Podcasts about laughlin air force base

Imagine following your dreams and then one day waking up to realize you've unknowingly made history. That's the story of Captain Theresa Claiborne, a trailblazer in aviation history and a living legend. Captain Claiborne's journey from a media communications student to becoming the first Black woman pilot in the U.S. Air Force is a story of resilience, determination, and breaking barriers. She earned her coveted silver wings in a challenging environment where only a few a few women had the opportunity to prove they belonged on the flight deck. Captain Claiborne overcame all obstacles on her mission to become a pilot. Tune in to this episode to hear Captain Claiborne discuss the importance of representation in aviation, offer advice for others looking to forge a similar path, and share why she was glad she didn't learn she made history until after successfully completing her training. Plus, as President of Sisters of the Skies, learn how she is helping young girls and women of color pursue careers in aviation through awareness, scholarships, and mentorship. Share this episode with colleagues, friends, and family to help spread the message that success in aviation, or any field, can be earned through dedication and hard work. If you feel inspired by this episode and want to know more about the skills and training it takes to get your pilot certificate, check out the FAA's Pilots Portal for more information. Also, check out the variety of opportunities available to you in aerospace like internships and other career options. Meet Our Guest:  Theresa M. Claiborne is a retired Boeing 787 (Dreamliner) captain at United Airlines with more than 20,000 flight hours accumulated throughout her career. She has flown as First Officer on the Boeing 737, 747, 757, and 767. She was also a Boeing 757 and 767 captain. Captain Claiborne was 2nd Lieutenant and the first African American female pilot in the United States Air Force. She graduated from Undergraduate Pilot Training at Laughlin Air Force Base, on September 16, 1982. She also attended the University of California at Berkeley for Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps and has a degree in communication with a minor in journalism from California State University of Sacramento. Additionally, Captain Claiborne is the President of Sisters of the Skies, a nonprofit 501(3)(c) organization. She is a member of the Board of Directors for the Women AirForce Service Pilots (WASP) Museum in Sweetwater, Texas, and a board member of the Grand Dames of Aviation.    

Today on LIVE! Daily News, a Laughlin Air Force Base student pilot was killed off base on railroad tracks and has been identified. The final episode, for now, of a podcast about a San Angelo cold case has aired, and some San Angelo parks get some TLC. We also get into weather conditions. Sports analyst Ryan Chadwick talks about ASU softball, and our interviewee for this edition is LaQueta Shelburne, the President of Concho Valley Republican Women. Today's Top Stories: Crash Shuts Down West Loop 306 Exit, Sends Two to Hospital (04/23/2024)San Angelo Riverside Skatepark Needs Donations for Upgrades (04/23/2024)Severe Thunderstorm Watch Issued for Big Country Through Tonight (04/23/2024)Laughlin AFB Student Pilot Killed on Train Tracks in Del Rio (04/23/2024)The Interview with Lt. Chris Cimino (04/23/2024)Failure to Yield Right-of-Way Crash Leaves One Dead (04/23/2024)Puppies Found Duct-Taped in Box Thrown in a Dumpster (04/23/2024)Parents Charged For Fatal Beating of Twin Infants (04/23/2024)VIDEO: Two Dead in Fiery Crash & Explosion (04/23/2024)Angelo State Handball Club Wins Texas A&M Tournament (04/23/2024)Why Tonight's Full Moon is Called Pink (04/23/2024)San Angelo Park Improvements Celebrated (04/23/2024)Final Podcast Over San Angelo Cold Case Aired by Texas Monthly (04/23/2024)Harris County Sued for Socialist 'Guaranteed Income' Scheme (04/23/2024)Nationwide Alert Issued for Ground Beef Over E. coli Concerns (04/23/2024)TPWD Seeking Input on Killing Mountain Lions (04/23/2024)Gov. Abbott Announces New Mental Health Facility in Uvalde (04/23/2024)Gender Bending Seattle Children's Hospital Leaves Texas (04/23/2024)Monday Booking Report: 'Donkey' Arrested for Criminal Trespass (04/23/2024)F-250 Pulls a Fast One on a Hapless 4-Runner (04/22/2024)

