Podcasts about Special operations

What does an expert in intelligence analysis find when he investigates the ultimate mystery? Today, I'm joined by Don Winner—a former NSA linguist, Special Operations intelligence officer, and investigative journalist who spent years uncovering major criminal cases. After his own father's health scare led him to question the nature of death, Don applied his elite analytical skills to the study of Near-Death Experiences (NDEs). By treating thousands of reports as "raw data," Don discovered patterns that are shockingly consistent across every culture, religion, and geography. In this episode, we dive into: * The Intelligence Approach: How Don separates "signal from noise" to identify authentic NDEs versus hallucinations or fabrications. * The Architecture of the Afterlife: Don walks us through the consistent stages of an NDE—from the out-of-body separation to the void, the tunnel, and the encounter with Source Energy. * Veridical Experiences: Mind-blowing accounts of people who "saw" things while clinically dead that would be physically impossible to witness, including the classic story of the dusty operating room lights. * Beyond Doctrine: Why NDEs consistently show that there is only one "Source Energy"—and why human attempts to label it as a judging, tribal "God" are a result of limited human language, not the reality of the experience. * Life as a Schoolhouse: Why we are truly here to learn, the nature of the life review, and why love is the only "currency" that matters on the other side. Don's research proves that consciousness does not end with the body. Whether you're a skeptic or a seeker, this conversation offers a fresh, logical perspective on what happens when we leave this "meat sack" behind. Connect with Don Winner: Website & Archive: https://winnernde.com/ His First Book: You're Going to Die Someday, Right? Near-Death Experiences Reveal What Happens Next - find on Amazon at https://amzn.to/4vLx0xV * His NEW Book: Hell Exists, But Only for the Living: The Origins of Hell - find on Amazon at  https://amzn.to/4fy90br CONNECT WITH SANDRA CHAMPLAIN:  Don't miss my "Shades of the Afterlife' Podcast with the BEST of all topics about the afterlife: https://omny.fm/shows/shades-of-the-afterlife * Website (Free book by joining the 'Insiders Club, Free empowering Sunday Gatherings with medium demonstration, Mediumship Classes & more): http://wedontdie.com *Patreon (Early access, PDF of over 850 episodes & more visit https://www.patreon.com/wedontdieradio Thank you for listening!!!

Lieutenant-Colonel Chris Bray is the Commanding Officer of 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron, the Royal Canadian Air Force unit supporting the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM).In Part 2, we take a rare look behind the curtain of Canadian Special Operations Aviation, exploring how 427 Squadron evolved into the modern capability it is today. Chris explains the squadron's culture, what makes it unique among allied SOF aviation units, the philosophy of "no mission too small," the addition of the CE-145C Vigilance, and the standards that define one of Canada's most demanding aviation communities. We also discuss leadership, mission command, and how 427 built a reputation for professionalism, adaptability, and trust while supporting special operations around the world.CONTINUE THE FLIGHTEXPLORE THE LOGBOOKMore stories from RCAF and mission aviation pilotshttps://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/episodesCHAPTERS(00:00:00) Introduction and Welcome(00:02:41) How 427 Squadron Reinvented Itself(00:03:39) Building One Special Operations Aviation Culture(00:06:49) Why the Squadron Had to Change(00:09:44) Living Through the Transformation(00:13:10) Earning a Reputation in Special Operations Aviation(00:14:49) "No Mission Too Small"(00:18:46) Expanding the Mission with the CE-145C Vigilance(00:20:44) Learning to Think Beyond Helicopters(00:22:53) What Makes 427 Different?(00:26:21) Becoming an Organic CANSOFCOM Capability(00:28:44) The Professionals Behind Every Mission(00:30:04) Why Communications Can Make or Break a Mission(00:31:12) Building Trust with Canada's Special Operations Forces(00:33:44) Maintaining Elite Standards(00:37:52) Rewriting the Rules: The New TOCA(00:41:35) The Career Path of a Special Operations Aviator(00:44:57) Balancing Risk and Mission Success(00:46:22) Leading an Elite Squadron(00:47:34) The Hardest Decisions as Commanding Officer(00:49:57) Next Time: Inside SOTAC

On this episode of Expanded Perspectives: From the Archives, we revisit our conversation with author, researcher, and hidden history investigator Rick Osmon.Could Roman explorers have reached North America centuries before Christopher Columbus? Rick joins us to examine the evidence, challenge conventional history, and share the research that has led him to believe there may be far more to America's ancient past than most people realize.Before becoming a full-time researcher and author, Rick built an impressive career in engineering, working with defense contractors and later as a civilian engineering specialist for the U.S. Navy. His work focused on advanced radar, night vision, laser systems, and surveillance technologies supporting Special Operations equipment acquisitions.Driven by a lifelong fascination with archaeology, ancient history, geography, cartography, and the unexplained, Rick left government service in 2005 to dedicate himself to researching hidden history. He went on to host popular internet radio shows, including The Oopa Loopa Cafe and Unraveling the Secrets, which became part of the Paranormal Soup Network before evolving into the Soup Media Network.Rick is also the author of several books exploring ancient mysteries, beginning with The Graves of the Golden Bear: Ancient Monuments and Fortresses of the Ohio Valley, published in 2011.Join us as we explore the possibility of Roman voyages to the Americas, the artifacts and historical clues Rick believes point to a forgotten chapter of history, and what it all could mean if the accepted timeline is incomplete.Show Notes:Glimmer Man Book: Cloaked Beings That Move Among UsWant to Share Your Story? Email: expandedperspectives@yahoo.com Hotline: 888-393-2783 Want More Expanded Perspectives? If you want more Expanded Perspectives and help out the show, then join our Patreon. Just click this link or download the Patreon App and search Expanded Perspectives Elite Do you want to give the gift of Expanded Perspectives Elite? Just click this link or go to patreon.com/expandedperspectiveselite/gift

The scoreboard may decide the winner, but it doesn't tell the story of the game. The Stars and Stripes Classic pits America's Green Berets against Navy SEALs, renewing Special Operations' greatest rivalries. But beyond the game, every operator on the field, and family member in the stands, represents an unwavering commitment to something greater than themselves.In this episode, Fran Racioppi sat down with the President and CEO of the Green Beret Foundation Charlie Iacono, and Chief Warrant Officer Nick Lavery, to discuss why the Stars and Stripes Classic is much more than just a game. It is an opportunity to strengthen the Special Operations community, honor the legacy of those who served before us, and introduce the next generation to the values that define Special Operations.Charlie shares how the Green Beret Foundation continues to evolve beyond traditional support programs, placing families at the center of its mission and developing initiatives like Task Force Tatanka to deliver customized solutions for Green Berets, veterans, and their loved ones. Nick reflects on the mindset that carried him from catastrophic injury in Afghanistan back to an Operational Detachment Alpha, redefining resilience not as avoiding adversity, but as the willingness to confront it, adapt, and continue moving forward.Our conversation explores the unique relationship between Green Berets and Navy SEALs - fierce competitors on the field, trusted teammates in combat. From military leadership and entrepreneurship to preserving the legacy of Special Operations, we discuss why sharing these stories remains critical to strengthening the community and inspiring the next generation.The Stars and Stripes Classic is a reminder that while competition builds excellence, it is service, family, and the enduring bonds of the Special Operations community that define the legacy of the Green Berets and Navy SEALs long after the final whistle blows. Listen or watch this episode and don't miss this year's game; August 2nd from the Ohio State Lacrosse Stadium in Columbus Ohio and being broadcast on ESPN. HIGHLIGHTS0:00 Introduction2:25 Welcome to the Stars & Stripes Classic4:03 Preparing for the Game5:10 Character on the Field6:35 Green Berets vs Navy SEALs10:05 Green Beret Families14:56 Resiliency Matters21:04 Task Force TatankaQUOTES“The culmination of teamwork has been fantastic.”“No plan survives first contact.”“We are more alike than we are different.”“We're like the most stereotypical brotherly relationship that maybe exists.”“Families are the bedrock for our foundation.”“We're not telling the story enough.”“Adversity is inevitable.”“Resiliency is defined as one's capacity to deal with or bounce back from challenges.”“There's no way this is how this ends.”“You have to be unapologetically confident in the decisions you make when you put together a team.”“We are continuously evolving that objective.”“The biggest challenge with opportunities is they're continuously evolving.”The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by OneBrief; enabling military leaders to make innovative, informed and deliberate decisions faster than ever before. Superhuman command wins wars.Follow the Jedburgh Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform, read on our website, and watch the full video version on YouTube as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.

In this episode, we examine the July 7, 2026 CENTCOM retaliatory strikes that hit more than 80 Iranian targets—including air defenses, coastal radar, anti-ship missiles, and over 60 IRGC small boats—following attacks on three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Drawing directly from my background as a Navy SEAL, I break down the tactical execution, the likely role of special operations forces in targeting and maritime security, and the strategic context of renewed U.S. measures including the “Guardian of Hormuz” posture and blockade elements. Listeners will walk away with a clear operator-level understanding of escalation control, precision effects in contested waterways, and what these developments signal for future missions in the region.

