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It's claimed a motorway advertising shake-up is needed to boost footfall in Ennis. It comes amid concern that motorists are bypassing the town in favour of shopping in Limerick and Galway. Clare County Council has promised to explore the feasibility of installing new promotional signage on the M18. Ennis Fianna Fáil Councillor Pat Daly says it's the way forward.
Wer in Wien eine Wohnung besitzt oder kaufen möchte, wird sich irgendwann vermutlich auch die aufliegenden Pläne dazu ansehen wollen. Die richtige Anlaufstelle dafür, sind die Planeinsichten in den jeweiligen Gebietsgruppen der Baupolizei. Wir sprechen daher mit Elizabeth und Stefan, die uns einen Einblick in ihren Arbeitsalltag geben und erklären, was man alles für eine Planeinsicht braucht. Doch auch Hobby-Historiker*innen und an Ahnenforschung Interessierte sollten diese Episode nicht verpassen! Wie das mit der Planeinsicht bei der Baupolizei zusammenhängt, hört ihr in der aktuellen und vorerst letzten Folge von „BauSache Wien“. Shownotes:https://www.wien.gv.at/kontakt/ma37-baupolizei-planarchiv-bewilligte-plaenehttps://mein.wien.gv.at/formularserver-mw/user/formular.aspx?path=(mw%2Fstandard)&pid=06a2e3ecbb6b4302b4f134a505de83b8&pn=Bf506692997aa42e3bce7b3aaa73925e2https://ticket.wien.gv.at/M18/gemma-zukunft/Wenn euch die Folge gefallen hat, freuen wir uns, wenn ihr unseren Podcast bewertet und abonniert (falls ihr das noch nicht gemacht habt).Feedback könnt ihr uns auch an podcast(at)ma53.wien.gv.at schicken.Folgt uns auf unseren Social Media Kanälen:https://www.facebook.com/wien.athttps://bsky.app/profile/wien.gv.athttps://twitter.com/Stadt_Wienhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/city-of-vienna/https://www.instagram.com/stadtwien/Und abonniert unseren täglichen Newsletter:http://wien.gv.at/meinwienheuteWeitere Stadt Wien Podcasts:Historisches aus den Wiener Bezirken in den Grätzlgeschichtenbüchereicast der Stadt Wien Büchereien
We Like Shooting - Ep 661 This episode of We Like Shooting is brought to you by: Midwest Industries (Code: WLSISLIFE) Die Free Co. (Code: WLSISLIFE) Bowers Group (Code: WLS) Otis Technology (Code: WELIKESHOOTING15) Flatline Fiber Co (Code: WLS15) Guests: Ken Ross – CMC Triggers – https://cmctriggers.com – @cmctriggers Text Dear WLS or Reviews +1 743 500 2171 Public Show Titles GOA GOALS Aug 1-2 in Iowa. https://goals.goa.org/ GunCon.net Tickets on sale now. Use code AGENCY171 GEAR CHAT [FLUX Defense] Raider X Chop Top El Camino The Raider X Chop Top “El Camino” is a P320/M17 chassis from FLUX Defense with the non-reciprocating optic mount removed, allowing retention of the optic mounted on the slide for easy swapping between pistol and chassis configurations. It features a lower optic height over bore and is engineered as a premium personal defense weapon chassis system for SIG Sauer P320, M17, and M18 pistols. Compatibility is limited to 9mm, .40 S&W, .357 SIG variants, excluding P320 XTEN, .45 ACP, and certain magazines. Note Pew Report opening the doors. [XTech Tactical] Extended Magazines and Magazine Adaptor Sleeves for Ruger RXM XTech Tactical offers extended magazines and magazine adaptor sleeves designed for the Ruger RXM. No further technical overview is provided on the page. Magpump Magpump Pew Locker Pew.locker is a service described as ‘Your Stuff. Your Data. Encrypted.' No firearms or technical gear products are detailed on the page. It appears unrelated to physical technical gear in the firearms industry. [CMMG] Pistol Suppressed DL44 Blaster Mk4 .22LR 3.2″ Limited Edition This limited-edition CMMG pistol is derived from the company's .22LR firearms line, mimicking the Solo Blaster with a unique battle-worn Cerakote finish and integrated DL44 suppressor using the same internals as the ZEROED 22K for superior sound suppression. It features a Mk4 platform with traditional blowback operation, 3.2-inch nitride-finished 4140CM barrel, ZEROED drop-in trigger (4.5 lb pull), ambi charging handle, and a three-piece DL44 pistol grip with aluminum frame and walnut wood panels. Only 100 units are produced, each including three 10-round magazines and matching serial numbers on firearm and suppressor. Kiro Morph Kiro Morph BULLET POINTS Note Does grip angle matter? Magpul M-LOK Hand Control Accessories: SVG Short Vertical Grip (MAG1567), Thumb Shelf (MAG1566), Index Stop (MAG1568) Magpul announced three new M-LOK accessories for improved support hand control and consistent indexing on octagonal aluminum handguards: the M-LOK SVG Short Vertical Grip, M-LOK Thumb Shelf, and M-LOK Index Stop. Constructed from proprietary polymer with included 4140 chromoly steel hardware, they are ambidextrous and available in Black, FDE, ODG, MCB starting May 2026.2040 Ferro Concepts Dangler AR The Ferro Concepts Dangler AR is a modular pouch designed to carry two AR-15 style magazines horizontally or reconfigure for longer items like breaching charges or multi-tools. Constructed from hydrophobic X-Pac fabric with rigidity to minimize bounce, it features a removable internal divider, customizable shock cord retention, and 2-inch hook and loop mounting for plate carriers, back panels, or belts. It is Berry Compliant and compatible with items such as Skin packs and breaching tools. GUNDERWEAR Concealed Carry Underwear GUNDERWEAR is a patented underwear product designed to improve comfort for concealed carry, particularly appendix carry, by integrating padding as a barrier between the body and gun/holster. Developed by Tyler Abadie, it prevents rubbing, stabbing, and irritation during prolonged wear in activities like security work, driving, and daily tasks. Available for men and women, it has received positive feedback from civilians and professionals in law enforcement and military. GUN FIGHTS No one stepped into the arena this week. WLS IS LIFESTYLE RXM Pillager Chassis PA6-GF The RXM Pillager Chassis is a grip module designed for the Ruger RXM FCI, featuring a complete chassis, sheet metal finger shroud, RXM charging handle (OEM slide only), and secondary magazine holder. It is FDM 3D printed from fiberglass-reinforced nylon (PA6-GF) and annealed to manufacturer specifications, available in colors like Flat Dark Earth, Light Grey, and Black. Priced at $279.99 USD, it comes assembled and ready for the RXM FCI and slide. GOING BALLISTIC DOJ Cease-and-Desist to City of Denver on AR-15 Ban The National Association for Gun Rights reports that AAG Dhillon issued a cease-and-desist letter to the City of Denver. The letter demands the removal of their AR-15 ban. Failure to comply will result in action by the DOJ. Hysteria Continues Unabated Following ATF's Announcement (Savage) The article discusses the ATF's rollback of gun regulations under the Trump administration's Justice Department, led by confirmed ATF head Robert Cekada, following an assassination attempt on President Trump. Gun control advocates like John Feinblatt of Everytown for Gun Safety criticize it as gutting ‘commonsense gun safety laws.' The author argues the hysteria is unwarranted, as the weapons used were legal nationwide and prior rules failed to prevent attacks. NAGR: Minnesota Dems Pushing Gun Ban via Omnibus Bill SF 4067 (Savage) The National Association for Gun Rights (NAGR) warns that Minnesota Democrats are advancing SF 4067, an omnibus firearms bill, through the state Senate and House. The bill proposes bans on certain semiautomatic rifles, magazines over 17 rounds, privately manufactured firearms, binary triggers, and expands red flag gun confiscation laws. NAGR urges Minnesotans to contact legislators to oppose the measure amid a tied House vote. New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen: Impact on Baltimore, MD Homicides at 50-Year Low (Savage) Following the Supreme Court's Bruen decision, Maryland shifted from ‘may-issue' to ‘shall-issue' concealed carry permits, increasing from under 50,000 in 2020 to over 200,000 by April 2025. Baltimore City has seen homicides drop to a 50-year low, with only 33 homicides and 89 non-fatal shootings as of May 1, 2025, down 10.8% and 11.9% from the prior year. April 2025 recorded just four homicides, the fewest monthly since at least 1970. ATF Reforms on Pistol Braces (NPRM 1140-AA98) (Savage) The article discusses ATF reforms under the Trump administration that remove regulatory language from the vacated Biden-era pistol brace rule (NPRM 1140-AA98), affecting enforcement of the National Firearms Act (NFA) and Gun Control Act (GCA) on braced pistols classified as short-barreled rifles. While presented as a positive step, the changes do not limit ATF's statutory interpretation authority, allowing continued enforcement risks for gun owners. The author views it as meaningful progress but potentially ‘smoke and mirrors' without further congressional action.0 Navy v. Patrick Tate Adamiak: NRA Files Amicus Brief Urging U.S. Supreme Court Review (Savage) The NRA, along with other gun rights organizations, filed an amicus brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to hear Navy v. Patrick Tate Adamiak, involving a Navy veteran's 20-year sentence for National Firearms Act violations over nonfunctional firearm relics. The case challenges the treatment of inert, destroyed items as regulated ‘firearms' under an expansive NFA interpretation, bypassing Second Amendment protections. The brief argues lower courts distorted precedent by avoiding Bruen's historical analysis test. DOJ/ATF 34 Final and Proposed Firearms Rules (April 29, 2026) (Savage) On April 29, 2026, the Department of Justice and ATF announced 34 notices of final and proposed rulemaking, the largest overhaul of federal firearms regulations in agency history, following Executive Order 14206 Protecting Second Amendment Rights. The package includes 8 finalized rules (e.g., rescinding bump stock machine gun definitions per Garland v. Cargill) and 26 proposed rules aimed at reducing burdens on FFLs and gun owners, modernizing forms like 4473, streamlining NFA processes, and aligning with court precedents. Rules cover repeals of Biden-era pistol brace and ‘engaged in the business' expansions, electronic recordkeeping, and interstate transport protections. Trump Pardon Call for Patrick ‘Tate' Adamiak (Fourth Circuit Federal Case) Patrick ‘Tate' Adamiak, a U.S. Navy sailor, was convicted on federal machinegun and unregistered destructive-device charges and sentenced to 20 years in prison despite no prior record or victims; the Fourth Circuit remanded on double-jeopardy grounds. The article urges gun owners to petition President Trump for a full pardon, framing it as a stand against ATF overreach and federal weaponization against Second Amendment activities. Items involved remain legally sold online, highlighting perceived injustice. REVIEWS Review: Anonymous Coward from Iowa Five Review: Anonymous Coward from Nebraska Review form coward. 5 something. Like the early gun fights can put guesses in. Since I get up at 5.47 am like to be in bed by 10. Also hasn't Aaron been fired yet to come back. Can listen to the rest next day in the truck. Enjoy the banter and I don't read much news so keeps me informed on 2a stuff. Review: Chris W Five Stars. The year is 2035. Civil unrest, political turmoil, and record high inflation has crippled America. Its citizens are divided, almost tribal. Most have lost hope of returning America to a bastion of freedom. but there are some that fight to keep the American dream alive. The agents of 171 used to be a gang of online gun nerds bonded by the love of the second amendment; now they are an underground collective of the countries most deadly assassins and fighters trying to bring America back to her former glory. Shawn: the leader of the agency,...
