Podcasts about Space force

Justin Fiaschetti, Co-Founder and CEO of Inversion Space, joins me to talk about the company's plan to store maneuverable reentry vehicles in orbit for rapid cargo delivery, the design and architecture decisions driving Arc including cross-range requirements and payload accomodations, and how they see the market for these services. This episode of Main Engine Cut Off is brought to you by 32 executive producers—Russell, Fred, Natasha Tsakos, Matt, Joonas, Matt from Built, Josh from Impulse, Pat, Steve, David, Tim Dodd (the Everyday Astronaut!), Joel, Stealth Julian, Ryan, Theo and Violet, Kris, The Astrogators at SEE, Miles O'Brien, Jan, Donald, Joakim, Frank, Will and Lars from Agile, Warren, Lee, and four anonymous—and hundreds of supporters. Topics Inversion Arc - Inversion Anduril, Team of Partners to Work on Space Force's Space-Based Interceptors for Golden Dome for America | Anduril Arc Orbital Supply Capsule Aims To Put Military Supplies Anywhere On Earth Within An Hour The Show Like the show? Support the show on Patreon or Substack! Email your thoughts, comments, and questions to anthony@mainenginecutoff.com Follow @WeHaveMECO Follow @meco@spacey.space on Mastodon Listen to MECO Headlines Listen to Off-Nominal Join the Off-Nominal Discord Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn or elsewhere Subscribe to the Main Engine Cut Off Newsletter Artwork photo by Zhou Quan Work with me and my design and development agency: Pine Works

Artificial intelligence is no longer simply helping people work faster. According to Nicolas Chaillan, it is beginning to replace entire teams—and most people are dangerously unprepared for what comes next. Nicolas, the former Chief Software Officer of the U.S. Air Force and Space Force, returns to Unlatched Mind for a wide-ranging conversation about the rapidly accelerating AI revolution. He explains how he now uses autonomous AI agents to build software, manage marketing, produce content, launch mobile apps, and operate businesses that would traditionally require dozens of employees. We explore the moment Nicolas realized AI had crossed the line from augmentation to replacement, why he believes white-collar employment could face enormous disruption, and what workers, parents, students, and entrepreneurs should be doing now to remain relevant. The conversation also examines the future of college, self-directed learning, cybersecurity, deepfakes, AI-generated journalism, and the importance of preserving human purpose and connection in an increasingly automated world. Finally, Nicolas offers a blunt assessment of the Pentagon's AI strategy, its deteriorating relationship with Anthropic, and whether the United States is moving quickly enough to compete with China. In this episode: How autonomous AI agents can operate an entire business Why software developers may be among the first professions disrupted The shift from AI augmentation to AI replacement How Nicolas built an AI-powered news organization Why prompting may soon be replaced by agent orchestration The potential economic and social consequences of widespread job loss What children should learn to prepare for an AI-dominated future Whether college still provides a worthwhile return on investment Cybersecurity, deepfakes, misinformation, and autonomous systems The Pentagon, Anthropic, China, and America's AI readiness Nicolas's new book, Replacement This is not a conversation about some distant artificial-intelligence future. It is a warning and a practical look at a transformation that may already be underway. Find Nic's work at https://www.inthenicoftime.us  

SCHEDULE FOR THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 7-31-20261790 SOUTH HOLLANDJeff Bliss reports a refrigeration fire in Boyle Heights has released a toxic stench and caused an explosion in local rat and insect populations. Residents remain displaced due to overpowering toxic aftereffects. Simultaneously, a massive heat dome and hurricane-driven surf are hitting the Southwest. L.A. County lifeguards performed nearly 1,200 rescues last Saturday, facing dangerous conditions and substance abuse issues on crowded beaches escaping the intense heat. (1)Jeff Bliss notes Governor Gavin Newsom is preparing for a 2028 presidential run, but past controversies are resurfacing. A Vanity Fair article by Ruby Rippey-Tourk, his former mistress and the wife of his then-campaign manager, accuses Newsom of being "careless" and "cruel" during their 2007 affair. His wife, Jennifer Siebel Newsom, is also being criticized for shaming Rippey-Tourk, leading to questions about the Newsoms' commitment to women's advocacy. (2)Richard Epstein examines New York City's proposed "pied-à-terre tax," which targets non-primary residences but threatens middle-class and working homeowners. Epstein argues the tax is unfairly structured, hitting condominiums at five times the rate of houses. The complex valuation process creates a "vicious circle" that could plummet property values. Consequently, wealthy residents are already fleeing, resulting in a $12 billion annual revenue loss for the city. (3)Richard Epstein turns to Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, under fire for signing a document that allegedly exempts the President from IRS scrutiny regarding past and future taxes. Epstein characterizes this as a "scandalous" misuse of public trust and a misapplication of the law. He argues that if the President used his office for private financial benefit, it constitutes an impeachable offense, while Blanche should face potential disbarment. (4)Jim McTague takes a road trip through Owensboro, Kentucky, revealing a "K-shaped" economy where retail business is "dead" for blue-collar residents relying on federal aid. Conversely, Jeffersonville, Ohio, is experiencing a "gold rush" as Amazon and Honda build massive data and battery centers. However, some local residents feel overwhelmed by progress, lacking the imagination or education to capitalize on these high-tech industrial shifts and training opportunities. (5)Jim McTague reports that in Lancaster County, Republican representatives are introducing legislation that adds red tape and taxes to data centers, contradicting traditional pro-growth principles. While the Democratic-led Lancaster Cityhas embraced a lucrative data center deal, blue-collar "Trump country" boroughs remain fearful of the future. Despite these tensions, the local economy remains "steady" due to a diversified base including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and senior citizen spending. (6)Peter Huessy explains the foundation of U.S. nuclear strategy is the triad, ensuring launch capabilities from land, sea, and air. Developed after the 1957 Sputnik launch, this framework replaced "massive retaliation" with "flexible response." Huessy explains that this survivable deterrent prevents adversaries from achieving a total victory with a single strike. Despite calls for unilateral disarmament, the triad remains essential for holding at risk what adversaries value most. (7)Peter Huessy warns the U.S. now faces a tri-polar nuclear threat from Russia and China, both of which are modernizing their arsenals "gangbusters." Meanwhile, U.S. systems haven't been updated in 40 years, leaving the deterrent "fragile." Allied nations in Asia, specifically South Korea and Japan, are increasingly questioning the U.S. nuclear umbrella and considering their own deterrents as regional tensions and Chinese missile capabilities grow. (8)Henry Sokolski reports a proposed nuclear agreement with Saudi Arabia is causing alarm due to potential uranium enrichment capabilities. Sokolski warns that nuclear fuel-making brings a nation dangerously close to developing a bomb. Saudi Arabia's refusal to accept advanced "protocol one" inspections is a major "red flag." Furthermore, the deal risks overturning 50 years of global non-proliferation policy, potentially encouraging other nations like Iran to demand equal treatment. (9)Henry Sokolski notes Senator John Kennedy has emerged as a dogged opponent of granting Saudi Arabia enrichment authority, labeling it a "bad idea." The agreement will automatically go into force within 90 legislative days unless Congress passes a veto-proof resolution against it. Kennedy's vocal stance may rally other senators to stop the package, potentially forcing the White House to renegotiate the deal to prevent spreading dangerous nuclear capabilities. (10)Gene Marks reports accountants in California are grappling with AI integration, viewing it as a productivity tool rather than a replacement for human consultation. Meanwhile, the broader economy remains resilient; manufacturing has expanded for five consecutive months despite high gas prices and elevated interest rates. Marks highlights that businesses are "rolling with inflation" and increasing orders for durable goods, indicating high underlying confidence despite stock market volatility. (11)Gene Marks compares public protests against data centers to the 19th-century opposition to railroads. While critics worry about land and water usage, Marks argues these facilities are imperative infrastructure for the information age and the AI revolution. Just as railroads enabled 20th-century American power, data centers are the means for moving information. Ceding this development would allow rivals like China or Russia to dominate the future economy. (12)Veronique de Rugy warns new administration rules replace flexible status for foreign students with fixed four-year periods, targeting the "best educated people on Earth." De Rugy warns this policy dissuades future scientists and innovators from choosing the U.S. Restricting these STEM graduates could cost the economy between $200 billion and $400 billion in lost GDP over the next decade, while potentially causing severe long-term labor shortages. (13)Lorenzo Fiori reports a historic heatwave has pushed the Po River to record lows, devastating Italy's agricultural heartland and water supplies for power stations. The ecological crisis includes an invasion of blue crabs, which are destroying clam populations and disrupting local cuisine. Meteorologists struggle to forecast as traditional weather models fail in the face of climate change. Tourists are encouraged to seek the cooler, historical beauty of Noto, Sicily. (14)Bob Zimmerman reports SpaceX's Starship successfully floated for a week after splashdown, providing invaluable data for rapid reusability. The company further cemented its market dominance with a $1.6 billion Space Force contract, while competitors remain grounded. Additionally, startups are emerging to solve technical hurdles for orbital data centers, such as advanced heat radiation. These advancements indicate that the future of massive data processing may eventually move into permanent space orbit. (15)Bob Zimmerman notes China continues the dangerous practice of dropping uncontrolled rocket debris on its citizens, forcing them to hide in tunnels. In the commercial sector, the startup Catalyst attempted a high-speed satellite rescue mission, demonstrating rapid launch capabilities despite technical failures. Meanwhile, astronomers have identified a rare midsize black hole, a discovery that will likely be expanded upon as the new Rubin telescope begins its sky surveys. (16)Corrections applied, pending your confirmation: Ruby Rippey-Tourk (transcribed as "Ruby Rippy," segment 2), Todd Blanche (transcribed as "Mr. Blanch," segment 4), Rubin telescope (transcribed as "Reuben," segment 16 — the Vera C. Rubin Observatory), and "burrows" → "boroughs" in segment 6. One to flag: this batch has Lorenzo Fiori (segment 14), but an earlier batch had him as "Lorenzo Fiato" — let me know which spelling is correct and I'll log it for good.

Bob Zimmerman reports SpaceX's Starship successfully floated for a week after splashdown, providing invaluable data for rapid reusability. The company further cemented its market dominance with a $1.6 billion Space Force contract, while competitors remain grounded. Additionally, startups are emerging to solve technical hurdles for orbital data centers, such as advanced heat radiation. These advancements indicate that the future of massive data processing may eventually move into permanent space orbit. (15)AUGUST 19554

As tensions escalate with Iran, top lawmakers and intelligence experts are sounding the alarm over nuclear threats and regime strategy!

Send us Fan MailPeaches is back with a Daily Drop for 27 July, and this one covers everything from RIMPAC ship-sinking exercises to Iran War costs, Air Force waist-to-height chaos, Space Force powerlifting records, and underwater drone threats.The Army and Navy teamed up during RIMPAC to sink two decommissioned ships, while Lieutenant General Kevin D. Admiral was nominated to command U.S. Army Europe and Africa. Peaches also covers the demolition of defective medical student barracks in Texas, the Navy renaming information professionals as Communication Systems Warfare Officers, and the Air Force clarifying that the new waist-to-height ratio measurement will not be scored during the initial rollout.The Space Force gets a fitness win with a Guardian setting multiple Hawaii powerlifting records, while also pushing experiments for commercial narrowband satellite communications in medium Earth orbit. The Coast Guard is looking for technology to detect and defeat uncrewed underwater vehicles, because apparently drone swarms from the sky were not enough.The episode also hits Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's $37.5 billion Iran War cost estimate, legal fights over the military's testosterone policy, Trump pausing strikes on Iran, updated Iran War casualty reporting, Germany pulling ships back from a possible Strait of Hormuz mission, and a $292 million National Guard apartment-style lodging contract for troops in Washington, D.C.Links:TastyGains.comOperatorTrainingSummit.comChapters:00:00 - Intro and Daily Drop Return01:06 - Tasty Gains and Operator Training Summit02:29 - Army Helicopters and Navy Drones Sink Ships at RIMPAC03:02 - Lieutenant General Kevin D. Admiral Nominated for Army Europe and Africa03:32 - Texas Medical Barracks Demolition04:35 - Navy Renames Information Professionals05:20 - Air Force Waist-to-Height Ratio Will Not Be Scored06:10 - Why the Rollout Created a Scramble07:24 - Fat General Conspiracy Theory08:18 - Air Force Pauses F-16 Ejection Seat Competition09:04 - Space Force Guardian Sets Powerlifting Records10:44 - Space Force Seeks Commercial SATCOM Bandwidth11:45 - Coast Guard Wants Counter-Underwater Drone Tech12:38 - Pete Hegseth Gives Iran War Cost Estimate13:07 - Judge Orders Explanation on Testosterone Policy14:19 - Trump Pauses Iran Attacks14:57 - Pentagon Reports More Than 600 Iran War Casualties16:18 - Germany Pulls Ships Back From Hormuz Mission17:17 - Why Peaches Thinks Iran Will Not End Soon18:00 - National Guard Awards $292 Million D.C. Lodging Contract18:39 - Membership, Merch, and Wrap-UpSupport the showJoin this channel to get access to perks: HEREBuzzsprout Subscription page:  HERERegister for our Operator Training Summit:  OperatorTrainingSummit.comFind an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.comCollabs:Ones Ready - OnesReady.com 18A Fitness - Promo Code:  ONESREADY ATACLete - Follow the URL (no promo code):  ATACLeteDanger Close Apparel - Promo Code:  ONESREADYDFND Apparel...

