Podcasts about lt col

Kevin Randle was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming, grew up in Denver, Colorado and entered the Army in Texas. He learned to fly helicopters, had a tour in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot and then left active duty for college. He attended the University of Iowa and upon graduation was commissioned into the Air Force Reserve. Randle spent most of his Air Force career as an intelligence officer. In 1986, he was released into the inactive reserve. Randle became interested in UFOs as a teenager and continued his studies after joining the Army. He served as a field investigator for APRO, was one of the first to investigate cattle mutilations and was the first to report an alien abduction from inside a home. His most important work has been in the Roswell UFO crash case. With Don Schmitt he wrote UFO CRASH AT ROSWELL and THE TRUTH ABOUT THE UFO CRASH AT ROSWELL. He has also written THE ROSWELL ENCYCLOPEDIA. His other UFO books included PROJECT BLUEBOOK EXPOSED, A HISTORY OF UFO CRASHES, SCIENTIFIC UFOLOGY and THE ABDUCTION ENIGMA. Randle has appeared on numerous TV programs, in many documentaries, and even appeared briefly, if you knew where to look in the Showtime original movie, ROSWELL.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-x-zone-radio-tv-show--1078348/support.Please note that all XZBN radio and/or television shows are Copyright © REL-MAR McConnell Meda Company, Niagara, Ontario, Canada – www.rel-mar.com. For more Episodes of this show and all shows produced, broadcasted and syndicated from REL-MAR McConell Media Company and The 'X' Zone Broadcast Network and the 'X' Zone TV Channell, visit www.xzbn.net. For programming, distribution, and syndication inquiries, email programming@xzbn.net.We are proud to announce the we have launched TWATNews.com, launched in August 2025.TWATNews.com is an independent online news platform dedicated to uncovering the truth about Donald Trump and his ongoing influence in politics, business, and society. Unlike mainstream outlets that often sanitize, soften, or ignore stories that challenge Trump and his allies, TWATNews digs deeper to deliver hard-hitting articles, investigative features, and sharp commentary that mainstream media won't touch.These are stories and articles that you will not read anywhere else.Our mission is simple: to expose corruption, lies, and authoritarian tendencies while giving voice to the perspectives and evidence that are often marginalized or buried by corporate-controlled media. 

Kevin Randle has, for more than forty-five years, studied the UFO phenomena in all its various incarnations. His training by the Army and the Air Force provides Randle with a keen insight into the operations and protocols of the military, their investigations into UFOs, and into a phenomenon that has puzzled people for more than a century.During his investigations, Randle has traveled the United States to interview hundreds of witnesses who were involved in everything from the Roswell, New Mexico crash of 1947, to the repeated radar sightings of UFOs over Washington, D.C. in 1952, to the latest of the abduction cases.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-x-zone-radio-tv-show--1078348/support.Please note that all XZBN radio and/or television shows are Copyright © REL-MAR McConnell Meda Company, Niagara, Ontario, Canada – www.rel-mar.com. For more Episodes of this show and all shows produced, broadcasted and syndicated from REL-MAR McConell Media Company and The 'X' Zone Broadcast Network and the 'X' Zone TV Channell, visit www.xzbn.net. For programming, distribution, and syndication inquiries, email programming@xzbn.net.We are proud to announce the we have launched TWATNews.com, launched in August 2025.TWATNews.com is an independent online news platform dedicated to uncovering the truth about Donald Trump and his ongoing influence in politics, business, and society. Unlike mainstream outlets that often sanitize, soften, or ignore stories that challenge Trump and his allies, TWATNews digs deeper to deliver hard-hitting articles, investigative features, and sharp commentary that mainstream media won't touch.These are stories and articles that you will not read anywhere else.Our mission is simple: to expose corruption, lies, and authoritarian tendencies while giving voice to the perspectives and evidence that are often marginalized or buried by corporate-controlled media. 

iyom Killing: The pockets of killings in Riyom LGA has taken another turn as over 20 people were killed in N early morning attack yesterday in Bidin Tahoss village.Stakeholders including the former minority leader of the Nigerian Senate 10th Assembly, Sen Simon Mwadkwon has expressed his displeasure over the statement made by the STF sector commander, Lt Col, Pavwei who mentioned that the armed herdsmen blocked his men on their way to rescue the people, this very statement a lot have described as baseless and empty.The killings in Riyom have been consistent just like every other LGAs on the Plateau.How can this menace be brought to an end?Join Let's Talk with Richard Badung as he hosts Peter Akpah and Rt Hon Joyce Ramnap, Commissioner for Information, Plateau State. 

Killings: In response to the killings of the 27 innocent citizens who were asleep in the Bidi (Jebu) part of Plateau State, Governor Mutfwang paid a courtesy visit seeking the release of the youths who were arrested in Riyom LGA.The governor took a tour to Riyom LGA to share in the pains of the people, the visit also came with words of encouragement and reassurance of government immediate and possible actions to help end this menace. The people seek for the sack of Lt Col, Thomas Paave who is the STF commander in Riyom.Since the people are seeking for the removal of the military, what could be a quick solution, considering how the state police bill is taking more time than ever?Richard Badung will host Dr Sati Bature Shuwa, Executive Chairman, Riyom LGA and Polycarp Auta, Chairman Correspondence Chapel. 