Last time we spoke about the battle for Dayun Mountain. Chinese forces  under Xue Yue, believed they were encircling an exposed Japanese regiment. Acting on that assumption, Chinese units concentrated attacks to crush the "trapped " force, hoping to annihilate an elite enemy formation. Their pressure briefly seemed to succeed: on the 13th–14th, Chinese assaults compressed the Japanese positions to a small area, and individual fighting around ambush and prepared defenses produced moments where "victory appeared close." But the Chinese command misunderstood the target. The Japanese had layered deception: Dayun Mountain was held to draw attention, then replaced at night with another unit to maintain the appearance of continued occupation. Despite heavy fighting, the Dayun Mountain battle ends in stalemate by Sept. 17, and Chinese attention turns back to the primary offensive around Changsha.   #210 The Miluo River Catastrophe Welcome to the Fall and Rise of China Podcast, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about the history of Asia? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on history of asia and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel where I cover the history of China and Japan from the 19th century until the end of the Pacific War. On the morning of September 17, 1941, General Xue Yue, commander of the Ninth War Zone, sat at his desk at the headquarters on Changsha's Yuelu Mountain and fell into deep thought. Spread before him were a series of intelligence telegrams dispatched by the reconnaissance teams of his war zone and by General Yang Sen, commander of the 27th Army Group operating to the north. What they described was unambiguous and alarming. Along the north bank of the Xinqiang River, stretching westward from Yueyang, reconnaissance had identified a massive Japanese build-up: the 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 40th Divisions of the Japanese 11th Army, along with five additional detachments, had taken up positions facing the river. On the afternoon of September 16th, General Kanda, commander of the Japanese 6th Division, had personally toured the north bank accompanied by a retinue of staff officers, training his binoculars across the river for a long and deliberate survey of the Chinese defensive positions on the southern bank. Perhaps most conclusively, Chinese operatives working behind enemy lines had tapped Japanese military telephone lines and intercepted a direct communication from the 11th Army to all of its divisions, ordering them to prepare for an attack on September 18th. On any reasonable reading, the evidence pointed in one direction: a massive Japanese offensive was imminent. Yet Xue Yue, one of China's most celebrated wartime commanders and a man renowned for the tenacity with which he had defended Changsha, arrived at a different conclusion. He had been studying the record of 11th Army Commander Korechika Anami and came away convinced that Anami was a general who habitually used a mix of truth and deception in his operations—a man for whom the most obvious sign was precisely the most suspicious one. The scale of the preparations, their openness, the conspicuous presence of senior officers on the riverbank—all of it struck Xue Yue as too theatrical to be real. He concluded that Anami was feigning a frontal attack on the Xinqiang River in order to draw the main force of the war zone forward, leaving the flanks exposed for a surprise breakthrough elsewhere. Once this interpretation took hold in Xue Yue's mind, it became immovable. No subordinate could dislodge it. When intelligence reports then confirmed that the Japanese had transported the equipment for building pontoon bridges to the very banks of the Xinqiang River—a detail that left virtually no room for doubt about what was being planned—Xue Yue remained unmoved. He told his chief of staff with quiet certainty: "No rush. Let's see tomorrow." He was unaware that he had already lost his tomorrow. At dawn on September 18th, after 11th Army Commander Korechika Anami presided over the routine silent prayer ceremony that opened each day of active operations, he drew his gleaming ceremonial sword and pointed it towards northern Hunan. The battle had begun. On the Chinese side of the Xinqiang River, the first indication that this was no ordinary morning came from the sky. Air raids were a familiar occurrence along the front; the veterans of the 4th Army had grown accustomed to Japanese bombing runs. But this time was different. The number of bombs was greater, the density higher, and the bombs themselves heavier than anything the soldiers on the south bank had experienced before. Two successive waves of air attack struck the fortifications with crushing force, destroying positions that had taken months to construct. Then came the infantry. At Xiaotang, Siliufang, Tongxi Bridge, Shanmu Bridge, and a string of other crossing points along the river, dozens of tanks led the assault, pushing forward with unstoppable momentum, their treads churning up the riverbank mud as the infantry followed closely behind, advancing through fire, forcing their way across the water. On the not-so-wide front in Xiangbei, four Japanese divisions had lined up side by side—like four ferocious beasts pouncing forward simultaneously. Even the veteran soldiers of the defending Chinese forces, men who had been fighting the Japanese for years, had rarely seen such a terrifying formation. The troops defending the Xinqiang River were the 4th Army under Ou Zhen, one of the most distinguished units in the Nationalist order of battle. The 4th Army had earned the reputation of "Iron Army" during the Northern Expedition, where it had demonstrated a ferocious capacity for breaching fortified positions and defending strategic points under fire, and it had fought many of the major battles of the War of Resistance. In theory, the army consisted of four divisions: Zhang Deneng's 59th Division, Chen Kan's 90th Division, Bai Huizhang's 102nd Division, and the 60th Division, which had recently been transferred to the army's command. In practice, however, by September 18th the Iron Army had been hollowed out. During the concurrent Battle of Dayun Mountain, the Ninth War Zone and the 27th Army Group had stripped away most of the 59th and 102nd Divisions to commit them elsewhere, while the 60th Division had followed the army group as a reserve force. What remained at the Xinqiang River was the 90th Division and only a remnant of the 102nd—a fragment of what had once been a formidable fighting force. Xue Yue had planned for the first-line position to hold for three days. It held for two hours. Against a Japanese force that outnumbered the defenders several times over and enjoyed an absolute advantage in artillery and air power, the position could not stand. In just two hours, the Japanese broke through the 102nd Division's defensive line and then swung their forces around to encircle the 90th Division. With no remaining options, Xue Yue ordered both units to retreat to the second line of defense. The Xinqiang River had fallen.  The crisis at the Xinqiang River was compounded by the predicament of Yang Sen, commander-in-chief of the 27th Army Group, who should have been the force most capable of responding to the breakthrough. Instead, Yang Sen found himself trapped far to the east, bogged down in a battle on Dayun Mountain from which he could not extract himself. The situation on Dayun Mountain was one of those military embarrassments that seem almost unbelievable in retrospect. Yang Sen had committed five full divisions to encircle what was supposed to be a single regiment—the 234th Regiment of the Japanese 40th Division, which had dug into the deep mountain. What followed was a sustained humiliation. Two divisions were ground down until their combined fighting strength equalled that of one. Another division was reduced to a regimental shadow of itself. Yang Sen, who had first served in the army in 1906 and had seen virtually every variety of military difficulty in three and a half decades of Chinese warfare, said afterwards that he had rarely experienced such deception. The Shigematsu Regiment, ensconced in the mountains and dense forest, had proved maddeningly resilient. Yang Sen had committed his forces expecting a quick resolution—finish the battle on Dayun Mountain, then redeploy to defend the Xinqiang River—but the regiment would not be finished. He could not advance and he could not retreat. Just as he was preparing to intensify the assault for another day or two, certain that the enemy must finally be near collapse, the news arrived on the morning of September 18th that the Japanese had launched their general offensive across northern Hunan. By nine o'clock that morning, the Xinqiang River's first line of defense was already gone. Yang Sen immediately ordered the abandonment of the Dayun Mountain operation and commanded all divisions to redeploy back towards the Xinqiang River. But the Japanese had moved too fast. Between the first and second lines of Chinese defense there were only scattered guard units; the main force was simply not in place. The second-line troops, moreover, had been configured according to the defensive setup used during the First Battle of Changsha and were wholly unsuited to withstand such a massive, concentrated enemy thrust. The defending forces were too weak and too thinly spread to mount any gradual, coordinated resistance. The Japanese advanced through the gap as if they were in an empty field. The five divisions of the 58th Army and the 4th Army now found themselves in a desperate race against the Japanese, studying maps as they marched, trying to reach blocking positions before the enemy could. No matter what they did, they could not outrun the 11th Army. It was not merely the front-line units of the 4th Army that were endangered by the speed of the Japanese advance. Even the army headquarters itself, positioned forward in the proud tradition of the Iron Army, found itself running for its life. Army Commander Ou Zhen had been directing the battle from his headquarters in a small village called Lintang, located on the south bank of the Xinqiang River—a mere twenty kilometers behind the front line. The proximity was deliberate and characteristic of the Iron Army's ethos, a visible declaration that its commander would live or die alongside his men. On this day, it nearly proved fatal. Among those at the headquarters was Li Rupin, a native of Jing County in Anhui Province, who served as a sergeant squad leader in the 2nd Company of the 4th Army's Guard Battalion. Years later, reflecting on the events of that day, Li said without hesitation that of all his eight years fighting in the War of Resistance against Japan, that one battle was the most humiliating he had ever experienced. "The army headquarters was located in a small village called Lintang, south of the Xinqiang River, only about 20 kilometers away from the front lines," Li recalled. "The army headquarters was located in the front, which was a tradition of the 'Iron Army' to show that the commander was not afraid of danger and would live and die with his brothers. In that battle, we did not expect the enemy to break through the position so quickly. Not long after the battle started, the army headquarters had to move. Our guard battalion's task was to follow the army headquarters and serve as guards." Li described how Company Commander Chang Mingli assigned his platoon to help load the army headquarters' equipment onto trucks—huge, heavy boxes that required real effort to shift. While the loading was underway, Li caught sight of Army Commander Ou Zhen himself, speaking intently on the telephone. Li noted that Ou Zhen was ordinarily a man of few words, always seeming lost in thought, serious with the troops but not given to the kind of arbitrary reprimands that characterized lesser officers. What struck Li most vividly about the Army Commander, even in the midst of that morning's chaos, was a detail almost absurd in its incongruity: a pair of leather shoes that were always so perfectly polished they reflected light. "I heard he had studied abroad," Li added simply. Before the loading was even complete, the sound of machine gun fire erupted from the southwest of the village. A sentry reported: enemy attack detected, number unknown. Company Commander Chang, still pulling on his leggings, turned to Li and said without breaking stride: "Quickly take your squad and follow the deputy company commander. You must keep the enemy out of the village." Li took evident pride in the character of the guard battalion, comparing it unfavorably to what he saw in later years. "I see that nowadays, officers choose bodyguards who are fair-skinned and delicate, like little girls. I don't know why," he reflected. "Back then, our guard battalion, including the commander's personal bodyguards, were all big, dark-skinned men. Our squad of 12 men were all broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, and carrying a machine gun was like an ordinary person carrying a rifle." The squad carried three light machine guns, and each soldier also carried a pistol. They drilled constantly on marksmanship and physical conditioning. In the tradition of the unit, a guard soldier was expected to be able to carry his officer for dozens of miles without slowing and without fear of death. Li led his squad to the southwest corner of the village, where the 1st Company of the guard battalion was already engaged with the Japanese in a cemetery just outside the village boundary. The 1st Company commander had just descended from a rooftop when Deputy Company Commander Yan arrived and assessed the situation. "There are about 100 enemy soldiers in this direction," the 1st Company commander reported. "I don't know if there are any more in other directions." Yan replied without hesitation: "I'll take my four squads to outflank them and find out what's going on with the enemy. If it's a good opportunity, we'll wipe them out." He asked and received permission from the deputy battalion commander, who transferred three additional machine guns from the 1st Company to Yan's force. The squad slipped around to the south of the village, entered a nursery grove, and began working their way southwest to flank the enemy. "Before we even emerged from the woods, enemy machine guns opened fire," Li recalled. "The nursery grove was planted too densely, so it was inevitable that we'd bump into tree branches. We crept forward, keeping close to the ground, when the deputy company commander gave the order: 'Prepare grenades.'" Li looked back and saw that all his men had kept pace. Then Deputy Company Commander Yan's voice rang out clearly: "Charge!" He burst out of the woods at the head of the column. "Deputy Company Commander Yan is a graduate of the Whampoa Military Academy," Li said. "People say that Whampoa graduates are always at the forefront of battle. Others may not know, but several of us in our battalion are like that." The charge was furious and caught the enemy entirely off guard. "We shouted 'Charge! Kill!' and followed the deputy company commander out of the grove," Li recounted. "The enemy was about 40 or 50 meters ahead. Hearing the shouts, they hurriedly turned their guns to fire at us, but it was too late! We threw out our grenades, lay down, and fired back at the enemy. At this moment, the 1st Company also charged out of the village. The enemy could not stop them and retreated in droves. Looking around, there were no fewer than 200 of them. The enemy suffered a loss and left behind more than a dozen dead bodies." The 2nd Company did not pursue. Led by Deputy Company Commander Yan, they withdrew back to the village, where the deputy battalion commander stood at the crossroads and praised the 2nd Company for their fighting before immediately ordering them to follow the army headquarters and relocate. Li had barely grabbed his backpack and tied it to his body before gunfire erupted again outside the village. The Japanese had returned. Two battalions of the army reserve moved up to engage them, and the army's trucks and cars poured out of the village and accelerated south along the road. The guard battalion ran after them on foot. In less than half an hour, the enemy caught up. There were cavalrymen and a large truck packed with infantry. Li registered the significance of this with something close to shock: "It seems that the Xinqiang River has really been lost to the enemy, otherwise how could cars still drive across?" The battalion commander—whose surname, Li noted with dry humor, was the same as the Generalissimo's—ordered the 2nd Company under the deputy battalion commander to form a rear guard. They had one artillery platoon and two mortars between them. There was no time to prepare fortifications; the soldiers scattered on both sides of the road and found their own firing positions as best they could. When Li looked back south, the army headquarters was already a distant speck on the road. "The enemy was getting closer and closer," he recalled. "First, fifty or sixty cavalrymen charged over, brandishing swords and guns and shouting. The trucks were behind them, and we could already see two machine guns mounted on the front of the trucks." The deputy battalion commander's voice carried steadily over the noise: "Brothers, stay calm, aim carefully before you fire—we're going to slaughter a pig and drink tonight!" Nobody laughed, Li noted carefully, but nobody broke either. What followed was a running, desperate firefight. Within the range of 600 to 200 meters, the rear guard inflicted severe casualties on the advancing Japanese. Li watched soldiers toppling from their horses. One horse, shot but not immediately killed, dragged its dead rider—still entangled in the stirrups—forward at a gallop until it collapsed only a few steps from Li, the sudden impact startling him badly. The enemy dismounted from the trucks and formed attack waves, pressing the assault in shifts. The Chinese machine guns worked to suppress each wave and prevent the Japanese from closing the distance. The deputy battalion commander directed the two mortars against the densest enemy concentrations. Then one of the mortars exploded inside its own barrel, killing two gunners instantly. "I still can't figure out why," Li said years later. "The fuse of the mortar shell is on that tip, how could it explode inside the barrel?" There was no answer to be found. The two men were simply dead, and there was no time to grieve them. The rear guard repelled two enemy attacks before the deputy battalion commander ordered a withdrawal while the enemy paused to regroup. It was past two o'clock in the afternoon. "It's all just running," Li said with characteristic bluntness. "How can I not get tired? Even if I'm tired, I still have to keep running!" As they ran, Li overheard the company commander say quietly to the deputy battalion commander: "Actually, we can wipe out these enemies." The deputy battalion commander turned on him with a fierce look: "Eat it all up! Have you forgotten what we're here for again?" The exchange brought to Li's mind a memory from two years earlier, when he had first been assigned to the guard battalion. He had been transferred from the machine gun company of the 2nd Battalion, 305th Regiment of the 102nd Division at the end of 1939, appointed as deputy squad leader. Company Commander Chang had spoken to him at that time, asking why he had joined the army. "Who else would come here if not to fight the Japanese?" Li had answered. The company commander replied: "Very good, but the guard battalion's primary task is to ensure good security; that's the most important thing." The assignment had chafed at Li ever since—a natural fighter who had been a front-line machine gun squad leader, now consigned to watching other men fight. On one holiday, having drunk rather more than was wise, he had gone to the company commander and announced that he wanted to return to the 102nd Division and "mow down the Japanese with a machine gun." The company commander, who had also been drinking, chuckled and said: "Have you had enough of life? You might as well stay here and squat obediently! What do you know about life? You don't know anything! After we win, go home, get a wife, and live a good life..." Now, running south along a road contested by Japanese cavalry and infantry, with the army headquarters already out of sight ahead of him, Li perhaps understood the company commander's words in a way he had not before. The pursuit was unrelenting and grew worse before it improved. Over a hundred cavalrymen and four trucks drove after the guard unit without pause. In an attempt to split and divert the enemy, the company dispatched a platoon under Deputy Company Commander Yan himself down a different road, to lure one group of pursuers away. None of the men in that platoon returned alive. The deputy battalion commander led the remaining force in a continuing fighting retreat, engaging another Japanese contingent in a separate encounter that cost more than twenty dead and thirty wounded. Eventually the survivors managed to cross a large river, finally shaking off the pursuers, and caught up with the army headquarters at dusk. They had barely had a moment to catch their breath when night fell and they stumbled into another large Japanese force in the darkness. The 4th Army—the Iron Army, the pride of the Northern Expedition—seemed to have its commander and headquarters specifically targeted by the enemy. Driven from one position to the next throughout the day, they were eventually pushed up into the hills of Mufu Mountain and did not escape danger until the following morning. "That battle," Li Rupin concluded, "was truly humiliating." When the scale of the Japanese offensive became undeniable on the evening of September 18th, Xue Yue finally grasped the gravity of what was unfolding. It was too late to adjust his forces meaningfully; the overall numerical superiority he had enjoyed across the theater of operations had dissolved wherever the Japanese chose to strike, becoming a dangerous numerical disadvantage at each critical point. In just one day, even Yuelu Mountain—the historic height that had dominated Changsha and housed his headquarters—was no longer safe. He moved the war zone command post south to Zhuting and urgently telegraphed the Military Commission in Chongqing, requesting that Chiang Kai-shek immediately transfer troops from other war zones to provide reinforcements, warning that without them the situation would deteriorate with serious consequences for the national war effort. The telegram arrived in Chongqing, where Chiang Kai-shek and several senior military advisors sat in silence before the battle map in the Military Commission Operations Room, with the grim concentration of men watching a difficult game of chess they cannot influence. Troop movements take time. While the number of Japanese troops committed to northern Hunan was not enormous in absolute terms, they moved with unstoppable momentum. Xue Yue was requesting three to four combat corps—a mobilization from outside the Ninth War Zone that could not possibly be accomplished in the available time. Chiang Kai-shek was at a loss for what to do. He paced back and forth in the corridor adjoining the operations room. The only foreigner among the assembled staff—a blond-haired man with a prominent nose—was the Soviet military advisor Chuikov. He walked up to Chiang and fell into step beside him, pacing with him as he spoke. "Hunan and northern Hunan are in a passive position and we don't have any good solutions for the time being," Chuikov said. "Why don't we think about other things? Isn't there an ancient Chinese story called 'Besieging Wei to Rescue Zhao'?" Chuikov's specific proposal was this: if the forces of the Sixth War Zone were to attack the Japanese 13th Division at Yichang—a city in Hubei Province that had fallen to Japan in June 1940, and which was garrisoned by a division under the overall command of Anami's 11th Army—Anami Korechika would not be able to remain indifferent to the threat. Yichang was no ordinary city. It controlled the crucial choke point on the Yangtze River's waterway, and since its capture it had placed much of the river under Japanese control. More critically for the Chinese, Yichang Airport had become the closest bomber base to Chongqing, and the Japanese aircraft that harassed the wartime capital daily flew from that field. The Military Commission had long been reluctant to authorize a major attack on Yichang for these very reasons—it would not be easy to retake, and failure would be costly. But why not seize this moment? Chiang Kai-shek stopped walking, considered Chuikov's proposal, and nodded. He thanked the Soviet general for his suggestion, and the two men returned to the operations room together. Chiang instructed Chief of Staff Xu Yongchang to draft an implementation plan for combined operations: the Ninth War Zone would continue engaging the Japanese in northern Hunan, while the Sixth War Zone would simultaneously launch a counterattack against Yichang and ensure its capture. While Chongqing deliberated over the Yichang gambit, the immediate question facing the Ninth War Zone was how to organize a second line of defense following the fall of the Xinqiang River. The Japanese had also successfully landed forces on both sides of the Xiangjiang River estuary at Shangqingshan, blocking the waterway, which further constrained Chinese options. Xue Yue's solution was straightforward: he proposed deploying the 37th and 26th Armies in a line along the south bank of the Miluo River, using the river as a natural barrier to halt the Japanese advance toward Changsha. His chief of staff, Wu Yizhi, agreed without reservation and immediately instructed the operations section chief, Zhao Zili, to begin drafting the necessary orders. But Zhao Zili had been turning the strategic problem over in his mind, and he had reached a different conclusion. Zhao was a graduate of the Whampoa Military Academy's 6th class, a veteran of the Battles of Nanchang and Shanggao, and a man who had watched this war closely from his position at the center of the war zone's planning operations. At this moment he asked permission to share his thinking with his two superiors. Zhao's argument was systematic and urgent. The combined strength of the two armies—five combat divisions in total—was clearly insufficient to withstand four intact Japanese divisions in a set-piece defensive battle along the Miluo River. The 10th and 74th Armies were being summoned from elsewhere to reinforce the theater, but by Zhao's calculation they would require another four days to arrive. A static defense of the Miluo River line, therefore, would pit inadequate forces against overwhelming pressure for four days, and those forces would be destroyed long before help arrived. His alternative proposal was as follows: rather than standing and fighting at the Miluo, the two armies should conduct a deliberate fighting withdrawal—using alternating rear-guard actions and mutual cover—to fall back all the way to the south bank of the Liuyang River, in the hills immediately north of Changsha. The timing, Zhao argued, was almost providential in its precision: if the 26th and 37th Armies arrived at the Liuyang River at roughly the same moment that the 10th and 74th Armies arrived at the same position from the east, the combined force of four armies could then turn and strike the Japanese formations—which by then would have advanced more than a hundred kilometers into hostile territory with supply lines stretched thin and fighting strength degraded by continuous combat. Even if the Chinese could not completely sever the Japanese supply lines, the enemy would be exhausted, and victory under those conditions would be certain. Zhao Zili finished his presentation in one breath and waited. Xue Yue and Wu Yizhi conferred briefly. Then they decided to proceed with the original plan. Zhao Zili sighed inwardly. He got up, returned to his office, and began drafting the orders that, in his professional judgment, would lead to catastrophe. One hour later, the orders embodying Xue Yue's thinking were converted to radio waves and flew into the night sky. As some poet once asked of fate: "When the curtain rises, you don't know whether it's a comedy or a tragedy." On the morning of September 20th, in the intelligence section of the Japanese 11th Army's Special Operations headquarters, Lieutenant Colonel Hachimō rose from his seat feeling dizzy and unsteady on his feet. He had been awake for an extraordinary stretch of hours, hunched over a radio set in a state of almost superhuman concentration. He took a couple of steps before realizing he was still wearing his headset. He pulled it off, tossed it onto the radio equipment, and—holding the handrail for support—made his careful way down from the third floor to the second. Hachimō was not a professional soldier by background. Before the war, he had been a young designer at the renowned Mitsubishi Corporation. After the outbreak of hostilities, he had enlisted, taught himself the Chinese language and writing system, and dedicated himself entirely to the exacting discipline of cryptanalysis. Given the severe technological limitations of the era, what he accomplished rested on a kind of willpower and intuition that bordered on the extraordinary. His method was laborious and painstaking: he spent long hours with a headset pressed against his ear, listening to the endless stream of radio signals, detecting patterns, discerning differences and similarities among thousands of beeps and pulses. He analyzed signal traffic appearing over time and correlated it against observed enemy troop movements. He used captured battlefield documents to decode fragments of text, then leveraged those fragments to deduce the positions of commonly used characters in Chinese military telegrams. Every time the Chinese side changed their cipher, all of Hachimō's accumulated work was rendered worthless in an instant, but he would begin again—listening, thinking, starting over from nothing, with the same unbroken patience. On the perfectly timed morning of September 20th, Lieutenant Colonel Hachimō achieved what he had been working toward. He cracked the cipher in use by the Ninth War Zone for communications with its various subordinate armies, and successfully intercepted and decoded the operational deployment order that the Ninth War Zone Command had issued to all its armies on the night of September 18th—the very orders that Zhao Zili had drafted in quiet despair after his plan was rejected. Those orders told the Japanese exactly where every Chinese unit was going, what it intended to do, and when. Hachimō made his way downstairs and reported his achievement. Staff officer Kinoshita Isamu read the summary, then stood and walked without a word into the room where 11th Army Commander Anami Korechika was at work. The other officers in the room looked at Hachimō with confusion, uncertain what had just happened. After a few minutes, Anami and Kinoshita returned together. Anami stepped forward and took Hachimō's hand. "I, the Commander, congratulate you," Anami said, "on becoming the first officer to receive a certificate of merit in Operation Plus. Now I order you to go and rest immediately." The intelligence transformed the battle. Anami's original operational plan had been relatively modest in its ambition: a breakthrough along the Changsha-Yueyang highway, advancing toward Jinjing and the Xiangjiang River, with the 3rd and 4th Divisions planned for deployment toward the river. But now that the Japanese held a complete map of Chinese intentions—the positions, routes, and assignments of every army in the Ninth War Zone—a far more ambitious opportunity presented itself. What could be more valuable, or more satisfying, than the direct encirclement and annihilation of the main Chinese forces in the field? Anami immediately revised his entire operational deployment. As Chinese historical records later documented: "The Japanese intercepted and deciphered the radio telegrams issuing operational orders from the Ninth War Zone, gaining access to the Nationalist Army's operational plans and deployments. This led to a shift in their original strategic concept from a breakthrough to an encirclement of the Nationalist Army's right flank." The trap was set. The Chinese armies, following Xue Yue's orders faithfully, were marching toward positions the Japanese already knew they would occupy. The 26th Army was commanded by Xiao Zhichu, and it comprised three divisions: the 32nd Division under Wang Xiushen, the 41st Division under Ding Zhipan, and the 44th Division under Chen Yong. When Xiao received Xue Yue's orders to move his army to defend the south bank of the Miluo River, the situation was already deeply unfavorable. The Japanese had broken through the Xinqiang River line and were advancing rapidly southward; the 26th Army was positioned in the Liuyang and Yong'an area to the west, at a starting point that was even farther from the Miluo River than the Japanese forces were. The army was engaged in a race against a faster-moving enemy to reach the same objective, running from the farther starting block. The timing was unfavorable. The location was unfavorable. And the personal dimension was unfavorable as well, in a way that would prove deeply consequential, because Xue Yue and Xiao Zhichu harbored a long-standing resentment toward one another with its roots six years in the past. In 1935, both men had attended the third session of the Lushan Officers Training Corps, each holding the rank of army commander in the army but serving as battalion commanders within the training structure. The corps was nominally commanded by Chiang Kai-shek himself, with Chen Cheng as deputy commander. Xue Yue was a favorite of Chen Cheng—a celebrated battle commander who had fought his way across half of China—and he carried himself accordingly, often holding forth at length in seminars and discussions and not infrequently straying off-topic into territory where his assertions were questionable. The other senior officers present were content to listen, taking what was useful and ignoring the rest. Xiao Zhichu, however, was a man of earnest and literal disposition who simply could not let inaccuracies pass without challenge. He disputed Xue Yue's claims on several occasions, insisting on clarifying the facts, and each such correction landed on Xue Yue like a public rebuke. The estrangement that resulted between the two men was severe and lasting. By 1941, Xue had risen to command an entire war zone; Xiao remained an army commander under his authority. In the intervening years, Xiao had learned to be extremely cautious in all his dealings with his superior, acutely aware that any apparent failure or challenge might be held against him. On the night of September 19th, Xue Yue issued Xiao Zhichu an order to move the 26th Army to the second line of defense on the south bank of the Miluo River. Then, at noon on September 20th, he changed the order entirely: Xiao was to push his troops forward to the first line of defense along the riverbank, a more exposed position further north. At dawn on September 21st, Xiao Zhichu personally led his 44th Division—the division with which he had built his reputation—on a forced march toward the designated position. They were 2.5 kilometers from their destination, at the town of Wengjiang, when they encountered the Japanese 6th Division. The Japanese already knew they were coming. Having read Xue Yue's intercepted operational orders, they had deployed their forces specifically to intercept the 26th Army on the march. Within just twenty minutes of the initial encounter at Wengjiang, the entire 44th Division was completely surrounded. Xiao Zhichu reported the situation to Xue Yue by telephone. Xue Yue's response from the other end of the line was white-hot fury: "What's going on? We're surrounded before we even arrived! Why aren't we fighting? If we lose the Miluo River position, I'll kill you!" Xiao Zhichu swallowed his bitterness. Following orders, he threw the 44th Division into battle in terrain that could hardly have been more disadvantageous. They fought for a full day and a night and were unable to break through the encirclement. He ordered Wang Xiushen's 32nd Division to press forward and relieve the siege, but by the time those orders could be executed, the 32nd Division was itself under attack—surrounded on three sides by the Japanese 3rd Division at Wukou. Wang Xiushen led the entire division in a desperate battle with the river immediately at his back, suffering grievous casualties, and was eventually forced to fight his way clear rather than advance to relieve the 44th. On September 23rd, General Kanda Masazuka committed a portion of the 6th Division to a fierce assault against the rear of the already-encircled 44th Division. The situation became critical. Xiao Zhichu's army was fighting simultaneously on two fronts, and the lines were beginning to give way. It was only the timely intervention of Ding Zhipan's 41st Division, which arrived on a diagonal axis and struck the enemy threatening the 44th Division's rear, that prevented a complete collapse. When Ding Zhipan came to report to the army commander, the chief of staff of the 44th Division informed him with hollow composure that the entire division had suffered more than half casualties. The daily reality inside the encircled positions was one of sustained and grinding misery. During brief lulls in the fighting—stolen moments between one Japanese assault and the next—the soldiers would stuff a cold rice ball into their mouths and scoop up a mouthful of muddy water from the nearest roadside ditch; that was their meal. Immediately they would put down whatever they had in their hands and rush to reinforce the hastily dug earthworks, knowing another assault was imminent. The wounded lay where they had fallen, unable to be evacuated, their groans a constant sound beneath the work of digging and the distant thunder of artillery. The dead were not buried; there was simply no time. The battlefield was a scene of utter devastation. After Xiao Zhichu's repeated requests, Xue Yue finally authorized a withdrawal. The 26th Army was permitted to pull back to Putang, a position a few kilometers to the south with marginally more defensible terrain. The entire army moved overnight, arriving exhausted, and immediately began constructing new fortifications. They had barely caught their breath when the Japanese 40th and 6th Divisions came on in succession, pressing the pursuit without pause. The 41st and 44th Divisions threw themselves into the fighting and were decimated. After destroying those two divisions, the Japanese turned their full attention on the surviving 32nd Division and the army headquarters. As Xiao Zhichu swept his binoculars across the positions, watching his men lie on the ground—dead, dying, or fighting on sheer will—one phrase repeated itself in his mind: "total annihilation." It was the most despairing phrase in a soldier's vocabulary, and it seemed to be becoming a description of reality. On the evening of September 25th, as the Japanese ring tightened around the remnants of the 26th Army, a Japanese Chinese-language translator began calling out to the encircled troops in Mandarin, urging them to surrender. The entire army appeared to be at its final moment. Then, in the darkness, reinforcements arrived—in the most improbable way imaginable. The head of the army's reconnaissance section had slipped through the Japanese encirclement looking for any exit, and in doing so had stumbled upon an entire regiment of the 32nd Army that had completely lost contact with the headquarters days earlier. This regiment had suffered damage to its radio equipment and had simply not received any of the telegrams announcing changes to the army's deployment and assignments. When they arrived at their designated rendezvous point, the area was empty. They had been sending scouts in all directions trying to locate friendly forces and make sense of the situation, when they encountered the reconnaissance section chief who had been doing precisely the same thing from inside the encirclement. The two men compared unit designations and confirmed their identities. Then the section chief remembered something: the regiment's party representative was his own classmate from the Whampoa Military Academy. Old bonds held. The two men exchanged information, assessed the situation together, and without further deliberation the regimental commander led his troops on a forced march straight toward the guns. They found and struck the weakest points in the Japanese encirclement, broke through, and extracted the army headquarters and the surviving remnants of the 32nd Division. The 26th Army had been saved, but only barely, and at a terrible cost. What had before the battle been a formidable force with numerous victories was now reduced to less than one-fifth of its original strength. Wang Xiushen, commander of the 32nd Division, had previously served as commander of the great warlord Feng Yuxiang's own bodyguard brigade—a valiant and decorated general of the old Northwest Army. Division commanders Ding Zhipan and Chen Yong were similarly seasoned veterans, known for their courage and resourcefulness throughout years of hard fighting. After the battle, they and Army Commander Xiao Zhichu were utterly dejected. They had fought as hard as men could fight, under conditions as unfavorable as circumstances could devise, and they had been broken. More than forty kilometers to the west of the 26th Army's ordeal, at the point where the Miluo River flows into Dongting Lake, a second major engagement was being fought at the same time. Here, the Japanese 3rd and 4th Divisions struck at Chen Pei's 37th Army, whose two main fighting formations—Luo Qi's 95th Division and Li Tang's 140th Division—were deployed across the hills and river-network terrain of the area. The fighting was, by any measure, equally bloody and equally brutal. Before the battle, with their blood up and their honor committed, the commanders of the 37th Army's divisions had gathered their officers for ceremonies of dedication that spoke to the seriousness with which they understood what was coming. Li Tang, commander of the 140th Division, organized a frontline oath-taking ceremony at which he stood before his assembled officers and men and vowed aloud to annihilate the Japanese invaders and avenge the deaths of fallen compatriots. Luo Qi, commanding the 95th Division, sent written instructions throughout his formation: "The defense of the Shending Mountain line is not only a matter of honor for our division, but also a matter of victory or defeat for the entire battlefield. With this stubborn enemy pressing in, all our officers and soldiers should be even more courageous and loyal, resolutely defend the position, annihilate the Japanese invaders, and achieve extraordinary feats!" Song Ruike, who served at the time as a senior staff officer at the Ninth War Zone Command headquarters, recorded his recollection of the battle's progress in later years with the systematic precision that his professional training demanded. "On the morning of the 19th," Song recalled, "the enemy's main force successively advanced towards the Miluo River via Yanglin Street, Guanwang Bridge, and the Changhu-Dajing Street highway. Our 37th Army was on high alert on the south bank, while our vanguard troops were also advancing forward on the north bank. That afternoon, the enemy's vanguard encountered our troops north of Changle Street. After a fierce battle, many enemy soldiers were killed. Then, enemy cavalry and artillery, along with several thousand infantry, attacked from three sides. Our defending 1st Company fought a bloody battle, but due to being outnumbered, they suffered almost all casualties. Changle Street was occupied by the enemy. At around 7 p.m., the enemy began to attempt a crossing at Modao Beach. Our troops defending the south bank fought bravely and fought fiercely throughout the night, but the enemy failed." The first crossing attempt had been beaten back, but the respite was brief. Song continued: "At dawn on the 20th, the enemy, under the cover of aircraft and artillery, launched another forced crossing. At around 7 a.m., fierce fighting broke out between the two sides along the Wugongshi, Guiyi, and Hejiatang line." Those words, whatever courage the oaths and instructions had inspired, could not alter the underlying arithmetic of the battle. From the 21st through the 23rd of September, the 37th Army fought ferocious engagements with the Japanese 4th and 3rd Divisions across the Shending Mountain and Banjunmiao areas, absorbing casualties that could not be replaced. Song recorded the progression: "The main force of the enemy, advancing rapidly southward, captured our positions at Nanyangmiao and Banjunmiao in Wengjiang at noon on the 22nd. Our 140th Division engaged the enemy at Lishan Lane and Daxingling, and fought fiercely for two days and nights..." After the battle, the 37th Army had effectively ceased to exist as a fighting force. It had gone into the engagement with nearly fifty thousand fully equipped and manned troops. Song Ruike, reflecting on it all in his old age, acknowledged with unusual candor the limitations of his own account: "Since history cannot be reproduced, people summarize events based on memory, striving to retain the most important and valuable aspects while filtering out the unimportant and those that do not reflect the essence." The elderly Song retained the factual architecture of the battle—times, places, unit designations, tactical methods—but he knew, as any honest chronicler must, that within those facts lay a multitude of individual experiences, individual sufferings, individual deaths, that no record could fully capture. "Then what about every individual in history?" he asked. "How should their emotions, will, beliefs, their flesh and blood, their breath, and everything they sacrificed be expressed and entrusted to us?" It was a question he could not answer, and neither can history. I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. After commander Zhao Zili's plan was rejected, he drafted orders anyway, but Lieutenant Colonel Hachimō of Japan's 11th Army intercepted and decoded the Ninth War Zone's deployment orders on September 20. Meanwhile, the 37th Army fought the Japanese at the Miluo River confluence with Dongting Lake, launching oaths and grim defenses before being effectively destroyed as a combat force.

