earth is a BDU?” And then, you know, I'm like, looking around, trying to figure out what people are going to put on. And then the guy that I was telling you about that I just saw in Tampa, you know, he was a Navy Junior ROTC, so he starts saying, like, sir to people. And like, you know, all chaos broke loose, and we were off and running.   Naviere Walkewicz  12:54 Wow. Well, I could say that your roommate was helpful, but until he said, “Ill sir.”, that might not have been too helpful for you. Yeah, he wasn't running.   Brian Campbell  13:02 Yeah, he wasn't. He wasn't all that helpful.   Naviere Walkewicz  13:05 Wow. So off you went into your four-degree year. What was life like as a cadet for you? I mean, I think you know, you obviously were in football and you were having to do all the academics. So, let's talk about that experience a little bit.   Brian Campbell  13:20 Yeah. I mean, the Academy was really hard for me, you know, as the first place where I was around so many talented people, and probably at a different you know, a lot of them were at a different stage in their journey than I think I was. I was really trying to figure things out as I went. You know, I kind of hit some bumps in the road with my health. And, you know, like anybody that your four-degree years, really, really difficult. And, you know, I showed up, I was probably about, you know, 220 pounds. And they, you know, were eating and eating and eating to try to get bigger. And I think I went home for like, winter break, I was already, like, 250 and, and so, you know, I don't know where things would have gone from there, but that spring of my four-degree year, I started to have some health problems and, and it took them a long time to figure out what was going on. And I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, and I had lost like, 60 pounds by that point, and it was a really, really difficult period for me, because I was trying to get through school and academics. I tried to keep playing football. Eventually I had to, you know, step away for a little bit and figure out my health. But I learned in that time, a doctor said, like, you can't have Crohn's disease and be in the Air Force. And I remember walking out of the cadet clinic, and I took the elevator up by McDermott, and because it was a doctor's appointment, it's like, everybody's in class, so the place is completely quiet. And I walked out, and it was like just a crystal clear day, like the sky couldn't have been more blue above the Chapel and the Air Gardens are on, and I'm like, I don't want to leave here, you know. And I think that changed my perspective on the entire experience. And it was a really meaningful time for me, because I realized that the things that had already happened there and in a difficult first year were, had made a big impact on me, and I had some, I got some guidance from some other graduates, and they helped me navigate them, the medical process a little bit, and I was able to stay and I just wanted to be there long enough to graduate. And I was fortunate enough to have a little bit more. I managed to blow out both my knees after that. Naviere Walkewicz Oh my goodness!   Brian Campbell Yeah, both ACLs a year apart. So, I kept trying to do stuff, and it kept not working. But, you know, to be a part of the program and the relationships that I have from that, I mean, they still mean the world, even though, even though it was a little bit of a bumpy ride, right?   Naviere Walkewicz  16:03 So, your path, it looked a little different, probably from what you imagined coming to the Academy, especially growing up as the ultra-athlete. You know every sport for every season. Tell us about a little bit how you dealt with some of those challenges, because I think some of our listeners will experience things in life that kind of derail them from what they view as this is my path. And how did you keep your head above the fray and stay in a positive light, I guess, or maybe you didn't. What did that look like as you dealt with each of those challenges throughout the Academy?   Brian Campbell  16:38 Yeah, I mean, I think you learn in basic training there in hard times that you just are making it to the next meal. And I think for me, there was a stretch where I where I did that, and I look back now, and I feel like maybe because of that, there were things the academy offered that I wasn't able to take advantage of. But at the time, you know, I was so focused on just getting through the next thing and being able to kind of maintain my place there. But I think whether I knew it at the time or not, it built a significant resiliency in me, and I was not going to quit. I mean, if they were going to get rid of me, they were going to get rid of me, but I was not going to quit, and I was going to figure out a way to do it. And I think those are, those are elements that are very important in in what I've become and you know how I how I handle things to this day, if you can get through our school and if in everybody has challenges, and everybody has different things in their lives that they face. That's mine just happened to be health related, but I was very fortunate to have a huge support network. I had a great group of friends there. I mean, I had people who were who were rooting for me to be able to be successful and because of that, I was able to, I was able to continue to proceed through it, and all those elements were important for me in being able to do it.   Naviere Walkewicz  18:10 Now that's really, I think, insightful about you, and I think a testament to everyone just kind of finding something next to get to, like, in our case, it was getting to the next meal in basic, you know, you talked about being involved in sports and then having some of these health challenges. What did leadership look like for you at the Academy? Did you find yourself in certain roles where you were leading cadets? Or what did that look like?   Brian Campbell  18:37 Yeah, I mean, maybe this is if any cadets listen. You know, I was not in any, like, significant leadership positions as a cadet. I had, I think, what you would call some of the standard squadron jobs. And as I kind of reflect on, like, what I was learning about myself, you know, I think I tried to do a good job in those but, but, you know, I think I learned that there are formal leadership positions and then there's informal leadership. And what I don't think I appreciated was that, you know, you can still have impact on the people around you, whether or not you know the role dictates it, or your rank dictates it. I recall one time, you know, if you remember the squadron rankings, and we had gone from, like, second to 35th or something like that, and we had the equivalent of what would be like a players only meeting, where they said we were off in the S.A.R., like, trying to figure out, like, why we were in. And really, what you're driven by is there aren't going to be any passes to go anywhere, because at least at that time, it was directly related to how you were doing. And a lot of people talked, and there are a lot of opinions, and I remember finally feeling like I should say something, and I and I talked, and I just remember thinking like everyone seems to be listening. And I kind of noted that at that time, that I wasn't the squadron commander or anything like that, but it seemed like people valued my opinion, and it seemed like it resonated with a large swath of our squadron. And I think I take that with me now, because I believe there's kind of a meritocracy of ideas. You know, we all have rank in our organization, whether it's the military or whether it's something completely different. There's always different people who have different levels of authority. But, you know, I think great teams value ideas that come, that come from anybody.   Naviere Walkewicz  20:38 I think that is just a really important piece of information that you shared, because many times we have some of our developing leaders who may feel that they don't have the ability to share a thought because they think that they're too Junior. And so, what you just said, I think, was really powerful and hopefully empowering for some of our listeners to bring something to the table when they have something to share. So, I really appreciate you sharing that example. That was awesome. So, before we go into graduation, and what that looked like after you graduated, were there any specific people I know you said you had a great network of support. But were there any real like, inspirational leaders that kind of helped shaped you after you left the Academy, or right before you left into your life after the Academy?   Brian Campbell  21:31 Yeah, absolutely. I think that one thing that like means a lot to me are the people that I'm exposed to. I mean, I remember thinking a lot of General Rosa, who was our superintendent at the time. He guided the Academy through a difficult time. My four-degree AOC was just an outstanding leader, Joe Richardson. I have no idea what became of him, but, you know, in a tough year, it was like, every time we went in to our, you know, meet with our squadron, it was always like he had the right thing to say, and his presence was so strong, and we had some bumps in the road in our group that year, and he did everything he could to navigate through it. But, you know, he was, he was the kind of person who was, like, just a strong, inspirational type, type leader, and we needed that. I mean, you know, such a tough year, but you really felt like he was able to give us the energy and the courage to keep going for it, but he was also someone I think we all looked up to. And if you haven't been around the military a lot in your life, and you can see people like he went to our school and look at the kind of person he is now. That's a direction you hope you can follow. And then a completely other style was just being around Coach Deberry who wore his heart on his sleeve and said everything he wanted to say, and it came all out of love and passion. And he just he had that kind of style, and he built an organization that was really family centric and that was important to him. And then even my senior year, when I was just kind of like helping the staff in some different roles there, like when Coach Calhoun came in, it was a completely different style and tactic that he took. So I mean, the great thing about the Academy, I think we all talk about it a lot, is that you're exposed to leadership, you're exposed to cadet leaders, and you see how you respond to those things, too, and you take note of those as you grow, but we have some people who are also, like, very, very, you know, bona fide leaders that we had access to, and that would just be like the beginning of my list. I think now that makes sense.   Naviere Walkewicz  23:53 I'm sure the list is long because of just the exposure that you've had in different in different ways. So, when you graduated, what career field did you go into?   Brian Campbell  24:04 So I went into acquisitions, and my guidance from one of the doctors at the Academy there was, what can we do to take the least amount of grad physicals? So that's what I did.   Naviere Walkewicz  24:16 I was going to ask if that was what your passion was. But it sounds like it well, it teed off into something really well for you, and it also played well into your needs.   Brian Campbell  24:26 For sure, it did. It led me to things down the line, you know, Acquisitions. For me, it was an opportunity to be a part of a great organization. And there were parts of the Air Force that I valued. I also took note that that was probably not the thing that was going to excite me the most, and but I learned a lot about how, how kind of the business side of the Air Force works. And it was, it was still a great experience. I got to go all over the world. I got to be a part of a lot of really cool things that probably even at that age, I didn't really appreciate. I think the challenge for me in that particular career field is that you weren't really around a lot of active-duty Air Force members. And I think I missed that piece a little bit.   Naviere Walkewicz  25:13 Well, I think it's interesting, because one of the things that you've been able to do, I think, is find ways to give back in your career post, you know, military service, so that's probably been really rewarding for you. Can we talk a little bit about, you know, when you decided to transition out of the military? Because we do have listeners that both stay in uniform all the way through retirement and those who don't, who think about transitioning. So, I think it's really relevant. How did you come to that decision, and what did it look like for you?   Brian Campbell  25:44 Well, the Air Force came to the decision for me. So, I was going to PCS to my next station, and I'll never forget when the phone rang in my squadron commander's office. He came. It was like I knew what was going to happen, and the clock had run out on this whole Crohn's disease thing, and I was going to see a medical board and all that, all that kind of stuff. I ended up just saying that that's okay and I'll, I'm not. It was going to be like a year until I could go through that process, which didn't seem like very prudent at the time. I knew I was kind of proverbially playing with house money at that point, I was just so glad to have had my time in the Air Force and to be a part of the organization, you know, at least get to be a captain, but I didn't even fulfill my service commitment. So, it's really about the four and a half year point that that happened. And so, it was a little sudden, because I didn't know that that was going to happen. And so, I decided to kind of step away from the career field the you know, from work, I guess, altogether, and go to business school full time. So I went back to my desk, and I went through all the I got on US News and World Report and started going down the list of business schools and finding out who still had an application deadline available. And like three of the top 25 responded. And from there, I was able to do that. But the great thing for me was that I was able to spend two years away in a fully immersive environment, learning about the business side of management, which is different than the Air Force leadership style that we have in the in the military, and putting those two things together and thinking about some of my initial aspirations of, you know, maybe there's A career in sports. What might that look like? And you just get so, so many opportunities there to get exposed to people in different career fields. And those two years at “Wash U” for me were, were, I'm very, very fortunate to have those. They had a target of getting 10% of the class to be veterans, so I called the right school at the right time, and they were like, hey, just we'll help you. We'll help you figure this out. And they did everything they could to give me that opportunity.   Naviere Walkewicz  28:10 That's amazing. And I was going to ask, did you see the value of what you'd experienced at the Academy coming to play in your program there, that you were able to share with others, and what did leadership look like for you there?   Brian Campbell  28:23 Yeah, so, you know, in business school, it's a constant. I think balance between everything is about shareholder maximization and wealth creation, and they have to teach you those fundamentals. I think Olin did a good job reminding us about character-based management and leadership, and we had classes about critical decisions in leadership and management and things like that. And they brought some very senior business leaders in to talk about key inflection points of things that they had, and then, you know, we had, there's a professor there whose areas, area of study is, you know, economics with a higher purpose, and that's blending, like, how does being doing the right thing, and having something that's beyond just, you know, running your operation to the most efficient manner possible, and he's been able to show that organizations who do that and have a higher purpose are more successful. And so, for me, that is kind of the philosophy that I moved forward with in my career. So very different, very business fundamentals, but as you got towards the end, it was important to them that we understood that it wasn't always everything. Wasn't always about the near-term dollar and that things could your organizations are rewarded for doing the right thing and making decisions in the right way.   Naviere Walkewicz  30:00 Yeah. Yeah, it sounds like you absolutely picked the right program that really aligned with your own core values, you know, your own kind of, I think, navigational system as well as you know where you're wanting to go with things. So, what did that look like? Then, after you graduated, I know you spent some time at Anheuser Busch. Was that kind of just the next part of that journey?       Brian Campbell  30:20 Yeah, so I wanted to get back into sports right away, and so I started a networking process of I tried to meet with NFL teams. I didn't, I just didn't know how or what I was going to do, but I knew that that was my opportunity, a mentor of mine that I did a project for while I was at all. And he well, first of all, I started to find out also what jobs in sports pay. So, anybody listening to this guy's aspirations, just get that part settled for yourself right away. But it didn't matter to me. But I did have a bill I needed to figure out from business school. And his recommendation was, you know, you're down the street from essentially the biggest sports marketer in the world, you know, go there, you know, pursue that, and then figure out down the line if you still want to come back. And that ended up being the perfect step for me. You know, not only did I go to a place that ended up being a bridge back into this work, but Anheuser Busch, and the way that company is run is incredibly efficient and driven and lean and everything there is about value, and it's run by a set of Investment bankers who brought their philosophies into consumer goods, and, and, and they're extremely market share based, but it was, it was really cool to be a part of an organization that does things that way. And candidly, it was probably the other end of the spectrum than just being in the military. And both should operate in the way that they do, but that was such a valuable experience for me to work for an organization like that. I could not have done it forever. So, and I did get over into sports marketing, I ended up having what I think a lot of people would think is like maybe the coolest job of all time. I had the chance to run our whole northwest marketing portfolio. So, I had, you know, our Broncos partnerships and Vail Resorts. It took me back to Colorado to be in that office from, from being in New York City, we had the Seahawks, but it also we had a little college down the street that we had a partnership with called the Air Force Academy.   Naviere Walkewicz  32:39 I was wondering, how you direct to Colorado? That's where it was, yeah.   Brian Campbell  32:43 So, we had an office in Denver, and after a few years of doing that, Anheuser-Busch wants you to move around. They want you to grow. You can't stay in a lot of these jobs forever. And so, I knew there was a point where if I really wanted to do this, and I still felt such a calling to come and do this kind of work, and I kind of felt like I'd never forgive myself if I didn't try. So, I started making a lot of calls and knocking down doors. And eventually, eventually, a position opened back at the Academy, and I, like borderline forced them to hire me,   Naviere Walkewicz  33:15 Brian, I'm seeing a theme. I mean, as a kid, you would knock down doors come play. You know, when you were, got out of the military, when you were when you had to go, you were knocking down doors, “What's open for me?” So, I think the theme for you is, don't be afraid to knock down some doors and just see what's available. You went back to the Academy. Let's talk about your time there and what kind of evolved since then.   Brian Campbell  33:39 So, I came back to the Academy, we had a had the chance to learn a little bit about raising money in our athletic department, and we were coming up on a campaign like the first real significant campaign that had happened at the at the Air Force Academy. I mean, before I got back, I didn't even really know what a campaign was, to give people some context and where I was there, but General Gould said, “Hey, we're going to do this project on Falcon Stadium.” And, you know, and I thought to myself, hey, if I'm going to be here at the Academy, I need to be a part of this project. And so, I transitioned from our athletic department over to our foundation in about in 20-, early 2020, and had the chance to work on the projects that were that were happening there.   Naviere Walkewicz  34:27 So, I think this is helpful. Many of our listeners may not be aware of the ways that some of our foundations support the Academy, and I think through athletics is certainly one way. Can you talk a little bit about what that looks like, so that we can share more about the context of a campaign and giving back?   Brian Campbell  34:45 Yeah, I mean, I think my, my reflection on it is like the government's going to do enough to keep the doors open and provide a basic, solid experience. I think the US News and World Report rankings came out like today, we're number two. We're not number two without private investment. And I hear a lot from young grads about like they're asking me for money. They're asking me for money, and what they're asking you for is to invest in the experience and for us and on our resumes and the prevalence of our of our institution, and this is a competitive world that stuff matters and allows us at the Academy to keep professors that the government wouldn't necessarily be able to keep, to give very enriching research opportunities to cadets that otherwise I don't think we're really there when we were around. And it allows us, you know, militarily and then athletically, to be competitive at the highest level. And you know, when we say excellence in all we do, we're talking about being, you know, excellent in every facet of this of the Academy. And so, we're very fortunate that people have stepped forward at the Academy to invest in these areas and help us shape what they what they've created, and what they've become. And so private investment is a, is a real factor in our success there. And I got the chance to be in the middle of it and have a lot of those discussions and meet people who wanted to help. And it's an opportunity for them to kind of, you know, provide their passion or something they're particularly interested in, to shape the experience of the cadets. So, it's a very enriching process, and it's a really wonderful thing to be a part of.   Naviere Walkewicz  36:47 Well, I can share that, you know, I had the ability to work with you briefly when you came here, and then I joined in 2021 and there was so much that I learned. But I think what was really rewarding for me was to understand that to what you just said, you can actually invest in ways that you feel really compelled and what's important to you at the Academy. And so maybe you can share with our listeners what was something really rewarding, aside from the Kucera Legacy Center coming to life now, and we can talk about that. But what was something really rewarding to you that you were part of in the philanthropic side of our business?   Brian Campbell  37:20 Yeah, I mean not just being a fundraiser there, but I mean the chance to give myself and make the commitments that I could to the Academy that meant a lot to me to be able to help, but I enjoyed seeing like the little grassroots campaigns that were put together that gave cadets reprieve from life and rewarded them for different things. You know, NCLS is an amazing thing that happens there, that you get to take a step back from every year and appreciate the kind of people we bring back and put in front of the cadets. So, I mean, aside from the big projects, there's just stuff every single day, and you get emails from the cadets and ask like, “Hey, can we do this? Can we, what would it take to change our squadron to something else?” And you can help weigh out a little plan. And those aren't the dollars that necessarily drive campaign totals, but they matter because they matter to the cadets and the way that, you know those finances work there it's, you know, so many people have invested in the Foundation and the Association in a way that, you know, all these resources can get directly poured into cadets and because the government keeps the doors open, we can do things that are additionally impactful. You know, at other schools, like where I'm at now, we have to fill an endowment because of how we have to continue to operate the school. So that's not something we, I mean, there's ways that are that's helpful at the Academy too, but it's not as critical at the Academy, because the lights are on and we can be extremely effective in the investments through donors to impact cadets directly.   Naviere Walkewicz  39:06 No, that makes sense. I really like what you said about you got to give yourself. And I think part of what I've been picking up in our conversation is a lot of I think giving and investing is through relationships. And so I think some of the biggest pieces that come from that is the trust and relationships you build with people. Would you agree? Is that kind of how you feel about things?   Brian Campbell  39:26 Yeah, I do. And I you know, if I didn't go to the Air Force Academy, I'm not sure I would be doing this kind of work, even though the Air Force Academy is not designed to put you into this kind of work. But the relationships that I had from the academy and then throughout my time back there, are as important to me as just about anything you just the school exposes you to just such outstanding people. And I'm just very. Be grateful for, for all of those relationships that, that I've had the privilege to have.   Naviere Walkewicz  40:06 So, Brian, we've been talking about the ways we give back and relationships built. Let's, talk a little bit about the Kucera Legacy Center, because we just were able to the ribbon cutting and just beautiful experience with Jack and Vianne. What did it mean to you?   Brian Campbell  40:21 You know, being back at the Academy during the time that I was back, and maybe a lot of the people who listen to this maybe know what has happened on our Academy over the last three years, but the investment that's gone back into our school is just staggering. You know, not only the Kucera Legacy Center, but the Madeira Center, the hotel that's going up, the visitors center, the expansion to do it all, but the Kucera Legacy Center was kind of near and dear to my heart, and it was an opportunity given to me to be a really significant part of the entire project. Was one thing that took every piece of the institution to make happen. But it took Jack and Vianne really specifically. And it wasn't just their investment, but it was like a vision from Jack that I think got us through some times, that you know, maybe in years past, the project would not have, would not have continued on. And you know what I'll remember most is not just working on the gift that they made with them, but like working on the elements that were important to them to see in the facility. And the unique thing about that project is it's not just a facility. It is a way that we can invest back into our Academy and cadets. It's one of the few things on the Academy that can be commercialized and a positive return on investment. So, it's going to be used for a lot of things, but I'll never forget of the groundbreaking. Jack does so much for our school. And he was talking about, you know, why he flies Coach Calhoun around to recruit, and for coach, it's hugely helpful for him to get, you know, Division One coaches essentially have to fly in that manner. They have to fly private to be able to recruit effectively. That's a that's not an easy thing for our school to provide, and so Jack flies coach around a lot. And you know, I know Jack wants us to win football games, because I've watched some football games with him, and he's like one of the few people that can match as tense and nervous as I am, but he talked about the fact that everywhere they go, they knock on a door, and Coach Calhoun is giving some young person an opportunity to change their life. And you know, for them, we have this beautiful facility. Now, I can't wait to come back and see it, but I think that's what it is for them, is that's maybe the physical manifestation of their gift is knowing that, you know when, when, when young people accept that opportunity to come to the Air Force Academy, and they probably wouldn't have gotten it for this particular subset without a sport, that they can change their lives. And you know, watch being a part of that, even the small little part that I was is something that I think is a really, really significant part of my career and my journey.   Naviere Walkewicz  43:30 Wow. I mean, that's almost a 360 for you, right? You were someone who was given that opportunity, and now thinking about the future cadets that are going to be given a similar opportunity with something that you were part of in such a legacy and visionary manner, from Jack and Vianne. I mean, it's just incredible.   Brian Campbell  43:48 Yeah, absolutely.   Naviere Walkewicz  43:51 So, Brian, you have taken a role at the University of Miami, and let's talk a little bit about that. So, you were able to do some things here at the Academy. How's it been in the transition for you there at UM?   Brian Campbell  44:04 I mean, it's been, it's been crazy. So, you know, we're in the real battle of college athletics down here at a time that's very dynamic. It's an unbelievable opportunity to be a part of a traditional powerhouse with really, really significant aspirations, but a big part of it for me as I had the chance to come down here and work for a really high level team at a time that the school wanted to invest in athletics. And you know, the athletic director that I work for here, he won two national titles at Clemson. We have multiple other former division one athletic directors on our staff, and we do transformational things around this campus through athletics, but for other areas, our medical system and our academic side as well. So, it's been a challenge for me to get to learn the dynamic here. You know, at the Air Force Academy, a lot of people have a lot of thoughts on a lot of things. Miami supporters have a lot of thoughts on one thing, and that's winning football games. But, you know, the fundamentals remain the same, and I've been given a chance to kind of reshape the way we do this work. And for those that follow college athletics, it's been at a very, very fascinating time where there's huge change in the industry. There's a ton of uncertainty, and it's really forced me to think a lot about how we do our work and why we do it. And I think as a lot of people probably think that with Nio and possible rev-share and things like that, that we're losing the fabric of college athletics. There are little instances of that, but we are able to kind of double down on other ways to make an impact on our student athletes here and invest in their lives. So, it's been it's a challenge. We have a lot of work to do, but we're on the road, having some successes is really helpful. And being in a place that has really, really high expectations is really special to be a part of.   Naviere Walkewicz  46:16 So, you talked a bit about the fundamentals, and so what have you taken from your time at the Academy throughout your career to bring to UM now?   Brian Campbell  46:27 Yeah, I think the noise in college athletics and our work has become more complex. I took the opportunity to kind of distill things back down to the core mission of what we do, and that's to positively impact lives through excellence in athletics and our team, our role in that effort is to is to invest in those areas. So, we focus on, you know, kind of three key areas to do that. One of them is performance, kind of elite performance. The next one is what we call champions for life, which is investing in academics and in student athlete development. And then the last one is competitive excellence, and that's acknowledging that there's an area now with Nio and possible revenue share with athletes that we also have to be competitive in. But I've encouraged our team to think about, like, what the real purpose of our work is, and like what we do every day. And I think I kind of touched on a little bit of that earlier, when things got really confusing in the industry and stuff like that, understanding that, like our job really is simply to enrich an experience for our student athletes here, and best prepare them for the world. And if we do that really well, we're going to be really successful. And when we talk about that purpose on our team, you know, I try to find people to join our team who are going to resonate with that. And for me, I think when you identify with that purpose and kind of the core elements of it, it also makes me better at what I do, and better at leading and being authentic with the team that there are challenges but in there, and we're in a we're in an environment with headwinds and high expectations and high levels of competitiveness. But if we can focus on doing those things, we're going to make we're going to make every bit the kind of impact that has always been made in college athletics.   Naviere Walkewicz  48:33 So, what have you learned about yourself as a leader throughout this journey? It sounds like you've had just various opportunities to understand who you are in different roles. How does that translate in your leadership? What does that look like to our listeners?   Brian Campbell  48:49 Yeah, I think what I've learned over time is that in the Air Force, you are in the people business, and everything we do is kind of by for and through people. And I'm not sure if I understood it, even when I was in the beer business, but really, you're in the beer business, you're in the beer business, or you're in the people business, and your product is beer. And then now I'm kind of in the in the middle of this now, where we have a product, but our product, once again, is people. Now we have to be, you know, commercially viable, and there's a there's a significant financial side of what we do. But I think back to my time at the Academy, and I think one thing you can't escape at the Academy is that you know you're bringing your whole self every day to what we're doing. You know you are you're in it. You don't go home anywhere else. So, your squadron is where you live, and, and you realize that you know what's happening in your life, and, and, and for anybody that's on the team, like they're going to bring it with them, and, for me, I've thought, I think we talk a lot in business and leadership about acknowledging that and being there for people and being empathetic. But the other side of it is, you know, if our people are our most important asset, then what are we doing to invest in them and through, you know, this is a really busy kind of work, and authentically making sure that my team knows, and I hope that they do that we're going to try to grow them, and we're going to try to reward them for being successful, because it matters to the bottom line. It's not just the right thing to do. It helps move us forward, because if we're improving the conditions that they can go home to and spend with their families, we're going to get a better version of them, and it's going to improve the work that we do. So I think being in such an immersive type of place like the Air Force Academy, you realize that there is no turning it off when you leave or go somewhere, we go through difficult times, but we also have the opportunity in these kinds of roles to improve that and make sure people are fulfilled and finding their purpose in our work. And inevitably, I really do believe that that impacts our bottom line.   Naviere Walkewicz  51:21 What fulfills you and your work as a leader?   Brian Campbell  51:26 I mean, there's so much. This is what I love to do. And I love to be around the competition side of things, and I love to see when we're able to make something happen, a donor's vision to invest in our student athletes. And, you know, you see some of the things that they go on to accomplish, and you see what it means to the institution. I mean, you know, here, I think sometimes we think like, wow, college football in America is just bonkers, and it's crazy. It's gone off the rails, you know. But here at the University of Miami, you know, we have a we have a really, we have the biggest research based health system in South Florida, and it's the same logo that's on our helmet and that health system is successful because we have a very strong brand through football mostly, and In so I think we take that very seriously, that you know our work is directly tied to things that happen, not only on our campus, but in the healthcare system here as well. But you know, the true where the rubber meets the road is seeing the success that you know our student athletes have and enriching their experience and being able to tie that back to the people that make that possible.   Naviere Walkewicz  52:45 So, if we have any listeners that are interested in getting into the gift officer kind of role, the ability to help others invest, what would you share with them as maybe just a path or things to be considering?   Brian Campbell  52:59 Yeah, I mean, fundraising and development's a whole it's a whole industry, and it would be great to have more grads that would come into this kind of work. I mean, I was often asked by donors at the academy, why more people? Why more grads aren't doing it? And it's a unique it's a unique career path, but if there's elements of things that are meaningful to you, and you think that you know, nonprofit work might be appealing. Fundraising is a great way to do it. There's ups and downs. It's challenging. There's a bit of a craft to learn to it, but it's, this is not rocket science in any way. But if I really thought I was going to do it, I'd pick up the phone and call a grad who does it. I can think of a couple names off the top of my head and just ask and start to network. And when I moved over into college athletics in order to do that, I mean, I probably made 500 phone calls, and I always ask someone for the next name and network that way. And I received tremendous advice, and it was really good practice for what I ended up doing. I would encourage. I would love it if more would come into this line of work. You heard it here first friends, yeah, we'll see how effective it is.   Naviere Walkewicz  54:15 That is wonderful. Well, we're going to get into a couple more things before, before our podcast ends. So, Brian, I just want to ask you in advance so you have some time to think about this. Our listeners want to know something unique about you, maybe something that you haven't shared with anybody you know, something fun or some kind of talent you have. So, I'll give you a little bit of time to think about that, and then we're also going to want to hear your takeaways. So, before we get there, we're going to ask for Brian's final thoughts next. Before we do that, I'd like to take a moment and thank you our listener for listening to long blue leadership. The podcast publishes Tuesdays in both video and audio, and is available on all your favorite podcast platforms. Be sure to watch or listen to all episodes of Long blue leadership@longblueleadership.org All right, so Brian, welcome back, and we're really excited. Our listeners love to learn things here on Long Blue Leadership that they can only hear here. So, would you mind sharing with us something that is unique about you?   Brian Campbell  55:15 Well, I think before the break, you mentioned a talent, so I'm going to take credit for this being a talent during covid, I started getting into, like, amateur mixology, and so, yeah, at home. Now this is maybe a dangerous habit to have, but I do, I do share some of my work with some of the administration there still so, so it's definitely bled into Doolittle Hall a little bit, but I've learned to make, like, very specific cocktails and stuff like that. And I love doing it. I love trying something new all the time. So, I don't know if that's a talent or not. People can come have a have a drink with me at my house and decide to do when you have, when you have two little kids, you need to bring the fun. Needs to be at home. That's right, yeah, so, so, so that's, that's kind of my unique interest, I guess, more than a talent.   Naviere Walkewicz  56:13 We love that. So maybe we'll see a line down the road of a series of Campbell drinks. Or…   Brian Campbell  56:21 …yes, yeah, I do name some of them after things at the Academy.   Naviere Walkewicz  56:25 Just so, you know, okay yeah, I guess I could ask you to share one of them, maybe one name.   Brian Campbell  56:30 Well, you know, a lot of good supporters were in the class of '75 so I changed French '75 to '75 Best Alive.   Naviere Walkewicz  56:39 Love that.   Brian Campbell  56:43 People have no idea what I'm talking about.   Naviere Walkewicz  56:45 I would want to twist to that. I would want to twist that and skip it. So that's fantastic. Thank you for sharing that well. Before we close, we really like to leave our listeners with just a couple of key leadership nuggets that you'd like them to have. What would you leave our listeners with, Brian?   Brian Campbell  57:03 Yeah, you know, I think as I look at some of the people that were on this podcast, I mean, you have some folks who are very, very accomplished and at the top of their fields, and then you have some others who are at the beginning of their careers and heading down that, that road. You know, for me, I'm probably in the middle of it. And as I look at the arc of my career, I don't think I've arrived as a leader and I, but I started to think that I probably that I would be willing to bet that General Clark might say the same thing, and Coach Calhoun might say the same thing. So, I think it's always a work in process, but I think it's important to be really authentic with people, and that has worked. It's worked well for me, especially when those decisions are consistent with being authentic to what we're trying to accomplish. And the other thing that's meant the most to me, and is just surrounding myself with the best people possible, and that has continued to help me grow and evolve, and not just the people I hire, but I think back to my time working there at the academy and how cool it is in a you know, couple year period I was around, you know, Mark Welsh and Dana born, and Jack Kucera and Paul Madera and the Brunies (SP?) and Mike Gould and these kinds of people. And that's who I had the chance to surround myself with, and I, think that that has more to do with me having other opportunities in my career to go grow and learn at a different place and hopefully be successful here as much as anything that I did. And so I think a lot about the elements that we put into it, because it's hard on a daily basis to know if you're doing a good job being a leader, but if you take those pieces of the fabric that we learned at the Academy, and you keep doing it the right way and thinking about these things and surrounding yourself by people with surrounding yourself with people of those kinds of values, and people that you can take little pieces of what they do and try to try to bring them with You. I think it's the right road.   Naviere Walkewicz  59:22 Well, Brian, it's been a pleasure. I know I've just taken away some things, and in our time together here, learning about you, but also just inspiring me thinking about how we can give and it really is a pleasure. I can't wait to see where your trajectory of your career takes you and the ways that you'll continue to make an impact.   Brian Campbell  59:39 Wow. Thank you. Naviere, it was great to be a part of it. Thank you everyone at the Association and the Foundation. I'm glad that we have a podcast. I know that there's so many efforts that are happening to connect with grads at all stages in their careers and their journey, and I just really appreciate that. Audience to be on and all the incredible work that's happening back there at our school.   Naviere Walkewicz  1:00:06 Thank you. So, we can end with the Go Falcons, right?   Brian Campbell  1:00:08 Yeah. Beat Army, sink Navy!   KEYWORDS Brian Campbell, Air Force Academy, leadership, growth, development, athletics, fundraising, University of Miami, Kucera Legacy Center, resilience, sports marketing, philanthropy       The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association and Foundation        