Our military is not the place for social experimentation . . .AUTO-GENERATED TRANSCRIPT00:00:01 [ALLEN WEST]Lieutenant Colonel Allen West, and welcome to the Steadfast and Loyal podcast.00:00:13 [MUSIC]00:00:52 [ALLEN WEST]Hey folks, thanks for joining us on this episode of the Steadfast Law Podcast. And I just want to take some time to kind of get some thoughts out there with you all. Recently I had the opportunity of going and seeing my nephew take command of an artillery battalion there at joint base Lewis and Mcchord, something that he watched me do 21 years ago and it was just so great to be back on an army installation and it's the exact same installation.00:01:19 [ALLEN WEST]Back then, it was known as Fort Lewis WA in 1982, where I went through the ROTC advanced camp and after completing that six to seven week advance camp, it's kind of like ROTC Cadet Boot camp training. I came back and I was commissioned as an officer in the United States Army, so Fort Lewis has some really deep connections with me and also my nephew.00:01:43 [ALLEN WEST]Lieutenant Colonel Herman Bernard West III, he went through ROTC advance camp at Fort Lewis, so it was kind of nice to drive over to North Fort Hood area, where there used to be the Old World War II barracks where we were housed when we were ROTC cadets.Now that's where his headquarters is for his battalion, the first battalion and 94th Field Artillery Regiment, High Mars High Mobility Artillery rocket system.And the interesting thing about him taking command of a high Mars battalion and he also commanded a high Mars battery was that as their operations.Officer of the 18th Field Artillery Brigade airborne at Fort Bragg, NC. We filled it the very first high Mars test Platoon 3 launchers and we were very instrumental in developing the tactics, the techniques and the procedures for the implementation and the implementation of the artillery rocket system and how they would be delivered onto the battlefield and so.It was just a great thing to be there, to see him taking command of 400 soldiers. It's just good to be around soldiers. But I just got to ask what is going on with our military? With some of our senior leaders.00:03:02 [ALLEN WEST]Now let me frame this in a means that you can understand. It is not a right to be a soldier, Sailor, airman, Marine, Space Force -- whatever you call them -- and Coast Guard, it is not a right. It's a privilege.00:03:18 [ALLEN WEST]To be able to wear the uniforms and on one side, says United States Army, United States Marine Corps, United States Air Force, United States Navy, United States Coast Guard, United States Space Force and have your last name on the other side. Although I think we should continue with referring to people as “Sir” and “Ma'am.” But understand that it is a privilege to serve in the military. We have an all-volunteer force. People raise their right hand, say I want to get some of this, but there's still standards.00:03:48 [ALLEN WEST]If you want to talk about a discriminatory organization, it's the United States military. I mean, you have to be a certain height. You have to be a certain weight. You cannot have any certain medical conditions, you know, asthma or flat feet.You know, I thought I was a pretty strack troop back in the day, but I was not at the height requirement to be a member of the Third Infantry Regiment, which is known as the old guard in Washington, DC. You had to be 5 feet 11 or taller, 5 feet 11, I think to 6'1” to 6'2'. I'm only 5'9”.00:04:27 [ALLEN WEST]Not going to change the standard, that's just how it is. So when I see leaders in the United States military right now that really seem to be confused about what the mission of the military is. The mission of the military is to fight and win the nation's wars. Unfortunately, we haven't been doing too good here recently, especially when you think about the debacle in Afghanistan.00:04:58 [ALLEN WEST]We need to get back to understanding our core competencies in the military, what it means to be a soldier, what it means to be a marine, a sailor, an airman. Remember the space force? I'm still struggling with what you call them, Space Cadet. I don't know. And you know, hopefully no one's going to get upset because I said Coast Guardsman, but that means all members of the United States Coast Guard.00:05:25 [ALLEN WEST]But recently some of the articles that have come out about. Senior military leaders are doing especially again in this month of June. This pride thing. Let me tell you something. When you put on that uniform. That's your pride. You are part of a brotherhood, a sisterhood. The Band of Brothers. That is truly indicative of the one percenters of the United States of America.00:06:00 [ALLEN WEST]Those people who have taken the oath to support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America against all enemies, foreign and domestic, to bear true faith and allegiance to the same that they took that obligation freely without any purpose of mental reservation. Mental evasion or reservation, purpose of evasion of mental reservation. So help me God, I got it.00:06:23 [ALLEN WEST]No one's coerced into doing that. No one's intimidated into doing that. We don't round people up in the streets. There's not a draft. It's a privilege to say I want some, I want to be one of those.00:06:38 [ALLEN WEST]But when I see like the headlines here of this article. Space Force general decries anti LGBTQ plus alphabet soup mafia laws at Pentagon Pride event claims they affect hiring decisions.Lieutenant General Deanna Burt, commanding general of the Space Force, says such laws, such as what's been passed here in Texas to protect children 18 years of age and below. She says this is dangerous for members of the military. I mean, members of the military are 18 years of age and above.But the the thing that I'm looking at is we have the top talent in the nation.We must enable them to perform their missions by ensuring they're not worried about the health and safety of their families.A Pentagon official said. The Department of the Air Force recognizes the various laws and legislation to being proposed and passed in states across America that may affect LGBTQ airmen, guardians or their LGBTQ dependents in different ways.The Mission Space Force, whatever Air Force. You're supposed to be out there defending the country.I don't think China is worried about some LGBTQ plus IA alphabet mafia soup.And furthermore, I mean we should not be focusing on what states are passing to protect, to protect their kids.You're the commanding general of the Space Force. You know, maybe you should make sure we don't have Chinese spy balloons flying over.And I don't know what level altitude space forces were about, but maybe you should be worried about cyber security so we don't have these cyber-attacks. You should not be worried about the whole LGBTQIA+ thing.00:08:37 [ALLEN WEST]See when was it that all of a sudden senior military leaders got involved in ideological agendas? They ain't your business. You can say that West is a bigot, West is a hater. No, I'm not. But let me tell you something about West. When he was in the military, I put people out of the military because they couldn't run fast enough. Couldn't pass PT test physical training