FREEDOM - HEALTH - HAPPINESSThis podcast is highly addictive and seriously good for your health.SUPPORT DOC MALIK To make sure you don't miss any episodes, have access to bonus content, back catalogue, and monthly Live Streams, please subscribe to either:The paid Spotify subscription here: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/docmalik/subscribe The paid Substack subscription here: https://docmalik.substack.com/subscribeThank you to all the new subscribers for your lovely messages and reviews! And a big thanks to my existing subscribers for sticking with me and supporting the show! ABOUT THIS CONVERSATION: Brad Miller returns for a powerful conversation on 9/11, Covid, and the Charlie Kirk assassination. We discuss psychological operations, media manipulation, and how the true target may not be individuals but society itself.For more info please see my substack post.Much love, as always.Doc MalikLinksSubstack https://substack.com/@bradmiller10IMPORTANT INFORMATIONCONSULTATION SERVICEIn a world of rushed 7-minute consultations and endless referrals, I offer you something rare: time, context, and clear guidance.As your health advocate, I can help you:Understand your diagnosis and decode medical jargonDecide who to see: GP, specialist, osteopath, physio, accupuntcurist, homeopath etc?Break down treatment plans in plain, easy to understand non jargon EnglishPrepare for surgery, understand your risks, obtain true informed consent, and optimise yourself pre-op Recover from surgery, advise you how to heal faster and quicker and minimise post-op complicationsManage chronic illness with lifestyle, mindset, and dietary changesExplore holistic options that complement conventional careImplement lifestyle changes like fasting, stress reduction, or movementAsk better questions, and get real answersGet an unbiased second opinionReady to Take Control?If you're navigating a health concern, preparing for a big decision, or simply want to feel more confident in your path forward, I'd love to support you.Book here https://docmalik.com/consultations/ Because it's your body, your life, and your future. Let's make sure you're informed and heard.WaterpureI distill all my water for drinking, washing fruit and vegetables, and cooking. If you knew what was in tap water, so would you!https://waterpure.co.uk/docmalik BUY HERE TODAYHunter & Gather FoodsSeed oils are inflammatory, toxic and nasty; eliminate them from your diet immediately. Check out the products from this great companyhttps://hunterandgatherfoods.com/?ref=DOCHG BUY HERE TODAYUse DOCHG to get 10% OFF your purchase with Hunter & Gather Foods.IMPORTANT NOTICEIf you value my podcasts, please support the show so that I can continue to speak up by choosing one or both of the following options - Buy me a coffee If you want to make a one-off donation.Doc Malik Merch Store Check out my amazing freedom merch

Assassination Fallout: A Nation Divided, A People Rising - Retired Lieutenant Colonel Darin Gaub joined Veronica for a special Veronica LIVE Unplugged discussion on the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Together, they unpacked the latest facts in the case, reflected on the hatred fueling this tragic loss, and highlighted the unexpected beauty and unity that has emerged in its wake. The conversation also focused on the most pressing question of all: how do we move forward as a people and as a nation in the face of such darkness?

Lt. Col Allen West was on The WBAP Morning News talking about the Charlie Kirk assassination. The outpouring of love and sadness from some and the evil cheering and glee from others. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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      

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Lt. COL Karen Kwiatkowski : Hunger As a Weapon of War.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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The relationship between the commercial space industry and the Space Force has evolved in recent years. While the Space Force using commercial capabilities is not new, the “buy before build” philosophy has marked a change in acquisition strategy.  Space Systems Command's Commercial Space Office (COMSO) was set up two years ago to better integrate commercial capabilities. This week's On Orbit podcast episode features Lt. Col. Tim Trimailo, director of the Commercial Space Office. Trimailo took the helm of COMSO in April.  Trimailo says that while COMSO has spent time seeding the landscape of commercial capabilities, the focus is shifting to delivering operational capabilities to the warfighter. He also shares the latest on the Commercial Space Augmentation Reserve, the Proliferated Low Earth Orbit, or PLEO IDIQ contract, and takeaways from a recent wargame around space domain awareness.  This interview was part of the GovMilSpace Digital Series, a virtual event that brought together U.S. and allied space, defense, and intelligence leaders to address the evolving threats and priorities shaping tomorrow's missions. The series is available on-demand, with a panel discussion and video interviews featuring the Space Development Agency, UK Ministry of Defense, German BSI, and more. Registration is now open for GovMilSpace 2026, where these critical conversations continue in person during SATELLITE Week.

To learn about how you can support the Black Panther Party, send an email to: PantherAdmin@proton.me Also check out https://x.com/speakwithdeedee who hosts the most insightful lives from big speakers on the truth where I was first introduced to Lt. Col. Aguilar.After coming forward publicly about what he witnessed as a contractor between May and June for the GHF “aid distribution” sites in Gaza, former Lt. Col. Green Beret Anthony Aguilar has been kicked out of and slandered by various “veterans organizations” who have toed the line for treason in what can only be described as a common cowardice festering within many U.S. institutions as evident in the past 20+ months.We explore his experience in Gaza, his impression of the atrocities he witnessed, his feelings about being excommunicated from corrupt organizations and his newfound resolve for joining in activism for Palestinian lives. #patriots #ghf #aid #whistleblower #famine #army #greenberets #tonyaguilar #specialforces

Vince Lewis was an officer in the United States Air Force for 24 years, flying multiple combat missions during the Vietnam War. He commanded a B-52 (a nuclear capable bomber) at Griffiss Air Force Base during the Cold War and achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel with top level security clearance. In this episode, Vince describes how he came to Christ while in the Air Force. He came to believe in enemy love and nonresistance. He then joined the Anabaptists, leaving the military after a career of 40 years. Book about Vince LewisThis is the 281st episode of Anabaptist Perspectives, a podcast, blog, and YouTube channel that examines various aspects of conservative Anabaptist life and thought. Sign-up for our monthly email newsletter which contains new and featured content!Join us on Patreon or become a website partner to enjoy bonus content!Visit our YouTube channel or connect on Facebook.Read essays from our blog or listen to them on our podcast, Essays for King JesusSubscribe on your podcast provider of choiceSupport us or learn more at anabaptistperspectives.org.The views expressed by our guests are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Anabaptist Perspectives or Wellspring Mennonite Church.

https://republicforusa.org #reinhabitedhttps://rumble.com/v1ycpk0-how-to-save-america-reinhabited-republic.htmlsandy10m@yahoo.comhttps://linktr.ee/truthstreamreach out directly to Matthew@veritymetals.com orcel # 480-717-9081https://veritymetals.com/how to save America https://rumble.com/v1ycpk0-how-to-save-america-reinhabited-republic.htmlShe received her degree in astrophysics and completed the Air Force ROTC program. In the Air Force, Sandy became a pilot, instructor pilot, and test pilot during her career. She was injured by a vaccine in the 1990's and barely completed 20 years of service, retiring in 2007. Because of her health issues, she transitioned to a non-flying career to teach physics at the Air Force Academy Preparatory School, running the physics program for the Prep students whose goal is to attend the Academy after a year of extra studies. During the Covid scamdemic, she fought against the mandates and helped students with their religious exemptions. She faced disciplinary actions and eventually was fired in Sept 2022. She immediately filed a lawsuit with the Merit System Protection Board (MSPB) for illegal firing and whistleblower retaliation.The lawsuit is in its final stages, only waiting for the final decision from the judge. As she was facing disciplinary actions, God led Sandy to the Republic for the united States of America, the reseated Republic that our founding fathers gave us and which was abandoned in 1871 when a corporation hijacked the government. She has taken an active role as outreach liaison and volunteer coordinator in the Republic.