Let us know what you think!Security Halt's Med Group - https://zcform.com/QA5QsClick the link for a FREE consultation with My Med Team to see how we can help.   How should military experience shape leadership in America?In Episode 449 of the Security Halt! Podcast, Deny Caballero sits down with former Green Beret, combat veteran, and public servant Joe Kent for a wide-ranging discussion on military service, leadership, American foreign policy, civic responsibility, and the role veterans can play in shaping the nation's future.Drawing from years of service in Special Operations and his experience in public life, Joe shares his perspective on strategic decision-making, the challenges facing America, the importance of personal integrity, and why critical thinking has never been more important.The conversation also explores faith, resilience, the influence of foreign interests on policy, and why informed citizens remain the foundation of a strong republic.Whether you're interested in national security, leadership, or the role veterans play beyond the battlefield, this episode provides thoughtful insights into some of today's most important issues. Listen now. Follow the show. Share this with the veteran or entrepreneur who needs to hear it. Chapters:00:00 Leadership, Transparency, and Why Integrity Matters01:11 Why Joe Kent Left the Trump Administration03:08 What Really Happens Inside Government Decision-Making06:07 The Special Operations Mindset: Debate Creates Better Leaders08:44 War Gaming, Strategy, and Defining the End State12:04 Israel, Foreign Policy, and America's National Interests17:46 Why Joe Kent Chose to Walk Away21:54 Veterans React: Public Support and Political Criticism24:42 What's Next for Joe Kent?29:06 How Money, PACs, and Lobbyists Influence Politics34:43 What Power Does the President Actually Have?40:33 Defense Spending, National Priorities, and America First44:15 Classified Information, Declassification, and Intelligence Reform50:48 Critical Thinking in the Age of AI and Social Media52:23 Faith, Purpose, and Life After Military Service56:37 Joe Kent's Vision for the Future57:33 Where to Follow Joe Kent Sponsored by: Transcend Use my referral link to book a consultation for Peptide Therapy http://transcendcompany.com/DenyCaballero Pure Liberty Labs Use Code: SECURITY_HALT_10 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purelibertylabs/ Website: https://purelibertylabs.com/ PRECISION WELLNESS GROUP  Use code: Security Halt Podcast 25 Website: https://www.precisionwellnessgroup.com/ WARRIOR RISING Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearewarriorrising/?hl=en Website: https://warriorrising.org/ Donate Today: https://warriorrising.org/?form=donate SPECIAL FORCES FOUNDATION Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/specialforcesfoundation_/ Website: https://specialforcesfoundation.org/ Request Help: https://specialforcesfoundation.org/get-support/   Security Halt Mediahttps://www.securityhaltmedia.com/Instagram: @securityhaltX: @SecurityHaltTik Tok: @security.halt.podLinkedIn: Deny Caballero   Looking for custom handmade items, military memorabilia, or laser engraving? Contact Eric Gilgenast.Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/haus_gilgenast_woodworks_main/Website: https://www.hausgilgenastwoodworks.com/SOF Heritage Designs Custom belt Buckles. Of the Regiment for the Regiment SOF-HD.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sofhdesigns/Support the showProduced by Security Halt Media