https://genuinetools.com/blogs/articles/milwaukee-battery-model-numbers-explained-code-location-seriesDecode Milwaukee M12 and M18 battery model numbers with this practical guide. Learn what the 48-11-XXXX format reveals about voltage, capacity, and technology, plus how to spot counterfeits and choose the right battery for your tools. Genuine Tools City: Beaverton Address: 1500 NW Bethany Blvd. Website: https://genuinetools.com/
https://genuinetools.com/blogs/articles/milwaukee-m18-battery-compatibility-tool-types-chargersWhy do contractors favor Milwaukee's M18 system over other cordless platforms? Discover the battery compatibility secrets, performance tiers from Standard to FORGE, and charging innovations that make M18 a top choice for professionals managing hundreds of tools on demanding job sites. Genuine Tools City: Beaverton Address: 1500 NW Bethany Blvd. Website: https://genuinetools.com/
In this episode, we sit down with Jonathan Robinson to unpack the real story behind MDMA therapy, challenging common misconceptions and explaining how it can be a powerful tool for healing trauma, anxiety, and relationship conflict. He shares how MDMA, also known as Ecstasy, can help individuals and couples access deeper empathy, improve communication, and better understand one another without blame or defensiveness. Jonathan also dives into the structure of a typical session, the neuroscience behind how MDMA affects the brain and nervous system, and why it can be so effective for processing grief and resetting emotional patterns. Drawing from his experience guiding over 700 journeys, he discusses the safety profile, virtual facilitation, and his therapist training programs. The conversation wraps with a look at who this therapy is best suited for and what the future may hold as MDMA-assisted therapy moves toward wider acceptance.Jonathan Robinson is a former psychotherapist, best-selling author of 16 books, and a professional speaker from Northern California. Jonathan has made numerous appearances on The Oprah Show and CNN, as well as other national TV talk shows. Jonathan's most recent book is called, “Ecstasy as Medicine: How MDMA Therapy Can Help You Overcome Trauma, Anxiety and Depression…and Feel More Love.” In the book, Jonathan shares the best methods, stories, and ideas he's learned from leading over 700 MDMA journeys and teaching hundreds of therapists how to do his unique protocol over Zoom. His other books include the bestsellers, “Communication Miracles for Couples,” and “More Love, Less Conflict.” Jonathan is known for providing his audiences with immediately useful and powerful information and is the co-host of the podcast Awareness Explorers.SHOW NOTES:0:40 Welcome to the podcast!3:18 About Jonathan Robinson4:14 Welcome him to the show!5:50 Biggest misconception about M7:14 How it helps in couples therapy9:04 Benefits of doing it alone vs with a therapist11:12 Story about his parents14:07 How it helps you understand your partner16:25 Difference between XTC & M18:13 Virtual facilitation20:15 Protocols22:05 Health outcomes on medicine25:12 Resetting the nervous system30:13 Overcoming grief33:05 Communicating without blaming, shaming, or complaining33:58 *APOLLO NEURO*36:00 What a typical session look like37:44 What happens in the brain on M39:51 Safety profile46:21 Practitioner Training program48:07 Future landscape of m50:30 Who this is for vs not for56:09 His final piece of advice57:32 Thanks for tuning inRESOURCES:Apollo Neuro - $90 off with code: BIOHACKERBABESWebsite: https://ecstasyasmedicine.com/Book: XTC for CouplesPractitioner Training - code: OFF200Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/biohacker-babes-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Send us Fan MailIn this episode: Angela Gardner and Christi Powell interview Vinny, Vice President of Job Site Solutions at Milwaukee Tool, celebrating his 25-year career with the company. Vinny recounts Milwaukee's cultural shift after its 2005 acquisition by Techtronic Industries, when leadership refocused from trying to serve everyone back to core plumbing and electrical trades and recommitted to in-field user research to drive safer, lighter, more productive tools. He describes Milwaukee's major disruption in 2005 with the first lithium-ion cordless platform (V28), later evolving into the M18 and M12 platforms. Vinny explains why Milwaukee consistently supports ABC chapters to help train apprentices and strengthen future infrastructure. He names the M12 screwdriver (2401-22) as a sentimental favorite and closes with Milwaukee's “disruptive innovation” elevator pitch.Supported by: NPKSupport the show
Hundreds of protesters have gathered in Ennis this morning as nationwide fuel protests continue into their sixth day. Demonstrators met at The Height on O'Connell Street before making their way through the town holding flags and placards. Meanwhile, traffic congestion and delays are still being felt across Clare with the on-ramp and off-ramp remain blocked at J11 Dromoland on the M18, with diverted traffic moving slowly along the old Limerick road. Access to the Northbound lane of the M18 remains also blocked at J13 Tulla. Protesters reiterated their call for government support with rising fuel prices.
A Clare Fianna Fáil councillor and oil supplier is calling on the Government to "look after our own people here at home for a change" amid the ongoing global fuel crisis. Thousands of drivers participated in slow-moving convoys on major routes across the country yesterday to protest against surging petrol, diesel and home heating oil prices. The mass demonstration began shortly before 8am on Tuesday and congestion continued into the evening, with the M18, N18 and key arteries of Ennis seeing the worst of the delays in Clare. Sixmilebridge Councillor Alan O'Callaghan believes it's high time supports were rolled out to assist regular people affected by mounting costs.
Protestors blockading Clare's roads network today say they're "in it for the long haul" and claim they're out for second day because they "didn't get a phone call from the Dáil". Traffic has reached gridlock once again on the M18 and N18 in this county as trucks, tractors and cars have taken to the roads to continue their demonstration. The M18 is currently blocked southbound at the Junction 14 Barefield off-ramp and on-ramp. One of the organisers of the protest in Clare, Cathal O'Donoghue of C&C Executive Travel, says the action will continue until the end of the week or until a reduction in the cost of petrol, diesel and home heating oil is secured. He's been telling Clare FM's Seán Lyons they're doing it for "every man, woman and child" in Ireland affected by the fuel crisis.
A national fuel protest is taking place today over spiralling diesel, petrol and home heating oil prices caused by the ongoing war in the Middle East. From 7am, a convoy of vehicles assembled at Banner Plaza at Junction 12 on the M18 in County Clare. Dublin will serve as the final destination for the nationwide protest, with participants from Clare expected to travel via both County Galway and County Limerick, linking up with additional groups at Portumna Bridge and Bunratty. HGVs, agricultural machinery, and plant vehicles gathered at various points, forming slow-moving convoys along the M18 and other key national routes. For more on this, Alan Morrissey was joined by PJ Ryan of PJ Ryan Oil in Sixmilebridge, Eddie Punch, Cratloe Farmer and former General Secretary of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmer's Association and a Morning Focus listener, nurse on call, Anne. He then spoke to Cathal O'Donoghue, Director or C&C Executive Travel who is one of the chief organisers of the protest. Image © Pat Flynn
The new Banner Plaza on the M18 from the owner of Supermacs includes a supermarket, play area and a large food court a €20m investment and 120 new jobs. But it was far from smooth sailing to get it opened. In fact, it was 8 years behind schedule thanks to a number of judicial reviews and challenges from environmental groups and serial objectors. Joining Joe this morning was Pat McDonagh is the founder of Supermacs.
https://genuinetools.com/collections/milwaukeeIs the Milwaukee M18 Fuel oscillating multi-tool still a top choice? We explore why its 92-point Runner Up score, excellent vibration control, and massive M18 battery ecosystem make it a standout for professionals in 2026. Genuine Tools City: Beaverton Address: 1500 NW Bethany Blvd. Website: https://genuinetools.com/
In this episode, we break down the top Edge Rushers in the 2026 NFL Draft class, introducing the standout prospects and gWe dive into the skill sets of players like Rueben Bain, David Bailey, and Arvell Reese, among others, discussing:• What traits translate best to the NFL• Strengths and areas for development• How different styles of Edge Rushers fit modern defensive schemesThis episode is for experienced fans, but is also beginner-friendly, and designed to help UK fans (and new draft followers) understand what to look for when evaluating pass rushing prospects.00:00 - Intro01:57 - T.J. Parker, Clemson08:58 - Akheem Mesidor, Miami14:11 - Cashius Howell, Texas A&M18:36 - Rueben Bain Jr., Miami22:47 - David Bailey, Texas Tech26:35 - Arvell Reese, Ohio State31:09 - Keldric Faulk, Auburn38:05 - Honorable MentionsPodcast LinksYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NFLDraftTalk
A new National Safety Camera Strategy is being developed to crack down on dangerous driving, with more roadside cameras planned to target speeding, red-light running and bus-lane abuse. As calls grow to extend this enforcement beyond cities and into rural areas — including for average speed cameras on the M18 and N18 in Clare — Cratloe Fianna Fáil Councillor Pat O'Gorman spoke with Daragh Dolan on Friday's Morning Focus to share why he believes this approach is essential for improving road safety. Photo (c) Pat Flynn
Episode Summary By Concierge Medicine Today JANUARY 2026 - Concierge medicine and direct primary care didn't just grow — they surged more than 80% in five years. Headlines are spinning this as a threat to access and equity. But is that the full story? In this episode, the Editor-In-Chief of the industry's trade publication, Concierge Medicine Today, author and Host, Michael Tetreault, breaks down the latest national research and explains what's really happening beneath the surface. This isn't about luxury medicine. It's about physician burnout, broken reimbursement models, administrative overload, and doctors quietly redesigning their careers to survive. You'll hear why this shift is less about "escaping responsibility" and more about reclaiming sustainability, why corporate ownership is rising fast, and why concierge medicine didn't create the primary care shortage — it exposed it. If you care about the future of medicine, physician retention, and building healthcare that actually works, this conversation matters.
Road safety remains a major concern here in Clare, particularly after a sharp rise in crashes on the M18 and N18 late last year. With public anxiety growing and emergency services pointing to dangerous driving as a key factor, the Government says new legislation could help turn the tide. Joining Alan Morrissey on Monday's Morning Focus was Seán Canney TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Road Safety, to discuss whether these new laws will make a real difference on Clare roads. Photo (c) Pat Flynn
Transport Infrastructure Ireland is being urged to conduct an "ongoing review" of the M18 and N18 in Clare to ensure the safety of the route. Following assessments of Junction 13 Tulla Road and Junction 14 Barefield, the agency has agreed to lengthen the off-ramps at Junction 13. This decision was made, it says, because this junction is more heavily trafficked. Maghera Fianna Fáil Councillor Pat Hayes believes the off-ramps at Junction 14 as well as the on-ramps at both junctions must be addressed.
Discover how wholesale distributors slash Milwaukee tool costs by 15-30% compared to retail. Learn volume discount tiers, strategic seasonal timing, warranty protection, and why the M18 battery platform maximizes value for contractors and DIY enthusiasts alike. Learn more at https://genuinetools.com/blogs/articles/milwaukee-power-tools-wholesale-distributors-online-cost-where-to-find-the-best-bulk-buy-options Genuine Tools City: Beaverton Address: 1500 NW Bethany Blvd. Website: https://genuinetools.com/
https://genuinetools.com/collections/milwaukeeDiscover why contractors, mechanics, and other trade professionals rely on Milwaukee's M18 and M12 FUEL cordless systems. This episode breaks down standout features, job-specific advantages, and pro-grade durability that make these tools a trusted choice on job sites across industries. Genuine Tools City: Beaverton Address: 1500 NW Bethany Blvd. Website: https://genuinetools.com/
Transport Infrastructure Ireland is being accusing of being "asleep at the wheel" regarding the surge in road traffic collisions on the main route between Ennis and Limerick. More than 35 crashes have taken place on the Clare stretch of the M18 motorway and N18 dual-carriageway since the start of September, with the vast majority occurring between Junction 11 Dromoland and Junction 5 Cratloe. The TII has recently committed to a conducing a review which will examine the cause of the incidents and recommend safety measures. Cratloe Fianna Fáil Councillor Pat O'Gorman wants to see average speed cameras to deter unsafe driver behaviour.