Lt. Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers '11 joins us from orbit! SUMMARY From cadet to astronaut, she shares how the U.S. Air Force Academy prepared her for life aboard the International Space Station, the lessons space learned in the space program about leadership and how viewing Earth from 250 miles up re-shapes one's call to serve.   SHARE THIS EPISODE LINKEDIN  |  FACEBOOK   COL. AYERS' TOP 10 LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS  - Seeing Earth from space changes your perspective on leadership.  - The fragility of Earth inspires a desire to protect it.  - A lifelong dream of becoming an astronaut requires hard work and dedication.  - Teamwork at the Air Force Academy prepared me for life in space.  - Daily routines on the ISS are structured and focused on science and maintenance.  - Astronauts are normal humans, not just heroes in space.  - Quick thinking and calm leadership are crucial during space missions.  - Community support is vital for success in unconventional paths.  - Inspiring the next generation is a key part of my mission.  - Curiosity and exploration should be fostered in young people.   CHAPTERS 00:00 Journey to the Stars: Becoming an Astronaut 03:32 Life Aboard the ISS: Daily Routines and Responsibilities 07:23 Lessons in Leadership: Quick Thinking in Space 10:54 Observations from Above: Humanity and Resilience 12:10 Inspiring the Next Generation: A Sense of Purpose 13:17 The Long Blue Line: Community and Support     ABOUT NICHOLE BIO U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers is a trailblazing pilot, leader, and astronaut whose journey began at the United States Air Force Academy, where she graduated in 2011 with a degree in mathematics. An accomplished F-22 Raptor pilot, Ayers is one of the few women ever to fly the world's most advanced stealth fighter—and she's one of even fewer to command them in formation for combat training missions. Col. Ayers earned her wings through years of training and operational excellence, logging over 200 flight hours in combat and playing a critical role in advancing tactical aviation. Her exceptional performance led to her selection in 2021 by NASA as a member of Astronaut Group 23, an elite class of 10 chosen from among 12,000 applicants. As a NASA astronaut candidate, Col. Ayers completed intensive training at Johnson Space Center, which included spacewalk preparation, robotics, survival training, systems operations, and Russian language. Now qualified for spaceflight, she stands on the threshold of a new chapter that led her to the International Space Station. Throughout her career, Col. Ayers has exemplified the Academy's core values of Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do. Her journey from cadet to combat aviator to astronaut is a testament to resilience, determination, and a passion for pushing boundaries.   LEARN MORE ABOUT NICHOLE NASA Astronaut Nichole Ayers     ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS   TRANSCRIPT SPEAKERS Guest, Lt. Col. Nichole "Vapor" Ayers '11  |  Host, Lt. Col. (ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99   NASA  00:00 Station, this is Houston. Are you ready for the event?   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  00:05 Houston, Station, I'm ready for the event.   NASA Air Force Academy, this is Mission Control, Houston. Please call Station for a voice check.   Naviere Walkewicz  00:13 Station, this is Lt. Col. Naviere Walkewicz. How do you hear me?   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  00:17 Hi, ma'am. I've got you loud and clear. Welcome to the International Space Station.   Naviere Walkewicz  00:20 Welcome to a special presentation of the US, Air Force Academy, Association and Foundation's, Long Blue Line Podcast Network. I'm Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99. I was honored recently to speak with a true pioneer, United States Air Force Academy graduate, accomplished fighter pilot, 2022 Young Alumni Excellence Award recipient and now NASA astronaut, Lieutenant Colonel Nicole “Vapor” Ayers, Class of 2011, Vapor joined us from the International Space Station orbiting about 250 miles above Earth. Her journey from Cadet to astronaut embodies the pursuit of excellence and the spirit of exploration that distinguishes the Long Blue Line. For this conversation Vapor and I explored what it means to be a human in the vastness of space, how one's perspective shifts when Earth shows up as a distant blue marble, and what her journey can tell us about courage, connection and the Future. Lieutenant Colonel Ayers, this is such an honor. So excited. Seeing Earth from space forever changes your perspective. How was the experience for you? And how has it changed the way you view your role as a leader?   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  01:32 Yeah, you know, I think for everybody, the experience is slightly different. For me, seeing the earth from the Dragon window for the first time was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. And then seeing the Earth every day from the cupola and then the lab window that we have here, you know, you don't see country or state lines on the Earth, right? There's not like each state has a different solid color, right? There's just geography and just terrain. And so you get to learn the world all over again in terms of colors and textures and geography and water. You know, there's so much water on this earth, and it's hard to put it into perspective until you're actually looking at the Earth, and it's, it's something that has really hit me, because the Earth is so fragile. You know, we see these beautiful auroras, we see thunderstorms, we see different natural disasters, and it's really kind of made me want to take better care of this earth. And you know, when I get home, I want to just do things a little bit better and just take that extra step, to take my make my part in taking good care of this earth.   Naviere Walkewicz  02:38 That makes amazing sense. And, you know, I think it takes us to kind of your path to becoming an astronaut. Can you walk us through what that was like?   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  02:47 Yeah, sure. So, you know, I was, I've been saying that I wanted to be an astronaut since I was little kid. And, you know, I always had an affinity for space and for the sky. And growing up in the Shuttle era, you know, as soon as I learned that you could fly the shuttle be the pilot. I was like, “Ooh, that's what I want to do.” And so, the very serious little Nichole set my goals really high and started working towards that path. And, you know, grew up right there in Colorado Springs, watched the Air Force Academy graduation, you know, and the Thunderbirds fly over every year. And it just kind of seemed like a natural path for me to go to the Air Force Academy, become a pilot and try to pursue the astronaut dream from the pilot's perspective. So you know, I worked really hard, set my goals really high, and never got bumped off that path and was able to apply and actually get selected. And now here I am talking to you from the International Space Station.   Naviere Walkewicz  03:36 And it's pretty incredible being able to see you weightless there, and you're here in its full glory. It's pretty amazing. Can you, talk about your time at the Air Force Academy? Specifically, what foundational experiences would you say have really kind of played a part with your life in space right now?   