tests. They couldn't maintain that the right type of height, weight standards. They had too many DUI's. Or even they bounce too many checks.If you could not show fiscal results, we did not have time to deal with your personal issues, but now all of a sudden we're supposed to believe that the most important thing that that the senior military officers should be talking about in this month or any other month.Is personal sexual behavior? Let me just be very blunt here. If you are confused about whether or not you are a little boy or a little girl, perhaps the United States military is not the place for you.And look, I was in the army when we had the don't ask, don't tell and the Clinton administration all of a sudden that got changed. There's some issues about that, sexual harassment issues. No one wants to talk about, but it's there. And again, why are we trying to accommodate personal sexual behavior? I thought the mission of the military was to bring people in. We're making a team. We're not supposed to be worried about personal sexual behaviors or proclivities and things of this nature. So why are we talking about these things? Why do we have people in the military that are saying that?You know they're going to protect dependent.And provide them with quote UN quote, gender-affirming care. No. You know, all you're doing is mutilating the child.And show me where it says that taxpayer dollars are supposed to be going to mutilating children who are dependents of military servicemen and women.00:10:40 [ALLEN WEST]Our taxpayer dollars are supposed to be going to making sure we had a trained, prepared and ready to deploy organization military not to have a military where we just saw a recent I think it was the Chief of Naval Operations testify before. I think the House Armed Services Committee, they don't have enough amphibious shipping to deploy marine. What is the major mission of the United States Marine Corps? To deploy and conduct amphibious operations, but we don't have enough. To enable the Marines to do their core competency, their core mission. You're telling me we need to be worried about gender mutilation, mutilation surgeries and hormonal therapies and puberty blockers for kids, dependent kids and, no, it's not me being a hater. That's not me being a bigot. That's me being a realist. That's me talking about what?00:11:45 [ALLEN WEST]The mission of the military is, and if that's something that's important to you, maybe you should not be in the United States military. Because again, remember I said it's not a right that you get to serve in the military as a privilege. And there's certain standards that we have. The mission is above you, the individual.But if you think that that is upside down, that's the problem that we get into. Pentagon officials defend diversity and inclusion at a prior month's event, uniformed and Civilian Defense Department officials defended LGBTQ plus there as it is, alphabet soup mafia again, service members and diversity and inclusion efforts on Wednesday at the Pentagon's annual Pride Diversity inclusion, meanwhile, comprises much more than efforts to get people in the door of the recruiting center.00:12:37 [ALLEN WEST]See we've got senior military leaders like this Lieutenant General Deanna Burt and others that are saying that, you know, West, you and these other folks that are talking about these things, you're the reason why we don't have people joining the military. I don't think so. I think one of the main reasons that you are struggling with recruiting in the military cause no one wants to end up in a body bag like 13 of our service members did in Afghanistan. Because of the incompetence of the senior-level leadership in the United States military, nobody wants to be in the military, where everything is focused on equity, the equality of outcomes instead of the equality of opportunity.00:13:24 [ALLEN WEST]See, when I was a young Lieutenant and I made the commandants list of the Field Artillery Officer basic course at Fort Sill I was selected to go to one of the premier units in the United States Army, it was the 509 Parachute Infantry Regiment Airborne Battalion combat team at that time of essence Italy. It ended up becoming the 4th Battalion, 300 and 25th Airborne Battalion Combat Team. But it was the only airborne unit located. And so I had to go, not just the airborne school. But in order to be an officer in that unit I had to go to jump master school right after airborne school.00:14:10 [ALLEN WEST]I want to understand something.I only have five jumps, five, 12345. And I had to go to jump master school in order to meet the standard to deploy and be in this unit, even though that was my assignment, if I didn't pass Jump Master School, I was not going to get the assignment. And I'm in a class with guys that have, you know, 200 jumps, special forces, captains, guys from the Ranger Regiment. All all these guys have been in airborne units and I show up a five jump jump. That's what they call me. They didn't change the standards. There was no talk about equity. There was no talk about hey, you know, he's black and we probably need to make sure he passes because they need a Black Lieutenant over there in the airborne battalion and Vicenza, Italy.00:15:05 [ALLEN WEST]I had to meet all the standards. I had to go through and conduct what is called a JMP.I jumpmaster personnel inspection of three paratroopers, one in in in just straight parachute, then the other who had combat gear with their parachute equipment and had to do all of those jumpers.I believe in 3 minutes and 30 seconds and I had to find out all of the gigs that were wired into their jump master jump equipment and their parachutes. I had to call them out by the right nomenclature.When I saw those deficiencies and I had to follow the right sequence of the inspection, or else I was done. I remember coming home with a parachute harness and everything and putting it on my little brother in Atlanta, GA, and just rehearse and rehearse and rehearse and rehearsing because it wasn't about equity. It was about equality of opportunity.00:16:02 [ALLEN WEST]And now all of a sudden, you know, the whole thing is about diversity and inclusion, that the Pride Month event that Pentagon officials are talking about that Navy commander Emily Schilling, one of the highest ranking openly transgender officers in the military, came out two days.After then President Donald Trump's ban on transgender troops went into effect for shilling inclusion for transgender service members is a matter of life and death. Schilling is talking about. Well, if you don't allow us to serve, we're going to commit suicide.That's what she said, Shilling told the audience Wednesday that over the course of the two years that the transgender ban was in place, 31 transgender service members died by suicide. In the two years after the the ban was revoked, the number dropped to 2.00:16:46 [ALLEN WEST]They didn't die of suicide because of a ban. They died of suicide because they suffer from a mental condition. Now if we are putting members of the military out because they are overweight or they can't come in because they have flat feet or whatever, then why are we having people in with a mental condition?If they are confused about whether that their little boy, little girl, and why then that we turn around and telling the American taxpayer that you got to fund their medical condition, their mental condition which no one forced them to have.00:17:23 [ALLEN WEST]I mean, I I I look. I mean, we all remember Corporal Klinger from M*A*S*H, and Corporal Kinger dressed up that way because he wanted to try to show he was crazy so he could get sent back home. Ohh Colonel West, come on, let them serve. A standard is a standard is a standard. Not everyone is supposed to be able to serve, you know they're the other things you can do. The Peace Corps you can do to forest your service. There are many things I want the best of the best of the best of the best in the United States military. I've been a commander. Commanders don't have time to worry about individual sexual proclivities and problems and issues. They need to be focused on training the men and women under their command.00:18:16 [ALLEN WEST]Sergeant Major of the Army, the top enlisted leader, shot back at criticism of a post from the 82nd Airborne Division. 