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People matter more than position, and leadership starts with taking care of others. Doing that right means a million acts. SUMMARY Those are lessons Lt. Col. Steven “Meathead” Mount '08 shares with listeners in the Season 4 premier of Long Blue Leadership. For Col. Mount, becoming a pilot was a major milestone, but becoming a husband and father had the biggest impact. Don't wait, listen today and become a better leader tomorrow.   SHARE THIS PODCAST FACEBOOK  |  LINKEDIN   COL. MOUNT'S TOP LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS Adoption shaped my understanding of support and love. Leadership is about lifting others to achieve their best. Mentorship plays a crucial role in personal and professional growth. Balancing family and career is a continuous challenge. It's important to have tough conversations as a leader. Resilience is key to overcoming setbacks in life and career. Listening more than talking is essential for effective leadership. Recognizing the importance of support systems can enhance leadership effectiveness. Leadership is defined by consistent, everyday actions. The military community thrives on teamwork and mutual support.   CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction to Leadership Lessons 06:43 The Impact of Adoption on Leadership 14:53 Navigating Challenges at the Academy 22:49 Career Path and Opportunities in Aviation 33:31 Balancing Family and Military Career 44:18 Continuous Improvement as a Leader     ABOUT COL. MOUNT BIO Lt. Col. Steven “Meathead” Mount is a decorated officer in the United States Air Force with a career marked by leadership, operational excellence, and a deep commitment to mentoring the next generation. A command pilot with thousands of flight hours, he has served in a variety of demanding roles across multiple aircraft and theaters, bringing a wealth of experience in both combat and peacetime operations. Beyond the cockpit, Lt. Col. Mount is widely recognized for his ability to lead diverse teams through complex challenges, foster innovation, and develop leaders at every level. His career reflects not only technical expertise but also a people-first leadership philosophy that emphasizes accountability, resilience, and service. Known by his call sign “Meathead,” he brings both humility and humor to the serious business of leading Airmen. His story is one of dedication to mission and country, but also of shaping culture, inspiring others, and leaving a lasting impact on the Air Force community.   CONNECT WITH THE LONG BLUE LEADERSHIP PODCAST NETWORK TEAM Send your feedback or nominate a guest: socialmedia@usafa.org Ted Robertson | Producer and Editor:  Ted.Robertson@USAFA.org    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 ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS     TRANSCRIPT SPEAKERS Guest, Lt. Col. Steven Mount '08  |  Host, Lt. Col. Naviere Walkewicz '99   Naviere Walkewicz Welcome to the first episode of Season 4 of Long Blue Leadership, the podcast where we share insights on leadership through the lives and experiences of Air Force Academy graduates. I'm Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99. We're kicking off this season with a story that shows how our earliest experiences can shape the kind of leaders we become. Lt. Col. Steve Mount, Class of 2008, call sign “Meathead,” didn't fully realize that truth until later in life. Adopted as an infant, he came to understand that love and support aren't guaranteed. They're gifts. Over his 17-year career, Col. Mount has flown missions across a wide range of aircraft, from the C-130 to special operations to the U-2. And today, he's in command. But through every stage, one belief has stayed with him: People succeed not only through their own efforts, but because someone believed in them. In this conversation, we'll talk about how those early lessons have shaped criminal mom's approach to leading airmen, mentoring the next generation of pilots, balancing mission and family and building teams that are rooted in trust. His story is a powerful reminder that leadership isn't about the me game, it's about lifting others so they can achieve their best. So what better way to start our new season? Col. Mount, welcome to Long Blue Leadership. Lt. Col. Steven Mount Thank you so much, ma'am for having me. I really do appreciate this opportunity to at least try to share some of my stories, experiences and honestly, if anything touches base with those who listen in and resonates, that's why I'm glad to be here. Naviere Walkewicz Well, let's start right with a way for them to connect with you. You mentioned your call sign is Meathead. Let's start there. Lt. Col. Steven Mount OK, I'll do my best to tell the story as quickly as I can. And the fun thing about being a pilot — but also I think this plays true in any type of storytelling environment — is, you know, only 10% of the story has to be true when it comes to your call signs. So to start… Oh my gosh— I know there's some friends out there who are going to laugh at this, especially of mine. Going through pilot training… The last part of the pilot training, when I was in the T-1s, when you get to that last part, you know, after you've gone through all the ups and downs, you kind of celebrate a little bit more. And that's what I've done. I had gone out with a couple of my rugby brothers that I played with at the Academy, and we'd gone out to just a country, a little country dance hall, and, you know, we're just enjoying and celebrating. And one of my rugby brothers introduced me to one of his friends through his wife, and this individual, who I didn't know much about at the time, had said— I said, “Yeah, I'm starting T-1s here and all that good stuff. And I immediately, immediately — especially in the celebratory mood I was in — thought, “Oh, this is another awesome student that's coming through. Like, hey, let me start giving you the tidbits. Let me start laying out what to expect.” And that's how I treated this individual for the rest of that evening. You know, we're dancing and having fun and just talking it up. And it was a good evening. It was really good evening. Come Monday morning, I get the word I'm flying with this new instructor in the T- 1s. And I had no idea who this individual was. I did not recognize the name at all. And I asked our flight schedule, like, “Who's this?” Is like, “Oh, it's a new person coming in. I think you're one of his first flights back in the T-1s training wise.” And I was like, “Well, OK, I'm ready to go.” And I sit down, and then this instructor sits down right across from me, and it's a major and sure enough, it's this, the person I thought was a student at the Texas dance, the country dance hall that we were at.   Naviere Walkewicz Oh boy!   