Podcasts about secretary johnson

From discovering his motivation as a student at Morehouse College to walking the halls of the West Wing, former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson joins host Dave Thomas to recount his accomplished career. Secretary Johnson shares his experiences in public service, highlighting high-profile matters such as the repeal of the military policy “Don't Ask, Don't Tell,” while emphasizing the complexities and challenges of balancing civil liberties with security measures. You'll hear how his experience as an Assistant U.S. Attorney helped shape his approach as a public servant, which in turn influenced his leadership style upon returning to private practice, where he is now back to trying cases today.

Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre '96 opens up about how her leadership journey was transformed by a mis-step she once made that led her to introspection and clarity.  ----more---- SUMMARY Gen. Letendre and Doug Lindsay shared their insights on leadership development at the Air Force Academy. They emphasized the importance of resilience, failure, and mentorship in shaping effective leaders. The General highlighted the value of taking advantage of little opportunities and pushing boundaries, while Dr. Lindsay stressed the need for courage and finding one's voice in leadership. Both emphasized the importance of learning from failures and using them as opportunities for growth.   QUOTES "Little opportunities can become big opportunities, and you don't necessarily know what that big opportunity is going to be. And you don't necessarily recognize that the little opportunity that you have before you is one of those that's going to somehow blossom in the future." "You practice having that voice early in your career, you practice what it means to be candid, you practice what it means to speak up for the right thing. It doesn't actually get easier, just because you've got rank, it gets easier through practice." "You've got to find your voice. And oftentimes, when I talk to cadets, they're like, "Oh, well, easy for you to say, ma'am. You know, you've got a star on, of course, you've got a voice." But I think that unless you practice having that voice, early in your career, you practice what it means to be candid, you practice what it means to speak up for the right thing." "We want our grads to be better than we ever were. And I can say unabashedly that They are our second lieutenants who are graduating from this institution are better able on day one to take on the challenges that our nation has thrown at them." "I believe my role in our role as senior leaders at the Air Force Academy is to not necessarily predict the future with any certainty. I think I might know who our next adversary is going to be in in conflict. I do know, though, that it's going to be the mental agility in the capabilities and skill sets that we are providing both to our cadets, our first graduating class, but also something we talked about our second graduating class, which is those those faculty that are going to go back out into the Air Force and Space Force. It is that challenge of how do we help them be ready for whatever's coming their way? How do we future proof them?"   SHARE THIS EPISODE FACEBOOK  |  TWITTER  |  LINKEDIN  |  EMAIL     CHAPTERS 00:00  Introduction and Background 08:16  Life at the Air Force Academy 15:22  Career Progression and Lessons Learned 26:17  Graduate Involvement and Giving Back 32:25  Leadership Lessons 36:58  Connecting with the Air Force Academy     TAKEAWAYS Little opportunities can become big opportunities, so take advantage of opportunities and do your best. Develop your leadership skills by finding your voice and practicing speaking up, even on small matters. This will help you gain confidence. Focus on developing leaders of character by setting a good example and lifting others up. The Air Force Academy is focused on preparing cadets for the future through experiential learning, research, and partnerships with industry. Staying connected to your alma mater through events and social media is a good way to learn about new programs and opportunities to get involved.     BRIG. GEN. LETENDRE'S BIO Brigadier General Linell A. Letendre is Dean of the Faculty, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. She commands the 750-member Dean of Faculty mission element and oversees the annual design and instruction of more than 500 undergraduate courses for 4,000 cadets across 32 academic disciplines. She also directs the operation of five support staff agencies and faculty resources involving more than $350 million. General Letendre graduated from the Academy in 1996 as a Distinguished Graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Astronautical Engineering. After serving as an acquisition officer, General Letendre became a judge advocate through the Funded Legal Education Program. She graduated from the University of Washington Law School with high honors and was named to the Order of the Coif and the Order of the Barristers. She is barred at the U.S. Supreme Court, the Supreme Court of Washington, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals. Prior to this assignment, she served as the Permanent Professor and Head of the Air Force Academy's Department of Law. General Letendre previously served as a Staff Judge Advocate at Scott Air Force Base and also represented the Air Force in appellate review of all courts-martial as the Deputy Chief Trial and Appellate Counsel. Additionally, she previously served as the Legal Advisor for the DoD Comprehensive Review Working Group where she advised on legal and policy issues surrounding repeal of “Don't Ask, Don't Tell.” She also defended the Air Force in a range of federal civil litigation involving military personnel, served as Chief of Strategic Communication for The Judge Advocate General, and defended Airmen as an area defense counsel. - Image and copy credit:  USAF CONNECT WITH GEN. LETENDRE LINKEDIN  |  INSTAGRAM   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   OUR SPEAKERS Guest, Brig. Gen. Linell Leyendre '96  |  Host, Dr. Doug Lindsay '92     Dr. Doug Lindsay  01:34 My guest today is Brigadier General Linell Letendre, Air Force Academy class of 1996 and Dean of the Faculty. The general oversees 750 faculty members in more than 500 undergraduate courses for 4,000 cadets across 32 academic disciplines. She also directs the operation of five support staff, agencies, and faculties with attendant resources valued at more than $350 million. General Letendre graduated the Academy, with Distinction receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in astronautical engineering. She served as an Acquisition Officer. She has been a Judge Advocate General and is barred at the US Supreme Court, Supreme Court of Washington, the US Court of Appeals for the armed forces and the Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals. Prior to her current assignment, she served as a permanent professor and head of the Air Force Academy's Department of Law will talk with General Letendre about her life prior to becoming a cadet and what her experience was like at the Academy as a cadet. We'll ask about the progression of her career from acquisitions, to the practice of law to the Dean of the Faculty. Finally, we'll ask the General to share some advice for leaders and a few takeaways for those who want to be leaders. General Letendre, welcome to Long Blue Leadership.   Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre  02:47 Well, thank you, Doug. I'm excited to be here and I appreciate the invitation.   Dr. Doug Lindsay  02:51 Absolutely.  Well, let's kind of jump right in. Can you talk a little bit about what your life was like prior to the Academy and what it was like growing up with your family?   Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre  03:00 Well, according to the cadets, that's talking about what happened in the stone age. But growing up, as a kid, I was not a military brat, but I was what we affectionately call a corporate brat. So we moved about every four to five years. With my father's job, he actually worked at the time for Rockwell International. And so as a family, similar to military families, we were pretty tight. I have an amazing younger brother named Paul. My parents, Dawn and Glenn. We did a lot of camping and hiking and enjoying being placed in a variety of states and places. What's interesting about a corporate brat versus a military brat, though is that you tend to enter into communities that aren't used to people arriving or aren't used to people moving in quite as often. And so I've actually found that my kids had a different experience, because they tended to be embraced by the military community. So that movement around kept us close as a nuclear family and just can't thank my folks enough for raising me with those those values - that belief in family, the importance of giving back to your community. I had a great childhood.   Dr. Doug Lindsay  04:25 And so with that kind of moving around, and I like that phrase of a corporate brat, right, because I think it allows us to think about that differently. Because we know the military moves around a lot, but we sometimes don't tend to think that other people do that as well. What were some of those influences that as you grew up that really had an impact on you? Obviously family was really important, but what else was there? Was it things you read, people you met experienced mentors, what was that part?   Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre  04:52 I think that resiliency that you get when you're the new kid and it's October. I'm in class and you're going from algebra class to geometry class. And boy, you missed that first foundational set of proofs. And so that resiliency of, "It's going to be okay. Change is fine." You get uncomfortable with change of other things that kind of focused me. Yeah, you mentioned things that you read. We had different opportunities then. Each new library that we went to... My mom was a librarian. And so reading was vital, and something that was expected in my family. And one day in a new school, I walked into the elementary school's library, and I discovered a new section, it was called the biographies. And I decided in second grade that I was going to start with A and work my way through the alphabet, and was a little miffed when the librarian told me I could only check out two books, two books a week. So apparently, I was destined to be Dean at some point. But you know, what I learned from that is that by diving into others lives through reading their biographies, you learned as a young child that everyone comes from different experiences. Everyone has different challenges, and maybe yours aren't so insurmountable as you might think. And so I value that experience that I had, being able to move from community to community to to see different parts of the United States, and to really learn that people are people no matter where you're living.    Dr. Doug Lindsay  06:31 Those some great lessons, especially learning early on.  Were there any particular biographies that really kind of resonated with you that you kind of remember? Was it just the process of that discovery of people's journeys?    Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre  06:43 Well, I will say I was a little keen on Amelia Earhart's biography. And so maybe that was an early indication that maybe someday I'd end up in the Air Force, although in second grade, I had no idea. And so those explorers, those people who are willing to push boundaries, to take risks, I've tended to be drawn to them a little bit more than others.    Dr. Doug Lindsay  07:06 And we'll come to that idea of kind of pushing boundaries and taking risks hearing in a little bit. So what was it that happened during that process that you said, Hey, this military thing might be okay, this Academy, that sounds like something? What was that process? Like, as you tried to think about what you wanted to do when you grew up?   Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre  07:22 Well, I mentioned my dad worked for Rockwell International.  Believe it or not, he was in the automotive section. Not everyone thinks of Rockwell as building the space shuttle. But because he was in Rockwell, he got a model of the space shuttle, and he brought it home. And I was still in elementary school. I still have this model of the space shuttle. It has sat on my desk or in my office for my entire career as a reminder of what got it all started and, and as a kid I learned exactly how that space shuttle operated when the the boosters fell off. And that and the main engine, why they painted it and then didn't paint it. You remember all the changes that the space shuttle had. And that really got me started thinking about space. And as many little kids, I grew up deciding I was going to be an astronaut. And it was later at a corporate picnic that I ran into two high school boys. But they were probably at this point six years older than me. And they were going to this amazing thing called a service academy. One was going to West Point one was going to the Naval Academy. I had never heard of service academies before. We lived in East Tennessee. And I was like what are those? And then they started talking and I started researching a little bit. And, then, I was a smart kid. So I decided, "Well I don't want to go there. I want to go to the Air Force Academy." And so that actually from fifth grade on really became the dream for me that I wanted to come here to the Air Force Academy, major in astronautical engineering and then go on to be an astronaut. Well, I did the first couple and my study partner and classmate Jack Fisher, he did make it up into space. But I got to just watch him from with my two feet firmly planted on the ground.   Dr. Doug Lindsay  09:28 And let's talk about that a little bit. So getting to the Academy, that was where you want to go. That was kind of your vision you get here. Can you talk a little bit about maybe some of those highs and lows, lessons learned? What was that? Like, kind of now you're getting here, you're working along your path, your dream. And then all of a sudden, day to day life? What was that like? Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre  09:46 Well, I think like many folks who arrive at the Academy, especially those of us who come from small towns, you are big deal, right, in a little bitty town. I came here from a different move. We were living in South Carolina at the time. Rock Hill, South Carolina. And when I got an appointment to the Air Force Academy, I mean, it was a high school assembly to hand me my appointment. It was front page news of the Rock Hill Herald. So it was a big deal. And then you arrive and, wow, you're with 1,300 other classmates. (1,300) is the size of our class when we started, not the size when we ended, but they were all big deals too. And it was humbling. It was humbling being around people who are just as dedicated, who had such amazing work ethic. And I can't say enough about my classmates from the class of 96. They're inspiring. They helped challenge you to be better than you thought possible. So we did have highs and lows. We had good times and challenging times. But through it all, we we bonded and we knew we'd be there for each other. You know, while I was at the Academy, I did a variety of things. You've already mentioned my major. But I was an instructor pilot, I was on the mock trial team, I got to participate in a number of leadership positions to include the spring semester Cadet Wing Commander, which was probably just the highlight of my time to be able to really practice leadership. How you mess up, how you get better, how do you inspire people. And I really credit the Air Force Academy for helping to round me out to provide those experiences where I was allowed to fail. But I was also allowed to pick myself back up to learn from it. And to move on.    Dr. Doug Lindsay  11:54 Going to that theme of resilience that you had mentioned earlier, is there a particular failure moment or time that you're like, "This is not who I want to be.", or, "This is not who I think I am." that you kind of caught yourself and allowed you to kind of move on to the next level?   Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre  12:11 I'll give you a couple. One sounds little but I did learn from it. I was the cadet Wing Commander and the fourth class broke ranks and took the hill. And I knew that the then Deputy Commandant was going to be calling me up to his office asking why I didn't have control of the wing and etc., etc. And so what did I do beforehand? I called up the president of the fourth class, the class of 99. And I just yelled, and as I walked away I went, "Really? Was that, is that leadership? Is that setting the expectation that I want? Is that really how I'm going to behave as a lieutenant?" And it caused me to think about, we might need a different approach, we might need to think about how we develop fourth class cadets in a different way. And so I still remember that moment of, of being disappointed in myself, in my leadership approach. And I'll reflect on that sometimes of when things aren't going right. What are your obligations as a leader to set your people up for success? And it doesn't mean that you just pull them aside and yell at them. That's not how we work in our Air Force and Space Force today. Instead, we've got to set expectations. We have to hold folks and to accountability standards. But then we also have to understand why didn't we meet a particular mission set or a particular standard, and try to understand that a little bit deeper level. I'm just grateful that I had an opportunity to learn that, at least in that case, the hard way.    Dr. Doug Lindsay  14:13 Well, the hard way, but in a developmental way. Right? So being able to learn that now, like you said, until you got out on active duty and because when you kind of grow up in a system that becomes normal, right. And so, you know, had that been propagated forward that could have been, you know, the stakes could have been higher.   Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre  14:30 Absolutely. And it's one thing that I'm I'm so proud of where the Academy has come in and where we're also heading. I see our cadets today and I'll just flash forward a little bit. We'll get back to your questions here in a minute. But let's flash forward to COVID. We knew that we were going to be sending the upper three classes home. And my husband who's also a classmate, Greg Letendre, he knew that we were going to make this announcement. And I'd given him the exact time that he was allowed to contact our sponsor cadets. We had two sponsor cadets. They were sophomores at the time. Three-degrees. And he called right after he knew the announcement was going to be made and said, "Do you need a ride? What? How can we help? Do you need a ride to the airport." And each of those three degrees said, "No, Mr. Letendre. Actually, we need to take care of our four-degrees. First, we're going to make sure they're all set, that they've got either a ride home or a trip to the airport, then we'll worry about ourselves." That's where I think the Air Force Academy has made just incredible strides in thinking about that service before self that what it means to lift others as a leader of character. And boy, I think we've just made amazing strides. And I can't wait to see where the Academy heads from here.    Dr. Doug Lindsay  15:55 Yeah, that's a pretty humbling story. As you kind of sit back and go, "Wow!" Just for them to embrace that even early on. Right? It's three degrees (that) go, "I've got some ownership, not just of myself, but in the development of those that have been put in my charge." Right? That's a pretty amazing opportunity to get in there and how you feel a little bit proud also, right? And you'll be able to watch that go through that they picked up on that because we know not everybody graduates with that same depth of appreciation I think of, right? So, that's very cool. Yeah. So you went to the Academy, had a lot of success, obviously. And then kind of went into acquisition, which is a little bit different. And with your astronautical engineering degree. So you spent your first few years in operations, and then between about 1998 and 2019, focused on the area of law and practicing that and a lot of leadership positions. Could you talk a little bit about kind of lessons learned along the way, what you did and how that kind of set you up to be the Dean of the Faculty, which may not have been a career goal of yours when you graduated? Right?   Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre  17:00 No, not at all. I will say though that when I graduated from the Academy, what I did know, really, as a result of being a soaring instructor pilot... So, I love to teach. I love to lead and I love to teach. And so that idea of teaching, I found there were lots of opportunities to do that along the way. Absolutely. I was, after I graduated from law school, I was able to serve in any number of legal roles, from trial attorney to appellate attorney, advising commanders, leading legal offices. But at every stage, no matter how large the leadership job became, what I found that I fell back to over and over again, were those teaching skills. And and whether it's describing a legal challenge and how a commander can take risks, where that spectrum of options are, and really thinking through to make decisions. Those teaching skills were fundamental to at least my style of how I approached the legal profession. I also got a chance to come back here as a captain and teach on faculty. And really, this notion of developing those who are also coming behind you. And, whether that was developing cadets when I was on faculty or later leading various legal offices and developing those younger JAGS and paralegals, that really was my niche. And, I end up, and a passion for helping to promote those who really are the future of our Air Force, and now the Space Force. And so it was through those opportunities, I think, that sealed the deal that when the role of permanent professor for law came open, I threw my name in the hat. And was so fortunate when I got the call from then Brigadier General Armacost, letting me know that I had gotten that job, and came out here to lead that department. And then to really start to give back to this Academy.   Dr. Doug Lindsay  19:18 That idea of I think, is very important, but a subtle one, that idea of, "We're not just leading our teams to be their best," and all that but also pouring into them the opportunity to kind of develop in that teaching skill to be able to kind of teach the teachers right to be able to kind of help do that. And how have you been able to do that kind of as you moved up, right, because sometimes as you know, move up in the leadership ranks, you lose that connection with kind of the front line and being able to really (be in) the classroom and being in there where the teaching really happens.    Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre  19:51 Yeah, I think part of it is how you set that vision, that strategy for moving forward. I went through a great leadership program out at at Harvard. In fact, this particular class was taught by retired Brigadier General Dana Born, who asked us to think about your leadership mantra, you know, what is it about what you do, regardless of if they made you the Dean of the Faculty, or they put you in any job, either in the military or outside the military and, as I wrestled with that, I came up with mine. And it's, "blasting crews to future universes." This notion, or this idea that I'm not going to be alongside, whether it's my younger faculty or these cadets after they graduate, in that future universe, but what is it that we have to do to support them, to challenge them to inspire them, such that as they get to that future destination, that they're ready, and that they're equipped? I believe my role - our role - as senior leaders at the Air Force Academy is to not necessarily predict the future with any certainty. I think I might know who our next adversary is going to be in conflict. But the United States has been wrong before. I certainly don't know what strides the technology is going to take between here and there. I do know, though, that it's going to be the mental agility in the capabilities and skill sets that we are providing both to our cadets, our first graduating class, but also something we talked about our second graduating class, which is those those faculty that are going to go back out into the Air Force and Space Force. It is that challenge of, how do we help them be ready for whatever's coming their way? How do we future-proof them? And that's what I see my role as the Dean of Faculty.   Dr. Doug Lindsay  22:00 So, can you talk a little bit more about that idea? Right, so that first graduating class, I think that makes sense, right? That's sending the future officers out in the Air and Space Forces, but that second class as well, right, that those advocates, those champions of kind of not just learning, everything that we're trying to do? What does that look like in terms of you've got, you know, 750 faculty, we have 4,000 cadets, both of those components are very important. How do you really lean into that one about thinking about how we're sending our folks out, back to the service?   Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre  22:35 Well, one of the ways that we do that is we've got a pretty clear mission statement. Now, at the Dean of Faculty, we support obviously, the Air Force Academy's larger mission, which is to develop leaders of character within the Dean of the Faculty that we believe our portion of that is to educate and inspire warfighter scholars. So this confluence of not just a warfighter ethos, but also the disciplinary and more importantly, the interdisciplinary understanding and expertise to be able to apply that to future conflict. And so when we think about graduating both of those classes, we have become very deliberate within the Dean of Faculty and really across the entire institution. And we are laser focused on that future fight. So, how do we do that? And this is where I think the Academy has changed remarkably, and I love talking to classes who come back for the reunions. What's fundamentally changed, I think, since our time at the Air Force Academy and now is that not only is that curriculum, laser focused on the future fight, this is experiential learning opportunities that we're providing that ability to take what you're learning in the classroom, and then go in and solving real world research problems that are helping the warfighter. The Air Force Academy, Doug, you may know, is the number one funded undergraduate research institution in the country, we do over $40 million dollars worth of research every single year. And that goes across all disciplines. And not only is that helping our cadets learn how to apply or to think through different, different challenges that the warfighters are facing. But it also helps our faculty that are alongside them who are working through those same very same research challenges. And so that's where we get this idea of graduating to classes, and how we helped to shape to focus that future fight both in and outside of the classroom.   Dr. Doug Lindsay  24:45 So as you think back, it must be kind of neat in your position now to think back to Cadet Letendre back in the day, to be able to think about the experience you had and how and how impactful that was for you. And now with the resources and the opportunity, the IFC and other things that are out there available to really help prepare cadets because it's not just about learning, but it's about learning how to learn, right, the whole process and being able to partner with other organizations, right, that's got to be pretty cool to see that transformation over time. Right?   Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre  25:20 (It) is and I'll just give you a little example. You've probably heard the Falcon SAT program. Well, I actually worked on something that predated Falcon SAT. The first time that cadets were briefing me about the history of Falcon SAT, they didn't even include the work that my class did with with Falcon Gold. They've since updated the slide. But we were working with any number of majors from electrical engineering to astronautical engineering and mechanical engineering. But we had literally dusted off a closet that I think the mechanical engineering department loaned out to the Astro department, right? There's no such thing as a clean-room. We're working on the development of a very simple satellite that we thought we might launch on a high altitude balloon. Flash forward to today. Not only do we have investment from other DoD entities like AFRL, and Space Force, but we have profound investment from our graduate community that is making Falcon SAT the premier undergraduate institution that is not only designing, developing, building, launching, and then flying satellites, I only half jokingly say that the United States Air Force Academy has more satellites in orbit than most small countries, because it's true. And those satellites, these cadets, and those opportunities that they have to take what they're learning in the classroom to apply it. And then they're actually once in orbit, working some DoD missions as well. And it's been a remarkable operation to watch. And sometimes I just shake my head and imagine, boy, if only Jack Fisher and I could get back here, in this Astro lab, how much fun we would have.    Dr. Doug Lindsay  27:15 So you mentioned the graduate community, their involvement as well. Right? So we have other corporate entities and all that doing that as well. Can you talk a little bit about the value of that kind of giving back not just through supporting the academy, but that involvement, that active involvement in the learning process? And what that's like?   Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre  27:34 Giving back is critical. I like to think of it as those those sparks that if you think about what venture capitalists do, right, they, provide a spark and whether that's through seed money to try something new and different, whether that's through expertise and the use of time and knowledge as a resource. That's where I've seen grads giving back to the Air Force Academy, in really a variety (of) spectacular ways, you know, from our Institute of Future Conflict to this Fall, where we're going to open up the new Madeira Cyber Innovation Center, which is going to revolutionize how we not only think Teach, but also research with respect to the cyber domain to the Martinson Honors Program, which is just a phenomenal opportunity for for our cadets who are at the the cutting edge of thinking about interdisciplinary work through an academic lens. We're working now on the potential to have that kind of investment in the Academic Success Center, to make sure that all of our cadets are able to take on our challenging coursework any number of ways that as I walk through the halls, as I walk through our research labs, as I talk to our faculty, or as I see cadets taking part in clubs and activities. NCLS, the Academy couldn't do what it does today without that support that we get, not only from graduates, but from foundations, as well as corporations around the world.   Dr. Doug Lindsay  29:19 So I appreciate that ability (to) have the opportunity to stay connected, right? So, it's not just kind of up on the Hill, it's being able to, you know, lots of opportunities and ways to serve and get back. And as you talk through those different opportunities and talk through about the cyber center, the IFC, the Martinson, all of that. It sounds like as we think about kind of the great power competition and what's going on that we're setting our cadets up for success in being able to be involved and in really help to influence that moving forward. Right?   Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre  29:51 Absolutely. And we, want our grads to be better than we ever were. And I can say unabashedly that they, our second lieutenants who are graduating from this institution. are better able on day one to take on the challenges that our nation has thrown at them. And we need an institution that continues to not only rise to that challenge, but continues to change. That gets better over time. And that remains at this point laser focused on great power competition. And that's what I'm seeing, not just out of the faculty and academic staff in DF, but across the institution, our AOCs, our AMT's, our coaches, every one of us knows what our mission is, and, and the challenges that our second lieutenants are going to be facing. On day one, I couldn't be more proud of what this Academy is doing.   Dr. Doug Lindsay  30:45 And I think you hit on an important part there because as I think about my experience a few years before yours with True Blue 92, I have to put that in there, that ability to really see I think, people's place in the overall mission because I think previously there, it was really easy to kind of stay stovepipe, stay in your lane. Think about, okay, this is I'm just going to kind of be here to teach. But it seems like there's been a broadening of my purpose, right, as a person comes into the Academy, the permanent party, faculty, staff anywhere, to really say, I've got a place here, I know what my place is and I know how I contribute to the larger mission. Is that fair to say?   Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre  31:23 Oh, absolutely. I think that's all wrapped up in our mission to develop leaders of character. And this notion and idea that I first have to live honorably, that's taking care of who I am. That's that honor code, that, that we all espouse to that in that integrity that we bring with us day in and day out. But then that next phrase, or that that leader or characters is that we need to lift others, you know, we lift all of those around us, because we know that if we don't get the best out of every member of our team, we're never going to get to the final stage, which is that performance piece, that ability to accomplish the mission. And, and so I think that leader, a character framework, which is helping us to really center, not just cadets, but permanent party, around one goal. And so you see that, and everyone really does understand how they're contributing to that overarching mission. And they're all in, right?   Dr. Doug Lindsay  32:27 And, what I like about that kind of orienting function of developing leaders of character, because it puts a responsibility on me to to go, "If I'm going to develop leaders of character, then I need to think about how I'm showing up as a leader of character and how I do that. So I can kind of model and orient as well. Right. So I like that. That kind of responsibility puts on me as a faculty or staff member to go, I need to make sure I'm showing up the way I need to so that I can help them show up the way they need to as well. Right. Absolutely.   Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre  32:57 And that is probably the part that that makes me the most proud as I wander the hallways or show up at a sporting event or, or watch our cadets engage in military training exercises. I'm not only seeing them live that day in and day out. But I see those permanent party who are setting that role model and example. Just across the board.    Dr. Doug Lindsay  33:24 Yeah, that's gotta be, yeah, very satisfying.   Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre  33:27 I have the best job in the Air Force, Space Force.   Dr. Doug Lindsay  33:31 So kind of wrapping up, can you maybe share it? Through the journey that you've had maybe some lessons, you've kind of learned about leadership along the way, obviously, you've been very successful at every level you've done. And that doesn't happen by accident. It doesn't happen without work. So what were some of those lessons that you learned along the way, whether it was early on in acquisitions, it was in your log, or now as the dean, that you'd like to pass on?   Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre  33:57 One of the lessons that I've learned is that little opportunities can become big opportunities. And you don't necessarily know what that big opportunity is going to be. And you don't necessarily recognize that the little opportunity that you have before you is one of those that's going to somehow blossom in the future. And so when I talk with cadets, I talk about, "Take advantage of the little opportunities, knock them out of the park." I'll share a little opportunity. I was legal counsel on on a case that had a potential to go to the United States Supreme Court. And I was brought in along I was a major. I was brought in with all of the Judge Advocate General's from all of the services. So these are two and three stars, who were sitting down with the General Counsel of the Department of Defense at the time, Mr. J. Johnson, who later became Secretary Johnson and head of the Department of Homeland Security And so they're having this conversation about whether or not this case should go to the Supreme Court. And and at the conclusion, Mr. Johnson passes around a memo and says, hey, does this need any editing? You know, is this what we want to send to the to DOJ, to the Department of Justice to the attorney general? And, and everyone around the table, except for me, nodded their head up and down. It looks great, sir. Looks great. And I looked at him like, this memo could be improved. And I started to edit it. And on the way out, I you know, I handed it off to Mr. Johnson's exec, and said, Hey, I think this could use a little improvement here and there, here's some thoughts. It wasn't about a month or so later, that I then got a call from my Judge Advocate General Lieutenant General Rives who said, Mr. Johnson wants that major. That major had the audacity to edit his memo to come and help serve as the legal counsel, as well, as one of the prime edit authors of the report regarding the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, I would have never expected that editing a little paper, or a memo would have led them to this enormous opportunity to work directly for general ham army four star as well as Mr. Johnson. And so I think those how you think about the little opportunities that then become the big opportunities is one leadership lesson that that I would pass along.   Dr. Doug Lindsay  36:30 And we could spend probably another couple hours unpacking that one, you had to have the knowledge to understand what was there. So there's a competence piece, but there's also a courage piece to kind of lean out a little bit when you're maybe outranked around the room. And everybody else is kind of saying, Yeah, this is the way to go. But you know that there's something else that's there, right?    Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre  36:49 Yeah, and I think that leads maybe to a second leadership lesson is, you've got to find your voice. And oftentimes, when I talk to cadets, they're like, "Oh, well, easy for you to say, ma'am. You know, you've got a star on, of course, you've got a voice." But I think that unless you practice having that voice early in your career, you practice what it means to be candid, you practice what it means to speak up for the right thing. It doesn't actually get easier, just because you've got rank, it gets easier through practice. And so that's one of those lessons that we talk with cadets about all the time, how do they find their voice today, on the small things, so that when they need to have a voice on the big things, they've had some practice before.   Dr. Doug Lindsay  37:39 I love that idea of of practice, and kind of embracing the moment, right? We think a lot of times people make that mistake with leadership and think, "Well, I'm not in a leadership position. So I can't really lead.", and we know that's just not true. You can. So, that idea of learning your voice, learning to lead, just really taking advantage of the opportunities that are in front of you, so that you can then maybe down the road have the opportunity to get (better). So, I appreciate those thoughts in there, as we think about kind of people want to be connected. So, if the listeners want to kind of connect more, find out more about the Academy and what are some things that they can do to kind of connect more with the Academy and find out more about what's going on?    Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre  38:18 Oh, absolutely. There's any variety of ways. Not only does our usafa.edu website contain information about all of our amazing programs and opportunities, from athletics at gofalcons.com, to what's up in the cadet wing, my amazing classmate and commandant, Brigadier General Gavin Marks, who is leading the cadet wing, but also any number of things that are going on on the academic side as well. Every department's got a website. They talk about their current curriculum, their faculty, the research that they're doing. You are also welcome to follow me on my LinkedIn site, or my Instagram page. The Supt. has an amazing Instagram page as well. Lot's of different ways through both social media as well as the internet to understand what we're doing. But I think one of the best ways is, come on back. Come back to your Academy. Come to a reunion, talk to a grad, talk to a cadet. Anytime I'm having a bad day, I pull a cadet aside and just chat for a few minutes. And believe me, it's gonna make your day.   Dr. Doug Lindsay  39:27 That's awesome. Well, thank you so much for your time, your your lessons, your leadership, your example and thank you for your time today on longer leadership.   Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre  39:35 Awesome. Thank you so much, Doug.     KEYWORDS cadets, academy, air force academy, faculty, leadership, opportunities, class, learning, dean, work, people, talk, graduated, challenges, air force, mission, leaders, number, space shuttle, future         The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association and Foundation      