82nd Airborne Division, I mean.Jumping Jim Gavin and and Matthew Ridgway probably freaking out in their grades. But the 82nd Airborne Division celebrating here, we're going LGBTQ plus IA. Alphabet soup Mafia members, and the two day Twitter battle enlisted man in the United States military. The top dog command Sergeant Major of the army is going back and forth on Twitter. For two days.Maybe he's trying to defend something that shouldn't be defended anyhow, Twitter users, many of whom describe themselves as veterans in their account BIOS, mocked the 82nd airborne divisions Friday morning. Posts kickstarted the units observance of Pride Month.And let me tell you something. When I was a paratrooper, my pride came and putting on that maroon beret because that said I was a cut above. I was the United States Army paratrooper. Pride didn't come in with who you slept with. The Pride didn't come from your gender confusion. Pride came in the fact that I met the standard, I exceeded the standard and I will serve in my country.00:19:43 [ALLEN WEST]Sergeant Major Michael Grinston, the Army's top enlisted leader responsible for morale and discipline issues in the service, condemned the criticism as harassment and shot back at tweets through Saturday morning as senior military leaders have not shot away from wearing in, weighing in on America's cultural controversies.Our senior military leaders should not be weighing in on cultural controversies.Our senior military leaders should be making sure that our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, space force, ease. They're ready to deploy, to fight, to win.You know the 82nd Airborne Division tweet recommended Army families get this.82nd Airborne Division All American recommended Army families check out a book called a Survival Guide for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning teens, as well as another that describes how parents can learn to support their LGBTQIA+ child from the on-base library.These titles are intended for ages 13 and up. I raised two daughters in the military. They didn't think about any of this stuff. None of the kids I remember playing thought about any of this stuff. They were just out there playing, you know, what was the greatest amount of pride that I had? For the kids, my two daughters especially, but when at 1700 hours, 1730, 1800 hours, end of the day. When you hear colors. And they knew where the center of the installation. I'll never forget in Fort Hood, TX. And they faced to the center and they stood quiet at attention knowing that the flag was being lowered. That's something to take pride in were your children. Not telling your children they need to go and get a book called a survival Guide for LGBTQ whatever.Why is the United States military pushing an ideological agenda and using taxpayer funds to do that? So to all of these senior military leaders, to the Department of Defense and to Navy Commander Emily Schilling, who I don't know what you were, but you're still a guy because that's what your DNA will say.If you were to pass out or lose your life, the medical examiner is going to announce she was a male or female. Years from now, when you're someone digs up your bones, it's going to be male or female. So we're just making stuff up in our military. Service members did not die because the service shows pride, love and rainbows.00:23:04 [ALLEN WEST]Shilling said “pride saves lives.” And Pride is a testament that the LGBTQIA+ community endures and will endure. Pride in who you are as an American, as a soldier, sailor, airman, Marine, Coast Guardsman, space force. That's what saves lives. Training saves lives.00:23:29 [ALLEN WEST]We had a motto, of the 18 Field Artillery Brigade airborne, it was sweat saves blood. Not silly ideological agendas, which is what this whole thing is. Five or so years ago, none of this was happening in the United States military. All of a sudden, is it happening now? The Progressive Socialist left has always wanted to undermine and to break down what they saw was the last great bastion of traditional values, the United States military. And thanks to the useful idiots who wear uniforms and have stars on their shoulders they're being enabled to do just that. That's not going to stop a bullet, that's not going to deter our #1 geopolitical foe who's not focused on ideological agendas or individual sexual behaviors or proclivities. I don't think a single Chinese command Sergeant Major General officer or Admiral, or naval commander is that they're talking about some LGBTQIA+. They're training to kick our ***.They're not worrying about calling people Sir or ma'am. They're not worrying about the right type of pronouns. They're not worried about gender dysphoric drag queen recruiters for global hegemonic dominance.00:25:28 [ALLEN WEST]Which is why China is looking at putting a military installation ust about 100 miles off the coast of the United States of America. They already have port facilities that they built in Jamaica and the Bahamas. They're already buying up land all across the United States of America. Some of the places, such as here in Texas, they bought land right next to Laughlin Air Force Base, which is one of the premier training bases for Air Force fighter pilots. That's what they're doing. But what are we doing? We're talking about Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and alphabet soup mafia, ideological agendas.00:26:30 [ALLEN WEST]One of the most important things that the next Commander-in-Chief of the United States military forces has to do is to get our military back focused on what their core mission and competencies, capability and capacity truly is to be. It ain't fair to be in the military, it's discriminatory. But that's what standards mean. And that's why, as George Orwell said, “A nation sleeps peacefully at night because rough men stand ready to do violence on her behalf.” And some rough women. Not no non-binary and all this other nonsense that this current administration, and senior military leaders. Need to get back to old school. Steadfast and Loyal.00:27:51 [MUSIC] This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit allenwest.substack.com/subscribe