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  03:54 Yeah you know, I think the Air Force Academy, for me, the biggest part was just being on teams. You know, I played volleyball there. And, you know, I would say every Squadron is its own little team. And you know, as a four degree, you're there with all of your classmates, and you're going through training sessions together. And so being on these teams in different environments, and some austere environments and high pressure situations, and learning how to take care of other people in those moments, I think, has been huge in my path to getting here. You know, those, all those words speak truth here on the International Space Station, you know, we're in an austere environment. Sometimes we're under pressure situations, and it's just a few of us up here working together with the ground to make this International Space Station stay in orbit, to execute all of the science and the maintenance and keep it running and continue to learn everything we possibly can, both about space and about Earth in order to inform how we do life on Earth and how we get to the moon and Mars.   Naviere Walkewicz  04:47 Thank you. So maybe, can you share with us what your daily routine aboard the ISS is like...   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  04:53 Yeah, you know, it's not unlike yours. Potentially. You know, our schedule is pretty set to the ground team figures out about, you know, what science and what maintenance needs to be done, and who's going to go do it. We are scheduled from about 7:30 in the morning to 7:30 in the evening, and we get, you know, two to two and a half hours of exercise time so that we can maintain our bone and muscle and cardiovascular health up here. And then when we're not working out, we're, like, I said, executing science. You know, I'm surrounded just here in this module, every single rack has some sort of payload or science experiment going on, so we just kind of follow the schedule. We work with the ground team to figure out where the things are that we need, and the procedures and all of that. But it's not unlike life on Earth...   Naviere Walkewicz  05:37 Maybe a little bit different. What's the biggest misconception people have about life on the ISS, you think? And what's something that surprised you while you're being there?   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  05:48 Man, you know, I've been asked this question before. I'm not sure if I know the biggest misconception. You know, I think that often people kind of put astronauts up on a pedestal, but, you know, we're just humans who like to do, like the work that we do. We're really passionate about what we do. We're good teammates. So we're just normal humans, and it's not the most glamorous job, you know, we do, you know, often wear diapers, or we're working really hard, or things like that. So, you know, just normal humans up here. I think one of the things that surprised me the most, I'll see if I can do this without bumping the Astrobee off the wall here. But for me, it took my brain a while to, you know, get used to seeing people on the wall, or, you know, our treadmills on the wall, or seeing people upside down, and there's no up and down in space. And so it took a while for me to get used to that, and for my brain to kind of remap what I consider up, down, left and right in space. And you know that people are just floating, and we get a float every day, I can let go the mic and talk to you.   Naviere Walkewicz  06:46 So we have a lot of cadets and young officers that listen to us. What advice would you give them in the dream of following in your footsteps?   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  06:56 Yeah, that's a great question. You know, I love to preach hard work and teamwork. You know, find something that you really enjoy doing. You know, NASA needs, I studied math, right? I'm a pilot, but we need doctors. We need scientists, we need engineers. So figure out what you really enjoy doing, work really hard at that thing, and then go find a team you can be on, and figure out how to take care of other people, and figure out how, how you mesh in this world, and how you can and thrive in these small environments or austere environments with other people. So I love to just say, you know, work hard, be a good teammate, and everything will work out in your favor. I think.   Naviere Walkewicz  07:30 Can you share if you've received any valuable insights or advice from other Air Force Academy grads who were astronauts?   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  07:37 Oh, yeah, I think tons, is what I would say, you know, Eric Kjell, and specifically Nick and Roger, who just recently flew and came back, you know, I think that there's been a ton of advice just in terms of of how we do life here on the International Space Station and how, you know, we're going to continue to explore on the Moon and Mars, and how we can share our story, and how we can share all of the science that we're doing. But I think one of the most practical things that I got was from Nick during the handover, when we, we had a couple days up here together, and he said, “Don't forget, you're still squishy.” You know, we're surrounded by a bunch of metal up here. Nothing is very soft. And so if you, if you get moving too quick, or you get too confident, it's very easy to stub a toe or hit something. And so we're still just squishy humans. And you know, if you take that one step further metaphorically, I think, you know, we're still just humans, and we make mistakes, and that's okay, as long as you can bounce back, and as long as you're not going too fast when you hit a handrail too hard.   Naviere Walkewicz  08:31 Absolutely. Well, you talked a little bit about the austere environment. What do you hope your mission and your story inspiring the next generation of Academy grads, especially those who feel called to serve in bold and unconventional ways.   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  08:46 Yeah, you know, I think the bold and unconventional part really hits me, because, you know, growing up during the shuttle era, and then I was at the Air Force Academy when the last shuttle flight flew. And you know, as you grow up, you say you want to be an astronaut, people often say like, Wow, that's awesome. And then when you become an adult, sometimes you don't quite get the same response, you know, sometimes you get a laugh. And so, you know, I would say that even if people don't believe you, or they don't necessarily support what you want to do, if you've got a goal or a dream, just continue to, like I said, work hard at it, you know, put your nose to the grinder. Get really good at whatever it is that you want to go do, and don't let the naysayers get you. You know, there will always be someone there who thinks it's silly, but you will always find someone who supports you. My old commander, Robin, again, he was the one who supported me and got me here, and he said, “Are you silly?” Like, why would you ever think that's silly, or hesitate to tell me what you want to do? So, keep talking about your goals, keep working towards it. And yeah, like I said, maybe someday you could be up here with us.   Naviere Walkewicz  09:44 Absolutely bold and unconventional, for sure. And speaking of such space missions demand precision under pressure. Can you share a moment, whether in training or on the ISS where quick thinking and calm leadership made a difference for you?   