Jeh Johnson is a partner in the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, LLP and the former Secretary of Homeland Security (2013-2017), General Counsel of the Department of Defense (2009-2012), General Counsel of the Department of the Air Force (1998-2001), and an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York (1989-1991). In private life, in addition to practicing law, Johnson is on the board of directors of Lockheed Martin, U.S. Steel, MetLife, the Council on Foreign Relations, the 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York City, and is a trustee of Columbia University. Johnson is frequent commentator on national and homeland security matters on NBC, CBS, MSNBC, CNN, FOX, CNBC, NPR, Bloomberg TV and other news networks, and has written op-eds in The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Hill, Lawfare, and elsewhere.  As of March 2022, Johnson also hosts a classic R&B radio show on FM public radio station WBGO, 88.3FM, based in Newark, NJ.   As Secretary of Homeland Security, Johnson was the head of the third largest cabinet department of the U.S. government, consisting of 230,000 personnel and 22 components, including TSA, Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Services, U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Coast Guard, the Secret Service, and FEMA. Johnson's responsibilities as Secretary included counterterrorism, cybersecurity, aviation security, border security, port security, maritime security, protection of our national leaders, the detection of chemical, biological and nuclear threats to the homeland, and response to natural disasters.  In three years as Secretary of DHS, Johnson is credited with management reform of the Department, which brought about a more centralized approach to decision-making in the areas of budgets, acquisition and overall policy.  Johnson also raised employee morale across the Department, reflected in the September 2016 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey.  As General Counsel of the Department of Defense, Johnson is credited with being the legal architect for the U.S. military's counterterrorism efforts in the Obama Administration.  In 2010, Johnson co-authored the report that paved the way for the repeal of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell by Congress later that year. In his book Duty, former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates wrote that Johnson "proved to be the finest lawyer I ever worked with in government - a straightforward, plain-speaking man of great integrity, with common sense to burn and a good sense of humor."  According to published reports, Johnson provided the opinion that was the legal basis for U.S. special forces to enter Pakistan to kill Osama bin Laden on May 1, 2011.    Johnson is a 2022 recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, a 2021 recipient of the American Lawyer's Lifetime Achievement Award, as “an American statesman [who] has devoted his career to the public interest,” and a 2018 recipient of the Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Award, presented at the Reagan Presidential Library, for “contribut[ing] greatly to the defense of our nation,” and “guiding us through turbulent times with courage and wisdom.”  In 2020 the Chief Judge of New York State asked Johnson to conduct a comprehensive review of equal justice in the New York State courts.  On October 1, 2020 Johnson issued a public report with his findings and recommendations, all of which the Chief Judge has committed to adopting.  Johnson has debated at both the Cambridge and Oxford Unions in England, and in November 2019 was conferred honorary life membership in the Cambridge Union.  Johnson is a graduate of Morehouse College (1979) and Columbia Law School (1982) and the recipient of 13 honorary degrees.   Johnson married “the girl next-door,” literally, Dr. Susan DiMarco, in 1994. Susan is a retired dentist, a volunteer at the southern border and in numerous other activities, and, at the request of the U.S. Navy, is the sponsor of the Virginia-class submarine USS NEW JERSEY (SSN-796).  In February 2023, Johnson and his family history were profiled on an episode of PBS' Finding Your Roots. For Jazz fans, tune into “All Things Soul with Jeh Johnson", once a month on Saturdays from 8 – 10 am on WBGO 88.3 FM.   On this episode, Secretary Johnson shares his one way ticket to Birmingham, Alabama on May 20, 1961, to resume the Freedom Rides, and highlights the role they had in the US Civil Rights Movement. During the course of our conversation, he also covers his family history as unearthed by Henry Louis Gates on Finding Your Roots, how he approached managing the Department of Homeland Security, concerns about cybersecurity and AI and his love for classic R&B which he features on his radio show.