Clare County Council has requested an independent safety review of two "notorious" junctions on the M18. It comes amid a heightened focus on the Clare stretch of the motorway following a spate of recent collisions. Much of the focus of late has been closer to the south of the county, with five collisions last month occurring between Cratloe and Dromoland. But two junctions further up have consistently been the scene of near misses and road crashes and have prompted the council to call for an independent review. These are the slip roads and exits respectively at Junction 13 Tulla and Junction 14 Barefield, with multiple motorists raising concerns that the stopping distance is too short for exiting and when attempting to merge. Ennis Councillor Antoinette Baker Bashua says it's particularly dangerous for tourists and day visitors. Another elected representative meanwhile believes average speed camers are needed on the N18 specifically to garauntee safe driver behaviour. Cratloe Councillor Pat O'Gorman says local homeowners feel their taking their lives into their own hands every day.
The founder of an Irish fast food restaurant chain claims its new service station in Clare will be its biggest one yet. The €20 million Supermac's Banner Plaza, which is located at Junction 12 off the M18 near Doora, has officially opened its doors. The complex supports over 120 jobs and has been in the works for 14 years during which time it's seen off various legal challenges. Founder and Managing Director of Supermac's, Pat McDonagh, says the need for it was clear.
The €20 million Banner Plaza at Junction 12 off the M18 has officially been unveiled following a 14-year battle during which various legal challenges came its way. Clare FM's Seán Lyons attended the opening of the plaza and spoke to Supermac's Managing Director and founder Pat McDonagh. Photo (c) Rory Murphy
The long-awaited opening of a new service station on the outskirts of Ennis is being hailed as a win for the economy of the county town and its surrounds. Following a lengthy battle, the Supermac's Banner Plaza at Junction 12 on the M18 has officially opened its doors this afternoon. The station is the result of a €20 million investment and is responsible for the creation of more than 120 jobs. Clare FM's Seán Lyons has been speaking to local Councillor Pat Daly at the Banner Plaza
In This Episode Erin and Weer'd discuss: David Hogg's endorsement of a politician with a racist and literal, capital-N Nazi history; the death of the Airman charged with the SIG M18 death; the dubious legitimacy of Everytown's Train Smart program. David talks about revolver cylinder gaps; and Weer'd tells you what to do when you get cut. Did you know that we have a Patreon? Join now for the low, low cost of $4/month (that's $1/podcast) and you'll get to listen to our podcast on Friday instead of Mondays, as well as patron-only content like mag dump episodes, our hilarious blooper reels and film tracks. Main Topic David Hogg Meets With Graham Platner Airman found dead at F.E. Warren was under investigation for M18 incident Everytown Now Offers "Training" On The Tools They Don't Want You To Have I Took Everytown's Training Class and It's Everything You'd Expect it to Be Gun Lovers and Other Strangers BBTI: Cylinder Gap Mind the Gap Cylinder Gap Photo Assorted Calibers Podcast Ep 151 Cylinder Bearings Paul Harrell: Injury Potential From Revolver Cylinder Gap Trigger Tribe: Fingers Vs. Cylinder Gap DESTRUCTION Brena Bock Author Page David Bock Author Page Team And More Weer'd Segment 3M Vetbond Steri Strips Styptic Pencil New Skin Liquid Bandage
Transport Infrastructure Ireland will assess safety measures on the M18 motorway in Clare following a spate of road traffic collisions on the route. In the last fortnight alone, emergency services have attended five crashes, which left two people hospitalised. Clare TD Cathal Crowe has since written to TII and the Transport Minister querying the possibility of variable speed limits on the M18, similar to those in effect on the M50. TII Communications Director Seán O'Neill says a review of the incidents will be carried out before any action is taken.
Send us a textYeah, this one's not sunshine and push-ups. Peaches kicks open the team room door and unloads on the chaos hitting the Air Force — murder-suicides, cover-ups, and a shutdown that's choking the system from the inside out. But before he dives into the darkness, he drops truth bombs from the latest Operator Training Summit: how the next gen of Special Warfare candidates are showing up hungrier, sharper, and more locked-in than ever.Then it's straight into the fire — a double murder-suicide at Wright-Patt that exposes the ugly human cost behind the “we're fine” press releases, and another tragic death tied to the M18 fiasco that's making the Air Force and SIG Sauer sweat bullets. Peaches doesn't do conspiracy fluff, but he's not ignoring the smoke either. From leadership blind spots to the DOD's “everything's under control” theater, this episode cuts through the propaganda with a scalpel.By the time he's done, you'll be questioning whether “service before self” still means anything when people are dying under the weight of bureaucracy. And yeah, he somehow still lands the plane with a sliver of hope — free school meals, community support, and a reminder that helping each other is still the only mission that matters.So strap in, buttercups. This one's raw, uncomfortable, and 100% Ones Ready.⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – What “Attributes-Based Selection” Really Means 02:00 – OTS Nashville Recap: Savage Coaching, Crushed Hips, and Better Recruits 04:30 – Vegas Operator Training Summit: Why You Can't Miss This One 05:00 – The Air Force's Dark Week: Wright-Patt Murder-Suicide Breakdown 09:00 – How the Investigation Unfolded (and Why It's So Damn Messy) 13:30 – M18 “Accidental” Shooting: Cover-Up or Catastrophe? 15:30 – Conspiracy Corner: SIG Sauer, DOD, and a Dead Airman 18:00 – Finally, Some Good News — Free School Meals for DOD Families 20:00 – Government Shutdown Reality Check: Who's Actually Suffering 22:30 – Peaches' Final Word: Check on Your People and Stay Frosty
A Clare TD has written to the Transport Minister, Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the Gardaí proposing that a variable speed limit be introduced on the M18 and N18 in Clare. Meelick Fianna Fáil TD Crowe has suggested the measure amid an ongoing spate of road traffic collisions on the route. It comes as one person has been hospitalised as a precautionary measure following a road traffic crash on the N18 near Cratloe this morning. The move would see speed limits change throughout the day as is currently the case on the M50 in Dublin. Deputy Crowe believes it would make driving in the county "an awful lot safer".
Clare Gardaí are calling for a shift in driver attitude and behaviour ahead of the winter period. An Garda Síochána is conducting a dedicated road traffic enforcement operation throughout the October Bank Holiday weekend, with every member on duty conducting road traffic enforcement activity. A number of road traffic collisions have occurred on the county's roads network in recent weeks, particularly on the M18 where emergency services were called to the scene of two crashes in one day. Superintendent with the Clare-Tipperary Garda Division, Eddie Golden, has been telling Clare FM's Darragh O'Grady that drivers need to be extra vigilant this time of year given the darker evenings and poorer weather conditions.
Transport Infrastructure Ireland is being urged to conduct a safety assessment of the M18 in Clare amid a "concerning" spike in the number of crashes taking place on the road. Several road traffic collisions have occurred on the motorway in recent weeks, resulting in injuries varying in severity as well as traffic congestion and detours. Among these was a multiple-car collision between Junction 10 Newmarket-on-Fergus and Junction 11 Dromoland last week, while emergency services dealt with two incidents on the route on the same day in late September. Newmarket-on-Fergus Fianna Fáil Councillor David Griffin says the cause of the incidents has to be determined.
There's some strange things afoot at the Circle K, amongst them some sideways situations for American firearm owners and Second Amendment supporters (which means everyone, in a fashion). What's going on with the unintended acceleration from M18s? Did Sig Sauer make a mistake or is this something worse? What's better for our fighters to carry - an M18 or an M14? Did we have these problems when US warfighters carried their 1911s cocked and locked? Do all off-roaders carry a sidearm? How about a frontarm? Meanwhile, what's afoot and ahand with the underlying argument about craziness in the transmission crowd, and how American gun dealers are unintentionally making the case against dudes in the girls' locker room (ie: You can't blame the hammer for crooked nails.). Meanwhile, let's all watch how the NRA negotiates this one (and how long is their game - Go Doug, go!). Here's talking at you: an F-35 conference call, polymath versus psycho, Leo Gordon, Bruce Lee Jr., self-defense spatulas, Sam Peckinpaugh, an Excellent Weirdo Sendoff for Graham Greene of "Maverick" and "Longmire", the Spiritual Beggars, Pelican and an Excellent Weirdo Sendoff for Dave Mustaine and his monster, Megadeth.
There's some strange things afoot at the Circle K, amongst them some sideways situations for American firearm owners and Second Amendment supporters (which means everyone, in a fashion). What's going on with the unintended acceleration from M18s? Did Sig Sauer make a mistake or is this something worse? What's better for our fighters to carry - an M18 or an M14? Did we have these problems when US warfighters carried their 1911s cocked and locked? Do all off-roaders carry a sidearm? How about a frontarm? Meanwhile, what's afoot and ahand with the underlying argument about craziness in the transmission crowd, and how American gun dealers are unintentionally making the case against dudes in the girls' locker room (ie: You can't blame the hammer for crooked nails.). Meanwhile, let's all watch how the NRA negotiates this one (and how long is their game - Go Doug, go!). Here's talking at you: an F-35 conference call, polymath versus psycho, Leo Gordon, Bruce Lee Jr., self-defense spatulas, Sam Peckinpaugh, an Excellent Weirdo Sendoff for Graham Greene of "Maverick" and "Longmire", the Spiritual Beggars, Pelican and an Excellent Weirdo Sendoff for Dave Mustaine and his monster, Megadeth.
Before you say anything: Erin is fully aware of the nomenclature sin she committed. She did it just to make Weer'd and other gun purists twitch. In This Episode Erin and Weer'd discuss: the Air Force returning M17 and M18 pistols to service; a Federal Court of Appeals rejecting New Mexico's waiting periods for firearm purchase; Michael Bloomberg's Everytown offering to teach gun safety "training"; Australia's hoplophobes freaking out that legal gun ownership is increasing; and March for our Lives blaming racism for their woes. Weer'd interviews Kent Brown of CCW Safe about how it protects members from charges; and in honor of Episode 357, David celebrates the life of Elmer Keith, the inventor of the .357 Magnum cartridge. Did you know that we have a Patreon? Join now for the low, low cost of $4/month (that's $1/podcast) and you'll get to listen to our podcast on Friday instead of Mondays, as well as patron-only content like mag dump episodes, our hilarious blooper reels and film tracks. Show Notes Main Topic Sig M18 Pistol Returned To Service By Air Force Global Strike Command Federal Appeals Court Blocks New Mexico's Gun Sales Waiting Period Gun Control Group Now Offering Firearms 'Instruction' Australia's gun lobby says it's ‘winning' the fight against firearm control as numbers surge They Rallied the Nation After the Parkland School Shooting. Years Later, Their Group Is Floundering. In Gun Control Crowd, Racism Is Still the Favorite Scapegoat CCW Safe CCW Safe Armed Citizen Legal Defense Network Gun Lovers and Other Strangers Elmer Keith .357 Magnum .44 Magnum .41 Magnum .38 Super SAAMI Winchester Model 70 .338 Winchester Magnum .340 Weatherby Magnum .338-378 Weatherby Magnum Hell I was There Sixguns by Keith Smith & Wesson .38/44 Smith & Wesson Model 27 Forgotten Weapons: Shooting Elmer Keith's Carry Pistol Forgotten Weapons: Elmer Keith's ka-BOOM Brena Bock Author Page David Bock Author Page Team And More
Objectors to a near-completed motorway plaza on the outskirts of Ennis insist they hope to have high court action relating to wastewater treatment wrapped up in a matter of months, not years. Fresh doubt has been cast on the future of Supermac's ten million euro development just off junction 12 of the M18, which is due to open at the end of October. Friends of the Irish Environment commenced action against Uisce Éireann, for its decision to grant a wastewater connection. Supermac's ten million euro motorway service station, which is located just off junction 12 of the M18 is almost finished construction and is set to provide up to 120 jobs when operational at the end of October. The project has already been the subject of a full judicial review, but now the Friends of the Irish Environment has launched High Court legal action against Uisce Éireann over its recent connection agreement. The environmental group claims the Clareabbey Plant is already operating above capacity and that it's regularly discharging raw or partially treated sewerage into the River Fergus. In September of last year, the High Court rejected similar arguments and confirmed the decisions of Clare County Council and An Bord Pleanála. The judgement noted that there was no evidence to support the suggestion that the treated water from the Plaza would adversely affect the output from the Clareabbey treatment plant. Environmental activist and one of the Directors of the Irish NGO Friends of the Irish Environment, Tony Lowes says, however, the EPA has since uncovered evidence that suggests storm water overflows and overcapacity.