A conversation with 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23, the first active duty military member to be crowned Miss America 2024, about her  background, leadership experiences, transition to Harvard Kennedy School, and key lessons on empathetic leadership and following one's passions.   SUMMARY Second Lieutenant Madison Marsh, the first active-duty military member and Miss America 2024, discussed her journey and leadership experiences. She highlighted her foundation for pancreatic cancer research, her academic achievements, and her role as a mentor at the Air Force Academy. Marsh emphasized the importance of empathetic leadership, mental health support, and balancing personal and professional life. She shared her transition from aspiring to be an astronaut to focusing on public policy and her current studies at Harvard Kennedy School. Marsh underscored the significance of passion, support from family and mentors, and the impact of diverse perspectives on leadership.   OUR FAVORITE QUOTES "Don't ask your people to do something that you are not willing to do yourself." - Second Lieutenant Madison Marsh "Your life is too short to live it for someone else or to do things that you are not passionate about." - Second Lieutenant Madison Marsh "I knew that if I put 100% into something I'm passionate about, the outcome and the impact that I'm gonna have is going to be far greater than forcing myself into this idea of who other people want me to be." - Second Lieutenant Madison Marsh "Leaning on people, whether it is your partner or a loved one, that is how you're going to succeed in life." - Second Lieutenant Madison Marsh "Being an empathetic leader, being a leader who goes by example. So don't ask your people to do something that you are not willing to do yourself." - 2nd Lieutenant Madison Marsh   SHARE THIS EPISODE FACEBOOK  |  LINKEDIN  |  INSTAGRAM     CHAPTERS 00:00:  Empathetic Leadership: The Foundation of Success 02:43:  Journey to the Air Force Academy: A Personal Story 11:33:  Overcoming Tragedy: The Power of Support 16:18:  Leadership Lessons from the Academy 28:31:  Navigating Career Changes: Finding Passion 45:02:  Key Takeaways: Empathy and Passion in Leadership     TAKEWAYS Embrace empathetic leadership - Truly understanding and supporting your team members, even when they are struggling, is crucial for effective leadership. Lead by example - As a leader, you should be willing to do anything you ask of your team and not ask them to do something you wouldn't do yourself. Follow your passions - Pursuing work and activities you are truly passionate about will lead to greater fulfillment and impact than forcing yourself into a path for others. Build a strong support network - Relying on partners, mentors, and loved ones can provide the encouragement and guidance needed to overcome challenges. Prioritize self-care - Taking time for your own mental, physical, and emotional well-being is essential to being an effective leader and avoiding burnout.     ABOUT MADISON Second Lieutenant Madison Marsh, crowned Miss America 2024, poses in a Colorado Air National Guard hanger on Buckley Space Force Base on August 7, 2024. Marsh embodies service in and out of uniform, proving that you can achieve your dreams and goals while serving in the United States Air Force.  Image Credit:  Ms. Miram Thurber, Air Force Recruiting Service Public Affairs 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh, USAFA class of '23, and Miss America 2024 is the first active-duty member of the military to hold the title.  She is also the first such title holder in 50 years for Colorado. She attained her private pilot license at the age of 16. She is a highly accomplished humanitarian, scholar and service member. After the loss of her mother in 2018 to pancreatic cancer, she established a foundation to raise funds for research to fight the disease. When she became a cadet, she excelled in her physics and astronomy studies, winning a Truman scholarship and is now pursuing her master's in public policy at Harvard Kennedy School.     CONNECT WITH MADISON Instagram:  @‌missamerica  |  @‌madiisabellaa     ABOUT LONG BLUE LEADERSHIP Long Blue Leadership drops every two weeks on Tuesdays and is available on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn + Alexa, Spotify and all your favorite podcast platforms. Search @AirForceGrads on your favorite social channels for Long Blue Leadership news and updates!          FULL TRANSCRIPT OUR SPEAKERS Guest, 2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  |  Host, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99 Naviere Walkewicz  00:22 My guest today is Second Lieutenant Madison Marsh, USAFA Class of 23 and newly crowned Miss America.  This is a first for an active-duty member of the military and one for the Colorado history books in that she is the first such title holder in 50 years for the Academy's home state. But there is much, much more to Lieutenant Marsh, including her attaining a private pilot's license at the age of 16. She is a highly accomplished humanitarian, scholar and service member. After the very difficult loss of her mother in 2018 to pancreatic cancer, she established a foundation to raise funds for research and to fight the disease. When she became a cadet, she excelled in physics and astronomy, earning a Truman Scholarship, and is now pursuing her Master's in Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School. We'll talk with Lieutenant Marsh about her most meaningful and impactful experiences at the Academy in research, athletics, leadership and character development. We'll discuss her speaker role at this year's National Character and Leadership Symposium, and ask how her new role as a national speaker and influencer informs her mission and message. And finally, we'll have the lieutenant share a few takeaways on leadership and character development with you, our listeners. Lieutenant Marsh, welcome to Long Blue Leadership. We're so glad to have you.   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  Thank you so much for having me. Naviere Walkewicz  Absolutely. And before we dive in, as we normally do, we'd love to know how things have been going since you've been crowned.   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  01:51 It has been very, very busy. I've been really lucky that the Air Force decided to keep me on active duty this year, because not only am I getting to serve in a uniform like this, but I'm also getting to serve in that crown and sash. And so, there's so many different experiences that I've gotten to have, whether it's a mixture of days that I'm going and promoting the military, or days that I'm doing a very different type of service. So I never know what I'm gonna' get every day that I wake up on the job. So it's been pretty cool.   Naviere Walkewicz  02:16 That is awesome. Can you share something that's really stuck out to you as just really memorable?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  02:21 So far, one of my favorite trips that we went on was Normandy for the D-Day anniversary, and I loved it because I had actually gone there last year, right after I commissioned with my fiancé, that was one of the first things we saw as officers. And now getting to go back with a year under my belt with a very different experience, I got to really see that history for like firsthand again. And I just think every time that I look at those headstones, it reminds me of what it means to put on our uniform, what our flag really means to me. And now being able to have that firsthand experience and sharing that with students across the nation, because I want people to understand what it means to serve every day, to hopefully invite people to come and join us and get excited about what service is.   Naviere Walkewicz  03:06 Oh, that's incredible. And, I mean, I think just to reiterate your commitment to service, and then to be able to see how you carry that message through history, I think is really powerful. Oh, that's amazing. I imagine that it's been a whirlwind, and you're looking forward to much more as well. Yes, does it feel like it's flown by?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  03:21 Yes, I feel, I think I have, like, four and a half months left. And I mean, every day I wake up and it's like three weeks later apparently.   Naviere Walkewicz  03:31 Well, I'm sure that to you it feels like it's flying by, but to everyone else it's a moment in time that they can really connect with you. So, your message is so powerful. We're glad that you're representing. Well, we'd love to dive into our podcast so our listeners can get to know you a little bit more and really experience leadership through your journey. So, we like to start by going into childhood. Okay, do you mind sharing a little bit about what you were like as young girl?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  03:55 Oh, let's see. I'd always loved science. Okay, so that was the big thing. I had wanted to be a paleontologist, a volcanologist. I wanted to be a scientist that lived with gorillas and studied them in the forest, which was…   Naviere Walkewicz  04:08 Was that inspired by a movie, or just…   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  04:10 I don't know where that even started from. I think I was like, that sounds cool. My parents were like, What is she talking about then? And then, kind of going more into junior high, I wanted to be a marine biologist, and because I went on submarine biology camp, that was what sparked my interest in space, so that I had a very big shift that brought me to wanting to be an astronaut, which is ultimately why I ended up at the Academy. So, there was all these little things of interest throughout science my whole life that now made me put on the uniform.   Naviere Walkewicz  04:42 So Wow, very long, weird journey to get there. Well, I'm sure it was an adventure for you and your family. Yes, are you an only child? Or do you have siblings?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  04:47 I'm one of five. So, we are a mixed family. I have three older half siblings and older brother Nick, older brother Chris, older sister Sarah. Then there's me and my younger sister, Heidi. So, big family.   Naviere Walkewicz  04:59 Yes, and they're all adventurous like you?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  05:01 I would say so. I think we're all very different, like my older brothers, they were the huge athletes in our high school. I was not as much of an athlete in high school like I still loved fitness and gym, but I was the band geek. I was the one that was on Quiz Bowl and Science Bowl. My brothers did not. They didn't have the same interest in high school but now they're loving, like, they work in the tech industry. My older sister works in the tech industry. So, I'd say all of my siblings, now that we're in our adulthood, are very focused on, like, all STEM careers. So, it's been cool.   Naviere Walkewicz  05:36 That is amazing. And I love that you mentioned, you know, being a band geek. And I think a lot of people wonder, “Can I, what does that look like down the road?” And just to embrace, I think, our passion? So, what did you play?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  05:46 So, I played clarinet and contrabass clarinet. So that's like the big six foot tall…   Naviere Walkewicz  05:52 Oh my goodness.   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  05:52 I was this tiny little kid in the ninth grade. Whenever I got to play contrabass, they have to put you on this really tall chair. And so, there's very hilarious videos of me that my family basically uses this blackmail of me playing that journey. I was so proud of it when I brought it home, my parents were like, oh, it's six feet tall. When I brought it home, they were like, “Why was Madison picked for this? She's gonna' be playing this in the house all day.” And it's this really deep, extremely loud noise. And they're like, “Okay, we thought we could deal with the clarinet, but this is, this is next level.”   Naviere Walkewicz  06:27 Well, I guess you know the good thing about that, it wasn't a drum set, right?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  06:30 That's true. There's grateful for that. Absolutely.   Naviere Walkewicz  06:34 Wow, so you all got involved in STEM. Do you have military members in your family as well that you knew? That's when you said astronaut and Air Force Academy that helped guide that for you or no?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  06:43 So my grandfather had served, but I had never met him. He passed away, I believe, either whenever I was like a newborn, or maybe a couple years prior, so that, I guess, didn't really influence my decision in the military. The biggest part of it was when I went to space camp in junior high, and I met a bunch of astronauts there. And so, after hearing story after story from them, and getting to go and do really cool experiments, like at space camp, you're building rockets, you're pretending to be an astronaut, like we did a mission to Mars where I got to be a botanist. And so, all of that really influenced my decision on how do I become an astronaut? And so, the story I kept hearing was all of them, for the most part, that I'd met were in the military. They were test pilots, they were fighter pilots. So, I started to figure out, how can I go down that path? Discovered the Air Force Academy and knew that was going to be one of the best places to getting a pilot slot, and even though I am not going down that astronaut path anymore because of those initial dreams and those aspirations that has opened up so many doors now for the rest of my career. So, it's been cool to see how it's evolved over time as I've grown up.   Naviere Walkewicz  07:46 Oh, that's amazing. And I think it's part of what you've learned in your journey is there's a bit of, like, flexibility and kind of, you know, learning along the way. So, it sounds like you did some of that even as a young girl. Okay, so how did you get into the Academy? You applied? Was it just kind of the typical application process? Did you talk to a lot of other cadets? I'm just curious what that looked like for you.   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  08:08 I think I don't know if I spoke to a ton of cadets at the beginning. I remember I used to watch on YouTube, like while I was getting ready for bed, I would watch videos of like the jump team, or different anything from the Academy. And I was like, that is where I need to be. And we have a cool thing at our school where they have an entire military day. It's like on a Saturday. So, they bring every branch. They have people that represent active duty, reserve, guard, all of the academies, enlisted officer, anything that you could think of. They have them set up all in our hallway. And I knew at that point that I wanted to go to the Academy. And so, what I did is I basically printed out all of my essays that I knew that people had had to submit in the past for the Academy. I did resumes. I came with my GPA, everything, and I walked right up to my congressman, and I handed it to him, and I said, I went to him, and I said, “I want to go to the Air Force Academy, and I want to be your nominee.” And I'm sure he was like, “Who's this?” So, I was very firm early on, and so we were able to start an incredible relationship with one another. And so, because I did that, I think that was maybe my junior year, early on in my junior year, when it came time my senior year, he fought for me all of the time to get my application in front of people, because I was his principal nominee, and we had a very, very special moment. So, he called me on October 31, and told me that I had gotten early acceptance to the Academy, and so I got to tell my mom, and the next morning, she passed away. So having an experience like that is… that's why the Academy and Congressman Womack are so special to me, because that was my dream for years, and my mom got to know before she passed away. And it's just everything happens at the right timing, and you never know until afterwards. And so now I get to be here. Now I get to wear the uniform, and even though she hasn't gotten to see it, she got to know about it. And just because of those first instances where I marched up to him and I said, like, “I want to be here.” I got to have experiences like that. And now I get to have wonderful experiences of now serving post Academy life.   Naviere Walkewicz  10:16 I think what you just shared was so powerful in multiple ways. I think the first way is, you know, really being clear and what you wanted to do and to not, you know, take a step back and accept anything, unless you walked right up to him and said, This is what I want to do. You establish yourself, I think, and then to have, I think, that moment where he did fight for you and before your mom passed, having that, I mean, I can't even… Just share thank you for sharing that with me.   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  10:45 He is also a huge part of all the scholarships and applications I've ever done. Anytime that I've ever needed someone to write me a recommendation letter. Congressman Womack has been one of the first people to do it. And I remember when I got the Truman Scholarship. I had asked them, like, what do I need to do for the because I was going to go and compete for the Rhodes and Marshall Scholarship the next year. And I was like, what were the strongest parts and what were the weakest parts of my application? And they said one of my strongest parts of my application, literally, was the letter that he wrote. They said that, like, you never get to see what they write, because they have to submit it to a portal. You're not allowed to look. And they were like, what he put in there, put everything like, pushed it far, far past the line. And I'll never know what he said, but I'm extremely grateful for him always believing in me. He actually had a really cool moment after I won Miss America this past year, he went on the floor of Congress and, like, read out all this stuff about what we had done together, being from his home district and growing up there, so it's been really cool to see how our relationship has evolved over time, because he has always supported he's such a big military promoter, and just getting to have that relationship and also use him as a mentor when times were tough at the Academy, being able to call him up and being like, I'm struggling. I know you helped me get in here, but I'm struggling right now. And he was always there to have an open mind to kind of guide me through, to make sure that I made it out at the end of the day.   Naviere Walkewicz  12:12 Wow. I think having those champions in life not only help us get through things, but help shape us that we will be champions for others in the future. Do you see that something that kind of was ingrained in you from that experience?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  12:22 Yes, I think, I mean, we were kind of talking about this earlier, about how I reflect on all of my experiences and look at the fact that I would have accomplished nothing without the people that had helped me, and I now want to be that person, even if it's only a little fraction in someone else's life to help them, because they recognize you don't go anywhere alone, you don't accomplish anything alone. And there have been countless mentors, teachers, family members, loved ones, that had poured into me, and now it's my turn to give that back to them.   Naviere Walkewicz  12:51 Amazing. So, you got into the Academy, it was a beautiful thing for you and your family, and while you were there, that's when you formed the foundation. Is that what I'm understanding from a timing perspective?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  13:03 So, I started the foundation my senior year of high school. So, my mom had passed away, and it was something that my family started literally two weeks afterwards, because watching my mom go through everything, I had recognized that we need to give something positive back to people. And a big part of just pancreatic cancer, is that educational aspect of making sure families around the nation know the signs, the warning, the warning signs, the symptoms. Because that was something that we had no clue with my mom. She was 41 years old when she was diagnosed and passed away. It was a very, very quick turnaround, and so we started it then, then I went off to the Academy. So that's something that I have fun doing on the side and learning a lot of leadership through that as well, because now we've expanded, and I lead about 20 volunteers from across the nation, and it is something that I have not done before, especially like virtually, since we have people all over. So that has been a very big learning lesson this past year, and now I'm getting to use all the cool stuff from the Academy to figure out how to lead people in and out of uniform, because that's something that has been a huge part of my life at the academy, was making sure we serve outside of this, because we have so much time. And I think at the Academy, you often feel like your life only exists inside of the black gates, but there's so much that you can do for people outside of that before you even put on the uniform every day.   Naviere Walkewicz  14:22 I think that's really powerful in sharing that because, you know, I think about your family, and first, I just want to thank you for sharing that difficult time. Because, you know, listeners, we have all different experiences in life, and you know, we all experience, at times, some kind of tragedy. And I think sharing how you found a way you and your family to work through that, and, like you said, kind of provide a perspective for others. You know, maybe if I could just touch on that, and we can, we can move forward while you're at the cadet, when you're a cadet. But can you just touch on, you know, how might you suggest someone find a way to get through some tragedy, maybe through a lens of leadership? Or if they're helping others that are experiencing tragedy.   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  15:03 I think there were two really big parts for me. One of them was knowing when to ask for help. That is something that I talk about in academics, and that is something that I also talk about in personal life, because I wouldn't have been able to make it through the Academy had I not received help. So, one of the things that I did whenever I went through basic like I tried to quit on the first day because I was really struggling with obviously, the Academy is difficult and grieving at the same time. So, one of the things that I did to ensure that I would stay was I started seeing a therapist up on the hill. I saw chaplains all the time. I continued that through most of my freshman year, well into covid when I got sent home in 2020 because I knew that there was no way I could be able to lead in the classroom, in uniform, be there for my friends if I couldn't help myself first. So that is the first big step. It is takes a lot of courage and strength to receive help, and I think that is something, a stigma,that we're all having to overcome and change the narrative surrounding the conversation of mental health, you are strong if you get help, and everyone around you is here to help you, and I think as a friend, also being inviting, being conscious of the types of conversations about when other people that you don't know are having to receive help. Because there were definitely times that people had said about me like, “Oh, Madison's just trying to get out of training,” or, you know, you hear things like that. And so I knew that when I became a sophomore, that whoever I was leading, the one freshman that I was going to be in charge of, I could always be a safe space for them and ensuring that anytime, if they needed to go see chaplain, no questions asked, I would be there to walk them to and from the chaplain, whatever anybody needed, because I understand that that sort of help can be life-saving, and we have to be able to invite those sorts of conversations in and allow people to receive the help that they need. And I think that kind of follows throughout the entire culture of your squadron or Air Force wide, and it starts with one person, one leader, being inviting and accepting of those that need help.   Naviere Walkewicz  17:02 That's so powerful, and I'm so glad that you shared that, because I do think sometimes people might think asking for help is weak, or if I just hide it, then no one knows. But I think you're right. Courage is asking for help and receiving it, and that one person like you said you champion someone else, they will do that. So, you just created this train effect of, you know, support, and I think that's really powerful. So, while you're a cadet, you know, you had amazing experiences, I'm sure. Let's talk about what leadership roles you had as a cadet, aside from being, I think, what do they call them now? So, when you are a three-degree and you have a four-degree, you're called like a coach. Okay, so could you talk about that role a little bit? So that's fairly newer…   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  17:45 Yes, it's pretty interesting. So, you go from being a freshman, which is very much so learning how to follow others, into you are assigned a freshman as soon as you hit your sophomore year. So, you'll have a cadet that has just come out of basic, and they're assigned to you, and that might be, I mean, that's many different things, like you're doing the obvious things like feedback with them, that's required. But it goes beyond that, if you make it so, because everything is a leadership opportunity Academy, if you pour into it so that could be, you know, meetings with them to check up, like, “Hey, how's school going?” Or if they're falling behind in school, like, “Let's create a plan to ensure that you pass your classes,” or, “Let's create a plan to ensure that you are going above and beyond and excelling in these areas.” You have those sorts of conversations with them, and I believe you are their protector against the upperclassmen, because obviously the freshmen, like the upperclassmen, duties are to be hard on them so that they become a better person at the end of their year. But as a sophomore, I had always taken as this is my person to protect and lead, because you're the closest first line supervisor to them. So that's how I took the position of if they needed help, if they had gotten in trouble, having those conversations with them to get them back on track, or maybe they're having some difficulty working with some upperclassmen to try to talk that through with them, to make sure our squadron was still meshing with one another. So that is the intention of the role. And you can go as little as just feedback with them, or you can do a lot. And then you also switch at the second semester, so you'll have a new freshman to lead on the back half of the year. Okay, it depends on the squadrons. Sometimes they strategically place you together, like, let's say a freshman said during basic, “I really struggle with academics,” and they knew that academics was my strong suit. We might get linked together so that they have someone that is guiding them, because they know they're going to struggle with that as soon as the school year starts. So, linking up people's weaknesses to their strengths is a big part of it.       Naviere Walkewicz  19:44 That makes sense. I'm glad you shared that, because I think, you know, not all of us are familiar with that, that kind of program now, and I think the term coach is really appropriate. You know, that actually makes sense, and it helps, actually, I think, inform how you can really, like you said, and embrace that role. And what I think is also a theme with you, Lieutenant Marsh, is, you know, you don't do anything just to do it. And you know you do it because you put your whole self into it. And so, while you're a cadet, maybe talk about what were some of the other things that you experienced from a leadership perspective, from peer leadership, because you know, you had the opportunity to help those you said, as you know, four-degree under you. But what about peers and up? Did you see any leadership you experienced in those realms?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  20:29 Gosh, there are so many leadership stories that I could touch on. I think one that really stands out in my mind was General Clark, who was our superintendent my time at the Academy. And I remember my sophomore year was covid gear, so we had right before recognition, or the night of recognition. My freshman year, we got sent home. I didn't return until the Fall semester. For my sophomore year, that semester was very tough because we were basically locked down. You couldn't leave. You couldn't really go see your family, and that sort of, you know, being contained in those black gates actually, literally, this time was very hard. And I remember there was a time period for at least five weeks when we were kind of stuck in your dorm, and it sucked, to say the least, but the thing that General Clark did was he was not going to ask us to do something as a leader that he was not willing to do himself. So instead of staying home with his family or going out, he came on base almost every night. He was bringing us food from Chick Fil A, Crumbl Cookie, anything that you could think of. He was doing all the cadet things like the, oh my gosh, what's it called when you pour the water?   Naviere Walkewicz  21:38 Oh my gosh, the carrier land, carrier landing, carrier landings, with cadets.   