Podcasts about RET

BV talk with Ret. USMC Col. William Dunn on the critical next few weeks in the conflict with Iran on News Radio KKOBSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Summary: Join Mitchell Institute fellows for an in-depth conversation to better understand the strategic, operational, and tactical factors surrounding Operation Epic Fury. Heather Penney leads an unrivaled set of experts for an important dialogue that will help make sense of the conflict—from Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Deptula explaining how to design an air campaign and Charles Galbreath exploring spacepower's contribution to the fight, to Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Houston Cantwell looking into the challenges involved with prosecuting high value targets and JV Venable discussing the realities of fighting an air war in the Middle East. This is an opportunity to better understand the ongoing operations that you won't want to miss. Credits: Host: Heather "Lucky" Penney, Director of Research, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Producer: Shane Thin Executive Producer: Douglas Birkey Guest: Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula, USAF (Ret.), Dean, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Guest: Brig. Gen. Houston Cantwell, USAF (Ret.), Senior Resident Fellow for Airpower Studies, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Guest: Douglas Birkey, Executive Director, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Guest: Charles Galbreath, Director and Senior Resident Fellow for Spacepower Studies, The Mitchell Institute Spacepower Advantage Center of Excellence Guest: John "JV" Venable, Senior Resident Fellow for Airpower Studies, The Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Links: Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/3GbA5Of Website: https://mitchellaerospacepower.org/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/MitchellStudies Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Mitchell.Institute.Aerospace LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3nzBisb Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mitchellstudies/ #MitchellStudies #AerospaceAdvantage #iran #middleeast #war

FULL STREAM### March 4: Operation Fury and Global Power Shifts (9)SEPTEMBER 1978 TEHRANHeadline: Operation Fury Decimates Iranian Defenses as Allies Watch Closely (10)Summary: By day five, "Operation Fury" has significantly degraded Iranian military capabilities, rendering Chinese and Russian-supplied missile defense systems ineffective. Victoria Coates reports that Iran is increasingly isolated, as Beijing and Moscow have declined requests for direct military help. China, while issuing statements about international law, is facing an energy squeeze as 25% of Gulf oil exports—much of which it relies on—are disrupted. General Blaine Holt discusses the "missile math" of the conflict, noting the asymmetry of $20,000 Iranian drones forcing the use of $4 million Patriot missiles, though massive US bombing campaigns have already serviced over 2,000 targets. Allied nations like Japan and Taiwan are closely monitoring the effectiveness of US missile defense technology for their own security templates. Meanwhile, the US Senatedebates war powers as the air campaign is expected to continue for several weeks. (11)Guest(s): Victoria Coates (Heritage Foundation), Gordon Chang(Author), General Blaine Holt (USAF, Ret.), Steve Yates (Heritage Foundation). (12)

“We engage … and encourage more thinking, more ideas, more innovation.” - Tony HernandezThank you for tuning in to The CUInsight Network, with your host, Robbie Young, Vice President of Strategic Growth at CUInsight. In The CUInsight Network, we take a deeper dive with the thought leaders who support the credit union community. We discuss issues and challenges facing credit unions and identify best practices to learn and grow together.My guests on today's show are Anthony “Tony” Hernandez, President and CEO of the Defense Credit Union Council and a retired U.S. Air Force Colonel, along with Maggie Sayer, President and CEO of Keys Federal Credit Union and DCUC Board Chair. They join me for this episode of the podcast to discuss CU Unplugged! CU Unplugged is not your standard conference with a ballroom, a rigid agenda, and politely timed applause. CU Unplugged is intentionally unstructured without keynote headliners or prepackaged talking points. As Tony puts it, the attendees are the agenda.In our conversation, we cover why collaboration is the credit union movement's superpower and why traditional formats don't always give that superpower room to work. Maggie shares why the open-to-all approach matters so much to her, especially coming from an IT background before becoming a CEO. With facilitators guiding so many outcomes and, of course, AI capturing key discussions, CU Unplugged isn't just talk; it's truly a launchpad in that insights from this event will directly shape breakout sessions at DCUC's annual conference!As we wrap up the episode, we also get into timely issues such as, again, AI, crypto, governance, and what “AI” even means in practice. The smaller, intentionally designed setting of CU Unplugged creates space for honest questions and renewed curiosity! By the end of our conversation, one theme absolutely stands out: energy - energy, confidence, and the motivation to not just absorb ideas but to also carry them back, share them, and lead with them! Enjoy my conversation with Tony and Maggie!Find the full show notes on cuinsight.com.Connect with Anthony:Anthony R. Hernandez, President & C.E.O. of Defense Credit Union Council; Ret. USAF Coloneldcuc.org Anthony: LinkedInDCUC: LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTubeConnect with Maggie:Maggie Sayer, President & C.E.O. of Keys Federal Credit Union; DCUC Board Chair; Navy / Coast Guard Representativekeysfcu.org Maggie: LinkedInKFCU: LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | X | YouTube

THE MILITARY PARTNERSHIPS FUELING EPIC FURY---FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer hosts a special SITREP featuring FDD experts Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus and Bradley Bowman. They examine the U.S.-Israel military synchronization powering Operation Epic Fury as it unfolds.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

Former CIA Director Gen. (Ret'd) David Petraeus; Alberta Premier Danielle Smith; The Front Bench with Sabrina Grover, Melanie Paradis, Karl Bélanger and Marie Vastel; NDP leadership candidate Avi Lewis.

In Episode 8 of Space Revolution, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Steven L. Kwast shifts from theory to practicality, explaining how the future space economy will actually be built. Using a visual walkthrough of the SpaceBilt concept, Kwast breaks down the logistics of constructing satellites and infrastructure directly in space using modular “LEGO-style” components, robotic assembly, and reusable launch systems pioneered by companies like SpaceX. Instead of fragile satellites built on Earth and launched fully assembled, this model sends modular parts into orbit where robotic factories construct satellites in a single day. The approach dramatically lowers costs, allows refueling and repairs in orbit, and enables satellites to be reconfigured or upgraded instead of becoming space junk. Kwast also explores how maneuverable satellites, modular payloads, and AI-assisted robotics could transform everything from lunar monitoring to space debris recycling. These systems could create an entirely new commercial marketplace in space where companies rent payload space, swap technologies as innovation advances, and build massive structures through modular assembly lines. The episode closes by emphasizing that leadership in space will shape the rules of the next economic frontier, making innovation, security, and responsible stewardship critical as humanity expands beyond Earth.

Over the past 5 days, the war in Iran has been confusing. The air space in the region has been clogged with fighter jets, drones, and missiles. The objective has evolved. Joining us on this episode to put it into perspective are Alireza Jafarzadeh, deputy director of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, and Ret. General Ben Hodges, former Commander of US Army Europe, See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Host Ken Miller is first joined by USAF Col. (Ret.) Jeffrey Fischer, author and now CEO of Fischer Aerospace, to discuss the breaking news of the US and Israel's attack on Iran and what it could mean for the region. Then, Ken sits down with Dean Cheng, a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies and Non-Resident Fellow at the George Washington University Space Policy Institute. They take a deep dive into the modernization of China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) and the evolving security dynamics across the Indo-Pacific, with a focus on China's pursuit of information dominance. The conversation explores how the PLA is adapting its doctrine and capabilities in the EMS, and what that means for the US and its allies.We invite you to share your thoughts, questions, or suggestions for future episodes by emailing host Ken Miller at host@fromthecrowsnest.org or visit us on our Instagram @fromthecrowsnestpodcast.To learn more about today's topics or to stay updated on EMSO and EW developments, visit our homepage.

The Hoover Institution's Project on Taiwan in the Indo-Pacific Region held a public session on Resilient Realists: How Taiwan Navigates Its Future in a Turbulent World on March 2, 2026 from 1:00-2:30 PM PT. Since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical competition between the United States and the People's Republic of China (PRC) has rapidly intensified, and the global order has faced growing strains. Through it all, Taiwan has remained remarkably resilient. In the face of relentless diplomatic, economic, and military pressure from Beijing, Taiwan's leaders have leveraged the island's critical role in global technology supply chains, its reputation as a robust liberal democracy, and its strategic position in the Indo-Pacific to deepen engagement with key world powers. As many Americans question core assumptions of the post-Cold War global order, the PRC's military power continues to grow, and the world stands on the cusp of a technological revolution in artificial intelligence, can Taiwan continue to navigate so deftly through turbulent geopolitical waters? To address these topics, the Project on Taiwan in the Indo-Pacific Region at the Hoover Institution held a fireside chat featuring Dr. Hung-mao Tien, President of the Institute for National Policy Research (INPR) in Taipei and a former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Dr. Tien joined in conversation by Adm. (Ret.) James O. Ellis, the Annenberg Distinguished Visiting Fellow, and Dr. Larry Diamond, the William L. Clayton Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution.   ABOUT THE SPEAKERS Dr. Hung-mao Tien is the President and Chairman of the Institute for National Policy Research in Taipei, and board member of several foundations and business corporations in Taiwan. He also serves as a Senior Advisor to the President of the Republic of China (Taiwan). From 2000-2002, he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs. He also served as the chairman of the Straits Exchange Foundation, the semi-official body in Taiwan responsible for direct exchanges and dialogue with the People's Republic of China, Representative (ambassador) to the United Kingdom, and presidential advisor to former President Lee Teng-hui. He has also served in an advisory capacity to Harvard University's Asia Center, The Asia Society in New York, and the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C.  Dr. Tien has taught in universities in both the US and Taiwan as professor of political science.  His numerous publications in English (author, editor and co-editor) include: Government and Politics in Kuomintang China 1927-37 (Stanford University Press); The Great Transition: Social and Political Change in the Republic of China (Stanford: Hoover Institution Press); and Democratization in Taiwan, Implications for China (St. Anthony's Series, Oxford University), Consolidating the Third Wave Democracies, Themes and Perspectives (Baltimore and London: The Johns Hopkins University Press), China Under Jiang Zemin (Rienner), and The Security Environment in the Asia-Pacific (M.E. Sharpe). He received his Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Larry Diamond is the William L. Clayton Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, the Mosbacher Senior Fellow in Global Democracy at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI), and a Bass University Fellow in Undergraduate Education at Stanford University. He is also professor by courtesy of political science and sociology at Stanford, where he lectures and teaches courses on democracy (including an online course on EdX). At Hoover, he co-leads the Project on Taiwan in the Indo-Pacific Region and participates in the Program on the US, China, and the World. At FSI, he is among the core faculty of the Center on Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law, which he directed for six and a half years. He leads FSI's Israel Studies Program and is a member of the Program on Arab Reform and Development. He also co-leads the Global Digital Policy Incubator, based at FSI's Cyber Policy Center. He served for thirty-two years as founding coeditor of the Journal of Democracy. Diamond's research focuses on global trends affecting freedom and democracy and on US and international policies to defend and advance democracy. His book Ill Winds: Saving Democracy from Russian Rage, Chinese Ambition, and American Complacency (2019; paperback ed. 2020) analyzes the challenges confronting liberal democracy in the United States and around the world and offers an agenda for strengthening and defending democracy at home and abroad. His other books include In Search of Democracy (2016), The Spirit of Democracy (2008), Developing Democracy: Toward Consolidation (1999), Promoting Democracy in the 1990s (1995), and Class, Ethnicity, and Democracy in Nigeria (1989). He has edited or coedited more than fifty books, including China's Influence and American Interests (2019, with Orville Schell), Silicon Triangle: The United States, Taiwan, China, and Global Semiconductor Security (2023, with James O. Ellis Jr. and Orville Schell), and The Troubling State of India's Democracy (2024, with Šumit Ganguly and Dinsha Mistree). Admiral James O. Ellis Jr. is Annenberg Distinguished Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution, where he oversees both the Global Policy and Strategy Initiative and the George P. Shultz Energy Policy Working Group. He retired from a 39-year career with the US Navy in 2004. He has also served in the private and nonprofit sectors in areas of energy and nuclear security. A 1969 graduate of the US Naval Academy, Ellis was designated a naval aviator in 1971. His service as a navy fighter pilot included tours with two carrier-based fighter squadrons and assignment as commanding officer of an F/A-18 strike fighter squadron. In 1991, he assumed command of the USS Abraham Lincoln, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. After selection to rear admiral, in 1996, he served as a carrier battle group commander, leading contingency response operations in the Taiwan Strait. His shore assignments included numerous senior military staff tours. Senior command positions included commander in chief, US Naval Forces, Europe, and commander in chief, Allied Forces, Southern Europe, during a time of historic NATO expansion. He led US and NATO forces in combat and humanitarian operations during the 1999 Kosovo crisis. Ellis's final assignment in the navy was as commander of the US Strategic Command during a time of challenge and change. In this role, he was responsible for the global command and control of US strategic and space forces, reporting directly to the secretary of defense.

