Podcasts about Sandhurst

Caroline Livesey is an adventurer, extreme triathlete, ultracyclist, elite gravel cyclist and triathlon and life coach.  Caroline started her journey into triathlon while serving with the Royal Engineers in the British Army. After 10 years service she left as a Major in 2013 and pursued a career as a professional triathlete (while working full time as a geotechnical design consultant), originally in Ironman events.  In 2019 circumstances conspired to throw her into her first extreme triathlon, Canadaman XTRI. Winning this event was the catalyst for her to work on her mindset and physical adaptations to take on the gruelling climate conditions which are typical for the Extreme Triathlons such as Norseman and Celtman. She has since won numerous extreme events, and has just returned from winning Patagonman in Chile for the second time.  Caroline is also an elite gravel cyclist, competing for Team GB at the last two World Championships (where she thinks she was the oldest on the start line by some 20 years). She loves single day UCI gravel races but also ultra distance, and has competed at Badlands (3rd), finished Transcordilleras (Colombia), and completed coast-to-coast across Costa Rica in less than two days. She completed the 1000km Transcordilleras, an 8-day stage race, in February this year. Caroline's husband Mark is a documentary / film maker and they make films about their adventures (YouTube, Amazon Prime - The Brick Session). Their purpose is to provide information and inspiration to others so that they might break down their own false beliefs to take on their own challenges.  Caroline and Mark have founded Peak Education Nepal - a charity bringing education to the children of poor families in Nepal who cannot afford to go to school. They became involved in this while in Nepal for an event in 2022, and plan to go back this year to develop the charity and do another mountain trail running adventure.   New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.  Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.  Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x Show notes Who is Caroline  Scottish but now currently living in Majorca  Having a background in endurance sports Professional Ironman athlete and now doing extreme triathlons  Gravel cycling and endurance cycling  Growing up in a sporty family and spending time outside  Starting triathlon in her late 20s Being a fit person overall  Climbing (indoor and outdoor) Doing crazy things outdoors  Going to Sandhurst and doing her army training  Getting into triathlons  Meeting her husband while in the army The changes in professional triathletes Doing her first pro year in 2015 How the industry has change in the past 10 years  Having a full time job and fitting in the training  Not being able to make a living from it in Canadaman /woman  Norseman  Patagonman  2017 - having her breakthrough race in Texas  Getting attacked while on her bike  Breaking her pelvis and dealing with multiple stress fractures Not being able to get back to the same level of performance  Having her professional career cut short Having an opportunity to try other things  Having a bad experience with the cold during a race  Back to fitness in 2015 and looking at doing Ironman Ireland  Deciding to go to Canada and do a warmer race in July Winning Canadaman Race and automatically qualifying for Norseman Cold weather and cold experiences  Just because you are cold adapted doesn't mean you don't feel the cold Learning different ways to manage the cold There has to be a way for me to physically adapt to the cold and getting onboard mentally Starting to have cold showers  Learning to breathe out as the cold hits you Thinking about physically relaxing  Learning that it's ok to be cold  Feeling invigorating after cold water swimming  Experiencing Norseman (2022) and what it was like Film - Norseman - A day of extremes - available on Youtube  The logistical challenges of the Norseman Race Britta Sorensen (PHD) - research on pain and suffering in female endurance athletes.   Race strategy and being self coached  Being coached by her husband at the very start Not being very coachable  Listening to her body and making decisions based on how she feels  Taking it to the next level during a race and needing to push harder Racing against herself  Extreme triathlon - being out front on the swim and the bike Winning Canadaman by 12 seconds Lyne Bessette  Getting to the finish line and knowing she gave it everything she had The mental side of racing and why you need to practice it The benefits of experience and being able to draw knowledge from it How you can watch the films / Documentaries  Doing what she loves  How to connect with Caroline on social media Visiting Nepal in 2022 to do a race (but not being able to race) Cost of education in Nepal - USD $350 to educate a child for a year (fees, uniform, books) Creating a charity - Peak Education Nepal  How the listeners can support the charity and donate  Final words of advice for other women who want to take it to the next level  Setting your mind to the challenge. What would be the process of getting there if you were going to do it.  Build your self-belief and push yourself forward   Social Media Instagram @caroline.livesey  Facebook @carolineliveseytriathlete  Youtube @thebricksession  Nepal fundraiser - Fundraiser by Mark Livesey : Help fund education for two children in Nepal   Peak Education Nepal  OSCR registered charity SC054049 Funding education in poor communities in Nepal. Education changes lives.   Charity - https://peakeducationnepal.com/ Instagram - @peakeducationnepal   

What does that mean for leadership in today's skeptical world? Communications expert Jenni Field joins us to explore how credibility, integrity, and intentional leadership are the cornerstones of organizational trust– and how to build them before it's too late. In this powerful episode of Disruptive CEO Nation, founder of Redefining Communications and author of Nobody Believes You, Jenni, comes to share her wisdom. Together, we unpack the rising challenges leaders face in building trust, developing middle managers, and scaling culture in a skeptical, fast-paced business environment.   If you've ever struggled with communication gaps, growing pains, or a loss of team credibility, this episode delivers real insight and practical tools you can apply right now.    Here are highlights: - Credibility Starts with Integrity: Jenni explains how credibility isn't a one-time achievement; it's built moment by moment by doing what you say you'll do, even when it's inconvenient. - Bridging the Leadership Gap: Discover why middle managers often don't step up and how vague expectations and unintentional micromanagement from the C-suite can create “learned helplessness.” - The Trust Crisis in Organizations: A breakdown in trust shows up as low engagement scores. Jenni shares how CEOs can rebuild that trust by being radically transparent and consistently communicative. - Founders Must Evolve or Hand the Baton: As startups grow, visionary founders must either develop leadership skills or intentionally seek leadership support. Jenni outlines when and how to make that choice. - Time Isn't the Problem, but Priorities Are: Jenni challenges the “I don't have time” excuse and offers bite-sized actions for building trust and leadership daily, even in the busiest roles.   Access Jenni's book, course, and free resources here: How to be a credible leader - Redefining Communications    About the guest: Jenni Field is an expert in leadership credibility and internal communication. After spending 13 years in senior in-house roles as Head of Internal Communications and Communications Director, Jenni founded her consultancy, Redefining Communications, to help organisations and teams move from chaos to calm through effective communication. She works with organisations, leaders, and emerging leaders so they can improve their communication and credibility, thus impacting positively on the workplace environment. Jenni has published two books: Nobody Believes You: Become a Leader People Will Follow, which has sold over 4,000 copies internationally, and Influential Internal Communication, both published within the last five years. She also co-hosts Frequency, a weekly podcast exploring internal comms, HR, leadership, and employee experience. Co-hosted with Chuck Gose, the show features expert insights, lively conversation, and debate on the big workplace challenges. Connect with Jenni:  Website:https://thejennifield.com/ Website: https://redefiningcomms.com/ Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/redefining-communications-with-jenni-field/id1588233391    Connect with Allison: Feedspot has named Disruptive CEO Nation as one of the Top 25 CEO Podcasts on the web, and it is ranked the number 6 CEO podcast to listen to in 2025! https://podcasts.feedspot.com/ceo_podcasts/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allisonsummerschicago/ Website: https://www.disruptiveceonation.com/    #CEO #leadership #startup #founder #business #businesspodcast  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a textBack by popular demand, Neil Jurd OBE returns to Stories of Service to explore leadership, service, and the changing needs of those who lead—both in and out of uniform.A former British Army officer and Sandhurst instructor, Neil is the founder of Leader Connect and author of The Leadership Book, aiming to make leadership accessible, values-led, and impactful across all sectorsIn this episode, Neil dives deeper into: •

In this episode, former 22 SAS legend Big Phil Campion sits down with Farren Morgan the powerhouse behind 'The Tactical Athlete'.A former Queens Guard, Kings Guard, Paratrooper, and British Army Physical Trainer, Farren has dedicated his life to turning everyday people into elite performers. Now, he helps aspiring soldiers and service members crush military tests like P Company, the Commando Course, and Sandhurst.From mindset to muscle, Farren breaks down his journey and training philosophy built on resilience, discipline, and mental toughness.REORG - https://reorgcharity.com/ Follow This Podcast To Be Notified Of New Episodes, Visit Our Social Media Platforms & YouTube Channel For More Bonus Content, And Listen Live To Our Radio Station:Listen Live: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.forceradio.live/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Visit Our YouTube Channel: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@forceradiohq

Army officer. Ironman triathlete. Paratrooper. Kona qualifier. Rosie Wild is no stranger to pushing boundaries—both physically and mentally. In this episode, she shares her remarkable journey from academic Latin scholar to Sandhurst Sword of Honour recipient, and from knee injury to elite endurance athlete. Why You Should Listen: Rosie's story is a masterclass in grit, adaptability, and quiet determination. Whether you're an athlete, coach, or someone chasing a challenging goal, her perspective on resilience, humility, and high achievement will inspire you to keep going—even when the odds are stacked high. In This Episode: Rosie's unexpected entry into triathlon through injury rehab Life at Sandhurst, overcoming setbacks, and winning the Sword of Honour The transition from runner to Ironman contender Her experience as the only woman on P Company and passing the gruelling selection Insights into leadership, resilience, and mental fortitude Balancing high-performance sport with military demands Training volume, nutrition, and recovery strategies that keep her strong Qualifying for Ironman World Championships and what it takes to race with the pros Quotes to Remember: “Triathlon started as rehab—and it became the thing that made me feel strong again.” “Being injured at Sandhurst was the best thing that happened to me. It changed how I led.” “You don't pass P Company by accident. You show up, every day, when it's freezing, and you fight.”   To follow Rosie's progress, please check out her Instagram channel: Rosierunningwild   Rosie's chosen book is: "Daring Greatly" by Brene Brown. An insight into performance, shame, vulnerability, embracing failure.   **To get a free copy of my personal daily mobility routine, please click HERE** **To download your FREE infographic ‘7 steps to swimming faster', please click HERE    Join our SWAT/High Performance Human tribe using this link, with a happiness guarantee! You can watch a brief video about the group by going to our website here, and join our SWAT High Performance Human tribe here.   You can find all of my social media links HERE: You'll also find some really great content on my Instagram and YouTube! Instagram  YouTube   Sign up for Simon's weekly newsletter Sign up for Beth's weekly newsletter To contact Beth regarding Life Coaching, please visit her website at BethanyWardLifeCoaching.uk.   If you would like to help offset the cost of our podcast production, we would be so grateful. Please click here to support the HPH podcast. Thank you! Visit Simon's website for more information about his coaching programmes.  For any questions please email Beth@TheTriathlonCoach.com.

James Kerr is a writer, coach, and consultant who specialises in leadership, culture and mindset in high-performing teams. His global bestseller, 'Legacy' has been described by The Daily Telegraph as “the modern version of Vince Lombardi's guides to coaching”, saying that "for those searching for genuine keys to team culture, it is manna from heaven".James has worked with Tier One Special Forces, the English Premier League, international cricket, Formula One, America's Cup, Major League Baseball, and Olympic pathways. He has guest lectured at Westpoint Military Academy, Sandhurst and Eton College and written for the BBC, Independent, Times and Guardian. His corporate clients have included Google, Spotify, Goldman Sachs, McKinsey & Co, Adidas, and Arc'teryx.In this frank discussion, Dominic explores the synergy between individual leadership and collective vision, and the critical role of cultural evolution in maintaining relevance and potency. James shares how the iconic “Sweeping the Shed” mantra, revolutionised team culture at the All Blacks, and how these principles can be applied beyond the rugby field into business and everyday life.DiscoverThe Role of Values in Sustainable Success: By embracing values such as humility, responsibility, and respect, the All Blacks created a foundation for long-term success, demonstrating that values-driven cultures outperform talent-driven ones.The Power of Rituals and Symbols: The enduring significance of the Haka demonstrates how rituals and symbols can reinforce identity, unity, and purpose within a team.Leadership Across Domains: The principles of leadership and cultural excellence are universal and can be applied across diverse fields, demonstrated by James' work in sports, military, and business. Neuroscience and Leadership: The interplay between neuroscience and performance underpins how understanding the brain's responses to fear and confidence can inspire leaders to strike a balance between challenges and support, fostering growth and accountability.Book recommendations:Viktor Frankl - Man's Search For MeaningDaniel Kahneman - Thinking, Fast and SlowDaniel Coyle - The Culture CodeJim Collins - Good To GreatJames' book Legacy is out now. Dominic's book Mind Your F**king Business is out now.

Last week, a deal between Israel and Gaza was struck to bring back the Israeli hostages and to bring an end to the bloodshed which has engulfed Gaza over 15 months of fighting, since October 7th 2023. It's a deal which has brought relief to many, not least the families of hostages and civilians in Gaza, but also questions from others who see Israel as having failed to fully dismantle Hamas and finish the war aims they began their assault on Gaza with. In this episode, recorded last week on February 15th just as the deal was being finally struck, we discuss the deal and give a broader retrospective on the military campaign in Gaza in all its facets, with a man who has been to Gaza and seen much of it first hand. This week, Thomas invites Andrew Fox on to the Conflicted Community. Andrew is an ex-soldier in the British army, who served in three tours of Afghanistan, including one attached to the US Army Special Forces. Since then he's worked in academia as a senior lecturer in the War Studies and Behavioural Science departments at Sandhurst, as well as as a research fellow with the Henry Jackson Society. He's also a regular commentator on defence and foreign policy across the media, including his excellent substack which you can subscribe to here: https://mrandrewfox.substack.com/  Thomas and Andrew discuss the deal to bring a halt to fighting in Gaza, as well as his time serving in the British army, how this has affected the ways in which he looks at conflicts, before getting on to a fascinating new report he co-authored which examines the questionable counting of the Hamas run Gaza Health Ministry over the course of the conflict. To listen to the full episode, you'll need to subscribe to the Conflicted Community. And don't forget, subscribers can also join our Conflicted Community chatroom, where you can interact with fellow dearest listeners, discuss episodes past and future, get exclusive messages from Thomas and Aimen, ask future Q&A questions and so much more. All the information you need to sign up is on this link: https://conflicted.supportingcast.fm/  Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MHconflicted And Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MHconflicted Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rabbi Ariel Abel explores how Joseph delicately balances his identity as an Egyptian leader with his Hebrew roots during the reunion with his brothers.Rabbi Abel lives with his wife Shulamit and two children together in Liverpool He is a rabbinic graduate of Midrash Sepharadi in Jerusalem, is a practising solicitor and a Sandhurst graduated chaplain in the British Army.Rabbi Abel encourages cooperation, discussion and debate across the spectrum of the Jewish community.