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  21:45 That was fantastic. I mean, awesome. And then there was a night, I believe, that he set up a cot in a spare room and stayed over with the cadets. And it's leadership like that that had shown me, don't ask your people to do something that you are not willing to do. There's going to be times that are extremely tough, and I'm excited to be in an opportunity where I get to lead more people after this year's Miss America, and after I finish up my degree is it situations like that where you can make such an impact and show that as a leader, you are not better than the people that you are leading. You are right there, going with it, alongside them. And General Clark showed that to us from day one, and he is a leader I'm always going to remember and look up to and that was just one of the many stories that he showed that to us.   Naviere Walkewicz  22:25 And it sounds like that, leading by example is something that you also carry with you in your style and how you want to be seen as a leader. Yes, yes. I think that's wonderful. Let's talk a little bit about you know, you said that you've always enjoyed academics and stem so at the Academy, I understand there's an Academic Success Center. Can you talk a little bit about that? Because that's not something I'm as familiar with.   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  22:48 So, under the Academic Success Center, there are, I believe, two portions of it. So, there's the Quantitative Reasoning Center and the Public Speaking Lab. And I used those all the time, sometimes daily for all four years at the Academy. So, the Quantitative Reasoning Center, they also have a writing lab underneath that, which I also used. So, they will help you with anything from uh, calc one problems to maybe engineering, or maybe you need help writing an essay, or you're not understanding your English class, or you need to help, like prep for public speaking, whatever it might be. So, I went down there all the time because my biggest thing is asking for help early and often. These are free resources that they provide.   Naviere Walkewicz  23:32 Does every cadet from E.I., from extra instruction? Or is it part of is extra instruction with your… it's kind of the same?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  23:37 Okay, so E.I. is with your instructor. Specifically, this is like a place down underneath the comms tower, where it's an entire wing, where people just sit there all day, and you go online and you make an appointment with them for 30 minutes, and they will be assigned to you to go through your essay with you. Or, “I really cannot get this problem on my assignment. Can you help me with it?” So, if your teacher isn't available, you can go there. It is incredible, because if you are falling behind, there's no reason you can't go to the Academic Success Center, because they have people that stay, I think, until like, eight o'clock at night. And they start, I want to, I mean, I it depends on the people, but I know that some of them started like earlier in the school day, like you could go at noon. So, let's say you have an off period, and you're an IC so you can't go after school. You could go during the day if you have time, or even later that night. So, there's so many opportunities to receive help, and I knew that if I was gonna' go be a Truman Scholar or try to go to grad school, I needed to go 110% in all of my classes, and I couldn't do by myself. I'm not some genius guru who just understood everything. That was not how I was as a student, I did well because I got help from people that knew a lot more than me, and I tried to learn from them, and especially in English classes and history, writing is not my most favorite thing. Yeah, so I had people that did love writing that helped me, and then I think the public speaking lab is also one that is an underutilized resource for cadets. I hear a lot of people that go and use the QRC, but never the Public Speaking Lab. So I used the PSL for anything from pageant prep, whether they were watching my talent or we were going through 100 different political questions and they were grilling me on them, or I'm preparing for a scholarship interview, and how are they going to grill me on my entire life, or my stances on particular things, or my plans, anything that you could think of. They're there for a speech for your class or a presentation for a class. If you struggle with being in front of an audience, they are there to help you, and it's free. And I can tell you right now, I cannot think of many other colleges that have resources like we do, and I remember my dad telling me as a freshman, when I had told him about the Academic Success Center, he was like, “You better be going there every single day, because I can guarantee your older siblings did not have that type of opportunity,” because we have such a small environment compared to some of these big schools across the US. You get really close with your teachers, and you have the opportunity to get really close to all the people at the Academic Success Center. And that is how you go far at the Academy, and you do well. So every Cadet needs to visit there, at least at one point, because I know everyone is not strong in every area.   Naviere Walkewicz  26:21 Well, guess what I'm going to be telling my sons about, if you haven't, and it's for all classes. All classes, excellent. And I can assure all of our listeners, as you can also hear and see yourself, that the PSL, the public speaking lab, has been phenomenal for you.   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  26:37 I love it because I think public speaking is such an important part of being an officer, being able to get up and be in a crowd briefing to very important people, those skills that you learn as a cadet are going to carry with you for the rest of your career. So, start on them early and often, so you're not freaked out the first time you're on active duty and someone very important walks in the room and you're having to talk to them.   Naviere Walkewicz  26:59 Exactly, exactly the low threat.   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  27:00 Get over with the low threat stuff. Now, in the safe spaces, we always talk about safe spaces.   Naviere Walkewicz  27:02 I love that. So, let's talk about life after the Academy. Well before we go there, when you were getting your career drops and all of that, what was, what were you hoping for? We shifted from astronauts, so where did, where did you go?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  27:19 So, I actually ended up being awarded pilot as my AFSE. But one of the things that I had kind of recognized my senior year was that I was not passionate about going the astronaut route anymore, which meant I didn't want to go to grad school for physics, and I really wanted to focus more on policy and pancreatic cancer, which is why I ended up at the Harvard Kennedy School. So, I made the decision over this last year to not go to pilot training anymore, because I've recognized this entire job as Miss America, there are so many opportunities and jobs in the Air Force to do your job well. And I knew that I was not 100% passionate about the pilot career path anymore, but I could be 100% passionate about something else in the Air Force, which is going to make me do so much better at that job for the people around me. So, I'm changing my job now, and I'm very excited about it. My fiancé is still going to UPT right now, and I love getting to support him and watching that, and now moving into this new phase of my life where I'm going to get to experience another job in the Air Force.   Naviere Walkewicz  28:19 So, we have listeners that, you know, find themselves in a path, and they feel, “I might, be stuck here.” Now, talk a little bit about making that decision, and how can you encourage others? I think the key word you used is, “I can do more because I'm passionate about something,” but maybe talk our listeners through how you felt this was the right decision, and at that time.   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  28:41 I did not come to it overnight, that is for sure. I think it took me probably two and a half years to really, finally be comfortable with it. And I think a thing that I struggled with was fear of people judging me because I was stepping away from this big dream of becoming an astronaut, which I can tell everyone right now, nobody cared whenever I stopped doing that, and that was something I was so fearful of. I thought everyone was going to be like, “Oh, she's not doing this big thing anymore. She's not going to do anything.” And that is not what happened when I started. I remember being in scholarship interviews, and one of the things that I'd received in feedback was it sounds like you're just being robotic, talking about this plan to becoming an astronaut, but when I hear you talk about pancreatic cancer, you light up, and those are the best points in your interview. And so, then that made me think. I was like, “Oh, okay, that's kind of odd that they say that I probably should think about that more,” because I thought I was really passionate about this, and my fiancé had kind of sat me down and was like, “We should, like, discuss this. Like, if you're really having second thoughts about it, because you shouldn't be forcing yourself into a career path to make other people happy.” And I remember my dad had called me after this conversation that kind of started, and he was like, “Listen, just because you told your mom you wanted to go astronaut doesn't mean that you need to do it to, like, fulfill the thing that you told her you were going to do.” He's like, “Your mom and everyone else does not care what career you end up in. All they care about is that you're doing something that makes you happy.” And through the loss of my mom, I had recognized every life is very short. Do not waste it on things you don't care about. Do not waste it on things you're not passionate about, because you're not going to do good at them. Like that's just not that's just not how you work. That's not how I work. I know that if I put 100% into something I'm passionate about, the outcome and the impact that I'm gonna' have is going to be far greater than forcing myself into this idea of who other people want me to be, and that's why I ultimately made that change. And there were a lot of tears at first. There was a lot of second guessing, and I don't think it was really until this January, after I had started, I started interviewing a lot of people on different career paths, like I had spoken to a lot of pilots and asking them what their life was like. And it wasn't until I had interviewed them and also people that are in this profession that I thought I could be really passionate about. That's what really put it over the edge. And I felt very comfortable then with my decision of I am okay, walking away from this old dream because it's no longer my current one, and that's okay. Everyone grows up, everything changes, and that's life, and accept that. And I think because I went 110% on this astronaut path, it opened up the doors to do anything else afterwards. Just because I went down this path for eight years does not mean that I was stuck in it. Since I had worked so hard, I had opened up every single opportunity, like going to Harvard, that has now changed the trajectory of my career and my life.   Naviere Walkewicz  31:38 So, Lieutenant Marsh, I have to just say, even sitting here in the room, I'm inspired. I know our listeners are feeling this as well. Talk about how going to Harvard, Kennedy School. What is your vision for how this will impact and where it will take your foundation, or what does this look like to you after?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  31:56 I think a really cool thing about the fact that the Academy will send you right to grad school afterwards, is because you have so many opportunities to learn from people that are not military and a very different leadership orientation than we might have ever experienced at USAFA or in just the general Air Force. And that's been really cool. I mean, going to Harvard, we are a very small minority of military members that are there, and I'm getting to meet people from all across the globe. Over 60% of our program are international students, really, which is fascinating. Yeah, I'm getting to learn so much about their countries, their government, which I think is extremely applicable to the way that we work in the Air Force, because we are going to be having to work with a lot of these countries, and now I'm getting a deeper understanding of their perspective, their perspective on leadership, so I think that'll be really cool to see how it's going to impact my Air Force career. But my favorite part of it is the fact that it's allowed me to be really flexible, and what I focus on in public policy, my biggest thing has been pancreatic cancer. So how can I take my experience with the loss of my mom and my understanding of medicine and science now put into policy to ensure patients are receiving the best care so they are not going through what my mom went through? And another cool experience that this reminds me of is how I was talking about astronaut to now pancreatic cancer, because I went down physics instead of having to do a conventional physics project my senior year, because I went so hard in that major I was then able to do an artificial intelligence research on pancreatic cancer, wow, and apply like medical scans X-rays to the way that we detect pancreatic cancer in patients. So, it's little things like that that have opened up doors, and now I've gotten to take that research from the Academy, put that into what I'm studying at Harvard. So just so many different ways that you can apply, reapply and change across your life. So that's I'll be excited to see where I get to use it, I think, way down the road, whether I'm in the Air Force or not being able to serve my community with that degree in the leadership that I'm getting to learn there.   Naviere Walkewicz  34:04 I can't wait to see what you have, I mean, just in the short amount of time, the impact and drive that you have. I mean, it's kind of it blows us away. So, it's really impressive. I wanted to go back to something you mentioned about the different perspectives from the other you know, cultures and countries, especially on leadership. Was there anything particular that you took away or that surprised you, or that kind of resonated with you from some of the people you've met?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  34:29 Gosh, there are just so many times, I think one of the things that I love doing was just, I love picking people's brains. Yes, so we had, like, a house about 30 minutes away from Harvard, and what I would do, or try to do, at least once a month, is we'd have everyone bring their food from their country, and we'd have a huge spread, and everyone would just sit down and talk about their lives. And there was this one girl named Paulina that I was good friends with, and she was from Israel, and so getting to hear her perspective, because they have a very different way of military service, because it is, I think it's required for them after they turn 18. And her perspective on why that is important to their country, and comparing it now to how the US is most like, is volunteer based, and the differences in that. And so, I think that was really cool to hear from her, because it's very different than what we do here. And I mean, there are just so many students. One of them, he was a student that had lived in China almost his whole life. I think he left when he was 14 or 16 for school or work, ended up living in Canada for a long time, and now was back in the US and hearing his entire family's take on covid or military operations or their actual thoughts on America was very different, because it is not what you get to hear every day in mainstream media, because it's someone that actually lived there. So, it was every moment that you get to have there is very fascinating if you're asking the right questions and talking to the right people…   Naviere Walkewicz  35:57 Especially if you're open to listening.  I have to ask, what did you bring for your food dish?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  36:01 I made a, what was it, green chili chicken soup.   Naviere Walkewicz  36:08 Of that sounds yummy.   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  36:09 Yes. I like a little spicy soup. But it was nice. I was very full that night. I think I have a whole spread of like a table that was 10 feet long, just covered in everyone.   Naviere Walkewicz  36:19 Oh, my goodness. Well, I'm a foodie myself, so I can appreciate that, and I would have probably partaken a little bit of everything too. So, we'd like to know, what do you your time is so busy? What do you do to what I would call like, manage your health, your balance in life? What does that look like for you?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  36:36 I was really terrible at it my freshman year at the Academy, and so I had to learn very fast to make sure I was on the right track. So, freshman year, I was struggling with grief. Obviously, the Academy is very busy, and I gave zero time back to myself ever. It was, I would get up at 6am and I was studying until midnight, and that's what I did every day. I never took Saturdays or Sundays off. I'd just go, go, go. And I think that took a very big toll on my mental health, my social life. And it wasn't until my fiancé Walker was like, “You are going to leave this place and throw up your hat and you're going to have no memories outside of your textbooks.” And I was like, “That is a terrifying thought, because you're totally right. You're 100% right. I have not poured into any of the other outside opportunities.”, and so I started doing very small things, like reading 10 pages of a book every night. That is what I forced myself to start doing sophomore year that slowly grew into, and not a textbook, not a textbook, a fun book that slowly started growing into going to the gym, making sure I have a full Saturday off to be with my friends and family, and so now that I'm having this very busy schedule, I do the same thing. I carry this very large planner around in my bag that goes down to 30 minutes, and I'm planning out every single part of my day. So, if I need to plan when I'm calling my family that goes on there, if I'm planning times to go to the gym that's on there, reading a book, anything that you could think of. That is how I stay replenished mentally. Because I know if I can't be giving that time back to myself, I can't go out and meet people and travel all the time, because everyone has their limits, and I've really had to figure out where mine are over the past couple of years and be very strict with myself to ensure that I don't pass them.   Naviere Walkewicz  38:20 I love that because you can't pour from an empty cup. What's the most recent fun thing you've read?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  38:28 Okay, it's this book called Quitting a Life Strategy, and it is about basically the entire social dynamic on why we look down upon people that quit things, and why that is wrong, and it just meant a lot to me after changing career paths and recognizing that quitting is not a bad word, it's not a negative word. It is a redirection in your life, and it applies to relationships, friendships, jobs, volunteer opportunities, whatever it might be. And it was all of these anecdotes about people that had hated their job and had decided to make a change and are now doing something drastically different and are exponentially more happy, and it just made me feel very certain about the path that I was on, and also more empathetic to people outside of never judging people because they're leaving a certain situation of thinking, the only person that really knows what they're going through is them. And at the end of the day, someone else's life and their decisions don't impact you, so support them. There's no reason to be negative revolving around someone else's life or your own. Just allow people to live life, do their own things. And that is exactly what that book exemplified for me.   Naviere Walkewicz  39:40 I love that. In fact, you make me want to read that.   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  39:43 It's great title again, Quitting a Life Strategy.   Naviere Walkewicz  39:46 I love that. Thank you for sharing that. Yeah, so Lieutenant Marsh, one of the things that our listeners love to know, and you obviously have many talents, because you have competed in in them as well for Miss America, but what's something hidden? Or maybe something special about you that you'd be willing to share with some of our listeners?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  40:07 Oh geez. I don't know if I have, like, a hidden talent, per se. Okay, I will, okay, this is funny. Going back to the band thing earlier, okay, every time I'm home on holiday, I break out my clarinet and I try to relearn the music and play, and it really irritates my entire family, because I'm not good anymore. I'm not good anymore at all, and they're all like someone take that away from her right now. And this last time I tried playing flute for a little bit, I did not catch on to it as easily as clarinet, and I was home for Christmas, or maybe it was some other time with my fiancé and me, and he had the flu, and I had the clarinet, we were walking around the house playing it together, and they were like, “We have to deal with two of them now, instead of just one.”   Naviere Walkewicz  40:48 I love so, that's fantastic. Thank you for sharing this. And I think what's so great, some of the things that you've shared throughout this, well, one, they've been golden. I mean, just amazing leadership lessons. But I think one of the things that has been really special is you talk about your fiancé and that support you've had with him. Maybe just share with our listeners the importance of having kind of a partner or a support network. What did that what does that look like for you? You seem like you lean on him. Does he lean on you? Or is it able to be shared?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  41:18 Yes, he is. I mean, I would not be able to do this year's Miss America, or really anything without his support, because if you can imagine, I'm traveling all the time, he's going through UPT and is extremely busy. And it's because of our dedication to each other that we're able to come back at the end of each day, calling each other, making life plans, being honest about how we're feeling. And I think that honesty and the ability to lean on each other makes it so much easier to get through everything. And I remember like I talked about earlier my freshman year, I tried to leave multiple times. I tried to leave on the first day basic, my dad told me, “You can quit, but you can't come home to our house.” So I stayed. I wanted to leave after basic, and I decided to stick it out my freshman year. And it wasn't until that Spring semester freshman year, where I had found people like walker or Dr. Anderson or different professors and mentors that I had had that made me want to stay and like I said earlier, you don't go anywhere alone, or at least, you don't go far by yourself. And so, leaning on people, whether it is your partner or a loved one, that is how you're going to succeed in life, and I've had to learn heavily on how can I be there for these people when I'm at 100% because there are definitely days when I'm at home, maybe I'm not traveling as much for Miss America in the Air Force. And Walker had just the worst, most difficult, long week, like he's having this week, lots of tests, lots of Sims, and I get to be there for him, to support him at the end of it. And it's that give and take and understanding that, above all else, we are number one to each other, and that's something that we talk about it a lot, especially when it comes to career planning. For me, our number one is ensuring that we get to be together. Everything else is secondary, because I know I can't go 100% in my job if I don't have my partner there with me, and he feels the same, and so trying to plan life out in a way that always puts us as the priority no matter what. So, he's been very special. And I think you can also get that outside of a partnership, whether that is someone that is your mentor or a family member or a friend, right?   Naviere Walkewicz  43:20 I think that was a key kind of takeaway that you shared there about first making sure you know what your priorities are, and then staying true to them. So, Lieutenant Marsh, there's two more things we have in this one, and I'll give you a little precursor: I'm going to ask you if there's anything that we didn't talk about there. I didn't ask you that you want to make sure that our listeners have a chance to hear and then the second thing is, we're gonna' have kind of those, those few key takeaways that you really want them to kind of indulge in from your perspective. So maybe with the first one, is there anything I didn't ask you that you wanted to chat about today?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  43:54 I feel like this is gonna' go into the leadership piece of it. And I just think it is so important to be an empathetic leader, kind of tying back into the mental health I had heard a story once about someone who had someone underneath them that they were leading, and they kept saying that, “Oh, this person's getting in trouble. They're not showing up to meetings. They just don't care. They are just a bad Airman.” When their supervisor had actually sat down and spoken to them, they had actually admitted that they were struggling a lot with depression and needed help, and it takes one person to sit down and have that very like quick conversation of just asking how people are every day and being genuine about it that could change someone's life, and ensuring that you know there are probably going to be people that you're going to lead, that are going to mess up, but be there for them, lead them, be empathetic and make sure that your people are okay. That is your duty as a leader, and that is something from that story I had learned, and now I have to take through the rest of my career to be cognizant of what my people are going through. Maybe they're struggling something with their family. Maybe they're struggling. With something personally, maybe like me, they need help figuring out their rest of their life and their career, and it's just things like that where you can make such an impact on people if you make the time to have those conversations with them, and that is being an empathetic leader, above all else, can really help your people go far, because if you're not focusing on them, they're not going to feel attached to the work that you all do together. But if you can be unified and stick up for one another, you can do so, so much more.   Naviere Walkewicz  45:29 Oh man, it's always about the people, right? It's always and I think what you said was really key, and that was asking the question, versus either, you know, just kind of going in and directing, but being really open to listen so well. So now, Lieutenant Marsh, because I know everyone is hanging on to hear what you might leave them with, what really is, what guides you in leadership, and what are the few things that you'd like our listeners to kind of take away?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  46:15 I would say, going back to earlier, being an empathetic leader, being a leader who goes by example. So don't ask your people to do something that you are not willing to do yourself. And I think those are the two biggest things that I look for. And I've gained at the Academy and now post Academy life, because I'm always looking for things in leadership that I want to take away and things that I don't. And those are the two biggest things that I want to carry in my little toolbox for the rest of my career. And another important personal piece, whether it applies to your job, personal life, family life, whatever it might be, is always doing something that you love. Your life is too short to live it for someone else or to do things that you are not passionate about. If you are passionate, you're going to go so much further and you're going to be happy. That is the only thing that you can really take away from life, is the happiness that one you provided yourself and you can give to other people, and you can only do that if you're doing work that is worthwhile to you. So keeping that in mind, no matter the strife that you might go through or potential changes that you're going to go through in your career and your life, is holding that near and dear to your heart.   Naviere Walkewicz  47:21 So, this has been an absolute pleasure to just spend this time with you. Lieutenant Marsh, I have to ask, as a graduate and the graduate community, you know, I've enjoyed listening to your story, what can we do to continue to support you?   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  47:34 I think the biggest thing that all AOG can do and long blue line is really just being there for the cadets, because it is conversations like this, opportunities to talk on a podcast like this that maybe cadets can listen to, or being mentors for them. That's what helps them get through it, and that's how we create great leaders, is by pouring back into our community where we came from. I know we talked about that earlier off camera. That's the biggest thing for me, looking at the people that gave back to me, and now that I'm a grad, just loving to be a part of this, to give back to the people that are now coming up and are going to be following behind us.   Naviere Walkewicz  48:07 Thank you for being such an outstanding I think, leader, influencer, and we can't wait to share in this journey with you.   2nd Lt. Madison Marsh '23  Thank you.   Naviere Walkewicz  Thanks for your time.   KEYWORDS People, cadet, Academy, leadership, pancreatic cancer, freshman, Academic Success Center, astronaut, family, sharing, empathy, empathetic, experience, lieutenant, cool, listeners, Marsh, passionate, learn           The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association and Foundation      