Send us a textPeaches rips through the latest DoD chaos—everything from fake heroes getting exposed to the National Guard finally being trusted with their own sidearms. The crew doesn't hold back: stolen valor clowns cashing in on lies, the Navy changing hands at the top, the Air Force still fumbling leadership drama, and the Army trying to let AI babysit its broken vehicles. Oh, and the Air Force rugby team actually came to play. If you wanted polished PR fluff, this ain't it. If you wanted the raw, unfiltered truth with some sarcasm on top—welcome back to the team room.⏱️ Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome back to the Team Room 00:07 – What the hell is “attributes-based selection” anyway? 01:35 – New Mexican Border Defense Medal: legit recognition or shiny trinket? 02:05 – Stolen Valor Hall of Shame: Tim Kennedy & Shrek Mithi 03:00 – DC National Guard locked and loaded—finally 04:27 – Navy installs new CNO, same old story? 05:05 – DoD tech props up border security ops 05:45 – Air Force Undersecretary visits USAFA… where's the leadership accountability? 06:20 – Global Strike Command clears M18 handgun inspection mess 06:45 – Joint tactical airlift training at Yakota with allies 07:30 – Bomber Task Force flyover déjà vu 07:45 – Space Development Agency satellites locked and shipped 08:10 – Army tests AI for fixing vehicles (because mechanics need chatbots now) 09:06 – Why AI might actually help maintainers, fuels, and munitions crews 09:50 – Armed Forces Rugby update: Air Force leads the charge 10:15 – Nashville OTS slots still open + Live YouTube Friday
In this special presentation, Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind '91, USAFA's 22nd superintendent, shares an inside look into cadet development and answers graduate questions. Hosted by Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99, this episode dives into the Academy's mission and how it is preparing our nation's future warfighters. FULL TRANSCRIPT SPEAKERS Guest: Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind '91 | Host: Lt. Col. (Ret.)Navire Walkewicz '99 Naviere Walkewicz This special edition of the Air Force Gradcast is a production of the Long Blue Line Podcast Network, presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation. I'm your host, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99. We're honored to feature the superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy, Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind, Class of '91. In this presentation, Gen. Bauernfeind will share important updates on current initiatives and developments at our Air Force Academy. Following his remarks, he and I will sit down for a conversation, during which he'll respond to questions submitted by graduates in our alumni community. So now, without further ado, Gen. Bauernfeind. Thank you for being here, sir. Gen. Bauernfeind Well, Naviere, thank you so much for allowing us to come and share our story of our wonderful Air Force Academy. And thank you as well to the Association of Graduates and the Foundation for all of the incredible support that we receive to develop our future leaders into the warrior leaders that we need on Day 1 in our Air Force and Space Force. Naviere Walkewicz Yes, sir, we are grateful you're here, and we can't wait to hear what you're able to share with us today, sir, so we can jump ahead if you're ready. Gen. Bauernfeind Wonderful. So I would like to share with you an updated mission brief of where we are going at the United States Air Force Academy. And during this time, I'd like to share not only our leadership team that's taking on the transformation that has been mandated, but also to update our alumni on our mission, our vision, our priorities and our mission sets, as well as talk about how we are creating warfighters, leaders of character and quality, and critical thinkers, and provide an update of how we are transforming this amazing institution to develop those warrior leaders that we need to keep our adversaries at bay. So as always, I'd like to start all briefings with a little video that highlights what our cadets are doing and our incredible public affairs team and video team put together the following video that shows what our cadets have been doing over the last six months... ...So you can see that our cadets have been absolutely busy over the last few months, and I can attest that this summer is they brought the problems up even more and are bringing even more energy to their training, their education, their development. But let me first talk about the amazing team at the senior leadership levels at the United States Air Force Academy, because we cannot do what we're doing without this incredible team. So first, we're welcoming reader Gen. Nicholas Evans as our new vice superintendent, coming out as the 18th Wing commander at Kadena Air Base, bringing a wonderful operational experience to bear, as well as academic bona fides to be our vice superintendent. Our command chief remains Command Chief John Alsvig and our commandant remains to be Brig. Gen. Marks and Col. Steve Hasstedt is our acting dean as we work to bring a new dean into bear. Ms. Gail Colvin is our stalwart chief of staff, with her wisdom from the Class of '80 that keeps us moving forward. Ms. Jen Block is our executive athletic director. Mr. Nate Pine is our director of athletics, and our brand new wing commander, the 10th Air Base Wing, Col. Ahave Brown. And we all know that nothing happens at USAFA without the 10th Air Base wing providing the foundational support. But also Col. Taylor from the 306 Flying Training Wing, and Col. Silva is our space detachment commander, and it's important that we have all those leaders that are helping us transform USAFA. And to that transformation, we talk about our updated mission statement that was approved last fall. And that updated mission statement is that “USAFA's mission is to forge leaders of character motivated to a lifetime of service and developed to lead our Air Force and Space Force as we fight and win our nation's wars.” And for the alumni, as we went through this mission statement development, we realized that there are many activities we take on at the United States Air Force Academy. There's education, there's training, there's motivation, inspiration, development. And we realized that we are taking the most amazing women and men from all four corners of this United States, and we're bringing them here as raw materials, and we are taking them through high-stress military, academic and athletic programs to forge them into something stronger than what they were when they showed up. And those are the leaders of character. We also wanted to make sure that we highlighted that it's about delivering a lifetime of service to our nation. It doesn't mean that every graduate needs to do 34-plus years in active duty like I'm currently doing, but continue to give back, whether that's in active duty, the Guard the Reserve, to your community in the defense industry, as an elected official or as a key supporter in our alumni networks — keep serving our nation. And then finally, an acknowledgement that we, alongside our teammates at West Point and Annapolis, have a very special mandate that we are developing those warrior leaders that will fight and win our nation's wars. While we hope that we will achieve peace through strength and deter our adversaries, we must always be ready when the nation calls and we will go forward and deliver victory for our nation. So it's important in our mission, but a mission will only take us so far. And the next step is acknowledging that we must have a vision. What is our North Star? And our North Star is we will remain and continue to be the nation's premier service academy. That we're bringing in rigorous, adversary-focused military training, military training that achieves a standard, that achieves a requirement, and not just training for training sake. But also maintain our level as a nationally recognized academic program with highly competitive athletics, and acknowledging that for us to deliver on those four, we must continue to sustain a world-class installation. But more importantly, continue to bring in professional and dedicated permanent party into our faculty. Our coaches, our headquarters, our installation support requires our outstanding permanent party. And so our vision moves us forward. And from our mission and our vision, we have established three key priorities, and those priorities will guide our decision making. But let me take your attention to the bottom first. The bottom is our foundational aspect, that we build all of our aspects upon our service core values of our Air Force and our Space Force of integrity first, service before self, excellence in all we do, courage, character, connection and commitment. And those we build upon further foundationally to acknowledge that we are in the military and all aspects of military operations activities require a strict adherence to standard. What is the task that we are executing? What are the conditions on which we will execute those tasks? And what standards do we expect, especially in high end warfare, where our standards are so tight. We also acknowledge that what is special about us is our Honor Code. It is foundational to our character, and we'll talk more about that as we build upon this. But realizing that the Class of '59 that established our Honor Code. It has been foundational to the development of our leaders of character and quality as a board, and then adding into the fact that leaders who built lethal warfighting teams — they do it from a position of respect and teamwork, that they take their team and they support them, they hold them accountable, but they push them to rise above what they could think they could personally achieve. And how do we build those future leaders that are going to take teammates from all four corners of this United States and make sure every single teammate is seen, heard and valued and can give everything possible to the mission at hand? And that leads us to our priorities. That our priorities are we are here to forge warfighters to win, to inspire leaders of character and quality, and finally, to motivate critical thinkers to adapt, because all three are important. And that takes us to our mission sets, because those three priorities span across everything we do in a cadet's journey at the United States Air Force Academy. And the first is acknowledging the military training aspect. That military training goes beyond just learning how to put a uniform on, just how to march correctly, but also understanding how to operate inside of Air Force and Space Force norms and take on those military training activities that our Air Force and Space Force are taking on right now with Ready Airmen Training and the ability to execute agile combat deployment. And that's activities like being able to shoot, move, communicate, medicate and automate, but also acknowledging that we also must have that world-class academic program that challenges our future leaders not what to think, but how to think, and to do that from a warfighting-focused curriculum that is very STEM focused, but also leans in hard to how we can leverage the incredible intellect that these cadets are bringing in today and unleash them on some of the hardest Air Force and Space Force problems through our research programs as we lean into it. And then finally, as we talk about our competitive athletics, that athletics is a key aspect of the cadet's journey, whether it be through our 30 incredible intercollegiate sports teams, our intramural programs, our physical education programs, or finally our physical fitness tests that demonstrate the warrior ethos that is being expected of a military service academy, and it's important that we look across those. But let me talk about a little further of our priorities from those three lenses. The first is the aspect of warfighters win, of how we're bringing in training such as shoot, move, communicate, medicate and automate. And I've heard some teammates are going, “Why are we doing this ground focused training?” And at the end of the day, it's not ground focused training, it's joint force training. This is where our Air Force is going. That we still need to be able to succeed in the air, space, cyber domains, but we must also deliver excellence in these domains. With shoot, I requested that all of our cadets now become qualified in their long gun, the M4, and their sidearm, the M18, every single year. So now they'll have the confidence of their weapons when they have to go forward into harm's way. The same with move and communicate. Can they understand the aspects of mission command, especially in future fights where we may not have the best connectivity with our highest headquarters? Will they understand commander's intent and still be able to generate the combat power we need to keep our adversaries on their heels? Finally, to medicate. Over the last few decades, we have benefited from the golden hour, where we had such dominance that when we had a teammate isolated or injured, we would have medical care a rescue capability to them inside the hour. Future battlefields will likely not give us that luxury. So we must teach our future leaders those advanced medical capabilities to take care of their injured teammates while they're continuing to generate combat power. And finally, as we have seen from the Iranian wars and the Ukrainian wars, automation is here and part of modern warfare. And so how are we going to bring automation capabilities to our future leaders so they can develop the new TTPs that we are working through. And again, thank you to the Association of Graduates and Foundation, because you all provided the seed funding for our first automation efforts this summer. So thank you so much. And let me dig in a little further on why warfighters win. And from our president and our secretary of defense, it has been very clear that they want us to establish peace through strength, that we must develop our ways in three areas: to restore the warrior ethos, to rebuild our military and to reestablish deterrence. And we have gotten that guidance very clear from our leadership, and we will prepare our future leaders in that mind. And we have added that over the last year by bringing in year round warfighting training. So not only during the summer periods, but also through the academic year, are we asking our future warrior leaders to take on the military mission, the academic mission and the athletic mission as we move forward. And as discussed, it is directly aligned to our Air Force with Ready Airman Training and our agile combat employment. And over the last year, we took our baby steps. We're not where we need to be, but I can tell you I'm proud of how far we've come, because we moved forward with energy and violence through the fall and spring culminating exercises. I'm proud of how far we've come, but now for this year, we're gonna enter into the walk phase, because we have more to go. And with that in mind, there's been conversations of recognition and promotion, and that is tied not only to our leadership development, but also to our warfighting training. And it's an acknowledgement that for every year you at the Air Force Academy, we are purposely developing you and increasing your capabilities. And so we are going to provide the expectations for your year, whether you're four-degree, three-degree, two-degree or first-degree — a firstie — and you must meet those training standards, and if you do not meet the training standards, then we are not going to recognize you for your past work, but if you meet our standards, then we are going to recognize you for the good work and promote you to the next grade. But the ultimate promotion being a Second Lieutenant in our Air Force and Space Force as it goes forward. Over the last year, there are teeth of this. We did have 153 cadets that were not recognized due to not meeting the standards, but we are now providing them the options over the summer and