To celebrate 2024, we're taking a look backwards, and diving into the standout thinkers who have taken to the Intelligence Squared stage in the past 12 months. You might still be on the hunt for that perfect gift for the avid reader in your life, or perhaps you're after some food for thought over the festive period. Either way, this 12 episode mini series will highlight the books that shaped 2024. We hope you'll join us in 2025 for more events that intrigue, fascinate and entertain. Exploring the acute sense of loss brought on by partition, the rupturing of cross-border relationships, and the scarring legacy of violence that still reverberates today Mishal Husain's family lived through the mayhem of a botched partition. In June 2024 Husain, the acclaimed journalist and BBC Radio 4 Today Programme host, came to Intelligence Squared to tell her family's story and shed light on this remarkable period of history. Drawing from her new book Broken Threads: My Family From Empire to Independence, she told stories like that of her grandmother Mary, a devout Catholic of Anglo-Indian parentage who leaves a struggling family to train as a nurse in Britain. Or her grandfather Shahid who finds purpose and success in the British Army as a Sandhurst cadet. Husain confronted the acute sense of loss brought on by partition, the rupturing of cross-border relationships, and the scarring legacy of violence that still impacts the descendants of empire living in Britain today. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all our full conversations ad free, plus all of our Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events  ...  Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series … Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. … Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Tony joined the British Army in 1995, as a Probationary 2nd Lieutenant on a Short Service Limited Commission, and later joined both the Regular and Reserve services. He served a total of 19 years, reaching the rank of Major (Maj).In this episode Tony talks about growing up and his ambition to join the British Army, sharing his journey with courses at Sandhurst on multiple occasions, and being part of Regular Army units as an officer. This included over seeing tasks for the 2001 country wide epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease, before seeing the impact of 9/11, and as a result deploying to Iraq.Tony shares his deployment to Iraq and the return home, which included his transfer to the Army Reserves. Whilst carrying out his duties as part of the Army Reserves at home in the UK, he moved to the Philippines and worked with the British Embassy, and then later worked alongside the British Army in Afghanistan as the chief of operations in a civilian contractor capacity. After leaving the British Army he found a role with the charity Walking With The Wounded.Watch Episode on YouTubePart 1: youtu.be/99wbqzVWC9MPart 2: youtu.be/5elzVly52vATikTok:tiktok.com/@militaryveteranspodcastInstagram:instagram.com/militaryveteranspodcastX:twitter.com/MilVetPodcastLinkedIn:linkedin.com/company/military-veterans-podcastMerchandise:milvetpodcast.com/merchSend us a textMessage at the beginning of the recording is from your host Gav, giving you information on how you can support the show through Patreon.Supporting monthly would help the show record future episodes and help with the upkeep of the show. £5 a month will give you access to bonus recordings, where Gav and the guest chat about things that don't make it into the main recording. Thank you. Cold Case Western AustraliaThey're the crimes that continue to haunt grieving family members and the wider...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Brian Campbell, Assistant Vice President for Athletics Development at the University of Miami, shares his journey from growing up in Columbus, Ohio, to becoming a leader in athletics fundraising, his experiences as a cadet at the Air Force Academy, the challenges he faced, and the resilience he developed.  SUMMARY In this conversation, Brian Campbell, Assistant Vice President for Athletics Development at the University of Miami, shares his journey from growing up in Columbus, Ohio, to becoming a leader in athletics fundraising. He discusses his experiences as a cadet at the Air Force Academy, the challenges he faced, and the resilience he developed. Brian emphasizes the importance of leadership, surrounding oneself with great people, and the impact of private investment in athletics. He also reflects on his transition from military to civilian life and his current role in shaping the future of athletics at UM.   OUR TOP 5 FAVORITE QUOTES   "I think it's important to be really authentic with people, and that has worked. It's worked well for me, especially when those decisions are consistent with being authentic to what we're trying to accomplish."   "I think a lot about the elements that we put into it, because it's hard on a daily basis to know if you're doing a good job being a leader, but if you take those pieces of the fabric that we learned at the Academy, and you keep doing it the right way and thinking about these things and surrounding yourself by people with with surrounding yourself with people of those kinds of values, and people that you can take little pieces of what they do and try to try to bring them with You. I think it's the right road."   "I don't think I've arrived as a leader and I but I started to think that I probably that I would be willing to bet that General Clark might say the same thing, and Coach Calhoun might say the same thing. So I think it's always a work in process."   "If you take those pieces of the fabric that we learned at the Academy, and you keep doing it the right way and thinking about these things and surrounding yourself by people with with surrounding yourself with people of those kinds of values, and people that you can take little pieces of what they do and try to try to bring them with You. I think it's the right road."   "I think it's always a work in process, but I think it's important to be really authentic with people, and that has worked. It's worked well for me, especially when those decisions are consistent with being authentic to what we're trying to accomplish."  - Brian Campbell '08, the Long Blue Leadership Podcast   SHARE THIS EPISODE FACEBOOK  |  LINKEDIN   CHAPTERS 00:00: Introduction to Brian Campbell 02:52: Growing Up in Columbus and Early Athletic Influences 06:14: The Journey to the Air Force Academy 08:59: Life as a Cadet: Challenges and Resilience 11:53: Leadership Lessons from the Academy 15:10: Transitioning from Military to Civilian Life 18:06: Fundraising and Philanthropy in Athletics 21:00: The Kutra Legacy Center: A Personal Connection 23:53: Current Role at the University of Miami 27:06: Leadership Philosophy and Key Takeaways   TAKEAWAYS Brian's journey highlights the importance of resilience in overcoming challenges. Authenticity in leadership fosters trust and connection with others. Surrounding yourself with talented individuals can enhance personal growth. Private investment plays a crucial role in the success of athletic programs. Experiences at the Air Force Academy shape leadership philosophies. Fundraising in athletics is about building relationships and trust. Transitioning from military to civilian life requires adaptability and networking. The Kutra Legacy Center represents a significant investment in future cadets. Leadership is a continuous journey of learning and growth. Engaging with alumni can create impactful opportunities for current students.   ABOUT BRIAN CAMPBELL '08BIO Brian Campbell '08 joined the University of Miami in May of 2023 as Assistant Vice President for Athletics Development. In this role, Brian has oversight of fundraising operations, programs, and the development team for Miami Athletics. Brian came to UM from his alma mater, the United States Air Force Academy, where he had spent the previous five years, beginning in 2018 as the Assistant Athletic Director for Development and finishing as the Executive Director of Development for Strategic Programs and Athletic Giving. At Air Force, Brian was responsible for the fundraising strategy and execution for athletic capital projects, endowments, and major giving, in addition to other revenue generating initiatives.  He also served as the liaison to the Air Force Academy Foundation Board of Director's Athletic Committee.  The academy experienced unprecedented fundraising success during Brian's time at USAFA – most notably completing a $270 million campaign nearly 18-months ahead of schedule, headlined by multiple record-breaking years of fundraising. As part of the campaign, Brian led a $37.5 million fundraising effort to support the $90+ million modernization of the east side of Falcon Stadium.  Additionally, he managed the philanthropic component of a $500 million public-private partnership to develop a new hotel and visitors center outside USAFA's north gate.  Other accomplishments during this stretch included a lead gift to launch the renovation of Air Force's baseball venue, Falcon Field, and building the Wayne Baughman Wrestling Endowment, which seeks to provide operational funding for Air Force Wrestling in perpetuity. Brian brings 15 years of organizational leadership experience to UM from multiple sectors.  He rose to the rank of captain in the US Air Force, then climbed to the partner level at Anheuser-Busch InBev   where he led the sales and marketing efforts for the Northwest region, including several of the largest sports and entertainment partnerships in the portfolio. In each of the communities he's lived in, Brian has supported local initiatives – serving on the boards of the National Football Foundation of Colorado, the Missouri Veterans Initiative, and the Boys and Girls Club of Alton, Illinois.  He was a football student-athlete at the Air Force Academy and earned his MBA from the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis. - Copy Credit:  University of Miami   CONNECT WITH BRIAN LINKEDIN     ABOUT LONG BLUE LEADERSHIP Long Blue Leadership drops every two weeks on Tuesdays and is available on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn + Alexa, Spotify and all your favorite podcast platforms. Search @AirForceGrads on your favorite social channels for Long Blue Leadership news and updates!          FULL TRANSCRIPT SPEAKERS Guest, Brian Campbell '08  |  Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99   Naviere Walkewicz  00:00 My guest today is the Assistant Vice President for Athletics Development, Brian Campbell, USAFA, class of 2008. Brian joined the University of Miami in 2023 as Assistant Vice President for Athletics Development, where he oversees all fundraising for UM Athletics. In 2018 he served as Assistant Athletic Director for Development for Air Force Athletics, ultimately becoming Executive Director of Development for Strategic Programs and Athletic Giving. Brian led several highly successful, multi-million dollar fundraising campaigns, including playing a significant role in securing funding for the Falcon Stadium's newly open Kucera Legacy Center. While at the Academy, Brian was a football cadet-athlete and later earned his MBA from the Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis. He also spent five years in sports marketing with Anheuser Busch. We'll talk with Brian about his life as a young athlete, path to the Air Force Academy, his days as a cadet, leadership opportunities, and how he now uses what he learned to lead and positively impact others. Finally, we'll ask Brian to share advice for developing leaders and those in leadership aspiring to reach similar heights in their careers. Brian, welcome to long blue leadership, and thank you for joining us today.   Brian Campbell  01:18 Thanks, Naviere. I am honored to be on the podcast, and I'm really happy to be back in Doolittle Hall, albeit remotely, and I want to welcome you to the “U.”   Naviere Walkewicz  01:29 Thank you so much. I will take that warm weather. Yeah, well, we're really excited for this. Brian, I think a lot of our listeners love to hear the different paths that our leaders take from getting to the Academy in life after but we like to start by rewinding the clock a little bit. And we'd like to get to know you, Brian, as a young boy. Tell us about what life was like growing up, where you grew up, etc.   Brian Campbell  01:51 Yeah. I mean, I was, I grew up mostly in Columbus, Ohio. My family was from California, but my dad's job took us to Columbus when I was young. And you know, as I've reflected back on some of my career and the things that have led me to different spots, I think being a kid from Columbus, and regardless of people's feelings about Ohio State, which tend to be fairly negative here at the my current institution, the lens at which I grew up in was through a place with a massive presence of college athletics, you know, everything, everything in that community, with the fabric was Ohio State. I played every sport growing up. I'm very grateful to have grown up at a time where, you know, we went out in the yard, in the neighborhood, and did everything all day. We figured out our differences in the backyard. There are a couple other guys in the neighborhood who went on to very successful athletic endeavors as well. So, you know, athletics were very important all throughout and then as we got more serious and into competitive things later on, they become, you know, more and more formal. But you know, sports and the community were tied together, and they very much provided the context at which my career followed.   Naviere Walkewicz  03:14 That's awesome. So, you're really into sports. Did you have siblings as well? Or where was your neighborhood? Kind of the sibling playground for you.   Brian Campbell  03:22 I have two sisters both swam in college, although if one of them listens to this, I think she had like a cup of coffee on the swim team and realized that the rest of the extracurricular activities were a little bit more appealing. But my little sister swam all the way through in a very competitive college program. But there were but outside, in the streets and in the yard were where we spent our time. We would change by season. So, in the fall, we play football in the yard, and then the winter, you know, you'd shovel off and play basketball, and then in the summer, we'd play baseball. So, so all of the above.   Naviere Walkewicz  04:01 I love that. And I noticed you didn't say you ever went to the pool, so I'm sure that your sisters could definitely outswim you.   Brian Campbell  04:06 I went to the pool too. There was plenty of swimming in our family.   Naviere Walkewicz  04:12 Wonderful. So, you know, life as a child, you were really into athletics, and I think it developed your sense of competitor, you know, being a competitor about and winning. But also, it's probably teamwork. You know, what other things as a child could you share with our listeners about what it was like for you in Ohio?   Brian Campbell  04:32 I think all the above. I think, you know, when you have to work things out. You know, we weren't an era then the kids had cell phones or anything like that. You had to knock on someone's door, see if you could form a team, get out in the front yard and go take care of things. But yeah, we did stuff really. I mean, I'm kind of thinking back to one of my neighbors who went on to play some college football. He one time he broke his leg in the yard and kept playing.   Naviere Walkewicz Oh my goodness.   Brian Campbell Yeah, but, you know, you learn to get along with other people. You know the saying of taking your ball and going home, that's, you know, you have to figure out how to get past those things. And I think the social dynamic that you gain from those experiences very much stayed with me, and I think is some of the foundation and the work that I do now, and being able to identify with different people in different situations.   Naviere Walkewicz  05:28 Alright, so I like what you're sharing about kind of you know, the social aspect that you've experienced growing up. Tell me about how it the Academy came into the picture. Then was it, was there someone that you grew up learning from that went to the Air Force Academy. Or how did that happen?   Brian Campbell  05:46 Well, as a sophomore in high school, as I was thinking of thinking back to some of these things, my dad actually took me to visit West Point, and we had a family friend who went to school there, and I remember going to visit him, and he was probably getting close to maybe in the summer before his senior year, and I remember him like getting pulled aside, and there was something that he had been doing wrong. Maybe. Is it related to escorting guests around the campus? It was during Sandhurst, and so we watched Sandhurst, and honestly, I remember thinking like this does not seem like any way to spend college, but as I went back, I was very fortunate to have like really, really good coaches in my life who were very interested in developing me and growing me and pushing out of my comfort zone. My high school football coach was very hard on me at times, but I think he saw something in me. And you know, when I began to look at colleges, and I was thinking about, like, could I play football somewhere? And there was a variety of schools, and I went on, I went on different visits in different places, and I just remember feeling like nowhere really made a lot of sense for me, like I didn't really feel like any of them really fit the things that were important to me. And then I got the chance to go on a visit to the Air Force Academy, and honestly, I was just like, I just, why not go see Colorado? I've never seen the mountains. So we took the trip out, and I was hosted on my visit by Rob McMenamin, who recently, unfortunately passed away, but was like just the greatest person you know, that could have possibly, that I could have come across at that time, and between him and the people I met on my visit, it was more about the fact that I felt like I was at home, and I had found a group of people that seemed so similar to me that I ended up deciding that that's what I wanted to do. Now we got back to Columbus, and my mom wanted me to talk to someone who didn't play football, and so they somehow found some other cadet, and I had, she's like, “You have to call him and ask him.” So, I called this guy, and I don't even remember his name. We'll see if he listens to the podcast. But he told me he's like, “I don't, I wouldn't do it, you know?” He's like, “It's, it's brutal, it's really hard.” And, oh, wow, I just don't think. But I got off the phone, and it didn't matter to me, like and so for me, it was, maybe it was just a feeling. It was the excitement of being part of something like that. I think I did understand how important the academies are, and what a serious opportunity that was. And maybe it was the fact that I never really thought I would have an opportunity to go to a place like that, but once I, it just kind of sat right, you know, I decided to pursue it.   Naviere Walkewicz  08:48 I love that. And I think what was really key about what you said was it felt like family or you're finding others that are like you. And so how did your parents respond to that? I mean, I think I love that your mom said, “Let's look at both sides.” Let's get everything you know, a perspective that's beyond athletics as well. And so, it's kind of a testament to, probably your upbringing, the fact that your parents are like, let's make some really sound decisions. Would you say that that's the case?   Brian Campbell  09:17 Yeah, I think once my mom got over the fact that it was a military academy. I mean, she asked the one of the coaches that came to our house, like, “What's, what happens afterwards?”, you know, but what was instilled in me at a young age, and when we that, my mom valued education a lot, and so that was, that was in me, and candidly, it was probably the best educational opportunity I was going to have, and it was the best athletic opportunity I was going to have. So those two things were really important. I mean, when we got to the Air Force Academy, I remember my dad being like, “Holy cow, this is a really big deal.” And, you know, I just, I sometimes think back to those times. Times where you know before you go through it, and you see the full grind and all the things that are required, you know, to go through our school, you forget how cool it is from the outside, and the mystique and the things that make it so unique. And I remember, I just remember all that and, and obviously the football piece was a big deal, despite how my football career ended up going to be, to be offered an opportunity to be a part of something like that. Just the weight was, you know, it was so significant, it outweighed any other opportunity I had.   Naviere Walkewicz  10:37 That's wonderful. So, let's talk about that transition then. So, you came to the Academy, you recruited football for what position?   Brian Campbell  10:46 Tight end.   Naviere Walkewicz  10:47 Tight end, awesome. And so, what was, do you remember day one? What was it like coming to the Academy for the second time after your recruiting visit?   Brian Campbell  10:55 Yeah. So, you know, as I think back to my time as a cadet, I mean, the things that really weave through everything are the relationships, and it's interesting. I don't know when we'll broadcast this, but right now we're 4 and 0 here. We just beat South Florida and because we're not for here right now. But okay, that doesn't feel good to me either. But you know, when I was, when I was there, I had a call on the way to Tampa with the first person I met on my recruiting visit at Southgate, when they were trying to figure out how to get us on the base.,   Naviere Walkewicz Really.   Brian Campbell Yeah, and it's just, you know, it's completely normal, you know, or, you know, it's not like we're out of touch. But like that, I talked to that person and the person I spent the day with Saturday before the game was the person that I roomed with in basic training and I still talk to the people that I'm very close with every day. But you know, to this day, the two people I probably met first were, I mean, we're just a very significant amount of time last week. So, I mean, I remember everything. I remember going down the shot line, getting all the things in my arm, and then the blazing hot scissors or whatever they put on our head and everything and then I remember standing in the hallway, but I honestly had no idea what was happening. And I'll never forget that the next morning, when they come and start pounding down the doors, and like, my hands were shaking and they're yelling about, like, BD us. And I was like, “What on earth is a BDU?” And then, you know, I'm like, looking around, trying to figure out what people are going to put on. And then the guy that I was telling you about that I just saw in Tampa, you know, he was a Navy Junior ROTC, so he starts saying, like, sir to people. And like, you know, all chaos broke loose, and we were off and running.   Naviere Walkewicz  12:54 Wow. Well, I could say that your roommate was helpful, but until he said, “Ill sir.”, that might not have been too helpful for you. Yeah, he wasn't running.   Brian Campbell  13:02 Yeah, he wasn't. He wasn't all that helpful.   Naviere Walkewicz  13:05 Wow. So off you went into your four-degree year. What was life like as a cadet for you? I mean, I think you know, you obviously were in football and you were having to do all the academics. So, let's talk about that experience a little bit.   Brian Campbell  13:20 Yeah. I mean, the Academy was really hard for me, you know, as the first place where I was around so many talented people, and probably at a different you know, a lot of them were at a different stage in their journey than I think I was. I was really trying to figure things out as I went. You know, I kind of hit some bumps in the road with my health. And, you know, like anybody that your four-degree years, really, really difficult. And, you know, I showed up, I was probably about, you know, 220 pounds. And they, you know, were eating and eating and eating to try to get bigger. And I think I went home for like, winter break, I was already, like, 250 and, and so, you know, I don't know where things would have gone from there, but that spring of my four-degree year, I started to have some health problems and, and it took them a long time to figure out what was going on. And I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease, and I had lost like, 60 pounds by that point, and it was a really, really difficult period for me, because I was trying to get through school and academics. I tried to keep playing football. Eventually I had to, you know, step away for a little bit and figure out my health. But I learned in that time, a doctor said, like, you can't have Crohn's disease and be in the Air Force. And I remember walking out of the cadet clinic, and I took the elevator up by McDermott, and because it was a doctor's appointment, it's like, everybody's in class, so the place is completely quiet. And I walked out, and it was like just a crystal clear day, like the sky couldn't have been more blue above the Chapel and the Air Gardens are on, and I'm like, I don't want to leave here, you know. And I think that changed my perspective on the entire experience. And it was a really meaningful time for me, because I realized that the things that had already happened there and in a difficult first year were, had made a big impact on me, and I had some, I got some guidance from some other graduates, and they helped me navigate them, the medical process a little bit, and I was able to stay and I just wanted to be there long enough to graduate. And I was fortunate enough to have a little bit more. I managed to blow out both my knees after that. Naviere Walkewicz Oh my goodness!   Brian Campbell Yeah, both ACLs a year apart. So, I kept trying to do stuff, and it kept not working. But, you know, to be a part of the program and the relationships that I have from that, I mean, they still mean the world, even though, even though it was a little bit of a bumpy ride, right?   Naviere Walkewicz  16:03 So, your path, it looked a little different, probably from what you imagined coming to the Academy, especially growing up as the ultra-athlete. You know every sport for every season. Tell us about a little bit how you dealt with some of those challenges, because I think some of our listeners will experience things in life that kind of derail them from what they view as this is my path. And how did you keep your head above the fray and stay in a positive light, I guess, or maybe you didn't. What did that look like as you dealt with each of those challenges throughout the Academy?   Brian Campbell  16:38 Yeah, I mean, I think you learn in basic training there in hard times that you just are making it to the next meal. And I think for me, there was a stretch where I where I did that, and I look back now, and I feel like maybe because of that, there were things the academy offered that I wasn't able to take advantage of. But at the time, you know, I was so focused on just getting through the next thing and being able to kind of maintain my place there. But I think whether I knew it at the time or not, it built a significant resiliency in me, and I was not going to quit. I mean, if they were going to get rid of me, they were going to get rid of me, but I was not going to quit, and I was going to figure out a way to do it. And I think those are, those are elements that are very important in in what I've become and you know how I how I handle things to this day, if you can get through our school and if in everybody has challenges, and everybody has different things in their lives that they face. That's mine just happened to be health related, but I was very fortunate to have a huge support network. I had a great group of friends there. I mean, I had people who were who were rooting for me to be able to be successful and because of that, I was able to, I was able to continue to proceed through it, and all those elements were important for me in being able to do it.   Naviere Walkewicz  18:10 Now that's really, I think, insightful about you, and I think a testament to everyone just kind of finding something next to get to, like, in our case, it was getting to the next meal in basic, you know, you talked about being involved in sports and then having some of these health challenges. What did leadership look like for you at the Academy? Did you find yourself in certain roles where you were leading cadets? Or what did that look like?   Brian Campbell  18:37 Yeah, I mean, maybe this is if any cadets listen. You know, I was not in any, like, significant leadership positions as a cadet. I had, I think, what you would call some of the standard squadron jobs. And as I kind of reflect on, like, what I was learning about myself, you know, I think I tried to do a good job in those but, but, you know, I think I learned that there are formal leadership positions and then there's informal leadership. And what I don't think I appreciated was that, you know, you can still have impact on the people around you, whether or not you know the role dictates it, or your rank dictates it. I recall one time, you know, if you remember the squadron rankings, and we had gone from, like, second to 35th or something like that, and we had the equivalent of what would be like a players only meeting, where they said we were off in the S.A.R., like, trying to figure out, like, why we were in. And really, what you're driven by is there aren't going to be any passes to go anywhere, because at least at that time, it was directly related to how you were doing. And a lot of people talked, and there are a lot of opinions, and I remember finally feeling like I should say something, and I and I talked, and I just remember thinking like everyone seems to be listening. And I kind of noted that at that time, that I wasn't the squadron commander or anything like that, but it seemed like people valued my opinion, and it seemed like it resonated with a large swath of our squadron. And I think I take that with me now, because I believe there's kind of a meritocracy of ideas. You know, we all have rank in our organization, whether it's the military or whether it's something completely different. There's always different people who have different levels of authority. But, you know, I think great teams value ideas that come, that come from anybody.   Naviere Walkewicz  20:38 I think that is just a really important piece of information that you shared, because many times we have some of our developing leaders who may feel that they don't have the ability to share a thought because they think that they're too Junior. And so, what you just said, I think, was really powerful and hopefully empowering for some of our listeners to bring something to the table when they have something to share. So, I really appreciate you sharing that example. That was awesome. So, before we go into graduation, and what that looked like after you graduated, were there any specific people I know you said you had a great network of support. But were there any real like, inspirational leaders that kind of helped shaped you after you left the Academy, or right before you left into your life after the Academy?   Brian Campbell  21:31 Yeah, absolutely. I think that one thing that like means a lot to me are the people that I'm exposed to. I mean, I remember thinking a lot of General Rosa, who was our superintendent at the time. He guided the Academy through a difficult time. My four-degree AOC was just an outstanding leader, Joe Richardson. I have no idea what became of him, but, you know, in a tough year, it was like, every time we went in to our, you know, meet with our squadron, it was always like he had the right thing to say, and his presence was so strong, and we had some bumps in the road in our group that year, and he did everything he could to navigate through it. But, you know, he was, he was the kind of person who was, like, just a strong, inspirational type, type leader, and we needed that. I mean, you know, such a tough year, but you really felt like he was able to give us the energy and the courage to keep going for it, but he was also someone I think we all looked up to. And if you haven't been around the military a lot in your life, and you can see people like he went to our school and look at the kind of person he is now. That's a direction you hope you can follow. And then a completely other style was just being around Coach Deberry who wore his heart on his sleeve and said everything he wanted to say, and it came all out of love and passion. And he just he had that kind of style, and he built an organization that was really family centric and that was important to him. And then even my senior year, when I was just kind of like helping the staff in some different roles there, like when Coach Calhoun came in, it was a completely different style and tactic that he took. So I mean, the great thing about the Academy, I think we all talk about it a lot, is that you're exposed to leadership, you're exposed to cadet leaders, and you see how you respond to those things, too, and you take note of those as you grow, but we have some people who are also, like, very, very, you know, bona fide leaders that we had access to, and that would just be like the beginning of my list. I think now that makes sense.   Naviere Walkewicz  23:53 I'm sure the list is long because of just the exposure that you've had in different in different ways. So, when you graduated, what career field did you go into?   Brian Campbell  24:04 So I went into acquisitions, and my guidance from one of the doctors at the Academy there was, what can we do to take the least amount of grad physicals? So that's what I did.   Naviere Walkewicz  24:16 I was going to ask if that was what your passion was. But it sounds like it well, it teed off into something really well for you, and it also played well into your needs.   Brian Campbell  24:26 For sure, it did. It led me to things down the line, you know, Acquisitions. For me, it was an opportunity to be a part of a great organization. And there were parts of the Air Force that I valued. I also took note that that was probably not the thing that was going to excite me the most, and but I learned a lot about how, how kind of the business side of the Air Force works. And it was, it was still a great experience. I got to go all over the world. I got to be a part of a lot of really cool things that probably even at that age, I didn't really appreciate. I think the challenge for me in that particular career field is that you weren't really around a lot of active-duty Air Force members. And I think I missed that piece a little bit.   Naviere Walkewicz  25:13 Well, I think it's interesting, because one of the things that you've been able to do, I think, is find ways to give back in your career post, you know, military service, so that's probably been really rewarding for you. Can we talk a little bit about, you know, when you decided to transition out of the military? Because we do have listeners that both stay in uniform all the way through retirement and those who don't, who think about transitioning. So, I think it's really relevant. How did you come to that decision, and what did it look like for you?   Brian Campbell  25:44 Well, the Air Force came to the decision for me. So, I was going to PCS to my next station, and I'll never forget when the phone rang in my squadron commander's office. He came. It was like I knew what was going to happen, and the clock had run out on this whole Crohn's disease thing, and I was going to see a medical board and all that, all that kind of stuff. I ended up just saying that that's okay and I'll, I'm not. It was going to be like a year until I could go through that process, which didn't seem like very prudent at the time. I knew I was kind of proverbially playing with house money at that point, I was just so glad to have had my time in the Air Force and to be a part of the organization, you know, at least get to be a captain, but I didn't even fulfill my service commitment. So, it's really about the four and a half year point that that happened. And so, it was a little sudden, because I didn't know that that was going to happen. And so, I decided to kind of step away from the career field the you know, from work, I guess, altogether, and go to business school full time. So I went back to my desk, and I went through all the I got on US News and World Report and started going down the list of business schools and finding out who still had an application deadline available. And like three of the top 25 responded. And from there, I was able to do that. But the great thing for me was that I was able to spend two years away in a fully immersive environment, learning about the business side of management, which is different than the Air Force leadership style that we have in the in the military, and putting those two things together and thinking about some of my initial aspirations of, you know, maybe there's A career in sports. What might that look like? And you just get so, so many opportunities there to get exposed to people in different career fields. And those two years at “Wash U” for me were, were, I'm very, very fortunate to have those. They had a target of getting 10% of the class to be veterans, so I called the right school at the right time, and they were like, hey, just we'll help you. We'll help you figure this out. And they did everything they could to give me that opportunity.   Naviere Walkewicz  28:10 That's amazing. And I was going to ask, did you see the value of what you'd experienced at the Academy coming to play in your program there, that you were able to share with others, and what did leadership look like for you there?   Brian Campbell  28:23 Yeah, so, you know, in business school, it's a constant. I think balance between everything is about shareholder maximization and wealth creation, and they have to teach you those fundamentals. I think Olin did a good job reminding us about character-based management and leadership, and we had classes about critical decisions in leadership and management and things like that. And they brought some very senior business leaders in to talk about key inflection points of things that they had, and then, you know, we had, there's a professor there whose areas, area of study is, you know, economics with a higher purpose, and that's blending, like, how does being doing the right thing, and having something that's beyond just, you know, running your operation to the most efficient manner possible, and he's been able to show that organizations who do that and have a higher purpose are more successful. And so, for me, that is kind of the philosophy that I moved forward with in my career. So very different, very business fundamentals, but as you got towards the end, it was important to them that we understood that it wasn't always everything. Wasn't always about the near-term dollar and that things could your organizations are rewarded for doing the right thing and making decisions in the right way.   Naviere Walkewicz  30:00 Yeah. Yeah, it sounds like you absolutely picked the right program that really aligned with your own core values, you know, your own kind of, I think, navigational system as well as you know where you're wanting to go with things. So, what did that look like? Then, after you graduated, I know you spent some time at Anheuser Busch. Was that kind of just the next part of that journey?       Brian Campbell  30:20 Yeah, so I wanted to get back into sports right away, and so I started a networking process of I tried to meet with NFL teams. I didn't, I just didn't know how or what I was going to do, but I knew that that was my opportunity, a mentor of mine that I did a project for while I was at all. And he well, first of all, I started to find out also what jobs in sports pay. So, anybody listening to this guy's aspirations, just get that part settled for yourself right away. But it didn't matter to me. But I did have a bill I needed to figure out from business school. And his recommendation was, you know, you're down the street from essentially the biggest sports marketer in the world, you know, go there, you know, pursue that, and then figure out down the line if you still want to come back. And that ended up being the perfect step for me. You know, not only did I go to a place that ended up being a bridge back into this work, but Anheuser Busch, and the way that company is run is incredibly efficient and driven and lean and everything there is about value, and it's run by a set of Investment bankers who brought their philosophies into consumer goods, and, and, and they're extremely market share based, but it was, it was really cool to be a part of an organization that does things that way. And candidly, it was probably the other end of the spectrum than just being in the military. And both should operate in the way that they do, but that was such a valuable experience for me to work for an organization like that. I could not have done it forever. So, and I did get over into sports marketing, I ended up having what I think a lot of people would think is like maybe the coolest job of all time. I had the chance to run our whole northwest marketing portfolio. So, I had, you know, our Broncos partnerships and Vail Resorts. It took me back to Colorado to be in that office from, from being in New York City, we had the Seahawks, but it also we had a little college down the street that we had a partnership with called the Air Force Academy.   Naviere Walkewicz  32:39 I was wondering, how you direct to Colorado? That's where it was, yeah.   Brian Campbell  32:43 So, we had an office in Denver, and after a few years of doing that, Anheuser-Busch wants you to move around. They want you to grow. You can't stay in a lot of these jobs forever. And so, I knew there was a point where if I really wanted to do this, and I still felt such a calling to come and do this kind of work, and I kind of felt like I'd never forgive myself if I didn't try. So, I started making a lot of calls and knocking down doors. And eventually, eventually, a position opened back at the Academy, and I, like borderline forced them to hire me,   Naviere Walkewicz  33:15 Brian, I'm seeing a theme. I mean, as a kid, you would knock down doors come play. You know, when you were, got out of the military, when you were when you had to go, you were knocking down doors, “What's open for me?” So, I think the theme for you is, don't be afraid to knock down some doors and just see what's available. You went back to the Academy. Let's talk about your time there and what kind of evolved since then.   Brian Campbell  33:39 So, I came back to the Academy, we had a had the chance to learn a little bit about raising money in our athletic department, and we were coming up on a campaign like the first real significant campaign that had happened at the at the Air Force Academy. I mean, before I got back, I didn't even really know what a campaign was, to give people some context and where I was there, but General Gould said, “Hey, we're going to do this project on Falcon Stadium.” And, you know, and I thought to myself, hey, if I'm going to be here at the Academy, I need to be a part of this project. And so, I transitioned from our athletic department over to our foundation in about in 20-, early 2020, and had the chance to work on the projects that were that were happening there.   Naviere Walkewicz  34:27 So, I think this is helpful. Many of our listeners may not be aware of the ways that some of our foundations support the Academy, and I think through athletics is certainly one way. Can you talk a little bit about what that looks like, so that we can share more about the context of a campaign and giving back?   Brian Campbell  34:45 Yeah, I mean, I think my, my reflection on it is like the government's going to do enough to keep the doors open and provide a basic, solid experience. I think the US News and World Report rankings came out like today, we're number two. We're not number two without private investment. And I hear a lot from young grads about like they're asking me for money. They're asking me for money, and what they're asking you for is to invest in the experience and for us and on our resumes and the prevalence of our of our institution, and this is a competitive world that stuff matters and allows us at the Academy to keep professors that the government wouldn't necessarily be able to keep, to give very enriching research opportunities to cadets that otherwise I don't think we're really there when we were around. And it allows us, you know, militarily and then athletically, to be competitive at the highest level. And you know, when we say excellence in all we do, we're talking about being, you know, excellent in every facet of this of the Academy. And so, we're very fortunate that people have stepped forward at the Academy to invest in these areas and help us shape what they what they've created, and what they've become. And so private investment is a, is a real factor in our success there. And I got the chance to be in the middle of it and have a lot of those discussions and meet people who wanted to help. And it's an opportunity for them to kind of, you know, provide their passion or something they're particularly interested in, to shape the experience of the cadets. So, it's a very enriching process, and it's a really wonderful thing to be a part of.   Naviere Walkewicz  36:47 Well, I can share that, you know, I had the ability to work with you briefly when you came here, and then I joined in 2021 and there was so much that I learned. But I think what was really rewarding for me was to understand that to what you just said, you can actually invest in ways that you feel really compelled and what's important to you at the Academy. And so maybe you can share with our listeners what was something really rewarding, aside from the Kucera Legacy Center coming to life now, and we can talk about that. But what was something really rewarding to you that you were part of in the philanthropic side of our business?   Brian Campbell  37:20 Yeah, I mean not just being a fundraiser there, but I mean the chance to give myself and make the commitments that I could to the Academy that meant a lot to me to be able to help, but I enjoyed seeing like the little grassroots campaigns that were put together that gave cadets reprieve from life and rewarded them for different things. You know, NCLS is an amazing thing that happens there, that you get to take a step back from every year and appreciate the kind of people we bring back and put in front of the cadets. So, I mean, aside from the big projects, there's just stuff every single day, and you get emails from the cadets and ask like, “Hey, can we do this? Can we, what would it take to change our squadron to something else?” And you can help weigh out a little plan. And those aren't the dollars that necessarily drive campaign totals, but they matter because they matter to the cadets and the way that, you know those finances work there it's, you know, so many people have invested in the Foundation and the Association in a way that, you know, all these resources can get directly poured into cadets and because the government keeps the doors open, we can do things that are additionally impactful. You know, at other schools, like where I'm at now, we have to fill an endowment because of how we have to continue to operate the school. So that's not something we, I mean, there's ways that are that's helpful at the Academy too, but it's not as critical at the Academy, because the lights are on and we can be extremely effective in the investments through donors to impact cadets directly.   Naviere Walkewicz  39:06 No, that makes sense. I really like what you said about you got to give yourself. And I think part of what I've been picking up in our conversation is a lot of I think giving and investing is through relationships. And so I think some of the biggest pieces that come from that is the trust and relationships you build with people. Would you agree? Is that kind of how you feel about things?   Brian Campbell  39:26 Yeah, I do. And I you know, if I didn't go to the Air Force Academy, I'm not sure I would be doing this kind of work, even though the Air Force Academy is not designed to put you into this kind of work. But the relationships that I had from the academy and then throughout my time back there, are as important to me as just about anything you just the school exposes you to just such outstanding people. And I'm just very. Be grateful for, for all of those relationships that, that I've had the privilege to have.   Naviere Walkewicz  40:06 So, Brian, we've been talking about the ways we give back and relationships built. Let's, talk a little bit about the Kucera Legacy Center, because we just were able to the ribbon cutting and just beautiful experience with Jack and Vianne. What did it mean to you?   Brian Campbell  40:21 You know, being back at the Academy during the time that I was back, and maybe a lot of the people who listen to this maybe know what has happened on our Academy over the last three years, but the investment that's gone back into our school is just staggering. You know, not only the Kucera Legacy Center, but the Madeira Center, the hotel that's going up, the visitors center, the expansion to do it all, but the Kucera Legacy Center was kind of near and dear to my heart, and it was an opportunity given to me to be a really significant part of the entire project. Was one thing that took every piece of the institution to make happen. But it took Jack and Vianne really specifically. And it wasn't just their investment, but it was like a vision from Jack that I think got us through some times, that you know, maybe in years past, the project would not have, would not have continued on. And you know what I'll remember most is not just working on the gift that they made with them, but like working on the elements that were important to them to see in the facility. And the unique thing about that project is it's not just a facility. It is a way that we can invest back into our Academy and cadets. It's one of the few things on the Academy that can be commercialized and a positive return on investment. So, it's going to be used for a lot of things, but I'll never forget of the groundbreaking. Jack does so much for our school. And he was talking about, you know, why he flies Coach Calhoun around to recruit, and for coach, it's hugely helpful for him to get, you know, Division One coaches essentially have to fly in that manner. They have to fly private to be able to recruit effectively. That's a that's not an easy thing for our school to provide, and so Jack flies coach around a lot. And you know, I know Jack wants us to win football games, because I've watched some football games with him, and he's like one of the few people that can match as tense and nervous as I am, but he talked about the fact that everywhere they go, they knock on a door, and Coach Calhoun is giving some young person an opportunity to change their life. And you know, for them, we have this beautiful facility. Now, I can't wait to come back and see it, but I think that's what it is for them, is that's maybe the physical manifestation of their gift is knowing that, you know when, when, when young people accept that opportunity to come to the Air Force Academy, and they probably wouldn't have gotten it for this particular subset without a sport, that they can change their lives. And you know, watch being a part of that, even the small little part that I was is something that I think is a really, really significant part of my career and my journey.   Naviere Walkewicz  43:30 Wow. I mean, that's almost a 360 for you, right? You were someone who was given that opportunity, and now thinking about the future cadets that are going to be given a similar opportunity with something that you were part of in such a legacy and visionary manner, from Jack and Vianne. I mean, it's just incredible.   Brian Campbell  43:48 Yeah, absolutely.   Naviere Walkewicz  43:51 So, Brian, you have taken a role at the University of Miami, and let's talk a little bit about that. So, you were able to do some things here at the Academy. How's it been in the transition for you there at UM?   Brian Campbell  44:04 I mean, it's been, it's been crazy. So, you know, we're in the real battle of college athletics down here at a time that's very dynamic. It's an unbelievable opportunity to be a part of a traditional powerhouse with really, really significant aspirations, but a big part of it for me as I had the chance to come down here and work for a really high level team at a time that the school wanted to invest in athletics. And you know, the athletic director that I work for here, he won two national titles at Clemson. We have multiple other former division one athletic directors on our staff, and we do transformational things around this campus through athletics, but for other areas, our medical system and our academic side as well. So, it's been a challenge for me to get to learn the dynamic here. You know, at the Air Force Academy, a lot of people have a lot of thoughts on a lot of things. Miami supporters have a lot of thoughts on one thing, and that's winning football games. But, you know, the fundamentals remain the same, and I've been given a chance to kind of reshape the way we do this work. And for those that follow college athletics, it's been at a very, very fascinating time where there's huge change in the industry. There's a ton of uncertainty, and it's really forced me to think a lot about how we do our work and why we do it. And I think as a lot of people probably think that with Nio and possible rev-share and things like that, that we're losing the fabric of college athletics. There are little instances of that, but we are able to kind of double down on other ways to make an impact on our student athletes here and invest in their lives. So, it's been it's a challenge. We have a lot of work to do, but we're on the road, having some successes is really helpful. And being in a place that has really, really high expectations is really special to be a part of.   Naviere Walkewicz  46:16 So, you talked a bit about the fundamentals, and so what have you taken from your time at the Academy throughout your career to bring to UM now?   Brian Campbell  46:27 Yeah, I think the noise in college athletics and our work has become more complex. I took the opportunity to kind of distill things back down to the core mission of what we do, and that's to positively impact lives through excellence in athletics and our team, our role in that effort is to is to invest in those areas. So, we focus on, you know, kind of three key areas to do that. One of them is performance, kind of elite performance. The next one is what we call champions for life, which is investing in academics and in student athlete development. And then the last one is competitive excellence, and that's acknowledging that there's an area now with Nio and possible revenue share with athletes that we also have to be competitive in. But I've encouraged our team to think about, like, what the real purpose of our work is, and like what we do every day. And I think I kind of touched on a little bit of that earlier, when things got really confusing in the industry and stuff like that, understanding that, like our job really is simply to enrich an experience for our student athletes here, and best prepare them for the world. And if we do that really well, we're going to be really successful. And when we talk about that purpose on our team, you know, I try to find people to join our team who are going to resonate with that. And for me, I think when you identify with that purpose and kind of the core elements of it, it also makes me better at what I do, and better at leading and being authentic with the team that there are challenges but in there, and we're in a we're in an environment with headwinds and high expectations and high levels of competitiveness. But if we can focus on doing those things, we're going to make we're going to make every bit the kind of impact that has always been made in college athletics.   Naviere Walkewicz  48:33 So, what have you learned about yourself as a leader throughout this journey? It sounds like you've had just various opportunities to understand who you are in different roles. How does that translate in your leadership? What does that look like to our listeners?   Brian Campbell  48:49 Yeah, I think what I've learned over time is that in the Air Force, you are in the people business, and everything we do is kind of by for and through people. And I'm not sure if I understood it, even when I was in the beer business, but really, you're in the beer business, you're in the beer business, or you're in the people business, and your product is beer. And then now I'm kind of in the in the middle of this now, where we have a product, but our product, once again, is people. Now we have to be, you know, commercially viable, and there's a there's a significant financial side of what we do. But I think back to my time at the Academy, and I think one thing you can't escape at the Academy is that you know you're bringing your whole self every day to what we're doing. You know you are you're in it. You don't go home anywhere else. So, your squadron is where you live, and, and you realize that you know what's happening in your life, and, and, and for anybody that's on the team, like they're going to bring it with them, and, for me, I've thought, I think we talk a lot in business and leadership about acknowledging that and being there for people and being empathetic. But the other side of it is, you know, if our people are our most important asset, then what are we doing to invest in them and through, you know, this is a really busy kind of work, and authentically making sure that my team knows, and I hope that they do that we're going to try to grow them, and we're going to try to reward them for being successful, because it matters to the bottom line. It's not just the right thing to do. It helps move us forward, because if we're improving the conditions that they can go home to and spend with their families, we're going to get a better version of them, and it's going to improve the work that we do. So I think being in such an immersive type of place like the Air Force Academy, you realize that there is no turning it off when you leave or go somewhere, we go through difficult times, but we also have the opportunity in these kinds of roles to improve that and make sure people are fulfilled and finding their purpose in our work. And inevitably, I really do believe that that impacts our bottom line.   Naviere Walkewicz  51:21 What fulfills you and your work as a leader?   Brian Campbell  51:26 I mean, there's so much. This is what I love to do. And I love to be around the competition side of things, and I love to see when we're able to make something happen, a donor's vision to invest in our student athletes. And, you know, you see some of the things that they go on to accomplish, and you see what it means to the institution. I mean, you know, here, I think sometimes we think like, wow, college football in America is just bonkers, and it's crazy. It's gone off the rails, you know. But here at the University of Miami, you know, we have a we have a really, we have the biggest research based health system in South Florida, and it's the same logo that's on our helmet and that health system is successful because we have a very strong brand through football mostly, and In so I think we take that very seriously, that you know our work is directly tied to things that happen, not only on our campus, but in the healthcare system here as well. But you know, the true where the rubber meets the road is seeing the success that you know our student athletes have and enriching their experience and being able to tie that back to the people that make that possible.   Naviere Walkewicz  52:45 So, if we have any listeners that are interested in getting into the gift officer kind of role, the ability to help others invest, what would you share with them as maybe just a path or things to be considering?   Brian Campbell  52:59 Yeah, I mean, fundraising and development's a whole it's a whole industry, and it would be great to have more grads that would come into this kind of work. I mean, I was often asked by donors at the academy, why more people? Why more grads aren't doing it? And it's a unique it's a unique career path, but if there's elements of things that are meaningful to you, and you think that you know, nonprofit work might be appealing. Fundraising is a great way to do it. There's ups and downs. It's challenging. There's a bit of a craft to learn to it, but it's, this is not rocket science in any way. But if I really thought I was going to do it, I'd pick up the phone and call a grad who does it. I can think of a couple names off the top of my head and just ask and start to network. And when I moved over into college athletics in order to do that, I mean, I probably made 500 phone calls, and I always ask someone for the next name and network that way. And I received tremendous advice, and it was really good practice for what I ended up doing. I would encourage. I would love it if more would come into this line of work. You heard it here first friends, yeah, we'll see how effective it is.   Naviere Walkewicz  54:15 That is wonderful. Well, we're going to get into a couple more things before, before our podcast ends. So, Brian, I just want to ask you in advance so you have some time to think about this. Our listeners want to know something unique about you, maybe something that you haven't shared with anybody you know, something fun or some kind of talent you have. So, I'll give you a little bit of time to think about that, and then we're also going to want to hear your takeaways. So, before we get there, we're going to ask for Brian's final thoughts next. Before we do that, I'd like to take a moment and thank you our listener for listening to long blue leadership. The podcast publishes Tuesdays in both video and audio, and is available on all your favorite podcast platforms. Be sure to watch or listen to all episodes of Long blue leadership@longblueleadership.org All right, so Brian, welcome back, and we're really excited. Our listeners love to learn things here on Long Blue Leadership that they can only hear here. So, would you mind sharing with us something that is unique about you?   Brian Campbell  55:15 Well, I think before the break, you mentioned a talent, so I'm going to take credit for this being a talent during covid, I started getting into, like, amateur mixology, and so, yeah, at home. Now this is maybe a dangerous habit to have, but I do, I do share some of my work with some of the administration there still so, so it's definitely bled into Doolittle Hall a little bit, but I've learned to make, like, very specific cocktails and stuff like that. And I love doing it. I love trying something new all the time. So, I don't know if that's a talent or not. People can come have a have a drink with me at my house and decide to do when you have, when you have two little kids, you need to bring the fun. Needs to be at home. That's right, yeah, so, so, so that's, that's kind of my unique interest, I guess, more than a talent.   Naviere Walkewicz  56:13 We love that. So maybe we'll see a line down the road of a series of Campbell drinks. Or…   Brian Campbell  56:21 …yes, yeah, I do name some of them after things at the Academy.   Naviere Walkewicz  56:25 Just so, you know, okay yeah, I guess I could ask you to share one of them, maybe one name.   Brian Campbell  56:30 Well, you know, a lot of good supporters were in the class of '75 so I changed French '75 to '75 Best Alive.   Naviere Walkewicz  56:39 Love that.   Brian Campbell  56:43 People have no idea what I'm talking about.   Naviere Walkewicz  56:45 I would want to twist to that. I would want to twist that and skip it. So that's fantastic. Thank you for sharing that well. Before we close, we really like to leave our listeners with just a couple of key leadership nuggets that you'd like them to have. What would you leave our listeners with, Brian?   Brian Campbell  57:03 Yeah, you know, I think as I look at some of the people that were on this podcast, I mean, you have some folks who are very, very accomplished and at the top of their fields, and then you have some others who are at the beginning of their careers and heading down that, that road. You know, for me, I'm probably in the middle of it. And as I look at the arc of my career, I don't think I've arrived as a leader and I, but I started to think that I probably that I would be willing to bet that General Clark might say the same thing, and Coach Calhoun might say the same thing. So, I think it's always a work in process, but I think it's important to be really authentic with people, and that has worked. It's worked well for me, especially when those decisions are consistent with being authentic to what we're trying to accomplish. And the other thing that's meant the most to me, and is just surrounding myself with the best people possible, and that has continued to help me grow and evolve, and not just the people I hire, but I think back to my time working there at the academy and how cool it is in a you know, couple year period I was around, you know, Mark Welsh and Dana born, and Jack Kucera and Paul Madera and the Brunies (SP?) and Mike Gould and these kinds of people. And that's who I had the chance to surround myself with, and I, think that that has more to do with me having other opportunities in my career to go grow and learn at a different place and hopefully be successful here as much as anything that I did. And so I think a lot about the elements that we put into it, because it's hard on a daily basis to know if you're doing a good job being a leader, but if you take those pieces of the fabric that we learned at the Academy, and you keep doing it the right way and thinking about these things and surrounding yourself by people with surrounding yourself with people of those kinds of values, and people that you can take little pieces of what they do and try to try to bring them with You. I think it's the right road.   Naviere Walkewicz  59:22 Well, Brian, it's been a pleasure. I know I've just taken away some things, and in our time together here, learning about you, but also just inspiring me thinking about how we can give and it really is a pleasure. I can't wait to see where your trajectory of your career takes you and the ways that you'll continue to make an impact.   Brian Campbell  59:39 Wow. Thank you. Naviere, it was great to be a part of it. Thank you everyone at the Association and the Foundation. I'm glad that we have a podcast. I know that there's so many efforts that are happening to connect with grads at all stages in their careers and their journey, and I just really appreciate that. Audience to be on and all the incredible work that's happening back there at our school.   Naviere Walkewicz  1:00:06 Thank you. So, we can end with the Go Falcons, right?   Brian Campbell  1:00:08 Yeah. Beat Army, sink Navy!   KEYWORDS Brian Campbell, Air Force Academy, leadership, growth, development, athletics, fundraising, University of Miami, Kucera Legacy Center, resilience, sports marketing, philanthropy       The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association and Foundation        