Join us at Sun n Fun 2023. GGMF attendees get 60% off the ticket price! https://bit.ly/GGMF_SNF "Croc" is a viper driver and the President of the Gun Garin Memorial Foundation (GGMF). He attended jet pilot training at Laughlin Air Force Base in 2010 and was a pilot training instructor in the T-6A from 2010-2015. He transitioned to the F-16 Viper in 2016, earning top graduate honors from the Basic Qualifications Course. He has multiple combat deployments in support of operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria. He also has a career in commercial aviation and is a First Officer at a major airline. He has been the president of the Board of Directors since its inception in 2021. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Join E3 Aviation and the Guns Garin Memorial Foundation in our VIP tent at Sun N Fun 2023. GGMF attenders get 60% off the ticket price! Your ticket not only gets you access to a VIP WEEK (March 28- April 2), right on the flight line with an air conditioned tent, beverages, live talks and Q&A--but more importantly, a portion of the ticket cost goes to our mission of supporting veterans and inspiring future pilots. Click here to join us: https://bit.ly/GGMF_SNF ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Major Richard Charles “GUNS” Garin (Rick) was a loving, dedicated, and accomplished person who made the world a better place wherever he went. He was an incredible husband, father, brother, son, friend, and pilot. "Guns" was an F-16 Fighter Pilot/Weapons Officer at McEntire Air National Guard Base and passed away suddenly in July of 2020. Several of his friends and wife came together and founded GGMF. The Guns Garin Memorial Foundation has two missions. First, we are here to support local military families during times of hardship. Second, the foundation exists to help educate and encourage youth to explore a career in aviation. This organization was founded to honor his life and to inspire other young aspiring pilots to follow in his footsteps. The members of our board see the importance of preserving his memory through the efforts of the Foundation. --- *Join in at E3 Aviation Association: https://bit.ly/E3AviationAssociation *Support the Channel Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theafterburnpodcast *Shop Merch https://bit.ly/ShopAfterburnPodcast Launch Your Aviation Career with BogiDope :https://bit.ly/BogiDope 5% OFF with code "Afterburn" Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ZIZ9XRlcsdQ ------------- Contact Me Email: https://bit.ly/contactTAP Website: https://bit.ly/AfterburnWebsite --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/the-afterburn-podcast/message