In our last episode we introduced you to Brigadier-General Andy Clark, the Commanding General of the NATO ISR Force, which is headquartered in Sigonella, Sicily.We spoke about the formation and makeup of the NATO ISR Force, which as one would understand with an active war in Europe, is experiencing tasking demand that is greater today than ever before.In this episode we continue our exclusive chat with General Clark as we speak about the NATO ISR Force and its RQ-4D Phoenix high-altitude long endurance uninhabited aerial vehicle, and its Synthetic Aperture Radar and Moving Target Indicator technology.We talk about how the autonomous aircraft is operated and how it is tasked. We also discuss synergy with similar aircraft operated by the United States Air Force and the United States Navy.We also talk about training, and the future of the NATO ISR Force, and we get some insight on what the General is thinking for the future of the capability that he is focused on.The two episodes with General Clark are arguably some of the most detailed and insightful perspectives you will find on the NATO ISR Force, so we hope you enjoy these conversations and we hope you will come away with a true appreciation for the organization, its capabilities, and a sense of what the future may hold. I want to thank Brigadier-General Clark for his time, kindness and insight. Go Bold!

In keeping with our focus to bring you senior military leaders from Allied Forces, we are very proud to welcome to this episode, Brigadier-General Andy Clark, a United States Air Force General who is currently serving as the Commanding General of the NATO ISR Force (NISRF).(ISR = Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance).Having General Clark as a guest is a true honor as I've found him to be a wonderfully personable leader who is forthright and passionate in his remit.My exclusive chat with General Clark spanned two wide ranging conversations, so in this episode you'll hear a bit about his operational history, but the majority of our chat focuses on NATO's ISR Force, which some may remember by its previous name of the NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance Force.The NATO ISR Force currently has 25 member nations active in the organization, and it operates a fleet of five RQ-4D Phoenix high-altitude long endurance uninhabited aerial system aircraft. These aircraft are fitted with a Synthetic Aperture Radar, and Moving Target Indicator technology. The ISR information that these platforms collect, along with other contributions, are processed and made available to all 32 member nations of the NATO Alliance.I'm particularly honored to have the privilege to speak with General Clark as 2024 marks the 75 Anniversary for NATO, which arguably has a renewed focus on defence of the Alliance in light of Russia's illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine. Since that time, NATO's ISR Force has become increasingly important in generating ISR data for the Alliance.You'll hear all about that and much more in this episode and in the next as there are many aspects about NATO's ISR Force that we discussed.These episodes are incredibly informative so I want to thank Brigadier-General Clark for his time, kindness and insight.Go Bold!