Lt. Col. Steven Mount He looks me up and down. Oh, it was one of those moments of shock, of like, “What do I… Where do I go from here?” And he looks me up and down, he goes, and he laughs, and he goes, “Man, you are just such a meathead.” And so that's where it started. And call signs and nicknames— sometimes, some people like, wanna try change it throughout their careers and try to like, “No, that's not who I am. I don't want that to define me.” So as I'm leaving pilot training at Laughlin Air Force Base, Del Rio, I'm heading towards my first assignment in Tucson, Arizona for the EC-130 and I'm like, “OK, here we go. I'm gonna start fresh. I'm not that meathead that went through the Academy playing rugby. I'm not that meathead in pilot training to I just like to have fun. Just like to have fun. I do my own thing, and I'm gonna start fresh.” And I get out, and one of the very first meetings I had in the new squadron was with the DO, Lt. Col. Reimer. He sits down with me, and he says, “Come on in, because I'm in blues. He goes, come on in. Sit down. And then he's just quiet. I'm like, this is interesting. He looks me up and down and goes, “Yeah, you definitely look like a meathead.” And I'm like, “Whoa.” So sure enough, the major that I flew with was really good friends and had flown with this squadron, told this DO about me, and the DO got through his spiel, introduced me to my first flight commander before I deployed in Afghanistan, and goes, “Hey, this is Meathead. Take care of him. He's a good one.” I was like, “No, no, everyone, please, let's stop.” And then throughout the years, things kept happening that just reinforced the call sign, Meathead. I got into U-2s, me and a buddy, also pilots. We popped both tires on a T-38 at Long Beach Airport, and we closed down the airport for about five hours. It was on the local news. Not happy about that. And then there were multiple times where I tried to, like, get rid of the Meathead persona, the callsign, but I think it was finally solidified on a CNN interview on one of my U-2 deployments, where the lady interviewing us goes, “OK, we can't use your real name. So what name should we use? And before I could even say anything, one of my buddies just pops up and goes, “ It's Meathead.CNN lady, use Meathead.” And I was like, “OK.” And then international news in that interview, I am Capt. Meathead. And I never got away from the call sign, Meathead.   Naviere Walkewicz We are gonna find that clip of Capt. Meathead.   Lt. Col. Steven Mount It is out there, just U-2… I think the article under CNN: “U-2 spy plane carries out the mission against terrorist organizations.” You know, not that I didn't remember what it was called.   Naviere Walkewicz Well, I would say you heard it here first, but you didn't. You heard it maybe, if you heard it in the U-2 world or what have you. But we're gonna find it again. And so we're gonna resurrect here first, but we're so glad you're here. Yes, yes, this is awesome. And you know, I think one of the things I really enjoyed in our early conversation, and what we're gonna share today is how you kind of look back and you are very grateful and thankful for the upbringing you have. And so let's kind of go back to the fact, you know, not a lot of our guests share kind of their background, and the fact that you share that you were adopted. What did that kind of, what role did that play in your life? And, you know, was it insignificant? Or, you know, what did you glean from that? Lt. Col. Steven Mount Yeah, I really appreciate that question. And honestly, I really appreciate you giving the opportunity to kind of share that. It has played a huge role in my life. Adopted 11 months. And what it did for me is set the foundation of the family. It may not necessarily be one you have, it's the one who who's there for you, who supports you, who loves you. And then, honestly, the other part about being adopted, which I kind of— there were struggles, like, it wasn't perfect, but there were struggles in my mind where I wanted to show that those who adopted me, I wanted to show them that I could be more and thank them, you know, on a daily basis, for everything they had done for me, supporting me. So that drove me, that motivated me to get into the Academy, or even— back up, even like, do well in high school, get into the Academy, become a pilot. All of that was the basis of— I want to show that in a weird way, I want to show that your investment was worth it. You know, you found me, you gave me the love and support. So I'm going to give back to you by showing you what you were able to, you know, give a second chance, small, little child. And then the— but the other side of that, and I don't know how many of those who are adopted, who feel like this sometimes. Can't be the only one, but I can at least convey it here. There's a sense of, you know, “Why? Why was I adopted?” You know, what really happened in the sense that those who biologically brought me into this world, was I not worthy enough? Was I just a bad situation. And so there's that part I keep motivational wise to be like, “Well, I'm going to show them what they're missing out on.” And I know that's more of the negative kind of side of the whole internal conflict of being adopted. But I would be lying if I didn't say that that was part of the drive that kept me going throughout those years.   Naviere Walkewicz Something that came to my mind when you were saying that was, you know— when did you find out? And how old were you to kind of start having those, those thoughts and questions, you know, not only why, but how do I show that I am worthy?   Lt. Col. Steven Mount Yes, so my mother and father did an amazing job of, I remember, I can't remember the name of this particular book, but there was a book that she had given me that she read to me, and that, throughout the years, as I she utilized, helped me start reading and whatnot. And the basis of the book was, you know, cartoon with a little bit of words, is, “You were not purchased, you know, you were not bought at a store. You know you were, you were brought in and chosen and to be a part of a family.” So she, she wanted to have this idea that I always knew, that was adopted. She never wanted to surprise me, or she never wanted to be like, one day, like, “Hey, just so you know…” She did an awesome job of leading into that, Hey, you were adopted. But don't look at it as this, ‘We went to the store and we picked out the one we liked.' It's more of a, ‘We wanted you in our family.' And that's where it started.” It started, “We wanted a bigger family.” Whether they were, at the time, not able to grow or have themselves, they decided that, “We still want to grow a family. So let's look through adoption as a means.” So she had that book, I remember that book, and then the other book, which I still love to this day, and I got a copy for my kids, I Love You Forever, and how she would read that book to me every single night with the words, “…and I love you forever, like you for always. As long as you're living, my baby, you'll be.” That showed me that it didn't matter where I came from. This was my mom, you know, this was my family. So she did a really good job laying that foundation for me, for who I've become to be.   