This week we take a tour of the Rio Grande Valley with Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn. We take a trip to Del Rio, home of Laughlin Air Force Base where US pilots are trained -- and now known for being one of the hotspots for migrants to cross into the US from Acuna, Mexico just across the river. So what are these asylum laws that everyone keeps talking about? Why not just get rid of them? Immigration attorney Amy Maldonado explains - and takes us on a little history lesson.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

NATIONAL SECURITY THREAT: a secretive Chinese oligarch purchased 140,000 acres of Texas land near Laughlin Air Force Base to build a wind farm - or so he claims. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) theorizes that federal law enforcement, including the Capitol Police, aided in the January 6th storming of the Capitol, making the event an inside job. The NIH and the CDC have an employee exodus due to low morale brought on by ‘bad science' regarding the Covid vaccine in five-year-olds. After a trip to Ukraine, Malcolm Nance declares that the conservative movement is an insurgency, and that ‘we may have to fight' our neighbors. Here's your Daily dose of Human Events with @JackPosobiec Save up to 65% on MyPillow products by going to MyPillow.com/POSO and use code POSO Go to www.goodranchers.com/poso to get $30 off your order and free express shipping with code POSO

Just 2.5 hours away from San Antonio is the U.S. border city of Del Rio, Texas. It's the home of Laughlin Air Force Base where U.S. Air Force Pilots are trained. And it's now known internationally as the site of the largest mass entry via land of Haitians during the law known as Title 42. The CDC put Title 42 in place in March of 2020 to stop the spread of Covid 19. This allowed the quick expulsion of migrants without giving them a chance to seek asylum as outlined under U.S. law. During the two decades I have covered immigration and border issues, I have never seen or experienced anything like the tidal wave of effects and feelings ignited by Title 42. Whether Title 42 is extended or done away with, border counties and border patrol must be ready for whatever is to come. Who better to share what is going on at the Del Rio area of the U.S. border with Mexico than Chief Patrol Agent in Charge of the Del Rio Sector Jason Owen and Val Verde County Sheriff Joe Frank Martinez. They maneuver through immigration laws and those of the state of Texas in this volatile time in our border history. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On Nov. 18, 2020, the Del Rio News-Herald printed its final edition leaving this border town of 35,000+ without a local news outlet. But just one month later, a weekly free tabloid entitled The 830 Times (named after the local area code) appeared throughout the town and surrounding Val Verde County. The new newspaper grew out of a then 5-month-old entertainment-based local website started by 56-year-old air force veteran Joel Langton. Langton relocated to the area 16 years before when he was assigned as a public affairs officer at nearby Laughlin Air Force Base. Joel states in his LinkedIn profile: “I've got 30 years with the Air Force in Public Affairs where I've been involved in media, internal communications and many consider my strength to be community engagement. However, I've got plenty of experience in all of it, and I'm a big proponent of causes bigger than myself.” Today the Times publishes more than 40 pages a week, with a 50%+ ad count. The newspaper gained national attention uncovering how a proposed Chinese-owned wind farm would disrupt military operations (Chinese Reps Defend Proposed Wind Farm). And with their live coverage of the estimated 15,000 to 20,000 Haitian immigrants who camped under the Del Rio International Bridge last September. Joel's publishing accomplishments even awarded him national attention in the January 2021 New York Times article: “In a Widening News Desert on the Border, a Tabloid Start-Up Defies the Odds." In this 123rd episode of "E&P Reports," Publisher Mike Blinder goes one-on-one with Joel Langton, the air force public affairs veteran who saved a Texas border town from becoming a news desert with a thriving, local news outlet publishing an ad packed, free weekly newspaper.      

In this episode, we talk to Olga Custodio about  finding success in a male-dominated profession, balancing family and professional life when pursuing career goals, why accessibility is the key to mentorship, and much more.Retired Lieutenant Colonel Olga Custodio didn't give up on her dream of serving her country when she was repeatedly blocked from enlisting in the military. Ten years after her first attempted she was finally accepted into the US Air Force, becoming the first Latina to complete graining in the U.S. Air Force as a military pilot. She also became the first Hispanic female pilot at American Airlines flying domestic and international routes retiring as a Captain after 20 years with American Airlines. She reflects on instructing and flying the supersonic T-38. While breaking barriers and overcoming challenges as a woman in a male-dominated profession throughout her career, Olga has gained valuable insights that she shares in this conversation and to her wider audiences. Olga is a consummate mentor. A mentor for mentors. She is a generous and supportive advocate for girls, inspiring and empowering students - especially those from underserved communities and middle-schoolers - to pursue careers in STEM generally and aviation / aerospace specifically.Topics Include:Being born into a military family in San Juan, Puerto RicoGrowing up abroadThe influence of Olga's mother and grandmotherVoicing your dreams and ambitionsFlying and training supersonic jet in the militaryBecoming the first female T-38 flight instructor at Laughlin Air Force Base.Inspiring and empowering women and young girlsWomen in STEMOlga's love for Hispanic arts and cultural heritageBallet Folklorico Borikèn, trans. The Puerto Rican Folk BalletThe “where there is a will, there is power” mantraAnd other topics…Olga Custodio is a former United States Air Force officer who became the first female Hispanic U.S. military pilot. Upon retiring from the military, she became the first female Hispanic commercial airline captain of American Airlines. Olga is a Trustee of the Order of Daedalians Foundation, a Board Member and Treasurer for the Women in Aviation Alamo City Chapter, and a Board Member for the Dee Howard Foundation. Custodio also serves as vice president of the Hispanic Association of Aviation and Aerospace Professionals (HAAAP). These organizations inspire young students in the San Antonio and surrounding areas to seek civilian and military aviation careers.Resources Mentioned:http://www.purflygirl.com/Want to connect? Visit us online and signup for the monthly WWF newsletter!Website – https://www.whenwomenfly.com/Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest – @whenwomenflyEmail – hello@whenwomenfly.com

The border crisis continues to escalate at an astonishing rate. Take the month of June of this year for instance, with more than 178,000 migrants who illegally crossed our southern border from Mexico. That brings the total number, this year, to 1,076,242 illegals who were caught! Last week, Tucker Carlson aired a bombshell segment about how the Biden administration has been covertly ferrying illegal migrants all across the country via the U.S. Air Force. The information came from a whistleblower at Laughlin Air Force Base, in Del Rio, Texas, where the migrants are frequently being flown from to a city or suburb near you and at the expense of your tax dollars of course.

