Podcasts about vfw

Get one free month of service when you make the switch to Patriot Mobile and use Promo Code "WOLF"   https://patriotmobile.com/partners/wolfPatriot Mobile donates a portion of every dollar earned to organizations that fight for causes you care about.Patriot Mobile has exceptional 4G & 5G nationwide coverage and uses all the same towers the main carriers use. Patriot Mobile offers a Contract Buy-Out. This offer allows new customers to buy out a current device from their departing carrier and receive up to $500 per device applied as a credit on their phone bill. What kind of a reaction do you get when you just want a little private time after a long day? Is it possible for Navy guys in WW2 to go to the bathroom in peace?  Find out, the answers to these questions and more on this weeks "sode" of The Cammo Comedy Show Podcast!If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations.  

Get one free month of service when you make the switch to Patriot Mobile and use Promo Code "WOLF"   https://patriotmobile.com/partners/wolfPatriot Mobile donates a portion of every dollar earned to organizations that fight for causes you care about.Patriot Mobile has exceptional 4G & 5G nationwide coverage and uses all the same towers the main carriers use. Patriot Mobile offers a Contract Buy-Out. This offer allows new customers to buy out a current device from their departing carrier and receive up to $500 per device applied as a credit on their phone bill. When is it appropriate to send a care package to a military member? Is it possible for the Air Force to get SCUBA Certified and everything to go well?  Find out, the answers to these questions and more on this weeks "sode" of The Cammo Comedy Show Podcast!If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations.  

Rob Couture is joined by Brittany Dymond Murray and members of VFW Post 152 in this pre-Independence Day episode of #StillServing to explore the powerful true story behind the podcast Deep Cover: The Truth About Sarah. They reflect on how the Post weathered a major deception, maintained integrity, and continued serving their community with purpose and pride. From verifying service eligibility to navigating public fallout and strengthening community trust, this episode highlights the importance of transparency, resilience, and the enduring commitment to support fellow veterans—no matter the challenge. Featured Guests:   David Ainslie – Post Commander, VFW Post 152 Justin Hsu – Member, VFW Post 152 Brittany Dymond Murray – Co-host & Associate Director, VFW Communications & Public Affairs Ryan Gallucci – Executive Director, VFW Washington Office Mike Figlioli – Director, VFW National Veterans Service Nancy Springer – Associate Director, VFW National Legislative Service   Episode Highlights:  0:00 Introductions and new studio setup 1:57 Preview of topics: Deep Cover, VFW community impact, action alerts, and July 4th 3:45 Overview of the Sarah saga—early impressions of Deep Cover podcast 8:31 Guest introduction: David Ainslie and Justin Hsu from Post 152 17:17 Personal reflections on service, illness, and continuing to support others 28:17 Community response post-scandal and long-term recovery 38:17 Final thoughts from Post 152: “Still Serving is a mindset, not a motto” 40:31 VFW in the Community 1:30:40 Good of the Order   For more information or to continue the conversation, please visit: Veterans of Foreign Wars Website VFW Podcast Page @VFWHQ on Twitter VFW on Facebook @VFWSTILLSERVING on YouTube @RobCoutureVFW on Facebook Call 1-888-JOIN-VFW Text “NEEDS” to 20222 to donate to the Unmet Needs Program. Today's VFW — Share Your #StillServing Story Sports Clips Help A Hero — Text HERO to 71777 to donate online     Deep Cover: Sarah Cavanaugh was many things to the people who knew her: A decorated veteran. A Marine who saved her comrades. A young woman fighting cancer. She was stoic, humble, tough. In short: a hero. Sarah was everything people wanted her to be—until she wasn't. Turns out, no one knew the real Sarah. Pulitzer Prize winner Jake Halpern and acclaimed investigative journalist Jess McHugh unravel the stolen valor story of Sarah Cavanaugh's epic six-year deception that upended the lives of countless people. To this day, much of this story is shrouded in mystery—there was never a trial and most of the people involved, including victims and investigators, have never spoken publicly in any depth. Until now. In Deep Cover, Jake and Jess interview all of the story's major characters—including Sarah, herself—to tell this sprawling tale. Binge Deep Cover: The Truth About Sarah wherever you get your podcasts. Link: lnk.to/DCVFW   Medal of Honor: Rewarded for bravery that goes above and beyond the call of duty, the Medal of Honor is the United States' top military decoration. Medal of Honor: Stories of Courage is a podcast about the heroes who have distinguished themselves by acts of heroism and courage that have saved lives. From Judith Resnik, the second woman in space, to Daniel Daly, one of only 19 people to have received the Medal of Honor twice, these are stories about those who have done the improbable and unexpected, who have sacrificed something in the name of something much bigger than themselves. Every Wednesday on Medal of Honor, U.S. Army veteran J.R. Martinez uncovers what their experiences tell us about the nature of sacrifice, why people put their lives in danger for others, and what happens after you've become a hero. Listen to Medal of Honor: Stories of Courage wherever you get podcasts. Link: lnk.to/MOHVFW 

Scot and Jeff discuss Bob Seger with Tim Constantine.Introducing the Band:Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Tim Constantine. Today you see him interviewing presidents and prime ministers on The Capitol Hill Show out of Washington, D.C., but Tim got his broadcasting start in rock radio when he was just 13 years old. Watch Tim Constantine's Capitol Hill Show and find him on X at @timconstantine1.Tim's Music Pick: Bob SegerBursting out of the Detroit rock scene in the late '60s, Bob Seger paid his dues in smoky bars and VFW halls before finally breaking through with Live Bullet and Night Moves. It wasn't overnight success. Seger's story begins in the early 1960s and includes a string of quality albums in the early 1970s that the artist refuses to allow to be streamed or rereleased in any way. Seger's raspy voice and working-class storytelling made him the unofficial bard of the Midwest — writing songs that felt like they were ripped straight from America's small town backroads and main streets. Seger had a gift for writing anthems that balanced nostalgia with grit, “Night Moves” and “Mainstreet” chief among them. He followed his smash hit album with a fish-out-of-water follow-up that spoke to some of his uncomfortableness with the spotlight. In the '80s, Seger leaned into his role as rock's reliable everyman. With songs like “Against the Wind” and “Like a Rock,” he became the (literal) soundtrack for Forrest Gump and the voice that sold millions of Chevy pick-up trucks. Whether it was a prom slow dance or a late-night drive, Seger's songs were always there.His later albums didn't necessarily chase relevance — they just kept the flame alive. And when he finally hung it up after one last tour in 2019, he didn't exit with bombast and he hasn't teased the world with any number of comebacks. He seems content to have left listeners with a jukebox full of songs to enjoy. And it's likely you know far more of them than you might think.If you're a fan of old time rock and roll, well, this might be the episode for you. 