this fall to now meet the standards as we move forward. Also this year, focusing on warfighting, is acknowledging that we must arm the cadets to be the instructors. Last year, we did it very quickly. Now we're going to take advantage of our incredible cadets, just like our cadets do exceptional things — teaching each other how to fly, teaching other each other how to jump during our freefall program — but now we are working through the cadet warfighter instructor course, a beta course, where we will teach cadets to be those instructors inside of our squadrons in the academic year, to take on how to teach, how to shoot, to move, to communicate, automate and medicate. And we are one more week left in our inaugural cadet warfighter instructor course. I know we will learn much from this beta iteration, but I'm excited to see what we learned from this as we go into the academic year and unleash these cadets and train ourselves. We're also very appreciative from the Foundation for the establishment of the Institute for Future Conflict. And the Institute for Future Conflict has been around for a couple of years and has already forced us to focus and think differently. And I would offer to you the reason behind that is because they are focused on our adversaries. So I like to call them our adversary focused disruptors. They are going to bring ideas to bear that force us to change the way we develop our cadets for the future, because they're looking at what our adversaries are doing. And as such, we made the decision to elevate them into Headquarters USAFA, so they can have a wider impact, not only within the dean of faculty, but also within the Cadet Wing and the Athletic Department, so we can ensure that we are bringing those disruptive thoughts and putting them into in place so we prepare our leaders for a very uncertain world, to include bringing realism into the training that our cadets are taking on. We're also acknowledging academically, there's more that we have to do with our intellect. And over the last year, we have added three additional warfighting minors, one on quantum, one on aerospace materials, and we're in the final stages of establishing a warfighting minor on future conflict. Hopefully that we will be able to start providing that to our cadets over the next year, as we went into that so very excited to the growth in our academic options. And then finally, athletically, we're updating our PT standards, and we're adding additional PE courses for our future leaders. Our future leaders — we will increase water survival, especially when we look to the future and the regions where we expect to potentially have conflict, increased water survival is important — as well as increased combatives, and we're still in the final stages of planning of how we can bring a team focused final warfighting capstone physical education course that brings all of that physical education together for a team-focused event for our firsties, but still in the planning stages of that. And as discussed, updating our PT standards to align with our Air Force and our Space Force, with an acknowledgement that simply what we were doing is adding minimums to each of the caveats to ensure that you must pass each individual event while also meeting a score-based event as we move forward. Again, aligning with our Air Force and Space Force. Now, as we transform, it's not just about warfighters to win. It's also about leaders of character and quality. As I like to say, it's developing leaders who do the right thing the right way, even if it's unpopular, because we must have leaders that are willing to stand up and do the right thing for the formation. And we focused on that. We have focused on reinforcing standards and accountability. While initially it was permanent party coming in fairly strong to establish the standards and accountability, what we quickly saw from our amazing future generation was cadets going, “We've got this. We will establish it. We will uphold our standards. We will uphold our accountability.” And to me, that's very important to see that our next generation is taking ownership of that key leadership aspect, to even include honor. As many know, we had a pretty significant honor violation last year. The bad news is that occurred. The good news is it was the cadets themselves who came forward and said, “This happened, and this is our way forward.” As in all situations, though, anytime you point a finger at somebody, three fingers pointing back at yourself, we realized that institutionally, we had probably lowered the standards too far. We didn't expect enough, and we had parsed the Honor Code. And we made the decision to return to our roots and say, “No, the Honor Code is holistic. It will not be parsed.” But we do acknowledge that these amazing men and women that come from all four corners are coming to us in different stages of their character development, and so the sanctions that come from an honor violation for somebody with us for a few weeks or a couple months may be far different than the sanctions of somebody that are weeks or months out from commissioning and graduation. So ensuring that we have a tiered sanction system to deal with our honor violations. I'm very proud of the ownership that our cadets took with our honor system, and we are reinforcing their efforts as we move forward. We've also pivoted strongly to a four-class system. My observation was is through time at the Air Force Academy, we've ebbed and flowed from a four-class leadership development system to a fourth-class leadership development system. I would offer that we had gone to the point where the majority of training and focus was on the four-degrees, when we are blessed to have these our future leaders for 47 months, and we should be developing them the entire 47 months. And so we have developed the fourth-class leadership system, where for their four-degree year, we will focus them on being good teammates and followers. For the three-degree year, we will focus on them being good frontline engaged supervisors, two-degrees as team leaders and firsties as unit leaders, representing those roles in our Air Force from cadet squadron commander to DO, to executive officer, to A1 through A6 staff positions and flight commander and taking on those responsibilities. And again, just like we talked about work by training, there's assessment mechanisms for each of these that they must meet leadership assessments that will go into whether or not they are recognized and promoted to the next grade, as it moves forward. We executed the first year. Last year, I would offer that it was successful, but we've learned much from the process, and as we go into the second year, I think we're going to be able to go even further with our four-class leadership and development. We've also doubled down on discipline, that standards and accountability are important, and if you fail to meet our standards, then you must be held accountable, not only with punitive aspects, but also with rehabilitative aspects. It's a two-edged pincer movement as we went forward, and from my time at the Academy, I will offer to you, while I may not have enjoyed it at the time, I benefited greatly from both, because it forced me to reflect upon what got me in that situation and how I can take ownership of my own development as we move forward. So that is one of the aspects we return to. And then finally, for our National Character and Leadership Symposium: Let's focus on those character elements that we find through warfighting. And so last fall's was focused on, how are we going to develop warfighters to win? And then for next year, we're going to focus on the courage required to overcome adversity in a warfighting environment. And so I'm very excited as we get the speakers identified for both the fall, a shorter fall iteration, and the normal spring iteration, sharing those speakers with the wider alumni environment. And then finally, talking about those critical thinkers to adapt. I jokingly tell our cadets that, since I was in the '90s, we got to solve all the easy problems, and all that is left are all the wicked hard problems, but we need those critical thinkers to adapt, because they are going to bring the ingenuity, they're going to bring the innovation, and what I've challenged them is they also have to bring the courage to challenge the status quo. Too many times in our military, when we ask why we do something, if the answer is, “We've always done it that way,” then maybe we need to rethink and understand, are there better ways to do it? And I can tell you, our cadets bring that to bear. And so for this year, we're really focused on cadet empowerment and responsibility. Last year with the mandate, we moved very quickly, and we were more directive in nature. And what we heard loud and clear is that cadets hurdled over our expectations. What we heard loud and clear from them was, “We want to control the way forward.” And so how do we empower them more? And how do we make it clear that they are responsible not only for their mission, but their people? And adding to that of spending more time with them with these changes of why are we doing this change, and making sure that they understand the rest of the story. You may not always like the why, but if you have an appreciation of the why, its foundation will be able to execute mission command, because you now understand commander's intent, and you now can go, “I know the why. We can keep moving forward, because we can move forward with that.” We're also focusing on operationalizing all of the United States Air Force Academy, bringing that operational mindset to bear, from whether it would be establishing an A2 directorate in the headquarters and the cadet wing and in all cadet squadrons, and the DA2 director being our intelligence directorate, so that we can start to bring in classified intelligence briefings and give them not only to a permanent party, but to our future leaders. And we started that last January to great success, so that our future leaders can start to understand not only our and our allies capabilities, but our adversary capabilities and how we will conduct our joint warfighting aspects as we move forward. And it's important that we continue to bring in those operational matters so we prepare the cadets of today for the second lieutenants of tomorrow that can seamlessly nest in to how our Air Force and our Space Force operates. And that's a nicer way of saying is some of the USAFA unique things we've done— we probably need to think about how we're doing that in our Air Force and Space Force. We're also doubling down that cadet squadrons are the unit of action, just like it is in our Air Force, that the squadron is the unit of action. And it's tough at USAFA where you may prioritize your IC team, or your major, or your club, but at the end of the day, it's going to be the squadron that succeeds together as a team. And so we are focusing on making sure that we are reinforcing what the cadet squadrons are doing. They are going to go through their military training together. They're going to go through their culminating exercises together, same as recognition and promotion. And that's important as we focus on the four-class system of those teammates, followers, frontline engaged supervisors, team leaders, unit leaders, but also acknowledging that we must empower cadet leaders to own the responsibility of their units. And I recently sat down with cadet squadron commanders and their special staffs and said, “Congratulations, you're the cadet commanders. You are responsible for two things: your mission and your people. It's not just about marching at the front of a formation. It's about executing the mission you've been given, whether that mission be military, academics or athletics, and taking care of your people.” And as such, we have established special staffs inside of each cadet squadron, every wing in the Air Force, most groups and many squadrons have special staff to both support the unit, but more importantly, advise the commander, because the commander is the one who's ultimately responsible for their people. And so we are bringing cadet special staff — which they may not be the subject matter experts in equal opportunity, integrated prevention response, spiritual matters or medical matters. They are there to support the squadron, advise the commander and have that connectivity to our subject matter experts, whether it be our chaplaincy, whether that be our amazing medical group and cadet clinic, our amazing SAPR team and all the helping agencies across USAFA to make sure that we can support all of our cadets going through a high-demand developmental program at the United States Air Force Academy. And the twist on that is again, saying, “Commanders, you are the ones who are responsible.” And now let's give you the tools to be successful as the permanent party are there to advise and oversight, empower our cadets even more. And then the final one is a return to decorum training. We conducted a beta test last year to success, and now we're looking to see how we can bring forward that decorum training for the entirety of the Cadet Wing. I am not this is not a return to the days of wine pairings, you know, but it is an acknowledgement that as an officer in our Air Force and Space Force, when you go to events, you're not only representing yourself, you're representing your team, you're representing your unit. And what are those decorum skills you need to have at events so that you can develop networks with teammates that might be outside your normal operational circle, or how do you ensure how you engage with other teammates so you can learn more about the world you're in? And so it's important that we establish that decorum focus and looking forward to how we can squeeze that in into the complicated lives of all of our cadets as we move forward. And then, just to reinforce on the critical thinking, I've already talked about the three minors we added, but I'm proud to say that we're in close coordination right now with Gen. Tullos at Air University and about to sign the memorandum of understanding where we will start a beta test for offering master's degree classes at the United States Air Force Academy, with the long-term intent of offering master's degrees at United States Air Force Academy under the Air Force Institute of Technology certification. So we have much to learn, but the doorway is open, and I can tell you from looking at so many of our cadets that come in with 20, 30, 40 college credit hours already, I think we have cadets that are ready to take on that journey, and I look forward to giving an update on that after we get through some of our initial how does this work process. So just to summarize: Our mission, our vision, our priorities are delivering what we need. And it's those warrior leaders that are ready on Day 1 in our Air Force and Space Force. And thanks to our amazing team, whether it be in the senior leader team, but more importantly, those incredible permanent party that are working long hours, whether it's in Fairchild Hall, Sijan Hall, Vandenberg Hall, in the tunnels, in the heat plant, in the Child Development Center, down at Clune Arena, out in Jacks Valley — our permanent party are crushing it, and it's important because our nation deserves the best leaders that we can give the 330,000 airmen and guardians that are standing watch for our nation. Thank you. Naviere Walkewicz Thank you for sharing the mission brief. I think many of us as graduates think we know what happens at the Academy, but you actually sharing what you accomplished in just a year is a bit mind blowing, sir. Gen. Bauernfeind Thank you. And I, at times, am concerned at how fast we are moving, but I also know that we must move this fast. The adversaries are watching us, and they are choosing when is the right time to test our nation. And so in order to achieve peace through strength, we must display that deterrence, that warfighting ethos, that warfighting capability. So we keep our adversaries waking up every