Send us Fan MailAaron, Trent, and Peaches are back in the team room talking defense budgets, military waste, the NDAA, future war with China, Space Force, Flock cameras, and why everyone suddenly has feelings about height-to-waist standards.The team breaks down why the Department of War is asking for more money, what the military says it needs to fund, and why that answer still does not solve the bigger problem: nobody can explain where all the money is already going. They talk munitions, drones, shipbuilding, Golden Dome, personnel, aging infrastructure, bloated conferences, pet projects, federal billets, and the fact that the military still cannot pass a clean audit.Then the episode shifts into surveillance and civil liberties with Flock cameras, license plate readers, the Patriot Act, and why “if you did nothing wrong, you have nothing to worry about” is a terrible argument.Finally, the guys get into Air Force height-to-waist standards, body composition, fat bodies in uniform, false positives for built-like-a-fridge humans, and why most people complaining about the standard probably just need to work out and eat less.Check out Tasty Gains: TastyGains.comGet AFSPECWAR prep gear through ATACLETE: OnesReady.comRegister for Operator Training Summit: OperatorTrainingSummit.comChapters:00:00 - Intro, Tasty Gains, ATACLETE, and OTS02:34 - San Diego and Pennsylvania OTS Updates04:20 - Why Does the Military Want More Money?04:58 - What the Defense Budget Is Paying For06:00 - Warfighter Performance, Drones, and China07:13 - Navy Upgrades and Global Shipping07:45 - Where Has the Money Been Going?08:14 - DOGE Cuts, Federal Workers, and Billets11:22 - Why Cutting Billets Does Not Always Cut Costs12:28 - A-10, B-21, F-47, and Military Construction14:04 - The $1.5 Trillion Defense Budget Request15:20 - China, Taiwan, and Future War Prep16:17 - Trent's Problem With the Budget Argument17:56 - The Department of War Has Never Passed a Clean Audit18:38 - Space Force Funding and Real Missions20:24 - NDAA, SAVE Act, and Israel Integration22:46 - Voter ID, Senate Drama, and Political Games24:10 - Why the NDAA May Get Stripped Down25:33 - Midterms, Messaging, and DC Theater26:49 - Talking Politics With Kids27:14 - Aliens, Spielberg, and Disclosure28:38 - Why Military Leaders Do Not Cut Waste29:02 - Civilian Leadership and Budget Authority29:55 - How End-of-Year Spending Works31:55 - The GARV Vehicle and Sunk Cost Fallacy34:37 - Unused Float Tanks and Base-Level Waste36:08 - VR Headsets and Gear With No Sustainment Plan37:10 - When Waste Becomes Gear Money38:25 - Donated Mattresses and Internet Outrage39:30 - Cutting Generals, E-9s, and Conferences40:27 - Senior Leader Conferences and Yucking It Up41:50 - Commanders' Roundtables and No Decisions43:34 - Senior Leaders Need to Take More Risk45:05 - Aaron's Defense Budget Take46:13 - A Possible New Ones Ready Series47:57 - Naming the New Series50:34 - What the New Series Could Cover53:09 - Flock Cameras and AI Surveillance54:31 - License Plate Readers and False Tickets56:50 - Aaron's Las Vegas Parking Ticket Story01:00:24 - The Process Is the Punishment01:01:42 - UK CCTV and 198401:03:15 - The Patriot Act and Giving Up Freedom01:04:46 - Height-to-Waist Standard Chaos01:05:59 - Fat People Resist Accountability01:06:26 - Show the Scores01:07:07 - The One Built-Like-a-Viking Exception01:08:13 - Almost Crashing a Helicopter With Big Humans01:09:56 - When Pencil Whipping Makes Sense01:11:01 - Trent's Fatty Rant01:11:40 - MTIs, Maintainers, and No Excuses01:12:31 - Final Thoughts and MembershipSupport the showJoin this channel to get access to perks: HEREBuzzsprout Subscription page:  HERERegister for our Operator Training Summit:  OperatorTrainingSummit.comFind an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.comCollabs:Ones Ready - OnesReady.com 18A Fitness - Promo Code:  ONESREADY ATACLete - Follow the URL (no promo code):  ATACLeteDanger Close Apparel - Promo Code:  ONESREADYDFND Apparel...

As Space Force leaders argue that doubling the size of the newest branch of the military is a “national security necessity,” roughly 25% of the jobs within the service were unfilled in fiscal 2025, and the service lacks guidance for determining how many people it actually needs to accomplish its missions. Federal News Network's Anastasia Obis has more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode Summary: To secure the growing U.S. interests in space, it is imperative we have a capable and ready Space Force that can meet the challenges of the future. The Future Operating Environment 2040 and the Objective Force Baseline are the Space Force's assessment of what to expect and what forces and capabilities it will need to preserve space superiority. To learn more about these documents we had an in-depth discussion with two of the principal authors, Col. Paul Latour and Lt. Col. Sean Frederick. Credits: Host: Heather "Lucky" Penney, Director of Research, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: Charles Galbreath, Director & Senior Resident Fellow for Space Studies, The Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence (MI-SPACE) Guest: Jennifer "Boots" Reeves, Senior Resident Fellow for Space Studies, MI-SPACE Guest: Col. Paul LaTour Guest: Lt. Col. Sean Frederick Links: Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3GbA5Of Website: https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MitchellStudies Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mitchell.Institute.Aerospace LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nzBisb Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mitchellstudies/ #MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #Space #Military #Future

The fact that the Chinese Coast Guard attacked Philippines vessels in three separate confrontations this week, may illustrate why the Space Force needs Guardians trained and equipped under Title 10 authorities to secure U.S. interests in orbit and on the Moon. Laura Winter speaks with retired Lt. Gen. Joseph "Gus" Guastella, former commander of U.S. Air Forces Central Command, now Executive Vice President of National Security, at Voyager Technologies; and retired Space Force Col. Charles Galbreath, Director of the Mitchell Institute's Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence.

Tonight we do a deep dive with guest and friend of the show Kris Olsen as we discuss the explosive intersections of ancient wisdom and today's breaking disclosures. This episode explores the Book of Enoch's intricate cosmology alongside Anunnaki narratives from Sumerian texts, revealing striking parallels with modern UAP encounters, non-human intelligence, and advanced quantum frameworks. We examine U.S. Space Force's direct recommendation to study Enoch, Ingersoll Lockwood's research links, celestial maps on the Moon, and how these ancient accounts of Watchers, star beings, and forbidden knowledge may hold keys to understanding our place in a multidimensional universe. Red-pill reality check included—listen now for mind-expanding truth talk. #redpill #enoch #spaceforce

The Space Force's Space Systems Command already is seeing an increase in trust and confidence when it comes to applying artificial intelligence tools to mission areas. While hard metrics still may be difficult to point to, for areas like source selection or market research, Guardians already are feeling the impact of these new and emerging capabilities. F Schnell is deputy portfolio acquisition executive for the Space Force Infrastructure Office, and Capt. “Doc” Rana is the director of Human-AI Teaming Lab at Space Systems Command. They talked about it with Federal News Network's Jason Miller on our Space and Satellite Exchange. Rana speaks first.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

GE Vernova (GEV) continues to deliver strong earnings but couldn't clear the high bar investors had for the newest quarterly report. Diane King Hall talks more on those high expectations and how tariffs play a role in hindering guidance. She also discusses why Truist issued an upgrade for CoreWeave (CRWV) and Rocket Lab's (RKLB) latest contract with Space Force.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

Space Force Announces Enlisted Promotions as It Prepares to Switch to ‘Fully Qualified' System (05:03) Space Force offers $25,000 to new recruits who commit to 8 years (21:05) Trump Says He'll Seek to Replace Immigrant Truck Drivers With Veterans (31:28) On this day in space! July 20, 1969: Apollo 11 astronauts take the first moonwalk (42:19) https://lateforchangeover.com/ #lateforchangeover #veteranvoices #militaryeverything #militarypodcast #spaceforce #airforce #army #navy #marines #coastguard #militaryhistory #militaryhumor

The Space Force has officially welcomed its first part-time service members, launching a first-of-its-kind personnel model that allows Guardians to move between full-time and part-time service without transferring to the National Guard or Reserves. Service leaders say the approach will help recruit and retain skilled workers, particularly those with expertise in the commercial space and technology sectors. But the new model also raises questions about how the military will manage a more flexible workforce and whether its aging personnel systems are ready to support it. Federal News Network's Rachel Cohen joins me with more.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week we're jumping into the space headlines for the past few weeks. It's been busy, and some exciting things are happening! A couple of companies are moving into the space solar power arena--something we've long advocated--and that's welcome progress. Starship is set to fly Starship test number 13, and a lot is riding on this--the system is overdue for some proof of concept to keep up with NASA's HLS contract. An exoplanet spotted a decade ago has shown signs of a potentially habitable atmosphere; there are landslides--big ones--on Pluto, and evidence of "space candy" sugars in an interstellar cloud are in the news. Finally, SpaceX is doubling down on their big defense contracts with a well-funded US Space Force. Join us for all the latest! Headlines: SpaceX Starship Flight 13 Launch Aborted Due to Engine Issue Meteorite Crashes Into New Jersey, Preserved Sample Fuels Origins of Life Research Discovery of Atmosphere Around Habitable-Zone Exoplanet LHS 1140 b NASA Moon Tree Planted After Artemis 1 Mission Reflect Orbital to Launch Mirrors in Space, Sparking Astronomer Backlash Landslides Found on Pluto Could Bury Entire Cities Rare Sugar Found in Interstellar Cloud Hints at Building Blocks of Life SpaceX's Growing Military Launch Contracts and Pentagon Ties Space Development Agency's Expanding Satellite Constellation for Space Force Starship's Dual Focus: NASA Moon Landings vs. Mars and Satellite Deployment Artemis 3 Updates: New Renderings, Docking Plans, and Starlink HD Laser Payloads Defense Innovation Unit's Push for Space-Based Power Beaming Technology Pulse Space and Laser-Based Satellite Power and Communication New Satellite Concept to Detect Nuclear Devices in Orbit Amid Global Security Concerns Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik Download or subscribe to This Week in Space at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: blackhat.com/us-26 and use code TWIT ethos.com/twis

This week we're jumping into the space headlines for the past few weeks. It's been busy, and some exciting things are happening! A couple of companies are moving into the space solar power arena--something we've long advocated--and that's welcome progress. Starship is set to fly Starship test number 13, and a lot is riding on this--the system is overdue for some proof of concept to keep up with NASA's HLS contract. An exoplanet spotted a decade ago has shown signs of a potentially habitable atmosphere; there are landslides--big ones--on Pluto, and evidence of "space candy" sugars in an interstellar cloud are in the news. Finally, SpaceX is doubling down on their big defense contracts with a well-funded US Space Force. Join us for all the latest! Headlines: SpaceX Starship Flight 13 Launch Aborted Due to Engine Issue Meteorite Crashes Into New Jersey, Preserved Sample Fuels Origins of Life Research Discovery of Atmosphere Around Habitable-Zone Exoplanet LHS 1140 b NASA Moon Tree Planted After Artemis 1 Mission Reflect Orbital to Launch Mirrors in Space, Sparking Astronomer Backlash Landslides Found on Pluto Could Bury Entire Cities Rare Sugar Found in Interstellar Cloud Hints at Building Blocks of Life SpaceX's Growing Military Launch Contracts and Pentagon Ties Space Development Agency's Expanding Satellite Constellation for Space Force Starship's Dual Focus: NASA Moon Landings vs. Mars and Satellite Deployment Artemis 3 Updates: New Renderings, Docking Plans, and Starlink HD Laser Payloads Defense Innovation Unit's Push for Space-Based Power Beaming Technology Pulse Space and Laser-Based Satellite Power and Communication New Satellite Concept to Detect Nuclear Devices in Orbit Amid Global Security Concerns Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik Download or subscribe to This Week in Space at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: blackhat.com/us-26 and use code TWIT ethos.com/twis

This week we're jumping into the space headlines for the past few weeks. It's been busy, and some exciting things are happening! A couple of companies are moving into the space solar power arena--something we've long advocated--and that's welcome progress. Starship is set to fly Starship test number 13, and a lot is riding on this--the system is overdue for some proof of concept to keep up with NASA's HLS contract. An exoplanet spotted a decade ago has shown signs of a potentially habitable atmosphere; there are landslides--big ones--on Pluto, and evidence of "space candy" sugars in an interstellar cloud are in the news. Finally, SpaceX is doubling down on their big defense contracts with a well-funded US Space Force. Join us for all the latest! Headlines: SpaceX Starship Flight 13 Launch Aborted Due to Engine Issue Meteorite Crashes Into New Jersey, Preserved Sample Fuels Origins of Life Research Discovery of Atmosphere Around Habitable-Zone Exoplanet LHS 1140 b NASA Moon Tree Planted After Artemis 1 Mission Reflect Orbital to Launch Mirrors in Space, Sparking Astronomer Backlash Landslides Found on Pluto Could Bury Entire Cities Rare Sugar Found in Interstellar Cloud Hints at Building Blocks of Life SpaceX's Growing Military Launch Contracts and Pentagon Ties Space Development Agency's Expanding Satellite Constellation for Space Force Starship's Dual Focus: NASA Moon Landings vs. Mars and Satellite Deployment Artemis 3 Updates: New Renderings, Docking Plans, and Starlink HD Laser Payloads Defense Innovation Unit's Push for Space-Based Power Beaming Technology Pulse Space and Laser-Based Satellite Power and Communication New Satellite Concept to Detect Nuclear Devices in Orbit Amid Global Security Concerns Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik Download or subscribe to This Week in Space at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: blackhat.com/us-26 and use code TWIT ethos.com/twis