Lieutenant-Colonel Chris Bray is the Commanding Officer of 427 Special Operations Aviation Squadron, the Royal Canadian Air Force unit supporting the Canadian Special Operations Forces Command (CANSOFCOM).In Part 1, Chris shares his journey from growing up outside the military to becoming a special operations aviator and leading one of the RCAF's most demanding helicopter squadrons. We discuss RCAF pilot training, flying the CH-146 Griffon, Operation IMPACT, and the experiences that shaped his career.This episode also offers a rare look behind the curtain of Canadian Special Operations Aviation, exploring what it takes to earn a place at 427 Squadron and the mindset, professionalism, and leadership required to serve within one of Canada's most unique aviation communities.CONTINUE THE FLIGHTEXPLORE THE LOGBOOKMore stories from RCAF and mission aviation pilotshttps://podpilotproject.transistor.fm/episodesCHAPTERS(00:00:00) Introduction and bio(00:03:47) Why Chris Chose the Canadian Armed Forces(00:04:36) Discovering a Passion for Helicopters(00:10:47) Learning the Mission at JRCC Halifax(00:13:13) Surviving RCAF Pilot Training(00:14:05) Learning to Fly Rotary Wing(00:16:02) The Leap from Fixed Wing to Helicopters(00:17:54) Mastering Confined Area Flying(00:19:23) When Flying Finally Clicked(00:20:13) Earning a Spot at 427 Squadron(00:21:10) How Special Operations Aviators Are Selected(00:23:30) First Impressions of 427 Squadron(00:25:28) How 427 Squadron Evolved(00:26:24) Starting Out in B Flight(00:29:29) First Operational Deployments(00:31:39) Flying on Operation IMPACT(00:32:08) Operating in a Combat Threat Environment(00:33:11) What Makes Special Operations Aviation Different(00:36:40) The Future of Canada's Tactical Helicopter Fleet(00:39:11) Inside a Special Operations Mission(00:41:02) Growing into Leadership(00:42:04) From Pilot to Leader(00:47:06) Becoming a Special Operations Flight Lead(00:48:04) Leadership Under Pressure(00:50:24) Returning to Operation IMPACT as Detachment Commander(00:51:24) Leading Aircrew in a Threat Environment(00:52:24) Building the Future Force(00:54:26) Lessons from Strategic Leadership(00:57:48) Coming Up in Part 2

In this hard-hitting episode of War HOGG Words of Wisdom presented by On The Range Podcast, 29-year U.S. Army Special Operations veteran Rick Hogg breaks down the harsh realities of today's social media landscape. Rick exposes how Big Tech platforms use opaque algorithms to decide which creators and businesses get organic reach — often throttling, shadowbanning, or de-monetizing content from firearms training, tactical education, law enforcement, and conservative voices while pushing paid promotion. He also dives deep into data absorption — how platforms harvest massive amounts of creator and user data for profit, AI training, targeted suppression, and behavioral control. Drawing from his real-world experience building War HOGG Tactical and On The Range Podcast in a heavily moderated space, Rick shares battle-tested strategies to fight back.You'll learn practical steps to build resilience: Diversify beyond algorithm-dependent platforms Create owned media assets (website, email list, podcast) Use plain-language SEO for evergreen firearms training and tactical content Protect your brand with content hygiene, platform diversification, and data backup plans This episode delivers no-BS wisdom on algorithmic bias, reach suppression, data privacy, and the censorship industrial complex — essential listening for content creators, business owners, law enforcement professionals, and responsibly armed citizens who refuse to let Big Tech control their message. Train Hard. Stay Safe. Be 1% Better Every Day. Watch/Listen to the full episode: YouTube (War HOGG Tactical): https://www.youtube.com/@WarHOGGTactical YouTube (On The Range Podcast): https://www.youtube.com/@ontherangepodcast Official Website & Episodes: https://www.ontherangepodcast.com/ War HOGG Tactical: https://www.warhogg.com/ Join the exclusive On The Range Podcast CREW (early access, bonus content & more): https://www.patreon.com/ontherangepodcast Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/on-the-range-podcast/id1508883740 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0GBzNxHfhWv0VPlSEkP4Q4 Keywords optimized for SEO: War HOGG Words of Wisdom, Rick Hogg, On The Range Podcast, social media algorithms, reach suppression, algorithmic throttling, data harvesting, data privacy, censorship industrial complex, Big Tech censorship, shadowbanning, firearms training content, tactical creator strategies, evergreen SEO, platform diversification. This episode is part of the War HOGG Words of Wisdom series — short, direct, mindset-first lessons from a combat-proven Special Operations veteran.