Naviere Walkewicz So would you put your parents in that bucket of inspirational leaders for you that have shaped you? And are there others?   Lt. Col. Steven Mount One-hundred percent. Like I said, the foundational piece of being that inspirational leader, to me in the sense of working on it all the time, right? It's not simple but accepting people for who they are. Where they're at in life. Accept them for their faults, accept them for the things that they don't like about themselves, but just accepting them and giving them the support, giving them the love that they need to show them, that they can do anything, I like to think for the most part, I'm an example of that because of what my parents did for me.   Naviere Walkewicz So, as a young boy, and you talked a little bit about this, you wanted to prove to them. So Was that something you feel over time, you continue to develop this desire to show your worth? And where have you seen that show up I guess even throughout your going— maybe even at the Academy, how has that kind of formed you as a leader individually?   Lt. Col. Steven Mount Yes, yes. So the showing the worth, the showing the value, or paying it back and showing my parents, once again, I use the word “investment” like it was good— I was good investment. Like I was a good return on investment. But it's helped when I've gone through those struggles, when I've gone— because the first time I put in for the Academy and… back up just a little bit. My dad likes to tell a story that I even told my fifth-grade teacher that she was, you know, “What do you want to do?” I was like, “I'm gonna be a pilot.” I said nothing else. Like, I want to be pilot. I want to fly. And then I had had an awesome mentor whose son, at the time, was going through the process of the Academy, sophomore year in high school, and she helped me with that. Good ol' Mrs. Williams, amazing. When I first initially applied for the Academy, I did not get it. I got a “Sorry, you are not competitive at this time.” Here starts some of those moments in your life to where, like, “OK. How can I bounce back? Do I accept the rejection, or do I find another means?” And even when that happened, that first time, my parents, they were like, “It's OK, it's OK. You don't need to…” They were always like, “You don't need to prove anything else. We love you, regardless.” I was like, “No, I need to prove this.” So I found other means, and I was, I will say, blessed in the sense that at that time, my running back coach for the high school reached out to the Academy. This happened early my senior year, and reached out and was like, “Hey, we have, I have someone who I think might do well for your program.” And then, sure enough, I got invited to come out for a football recruiting visit and I sat down with Fisher Deberry, and he just goes, “Would you like to play for this program?” And once again, I was like, “Wait a minute. No, no. I already got rejected. You know, I already gotten the…” But obviously I was going through my head, but all I said was, “Yes, sir, I would love to play for this program. I'd love to go the Academy.” And he made it happen. And I got recruited, and I got the invite to come out, to go the United States Air Force Academy. Wow. And once again, that only happened because my parents, they said, “Hey, we don't care what happens. We love you. Support you. You make the decision and we're here behind you.” And then I had a coach who was like, “I got you. I've seen what you do. I support this.” And went out on a limb for me. And then, in a sense, I guess Fisher DeBerry was also like, “I'm taking this football recruit, I hope he makes it through the Academy. So the love and support is, was there throughout.   Naviere Walkewicz What a path, I mean, that is quite unique. And, yeah, that's something to just kind of sit in a little bit, right? You know, the path of to your point, it just comes from support. And obviously you have to do the things to make sure that when the opportunity presents itself, you're ready to take that step, but what an incredible story of those who have supported you. Let's talk about a little bit before we kind of get into I think, what I think is the next real moment in your life — when you talk about becoming a father in your family. But while you're at the Academy, I'm just curious what more you learned about yourself as a leader, because you no longer had to prove to your parents that you were worthy of their investment, right? Like this is investment, right? Like this is a new season of your life. What did that look like for you as a leader?   Lt. Col. Steven Mount The challenges and the experiences I had the Academy — and I know I talked about this in one of my interviews previously with the foundation — was that I had to I went through my sophomore year and the rigors of academics, of the military side, of sports. It was taking this toll. I will say this many times. I'll continue to say I'm not the smartest crayon in the shed.   Naviere Walkewicz Wait, did you say crayon in the shed?   Lt. Col. Steven Mount I did. A little mixture of the sharpest tool in the box, exactly. I love it! I'm glad someone caught it. That's perfect! But yes, hard work was probably the foundation of what the Academy taught me was you persevere by hard work. You do the day in; you do the day out. You get after it. Because I was not getting after it after sophomore year. My GPA was not the best, and I had to approach my sophomore year, which very fortunate, because I had done my best to put in the time with the football program. But obviously I was losing ground in the academic side and that came back to almost biting, in the sense that I could have failed out. So I had had one of those— Once again, my father being an amazing mentor himself, whether he knows it or not. And I talked to him, and I said, “Dad, I think I have to quit football. I don't think I can continue with this, the rigors of all of this with the Academy.” And he goes, “Well, what was your dream?” I was like, “My dream was to fly.” He goes, “Well, did you go there to play football? Or did you go there to fly?” And that was an easy answer. But then I was thinking about all those coaches and mentors and those who helped me get to where I was, and I never really quit at something, and that's what it felt like. It really felt like I was quitting. I was quitting my teammates. I was quitting my coaches. And that weighs heavy on your soul, for all those out there who just are struggling, like, “Should I continue?” But my dad was right. My priorities weren't to become a football player, because I wasn't gonna be. I wasn't going to be. I wasn't going to become, you know, some — who can I name drop? — Chad Hall, you know, going to the NFL, doing amazing things. I wasn't going to be out there starting on, maybe