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  09:57 Yeah, definitely. I think that I.... Actually, a great example is our space walk that Anne McClain and I did about a month and a half ago. You know, right in the middle of the space walk, the priorities changed and the game plan changed. And if you were just an onlooker watching, sitting at home watching, you may not have even noticed that. And I think that's a huge testament to our ground team and our flight director, Deanna Trujillo, for the day, you know, her ability to lead that ground team and change the game plan on the fly, and then get those words up to us through some calm loss and some other hardships that we were working through, and then for us, for Anna and I, to work together, both just the two of us out outside the space station and the vacuum of space, but also us with the ground to make that all look very seamless. We're very proud of how that space walk went, and our ability to kind of change the plan on the fly, execute, come up with new ways of doing things, and figuring out how we're going to leave the station in a good state, and also achieve all those objectives. So think that was we're actually really proud of the way that we, you know, manage all of those changes, and hopefully to the onlooker like yourself. It looks seamless.   Naviere Walkewicz  11:04 Absolutely and it kind of talks a little bit to what you said earlier about, you know, seeing Earth from a different vantage point and wanting to protect it. I'd like to actually ask you more about that. So can you share, from your vantage point what you've observed about humanity and the resilience as you, as you look on it, from us, from our perspective here on Earth, and you being up there,   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  11:24 Yeah, you know, I think that one of the biggest things that, you know, I mentioned the natural disasters that we see and, you know, and I feel a sense of duty to photograph and to try to document the things that just humans endure on a daily basis. You know, I talked about thunderstorms or landslides, forest fires, all sorts of things. You know, we see it from such a different vantage point up here. And, you know, knowing that there are people down there who are trying to survive, and knowing that those people will survive, and that we have an entire community that's going to rally around those people in those instances. And you know, just trying to do our part from up here and give, you know, that unique vantage point and give as much data and as much help as we possibly can. I think that's one of the biggest things that our world does well, is, you know, helping each other when we're in need.   Naviere Walkewicz  12:09 And Lieutenant Colonel Ayres, maybe you can share what's been the impact of this mission on your sense of purpose, and how do you think it will shape your next chapter when you come back on Earth?   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  12:22 This is a great question. I've done a lot of thinking about this, you know, you know, finally achieving your childhood dream. What's next? You know, what do you do next? And I think for me, the biggest thing that I want to continue to do is just inspire the next generation. You know, all those little kids who say they want to be astronauts, and then they get laughed at as adults. You know, I think that's it's so important to just foster that curiosity and foster that sense of exploration. And really, you know, encourage the next generation to go do what they're passionate about, because we will always need someone in that niche thing that you're passionate about. And so helping people get there is, is really what I want to do next. And, you know, helping the next youth get to their dreams and their goals and continue to just build this society that continues to explore and as you know, especially as we go to the moon and onto Mars and we commercialize low earth orbit, I think there's so much that we can do. And it's I feel, again, a sense of duty to help the next generation do that?   Naviere Walkewicz  13:21 Well, we talk about the next generation and the long blue line being enduring. Is there anything else you'd want to share with Air Force Academy grads in general?   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  13:30 Yeah, you know, I think it might be a dead horse that I'm beating at this point, but the teamwork is so important. You know, just, just take care of the people around you. Make sure that you're always looking out for each other. You know, the long blue line is a very special thing to be a part of. And, you know, like yourself, you know, I met you a couple years ago, and it feels like I could just go, you know, hang out with you, have dinner, and we could pick up like old friends. And that's what the long blue line is all about. You know, having friends all over the world who can help you. You know, I got to hang out with Nick Hague in space, another member of the long blue line who told me I was going to be squishy. You know, things like that are just the unique moments that we have as Academy grads. You know, there's always going to be someone there who supports you and who loves you and who wants to see you be successful,   Naviere Walkewicz  14:15 Wonderful. Thank you so much for this time. There's probably so many more questions we could ask you, but I think the biggest one is just, you know, we would leave you with it's such an honor and a privilege to see you out there. We're proud of everything that you're doing, and we can't wait to see more of what you're able to accomplish while you're in space and when you come back.   Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers  14:34 Thank you so much. Like I said, so excited to talk to you today and to just share the experience and also, you know, have a have an influence on the AOG. I'm excited that the AOG is interested in space and interested in all of us who are out here. You know, again, the Long Blue Line is a really cherished and unique group to be a part of. So honored and proud to be a part of that group, and excited that I got to share a little bit of what we do up here with you guys today.   Naviere Walkewicz  15:02 Thank you so much for the time. Naviere Walkewicz  Well, before I close, I'd like to share what happened after the podcast. My cell phone rang, and I had a call from government, and I said, “Who could be calling me?” Well, I answered, and wouldn't you know 250 miles above the Earth, Vapor Ayers was calling me on my cell phone just to say what an amazing conversation we had. What technology we have, that she sounded like she was next door. It was an incredible opportunity for us to talk a little bit more about the podcast and highlight what you might hear in an upcoming Checkpoints article. So for now, I'll sign off. I'm Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99. Thank you for listening. This has been a special presentation of the US, Air Force Academy, Association and Foundation's Long Blue Line Podcast Network. You can listen to this and all our podcast network programming at LongBlueLinePodcast.org once more, that's LongBlueLinePodcast.org   NASA  16:03 Station, this is Houston. ACR, thank you. That concludes our event.   KEYWORDS NASA, astronaut, International Space Station, Air Force Academy, leadership, resilience, teamwork, space exploration, inspiration, Earth       The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation      