Today, we have a remarkable guest joining us — Claire Llewellin-Davis, the dynamic Managing Director of The Lensbury. Claire's journey is a fascinating tale of resilience, adaptability, and bold career moves.✨ In This Episode:Adventures in Language and LandsFrom studying languages in France and Germany to teaching in Japan, Claire's story kicks off with vibrant globe-trotting adventures that would make even Carmen Sandiego jealous.Military MakeoverLearn how Claire transitioned to military life. Ever wondered about staying awake for 56 hours? Claire spills the beans on her transformative training at Sandhurst, where resilience was the name of the game.Cherie Blair DramaImagine inviting Cherie Blair to talk at a place with a very, very traditional audience. Claire shares the juicy details of how she managed to win over skeptics and even had the club's chairman swooning!To Hong Kong and BeyondGet a taste of Claire's high-stakes management during political unrest in Hong Kong. And the shift to a more tranquil life in Singapore—paddling pools indoors anyone?Family FirstHow COVID-19 changed everything! Claire opens up about personal loss and re-evaluating priorities. Plus, how a spontaneous escapade in Malaysia and Vietnam led her back to the UK.Lensbury BoundDiscover the award-winning Lensbury resort, a blend of heritage, sports, and leisure excellence—even England's Lionesses took a liking to it! Claire's vision of rejuvenating the historic club is nothing short of inspiring.