third if they still have fourth string… maybe fourth string. So my dad helped me with those priorities by, once again, just being supportive. He never said one way or the other. He said, “What do you want to do?” And so I had that hard conversation with him, and went down to the Field House, and I said, “I apologize. I have to quit so I can concentrate on what I want to do for my dreams.” And once we had that was hard, that was very difficult. So that was one of the challenges at the Academy presented, and how I bounced back from that was you always go two ways. You always go into the woe is me and you know, just kind of beat yourself up and just hold on to that, that pride and ego being shattered. Or you can find a community, a support group, that will be there with you. And I found that almost immediately with my rugby brothers. They're just like me. They're like, “Hey, we just like to hang out at our own little table at Mitchell Hall. We like to just come out, play the sport, do what you love to do, athletic wise, and you'll have some more free time, obviously, for academics.” Not that I'd utilize that correctly still, but that's what it took to get me through those next couple years, that and my amazing roommates. I think all of us Academy grads and those who are going through right now, a support of a good roommate is huge. I that, uh, I appreciate the question, because now it's just dawning on me how much I just really appreciate my roommates at the Academy for their support as well. Very similar to my parents, it's like, “Hey, I don't care what you do, but I'm here to support you, love you regardless.” So I got a lot of that the Academy, and that's what helped get me through.   Naviere Walkewicz That's amazing. I think there's a couple of things I want to dig into a little bit. The first one is, you know, I think deciding to have that tough conversation where, one, you felt like you're already prideful, and you're having to, I'm putting in air quotes, “quit.” Can you talk about how you approached that, other than, I know you went and did it. But I think sometimes one of the most challenging things we can do as leaders is have a tough conversation when it involves us either stepping back or taking a step down from what seems to be the trajectory of what's next. And so I'm just— if you could just share a little bit more about that, I think that would be helpful.   Lt. Col. Steven Mount So, and I just want to clarify: As leaders, we have to recognize and we have to have the courage to have the tough conversations, because that wouldn't be the first time that I'd have to make a decision in that regard, or have the tough conversations to where it was gonna affect me personally or those around me. You deal with it understanding, one, give yourself a little bit of grace. Give yourself a little bit of grace in the sense that whatever tough decision you have to make, you're not alone. And I imagine you might not always be the first person who had either to make that decision or was going through something like that. I was not the only one going through something at that time like that. I didn't know that. And so I've had other conversations where others were like, “Yeah, I also, you know how to make that type of call to not play anymore or give up something, because my priority was this...” You know, what was driving me to succeed was something else, and that followed me well throughout my career, because I've had many, many tough conversations. I've had the tough talk as a leader. I've had to tell someone that, “I'm sorry, your dreams to become a pilot…” It's not going to happen because of their performance. I've had conversations on how to get through those tough moments and said how to get on the other side. And I know it's like a broken record, but it just comes through with the support of being there for that individual or being there to guide them to the next step. And I had that. I had that when I made that tough decision. I had someone want to give myself grace. Two, I realized I was not alone. And three, I had the support to get from this side of that tough decision bridge to the other side. And because that support was there, I learned that, and I learned to pass that on from all my leadership opportunities, to be like, “Let me be the one who guides you over this bridge. It's not gonna be fun. There's gonna be parts are gonna hurt. It's gonna be painful. But I will be next to you to get to the other side, to where we can get back to a good place. We get back to what really matters and get back to succeed in maybe another sense.” So the tough convos as leaders, you have to have those tough convos. Do not shy away from them. They're gonna happen, whether you like it or not.   Naviere Walkewicz I'm really glad you shared it that way, because I think it created a pathway to how to approach it, to your point. You know, it they're not comfortable, they're not designed to be that way. But if you start it with, you know, being that support in mind, and how to get someone, even if you're giving the worst news, the worst news where, “This was your dream, you're not gonna be able to do it because of this. And here's now where we're at, and how can I help you succeed through that?” I think that's what a wonderful lesson you just shared. And so I want to dive now into your career, because you had a really broad career, one that's not a traditional path, and I want to understand why it looked that way. So C-130, EC-130, Special Ops, you— talk a little bit about how you navigated that and what was the driving reasons behind that navigation?   Lt. Col. Steven Mount Yes, ma'am. So something you said earlier, which I really liked, I really love to try to convey to those around me, and actually, I've gone through some of these conversations over the last month and a half with younger instructor pilots. Luck is just the crossroad of opportunity and being prepared, and I'm pretty sure someone super smarter than me said that. I barely remembered. But the opportunities that present themselves to me for what I wanted to do, for my goals in the Air Force. So thankfully, even getting through pilot training, that was, in itself, amazing, transformational. Getting those wings, right? Getting those wings because pilot training, just like my Academy career, I had some ups and downs and some challenges but was able to get through because the sense of me becoming a pilot was first and foremost to fly. I want to be up there in the sky. I want to rush past the clouds. I want to touch the highest point I can. I want to be a pilot's pilot. And then right behind that was I want to accomplish the mission for whatever platform or whatever weapon system I'm given, aircraft wise. So those are my two biggest priorities. And that helped me understand that I had some failures of pilot training when I got to my first assignment, EC-130s. But that was perfect for me. That was— I never knew that. I never knew