William Hans Schmidt, Capt. (Ret.), served in Canadian Armed Forces, contributing to Canada's national defense through military service and leadership. During his career, Schmidt was involved in operational readiness, discipline, and the professional standards expected of Canadian military personnel. As a retired officer, his background reflects the traditions of service, duty, and commitment that define Canada's armed forces and their role in safeguarding national security, supporting allied operations, and assisting in humanitarian and domestic missions.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-x-zone-radio-tv-show--1078348/support.Please note that all XZBN radio and/or television shows are Copyright © REL-MAR McConnell Meda Company, Niagara, Ontario, Canada – www.rel-mar.com. For more Episodes of this show and all shows produced, broadcasted and syndicated from REL-MAR McConell Media Company and The 'X' Zone Broadcast Network and the 'X' Zone TV Channell, visit www.xzbn.net. For programming, distribution, and syndication inquiries, email programming@xzbn.net.We are proud to announce the we have launched TWATNews.com, launched in August 2025.TWATNews.com is an independent online news platform dedicated to uncovering the truth about Donald Trump and his ongoing influence in politics, business, and society. Unlike mainstream outlets that often sanitize, soften, or ignore stories that challenge Trump and his allies, TWATNews digs deeper to deliver hard-hitting articles, investigative features, and sharp commentary that mainstream media won't touch.These are stories and articles that you will not read anywhere else.Our mission is simple: to expose corruption, lies, and authoritarian tendencies while giving voice to the perspectives and evidence that are often marginalized or buried by corporate-controlled media

In this conversation, Mayur Mistry interviews Jameson Hartman, Vice President of RET Ventures, discussing his career journey, the operations of RET Ventures, and the current landscape of venture capital in construction and real estate technology. Jameson shares insights on the challenges and opportunities in the industry, the importance of data organization for startups, and advice for aspiring founders and venture capitalists. The discussion also touches on the impact of AI on deal flow and due diligence, as well as the need for technology solutions that enhance the resident experience in real estate.   Takeaways   Jameson Hartman tripped into investment banking at Goldman Sachs. RET Ventures focuses on strategic investments in real estate tech. The fund typically invests in Series A companies with product market fit. A week at RET involves supporting portfolio companies and finding new investments. AI has increased the number of startups but also the complexity of due diligence. Seamless technology solutions are needed in the real estate rental process. Construction tech presents significant opportunities for disruption. Founders should focus on the user experience, not just the decision-makers. Organized data and clear value propositions are crucial for startups. Long-term relationships with clients are more valuable than short-term sales.   Chapters   00:00 Introduction to Jameson Hartman and RET Ventures 01:28 Career Journey and Highlights 03:05 A Week in the Life at RET Ventures 05:05 Navigating the AI Bubble in Venture Capital 07:29 Technology Solutions for Real Estate Challenges 09:28 Opportunities for Disruption in Construction Tech 10:43 Identifying Oversaturated Markets in PropTech 13:22 Advice for Early Stage Founders 16:33 Lessons from Founders' Mistakes 18:48 Advice for Aspiring Venture Capitalists 21:25 Rapid Fire Round and Closing Thoughts  