This week we're jumping into the space headlines for the past few weeks. It's been busy, and some exciting things are happening! A couple of companies are moving into the space solar power arena--something we've long advocated--and that's welcome progress. Starship is set to fly Starship test number 13, and a lot is riding on this--the system is overdue for some proof of concept to keep up with NASA's HLS contract. An exoplanet spotted a decade ago has shown signs of a potentially habitable atmosphere; there are landslides--big ones--on Pluto, and evidence of "space candy" sugars in an interstellar cloud are in the news. Finally, SpaceX is doubling down on their big defense contracts with a well-funded US Space Force. Join us for all the latest! Headlines: SpaceX Starship Flight 13 Launch Aborted Due to Engine Issue Meteorite Crashes Into New Jersey, Preserved Sample Fuels Origins of Life Research Discovery of Atmosphere Around Habitable-Zone Exoplanet LHS 1140 b NASA Moon Tree Planted After Artemis 1 Mission Reflect Orbital to Launch Mirrors in Space, Sparking Astronomer Backlash Landslides Found on Pluto Could Bury Entire Cities Rare Sugar Found in Interstellar Cloud Hints at Building Blocks of Life SpaceX's Growing Military Launch Contracts and Pentagon Ties Space Development Agency's Expanding Satellite Constellation for Space Force Starship's Dual Focus: NASA Moon Landings vs. Mars and Satellite Deployment Artemis 3 Updates: New Renderings, Docking Plans, and Starlink HD Laser Payloads Defense Innovation Unit's Push for Space-Based Power Beaming Technology Pulse Space and Laser-Based Satellite Power and Communication New Satellite Concept to Detect Nuclear Devices in Orbit Amid Global Security Concerns Hosts: Rod Pyle and Tariq Malik Download or subscribe to This Week in Space at https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-space. Join Club TWiT for Ad-Free Podcasts! Support what you love and get ad-free audio and video feeds, a members-only Discord, and exclusive content. Join today: https://twit.tv/clubtwit Sponsors: blackhat.com/us-26 and use code TWIT ethos.com/twis

Lt. Gen. Douglas Schiess is on track to become the Space Force's third Chief of Space Operations after a 44-minute confirmation hearing. Who is Schiess, and how has the CSO role evolved? Laura Winter speaks with retired Air Force Col. Jennifer Reeves, Senior Resident Fellow at the Mitchell Institute, and retired Air Force Col. Patrick Donley, Director of the Air & Space Forces Association's Doolittle Leadership Center.

Combat Forces Command is responsible for generating, presenting, and sustaining combat-ready space control, global operations, and combat service support forces capable of defending the nation's interests in, from, and to space. Lt. Gen. Gagnon's insights and deep connections with the intelligence community will paint a clear picture of the evolving threat environment and the Space Force's ability to maintain space superiority for the nation and its warfighters.

Autonomy and AI dominate the defense debate. Whether talking about next generation collaborative combat aircraft, command and control decision making aids, or cyberspace tools–there's no question that these technologies are reshaping national security. Frank Kendall will join us to discuss this topic, which he explored in his recently released book “Lethal Autonomy: The Future of Warfare Whether We Like It Or Not.” During his tenure as the 26th United States Secretary of the Air Force, Kendall was at the leading edge of this discussion. A veteran of the defense industry and former Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, he spent his tenure overseeing the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force through a major modernization effort focused on strategic competition. Join us for this important discussion.

Space Force officially has its own weapon for taking out satellites (10:14) ‘Like a God-gun': Armor unit adopts Switchblade kamikaze drones (17:25) Trump's ‘Hunger Games'-Style Teen Competition: What to Know About Patriot Games (28:47) Classic Military Movie game (34:26) https://lateforchangeover.com/ #lateforchangeover #veteranvoices #militaryeverything #militarypodcast #spaceforce #airforce #army #navy #marines #coastguard #militaryhistory #militaryhumor

Lt. Gen. Steve Whitney serves as the Director, Force Structure, Resources and Assessment, J-8. In this position, he oversees the development of capabilities, conducts studies and assessments, and evaluates plans and programs for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He also serves as Secretary of the Joint Requirements Oversight Council and Chairman of the Joint Capabilities Board. Lt. Gen. Whitney plays an important role in ensuring that the Air Force and Space Force are properly sized and resourced for future conflicts. He also brings valuable insights from his extensive acquisition experience. Join us for what will be a fascinating discussion with one of the senior Guardians on the Joint Staff.

OA1277 - We continue our coverage of the Trump administration's criminalization of dissent with a brief update on the sentencing of the last remaining Prairieland defendant and a closer look at similar federal prosecutions of ICE protesters in Minneapolis, Spokane, and a number of other jurisdictions. Matt then explains how the DOJ just complicated a case against someone alleged to have leaked the second Jack Smith report in the funniest possible way. Finally, in today's footnote: that one time that Dan Crenshaw and William Shatner tried to make Starfleet happen. “Final federal Prairieland ‘antifa' defendant sentenced to six years after helping shooter evade arrest,” The Dallas Morning News (6/6/2026) Indictment in United States v. Stuckart et al., Eastern District of Washington (7/9/2025) “DOJ Targets Anti-ICE Demonstrators with Conspiracy Charges,” PBS Newshour on Instagram (3/31/2026) Indictment in United States v. Sant et al., District of Minnesota (6/11/2026) Trump's Spaghetti-Against-the-Wall Indictment Against ICE Protesters — and How to Fight It, The Intercept (6/17/2026) “As ICE protesters like ‘Spokane 3' are targeted, many still stand up,” Seattle Times (6/15/2026) “In-Your-Face DOJ Aide Rides Prosecutors for ‘Chief Client' Trump,” Bloomberg (2/19/2026) ‘Go Big and Go Loud': Inside the Justice Dept.'s Push to Prosecute Protesters, New York Times (3/19/2026) Indictment in United States of America v. Carmen Mercedes Lineberger, Southern District of Florida (5/19/2026) “William Shatner Wants to Know: What the Heck is Wrong With You, Space Force?” William Shatner, Military Times (8/26/2020) Check out the OA Linktree for all the places to go and things to do!

The Capitalism Model and Monetization of the Space Sector. Bob Zimmerman. Wall Street has embraced commercial space, with private companies like Catalyst performing satellite servicing missions once reserved for government agencies. The U.S. Space Force now buys rapid-launch capabilities from the private sector for orbital reconnaissance. India is also transitioning its space program toward this capitalist model to increase efficiency. (11)

SCHEDULE THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 7-8-20261966 SWEDEN Chaos in the Strait of Hormuz and Global Alignments. Gordon Chang and Kamran Bokhari. The Strait of Hormuz memorandum of understanding has collapsed, leading the U.S. to end the ceasefire with Iran. Iran is attempting to divide international allies by courting India and Pakistan. Pakistan balances a mediating role against domestic economic instability, while India shifts toward a burden-sharing role in the Indo-Pacific. (1) Chinese Missile Provocations and the Undersea Power Struggle. Gordon Chang and Rebecca Grant. Chinalaunched a long-range missile over sovereign territories toward Fiji, an aggressive move coinciding with major NATO and RIMPAC events. The test signals China's intent to expand its nuclear triad despite its currently "noisy" submarine technology. The U.S. maintains its undersea dominance through advanced programs like the Columbia-class boomer and unmanned Orca systems. (2) Religious Persecution and the Rise of Underground Christianity in China. Gordon Chang and Piero Tozzi. Pastor Ezra Jin's release highlights the CCP's continued persecution of underground churches that refuse to answer to the state. Despite intense Sinicization and arrests of figures like Jimmy Lai, Christianity is flourishing in China as a witness for human dignity. Totalitarian control efforts have created an enemy in an underground congregation potentially numbering over 100 million. (3) PLA Purges and Xi Jinping's Power Consolidation. Gordon Chang and Piero Tozzi. Xi Jinping's provocative missile launches are linked to internal instability and purges within the Central Military Commission. By creating international tension, Xi forces competing party factions to rally behind his leadership. While he controls the propaganda and state security apparatus, his control over the People's Liberation Army remains incomplete. (4) Venezuela's Humanitarian Crisis and US Diplomatic Pragmatism. Evan Ellis. Twin earthquakes in Venezuelahave left thousands dead and missing, with the Maduro regime's response marked by corruption and inefficiency. The U.S. continues to work with regime "thugs" for stability and oil access while preventing the democratically elected leader, María Corina Machado, from returning to aid her country. (5) Electoral Shifts Toward U.S. Cooperation in Peru and Colombia. Evan Ellis. Keiko Fujimori in Peru and Abelardo de la Espriella in Colombia have secured victories, pledging to join U.S.-led regional security coalitions. Both leaders inherit nations plagued by record-high coca production and expanded criminal groups. Their success is viewed as critical for regional stability and counter-cartel efforts in the Americas. (6) Bolivia's Instability and US-Mexico Trade Leverage. Evan Ellis. Bolivia remains on "borrowed time" as Evo Morales leads blockades from his coca-growing stronghold. Simultaneously, the U.S. uses the USMCA's renewal uncertainty as leverage to ensure Mexico's cooperation on migration and drugs. This strategy risks long-term investment but forces immediate strategic compliance from the Mexican administration. (7) Cuba's Grid Collapse and Caribbean Regional Integration. Evan Ellis. Cuba's recurring blackouts highlight a crumbling infrastructure and the failure of economic reforms to appease U.S. sanctions. While the U.S. applies individual sanctions on leaders, CARICOM is expanding its regional influence, recently bringing Martinique in as an associate member to bolster Caribbean governance and maritime security. (8) Russia's Energy Chokepoint and the Shifting Global Oil Map. Michael Bernstam. Ukrainian drone strikes on major Russian refineries have triggered a severe fuel crisis, forcing export bans on diesel and gasoline. Meanwhile, Gulf states are building massive pipelines to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. These developments are neutralizing Iran's "golden weapon" and shifting global oil transit maps away from traditional naval chokepoints. (9) The Strategic Impact of the Drone War on Russia. Michael Bernstam. Ukrainian drones have achieved what sanctions could not, choking Russia's fuel supply and forcing it to sell oil at massive discounts to China and India. This new form of decentralized drone warfare has made fuel supplies the primary vulnerability of the Russianeconomy. Modern nations, including Taiwan, are now observing these lessons in resource warfare. (10) The Capitalism Model and Monetization of the Space Sector. Bob Zimmerman. Wall Street has embraced commercial space, with private companies like Catalyst performing satellite servicing missions once reserved for government agencies. The U.S. Space Force now buys rapid-launch capabilities from the private sector for orbital reconnaissance. India is also transitioning its space program toward this capitalist model to increase efficiency. (11) Asteroid Probes and Scientific Cosmological Anomalies. Bob Zimmerman. Missions are targeting asteroids like the potentially dangerous Apophis, with a fleet of probes planning a 2029 flyby. Meanwhile, the Euclid telescope has detected ancient quasars that challenge Big Bang timelines. Additional anomalies in Galaxy Centaurus A and unpredictable sunspot activity suggest current cosmological models remain incomplete. (12) European Heat Waves and Shifting Commodity Markets. Simon Constable. Extreme heat is becoming the norm in Europe, driving demand for air conditioning and pressuring electrical infrastructure. Commodity prices show mixed signals; oil and gas have risen due to Middle East tensions, while industrial metals like copper decline. In Britain, Andy Burnham is positioned as a likely future prime leader. (13) The Invisible Power of Global Data Centers. Simon Constable. Data centers represent the digital future, with Virginia housing the world's highest concentration for the federal government. Despite accounting for over 4% of U.S. electricity usage, a quiz reveals that a quarter of Americans know nothing about these facilities. The U.K.holds the second-highest number of data centers globally. (14) The Sino-American Lunar Race for Permanent Presence. Rick Fisher and Doug Messier. China aims for a permanent lunar presence at the South Pole to potentially deny access to other powers. NASA is countering with a civilian coalition of private partners like SpaceX to develop sustainable infrastructure for future Mars missions. China's architecture mimics Soviet systems, while NASA's Starship requires complex orbital refueling to reach the moon. (15) Risk Aversion and Logistical Timelines for Moon Landings. Rick Fisher and Doug Messier. The Chinesespace program is highly risk-averse to protect the Communist Party's legitimacy. While NASA is "game on," it faces challenges with the Starship lander, which reportedly requires at least 15 refueling launches per mission. China hopes for a manned landing by 2030, while NASA's 2028 timeline remains subject to potential delays. (16)

Want to know how to break into the U.S. Space Force and scale your technology with over half a billion dollars in annual funding? In this episode, host Mike Shanley sits down with Arthur Grijalva, Director of SpaceWERX, to demystify how the Space Force's innovation arm acts as a venture capital fund to buy down technical risk and field dual-use commercial tech faster. This episode is a must-listen for defense tech CEOs, venture capitalists, and aerospace founders trying to navigate the shifting government R&D landscape. You will learn exactly how to align your commercial capabilities with urgent space warfighting priorities and leverage newly reauthorized strategic breakthrough programs to bridge the valley of death. Main Topics Covered The Venture Capital Model of SpaceWERX: How the organization leverages $500 million annually to buy down risk, accelerate bright ideas, and transition them directly into the hands of warfighters. Navigating the Defense R&D Ecosystem: Understanding the strategic differences and partnerships between SpaceWERX, AFWERX, the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). Beating the Valley of Death: A case study of K2 Space, tracing their evolution from an initial Phase I conceptual study to a massive $60 million STRATFI co-investment. The New Rules of SBIR/STTR Reauthorization: What the latest legislative changes mean for preventing "SBIR mills," increasing due diligence on foreign investments, and expanding strategic breakthrough programs across agencies like NASA and the DOE. Redefining Dual-Use Technology: How tweaking an existing commercial asset, like Muon Space's wildfire satellites, can rapidly deliver critical capabilities like space weather monitoring and missile warnings to the Space Force. Deep Space Collaboration with NASA: Inside the joint efforts on the Orbital Prime program, Starfish Space's satellite-servicing mission, and upcoming investments with the Cislunar Coordination Office. Co-Designing Solicitations through Challenges: How upcoming events like the On-Orbit Logistics Challenge bring together industry, venture capital, and operators to write contract requirements collectively. The Power of Industry Partnerships: Why small startups are joining forces with traditional defense primes and mid-tier firms to successfully compete and deliver full end-to-end capabilities. Key Takeaways Follow the Money to Find the Demand Signal: The clearest indication of what the Space Force prioritizes is where they spend money; companies should look at current challenges and funding lines to understand real mission needs. Proliferated Architectures Are the Future: Space Force leadership is shifting away from exquisite, multi-billion-dollar satellite systems that take a decade to build in favor of cheaper, mass-proliferated architectures that refresh every two to four years. Strategic Co-Investment Drives Massive Value: Leveraging programs like STRATFI to combine funding from private venture capital and programs of record has yielded a massive 9x valuation increase for participating companies. Don't Navigate the System Alone: SpaceWERX offers specialized accelerators, pitch sessions, and a new database registry designed specifically to demystify government contracting and help commercial firms get a foot in the door. Connect with the Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthurgrijalva Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/spacewerxdod/ Connect with the Host LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/early-defense-opportunity-identification/ Website: https://www.govdiscoveryai.com/ If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to follow the podcast, hit the like button, and share it with your network so you never miss an episode packed with actionable market intelligence!