that in pilot training, that the EC-130 would fulfill me in that sense of my sense of purpose as much as it did. And I'm and getting out there, like said, four or five deployments to Afghanistan, as well as multiple TDYs. I was doing the mission, and I was happy, because I was— that's exactly what I wanted to do. That's exactly what young Meathead Mount was built for. But there were parts of me that still wanted to do more. Like, I felt like I could do more. I could be— I could help out more. I could— it's just itching, or not itching, but just burning in the back. It's like, “Hey, you are built for so much more. You can do more. Let's look for those opportunities.” So, funny enough, the first opportunity I had at that time, or I thought I had, was I reached out to— it's no longer around — but the 6th Special Operations Squadron at Duke Field. It was a combat aviation advisory mission. These individuals got to travel the world. I got to learn languages. Literally, they were sent to school to learn languages, to embed with other nations, to build those relationships, to be on the ground but still flying multiple different aircraft. I was like, “That's awesome. That sounds like me. That sounds like something I can do, and I can bring value to the table, and all the above.” So I put in my application; it was immediately rejected. In their eyes, I did not have the experience yet. I did not have what they were looking for, understandable. So here I am in another situation to where, like, “OK, well, what do I— is there any other means or ways that I can continue to fulfill my purpose as a pilot and get after the mission? Because that's what I really wanted to do, get after mission, whatever that looks like. I thought the sticks was an opportunity. They had said no to me, that's fine. And then I had an amazing friend reach out. He goes, “Hey, I heard you're getting a little long winded out there at EC-130s. You should put an application in for the U-2.” And I was like, “What are you talking about? I have no jet experience, other than the T-1. I don't have that background to be that type of caliber pilot.” He goes, “Nope, nope. They're looking for good guys and girls. They're looking for those who are motivated to do the mission. And if you could fly, you can fly, if you can't, well, you know, they'll figure that out, and they'll send you home.” And I was like, “OK.” And so I submitted for the U-2, put my application in, they call me out, and it's a two-week interview. The first week they have you in service dress, and you meet all the leadership, and you meet all the other pilots, and just have conversations. That's all, they just wanna get to know you. You know, “What's your true motivation for being here?” And I explained it, just like I've explained to you: “I wanna fly. I wanna do the mission. I wanna be a pilot's pilot. I wanna do all the cool stuff.” And they go, “OK.” Well, week two, they put you in U-2, a two-seater. They have two-seater trainers. They put you in a U-2. They give you all the weekend prior to study, and they say, “Cool, let's see what you got.” And they have an instructor, he instructs, he does his best to give you tidbits on how to safely land the U-2. And you have three days. You have two training flights and then a sort of assessment evaluation flight on that third day, and oh my gosh, did I ever humble myself as a pilot when I realized how horrible I truly was. I felt like I could not land the U-2 safely. I felt like I was messing everything up. I felt like— as soon as we got done with that third day of flying, and we got back into the squadron, and I remember the IP just being like, and then, you know, walks away because they have to talk to the squadron commanders. They have to go talk to the other leadership there. And once again, I find myself like, “OK, I 100% failed. I mean, I gave it my best. I gave it everything I had. But, you know, here I am gonna fall short again.” And they do this. And I realized this afterwards, that they do this, they do that like wait game, you know, they keep you in suspense for a reason. And I waited, it felt like hours and hours and hours. I imagine it probably might only be like hour, hour and a half. And a squadron commander called me in. He goes, “Yeah, the IP definitely didn't like some of this, some of these, these type of landings, some of this airmanship you're showing. I didn't really like this. But overall, he says you're a nice enough guy, so do you want the job?” And I was like, “Whoa.” And it blew my mind. And that was awesome. That was awesome because once again, leading up to that moment, it was the support of my friend who reached out. It was the support of my wife being like, “Yeah, I think you can do this.” And I had even called, my parents were like, “I had this opportunity to fly this really unique aircraft. It's going to be challenging. What do y'all think?” They're like, “Hey, we love you. Go get it.” And I was like, no other words of advice, no other like, inspiring — you know, my dad, a Florida farm man, was just like, “No, I think he'll do fine. We love you and just let us know how it goes.” I was like, man, I'm really missing out in motivational speeches. But you know what? The sentiment is there, and that's all I need. So I got that position, did a few years with the U-2. And then towards the end of the U-2 career, I got word from another friend saying the 6th Special Operations Squadron is growing. “We are looking for readily qualified and experienced people.”   Naviere Walkewicz And this is the one that rejected you.   Lt. Col. Steven Mount Yes, ma'am, I got rejected last time. He goes, “It's OK. Put in another application. You know, you're a little more experienced now, you've got a little bit more under your belt.” And I said, “OK,” and I put in an application, it got rejected again, and here I am, like, “What is going on?” My buddy reached out to me—   Naviere Walkewicz Your name is blacklisted in that group across the board. Like, “Oh, there's that Mount guy. Cross it out.”   