single morning going, “Today is not today to test the United States.” Naviere Walkewicz Yes, sir, that is right on point. Yes, sir. Well, I would like to thank you in advance for taking on additional questions from our alumni and our graduate community. So if we might start, general, with some of the information across various channels that cuts about to our academics and the Department of Faculty, what would you be willing to share about the civilian workforce reductions and any next to the Academy's academic faculty? Gen. Bauernfeind First and foremost, the reduction of civilians is not just civilian faculty. It's through all civilians at the United States Air Force Academy, and as we're tracking, throughout the entire Department of Defense. What makes it a little more challenging at the United States Air Force Academy is we have so many different civilian teammates, from firefighters to childcare workers to coaches to headquarters staff, personnel and faculty. And as we lean into the aspect, the conversations about all of our civilian teammates. The first challenge that we faced is historically, the United States Air Force Academy has been over our civilian paid budget, and we've received great support from the Department of Air Force to address our over execution. This year is a little different, and so that has to be a baseline consideration as we understand that— that we have to hire and maintain civilian teammates within the budget that the American public has given us as a lean forward. And to that point, thank you to the Association of Graduates and the Foundation, as well as other Academy-focused foundations that have provided volunteer and funded volunteer support to give us that additional margin of excellence that helps us mitigate this matter. With respect to fiscal year '25, our Air Force is going through a reduction of civilian personnel to the tune of 5,000 billets. Of those 5,000 billets, the portion of the United States Air Force Academy was a part of was a 140 billets. And as we have moved through that reduction of 140 billets, we identified 104 billets as we went through our prioritization that were unencumbered or empty, but lower priority. Unfortunately, there are 36 billets that were encumbered, so someone inside of that billet as we move forward. And the goal with that is to continually work over the coming months of how we can move teammates laterally into open billets, either at the United States Air Force Academy or other locations. So we keep their expertise inside of the greater Air Force, Space Force enterprise, and our A1 team continues to work that aspect. But it's also making sure that we're being very clear with our teammates that when those billets become unfunded, at some point without funding, we're having to pay for that billet via other means. And so it's important for us to have frank conversations with our teammates, to say, “Update your resume. Start looking. At some point this will move forward.” With respect to our faculty members, 16 took advantage of the government's deferred resignation program, which was a well-funded early retirement program which allowed them to leave in the spring under and basically on admin leave and retain their pay to later in the fall/winter timeframe as that moves forward. We also had three that already had planned retirements, so they were moving forward. Unfortunately, we see a hiring freeze so no backfill. But also three whose terms are many of our senior faculty, our term employees, at the end of their term came. And so we have backfilled them with active-duty and Reserve military faculty to keep our academic progress going forward. And thanks to our dean and their team, they are, you know, quickly adjusting, but they are making the changes they need to ensure that we continue to offer the majors that we promised through the Class of '26 and continue to offer the courses as we move forward. For the fall semester, in addition to the three minors we've added, we've also added four additional classes, and there are 10 classes of the 753 in our course of instruction, there are 10 that we will not offer in the fall semester, but we will continue to still move forward. Naviere Walkewicz Yes, sir, thank you for that. You talked about backfills. Can you talk about some of the most important competencies for those instructors, as they were backfilling these positions right? Gen. Bauernfeind As I testified to the Senate earlier this spring, the two most important things to me inside of our classroom is: One is subject matter expertise, and we value the subject matter expertise brought to us by our professors, associate professors, our assistant professors, our permanent professors, our senior military faculty, and the depth they provide, initially with a master's degree, but more importantly, those Ph.D.s that were an extreme depth of that subject matter expertise. But also as a military service academy— that operationally relevant experience, how do they apply what they're learning in the classroom into their futures in the Air Force and Space Force, whether that be in labs on operational units and future battlefields, and how they can connect that to the future. And we have many of our civilian faculty are also veterans, who are able to bring that strong connection to bear as it moves forward. Naviere Walkewicz Yes, sir. Well, you mentioned you were adding a couple a few minors. Have there been any majors that have been removed from the program, and has this affected our accreditation in any way? Gen. Bauernfeind No, ma'am, no majors have been impacted during this time. Every single year, we go through a curriculum review, and we have a curriculum review committee where we will adjust as we move forward based upon guidance we receive from the Air Force and Space Force, but also what demand signals we're seeing from our cadets. You know what they're signing up for. But that is just an annual aspect to make sure that we have the right instructor core to support the curriculum we need to develop and educate our future leaders what the Air Force and Space Force is expecting. But zero majors have been eliminated from the United States Air Force Academy. Naviere Walkewicz Thank you, sir for clearing that up. Gen. Bauernfeind Oh, and accreditation. We're in a good spot with accreditation. We maintain continual conversation with our accrediting bodies, whether it be the Higher Learning Commission or several of the engineering- or STEM-focused accrediting bodies such as ABET, we're still in a good spot. In fact, this year, we just approved our quality initiative, which is a key aspect to sustaining not only our accreditation, but showing that we're continuing to improve ourselves, and that quality initiative will focus strongly on data science, throughout all of our curriculum. Naviere Walkewicz Yes, sir. I think that's wonderful. I know a lot of graduates were, you know, maybe didn't have all the information, so I think that's wonderful that you just shared that. Something interesting you talked about your brief was some master's, a beta testing for a master's program, working with AFIT. Can you expand a bit more about that? And then do you see the Academy becoming a five-year institution, or we will stay four years, 47 months? Gen. Bauernfeind Right now, I believe that we will still stay a 47-month program because our academic program is 47 months; our athletic program is 47 months, and most importantly, our leadership development and military program is 47 months. For the AFIT program, the vision is — these amazing young Americans come in with so much academic credit. Many of them now are part of the Martinson Scholar Program. And thanks to Mr. Martinson's great support, we have a program that can focus on them going even further. What we can offer them now, the majority are taking multiple majors and multiple minors. What if, in the future, you didn't want to do multiple majors or minors, but you want to go and start on your master's degree, which many other institutes of higher learning are offering in a parallel aspect? And so in conversation with Gen. Tullos, how can we start allowing cadets as early as their junior year start taking master's programs and achieve what would be required? Initial assessment is we will have some that can probably achieve it in 47 months, but probably the greater group will need to stay the Academy for maybe six or 12 more months as a second lieutenant to finish up their AFIT courseware. So they would stop their 47-month USAFA program, but continue with their master's program in the classroom in Fairchild and finish out their master's here. Is the vision— and we're working through this. I want to be very clear that this is beta. We have a lot to learn in this. And from my perspective, as I work with the Air Force to get greater support for this, this is going to be a strong cost saver for the Air Force. When our Air Force officers go to get master's degree, as a general rule, they are out of their operational career field for two years as they go to execute their 18-month AFIT program, plus two associated PCSs. Now we show not only a time saving, but a cost savings. And now these second lieutenants are entering, a portion of them, are entering their air force or Space Force with a master's degree. And it is not uncommon for many of our second lieutenants right now to even start their initial training, depending on what training is available until the spring of the next year after they graduate. So I see a strong promise, but we've got a lot of work to do to make it a reality. Naviere Walkewicz Yes, sir. Well, that's creative and innovative thinking right there. I think that we're very excited to hear more about that, especially as the beta testing moves forward. Sir, maybe we can move into the warfighting realm. Graduates have been very interested in the renewed focus on warfighting that you've taken over the past year. What recent programs or military training taking place at USAFA right now are really supporting this development of the warfighter. Ready to lead on Day 1? Gen. Bauernfeind So I believe we've always had a strong foundation of warfighting training, whether it be our airmanship programs, our powered flight programs, our jump programs, our special warfare programs and basic cadet training and cadet survival. But we're building upon that, and we're adding to those as great examples. As discussed earlier, if we can fight for the ammunition, we will have every single cadet qualify on both weapons every single year. The Class of '29 for the M18, the pistol, they qualified at a rate at about 65%. For the M4, the long gun, at a rate of 93%. I'm very proud of those numbers, because many of those young men and women— that was the first time they touched a weapon in their lives. And now, if they do it three more times before they graduate, those qualification rates are going to skyrocket, and they're going to have the confidence, when they deploy into harm's way, of their weapons. Additionally, thanks to the great work by the Cadet Wing, we have received 4,000 sets of chemical gear. And so not only in basic training, are they learning how to establish a forward operating base, defend it, but we're going past the days of where we walked into a tent, took our mask off and then dealt with the wonderful fluids that came out of our bodies. But now, going forward, to how are you going to conduct ATSO operations, or the ability to survive and operate in deployed locations with chemical gear on? And we're very proud to partake in some of that training with the basic cadets, and they are really taking to understanding what is required. And then the final aspect is, as discussed, the cadet warfighter instructor course, is acknowledging that to be really good at those items, we need some subject matter expertise. But the subject matter expertise required to lead, train and certify 4,000 cadets every year, we have to rely on cadet leaders, and as discussed, they're in the field as we speak in the inaugural cadet warfighter instructor course. And I look forward to seeing the feedback of how they will come back and do the squadrons. And tying that back to the cadets wanting more ownership of their training — the intent is 12 cadets inside of each cadet squadron that will now take on the responsibility through the academic year of that warfighter training that we will assess in the fall CULEX, and the ultimate assessment in the spring CULEX. Naviere Walkewicz Sir, it really shows how you're building that expertise within the squadron to support the squadron commander so they really are taking care of their people. I think that's outstanding. Gen. Bauernfeind And very excited about it. And I just want to say thank you again, because it was due to the generosity of the Foundation that got us the seed to start the automation, with 29 Group 2, the smaller UAVs, as we see automation and all monitor warfighting, unleashing the cadets on how they're going to use those UAVs to defend their forward operating bases, to understand what's across the ridgeline as they move forward. And very excited to see where the cadets will take us in this, because I'm sure they're gonna be far more innovative than my generation. Naviere Walkewicz Our generation, sir, yes, sir. Well, you talked about the four-class system and I think that was really relevant for our graduates to hear. How are cadets feeling motivated through this process? And have you seen them evolve over the past year since you started implementing that? Gen. Bauernfeind I think the first aspect was— it took them time to truly understand what we were laying out as it went forward. And every year we do this, we will get a little more advanced at the end of the day. I think our four-degrees understood it. That was good. It was that they understood what it meant to be a teammate. What it meant to be a teammate, follower, and that was an easier aspect to develop them through. The team leaders at the senior NCO level for the two-degrees and the firsties as unit leaders, they started understanding that. The biggest challenge we saw was with the three-degrees. What does it mean to be a frontline, engaged supervisor? And we have to troop lead them through, “This is what it means to be a frontline, engaged supervisor.” That they are your subordinate. But to take best care of your people, you should know where they're from. You should know about their parents. You should know their dog's name. You should know where their birthday is. You should know when their next chemistry test is, when their next PT test is. And while you may not be able to tutor them on chemistry, you can gather and motivate them for, “Hey, if the PT test is three weeks out, let's go run together. Let's go get on the pull up bar together. Let's, you know, be engaged.” And the more you know your teammates, what I offer to you, whether it be in morning formation, noon meal formation, at the tables at Mitchell Hall, in the halls of your squadron, inside of 30 seconds you're gonna see your teammates, your subordinate, and you're gonna know if they're gonna have a good day or bad day, because you're close enough to know, just quickly, OK, they're gonna have a great day or something's going on. “Let's go take a walk. Let's figure out what's driving you down. And how can I, as a frontline engaged supervisor, start taking barriers out of your way?” Naviere Walkewicz I mean, I can only imagine that giving them more pride, even now that they understand, “This is how I can be a frontline supervisor,” when you give us very specific examples. Well, if we might shift gears a little bit to admissions and graduation. Since we just had a class join us, and we had a class recently graduate, maybe you can tell us how the Class of '29 how they're faring so far. Gen. Bauernfeind The Class of '29 are doing great. I am impressed by their professionalism. I'm impressed by their energy. And as you saw, as we just did the recent march back, they were loud and proud. That was really good as it went forward. And for the Class of '29, I'm proud to report that they are faring very well. Just so everybody knows, we had over 9,000 completed applications. We offered 1,411 offers of admission, and 1,112 took the oath on I-Day as it moved forward. We had cadets from every single state and territories of Guam and Puerto Rico, as well as 12 international cadets that joined us. Of those, 117 from Prep School came up the Hill. And then 76 are, you know, part of a prior Long Blue Line as it's coming forward as it goes. Of the Class of '29, 55% were in the top 10% of their class, and 96 were all invited on varsity sports. Right now we are, as coming out of basic training, of 1,095 and during that time, they're still going strong. We did have some teammates that didn't have a full appreciation of what military life was, or may not have been as impassioned about the Academy as their parents, and so we've parted ways with a few small numbers. But during basic training, I can proudly say— we talked about the qualifications on the weapons, but also say they took their very first PFT test, and looking back over the last five years, they, on average, scored 15 points higher than the last five years. And that's a testament to two teams, I would offer to you, well, not only the cadets themselves, who had to do it, but all of our admissions team that's out there saying, “Hey, congratulations, you've been admitted. Start preparing now.” But also our athletic director, athletic department team that was out there giving them good, focused training to prepare them for those physical fitness tests. And they just took PFT No. 2 a couple days ago, and we're accessing the data but all indications are it's trending up. Naviere Walkewicz No, yes, sir. Those are outstanding numbers. As a country, we're seeing admission rates and the challenge of getting the best of the best into the door, the fact that we had such wonderful numbers coming in, and we're attriting very low, I think it's something we should be proud of. Gen. Bauernfeind I'm very proud of it, but acknowledge it's a tough— it's a knife fight to get the best of the brightest, and so thanks to Air Education and Training Command and Accessions Command, we are going to try a new marketing contract this year to further make sure that the amazing young Americans throughout all four corners truly understand the opportunity in front of them with the Air Force Academy, and make sure they're aware of it. So I'm excited to see how that marketing campaign goes to even up our numbers, even a little bit more. Naviere Walkewicz Awesome. Yes, sir. Well, sir, in the realm of athletics, last year, you shared an emphasis for cadet support and participation at more of our athletic events. What have you seen come from that? And what can you share about athletics, intramurals most currently? Gen. Bauernfeind It's one of our three mission sets: athletics. And it's not just for our IC athletes. I jokingly tell some of the teammates to say, “Tell me about a cadets life.” It's like, well, they have three full time jobs, a military job, an academic job and an athletic job, and they really get a bachelor of science in time management. And that's as we go forward. But I've asked the athletic department, you know, during COVID, our intramural program atrophied, and now we have to see, how can we really enhance our intramurals as it goes forward. But I'm especially also proud of our intercollegiate athletes, 30 intercollegiate programs. When we talk about the blood, sweat, tears, the hard work that our IC athletes representing 25% of the Cadet Wing — they are really jumping in hard. And my expectations as the superintendent is all 30 of those programs earn home field advantage. And so we've recently published an operation order to the team as we look into the fall sports. And the basic synthesis of it is, protect this house. We will come strong to all home events, and we're working through that aspect. And so as a whole, not only will we figure out how to be strong at all of our home events, whether it be, you know, this fall with women's soccer, men's soccer, cross country, water polo, volleyball and, importantly, football. And proud to report here at our AOG that the entire Cadet Wing will be marching onto the football field and protecting this house and our amazing stadium at home games. Naviere Walkewicz Yes, sir, thank you for that. That's fantastic. Sir, you know, you can't come out of this Air Force Academy, this 18,000 acres of amazing Academy, without seeing some of the changes, whether it's facilities or capabilities. You know, of course, there are two questions we hear often about the chapel in the box. When will the chapel be done? And then also, you know, what about the visitor center? When can we actually get into it? Gen. Bauernfeind No, those are two great questions, Naviere. First of all, I think that the box has become so routine there that we received a formal request from cadet. So how can we have a — no kidding — drive in movie theater screen? And the request came in at $300,000 so we thought the prudent action was, let's get the chapel done so we can take the box down instead of putting up a new theater. But right now, for our chapel, again, it is an amazing piece of architecture, and to maintain the historical relevance and the hard work that went behind it, it's going to take time. Right now, we're on schedule for 2028 and we are focused on making sure all the involved teams take every single day out and we can find out as soon as possible when we have any sort of deviation, so we can swarm it. And so as such, we hold monthly meetings with IMSC — the Installation Management Sustainment Command — Air Force Civil Engineering Command, the Corps of Engineers, to go through all of our military construction projects so that if something comes up, we are aware of it within days of the issue, and we swarm it together instead of letting issues boil for a long period of time. And so excited to get the chapel back open as such a spiritual icon of the United States Air Force Academy. And spirituality is so important to the holistic leader's readiness— not just physical, mental, social, family, but also spiritual. And I think it will be important for that development. And then to the visitor center. We're on track to open up in May of '26 before the graduation, and excited to finally open that visitor center and share with a much wider audience what all of our alumni and we know of the amazing story behind the Air Force Academy, all the amazing exemplars who have come from our Academy. And I will share with you, I'm excited to get a whole ton of young Americans inside the visitor center so they can start getting excited about being part of the Class of 2032, 2038 and beyond. Naviere Walkewicz Yes, sir. Well, they say things are worth the wait, good things are worth the wait, and I think the interactive displays that are gonna come with this are really gonna help people understand truly what our cadets go through. Gen. Bauernfeind Absolutely. And thank you again to the AOG and Foundation. As money got tight, the Foundation came forward and we now have that beautiful glider, you know, in position that shows what all of our cadets are working through. Naviere Walkewicz Yes, sir. Well, our sole existence is to support the Academy, serve our grads and prserve the heritage. Well, sir, I'm cognizant of your time. We're so grateful you're here today. Mind if I ask you one final question? Gen. Bauernfeind Please do. Naviere Walkewicz What's on your mind that you want to leave with our graduates to be thinking about when you think about our Academy and your vision and mission. What can you leave us with? Gen. Bauernfeind I just want to thank the Long Blue Line. We are 55,000-plus strong. There have been so many of our alumni, every single one of us that have gone through this journey. And we're proud of this institution. And I just say, continue to support this amazing institution. Spread the good word of what our Air Force Academy is, because we want amazing young women, amazing young men that are in your communities, in your churches, at your work centers, to say, “Hey, have you heard about the Air Force Academy? That's the place for you, because our nation deserves the best.” And just a final thanks to the alumni, and as a superintendent, I'm proud to be in this position with my amazing teammates. And any alumni that wants to ask me, “What's the rest of the story?” I am always available. Please hit me up in the hallways, on the Terrazzo, on the field, and I look forward to your conversations. Naviere Walkewicz This has been a special edition of the Air Force Gradcast. On behalf of the Long Blue Line Podcast Network and the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation, thank you for joining us. It's been a privilege to hear directly from Lt. Gen. Bauernfeind and to share updates and perspectives relevant to graduates across our Academy community. Thank you for your continued connection, commitment and support of our United States Air Force Academy. I'm Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99. Until next time. The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation
On this installment of the Gutowski Files we sit down with investigative reporter Stephen Gutowski of thereload.com and discuss a recent arrest in the United States Air Force case involving the gunfire death of an Airman wherein the government is alleging false statements and involuntary manslaughter against another airman leading to speculation about the role of the Sig pistol model M18 (which is similar to the P320 in design).Active Self Protection exists to help good, sane, sober, moral, prudent people in all walks of life to more effectively protect themselves and their loved ones from criminal violence. On the ASP Podcast you will hear the true stories of life or death self defense encounters from the men and women that lived them. If you are interested in the Second Amendment, self defense and defensive firearms use, martial arts or the use of less lethal tools used in the real world to defend life and family, you will find this show riveting. Join host and career federal agent Mike Willever as he talks to real life survivors and hear their stories in depth. You'll hear about these incidents and the self defenders from well before the encounter occurred on through the legal and emotional aftermath. Music: bensound.com
We Like Shooting Episode 623 This episode of We Like Shooting is brought to you by: Midwest Industries, Gideon Optics, Medical Gear Outfitters, RMA Defense, Mitchell Defense, and Matador Arms Welcome to the We Like Shooting Show, episode 623! Our cast tonight is Jeremy Pozderac, Aaron Krieger, Nick Lynch, and me Shawn Herrin, welcome to the show! Winner of the cigar pack is Fucking Bill. - Gear Chat Shawn - Holosun Gear: Lights & Lasers holosun lights and lasers Bullet Points Shawn - GOALS GOALS Shawn - Goals New products. RIA foldable shotgun, Colonel Stogie - stogie mag, Freedom Ordnance belt fed, Matador Arms Roller Delayed, Derya Amrs DY9z Nick - Goal-Setting Lowdown Goals recap Gun Fights Step right up for "Gun Fights," the high-octane segment hosted by Nick Lynch, where our cast members go head-to-head in a game show-style showdown! Each contestant tries to prove their gun knowledge dominance. It's a wild ride of bids, bluffs, and banter—who will come out on top? Tune in to find out! WLS is Lifestyle Fatal Incident at FE Warren AFB Classified as Involuntary Manslaughter The US Air Force has classified the death of Airman Lovan as involuntary manslaughter due to a firearm discharge involving an M18 pistol, prompting an investigation and temporary safety precautions. An Airman has been arrested in connection with the incident. The Air Force Global Strike Command has not yet lifted restrictions on the M18's use, pending fleet inspections. Industry Insights: The Latest News in Shooting Sports An investigation into a fatal shooting on an Air Force base revealed that it was due to horseplay and mishandling rather than a malfunction of the firearm involved. An airman has been arrested on charges related to the incident. Additionally, GLOCK announced a shift in focus to fulfilling law enforcement contracts, affecting the availability of certain models for the commercial market. The overall sentiment in the gun community appears to hinge on issues of user error rather than firearm defects, amidst ongoing rumors and speculation. Aaron's Alley Going Ballistic DIY Guns? Go Wild, Minnesota! Minnesota Supreme Court Greenlights Homemade Firearms Without Serial Numbers Gun Sales Dip? No Biggie! 1 Million-Plus Monthly Gun Sales Streak Finally Comes To An End After Nearly 6 Years Guns Out, Vetoes Down! North Carolina Lawmakers to Convene July 29 to Override Governor's Veto of Constitutional Carry When the Only Thing Standing Between Your Family and a Knife-Wielding Intruder is a Gun A rising country star's father killed an intruder responsible for his wife's murder, highlighting the ongoing debate over self-defense rights and gun ownership. This incident may strengthen arguments within the gun community for the right to protect oneself and others from violent crime. When Pro Shooters Choose Freedom Over Gun Control Julie Golob, a celebrated competitor with 170 national titles, has joined Springfield Armory, a prominent player in the firearms industry. This development highlights the alignment of high-level shooting talent with gun manufacturers, likely boosting the company's visibility and appeal in the gun community amid ongoing debates over gun control. NFL Embraces Common Sense: Good Guys With Guns Welcome! The NFL has proposed the presence of armed security or "good guys with guns" at all league facilities to enhance safety. This recommendation has sparked a conversation within the gun community about the effectiveness of armed defense in public spaces, underlining the ongoing debate over gun rights versus gun control measures. Ain't Texas Mom Got Guts! Police: Texas Mom Armed 13-Year-Old Son, Helped Him Plot Attack on School Reviews ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - from Fucking Bill - Show good!!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - from Juan Gaiman - No notes
From futuristic defense to flashbacks of the past — this week's headlines pack a punch. Lockheed Martin sets its sights on 2028 with plans to demo space-based missile interceptors, a major leap in orbital warfare (04:56). Meanwhile, a former Space Force officer once sidelined for controversial Marxism comments is now the Air Force's second-highest civilian (19:07). As the Air Force calls for service-wide M18 pistol inspections, other branches are standing by Sig Sauer (32:21). And we pause to remember the anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 — a moment that forever changed the world (43:25). https://lateforchangeover.com/
Sig Sauer's premier pistol has faced a flood of bad news this week. After a recent fatal incident on Warren Air Force Base that involved the M18, commonly sold to civilians as the P320, the Global Strike Command joined a rash of law enforcement and civilian training groups that have paused the use of the gun. Active Self Protection is also among those groups. So, we have its president, John Correia, back on the show to explain why he decided to ban the P320. John said ASP actually stopped allowing the P320 in class at the beginning of the year, and recent incidents have only reinforced that decision. He said he hasn't yet seen a clear explanation for what's causing the P320's issues. However, he said there was too much smoke around the gun to ignore the problem. John argued that he and his team simply didn't have confidence an unintended discharge, like the many that have been caught on camera in recent months, couldn't happen at one of their classes. He said they wouldn't allow them back into class until Sig identified and fixed the issue or issues causing the incidents. He also criticized the company's handling of the repeated problems with the pistol. Special Guest: John Correia.