Yesterday, we talked about a former Chinese general who was, incredibly, allowed to buy 200 square miles of Texas. His vast ranch is near the Mexican border and vital Laughlin Air Force Base. It also will feature an ominously long runway. The pretext for this unimaginable acquisition by a billionaire long associated with the Chinese Communist Party is that General Sun Guangxin wants to plug a wind-farm into the Texas and U.S. grids. Allowing hostile foreign powers to have ANYTHING to do with our critical infrastructure is a terrible mistake. Fortunately, the Texas state legislature agreed. Governor Greg Abbott yesterday signed into law legislation barring China, Russia, North Korea and Iran from such tie-ins. Now the federal government must reverse its earlier, outrageous decision to allow Gen. Sun to set up the rest of his operation in the Lone Star State.  This is Frank Gaffney.

In 1967, when I was in Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT) at Laughlin Air Force Base, I devoured everything I could read about flying, like every other student pilot. The UPT leadership helped us by providing a variety of flying periodicals in the magazine racks on the inside of every lavatory stall - Flying, Plane and Pilot, Private Pilot, the works. Early in our careers we learned about multi-tasking! In one of the magazines, I can't remember which, I read an article titled "The Box Canyon Maneuver". A box canyon is a formation in which there is no room to perform a normal 180-degree turn, which has sides too high for the airplane to outclimb. The maneuver is basically a hammerhead turn, in which the pilot pulls the airplane up to vertical, remaining unloaded to avoid a stall, and then steps on a rudder to bring the airplane to a nose-down attitude facing the other direction. I was fascinated, and I practiced the maneuver whenever I had the chance during solo flight. I became reasonably proficient at it. A little over a year later, I was flying the O-2A in Vietnam. In addition to combat flying, I flew Functional Check Flights (FCFs), where I would test all the systems of the airplane following maintenance. The FCF had to be conducted in visual flight conditions. On this particular day I was scheduled for FCF duty, but the weather at DaNang Air Base was lousy. Drizzle and low clouds, and it looked like it would stay that way all day. Certainly not conducive for an FCF. I convinced our Operations Officer that I could climb out through the overcast on a heading of East, over the ocean, until I got into the clear to conduct the FCF.  I took off to the North on Runway 35 Right and immediately turned East. At about 300 feet I was in clouds, flying entirely on instruments, holding steady on a heading of 090 degrees. As a new pilot, I had never flown in solid clouds, and I was pretty proud of myself, feeling like a real pilot.  I was in the clouds, flying over the ocean as I climbed out. Nothing to look at out the windscreen, but for some reason I had the urge to look straight ahead. Suddenly, through the windscreen, I saw the jungle rushing up at me at 100 knots! I instinctively pulled up to vertical, unloaded, and stepped on the left rudder. When the airplane was headed downhill I pulled up to level flight and looked at my heading indicator. Now it showed I was heading West. Then I looked at the Standby Compass, sometimes called the Whiskey Compass. It showed I was heading South! Finally, I realized what had happened. My heading indicator had precessed 90 degrees to the left, so that shortly after entering the clouds I had slowly turned to North, directly toward Monkey Mountain. I discontinued the FCF and obtained a gyro-out Ground Controlled Approach (GCA).  I've had a lot of close calls in combat, but this was the closest I ever came to unquestionably losing my life. Every day since then has been on borrowed time. https://youtu.be/fqH4tujxuTA 

Skip grew up in a house that had an “airplane room”, replete with models and pictures. His father was a pilot, and was a part-owner in a Beech Sundowner airplane. On his 10th birthday, Skip got to fly in the seat and control an airplane for the first time. Skip was recruited to the United States Air Force Academy to play soccer, and majored in physics, attending while his high school friend Robert “Cujo” Teschner was also a cadet. When he was cut from the soccer team, his grades dramatically improved, which enabled him to receive one of the limited slots for pilot training. As a cadet, he broke his arm during a parachute failure while skydiving. Skip attended pilot training at Reese Air Force Base, and was ranked high enough to select a fighter, and received an F-15C. He attended fighter fundamentals training in San Antonio, and was then assigned to the 54th Fighter Squadron in Anchorage, Alaska. His squadron was the first to utilize night vision goggles (NVGs) in dogfights at night. After his Alaska tour, Skip was assigned to be a T-37 IP at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. After Laughlin, he was assigned to Lakenheath Air Base, England. Skip eventually became the commander of an F-15 squadron in Lakenheath. In that capacity, he led his squadron throughout Europe in exercises. After retiring from the Air Force, Skip became a CFI for five years, and was later hired by a legacy airline, and currently instructs on the B737.

Tom Carlin started his aviation career as an Air Force navigator, flying KC-135 airborne refueling tanker aircraft. On his own, he obtained a Private Pilot certificate and bought an airplane.   Often, his commander needed tom’s assistance with air transportation issues that oould not be accommodated with Air Force aircraft, and he quickly became the “hero” of the unit. this visibility was instrumental in his getting an assignment to Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT).   Following UPT, he remained as an Instructor Pilot, then became an Aircraft Commander in the C-141. He had numerous missions that involved air refueling and extended crew duty times, sometimes exceeding 24 hours.   Later, he flew the RC-135, again on extended missions.   After Air Force retirement, he started his airline career with a major airline, and purchased another airplane, this time a retired Air Force T-41 Mescalero trainer. It turns out this is the EXACT airplane your humble podcast host flew as a student pilot in Air Force UPT at Laughlin Air Force Base in 1967!