Send us Fan MailPeaches sits down with retired SOF-TACP Clint “Dragon” to talk TACP, Special Tactics, mission planning, leadership, problem solving, and what separates a good operator from someone who just looks good on paper.Dragon walks through growing up around Fort Bragg, joining the Air Force in 2006, originally looking at CCT, choosing TACP, starting at the 15th ASOS, assessing for the 17th STS, and spending the majority of his career in the Special Operations side of the TACP world.The conversation gets into the difference between conventional and SOF-TACP life, the mindset shift in the career field, entitlement, grit, the danger of over-reliance on technology, and why the next generation is more capable than people give them credit for — but still needs to be led.Dragon also breaks down mission planning, danger close strikes, JTAC creativity, command presence, briefing under pressure, training younger guys, taking a knee when family life is burning down, and why the best operators are complex problem solvers who can still win a fight.The episode also covers retirement, fatherhood, false accusations, private sector friction, writing a book, TBI and PTSD treatment options, and why passing lessons to the next generation still matters.Check out Tasty Gains:TastyGains.comRegister for Operator Training Summit:OperatorTrainingSummit.comTrain with Modern Athlete Strength Systems:OnesReady.comChapters:00:00 - Intro, Tasty Gains, Operator Training Summit, and Modern Athlete03:24 - Meet Clint “Dragon”03:39 - Growing Up Around Fort Bragg04:06 - Choosing TACP Over CCT06:36 - How the TACP Pipeline Has Changed07:32 - 15th ASOS, Deployments, and Assessing for SOF-TACP08:14 - Conventional TACP vs SOF-TACP09:05 - Mindset Changes in the TACP Career Field12:06 - PhDs Who Can Win Bar Fights13:00 - Grit, Diva Mentality, and Human Performance Support14:14 - You Are Never Fully Ready15:20 - Building Problem Solving Skills16:49 - Briefing, Command Presence, and Pressure18:21 - Training and Equipping the Team19:03 - Team Sergeant Challenges21:25 - Knowing When to Take a Knee23:21 - Death, Mission Focus, and Moving Forward25:24 - TCCC, Emotions, and Critical Thinking27:35 - Mission Planning and JTAC Expertise29:39 - Danger Close and When Things Go Wrong32:26 - Quiet Professional vs Silent Professional33:45 - Lessons Learned From Mistakes35:20 - Attention to Detail in Training37:58 - Translating SOF Lessons to Real Life40:33 - The Next Generation of Warfighters42:26 - Technology as a Tool, Not a Crutch43:57 - Training, Leadership, and Knowing Your People46:02 - Keep It Simple and Master the Basics47:16 - Stress Inoculation and Staying Calm48:59 - Managing the Stack and Target Area Chaos49:40 - Retirement, Family, and Recovery51:30 - Where to Find Dragon52:37 - Private Sector, Business, and Protecting Ideas54:27 - Writing a Book and Giving People Their Flowers56:23 - False Accusations and Career Damage59:24 - Reconnecting After Retirement01:00:29 - MERT, TMS, PTSD, and TBI Treatment01:02:44 - Outreach Project and Veteran Support01:04:10 - Final Thoughts and Wrap-UpSupport the showJoin this channel to get access to perks: HEREBuzzsprout Subscription page:  HERERegister for our Operator Training Summit:  OperatorTrainingSummit.comFind an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.comCollabs:Ones Ready - OnesReady.com 18A Fitness - Promo Code:  ONESREADY ATACLete - Follow the URL (no promo code):  ATACLeteDanger Close Apparel - Promo Code:  ONESREADYDFND Apparel...

Let us know what you think!Security Halt's Med Group - https://zcform.com/QA5QsClick the link for a FREE consultation with My Med Team to see how we can help. In Episode 447 of the Security Halt! Podcast, Deny Caballero sits down with Ruben Ayala, founder of Black Ops, to discuss a mission far bigger than a documentary. Together, they explore the importance of preserving the untold stories of minority Special Operations veterans, ensuring their sacrifices, leadership, and contributions become part of America's permanent historical record.Ruben shares the incredible journey of building Black Ops—from an idea sparked by one powerful moment into a national movement that includes a documentary series, an upcoming book, youth mentorship initiatives, and advocacy for greater recognition of overlooked heroes.This conversation is about more than military history. It's about leadership, representation, legacy, and inspiring future generations to understand that excellence knows no race, ethnicity, or background. Listen now. Follow the show. Share this with the veteran or entrepreneur who needs to hear it. Chapters:00:00 The Impact of Connection and Teamwork03:11 The Birth of Black Ops: A Vision Realized06:00 Amplifying Untold Stories08:53 Mentorship and Youth Empowerment12:03 The Journey of Writing a Book14:57 Leadership Lessons from the Shadows17:57 Breaking Stereotypes and Myths21:04 The Importance of Representation23:59 Creating a Legacy Through Service37:10 Guiding the Next Generation38:39 Staying True to Your Mission40:56 The Thrill of Free Fall43:11 Bittersweet Memories and Life Lessons52:25 Inspiring Stories of Transformation01:00:51 The Importance of Legacy and Mentorship  Sponsored by: Transcend Use my referral link to book a consultation for Peptide Therapy http://transcendcompany.com/DenyCaballero Pure Liberty Labs Use Code: SECURITY_HALT_10 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purelibertylabs/ Website: https://purelibertylabs.com/ PRECISION WELLNESS GROUP  Use code: Security Halt Podcast 25 Website: https://www.precisionwellnessgroup.com/ WARRIOR RISING Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wearewarriorrising/?hl=en Website: https://warriorrising.org/ Donate Today: https://warriorrising.org/?form=donate SPECIAL FORCES FOUNDATION Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/specialforcesfoundation_/ Website: https://specialforcesfoundation.org/ Request Help: https://specialforcesfoundation.org/get-support/   Security Halt Mediahttps://www.securityhaltmedia.com/Instagram: @securityhaltX: @SecurityHaltTik Tok: @security.halt.podLinkedIn: Deny Caballero   Looking for custom handmade items, military memorabilia, or laser engraving? Contact Eric Gilgenast.Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/haus_gilgenast_woodworks_main/Website: https://www.hausgilgenastwoodworks.com/SOF Heritage Designs Custom belt Buckles. Of the Regiment for the Regiment SOF-HD.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sofhdesigns/Support the showProduced by Security Halt Media

All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton were honored to welcome Shannon Tuimalealiifano as guest to the show.   About Shannon Tuimalealiifano, 2014 Dole Caregiver Fellow, Florida:   Shannon and her husband, Sualauvi "Sua" Tuimalealiifano, are both Army veterans who met while serving at Fort Bragg. As a military child herself, Shannon understood the strength, camaraderie, and sacrifice that come with military life. After enlisting two years after high school, she served as a trained lab tech and combat medic, later working at Womack Army Medical Center.   But nothing could have fully prepared Shannon for the life-changing journey that began after Sua was injured in combat while serving with Army Special Operations in Afghanistan. A paratrooper, jumpmaster, and Special Operations soldier, Sua sustained a severe spinal cord injury that eventually left him quadriplegic.   At the time, Shannon was raising three young children, ages 6, 4, and 9 months. Within a week of Sua's medevac from Afghanistan, she joined him at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, followed by rehabilitation at James A. Haley VA Hospital in Tampa. What followed was a long and difficult road through hospital stays, rehabilitation, military transition challenges, and the daily realities of full-time caregiving.   After nearly two years in hospitals and rehab, Shannon and Sua returned to Fort Bragg without the support or accessibility their family needed. Their home was not wheelchair accessible, and Sua's wheelchair could not fit through the doors. Eventually, the family relocated to Hawaii through a compassionate reassignment so they could be closer to Sua's family and support system.   Even with family help, Shannon faced overwhelming exhaustion, sleep deprivation, and the emotional weight of caregiving around the clock. She later found healing through an equine therapy program with other military caregivers, describing it as "lifesaving and life-giving."   Through community, connection, and support from organizations including the Elizabeth Dole Foundation's Hidden Heroes program, The Rosie Network, the VA, and Wounded Warrior Project's Independence Program, Shannon found strength, purpose, and a deeper understanding of the importance of supporting military and veteran caregivers.   Shannon's story is one of service, sacrifice, resilience, and the power of caregiver community.     About the Dole Caregiver Fellowship:   The Elizabeth Dole Foundation Dole Caregiver Fellows Program is a selective leadership and advocacy fellowship for individuals who provide care and support to wounded, ill, or injured service members and veterans of all generations. Participants—spouses, parents, adult children, friends, or other loved ones—are chosen from across the United States to represent caregivers across their communities and nationally.   During a two-year term, Fellows receive training, build networks, and work with policymakers, organizations, and the public to raise awareness of the value of caregivers and the challenges they face. They advocate for improved support and resources and advise the Foundation on programs and policy priorities affecting military and veteran families. In addition, by sharing their stories and experiences, they help other caregivers recognize themselves as caregivers, connect to resources, and feel welcomed in a community where every caregiving journey is valued.

In this powerful Freedom 250 panel on America's 250th anniversary, Chad sits down with Tommy Waller (former Force Recon Commander & President of Center for Security Policy) and Jonathan Hollerman (Air Force SERE Specialist, Grid Expert & bestselling author) to expose the shocking vulnerabilities of the U.S. electric grid.They break down:• Why a grid-down scenario could kill up to 90% of Americans within one year• The 4 major threats: Physical attacks (9-12 sites could black out the nation), Cyber, EMP (nuclear or solar flare), and supply chain infiltration• Chinese transformers with potential kill switches already in our grid• Self-inflicted policy wounds and what the Trump administration is doing• Real-world lessons from Ukraine and how civilians are now on the front linesThis isn't fear-mongering — it's a solvable problem. Learn what individuals, families, and We the People can do right now to push for real solutions and build personal resilience.

this episode, We examine the Avispas Negras, Cuba's Mobile Brigade of Special Troops, an obscure yet highly capable special forces unit specializing in rapid response, unconventional warfare, and direct action despite operating under decades of economic embargo and material shortages. The discussion traces the unit's formation from its 1970s roots in Angola through its evolution into small five-person teams, rigorous multi-national training, and local equipment innovations that allow it to remain effective with legacy Soviet-era systems augmented by Cuban modifications. Listeners gain a detailed understanding of how this battle-hardened formation sustains elite standards and recently demonstrated its capabilities during high-stakes operations in Venezuela.

You HAVE to see this — Florida Lt. Gov. Jay Collins just used his own prosthetic leg as the ultimate "participation trophy" and completely shut down Byron Donalds' refusal to debate! Pat Gray breaks down the fiery moment where Collins, a twice battle-injured Special Operations veteran, clapped back hard at Donalds' campaign saying there are “no participation trophies in politics.” Collins didn't just talk — he took off his prosthetic leg and slammed it on the podium, reminding everyone what real sacrifice looks like. This isn't just campaign drama — it's a raw moment exposing the difference between empty talk and actual service in the Florida governor's race. We also cover: Gracie the Texas Giraffe is STILL missing GTA 6 is now available for pre-sale Caitlyn Clark continues to get disrespected by the WNBA SCOTUS gives the Trump administration a BIG win on illegal immigration Hillary Clinton gives Trump a compliment — WOW! Drop your thoughts in the comments RIGHT NOW: Do you think Byron Donalds should debate Jay Collins? YES or NO? Was Collins' prosthetic leg moment powerful or over the top? Pat reads every single comment from fellow patriots like you — your voice matters in the fight for real leadership and common sense! If you want straight talk that cuts through the political nonsense and holds Republicans accountable too, smash that LIKE button, SUBSCRIBE, and share this with every friend who wants honest conservative commentary. We're keeping it real — one bold take at a time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ghana Police Service has arrested suspected drug peddlers and seized large quantities of suspected narcotic substances during a series of intelligence-led operations across the Kumasi Metropolis.

The Cognitive Crucible is a forum that presents different perspectives and emerging thought leadership related to the information environment. The opinions expressed by guests are their own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of or endorsement by the Information Professionals Association. During this episode, Dave Acosta and Austin Branch discuss IPA's APEX conference which will be September 8–9, 2026 at the CARASOFT facility in Reston VA. As governments, militaries, industries, and societies confront increasingly sophisticated influence operations, disinformation campaigns, and cognitive warfare activities, the need for cognitive security education, research, and professional development has never been greater. APEX 2026 is a two-day educational forum dedicated to advancing the emerging field of cognitive security. Bringing together educators, researchers, students, practitioners, government representatives, and industry leaders, APEX seeks to foster collaboration, strengthen professional expertise, and contribute to the development of future approaches to Operations in the Information Environment (OIE). Recording Date: 19 June 2026 Resources: APEX Conference Link to full show notes and resources Guest Bio:  Austin Branch is a nationally recognized leader in cognitive security, strategic influence, and information operations. A retired Army Officer and senior U.S. government executive, he pioneered the Army's Information Operations career field and served as the first Senior Director for IO in the Office of Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict. He is the co-founder of the Information Professionals Association and Managing Partner of Crescent Bridge Corporation, advancing cross-sector solutions to achieve cognitive advantage. He also serves as Professor of Practice at the University of Maryland's Applied Research Lab for Intelligence and Security and as an Adjunct Professor at The Citadel, where he teaches Cognitive Security. A contributor to The Cipher Brief, Austin also designs college-level curricula on intelligence and gray zone competition, blending operational insight with academic rigor to mentor the next generation of strategic thinkers. David Acosta is a Board Member of the Information Professionals Association and focuses on the Association's education portfolio. Additionally, Dave serves as a Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve, currently commanding the 2nd Brigade, 91st Training Division, headquartered in Denver, Colorado. He served at various levels throughout his career from the company/battery level to the Headquarters, Department of the Army G-3/5/7. He commanded the 303d Information Operations (IO) Battalion, 151st Theater IO Group at Camp Parks CA and served as the G3 Information Operations (IO) Chief for the US Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne). He also served as the Assistant Deputy Director for Joint Warfighting Development, Joint Staff J-7 in Suffolk, Virginia. His operational tours include deployments to Kosovo in 1999, Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2002, and Iraq in 2007 and 2009. Additionally, Dave is a Professor of Practice of Technical Operations in the Information Environment at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California. Dave holds a Bachelors of Science in History (Russian Area) from the US Air Force Academy, a Master of Science in Joint Information Operations from the Naval Postgraduate School, and a Master of Strategic Studies from the Army War College. He is a PhD student of International Studies at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. About: The Information Professionals Association (IPA) is a non-profit organization dedicated to exploring the role of information activities, such as influence and cognitive security, within the national security sector and helping to bridge the divide between operations and research. Its goal is to increase interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars and practitioners and policymakers with an interest in this domain. For more information, please contact us at communications@information-professionals.org. Or, connect directly with The Cognitive Crucible podcast host, John Bicknell, on LinkedIn. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, 1) IPA earns from qualifying purchases, 2) IPA gets commissions for purchases made through links in this post.