Hugh has the experts. He's joined by Senate Intel Chairman Tom Cotton, Rear Adm. Mark C. Montgomery (USN, Ret.), N12 News' Amit Segal, Eli Lake of The Free Press, AEI senior fellow Danielle Pletka, FDD's Richard Goldberg, Bethany Mandel, and Salena Zito.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does courage look like under fire? In captivity? In command? In service? This edition of Long Blue Leadership was recorded on location at the U.S. Air Force Academy's 33rd National Character and Leadership Symposium. We've explored these questions with our guests and captured the conversations for you. Ted Robertson, Multimedia and Podcast Specialist for the Air Force Academy Association and Foundation, hosts this special episode featuring voices shaped by combat, crises and lifelong service. Their message to cadets is clear: Leadership is earned through character, and character is forged in hard moments. - Seg. 1: Lt. Col. Mark George and C1C Jaime Snyder, officer and NCLS cadet director, respectively, set the stage for this year's NCLS and for the podcast. - Seg. 2: Senior Master Sgt. (Ret.) Israel "DT" Del Toro on courage in times of crisis. - Seg. 3: Task Force Hope developer and facilitator Maj. Tara Holmes on preparing future leaders to handle crisis before it happens. - Seg. 4: Former POW Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Edward Mechenbier '64, on leading in circumstances out of your control. - Seg. 5: Annapolis grad and Vietnam-era aviator, Capt. (Ret.) J. Charles Plumb on how character breeds courage. All of our guest's lives and careers reflect the reality of this year's theme through combat, crisis and service.     CONNECT WITH THE LONG BLUE LINE PODCAST NETWORK TEAM Ted Robertson | Producer and Editor:  Ted.Robertson@USAFA.org Send your feedback or nominate a guest: socialmedia@usafa.org   Ryan Hall | Director:  Ryan.Hall@USAFA.org  Bryan Grossman | Copy Editor:  Bryan.Grossman@USAFA.org Wyatt Hornsby | Executive Producer:  Wyatt.Hornsby@USAFA.org      ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS     FULL TRANSCRIPT OUR SPEAKERS:  - Host, Ted Robertson, Multimedia and Podcast Specialist, United States Air Force Academy Association and Foundation  - Seg. 1: C1C Jaime Snyder, NCLS Cadet Director; Lt. Col. Mark George, NCLS Officer  - Seg. 2: Senior Master Sargent Israel Del Toro  - Seg. 3: Maj. Tara Holmes, Task Force Hope  - Seg. 4: Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Edward Mechenbier '64  - Seg. 5: Capt. (Ret.) J. Charles Plumb   Ted Robertson 0:00 Welcome to Long Blue Line Podcast Network coverage of the 33rd annual National Character and Leadership Symposium. I'm Ted Robertson, multimedia and podcast specialist for the Air Force Academy Association & Foundation, coming to you from Polaris Hall located here at the United States Air Force Academy. This year's symposium centers on the theme Courage to Lead in the Profession of Arms: Combat and Crisis-tested Character, where attendees and cadets will explore how courage in all its forms shapes leaders when uncertainty, fear and consequence are real. Our coverage will start with the Center for Character and Leadership Development's Lt. Col. Mark George and NCLS director, Cadet 1st Class Jaime Snyder. They'll set the stage not only for NCLS, but for today's coverage. Then we'll talk with four key leaders speaking at the symposium, including Senior Master Sgt. (Ret.) Israel Del Torro on keeping courageous during times of crisis. We'll also talk with Task Force Hope developer and facilitator, Maj. Tara Holmes, on preparing leaders to handle crisis before it happens. Then, former POW, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Edward Mechenbier, USAFA Class of '64, on leading in circumstances out of your control. And finally, Annapolis grad and Vietnam-era aviator, Capt. (Ret.) J. Charles Plumb, on how character breeds courage. All of our guests' lives and careers reflect the reality of this year's theme through combat, crisis and service. So I want to bring in our first two guests to help, as I said, frame the discussion today. We're going to dig in to learn what this is all about and sort of the “why” behind it. Cadet Jaime Snyder, 2026 NCLS director. Cadet Snyder, you've helped lead the organizing of the National Character and Leadership Symposium — 33rd year for this, as you know, and part of that work, you've trained cadets and permanent party. I'm going to ask you to explain permanent party, all of which helps strengthen your own public speaking and leadership communication skills. You want to kind of expound on that a bit? C1C Jaime Snyder 2:20 Yes, sir. So a part of my role being in NCLS is to, one, provide the guidance, the support and resources on the cadet side to succeed. But what really makes NCLS special is that we integrate permanent party with cadets. So oftentimes me, in supporting and training permanent party, is giving them cadet perspective, because while they're over here and the Center for Character and Leadership Development, we're over there in the Cadet Wing, and I can be the mediator between both parties. Ted Robertson 2:46 Let's talk a little bit about permanent party. What does that term mean? Who does that describe? C1C Jaime Snyder 2:52 Oh yes. Permanent party describes the civilian and military faculty that works in the Center for Character and Leadership Development that assists with the execution of NCLS — the National Character and Leadership Symposium. Ted Robertson 3:05 How big is the team behind this event every year? C1C Jaime Snyder 3:08 It's kind of complex where we'll get search cadets. We'll get a large number of volunteers, approximately around 300 from the Cadet Wing. Internal staff consists of 50 cadets who work it throughout the entire year, and around 50 staff members who are permanent party who work in the Center for Character and Leadership Development. Ted Robertson 3:29 I want to bring in next Lt. Col. Mark George, who is the experiential and training division chief and NCLS program director, the very fortunate man that gets to work for some incredibly talented cadets. Col. Mark George 3:43 That is absolutely true. Thanks to for having us on. Cadet Snyder has done an outstanding job leading this team. I came into this a little bit late. You know, we've had some reorganization here at the Academy, and after some shuffling, I got the honor and the privilege to take over NCLS while the planning was well underway. So my job was to just make sure this train kept rolling, that people had the resources that they needed, the top cover they needed. And as Jamie said, he was training me as a permanent party member to make sure that I had the cadet perspective. And then, you know, we were moving this ball forward as we got to this event. Ted Robertson 4:23 So coming up in the podcast we'll get to the sort of “why” and what's at the core of NCLS. Colonel, let's start with you. What is National Character and Leadership Symposium designed to do for cadets?   Col. Mark George 4:38 Sure. The National Character and Leadership Symposium — NCLS — is designed to bring exemplars that embody the core values and the traits that we want cadets to have when they become leaders on Day 1 and inspire them to a lifetime of service.   Ted Robertson 4:57 Cadet Snyder?   C1C Jaime Snyder 4:59 We definitely see at USAFA, there is a clear correlation with NCLS and character development. One thing we want cadets to get out of NCLS is to further develop leaders of character who are going to join the fight in the Air Force and Space Force, and that's why I see the epitome of NCLS as it's an opportunity to hear people's perspectives as well as learn from it and apply it to their daily lives. Ted Robertson 5:24 Gentlemen, this year's theme focuses on the courage to lead in the profession of arms. Cadet Snyder, we'll start with you. How did that theme come together, and why is it especially relevant for cadets right now? C1C Jaime Snyder 5:40 With our current structure at USAFA, we've had some implement of change. We recognize that the future war conflict is more prevalent than ever, and that it's important for the cadets to understand that we're changing the way we approach training, as well as what we're learning in curriculum. So this NCLS was an incredible opportunity to discuss courage when leading in the profession of arms, but furthermore, courage and crises-tested character. Which is what we're trying to further push along with what we do in training as well as what we teach in leadership. Ted Robertson 6:15 You make good decisions when your character is strong. You make those decisions with integrity when your character is intact and it's strong. Would you agree with that, Colonel? Col. Mark George 6:25 Absolutely. And I think Cadet Snyder hit the nail on the head that we really want the cadets to understand that the environments that they're stepping into are going to require that courage to do hard things. In my day, like we didn't necessarily think about the fight in that way. You know, we were kind of stovepiped in. And these cadets, whatever environment they may be stepping into, the next conflict is going to require a lot, a high demand of them, and their character is their foundation for that. Ted Robertson 6:59 One of the things you can say about this event is that it brings together voices from combat, crisis, athletics, academia and industry. How intentional is that mix, Cadet Snyder, and what do cadets gain from hearing such different perspectives on leadership and character? C1C Jaime Snyder 7:18 I think by hearing different perspectives, you get to see how universal courage is. When we say courage, it's not just one thing, it's also moral, social, spiritual. And by looking at different versions of courage, you can understand that there's different ways to actually apply courage. Understanding that courage is not the absence of fear, also knowing that courage is not simply being a confident individual. That it's more complex than you may define courage, and so you can then apply it that way — by looking at different perspectives. Ted Robertson 7:53 Colonel, I'll address this one to you as well. Col. Mark George 7:56 Sure. Courage — we're talking about courage here, and there's a heavy focus on the combat side with this year's speakers. The thing that sticks out to me is that courage always involves a decision to do the hard thing. And that's what all of our speakers brought this year. They're showing how in different environments, whether it's in a prison cell in Hanoi or up on the Space Station or — there's a hard decision and the right thing is sometimes pretty obvious, but it doesn't mean it's easy. It does not mean it's easy to do. And so courage always involves a decision to do the right thing. Ted Robertson 8:39 Cadet Snyder? C1C Jaime Snyder 8:40 What he said I find to be very true — understanding that courage is not simply doing something physical, but also in a leadership role, especially — we're talking to cadets who are going to soon be commissioned officers. It's important to know that you need to make the right decision on and off the battlefield. Ted Robertson 8:58 So from your perspective as a cadet — and this one is just for you, Cadet Snyder — what does it mean to help shape an event like NCLS while you're still developing as a leader yourself? C1C Jaime Snyder 9:10 What I've seen through NCLS is taking the time to relax. Don't focus on the future and focus where you're at right now, and that's character development. So don't let the pursuit of tomorrow diminish the joy today. We all have this aspiration to graduate, throw our hats in the air, Thunderbirds fly over. But right now it's important to focus on character development as that's going to be important as future officers. Ted Robertson 9:35 That makes 1,000% very clear sense. But I do want to ask you, less than 100 days from the day you toss your hat — you're giving me a big smile right now — talk about how that feels right now for you. C1C Jaime Snyder 9:47 It's incredible, and a part of it is less daunting, because I can say this institution has really prepared me to commission, and so it's more liberating than daunting for me. Ted Robertson 9:58 Col. George, I'm going to direct this one straight to you, and this is an ask of you from the leadership perspective: How do we events Like NCLS fit into the broader effort to intentionally develop leaders of character here at the Academy. Col. Mark George 10:14 So I get the honor of leading the experiential and training division in the Center for Character and Leadership Development. So we're all about creating experiences and those opportunities for cadets to have different types of environments where they'll learn about character. And right now, NCLS is an opportunity to listen to where people's character was tested, how they overcame it. And then we also have different events that we try to put the cadets in where we'll actually test their character. And that could be on the challenge tower, it could be through our character labs where we're having discussions. NCLS is a huge part of that, because the planning cycle is so long. Ted Robertson 10:59 Cadet Snyder? C1C Jaime Snyder 11:00 Yes, sir. One thing I wanted to add on to that is with NCLS, one thing that makes this event the most unique experience that I've had is the fact that we get to engage in meaningful dialog. This isn't a brief. This is an experience for everyone who attends. I've had the opportunity to talk to Col. George's son, who aspires to possibly come to the Air Force Academy. So I don't want to say this is just for cadets, but it's also a promotion tool. And understand that what we do at NCLS is very important. And anyone who wants to attend can come and see what we're doing and how important it is.   Col. Mark George 11:33 I want to thank you for that, by the way. He looks up to you, and that meant a lot.   Ted Robertson 11:37 That's pretty visionary stuff. That's touching the next generation. That's fantastic. All right, this is for you both. When cadets look back on NCLS years from now, what do you hope they're going to remember feeling or being challenged to do differently?   C1C Jaime Snyder 11:56 There is a very strong human component to NCLS, and with that, there's a human experience. Understanding that we're getting speakers and we'll see their bios that they're incredible. They have incredible stories of making the right decision when tensions were high, and getting to hear their stories and understand that they ultimately were no different than we are. Some of them were Air Force Academy graduates. Some graduated from the Naval Academy, West Point, other colleges, but they were young, 20-year-old people like we were as cadets. And so getting to understand where they're coming from, human experience is vital to NCLS, and how do we grow and understand where they're coming from? Ted Robertson 12:38 Col. George? Col. Mark George 12:39 Yeah, I think what I would want the cadets to remember is how these speakers made them feel. You're right, you won't remember every nugget of wisdom that was said. I just had the opportunity to talk with Gen. Scott Miller, and he was an incredible leader. And I feel like everything he was saying was gold. I wish I'd been able to write it down. But he really makes you feel like you understand just how important your role is going to be as a young leader. And when you come away as second lieutenants from this place, you've had incredible opportunities and now you're stepping out in the real world. I would think I want the cadets to remember that like, “Hey, what I do matters, and how I lead is very important to getting this mission done.”   Ted Robertson 13:24 Lt. Col. Mark George and C1C Jaime Snyder, officer and cadet in charge of the 33rd NCLS. Congratulations on the event. Well done, and thank you for spending time here with us on the podcast today. Hearing from both the cadet perspective and the senior leadership behind NCLS makes one thing very clear: This symposium is intentionally designed not just to inspire but to prepare future leaders for moments when character will be tested. And that brings me to my first featured guest, a man whose life story embodies what combat and crisis-tested character truly means. Israel “DT” Del Toro, welcome to the podcast. It's an honor to be with you here at the National Character and Leadership Symposium. Senior Master Sgt. (Ret.) Israel Del Toro 14:18 Thank you, Ted. Thanks for having me. Good to see you again.   Ted Robertson 14:21 Yes, it's not the first time we've gotten to spend some time together. Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 14:24 It's always great to talk to people, try and spread the word of the whole spark and the promise of my dad. Ted Robertson 14:30 The spark and the promises are the two things that really stood out to me about that interview — your heart and your soul man, from a very, very early age. Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 14:39 You know, losing my dad at 12, and then a year and a half later, losing my mom to a drunk driver, and being the oldest, you know, having to now kind of step up to be, like, the parent figure to my younger siblings. It was challenging.   Ted Robertson 14:55 Out of all of that, you wound up as a retired — you are currently a retired senior master sergeant. You took responsibility for your siblings, as you say, after you were orphaned as a teenager, and ultimately in the service combat-wounded airmen, and you survived catastrophic injuries against incredible odds, and that did not keep you down. One of the things that you did was you became an Invictus Games gold medalist. You're now a national speaker, and you talk a lot about resilience and purpose.   Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 15:27 Yes, sir. Yeah, Invictus, I won gold in shot put. It was pretty awesome. You know, everyone was just going nuts. Ted Robertson 15:37 You kind of make me feel like that was a soul-feeding, motivating time for you.   Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 15:42 It was. At that time, I was probably one of the senior guys, kind of. Obviously, I was one of the senior guys, wounded guys on the team, and so a lot of people looked up to me. And sometimes I wish — people would say, “Man, it's great. You're such trailblazer.” You're sometimes like, “Man, I just want to be one of the guys. I just, I just want to be No. 10.” You know, everything's all done, and no one's focusing everything on me. But it's a burden that I'm willing to carry on to try and continue to help people.   Ted Robertson 16:19 I want to linger here in your background a bit, because it's more than just impressive. I think impressive is pretty trite to describe what your background is. Let's start with before the Air Force and before combat, and just how your life demanded responsibility at such a young age. And what I want to ask is, how did stepping up for your family shape the leader that you became? Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 16:40 Well, I contribute that totally to my dad. I truly do. My dad was there. My dad, you know, I went everywhere with my dad. My dad — you know, he came from Mexico to this country, and he gave up a lot. You know, my family in Mexico is very wealthy, their ranchers and all that. He came here with nothing. And he always used to tell me, he's like, “Don't ever be envious of someone that's successful. Learn from them. Ask them questions.” He also used to tell me, “If you don't succeed, it's no one else's fault by yourself. Don't blame where you came from, where you grew up from, the situation. It is only your fault.” So my dad always had told me these little lessons and obviously the last lesson he gave me the night before he passed: Always take care of your family. And that just stayed with me, that kind of continued to shape me all throughout my life, all through my journey, at a young age to teenager to young adult to the military and to now, to this day, that really guided me to who I am. Now, it's like, I always hear people say, “Oh, man, I don't know if I can do it.” I was like, “Yeah, you can. You Just never know. You weren't ever put in that situation” I always believe — you always hear the fight or flight. “What are you gonna do?” I just fight, and I continue to fight. I just don't see the flight in me. And, you know, being the promise of take care of your family. Yes, I tell people, that originated with my family — my brothers and sisters. But throughout time it has evolved to now anyone I see that's having a hard time that needs maybe to hear a story or read a book or hear a journey to help them find that spark, because I see them now as my family. I see that as my family, as my mission now.   Ted Robertson 18:50 Let's stay with spark for a minute. It's just one of my favorite things that you've ever talked about. You're down, you've been badly burned, you're worried about whether you're going to survive, and a medic is helping you out, and he does something for you. He says something to you.   Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 19:07 Yeah, you know, the medic — I always like to say, you know, yes, I'm Air Force. Those guys were Army, and we bust each other's chops. But, we're all brothers and sisters, and we're down range, you know? We take care of each other, we tell stories, we talk about our family. So these guys knew what had happened in my past with my family. So when I'm, you know, laying there, after I coordinate getting air, and I started the adrenaline going down, I started getting scared. I was having a hard time breathing, and I just wanted to lay down and sleep. The medic came and reminded me, “DT, remember what you promised your son, that you'll never let him grow without his dad. Fight for your son. You got to fight for your son.” And he's just making me yell it. You use anything you can to keep your guy motivated, to help that spark go, keep going. And that's what he did. He found that spark to keep me going, to keep me fighting until that medevac came and to get me on that helicopter, to the FOB, to the hospital, and then to eventually San Antonio. Ted Robertson 20:24 After that injury, that's when the fight shifted. You had to get off the battlefield. You had to get that out of your head. You had to start battling for your recovery. So what did courage look like when progress seemed like it was slow and at one point nothing was guaranteed? Israel Del Toro 20:46 Yeah, it, you know, when he had a shift from now being on the battlefield to now a different kind of battle and your recovery, your way of life — it's difficult because you have people telling you this is what your life's going to be. You know, being told that you're never going to walk again. You got to be in a hospital for another year and a half, respirator for the rest of your life and your military career is pretty much over. You know, I like to say there's two choices again: Who you're going to be? Are you going to take the easy path, which is, I'm going to sit in a chair, accept what they say, hate life, you know, curse the world. Are you going to take the hard path where I want to fight? I'm going to show you I can do this. I'm going to prove that I still have value, and I want to come out of this ahead and show not only my son but the rest of the world. You stay positive, you find that spark, you will come out ahead. Ted Robertson 21:48 All right, last question on your background, because we're going to roll all this into why you're here and what messages you want to share with the cadets and the attendees that are here. You did something I don't think most human beings would even think about after that ordeal that you had been through all those years, everything. You reenlisted, and it wasn't just a medical milestone. It wasn't because you could, it was a conscious decision. So what internal commitment had to come first for you to make that decision. Israel Del Toro 22:22 You know, I guess it was, for me it was I loved my job. I knew I could teach, I could be prepare these next guys to [be] the next generation operators. Ted Robertson 22:38 You've never stopped being committed. You've never stopped. So it brings you to NCLS. This is the 33rd year for NCLS, and when you speak to cadets here, what message do you want them to take away with them? Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 22:53 I guess my message more is about that when you're in the military, no matter whatever happens to you, you still have a role to play. Even when I got hurt, did I miss being with my teammates? Yes, but now refocusing, OK, I'm here in this hospital, and I see all these wounded guys here as I guess I'm wounded also, but in my head is like I was still NCO in the Air Force. I still have a job to do. Yes, I'm hurt, I'm wounded, but the job of a leader is, no matter where you're at, is you try and take care of your troops. You try and make things better for them, even if you never see any of the benefits — that is your role. And so that's kind of what I want to leave with these guys that, you know, you're going to always have  challenges throughout your career, but you've always got to remember it's not about you, it's about the guys under you to take care of you. You know, I had a group of cadets yesterday and they were just asking me about leadership. So you know what? The best way to be a great leader is to earn the respect of yourtroops. If you demand it, you're not a leader, but when you earned the respect and they'll die for you, that is the greatest feeling. You know, I gave an example of one of the best moments I had after my injury, is after I got hurt, they sent my replacement, and he comes in and obviously introduce him to the scout team, to the Army company, individuals in leadership, and then the SF team, and all these guys I'm supporting. And the guy comes in like, “Hey, I'm here to replace DT.” And all of them, “You can't replace DT.” And I told that was the best moment that that's the best moment of respect, because I had Army guys saying, “He's our guy.” And that's the thing I told them, it's like, when you get to that moment when your guys say, “Nah, he's our guy,” I was like, “He can't replace him.” That is where you've truly earned the respect of your troops.   Ted Robertson 25:21 Israel, the only word that I can pull out of myself right now for your journey to describe it as “remarkable,” and you continue to give of yourself, and that's a wonderful thing. Your opportunity for a couple of final thoughts here, before we close out.   Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 25:38 Final thoughts, man, putting me on the spot, aren't you. I guess my final thoughts would be, you can't do it on your own. I'm not here right now, because I did it my own. I did it. I'm never gonna say that I did. I had friends, I had family, I had my wife that were by my side all throughout my journey to medical individuals. And I had those dark times, and I'm going down that spot, that rabbit hole, they were there to pull me out of it. So I think it's like, you know, don't try and do it on your own. We all need help. You know, the goal is, don't be prideful. There's a reason pride is one of the seven deadly sins. But, you know, ask for help, ask for advice. It's not going to hurt you. If anything, it will make you stronger and better. That's parting thoughts for the individuals listening to this. Ted Robertson 26:53 Perfect. Israel “DT” Del Toro, what a privilege to sit with you again. Want to say thank you from all of us for your service and continuing to lead by the example, which is a very rich and broad and deep example. Your story reminds us, and should remind us, that courage doesn't end with just survival. It always continues in service to others. Israel, thank you for being here.   Senior Master Sgt. Israel Del Toro 27:18 Thanks, Ted. I appreciate it. Thanks for having me again.   Ted Robertson 27:21 Israel's story reminds us that crisis and moral injury don't always arrive on a schedule, and that leaders are often expected to navigate those moments without ever having been taught how. That's where our next conversation takes us: into the intentional work of preparing leaders before crisis arrives. Maj. Tara Holmes, welcome to the podcast. It's great to have you with us as part of the National Character and Leadership Symposium.   Maj. Tara Holmes  27:46 Thanks for having me; glad to be here.   Ted Robertson 27:48 You are currently deputy chief of staff here at Headquarters USAFA. You are formerly chief of cadet development for CCLD, the Center for Character and Leadership development. By way of background, you flew.   Maj. Tara Holmes  28:01 So I am a B-52 electronic warfare officer by trade, and then moved over into white jets. So instructed in the in the T-1 and I've kind of been in education and training for, I'd say, since about 2017.   Ted Robertson  28:19 You also hold a Doctorate in Business and Management, and you are an AETC master instructor. I will let you explain AETC.   Maj. Tara Holmes  28:27 Air Education Training Command, that's one of the that's our majcom that's responsible for education and training, and they have a pathway to become a master instructor. So I finished the qualifications for that while I was in white jets and working over at Squadron Officer School.   Ted Robertson  28:46 So let's talk about your work with Task Force Hope. We'll talk about what Task Force Hope is, but you are and have been a developer and facilitator of Task Force Hope, which is a crisis and moral injury leadership workshop.   Maj. Tara Holmes  29:01 Task Force Hope is about providing immediately useful tools to our workshop participants to prepare them to lead through crisis, whether that is no-kidding combat related, or whether that's crisis on the home front, going through stuff in life that's really hard. We work through a series of key concepts and exercises, through storytelling and participant engagement that hopefully provides our participants some self-awareness and some tools to recover as it deals with their relationships.   Ted Robertson  29:39 We talked about this. There's a lot of nuance in what you're teaching these people. There's discernment in it. Who should you talk to, who you should trust with information that you want to share? Because ultimately, some of this becomes a pressure release valve, right?   Maj. Tara Holmes  29:52 Yeah, so one of the key concepts that we talk about is worthiness, right? I think often people feel pressure to not share what they're going through because they don't think their problems are worthy of attention, whether theirs or someone else's. That's one thing that we spend a lot of time on. And like you said, you know, who to who to share with, and at what level, some people are more free with sharing than others, and that's OK. So we work through some frameworks that help illustrate how people can kind of work through those levels, or gain some self-awareness and some clarity around where they fall. Something that is a, you know, deep seated secret for you, maybe something that somebody else is willing to openly share, they just don't see it as that big of a deal. So it's definitely about self-awareness and learning some tools to help relieve some of the pressure and drain on our batteries, as it were, that comes from holding these things in.   Ted Robertson  30:52 People who are attending the workshop are going to learn some things that they may not realize are draining their batteries. You're teaching them to discern what those are, and to be careful to try to avoid those. It sounds like an example to me of things that we don't realize we do, that drains us, right, instead of energizes us.   Maj. Tara Holmes  31:10 So we use the kind of metaphor of a smartphone, right? So there are things that drain us, that are big, that we're taking a lot of energy to conceal the hard things that we're dealing with in our life. But then there's, like, the pesky background apps, there's the things that are always running in the background of our lives that drain our energy without us really even noticing it. You know, so for me as an officer, but also as a mom and a spouse, some of the things that are always draining my batteries are my to-do list, the laundry app, maybe social media apps. Sometimes I've probably spend way too much time reading the news these days. That's kind of always on for me. We have these big things that are draining our batteries, but then we have these like small things that are constantly going on, right? So Task Force Hope is about recognizing what those things are for us and then making a commitment to ourselves to make this space and time to recover.   Ted Robertson  32:09 So that brings us to a really unique place. You kind of function at the intersection of character, leadership and development pretty much every day. So how do you define character when you're responsible for shaping it across an entire Cadet Wing.   Maj. Tara Holmes  32:24 To me, character is the essence of who they are. It is how you show up day after day. It's the habits that you have. That's why, when you do something out of character, people are able to say that. You know, we talk about building character strengths as building blocks towards certain virtues. And virtues is really excellence of character. So it's easy to talk about how to be an excellent athlete, or how to be an excellent academic, right? And that's one of our core values, is being excellent. Well, how do you have excellent character? It's really about leveraging your character strengths in a way that can lead you to be more virtuous, and that's the goal.   Ted Robertson  33:05 You've served, both operationally and as an instructor. Tell me how those things shape the way you think about preparing leaders not just to perform but to endure.   Maj. Tara Holmes  33:19 What comes to mind is the importance of training and building those habits. We're, you know, in the previous question, we talked about it in terms of character. You know, you can, you can use any kind of training. It's about building readiness, right? And being able to build those habits so that when you are faced with a challenge, you have a way to work through the challenge, right? That really came out for me, both operationally and as an instructor. So operationally, you rely on your training to get your job done, and then as an instructor, you're helping others build those habits so that one day when your students are faced with challenges, they can rely on their training as well.   Ted Robertson  34:01 We've talked a bit about your experiences and how they shape the way you think about preparing leaders, not just to perform but to endure. And now let's bring it right down to the direct connection between Task Force Hope and why you are here talking about this program to attendees at NCLS. When we talk about Task Force Hope, it's a program that is really designed to prepare leaders to navigate crisis and recover from both emotional and moral injury. What can you tell me about a gap that a workshop like this fills, that traditional leadership education sometimes or often misses?   Maj. Tara Holmes  34:38 Task Force Hope is preventative in nature. It's training to prevent people from letting their burdens get the best of them so that they can show up. They have the tools to show up fully charged when stuff hits the van. And not only that they do that for themselves, but then they can help their teammates or their subordinates also get there. It's self-awareness, because we all perform self-care differently, and what you need to recharge your batteries is different from the way that I would do it. So it's being intentional and having some tools to be able to identify what works for you and then how to make space in your life, and building that commitment to yourself, to make that space so that the next time that you face a crisis, you're not facing it at 10%, you're full up, you're ready to go. So it's that sustained self-care, if that's what you want to call it. And it's important to say that you know, in a 75-minute session, we're really doing our best to provide exposure to key concepts and these tools. What we hope is that people walk out with the start of something. It's not it's not the end of their work to be done.   Ted Robertson  35:54 How often do you hear the question, “Why didn't I hear this earlier in my career?”   Maj. Tara Holmes  36:00 Every workshop. Last year, after the workshop, we had a 1970-something graduate say that exact thing. For me personally, I had four people say something, you know, “Hey, I was a cadet here in '90-something, '80-something, 2000-something. And, you know, I really wish that I would have had this earlier.” So that's what we're trying to do. We're trying to bring it as early as we can.   Ted Robertson  36:26 OK, so our last question of our visit, if cadets take just one lesson from Task Force Hope and NCLs this year, what is your hope for that lesson to be?   Maj. Tara Holmes  36:39 My hope is that they're worth it. No problem is too big or too small to be dealt with, and like we talked about earlier, I think often people keep things to themselves because they feel like they shouldn't bother others, or there's their supervisors or their teammates with what's going on in their lives. And that's a drain. Like, that's a drain on the system. It eats up your energy, right? But our cadets are worth it. Whatever they're dealing with, big or small, is worthy of being addressed. I hope that's the takeaway, and that we all deal with things, right? We don't always know what other people are dealing with.   Ted Robertson  37:22 Maj. Holmes. Thank you for the work you're doing to prepare future leaders, not just to lead in moments of clarity, but to stand firm in moments of crisis. We appreciate you being here.   Maj. Tara Holmes  37:32 Thanks, Ted.   Ted Robertson  37:33 That focus on preservation, resilience and moral courage brings us to our next conversation, one shaped by combat, captivity and a life of service under the most demanding conditions. Coming up next, my conversation with Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Edward Mechenbier. Gen. Mechenbier, welcome to the podcast. It is a huge honor having you here, sir.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier 37:56 I hope you feel that way in a half hour so well,   Ted Robertson  37:59 Well, the conversation does promise to be interesting, because your life is… interesting. That was a pregnant pause, sir.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier 38:07 Yeah, I've enjoyed it. It's different.   Ted Robertson  38:11 Just to sort of frame things, you retired as a major general, and what year was that, sir,   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier 38:15 2004   Ted Robertson  38:16 And you were USAFA Class of '64. You're a Vietnam-era pilot, having flown F-4s, you were shot down on your 113th combat mission, but that was you also your 80th over North Vietnam. OK, prisoner of war. Then for almost those entire six years following that, being shot down. You come with 3,600 flying hours across lots of different aircraft.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  38:42 I was privileged fly either for primary capability or for familiarization with 43 different airplanes.   Ted Robertson  38:49 And now you describe yourself as a lifelong advocate for veterans and public service.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  38:56 Well, yeah, I mean, I go to a couple prisons in Ohio, and “work with” is probably overstating my role. Veterans who are incarcerated for long periods of time. But my role is just to go there, spend some time, shoot the breeze with them, no agenda, no desired learning objective and let them know that somebody outside knows that they're there.   Ted Robertson  39:19 What I want to do is spend some time in your background. All right, I want to start with combat and captivity and how that tests leadership in its most extreme forms. And this is in course in keeping with the theme of NCLS here, what did character mean to you when circumstances were entirely beyond your control?   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  39:38 The Vietnamese kept us in small groups of one and two or three guys. I mean, we never really until near the end and later on when we got a little organization. But it got very down, very personal, when at one time, I was in a cell with four guys, three Class of 1964 Air Force Academy graduates and one poor Oklahoma State University graduate, and amongst the four of us, we had a senior ranking officer. And of course, you got the same rank, you go alphabetical. And so we made Ron Bliss the senior ranking officer in our room. We had a communication system. We had guidelines that, you know, which were basically consistent with the code of conduct. You know, name, rank, serial number, date of birth, don't answer further questions. Keep faith with your fellow positions. That was the key. Keep faith. Never do anything that you'd be embarrassed to tell somebody you did.   Ted Robertson  40:34 What you're explaining is how different leadership looks, and even how you describe it, how different it is from command. So now it comes down to trust and accountability and courage, and how do those show up in those conditions?   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  40:51 It was really a matter of, we always knew we were still in the fight. That was one thing that was with us, and so you just kind of conducted yourself with, OK, I'm not going to let myself be used. Now, we also knew that the more you resisted pushed back, the less likely they were to make you go meet an antiwar delegation or write a confession or do something else like that. So they tend to pick on, if you will, the low-hanging fruit or the easier guy to get to. So we always wanted to set the bar just a little bit out of their reach.   Ted Robertson  41:25 All right, having gone through all of that, it really can change people quite profoundly. So when you look back at it, what leadership lessons stayed with you long after you got out of captivity?   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  41:39 In the movie Return of Honor. Capt. Mike McGrath, Navy guy, describes the guys in their ability to resist torture and do things. And that's what you learn. Everybody's got a breaking point. If mine's here and somebody else's is there, that doesn't make me better or worse than them. So you learn to appreciate the talents and the weaknesses. If you know the foibles, the cracks in everybody around you and not to exploit them, but to understand them, and then to be the kind of leader that that they need.   Ted Robertson  42:12 Sir, one of the recurring themes when you're discussing leadership with leaders right is knowing something about each of your people so that you can relate to them in a way that that works for them and motivates them.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  42:23 Yeah. Mark Welch, who's also a graduate and he is a chief of staff of the Air Force, always had a saying: “If you don't know what's going on, it's because you didn't ask.”   Ted Robertson  42:32 Now we're going to roll all that into your long journey between captivity and your visit here to NCLS this year. When you're speaking to the cadets at this year's event, what's your main hope? What do you hope they understand about courage before they even ever face combat?   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  42:54 Well, courage is a reaction to a clear and present threat. Nobody knows how they're gonna — know he's gonna say, OK, I'm gonna go to Vietnam and I want to get shot down, and when the Vietnamese capture me, I'm going to give them a middle finger and I'm going to be the meanest bad ass and hardest-to-break prisoner. Yeah, it's how you respond to the to the immediate perception of bodily harm or being used or something else like that. So courage is, yeah, it just happens. It's not something that you can put in a package and say, “OK, I've got courage.” It's how you respond to the situation, because you might respond quite differently than what you think.   Ted Robertson  43:35 And I have to say, you presented your story and you delivered your message in kind of a unique way. You drew from some contemporary references, specifically three clips from a movie that you like, that I was curious. How did you sum up your entire life in three movie clips from Madagascar? How did you do that?   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  43:57 Well, the three movie clips — when I watched the movie, I was looking at it, I have got two favorite movies. Madagascar is one, and the other is a Kelsey Grammer movie, Down Periscope. I mean, I think that is a perfect study in in leadership. But in the movie Madagascar, the premise was penguins can't fly, but yet it opens up with them applying resource, innovation imagination, and they eventually get this airplane to fly. OK, great. Success. Well, like everything else in life, things go wrong, and you got to have, No. 1, a backup plan, an exit ramp or a control mechanism for the disaster that's pending. So that's the second movie clip we saw. And then the third one was towards the end of the movie, when the crash landing has happened and the skipper asks for an accounting, and he's told that all passengers are accounted for, except two. And he says, that's the number I can live with. And the message there is, you go through life — you're going to have successes, but you're going to have failures, and failure has a cost, and it's not always pleasant, but that's OK, because that's life.   Ted Robertson  45:15 How do you explain how leaders can prepare themselves morally and mentally for moments they can't predict or control.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  45:25 Watch movies like Madagascar and Down Periscope. You know, there's a breadth of unintentional, if you will, guidance on how to be a leader, if you know where to look or if you're looking for it. I mean, that's part of the whole progress program at the Academy. Nobody's going to say, OK, here's a scenario, lead these resources to a proper conclusion. It's kind of like, OK, here's the situation. What do we do? What can we do? What can't we do? It's like, in my presentation, I talk about being able to run across a pasture in nine seconds, in 10 seconds, but if the bull can do it, you're in trouble. So you got to realign your thinking, you got to realign your goals and you got to realign the application of resources. So that's the leadership part, right there. It's a realization of what you can and what you can't do. It's a realization of what you, your people, your resources, can and can't do. It's a realization of what the technology you have at your disposal to do your mission can and can't do. So it's all about workarounds and being flexible. And then the other thing is, we live in a world that just seems to be everything's got a prescription and a protocol on exactly how to do everything. Doesn't work that way. You got to be able to go left and right. You got to be able to be a little imaginative.   Ted Robertson  46:42 What parting thought did you leave the cadets with?   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  46:45 That failure is part of life. It's not death. And I'm part of an organization called American 300 — we go around and talk to young enlisted people and all the services to get them to understand that failure is a learning opportunity. It's not a dagger in the heart, and don't be afraid or ashamed to try, because if you don't, you'll never know what your true potential is. So with the cadets, we close with that last part from the movie Madagascar that basically said, OK, success comes with a price. Be aware and accept it.   Ted Robertson  47:23 All right, we've got to close it out here, but recap, if you would one more time that message that you want cadets to leave here with from having heard you speak.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  47:32 You are now a living, breathing, viable, productive part of our United States Air Force. You bring talents that are unique. Apply them, but understand that they're all very transitory, and you have part of a larger community. If you stick with a community rather than the “I did,” “I want,” I have,” you'll go a long way.   Ted Robertson  47:54 All right, and stepping outside of that very briefly for your final thoughts, what would you like to leave listeners with today.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  48:01 Be proud of the young men and women who are in our military now, not just those at the Air Force Academy. You know, our whole military structure has changed over the years. You know, it's a dynamic world. You got to be flexible and embrace change. We're so reluctant to change. Change is fine, except when you try to change me, is the old saying, but we all have to change. We have to be part of the world in which we live.     Ted Robertson  48:26 Gen. Mechenbier, I want to thank you from all of us for being here sharing those leadership lessons of yours and a lifetime of service that will continue to shape others — future leaders — for a very, very long time to come. We appreciate you very much.   Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier  48:43 Thank you much.   Ted Robertson  48:44 Our final conversation brings us to leadership at the strategic level, where decisions affect institutions, alliances and the nation itself. Capt. Charles Plumb, welcome to the podcast today, sir.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  48:56 Thanks, Ted. Appreciate being here.   Ted Robertson  48:59 It is a privilege to have you. You retired as a Navy captain in 1991 and you have not slowed down, not one inch since. We're going to talk a little bit about the work that you're doing in some very interesting spaces. And what informs all of that. Naval Academy, Class of '64.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  49:15 Yep, the Great Class of '64.     Ted Robertson  49:17 The great —that's how you express class pride?   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  49:20 Everybody knows the Great Class of '64.   Ted Robertson  49:23 So you are an Annapolis man.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  49:25 I am, in fact.   Ted Robertson  49:26 No doubt. And a pilot. You flew F-4 Phantoms, and you are a Vietnam-era pilot. You spent most of your time over North Vietnam. Sometimes you got sent to South Vietnam, depending on what was going on. But you said that you have flown 74 combat missions.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  49:45 Actually 74 and a half, Ted. I have one more takeoff and I have landings.   Ted Robertson  49:50 We should remember that, because it's a very important part of your life we haven't talked about yet. Since you got out of captivity, and then you retired a few years later, you became a published author and a speaker, and as such, you have been to every state, several countries, 5,000 presentations you've delivered in the leadership and character development space. Is there any reason you should not be here at NCLS?   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  50:24 Well, I appreciate that. You know, this is a great symposium, and I'm really proud to contribute to it.   Ted Robertson  50:32 Captain, you are a former POW.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  50:36 Yes, I was shot down on my 75th mission and captured, tortured and spent the next 2,103 days in communist prison camps.   Ted Robertson  50:49 You said you got moved around a lot.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  50:52 We did. I was in six different camps, and some of those camps more than once. We never really understood why. We kind of suspected that they wanted to try to deny any fraternization with their guards, and they wanted to keep us on our toes, because they recognized that being military guys, we were going to have leadership, and we were going to have organization and community and we were going to organize, to fight them, and they didn't want that. So they moved us around and kind of shuffled us up, which didn't work. We always had a military organization in every camp that I ever went to.   Ted Robertson  51:31 You found ways to support each other. You found ways to have a leadership structure, even in captivity.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  51:39 We were all fighter pilots or air crews and most of us were we, you know, we had 10 Air Force Academy grads from '64 in five Naval Academy grads from '64 and so we had in a lot of other academy grads. I don't remember how many, but probably 70 total academy grads. And so, you know, we were, we were dedicated. We were lifers. We were, you know, we were very focused guys, which helped out a lot that we knew a lot about military leadership.   Ted Robertson  52:11 You grew up in the Midwest, and you married a Midwestern girl.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  52:15 I did, my high school sweetheart the day after I graduated from Annapolis, we got married in the chapel, and my buddies were holding up their swords as we came out of the chapel. So it was a beautiful day.   Ted Robertson  52:27 Let's go back to how you found your way to the Naval Academy.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  52:32 I was a farm kid from Kansas. Never seen the ocean, never been out of the four states of Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri. Never been in an airplane, and I needed an education. Found that the Naval Academy offered me an education.   Ted Robertson  52:50 Outside of Air Force Academy circles, you probably already know that we think of, you know, salty sea dog sailors when we think of people going in the Navy, but you chose aviation.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  53:02 I did. As a kid, I would see these Piper Cubs fly over and I was fascinated by flight, and wondered if I'd ever be able to ride in an airplane. That was my thought when I was a kid. I didn't have any hopes of ever being a pilot, you know, let alone a fighter pilot. That was, I was out of the realm. Nobody, as I grew up, ever told me that I could do that, or I should do that, or, you know, it would be a hope of mine to ever pilot an airplane. But I went to the Naval Academy and found out that was one of the options, and I took advantage of that option.   Ted Robertson  53:43 Yeah, and it led you, of course, to over North Vietnam, and the rest is that part of your history   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  53:51 Launched on the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk on my wife's birthday, the 5th of November, wave goodbye to her, and promised her I'd be back in eight months. I didn't make it.   Ted Robertson  54:04 Hard. Very hard story to hear. Let's talk about all of that informing your presentation now, again, 5,000 of these delivered in the leadership and character development space, but you talk a lot about, in your presentation — and you keynoted here at NCLS — the mental game side of this, the integrity, the choices that you have to make, and character that sort of frames all of that.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  54:38 My message to the cadets, and really to most of my audiences, is around challenge and adversity. And I tell the cadets that they work awfully hard trying to get a degree. They study, they go to computers, they read books all to get a degree. And what I point out to them is that more important than the degree that they will get from the Air Force Academy is a character that they build while they are here. That the integrity first, you know, is part of their motto. And if, in fact, they can learn and live that integrity, if they can learn and live the commitment that they have, if they can learn in and live these kind of ethereal things, the things that you can't measure, things you can't define, the things that, you know, that crop up in your in your mind, in the back of your mind, are more important than the lessons they learn from a computer. And so that's kind of my message.   Ted Robertson  55:49 You know, we're in a leadership laboratory here. The art and the science is character development. And you're talking about a kind of character that leads people to make good decisions and make those decisions with integrity in mind. How did that play into your captivity and getting you through that?   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  56:09 You know, of course, I studied leadership at the Naval Academy, and I think that my period of experience more than teaching me anything, it validated what I had learned. And the whole idea — and I love the fact that this is called, you know, the Character and Leadership Symposium, because lots of times you see leadership without character, that's a negative kind of leadership. And if a leader does not have character, he doesn't last very long, and he's not very effective. And so if you can keep your character up front, the leadership can follow easily. And that's pretty much what we had in the prison camps. Several of the qualities of leadership that I promote are the things that almost came natural in a prison camp. First of all, we had to find a focus, a reason. We had to find, you know — and that was developed by our leadership in the prison camp. Return with honor — that was our motto, return with honor. And we all rallied around that.   Ted Robertson  57:22 So all of that said, you're standing here in front of a really big group of people as a keynote speaker, lot of cadets, mostly cadets, yeah.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  57:31 Now there were cadets. I'm speaking on a panel with Ed Mechenbier, my good buddy, and we're on a panel with mostly cadets. The first presentation, the keynote was by invitation only. So there were a number of civilians in the audience, number of cadets. There were Naval Academy midshipmen in my audience today. And we had ROTC people, and, you know, from all over the country. So it was quite a wide audience.   Ted Robertson  58:04 Quite a wide audience. And so if we were just focusing on what you leave with cadets, what do you want them to take away from their experience today?   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  58:15 I hope they understand my message, that more important than the degree that they graduate with, is the character that they graduate with, and the importance of the integrity that that they learned here, because that was vital in the prison camp, is integrity. We had to have each other's back, and when we when we finally were released, we refused to be released until all the sick, injured and enlisted men had gone home, and it was a question of integrity, is a question that this is the right thing to do. It's not the easy thing to do. Largely, the integrity thing to do is not the easiest thing to do, and that's what I wanted to leave with the cadets. In addition, I want them to know that regardless of what situation they're in, they still have a choice, and their choice is the way they respond to the surrounding adversity situation that they're in.   Ted Robertson  59:21 An Annapolis grad of '64, Midwest kid from Kansas who makes it into the cockpit, and like you said, 74 and a half flights, then some time in captivity, then to a published author with thousands of presentations all over the country, and some in in other countries. What final thoughts would you like to leave today, sir?   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  59:47 Well, you know, I think I've already told you, you know, you're a great interviewer, Ted, and I appreciate your questions. I think, finally, this whole idea of self-determination and I think that we all, and not just the cadets, but graduates and families and business people, families. You know that we all have choices, and sometimes when we deny the choice and give up that ability to make our life better for ourselves. And you know, we do it sometimes even when we're not even thinking about it. It's just automatic to blame somebody else for the problem, and in doing so, we give away that choice.   Ted Robertson  1:00:34 Don't give away the choice. Yeah, build that character and stick by your integrity all the time. Capt. J. Charles Plumb, what a privilege it is to meet you, sir. Glad that you're here at NCLs and keynoting like you are, and I do hope that our paths cross again.   Capt. J. Charles Plumb  1:00:52 Ted, thank you very much. I appreciate your willingness to tell my story. Thanks for that.   Ted Robertson  1:00:57 You're welcome, sir. Thank you. Ted Robertson Close As we've heard throughout these conversations, courage isn't a single moment. It's a lifelong practice, from cadets just beginning their journey to leaders shaped by combat and crisis to senior commanders responsible for forces and futures. Character is tested when certainty disappears and it's revealed by how we choose to lead. That's the challenge of the National Character and Leadership Symposium, and it's a challenge that extends far beyond these walls. I'm Ted Robertson, thank you for joining me for our Long Blue Line Podcast Network coverage of the 33rd National Character and Leadership Symposium. This podcast was recorded on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026.         The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation      