Joe Madison invites Professor Henry Louis "Skip" Gates and special guest Jeh Johnson, the former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, preview a brand new episode of Finding Your Roots, premiering Tuesday, February 21 at 8/7c on PBS! In addition to Secretary Johnson, tonight's surprising and fascinating episode features activist Angela Davis.Watch the new episode "And Still I Rise" on PBS: https://www.pbs.org/video/and-still-i-rise-preview/ 

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit davidlat.substack.comJeh Johnson, currently co-head of the Cybersecurity and Data Protection practice at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, has had a truly remarkable career in law and public service. Over the past four decades, he has gone back and forth between Paul Weiss, one of the nation's leading law firms, and the federal government. He has served as an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York (1989-1991), General Counsel of the Department of the Air Force (1998-2001), General Counsel of the Department of Defense (2009-2012), and finally, Secretary of Homeland Security (2013-2017).I first met Jeh (pronounced “Jay”) Johnson when he was GC of the Department of Defense (“DoD”) and I profiled him for Above the Law. At the time, he told me he thought it would be his last position in public service. But President Barack Obama had other ideas: in 2013, he asked Johnson to join his Cabinet as Secretary of Homeland Security. From December 2013 until January 2017, Johnson led the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”), a sprawling agency with some 22 components and 230,000 employees, and helped keep the United States safe.Remembering fondly our 2011 conversation, and eager to hear about his time as a Cabinet official, I reached out to Secretary Johnson late last year to invite him on the podcast. He kindly agreed, and in our conversation last month, we discussed everything from his being an academic “late bloomer”; what he's most proud of from his time in public life (interestingly enough, not a specific success like the Osama bin Laden operation or the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell); and his advice on mentorship (specifically, how to be a good mentee).My timing for posting this episode turned out to be excellent: just yesterday, DHS unveiled Secretary Johnson's official portrait, a tribute to his service to the Department and to the nation. Congratulations to Secretary Johnson on this honor, and thanks to him for his long and dedicated service to our country.Show Notes:Jeh Charles Johnson bio, Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLPDHS Unveils Secretary Jeh Johnson Official Portrait, U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityAn Afternoon With Jeh Johnson, General Counsel of the Defense Department, by David Lat for Above the LawPrefer reading to listening? A transcript of the entire episode appears below.