Tiffany Behr comes from a long line of military aviators, and was introduced to flying at an early age when she want flying with her father. She attended Kansas University and then entered Air Force Undergraduate Pilot training at Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, Texas. Her initial flying assignment was to C-130s, where she deployed on combat missions in Afghanistan. Her next flying assignment was in the RC-135, OC-135 and WC-135. Following that, she was selected to fly Presidential Support missions in the 89th Military Airlift Squadron. Next, she was selected to be a speech-writer for high-ranking officers in the Middle East. After Tiffany left active duty she was hired by a major legacy airline, where she currently flies B737 NG aircraft.

Keith Reeves wanted to be a pilot ever since he was a child, living on base at Kadena Air Base, Japan, and hearing the local F-4s and SR-71s taking off. When the family relocated to Selfridge Air Force Base he got the chance to get close to airplanes. A friend on base took him up for a flight in a General Aviation plane, and he was hooked. He attended the United States Air Force Academy, and flew with the Academy aero club. Before Undergraduate Pilot Training, he served as an engineer at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, then he attended pilot training at Laughlin Air Force Base. Kevin qualified for the T-38 track, then flew B-52's for 5 1/2 years, rising to the position of Instructor Pilot. While flying B-52s, he bought a Citabria, and kept it for 10 years. He applied to the B-2 program, and was accepted on his third attempt. He remained on the B-2 for the remainder of his flying career, stationed at Whiteman Air Force Base. In addition to the B-2, Keith was dual-qualified in the T-38. During Operation Iraqi Freedom, he flew a 37-hour flight. Keith now flies as a B737 first officer for a major legacy airline.

Jason Harris attended the Air Force Academy, planning to be an attorney. Instead, after meeting original Tuskegee Airmen, he became interested in flying. He participated in the glider program, as well as free-fall skydiving five times. After graduation he attended Undergaduate Pilot training and then flew the C-130, flying four combat deployments in the Middle East. After his C-130 assignment, he flew special operators in Cessna Caravans on classified missions, often landing on unimproved surfaces, at night using night vision goggles. He flew seven combat deployments in the Caravan. Then he became an Instructor in the Military Training Department at the Air Force Academy and also an instructor pilot in the powered flight program. After two years he separated from the Air Force and joined the Reserves, serving as a T-1 instructor pilot at Laughlin Air Force Base. He now works at NORAD as a Joint Planning Logistics Officer. After separating from the Air Force, Jason was hired by a legacy airline, where he currently flies international flights. In addition, he is now a member of the National Speakers Association and is a sought-after motivational speaker.

Today's Story: The Airmen involved in the T-38 Talon crash at Laughlin Air Force Base on November 13th have been identified.

Today's story: One pilot was killed and another pilot was transferred to Val Verde Regional Medical Center when an Air Force T-38C Talon aircraft crashed at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas on November 13th around 7:40 p.m.

Tammy Barlette got her introduction to aviation when she received 40 hours of flight instruction from the ROTC Program at the University of Minnesota. After graduation and commissioning, she attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, Texas. When she received her wings, she qualified to remain at Del Rio as a T-37 Instructor Pilot as a FAIP (First Assignment Instructor Pilot). After serving as an IP for three years, she qualified in the A-10, and went overseas to Korea. When she returned to the United States, she flew A-10s at Davis Monthan Air Force Base, in Tucson, and then became qualified in the MQ-1 Predator. Tammy participated in 1500 hours of combat support in Iraq and Afghanistan, protecting our troops on the ground with real-time combat support. After attending Weapons School, she returned to Laughlin Air Force Base as a T-38 Instructor Pilot. She recently retired from the Air Force, and is now a motivational speaker. Her websites are www.tammybarlette.com and www.athenasvoiceuse.com.

Colonel Dave Scheiding started his aviation career in the U.S. Air Force. After Undergraduate Pilot Training, Dave was asked to remain in Air Training Command as a T-37 Instructor Pilot (IP) at Laughlin Air Force Base. In addition to being the resident expert at spin recovery, he pulled service as the base Aerdrome Officer. In that capacity, on October 21st, 1967, he oversaw the post-crash activities when Thunderbird pilot Merrill McPeak crashed during a performance. Following his IP assignment, Dave volunteered for Vietnam, flying the O-2A as a Forward Air Controller (FAC). He was based at several locations in Vietnam, and has chronicled his experiences in his memoir, The Long Return. After Vietnam, Dave was selected to attend the University of Denver, where he received his Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering. This education was instrumental in determining the cause of the terrible crash of the Operation Babylift flight, the evacuation of Vietnamese children during the collapse of South Vietnam. On short notice, Dave traveled to South Vietnam to investigate the crash of the C-5. With virtually no security, Dave's team scoured the accident site and recovered whatever debris remained after locals had stripped the location. During an extended analysis of the C-5 aft cargo door after returning to the United States, Dave re-created the cause of the accident. After that, Dave returned to the cockpit and flew the F-111 until his Air Force retirement. In addition to his memoir, Dave authored a moving book about his beloved dog, Hank.