In this special episode timed to coincide with National Coming Out Day, Bobby and Bridge are joined by Colonel Ali Brown OBE and Alex Meyrick from Fighting With Pride – the LGBTQ+ Military Charity, to discuss the challenges LGBT+ veterans face. Ali shares her journey as part of the first female intake at Sandhurst, navigating military life while concealing her identity, and her mission to improve services for female veterans. Alex discusses her work supporting veterans and the lasting impact of the military's LGBT+ ban. And all together, we explore how leadership is evolving, the cost of hiding one's true self, and the importance of diversity in leadership. A powerful conversation on pride,resilience, and healing. #making the journey home  Links Ali Brown (fightingwithpride.org.uk) Alexandra Meyrick | LinkedIn Lifting the ban on gay military service members | Imperial War Museums (iwm.org.uk) Pride in Veterans Standard (fightingwithpride.org.uk) Coming out | Stonewall

Dean Morgan is a proud Welshman who aged 16 joined the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards. After training at Pirbright he was part of the Major Generals Parade and when he was spoken to the inspecting officer was surprised at his age and suggested that he shouldn't mention it!He was too young to deploy with the battalion to Northern Ireland. When he reached 18, he badgered Company Sgt Major Nicky Mott to allow him to deploy as a joint team with the Irish and Scots Guards. He still remembers the mnemonic FATLAD. Dean transferred to 2 company and became part of the reconnaissance team and deployed to the Balkans. He would pass memorials to mass graves and there was a sense of loss in so many communities. Dean describes his time in Iraq and the fateful time in Afghanistan when Col Thorneloe was killed but he was one of a number who lost their lives. Dean recounts his leaving of Afghanistan and a chance meeting of a Coldstream Guard who he done a course in the Brecon's with. He wished the Sgt well and told him to keep safe. This was the last Dean saw of his friend as he was killed.When Dean returned to the UK and was selected to become an instructor at Sandhurst. The process of selection was an 85km Tab across the Black Mountains this meant he was up to speed in his physical and mental fitness. He taught cadets from across the world. At the conclusion of his time at Sandhurst he returned to Battalion and found himself in the stores.Dean was promoted to Regimental Sgt Major and returned to Kabul which was different to his previous experiences in Afghanistan. He applied for and was subsequently selected for a late entrant commission. However, Dean undertook the new role of Command Sgt Major and the role meant that he went to Fort Bliss in El Paso where he attended the Sgt Majors course. Upon his return he was posted to Home Command and worked with the strategic military leaders. He served in post for 2 years.Having been promoted to the rank of Major, Dean undertook a role which effectively removed him from frontline duties and gave him a more detailed insight to defence procurement.Having just left the Army Dean was kind enough to take part in this podcast. We wish him well in his new role with NHS Wales. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Army's world-renowned Royal Military Academy Sandhurst is undertaking a radical process to modernise. It's conducting what it calls a ‘Critical Mass Trial' – huge efforts to ramp up the numbers of women in its platoons in response to a tragedy at the Academy. BFBS Forces News has been given rare and exclusive access to Sandhurst and has documented it in a new series produced by Rosie Laydon who talks to Sitrep. Something that's really getting people fired up in the military is the prospect of paying 20 per cent VAT on private school fees from January. Some personnel are even threatening to leave the Armed Forces if the Government pushes ahead, whereas others claim it will put new people off joining in the first place. Sitrep talks to the RAF Families Federation and retired Army Officer Hamish de Bretton-Gordon. And former Tornado Navigator and bestselling author John Nichol talks to Kate Gerbeau about the history of the tomb of the unknown warrior and the painstaking efforts of finding, identifying and reburying the fallen, which he explores in his new book.

By Jonathan Selling Author Edward Hampshire joins Jonathan to discuss his new book, The Royal Navy in the Cold War Years, 1966-1990. Edward Hampshire is an historian at the Naval Historical Branch, Ministry of Defence, Portsmouth. He has been Senior Lecturer in Defence and International Affairs, the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, and was Seconded from … Continue reading Sea Control 549 – The Royal Navy During the Cold War with Edward Hampshire →

In this episode of Leveraging Leadership, Deputy Chief of Staff Paul Robinson from the British Army talks about his role, training responsibilities, and experiences. He explains his work with NATO, the importance of building relationships, and how he manages logistics and people management. Paul also shares his experience with autism and its impact on his job, as well as small wins like improving policies for personnel moves.Links Mentioned:British Army RecruitingClarity Call with EmilyFree Resources:Strategic Planning Checklist Chief of Staff Skills Assessment ChecklistA Day in the Life of a Chief of StaffChief of Staff ToolkitGet in touch with Emily:Connect on LinkedInFollow on YouTubeLearn more about coaching Sign up for the newsletterClarity Call with Emily Who Am I?If we haven't yet before - Hi

fWotD Episode 2692: Frederick Browning Welcome to Featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia’s finest articles.The featured article for Tuesday, 17 September 2024 is Frederick Browning.Lieutenant-General Sir Frederick Arthur Montague "Boy" Browning (20 December 1896 – 14 March 1965) was a senior officer of the British Army who has been called the "father of the British airborne forces". He was also an Olympic bobsleigh competitor, and the husband of author Daphne du Maurier.Educated at Eton College and then at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Browning was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Grenadier Guards in 1915. During the First World War, he fought on the Western Front, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for conspicuous gallantry during the Battle of Cambrai in November 1917. In September 1918, he became aide de camp to General Sir Henry Rawlinson.During the Second World War, Browning commanded the 1st Airborne Division and I Airborne Corps, and was also the deputy commander of First Allied Airborne Army during Operation Market Garden in September 1944. During the planning for this operation, he was alleged to have said: "I think we might be going a bridge too far." In December 1944 he became chief of staff of Admiral Lord Mountbatten's South East Asia Command. From September 1946 to January 1948, he was Military Secretary of the War Office.In January 1948, Browning became comptroller and treasurer to Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh. After she ascended to the throne to become Queen Elizabeth II in 1952, he became treasurer in the Office of the Duke of Edinburgh. He suffered a severe nervous breakdown in 1957 and retired in 1959. He died at Menabilly, the mansion that inspired his wife's novel Rebecca, on 14 March 1965.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 01:05 UTC on Tuesday, 17 September 2024.For the full current version of the article, see Frederick Browning on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm neural Brian.