The secrets of Mar-a-Lago: What's at stake with the classified government documents retrieved in the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago? Has our national security been jeopardized? Are our assets in the field at risk? Join the Common Good to Find out. Please join us for an important virtual briefing with two experts from the very top of their agencies, former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and former acting Director of the CIA Mike Morell. About the Speakers: Jeh Johnson - Jeh Charles Johnson, former Secretary of Homeland Security, is a partner in the Paul, Weiss Litigation Department and a member of the Firm's Management and Partnership Committees. Secretary Johnson advises clients, including management teams and boards of directors, on crisis management, government and internal investigations, high-stakes litigation and regulatory matters, and legal aspects of cybersecurity and other security matters. He is also an experienced trial lawyer, and a Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers. Secretary Johnson is on the board of directors of Lockheed Martin. Since leaving government in January 2017, Secretary Johnson has been called upon to testify before Congress on cybersecurity matters three times, and is a regular commentator on national and homeland security on ABC, CBS, NBC, BBC, MSNBC, CNBC, CNN and numerous other outlets. He was the 2018 recipient of the Ronald Reagan Peace Through Strength Award, presented at the Reagan Presidential Library and currently serves as a member of The Common Good Honorary Advisory Board. Morell - Michael Joseph Morell is the former Acting Director and Deputy Director of the C.I.A. He worked in the C.I.A. for 33 years. Morell has received multiple awards including the CIA's highest ranking award, the Distinguished Intelligence Medal. He is also a Senior Fellow at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, West Point's Center on Combating Terrorism, and the Madison Policy Forum. Morell has served as a member of President Obama's Review Group on Intelligence and Communications Technology, and is currently Senior Counselor and the Global Chairman of the Geo-Political Risk Practice at Beacon Global Strategies LLC. To RSVP for upcoming events, visit our events page at: thecommongoodus.org