Brigadier General Laura Caputo & Lt Col Megan Smith, from the Vt Air National Guard, join Anthony & Dan to talk about North Macedonia Participation Summit and The up coming open house.

The Jay Thomas Show from Friday August 8th 2025.  Guests host Tim Flakoll and guests include Jesse Jahner, Austen Schauer, Richard Schock, Lt Col. Shirley Olgeirson (Ret.), Jen Kruse and your calls.

On today's program: Morgan Griffith, U.S. Representative for Virginia's 9th district, talks about the new wave of tariffs that kicked in this week, the president's call for a new U.S. census, and the latest on immigration. Lt. Col. (Ret.) Bob

Lt. Col. Tony Bancroft, Portfolio Manager of the Gabelli Commercial Aerospace & Defense ETF (GCAD), shares his outlook on opportunities in commercial aviation and defense spending. This presentation was recorded live on June 25th, 2025. To learn more about Gabelli Funds' fundamental, research-driven approach to investing, visit https://m.gabelli.com/gtv_cu or email invest@gabelli.com. Connect with Gabelli Funds:• X - https://x.com/InvestGabelli• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/investgabelli/ • Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/InvestGabelli • LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/investgabelli/ http://www.Gabelli.com Invest with Us 1-800-GABELLI (800-422-3554)

Katie talks to Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Davis about Gaza, Russia, Tulsi Gabbard, Epstein. But first Katie talks to Murad Awawdeh, President and CEO at the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC) and Ron Kuby, a criminal defense Civil Rights lawyer about Trump's illegal war on immigrants and to doctors Feroze Sidhwa and Mark Perlmutter about their time in Gaza and Israel's starvation campaign. To see the rest of my discussion with Lt. Col. Daniel Davis, please join us on Patreon at - https://www.patreon.com/posts/patreon-lt-col-135269024 Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Davis is a four time 4x combat veteran, the author of Eleventh Hour in 2020 America and the host of the Daniel Davis Deep Dive on YouTube. He was one of the earliest military officers to publicly criticize the war in Afghanistan.In 2025, Davis was selected by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard for appointment as deputy director for mission integration. Gabbard withdrew the selection prior to Davis' appointment after news of its pendency leaked, possibly over his criticism of Israel. Murad Awawdeh is a strategist, organizer, and advocacy expert currently serving as the President and CEO at the New York Immigration Coalition (NYIC). The son of Palestinian immigrants, Murad has dedicated over two decades of his life fighting for low-income communities of color across the State of New York. He grew up organizing to stop dangerous and hazardous developments in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and engaging community residents to build power and bring transformational change to their neighborhoods Ron Kuby is a criminal defense and civil rights lawyer based in New York. Dr. Feroze Sidhwa, MD, is a general, trauma, and critical care surgeon from California, As a humanitarian surgeon, Dr. Sidhwa has not only worked extensively in Palestine, but also in Ukraine, Haiti, Zimbabwe, and Burkina Faso. He has written and spoken about his surgical humanitarian work, the United States' role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the political consequences of medical relief work. His op-eds have appeared in several major media outlets, including the New York Times. Dr. Mark Perlmutter, MD, is a Jewish orthopedic and hand surgeon from North Carolina. He has worked in conflict zones around the world for decades. Watch me live on youtube every Tuesday at 7PM EST https://www.youtube.com/TheKatieHalperShow Subscribe so you don't miss livestreams and daily clips https://www.youtube.com/TheKatieHalperShow Support my work and get exclusive interviews https://www.patreon.com/thekatiehalpershow Listen to, rate & review my podcast! The Katie Halper Show on Itunes follow me on Twitter! http://twitter.com/kthalps

Lt. Colonel James Copp, retired US Army (Green Beret) special forces joins the show to talk about recruitment numbers since Trump took office, Biden holdovers, and a special announcement! Check out his campaign here See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the third instalment in our Expert Insights series on cyber threats and security for 2025, we are joined by Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Godphey Sterling, the head of the Jamaica Cyber Incident Response Team (JaCIRT). Our conversation with Colonel Sterling covers, among other things:   *  how JaCIRT operates and the attitude towards cybersecurity (and the CIRT) in Jamaica;   *  the cyber threat landscape in Jamaica;   *  the challenge of maintaining a uniform level of security across large organisations or bodies; and   *  what Colonel Sterling means by “security by obscurity”.   The episode, show notes and links to some of the things mentioned during the episode can be found on the ICT Pulse Podcast Page (www.ict-pulse.com/category/podcast/)       Enjoyed the episode?  Do rate the show and leave us a review!       Also, connect with us on: Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ICTPulse/   Instagram –  https://www.instagram.com/ictpulse/   Twitter –  https://twitter.com/ICTPulse   LinkedIn –  https://www.linkedin.com/company/3745954/admin/   Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/qnUtj    Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell Podcast editing support:  Mayra Bonilla Lopez   ---------------

This is a pretty special episode! If you're involved in cardiac arrest management or care of critically unwell patients then there's some ground breaking practice we'll be discussing with the two founders of the SPEAR course; Jon Barratt; Lt Col, British Army Emergency Medicine and PHEM Consultant, University Hospitals of the North Midlands Clinical Lead - Research and Clinical Innovation, Yorkshire Air Ambulance MERIT Consultant, West Midlands Ambulance Service Senior Lecturer, Academic Department of Military Emergency Medicine Paul Rees; Surgeon Commander Royal Navy Consultant, East Anglian Air Ambulance & Barts Heart Centre Lead for Resuscitation Barts Health NHS Trust Reader in Cardiology & Resuscitation, University of St Andrews & QMUL London Defence Lead for Endovascular Resuscitation SPEAR co-founder Ultimately in the episode we navigate through to the delivery of endovascular resuscitation both pre and in-hospital, building on the fundamentals of care and logistics which enable its delivery. We'll be covering; Blood pressure monitoring both invasive and non-invasive, the evidence and the cohort of patients we should be targeting with invasive blood pressure monitoring Delivering complex medical interventions in unpredictable circumstances and environments Balancing the benefits of interventions with time required and workflow REBOA for medical arrests, the theory and the ERICA trial Improving recognition of ROSC The SPEAR course How to prepare services and departments for upcoming advances in resuscitation There is something for everyone in here and a huge thanks to Jon and Paul for their time. Make sure to check out the links to the papers discussed in the episode below. Once again we'd love to hear any thoughts or feedback either on the website or via X @TheResusRoom! Simon, Rob & James