Why are Netflix shows declining after their first seasons? Also, what happened to USMNT at the World Cup? We talk about things that make us unreasonably mad, Space Force planning a satellite war, and lots more!

A potential major earthquake along the San Andreas Fault is not just a Hollywood plotline. An Arizona researcher says the so-called “earthquake gate” holding it back is under major stress. Plus, what the U.S. Space Force will be doing at Fort Huachuca.

Kyle Knopp is a Space and Aerospace Technician and Radar Electronics Mechanic with the United States Space Force at Hurlburt Field, Florida. A U.S. Air Force veteran (2008–2016), he specialized in aircraft maintenance, communications, navigation, and radar systems. He later worked at Lockheed Martin before returning to government service with the Space Force, where he maintains an active Secret security clearance. Kyle shares his raw, firsthand account of a personal sighting of an unidentified triangular craft — told straight, with zero speculation or filler. Pure witness experience. #ufos #aliens #TotalDisclosureFOLLOW KYLE ON LINKED IN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyle-knopp-a3b214123/ ON X: https://x.com/Spectrum_GunsTDP Website: www.TotalDisclosure.Co 

Through authorization and appropriation, Congress holds the definitive power to shape military growth and readiness. As the nation's youngest and smallest service, it is vital for the Space Force to have effective advocacy on the Hill. Leading this effort are Brigadier General Nikki Frankino, Legislative Liaison for the U.S. Space Force and Ms. Melissa Blakesly, the Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional Budget and Appropriations Liaison. From budget priorities and force design to long-term strategic objectives, congressional decisions will play a decisive role in determining how the Space Force develops in the years ahead. Join us for an inciteful discussion on their work, priorities, and impact shaping the Space Force at this historic moment.

There's no doubt that Rocket Lab is a Kiwi success story, but do the dizzying heights of their technical achievements keep us from asking important questions about how they operate? That's what astronomer Dr Ian Griffin asked in an opinion article for the Otago Daily Times today. The catalyst for it was a social media post Rocket Lab put out last week, saying quote, "The Space Force called, and we launched." According to Rocket Lab, it was less than 17 hours between receiving a request from the US Space Force and launching a payload from Mahia Peninsula. Which is incredible - but did it mean important questions weren't considered? Here to discuss is Dr Ian Griffin.

The U.S. government runs a program that will fund your company before you have a single customer — sometimes before you have a finished product at all.It's called SBIR, and in this episode John Martin breaks down exactly how he used it to go from an early-stage idea to a $1.9M U.S. Air Force funding increase, with a shot at a $30M+ award next. If you've got innovative technology and you've ever wondered whether the government would pay you to develop it, this is the conversation to watch.John is the founder of Bundle AR, an augmented reality and XR training platform now used across the Air Force, Space Force, Army, and the commercial world. We get into how SBIR Phase I and Phase II actually work, what TACFI and STRATFI are, why relationships beat writing proposals, and the single mistake most founders make when they try to sell to the government.––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––CHAPTERS––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––00:00 The $1.9M the Government Paid Bundle AR00:42 Who Is John Martin & What Bundle AR Does03:33 How He Got His First Government Check05:57 SBIR Explained: Getting Paid for an Idea07:48 Why SBIR Funding Froze (and Just Reopened)09:14 TACFI: The $1.9M Air Force Funding Increase11:54 STRATFI & the New $30M Award for 202616:01 Why Relationships Beat Writing Proposals17:55 How to Win Before the Contract Is Posted22:09 Live Demo: AR Training for the Military28:54 The Smartest Move: Two Revenue Streams29:32 The Truth About SBIR Mills32:24 The GovClose Gauntlet: Rapid Fire37:12 John's Radio Career: Cronkite, Kiss & Taylor Swift38:57 Advice for First-Time Government Contractors41:00 New Markets: Education, Healthcare & School Security44:04 What's Next for Bundle AR––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––RESOURCES MENTIONED––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––GovClose Program Overview (free 20-minute training):https://www.govclose.comSBIR / STTR Program (official):https://www.sbir.gov––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––ABOUT THE GUEST — JOHN MARTIN, BUNDLE AR––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––John Martin is the founder of Bundle AR (BUNDLAR), a Chicago-basedoperational intelligence platform company. Over 8+ years, Bundle AR hasbuilt a no-code augmented reality and XR-wearable platform that deliverstraining and knowledge "where work happens" for both enterprise and theDepartment of Defense. The company has won SBIR Phase I and Phase II awards,a $1.9M U.S. Air Force Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI), and is nowqualified for a Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI). Past clients andengagements include Microsoft (Xbox), Thermo Fisher, Cleveland Clinic, theU.S. Air Force, Space Force, Michigan Air National Guard, and the U.S. Army.Learn more / connect with John:Website: https://www.bundlar.comEmail: john@bundlar.comLinkedIn: [paste John's LinkedIn URL here]––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––ABOUT RICK HOWARD––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––Rick Howard is a retired USAF Lieutenant Colonel and former DoD acquisitionsofficer who managed over $82 billion in federal contracts. He is the founderof GovClose and the DoD Contract Academy, with 400+ graduates working asgovernment contract consultants, federal account executives, and businessowners winning federal contracts.Get the GovClose Certification: https://www.govclose.com/sales-certification Our students learn the government contracting skills to :1. Start their own consulting business that can earn up to $400k as a "solopreneur" advising businesses that sell to the government.2. Land high paying sales executive jobs with companies in the public sector.3. Increase government contracting revenue for companies selling to the US government.

With a NATO Summit two weeks away and Washington pressing allies to take on more, Air Marshal Paul Godfrey explains how a year of executing the U.S. Space Force's International Partnership Strategy is turning allied integration from plan into practice. Laura Winter speaks with Air Marshal Paul Godfrey, RAF, Assistant Chief of Space Operations for Future Concepts and Partnerships, U.S. Space Force.

Send us Fan MailPeaches is back with the Ones Ready Daily Drop for 24 June, breaking down the latest defense updates across the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, Secretary of Defense, President of the United States, and global military modernization.This episode covers the Army pushing next-generation command and control, low-cost interceptors, and the Infantry Squad Vehicle Heavy; the Navy and United Kingdom moving faster on drone boats and directed energy; the Marine Corps expanding Maven AI for operational reporting; and the Air Force dealing with technical sergeant promotions, T-7 Red Hawk sustainment, and data rights challenges with Boeing.Peaches also covers the Space Force's new mess dress testing, Boeing's next-generation communications satellite contract, the Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk crash update, Secretary Hegseth's review of U.S. force posture in Europe, potential changes to U.S. weapons sales, President Trump's quantum sensor push, Defense Production Act action on munitions, and new European main battle tank and unmanned ground vehicle developments.The theme is clear: drones, AI, quantum tech, autonomous systems, cyber, satellites, and acquisition reform are moving fast. The question is whether the Department of War can move fast enough to keep up.Check out Tasty Gains:TastyGains.comTrain with us:OperatorTrainingSummit.comJoin the Ones Ready membership for early access, members-only episodes, and exclusive merch.Chapters:00:00 - Intro, Tasty Gains, and Operator Training Summit02:45 - Army: Command and Control, Interceptors, and ISV Heavy07:25 - Navy: DragonFire Lasers and Drone Boats08:57 - Marine Corps: Maven AI Reporting11:17 - Air Force: Tech Sergeant Promotions and T-7 Problems14:39 - Space Force and Coast Guard Updates15:44 - Secretary of Defense and Europe Force Posture18:26 - President Trump, Quantum Sensors, and Munitions19:29 - Global Defense: Tanks and Unmanned Ground Vehicles21:05 - Wrap-Up and MembershipSupport the showJoin this channel to get access to perks: HEREBuzzsprout Subscription page:  HERERegister for our Operator Training Summit:  OperatorTrainingSummit.comFind an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.comCollabs:Ones Ready - OnesReady.com 18A Fitness - Promo Code:  ONESREADY ATACLete - Follow the URL (no promo code):  ATACLeteDanger Close Apparel - Promo Code:  ONESREADYDFND Apparel...

Stolen Legos update :: Reckless Ben being counter sued :: Crazy Mormon police harassment :: Scottish people taking over Boston :: White pill story of friendship with the Scots :: Supreme Court rules gov can't restrict gun rights over casual drug use :: Space Force using nanotech for evil? :: Caller recounts his strange life experiences including powerful near death experiences :: Targeted persons :: 2026-06-20 Host: Bonnie, Riley O'Bill, Angelo

Bridgit Mendler took an unconventional path to founding a space infrastructure company, but it led her to one of the industry's most overlooked bottlenecks: the ground systems connecting satellites to Earth. Now, she's building Northwood to modernize that critical layer of the space economy, the part that doesn't get the headlines but matters as much as anything happening above it.  Northwood recently announced its new Prism product, and we get into the business model, the competitive landscape, the government bet, and one of the most critical questions: if Starlink and Kuiper have already built their own versions of what Northwood is selling, who's actually buying? We cover: Why ground infrastructure is the overlooked bottleneck in the space economy The announcement of Prism and what it means for Northwood's ambitions beyond its first product The claim that Northwood will rival a terrestrial internet exchange by 2028 The Space Force contract and what the path to a second one looks like Cell tower or cloud bill: how Northwood actually makes money Her future vision for the industry and the infrastructure bet behind it   • Chapters • 00:00 – Trailer 00:44 – FCC Space Bureau 04:28 – How Bridgit decided to work on satellite networking 07:35 – From lake to concept 09:57 – Recent announcement at Northwood 12:20 – Where Northwood fits in the ground station as a service model 15:24 – The Northwood value proposition 16:42 – Average utilization of a ground station 18:10 – Northwood's flexibility 19:41 – Key goals in the next few years 22:15 – "I like to be bullish on space because that's what we're all here for" 22:52 – Biggest near-term opportunity 24:09 – How the competition shapes Northwood 25:50 – Segment of the market Bridgit believes has the biggest capacity for growth 26:45 – Northwood x Space Force: Satellite Control Network 29:48 – The state of Northwood today 32:09 – Competing for talent 33:22 – Revenue model with ground stations and how that will evolve 35:43 – What Northwood's next product set might look like 39:05 – Deployment of Northwood's $100M 40:03 – Investor conversations 42:55 – How Northwood fits in the changing landscape of the space industry with the Moon and SpaceX's IPO 45:17 – What keeps Bridgit up at night? 46:33 – Rapid-fire philosophical questions   • Show notes • Northwood's website — https://www.northwoodspace.io/ Ross's' socials — https://x.com/bridgitmendler Mo's socials — https://x.com/itsmoislam Payload's socials — https://x.com/payloadspace /  https://www.linkedin.com/company/payloadspace Ignition's socials — https://x.com/ignitionnuclear / https://www.linkedin.com/company/ignition-nuclear/ Tectonic's socials  — https://x.com/tectonicdefense / https://www.linkedin.com/company/tectonicdefense/ Valley of Depth archive — Listen: https://pod.payloadspace.com/   • About us • Valley of Depth is a podcast about the technologies that matter — and the people building them. Brought to you by Arkaea Media, the team behind Payload (space), Ignition (nuclear energy), Decoding Bio (biotech) and Tectonic (defense tech), this show goes beyond headlines and hype. We talk to founders, investors, government officials, and military leaders shaping the future of national security and deep tech. From breakthrough science to strategic policy, we dive into the high-stakes decisions behind the world's hardest technologies. Payload: www.payloadspace.com Tectonic: www.tectonicdefense.com Ignition: www.ignition-news.com Decoding Bio: www.decodingbio.com

Send us Fan MailPeaches is back with the Ones Ready Daily Drop for 23 June, breaking down the latest military news across the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, Coast Guard, Secretary of Defense, President of the United States, and global defense updates.This episode covers the Army selecting Anduril for next-generation command and control work, autonomous boats being tested in the Philippines, contractor cyber operations, Marine Corps air defense modernization, the final days of the AV-8B Harrier, and the House directing the Air Force to keep the A-10 Warthog combat ready through 2030.Peaches also gets into the Air Force technical sergeant promotion rate, Space Force mess dress testing, a tactically responsive space launch in under 17 hours, a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk crash in Alaska, Pete Hegseth's review of U.S. force posture in Europe, quantum sensors and quantum computing, U.S. munitions stockpile concerns, NATO defense spending, and major international defense deals.The theme is pretty obvious: autonomous systems, drones, cyber operations, quantum technology, munitions production, and old platforms that still matter are all shaping the next fight.Check out Tasty Gains:TastyGains.comTrain with us:OperatorTrainingSummit.comJoin the Ones Ready membership for early access, members-only episodes, and exclusive merch.Chapters:00:00 - Intro and Sponsors03:35 - Army: Anduril, Command and Control, and Autonomous Boats05:56 - Navy: Contractor Cyber Operations and Drone Boats08:27 - Marine Corps: MADIS, NMESIS, and the Harrier09:55 - Air Force: The A-10 Extension and Tech Sergeant Promotions13:25 - Space Force: Mess Dress and Rapid Space Launch15:14 - Coast Guard: MH-60 Jayhawk Crash in Alaska16:45 - Secretary of Defense and Quantum Sensors17:47 - President Trump, Quantum Computing, and Munitions Stockpiles19:47 - Global Defense Updates22:11 - NATO, Defense Spending, and FCAS23:22 - Wrap-UpSupport the showJoin this channel to get access to perks: HEREBuzzsprout Subscription page:  HERERegister for our Operator Training Summit:  OperatorTrainingSummit.comFind an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.comCollabs:Ones Ready - OnesReady.com 18A Fitness - Promo Code:  ONESREADY ATACLete - Follow the URL (no promo code):  ATACLeteDanger Close Apparel - Promo Code:  ONESREADYDFND Apparel...