British Army major and Sandhurst lecturer Andrew Fox recently spent a week with the Israel Defense Forces including a day inside Gaza. He was struck by the IDF's control of Gazan territory and shocked by the level of physical devastation. Listen as Fox and EconTalk's Russ Roberts discuss Fox's analysis of Israel's performance in the Gazan war, why Fox believes that Israel is succeeding, and what he thinks Israel's critics get right and wrong.

Chris is a former member of the Yorkshire Volunteers, part of Cold War Britain's Territorial reserve Army. This episode is a treasure trove of personal anecdotes, historical insights, and reflections on military life, making it a must-listen for anyone interested in military history and the Cold War era. Chris's journey into the military began with his interest in military subjects and history. He joined the Army Cadet Force before university and later, the Officer Training Corps at Sheffield University. As a reserve unit, training included handling World War II vintage weapons including the venerable Bren gun. Chris's training involved long days and nights of exercises and lectures. He recalls an incident at the School of Infantry in Warminster where he inadvertently came under live fire. Despite his initial lack of physical prowess, Chris's perseverance and dedication saw him through, eventually leading to his decision to pursue a commission as an officer. After training and assessment at Sandhurst, Chris was commissioned as a second lieutenant. The transition from private soldier to officer was challenging, particularly as he had to command men who previously outranked him. However, Chris's determination and growing confidence helped him establish himself as a capable leader. Looking back, Chris reflects on the camaraderie, the challenges, and the humorous moments that defined his military service. He also discusses the reality of PTSD, sharing insights from a friend who served in Iraq.  Episode extras here https://coldwarconversations.com/episode364 Want to hear more military stories of the Cold War? Here are all our military episodes in one convenient playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/22Tf4FcjFWQB1Jh4hpYJDg?si=d1cac1f026fb4783 The fight to preserve Cold War history continues and via a simple monthly donation, you will give me the ammunition to continue to preserve Cold War history. You'll become part of our community, get ad-free episodes, and get a sought-after CWC coaster as a thank you and you'll bask in the warm glow of knowing you are helping to preserve Cold War history. Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/donate/ If a monthly contribution is not your cup of tea, We also welcome one-off donations via the same link. Find the ideal gift for the Cold War enthusiast in your life! Just go to https://coldwarconversations.com/store/ Follow us on Twitter https://twitter.com/ColdWarPod Facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/coldwarpod/ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/coldwarconversations/ Youtube https://youtube.com/@ColdWarConversations Love history? Join Intohistory https://intohistory.com/coldwarpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Pippa Malmgren is an American economist, technology entrepreneur, and author known for her expertise in global economics and geopolitics. She served as a Special Assistant to President George W. Bush for Economic Policy on the National Economic Council and was a member of the President's Working Groups on Financial Markets and Corporate Governance. Additionally, she advised on economic risks following 9/11, focusing on terrorism and technology as sources of geopolitical competitiveness. Dr. Malmgren has held significant positions in finance, including Chief Currency Strategist at Bankers Trust and Deputy Head of Global Strategy at UBS. She is the co-founder of H Robotics, a company specializing in commercial drone technology, and the founder of DRPM Group, which helps clients anticipate global economic trends. An accomplished author, her books include "Signals: How Everyday Signs Can Help Us Navigate the World's Turbulent Economy," "The Leadership Lab," and "The Infinite Leader," the latter two having won awards for their contributions to business and leadership literature. She is also a sought-after public speaker and has lectured at institutions such as Sandhurst and the Duke Fuqua Business School.

Dr. Pippa Malmgren is an economist who makes sense of the world economy by writing books, founding tech businesses, advising policymakers around the world and through public speaking and teaching. She lectures at Sandhurst and is a Founder member of the Lunar University, a NASA-originated project to ensure the first human institution on the moon represents the arts and humanities.   She served President George W. Bush in the White House as Special Assistant to the President and on the National Economic Council. After 9/11 she was also responsible for assessing terrorism risks to the economy and technology as a source of geopolitical competitiveness. She advised the British cabinet on trade issues as a Board Member for the Department for International Trade from 2017-2019. Her most recent bestseller, The Infinite Leader, won the International Press Award for the Best Book on Leadership for 2021. In this podcast, we discuss what Trump's administration will be like, importance of JD Vance and Robert Kennedy, Project 2025; threats to democracy, and much more.    Follow us here for more amazing insights: https://macrohive.com/home-prime/ https://twitter.com/Macro_Hive https://www.linkedin.com/company/macro-hive

Certains militaires se sont fait un nom du fait de leur bravoure mais aussi de leurs excentricités. C'est le cas du major Allison Digby Tatham-Warter. Né en 1917, il devient très vite orphelin.Gazé durant la Grande Guerre, son père meurt en effet à la fin du conflit. Allison est bien décidé à suivre son exemple. Sorti du prestigieux collège de Sandhurst, il devient donc officier et sert aux Indes.Durant la Seconde Guerre mondiale, il revient en Angleterre et prend la tête d'une unité de parachutistes. À la fin du conflit, elle participe notamment à une opération aux Pays-Bas, chargée de s'emparer de ponts stratégiques.Mais le major Digby Tatham-Warter ne se signalait pas seulement par sa bravoure. C'était aussi un original, y compris sur le champ de bataille.En effet, cet officier, qui ne manquait pas d'humour, conduisait ses hommes au combat en brandissant, non pas une arme ou une canne, mais...un parapluie ! Et il n'oubliait pas de se coiffer d'un chapeau melon.Si le major emportait son parapluie au combat, c'est, d'après ses dires, pour être plus facilement reconnu. Assez distrait, il oubliait souvent les mots de passe. Son parapluie lui servait alors de sésame.Il pensait que cet accessoire ne pouvait que l'identifier aux yeux des soldats alliés. En effet, qui pouvait agiter un parapluie en pleine bataille et s'affubler d'un chapeau melon sinon un Anglais ? La légende veut même que ce fameux parapluie ait servi d'arme au major. Il lui aurait permis de blesser un conducteur de char ennemi.Mais cet officier n'était pas à une excentricité près. Ainsi, il remet à l'honneur l'usage du clairon, que l'armée britannique avait abandonné depuis plus d'un siècle. Il pense en effet que les communications passeront mieux par le son de cet instrument que par des messages radio souvent défaillants.Un autre épisode met bien en évidence l'originalité de son comportement. En effet, il est également connu pour avoir affrété un avion qui emmena directement ses hommes à une fête donnée au prestigieux hôtel Ritz à Londres ! Hébergé par Acast. Visitez acast.com/privacy pour plus d'informations.

Ooooooooooooooo A GUEST! Bobby and Bridge are joined by the amazing Alison Riley (better known to us as Dunney!!) who they met at Sandhurst some 30-plus years ago. And she's another one who has had an interesting “career path” since those tumultuous days of military training. Alison served for 5 years before leaving and qualifying as a secondary Maths teacher. She taught for 10+ years before deciding on a further career change and being ordained as a Minister!! So join us as we hear about the whys and wherefores of her career journey before delving into Alison's wisdom on what faith, spirituality, and belief (you choose the word for yourself) brings to leadership. Oh, and find out about Chill Church. It is just SO cool (pardon the pun!!) Links Rev. Alison Riley Network Youth Church The Centre for Action and Contemplation - Building on Richard Rohr's Founding Vision Measuring loneliness Radical Candor: How to Get What You Want by Saying What You Mean | Kim Scott | Amazon.co.uk Spiritually-Intelligent-Leadership | Yosi Amram PhD | Amazon.co.uk

The is the second instalment of a two-part discussion. On August 15 1947 Pakistan and India gained their independence and colonialism came to an end in the subcontinent. But it was not a time of celebration. A botched process of partition saw unprecedented sectarian violence, an estimated death of more than a million people and some 15 million more displaced from their homes. Mishal Husain's family lived through the mayhem. In June 2024 Husain, the acclaimed journalist and BBC Radio 4 Today Programme host, came to Intelligence Squared to tell her family's story and shed light on this remarkable period of history. Drawing from her new book Broken Threads: My Family From Empire to Independence, she told stories like that of her grandmother Mary, a devout Catholic of Anglo-Indian parentage who leaves a struggling family to train as a nurse in Britain. Or her grandfather Shahid who finds purpose and success in the British Army as a Sandhurst cadet. Husain confronted the acute sense of loss brought on by partition, the rupturing of cross-border relationships, and the scarring legacy of violence that still impacts the descendants of empire living in Britain today. Joining Husain onstage to discuss the book was the journalist, broadcaster and John L Weinberg visiting professor at the School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, Razia Iqbal. This event is presented in partnership with 4th Estate. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/IS for £100 sponsored credit. This is the second instalment of two-part discussion. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all three parts immediately and all of our longer form interviews and Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events - Our member-only newsletter The Monthly Read, sent straight to your inbox ... Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series ... Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. ... Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The is the first instalment of a two-part discussion. On August 15 1947 Pakistan and India gained their independence and colonialism came to an end in the subcontinent. But it was not a time of celebration. A botched process of partition saw unprecedented sectarian violence, an estimated death of more than a million people and some 15 million more displaced from their homes. Mishal Husain's family lived through the mayhem. In June 2024 Husain, the acclaimed journalist and BBC Radio 4 Today Programme host, came to Intelligence Squared to tell her family's story and shed light on this remarkable period of history. Drawing from her new book Broken Threads: My Family From Empire to Independence, she told stories like that of her grandmother Mary, a devout Catholic of Anglo-Indian parentage who leaves a struggling family to train as a nurse in Britain. Or her grandfather Shahid who finds purpose and success in the British Army as a Sandhurst cadet. Husain confronted the acute sense of loss brought on by partition, the rupturing of cross-border relationships, and the scarring legacy of violence that still impacts the descendants of empire living in Britain today. Joining Husain onstage to discuss the book was the journalist, broadcaster and John L Weinberg visiting professor at the School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, Razia Iqbal. This event is presented in partnership with 4th Estate. We are sponsored by Indeed. Go to Indeed.com/IS for £100 sponsored credit. This is the first instalment of two-part discussion. If you'd like to become a Member and get access to all three parts immediately and all of our longer form interviews and Members-only content, just visit intelligencesquared.com/membership to find out more. For £4.99 per month you'll also receive: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared episodes, wherever you get your podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series - 15% discount on livestreams and in-person tickets for all Intelligence Squared events - Our member-only newsletter The Monthly Read, sent straight to your inbox ... Or Subscribe on Apple for £4.99: - Full-length and ad-free Intelligence Squared podcasts - Bonus Intelligence Squared podcasts, curated feeds and members exclusive series ... Already a subscriber? Thank you for supporting our mission to foster honest debate and compelling conversations! Visit intelligencesquared.com to explore all your benefits including ad-free podcasts, exclusive bonus content and early access. ... Subscribe to our newsletter here to hear about our latest events, discounts and much more. https://www.intelligencesquared.com/newsletter-signup/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We wrap up our 80th anniversary commemoration month episodes with the return of Sand and Steel author Peter Caddick-Adams.Caddick–Adams was born in London in 1960 and educated at Shrewsbury School, Sandhurst and Wolverhampton University, where he gained First Class Honours in War Studies; he received his PhD from Cranfield University. He worked in the House of Commons, then taught at Oxford and Birmingham Universities before being appointed Lecturer in Military and Security Studies at the UK Defence Academy in 1998, and Lecturer in Air Power Studies at RAF Halton since 2012. Concurrently, he pursued a second career in the UK Regular and Reserve Forces, was commissioned in 1979 and joined the Reserves in 1985.He has extensive experience of various war zones, including the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan. During 1996–7 he was the official NATO Historian in Bosnia, based in Sarajevo, and was also the UK Historian during the Iraq War of 2003. 

In this week's episode on the Rox Lyfe podcast I get to chat with Geordie Stewart (@geordie_stewart on Instagram). Geordie has quite the story. He is the author of 3 books. The first details his experience of being the youngest ever person to scale the 7 summits (the highest mountains on each of the 7 continents). His second book documents his solo journey of 13,000 miles on a bike, from the UK to New Zealand, and his third is about his time training as an officer for the British Army at Sandhurst. We discuss all of these experiences, and more, as well as his experiences in HYROX which include him being part of the winning mixed doubles team at the recent HYROX London event, finishing in a time of 55.35mins. Bear Grylls has described him as “A true pioneer and an inspiration for tenacity and resilience.” And Sir Ranulph Fiennes has said that Geordie is “An ambitious young man with genuine determination,“ and that his “attitude is inspiring.'” I loved chatting with him. I think you'll really enjoy, and hopefully be inspired by, our conversation.

On the eve of the 80th anniversary of D-Day, our hosts are joined by renowned military historian Peter Caddick-Adams to discuss his 2019 book Sand and Steel.Caddick–Adams was born in London in 1960 and educated at Shrewsbury School, Sandhurst and Wolverhampton University, where he gained First Class Honours in War Studies; he received his PhD from Cranfield University. He worked in the House of Commons, then taught at Oxford and Birmingham Universities before being appointed Lecturer in Military and Security Studies at the UK Defence Academy in 1998, and Lecturer in Air Power Studies at RAF Halton since 2012. Concurrently, he pursued a second career in the UK Regular and Reserve Forces, was commissioned in 1979 and joined the Reserves in 1985.He has extensive experience of various war zones, including the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan. During 1996–7 he was the official NATO Historian in Bosnia, based in Sarajevo, and was also the UK Historian during the Iraq War of 2003. 

Novelist Louis de Bernières was born into a military family, and flown out to Jordan in a bomber. At the age of eight he was sent to Grenham House in Kent, a prep school run by two headmasters, one of them a paedophile and the other a sadist. He became fluent in Latin. Then he went to Bradfield College in Berkshire where he spent a lot of time fishing, and working for a local farmer when he was supposed to be doing sports. He then spent four months failing to become an army officer at Sandhurst, when what he really wanted to do was grow his hair long and play the guitar. In disgrace, he fled to Colombia where he worked as a tutor on a ranch belonging to an Englishman who also turned out to be a paedophile. He learned to ride western style, use a lasso, and round up cattle. He came home and studied philosophy at Manchester University, financing it by working as a landscape gardener. Afterwards he worked variously as hospital porter, landscape gardener, mechanic in a bent Morris Minor garage in East London, philosophy tutor, carpenter, motorcycle messenger, and English and Drama teacher in Ipswich. He trained to be a teacher in Leicester, and won a masters with distinction at the Institute of Education in London. He worked with truants in Battersea until his third novel was published and he was earning the same by writing as he had been as a teacher.    Summary Louis de Berniere-Smart discusses his experience of boarding school and the emotional impact it had on him. He shares the harsh realities, including physical abuse, poor living conditions, and emotional bullying. Louis reflects on the emotional detachment and stoicism that he learned as a coping mechanism, as well as the difficulty of forming attachments and relationships later in life. He also discusses his unconventional path after leaving school, including his time in Colombia and his diverse range of jobs. Louis values connecting with people from all walks of life and has a deep interest in understanding others. In this conversation, Louis discusses his diverse work experiences and how they have influenced his writing. He shares stories from his time working in a garage , highlighting the importance of meaningful connections with people. Louis also talks about his experiences as a father and the impact it had on his life. He discusses the process of writing and how it allows him to explore different kinds of love and escape from self-obsession.