What does it take to lead at every level and shape the leaders of tomorrow? SUMMARY Long Blue Line podcast host, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99 sat with Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Sherman '95, the U.S. Air Force Academy's vice superintendent, for a deep dive into leadership, humanity and building a world-class service academy. This episode is packed with wisdom for aspiring, emerging, and seasoned leaders alike.   SHARE LINKEDIN  |  FACEBOOK   GEN. SHERMAN'S TOP 10 LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS  - Leadership is a human experience - focus on connecting with and caring about people.  - Love what you do and love the people you lead; passion inspires others to follow you.  - Embrace failures and challenges as opportunities for personal growth and development.  - Set the right culture and values within your team to build trust and mutual support.  - Be present and engaged with your team, understanding their motivations and experiences.  - Leadership is about more than rank or position - it's about earning genuine trust and respect.  - Invest time in understanding different generations, cultural nuances, and individual perspectives.  - Balance professional excellence with personal growth and life experiences.  - Support your team's development by providing encouragement and holding them accountable.  - Your legacy is built through individual interactions and the positive impact you have on people's lives.   CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction to Major General Thomas P. Sherman 01:29 Choosing Leadership Over Flying 07:23 The Impact of Mentorship and Values 12:46 Heritage and Evolution of Security Forces 17:43 Personal Growth in Aviano, Italy 24:17 The Importance of Work-Life Balance 29:50 Culminating Command Experience at Bagram 42:25 The Role of Family in Leadership 51:29 Continuous Self-Improvement as a Leader 56:27 Embracing Failure as a Growth Opportunity 01:00:06 Legacy and the Impact of Leadership   ABOUT GEN. SHERMAN BIO Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Sherman is the Vice Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. He is serving as the chief operations officer to the Superintendent and overseeing the Academy's blend of military training, academics, athletics, and character development for cadets. Gen. Sherman commissioned in 1995 from the Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. He built a distinguished career as a security forces officer. He's held command at nearly every level. His key assignments include leadership of the 88th Air Base Wing at Wright-Patterson AFB and critical staff positions at the Pentagon. In May 2024, Gen. Sherman was tapped to serve as the Academy's Vice Superintendent   CONNECT WITH GEN. SHERMAN LINKEDIN     ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS       TRANSCRIPT SPEAKERS Guest, Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Sherman '95  |  Host, Lt. Col. (ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99   Naviere Walkewicz  00:00 Welcome to Long Blue Leadership, the podcast where we share insights on leadership through the lives and experiences of Air Force Academy graduates. I'm Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99 today. I'm joined by a leader whose career has taken him from the flight line to the halls of Congress and now back to the very institution that launched it all. Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Sherman currently serves as vice superintendent of the Air Force Academy, where he plays a critical role in guiding the development of our future officers and ensuring the Academy remains a world class institution for leadership, character and Day 1 readiness to win the future fight. A 1995 Academy graduate, Gen. Sherman has spent nearly three decades serving in key operational, strategic and command roles. He's led at every level, from squadron to wing command, and his assignments have included everything from nuclear security enterprise to homeland defense, policy development at the Pentagon, and legislative affairs at the highest levels of the Department of the Air Force. Prior to his role as vice superintendent, Gen. Sherman served in the Office of the Deputy Secretary of Defense, where he was a principal military assistant leading policy integration across joint staff, interagency services and combatant commands. He's perhaps best known in command circles for leading the 88th Air Base wing at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, one of the largest and most complex wings in the Air Force, with a focus on people first, leadership and mission excellence. Gen. Sherman, welcome to Long Blue Leadership. We're so glad you're here too.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  01:32 It is great to be here. Thank you.   Naviere Walkewicz  01:33 We're excited and we're going to dive right in, because I think what is so special for our listeners is really hearing these moments that have changed your life. I'd like to start at the Academy. You turned down a pilot slot. You were rated, but said no.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  01:48 Well, actually it was a little bit before that. You know, it's kind of interesting, because that was the draw that brought me here, is I just had this incredible passion to want to fly, and I love flying, and I truly enjoyed it, especially through all the different airmanship programs and things like and things like that we had here. The experiences were fantastic. But, you know, as I was starting to learn more about myself going through the Academy, I was starting to feel my heart getting pulled in a direction of wanting to really lead people and really spend a lot of time working with the enlisted. And I think that came from a couple different areas. I think it was some really unique exposure that I got during my ops Air Force time, which I went to Ramstein Air Base in Germany, during ops, and just had our action officer that worked this, I think just did a phenomenal job. And I really started getting pulled to what was then called security police. That is actually when Laurie and I got together and started dating, because Laurie is here in Colorado Springs, but she grew up as an Air Force brat. My father-in-law is a retired Chief Master Sgt., and so there was a lot of mentorship that was taking place around dining room table when I was a young cadet. And I think one of the things that her parents really taught me was just the value of the enlisted force, and so I was feeling my heart really getting pulled. And so obviously, there's a conundrum. There's a conundrum on what were the root desires that brought me here — what were the things that I was learning as a cadet, my joy of flying, and also, particularly the culture at that time, was that that was really the job that you needed to aspire to be, that was the expectation of cadets. And so then to really kind of run counter to that strong current was really kind of a unique, you know, almost unnavigated area, right? And so to really kind of take the story out to its next level is that I'd really gotten to a point where talking with people there — we hadn't had the AMT program, but there were these NCOs that were kind of tangentially attached to cadet squadrons. And so I got a chance to talk to one of the master sergeants that was there who was a maintainer by background. And I was kind of pouring my heart out to him on, you know, what had I been talking to him with my now in-laws, about where was my heart pulling me? And so he said, ‘Give me just a second.' And he picked up the phone, and he called my AOC and he goes, ‘Hey, you're gonna be there for a little while.' And this was a Friday afternoon. He said, ‘I got a cadet that needs to come talk to you.' And he hangs up the phone and he goes, ‘Now you go tell your AOC what you just told me.' And so I ended up going to my AOCs office that day, and we had about a two-hour conversation about this. I sat down and really, kind of took the time to explain to him what was I feeling, And obviously, I really try to see the best in people. And so I think from a noble place, he was doing his best to convince me that I was making a grave mistake. And went on to talk to me about what his concerns were, the career field that I was looking at, things along those lines. And we can save that conversation for another time, but I think really where the foundation came in is where we started to talk about leadership. And you know, what I was asking him to do was to pull my rated recommendation form, so we had just submitted them, and I was asking him to pull my rated recommendation form. I didn't want to compete for it anymore. And so we started to talk about leadership. And he says, ‘Hey, Cadet Sherman, you need to understand that leadership in this Air Force is being the lead F-16 pilot on a bombing run, you know, putting iron on target.' And that's true. It's a very important part of leadership. It is a very important part of tactical operational leadership in this Air Force. So he's not wrong in that space. But I was looking at it from a different lens, and I was looking at it, I think, on a larger level. And what I don't think he realized is that 30 seconds before I walked into his office, he set me up for success. I just happened to be waiting outside the office, and all of a sudden, I looked on his cork board, and somebody, and I don't know who it was, had pinned a note that was written to Airman Magazineby an airman first class. And this airman first class titled this, “I need a leader.” And this A1C felt so strongly about what they were feeling — and I have no idea who this person was — felt so strongly about it that they put pen to paper, and this would have been the fall of 1994, and sent this into Airman Magazine, and it says, “I need a leader.” Commissioning sources. ‘Send us lieutenants that we can look up to that will hold us accountable when we do wrong, that will encourage us when we do well, that will be an example that we can look up to, that will care about us as human beings, because you are not sending them to us now. Air Force, I need a leader.' Like that 30 seconds just before I walked into his office — that changed my life, and it changed my life, because for me, at that moment, what I was getting ready to go ask my AOC to do, what I was looking at inside myself, that became my charge. And so as we spoke, you know, 20-year-old Cadet First Class Sherman — I might have been a 21-year-old at the time — Cadet First Class Sherman pushed back on my AOC, and I said, ‘Sir, I disagree.' I said, ‘I want to be that guy. I want to be that guy that that A1c is asking for on your cork board outside, because that's leadership in this Air Force.' And so, to his credit, he said, ‘Hey, I want you to go think about this over the weekend. You know, think about what you're doing. Come back to me on Monday. No questions asked. I'll pull it if you want me to.' And I left there, and I remember feeling like, not like a weight had been lifted off my shoulder, but I almost felt like this sense of like, ‘Now I've got my purpose,' because that little article has shaped me my entire career, and I mean to this day, and at a scale. You know, as a lieutenant, my scale is this big on what I'm affecting to help do and be what that A1C needs to a wing commander. I always keep it in the back of my head, and after all of these years, I am still thinking about, Am I doing right by that A1C that 31 years ago, felt so strongly about something that they wrote a note to Airman Magazine, and that became my charge.   Naviere Walkewicz  08:09 That is incredibly powerful. I'm a little bit without words, because I'm thinking about, first off, being brave enough to disagree with an AOC. I mean, I think that takes courage in showing your leadership there. Were you always like that? Have you always been someone that is steadfast in a decision and being able to kind of speak out?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  08:30 So I get that from my parents. And, you know, I grew up in Corona, California. My mom and dad are amazing people. And we didn't grow up with a lot of money, and we grew up from a pretty meager background, and my mom and dad had made a decision early on in their marriage, when they had my sister and I, that my mom was going to focus to make sure that Nancy and I got an education, and my dad was going to work as many jobs as he had to to put food on the table. And sometimes my dad was holding down three jobs to make sure that we had nutritious food to eat, and my mom was working miracles to make sure that we were fed well, but that also that she was dedicated and had the time to volunteer for things like PTA, being involved as a class volunteer, making sure that we were involved in things and had exposure to things that what they did was they also instilled in me this really strong blue collar work ethic. And it was this aspect of, if I just roll up my sleeves and put in the work, anything is possible. And so on that line, this young kid growing up with a West Coast father and an East Coast mother, and just this, really neat family background that things for me, that I believed in I would go after with all of my heart and soul. And so I found out about the Academy when I was 12 years old. And so, you know, when I at 12 years — we were going to a community event there in Corona, and there was an officer recruiter — Capt. Craig. was her name — and we started talking. She says, ‘Hey, did anybody talk to you about the Air Force Academy?' And I said, ‘No, this sounds great.' So from there, I just made this decision as a 12-year-old, and I worked all the way through junior high and high school to get here, because to go to your point like, ‘I made a decision, I'm gonna see this thing through.'   