Larry Huynh is a Partner and founder of Trilogy Interactive, a trailblazing digital political firm. His path to politics is anything but typical...his family coming to the U.S. as refugees after the Vietnam War, his academic background in biochemistry, and early career in the finance sector. In this conversation, Larry talks his unconventional route to working in politics, the 2004 campaign that changed his trajectory, early days of the political internet, plus some of his favorite case studies, best practices, and thoughts on digital trends that have the potential to change politics. IN THIS EPISODEHow Larry's family had to flee Vietnam after the fall of Saigon...Growing up a Texan in a low-income family in Houston...Larry talks his pre-political interest in biochemistry and work in the financial sector...The 2004 movement to Draft General Wes Clark into the presidential race pulls Larry into politics...Memories of meeting General Clark the first time and the 2004 Clark campaign...What contributed to the massive spike of online fundraising in the 2004 presidential campaign...Larry starts one of the first digital political firms after the 2004 elections...How Barbara Boxer's approach to Senate hearings blazed a path for effective use of digital political tools...Larry on current trends in digital politics...Larry talks studies his firm has done to better utilize AI...Larry's perspective on the right type of people who should pursue a career in digital politics...Larry talks his role as President of the AAPC and smart ways to utilize the organization...AND alchemy, Bank of America, Stacey Bashara, best laid plans, Brent Blackaby, Blackrock, Doug Boxer, Howard Dean, Fort Chaffee, genetically-modified seeds, hard science, Jeff Hauser, jacked-up arms, Paul Johnson, Rose Kapolczynski, John Kerry, kill lists, Blanche Lincoln, Terry McAuliffe, John McCain, Jason McIntosh, Katie Merrill, Monsanto, MoveOn, Eli Pariser, Condaleeza Rice, Diana Rogal, Josh Ross, Randy Stearns, vice principals, windowless rooms....& more!