Show Notes and Transcript Mike Yardley joins Hearts of Oak to discuss his varied background, including military service and journalism, addressing censorship in contemporary Britain, particularly concerning vaccines and lockdowns. We examine the impact of censorship on free speech, social media algorithms, and the consequences of opposing mainstream narratives.  The conversation delves into declining democracy, globalist agendas, and the suppression of individual liberties.  Mike highlights concerns about powerful entities controlling public discourse and a lack of open debate on critical issues.  We end on political changes in Europe and the necessity of open discussions to tackle societal issues, particularly the significance of critical thinking, diverse perspectives, and unrestricted dialogue to shape a better future. Mike Yardley is well known as a sporting journalist, shooting instructor, and hunter and has written and broadcast extensively on all aspects of guns and their use. His articles (2000+) have appeared in many journals as well as in the national press. He has appeared as an expert witness in cases which relate to firearms and firearms safety. He is a founding fellow of the Association of Professional Shooting Instructors, and has formal instructing qualifications from a variety of other bodies. He is listed one of The Field's ‘Top Shots.' He retired from the press competition at the CLA Game Fair after winning it three times. As well as his shooting activities he has written books on other subjects including an account of the independent Polish trade union Solidarity, a biography of T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia), and a history of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst itself. He is a contributing author and ‘Special Researcher' to the Oxford History of the British Army (in which he wrote the concluding chapter and essays on the army in Northern Ireland and the SAS). He is also a frequent broadcaster and has made and presented documentaries for the BBC. Mike has also been involved as a specialist ballistic consultant, and presenter, in many productions for various TV companies including the Discovery and History Channels. He has re-enacted on location worldwide the death of the Red Baron, the Trojan Horse incident from ancient history, and some of the most infamous assassinations, including those of JFK, RFK and Abe Lincoln. Michael has worked a photojournalist and war reporter in Syria, Lebanon, Albania/Kosovo, Africa, and Afghanistan. He was seized off the street in Beirut in 1982 (before Terry Waite and John McCarthy) but released shortly afterwards having befriended one of his captors. In 1986 he made 3 clandestine crossings into Afghanistan with the Mujahedin putting his cameras aside and working as a medic on one mission. In the late 1990s, he ran aid convoys to Kosovan Refugees in Albania and on the Albanian/Kosovo border. The charity he co-founded, ‘Just Help,' was honoured for this work which took 300 tons of relief to desperately needy people. Connect with Mike... X/TWITTER        twitter.com/YardleyShooting WEBSITE            positiveshooting.com Interview recorded 2.5.24 Connect with Hearts of Oak... X/TWITTER        x.com/HeartsofOakUK WEBSITE            heartsofoak.org/ PODCASTS        heartsofoak.podbean.com/ SOCIAL MEDIA  heartsofoak.org/connect/ SHOP                 heartsofoak.org/shop/ *Special thanks to Bosch Fawstin for recording our intro/outro on this podcast. Check out his art theboschfawstinstore.blogspot.com and follow him on X/Twitter twitter.com/TheBoschFawstin  (Hearts of Oak) Hello Hearts of Oak, thank you so much for joining us once again and I'm joined by someone who I've been enjoying watching on Twitter for the last couple of years and delighted that he can join us today and that's Mike Yardley. Mike, thank you so much for your time today. (Mike Yardley) Yeah, great to be here and thank you very much for asking me Peter. Not at all, thoroughly enjoyed. I thought I would But let our audience also enjoy your input. And we had a good chat on the phone the other week about all different issues. And people can find you @YardleyShooting, which introduces the question, Yardley Shooting. Maybe you want to give just a one or two minute introduction of your background. I know you've written. You have a deep passion and understanding of history, along with many other things. But maybe give the viewer just a little bit of your background. Well, I've had a wide and varied career. I studied psychology at university. I went to the army. Wasn't really, you know, content in the army. And I resigned my commission in 1980. But I was in the army at a very interesting time. Height of the Cold War. I was on what was then the West German and East German border watching the East Germans and Russians watching us. So an intriguing place. And I really left the army to become a war reporter, a photographer, particularly initially. And also I went to Poland. I was in Poland for the rise of solidarity. I brought an exhibition back to the UK, which opened at the National Theatre. And memorably with Peggy Ashcroft doing the honours at that event, and Sir John Gielgud as patron. And then I've sort of made my way as an author and as a freelance. And I've also had a parallel career as an arms specialist. I've written a, probably millions of words in that area, but I've also written the final chapter of the Oxford History of the British Army, essays within that, books on the history of Sandhurst and co-written with another ex-officer, a book about the army, lots of technical stuff, a number of technical books. And I'm very interested in mass communication. I have made in the deep and distant past, some documentaries for the BBC. I made one on the history of terrorism for the BBC World Service. I made another on the media and the monarchy for the BBC World Service. And I think they actually let me broadcast once on another subject I'm very interested in, which is doubt. So since then, I've made my living with my pen and my camera. I was in Lebanon in the the early 1980s, again, not a good place to be there. And I made several sneaky beaky trips into Afghanistan, not as a soldier, but as a journalist when the Russians were there. And that was a very interesting time too. And, you know, gave me some ideas that perhaps other people didn't have the advantage of that experience. So yeah, quite an interesting career. I'm still a columnist for one well-known field sports magazine, The Field. And I am still at it. I don't know how long I'm going to be at it for. But one of the interesting things, I suppose, for me has been the advent of social media. And I thought social media was going to give me a chance to see what other people were thinking. But as well as what other people were thinking, to give me a chance for unfettered expression. Because I think it would be fair to say that I do feel that you cannot really say what you think in modern Britain. It comes with all sorts of disadvantages. As you get older and maybe you don't need the income as much, then perhaps not as important. You know, you can harder to cancel you as you get older and you don't really care. But I do think that's an issue in modern Britain. I think since the whole advent of lockdown and all the propaganda that was associated with it, and indeed with the Ukraine war, although I'm a supporter of the Ukrainians, I was rather horrified by the extent of the propaganda campaign to get us involved, as I have been rather shocked by all the propaganda surrounding lockdown and COVID, et cetera. And one other key point of my background is that I got very badly injured after I had the vaccine. I collapsed the next day. I had the worst headache of my life. I was in bed for a month or six weeks. I got a thrombosis in my leg, tinnitus, all sorts of other shingles, all sorts of other horrible stuff. I couldn't really walk. And even as I speak to you now, I've got shingles. I've got this blessed tinnitus ringing in my head, which a lot of other people have had post-vaccination and constant headaches. So I just have to live with that now, which means that you're always having to go through that to talk to people and to get your point across. Well, I've got a feeling that we may have you on a number of times, Mike, because there's so much to unpack there. But maybe we can start with a comment you made on censorship. And certainly we've seen this over the last four years. I've noticed in different areas, but specifically since being in the media space, I think since 2020, I've certainly seen it, had seen a little bit back in my days with UKIP during the Brexit campaign also but we have the BBC in the UK I guess they are the gatekeepers of information or have been up until this point and I know they've just the BBC have just done a series on misinformation or extremism and they of someone they employ full-time to actually cover what they see as misinformation and that kind of re-galvanizes their position as gatekeepers. But what are your thoughts on censorship? And I guess where state media fit into that? Yeah, I've been listening to that BBC series, and there's quite a lot of BBC stuff in that area at the moment. I think the first thing I'd say is this. I used to be one of the main voices heard in the media talking about security and terrorism. I hardly ever broadcast now. I don't get the opportunity because I'm not on narrative. And I think that's often because I present a nuanced position. And that doesn't seem to be popular in the modern media. Is censorship a problem now? Yes, it is. It's a problem because I can't easily broadcast anymore, having spent many years broadcasting and making lots of stuff for all sorts of different programs, as well as making a few programs of my own. I can't do that anymore. I think I may have made half a dozen or seven Discovery shows as well, but the phone no longer rings. And I'm pretty sure it doesn't ring particularly because I took up a vaccine sceptical position. And this is where it starts to get, this is the stuff we should unpack because it's really interesting. I was just listening before we started broadcasting to a BBC program that was talking about Russian operations promoting the anti-vaccine position. Well, I get that. I can see that the Russians have been involved in that. And we can come back to my own Twitter account, where I see clearly that if I put up a comment that is in any way critical of the Russians, it gets no support at all. But it might get probably half a dozen or 10 times as much pro-Russian support. And I've been trying to work out what's going on with that. It's almost as if the Russians have some way of manipulating that particular platform. But on the other hand, coming back to this point about vaccine scepticism, it's not just the Russians who are promoting that. Maybe it was in their interest to do that. But there are people in the UK, myself included, who were genuinely injured by the vaccines and who want to talk about it and feel that their point of view has completely been suppressed by these big social media platforms and by the BBC. It is just a non-subject. They don't really talk about excess deaths. They don't talk about widespread vaccine injury. You hear occasionally about VITT thrombosis with young women who've had these terrible thrombosis in their brains, but you do not hear about quite widespread vaccine injury. Now, I put up a comment on Twitter, do you know of anyone who's had a vaccine injury? I had something like, well, I think two, it depends on how you count them, but something like two million views, but 6,000 replies, and listing a lot more than 6,000 injuries. Now, I'm sure you can't necessarily take that as absolute gospel, but it is indicative of the fact that many people think they have been damaged by the vaccines, but also they can't talk about it. Their doctors aren't interested in it. The BBC don't seem to be interested in it. What in a free country are we meant to do? Well, we do this. We try and get our message out by other means, but it shouldn't be like that. And this seems to be a trend, this big state authoritarianism with a much more controlled media, which is facilitated by all the digitization that's going on. That is a real issue in modern Britain? Certainly, we came across that with YouTube putting videos up, and you daren't put a video up on YouTube critiquing the vaccine narrative or the COVID narrative. But recently, there has been some change. I know that there is legal action against AstraZeneca. I think in the last two days, there have been reports of AstraZeneca admitting that it did in in a tiny amount of cases but they haven't mentioned this before there were side effects. It does seem as though either it's the chipping away of those who've been vaccine injured demanding a voice, either it's been MPs becoming a little bit more vocal, obviously Andrew Bridgen, or it's been maybe a change in Twitter and the information out. I mean how do you see that because it does seem as though the message is slowly getting out? Well, Facebook's interesting because they've changed their policy, obviously, because before I couldn't say anything, it had come up with a note. And I have in the past had blocks from both Facebook and from Twitter. And I've also had apologies from both. I've done my best, because I don't think I ever say anything that is inappropriate or improper. That still doesn't prevent you being censored today. But twice, once with Facebook and once with Twitter, I've managed to get an apology out of them and been reinstated. So this is very disturbing stuff. And we're talking about this small number of injuries that are being acknowledged are about these brain thrombosis, the VITT thrombosis, which is an extremely rare condition, to quote an Oxford medic friend of mine. You know, rare as hen's teeth, hardly affects anyone. But it seems that thrombosis more generally, DVT and pulmonary embolism, and other things like myocarditis are comparatively common, and the re-ignition of possibly dormant cancers, which Professor Angus Dalgleish has been talking about at great length. And these are subjects which should be debated freely. I mean, when you see Andrew Bridgen in the House of Commons talking about excess deaths and he's almost talking to an empty Commons chamber. Albeit you can hear some fairly vociferous shouting coming from or cheering coming from the gallery, which the Speaker or the Assistant Speaker tried to close down, but that is a bit worrying. What has happened to British democracy? What has happened to our birth right of free speech? I mean, it isn't what it used to be. In fact, not only is it not what it used to be, on many subjects, we are not free to speak anymore. Not just the ones I discussed, there are all sorts of other things which might fall within the boundaries of PC and woke, which you simply can't talk about. You might even get prosecuted in some circumstances. I mean, we're living in some sort of mad upside down world at the moment. We've watched in Scotland the SNP collapsing, not least because of some of their very wacky legislation, which has also been enormously expensive. Meantime, I'm of the opinion, and I'm not particularly right wing, but I am of the opinion that ordinary people, sometimes they just want to see the potholes mended. You know, they don't want this sort of bit of PC legislation or another. There are far greater national priorities. And I'm not saying that there aren't small groups in society that haven't been badly treated in the past. They have. I can see that. and there has been real prejudice. But I think we have very immediate problems now. And they were all exacerbated by the COVID calamity and the government's reaction to it. I mean, I'm not afraid to say, did we really do the right thing? Should we have locked down? Should we have gone ahead with the vaccines? Or would it have made more sense to have given everybody in Britain a supply of vitamin C and vitamin D and maybe just vaccinated some people? But we don't talk about these things openly. It's a very controlled environment. And I was talking to a close friend of mine who's across the water in Northern Ireland and who's a very wise and sensible guy and involved in quite a lot of official stuff there. And I said to him, what is it? What is going on now? And he said, well, if I was to sum it up simply, Michael, I'd say that I don't feel free anymore. Well, I don't feel particularly free anymore. Peter, do you feel particularly free anymore? Have you sensed a change in the last 25 years, 20 years? Certainly in the last 10 years, I have. Well, I've certainly sensed a change, and I think that some of us actually want to speak what we believe is true, in spite of what happens, and other people cower away. And I always wonder why some of us accepted the COVID narrative and some didn't. And I mean, in the UK, I've been intrigued with the, I guess, few high profile people who are willing to talk. So you've got Andrew Bridgen in politics, but in the U.S. you've got many politicians. Or in the U.K. you've got Professor Dalgleish, on with us a few weeks ago. In the U.S. you've got much higher profile people like Dr. McCullough or Dr. Malone. And even with the statisticians, you've got Professor Norman Fenton doing the stats. But in the U.S. you've got people like Steve Kirsch who are very high profile. And I'm kind of intrigued at why in the US, those who are opposing the narrative maybe get more free reign, but are lauded more, I think. And those in the UK seem to be really pushing up a brick wall every time. I don't know if you've seen that as well. Of course I have seen that, yes. And in some senses, the US is freer than the UK, and they do have a First Amendment, which means a bit. There is a lot of, America's a strange society and I went to school there so I know it quite well and although America is free on paper and although they do have a first amendment traditionally there has been something of a tyranny of public opinion, but the people that have spoken out, as far as the vaccine is concerned, and indeed about the war in Ukraine. And I think often they're saying the wrong thing on that, but we can come on to that later. But those people have been speaking out in a way that we haven't really seen in the UK, sadly. And you have to ask, what is going on? Why is that? I heard a comment by Ahmed Malik the other day. Do you know how many doctors there are in the UK, qualified medical doctors? I was stunned when I discovered how many, but I believe it's about 300,000. And I think it's something like 75,000 GPs, which is quite a lot. But do you know how many doctors have spoken up and gone counter-narrative? I believe the correct number is 10. I mean, that is extraordinary, isn't it? 10. And I mean, just from our own experience of social media. It's very, very few. And those doctors who risk it, risk everything. They risk being cancelled. They're on comfortable livings. They're on £100,000 a year plus in most cases, sometimes quite a lot more than that. If they speak out, they risk being struck off. They risk losing a comfortable lifestyle, the mortgage, possibly the family and whatever. And the result that hardly any at all have spoken out. But what we can assume is that there are many, like one particular friend I'm thinking of, who are very sceptical of what's been happening, very sceptical of the way the vaccine was launched, the lack of testing, all this stuff that we might draw attention to. And they're not necessarily anti-vaxxers. They're just people that are normally sceptical. But it seems that we're not allowed to be normally sceptical anymore. You have to follow this big state, Big Brother, 1984 line or watch out. And that really does disturb me. And I was listening, as I said, just before we came on with this program to a BBC thing on censorship, where the BBC is chastising the Russians and the Iranians, and, all sorts, the Chinese and talking about the billions that the Russians and the Chinese spread on info spend on information now, which they do. And much of it is mis and disinformation, but they do not talk about their own authoritarianism. And how they limited discussion on anything to do with COVID and indeed on the Ukraine war. And my own position, I'll just interject very briefly. I mean, I think that, Putin has to be stopped and I'm fully with the Ukraine people in what they're doing. But it's also a fact that Ukraine is one of the most corrupt countries in Europe, arguably more corrupt than Russia. And if we're giving them billions and billions and lots of military materiel, some of that is going to go missing. Some of that's going to go to the wrong places. And we never really discuss that. And it's not a particularly democratic place. And it's also the case that we probably pushed it politically in a particular direction because it was to our strategic interest, which is probably the right thing to do. But we can't discuss any of this anymore. And that does disturb me. Open discussion, open intellectual discussion on military matters, on health matters is becoming more and more difficult. And that's not a healthy sign, Peter. It certainly is. And actually, it's intriguing because my line would be, actually, these are, when I was younger, it would be interventionist. No, actually, it's, well, it's a separate country. They can do what they want. And if they want to have a war, they can have a war. But talking to people who have been very supportive, maybe more of the Ukraine side, talking to Krzysztof Bosak, MP in Poland yesterday. Yesterday and he was saying that Poland have given so much actually now Poland have very little to defend themselves and you look at the UK military, we didn't have much before and now it seems that we're short of munitions, short of many items and it seems that the west have poured so much into this without thinking of how to defend themselves. I mean, you understand the military side. What are your thoughts on that? Well, my thoughts at the moment, and it's been something I've been thinking about a lot recently, is that Britain is hopelessly under-defended. Our army is probably half the size it needs to be. Our navy is incapable of undertaking independent operations. It's probably just generally incapable. I think we're down to tiny numbers of jet fighters, tiny numbers of main asset ships. And we're saying, we're being told the army's around 72,000, something like that now. I think in real terms, it's actually smaller than that. And it's not big enough to meet the threat. And what's quite clear from what's going on in Ukraine is that you have to have a supply of ammunition, of missiles, of men. And this is worrying because if they came to a global conflict, it would go nuclear very quickly now, if it did go nuclear, because would our politicians actually ultimately press the button or not? I don't know. But it would have to go nuclear or something because we don't have the conventional resources. You know, they're just not there anymore. And most people have no idea of this. They have no experience of the military. But I would say that, they're talking about increasing defence spending to, you know, something under 3%. I would say that our defence spending at the moment should be probably at least 5% and maybe quite a lot more than that. This is a very, very unstable period in the history of the world. And we are not ready to meet the threat that exists. And of course, the Russians, I mean, they're routinely saying on their media that they're going to sink, you know, they'd sink Britain. They talk about sinking Britain specifically. And I don't think that they could do that. I don't think they would act on that. But we are incredibly vulnerable. We are essentially one big, you know, landing strip and It's not a good situation at all. And most people just block it. It's not that they're not worried about it, but they don't want to be worried about it. It's just one thing more and too much to think about. And they don't have any experience of the military anyway. But we're now looking to Ukraine and we're wondering, will the Ukrainians manage to hold off the Russians before the increased aid reaches them? I don't know. I don't know. No, I think the situation is not as positive for the Russians as some people might think. They do have problems. They can act at a small level. They can act operationally, but they can't necessarily act strategically. They don't have the resources to that, but they are building up resources. And I think something like, is it 30 or 40% of their available national resources are now going into defence, which is a remarkable figure. Now, they've lost a lot of men. we don't know really how many people have died in the Ukraine. It's certainly tens of thousands and maybe into the hundreds of thousands. It's a meat grinder. And the Russians, of course, just threw all their troops into this sort of first world war-like encounter. And they didn't really care about losses initially. It's not the Russian style, but also they were throwing people who'd been recruited from prisons, Pezhorin, the Wagner group, you know, many of those people were sacrificed, and I don't think anyone really cared about them in Russia very much. A dreadful situation. We won't go into the ethics and morality of that. Pretty scary, though. They will want to try and overwhelm those Ukrainian lines, and it's a huge front line. I mean, we're talking a front line, I think it's extending over a thousand kilometres or something. It's massive. They will try and overwhelm that line, and probably with the help of US and our own intelligence and a few other things, they'll probably stem the tide. But it's a 50-50. It's by no means a given. And that is worrying, because what would happen then? What would happen to the Poles? What indeed would happen to us? So yeah, good question. I was, it was fun watching the response from NATO members to Trump's call for them to actually pay the bills. Because I think it was, I remember watching Desert Storm and being just, consumed by it I guess as a young teenager and you've got the cameras following it all, now we come to whenever Britain sent tornadoes supposedly to help Israel and we were just told that's what happened, there was very little independent reporting, who knows if it happened or not. I think it was probably, it hit me, the reduction size of our military, whenever we bought, it was 67 apache attack helicopters, I think 67, wow, what are we going to do with those, I mean, half of them won't work half the time if they're in the desert with sand in their engines. But you realize that if the West do not have a strong military, then that deterrent basically is removed. And it means that other countries like Russia, who will spend more in defence, actually think, well, we can do what we like. They can do what they like because the West just aren't, one, aren't able to intervene, I guess, because of weakness in leadership, which we see in the EU, the US, Europe and in the UK, but also because of lack of military firepower. And I guess that's just a changing of the guard from the power of the West over to other centres of power. Well, I think the strategic implications of the weakness and the perceived weakness of our leadership are big. And, you know, that is in looking from Moscow. I mean, the farce we've seen in Westminster in recent years must be very encouraging to you where, you know, they have the strong, the classic Soviet era and now Russian era strongman. Putin is developing this aura as the strong man, which is a popular one in Russia. He has complete dominance of his home media, so he manages to mislead people as to what's actually going on elsewhere as well. He's looking for an external foe, an external threat, a long-time ploy of any authoritarian leader trying to make sure he stays in power. And of course, Putin doesn't have much choice, does he? If he doesn't succeed in staying in power, he's got a very scary future ahead of him. So that's another intriguing issue. The only good thing I would say, and this is, I don't think I'd like to fight the Poles or indeed the Ukrainians. They're both very, very tough nations. But where this now leads, and this is another critical question, we don't really know what's going on. When this conflict started, and I was a reporter in Lebanon, for Time, I was a photojournalist for Time in the Lebanon and we were sending stuff back that was really from the front line and it was really interesting and people, what I noticed when I went there, intriguingly to Lebanon in the 80s, was I was familiar with it all because i'd seen it all on the evening news. But I wasn't familiar with the feeling and the smell. Now, I can't say that with Ukraine, because for most of this conflict, I didn't know, and most people didn't know what the hell was going on. The quality of the reporting, I thought, was very, very poor. I've seen some better reporting since, but generally, I thought the reporting initially was awful. And there was also a tremendous amount of pro-war propaganda. I know somebody who went to the theatre in London and apparently, you know, when it came to the intermission or something, a huge Ukrainian flag came down and the whole audience were expected to cheer as we're all expected to cheer for the NHS or for all the vaccine stuff. I'm just temperamentally opposed to that sort of control, that sort of psychological manipulation. It concerns me that people should be made to support anything unthinkingly and that seems to be what's happening now and you've got Facebook for example, I mean they were at one stage I think advertising how they could turn opinion to potential advertisers and we've seen all the Cambridge Analytica stuff, we're incredibly vulnerable now to all this online stuff and the thing that bothers me if I go back to Twitter where I have something of a presence, is I can't really tell my stuff now because nobody sees it, there is some sort of censorship algorithm or something in place. I've got 77 000 followers there allegedly, I don't know how many of them are bots but sometimes it's clear that hardly anybody sees something that I put out particularly if it concerns the vaccines or if I'm making critical comment about Mr Putin. I think I blocked 2000 odd, what I thought were probably Russian accounts. But ironically, I'm actually getting taken down myself sometimes by the Twitter algorithms. I don't know who's controlling them. I don't know if they're controlled by Twitter Central or they're controlled somewhere else. But hey, I hope so. I think I'm one of the good guys. But you're not allowed to be a good guy. You've got to be a black and white guy now. That's the thing I think you see on social media, which is also meantime, in a very unhealthy way, polarizing people. It encourages the extremes. You can't be a traditional conservative very easily. You can't be a moderate very easily or a classical liberal very easily. You've got to go to one pole or the other pole. I think that's just very unhealthy. It's unhealthy apart from anything else as far as intellectual debate's concerned. Let me pick up on that with where we fit in and the ability to, I guess, speak your mind and have a position where you put your country first, which I thought was always a normal position, but now supposedly is an extremist position. But how, I mean, I'm curious watching what's happening in Europe which is me slightly separate, the European parliamentary elections and the wave of putting nations first and it's called nationalism. I think it's putting your country first which actually should be what a nation is about and the second thing is your neighbour and those around you, but we haven't really seen that in the UK. I mean do you think that will be a change of how your because Europe is really a declining force in the world, not only economically, but militarily. And of course, we haven't made the best of leaving the EU at all. We've cocked up big time on that. But then you look across to Europe and it is a declining power. And I'm wondering whether this new change, this opposition to unfair immigration. Opposition to control, central control from Brussels, wanting to put the nations first, whether that actually will be a change in Europe's fortunes. Bring me back to central control. But before we say anything else, just look at Norway. They had the wonderful resource of their oil reserves, and they spent it well. They created a sovereign national fund. And I think it means that everyone in Norway's got half a million quid or something like that. We, on the other hand, have squandered our national resources. And the country appears to be in tatters at the moment, and they can't even mend the potholes. Going to this business of Europe and the decline, yes, it's worrying that, Europe almost is losing the will to defend itself, or it seems to. But beyond that, if you look at Brexit, I mean, I was a Brexiteer, and I was a Brexiteer who could see some of the economic arguments for Remain. So again, I had a nuanced position on it. But overall, I wanted to preserve British sovereignty and democracy, and I thought it was disgraceful that we should be turning over that to some body in Brussels. But what we didn't realize, those of us who were pushing for Brexit, that the real threat wasn't Brussels, but the real threat probably was some globalist entity that we didn't even understand. And nobody was really much talking about globalism at that point. They weren't talking about Davos and all that sort of stuff. They were talking about the threat from Brussels but what we've seen since Brexit I think is an even greater threat from, I think what that Greek ex-foreign minister calls techno feudalism and the sort of, the onward march of somewhat Marxist influenced, capitalism facilitated by the whole digital deal, And you have WEF stuff where, you'll own nothing and you'll be happy, although they're withdrawing from that comment now. But who are these people? Did we elect them? We had a sort of interest in the people in Brussels, sort of, but as far as these globalist characters are concerned, they have no democratic mandate whatsoever. And that is pretty scary. Their only mandate is enormous wealth and a sort of arrogance that they know best for us, the peons, what our future should be. I do find that a bit terrifying, but I also, this is where it gets interesting, Peter, because I see where it came from. If you look at the era after the Second World War, the Americans and us, we were very worried about Soviet influencing operations. So we started to do stuff. And one of the things, the European community was perhaps one of those things, NATO was the most obvious, but there were also all sorts of influencing operations to counter the then very common, prolific, and increasingly dangerous Soviet influencing operations directed at Europe, directed at Latin America. So, for example, at Harvard, and I found this out from reading a biography of Henry Kissinger recently. At Harvard in the early 50s, they were running young leaders courses for foreign influencers. And it looked very much like the same sort of deal that the WEF was doing with everyone's Trudeau et al. They've all been a WEF young leader. Now, I would guess that that comes, that WEF stuff probably comes from Harvard or something like that via the State Department pushing into academia and then creating the WEF, maybe or having a hand in it as an influencing op. But this is where it gets really interesting. Has somebody penetrated that influencing op? Has it been turned? Whose interests does it actually operate in now? We know big money. Yeah, big money. But is it really in our individual interest as citizens of these countries and as customers of these massive corporations that seek to influence so much now and trespass onto the realm of politics and social engineering? By what right? You know, what happened to democracy? Aren't we meant to be deciding what's going on in our country, what our values are? It seems not. Democracy seems less important, I mean you look at Andrew Bridgen lecturing to an almost empty House of Commons on excess deaths and you think what on earth is going on there, what is this? I don't get it and I don't get why there is not free discussion on many other subjects in parliament now and it disturbs me. We developed this system, it's a pretty good system with faults as Churchill said, the problem with it is more the case that all the other systems are worse. And I think that's probably true. I mean, I'm a believer in democracy, but our democracy is in a pretty bad way. And it's not just our democracy, all over the Western world. We seem to have rolled over. And I do wonder to what extent the Russians, the Chinese and others have deliberately undermined us, captured our institutions, maybe captured our media. You know, these are things that one isn't allowed to say normally, but I'm saying them now. I mean, to what extent have we been captured and who by? If you saw the Yuri Bezmenov film from the 70s and 80s, have you seen that? Oh, you must, Yuri Bezmenov, about subversion and the long-term KGB operations to subvert the West. Very interesting, and it all seems to have come true. Yuri Bezmenov, you'll find it on YouTube. Yeah. What has happened to us? Our society is almost unrecognizable. Go back 20 years. I mean, think of the restrictions on driving in London, on smoking, let alone lockdown and vaccines, and thou shalt do this, and you must do that, and if you don't, we'll fine you, and you've got no power at all, and we've got complete control over your life, and it's a 200-pound fine for this and for whatever. We are so controlled and put down now. And again, I have an interesting theory and I don't get the chance to talk about it much, but I wonder if when you see a lot of crime and you see a lot of crime, particularly amongst young people, and you see a lot of strange, violent crime, I wonder if that is a consequence of too much central control. I wonder if that's a psychological and sociological consequence of a society which is becoming too controlled. And that's a subject I never hear discussed, but it's a very interesting one because I think a lot of us are concerned about crime, street crime, you know, mad people on the roads, which you see, I noticed personally, a lot more crazy driving than I was aware of maybe five or 10 years ago. But we don't discuss this stuff. We don't discuss the fact that the average person isn't really very happy now, that the average kid, this does get discussed a bit, is very anxious, maybe having treatment for this or that sort of psychological problem, that what used to be the normal tribulations of life now become things that you need to seek out treatment for. Well, maybe what you really need to do is seek out treatment for your society because your society is creating people that just aren't happy. And we should explore that. But again, that's another big subject. Well, I've been intrigued talking to friends growing up behind the Iron Curtain and talking about the Stasi or the state police reporting on people, turning everyone into informers, and then having Xi Van Fleet on the other day. And she was talking about the Red Guards, who were Mao's army, in effect, in communist China. And you realize that control whenever individuals are called out by the media because they go against the narrative. We've seen that under the COVID tyranny or seen that when Andrew Bridgen spoke the last time, the leader of the House, Penny Mordaunt, warned him to be very careful of the dangerous language he is using on social media. She meant that he is saying something which is different than government, and that's not accepted. And in effect, it's the same, I guess, control as you saw under communism that we are now seeing here, where people are called out for having a different opinion and being threatened that if they continue, there will be consequences. Would you have seen that sort of control 50 years ago or before the Second World War? I mean, you know, I'm no communist, but there used to be communist members of parliament. There used to be an extremely wide range of opinion represented in parliament. Now it seems we're entering the age of the monoculture and the mono-party, and alternative opinions just aren't acceptable anymore. There is one canonized text, and you've got to repeat that mantra, and if not, you're a non-person. I mean, where did that come from? That isn't our tradition. But is that the push of the woke agenda, is it the decline of Christianity, is it weak leadership, I mean you kind of look and I want to understand where this is coming from, because if you understand where it's coming from then you can begin to tackle it. But it does seem to be many different facets of it from different angles. I think, was it GK Chesterton 'once we stop believing in anything, we'll start believing in everything' I think that is part of it, I think people don't believe in very much so they just believe in their own selfish bubble and materialism and I think this actually goes back to Oxford, I think there is actually some school of philosophy that encouraged this idea that as the old authorities declined, whether that was the the monarchy or whatever it might be, a faith in authority that you would have to find a new way of controlling the public and that the simplest way to do that was by their material self-interest and this is what Thatcher and Reagan essentially appeared to do, well actually looking back at Reagan now I actually think he said some very sensible stuff, but it appears that we were manipulated by our material desires. That replaced the old world. But it's meant that we're living in a rather scary, chaotic, morally upside down and confused world now. And it's certainly not the world that you and I remember. And it must be very scary for kids. I mean, I was speaking to a young person the other day, and I was really surprised because they told me that they didn't watch the news and they were a bright kid. And they said, well, why? They said, well, I don't want to. I don't want to have anything to do with it. And I don't want to have anything to do with history either. And I thought to myself, my God, if you have a young person who was soon to be a voting age, who's not watching any news, who doesn't want to have anything to do with history, how are they going to be able to make the right decisions for our future? And what sort of world are they living in? You know, where's their thought space now? Yeah, I thought that was very worrying. But that's, I mean, to finish on that, that's really just part of the information war because now young people get, I don't know how to define young people, but they get their information, their worldview from TikTok. So you've got the Chinese government actually pushing that and forcing that. And it is concerning whenever, from a 60 second video someone can decide what the world is and how they fit into it and that's the depth of knowledge they're going to find and I think that shallowness is where we are with the next generation coming. Yeah I mean I've got to hope that there's some young people that aren't as shallow as that and I certainly do talk to to some who aren't, I mean I've got kids of my own, four kids, and generally speaking, they're pretty switched on. We don't have the same views, generally speaking, but they're pretty switched on. But it is scary that there's a whole generation of young people that, I mean, you see them, you wander down the street, you see every kid has got, there they are, they've got the mobile phone and they're like zombies looking at the mobile phone. And it's not just kids for that matter. It's, you see middle-aged people doing the same thing. You see them sitting at tables in a restaurant and they're still tapping at the screen. Whoever controls this controls you, controls your mind, controls what you think are your opinions, because many of your opinions are not really your opinions. They're things that have been implanted in you by these massively influential modern means. Now, television always did that to a degree. The newspapers always did it to a degree. But this seems to be a more direct route into people's heads, particularly young people's heads. And that is genuinely disturbing. Now, if you look to Europe, you mentioned Europe earlier. If you look at Europe, it seems to be swaying to the right. My guess is that, Britain will probably sway to the left until maybe there's a failure of the Starmer dream after probably, they might run for two terms. And then our future is very uncertain and again, rather scary. But what I don't see is enough discussion, enough activity. I don't see a dynamic middle. Hopefully, I mean, very intriguing, isn't it? Who is Starmer? What does he represent? Is he a Blairite? So is that some sort of globalist, centrist, capitalized position? I don't know. I tend to think it is. I tend to think that's where it's coming from. It's not the traditional left. But of course, Starmer has some history of being on the left, not to a great extreme. But it is worrying that the left could still creep into power via Starmer's government. It's also a bit frightening, and am I saying this, that what happens if Starmer's government fails? I mean, as it probably will. The economics are against it. Britain is not looking in a good place at all. But what I think we need, the one thing that will save us is open discussion, proper, unfettered, open discussion about politics, about health, about philosophy, about everything else. And I try in my life in a small way to start those conversations with people. And I do it across politics. I do it across religion. I talk to almost everyone I meet, if I can, and I think I get away with it, and start bringing up some of these difficult subjects. Mike, I really do appreciate coming on. As I said at the beginning, I've really enjoyed your Twitter handle. And I know we've touched on many things on censorship, military and politics. And I'm sure we will have you back on again soon. So thank you so much for your time today. Well, I've really enjoyed the opportunity. And I'll just say this in conclusion. I've actually managed this. I've had the tinnitus and this terrible migraine all through the interview, but we got through it, which is great. I do say to people out there, do take seriously the people who tell you they've been vaccine injured because it's a big deal if you have. God bless you Peter.