Naviere Walkewicz  10:30 Whoa. OK, so you knew you were going to the Academy before you graduated high school.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  10:35 Yes, in my mind, there was no other option.   Naviere Walkewicz  10:39 And so anyone in your family serve, or were you the first one in your family to serve?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  10:43 So I am the first officer and career member of the family. My dad was drafted and went to Vietnam in 1967 and stayed through Tet of 1968. I had an uncle, Harry Lee Schmidt, who was a C-47 loadmaster in World War II and Korea, and my grandfather was actually a part of the initial kind of what was the foundation of the OSS and the Navy doing beach recon on beaches in the South Pacific, prior to island hopping campaign and island landings. And so there was this real heritage of service, right? Just not career service. But even then, as a kid, I always had in my mind, ‘OK, one way or another, I'm going to serve, and if I do an enlistment and then go to college afterwards —' but I had this idea that, ‘OK, I'm going to serve,' and then all of a sudden, this became this amazing conduit that got me here, right?   Naviere Walkewicz  11:38 And they also had ties to aviation. How did they feel about your decision, your family?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  11:43 It was interesting, because they knew how passionate I was about aviation growing up. I mean, we did not miss an air show at March Air Force Base, the Chino air show, which was planes of fame, which was all historic aircraft. I volunteered as a high school student to work there, and we helped restore airplanes with me and my friends. You know, it was interesting, because my parents were very supportive in ‘OK, where's your heart leading you? And, what makes you feel so strongly about this?' Because when I first talked to him on the phone, I called him from Ramstein Air Base and said, ‘Hey, I think I know what I want to do in the Air Force. I want to go to security police. And my mom was like, ‘What's that? And, so, as time went by and I explained it, I think my parents probably all along knew that that was probably going to be a very good fit. And then after commissioning and at my first assignment, I think that they were certain of it, right? Yeah, they were absolutely certain.   Naviere Walkewicz  12:37 That is amazing. Well, I want to dive into this profession a bit, because it's interesting. You know, you've mentioned, when you came in, it was security police, and, security forces and you hear people saying defenders and peacekeepers. So there's this lineage and this heritage. Can you maybe talk a little bit about that and then maybe lead us into that next transformational moment that you might have had in this role?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  12:58 OK, I'm very proud of the fact that, you know, I am part of an ever decreasing group of folks that came in when we were still security police, and that was really still the peacekeeper days, because this was all kind of the follow on on the Cold War. The peacekeepers were our cold warriors and that was a huge part. Our defenders came in and really, that name started to really grow in 1997 when the name changed from security police to security forces, and we were actually going back to some of our heritage that was in Operation Safeside, which was the combat security police squadrons in Vietnam. So when you think about the courage that was displayed during the Tet Offensive at places like Tan Son Nhat that those were safe side warriors that were a part of these combat security police squadrons. And so the very — part of the lineage of the very beret, and flash that we have is actually a tip of the hat to the lighter blue berets, and that flash with the Falcon and the crossed runways that goes back, actually, to our Safeside heritage days. The beret goes back even farther than that. It goes back to Strategic Air Command, Elite Guard back in the 1950s. So it's this great lineage. And so, you know, for me, part of it was like when I got my first beret, wow, that meant something to me. And then, you know, as we then kind of transformed along the way, and this amazing career field grew, and the aspects of this air based ground defense, which was really, I would say, was kind of the draw that got me into wanting to go into security police, was I really liked this idea of, ‘How do we do base defense?' The law enforcement side was intriguing to me, but it was based defense that just had me just had me captivated.   Naviere Walkewicz  14:44 And was that something that you found out early in your career? After you graduate the Academy, you're now in security police. Is that when you kind of realized, ‘This is where I want to go in, air, base, ground defense.'?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  14:54 It even happened at ops. So as we were spending time with the security police squadron, I ended up spending time with a captain who was heading up the Elite Guard, and there was an interaction we had as I was doing a ride along. He's like, ‘Hey, you need to come see me.' And so I went and met up with him, and he took me around and introduced me to all of his airmen that were part of the guard. He knew something all about them. And then we went to his office and talked, and he had gone to Ranger School and Airborne and things like that, and said, ‘Hey, like, the future of the career field is actually us looking to the past.' And really kind of got me fired up on what we call back then, air base ground defense. So when I got to McChord — McChord Air Force Base was my first duty station. And the great thing about going to AMC first is it AMC is a mobility — I mean, it is all about mobility and the operations associated with it. And so the first thing that that my task was as the second lieutenant in that squadron was, I was the air base ground defense flight commander. So that was, I mean — we would go out to Fort Lewis, and we would bivouac for days. And I had, you know, a 44 person team that was a base defense sector. I had specialized K-9 units heavy weapons. And back in those days, we had 81mm mortar teams and fire direction centers that we would set up. So I just got completely on board with the air base defense piece. And so that was that was very passionate for me, which then made the next step to Korea an absolutely logical next location, going to the wolf pack at Kunsan, not only getting a chance to then stand up Gwangju as a part of the first Air Expeditionary Unit to go back to Korea since the Korean War, but then doing the mobile reserve aspect of it. And it was just a great assignment.   Naviere Walkewicz  16:40 Wow. So you were right in from the very beginning. You got kind of just into it all.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  16:45 So when we go back, when you were talking to me about, ‘Hey, when you make your mind up...' So I had this five-year plan built out. And, you know, my five-year plan was ‘OK, I'm gonna do my first assignment at the first opportunity to PCS. I need to go remote. I need to go to Korea. And then, OK, how can I get another overseas assignment after that? And then what do I need?' So the thought was, “Let me get to as many match comms as I can, as fast as I can in my career, and use that as a place — OK, because I want to build my experience base out. Because even as a lieutenant and young captain, I didn't want to come across as a one-trick pony. So my thought was, “Let me just get as much as I could under my belt early on.' And so after I left Kunsan, I ended up going to Aviano Air Base in Italy, which, for me, when you look at like those moments in life that are transformational, this was transformational on a different level. You know, some assignments you go to are very much professional growth assignments. This assignment, for me, was very much a personal growth assignment.   Naviere Walkewicz  17:52 OK, so tell me more.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  17:55 I mean, when you think about it, four years at USAFA, very uniquely focused on a plate that is overflowing with things that you need to get done. So you are, you're focused on, you know, everything from grades to military training to all of those things. And then I get to my first base, and I am just working, and I'm volunteering for everything, and we have got a heavy ops tempo of exercises and things like that. And my leadership was fantastic, because they were throwing me into every opportunity I could. And then, boom, I go to Korea, and that is a unique warfighting focused — and at Kunsan especially was heavily warfighting focused. So now all of a sudden I am spending really, when you think about it, the last almost seven years being uniquely focused on mission, right? And so I get to Aviano Air Base, Italy, and the first thing that happens is Operation Allied Force kicks off. So I get there in January, boom. Allied Force kicks off. I think it was in end of February, beginning of March. And wow, what? Again, what an amazing, mission focused experience. And then after we finished up Allied Force and the base returned back to more of its steady-state standpoint, it was the Italians that took me under their wings, that because I made a specific choice, because I grew up — my mom's side of the family are all Italian immigrants — and I was always at my Nonnie and Papa's house, and there was just a lot of that growing up, which is that whole, like, you know, West Coast dad, East Coast mom thing, but I didn't know, you know, my mom and her brothers never spoke Italian. And there was a lot of that, that thought back in those days that, you know, ‘Hey, we're here to be American, so we're going to learn English, and we're not going to speak, you know, the language that we came from,' right? And so my mom and her brothers really never learned to speak Italian. And so my thought was, ‘Gosh, I grew up with this as such a strong part of my childhood that I need to put myself in a position where I can learn the language and start to kind of get an appreciation on the culture. Together.' And so I specifically — and really lucked out on a location, but I was about 20 kilometers away from Aviano. I was in an amazing town. I was the only American living in the complex that I was in. So I was like, ‘If I'm going to learn, I need to just dive in the way that you do, in the way that I do, and just start learning.' And so I ended up kind of building this support group of Italian families that all kind of took me under their wings.   Naviere Walkewicz  20:27 Wait, I have to ask you a question, because back when you're at the Academy, you said you spoke to your now in-laws. So was Laurie not a part of this?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  20:35 So Laurie and I, right. So that's an important part of the story. Laurie and I dated for two years while I was a cadet, and when I was in tech school, her and I made the very difficult decision — and as painful it was — to part ways, so her and I actually parted ways for a few years. I was single at the time. Laurie was still here in Colorado Springs, and I was getting a lot of assignments under my belt, which, to be honest with you, you know, in retrospect, it was very fortunate, because I may not have made the same assignment choices had I been married at the time. And because I wasn't married, there were no other variables that I needed to factor in, other than personal experience goals, right, that I wanted to play into, and so I could just put down whatever assignment I wanted, and that allowed me the opportunity to just focus on job. And while Laurie and I stayed in touch, and I stayed in touch with her parents over the years, I was in Aviano, and her and I were not together at that point,   Naviere Walkewicz  21:39 That makes sense. I was like, why were you alone in Italy?