Send us a textPeaches is back with your August 1st daily drop—after fighting his microphone and allergies like a true professional. He breaks down the latest military absurdities: an M18 that might go bang on its own, $800 million more to Ukraine (because why not), and bomber nostalgia getting its moment in the spotlight. From Air Force weapon inspections to Space Force getting ghosted on funding (again), this episode covers all the headlines that matter—plus a rant or two. Also, the Operator Training Summit in Nashville is coming up, so quit dragging your feet and get on board.
Send us a textPeaches dives headfirst into the DoD's latest chaos buffet—$5.4 billion budget reshuffles, fighter jet production whiplash, and the Air Force playing safety dad with the M18 pistol. Meanwhile, cartel operatives are heading to Ukraine for drone training (because why the hell not), and a Swedish ISIS fanatic gets clocked for war crimes. Toss in some missileer cancer cleanup, a grounded Skyraider II PA scandal, and a missing sailor off the USS George Washington… and you've got yourself a full-blown geopolitical migraine. Don't worry—we made it snarky, so you don't have to cry.
Send us a textPete's retirement ceremony takes center stage as the Unpopular Celebrities crew unpacks what made it special—from General Sherman's unprecedented gesture of kneeling before Pete's family to the diamond formation that sparked passionate debate among the hosts. The raw emotions, careful planning, and inevitable "Bridezilla" moments of military farewells reveal deeper truths about service and separation.Against this celebration of service, the conversation shifts to profound loss. The hosts discuss the tragic death of 21-year-old Airman Lovin after an accidental weapon discharge, questioning whether the M18 handgun has fundamental safety issues or if this represents a failure of training and procedures. This thoughtful examination of accountability and responsibility highlights the real-world consequences when systems fail young defenders.The discussion weaves through recent celebrity passings—Malcolm Jamal Warner's heroic final act saving his daughter, Hulk Hogan's complicated legacy, and what it means to see the icons of your youth departing. These reflections on mortality lead into lighter territory with Glorilla's bizarre arrest after reporting her own home robbery (prompting the practical advice: "If you got drugs in your house, don't call the cops!"), Travis Hunter's apparent marital troubles after rejecting prenup advice, and a spirited debate about WNBA pay demands.Through personal stories, unfiltered opinions, and genuine camaraderie, this episode balances serious subjects with humor and heart. Whether you've served in uniform or simply appreciate authentic conversation about life's transitions, this candid discussion offers wisdom wrapped in wit and delivered with unflinching honesty.Join the conversation and share your thoughts on military retirements, celebrity culture, and everything in between! Subscribe, follow, and catch the Unpopular Celebrities crew on their next adventure.
Hello everyone and welcome back to This Week in Guns, brought to you by Patriot Patch Company, FFLPayments, and MAF Corporation. This show offers commentary on the latest firearms industry news, information and buzz. I'm your host Matthew Larosiere and I'm joined by the ratman. Congressman tries to add bill amendment to increase NFA Tax Traditional Arms: Fuddbusters and Ratman Large mediocre law funds ammo production and scale-up It ND's today MAF Corp: Fudbdusterss Kim Rhode & CRPA beat CA's ammo background checks/fees at n9th's circus Nonviolent felons federal rights restoration proposed rule FFL Payments Proposed ATF Budget Cuts Thing that would be cool if it happened but will not happen proposed Patriot patch Co. TWIG10 Timestamps: 1:10 Proposed amendment to HR 3944 and quiet ammo revolution 5:49 Sponsor: Traditional Arms 7:39 Ammo pricing, supply issues, and Air Force M18 pistol update 17:45 Sponsor: MAF Corporation 18:19 Ninth Circuit ruling on California ammo law and its impact 24:46 Proposed rule to restore firearm rights 32:18 Sponsor: FFLPaymentProcessing.com 33:44 ATF budget cuts and the FIRE Act 43:28 Sponsor: Patriot Patch Company 44:26 Closing remarks and support information Key Points: California's ammunition background check law was struck down as unconstitutional, affirming that the right to keep and bear arms includes the right to procure ammunition. The Air Force has paused the use of the M18 pistol after an accidental discharge led to an airman's death, highlighting ongoing concerns about the safety of the SIG P320 series. A proposed federal rule aims to restore firearm rights to individuals previously precluded from possessing firearms, addressing a long-standing gap in the application of the Gun Control Act.
Epsiode 377 of the John1911 Podcast is now live: 300 tons of gravel later. The M18 kills USAF Airman. Trainers nationwide ban the P320. How the DOD can get out of the M17 Problem. Why the DOD won't. And what they always end up doing instead. Karken & Marky John1911.com "Shooting Guns & Having Fun"
A Maryland man who spent 32 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit sues former law enforcement officials after new evidence cleared his name and exposed misconduct by the lead prosecutor. An Air Force airman dies at a Wyoming base, prompting the military to suspend use of the M18 pistol amid growing concerns it can fire without a trigger pull. Drew Nelson reports.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Send us a textPeaches drops into the team room to roast the DoD's latest brainchild—the $175 billion Golden Dome missile defense program. Because nothing says “fiscal responsibility” like duct-taping old tech to new threats. From sketchy F-35 upgrades to AI-driven psyops and a pistol that just…goes off, this episode is a rollercoaster of bureaucratic brilliance and defense déjà vu. Oh, and shoutout to the DoD for finally noticing that maybe, just maybe, over-classifying everything isn't helping. Get ready for Space Force buzzwords, Air Force growing pains, and a masterclass in defense spending madness.
//The Wire//2300Z July 22, 2025////ROUTINE////BLUF: VIOLENCE CONTINUES IN SYRIA. MICROSOFT SOFTWARE VULNERABILITY RESULTS IN CYBERATTACKS ON SHAREPOINT USERS. AIRMAN KILLED DUE TO MALFUNCTIONING SERVICE PISTOL, INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY TO DETERMINE CAUSATION.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Middle East: The civil war in Syria continues as before, with various tribes continuing to consolidate gains in their respective areas. The Jolani government remains largely centered in Damascus, and most of the violence continues in Suwayda.Analyst Comment: Most western nations are still pretending that a ceasefire exists and is in effect, when in practice there is no such cessation of hostilities as tribal violence and random executions of civilians are becoming more common on all sides. An American citizen aligned with the Druze was executed a few days ago, drawing concerns of what the international response will be to the escalating violence throughout the region. So far, there hasn't been much interest from the international community to get involved in Syria again, with the exception of Israel and Turkey (who are the biggest external nationstates involved in the conflict so far). However, this is Syria and things happen quickly here.-HomeFront-USA: Microsoft has faced scrutiny for their response to a recent software vulnerability that was recently announced. Over the weekend Microsoft revealed the discovery of a critical vulnerability within the Sharepoint ecosystem, which was discovered after thousands of government and enterprise-level customers experienced significant cyberattacks (mostly from well-known Chinese hacking groups).Analyst Comment: This morning, it became known that this vulnerability was actually already known, and was identified by Trend Micro (a cybersecurity firm) which found the exploit back on July 8th during a hacking competition. Microsoft allegedly issued software fixes to patch the vulnerability, however a few days ago malign actors were observed utilizing the exploit anyway, confirming that Microsoft's efforts to patch this Sharepoint bug were ineffective.Washington D.C. - The Department of the Air Force has launched an investigation into the M18 service pistol following the death of a service member due to safety concerns. The US Air Force will cease all issuance of the M18 platform while the investigation is ongoing, following several other government agencies which have already halted the use of this weapon system due to safety concerns.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: For those who are not aware of the implications of the M18 scandal, this scandal has been building for some time and opinions are sharply divided. Sig Sauer has been the center of much controversy surrounding the P320 (the civilian designation of the M18 service pistol) after multiple reports emerged from owners regarding the pistol not being drop-safe. Most modern handguns incorporate some sort of "drop safety" into their design, which prevents the pistol from firing if the gun is dropped. After admitting there was a problem regarding the drop safety on early P320's, Sig issued a recall and allegedly fixed the issue. However, after some time, an entirely separate series of issues began to be reported, namely that in some cases, the pistol would discharge on it's own at random while holstered. When these reports came out, Sig Sauer did everything in their power to silence these concerns, and several Public Relations efforts were undertaken to shame and gaslight P320 owners into thinking that the problems were entirely the result of the end user and not a design flaw. However, despite the months of denial, problems remained.Several law enforcement agencies halted the use of the M18 a few months ago after very-well-documented cases confirmed that sometimes the M18 will fire a chambered round while hol
In this episode, you'll get to explore the fascinating connection between oral health and overall wellness with guests Cass Nelson-Dooley and Katherine Dahl. Cass explains how everyday habits, like using antimicrobial mouthwash, can disrupt beneficial bacteria and impact cardiovascular health, while Catherine shares her journey of overcoming gut and oral health challenges to founding SuperTeeth, a company focused on oral microbiome health. We’ll also discuss the oral microbiome's role in systemic health, the benefits of dental probiotics like Streptococcus salivarius M18, the debate between fluoride and hydroxyapatite in toothpaste, and much more! GetSuperTeeth.comIG - @getsuperteethUse code BENGREENFIELD to get 20% off sitewide If you've ever wondered about the smarter choices for your oral care routine, the role of essential oils, or why your dentist might be interested in your overall health, you won't want to miss this episode. Full Show Notes: bengreenfieldlife.com/superteethpodcast Episode Sponsors: Organifi Green Juice: Go to organifi.com/Ben for 20% off! Analemma: To experience the science-backed power of coherent water for yourself, visit analemma-water.com and use code BENG for 10% off! LVLUP Health: Head over to lvluphealth.com/BGL for a special discount on their game-changing range of products. Force of Nature: Unlock 20% off your order at Force of Nature! Use code BEN at checkout for premium, responsibly sourced meats. Minimum $189 purchase required. Shop now at forceofnature.com/discount/BEN. Just Thrive: For a limited time, you can save 20% off a 90 day bottle of Just Thrive Probiotic and Just Calm at justthrivehealth.com/ben with promo code: BEN That’s like getting a month for FREE! Take control today with Just Thrive!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.