Franc Milburn is a strategic and operational advisor, a former intelligence officer for the Five Eyes Alliance and an alumnus of Sandhurst and the London School of Economics. He's also worked for government and aerospace, combating counter terrorism and now is a member of the Scientific Coalition for UAP Studies.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/spaced-out-radio--1657874/support.

CONTENTThe guest today is Laurence Moore, known as Loz, who served in the Cheshire regiment and on this episode we discuss his time at Sandhurst and what it was like to deploy on operations as a young officer in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan. Loz also discusses the effect combat had on him personally and why he helped set up Cockleshell 22 with a group of serving and former service people from across the Royal Marines, Royal Air Force and British Army to provide funded expeditions based on historical military raids and ground-breaking mentoring programme to the military community in order to improve overall health of its beneficiaries. Loz's book choice on Desert Islands Dits is "Dien Bien Phu " by Howard R Simpson. My choice is "Killing Thatcher" by Rory Carroll.You can contact Loz by email: cockleshell22@gmail.com. Cockleshell 22 website is at: https://cockleshell22.com and Facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/Cockleshell22/WHERE TO GET OUR DESERT ISLAND DITS BOOK CHOICESMost of our book recommendations can be bought via the Unconventional Soldier Bookshop. 10% of each purchase supports the pod and helps independent book stores on line sales. "BUY ME A COFFEE"If you want to support the podcast you can buy me a coffee here.SOCIAL MEDIAInstagram @the_unconventional_soldier_pod.Facebook @lateo82. Twitter @TheUCS473.Download these and other platforms via Link Tree.Email us: unconventionalsoldier@gmail.com. This episode brought to you in association with ISARR a veteran owned company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

​Tune into the full episode to immerse yourself in Lara Small's compelling narrative, be inspired by her determination, and learn from her rich experiences in leadership, engineering, and the exhilarating world of motorcycling. Stay connected for more enlightening content that promises to fuel your own journey towards personal and professional growth.Lara Small is a highly accomplished individual, whose career spans across two major sectors: the military and engineering. She has an extensive background that includes time in the army, where she rose through the ranks to become a major, and a career in engineering, where she is currently working as an engineering manager at Rolls Royce. Lara is also a passionate motorcycle enthusiast and racer, having won races and developed a career in moto-journalism, working with companies like Bike World and penning articles for Fast Bikes Magazine.Episode Summary:In this captivating episode, our guest, Lara Small, takes us on a riveting journey through her life, sharing her experiences in the army, her passion for motorcycling, and her professional endeavors in engineering. Lara's story is a powerful testament to resilience, learning from failure, and the pursuit of one's passions against all odds.Lara candidly recounts the challenges and setbacks she faced in her military career, particularly her initial failure at Sandhurst, which prompted a deep self-reflection and a turning point in her approach to leadership and teamwork. This heartening tale of redemption underscores the importance of perseverance, as Lara ultimately returns to Sandhurst, succeeds, and continues to rise within the army ranks. Her exploits in motorcycle racing reveal a similar theme of grit and determination, as Lara discusses the thrill of the race, the sense of freedom she derives from the sport, and her recent victories after years of effort.Key Takeaways:Facing Failure with Fortitude: Lara's experience at Sandhurst, including her initial failure and subsequent success, is a powerful lesson in self-reflection, personal growth, and the value of perseverance.Leadership Lessons Learned: The military taught Lara the importance of serving to lead, a lesson she carries into both her professional life and her mentoring roles.Motorcycle Racing Passion: Lara's enthusiasm for motorcycle racing offers insights into the world of motorsports, emphasizing the joy of competition, the importance of rider skill, and the camaraderie of the racing community.Engineering Excellence: As an engineering manager at Rolls Royce, Lara is dedicated to delivering quality work and contributing to the advancement of the industry.Notable Quotes:"The military teaches you to dig deeper, to fight harder, to do the right thing, to have integrity.""You only really find out who you truly are when you're incredibly sleep-deprived and you've been in a field.""The sooner you bring your personality work to work and who you really are, the less you'll spend pretending you're something you're not.""I'm quite driven by structure... the sense of what it could be at the end, like having a goal towards what I was spending my time doing, made sense.""That sense of achievement and visualizing it... everything points towards that, no matter how long or short that particular task is."Special thanks to this weeks episode Sponsor GT85 https://gt85.co.uk/?mtm_source=youtube&mtm_medium=Influencer&mtm_campaign=uk_Michelle+Hands_youtube_Influencer_social-media_brand-awareness_dnapp. #sponsored #ad #GT85 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tom Sayer is the Co-Founder and CEO of Ello, the world's first virtual reading coach that works with real books.Before Ello, Tom was the head of impact and adoption programs at Google for Education, where his team was responsible for ensuring that Google tools were used effectively in classrooms worldwide. He is on the advisory board of Education Reimagined, the movement builder of learner centered education. He has also worked as an intelligence officer, a product manager, founded an EdTech company (with Catalin), and has built a mini-golf course in Cambodia. Tom graduated from Cambridge University with first-class honors in maths and psychology and has an MBA and MA (Education) from Stanford. He has won the Lamor prize at Cambridge, the Queen's medal at Sandhurst, the Intelligence top student award, and was a Siebel Scholar at the GSB. He loves running, rugby, and lives with his wife and son in Pennsylvania.Recommended Resources:GSV: AI & Education by Claire ZauWhat is Learner-centered Education by Education Reimagined