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  21:43 It's a fair question. But I also think that being single in that environment allowed me — and that's where I think it helped me develop as a person. And so there are a lot of, I think, really wonderful things that happened during that time, and that was because I was so uniquely mission focused. It was these, this amazing group of Italian friends together, that really kind of taught me about there, there's a time to relax, you know, there's a time to work, there's a time to relax, and there's also a real human need to enjoy life and enjoy time together, which is quintessentially Italian. And so, as my pool of this, these amazing people — that  by the way, for the last 25 years, we've been going to visit. It's the same families that took me under their wings when I was a lieutenant, are the same families that were all tuning in as we were doing a live stream of me pinning on my second star. And so I've never been stationed anywhere else in my career where I felt more at home. And so I think this sense of like, ‘Wow. This like independently as my own person, this feels like home.' And as time went by and I started to get an appreciation for actually things that were a part of my childhood. Because, you know, we would have these long, huge meals, we would spend four or five hours at the table as a family. And for me, this was all normal. Well, that was also a part of kind of normal Italian life and normal Italian culture. You're not going out to dinner with your friends unless you're investing at least three hours at the restaurant. But for me, this was all — this felt normal to me. And so it was about, you know, you don't need to eat your food in five minutes.   Naviere Walkewicz  So contrary to USAFA, by the way.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN You know, you don't need to chew no more than seven times and swallow. So it was about experiencing that, and learning even just some things that became personal passions. Like, you know, how wine is made and why wine pairing matters, and how is this process? And so all of a sudden, this personal experience — and I think growing as a human being was taking place there, and I was maturing as a human being because I had gotten all of this phenomenal job experience under my belt, but this was where I was growing as a human being. And you know what's interesting, as time has gone by, I have noticed just how impactful that time was, because there are things that I've noticed, even as a senior officer, that I feel very strongly about, that I don't think I felt as strongly about as a junior officer, and it was because of that experience, and it was the aspect of when people are on leave, let's let them take leave. There is a part of the human experience that you need to enjoy time with people that you care about, because what it does is you're not slacking off from work. You're not leaving everybody hanging. What's happening is that, because you're taking some time to just enjoy life with people you care about, when you come back, the restorative effects that have taken place because you simply breathe and you enjoyed what it was that you were doing and whatever your passion was, you know, unencumbered, you could enjoy that. And we all realize that there are times, especially as you get into positions of authority, that, hey, they're going to need to call you periodically. But what was interesting is that, especially, I mean, I'll give an example as a wing commander. As a wing commander, despite realizing how important that mission is and how big Wright-Patt was, we, Laurie and I took leave, and we took two weeks of leave, and we went back to Italia and visited our friends and enjoyed life, because the culture helps us to slow down. But what it also did is I gave my staff some parameters. ‘Hey, here are the things that I think are important, like on a scale of one to 10. Here are the things that I think are an eight. So an eight or higher, call me. Don't text me.' I said, ‘Physically call me, because I will answer the phone knowing it's for — and then you have my undivided attention.' But what it also does is it means that my vice wing commander who is there, that I am empowering my vice wing commander and showing to everybody else I trust this leader to lead this wing in my absence. And if it's something that really needs my involvement, they'll get a hold of me. But I think our junior leaders need to see that at the senior most levels, that I can physically trust and emotionally trust my vice, my deputy, to hold things down while I'm gone, and that I'm not irreplaceable, and that if I did my job as a leader, I set the conditions that allowed the wing to thrive in my absence, and didn't mean that the wing had to hang on every decision I made or every word that I said, that I set the conditions that allowed them to be successful and fostered the leadership that allowed them to lead in my absence. And I felt great while I was gone, because I knew the people that we had there, and I knew the investment that we made in them. So that was kind of a long, you know, trip around this…   Naviere Walkewicz  27:26 I mean, I think it was so powerful that you kind of learned that about yourself in Italy. And then would you say that there was anyone that you saw emulating that? Or was it just something over time, you developed this realization that you need to enjoy life and you need to allow people the space to do so.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  27:43 So I would say the people that I was emulating in that aspect were a lot of the families that were there. I have been fortunate that I have worked for some commanders who, at different times in their life felt the same way. Conversely, I also worked for commanders that did not feel the same way. And, you know, an interesting case in point on something that on an experience I had in a command bill and after I had left Aviano — this is when Laurie and I were back together; we were married at this point. I had a group commander that was frustrated about me taking leave and called me every day at 1500; every day at 1500 I got a telephone call. And you know what that does is now all of a sudden, you're eating lunch, and the clock is getting closer to 1500 and you start to get that knot in your stomach and you're like, ‘OK, what are we going to talk about today?' And so, unfortunately you don't see some of the same appreciation for that across the board. So how do we deal with it? The best thing that we deal with it is that that's where the buck stops. We don't pass it down to our people. So after I got the call from him, I didn't call back to the squadron. I got the call from him. We went through the call, we answered the questions, and I didn't then immediately turn around and call back to my ops officer who was running the Squadron at the time, and say, XYZ. And we just left it there, because at that point in time, the bucks got to stop it at that point. So I think that that's kind of the, you know, the alpha and the omega of learning and then also having your own personal resilience and courage to say, ‘I accept that the buck stops here, and I'm not going to let this roll downhill to my people.'   Naviere Walkewicz  29:41 That's an excellent leadership lesson, because I was going to ask you, ‘What does that look like, and how would you how would you handle that?' And so you went right into that. Thank you so much for that. So what has it been like leading security forces — defenders? What's it been like? Has there been a moment in time where — a particular assignment or something's really stuck into your mind or into your heart, because it's just really affected you?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  30:05 Absolutely. I will tell you, as we go back, as we were kind of talking about decisions that you make in your youth, and that critical decision that I made in the fall of '94 I mean, I have worked with some of the most amazing people I've worked in my life. I have gotten a chance to go to places I never thought that I would see. And so, when you kind of roll up, I would say it was my final squadron command, and I would say that that was a real culminating squadron command. So I commanded four squadrons, and we command early, and we command often, and there's a lot of responsibility that that's placed on us as young officers to command as a young officer. And so having the opportunity to command two times as a captain, or one time, you know, as a major-select, then as a major, then as a lieutenant colonel. So that culminating command would have been Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan in May of 2012 to May of 2013 and you know, it was interesting because all of my previous squadron commands had all been vested in either the contingency response or the kind of combat contingency environments. And it was almost like all of those were leading me to this moment. So let me just kind of set the conditions on what Bagram was like at that point in time. We had grown the squadron to about a 1,200-person squadron, huge squadron. And what we were also responsible for is we had taken over battle space ownership from the Army. So the Air Force was controlling 220 square miles of battle space throughout Parwan province, which is a huge. I mean, it's twice the size of Washington, D.C., if you want to try to give a comparison, more or less is fair to look at that level as just a huge amount of terrain in which our airmen were responsible from everything from humanitarian operations and goodwill outreach to engagements to literal kinetic action and combat in the battle space. And so a part of this culmination was, was an environment where as the defense force commander — as that squadron commander to them as a lieutenant colonel at that point — I mean how we are weaving ourselves into their lives, and how we are working with their section commanders, and how we're working and managing the value of our perimeter defenses with our teams that were going outside of the wire doing legitimate patrolling and engagement and things along those lines, was huge. And I think that that is an example. And when you look in the rearview mirror to say, ‘Gosh, now this, a lot of this makes sense, like all of these assignments, whether by design or whether by fate, somehow gave me an experience that at this moment, I needed it most.' And I think, as I talk, we've really enjoyed being here with the cadets and talking to them about, how does a leader really develop trust, and how does trust really manifest itself? And so, through the time that we were there, and the engagement as their leader — not just the leader who's just simply circulating, because that's important, but they also need to see your decision making and your strategic thought. And how do you react under pressure? How are you reacting as we've got incoming in, and what do you do being the person in the joint defense operations center, helping to manage that, and how are you both taking care of people, and how are you managing mission? And they see that. And so I would say that the development of that level of trust, especially in an environment where you are literally dealing with high costs, is huge. And so I think there was one, situation that really rests on my heart that and I don't talk about this to give validation, but I think I talk about it on it's about how people connect, and why do I feel so strongly that leadership is a human experience, like this is a what we are doing as a human experience. And so I was retiring my chief. So I was asked by my chief at Bagram — this was some years later. He's out of the 105th Base Defense Squadron out of the New York Air National Guard, and him and I were a phenomenal team there. Dave Pritchard and I just made a great team. And so he was retiring, and asked me to come back and do his retirement. So we had done the retirement ceremony. We were at the VFW afterwards, having his after-party and so forth. And so I had gone into the bathroom for a comfort break and washed my hands and things like that. And I noticed, as I was kind of moving towards the bathroom, there was kind of a young man who was kind of floating. You know, floating around. And so I came out of the restroom as I was finished, and he was waiting there at the exit of the restroom for me, and kind of, you know, got in front of me, and he stood there, and he looked at me, and he goes, ‘Hey, sir, I just, I needed to let you know this, that I was one of the airmen in one of your patrols that got hit by an IED, and he said, your investment in us, and the words that you used and when you came to talk to us, and the faith that you had in us gave me the courage to go back outside of the wire when you asked us to go back outside.' And so why that rests so heavy is when you think about what, what is the what is the con? The consequence there is that somebody believed in you so much that when you spoke to them and said the word, they were going to go back out and do it again, in spite of what had just happened to you. And I don't think there is any stronger level of trust that you can ask from somebody than to have one of those moments. And so that moment just resides very, very heavy on my soul, because I think it puts into real, tangible context, what is the responsibility of leadership? What is your responsibility of leadership?   