Sloanie talks with cybersecurity expert Chris Nyhuis about the potential for Iran to attack Americans digitally. Chuck Lohre of the Greater Cincinnati Earth Coalition covers how extremism took over the climate debate. Sloanie also talks about updates on the suspects involved in the shooting on Kellogg Avenue. Ret. Major General Bob Dees discusses the US attacks on Iran and Andy Shafer gives the latest updates on the financial markets.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sloanie talks with cybersecurity expert Chris Nyhuis about the potential for Iran to attack Americans digitally. Chuck Lohre of the Greater Cincinnati Earth Coalition covers how extremism took over the climate debate. Sloanie also talks about updates on the suspects involved in the shooting on Kellogg Avenue. Ret. Major General Bob Dees discusses the US attacks on Iran and Andy Shafer gives the latest updates on the financial markets.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Parce que… c'est l'épisode 0x716! Shameless plug 31 mars au 2 avril 2026 - Forum INCYBER - Europe 2026 14 au 17 avril 2026 - Botconf 2026 20 au 22 avril 2026 - ITSec Code rabais de 15%: Seqcure15 28 et 29 avril 2026 - Cybereco Cyberconférence 2026 9 au 17 mai 2026 - NorthSec 2026 3 au 5 juin 2026 - SSTIC 2026 19 septembre 2026 - Bsides Montréal 1 au 3 décembre 2026 - Forum INCYBER - Canada 2026 24 et 25 février 2027 - SéQCure 2027 Notes IA Confrontation DoW et Anthropic Anthropic digs in heels in dispute with Pentagon, source says Anthropic to Pentagon: Robo-weapons could hurt US troops Anthropic CEO says it cannot ‘accede' to Pentagon's demands for AI use Sam Altman says OpenAI shares Anthropic's red lines in Pentagon fight Trump admin blacklists Anthropic; AI firm refuses Pentagon demands Our agreement with the Department of War Statement on the comments from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth Anthropic Folie d'utilisation du IA Kevin Beaumont: “The incredible thing about thi…” - Cyberplace Tech Firms Aren't Just Encouraging Their Workers To Use AI. They're Enforcing It. Kevin Beaumont: “Accenture are firing people wh…” - Cyberplace Le grand remplacement IBM Shares Crater 13% After Anthropic Says Claude Code Can Tackle COBOL Modernization Infosec community panics over Anthropic Claude Code Security Long Before Tech CEOs Turned To Layoffs To Cover AI Expenses, There Was WorldCom Microsoft execs worry AI will eat entry level coding jobs AI gets good at finding bugs, not as good at fixing them Rapid AI-driven development makes security unattainable Claude Code Security Shows Promise, Not Perfection OpenClaw Google Antigravity falls to Earth under compute burden Malicious OpenClaw Skills Used to Trick Users into Manual Password Entry for AMOS Infection A Meta AI security researcher said an OpenClaw agent ran amok on her inbox The OpenClaw Hype: Analysis of Chatter from Open-Source Deep and Dark Web Sandboxes Won't Save You From OpenClaw This AI Agent Is Designed to Not Go Rogue AWS says 600+ FortiGate firewalls hit in AI-augmented attack Why the EU's AI Act is about to become every enterprise's biggest compliance challenge Detecting and preventing distillation attacks Anthropic Is AI Good for Democracy? Identity-First AI Security: Why CISOs Must Add Intent to the Equation Microsoft adds Copilot data controls to all storage locations AI models suck slightly less at math than they did last year Canadian government demands safety changes from OpenAI WA drivers reeling after passengers caught out by AI-powered safety cameras Souveraineté ou tout ce que je peux faire sur mon terrain Sovereignty in a System Prompt - POP RDI; RET; Danish government agency to ditch Microsoft software in push for digital independence US orders diplomats to fight data sovereignty initiatives Privacy ou tout ce qui devrait rester à la maison Enough Is Enough Five security lessons from the FBI's Washington Post raid Banning children from VPNs and social media will erode adults' privacy EU lawmakers propose that youth under 16 be barred from social media without parental consent Instagram to start alerting parents when children search for terms relating to self-harm Red ou tout ce qui est brisé Ransomware gangs advancing Moscow's geopolitical aims, Romanian cyber chief warns Android mental health apps with 14.7M installs filled with security flaws Discord pushes back age verification debut to 2H'26 Ransomware payment rate drops to record low as attacks surge Blue ou tout ce qui améliore notre posture Identity Prioritization isn't a Backlog Problem - It's a Risk Math Problem Windows 11 KB5077241 update improves BitLocker, adds Sysmon tool The Case for Why Better Breach Transparency Matters Some Linux LTS Kernels Will Be Supported Even Longer, Announces Greg Kroah-Hartman Collaborateurs Nicolas-Loïc Fortin Crédits Montage par Intrasecure inc Locaux réels par Intrasecure inc