I recently had the privilege of speaking with RRC Mike Edwards, a former Army Ranger who served with the Regimental Reconnaissance Company (RRC).In this conversation, Mike shares his experiences serving overseas, how those experiences challenged his understanding of the world, and how they ultimately strengthened his faith. We discuss modern warfare, corruption, weapons trafficking, the realities of military service, spiritual warfare, and Mike's journey from elite military operations to his work today encouraging others in their walk with God.Topics include:• The Regimental Reconnaissance Company (RRC) • Life as an Army Ranger• Modern warfare• Government corruption• Weapons trafficking• Spiritual warfare• Faith after military service• Biblical worldview• Mike's ministry and current workIf you enjoyed this conversation, don't forget to subscribe, leave a positive review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share this episode with someone who would enjoy it.Your support helps the show reach more people.Connect with RRC Mike Edwards:YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RRCMikeEdwardsBUY ME A COFFEE LINKSupport the Show & Stay Connected:Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/sensiblehippieJoin My Patreon for ad-free episodes & exclusive content:https://Patreon.com/WakeupwithMiyaIf you're joining Waiola – The Plus Side, please subscribe through a web browser (Safari or Chrome) instead of the Patreon app — it directly supports the show. Mahalo nui loa for supporting independent work and helping keep this platform growing.Shop my Amazon Storefront: https://www.amazon.com/shop/profile/amzn1.account.AGYOPCXXGH6MN5RVAKGQWVZUZLEA/list/26B87RB4FZ9W2?ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_aipsflist_6BWRT43TH4MY2NM2XD6XWant to be on the show or suggest a guest? I'm looking for guests who can speak on human trafficking, the paranormal, occult symbolism, hidden history, spiritual warfare, ancient mysteries, and specific military stories involving covert operations, secret programs, psychological warfare, unexplained events, and firsthand accounts.Email me at: Miya@wakeupwithmiya.comFollow Me Online:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/WakeupwithMiyaFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/WakeupwithMiyaExclusive Discount!Shop at LVNTA: https://lvnta.com/lv_IcTq5EmoFKaZfJhTiSUse code OHANA for 20% off!Listen on Your Favorite Platform: Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and everywhere podcasts are available!RATE & REVIEW:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wake-up-with-miya/id1627169850Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0UYrXCgma1lJYzf8glnAxyMusic Credits: Beginning: "Echoes in the Shadows" - DKEnd Music: “Crazy” - EkoBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wake-up-with-miya--6339129/support.

Just a few months into her retirement, Navy veteran Candace Esquivel joins us to battle her allergies and tell us about her career as a Navy cryptologist (not cryptozoologist). Leaving the "freakshow" of Twinsburg, Ohio, to follow her interest in military intelligence, the Navy took Candace across the world to gather intelligence on America's adversaries. She chased new challenges everywhere she went; from the fleet to Special Operations (DEVGRU), from Capitol Hill to Cyber Command, until the only challenge remaining was life after service.Rock climbing in Oman, the Captain's Mast, shaping policy, confirming Navy stereotypes, and so much more!In the Free Fire Area, we discuss best and worst-case survival scenarios. Anyone up for tropical diseases and gulags?Theme song by The Mountain via Pixabay.Support the showhttps://tracerburnout.com/

Former Marine Force Recon veteran Kirk Spradely, call sign “Tadpole,” shares his powerful life story...from surviving a brutal childhood and orphanage violence, to becoming a Marine Force Recon operator, working for Blackwater in Iraq, serving in OGA special programs, flying Blackhawk and Apache helicopters, and later supporting the Kurdish military.In this episode of Urban Valor, Kirk opens up about the day his teammate Tommy Jenner was killed by an enemy sniper in Ramadi. Kirk says the sniper was likely Juba, one of the most feared enemy snipers in Iraq. He describes watching Tommy fall beside him, hearing his teammate yell “sniper, get down,” and realizing a follow-up round had just cracked over his head.Kirk also talks about Marine Force Recon training, combat diving, counter-narcotics operations, Blackwater convoy work, OGA special programs, the moment he met a Taliban-contracted assassin, flying medevac missions for wounded troops, and attempting to help build a Kurdish Air Force before the referendum fallout. 

My guest today is Cait Conley. Cait is running for Congress in NY District 17, determined to stop Donald Trump and cowards like Mike Lawler who enable him. Cait was born and raised in the Hudson Valley, graduated at the top of her class at West Point, served 16 years as an Army officer, and broke barriers as one of the first and only women in Special Operations leadership and was awarded three Bronze Stars. Cait's career as a public servant continued at home, protecting security and democracy while serving as Director of Counter-Terrorism on the National Security Council at the White House. She later helped safeguard our critical infrastructure and election systems at CISA, defending our democracy by standing up directly to Trump's big lie that the 2020 election was stolen.  Cait is dedicated to bringing dignity and courage back to Congress. She is fighting to lower costs, clean up corruption, reign in ICE, address climate change as a national security crisis, protect our elections and stop Trumps' unlawful and authoritarian agenda. I am impressed with her strength, courage and proven leadership and have been motivated to have as many people as possible hear from Cait directly, so they can make an informed decision when voting in the primary. Early voting started June 13th and the primary is Tuesday, June 23rd. This is a critical election, so please spread the word and get out and vote!  Check out the Show Notes for Cait's conversation with Ali Velshi on MSNOW as well as Cait's website. There you will find links to donate, upcoming events and volunteer opportunities. Enjoy the podcast! Links: Cait Conley's Website Ali Velshi-MSNOW

Special Forces veteran, Mr. Kevin "Edge" Edgerton, joins us in the virtual studio to tell us a bit about his own personal fitness journey, how his Special Forces experience helped him find his niche, and why 18A Fitness is the place to go if you want to be physically prepared for Army or Air Force Special Operations selection. Whether you want to be an operator or you're just getting off the couch, Kevin has a program for you. Bonus: he has "yoga on crack", too!https://www.18afitness.com/Theme song by EduardBykovets via Pixabay.Support the showhttps://tracerburnout.com/

What if leadership isn't about having all the answers?What if success isn't determined by outcomes alone?And what if the most important lessons in life are the ones nobody ever teaches you?In this episode of Be All You Can Be MSC, I sit down with recently retired Command Sergeant Major Erano "Buma" Bumanglag, a senior executive and Army leader whose 31-year career spanned Special Operations, Army Medicine, the Pentagon, disaster response, and Joint Task Force–Civil Support under U.S. Northern Command and NORAD.Our conversation explores the realities of leadership at every level from junior Soldiers to senior executives and the life principles that helped shape his journey.We discuss:▪️ Why senior leaders don't have all the answers▪️ Emotional intelligence versus rank▪️ The relationship between officers and senior enlisted leaders▪️ Learning from failure instead of fearing it▪️ Tactical versus strategic leadership▪️ The power of humility and removing ego▪️ Why relationships matter more than credentials▪️ His "4 Fs" philosophy: Faith, Family, Fitness, and Finance▪️ The inspiration behind his book Life Craft Strategies: $h!t You Don't Learn in SchoolOne of my favorite takeaways:"Do the best job you can in the role you have today. Stop chasing the next position and become exceptional where you are."Buma's book is a collection of practical life lessons drawn from decades of leadership experience, self-reflection, and observation. As he describes it, it's about the things we learn through failure, resilience, relationships, and experience—not from a classroom.

Was Jade Helm 15 really just a military training exercise, or was it preparation for something much bigger?In 2015, the U.S. military conducted one of its largest domestic training operations in recent history, spanning multiple states and involving elite Special Operations forces. While officials insisted Jade Helm 15 was simply a realistic training exercise, the scale, secrecy, and unusual locations fueled widespread speculation. In this episode, we dive deep into the history of Jade Helm 15, the military's official explanation, and the conspiracy theories that exploded across the internet. From fears of martial law and FEMA camps to Walmart closure rumors, Russian involvement theories, mysterious "death domes," and even asteroid impact predictions, we explore the claims that had millions of Americans questioning what was really happening.We'll also examine the citizen-led Counter Jade Helm movement, the FBI investigation that followed, and whether any of the concerns raised in 2015 still deserve attention today.Was Jade Helm a harmless military exercise? A test run for future domestic operations? Or something in between?Follow me down the rabbit hole and decide for yourself.#JadeHelm #JadeHelm15 #ConspiracyTheory #MilitaryExercise #MartialLaw #FEMACamps #GovernmentSecrets #Texas #RabbitHole #StaySkepticalwww.stayskeptical.comWise Wolf Gold: https://www.wolfpack.gold/?ref=jvujkwgsSources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jcwvgWpPz8GqLxNwpeJM7AHqBJL2O3JWVdE8ggKK7_8/edit?usp=sharing

G'day and welcome back to True Blue Conversations — where we sit down with Australians who've dedicated their lives to service, leadership, and shaping the nation we're proud to call home. Today's guest is Major Damien Batty, a retired Australian Army Officer who served with distinction for more than 26 years in the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps and broader Defence organisation. Appointed in 1996 and commissioned in 1997, he built a career defined by leadership, professionalism, operational service, and unwavering dedication to the soldiers and units under his command. Throughout his career, Major Batty served across a broad range of operational, instructional, logistical, and Special Operations appointments, including postings to 1st Field Hospital, 1st Health Support Battalion, Special Operations Headquarters, Army School of Health, Army School of Logistic Operations, and Headquarters 17th Sustainment Brigade. His service reflected a rare blend of operational experience, strategic capability, and commitment to mentoring and developing others. Major Batty deployed on multiple operations, including Operation BEL ISI, Operation ANODE, Operation SLIPPER in Afghanistan, and Operation COVID ASSIST.  His honours and awards include the Afghanistan Medal, Australian Active Service Medal, Australian Service Medal, Army Combat Badge, NATO ISAF Medal, and the Meritorious Unit Citation for service with Special Operations Task Groups. Widely respected for his integrity, loyalty, and devotion to duty, Major Batty's career stands firmly in the finest traditions of the Australian Army. It's a raw and honest conversation about service, sacrifice, and the bonds that are forged when people rely on each other in life-and-death moments and finding purpose after service. Presenter: Adam Blum Guest: Damo Batty Editor: Kyle Watkins

What 12 years in special operations actually taught me about being a father, and the one lesson I wish I had known before my kids were grown.Presence is a discipline, not an emotion. Here is how the military forced me to learn it, the years I got it wrong in my transition, and how I am raising my son with grit and resilience now.Free "Reclaim the Man Within" series for men ready to do the work: https://linktw.in/wIkEXAMy Book, Excommunicated Warrior: https://linktw.in/sJwdvm

Jason Booher, Strategic Advisor to the Navy SEAL Museum and Executive Project Lead for its prodigious expansion in 2029, shares how he applies his elite SEAL leadership experiences in combination with his expertise in strategic planning, start-up creation and organization leadership to build a world-class, cultural and educational destination.  Listen Where You Live!About Spotlight and Cloudcast Media  "Spotlight On The Community" is the longest running community podcast in the country, continuously hosted by Drew Schlosberg for 20 years.  "Spotlight" is part of Cloudcast Media's line-up of powerful local podcasts, telling the stories, highlighting the people, and celebrating the gravitational power of local.   For more information on Cloudcast and its shows and cities served, please visit www.cloudcastmedia.us. Cloudcast Media | the national leader in local podcasting.   About Mission Fed Credit Union  A community champion for over 60 years, Mission Fed Credit Union with over $6 billion in member assets, is the Sponsor of Spotlight On The Community, helping to curate connectivity, collaboration, and catalytic conversations.  For more information on the many services for San Diego residents, be sure to visit them at https://www.missionfed.com/

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department issued an advisory – eight days before the first World Cup match. The warning to fans is to not to “let scammers steal World Cup experience. Tara Copp and Salvador Rizzo reported for The Washington Post on Tuesday that Elias Irizarry was hired to work in the Defense Department’s Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict and internal alarms are going off, according to four people familiar with the situation. Apple is expected to unveil a new iPhone feature designed to make splitting restaurant bills easier. The feature, part of the upcoming iOS 27 update, will allow users to take a photo of a receipt, assign items to different people and automatically calculate how much each person owes. Police are investigating but say there’s no immediate danger to the public. The most likely explanation is people searching for valuables underground. Still, authorities warn it’s illegal and extremely risky behavior. Please Like, Comment and Follow 'Philip Teresi on KMJ' on all platforms: --- Philip Teresi on KMJ is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. -- Philip Teresi on KMJ Weekdays 2-6 PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 AM & 105.9 FM KMJ | Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Podcast | Amazon | - Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department issued an advisory – eight days before the first World Cup match. The warning to fans is to not to “let scammers steal World Cup experience. Tara Copp and Salvador Rizzo reported for The Washington Post on Tuesday that Elias Irizarry was hired to work in the Defense Department’s Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict and internal alarms are going off, according to four people familiar with the situation. Apple is expected to unveil a new iPhone feature designed to make splitting restaurant bills easier. The feature, part of the upcoming iOS 27 update, will allow users to take a photo of a receipt, assign items to different people and automatically calculate how much each person owes. Police are investigating but say there’s no immediate danger to the public. The most likely explanation is people searching for valuables underground. Still, authorities warn it’s illegal and extremely risky behavior. Please Like, Comment and Follow 'Philip Teresi on KMJ' on all platforms: --- Philip Teresi on KMJ is available on the KMJNOW app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever else you listen to podcasts. -- Philip Teresi on KMJ Weekdays 2-6 PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 AM & 105.9 FM KMJ | Website | Facebook | Instagram | X | Podcast | Amazon | - Everything KMJ KMJNOW App | Podcasts | Facebook | X | Instagram See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I failed the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program at 19 because I let the unknown trick me into quitting. That failure is the reason I never quit anything again.In this video, I break down what 12 years in MARSOC actually taught me about why most men stay weak — and how the operator mindset transfers into business, marriage, and the rest of your life.This isn't the recruiting-poster version. No bravado, no slow-motion B-roll. Just the three patterns I watched separate the men who made it from the men who didn't — and what happens when you apply those same patterns to your real life.