Dr. Chaps reports, and the 3-star General Superintendent of the Air Force Academy, Richard Clark '85, sent emails redacted here and here defying a Supreme Court ruling against racial quotas, instead pleading to keep enforcing admissions preference based on skin color. Are you ready to take action and keep the content of another's character as what matters? The U.S. Naval Academy is teaching transgender classes ‘beyond the opposition feminine/masculine, beyond homosexuality and heterosexuality.' Are you ready to spread the gospel? Returning guest Rod Laughlin has important resources for your church. Learn about Gospel Giving Sunday. Get free alerts at http://PrayInJesusName.org © 2024, Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, PhD. Airs on NRB TV, Direct TV Ch.378, Roku, AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, AndroidTV, GoogleTV, Smart TV, iTunes and www.PrayInJesusName.org

This year's priority lobbying project for LR Lobbying is the Adam DeRito legislation. Adam has been on my show many times, his case involves falsification of military medical records. Follow us on our journey to lobby Congress on legislation that would make it illegal to add arbitrary diagnoses to medical records. Adam DeRito is scheduled to meet with several congressional offices Adam DeRito is scheduled to meet with several congressional offices Washington D.C. this September to discuss the retaliation in this case, and to have his case finally adjudicated by the Secretary of the Air Force. Adam will also be filing another AFBCMR Appeal to counter General Clark's claims of "misconduct" with the new evidence provided demonstrating Unlawful Command Influence, and not following Cadet Disciplinary Procedures or Air Force Instructions concerning the removal of an authorized uniform device. -From - https://www.adamderito.com/This 

The House National Defense Authorization Act prohibits military funding for transgender operations and abortions. Congressman Stumps Air Force General With Demigender And Agender Questions. Is Critical Race Theory being promoted at the Air Force Academy? Get free alerts at http://PrayInJesusName.org © 2023, Chaplain Gordon James Klingenschmitt, PhD. Airs on NRB TV, Direct TV Ch.378, Roku, AppleTV, Amazon FireTV, AndroidTV, GoogleTV, Smart TV, iTunes and www.PrayInJesusName.org

On this channel, we spend most of our time focusing on the macroeconomic picture. But the economy doesn't exist in a vacuum. It's influenced and impacted by innumerable forces, with perhaps the strongest being geopolitics -- how nations set monetary, financial and trade policy & how they apply and revise these policies when cooperating and competing with one another. Lately the geopolitical landscape has become more fractured -- the redrawing of global trade in the wake of the war in the Ukraine as one key example. And the rising tension between the USA and China over Taiwan is another. What implications will result fro, these geopolitical changes over the coming years? To find out, we're fortunate to be joined by a true expert, General Wesley Clark, who served as Supreme Allied Commander of NATO in Europe during the late '90s, ran for President in the Aughts, and today consults with private and public companies around the world on energy, security & financial services. Full disclosure: General Clark sits on the Advisory Board of the parent company of Wealthion. ************************************************* At Wealthion, we show you how to protect and build your wealth by learning from the world's top experts on finance and money. Each week we add new videos that provide you with access to the foremost specialists in investing, economics, the stock market, real estate and personal finance. We offer exceptional interviews and explainer videos that dive deep into the trends driving today's markets, the economy, and your own net worth. We give you strategies for financial security, practical answers to questions like “how to grow my investments?”, and effective solutions for wealth building tailored to 'regular' investors just like you. There's no doubt that it's a very challenging time right now for the average investor. Above and beyond the recent economic impacts of COVID, the new era of record low interest rates, runaway US debt and US deficits, and trillions of dollars in monetary and fiscal stimulus stimulus has changed the rules of investing by dangerously distorting the Dow index, the S&P 500, and nearly all other asset prices. Can prices keep rising, or is there a painful reckoning ahead? Let us help you prepare your portfolio just in case the future brings one or more of the following: inflation, deflation, a bull market, a bear market, a market correction, a stock market crash, a real estate bubble, a real estate crash, an economic boom, a recession, a depression, or another global financial crisis. Put the wisdom from the money & markets experts we feature on Wealthion into action by scheduling a free consultation with Wealthion's endorsed financial advisors, who will work with you to determine the right next steps for you to take in building your wealth. SCHEDULE YOUR FREE WEALTH CONSULTATION with Wealthion's endorsed financial advisors here: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.wealthion.com/⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKMeK-HGHfUFFArZ91rzv5A?sub_confirmation=1⁠⁠⁠ Follow Adam on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/menlobear⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/Wealthion-109680281218040⁠⁠⁠ #china #russia #ukraine ************************************************* IMPORTANT NOTE: The information and opinions offered in this video by Wealthion or its interview guests are for educational purposes ONLY and should NOT be construed as personal financial advice. We strongly recommend that any potential decisions and actions you may take in your investment portfolio be conducted under the guidance and supervision of a quality professional financial advisor in good standing with the securities industry. When it comes to investing, past performance is no guarantee of future results. Any historical returns, expected returns, or probability projections may not reflect actual future performance. All investments involve risk and may result in partial or total loss.

We continue our WWII podcast series and discuss the events of the first half of 1944. How did American strategy in bombing runs change in 1944 and was it effective? What happened at Monte Cassino? What was the battle of Anzio? How effective are stranded whales in the military? What did General Clark order and why was it one of the most controversial orders of WWII? What was the Soviet's military doctrine and how does it relate to today? How did the Allied forces distract Germany prior to D-Day? What happened to Allied tanks at Omaha Beach on D-Day? What is Operation Ichi-Go? What was happening in China in 1944?

I don't often get to question military leaders, either current or former. My track record isn't great. Consider the last time I spoke with General Wesley Clark. It was June of 2014. I was guest hosting the Randi Rhodes Show, and ISIS was gaining ground in Iraq, and it looked like we were going back in. So I asked the logical questions, and his responses shocked me. I let him know. Needless to say, it didn't end well! (Hear it for yourself if you're interested (it's posted at https://nicolesandler.com/5-20-21/). Well, today, I try again. Not with General Clark, but with Admiral James Stavidris. I've seen him over the years on NBC and MSNBC, and he has a new book out, "To Risk It All: Nine Conflicts and the Crucible of Decision"...It's about making tough decisions while under fire, in the heat of the moment. I asked him about that with regards to the commander in charge of the school police in Uvalde, Texas, and the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan. As he served for a while as NATO Supreme Commander, I asked about NATO, along with Ukraine and Russia. And I asked him about an issue that's been hanging out there since the start of the war in Iraq, about possible lack of transparency when former military appears on TV as military experts without disclosing who they're working for, usually in the military industrial complex... As usual, we'll begin with a look at all that's happened since we last spoke on Friday...

https://mailchi.mp/prayinjesusname/academy-cadet-may-be-fired-monday-for-religious-beliefs-day-192137 Call to 719 333 4141 Office of Lt General Richard Clark asking for him to ""Keep your pledge to 'absolutely' defend religious freedom for the cadet who refused the vaccine." Promise was made in front of 500 witnesses to Chaplain (ret) Gordon "Chaps" Klingenschmitt at a reunion gathering for graduates from the class of 19190. Chaps graduated in 1991 and attended the event.

https://mailchi.mp/prayinjesusname/academy-cadet-may-be-fired-monday-for-religious-beliefs-day-192137 Call to 719 333 4141 Office of Lt General Richard Clark asking for him to ""Keep your pledge to 'absolutely' defend religious freedom for the cadet who refused the vaccine." Promise was made in front of 500 witnesses to Chaplain (ret) Gordon "Chaps" Klingenschmitt at a reunion gathering for graduates from the class of 19190. Chaps graduated in 1991 and attended the event.

Jamie is joined by General Clark to discuss the current crisis in Ukraine. General Clark served 38 years in the army as a Four Star General, Nato Supreme Allied Commander, and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Ep 269 | Aired 11/5/2021 Did you know November is Military Month? We at Flag and Banner know it, and chose to celebrate on Up In Your Business with Kerry McCoy by playing an earlier interview with one of Arkansas's favorite sons, the highly decorated, four-star General Wesley Clark. I will always be grateful to General Clark when, in 2017, he lent his star power to my new radio show. In KABF's non-profit radio station, with our first-generation equipment, we recorded our interview live with an amateur technician at the board. The energy was raw and the stories he told were harrowing. I especially remember General Clark talking about the special bond between servicemen, about how he was almost mortally wounded on the battlefield, and why he thinks public service should be a requirement for all young adults.

In episode 3 of the Unpilled Podcast, Kashif is joined by 4 star retired general, Wesley Clark. A former supreme commander in Europe & Presidential candidate, topics the two chat about include PTSD, trauma, mental training, stress respondence, Gene ADRA2B, genetic studies in the 1950s, generational culture changes affecting DNA, nurture vs nature, the future of biotech. This is a must-watch, enjoy!Listen On:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/46OaVEp...iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST ► ADD US ON INSTAGRAM:Kashif: https://www.instagram.com/kashkhanoff...DNA Company: https://www.instagram.com/thednacoGUEST:Wesley Clark: https://www.instagram.com/generalclarkCheck out General Clark's Podcast!: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/global-beacon/id1546100412Website:https://www.thednacompany.com/

ABOUT HOT MONEY, ON DVD AND AVAILABLE FREE ON AMAZON PRIME AND OTHER OUTLETSFormer NATO Supreme Allied Commander , General Wesley Clark and his son Wes Clark Jr. take us on a journey through the complicated realities of our financial system and its profound exposure to climate change.Hot Money outs the whole game, the whole charade, the whole crap shoot of the money system with all the humor and intelligence of a New Yorker cartoon. Combined with the wisdom of international business experts and academics, Hot Money is rich with historical context. It severs the knot of economic and political forces that may lead to societal collapse. Confused by the foundations of our economy, stocks, derivatives, cost of energy and taxes? You are not alone. Untangle the complicated realities of our global financial system and its profound relationship to government, politics, and climate change with the help of international experts Hot Money "outs" the whole charade that could lead to societal collapse.Featuring Academy Award-winning actor Jeff Bridges and the animated art of New Yorker cartoonist Kaamran Hafee, Hot Money was directed and filmed by Susan Kucera (Trading on Thin Air, Breath of Life, Living in the Future's Past), co-produced and narrated by Jeff Bridges, Executive Produced by Jeff Bridges, General Wesley Clark and Jim Swift. Music By Grammy nominated and BMI Award winner Micheal Ruff and Eric Gilliom.Here's the trailer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EX1i9Jdfa1s GENERAL WESLEY K. CLARK BIOWesley K. Clark retired as a four star general after 38 years in the United States Army, having served in his last assignments as Commander of US Southern Command and then as Commander of US European Command/ Supreme Allied Commander, Europe. He graduated first in his class at West Point and completed degrees in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University (B.A. and M.A.) as a Rhodes scholar. While serving in Vietnam, he commanded an infantry company in combat, where he was severely wounded and evacuated home on a stretcher. He later commanded at the battalion, brigade and division level, and served in a number of significant staff positions, including service as the Director, Strategic Plans and Policy (J-5). He was the principal author of both the US National Military Strategy and Joint Vision 2010, prescribing US warfighting for full-spectrum dominance. He also worked with Ambassador Richard Holbrooke in the Dayton Peace Process, where he helped write and negotiate significant portions of the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement. In his final assignment as Supreme Allied Commander Europe he led NATO forces to victory in Operation Allied Force, a 78-day air campaign, backed by ground invasion planning and a diplomatic process, saving 1.5 million Albanians from ethnic cleansing.His awards include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Defense Distinguished Service Medal (five awards), Silver star, bronze star, purple heart, honorary knighthoods from the British and Dutch governments, and numerous other awards from other governments, including award of Commander of the Legion of Honor (France). He has also been awarded the Department of State Distinguished Service Award and numerous honorary doctorates and civilian honors.Clark is now a businessman, educator, writer and commentator. General Clark serves as Chairman and CEO of Wesley K. Clark & Associates, a strategic consulting firm; Chairman and Founder of Enverra, Inc. a licensed investment bank; Chairman of Energy Security Partners, LLC; as well as numerous corporate boards including BNK Petroleum and Leagold Mining. He is active in energy, including oil and gas, biofuels, electric power and batteries, finance, and security. During his business career he has served as an advisory, consultant or board member of over ninety private and publicly traded companies. In the not-for-profit space, he is a Senior Fellow at UCLA's Burkle Center for International Relations, Director of the Atlantic Council; and Founding Chair of City Year Little Rock/North Little Rock. A best-selling author, General Clark has written four books and is a frequent contributor on TV and to newspapers.

In this Episode General Clark interviews Zachary Johns of Hush Aerospace, known is some circles as the true "Tony Stark".  General Clark and Zak discuss the American  entrepreneurial spirit, flying taxi's, and the future of unmanned aircraft.

This week General Clark and special Guest Ex CIA Director Joh O. Brennan discuss Russia, China, UFO's and the current state of the CIA under the Biden Administration.John Brennan's Book, Undaunted can be found here:http://tiny.cc/dlm2uz

This week General Clark discusses  President Biden's gutsy decision to pull troops out of Afghanistan by September 11, 2021.

 General Clark tackles the world of Global Affairs and Americas  place in them.

General Clark and guest, CIA operative Bob Baer discuss what the Biden Administration must do to contain the coming threats from Russia and China. 