Retās neiromuskulārās slimības. Šādu slimību diagnoze pirmajā brīdī varētu šķist kā gala spriedums cilvēkam, bet tā nebūt nav. Par dzīvi ar retām slimībām un ārstēšanas iespējām saruna raidījumā Kā labāk dzīvot. Sarunājas neirologe, P.Stradiņa klīniskās universitātes slimnīcas Reto neiroloģisko slimību centra ārste Marija Roddate, neiroloģe, Reto neiroloģisko slimību centra virsārste Viktorija Ķēniņa un cilvēku ar invaliditāti tiesību aizstāve Gunta Anča.

The military does many things with precision and honor, but for families left behind, the hardest journey often begins after the ceremony ends. Grief does not follow a timeline, and loss does not end with the rifle volley as the final notes of “Taps” play. In this deeply personal episode of Army Matters, hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with two nationally recognized advocates for military survivors: Maj. (Ret.) Bonnie Carroll, U.S. Air Force, and founder of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Jennie Taylor, Gold Star spouse, mother of seven, and founder of the Major Brent Taylor Foundation. Both women share how the loss of their husbands reshaped their lives, and how survivor community, purpose, and service can coexist with grief. Together, they explore what military families truly need after loss, what civilians often misunderstand about grief, and why connection is the most powerful form of support. Guests: Maj. Bonnie Carroll, U.S. Air Force Retired, Gold Star Spouse and Founder, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) Jennie Taylor, Gold Star Spouse and Founder, Major Brent Taylor Foundation Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA's Army Matters podcast! AUSA's Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.  Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA's educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate. Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org. Disclaimer: AUSA's Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.