Lt. Col. Steven Mount But I think that ended up being somewhat of a blessing. It was like, “Wow, This guy is motivated to come out here.” Because they had seen the last application years ago. They'd seen this one. And I think the word finally got around that's like, “Hey, he's actually really motivated to come try out, at least for this mission.” And so once again, from good mentors, they're like, “Go ahead, try it out. Put the application in one more time, see what happens.” I did, got picked up for assessment selection. It's another week, week and a half interview. They challenge you mentally, they challenge you physically. They put you in situations to see how you react. I don't wanna give too much away for that process, even though, you know, unfortunately that process is not there anymore. But after that grueling week, they once again, here I am in front of another squadron commander, and here they are opening my life in front of them, and they're saying, “Well, we don't like this. We definitely don't like this. Tell us a little more about this,” you know. And that was about an hour interview, sit down, and it's not just the squadron commander. It was leadership — four or five individuals. It was an Army lieutenant colonel's flight doc behind them, you know, kind of doing that very watching, waiting, assessing, and another one of the situations, I'm like, oh, “Here we go. I don't think it's gonna happen.” But then at the end of that interview, they sit down, squadron commander stands up and goes, “Welcome to the 6th.” And the only things I can think of — and I know a lot of listeners or viewers out there do the same thing, and I tell this to my young when they get their wings, I tell them this as well — think of that first person, or persons, that when something amazing happens to you, you immediately reach out to them and you tell them, “Thank you for the support, thank you for the love, thank you for believing in me when others didn't.” And that's exactly what I did after that one. I called my wife, and I called my parents. I said, “It happened. We got it. I got it,” you know, because it wasn't just me, and I know those experiences going from one mission to the next, and those setbacks have— I get to share these stories all the time with these young instructor pilots that I'm with, as well as students, because I get to utilize it as a leadership tool to be like, “Don't give up on yourself. That's first and foremost. And then even if you believe you might give up on yourself, trust me, there's someone like me or your family members or your squadmates, they won't give up on you. And just remember that.” And that's why I get to share these stories throughout my career, of like, “Hey, I failed at this. Look where I'm at now, because I had the support and because I kept going, Hey, I failed at this. Look how it played out. I'm here.” So a lot of my transition from different platforms and different experiences has helped shape that leadership side of me to say, simply put, “It's OK to fail, all right?” I mean, you're never going to succeed if you have this tried and failed a couple times, right? So, right,   Naviere Walkewicz Wow. Well, I want to go into— because you've mentioned this a couple times. We've talked about your parents, but you know, to have a career that's successful and to navigate that, you talked about your wife. So I'm curious if you can share with listeners who have to maybe the word is not choose between. But how do you navigate the importance of your marriage and that relationship with your profession, and trying to succeed in that trajectory, whatever that trajectory is for you. So maybe you can talk a little bit about how that, how that worked throughout all of those transitions.   Lt. Col. Steven Mount Oh, OK. I usually do better at this from a better half nearby, which she is, in a sense. She's trying to work out and give me her working space right now, which I love. I'm gonna start with this. It's not easy. It is work. It is reps, the day in, the day out. It's not easy. I don't believe I've ever had a convo with someone when they're trying to balance the work and family life to where it's like, “Oh, that was easy, you know, I just do this and they do this, and we're good to go.” No, it is constant conflict of schedules. It is sharing what's going on. It's the ups and downs. So I'd like to start with that: It's not easy. And if anyone ever tells you it is easy, please ask them how they're doing it, and then spread their wise words of wisdom to all of us. Because that's probably the first thing: It's not easy. Once you recognize that you can get past understanding like, “OK, I'm not alone in this, that this is not easy, and I can start talking and sharing my experiences and seeing from those who seem to have it together. What are they doing to make it work? So I start there. It's not easy. Second, you have to be a team. I think there's a lot of us that think that, and my wife definitely did initially, and that was on me, that she thought that my career was the most important, that what I did and how I executed the mission and where I was going, that that was the No. 1 priority. And I found it that's not the case. I found that's not the case, because, sure, when we didn't have kids yet, and we were in Tucson, it's a little easier, because I would go on my deployments, and she would go to the job, she would go to work, and she had and she supported that, because I was out there, you know, fighting the good fight, accomplishing a mission, doing everything the Air Force needed me to do. And that's what she knew was important for me. So she supported that through and throughout, and she supported it to where I imagined, to the sense of she didn't feel like she could speak to say things that maybe I would like in the sense of me doing my mission, or coming home from Afghanistan with some of my experiences. Ahe felt that maybe sometimes, that she didn't have a word to convey to like, “Hey, this really scared me.” Or, “Hey, when you were gone, I saw the news and I was frightened. And you know, when I saw this happen, I just wanted to reach out to you, and I just want to make sure you're OK.” And she never felt initially like that she could convey those feelings, because it might affect me. It might affect my, you know, mentality while being overseas and down range. So she held that in, she held it in. She kept strong. She put on the “I'm here to support you” and I feel bad, you know, thinking back on that, that I should have given her the space to like, “Tell me what you're feeling. Tell me what you're going through. I don't want you to, I don't want you to struggle in silence. If you know you see something or there's something that scares you, let me know.” And unfortunately, I didn't learn that lesson until way, way later in my career, because she'd always kept that strength in and even when we started having kids, she still did. I kick myself all the time now that— we got to California, in the U-2s, we had an incident down range to where they needed me to bump up my deployment out there, to get out there to take care of the situation. And I'd asked, I was like, “Well, how much sooner do you need me?” Because we had just had our first son. You know, the dynamic's changing. The family dynamic is changing, and especially with your first born. And they said, “We need you to leave in about a week.” Here I was once again. And I know we have kind of kind of mentioned that I was I was in the mean mentality I was in. I was gonna be a pilot's pilot. I was gonna get the mission done. I was going to do everything I could to prove myself, and if my country needs me to be out there in a week to take care of this mission, that my family and my wife will understand. And that was that was not the way I should look at it. It really wasn't. But because I was not seeing her as a teammate, and