Naviere Walkewicz  36:42 I'm letting that sit a little bit, because I can't even imagine the amount of feeling that you had first for him, the courage to share that with you. Because I'm sure that he really wanted to share that. I'm curious if you can remember perhaps, what he might have been referring to, like what you were sharing with the men and women there.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  37:02 So, you know, it was also a part of things that, in times after Bagram have really been used for me as a senior leader on why I reinforced the importance of values. And, this was one particular incident there that really comes to mind is, and I use this when I when I talk to people, because I again, it's the consequence, and it's why our responsibility as leaders to set the right conditions and culture and all of that is so incredibly valuable. And so I talked to people about a story about we had had a situation where we had some real destabilization in the battle space. There was a particular village that we were having some unique challenges with, and we were doing a lot of kind of battlefield shaping, and we were doing some particular village engagement, and the engagement just wasn't happening. And so we were now kind of starting to escalate our interaction with the village a little bit more and as we were doing that, we were now going to start doing more shaping operations. So it just so happens that one of these nights —this was in the late fall, early winter of 2012 — and we were sending one of our patrols outside to do some shaping and engagement operation there. But this was in the evening. This was a different aspect that we were working for this particular mission. And so mounted up that the airmen are ready to go. They're pushing outside, they're right on time, and everything is going according to plan, and they are getting close to what we call the objective rally point. So that was where they were going to rally up before they actually moved into the village after that. And so everything was going according to plan. And the only thing they needed to do before they got to the objective rally point was really kind of go down a small gully over a rise, and then they meet at their objective rally point at that point. And so teams are moving out. First truck over the rise, getting to the point. Second truck over, everything's going fine. Third truck over, fourth truck after that, BOOM, off goes the IED. And what had happened is, they were waiting for this opportunity, and they knew exactly what to do. And that is, if you hit the last truck in the movement, you've got three trucks that are gone ahead of time, and now we've got folks in a very precarious situation. And so what I talk to people about, when we talk about conditions and the real impact that a leader has, is I'll talk to them about who was in that truck, who was in that MRAP that we were sending down at that point in time. And inside that MRAP was the face of America. And the explosion was significant, and it did some considerable damage. It threw the engine out of it, penetrated the hole, ripped one of the doors off the side in the front. And so, you know, the truck commander was National Guard from, actually from Tennessee, and he had gotten injured, broken an arm because that door had peeled back. And as the door peeled back, his arm got caught and broke his arm. The driver, Asian American coming out of the state of California, active duty. He had injuries to his legs because of the penetration of the hole. We had a gunner up in the turret, African American female from the New York Air National Guard. She had a broken pelvis at the time, and she just stayed on the gun the entire time despite her injuries. We had our radio operator. European American female coming from the Midwest. She was actually Air Force Reserve. She had a case of TBI from the explosion, and she was still making calls on the radio. We had two of our riflemen in the back, both came from Hispanic heritage, one of them from Puerto Rican heritage, one of them from Mexican heritage. They were very fortunate that while they got tossed around the back and had some minor TBI issues, they were more or less bumps and bruises, and they were all by themselves. Yeah, because they were all alone, they were in the middle of Afghanistan, they had just gotten hit. And so for me, what's so important about that story is that if we did not set the right culture and the right values and the right expectations and be in a leader by example, and they were harassing each other on Bagram, and they were assaulting each other on Bagram, and they weren't respecting each other on Bagram, and they didn't care about each other on Bagram, they would have died out there that night. But they treated each other like a family, and they cared about each other like a family, and they took care of each other like a family that night, and they lived and they all came home. So for me, if we're going to talk about what is the true consequence of leadership — and I use consequence deliberately, because oftentimes that's used in a pejorative manner — but this is the true result of your actions, that if you don't set those conditions, then you are legitimately putting your people at risk. And so that whole experience at Bagram, and in so many ways that we all carry our scars and our bruises and things like that. I wouldn't trade that experience for the world, but that was tough. And I often describe it as a tale of two cities. You know, it was the best of times. It was the worst of times.   Naviere Walkewicz  42:34 I think a lot of times, when leaders go through experiences like that, they have some more fortunate than others, but a support network. And I would guess it would be your family. How has your family played a role in these moments in your life, in helping you as a leader?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  42:54 So I will say it's primarily my wife. I have got this wonderful support of parents and my in-laws and so forth. And what's been truly fortunate is how close I am with my in-laws. Because when Laurie and I were dating while I was a cadet, anytime I had an overnight or weekend pass, I was over at her mom and dad's house and so I think that being married to somebody that has truly known you from the beginning, you know, where, whether we got a training weekend going on, or something like that, or I'm working first BCT or whatnot, that Laurie was a unique part of all of these things. And I would say that it has been incredibly heartwarming to watch her interact with the cadets here, because it's fun, because her and I do everything together. And so as we're going to events, I'll have a group of cadets that I'm talking to, and then I'll look over and Laurie's surrounded by a group of cadets who are asking her just very insightful questions about our experiences together, and ‘Was it tough sending them away on deployments?' Or how, you know, in those tough times, ‘How do you how do you keep your marriage together?' Just really insightful questions to ask, but she has just been so central to everything that I do. And so going back a little bit and talking about, like the strength of our relationship and how much that helps, we actually needed to have that breakup period as horribly painful as that was, and wow, was I carrying a torch for her all of those years. I mean, I remember, you know, as time was going by, I would talk to my mom, and I'd be like, ‘Mom, I just wish that Laurie could see the man that I become.' But we needed that time because oftentimes, and what we found in ourselves, we didn't know it at the time, because you're living in your environment and you can't see it, right? Is that in youth, things are often absolutes. And you often will get to a place where you're starting your marriage, your relationship is growing. And if you start to talk about marriage, there are things that we have found were absolutes for us. You know, certain things that we did, how we practiced our faith. Did we open up presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, but the expectation was somebody was going to have to give up their particular tradition to conform to the tradition of one of the spouses. And in your youth, that seems reasonable, and I think we needed that time to be apart, having had that time together at such an important time in each of our lives here. But we needed that time apart, because I think we needed that frame of reference as we grew as people into adults. Grew as young adults. And now all of a sudden here I'm getting multiple assignments, and now being thrust into leadership positions with accountability and authority, and then coming back to that, all of a sudden, you're realizing, ‘Gosh, the world just isn't always in absolutes. And maybe a marriage doesn't have to be zero sum, but maybe a marriage can be positive sum.' And do we really have to make somebody give up something that is important to them, that is a part of their identity? Because somehow you feel like you have to conform your marriage into one side or the other. And so, I think for us that was that was so incredibly important. So to kind of get to that story is that, you know, I left Aviano and I went to Al Dhafra. I was in Al Dhafra actually for September 11. It was my first squadron command, but it was a squadron command I wasn't expecting, because I came there as a chief of security forces for about a 70-person security forces flight as a part of the 763rd Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron at Al Dhafra. And then all of a sudden, 9/11 happens, and we went from about 400 people on Al Dhafra to about 4,000. And you know, U-2s came in, ISR platforms came in. Everything changed. And all of a sudden, this 70-person security forces flight that I had grew into about a 350-person security forces squadron. And AFSET said, ‘Hey, Sherman, you built it, you keep it, and we'll replace you with a major when you leave.' And I was a six-year captain, and so then finishing up that assignment, and I got picked up for — there was a point to that story — but it was about coming back, is that, hey, I got these new, unique experiences that grew me under my belt. And then I came back to do an AFIT program at Cal State San Bernardino. And that was the moment that brought Laurie and I back together.   Naviere Walkewicz  In what way?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN And so, I had a health scare. Nobody knows what it was. We never figured it out. Doctors never figured it out. But it was one of those things, like, all of a sudden, I shotgun something out to everybody I knew. I said, ‘Hey, doctors are a little bit concerned, you know, keep me in your thoughts.' And so Laurie, Laurie is like, ‘Holy cow, you can't just send a one liner and leave it at that.' So she called my mom and dad and said, ‘What's his phone number?' And so it started to turn into ‘Hey, give me all of your test results after you get it back.' Then pretty soon we're talking a couple times a week, and then pretty soon we're talking every other day, and then we are talking every day. And the beauty of this was that we already knew each other, so we already knew what everybody's favorite color was — by the way, Laurie's is purple. We knew what music each other liked. We knew things about each other. And some of the things that actually drew us together when we were dating here was, you know, we had things like some common family traditions, like, you know, Italian fish on Christmas Eve and sitting around the table for hours and stuff like that were all things that we had in common. So we already knew that about each other. Now, her and I on the phone, we're getting into some real, like substantive discussions, children, faith. How do you how you raise children? How do you know, what are we going to do for different traditions? What happens if I have to take a remote; what does that mean? And so we were getting into these really, deep conversations. And, you know, I would come back from either class or then when I PCs to the security forces center out at Lackland, you know, I would come home from work, and this was in the old flip phone days where you had a battery that came off the back. So I would have one battery in the charger, and then I would have an earbud in, and I'd have the phone in my pocket. Yeah, and I'd come home and to call her, and we would just go throughout the evening. So I'm ironing BDUs at the time, shining my boots and stuff like that, and so, and we were just talking. And then we were just kind of like living life together. And, after that point, it became very clear that those two young people who sincerely cared about each other, now, each of us grew up and had experiences in a place that allowed us to really appreciate each other and really love each other. And you know, we were married just a little over a year after that. And it has been phenomenal, her support. And I think one of the great testaments to that was, 10 days after we got married, I went to Baghdad, but she's like, ‘I grew up in the Air Force. I know how this works. We're gonna move the house. I'll get the house put together.' And she's also a professional in her own right, which is great. So she was working in a legal office here as a paralegal and legal assistant here in Colorado Springs, and has been a GS employee for the last 18-plus years. So what's great is she, too has her own aspect of service. What I love about it is that in the jobs that she's in and then the jobs that I'm in, we can talk shop, and then we cannot talk shop, right? And so she's the first person I go to if I have to ask a question, she's the first person that I'll go to say, ‘Hey, did I do that right? Or do I need to backtrack on that a little bit?' Because she knows me, and she knows me completely, and that level of trust and love and faith that we have for each other has truly enabled me to be able to serve our airmen on a level that I don't think would have been possible without her.   