In a quiet building in Scottsdale, Arizona, there is a room most people will never see. Inside that room, 263 human beings stand in carefully arranged steel vessels. Some died last week. Some died in the 1980s. One was born in the 1880s. They are not buried. They are not cremated. They are waiting. The man who walks through that room every day is our guest tonight. He is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Alcor Life Extension Foundation, the oldest continuously operating cryonics institution on earth. Arrowood is a Notre Dame-trained attorney who walked away from one of the most lucrative tracks in American law to lead a nonprofit research foundation whose ultimate goal is to one day restore the dead to life. Tonight he will tell us things he rarely discusses in public. He will explain why roughly 10 percent of the world's 50 wealthiest human beings have already made arrangements to be preserved at Alcor, and why almost none of them will say so on the record. He will describe the DART team, a unit of Navy SEALs, Special Operations veterans, fire captains, ICU nurses, and paramedics trained to recover members anywhere in the world within hours of legal death. He will walk us through a financial reality the public has never been told, and a model he believes will rewrite medicine within our lifetimes. Kidney preservation first. Multi-organ banking next. And eventually, the restoration of a human brain. He will explain a redefinition of death itself. The argument that death is not the stopping of the heart, but the destruction of the information that makes us who we are. And he will answer the question almost no one in his field will answer in public. When he stands alone in that room after hours, surrounded by people who entrusted everything they ever were to a future none of them will see, what does he actually believe is inside those vessels? This is a conversation about science, law, money, identity, and the most ambitious experiment in the history of biology.

In Part 3 of our Foundations of Church Security Teams series, we move beyond the initial response and focus on one of the most critical, and often overlooked, parts of a church security incident: what happens after contact is made with the threat. This episode covers the realities of integrating with responding law enforcement, how to conduct effective handoffs during a critical incident, why communication failures create danger, and the importance of tracking personnel and cleared areas inside your facility. Adam McIntyre shares lessons from Special Operations leadership, practical guidance for casualty management, and why realistic, church-specific training matters far more than static range practice. This episode provides practical insight into coordination, communication, room clearing, casualty response, and leadership under pressure. The next episode of this series will focus on radio communications.   1:05 Finishing where we left off: what happens after an incident begins and law enforcement arrives? 1:50 Why the person maneuvering toward the threat should not "sit on the radio" during the response 3:00 How support personnel should direct responders  3:53 Why teams must continue clearing the threat area even after the suspect is neutralized 4:40 The importance of establishing a designated law enforcement handoff point at your church 5:30 Understanding "battle tracking" and maintaining accountability for everyone inside the facility 6:30 Why link-up procedures during an incident can become dangerous without proper tracking 7:20 Every member of a church safety team must know how to conduct the law enforcement handoff 8:12 Near and far recognition signals: visual identifiers, radio communication, and announcing arrivals 10:50 Holding off-duty police officers and experienced personnel accountable to church procedures 13:45 Why training must happen inside your actual church facility, not just on a range or in a shoot house 17:20 Why law enforcement maintains jurisdiction and the importance of avoiding conflict with responders 18:15 Maintaining cleared areas without surrendering ground unnecessarily 20:05 The importance of secondary searches and thoroughly checking any space where a person could hide 21:53 Adam explains why declaring an area "secure" was one of the most stressful leadership decisions in Special Operations 22:45 Why church teams gain an advantage by training in the same environment they protect 23:45 Center-fed vs. corner-fed rooms and how teams should practice both 24:55 Why teams should intentionally allow failure during training to improve adaptability 27:00 Responding to casualties while the event is still unfolding 28:30 The difficult reality of prioritizing stopping the threat before treating victims 29:20 Establishing casualty collection points near exits 30:15 Prioritizing injuries during mass casualty events and why deceased victims should not be placed in casualty collection points 32:00 Plain language vs. coded language during emergencies 35:30 The importance of radio training and why it's one of the most overlooked low-cost skills for teams 40:00 The next episode of the series will focus entirely on communications training

On this special Memorial Day episode, Tudor Dixon sits down with Mark Stephens, a 21-year Army Special Forces veteran and Chairman of the Board for Task Force Dagger, to discuss the true meaning of honoring America’s fallen heroes. Mark shares firsthand experiences from years of combat deployments, the unseen burdens carried by service members and their families, and the emotional realities of survivor’s guilt and sacrifice. The conversation also explores America’s role on the world stage, the importance of Special Operations forces, geopolitical challenges involving Iran and Cuba, and why understanding history matters when evaluating today’s global conflicts. Plus, Mark explains how organizations like Task Force Dagger support wounded warriors and Gold Star families long after the battlefield. A powerful Memorial Day conversation about duty, freedom, and remembering those who gave everything for the country we love.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

PREVIEW for Later Today: Evan Ellis explores military alternatives for Cuba beyond a traditional invasion. He suggests selective strikes against command nodes or special operations to pressure the regime, providing a hard-line complement to ongoing diplomatic negotiations.1960 VASTRO AND NASSER

Guest: Damon Friedman (Lt. Col. retired, Special Operations)Organization: SOF Missions (Shield of Faith)Position: Founder and PresidentBook: Special Warfare CEO: Helping Leaders Make Dramatic ImpactWebsite: sofmissions.org, damonfriedman.com

In this episode, I sit down with Stephen Hunnewell, a former national security and irregular warfare practitioner whose career has spanned Special Operations, geopolitics, technology, and strategic competition.Steve reflects on growing up in a single-parent household, the values that shaped him early on, and the impact 9/11 had on his generation. We talk about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, the limits of overwhelming military force, and the mismatch between Western assumptions and local realities on the ground.Drawing on years working alongside partners across the Middle East, Europe, and Asia, Steve reflects on how America's role in the world has changed, the growing importance of narratives in modern conflict, and how technology and social fragmentation are reshaping competition from Ukraine to elsewhere.In the latter part of the conversation, Steve reflects on parenthood, family life, and what years focused abroad have taught him about service, community, and meaning at home.Recorded on 22 April 2026.Connect with Steve on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/hunnewellstephen/.Instagram: @at.the.coalfaceAnd don't forget to subscribe to At the Coalface for new episodes every two weeks.Help us produce more episodes by becoming a supporter. Your subscription will go towards paying our hosting and production costs. Supporters get the opportunity to join behind the scenes during recordings, updates about the podcast, and my deep gratitude!Support the show

Let us know what you think!In this episode of Security Halt! Resource Monday on the Security Halt! Podcast, host Deny Caballero highlights the mission and impact of Operation Healing Forces — a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting America's wounded, ill, injured, and fallen Special Operations Forces members and their families.This episode breaks down the critical role family support plays within the Special Operations community and explores how veteran- and spouse-led organizations are helping bridge the gap between service and healing. From restorative retreats and caregiver support to rapid crisis response and long-term connection through the SOAR program, Operation Healing Forces continues to provide meaningful support for families navigating the invisible wounds of war.Listeners will gain insight into the organization's mission, measurable impact, and how the Special Operations community can access resources, support the mission, or help spread awareness.Chapters 00:00 – Introduction to Operation Healing Forces  03:04 – Understanding the Ecosystem of Support  05:54 – Programs and Impact of OHF  08:59 – Engagement and Call to ActionREACH OUT TODAY!https://operationhealingforces.org/Sponsored by: TranscendUse my referral link to book a consultation for Peptide Therapyhttp://transcendcompany.com/DenyCaballeroDr. Mark Gordon & Millennium Health Centers Get the book Peptides for Health Vol.1 Medical Edition today.  Use code Phase2P for 10% off Millennium products  Available only at MillenniumHealthStore.comPRECISION WELLNESS GROUP  Use code: Security Halt Podcast 25Website: https://www.precisionwellnessgroup.com/  Security Halt Mediahttps://www.securityhaltmedia.com/ Instagram: @securityhaltX: @SecurityHaltTik Tok: @security.halt.podLinkedIn: Deny CaballeroSupport the showProduced by Security Halt Media

Who are you when everything you've built your identity on gets taken away?For Dennis Connors, that question wasn't hypothetical. A teenage USA rock climber turned Marine Corps intelligence operator, he served three combat tours in Iraq supporting Tier 1 Special Operations, ran 250 interrogations, and came home with multiple undiagnosed TBIs, severe PTSD, and two strokes — the second partially paralyzed his left side. In March 2018, his call sign was still Villain and he had a plan to end his life the next day. What happened on the other side of that moment took him to the Paris 2024 Paralympic podium as a Silver Medalist and to a TED stage where he made 4,000 people cry.IN THIS EPISODE:Why Dennis stood at the dark edge in March 2018 — and the single moment that stopped himHow undiagnosed TBIs compounded PTSD for years — and why he toughed them both outVulnerability reframed: not disclosing weakness — opening a conversational gateSelf-worth tied to results vs. self-love that doesn't collapse under pressureWhy community with shared passion goes deeper than shared service aloneThe four pillars of perseverance: vulnerability, self-love, disciplined action, communityRELATED EPISODES:Ep. 123 — Bipolar General: Maj. Gen. Gregg Martin's Forever War with Mental IllnessEp. 106 — Transcending Trauma with Dr. Frank AndersonEp. 135 — The Lie of Self-Sufficiency: Jon Macaskill on Why Men Carry Too Much AloneFOLLOW DENNIS CONNORS:Website: dennisconnorsusa.comLinkedIn: Dennis ConnorsGET MORE FROM MTM:Text MTM to 33777 — free weekly newsletterSubscribe & All Episodes: mentalkingmindfulness.comFNT Website: focusnowtraining.comA2A COURSE:12 modules on attention, presence & performance. Self-paced. Built for people who hate the word mindfulness.focusnowtraining.com/a2a→ This conversation maps directly to Module 3 of A2A: Building Unshakeable Self-Awareness Under PressureBRING FNT TO YOUR TEAM:Custom attention, resilience & leadership training. In-person or online.focusnowtraining.com/contactHosted on Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

In this episode of Coffee Talk with Bryan and Marie, we sit down with David Shoup — a United States Marine Corps combat veteran who served as an infantry rifleman in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, along with multiple Special Operations–related assignments across various locations. After leaving active duty, David faced a brutal internal war: nightmares, rage, anxiety, isolation, and the emotional chaos of PTSD.Refusing to accept the belief that “this is just how life is now,” David launched a personal mission to destroy PTSD and reclaim the life he was meant to live. Through years of intensive study, high‑level coaching, and mission‑driven discipline, he developed a proven system grounded in psychological science, cutting‑edge neurological strategies, and battlefield‑tested principles.Today, David leads a national movement to eliminate PTSD from the lives of combat veterans and active‑duty service members — permanently. As a coach, speaker, author, and fellow warrior, he provides an operational manual for complete freedom, empowering those who feel lost or stuck in survival mode to fight back with clarity, purpose, and power.Connect with David and learn more about his work on social media at @Mission.Freedom.0311.

Watch online: https://youtu.be/uvAyxlmpBdk We spent two days in Waco, Texas, inside the L3Harris facility where the Sky Raider II International™ is built. From the beginning, where an 802 Air Tractor enters the production line until it rolls out as Air Force Special Operations Command's newest airplane, the OA-1K Sky Raider II. We dive into what it takes to turn a crop duster into a precision-strike and ISR platform capable of operating from austere environments with only a two-man crew and 6,000 pounds of ordnance. Exclusive access to the production line, the weapons systems, and the people who build and fly it. Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT) Prep with AFOQT Wingman https://afoqtwingman.com/Code: AFTERBURN for 10% off

Dr. Eugene Lipov developed the Stellate Ganglion Block — a 5-minute procedure that has treated 500+ special operations veterans for PTSD. We cover the biology of why trauma keeps your nervous system stuck in overdrive, why the VA's standard treatment doesn't address the root cause, and what proper treatment actually looks like.Find a trained provider at https://stellamentalhealth.com/Help change PTSD to PTSI — links below:https://itsptsi.com/https://dreugenelipov.com/

Tampa hosts Special Operations Forces (SOF) Week starting Monday, May 18th at Tampa's Convention Center downtown, as well as other nearby locations. We speak with Meaghan Keeler of the Global SOF Foundation about the event and what it means for special operators and for Tampa's economy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

He went from an abused kid moving schools every 6 months to Force Recon Marine, MARSOC Raider, and combat veteran. Now Nick Koumalatsos (aka "Nick K") is helping men rebuild after the fight of their life.In this episode of The Resilient Show, Chad sits down with Nick, author of Excommunicated Warrior, CEO of Johnny Slicks, and men's performance coach, for a raw, unfiltered conversation about identity, transition, and what it actually takes to survive the civilian world after special operations.What we cover:    •    Growing up fatherless, abused, and moving every 6 months, and how that became a superpower    •    The brutal reality of leaving special operations and losing your identity    •    Why imposter syndrome never fully goes away (even for elite warriors)    •    The 4 phases of building a life worth leading    •    What his lowest moment taught him about resilienceNick's closing truth: "The best is always yet to come, even when you think you've peaked."We hope you enjoy this interview and, of course, encourage you to engage with us here and on our social channels.Learn more about Nick Koumalatsos:Follow Nick Koumalatsos on Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/nickkoumalatsos——Stay up-to-date with all things Resilient by subscribing to our Resilient Times Newsletter: https://resilienttimes.substack.comRESILIENT:Follow Us On Patreon: ⁠https://patreon.com/theresilientshowFollow Us On Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/resilientshowFollow Us On Twitter:⁠ ⁠https://twitter.com/resilientshowFollow Us On TikTok:⁠ ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@resilientshowLIVE RESILIENT STORE:https://shop.theresilientshow.comFollow Chad: ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/chadrobo_officialhttps://x.com/ChadRoboSPONSORS:GoldCo https://chadlikesgold.comSmith & Wesson: ⁠⁠https://www.smith-wesson.com⁠⁠Vortex Optics: ⁠https://vortexoptics.com⁠Gatorz Eyewear: ⁠⁠https://www.gatorz.com⁠⁠Allied Wealth: ⁠https://alliedwealth.com⁠BioPro+: ⁠⁠https://www.bioproteintech.com/CHAD30⁠⁠BioXCellerator: ⁠https://www.bioxcellerator.com⁠SLNT: https://slnt.com------The Resilient Show is a proud supporter of military and first responder communities in partnership with ⁠Mighty Oaks Foundation⁠.