Send us a textThis one's a banger, folks. Lt Col Brandon Temple—Mustang, TACP legend, and card-carrying member of the “deep state”—joins the team room and brings the heat. From botching his shot at pro baseball to stumbling into the Air Force via a giant binder of mystery jobs, Temple's journey is pure chaos and grit. We dive into his Mustang days (yes, he enlisted first), Navy betrayal (yep, he crossed over), and what it was like sleeping bag spooning with a CCT in Afghanistan.Oh, and he's not just a warfighter—he's a legislative assassin now, influencing Capitol Hill and telling Congress what's up with AFSPECWAR. Add in some dark humor, Civil War accents, a napalm joke, and a love letter to Hunter Seven Foundation… and you've got an episode that's half roast, half reverent, and 100% Ones Ready.

Preserve your purchasing power with BITCOIN: https://www.mydigitalmoney.com/ My Digital Money: Your BITCOIN & Crypto IRA Platform For Retirement Investing ----- Protect Your Retirement W/ a PHYSICAL Gold IRA https://www.sgtreportgold.com/ CALL( 877) 646-5347 - Noble Gold is Who I Trust   Green Beret and retired Lt. Col (US Army) Pete Chambers returns to SGTReport with boots on the ground as a first responder in flooded out Texas. Pete Chambers is running for Governor in Texas where he pledges to end chemtrails and geoengineering over the state if elected. We also talk about a true MAGA betrayal, the Jeffrey Epstein Israeli spy outrage & the impending arrest of mass murderer Anthony Fauci if and when Chambers becomes Governor. Thanks for tuning in. https://rumble.com/embed/v6truzs/?pub=2peuz

Quantum Nurse https://graceasagra.com/ invite: Thursday, July 10, 2025 @ 12:00 PM EST   Guest: Lt.Colonel Karen Kwiatkowski (Retired) Topic: PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE From Whistleblowing to Wisdom: Preparing for the Collapse of Empire & the Rise of Parallel Societies   https://karenkwiatkowski.substack.com/   Bio:   Karen Kwiatkowski, Ph.D. a retired USAF lieutenant colonel, farmer and aspiring anarcho-capitalist. She was a whistleblower prior to the second Iraq war in 2002, ran for Congress in Virginia's 6th district in 2012, recipient of the 2018 Sam Adams Associates for Integrity in Intelligence Award, a Fellow at the Eisenhower Media Network, and an Associated Scholar of the Mises Institute. She also writes at KarenKwiatkowski.substack.com   Founding Host Quantum Nurse Freedom International: Grace Asagra, RN, PhD https://graceasagra.com/ https://graceasagra.bio.link/   DONATE LINK for Grace Asagra @ Quantum Nurse Podcast https://patron.podbean.com/QuantumNurse https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=FHUXTQVAVJDPU Venmo - @Grace-Asagra 609-203-5854   Special Guest Host: Drago Bosnic BRICS portal (infobrics.org) https://t.me/CerFunhouse   WELLNESS RESOURCES Premier Research Labs https://prlabs.com/customer/account/create/code/59n84f/ 15% discount   Optimal Health and Wellness with Grace Virtual Dispensary Link (Designs for Health)                            https://www.designsforhealth.com/u/optimalhealthwellness   Standing host: Hartmut Schumacher

Interview with Lt. Col Allen West, Dallas County GOP Chair, Former TX GOP Chair, Former Member US Congress (FL,  CD 22), Host of Steadfast and Loyal Podcast, Army Combat VeteranFollow Debbie Georgatos, America Can We Talk Show HostWebsite: http://americacanwetalk.orgTwitter: @DebbieCanWeTalkTruth: https://truthsocial.com/@AmericaCanWeTalkInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/debbiecanwetalkFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericaCanWeTalkRumble: https://rumble.com/user/AmericaCanWeTalkOBBM: https://www.obbmnetwork.tv/series/america-can-we-talk-207873America Can We Talk is a show with a mission — to speak up for the extraordinary and unique greatness of America. I talk about the top issues of the day facing America, often with insightful guests, always from the perspective of furthering that mission, and with the goal to inspire listeners to celebrate and embrace the liberty on which America was founded. #BecauseAmericaMatters

Achieving Success with Olivia Atkin Episode 141 "Achieve Like A Commander: Warfare Leadership Secrets And Tactics with LT. Col. Oakland McCulloch"Olivia talks personal and professional achievements with LT. Col. Oakland McCulloch. Retired Lieutenant Colonel Oakland McCulloch, is a decorated leader and expert in leadership development. Oakland is the author of the 2021 book, Your Leadership Legacy: Becoming the Leader You Were Meant to Be, which distills lessons from his distinguished 23-year career in the U.S. Army and nearly two decades of leadership in civilian roles. Known for his practical and actionable insights, Oakland has delivered keynote speeches around the world, inspiring leaders to create meaningful change and leave a lasting impact.Join Olivia every Tuesday as she brings on top notch guests to talk about how they are Achieving Success! Career Development Book and More at Achieving-success.comStay Connected With Us:Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/achieving-success-llcInstagram: @_achievingsuccessTwitter: @_achievesuccessFacebook: @Achieving SuccessYou can find LT. Col. Oakland McCulloch:LinkedIn: Oakland McCullochWebsite: ltcoakmcculloch.com Email: ltcoakmcculloch@gmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/achieving-success-with-olivia-atkin--5743662/support.