Naviere Walkewicz  51:59 Would you say that she's had a role in your development as a leader, in the way that you lead.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  52:05 Oh, absolutely, absolutely, because, and I love it, because her experience as a brat and her dad as a chief gives her a very unique lens to look through. And so the advice that she gives me she can give me from her teenage self in some way, you know, from that experience, watching how her dad interacted with something or knowing her aspect about this. And then as she's developed professionally, working on the E-Ring at the Pentagon a couple different times, working for very senior leaders, knows how to navigate that space. So then I'll go to her for advice, like, ‘Hey, how did your boss handle something like this?' ‘Well, let me tell you what, how we work through this...' And so I would absolutely say that that Laurie has uniquely influenced and helped me to become the best version of myself that I can be.   Naviere Walkewicz  53:03 Wow. Well, I want to ask you a little bit about developing yourself as well, because one of the questions we like to ask is, what are you doing every day to make yourself a better leader? Can you share what that might be?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  53:17 I've said it a couple times during this: I truly believe that leadership is a human experience, so for me, it's about the interaction. And so oftentimes, advice that I've given to people — like there are amazing resources abound that can help people, give people leadership perspectives, and we can either learn it from history, or we can learn it through study. We can learn it through analysis. We can learn it through books. And I've always talked to people about use the external tools that help to grow you, but make sure that you're using it to influence the personality that you already have. Because oftentimes what happens is, is that people will have this really strong desire to say, “OK, I want to make sure that I do this right. And so in doing this right, let me make sure I've got my checklist, and so I'm going to greet them, I'm going to ask them how their family is, I'm going to ask them if the kid did all right in the baseball game. And I'm going to go through my checklist, and if I do that, I fulfill my leadership obligation.' Now not everybody does, and I'm making generalities on but, but I think that there can oftentimes be the allure that when you are focusing on what may be the theory or the principle of the day, and not using it to supplement and grow and mature your personality, that there is a strong allure to want to wholesale replicate what it was that you learned, and you're doing it in a noble place. It's not nefarious. It's being done in a noble, genuine place. But there's that allure to say, ‘OK, good, I really like what I've learned. I'm going to do these things and step through.' And so why I talk so much about the experience, and why I talk so much about the interaction, is that the more that you know the people that you may be influencing by just simply being there and understanding what that means. It means you're eternalizing the value of your presence. You're listening to their stories, and you're understanding for them, what are the things that are motivating them? What are the things that they value? Because each generation, each environment, each condition is going to require something a little bit different from you, and if you don't take the time to understand your environment or generation or cultural nuances or things like that on where you're at, then you are missing that opportunity to develop trust, where they start to believe in you as a person, and not just the rank and position that you hold, because they'll do the right thing for the rank and position that you hold. That's the caliber of people that we have in this Air Force of ours. They'll do the right thing. But if you transcend that in the fact that they believe in you wholeheartedly and trust you, oftentimes with their own lives, it means that you've invested something into them, where they truly know that you care. And that goes back to that A1C on the cork board that said, ‘I need somebody who cares about me as a person.'   Naviere Walkewicz  56:41 You know, as I think about what you've experienced through your career and the lessons you've learned, both professionally and personally, what would you say to yourself back then that you should be doing back then to get to where you're at now? Because we have listeners that are like, ‘What can I start planting today, that will bloom down the road?'   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  57:03 Absolutely. And so I think if I was to go back and put my arm around Cadet First Class Sherman, I think what I would do is — because it is, it is oftentimes easy to look in the crystal clear mirror of hindsight, right? But I think instead, what I would do is I would put my arm around him and say, ‘Keep following your heart and let the failures happen, because the failures are going to grow and let the stumbles happen and enjoy the triumphs with people and be appreciative for what got you there.' And I think it would be more of the encouragement of like, ‘You have laid out a path for you take the path wherever it goes, the joy, the pain, the triumph, the failure, all of those things, because all of that helps to develop the leader.' And oftentimes you want to go back and say, gosh, if I was going to talk to my previous self, then I would say, ‘Ah, don't do that one thing,' right? But I'm looking at it saying that if I didn't do that one thing, then I'm not sure that I would be where I'm at at a time to make sure I didn't do that thing at a moment that was incredibly catastrophic. And so while we have this desire to want to prevent ourselves from the failure, I think that what we have to do is say you're going to fail and you need to fail, and it's going to sound — relish in the failure, because it is often emotionally troubling, especially those of us that come here because we are Type A perfectionist, and that's part of the draw of coming to this amazing place. Is there a certain personality traits that help us to be successful here, but not all of those personality traits make us uniquely successful in all situations outside, and so you've got to have that failure at some point in time. And the failure that you can get up and say, ‘OK, I did this. This happened. My soul is bruised. My ego is bruised. I may have to take a little bit of accountability for this. OK, now I need to have the courage to take the next step forward again.' Because I could easily retreat back to a safe place, and I could become risk averse, and all that does is hurt the people around you. OK. I have to have the courage to breathe and take the step again and get back in there. So I would tell my — I don't think I would want to prevent myself from doing anything. I think even the growth that took place while Laurie and I were apart — and, like I said, that torch that I carried for her — I think if I had whispered in my ear and said, ‘Hey, just relax, you're gonna marry her.' I think I needed that torch, because that in my own mind and my own emotion was me needing to become a better man, and so I think I needed to go through — like, sometimes you need the struggle, and sometimes the things that are most valuable are the things that you had to go through the struggle for, right? And I think that's where my blue collar ethics background comes in. It's like, I'm just going to roll up my sleeves and I'm going to work through the struggle.   Naviere Walkewicz  1:00:36 Wow. Well, we took a look back. I just want to ask you a question forward. So do you think about legacy? And what do you want your legacy to be? Is that something that plays in your mind as you wake up each morning or go to lead people?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  1:00:50 I think the way that I look at it is, I look at it in a in a different aspect, and the way that I look at it is in a very confined point to point. It's not about what is going to be Tom Sherman's legacy when he retires someday, but was that interaction that I had with somebody to give them some encouraging words when they fell down, did that matter to them at that moment? Because there are people for me in my failures that were commanders, that were leaders, that were mentors, that were senior enlisted, that, you know, grabbed that lieutenant by the arm and helped to lift me up. And their memories are etched in my fabric. And so I think that it's about that individual event that your legacy will live in the people in which you made a difference to them.   Naviere Walkewicz  1:01:49 Well, I'll share with you, I was telling my son — he's a cadet, a third-class cadet, actually, now he's about to be a C2C — that I was doing this podcast with you, and he said, ‘What an incredible leader, Mom, he motivates me. He's so inspiring.' So your legacy is already through my son—   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  1:02:05 Thank you! That means — thank you so much for sharing.   Naviere Walkewicz  1:02:10 —that you really made an impact. So we're going to get to your final thoughts here in a little bit. But before we do, I want to make sure that you know our podcasts publish on every second Tuesday of the month, and you can certainly listen to Gen. Sherman in any of our other podcasts on longblueleadership.org. So Gen. Sherman, what would you like to leave our listeners with today? This has been incredible, by the way. Thank you.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  1:02:32 I have truly enjoyed this, and it's just been — it was just wonderful having the conversation with you, and it's in real honor to be a part of this. I truly believe in what you're doing here.   Naviere Walkewicz  1:02:43 Thank you. It's my pleasure to help share your story and help inspire others. And is there anything we might leave with our listeners that that they can part with tonight?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  1:02:51 I think, for me, you need to love what you do and love I think, is one of the most powerful words in language. And I don't just say the English language. I say in language because of the strength behind the meaning and how wide the meaning can be impactful. If you love what you do, people will feel that your very presence will make a difference. They'll feel that if you love what you do, then you're being, you know, internally, inspired by the love that you have for what you're being a part of, right? If you love and care about your people, they will follow you to the ends of the Earth, because they know the passion that you have and the belief that you have in them. So I think that as we go back to these things, we oftentimes look at the terms of courage and love may seem diametrically opposed, and I would attest that you can be most courageous and that your courage will be most effective only when it's buttressed by the love that you have in what you do and who you do it with.   Naviere Walkewicz  1:04:08 Thank you, sir, for that. Thank you for being on Long Blue Leadership.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  1:04:11 Absolutely. Thank you. This was a wonderful time. It was a real honor.   Naviere Walkewicz  1:04:14 Thank you. Well, until next time, I'm Naviere Walkewicz. We'll see you on Long Blue Leadership.     KEYWORDS Leadership, Air Force Academy, Major General Thomas P. Sherman, mentorship, personal growth, security forces, work-life balance, family support, continuous improvement, legacy       The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation        