she held it in — and thank goodness we had her mother-in-law. We had some family come out and support with a new baby. But I could tell that was one of the first times to where looking back on it now that maybe I could have said, “Can you find someone else?” You know, maybe I should have what I'm doing, hopefully you're doing now and teaching others. You have to balance that family with mission and the prioritize what is truly important at that moment. And that's something I failed to do at that time. It would happen again later on, but thankfully— so when I got to the 6th Special Operations Squadron, and at this time, especially after we had our second child in California, the wife had mentioned more. She started coming out of the shell like, “Hey, I do need you a little bit more now. I need you, and I need to be able to express and convey what I do and don't like.” And I was listening, but I was not listening the way she needed me to listen. I was not being that teammate on my side. So I heard, “Hey, I just need more support with the family. So whatever career decision we make next, let's align that.” And I was in my head, I was like, “Yes, you're absolutely right.” That's why the 6th Special Operations Squadron, when I got that interview and I picked up, it was so important, because I had family in that area, and family could get to us easier. So I was thinking, “Awesome. I have the support system for you there. I got the assignment. You're going to be taken care of.” I can tell that's not yet what she was wanting. And I will credit good old Col. Valentino. I was spinning up to go to Lebanon with the team, and we're about to have our third child. And here I was once again, like, “Yep, gotta get back to the mission. Gotta show my value. Gotta get in there, do it.” And the wife understands. We have two kids already. We're gonna have a third. So we've already had two. We kind of know how this goes. We're good to go. But I could tell, once again, looking back, everything's— that she wasn't happy, but she was ready to put up that wall again, to be like, “OK, I have to support him. Have to support what he does, and I have to, because that's what the military is asking me. That's what this new community…” And then Col Valentino, he came down. He goes, “Hey, are you about to have another child?” And I was like, “Yes, sir.” He goes, “When?” And I gave him the date. And he goes, “Your deployment date is like, a month after that.” I was like, “Yes, sir. This is our third child. We'll be good to go. I have the support system for the wife now, and she'll be taken care of. Good to go.” And he goes, “No, you're staying home. I don't need you.” He goes, “Did you want to ask me if there's anyone else wants to go so you can be there for your wife and your family?” And that blew my mind, that just, I don't know. It came out of nowhere for someone in a leadership role to say, “No, I'm not gonna send you on this deployment. I want you to be there with your family.” And that held in tight, and from then on, everything changed, and how I led and how I would push the mission. But I wouldn't do it to the extent of, could I not help someone balance their family life with their mission? And that took too long for me to realize. So what I say to everyone out there, it's not easy, but you come home from a long day and you're mentally exhausted and the mission is not going good, or you're getting ready for deployment, take a moment, sit down and just talk with your teammate at home. You have to look at it as teammates. They are your partner. They will be just like I mentioned before. They will be your support system through thick and thin, because they've probably seen you at your worst, and they want you to be at your best. But you can't do that unless you take care of that home front and treat them as your teammate. Because I am still, to this day, trying my best to become the man that I hope that she sees in me and that she wants me to be one day, but I had to fail in seeing it back then so that could see it now. And I think that's one of these things I want to convey. Not easy, and they have to be your teammates.   Naviere Walkewicz Thank you for sharing that. And I think to have a leader that showed you that, which is, now you've imprinted that in your leadership style. You're thinking about the airmen that you come across and how to help them navigate some of those tough choices, but doing it with a, you know, a bigger view of not just the mission, but, like, how do you fit in that with your family? I think that's so powerful, and I'm really glad you shared that, because I know that some of our listeners and our viewers, that's gonna resonate with them as well, because they're gonna remember a time when, “Wow, I didn't even ask if I didn't have to go, or if I didn't have to do this, just because I'm so used to jumping when you say, jump,” right? And I think sometimes it's OK. It's OK. Just a question, like, I'm willing and ready to jump. I just want to make sure is someone else able to do it too because of these reasons, right? So I love that you share that.   Lt. Col. Steven Mount And those leaders have to know their people enough in that regard to also know because ultimately, when you get the mission, then yes, that's what we signed up for, yes. But those leaders know their people, and they know what situation they're in. For example, there's a few times in Special Operations to where we're going on another deployment. But we knew our people, and we knew that some did not have the balance at home, and things were not looking the best they could. “Hey, we can help you out. We can give you all the resources you need. We don't need you on this deployment.” But that takes good leaders, recognizing and taking care of their people and understanding that these individuals cannot be effective down range or where they go if their home life is not taken care of. So, I know that is something that's been talked about for all my leadership training for all the years, but actually applying it is going to start with our future leaders coming up to realize, know your people, know where you can take care of them so that they can take care of the mission.   Naviere Walkewicz That's right. That's right. So this has been incredible. I think the underlying lesson that you shared with us is, obviously having belief in yourself and doing the work and proving your worth, so to speak. But I think it's also recognizing that support network. So if I may ask, you, I have two questions. The first one is, what are you doing to be a better leader every day? Yourself, like, what is something you are actually doing to be a better leader?   