Understanding how government contracting market research really works is the edge that separates small businesses who win from those who wonder why they keep losing. In this episode, Eric Coffie sits down with a former Special Operations soldier who spent years inside the acquisition process, writing statements of work, managing COR responsibilities, and watching the biggest defense primes in the country run the playbook right in front of him. If you've ever submitted a bid and had no idea why you lost, this episode explains exactly what was happening behind the scenes. What you'll learn in this episode: How large defense contractors capture requirements before a solicitation ever goes public — and how small businesses can use the exact same strategy at their local DOD installation What "kitting" means and why you'll never beat the prime who invented the part number — understanding this one tactic will save you hours of wasted bidding on opportunities you can't win Why getting a quote is your first move in every government sale — and how showing up on-site positions you as the go-to vendor who gets called for everything How to work a military installation even while performing a contract — distributing capability statements, collecting emails, and building the relationships that turn into sole-source quotes Why ambiguous part numbers on SAM.gov are a signal, not an opportunity — learn to read what's already been captured so you stop chasing deals that were decided before they were posted   EPISODE CHAPTERS: 0:00 - Welcome to the Federal Help Center podcast 0:28 - Guest background in special operations acquisitions 1:24 - How DOD requirements get generated on military installations  2:22 - What kitting is and how defense primes use it to control bids 3:43 - Capturing the requirement before the solicitation hits SAM.gov  4:40 - How small businesses can profit from kitted part numbers 5:38 - Reading ambiguous SAM.gov listings and knowing when to walk away  6:34 - How to become the go-to vendor on a DOD installation 7:30 - Using on-site contract performance to build your customer network  8:00 - The special operations VTC system example and building your own kit  8:53 - Community call to action and episode close   Market Intelligence gives you the federal opportunities, agency signals, recompete intel, and pursuit briefs that tell you not just what contracts exist, but which ones to chase and how to win them. Sign up for free Daily Alerts and get opportunities delivered to your inbox before the day starts.

Book a 30 min. consultation with Dr. Andrea: https://drandreawieland.youcanbook.me — Get Dr. Andrea's Book: The Confident Performer: Rethinking Mental Performance for Athletes, Coaches and Parents https://www.amazon.com/s?k=The+Confident+Performer+Andrea+Wieland — In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Andrea Wieland — an Olympic athlete, licensed psychologist, and elite performance coach — to unpack what it really takes to perform at the highest levels of sport, business, and life. Andrea shares her remarkable story of being cut from the US Olympic team eight times before finally making the 1994 World Cup roster and the 1996 Atlanta Olympic team, and we dig into the powerful mental frameworks she's developed through decades of working with NFL athletes, Fortune 500 executives, and Special Operations soldiers. We cover the critical difference between persistence and perseverance, why your goal must be bigger than your fear, the danger of tying your entire identity to a single role or achievement, and how the “Confident Performer” framework — built on a foundational pyramid of human-first identity, whole-person health habits, and elite mental skills — can transform the way you show up whether you're on the field or in the boardroom. If you've ever struggled with self-doubt, broken promises to yourself, or wondered what separates those who reach the top from those who quit, this conversation will challenge and inspire you in equal measure. — About Dr Andrea Wieland: Dr. Andrea Wieland is a licensed psychologist, peak performance coach, author, and former Olympic athlete who competed in field hockey at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games — in her own hometown. She holds a PhD in Psychology and an MBA, and brings a rare combination of world-class athletic achievement and clinical expertise to her work. Andrea has coached NFL athletes, Fortune 500 C-suite executives, Special Operations military personnel, and high-performing teams across industries, helping them develop the mental skills, identity clarity, and synergistic confidence needed to excel under pressure. She is the founder of the Confident Performer Academy and the author of The Confident Performer: Rethinking Mental Performance for Athletes, Coaches and Parents. Her proprietary Confident Performer Framework — a three-tiered pyramid covering human-first identity, whole-person health habits, and elite mental skills — has helped clients at every level stop living on a wobbly foundation and build the resilience to bounce back from any setback. Website / Free 30-Min Consultation: www.drandreawieland.com LinkedIn: www.LINKEDIN/awielandphd Facebook: Andrea Wieland on Facebook — About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The Science of Flipping podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur with over and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: * Instagram: @thejustincolby * YouTube: Justin Colby * TikTok: @justincolbytsof * LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Most people think healing gives you your life back.But what if it costs you the life you knew?In this episode of the Crackin' Backs Podcast, we sit down with Scott Roessler, an 11-tour Special Operations veteran who stepped into one of the most controversial and rapidly emerging treatments in mental health—ibogaine therapy.After years of invisible battles with PTSD, trauma, and nervous system overload, Scott became part of a Stanford-led ibogaine study exploring whether this powerful psychedelic compound could help reset the brain.But this is not a highlight reel.This is the part no one talks about:

Book a 30 min. consultation with Dr. Andrea: https://drandreawieland.youcanbook.me --- Get Dr. Andrea's Book: The Confident Performer: Rethinking Mental Performance for Athletes, Coaches and Parents https://www.amazon.com/s?k=The+Confident+Performer+Andrea+Wieland --- In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Andrea Wieland — an Olympic athlete, licensed psychologist, and elite performance coach — to unpack what it really takes to perform at the highest levels of sport, business, and life. Andrea shares her remarkable story of being cut from the US Olympic team eight times before finally making the 1994 World Cup roster and the 1996 Atlanta Olympic team, and we dig into the powerful mental frameworks she's developed through decades of working with NFL athletes, Fortune 500 executives, and Special Operations soldiers. We cover the critical difference between persistence and perseverance, why your goal must be bigger than your fear, the danger of tying your entire identity to a single role or achievement, and how the "Confident Performer" framework — built on a foundational pyramid of human-first identity, whole-person health habits, and elite mental skills — can transform the way you show up whether you're on the field or in the boardroom. If you've ever struggled with self-doubt, broken promises to yourself, or wondered what separates those who reach the top from those who quit, this conversation will challenge and inspire you in equal measure. --- About Dr Andrea Wieland: Dr. Andrea Wieland is a licensed psychologist, peak performance coach, author, and former Olympic athlete who competed in field hockey at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games — in her own hometown. She holds a PhD in Psychology and an MBA, and brings a rare combination of world-class athletic achievement and clinical expertise to her work. Andrea has coached NFL athletes, Fortune 500 C-suite executives, Special Operations military personnel, and high-performing teams across industries, helping them develop the mental skills, identity clarity, and synergistic confidence needed to excel under pressure. She is the founder of the Confident Performer Academy and the author of The Confident Performer: Rethinking Mental Performance for Athletes, Coaches and Parents. Her proprietary Confident Performer Framework — a three-tiered pyramid covering human-first identity, whole-person health habits, and elite mental skills — has helped clients at every level stop living on a wobbly foundation and build the resilience to bounce back from any setback. Website / Free 30-Min Consultation: www.drandreawieland.com LinkedIn: www.LINKEDIN/awielandphd Facebook: Andrea Wieland on Facebook --- About Justin: Justin Colby is the host of The Entrepreneur DNA and The Science of Flipping podcasts and a best-selling author. He is a serial entrepreneur with over and a seasoned real estate investor with over 20 years of experience. Driven by a passion to help entrepreneurs thrive, Justin created the Entrepreneur DNA community to support business owners in building wealth, systems, and long-term freedom. Through his podcasts, books, education platforms, and hands-on mentorship, he continues to help entrepreneurs scale with clarity and confidence. Connect with Justin: * Instagram: @thejustincolby * YouTube: Justin Colby * TikTok: @justincolbytsof * LinkedIn: Justin Colby Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of The High Performance Mindset, Dr. Cindra Kamphoff sits down with Maximilian (Max) Pollack—a Cognitive Performance Specialist supporting U.S. Special Operations—to explore what it truly takes to think clearly, stay composed, and execute under extreme pressure. Drawing from his work with elite military operators, Max shares a powerful perspective: high performance isn't just about toughness—it's about training your mind and body to work together when it matters most. His expertise sits at the intersection of psychology, physiology, and performance, helping individuals regulate stress, sharpen attention, and make better decisions in high-stakes environments. Throughout the conversation, Max introduces the concept of being "introspective about your perspective," and explains how elite performers build awareness, control their internal state, and lead their thinking—especially when everything around them feels chaotic. He breaks down what separates the mentally elite from others, highlighting the importance of emotional regulation, intentional self-talk, and the ability to downshift in moments of intensity. You'll also hear practical tools you can apply immediately—including breathing techniques for rapid regulation, the role of biofeedback in building awareness, and how to "be the commander of your brain" through intentional self-talk. Max emphasizes that lessons are everywhere—if you're willing to reflect, learn, and apply them. This episode is a masterclass in cognitive performance—showing you how to build clarity, confidence, and control so you can perform at your best, especially when the pressure is highest. You'll Learn: • What separates mentally elite performers in high-stakes environments • How to regulate stress and stay composed under pressure • The power of "introspective about your perspective" • A simple breathing tool to downshift and regain control • How imagery and biofeedback can enhance performance • Why self-talk is critical—and how to "command your brain" • One key strategy to perform more consistently when it matters most Episode Resources & Links Watch the Mental Performance Summit: https://mentalperformancesummit.org/ Learn more about the Mentally Strong Institute: https://mentallystronginstitute.com/ Download the National Confidence Research Study: https://confidencestudy.com/ Request a Free Mental Breakthrough Call with a Mentally Strong Coach: https://freementalbreakthroughcall.com/ Follow Max on LinkedIn: Maximilian Pollack, CMPC, BCB | LinkedIn

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is inserting Christian nationalism into the culture and policy of the armed forces, and that's drawing concern both inside and outside the military. The Pentagon had spent years making non-Christians feel more welcome, but as Washington Post religion reporter Michelle Boorstein explains, Hegseth has rolled back that work in favor of a particular brand of evangelical Christianity. And in headlines, President Donald Trump shares an expletive-laden Easter message for Iran, U.S. Special Operations forces rescue Air Force members who were shot down, and the administration argues that construction of a $400 million ballroom is a matter of national security.Show Notes: Check out Michelle's reporting https://tinyurl.com/3rr9fwxv Sign up for the Empire City Podcast Club at crookedideas.org/empirecity Call Congress – 202-224-3121 Subscribe to the What A Day Newsletter – https://tinyurl.com/y4y2e9jy What A Day – YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@whatadaypodcast Follow us on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/crookedmedia/ For a transcript of this episode, please visit crooked.com/whataday

Day 38 of the Iran escalation and the stakes just got even higher. In this episode of the Mike Force Podcast, I break down Trump's explosive warning to bomb Iran “back to the Stone Age,” what that actually means strategically, and why the rhetoric signals a major shift in how this conflict could escalate from pressure campaign to full infrastructure warfare. I also cover the newly released details of one of the most daring combat search and rescue missions in modern history, as U.S. Special Operations forces pushed deep behind enemy lines in Iran to recover two downed F-15E crew members after their jet was shot down near Isfahan. Reports now indicate a massive multi-aircraft rescue package, CIA deception operations, aircraft destroyed on the ground to prevent capture, and a brutal behind-enemy-lines extraction under real risk of Iranian interception. This is a full breakdown of what happened, what it tells us about U.S. capabilities, and what comes next in the Iran war.New Channel https://youtube.com/ ⁨@mikepreachingtothechoir⁩  Follow the underground https://patreon.com/mikegloverGet your Carnivault Subscription and Save on Changing Beef Prices by locking in your prices - The best freeze dried meat for prep or dinner. Use “MG10” to save!CARNIVAULT BULK PURCHASEEmail Support@SurvivalDispatch.com to get put on the list.You will not be sent any unsolicited emails. You will only receive instructions directly from CarniVault. We put together this bulk buy because of looming major food shortages in America. There is ZERO financial gain for us. We do not get affiliate compensation on any sales.https://www.carnivault.com/promo-packs Wastach Wagyu Beef Premium Meat Snacks "MG20" saves 20% off!New Bundle Pack from WWhttps://wasatchwagyu.com/product/wagyu-sweet-spicy-stick-bundle-hot-honey/Follow me on Instagram https://instagram.com/mikegloveractual https://instagram.com/mike.a.gloverMy Book Prepared https://a.co/d/08TMwNe1