Get one free month of service when you make the switch to Patriot Mobile and use Promo Code "WOLF"   https://patriotmobile.com/partners/wolfPatriot Mobile donates a portion of every dollar earned to organizations that fight for causes you care about.Patriot Mobile has exceptional 4G & 5G nationwide coverage and uses all the same towers the main carriers use. Patriot Mobile offers a Contract Buy-Out. This offer allows new customers to buy out a current device from their departing carrier and receive up to $500 per device applied as a credit on their phone bill. What kind of a reaction should you expect when you disrespect a graduation ceremony? Is it possible for the folks on KP Duty to get some respect?  Find out, the answers to these questions and more on this weeks "sode" of The Cammo Comedy Show Podcast! If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations.  

What kind of a reaction should you expect when you encourage young soldiers to become officers? Is it possible for the Marines to enjoy a meal in peace?  Find out, the answers to these questions and more on this weeks "sode" of The Cammo Comedy Show Podcast! If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations.  

Host Rob Couture is joined by key members of the VFW Washington Office to discuss major advocacy initiatives, spotlight ongoing support for veterans, and reflect on the U.S. Army's 250th birthday celebration. From addressing misinformation about VA policies to championing legislation like the Richard Star Act and SAVES Act, this episode focuses on ensuring veterans receive the benefits and protections they've earned—while also calling out the importance of accredited claims support and pre-discharge assistance. Featured Guests: Ryan Gallucci – Executive Director, VFW Washington Office Kristina Keenan – Director, VFW National Legislative Service Gregg Orto – Deputy Director, VFW National Veterans Service Keith Garrison – Assistant Director, VFW National Veterans Service Brittany Dymond Murray – Co-host & Associate Director, VFW Communications & Public Affairs Episode Highlights: 7:33 Honoring the U.S. Army's 250th birthday—celebration insights and logistical challenges. 22:00 Partnering with Grunt Style & Irreverent Warriors on mental health and safe medication practices. 33:00 Clarifying misinformation around VA's updated nondiscrimination policy. 41:48 Clearing the air on the Richard Star Act. 51:00 Spotlight on the SAVES Act: supporting survivors of military sexual trauma. 1:18:45 The value of accredited VFW help and the BDD program for transitioning service members. 1:30:32 The Good of the Order Tune in for essential updates, honest dialogue, and continued dedication to those who've served—because we're always #StillServing.   Links mentioned: https://www.vfwstore.org/ https://www.vfw.org/contact-us For more information or to continue the conversation, please visit: Veterans of Foreign Wars Website VFW Podcast Page @VFWHQ on Twitter VFW on Facebook @VFWSTILLSERVING on YouTube @RobCoutureVFW on Facebook Call 1-888-JOIN-VFW Text “NEEDS” to 20222 to donate to the Unmet Needs Program. Today's VFW — Share Your #StillServing Story Sports Clips Help A Hero — Text HERO to 71777 to donate online     Deep Cover: Sarah Cavanaugh was many things to the people who knew her: A decorated veteran. A Marine who saved her comrades. A young woman fighting cancer. She was stoic, humble, tough. In short: a hero. Sarah was everything people wanted her to be—until she wasn't. Turns out, no one knew the real Sarah. Pulitzer Prize winner Jake Halpern and acclaimed investigative journalist Jess McHugh unravel the stolen valor story of Sarah Cavanaugh's epic six-year deception that upended the lives of countless people. To this day, much of this story is shrouded in mystery—there was never a trial and most of the people involved, including victims and investigators, have never spoken publicly in any depth. Until now. In Deep Cover, Jake and Jess interview all of the story's major characters—including Sarah, herself—to tell this sprawling tale. Binge Deep Cover: The Truth About Sarah wherever you get your podcasts. Link: lnk.to/DCVFW   Medal of Honor: Rewarded for bravery that goes above and beyond the call of duty, the Medal of Honor is the United States' top military decoration. Medal of Honor: Stories of Courage is a podcast about the heroes who have distinguished themselves by acts of heroism and courage that have saved lives. From Judith Resnik, the second woman in space, to Daniel Daly, one of only 19 people to have received the Medal of Honor twice, these are stories about those who have done the improbable and unexpected, who have sacrificed something in the name of something much bigger than themselves. Every Wednesday on Medal of Honor, U.S. Army veteran J.R. Martinez uncovers what their experiences tell us about the nature of sacrifice, why people put their lives in danger for others, and what happens after you've become a hero. Listen to Medal of Honor: Stories of Courage wherever you get podcasts. Link: lnk.to/MOHVFW   