Lt. Col. Steven Mount Oh my gosh. Well, I'm recognizing I know I'm not doing it right. Knowing that I'm about taking command already has the underlying nervousness and anxiety, and I realized taking command, why I have these emotions is because I'm afraid to fail, which that makes sense. That makes sense to any logical human being out there. That's like, yeah, I get that. But I have to realize, in that same token, it's OK to fail. It's OK to make mistakes. It's OK that some days you go in there, you're not gonna get it all right. This last year as a director of operations, I've walked out of that building, and there's days been like I didn't accomplish anything. I've messed things up. I didn't do this right. Why am I here? They could have found someone better. And then there were days where, like, yes, I did it, right? I got something accomplished. And on those days, I realized it's because I was taking care of the people and people's needs. And once again, when that happened, they were able to take care of the mission. And that's one of the things that every day I go into work and I ask myself, “Who can I help out? Who needs the motivational kick? Who needs someone to just talk with them? Who needs to share their story?” Because that's what leaders, ultimately, are. We take care of the people. And if I can go in there and just help one person every single day, I would like to think that that's a small success. So that's one thing I'm constantly working on. And it is an effort. It's not easy. It's not easy because you are taking so much and leaders, I don't care what level you're on, all the way from your very first flight command, all the way to your mission command, aircraft commander, all the way to where I am now. You're going to take a lot on your shoulders. You're going to bear, you know, the burden of others, pains, their grief, their successes, their failures. So I guess that's also answer that question. Get ready for that. OK? Because a good leader will do that. They will bear they will help hold the weight. They will support those who need it the most. And we got to do it day in, day out, the reps they have to. So I think I answered the first question, I apologize, was it was.   Naviere Walkewicz The second question is coming. So you're good, you're good. OK. What's something that you know now after having your 17-plus years in the in the military, but also just your life experience — but what's something you know now that you would share with a leader to kind of shorten that timeframe of, like learning those painful things to be better, right? So what would be something you'd share?   Lt. Col. Steven Mount Something I'd share to close that learning gap? Because once again, my call sign is Meathead— I learned lessons the hard way. Do your best to listen more than you talk. Do your best to just take the experiences of others, talk to others, but just listen. Just hear them. Just hear them. I believe that a lot of the things that I could have prevented may have already been told to me, or may have already been, you know, mentored to me, but I just didn't listen. Maybe they said something and “I was like, well, that doesn't jive with being cool or being a pilot, so I'm not gonna listen to that.” I'm pretty sure all of these lessons that hopefully either conveying or passing on, in a sense, I think I learned them early on. I just, I just didn't listen. So for all the leaders out there, do your best to listen, listen more than you talk. It will be wonders. Naviere Walkewicz Oh my gosh, that's just outstanding. And I what I really appreciate about that is, you know, you talked about how you're doing things to get better every day, but even just in the moment, you recognize like that's such an important piece of that is taking the time to listen and reflect so that you can actually really pick up on those cues, maybe, that someone needs your support. So yes, well, this has been incredible. As we wrap up today's episode, I keep coming back to something you said, which was all someone needs to do is just support you. Yeah. So here's the takeaway, leadership is found in how we show up for our people and how we believe in them, and how we remind them that they are capable for more than what they think they are. The question we can always ask ourselves today is, who needs me to believe in them right now? And you actually said that really well. So Col. Mount, I just want to thank you for joining us for this episode of Long Blue Leadership. Is there anything else you want to leave with our listeners today? Lt. Col. Steven Mount Yes. I don't think I'll ever be that leader that does one great act, and everyone's like, that's a great leader. I don't think I'll ever be that leader that gives like, one great speech, like, that's it. He nailed it. He's a great leader. No, if I'm gonna leave something with all of those you know at the Academy and the leaders in the Air Force now — which, by the way, thanks all of you. Me too, man, thank you for your service. You have no idea how much the world needs us right now, so you get out there and see it. So sorry. That was an aside. But thank you to everyone who's at the Academy now, who have served, whose families have served and will continue to serve. But one thing I'll leave to all those young leaders: Your leadership is defined by the acts, the million acts every day, not just by one act, not just by, like I said, not just by one amazing thing that you do. It's defined on you being there, and a million acts per day over a lifetime of your career, of showing up, showing that you care. That's huge, showing that you're fair and consistent. And they will see that your people will see that that those million acts day in day out, of how you treat them, and how you present yourself as a leader. And they will watch. They will watch, and if they can see that you care, and if they can see that you are doing those million acts day in, day out, and you're in there and you're in the grind and you're in the mud with them, they will give you everything, they will, and it's amazing to see, it really is, but that starts with you as the leader. So yeah, that's it, it's those million acts every day of a lifetime career that shows that you're a leader.   Naviere Walkewicz Well, we are so glad that you're out there leading and influencing so many. We're grateful for all of your years and more that you will do. Thank you so much.   Lt. Col. Steven Mount Thank you so much for the opportunity. I really, really enjoyed this. Thank you.   Naviere Walkewicz Good. Thank you for joining us for this edition of Long Blue Leadership. The podcast drops every two weeks on Tuesdays and is available on all your favorite podcast apps. Send your comments and guest ideas to us at socialmedia@usafa.org, and listen to past episodes at longblueleadership.org.   KEYWORDS Leadership, Resilience, Mentorship, Adoption / Family Foundation, Support Network, Perseverance, Tough Conversations, Mission & Family Balance, Trust, Listening       The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation      

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.    

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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.