Encounter! Roll initiative!Not that it matters, talking is a free action and we'll talk your ears off.Starting this week, Valve's integrity has been called into question over Esports. Yes mum, Esports are real sports.The Flash needs to stop messing with the timeline. It's 2011 again, and Green Lantern is getting a TV series, written by one of the comic authors. And there's two lanterns, so the British are coming by sea. Oops. Barry. Stop. Paul Revere doesn't belong here.But next take the time machine to the far future to find out how long it takes for Lego to break down, based on research done by recruiting beach combers to hand over all the lego they find. Surely this isn't just a scheme to get people to give you lego.Professor played Noita, the Roguelite version of Powder Toy, and DJ chose to go to Japan in Total War: Shogun II.Come hear us again next week.Valve’s competitive integrity a threat to Esports- https://www.ggrecon.com/articles/valve-s-attitude-towards-competitive-integrity-is-a-threat-to-esports.ampGreen Lantern TV series coming soon on HBO Max-https://comicbook.com/dc/news/green-lantern-hbo-max-geoff-johns-produce-new-series/Legos may take hundreds of years to break down in the ocean-https://www.sciencenews.org/article/legos-may-take-hundreds-years-break-down-ocean- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749119364152#!Games PlayedProfessor- Noita – https://store.steampowered.com/app/881100/Noita/Rating: 5/5DJ– Total War : SHOGUN 2 - https://store.steampowered.com/app/201270/Total_War_SHOGUN_2/Rating: 4/5Other topics discussedRetail shops ease toilet paper and other item restrictions- https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-28/coles-woolworths-ease-coronavirus-restrictions-on-toilet-paper/12194438Coronavirus restrictions ease in Queensland- https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-04-29/coronavirus-australia-queensland-restrictions-easing-vaccine/12188622Flash Gaming Boss' Statement on Disbandment: Match-fixing, GOTV Cheating, $0 Loan Fee, Initial Buyout and more.- https://old.reddit.com/r/GlobalOffensive/comments/ac4nj2/flash_gaming_boss_statement_on_disbandment/The International (Dota 2) (The International is an annual esportsworld championship tournament for the video game Dota 2, hosted and produced by the game's developer, Valve.)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_International_(Dota_2)Geoff Johns (American comic book writer, screenwriter and film and television producer. Some of his most notable work has used the DC Comics characters Green Lantern, Aquaman,Flash and Superman.)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoff_JohnsStargirl (Courtney Elizabeth Whitmore, known as Stargirl (often called "Stars" or "Star"), is a fictional superhero created by Geoff Johns and Lee Moder who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics.)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Courtney_WhitmoreStargirl TV Series (Stargirl is an upcoming American drama web television series created by Geoff Johns that will premiere on DC Universe.)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stargirl_(TV_series)Gotham TV Series (Gotham is an American action crime drama television series developed by Bruno Heller, produced by Warner Bros. Television and based on characters published by DC Comics and appearing in the Batman franchise, primarily those of James Gordon and Bruce Wayne.)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotham_(TV_series)Titans 2018 TV Series (Titans is an American web television series created by Akiva Goldsman, Geoff Johns, and Greg Berlanti for DC Universe.)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titans_(2018_TV_series)The Flash 2014 TV Series (The Flash is an American superhero television series developed by Greg Berlanti,Andrew Kreisberg, and Geoff Johns, airing on The CW.)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Flash_(2014_TV_series)Crisis on Infinite Earths TV Crossover ("Crisis on Infinite Earths" is the sixth annual Arrowverse crossover event featuring episodes of the television series Supergirl, Batwoman, The Flash, Arrow, and Legends of Tomorrow on The CW. The Supergirl, Batwoman, and The Flash episodes aired in December 2019, and the Arrow and Legends of Tomorrow episodes aired in January 2020.)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crisis_on_Infinite_Earths_(Arrowverse)Ezra Miller Flash cameo on Crisis on Infinite Earths- https://www.ign.com/articles/crisis-on-infinite-earths-ezra-millers-flash-cameo-connects-dc-tv-and-movie-universesKrypton TV Series (Krypton is an American television series developed by David S. Goyer for Syfy.)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krypton_(TV_series)Lego sustainable plastic plan combating the pollution- https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/sustainable-lego-plastic-plants-pollution-crisis-a8266256.htmlLiero (video game for MS-DOS, first released by Finnish programmer Joosa Riekkinen in 1998.)- https://www.liero.be/Fortnite × Travis Scott FULL EVENT (Scott performed several virtual live shows in the video game Fortnite Battle Royale from April 23 to 25, 2020 based on songs from his Astroworld album.)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZpowQlrNt8The Beatles (The Beatles were an English rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960.)- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_BeatlesLaibach – Sympathy for the Devil- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7muCRio2nQTroubling Issues (TNC Podcast)- https://thatsnotcanon.com/troublingissuespodcastThat’s Not COVID (TNC Podcast)- https://thatsnotcanon.com/thatsnotcovidpodcastShout Outs27 Febuary 2020 – Gene Dynarski, American away passed away at 77 - https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/gene-dynarski-dead-seinfeld-close-encounters-third-kind-actor-was-86-1291775Gene Dynarski, a character actor who appeared in Steven Spielberg's Duel and Close Encounters of the Third Kind and played Izzy Mandelbaum Jr., the son of Lloyd Bridges' character, on Seinfeld. Dynarski was seen as Benedict, one of Egghead's (Vincent Price) henchmen, on Batman in 1966, and on a 2000th episode of The X-Files, his character fell victim to a monstrous bat creature. Dynarski also portrayed Josef Stalin in the 1996 videogame Command & Conquer: Red Alert appearing throughout much of the game's Soviet campaign and, to a lesser extent, the Allied campaign. He is one of 32 actors or actresses to have guest-starred in both the original Star Trek television series and in one of the series' spin offs such as Star Trek: The Next Generation. He died in Studio City, California. His death was not announced until the 24th of April of this year.21 April 2020 – Jerry Bishop, ‘Judge Judy’ Announcer & Radio/Voice-Over Veteran passed away at 84 - https://deadline.com/2020/04/jerry-bishop-dead-judge-judy-announcer-los-angeles-radio-veteran-1202917454/American announcer, radio host and radio personality. Bishop best known as the announcer for the American courtroom television show, Judge Judy, for 24 years from 1996 until 2020. Jerry Bishop simultaneously began working as a voice-over artist and announcer during the 1970s. He was the announcer for the television game show, The Cross-Wits, as well as the short-lived NBC variety series, Dick Clark's Live Wednesday, which aired briefly in 1978. Bishop began working as the off-camera announcer for the syndicated television courtroom show, Judge Judy, beginning with the series' debut season in 1996. He remained with Judge Judy for 24 years as the show became the highest rated series on daytime television. Bishop continued to work on Judge Judy until a few weeks before his death in 2020. “Jerry Bishop has been the voice of our program for 24 years,” star Judy Sheindlin said in a statement. “Everybody loved him. He had a golden heart and generous spirit. I adored him and will miss him.” He died from heart and kidney failure in Los Angles, California.24 April 2020 - Fortnite Travis Scott event sees 12.3 million players in first show - https://www.gamesradar.com/au/fortnite-travis-scott-event-sees-123-million-players-in-first-show/The Fortnite Travis Scott event, dubbed Astronomical, saw 12.3 million concurrent players take part, Epic has announced. Taking to Twitter, the Fortnite developer also revealed that this is an "all-time record" for the battle royale shooter. In the lead up to the event going live last night, Epic teased the "one of a kind musical journey" for quite some time, that debuted a new track. Scott isn't the first artist to make an appearance in Fortnite. Back in February 2019, DJ Marshmello put on a live concert performing a special Fortnite extended set.25 April 2020 - The Rolling Stones Versus The Beatles Debate Continues Into Its Sixth Decade - https://deadline.com/2020/04/this-week-in-music-rolling-stones-beatles-1202917836/It’s an argument that dates back to the early 1960s, and sharply divides the world into two camps. The ancient rivalry seemed to resume this week, as Paul McCartney claimed The Beatles were bigger than The Rolling Stones. Mick Jagger responded Friday and pointed out that The Beatles were never a big touring band, unlike the stadium-filling Stones. ‘That’s the real big difference between these two bands. One band is unbelievably luckily still playing in stadiums and then the other band doesn’t exist.”Remembrances27 April 1989 - Kōnosuke Matsushita - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C5%8Dnosuke_MatsushitaJapanese industrialist who founded Panasonic, the largest Japanese consumer electronics company. One of Matsushita's best products was his invention of a more efficient battery-powered bicycle lamp. During the 1920s, bicycle lamps were candles or oil-burning lamps. They were highly inefficient as they usually only lasted for three hours. He created an oval lamp that used a battery for power and a lightbulb for illumination. He had to personally market his products to retail bicycle shops. Matsushita learned a very important lesson in terms of growing a company while he was trying to introduce his bicycle lamp to wholesalers. He realized that even if he had a product that was superior to anything out in the market it would not matter if he could not sell the product. As a result, Matsushita began devising ways to create sales channels for his products by concentrating less on manufacturing and more on building a sales force. Matsushita's products were originally marketed under the name brand of "National" and later moved on to the more recognizable names of Panasonic, Quasar and Technics. From 1950 to 1973, Matsushita's company became one of the world's largest manufacturers of electrical goods, sold under well-known trademarks including Panasonic and Technics. In retirement, Matsushita focused on developing and explaining his social and commercial philosophies and wrote 44 published books. One of his books, entitled “Developing A Road To Peace And Happiness Through Prosperity”, sold over four million copies. In 1979, at the age of 84, he founded the Matsushita School of Government and Management to train the future politicians and businessmen of Japan. He died from pneumonia at the age of 94 in Moriguchi, Osaka. He died with personal assets worth US$3 billion and left a company with US$42 billion in revenue business.27 April 1992 - Gerard K. O'Neill - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gerard_K._O%27NeillAmerican physicist and space activist. As a faculty member of Princeton University, he invented a device called the particle storage ring for high-energy physics experiments. Later, he invented a magnetic launcher called the mass driver. In the 1970s, he developed a plan to build human settlements in outer space, including a space habitat design known as the O'Neill cylinder. He founded the Space Studies Institute, an organization devoted to funding research into space manufacturing and colonization. While teaching physics at Princeton, O'Neill became interested in the possibility that humans could survive and live in outer space. He researched and proposed a futuristic idea for human settlement in space, the O'Neill cylinder, in "The Colonization of Space", his first paper on the subject. He held a conference on space manufacturing at Princeton in 1975. Many who became post-Apollo-era space activists attended. O'Neill built his first mass driver prototype with professor Henry Kolm in 1976. He considered mass drivers critical for extracting the mineral resources of the Moon and asteroids. His award-winning book The High Frontier: Human Colonies in Space inspired a generation of space exploration advocates. He died from leukemia at the age of 65 in Redwood City, California.27 April 2002 - George Alec Effinger - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Alec_EffingerAmerican science fiction author, His first novel, What Entropy Means to Me, was nominated for the Nebula Award. He achieved his greatest success with the trilogy of Marîd Audran novels set in a 22nd-century Middle East, with cybernetic implants and modules allowing individuals to change their personalities or bodies. The novels are in fact set in a thinly veiled version of the French Quarter of New Orleans. He made brief forays into writing comic books in the early 1970s, mostly in Marvel Comics' science fiction, fantasy, and horror titles; and again in the late 1980s, including the first issue of a series of his own creation entitled Neil and Buzz in Space & Time, about two fictional astronauts who travel to the edge of the universe to find it contains nothing but an ocean planet with a replica of a small New Jersey town on its only island. The first issue was the only issue, and the story ended on a cliff-hanger. He died from gastric ulcers caused an internal bleeding at the age of 55 in New Orleans, Louisiana.Famous Birthdays27 April 1932 - Casey Kasem - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casey_KasemKemal Amin "Casey" Kasem, American disc jockey, music historian, radio personality, actor and voice actor. He was notable for being the host of several music radio countdown programs, notably American Top 40 from 1970 until his retirement in 2009 and being the first actor to voice Norville "Shaggy" Rogers in the Scooby-Doo franchise from 1969 to 1997, and again from 2002 until 2009. Kasem co-founded the American Top 40 franchise in 1970, hosting it from its inception to 1988, and again from 1998 to 2004. As for his recognizable voice quality, "It's a natural quality of huskiness in the midrange of my voice that I call 'garbage,'" he stated to The New York Times. "It's not a clear-toned announcer's voice. It's more like the voice of the guy next door." He was born in Detroit, Michigan.27 April 1963 - Russell T Davies - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russell_T_DaviesStephen Russell Davies, better known as Russell T Davies, is a Welsh screenwriter and television producer whose works include Queer as Folk, Bob & Rose, The Second Coming, Casanova, the 2005 revival of the BBC One science fiction series Doctor Who, and the trilogy Cucumber, Tofu, and Banana. Davies revived and ran Doctor Who after a sixteen-year hiatus, with Christopher Eccleston, and later David Tennant, in the title role. Davies' tenure as executive producer of the show oversaw a surge in popularity which led to the production of two spin-off series, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures, and the revival of the Saturday prime-time dramas as a profitable venture for production companies. Davies was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2008 for services to drama, which coincided with the announcement he would step down from Doctor Who as the show's executive producer with his final script, "The End of Time". Davies moved to Los Angeles, California in 2009, where he oversaw production of Torchwood: Miracle Day and the fifth and final series of The Sarah Jane Adventures. He was born in Swansea, Wales.27 April 1986 – Jenna Coleman - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenna_ColemanJenna-Louise Coleman, credited since 2013 as Jenna Coleman, is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Jasmine Thomas in the ITV soap opera Emmerdale,Clara Oswald in the BBC series Doctor Who, Queen Victoria in the ITV drama Victoria and Joanna Lindsay in the BBC series The Cry. Coleman went on to play "hard girl" Lindsay James in the BBC school-based drama series Waterloo Road, Susan Brown in a BBC Four television adaptation of the John Braine novel Room at the Top, Annie Desmond in Julian Fellowes' four part mini-series Titanic and Rosie in Stephen Poliakoff's original drama series Dancing on the Edge. In 2018, she portrayed the role of Joanna Lindsey in the BBC miniseries The Cry, for which she was nominated for Best Actress at the International Emmy Awards. Moffat chose her for the role as the Doctor’s companion because she worked the best alongside Smith and could talk faster than he could. She auditioned for the role in secret, under the pretense of auditioning for Men on Waves (an anagram for "Woman Seven": she would first appear in the show's seventh series). She was born in Blackpool,Lancashire.Events of Interest27 April 4977 B.C. – Universe is created, according to Kepler - https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/universe-is-created-according-to-keplerOn April 27, 4977 B.C., the universe is created, according to German mathematician and astronomer Johannes Kepler, considered a founder of modern science. Kepler is best known for his theories explaining the motion of planets. In 1609, Kepler published the first two of his three laws of planetary motion, which held that planets move around the sun in ellipses, not circles (as had been widely believed up to that time), and that planets speed up as they approach the sun and slow down as they move away. In 1619, he produced his third law, which used mathematic principles to relate the time a planet takes to orbit the sun to the average distance of the planet from the sun. As for Kepler’s calculation about the universe’s birthday, scientists in the 20th century developed the Big Bang theory, which showed that his calculations were off by about 13.7 billion years.27 April 1953 – Operation Moolah offers $50,000 to any pilot who defected with a fully mission-capable Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 to South Korea. The first pilot was to receive $100,000. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_MoolahOperation Moolah was a United States Air Force (USAF) effort during the Korean War to obtain through defection a fully capable Soviet MiG-15 jet fighter. Communist forces introduced the MiG-15 to Korea on November 1, 1950. USAF pilots reported that the performance of the MiG-15 was superior to all United Nations (U.N.) aircraft, including the USAF's newest plane, the F-86 Sabre. Speculation exists about the origin of Operation Moolah. According to then-Captain Alan Abner, the idea of the operation originated from his office at the Army's Psychological Warfare Branch, in Washington D.C.. According to intelligence reports they received, dissatisfaction within the Soviet Air Force, even to the extent of some desertions by disgruntled pilots, led to the belief that possible future defections by some pilots was promising. Their plan set forth an offer of $100,000 (worth nearly $941,000 in 2019) for a Soviet MiG-15 and political asylum for the pilot. On the night of April 26, 1953, two B-29 Superfortress bombers dropped 1.2 million leaflets over Communist bases in the Yalu River Basin. These leaflets were written in Russian, Chinese, and Korean. According to General Clark, immediately after the drop of the leaflets, U.N. aircraft did not make visual contact with any MiG aircraft for the following eight days. Though weather may have been a factor, he opines that the leaflets had a direct effect and believes that senior Communist military leaders began to screen for politically unreliable pilots. Incidentally, immediately after the leaflet drop, a radio-jamming transmitter whose location could not be identified began to jam all U.N. Russian-language broadcasts of Gen. Clark's MIG-15 offer, but Chinese and Korean broadcasts were unhindered.27 April 2015 – Australiens played for audiences in attendance of the Studio 35 Cinema Comedy Film Festival. - https://www.scifihistory.net/april-27.htmlWritten and directed by Joe Bauer, and SciFi/Comedy feature starred Rita Artmann and Tamara McLaughlin, and here's the plot summary as provided by IMDB.com:"At the age of 10, Australian-born Andi Gibson had what she describes as a close encounter with a flying saucer. Naturally, everyone assumed she was bonkers. That is until one notable evening, 17 years later, when an airborne extra-terrestrial armada launches a nation-wide assault on Andi's home country and at the same time, for unspecified reasons, kidnaps her mother. To add to the debacle, it seems the other nations of the world are far too insulted by their exclusion from the attack to come to Australia's aid. Now it is up to Andi, her hypochondriac brother Elliot, retired boxer cousin Keith and documentary filmmaker friend Cam to stop the attack and rescue Andi's mum. Enlisting the help of Andi's equal-parts mysterious and cringeworthy father, the gang must battle car-chasing spaceships, martial-arts aliens, giant killer robots and, perhaps most frighteningly, a deluge of family secrets in their fight to save Australia. Bloody hell, this is gonna be a long night."IntroArtist – Goblins from MarsSong Title – Super Mario - Overworld Theme (GFM Trap Remix)Song Link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GNMe6kF0j0&index=4&list=PLHmTsVREU3Ar1AJWkimkl6Pux3R5PB-QJFollow us onFacebook- Page - https://www.facebook.com/NerdsAmalgamated/- Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/440485136816406/Twitter - https://twitter.com/NAmalgamatedSpotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6Nux69rftdBeeEXwD8GXrSiTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/top-shelf-nerds/id1347661094RSS - http://www.thatsnotcanonproductions.com/topshelfnerdspodcast?format=rssInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/nerds_amalgamated/General EnquiriesEmail - Nerds.Amalgamated@gmail.comRate & Review us on Podchaser - https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/nerds-amalgamated-623195