“Explain the resurrection to me in two minutes without using any church language.” This is the challenge that Father Rob Galea sets for his staff to ensure they can easily relate to the young people they serve. “That takes practice, and that takes hanging out with the kids and understanding the way they speak, the way they reason.” Rob, originally from Malta, is now a priest in the Diocese of Sandhurst, Victoria, Australia. He has amassed a hundreds of thousands-strong following across social media platforms and is also a popular singer and songwriter who once auditioned for X-Factor Australia. Today, Rob leads Icon Ministry—formerly FRG Ministry, a global media and outreach apostolate that significantly expanded its reach over the pandemic years. On “Preach,” Rob delivers a homily for the Fourth Sunday in Lent, Year B, also known as Laetare, or Rejoicing Sunday. When asked about effective preaching strategies to use when ministering to young people, Rob suggests preachers allow themselves to become vulnerable and share current, real-life experiences. “Start with you, with your struggle, with someone, or something that happened within the school, something that they know,” he says, “And, for goodness' sake, stop using church language.” Read the full text of this week's homily and Scripture readings. Do you have a preacher to recommend for “Preach,” Let us know here. Get daily Scripture reflections and support "Preach" by becoming a digital subscriber to America Magazine. “Preach” is made possible through the generous support of the Compelling Preaching Initiative, a project of Lilly Endowment Inc.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From Cop28 to Manchester City to the attempted purchase of the Telegraph newspaper, the United Arab Emirates are suddenly flexing power and prestige across the Gulf. Behind it all is Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, known as MBZ, who mixes a show of modernisation with an iron will, especially regarding human rights. Who is MBZ? How has his tiny state become such a global player? And are the UAE a friend or a foe of democracies? Emma Beals talks to Dr Andreas Krieg, fellow at the Institute of Middle East Studies at King's College London, and Middle East expert Dr Talal Mohammad to find out how MBZ is buying his way to power. • “9/11 was a formative moment for him. He saw how powerful these Islamist networks could be in his own country… it brought about a perception of ‘If you're not with us, you're against us'.” – Dr Andreas Krieg • “As long as the major world powers are divided, then the UAE, Saudi and the others will try to exploit that situation.” – Dr Talal Mohammad • “Everyone who knows him from Sandhurst says he's not one of these spoilt princes. He is highly disciplined and he has a vision of what he wants for the UAE.” – Dr Andreas Krieg Gavin Esler returns next week. Support This Is Not A Drill on Patreon to get early episodes, merchandise and more. Written and presented by Emma Beals. Produced by Robin Leeburn. Original theme music by Paul Hartnoll – https://www.orbitalofficial.com. Executive Producer Martin Bojtos. Group Editor Andrew Harrison. This Is Not A Drill is a Podmasters production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, Gary and Spencer delve deep into the early life, career, and complex character of Winston Churchill, an influential and often controversial figure in Britain's military, political and imperial history. This episode is the first of a short series and covers Churchills early life up to the end of the Second South African War (Boer War) in 1901/2. With a keen focus on Churchill's intricate relationship with war, they offer insightful perspectives on his roles as a man, politician, and military leader in his early life. They start out by considering books on Churchill that they feel give an insight to the man and his legacy. Born in 1874 at Blenheim Palace, he was the progeny of Lord Randolph Churchill, a prominent Conservative politician, and the American heiress Jennie Jerome. Churchill's formative years were marked by familial tension, with his parents often absorbed in their political endeavours. Largely raised by a nanny, he attended various schools before graduating from the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, in 1895, following the passing of his father. In the late 1890s, Churchill embarked on a series of adventurous military and journalistic ventures. Commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 4th Queen's Own Hussars, he actively sought engagement in conflicts, witnessing upheavals in Cuba and India. Concurrently, he pursued a path of self-education and literary exploration, laying the groundwork for his burgeoning writing career. His participation in military campaigns, coupled with his role as a journalist in the Sudan, provided invaluable insights that would shape his future political trajectory. Transitioning into the realms of politics and journalism, Churchill faced initial setbacks, notably in the 1899 Oldham by-election where he was unsuccessful as a Conservative candidate. Undeterred, he ventured to South Africa as a journalist to cover the Second Boer War. However, his journey took a dramatic turn when he was captured and briefly held as a prisoner of war before orchestrating a daring escape, capturing the attention of the public. Upon his return to Britain, he secured a seat as a Member of Parliament for Oldham in 1900. Continuing his journalistic pursuits, he penned compelling accounts of his experiences in South Africa and embarked on captivating lecture tours, solidifying his reputation as a multifaceted public figure with a profound interest in both politics and literature.

CLICK THIS LINK -->>> SIGN UP FOR THE NEW BUILT NOT BORN BLOGAndrew Roberts has authored some of the most epic biographies of our time like 'Napoleon the Great', 'Churchill: Walking with Destiny', & 'George III: The Last King of America.' Andrew has written or edited twenty books, which have been translated into twenty-eight languages, and appears regularly on radio and television around the world. Based in London, he is an accomplished public speaker. Andrew has spoke at Oxford, Cambridge, Yale, Princeton and Stanford Universities, and at The British Academy, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Sandhurst, Shrivenham and the US Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Andrew has been called, ‘One of the greatest biographers in the English language...' by The Daily Telegraph and "...an uncommonly gifted writer.” by The Washington PostHe is the Roger and Martha Mertz Visiting Fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, a Visiting Professor at the War Studies Department at King's College, London, and the Lehrman Institute Lecturer at the New-York Historical Society.Andrew is also a member of the House of Lords.In his latest book. Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine- he and General David Petraeus, former commander of the US-led coalition in both Iraq and Afghanistan & former Director of the CIA, explain how warfare has changed since World War II, how statesmen and generals have adapted to various new weapon systems, theories and strategies in the fighting of wars. They also reflect on how the Russian / Ukraine war will impact the future of war. Conflict has been called a "landmark book to global military history".Andrew and I discuss the BIG IDEAS and the lessons of strategic leadership he writes about the last 7 decades of Conflict. We also discuss what he thought of the Ridley Scott's Napoleon movie, the most influential book he ever read and what historical figure he would want to spend the day with. Connect with Andrew Roberts:Website: Andrew RobertsTwitter (X): Andrew Roberts

Hard Truths and A Serendipitous Journey The firstborn child of a Ukrainian immigrant to the US, and following in her career father's Military footsteps, Jessica gladly accepted and thoroughly enjoyed the challenges of Cadet life at West Point. While at the academy, she ran collegiate cross country, competed in three years of the Sandhurst competition, Officers of Christian fellowship (OCF), ski team and debate team. She also was an exchange cadet to the Coast Guard academy cow/junior year. Jessica didn't graduate West Point; instead she served back her service obligation as a 91W/ combat medic in Alaska at Ft Richardson. After the sudden death of her mother and struck by the difficulties of working through assignments with her army orders and her husbands Coast Guard assignments, Jessica left the service and had some very cool and unique Alaskan jobs in security and project management following her service obligation. Jessica's trajectory changed completely when the family moved back to the East coast/NC in 2012. A very different set of challenges remained for her there, as she faced divorce and a lack of employment options that correlated with the oil and gas industry. This is Jessica's story on how she survived deep personal loss, being a new single parent, and becoming self aware enough to find her life's professional calling as a top producing mortgage loan originator/mortgage broker. She credits the environment of West Point for her toughness, but also relied much on counseling, faith and familial bonds, for their role in her journey from “failure” to “success” Jessica knows that more is often learned and more personal growth is actually experienced and obtained from failure than success…and she hopes others can learn and benefit from her story. This is her story. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/joe-harrison0/support

21 år gammal börjar Prins Harry på militärhögskolan Sandhurst. Efter det har han gjort två vändor till Afghanistan. Den första som Forward Air Controller 2007/2008 och den andra som andrepilot och skytt på attackhelikoptern Apache 2012/2013.

Eric Hillerson: Family tradition Eric and his family have a strong connection with military service. Eric's grandfathers served in WWII and several of his uncles served in Vietnam. Eric became interested in West Point and becoming an officer personally during the sixth grade when Desert Shield / Desert Storm kicked off. Watching the news coverage of what US forces accomplished, combined with watching the Ken Burns series on the Civil War drew his attention. Eric participated in sports throughout highschool, pushed himself academically, participated in student council, and attended academic camps at West Point his junior and senior years. Eric knew the broad scope of what he was getting into, but couldn't anticipate the details. Ruck marches, the Thayer Method, Plebe English challenged him in new and unexpected ways. Eric leaned into those challenges and found his niche's in Sandhurst, Infantry Tactics Club, and Engineering Management. Eric graduated from West Point and commissioned as an Infantry Officer. Serving in South Korea, Kansas, Iraq, and Georgia before leaving the military at the end of his initial military service obligation. Eric left the military to focus on his growing family and has spent 15+ years in the civilian sector in logistics, supply chain operations, and operations management. Eric talks about military service, transition to the civilian world, and his own son's path towards application and acceptance into West Point. This is his story. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/joe-harrison0/support

Our guest to the generous and brilliant Andrew A. Wiest. Andy is a Distinguished Professor of History and Founding Director of the Dale Center for the Study of War and Society at the University of Southern Mississippi. He is also the current General Buford "Buff" Blount Professor of Military History from 2023-2025 at USM. He served as a Visiting Professor in the Department of Warfighting Strategy at the United States Air Force Air War College and a Visiting Senior Lecturer in the War Studies Department at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, England. Andy received his BS and MA degrees in History from Southern Mississippi and earned his Ph. from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Andy is the author of seventeen books (that's right - seventeen!), including two best-sellers: Boys of 67: Charlie Company's War in Vietnam (Osprey) and Vietnam's Forgotten Army: Heroism and Betrayal in the ARVN (NYU Press). The Boys of 67 was also released as Brothers in War, a documentary film by Lou Reda Productions for National Geographic Television, which received an Emmy nomination. Vietnam's Forgotten Army won the Society for Military History's Distinguished Book Award. Andy also authored Charlie Company's Journey Home: The Boys of '67 and the War They Left Behind; The Forgotten Impact on the Wives of Vietnam Veterans (Osprey/Bloomsbury), and he has published books on the First and Second World Wars, edited or co-edited several volumes, and published more than a dozen articles and book chapters. He has written for the New York Times, the Washington Post, CNN, and many other news publications. Andy has twice received the University of Southern Mississippi Excellence in Teaching Award and was awarded the Mississippi Humanities Council Teacher of the Year Award in 2002. In 2021, he was inducted into the Hattiesburg Publish School District's Hall of Fame. He leads an annual WWII study abroad program to London and Normandy and has developed an award-winning Vietnam Study Abroad Program. Join us for a remarkable and enjoyable chat with Andy Wiest. We'll talk growing up in the South, working and traveling with Vietnam veterans, founding a major center for the study of war and society, Dirty Manhattans, Electric Light Orchestra, and the sad naps from being a lifelong Minnesota Vikings fan. This is why we do this podcast. Shoutout to Leatha's BBQ in Petal, Mississippi! Rec.: 10/13/2023

In our new epsiode of A Right Royal Podcast, the team look at how the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been getting on since the beginning of the year, when Prince Harry released his memoir Spare. We chat with HELLO!'s royal editor, Emily Nash, who has the latest on the couple, from what's coming next to Meghan Markle's solo Instagram account and the low-down on their reported move to Los Angeles. Hosts Andrea Caamano and Emmy Griffiths also speak to the mayor of Dusseldorf, Dr Stephan Keller, about the success of the Invictus Games as well as our colleague Isabelle Casey, who travelled to the city to cover the Games and had an unforgettable (albeit brief) 1-2-1 with Prince Harry.Lastly, we talk at length with David Wiseman, Director of the Invictus Games Foundation and good friend of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who shares everything from meeting Prince William and Harry at Sandhurst to spending time with Harry and Meghan in Montecito.Sponsored by True Royalty TV Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2008, Tim Peake answered an advert from the European Space Agency looking for astronauts. Six years later he became the first British astronaut to visit the International Space Station and carry out a spacewalk. But Tim didn't always want to be an astronaut. As a child, he fell in love with flying and pursued a career in aviation. He progressed from the school Cadet Corps to the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst and then into the Army Air Corps. By the time Tim retired from the British Army as a major, he was regarded as a highly talented, hugely professional pilot. Just the kind of person the European Space Agency was looking for. After his six-month space mission, Tim returned to the UK to work and engage students in STEM. This year, he became the European Space Agency's first honorary STEM ambassador. He has also written several best-selling books and hosted a TV series about space. Tim's new book, Space: The Human Story is out on 26th October.

Are we already in WWIII? Is it happening in space, under the oceans, and in the economy and we haven't noticed? Former presidential advisor Pippa Malmgren, has aggregated all of the data points to paint a coherent picture of what is going on right now. In addition she has her finger on the pulse of a historic moment where the overt government is pressing against the covert government to give up what they know about UFO/UAP space crafts and biologics. And also what the heck they have been doing with all that money they can't account for? Dr. Pippa Malmgren has been an advisor to Presidents and Prime Ministers, co-founded an award-winning tech firm, worked in finance and asset management, and served as a judge in The Queen's Enterprise Awards competition and as a regulator of technology standards. She has lectured at Sandhurst, Duke Fuqua GEMBA, INSEAD, UT Austin and Tsinghua University in Beijing. More of her incredible body of work can be found at: https://pippamalmgren.co.uk | Connect with Pippa | Twitter | https://twitter.com/DrPippaM Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PippaMalmgren/ Substack | https://tinyurl.com/yxpysfhh ⁠⁠⁠⁠To partner with the Aubrey Marcus Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Connect with Aubrey | Website | ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/2GesYqi ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram | ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/2BlfCEO ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook | ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/2F4nBZk ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter |⁠⁠⁠⁠ http://bit.ly/2BlGBAdAd⁠⁠⁠⁠ Check out "Own your Day, Own Your Life" by Aubrey Marcus | ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/2vRz4so⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to the Aubrey Marcus newsletter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.aubreymarcus.com/pages/email⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to the Aubrey Marcus podcast: iTunes | ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://apple.co/2lMZRCn ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify |⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://spoti.fi/2EaELZO ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Stitcher | ⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/2G8ccJt ⁠⁠⁠⁠ IHeartRadio | ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://ihr.fm/3CiV4x3 ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Google Podcasts | ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3nzCJEh ⁠⁠⁠⁠ Android | ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/2OQeBQg⁠⁠

In her only broadcast interview, Louise Townsend, the mother of Olivia Perks who took her own life in 2019 whilst at Sandhurst Military Academy, speaks to Woman's Hour. Louise discusses her view that there was a lack of welfare support from the academy towards her late daughter and what steps need to be taken to ensure it doesn't happen again. According to the ONS, only 2.4% of plumbers are women. We speak to two female plumbers about why that figure is so low and whether they recommend the job to other women. Sovay Berriman runs the company PlumbMaid and is based in Cornwall, and Lysette Hacking, worked as a plumber for six years before becoming a lecturer in plumbing at Calderdale College in Halifax in Yorkshire. The Supreme Leader of Iran has called for a massive population increase, and the state has been offering financial incentives for women to have more children. There is also now more pressure on women not to access contraception, and abortion has been criminalised further, with a potential prison sentence for women being proposed by the regime. Meanwhile cases of unsafe illegal abortions have increased. The BBC's Saba Zavarei has been speaking to Iranian women about their experiences. Where do you put your awards and achievements? Do you show them off or keep them all to yourself? We hear from the academic Dr Louise Creechan who keeps hers in her downstairs loo, while the co-host of the Wittering Whitehalls, Hilary Whitehall, has kept her trophy in her handbag. As the holiday season begins, we talk to Jane Dowden and Lucy Cavendish about travelling on planes with small children, and how to deal with tantrums and disgruntled fellow passengers. Presenter: Anita Rani Producer: Lucy Wai Editor: Louise Corley

In her first broadcast interview, Louise Townsend, the mother of Olivia Perks who took her own life in 2019 whilst at Sandhurst Military Academy, speaks to Woman's Hour. Louise discusses her view that there was a lack of welfare support from the academy towards her late daughter and what steps need to be taken to ensure it doesn't happen again. Today is a big day coming up with the Women's Ashes series where England face Australia. The Aussies have surged ahead in the women's multi-format series, but there is hope for England as the momentum behind them builds - thanks, in part, to record breaking crowds. Sports journalist and broadcaster Georgie Heath joins Nuala to discuss. Shakardokht Jafari was born in rural Afghanistan in 1977 and became a refugee when she was 6 and grew up in Iran. After the fall of the Taliban, she moved back to Afghanistan first securing a teaching post in radiology at Kabul Medical University, then being asked to re-establish a cancer facility in Kabul. To secure the post, she needed to gain more qualifications, and in 2010 she came to the UK where she became the first Afghan woman to earn a PhD in medical physics. Shakar has gone on to win a string of awards for business innovation and has also found time to write her life story, Shakar: An Afghan Woman's Journey and to be a leading campaigner for girls' education in Afghanistan. Can distress be used as evidence in rape trials? This is the discussion currently going through the courts in Scotland. Nuala is joined by Sandy Brindley, Chief Exec of Rape Crisis Scotland and Serious Crime Barrister Thomas Leonard Ross KC to debate the issue. Presenter: Nuala McGovern Producer: Emma Pearce