What builds trust when you don't have a title or position of authority? SUMMARY According to Lt. Col. Joe Bledsoe '11, it's honesty, integrity, humility presence and action. Tune in as he shares practical leadership lessons learned from the Academy, combat aviation and years of mentoring others.   SHARE THIS EPISODE FACEBOOK  |  LINKEDIN   COL. BLEDSOE'S TOP 10 LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS 1. Leadership starts before the title. People follow your example, ideas, and presence long before you get formal authority. 2. Informal leadership is as real as formal leadership. Class president, wingman, or peer—your influence, credibility, and support role matter even without rank. 3. Be “clay to be molded.” Show eagerness, humility, and effort; people notice fresh attitude and willingness to embrace hard things. 4. You can't lead alone—build a trusted team. Time management and heavy responsibility force you to delegate to people you trust and empower them. 5. Trust has two layers: inherent and earned. Start with inherent trust (shared values, shared background) and deliberately grow earned trust through behavior. 6. Five traits that build credibility fast: Honesty, integrity, humility, presence (actually being there, engaged), and decisive action. 7. Debrief like a fighter pilot: brutally honest, never personal. Separate the person from the performance, do root‑cause analysis, fix errors, and then move on—no re‑litigating. 8. Own your mistakes out loud. Saying “I'm sorry,” “I was wrong,” or “I don't know, but I'll find out” accelerates trust and models humility. 9. Mentors and mentees are non‑negotiable. Continuously seek guidance from those ahead of you and invest in those behind you to sharpen your own thinking. 10. Prioritize relationships and pride in the mission. Treat family and friends well, cultivate the Long Blue Line, and remember you're on the A‑team—act like it.   CHAPTERS 00:00:00 — Opening & Guest Intro Show open, Naviere introduces Lt Col Joe “Paveway” Bledsoe and his career highlights. 00:01:13 — Voluntold to Lead: Becoming Class President Basic cadet training, being “voluntold,” interview gauntlet, and getting elected class president. 00:04:09 — What a Class President Actually Does Informal vs formal leadership, picking the class exemplar (Robin Olds), dining‑ins, spirit missions, and accountability. 00:08:38 — From Future Doctor to Fighter Pilot Arriving at USAFA wanting to be a physician, loving biology and medicine, and the first seeds of doubt. 00:10:03 — Ops Air Force, Powered Flight, and the Pivot Deployed Ops Air Force in CENTCOM, exposure to flying in theater, powered flight, and choosing pilot training over med school. 00:12:22 — Mentors, Family, and Making a Hard Call Mentorship from family, upperclassmen, and permanent party; emotional weight of changing paths and family's reaction. 00:14:08 — Leading Without Rank: Credibility and Trust Informal leadership as a young wingman, lessons from time management and delegation as class president, inherent vs earned trust, and key traits (honesty, integrity, humility, presence, action). 00:22:06 — Fighter Pilot Debriefs & Radical Feedback Culture Brutally honest debriefs, owning mistakes, root‑cause analysis, safety and mission focus, and how that mindset translates beyond the cockpit. 00:27:48 — Leadership at Home: Marriage, Parenting, and ‘Knock It Off' High‑school‑sweetheart marriage, parenting, using accountability and humility with kids, and balancing “fighter pilot” mode with being a husband and dad. 00:30:30 — Future Conflict, Growth, and Pride in the Long Blue Line Risk and future fight, Institute for Future Conflict, exposure to other AFSCs and logistics, daily growth habits (mentors, mentees, reading, writing, running), advice to younger self, and closing message on being proud of USAFA and the A‑team.   ABOUT COL. BLEDSOE BIO Lt. Col. Joseph “Paveway” Bledsoe '11 is a U.S. Air Force Academy graduate and recognized leader whose career has spanned combat operations, advanced airpower development and service to the Long Blue Line. A native of rural Pennsylvania, Bledsoe graduated from the Academy in 2011 with a degree in biology before earning a Master of Public Policy from the University of Maryland.  He is Currently assigned to the Institute for Future Conflict at the U.S. Air Force Academy where he studies the future of airpower, emerging technologies and the challenges of great-power competition. Prior to joining the Institute, he helped lead training and operational planning efforts at the 366th Fighter Wing, contributing to major exercises and the wing's first deployment to the Indo-Pacific region. His work bridges the gap between today's operational realities and tomorrow's strategic challenges. A recipient of the Association & Foundation's Young Alumni Excellence Award, Bledsoe is widely respected for his emphasis on faith, family and service. Throughout his career, he has remained deeply connected to the Academy community through mentorship, alumni leadership and a commitment to developing the next generation of leaders. On this episode of Long Blue Leadership, he shares lessons learned from leading peers, building influence before authority and navigating high-stakes decisions in both the cockpit and the profession of arms.   CONNECT WITH JOE LINKEDIN   CONNECT WITH THE LONG BLUE LINE PODCAST NETWORK TEAM Ted Robertson | Producer and Editor:  Ted.Robertson@USAFA.org Send your feedback or nominate a guest: socialmedia@usafa.org Please note: we are only considering USAFA graduates as guests at this time. Ryan Hall | Director:  Ryan.Hall@USAFA.org  Bryan Grossman | Copy Editor:  Bryan.Grossman@USAFA.org Wyatt Hornsby | Executive Producer:  Wyatt.Hornsby@USAFA.org     ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE AT USAFA.ORG/LONGBLUELEADERSHIP AND ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS     FULL TRANSCRIPT Guest, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Joe "Paveway" Bledsoe" '11  |  Host, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99    Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz 0:01 Sometimes leadership begins long before you've ever been put in charge. It starts when people trust you enough to follow your example, your ideas or your vision. I'm Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99; Long Blue Leadership starts now. Well, Lt. Col. Joe “Paveway” Bledsoe the Third. Welcome to Long Blue Leadership. Lt. Col. Joe Bledsoe 0:20 Naviere, it's great to see you. Thank you for having me here today. I'm looking forward to the conversation. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 0:24 So, Joe, your career has been exciting so far, and you're still in it. You know, you have been operational leader, obviously an F-15E Strike Eagle pilot. You've been deployed, you have been a researcher, you're a Young Alumni Excellence Award winner for our Association & Foundation, you've been an AOG board director and a fellow for the Institute for Future Conflict. And that, that's just, you know, a short little list, because you're a student heading back into, over to, is it North Carolina, right? Seymour Johnson.   Col. Joe Bledsoe 0:53 That's correct. Seymour Johnson, yep.   Col. Naviere Walkewicz 0:54 In the cockpit, yeah. Col. Joe Bledsoe 0:56 Yeah, we're super excited. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 0:59 Yes. Well, we're going to touch on probably many of those places, but I want to dial it back to something that only one graduate in every class experiences, and for you it happened shortly after Basic Cadet Training. Your class selected you as your class president. How did that come about? Col. Joe Bledsoe 1:14 How did that all go down? That's a great question. So there we were, right after basic training. I was in Cadet Squadron 19 for my freshman year, and I got the opportunity — this is one of those voluntold moments, right — where the upperclassmen and BCT cadre said, “Joe,” or “Cadet Bledsoe, report to H-1 during transition week.” That's when everybody's coming back, and you're like, “Sure, yep, yes, sir, yes, ma'am. Here we go.” So I show up with 40, 50 other fourth-class cadets, and we come to find out it was for us, and we were going to go through who was going to be the class officers. So first off, as I look back on that experience, a lot of respect and no humility being asked to go like represent Squadron 19, right? Like, I didn't volunteer, they just kind of pointed me in that direction, so we show up and got to interview with the upperclassmen, class officers, and there's funny interview questions, real serious interview questions. You know, I was just honest, right? Like, I'm here. This is what I think about what being a leader looks like, and how I could help serve the class, not thinking I would ever be selected, right? And as the night is going on, and ACQ is right around the corner, they kind of whittle it down to four or five of us, and we get up in front of the rest of the cadets and classmates that were there, and it was an open forum, like you know, back in Rome times, like you're standing in the gauntlet, Yeah, like it was like Roman voting, right? And asked a bunch of questions, and I remember standing up there with, you know, preppies, prior enlisted, and then me, just like straight off the street, and there's a couple other of us up there, and just answer the questions honestly, and at the end of that, there was a vote, and you know, they read the results, and I was like, "Holy smokes, I'm class president. How did this, how did this happen,” right? And I think there's a lot that — it was daunting at first, right? And then also, like, “This is awesome, I don't know what I'm getting into,” right? I just found out about it. I remember walking back on the Tizo. This was the first time I can say this now, because you know, grad, and I didn't run the strips because the upperclassmen and class officers walked me back, and I distinctly remember to — back to my squadron to — Jordan Kraft and Forrest Underwood walked back and were given some mentorship to me, like here's how to succeed, here's things we would recommend, and it was just an awesome opportunity to like kind of learn what pure leadership looks like, what it means to be in this not org chart that is unique to the Academy, and that's where the, that's where the adventure started for class president. I'm still, I haven't been fired yet, and I still proudly serve the Class of 2011 — Robin Olds' class — as their class president, and it's one of the best jobs that I have the privilege of doing. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 4:10 My goodness. I mean, just to unpack that a little bit, obviously, in basic cadet training, you did enough to impress your cadre, I'm sure that there was probably some sort of cadre selection to bring however many of them forth first. Would you say that you would you agree with that, or is that — am I way off? Col. Joe Bledsoe 4:28 Yeah, I would say —I think when I look back my time at basic training, like I wanted to come to the Academy since I was in your school, right? So, like, I thrived — I'm not saying it was easy by any means, right? We all know that, but I thrived in like this new adventure, right? And I took everything, I embraced everything. I think that may have been something they saw, right? Like I was clay to be molded, right? And I had some prior opportunities in basic to show that to my BCT cadre, and they picked up on it. It wasn't that I was trying, but I think looking back on that experience, there was moments of like my freshness, my eagerness, my like pride in that I made it to basic training, that I wanted to just try as hard as I could, and I think some of that probably shown through, and ultimately may have been why I was selected to go try that interview process, right? Col. Naviere Walkewicz 5:20 So that interview process, at the end of the day, you were elected by your peers, and you know it — to your point — you said in that unusual, the not normal org chart, right, the one that doesn't exist, but yet you have leadership of your class. What did that look like? How did that translate? Because not many of us are class president, I'm certainly not my class president, and so I'm not sure what that leadership role looks like. Can you share a little bit more about some examples? Col. Joe Bledsoe 5:46 Yeah, I think that that leadership role was very different each year, right? As a freshman and a sophomore, as a four-degree and a three-degree, before any official academy leadership position starts to present themselves, that they do for two-degrees and firsties, it was a lot of helping the class stay as a collective whole, right? So one of the first big things as freshmen was selecting our class exemplar, right? And running like — how do, who do we select? How do we come together and figure that process out? How do we then, once we have a name, once we selected Robin Olds, how do we have a formal dining in? Things that I had never even heard of, right? As well as on the other side, the shenanigans, right? So, the spirit missions, right? There was many times I've had to go to the commandant's office and say, I don't know where the class crest is, like, out of pure honesty, right? But, like, that is, that was like a way, as an underclassman, that we kind of got that informal leadership, but also you're the leader by default here, so we're gonna, we're gonna make you accountable for your class. So I got to see both sides, that transitioning a little bit more to two-degree and first a year was now taking a little bit step back in writing in the informal leadership position, so I looked as myself as like a supporting agent, supporting member to our cadet leadership, and I always presented that like, “Hey, if you need our class to do something, I will do that, but if militarily you own that, like, I'm not ever going to step on your toes or push back,” right? The other thing we got, I was able to do is also help provide, like, morale inputs, right? Like you kind of had the pulse of morale, I think, more as the class president sometimes than in the official leadership, so could help provide some inputs along those ways, and there are some, say more shenanigans or morale events that we get to help put forth and present those to the cadet leadership for official approval later on as we firsties. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 8:04 Gosh, well, that was, I mean, it's really insightful for us to understand some of the roles that a class president and class cabinet plays, and so understanding that it's — I like how you put it as a supporting agent to the formal leadership. And we're gonna touch on this a lot more, because I think there's going to be times when you'll share how you build that trust and credibility throughout, both when you're a cadet and as an officer. But before we jump there, I happen to find out, Joe, that you weren't coming to the Air Force Academy to become a fighter pilot, but to become a physician. Can we talk about that for a moment? Col. Joe Bledsoe 8:37 Absolutely, that's absolutely a — I came to the Air Force Academy, wanted to be a doctor. I knew I wanted to be a biology major. I declared, I think, the first day I could declare and went through the gauntlet of getting ready for med school applications, and I loved every second of it. It was awesome. Even my fellow classmates would say he was a huge nerd and studying all the time, because that was my goal, right? I came into the Academy, and I wanted to be a doctor, and I knew the gauntlet that is, that that is required to do such a thing. And I still love medicine, right? I still love — I think medicine is fascinating. Every time my probably get there someday, or in the conversation, but anytime my kids have to go to the ER, like I'm like, “Can I scrub in,” right? All that kind of stuff. Yeah, put me in. I love medicine, and it wasn't till the summer between my two-degree and firstie year did I have that midlife crisis at the age of 21 and then firstie year is when that crisis kind of came to a head, and new doors opened, and here we are today, right? So that, yes, you're absolutely right. Always wanted to be a doctor. I was still fascinated by medicine, but now I'm just a pilot. So, there we go. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 9:57 So, can we, can you expand a bit more on it? So, was it a decision you wanted to make or a decision you had to make? Col. Joe Bledsoe 10:03 Yeah, yeah, that's great. It was a decision I had to make, ultimately, myself. Right? No one, no one said, “Joe, you can't be a doctor.” So, the summer — there's two key things that really happened that helped influence that decision. The first one was the summer between two-degree in firstie year, I had the opportunity to deploy to the Middle East, and we've heard of Ops Air Force. You know Ops Air Force. Well, at that time we had a deployed Ops Air Force, so they sent cadets overseas to deployed locations to see what was, you know, to get the full experience in a deployed location. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 10:40 Wow. Col. Joe Bledsoe 10:40 So I had the opportunity to do that. Spent the summer in CENTCOM and kind of opened my eyes to… Col. Naviere Walkewicz 10:47 Oh, Central Command. Col. Joe Bledsoe 10:47 Yeah, sorry, Central Command, and got to experience — I got attached to a C-130 unit, right, and I got to see what flying looked like in a deployed environment, and I kind of opened my eyes, where I've been hyper focused on medicine, right? Like, you know, so focused on this is what it takes to be a doctor. I kind of like put my blinders on to what the rest of the Air Force did, right? So I was like, “This is pretty, this is, these guys and gals are doing awesome stuff, like this is this is the pointy end of what was going on.” And that planted a seed, that planted a seed. So it came back, firstie year was doing the med school applications, going through, I had some free time in my academic calendar, and I got to go down to the airfield and do the powered flight program. So, I got to see flying over the summer, and then I was blessed enough to have the opportunity to go fly an airplane, and I was like, “OK, the seed was planted, let's see if I get air sick, like, let's see if there's anything else here that might make me not want to do this.” And I loved it. Right, I fell in love with flying down at the airfield. I came back, and I was like, I'm gonna pause the med school applications and put my name in the hat for pilot training, and the rest was history, right? So, doors open, doors close, right? But that was my story, and I loved getting to talk to cadets about that, because so many can be — so many times we see some that are hyper focused, and like there's always other options out there, and it's OK to have a crisis we can talk you through. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 12:23 I think that's a fantastic lesson that you actually learned early, because you know it's interesting — had you not been sent to Ops Air Force at a deployed location, you might not have taken Alex flight, and so you know when you think about leadership opportunities and lessons, this is one of those moments where it actually steered you in a new direction. So, as we think about that, I'm curious, how your family responded to that, because, you know, you had come to the Air Force Academy to be a doctor. Were they happy for you? Were they surprised, a little nervous? Col. Joe Bledsoe 12:57 Yeah, there was a ton of mentorship there, right? Not just from my family, but from upperclassmen peers, permanent party, like, “What are you doing? Like, you came here telling us this was your goal. Where did this new goal come from?” So, there was a lot of time talking that through, and I needed that myself. It wasn't, as you know, in any decision, like, it wasn't a snap decision. So, a lot of time walking through that decision process and leaning on mentors and kind of asking the questions, like I knew what four years of med school, and then residency, but I knew what that like, what does pilot training look like? How long does that take, right? So, a lot of questions to help answer, or to find answers through, and ultimately, my family was super supportive, super supportive, and they still joke, like, “Hey, how come you're not doctor.” Well, because I fly F-15s now, right? But all supportive all throughout the process, right? And that's where you lean on others, right? Lean on others, because it very much felt like a crisis, like I still have scar tissue over it. But looking back on it, it wasn't just me making — I ultimately made the decision, but they helped me through it. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 14:08 That's fantastic. You know, I think about you as an officer, as a fighter pilot, and obviously there's a lot of steps you took to get there on the road was certainly not easy. Often, though, I think that there can be some misconceptions, or maybe this is accurate, that earlier in your pilot life or your aviator life, there's probably not a lot of leadership lessons where you're leading others. Maybe, maybe that's a misperception, and we'd love to talk about that. You know, how do you find the leadership opportunities then when you are, you know, you're party of one, right? You don't necessarily have any direct reports. What does leadership look like there? Col. Joe Bledsoe 14:43 Yeah, can we take that back to like some lessons I learned at the Academy?   Col. Naviere Walkewicz 14:46 Oh, absolutely.   Col. Joe Bledsoe 14:47 Right, I think, I think that's where I've leaned most heavily in, like, not in there's this difference between formal leadership and informal, positional versus informal, and I was blessed enough at a pretty young age to learn the plus — the how to succeed and how to fail in informal leadership. I've tried to carry that throughout my career. So when you say like the younger days of being a wingman in the F-15 community, it's a lot about credibility. It's a lot about that peer leadership. How do you build the credibility? How do you build the trust to be someone that others look up to in that informal system, right, in that informal system. When they look down their phone, like, “Who do I call? Who do I have to call? Who do I want to call?” Right? and I think that's where you have to balance some of that stuff, and I spent time thinking about that, and trying to lean on lessons that I learned from the Academy, and while formal leadership positions were never handed to me, that doesn't mean you're not a leader, right? Like, you can't beat it, doesn't mean you don't just get to sit back and not lead. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 16:02 Can you share an example of a time when you learned that about yourself, or what that looked like?   Col. Joe Bledsoe 16:09 In the flying world? Col. Naviere Walkewicz 16:11 Or as a cadet?   Col. Joe Bledsoe 16:12 Yeah, as a cadet, I think the biggest one was — I'll take it back to, like, freshman, sophomore year, where I learned one of the key pillars that I'm convinced the Air Force Academy teaches all us grads about is time management, right? And I thought I was pretty good at time management, and then when you're now the president of 1,000 other cadets, your inbox fills up very quickly, right? Or you're like, “I thought I was good at time management.” And I learned very quickly that you can't do it alone, right? You can't do it alone, and I had to learn to surround myself with people that I trusted and that I could delegate or hand tasks off to, and just say, “I need this accomplished,” and I did that to my friends that I knew would get the mission done, right? And I had to have that level of trust, and I think that is translated throughout my career, where I inherently trust people with a project, right? I think there's two versions of trust, inherent trust and earned trust. When I look at the graduate network, whether that's the Air Force Academy, Navy, West Point, and I see a class ring, I'm like, “I inherently trust you,” and I can, I believe, or I see some other veterans have on — like, “I inherently trust you,” and then in other cases where I've had to learn and work with people, it's now, “I'm earning your trust, and I hope you're earning mine as well,” and that is this unique balance of I inherently trust you, I learned that at the Academy. Now let's build on that as a foundation and get this earned trust to as high as we can. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 17:54 What does some of that earned trust or becoming more credible look like when young leaders don't have the benefit of time? Right, so I, the more time I work with you, the more I learn about you. You build that credibility, etc. How does one accomplish that, maybe either shorten the gap or do that a little quicker or impactfully earlier? Col. Joe Bledsoe 18:18 Yeah, time is always — like we always need more time, right? How often do you say, like, “I only have 24 hours, but I need more time,” right? So, if we're always fighting time, like, and everybody's fighting time, then, like, that's a constant. So, let's not worry about time. So, I look at it as, like, what traits do people bring to the table, or what traits can we can we sharpen? Honesty, right? Honesty is huge. You have to be honest, and that's a pillar of trust. Integrity, right? Integrity first and showing people that you display integrity is really important. Humility, I think, is also really important. Humility is really important. I was listening to a podcast the other day, and it really struck home to me, a sense of humility is — if a leader is able to say three things, they're gonna — I know I could, I can build that trust, no matter what that time gap is. “I'm sorry,” “I was wrong,” or one of the seven basic responses: “I don't know, but I'll find out,” right? I think that's really important with humility. The other one is presence, not with a T, like we're not giving presents, but presence. Being present is really important character trait in my mind, and the fifth one that I try to reflect on a lot is action. Right? I think defaulting to not doing something is not what we want. That doesn't help build trust. Taking action with what knowledge you have and making a decision is really important, and I think those are the traits that help build that credibility, help build that trust in that time gap, whatever that looks like. If you can hit those, the five that I try to hit home. If you can do that, hopefully you're building that relationship that is going to foster — have great fruition out of it. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 20:06 That's outstanding, and that's really helpful, I think. I love how you took out the constant of time being an excuse, right? Like, we don't always have the benefit of time, whether it's time and getting more experience or just time in general, I think those are outstanding examples of how you can build credibility. So, thank you for sharing that. You know, one of the things that I also would love to kind of dig into a little bit of your experiences, Joe — because they've been really vast, right? So, I don't believe that everyone has the same kind of path. How have you grown as a leader in these different experiences that really, again, aren't positional leadership roles? I'm just curious, how your growth has been in that space. Col. Joe Bledsoe 20:47 Think a lot of it's been through failure. I think a lot of it's been through failure. These might not be huge, like we lost a million dollars, or like, not through those kind of failures, but relationship failures, or conversation failure at the micro level, and how I've tried to handle that is surround myself with people that will tell me that the emperor — I'm gonna go back to the, I'm gonna go back to the old fairy tale, or fable, right? If you surround yourself with people that are able to come up to you, and you trust them, and you trust their feedback, that is something I've tried, that was Cadet Bledsoe, advice given to me is Cadet Bledsoe. Surround yourself with people that you will listen to and take their feedback honestly. And sometimes that means if I don't have that person in the room and I know I fumbled a conversation or I made a poor decision, it's going to that individual and saying, “I messed up, I'm sorry, I was wrong,” or “I don't know,” right. And that's how I try to use that to present humility, I think, and that's important, because we're all fallible, we all make mistakes, and if I can't admit that, then, like, we're off to the wrong foot right away. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 22:06 Do you think some of that that skill that you've developed over time has been something that you've learned in, and forgive me, I don't know if it's a fighter pilot community, specifically, or you know, I think about when you do your sorties and you have some sort of debrief, right? I feel what I've heard, I've not actually sat in one, but they're very real. Like, there's no, it's not about making you feel good about it, like it's about the safety and the mission, and so I'm curious, if that skill of humility, and you know, calling a spade a spade, and calling it I'm wrong and I'm wrong, did that come from some of that experience, and maybe you can talk through what that's like, because not everyone, I think, practices at that level of transparency. Col. Joe Bledsoe 22:46 Yeah, the fighter pilot debrief. I learned some of the importance of that through mentorship as a cadet, and then that was sharpened as a fighter pilot. And I learned the importance of that through the form, my formal job, right, the mission, the lives at stake, aircraft, that kind of stuff. And I think I've tried, I've only honed that skill through Air Force training, right? The Air Force has trained me to think like that, and I've tried to translate that into my personal life and leadership positions, because I think there's tons of value to that. There is tons of value in being willing to find a mistake, own up to that mistake with the knowledge and hope that it doesn't happen again, right? And if that is like, if you, if that's your north star, we don't do this again, like, why wouldn't you want to be on that team? Why wouldn't, why don't you want to be? That's how we get better, right? And I think that seed again was planted as a cadet. Like, let's, I tell cadets all the time, like, you're joining the A-team, so put in A effort, right? Like, if you're going to join the A-team, I don't want B-players, and this is what we got to get, like, let's go, right? It's a motivating factor in my mind. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 24:08 What are some of the ways to approach that in a leadership conversation for someone who would be interested in taking on some of those, those learned lessons? Col. Joe Bledsoe 24:18 Yeah, I think the first thing is transparency and honesty right up front. Like this, Naviere, if we were flying together, right and you were my instructor, your job is not to degrade me as a human, but to prove to me that I made a mistake with the ultimate goal of making me better, right? Your job is to always, like — and the relationship you and I have as an instructor and a student is my — I'm gonna sit here in the debrief and go, and Naviere is here to make me better, right? Like, that's your, that's your job, right? Right. So, once you start that as the foundation, like, it can only get better if I know your job is to make me better, and your job is I'm supposed to make this guy better, right. And often we can, when feedback is provided, you're like, this could be a personal attack, or, like, that's all left out, that's all left outside the debrief room, right? Like, we're here to make everybody better, and I think that's where it starts: with that transparency and honesty up front of the expectation. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 25:15 So you'll actually say that. You would actually… Col. Joe Bledsoe 25:17 No, I think that's just a common, that's a common theme, right? That's the expectation in the community. And not just in the fighter community. I think it's throughout the Air Force, right? I think that's what makes us really, really unique. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 25:32 Because feedback is something that we, we do — although maybe some can do it better than others — I think that's a really fantastic way — before you're giving someone feedback, you're really clear on this is what we're hoping to accomplish by having this time together. And so, I think what you just said can make feedback so much more impactful, because it's not about the person, it's about what are we trying to accomplish and helping you, I guess. It is about you, but ultimately helping you. Col. Joe Bledsoe 25:59 Absolutely, right? Like the where every debrief starts is we had a mission objective and we had tactical objectives. Did we do them? If we didn't, let's figure out why, right? So translating to the business world or private sector, it's a root cause analysis, right? It's a root cause analysis, and we will get down to the nitty gritty of like, what type of error — did you make a decision error? Did you perceive the environment wrong? Did your actions cause the error, right? And we get down to that level, so that when the student, student Paveway walks away, Naviere, knows, Naviere, you gave me the exact, like, you decided wrong, because X, Y and Z; don't do that again. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 26:43 Right. Col. Joe Bledsoe 26:44 Here's your fix. You know, that debrief can take hours, and that's the beauty of it, right? “We're gonna sit there, and we're not gonna let anything not be uncovered, because we're gonna go do this again tomorrow, and we can't make the same mistake tomorrow,” right? “We can't make the same mistake.” Col. Naviere Walkewicz 27:01 No, that's, that's fantastic. I mean, to have it that clear, and to know it, like, OK, we're not gonna, we don't stay in that space. We've addressed it, we know we've identified a fix, and we move forward. Is that what you said? Col. Joe Bledsoe 27:12 Absolutely. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 27:13 There's no like, continue to revisit, like… Col. Joe Bledsoe 27:15 Yep, that's the point, right? Like, “I've learned something, I know, I've acknowledged my mistake. Let's move on. This wasn't personal, this was you making me better.” Iron sharpens iron, right? So, here we go, and then move on. And now that translates, as you asked kind of a couple minutes ago, right, that can translate to so many things in your life, right? And I try to do that sometimes, like my wife will tell me, I go too fighter pilot, but there's versions of that that translate as we are not in a fight or pilot debrief. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 27:50 You literally got in my head because I was gonna say, now I want to put you on the spot, because Joe, you are married to your high school sweetheart, you make a 2% club, right? Like, you actually started the Academy with a sweetheart and ended with the same sweetheart. And now you have three amazing, beautiful children. How do you translate that to, you know, feedback to your family or your personal life? And I love how your wife said too fighter pilot, but how about to your kids? Col. Joe Bledsoe 28:15 Yeah, married my high school sweetheart, Alicia. We started dating our sophomore year, and we've been together ever since. So she is not a grad, but she has a lot of Air Force in her blood, so that's great, and the kids, I would say there's a couple things when it comes to taking some things I've learned or been trained in the Air Force, translating on the home front. The first one goes to accountability, right? I think accountability is really important because in an aircraft, you have to be accountable for your actions, and I think that translates to being a parent, as well as trying to teach the kids some humility. Right, where to be humble, when to own up to your mistakes, and sometimes that works in the fighter pilot way, sometimes it doesn't, and I think that's leadership, right? You can have leadership skills and be consistent in some, in some ways, but other times adaptability is really important, especially with the kids, and each one of my kids is very unique, and we have to cater to each one of them and their unique skills. I will say about my wife, I love her with all my heart, but she knows the words “knock it off” as well, right, because that's a sacred word, not just in the military, but on our, in our homefront, and that usually means stop being a full fighter pilot, like go back to being Dad, right? So she knows, she knows the words and how to make that all go down. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 29:47 I love that it's another language, right? You have your, your fighter pilot language, and you have a home front language. I love that. Thank you for sharing that. You know, I'd like to switch gears a little bit to your time operationally, and maybe this translates into now your work at the Institute, or your most recent work at the Institute for Future Conflict and preparing cadets for the future fight. I'm curious, how all of these skills that you've learned, and these leadership traits that you've continued to develop in yourself, have translated in moments of, you know, like, real conflict, real distress, like when the stakes are high, and how you prepare cadets to think that way, even though maybe they've not experienced that. I'm just curious, what that looks like. Col. Joe Bledsoe 30:31 Yeah, it is hard to translate — like cadets love war stories, right? Like, “So there I was…” but it's hard to translate some of, like, the putting, having the cadets put themselves in the shoes of someone that has 15 years of flying under their belt, right? Like, that's hard for them to grasp, and I understand that, and that's not what I'm asking of them to do, but there are certain skills that I think are really important, and that I've got to experience and talk to cadets and research and spend time thinking about at the Institute for Future Conflict at the IFC. One is risk, right? How do we, how do we think about risk, right? Are we risk prone? We risk adverse? How do we think about risk, not just in this moment, but how does our decision today affect five days from now, a month, right? And, as you remember, because I know it happened to you as a cadet, like you're just in the, like, “What's my next problem,” right? What's my next — OK, how does, like, fixing this problem affect next week? Right. And I think that's what I've got had the opportunity to think a lot about the IFC, as well as try one thing I've learned being back here at the Academy was my experience as a cadet is not the same experience as the cadets now. And what do I mean by that is when I graduated, GWOT, Global War on Terror was the thing we knew what we were getting into. I very much knew flying, going to the Middle East. Now the cadets looked to me and other permanent party, and like, what's our fight going to look like? And right, the question mark is, I don't know, but let me tell you, think about this, and I could be wrong, and I think that is where I've had a lot of time to think about future conflict and what's problems, maybe not nations or adversaries, but like big meta level things they'll have to think about, information access, information sharing, trust, right? How do you, how do you help develop some of these skills in the cadets? And that's where I've spent a lot of time the last two years trying to think and spend, spend some brain bytes, like what does air power look like in this unknown environment? Col. Naviere Walkewicz 32:52 And as you're about to step back into it, I'm thoughtful of that, and so now you're taking what you've helped cadets start to hone in and think about. How are you different now as a leader going back into the cockpit than you were when you came to the Academy? Col. Joe Bledsoe 33:09 Yeah, let me get back to the cockpit, and everyone can tell me what, how I'm different. We'll use that as the test. But here's one thing I think — I've reflected on this recently, going back to the Strike Eagle community. One has been my exposure here in Colorado Springs and at the Air Force Academy, meaning I've learned a lot about what others do that I wasn't — I knew other jobs existed, I knew other AFSCs did things, but not being in a flying day-to-day ops tempo, I've had the opportunity to sit down and, like, “What do you say you do?” “Oh, that has some effects here, here, and here,” and I use a specific vignette would be, I've got to spend a lot of time in the management department and helped teach in the global logistics minor, and like, I knew there was logisticians in the Air Force, and like, that's yeah, right? That's how stuff got here, but like, understanding the importance of, like, that's how my bombs got here, this is how the b…, right, like, truly understanding their frustrations, I think will make me get less frustrated in my day to day, right, and I think that has been one thing that the Academy has given back to me the second time I've been here, is a little bit more exposure to the Air Force, as well as the Space Force, being here in Colorado Springs, like seeing what each team member, like each cog in the machine brings to the fight, right? And I think that's been a blessing here. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 34:42 So those that you will begin to get back working with — your men and women in your community — they won't have had that exposure, and so I'm now going back to our where we started with the sense of informal leadership. How do you help others gain that experience and thought, and maybe thought process informally, since they haven't really been exposed to that? How would you help them navigate it? Col. Joe Bledsoe 35:09 Naviere, I think the best way to do stuff like that is, like, you raised your hand when you said logistics officers, like Naviere, we're doing a podcast with my next squadron, you're coming to talk, right? Col. Naviere Walkewicz 35:19 Right, it's like that was like a long time ago, we need someone more recent. Col. Joe Bledsoe 35:24 But, OK, Naviere, it's not you, but you know people, that's how stuff gets done, right, that's how stuff gets done. And while I by no means want to stand up in front of everybody and say I'm the expert on logistics, but I, I'm not that person, but I trust Naviere, Naviere's contact here, and that's how, like, you create this network of knowledge and this network of trust and credibility. And to my, to the fighter pilots that I'll be flying with, it's somewhat like throwing mud at the wall sometimes, like we're gonna keep throwing mud and see what sticks, but at least they know it's there, right? Like, we're gonna, your job is still to go kill things and blow things up, but at the same time, you know there's this other network out there that you can lean into. But let me be a conduit to make that happen. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 36:15 That is awesome. That's fantastic. So I want to go into this period now, where we talk about you and your continued growth as a leader. What is something, Joe, that you're doing every day to be a better leader? Col. Joe Bledsoe 36:30 I have mentors, and I've tried to find mentees. I think that is where growth can happen, leaning on others for mentorship and mentees to try to talk through some things you've thought through and give experience and exposure to others, right? And that's that network we were just talking about, right? Other things I think are really important is reading and writing. Read a lot, write a lot, nobody writes good anymore, right? Thanks, ChatGPT. But being able to communicate in the written form is really important. So, writing and reading. And the other thing, too, is as a leader, just find an outlet, find something, find a hobby, find something that's fun to do, right. So, I got into running here at the Academy, because we're at high elevation, and I'm, why not, right? But find something that, like, rounds you out, right? It's fine, find an outlet that helps give you some relief from all the stresses that can happen in leadership. That's where I would say I spend a lot of time, or what I think about trying to sharpen my skills. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 37:34 Daily. So, what are you reading right now? Col. Joe Bledsoe 37:37 Oh, that's a great question. I have a couple books that are on the table. Mask of Command is one that I'm reading as I get ready to go back and potentially be in a leadership role. There's a couple other books that come to mind. I'm reading a baseball coaching book, because I coach my baseball, it's a basketball book by Coach K from Duke, as I go back to North Carolina, but it's a book, how to coach kids, right, Leadership on the Court, and it's fun to just think about training and coaching kids and how to keep them inspired. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 38:18 Oh, that's awesome. So, speaking of kids, if you were to go back in time, and talk to younger Joe Bledsoe, the third, what advice would you give him? Col. Joe Bledsoe 38:30 Yeah, if I had to go back, I would say it's worth it. Every second, work hard at the Academy, right? The doors that it opens, that's where my mind went when you asked the question, like, younger me at the Academy. Be good to Alicia, my wife, right? Be good, because she's going to be with you for a long time. So be good to her, as well as foster your, foster your friendships. They're going to mean a lot to you in the future, right? The relationships you build on that hill are going to come back in ways you have no idea years to come. So take time and prioritize the people that you meet. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 39:10 Those are really great reflections. Joe, is there anything that we haven't covered in our conversation that you would love to share with our Long Blue Leadership listeners and viewers? Col. Joe Bledsoe 39:24 Absolutely, be proud of this institution. I'm proud of it. I know you are too, Naviere. Proud of this Academy. Be proud of the cadets, be proud of the permanent party that work here. There's an A-team out there, and this is this is where it starts, right? And it's not just if you're serving in blue or in the Space Force, right? If you're out there doing awesome things for our country on the private, in the private sector, thank you. Keep doing what you're doing. There's no shade of blue in the Long Blue Line, that's my, my phrase for that one. There's no shade of blue. Serve your country, be proud. And that's — just be proud to be an Academy grad. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 40:07 That's fantastic. So, you know, in our time together, I have loved this, this, this leadership conversation, because we really span an area that I don't think a lot of people talk about, and it's, how do you demonstrate leadership in an informal way, you know, without titles and without necessarily key positions or in the hierarchical structure, and so some of the things that really stood with me, Joe, that you've covered, have been being credible, being present, and humble. I really like that, and you didn't say this in these words, but what I took from that was, you know, being honest and truthful is almost one of the most kind ways you can be right, because you're actually helping someone be better, and that really stuck with me, you know. I don't, we have an A-team, we don't need B-players, that I think you exactly said that, so definitely stuck with me. But watching the way that you have led, not with your class, not just the cadets, and, you know, certainly not the squadron that you will have here shortly as a director of operations, but I think you've continued to just be who you've always been, which is someone who leads with integrity through those pillars and certainly by example. So this has been an incredible conversation, and for anyone that is watching us and listening to this, for others that are in their leadership journeys, this is another one you're going to want to share, because it's not just about, you know, Lt. Col. Bledsoe's journey right now, it's been all of these moments and experiences and memories and they really do connect with anyone on a leadership journey. So, be sure to join in on longblueleadership.org or wherever you get your podcasts, not just to see this one, but all of our other conversations. So, Joe, thank you so much for joining us today. Col. Joe Bledsoe 41:46 Thank you Naviere. Go Air Force! Col. Naviere Walkewicz 41:48 Go Air Force!   Col. Joe Bledsoe 41:49 There we go. Col. Naviere Walkewicz 41:50 Absolutely, until next time, we'll see you on Long Blue Leadership. KEYWORDS informal leadership, peer leadership, Air Force Academy leadership, USAFA class president, fighter pilot debrief culture, building trust and credibility, leadership humility, future conflict and airpower, Long Blue Leadership podcast, military leadership lessons.     The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation          