Col. Kurt Schlichter fills in for Hugh and talks with Sen. Susan Collins, Ron Coleman, Adm. Mark Montgomery (USN, Ret.), and Bethany Mandel.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lt. Col. David Sierotowicz (sir-ROW-tow-witz), Acting Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police and State Director of Emergency ManagementTopic: Conditions in New Jersey following the blizzard John Solomon, award-winning investigative journalist, founder of "Just The News," and the host of “Just the News, No Noise” on the Real America’s Voice networkTopic: State of the Union tonight; Latest in Mexico; Other news of the day Daniel Hoffman, Ret. CIA Senior Clandestine Services Officer and a Fox News ContributorTopic: Intel on Mexico Robert Sinclair, Senior Manager of Public Affairs at AAA NortheastTopic: Flights and travel in the wake of the blizzard K.T. McFarland, Former Trump Deputy National Security Advisor and the author of "Revolution: Trump, Washington and 'We The People'”Topic: El Mencho and the relationship with Mexico David Fischer, CEO of Landmark CapitalTopic: U.S. and Iran; Tariffs; Gold and Silver Joe Borelli, Former New York City Councilman and Managing Director of Chartwell Strategy GroupTopic: Snow situation on Staten Island Alan Dershowitz, Harvard Law Professor Emeritus, host of "The DerShow," and the author of "The Ten Big Anti-Israel Lies: And How to Refute Them with Truth" and the new book "The Preventative State"Topic: Nick Reiner; SCOTUS tariffs; Epstein files Christopher Hoenig, Spokesman for JCP<opic: Latest power outagesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In our Season 4 retrospective, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99 and Wyatt Hornsby, the Association & Foundation's senior vice president of marketing and communications, revisit the clips that stuck with them.  - “Mind. Body. Spirit.”  - “What can I do for others?”  - “Be humble. Be credible. Be approachable.” These aren't just soundbites. They're leadership gold. This episode will remind you why these conversations matter. TOP 10 LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS EPISODE Lead from mind, body, and spirit Sustainable leadership requires caring for mental clarity, physical stamina, and spiritual/emotional grounding. Leadership is a daily practice, not a position Being a leader shows up in consistent habits and choices, not just in moments when you have the spotlight or a title. Mental health fuels clarity and creativity Protecting your mindset and mental health enables focus, problem-solving, and innovation. Physical readiness underpins reliability Long hours and high-demand environments require physical energy and stamina so you can show up for others when it counts. Spiritual/emotional health anchors your “why” Knowing your purpose and values helps you make grounded decisions and stay steady in pressure or uncertainty. Shift from “Why me?” to “What can I do for others?” Transform challenges by asking how you can serve your team and community, rather than focusing on personal hardship. Selfless leadership unlocks others' potential When you lead by example and create opportunities for others to excel, people gain confidence and stretch toward their own “superhero” potential. Humility, credibility, and approachability are core leadership traits Effective leaders are humble about their limits, credible in what they say and do, and approachable enough that others feel safe coming to them. Trust and respect are earned, not assumed Especially with large teams and many colleagues, you must earn trust and respect through consistent behavior, not rely on rank or title. Leadership is ongoing presence and intention Leadership “doesn't start with a title”; it's about showing up with intention and care, being present when it matters, and putting others first over the long term.   CHAPTERS 0:00:07 Introduction & Episode Setup 0:00:54 Intro – Leadership as Daily Practice (Tanji Johnson Bridgeman) 0:01:19 Mind, Body, Spirit in Leadership 0:02:06 Reflection on Intentional, Holistic Leadership 0:02:39Intro – Selfless Leadership & Inspiring Others (Dave Harden) 0:02:59 Transforming Challenges & Leading Selflessly 0:03:26 Reflection on Timeless, Presence-Based Leadership 0:04:03 Intro – Humble, Credible, Approachable (Rep. August Pfluger) 0:04:30 Core Leadership Tenets in Public Service 0:05:37 Reflection on Trust, Respect, and Credibility 0:06:13 Season Four Recap & Invitation to Explore Past Episodes 0:06:57 New Biweekly, Year-Round Schedule Announcement 0:07:45 Closing – Core Leadership Themes & Thank-Yous       ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS       FULL TRANSCRIPT Naviere Walkewicz 0:00 Welcome to Long Blue Leadership. I'm Naviere Walkewicz. Wyatt Hornsby: 0:10 And I'm Wyatt Hornsby, and today we're hitting pause for a moment and we're going to look back. Naviere Walkewicz 0:14 Yes, this episode is our Season 4 retrospective. We're revisiting some of the leadership moments that really stayed with us long after the microphones were turned off. Wyatt Hornsby 0:25 We went back through the season and selected three clips among many amazing ones, each from a guest who brought a different perspective on leadership, but all with a common thread: responsibility to people. Naviere Walkewicz 0:36 Absolutely. We're going to play each clip, Wyatt and I will react to it and talk about why those still matter. Wyatt Hornsby 0:43 And at the end of the show, we'll also look ahead. We've got upcoming guests to share and a couple of important changes and exciting changes to how Long Blue Leadership will be published going forward. Naviere Walkewicz 0:54 Absolutely. So let's get started. All right. Our first clip comes from Tanji Johnson Bridgeman, Class of '97. Her episode stood out because of how she directly spoke about leadership being a daily practice. Now as you listen, pay close attention to how she talks about the health of your mind, body and spirit, and how those together form the foundation of great leaders. Tanji Johnson Bridgeman 1:19 Mind, body, spirit. Why is that important? Because in anything, any philosophies that we adopt, we have to really see where it's important. So when you think of what is an officer — what is a leader going to have to do with their mind? This is where they have to have clarity. It's going to help with focus, creativity, to innovate new solutions. And so we need to be able to prioritize our mindset and our mental health. And then there's the body, right? So a lot of us are going to be going on deployments. We're going to work long hours. Our body is what's going to give us the fuel and energy and the stamina to get through a day. It's literally bringing our energy. And then you think about the spirit, and this one is really special, and it's probably the most neglected. So when you think about the spirit, this is where you're going to anchor in with your emotional health. What is your purpose? What is your why? Wyatt Hornsby 2:06 That is such a great insight. And what really resonates with me, Naviere, is Tanji's emphasis on health and wellness is a critical component of leading others — that integration. Naviere Walkewicz 2:16 Yes, well, you know, we both really take our health and wellness seriously, but I think to the level that she really talked about it being — she really had this quiet confidence, and I think that also spoke volumes, right? It's not just about being physical, but being in your mind, body and spirit really well. And so I think that when we think about how that plays into being really intentional, people will experience you differently. Wyatt Hornsby 2:39 All right. Our second clip comes from Dave Harden, Class of '95. Dave brought perspective shaped by high-stakes environments where leadership is about inspiring others. Listen for how he connects looking outside of yourself, for your team with leading them to their own greatness. Dave Harden 2:55 If we can transform, if we can pause, if we can look up right and see the faith and the what if and not say, say, Why is this happening to me? But what can I do with it? What can I do for others? How can I connect in a meaningful way? You will transform your life. You'll transform your leadership, and you'll transform the people around you, because they'll be inspired to be superheroes in their own right. Naviere Walkewicz 3:26 Wow. That was a very powerful clip. And I just remember his conversation being really powerful, because there were so many moments where we talked about, you know, when you're really leaning into the fire. But this particular clip — what spoke to me, Wyatt — he was saying, if you lead selflessly and by example, looking for others to have opportunities to excel, they actually find the confidence in what they're able to give and do and striving for more. Thought that's really powerful, for sure. Wyatt Hornsby 3:51 Agree Naviere, and that's really timeless leadership. Whether you're leading in uniform or outside of it, people trust leaders who are present when it counts. And Dave really personifies that. Naviere Walkewicz 4:03 Yes, our third clip comes from Congressman August Pfluger, Class of 2000. When we spoke to the congressman, he brought a unique perspective, one shaped by military service and now public service. His leadership journey didn't end when he took off the uniform. It simply evolved. And this clip reflects that sense of responsibility to those one leads. To do that successfully means establishing credibility. Let's roll the clip. August Pfluger 4:30 Growing up professionally in a fighter squadron, there were three tenants that they, even though I didn't go to weapons school, they teach you: that's to be humble, credible and approachable. I mean, think about that. Those are the core tenants of who our lead warriors are. And that is not what you see. When you think of politicians. You think, Well, they're braggadocios and annoying, and, you know, OK, I hope I don't fall into that category. I need to do some self-reflection every once while, but, but I've got a staff of almost 40 people, and I have 434 other colleagues that you have to work with. So you better believe that you've got to be humble, because there are people who are better than you in every category, you better believe that being approachable in this job is really important, because people are going to come to you and they're going to need something, or you're going to need something from them, and if you don't have the credibility of what you're talking about or what you're leading, then you're not going to get anything done. Wyatt Hornsby 5:37 Great insights from the congressman. And that's really one of those leadership truths that carries across every domain for him now in Washington, DC, and the congressman is reminding us that leadership doesn't start with a title. Naviere Walkewicz 5:50 I really appreciate that. I think specifically when he said he had over 400 colleagues, that really stood out to me about not leading with the title, but really leading with your virtue and being there. And so I love the fact that he talked about earning trust respect, and then with that comes credibility. Wyatt Hornsby 6:06 And being approachable. Naviere Walkewicz 6:08 Being approachable. Yes, we see him doing that all the time. Wyatt Hornsby 6:13 All right, so let's look ahead. As we close out this retrospective, we also want to take a moment to look forward, but before we look forward, let me just say that these were three conversations among so many great ones from Season 4. Naviere Walkewicz 6:26 It was hard to choose, wasn't it wise? Wyatt Hornsby 6:28 It was so hard to choose. And we encourage you, if you have not listened to all of Season 4, check them out, because there's so many wonderful guests here. Thanks for the great job you did hosting those conversations. Naviere Walkewicz 6:40 Always my pleasure. Always my pleasure. In fact, gosh, going back, I think, all the way to Season 1, there's always someone, a guest, that our graduates and other listeners, and gosh, our viewers can really resonate with. There's some wonderful leadership lesson down there. Wyatt Hornsby 6:53 And easy to find. You can you can get our episodes anywhere you get your podcast. Naviere Walkewicz 6:57 Yes, we have some outstanding guests coming up. These are leaders from across different fields, and we're excited to bring them into our Long Blue Leadership conversation. Wyatt Hornsby 7:06 And we also want to share a couple of important and very exciting changes to how Long Blue Leadership will be published. Naviere Walkewicz 7:12 Yes, we are moving away from seasons, and we're shifting to biweekly, year-round release schedule. This is so you get Long Blue Leadership all the time, year round. Right to you where you are. Wyatt Hornsby 7:23 Very exciting, and that means more consistent leadership conversations. No long breaks, just ongoing dialog. Naviere Walkewicz 7:30 Absolutely you just go to longblueleadership.org to find your Long Blue Leadership conversation. So going forward, we'll publish our annual retrospective, released each December, a dedicated moment where white and I come together to reflect on the leadership lessons we heard throughout the year. Wyatt Hornsby 7:45 Very exciting, and Season Four reminded us that leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about showing up with intention and care, being humble, being approachable and putting others first. Naviere Walkewicz 7:57 We're grateful to every guest who shared their perspective and to you for being part of this incredible community. Wyatt Hornsby 8:03 And Naviere, while we're at it too, let's go ahead and thank Ted, our incredible producer of Long Blue Leadership. Naviere Walkewicz 8:09 Thanks, Ted. We appreciate you so much. This doesn't happen without your magic. So thank you very much. Wyatt Hornsby 8:13 Yeah, thank you, Ted and everybody. Thanks for listening. I'm Wyatt Hornsby. Naviere Walkewicz 8:18 And I'm Naviere Walkewicz. We'll see you on Long Blue Leadership.     KEYWORDS Mind, body, spirit, leadership, daily practice, mental health, physical health, spiritual health, wellness, emotional health, purpose, why, selfless leadership, service, inspiring others, transformation, high-stakes environments, team, connection, trust, respect, credibility, humility, humble, approachable, virtuous leadership, public service, military service, fighter squadron, colleagues, responsibility to people, presence, intention, care, confidence, long blue leadership, podcast, retrospective, season four, biweekly schedule, year-round release, annual retrospective, leadership lessons, graduates, listeners, community   The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation    

Against a backdrop of violent anti-semitic and anti-indigenous attacks and the relaxation of police restraints in response to them, Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras organizers are faced with twin controversies: the withdrawal of the Jewish group Dayenu from the event and demands for the expulsion of the New South Wales Police contingent. Veteran activist Ken Davis explains the situation (Barry McKay reports). New Yorkers defy the Trump administration and replace the rainbow flag the government “disappeared” from the Stonewall National Monument (Paul DeRienzo of WBAI reports). A Black History Month Rainbow Rewind honors Langston Hughes (produced by Sheri Lunn and Brian DeShazor). And in NewWrap: the European Parliament approves a resolution specifically calling for “the full recognition of trans women as women,” HIV-positive enlistees are once again banned from serving in the U.S. military, intersex children are now protected from undergoing unnecessary medical procedures without their informed consent in the Australian state of Victoria, Kansans can now sue if they're upset after sharing a bathroom with a trans person, U.S. Olympic women's ice hockey team captain Hilary Knight leads her team to gold and plans to lead speed skater Brittany Bowe to the altar, and more international LGBTQ news reported this week by Nico Raquel and Ret (produced by Brian DeShazor). All this on the February 23, 2026 edition of This Way Out! Join our family of listener-donors today at thiswayout.org/donate/.

February 24, 2026 ~ Rocky Raczkowski, Ret. Lt Colonel in the US Army discusses chaos in Mexico and 4 year anniversary of the Russia/Ukraine War. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

“El ayuno y las tentaciones de Jesús.”Del santo Evangelio según san Mateo 4, 1-11.Lectura y reflexión: Pbro. Agustín Patiño Vargas.En aquel tiempo, Jesús fue conducido por el Espíritu al desierto, para ser tentado por el demonio. Pasó cuarenta días y cuarenta noches sin comer y, al final, tuvo hambre. Entonces se le acercó el tentador y le dijo: “Si tú eres el Hijo de Dios, manda que estas piedras se conviertan en panes”. Jesús le respondió: “Está escrito: No sólo de pan vive el hombre, sino también de toda palabra que sale de la boca de Dios”.Entonces el diablo lo llevó a la ciudad santa, lo puso en la parte más alta del templo y le dijo: “Si eres el Hijo de Dios, échate para abajo, porque está escrito: Mandará a sus ángeles que te cuiden y ellos te tomarán en sus manos, para que no tropiece tu pie en piedra alguna”. Jesús le contestó: “También está escrito: No tentarás al Señor, tu Dios”.Luego lo llevó el diablo a un monte muy alto y desde ahí le hizo ver la grandeza de todos los reinos del mundo y le dijo: “Te daré todo esto, si te postras y me adoras”. Pero Jesús le replicó: “Retírate, Satanás, porque está escrito: Adorarás al Señor, tu Dios, y a él sólo servirás”.Entonces lo dejó el diablo y se acercaron los ángeles para servirle. Palabra del Señor.

+ Evangelio de nuestro Señor Jesucristo según san Mateo 4, 1-11 Jesús fue llevado por el Espíritu al desierto, para ser tentado por el demonio. Después de ayunar cuarenta días con sus cuarenta noches, sintió hambre. Y el tentador, acercándose, le dijo: «Si tú eres Hijo de Dios, manda que estas piedras se conviertan en panes.» Jesús le respondió: «Está escrito: "El hombre no vive solamente de pan, sino de toda palabra que sale de la boca de Dios"». Luego el demonio llevó a Jesús a la Ciudad santa y lo puso en la parte más alta del Templo, diciéndole: «Si tú eres Hijo de Dios, tírate abajo, porque está escrito: "Dios dará órdenes a sus ángeles, y ellos te llevarán en sus manos para que tu pie no tropiece con ninguna piedra"». Jesús le respondió: «También está escrito: "No tentarás al Señor, tu Dios"». El demonio lo llevó luego a una montaña muy alta; desde allí le hizo ver todos los reinos del mundo con todo su esplendor, y le dijo: «Te daré todo esto, si te postras para adorarme.» Jesús le respondió: «Retírate, Satanás, porque está escrito: "Adorarás al Señor, Dios, y a Él solo rendirás culto"». Entonces el demonio lo dejó, y unos ángeles se acercaron para servirlo.Palabra del Señor.