Jeh Johnson served as Secretary of Homeland Security, where he led almost a quarter of a million employees and managed a budget of nearly $65 billion. The first African-American partner at Paul, Weiss, Secretary Johnson previously served as General Counsel of the Department of Defense and GC of the Air Force. Secretary Johnson joins Adam to share his journey and best lessons on a wide range of topics, including leadership, personal and professional development, decision-making, managing pressure, and more.

Judge Edwina Mendelson wears a variety of hats in the court system. She's the Deputy Chief Administrative Judge for Justice Initiatives, oversees about 300 problem-solving courts as director of the Office of Policy & Planning, oversees the Child Welfare Court Improvement Project and leads the Equal Justice in Courts initiative. She describes her most recent project, implementing the recommendations of Secretary Johnson in his October 2020 report on institutional bias in the courts, as the “assignment of a lifetime.” Transcript: http://ww2.nycourts.gov/sites/default/files/document/files/2021-09/Judge%20Mendelson.pdf

This week, Trey Gowdy is joined by former United States Secretary of Homeland Security, Jeh Johnson. Jeh shares how he discovered his passion for public service, the value of compromise to get stuff done in Washington and they discuss former Secretary Johnson’s involvement investigating foreign interferences in the 2016 election. Follow Trey on Twitter: @TGowdySC

For Nearly two decades America has been in war with Afghanistan. Join us with Ret. Colonel Chris Kolenda, the man who pioneered a new approach to counterinsurgency, led soldiers in successful battles against the Taliban and was later hand picked by the US government to be involved in early talks with the Taliban. We will cover the impact of the war, how it can be ended, and recent events with our military that have made headlines. Moderated by former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson. Ret. Colonel Christopher Kolenda recently served as the Senior Advisor on Afghanistan and Pakistan to Under Secretary of Defense Michèle Flournoy, and three 4* Generals in Afghanistan. He was decorated with the Department of Defense's highest civilian award for his work on strategy. In 2007-08, he commanded an 800-solider task force in Kunar and Nuristan provinces where he pioneered an innovative approach to counterinsurgency in one of the most violent areas of the country. His unit is the only one in the history of the war to have motivated a large insurgent group to stop fighting and join the government. His advice has been adopted by three Secretaries of Defense and the President of the United States. He was selected to be the Secretary of Defense's representative in exploratory talks with the Taliban from 2010-2013. He is the only American to have fought the Taliban in combat and engaged them in high-level diplomacy. Secretary Jeh Johnson was appointed by President Obama on December 23, 2013, following confirmation by the U.S. Senate by a vote of 78-16. Between 2013 and 2017 he served as Secretary of Homeland Security. Previously, Secretary Johnson was appointed by President Obama to be General Counsel of the Department of Defense from 2009 through 2012. In that position, Johnson was one of the legal architects for the U.S. military's counter terrorism mission during President Obama's first term. To RSVP for upcoming events, visit our events page at: https://www.thecommongoodus.org --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Governor Larry Hogan joined The Common Good for a conversation to discuss the pandemic. Moderated by former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson, the two discussed the state and federal response; unrest, racism and police brutality. Join us for expert insights into the 2020 political landscape and the direction of our country as well as many other issues of national interest. Governor Larry Hogan is a lifelong Marylander who is the son of Congressman Lawrence Hogan (MD-5). As a young man, Governor Hogan worked on his father's campaigns, at first stuffing envelopes and knocking on doors, and eventually helping to manage them. Hogan continued to work for his father when he was County Executive of Prince George's County. He later went to create a real estate firm which quickly became the leading land development firm in the state of Maryland, focusing on economic development and bringing hundreds of businesses and thousands of jobs to the state. In 2011, Hogan founded the grassroots organization Change Maryland. What began as an idea between a few friends quickly grew into the largest grassroots organization in State history and the leading voice of support for tax relief, responsible budgeting, and economic growth. Governor Hogan was elected in 2014 and became the first Republican Governor to be re-elected for a second term in half a century. He has received mass praise for his work towards bipartisanship, being efficient, and always putting the needs of Maryland families and businesses first. Its main focus is to get the State's budget under control, eliminate waste and abuse in State government, provide tax relief to struggling Marylanders, and bring jobs and businesses back to the State. Secretary Jeh Johnson was appointed by President Obama on December 23, 2013, following confirmation by the U.S. Senate by a vote of 78-16. Between 2013 and 2017 he served as Secretary of Homeland Security. Previously, Secretary Johnson was appointed by President Obama to be General Counsel of the Department of Defense from 2009 through 2012. In that position, Johnson was one of the legal architects for the U.S. military's counter terrorism mission during President Obama's first term. In 2010, Johnson co-authored a 250-page report that paved the way for the repeal by Congress of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell law that prohibited gays from serving openly in the U.S. military. From October 1998 to January 2001, Johnson served in the Clinton Administration as General Counsel of the Department of the Air Force. From 1989 through 1991, Secretary Johnson was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York, where he prosecuted public corruption cases. To RSVP for upcoming events, visit our events page at: https://www.thecommongoodus.org --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