Stolen Legos update :: Reckless Ben being counter sued :: Crazy Mormon police harassment :: Scottish people taking over Boston :: White pill story of friendship with the Scots :: Supreme Court rules gov can't restrict gun rights over casual drug use :: Space Force using nanotech for evil? :: Caller recounts his strange life experiences including powerful near death experiences :: Targeted persons :: 2026-06-20 Host: Bonnie, Riley O'Bill, Angelo

Stolen Legos update :: Reckless Ben being counter sued :: Crazy Mormon police harassment :: Scottish people taking over Boston :: White pill story of friendship with the Scots :: Supreme Court rules gov can't restrict gun rights over casual drug use :: Space Force using nanotech for evil? :: Caller recounts his strange life experiences including powerful near death experiences :: Targeted persons :: 2026-06-20 Host: Bonnie, Riley O'Bill, Angelo

The United States Space Force (USSF) and PBR (Professional Bull Riders) are uniting this weekend in a first-of-its-kind event designed to connect the American public directly with the Space Force Guardians and their mission. The landmark America 250 celebration is this Saturday June 20th. PBR Space Cowboys Presented by the U.S. Space Force will bring elite team bull riding and a live concert by Grammy Award-winning superstar Tim McGraw and multi-platinum country star Chris Janson to Falcon Stadium at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. FOX's Tonya J. Powers speaks with Chris Janson, Grammy Award-winning singer-song writer, who shares his excitement of the event, and he tells us why writing his own songs, and basic authenticity are so important to him. Click Here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To Follow 'The FOX News Rundown: Evening Edition' Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Send us Fan MailAaron and Peaches are back for a MBRS-only episode that goes exactly where you would expect: sideways.The episode starts with Vegas weather, F-16 maintenance appreciation, C-17 dirt landings, and then quickly turns into Space Force conspiracy talk, missing scientists, shady government stories, CIA fraud allegations, fake military resumes, security clearance failures, and one of the wildest “how did this guy get hired?” conversations we've had.Then they get into the Air Force selective retention bonus situation, why SRBs are not actually gone forever, how fiscal year money gets moved around, and how real-world operations like Operation Epic Fury can affect funding across the force.Topics covered:Space Force rumors and missing scientist conspiracy talkCIA fraud, fake credentials, and stolen valor claimsSecurity clearance background checksAir Force selective retention bonusesSRB funding and fiscal year money problemsOperation Epic Fury and service-level reimbursement issuesF-16 maintainers and fighter aircraft appreciationC-17 dirt landings and Air Force mobilityMilitary finance, pay problems, and government bureaucracyThis is a members-only episode, so thank you for supporting the show and keeping this thing rolling.Join the Ones Ready membership for early access, MBRS-only episodes, and exclusive merch.OnesReady.comChapters:00:00 - Ones Ready Intro01:06 - Welcome Back, MBRS01:30 - Vegas Weather and Desert Living02:00 - Camera Roll Chaos and Gym Fight Energy03:20 - F-16 Walkaround and Maintainer Appreciation04:50 - F-22 vs F-35 and Legacy Fifth Gen Trash Talk06:40 - C-17 Dirt Landings and Air Force Mobility08:05 - Trench Wedding and Online Ordination09:20 - Missing Scientists and Anti-Gravity Conspiracies09:55 - Missing Air Force General and Space Force Rumors10:30 - Does Space Force Have Shadowy Units?11:05 - Real Space Force Stories from Downrange12:13 - Space, Cyber, PT Tests, and Base Attacks13:23 - Space Force OSI and Space Pirates14:10 - CIA Corruption and Gold Bars15:20 - Fake Degrees, Fake Military Resume, and CIA Hiring17:43 - Navy Reserve Background and Stolen Valor Claims19:00 - Security Clearance Checks and How This Got Missed20:45 - Fraudulent Military Leave and Big Sham Energy22:50 - Air Force Selective Retention Bonus Rumors23:33 - SRBs Are Not Gone Forever24:00 - Operation Epic Fury and Funding Problems25:40 - When the Air Force Takes Money Back26:57 - Military Pay Issues and Finance Pain27:30 - Thank You to the MBRSSupport the showJoin this channel to get access to perks: HEREBuzzsprout Subscription page:  HERERegister for our Operator Training Summit:  OperatorTrainingSummit.comFind an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.comCollabs:Ones Ready - OnesReady.com 18A Fitness - Promo Code:  ONESREADY ATACLete - Follow the URL (no promo code):  ATACLeteDanger Close Apparel - Promo Code:  ONESREADYDFND Apparel...

Get the additional two episodes per week of The Dumb Zone by subscribing to the show at DumbZone.com or Patreon.com/TheDumbZoneThe Spurs blow a major opportunity to tie the series at 2-2, but watched their 29 point 2nd half lead whittle away. Dan gets ball sacked by a picture of Peter Herbstreit court side, but was not ball sacked by the Space Force induction next to the Imperial army. Dan had to sprint this morning, Jake's moving out, and a big bag of Viewer Mail. (00:00) - Open: Dan had to sprint to make the show (17:33) - Sports: Congressional baseball game (30:04) - Spurs choke away game 4 (56:00) - Big Thursday Viewer Mail Bag (01:25:17) - Today in Twitter: Space Force picture was real (01:34:55) - News: Phil Mickelson in hot water (01:55:39) - VM birthdays/Today in History ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

SCHEDULE THE JOHN BATCHELOR SHOW, 6-3-2026.1907 TOJO(1) Scott Harold discusses the unprecedented question from Japan's Defense Minister at the Shangri-La Dialogueregarding America's Indo-Pacific commitment. He notes the omission of Taiwan in Secretary Hegseth's speech compared to last year. Japan remains a hawkish front-line ally, despite regional concerns over shifting US national defense priorities.(2) Rebecca Grant describes the proposed Trump class battleship, a nuclear-powered "missile truck" designed for standoff strikes. Unlike traditional battleships, it emphasizes hypersonic attack and laser weaponry. The ship would be highly survivable, defended by Space Force overwatch and advanced electromagnetic warfare techniques.(3) Steve Yates examines the KMT leader's visit to Washington following meetings with Xi Jinping. He expresses concern over the KMT cutting Taiwan's indigenous defense budget. Yates also analyzes Taiwan's "inverted triangle" demographics, where older voters remain more sympathetic to traditional KMT narratives than younger generations.(4) Steve Yates argues the "Thucydides trap" is a manufactured academic concept used by Beijing to suggest inevitable US decline. He emphasizes that the US is not a classical empire and remains globally influential. China uses this rhetoric for political warfare while remaining sensitive to American strength.(5) Michael Bernstam analyzes the humiliating Ukrainian strike on a St. Petersburg oil terminal during Putin's flagship economic forum. Russia's energy sector faces a crisis, forcing a ban on refined exports like gasoline due to refinery damage. Consequently, Russia must increase crude exports to China and India.(6) Michael Bernstam notes the OECD's warning of global recession if the Gulf energy crisis persists. While the US is depleting strategic reserves to maintain supply, it is also increasing domestic production. High prices are triggering "demand destruction," where consumers shift to public transport to mitigate energy costs.(7) Bob Zimmerman reports that Blue Origin's CEO expects to resume launches this year despite a recent launchpad explosion. Meanwhile, SpaceX secured $6 billion in Space Force contracts for tracking and communication satellites. China continues rapid development with its Long March 12B, a Falcon 9-style reusable rocket copycat.(8) Bob Zimmerman highlights Curiosity rover data confirming Gale Crater's shifting climate, which once supported warm water. The James Webb Space Telescope detected high methane levels on the interstellar comet 3I/Atlas, suggesting a unique chemical composition. Webb also captured a spectacular infrared image of the galaxy M77.(9) Jonathan Schanzer describes the "ceasefire war" in the Middle East, where Iran continues attacks despite diplomatic efforts. He argues Iran aims to detach Gulf allies like Kuwait from the West. Schanzer advocates for maximum economic pressure on Tehran and increased IDF activity against Iranian proxies.(10) Jonathan Schanzer reports that Israeli forces have reduced Hamas control in Gaza to roughly 40%, aiming for 30%. Hamas is currently trapped in an Israeli "yellow zone" kill zone, making rearmament or offensive operations nearly impossible. Schanzer believes systematic military pressure is creating a viable theory of victory.(11) Titus Techera critiques the evolution of Animal Farm films, noting the newest version depicts Silicon Valley and AI as villains. He argues this shift denatures Orwell's original anti-totalitarian message for modern ideological purposes. The 1954 version remains the most effective educational tool regarding the dangers of tyranny.(12) Gordon Chang asserts that China is a declining power facing economic stagnation and a massive demographic collapse. He notes that the US economy remains superior, particularly in energy and AI. China's youth unemployment is estimated at 35-40%, forcing university graduates into menial roles like shepherding.(13) Jack Burnham discusses how Nvidia chips reach the Chinese military through loopholes in export controls and subsidiaries. He notes bureaucratic confusion over the "AI diffusion rule" allowed Chinese firms to stockpile high-end hardware. Burnham recommends stricter Commerce Department guidance to prevent further military modernization.(14) Jack Burnham explains that Volvo, though manufacturing in the US, is owned by Geely and must comply with Chinese data-sharing laws. He also warns of China's dominance in the biotechnology supply chain. Through state subsidies and "dumping," China threatens the security of US pharmaceutical and generic drug stockpiles.(15) Ryan Streeter honors economist Ed Phelps, who defined dynamism as a culture of grassroots tinkering and indigenous innovation. He explains that growth is driven by experimental mindsets rather than just scientific labs. Streeter notes that dynamic cultures, like Austin or California, naturally attract global risk-takers.(16) Ryan Streeter discusses human flourishing, defining it as the fulfillment of potential through purpose and upward mobility. He argues that dynamic societies improve job satisfaction for hourly workers by providing more options. Conversely, stagnation in Europe results from heavy regulation and a declining cultural valuation of entrepreneurs.One naming consistency flag: segment (15) uses "Ed Phelps" while your earlier preview blurb and outreach email today used "Edmund Phelps." Both are correct—Ed is the informal—but if you want consistency across the day's broadcast, I can swap to Edmund Phelps.

(2) Rebecca Grant describes the proposed Trump class battleship, a nuclear-powered "missile truck" designed for standoff strikes. Unlike traditional battleships, it emphasizes hypersonic attack and laser weaponry. The ship would be highly survivable, defended by Space Force overwatch and advanced electromagnetic warfare techniques.

(7) Bob Zimmerman reports that Blue Origin's CEO expects to resume launches this year despite a recent launchpad explosion. Meanwhile, SpaceX secured $6 billion in Space Force contracts for tracking and communication satellites. China continues rapid development with its Long March 12B, a Falcon 9-style reusable rocket copycat.1901

Preview for Later Today: Rick Fisher examines the competition between the U.S. Space Force and China's militarized astronaut brigade. He highlights dual-use technologies on the moon and the importance of defending lunar assets if global geopolitics turn sour today.1958

Send us Fan MailPeaches is back with the Daily Drop for 1 June 2026, and this one hits Army modernization, swift water rescue training, Navy port calls, carrier deployments, Pacific Partnership, Marine “special operations capable” clarification, Air Force T-38s returning to flight, F-35 additive manufacturing, Space Force graduates, Coast Guard cave rescues, and Pete Hegseth doing PT with the troops.The big theme: the military is moving, but the battlefield is changing fast. Long-range fires and next-gen combat vehicles are great, but if the Army isn't taking counter-drone warfare seriously, we're going to have a bad time.Also covered: SAIL 250 in New Orleans, USS Nimitz hosting Caribbean leaders, Southcom counter-narcotics strikes, AUKUS Pillar 2 projects, and CENTCOM maintaining posture after the 2026 Iran conflict.Drop a comment if you have thoughts on “special operations capable” Marines. Apparently, everyone else did.Like the video, subscribe to Ones Ready, and hit the notification bell so you don't miss the next Daily Drop.Check out Operator Training Summit at operatortrainingsummit.com and come train with us in San Diego or Pennsylvania.Bottom line: the world is getting weirder, drones are terrifying, and the Coast Guard is still out here doing nightmare-fuel rescues.⏱️ Timestamps00:00 Something Has to Die 01:06 Daily Drop for 1 June 01:21 Tasty Gains Sponsor Read 02:02 Operator Training Summit Updates 02:36 What OTS Actually Teaches 03:01 Taylor Starch Is the Mad Scientist 03:34 Texas Army National Guard Search and Rescue Training 04:01 Why Swift Water Rescue Matters 04:51 Fort Hood Adds New Barracks 05:19 Montana National Guard Redesignates Infantry Battalion 05:51 Army 2027 Budget Request 06:13 Counter-Drone Warfare Has to Matter 07:04 SAIL 250 New Orleans Port Call 07:39 USS Nimitz Hosts Caribbean Leaders 08:00 Pacific Partnership 2026 Departs San Diego 08:39 Marine “Special Operations Capable” Explained 09:32 Why SOC Branding Is a Recruiting Tool 10:08 24th MEU Assumes Southcom Duties 10:44 Marine Officer Promotions Announced 11:22 T-38 Talon Fleet Returns to Flying 11:57 F-35 Additive Manufacturing Breakthrough 12:32 Space Force Class of 2026 Graduation 13:05 Coast Guard Rescues Three from Sea Cave 13:50 Nightmare Fuel Rescue Scenarios 14:19 Search for Overdue Vessel off Oahu 14:50 Hegseth Speaks at Shangri-La Dialogue 15:31 Hegseth Does PT on USS Boxer 16:09 Southcom Strikes Narco-Trafficking Vessels 17:02 AUKUS Defense Ministers Meeting 17:29 CENTCOM Maintains Middle East Posture 18:00 Final Thoughts and OTS San Diego Plug