The law of war is a component of international law that regulates the conditions for initiating war. With the Israel-Iran conflict raging on, and in a significant escalation, on June 21st, the United States retaliated against Iran by striking three of their nuclear sites. In response, Iran launched a strike against a U.S. air base in Qatar. After the strikes, President Trump promoted peace and announced a ceasefire, only to be met with more strikes and a continuance of the Israel-Iran conflict. So what is the law of war? And how does it apply to the current conflict between Iran, Israel, and now the United States?  In this episode, Craig  welcomes back Rachel E. VanLandingham, Lt Col. (ret.), Co-Associate Dean of Research & Irwin R. Buchalter Professor of Law at Southwestern Law School. Together, Craig and Rachel discuss the law of war and the potential impact on our military, our country, and our relations with other countries. 

In this episode, Anita speaks with Lt. Col. Alex Montgomery and Lt. Col. Shannon Waller about the Autonomous Systems and Robotics Industry and how these technologies are changing how wars are fought. They also share insights about the industry in South Korea and what the U.S. can learn from the Korean experience.But first, Anita and Ryan discuss the latest events between Israel, the U.S., and Iran, in what Trump has dubbed the 12 day war. What did Israel and the U.S. accomplish with their airstrikes, and how will it affect Iran's future?Topics Discussed in this Episode08:00 - The “12-Day” War (Iran and Israel conflict)30:00 - Interview with Lt Col. Alex Montgomery and Lt. Col. Shannon WallerArticles and Resources Mentioned in Episode12-Day War‘The stars aligned': Why Israel set out for a war against Iran, and what it achieved (The Times of Israel)How much did America's bombs damage Iran's nuclear programme? (The Economist)Did the Attacks on Iran Succeed? (Foreign Affairs)Has Donald Trump solved Iran from the air? (The Economist)Interview with Lt. Col. Alex Montgomery and Lt. Col. Shannon WallerBackground on NDU's Industry Studies ProgramShannon Waller BioSend us a textFollow Us Show Website: www.kelloggsglobalpolitics.com Show Twitter: @GlobalKellogg Anita's Twitter: @arkellogg Show YouTube

The law of war is a component of international law that regulates the conditions for initiating war. With the Israel-Iran conflict raging on, and in a significant escalation, on June 21st, the United States retaliated against Iran by striking three of their nuclear sites. In response, Iran launched a strike against a U.S. air base in Qatar. After the strikes, President Trump promoted peace and announced a ceasefire, only to be met with more strikes and a continuance of the Israel-Iran conflict. So what is the law of war? And how does it apply to the current conflict between Iran, Israel, and now the United States?  In this episode, Craig  welcomes back Rachel E. VanLandingham, Lt Col. (ret.), Co-Associate Dean of Research & Irwin R. Buchalter Professor of Law at Southwestern Law School. Together, Craig and Rachel discuss the law of war and the potential impact on our military, our country, and our relations with other countries.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As America approaches the Fourth of July holiday, Fox News Audio recognizes people who go above and beyond – whether in business or service – to make America great.  Join the “Brian Kilmeade Show,“ “Fox Across America with Jimmy Failla,” the “Guy Benson Show” and “The Fox News Rundown” as we highlight famous and everyday folks who've made their mark on the country in their own special way and hear what inspires them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lt.COL Karen Kwiatkowski (Fmr. Dept of State) : Is the Empire Collapsing?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brady McLaughlin is in for Leland Whaley on this hour of Leland Live! Brady speaks with Retired Lt. Col. Rowan Ratliff of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment about the Middle East, working with Israeli Special Forces, and the threats in Iran.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Israel officially launched a precise attack on Iran, which led to the deaths of multiple high-ranking Iranian government officials. Glenn breaks down why Iran stands as a unique threat and why you can't make peace with a country whose religious ideology makes it clear that it wants a complete takeover. Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus joins to discuss Israel's pre-emptive strike on Iran's nuclear program and what this means for Middle East relations. Glenn and Stu discuss the recent dramatic scene involving California Senator Alex Padilla (D), who was handcuffed and thrown to the ground after storming a press conference by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Israel officially launched a precise attack on Iran, which led to the deaths of multiple high-ranking Iranian government officials. Glenn breaks down why Iran stands as a unique threat and why you can't make peace with a country whose religious ideology makes it clear that it wants a complete takeover. Why is Iran so desperate to have nuclear weapons? Glenn lays out how dangerous it is when Iran's unique view on war and death is coupled with nuclear weaponry. Glenn and Jason Buttrill discuss America's role in Israel's strike on Iran and President Trump's negotiation tactics. Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus joins to discuss Israel's pre-emptive strike on Iran's nuclear program and what this means for Middle East relations. Glenn discusses the horrifying new assisted suicide bill about to pass in New York. Glenn reads through some backlash he received in a recent pro-Israel post. Glenn and Stu discuss the recent dramatic scene involving California Senator Alex Padilla (D), who was handcuffed and thrown to the ground after storming a press conference by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Trump responds as Israel strikes Iran, Democrat Senator throws hissy fit after being arrested for storming Kristi Noem press conference, Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, Lt Col Daniel Davis, Steve Hilton and Nick Sortor join the show. Check Out Our Partners: American Financing: Save with https://www.americanfinancing.net/benny NMLS: 182334, http://www.nmlsconsumeraccess.org Patriot Mobile: Go to https://www.PatriotMobile.com/Benny and get A FREE MONTH Shopify: Sign up for your $1 per month trial: http://shopify.com/benny ExpressVPN: Secure your online data TODAY by visiting ExpressVPN.com/BENNY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Send us a textSome dudes show up shredded with swagger. Others show up ready to grind. Rylan Tanner showed up both — and still had to bleed for it. In this brutally honest episode, Aaron and Jared break down the rise, stall, and redemption of one of the most talked-about Special Warfare candidates to come through the prep pipeline.You'll hear about what it's like to crush PSTs and still struggle, the lessons of humility when leadership doesn't think you're ready, and why “doing everything right” sometimes still ends with you getting dropped. But guess what? That doesn't mean you're done.This episode's about embracing failure, owning the pain, and building back with twice the fight. If you're preparing for A&S and think heart alone will get you through, press play. You're gonna need more.