The Common Good presents the first in a new series of conversations with top U.S. Leaders. Former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson heads our series, starting with Governor Ned Lamont (D-CT) on how we will be getting back to normal, or what our new normal will look like. What does the phased return to reopen the tri-state area look like? Ned Lamont got involved in public service shortly after college, founding a weekly newspaper in a town hit by the loss of its largest employer. Covering town meetings and the Board of Selectmen, he helped to bring voice and transparency to a community working to recover from job losses and reinvent itself. He would later go on to start his own business, taking on the large and established giants of the telecom industry. Under his vision and stewardship, the company grew to serve over 400 of America's largest college campuses and 1 million college students across the nation. Secretary Jeh Johnson was appointed by President Obama on December 23, 2013, following confirmation by the U.S. Senate by a vote of 78-16. Previously, Secretary Johnson was appointed by President Obama to be General Counsel of the Department of Defense from 2009 through 2012. In that position, Johnson was one of the legal architects for the U.S. military's counterterrorism mission during President Obama's first term. To RSVP for upcoming events, visit our events page at: www.thecommongoodus.org --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Jeh Johnson served as Secretary of Homeland Security from December 2013 to January 2017. Secretary Johnson was responsible for the federal government’s response to many of our nation’s most pressing issues, including immigration; cybersecurity; Russian interference in the election; counterterrorism; natural disasters; nuclear, chemical and biological threats; and the protection of critical infrastructure and the nation’s leadership. At the City Bar's Public Affairs Luncheon on October 9, 2018, Secretary Johnson reflected on his leadership experiences and shed light on the latest headlines.

Jeh Johnson, the former United States Secretary of Homeland Security, joins Dave for a wide-ranging conversation detailing how he got his start in public service, the lessons he learned and rationale behind some of his policy decisions. Secretary Johnson discusses his background from growing up in upstate New York, attending Morehouse College and interning for New York Congressman Hamilton Fish IV. Later he goes on to discuss the important issues currently facing the country; Russian involvement in the 2016 election, immigration strategies on the southern border, the differences in policy between the Trump and Obama administrations and what it was like working for President Obama. Plus he explains the process by which he handled counterterrorism operations, including the Osama Bin Laden raid.

Elise talks with Former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson about the 17th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Secretary Johnson reflects on the Russian hacking of the 2016 presidential election and explains why the United States may not be ready to protect against the same kind of interference in the 2018 midterm elections. And Steve has the final word on the New York Times anonymous opinion author - is this the work of an “adult in the room” or a “Trump enabler”? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Last week, former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson addressed the Boston Conference on Cybersecurity in a speech titled "Cyberspace is the New Battlespace." The next day, Secretary Johnson sat down with Harvard Law professor and Lawfare co-founder Jack Goldsmith to discuss the themes his speech reflected on. They discussed the hacking and exfiltration of data, the vulnerabilities of the U.S. electoral infrastructure to cyberattacks, and the problem of fake news and disinformation—and what we might do to stem it.

Jeh Johnson, former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, speaks with Jeremy Davis, VP, Media and Event Producer, GARP about the new age of risk. The risk landscape that we now face is one in which emerging and non-traditional risks intersect to create exponentially complex threats to global stability. That’s where Secretary Jeh Johnson comes in, as he has built his career managing the most complex risks to global security and stability.   Secretary Johnson served as the fourth United States Secretary of Homeland Security (2013-2017). He was General Counsel of the Department of Defense (2009-2012). He is a partner in the Litigation Department at Paul. Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP. Secretary Johnson was a keynote presenter at GARP’s  Risk Convention on March 6-7, 2018.

On September 28, former immigrant detainees confronted head of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson outside a public speaking event to demand he address the crisis inside immigrant detention centers and cut the department’s contracts with private prisons. Jacinta Gonzalez, Field Director of Mijente/Not1More Deportation campaign, gave us more details about Secretary Johnson's response to the confrontation. Later in the show, West Virginia University student, Kasey, who recently wrote a "controversial" letter to the university's president asking him to begin a discussion addressing the cultural issues on campus. Kasey will give us an update on the situation.

On Sunday morning, June 12, a delegation of Department of Homeland Security staffers and other U.S. government officials were waiting at Joint Base Andrews for Secretary Jeh Johnson, for a trip to China. But he never showed. The Orlando night club massacre had not only shocked the U.S. population and set off fear and uncertainty about terrorists possibly in our midst, but U.S. officials were scrambling as well to figure out what was going on. Secretary Johnson sat down with Target USA to explain what happened in Orlando and what's next for U.S. homeland security.