Thank You! General Clark, Major Kipp, Chief Snyder, MSgt Sweet, Lt. Col Geary and the entire JFHQ staff, thank you for making today’s ceremony possible. I’ve been to many retirements and I often hear a lot of people say, “I promised myself I wouldn’t cry”.  Well I’ll tell you right now, that’s BS.. I’m warning you now, I’m going to cry.  So if it looks like I’m reading this - I am. I did that for your benefit.   To keep the emotions in check by reading words I’ve now read over and over again a few dozen times. This collection of words - arranged in this order are now familiar to me, so it should help limit the emotional release that comes from digging into the memory banks on the spot.  This prevents me from ad libbing as much and thus carrying on for 2 hours.  Your Time is valuable and I want to be respectful that.  Before we get too far into this - It’s important to recognize that I did not arrive on this stage today alone. This was not my doing, this was a collective effort of everyone in my life so, naturally there are so many people to thank.   I know better than to call you out by name because every single one of you have had an impact on my life, so it would only be fitting to go seat by seat to say thanks, but clearly, none of us want that.   The fact that you are listening to me right now,  be it in person, or via the web, tells me all I need to know.  Somewhere in our individual lives, our paths crossed and we connected.  We stayed connected and therefore you helped shape my life.   You found value in our friendship and thus continued to honor our relationship with the Gift of Time - Rick Warren says it best when he says “ The greatest gift you can offer someone is your time.” - So, with all of my heart, Thank you for being here! Thank you for taking time from your schedule and giving it to me and my family on this special day. I believe the 2nd greatest gift you can give me -  is money, more on that later. I want to thank our God for the guidance and love that has enabled me to be here fulfilling my mission.  More than once I’ve found evidence of his presence sprinkled into my life. When I thought there was nowhere else to turn, I looked up and a path always presented itself.   Regardless of your spiritual belief, there is a higher power guiding us all, call it source energy, call it synchronicity, or even coincidence -  call it what you want, but I encourage you to listen to that intuition, follow the lead and be open to whatever opportunities are presented before you. There is always a path.   5 years ago, my 5 year plan had NONE of this on it.  I’ve been tapped on the shoulder for a new mission of service because there’s more work to be done, I’ve listened and found my place for my service.  That’s why we are here. This ceremony that brings us all together today is only possible because of the rest of you. I figure everyone else here fits into at least one of three categories. So I’ll take a moment to give detailed thanks to each and every one of you collectively.    First, My Immediate Family This journey for all of us starts at Birth - or conception, Depending on which side of the room you’re sitting on - I know what you’re thinking though - Oh boy, it’s gonna be one of those stories, well,  It’s important for you to know how I arrived here, because it gives you the insight into my DNA.   I didn’t just “decided” to join the military 27 years ago. No, that decision was made for me by a Senior Chief and his bride in the heat of the moment when they decided that a second child might be a fair trade for 2 minutes of extra curricular activity right after a long Navy deployment of sea duty.  The hearts of two incredibly loving patriots combined to form a third, or technically in my case, the fourth.  My Dad Deployed a lot. I was born on a Navy Base in Charleston, S.C., rightfully so, they tore it down shortly after I was born, but anyway, I was raised in the comfort of the Military Lifestyle and with the Core Values of: Integrity, Service, and Excellence.  Regardless of the verbiage actually adopted by each branch of service, these words ring true for anyone who has ever worn the uniform in defense of this nation.  My Parents honored that commitment and through all the deployments and personal sacrifice their 23 year career presented, they did well. So, to my Mom and Dad - Thank You, this is what your sacrifice, hard work, and love has produced.  I owe much of this to the foundation you’ve provided and I’m truly grateful that you are here to celebrate our mutual success! - I love you! To My Older Brother, USAF, CMSgt (Retired) Steve Daggett, I followed your lead to navigate the lives we were destined for.  I’m glad you were the first to disappoint Dad by Joining the World’s Greatest Air Force - I didn’t want to be the one to break his heart but, there was just no way I could join the Navy - So thank you for leading boldly into the Wild Blue Yonder and climbing high into the sun.   You provided the framework, roadmap and some bread crumbs along the way.  I’m pretty sure I out ranked you most of our careers, well, that is until until you demonstrated superior intellect and were aptly promoted to highest enlisted rank, representing the Top1% of our Military.   I am so proud of you, I’ve always been proud of you!  I’ve looked up to you every step of the way.  Your mentorship helped me get here, so yes, you own a piece of this stage with me as well.  Congrats to you on your loving family, your amazing career, your retirement and thank you for riding with mom and dad in the car for 15 hours just to be here. It makes total sense that you’ve decided to just fly home alone though. I get it, I’m sorry. My younger brother Chris who is Serving his community at home as a Sergeant for the Kittery, Maine Police Department. I’m proud of you too.  Though, had you scored a little higher on the ASVAB (That’s the Military Entrance Exam), you might have qualified for the Army, but none the less, I understand that your calling to service was to Protect those who can not protect themselves and create a safe environment for the members of your community.     You and your family should be proud for all that you’ve accomplished together and building on the foundation our parents provided and continuing to put your life on the line by serving in your own way.  When I first met you, you were immediately my younger brother, but it didn’t take long for you to be my friend. To My In-Laws, USAF, TSgt (Retired) Tom Roberge and his wife Doris - On the few occasions I actually thought about my retirement ceremony, I had always envisioned that You and Tom would both be here to celebrate with us.  I never saw it any other way.   So, it's difficult now to put into words how I’m feeling, because it wasn’t supposed to be this way and these unfamiliar feelings are all so new, and still very painful.  I know we agree however, that he’s here watching this whole thing and likely standing at attention with a sharp salute.  At Ease Tom! Doris - Your strength, is admirable, and your service to our nation as a Military Spouse and as a caregiver during his battle with Cancer are qualities you’ve passed on to your daughter.  She’s the best of both of you. You two have done incredible work as parents.  I’m incredibly fortunate to have all of you in my life.  You trusted me with a piece of your daughter’s heart and in addition you've given me a piece of yours as well.  I promised the both of you, I would love her forever, that I would honor and cherish her, until death do us part, and following your lead -  I renew that commitment daily.  The rest of the family, be it by blood or by marriage, being able to count on you as family means a great deal to me.   Thank you for being here! The next two people are my heart and soul and I couldn’t possible limit myself to words on paper.  So at this point, I’m just going to speak from the heart. My High School Sweetheart Janine  - I love you! My Daughter Megan - I love you!   Next: To Those I call my Military Family - My brothers and Sisters in Arms: If you are currently wearing, or have ever worn, the camouflage threads that protect you as you defend our nation - you are my hero. Whether it be a single day, or 30+ years, the mental commitment is the same.  What you signed up to do, is noble and there isn’t a citizen, whether born here, or naturalized who doesn’t appreciate the promise and sacrifice you’ve made to make this country the greatest. You too have voluntarily raised your hand in defense of this nation, against all enemies both foreign and domestic, you’ve guaranteed your oath by offering your life as collateral so that you could preserve the freedom this nation was founded upon. The Flag behind me, and the ones presented today stand proud as a symbol of our Nation and fly freely because of your actions.   Don’t for a single second forget that there are evil people out there willing to trade their lives to ruin ours.  We are trained, we are ready, and dammit, on our watch, this is simply not going to happen!   Few of us understand what that truly means and I’m telling you now - I get it and I thank you for your service.  It was an honor to serve with you.  As I take off this uniform for the last time, I put my Fatih and trust in your ability to tuck this nation in safely, every single night.   The rest of you - I consider My Wingman Family. This is where my life has taken the greatest turns and yielded the greatest impact.  You bring to my life diversity.  Up until the point where you entered my life, I’d only ever known what my family held onto as truths and what my military family was permitted to share as unclassified discussions during the work day.   Your collective wisdom has been bestowed upon me and I want you to know I’ve taken something from all of you.   If you spent your whole life with only those who raised you, and those who look like you, talk like you, and think like you, then there’s a good chance you’re going to miss the amazing souls who fill this room.  It’s our combined experience that contributes to our great country well beyond the calling to take up arms and wear a military uniform.  You make this country great, and most definitely worth defending.   You challenged me to think differently, see differently, act differently all while loving equally and unconditionally.  You’ve gotten me through some incredibly difficult times and I can truly say the strength in numbers, through diversity of thought, belief, race, gender and ethnicity have given me tools to tackle any scenario masterfully.  I’m very well equipped for the future, any future.  We call our land the melting pot and it’s true because your heart has melted mine and I consider us one.  I truly wish to thank each and every one of you in person over the next few hours.  Some of you came from down the hall, some are watching online while others had the opportunity to travel in just to be here. I sincerely appreciate every bit of it.      What’s next for me:   Folds of Honor:   This chapter began to take shape back in 2007.  I was flying all around the country working for National Guard Bureau.  December 4th, I flew 8 flights in one day - I was trying to reach executive platinum status with American Airlines. I left San Antonio early in the morning and flew SAT-DFW-OKC-DFW-TUL-DFW-AUS-DFW-SAT - it was the Tulsa - Dallas flight that altered the course of my life forever.   My eyes were exposed to the other side of war.  I learned about taking care of others through the Folds of Honor Mission and quickly volunteered my free time to Honor The Sacrifice and Educate the Legacy of our nation’s most deserving heroes.  Lifting up others easily rewarded me internally, more so than I had ever experienced.  Fast Forward to 2009 - Militarily, I applied for and was selected to be the State Recruiting and Retention Superintendent here in Indiana. With that responsibility, I learned that one of the areas I was going to be responsible for was recruiting TACP Airmen.   These are some of the most elite battle field airmen we have in the Air Force.  I quickly learned of SSgt Jacob Frazier.  Jake was a Guardsman from Illinois and was the first TACP our nation has ever lost in combat.  Jake gave his life on 29 March 2003 during Operation Enduring Freedom.  There are literally thousands more like Jake who have given their life for our freedom, thus never having the chance to stand on this stage like I am today.   Newly exposed to the voids left behind, I wanted to personally honor the sacrifice Jake made on our behalf.  For the past 9 years every single day, I’ve worn this bracelet bearing his name - with honor.  Often, I leaned on Jake as a constant reminder as I looked into the eyes of the parents of my new recruits.  I need to confidently re-assure them that although this job is very dangerous, no matter what  - this brotherhood for which they were about to enter, would never leave them behind on the field of battle.    There have been many times I’ve confided in Jake, asked for guidance and even taken him for a run, on the days I didn’t want to, but knew he’d enjoy the fresh air.  Together we have arrived here today, at our retirement.  Rest in Peace Jake, this is just as much your day as it is mine. I’m taking this bracelet off now so that you too can enjoy the benefits of a job well done. I love People and taking care of our military families is my passion. It’s a mission I continue today and I’m proud to report that this year alone, The Folds of Honor will award $25 million dollars in scholarships to families across the nation.  As the Indiana Chapter President, last year we’ve awarded 44 Indiana families scholarships totaling a $218k, and our goal this year, is to raise $500k for disbursement locally in 2020.    Operation FatDag   In addition to The Folds of Honor, I learned of another way to give back.   The DoD admits that 7.8% of our Active Force is overweight.  However in the Guard and Reserve components it’s dangerously higher.  According to the Obesity Journal, it’s estimated that obesity in the military service is rapidly approaching the civilian estimates indicating roughly 1/3 of our nation battles obesity.   It’s the #1 Retention Issue facing our military, and on the other end of the equation, 31% of the youth today are disqualified for military service. It’s a story I know all too well. For 20 of my 27 years, I was significantly overweight.  I became broken. Mentally I had checked out, my honorable service to this country was on the line and failed fitness test, after failed fitness test, meant, rightfully so, my discharge was imminent.   My departure would not have been the joyous occasion that it is today.  I was scared and needed help.  I sent an email to about a dozen of my closest friends. I poured my heart out - I begged and pleaded for help, I needed to get my weight under control, my career, my livelihood depended upon it.   The one response I received that had the most impact came from my Wingman.  He simply asked what the issue was and basically hung up the phone before providing a solution.  The next day I woke to an email from him that read - Good Morning Mike, 68 Days til your next fitness test - go make it a good day. - The next day, Good Morning Mike day 67, go get it..  Good Morning Mike, 66, 65, 64 every single day for 68 days he reminded me that I needed to prioritize my own needs first, before I attempted anything else for the day.   It’s a lesson that has stuck with me today.  Many of you have heard this story before, but what you may not have realized is that my Truest Wingman is Standing Right here with me on this Stage.  Major Kipp - thank you for walking with me, For carrying me through a dark period of my life, for never leaving me behind and for teaching me that when you summons the courage to ask for help, there will be someone to answer the call. Many weekends, I’ve traveled the nation speaking out about the National Security Crisis brewing within our ranks.  It became quickly apparent that there is a greater need for my time, energy and talent in order to defend those, who defend us.   I learned that I needed to hand the flag off to my brothers and sisters and take on this new challenge.  I founded and was granted tax exemption from the IRS for my own Non-Profit Charity aimed to care for actively service members who’s careers mirror mine.  I want to be the one that answers the call, just like my wingman did for me.   While my next chapter in life starts to take shape, there are a lot of details I am not permitted to share at the moment, but what I can tell you is I’m armed with Passion. I have a team of wingmen and I’m not going to rest until that mission is complete as well. I’m working a special project as an unpaid Intern for WW in NYC.  WW is determined to bring a wellness solution to every body and without giving anything away, there isn’t a single person on this planet who is more poised to make a difference right now in our history than me.   While there are over 2 million military members actively serving, My collective life experience to date, makes me uniquely qualified to take this giant leap into the future.  Staring fear directly in the face, I’m going for it.   My position here has been advertised and there are many talented people to take my place - I’ve recognized if I don’t step forward, there isn’t anyone ready to carry forth this new mission. So here we are, at the beginning, and It’s time to close out my military service, so that I can leverage that experience and continue to fight for our freedom.    I wish you all well - and thank you again for believing in me!

Since their breakout from the Anzio beaches in Italy, General Mark Clark's forces had been driving east. Instead of continuing in that direction, General Clark chose to move west on June 4, 1944, and enter Rome.

Since their breakout from the Anzio beaches in Italy, General Mark Clark's forces had been driving east. Instead of continuing in that direction, General Clark chose to move west on June 4, 1944, and enter Rome.

In Italy during the Fall of 1943, Allied Forces under General Clark had slowly pushed back the German defenders. But by December the Allied advance had stalled. On January 22, 1944, Allied troops stormed ashore at Anzio. Ultimately, the Battle of Anzio would be a stalemate to last for months.

In Italy during the Fall of 1943, Allied Forces under General Clark had slowly pushed back the German defenders. But by December the Allied advance had stalled. On January 22, 1944, Allied troops stormed ashore at Anzio. Ultimately, the Battle of Anzio would be a stalemate to last for months.

General Wesley Clark, the former NATO Allied Supreme Commander, says the Democratic party needs to focus on economic growth. Prior to that, Ted Alden, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, says China is North Korea's primary trade partner and sanctions will squeeze North Korea's economy to a degree we haven't seen in the past. Michael Nathanson, a senior research analyst at MoffettNathanson, says cable companies may shift the profit they made from TV to profit from broadband. Finally, Oklahoma Representative Tom Cole says the U.S. doesn't want to be provocative but does need North Korea to know it's serious. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

General Wesley Clark, the former NATO Allied Supreme Commander, says the Democratic party needs to focus on economic growth. Prior to that, Ted Alden, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, says China is North Korea's primary trade partner and sanctions will squeeze North Korea's economy to a degree we haven't seen in the past. Michael Nathanson, a senior research analyst at MoffettNathanson, says cable companies may shift the profit they made from TV to profit from broadband. Finally, Oklahoma Representative Tom Cole says the U.S. doesn't want to be provocative but does need North Korea to know it's serious.

SPOILERS/NSFW - DC on SCREEN #303 – Arrow 5x10 – Who Are You? | Recap & ReviewLaurel is back!  Except it’s definitely Earth 2’s Black Siren instead.  Felicity throws a welcome back party that’s really a Gather-Your-DNA-From-A-Glass party, which confirms the identical nature of this supposed Laurel.  New-Laurel catches on and tries to blow up the lab, but gets caught.  Felicity then allows New-Laurel to escape, but only after tricking her into swallowing nanotech that will track her.  They find Black Siren, working with Prometheus.  The team takes her down, but fails to capture Billy-Malone-Now’s killer.  Oliver stations her at a nearby ARGUS facility in the hopes that he can one day find a shred of the old Laurel in this new Siren.  During all this, Curtis has been unsure of his place on the team after having his ass handed to him a few times.  Rene, of all people, recognizes this and takes the time to mention to him how crucial he is to the team when he is playing to his strengths.  Elsewhere in the world, Diggle wants to get out of from under his charges the right way this time.  Oliver convinces Adrian Chase to help him out.  Diggle makes it clear that if he is transferred out of Star City under General Clark’s care it will be the penultimate stop on the way to a bullet to the head, so Chase gets a little creative, having Diggle punch him to keep the case in the Star City jurisdiction.  Back in Russia, Oliver gets the face beat out of him for a while in an attempt to make him attend to the Kovar Konstantine agenda.  In time, Talia al Ghul shows up to rescue him.  And in Hub City, a young lady busts up some bar fly assholes using what could only be a Canary Cry.  Oh, and Oliver decides to find another Canary to continue the legacy.  Because that’s what’s happening.

SPOILERS/NSFW - DC on SCREEN #303 – Arrow 5x10 – Who Are You? | Recap & ReviewLaurel is back!  Except it’s definitely Earth 2’s Black Siren instead.  Felicity throws a welcome back party that’s really a Gather-Your-DNA-From-A-Glass party, which confirms the identical nature of this supposed Laurel.  New-Laurel catches on and tries to blow up the lab, but gets caught.  Felicity then allows New-Laurel to escape, but only after tricking her into swallowing nanotech that will track her.  They find Black Siren, working with Prometheus.  The team takes her down, but fails to capture Billy-Malone-Now’s killer.  Oliver stations her at a nearby ARGUS facility in the hopes that he can one day find a shred of the old Laurel in this new Siren.  During all this, Curtis has been unsure of his place on the team after having his ass handed to him a few times.  Rene, of all people, recognizes this and takes the time to mention to him how crucial he is to the team when he is playing to his strengths.  Elsewhere in the world, Diggle wants to get out of from under his charges the right way this time.  Oliver convinces Adrian Chase to help him out.  Diggle makes it clear that if he is transferred out of Star City under General Clark’s care it will be the penultimate stop on the way to a bullet to the head, so Chase gets a little creative, having Diggle punch him to keep the case in the Star City jurisdiction.  Back in Russia, Oliver gets the face beat out of him for a while in an attempt to make him attend to the Kovar Konstantine agenda.  In time, Talia al Ghul shows up to rescue him.  And in Hub City, a young lady busts up some bar fly assholes using what could only be a Canary Cry.  Oh, and Oliver decides to find another Canary to continue the legacy.  Because that’s what’s happening.

My guest today is General Wesley Clark.  In his 38 years of military service, he served in various positions including Director of Strategic Plans and Policy during the War in Bosnia and NATO commander and Supreme Allied Commander in Europe leading Operation Allied Force during the war in Kosovo.  Today General Clark will talk about the harrowing experience that earned him a Silver Star in Vietnam and what strategic mistakes were made in that war.  He'll talk about leading the allied campaign during the war in Kosovo, his first impressions of Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic, and how Milosevich was evaded justice for his war crimes.  He'll discuss how he rethought the traditional organization of our military to give greater strategic responsibility to soldier on the ground plus General Clark speaks about the war in Iraq, the 2016 election, and why he likes Ike. Special thanks to the Milken Institute for hosting this interview during the 2016 Milken Global Conference. Visit www.milkeninstitute.org to learn more. If you enjoyed my conversation with General Wesley Clark, you can follow him on Twitter at @GeneralClark or visit his consulting firm's website at www.wesleykclark.com.  I would also encourage you to read his excellent book A Time to Lead: Duty, Honor, Country. Vote for Kickass News for a 2016 Podcast Award in the category of News & Politics at www.podcastawards.com.  You can vote for us once every day between now and June 12. Or go to the website for the show at www.kickassnews.com and click on the donate button. Thanks for listening!  

Ann Corcoran from Refugee Resettlement Watch blows the whistle on the whole scam.  Then,  General Clark warns “unAmericans”  that they could end up interned until the end of the conflict.  Pulled over?  Shut Up!

Jenneva develops a plan to unmask Mordac. General Clark learns the truth from a most unlikely source.