Mt 4,1-11.Jesús fue llevado por el Espíritu al desierto, para ser tentado por el demonio.Después de ayunar cuarenta días con sus cuarenta noches, sintió hambre.Y el tentador, acercándose, le dijo: "Si tú eres Hijo de Dios, manda que estas piedras se conviertan en panes".Jesús le respondió: "Está escrito: El hombre no vive solamente de pan, sino de toda palabra que sale de la boca de Dios".Luego el demonio llevó a Jesús a la Ciudad santa y lo puso en la parte más alta del Templo,diciéndole: "Si tú eres Hijo de Dios, tírate abajo, porque está escrito: Dios dará órdenes a sus ángeles, y ellos te llevarán en sus manos para que tu pie no tropiece con ninguna piedra".Jesús le respondió: "También está escrito: No tentarás al Señor, tu Dios".El demonio lo llevó luego a una montaña muy alta; desde allí le hizo ver todos los reinos del mundo con todo su esplendor,y le dijo: "Te daré todo esto, si te postras para adorarme".Jesús le respondió: "Retírate, Satanás, porque está escrito: Adorarás al Señor, tu Dios, y a él solo rendirás culto".Entonces el demonio lo dejó, y unos ángeles se acercaron para servirlo.

En aquel tiempo, Jesús fue conducido por el Espíritu al desierto, para ser tentado por el demonio. Pasó cuarenta días y cuarenta noches sin comer y, al final, tuvo hambre. Entonces se le acercó el tentador y le dijo: "Si tú eres el Hijo de Dios, manda que estas piedras se conviertan en panes". Jesús le respondió: "Está escrito: No sólo de pan vive el hombre, sino también de toda palabra que sale de la boca de Dios".Entonces el diablo lo llevó a la ciudad santa, lo puso en la parte más alta del templo y le dijo: "Si eres el Hijo de Dios, échate para abajo, porque está escrito: Mandará a sus ángeles que te cuiden y ellos te tomarán en sus manos, para que no tropiece tu pie en piedra alguna". Jesús le contestó: "También está escrito: No tentarás al Señor, tu Dios".Luego lo llevó el diablo a un monte muy alto y desde ahí le hizo ver la grandeza de todos los reinos del mundo y le dijo: "Te daré todo esto, si te postras y me adoras". Pero Jesús le replicó: "Retírate, Satanás, porque está escrito: Adorarás al Señor, tu Dios, y a él sólo servirás".Entonces lo dejó el diablo y se acercaron los ángeles para servirle.Mateo 4,1-11

Mateo 4, 1-11En aquel tiempo, Jesús fue conducido por el Espíritu al desierto, para ser tentado por el demonio. Pasó cuarenta días y cuarenta noches sin comer y, al final, tuvo hambre. Entonces se le acercó el tentador y le dijo: “Si tú eres el Hijo de Dios, manda que estas piedras se conviertan en panes”. Jesús le respondió: “Está escrito: No sólo de pan vive el hombre, sino también de toda palabra que sale de la boca de Dios”.Entonces el diablo lo llevó a la ciudad santa, lo puso en la parte más alta del templo y le dijo: “Si eres el Hijo de Dios, échate para abajo, porque está escrito: Mandará a sus ángeles que te cuiden y ellos te tomarán en sus manos, para que no tropiece tu pie en piedra alguna”. Jesús le contestó: “También está escrito: No tentarás al Señor, tu Dios”.Luego lo llevó el diablo a un monte muy alto y desde ahí le hizo ver la grandeza de todos los reinos del mundo y le dijo: “Te daré todo esto, si te postras y me adoras”. Pero Jesús le replicó: “Retírate, Satanás, porque está escrito: Adorarás al Señor, tu Dios, y a él sólo servirás”.Entonces lo dejó el diablo y se acercaron los ángeles para servirle.

JP Dinnell catches up with Ret. US Navy SEAL Ty Smith about writing your own comeback story.  Ty on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCYsZOYC4wWKDVdefyJ93KCA  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachtysmith/ Get your free training from First In Nutrition: https://www.firstinnutrition.com/jppod More from JP Dinnell: https://www.jpdinnell.com/ Join the conversation on instagram JP Dinnell: http://instagram.com/jpdinnell/ Lucas Pinckard: https://www.instagram.com/lucaspinckard Bruiser Arms: https://www.instagram.com/bruiserarms Echelon Front: https://echelonfront.com/ Little Cattle Co: http://littlecattle.co On The Path Printing: https://www.instagram.com/onthepathprinting JP Dinnell is a former U.S. Navy SEAL and now a Leadership Instructor, Speaker and Strategic Advisor with Echelon Front, where he serves as Director of Experiential Leadership Training Programs. J.P. is also a pro team athlete and spokesperson for Origin Maine and Jocko Fuel, an American clothing and supplement company. J.P. has a signature Energy Drink flavor "Sour Apple Sniper" with Jocko Fuel. Jeremiah spent nearly a decade in the SEAL Teams with three combat deployments. Sent to the violent terrorist stronghold of Ar Ramadi, Iraq in 2006 with SEAL Team Three's Task Unit Bruiser, J.P. served as point man, machine gunner, and lead sniper for Delta Platoon opposite the American Sniper, Chris Kyle, who was in Charlie Platoon. For his leadership and courage under fire, JP was awarded a Silver Star, 2 Bronze Stars with Valor and the Army Commendation Medal with Valor helping Task Unit Bruiser to become the most highly decorated special operations unit of the Iraq War. He worked closely with SEAL Officers Jocko Willink, his Task Unit Commander, and Leif Babin, and was the driving force on many of the daring combat operations Jocko and Leif wrote about in Extreme Ownership. Upon his return, J.P. again worked directly for Jocko as a training instructor at Naval Special Warfare Group One Training Detachment, where he orchestrated realistic and challenging training scenarios for Special Operations Urban Combat training and Close Quarters Combat training to better prepare SEAL units for the real-world battlefield. He also served as a Combatives Instructor, Marksmanship Instructor and earned his Master Trainer Specialist qualification while helping Jocko rebuild and enhance these training programs into the highly effective platforms they are today. J.P. brings exceptional experience and frontline leadership perspective from the winning mindset and culture of Task Unit Bruiser.

In Episode 6 of Space Revolution, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Steven L. Kwast and guest Brad Zerbo explore how mining asteroids and building in zero gravity could transform life on Earth. The discussion centers on three pillars of prosperity in space: information, energy, and resources, and how tapping into them could support the eight essentials of life, air, water, food, shelter, information, energy, transportation, and healthcare. They examine robotic asteroid mining, 3D printing structures in zero gravity, and the possibility of constructing entire homes in space and delivering them gently to Earth. The conversation highlights reusable rockets, renewable satellites, space-based energy beaming, and using water in space as fuel. Kwast emphasizes that reducing the cost of energy and materials could uplift the human condition globally while preserving Earth from destructive mining practices. Throughout the episode, they stress the importance of moral leadership, constitutional principles, and decentralizing control so individuals, not centralized powers, retain access to life's essentials. The show concludes with a recommended reading of Mining the Sky and a call for citizens to engage politically to guide this revolution responsibly.

Ret. Lt. Col. David Grossman joins Jeff to talk about Sheepdogs and a servant's heart.

In the final hour Jeff trolls CNN & AOC and then chats with Ret. Lt. Col. David Grossman.

John Solomon, award-winning investigative journalist, founder of "Just The News," and the host of “Just the News, No Noise” on the Real America’s Voice networkTopic: Trump's team bolstering security neutralizing drone attacks; Rhode Island ice rink shooting; Jesse Jackson and Robert Duvall pass away; other news of the day Daniel Hoffman, Ret. CIA Senior Clandestine Services Officer and a Fox News ContributorTopic: Iran nuclear talks K.T. McFarland, Former Trump Deputy National Security Advisor and the author of "Revolution: Trump, Washington and 'We The People'”Topic: Marco Rubio at the Munich Security Conference David Fischer, CEO of Landmark CapitalTopic: Latest in Gold Nicole Parker, Special Agent with the FBI from 2010 through October 2022, Fox News contributor, and the author of "The Two FBIs: The Bravery and Betrayal I Saw in My Time at the Bureau"Topic: Latest on Nancy Guthrie, Rhode Island shooting Art Del Cueto, Border Security Advisor for the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) and a 21-year veteran of the Border PatrolTopic: ICE student walkout in New York City, latest in border securitySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

February 17, 2026 ~ Rocky Raczkowski, Ret. Lt Colonel in the US Army discusses the newest round of Iranian nuclear talks. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Transitioning from 33 years of military service is never simple, regardless of the rank on your shoulders. In this episode, Joe welcomes Major General Robert W. Mixon, Jr. (USA, Ret.), who candidly shares his journey from commanding the 7th Infantry Division to navigating the civilian workforce during the 2008 economic crisis. Robert discusses the "shock and awe" of entering a family-owned manufacturing business, the shift into mission-driven nonprofit work with Warrior Salute, and his eventual leap into entrepreneurship. Today, as the co-founder of Level Five Associates, Robert teaches the six enduring principles of value-based leadership. This conversation explores staying adaptive, finding your next mission, and the importance of having a "trusted advisor" in the civilian world. Episode Resources: Adaptive Leadership Insights - Robert's Substack     About Our Guest Major General Robert W. Mixon, Jr. (U.S. Army, Ret.) served 33 years in the Army, commanding the 7th Infantry Division and Division West of First Army. After transitioning into corporate and nonprofit leadership, including helping create the Warrior Salute program for veterans with TBI and PTSD-he now advises organizations on leadership, culture, and veteran workforce success. Robert is co-founder of Level Five Associates and author of the bestselling The Power of Being All In.   About Our Sponsors Navy Federal Credit Union   Navy Federal Credit Union is here to help you dominate your debt with the Platinum Card. Transfer your credit card balance to the Platinum card within your first 60 days and get a zero percent intro APR for 12 months. Visit here to start dominating debt. Join now at Navy Federal Credit Union. At Navy Federal, our members are the mission.      Join the conversation on Facebook! Check out Veteran on the Move on Facebook to connect with our guests and other listeners. A place where you can network with other like-minded veterans who are transitioning to entrepreneurship and get updates on people, programs and resources to help you in YOUR transition to entrepreneurship.   Want to be our next guest? Send us an email at interview@veteranonthemove.com.  Did you love this episode? Leave us a 5-star rating and review!  Download Joe Crane's Top 7 Paths to Freedom or get it on your mobile device. Text VETERAN to 38470. Veteran On the Move podcast has published 600 episodes. Our listeners have the opportunity to hear in-depth interviews conducted by host Joe Crane. The podcast features people, programs, and resources to assist veterans in their transition to entrepreneurship.  As a result, Veteran On the Move has over 7,000,000 verified downloads through Stitcher Radio, SoundCloud, iTunes and RSS Feed Syndication making it one of the most popular Military Entrepreneur Shows on the Internet Today.

John talks with Ret. General Jack Keane about the buildup of military forces in the Middle East that may signal large-scale conflict with Iran. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Descubreel poder del Trivium: Gramática, Lógica y Retórica¡Únetea nuestro curso online de un mes y desarrolla tus habilidades depensamiento crítico y comunicación efectiva!Detallesdel curso: Inscríbeteahora:Envía un correo electrónico a freireramon@gmail.com¿Quéaprenderás? ¡Aprovechaesta oportunidad ahora! Inscribete hoy mismoy comienza a transformar tu forma de pensar y comunicarte.Enviameun mail a FreireRamon@gmail.com

In Episode 5 of Space Revolution, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Steven L. Kwast is joined by guest Zak Paine for a wide-ranging discussion on energy, water, and the moral responsibility of technological advancement. Framed around the pillars of prosperity, truth, energy, and resources, the episode explores how space-based solar power could “cut the power cord” by delivering clean, affordable energy anywhere on Earth. The conversation dives into wireless energy concepts pioneered by Nikola Tesla, zero-point energy research, gravity-based propulsion, and emerging breakthroughs involving spinning discs and compression fields. The hosts also examine the practical implications of abundant energy, particularly the ability to extract clean water from the air, potentially transforming global health, decentralizing communities, and reducing conflict over scarce resources. From grid resilience and coronal mass ejections to government suppression of innovation and the need for critical thinking, this episode challenges listeners to remain curious, question centralized control, and prepare for both disruption and opportunity. At its core, the message is clear: the space revolution is not just about exploration, it is about empowering humanity through energy independence and sustainable abundance.

Hugh speaks with exiled Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, Dr. Dan Schueftan, and Adm. Mark C. Montgomery (USN, Ret.)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gordon Chang, Asia expert, columnist and author of "China is Going to War"Topic: China-linked biolab uncovered in Las Vegas home Dr. Laura Pettler, renowned forensic criminologist, author, and inventor recognized for her work in homicide investigation, crime scene staging, and reconstructionTopic: Latest in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie's mom Daniel Hoffman, Ret. CIA Senior Clandestine Services Officer and a Fox News ContributorTopic: Intel on Iran amid peace talks Ammon Blair, former U.S. Army officer and Border Patrol agent and a Senior Fellow for the Texas Public Policy Foundation’s ‘Secure & Sovereign Nation’ InitiativeTopic: Federal appeals court upholding Trump mass detention policy for illegal immigrants Russ Salzberg, longtime NY sports commentator and the host of the "Get a Load of This" podcast, which can be viewed on the YES AppTopic: Big Game recap Dr. Rebecca Grant, national security analyst based in Washington, D.C. Specializing in defense and aerospace research, founder of IRIS Independent Research, and Senior Fellow at the Lexington InstituteTopic: "Whispering death: Army’s new M1E3 Abrams tank is a hybrid-drive silent killer" (Fox News op ed)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us a textIn this panel discussion of The Difference led by Convergent's Andy Brubaker and Pam Reid, the two are joined by Jeff Baldwin, CEO (Ret) of the Bloomington Boys & Girls Club, along with Melanie Conner of Rainbow Village, to unpack what effective board engagement really looks like in practice. The conversation begins by setting the stage, examining why ongoing engagement matters and the most common challenges organizations face in keeping board members meaningfully involved.The panel then explores proven strategies that foster participation, strengthen relationships, and motivate board members through clarity, recognition, and purpose. Drawing from firsthand experience, the panelists share real-world case studies, quick wins, and long-term approaches that help boards move from passive oversight to active leadership, offering practical takeaways nonprofit leaders can apply immediately.

JP Dinnell catches up with Ret. US Navy SEAL Ty Smith about how to become unstoppable.  Ty on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UCYsZOYC4wWKDVdefyJ93KCA  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachtysmith/ Get your free training from First In Nutrition: https://www.firstinnutrition.com/jppod More from JP Dinnell: https://www.jpdinnell.com/ Join the conversation on instagram JP Dinnell: http://instagram.com/jpdinnell/ Lucas Pinckard: https://www.instagram.com/lucaspinckard Bruiser Arms: https://www.instagram.com/bruiserarms Echelon Front: https://echelonfront.com/ Little Cattle Co: http://littlecattle.co On The Path Printing: https://www.instagram.com/onthepathprinting JP Dinnell is a former U.S. Navy SEAL and now a Leadership Instructor, Speaker and Strategic Advisor with Echelon Front, where he serves as Director of Experiential Leadership Training Programs. J.P. is also a pro team athlete and spokesperson for Origin Maine and Jocko Fuel, an American clothing and supplement company. J.P. has a signature Energy Drink flavor "Sour Apple Sniper" with Jocko Fuel. Jeremiah spent nearly a decade in the SEAL Teams with three combat deployments. Sent to the violent terrorist stronghold of Ar Ramadi, Iraq in 2006 with SEAL Team Three's Task Unit Bruiser, J.P. served as point man, machine gunner, and lead sniper for Delta Platoon opposite the American Sniper, Chris Kyle, who was in Charlie Platoon. For his leadership and courage under fire, JP was awarded a Silver Star, 2 Bronze Stars with Valor and the Army Commendation Medal with Valor helping Task Unit Bruiser to become the most highly decorated special operations unit of the Iraq War. He worked closely with SEAL Officers Jocko Willink, his Task Unit Commander, and Leif Babin, and was the driving force on many of the daring combat operations Jocko and Leif wrote about in Extreme Ownership. Upon his return, J.P. again worked directly for Jocko as a training instructor at Naval Special Warfare Group One Training Detachment, where he orchestrated realistic and challenging training scenarios for Special Operations Urban Combat training and Close Quarters Combat training to better prepare SEAL units for the real-world battlefield. He also served as a Combatives Instructor, Marksmanship Instructor and earned his Master Trainer Specialist qualification while helping Jocko rebuild and enhance these training programs into the highly effective platforms they are today. J.P. brings exceptional experience and frontline leadership perspective from the winning mindset and culture of Task Unit Bruiser.

In Episode 4 of Space Revolution, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Steven L. Kwast is joined by Jordan Sather for a deep exploration of how information, truth, and health intersect as humanity enters a new era of technological expansion. This conversation reframes health as a holistic system encompassing mind, body, spirit, and society, emphasizing personal responsibility and moral grounding in an age of rapidly advancing space-based technologies. The discussion examines how expanded global access to information could transform healthcare outcomes, while also warning of the dangers of misinformation, outsourced thinking, and instant gratification. Kwast and Sather explore the ethical challenges posed by AI, social media, and emerging space infrastructure, stressing the need for humility, critical thinking, and disciplined values. As the Space Revolution accelerates, this episode challenges listeners to consider whether humanity is spiritually and mentally prepared to wield such powerful tools responsibly.

The Steve Gruber Show | Open Borders, Open Fraud, Open Failure --- 00:00 - Hour 1 Monologue 18:55 – Ed Brady, President and CEO of the Home Builders Institute (HBI). Brady discusses President Trump's efforts to make housing affordability part of the American Dream again. He also highlights the major opportunities available in the skilled trades and why trade careers will always be in high demand. 27:50 – Peter Gillooly, CEO of The Wellness Company. Gillooly discusses National Cancer Prevention Awareness Month and why more emphasis should be placed on prevention, research, and affordable treatment options. He also explains promising early research, Big Pharma's role in treatment costs, and The Wellness Company's new product, SHIELD. Visit twc.health/GRUBER and use promo code GRUBER to save 10%. 37:56 - Hour 2 Monologue 46:43 – Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform. Norquist breaks down new data showing Americans increasingly moving to low-tax states. He explains what this migration reveals about economic policy and government spending. 56:39 – Daniel Garza, President of The LIBRE Initiative and former Washington State councilman. Garza explains why Hispanic voters are continuing to shift away from Democrats ahead of 2026. He discusses key issues driving the change, including border security, inflation, and public safety — as well as what Republicans are getting right and wrong. 1:05:27 – Ambassador Carla Sands, Chair of Foreign Policy at the America First Policy Institute and former U.S. Ambassador to Denmark. Sands discusses affordability concerns tied to Europe, NATO, and the cost to U.S. taxpayers. She also examines China's ongoing economic warfare against the United States. 1:15:!5 - Hour 2 Monologue 1:24:00 – Ron Rademacher, travel writer, author, speaker, storyteller, and record-holder for getting lost on Michigan's back roads. Rademacher shares stories and destinations from around Michigan. He highlights unique places worth exploring across the state. 1:33:58 – Lt. Col. (Ret.) Pete Shinn, Associate Director of EpsteinJustice.com. Shinn reacts to the release of more than three million pages of Epstein-related files and criticism over what he calls a “whitewash.” He discusses accountability and unanswered questions surrounding the case. 1:42:46 – Ivey Gruber, President of the Michigan Talk Network. Gruber discusses how Americans are shifting away from junk food and how food companies are responding by lowering prices. The conversation highlights a broader cultural move toward healthier living. --- Visit Steve's website: https://stevegruber.com TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stevegrubershow Truth: https://truthsocial.com/@stevegrubershow Gettr: https://gettr.com/user/stevegruber Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stevegrubershow Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevegrubershow/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Stevegrubershow Rumble: https://rumble.com/user/TheSteveGruberShow

In this episode of From the Crows' Nest, we go back to AOC 2025, where Ken Miller hosted a live panel with Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Kevin Kennedy, Vice President for Defense Strategy & Warfighting Integration at Mantech. Col. (Ret.) Jeffrey Fischer; and Eric Bamford, Branch Chief EW for the Norwegian Armed Forces and AOC Board Member.Ken poses the question, “Is it time to establish a dedicated EMSO force?” The panelists discuss the value of international and coalition perspectives, debate whether the electromagnetic spectrum should be treated as its own domain, and explore the industry's role in advancing military capabilities.We invite you to share your thoughts, questions, or suggestions for future episodes by emailing host Ken Miller at host@fromthecrowsnest.org or visit us on our Instagram @fromthecrowsnestpodcast.To learn more about today's topics or to stay updated on EMSO and EW developments, visit our homepage.

Since his interview with President Trump on January 8, Hugh has conducted a series of longer interview with American and Israeli experts not currently in intelligence jobs, on the likely war with Iran. They are collected in this podcast. The guests are President Trump, Haviv Rettig Gur, Mark Dubowitz, Behnam Ben Taleblu, Rear Admiral Mark C Montgomery (USN, Ret), Danielle Pletka, Dr. Michael Oren, former Senator Jim Talent, Richard Goldberg, Eli Lake, Abe Greenwald, and Karim Sadjadpour.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SEGMENT 6: ESCALATION TOWARD IRANIAN LEADERSHIP Guest: General Blaine Holt (USAF, Ret.) Holt outlines concentric circles of escalation targeting Iranian leadership if conflict erupts. Discussion covers strike planning that moves progressively toward regime centers of power. China's evacuation planes positioning near Iran suggest Beijing anticipates potential conflict and prepares to extract its nationals from the region.1850 BRUSSELS

SEGMENT 5: PREPARING FOR IRAN BOMBING CAMPAIGN Guest: General Blaine Holt (USAF, Ret.) Holt describes military preparations for potential strikes against Iran, including warplane and warship deployments. The KC-135 tanker buildup signals offensive capability, providing aerial refueling that enables sustained bombing campaigns. This logistics infrastructure converts fuel into striking power against Tehran's nuclear and military installations.1849 BRUSSELS

SHOW SCHEDULE 1-22-20251954 BRUSSELSSEGMENT 1: GREENLAND, NATO, AND TRUMP'S REVERSALS Guest: Anatol Lieven, Co-Host: Jim McTague Lieven examines Trump's shifting positions on Greenland and NATO, unsettling European allies who question American reliability. Discussion covers the proposed Board of Peace concept and how Trump's unpredictable rhetoric complicates alliance management, leaving partners uncertain whether commitments will hold or dissolve without warning.SEGMENT 2: GAZA AND TRUMP'S SELF-ENRICHMENT CONCERNS Guest: Anatol Lieven, Co-Host: Jim McTague Lieven analyzes Gaza ceasefire dynamics and raises questions about Trump administration officials potentially mixing policy with personal financial interests. Discussion examines how self-enrichment concerns shadow diplomatic initiatives and whether conflicts of interest undermine credibility in Middle East negotiations and broader foreign policy.SEGMENT 3: GEN Z JOB STRUGGLES AND THE TRADES REVIVAL Guest: Chris Riegel, Co-Host: Jim McTague Riegel explains how artificial intelligence eliminates entry-level white-collar positions, leaving Gen Z struggling to launch careers in traditional professions. Meanwhile, skilled trades offer prosperity since AI cannot replicate physical work. Young people working with their hands find better opportunities than peers pursuing displaced office jobs.SEGMENT 4: MAGA EMBRACES BIG GOVERNMENT LIKE NEW DEALERS Guest: Veronique de Rugy De Rugy argues MAGA policies mirror New Deal-era big government activism through state industrial policy and massive spending programs. Traditional Republican principles of limited government appear obsolete or abandoned, with the RINO label now applied to anyone advocating fiscal restraint or free market economics.SEGMENT 5: PREPARING FOR IRAN BOMBING CAMPAIGN Guest: General Blaine Holt (USAF, Ret.) Holt describes military preparations for potential strikes against Iran, including warplane and warship deployments. The KC-135 tanker buildup signals offensive capability, providing aerial refueling that enables sustained bombing campaigns. This logistics infrastructure converts fuel into striking power against Tehran's nuclear and military installations.SEGMENT 6: ESCALATION TOWARD IRANIAN LEADERSHIP Guest: General Blaine Holt (USAF, Ret.) Holt outlines concentric circles of escalation targeting Iranian leadership if conflict erupts. Discussion covers strike planning that moves progressively toward regime centers of power. China's evacuation planes positioning near Iran suggest Beijing anticipates potential conflict and prepares to extract its nationals from the region.SEGMENT 7: MODI'S TIMID REFORM AGENDA Guest: Sadanand Dhume (Wall Street Journal) Dhume assesses Prime Minister Modi as a timid reformer constrained by political realities and socialist-era institutions. India's growth potential remains unrealized as legacy regulations protect inefficient industries. Modi raised some thresholds but fundamental transformation of labor laws and state enterprises remains politically impossible.SEGMENT 8: VENEZUELA'S UNFINISHED TRANSITION Guest: Mary Anastasia O'Grady (Wall Street Journal) O'Grady reports Venezuela's democratic transition stalled with the same regime intact. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and Delcy Rodriguez control state security gunmen and prisons. No real handover to President-elect Edmundo Gonzalez has occurred, leaving the authoritarian apparatus firmly in power despite American pressure.SEGMENT 9: COSTA RICA ELECTION AND PANAMA CANAL TENSIONS Guest: Professor Evan Ellis (US Army War College) Ellis examines Costa Rica's upcoming election amid concerns over giant prison construction projects. Discussion turns to unresolved Panama Canal disputes where Chinese interference continues challenging American interests. Regional dynamics shift as nations balance between Washington's demands and Beijing's economic inducements throughout Central America.SEGMENT 10: PERU AND CHINESE INFLUENCE Guest: Professor Evan Ellis (US Army War College) Ellis analyzes China's growing investment and influence in Peru while the US offers military partnership as counterweight. Discussion covers political turmoil in Lima, economic promise from mineral wealth, and the competition between great powers for access to South American resources and strategic positioning.SEGMENT 11: TRUMP SEEKS CUBAN REGIME CHANGE Guest: Professor Evan Ellis (US Army War College) Ellis examines the Trump administration's push for regime change in Havana. Dictator Díaz-Canel faces collapsing conditions with no oil, no power, and a broken economy driving mass emigration. The Obama administration's engagement offered false hope; now Washington applies maximum pressure on the desperate regime.SEGMENT 12: MERCOSUR AGREEMENT FINALLY REACHED Guest: Professor Evan Ellis (US Army War College) Ellis reports good news as the Mercosur trade agreement concludes after 27 years of negotiations. The deal now faces court challenges while promising affordable food imports for Europe. EU farmers mount roadblock protests opposing competition from South American agriculture despite consumer benefits from the historic accord.SEGMENT 13: AL QAEDA IN DAMASCUS GOVERNMENT Guest: Bill Roggio and Ahmed Sharawi (FDD)Roggio and Sharawi examine Al Qaeda presence within Syria's new government under clever, effective President al-Sharaa. US forces struck an Al Qaeda commander responsible for killing Iowa National Guard soldiers, but ISIS elements remain unaddressed. The jihadi connections within Damascus leadership raise serious counterterrorism concerns.SEGMENT 14: SYRIAN NATIONAL ARMY DRIVES OUT KURDISH ALLIES Guest: Bill Roggio and Ahmed Sharawi (FDD) Roggio and Sharawi report the Syrian National Army increasingly resembles Al Qaeda while attacking Kurdish forces who remain US allies. The Kurds retreat under pressure from Turkish-backed militias with extremist ties. American partners face abandonment as Washington's attention focuses elsewhere in the chaotic Syrian landscape.SEGMENT 15: MUSK, CARLSON, AND VANCE DIVERGE FROM REPUBLICAN ORTHODOXY Guest: Peter Berkowitz Berkowitz discusses Michael Doran's Tablet article examining three Trump celebrities—Elon Musk, Tucker Carlson, and Vice President J.D. Vance—whose views diverge from traditional Republican policies. Musk favors government subsidies and China partnership, Carlson platforms hate speakers, and Vance promotes isolationism over American global leadership.SEGMENT 16: ABANDONING SMALL GOVERNMENT AND FREE TRADE Guest: Peter Berkowitz Berkowitz argues neither Musk, Carlson, nor Vance champions traditional conservative principles of small government, free trade, and private enterprise without government interference. The Republican Party's philosophical foundation erodes as prominent voices embrace statism, protectionism, and industrial policy once associated with the political left.