What kind of a reaction should you expect when your First Sergeant arrives and you're screwing around? Is it possible for infantry guys to learn how to be MP's?  Find out, the answers to these questions and more on this weeks "sode" of The Cammo Comedy Show Podcast! If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations.  

We are pleased to have had the opportunity to help honor the memory of Call Sign Trunk Monkey.  A woman with a spirit so bright that it illuminated the lives of everyone that she came in contact with.  A true professional who excelled in the Army with dedication and grace, setting the standard and leaving a lasting legacy of excellence.  This one is for your Trunk Monkey!  Thank you for your service and all of the lives that you have impacted.  If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations.  

What kind of a reaction should you expect when you get really drunk and lost in a hotel? Is it possible for Cheeks to act normally?  Find out, the answers to these questions and more on this Bonus "sode" of The Cammo Comedy Show Podcast! If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations. 

What kind of a reaction should you expect when you nail a speed bump at high speed? Is it possible for basic trainees to poop in peace?  Find out, the answers to these questions and more on this weeks "sode" of The Cammo Comedy Show Podcast! If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations. 

Dave Crance: Libertarian Candidate for Virginia House of Delegates Dave Crance is a dedicated Libertarian and community leader running for the Virginia House of Delegates in District 13, encompassing Falls Church and parts of Fairfax County. A resident of the area for over 25 years, Crance has deep roots in Northern Virginia, where he lives with his wife, Suman, and their children. He is active in the local Chamber of Commerce serving on its Board, the American legion and VFW where he serves in the roll of Chaplain, and has coached youth sports in multiple local leagues. His commitment to individual liberty, limited government, and community service defines his campaign and Libertarian philosophy. Crance's journey to libertarianism is grounded in his belief in self-ownership, private property rights, and the non-aggression principle—core tenets of the Libertarian Party. He advocates for a government that is as limited and localized as possible, prioritizing individual freedoms over the influence of special interests, corporations, or national political parties. Crance has stated, “One of the few things all libertarians agree on is that in a perfect world there would be no need for Government at all, but as such a world doesn't exist, Government should remain as limited and localized as possible belonging to the people.” His platform emphasizes lowering taxes, protecting local institutions, such as school boards and councils from overreach by state or national politics, ensuring that decisions about education and community matters remain non partisan and in the hands of local residents.

Send us a textIn this heartfelt episode of Security Halt!, host Deny Caballero is joined by Jay Fain to explore the vital role of storytelling, mentorship, and community in helping veterans navigate life after service. From the creative challenges of content creation to the emotional journey of military transition, this conversation offers real talk about the ups and downs veterans face when redefining their identity in civilian life.Jay shares his passion for uplifting veteran voices through media, the importance of nonprofit resources like the VFW, and how sharing personal stories fosters resilience and connection across generations. They unpack the realities of post-military life, emphasizing gratitude, growth, and authenticity—not just the highlight reel.Whether you're a veteran, creative, or supporter of the military community, this episode is a powerful reminder that you're not alone, and your story matters.

In this episode of #StillServing: The VFW Podcast, host Rob Couture welcomes back co-host Brittany Dymond Murray in a new virtual capacity and is joined by VFW Washington Office staff to discuss a range of critical veteran issues. The team recaps a meaningful Memorial Day weekend, including wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. They honor the legacy of past VFW National Commanders interred at Arlington and reflect on the significance of National Commander Al Lipphardt's personal connection to the Vietnam War. The episode dives into the ongoing legislative fight for the Major Richard Star Act, a bipartisan effort aimed at fixing the unjust offset between DoD retirement pay and VA disability compensation for medically retired combat-injured veterans. Brittany passionately explains the history, misconceptions, and urgent need for action, emphasizing that the VFW has been leading advocacy efforts since the bill's inception. The conversation also highlights recent developments around fraudulent claims, warning veterans about the dangers of working with unaccredited Claim Sharks. Lastly, the hosts celebrate a new memorandum between DoD and VA, which promises a more seamless transition to care for service members which is a long-overdue step toward closing critical gaps in support.

Elon Musk set off a grenade in conservative circles this week, trashing the one big, beautiful bill Trump has staked so much on. He didn't just throw shade — he called it a “disgusting abomination,” backed Rand Paul's $5 trillion deficit claim, and waved the American flag emoji as punctuation. This wasn't a random tweet. This was Musk choosing to detonate right as Speaker Mike Johnson is working the Senate hard to shepherd this bill into law. Johnson, for his part, did respond, claiming he had a 20-minute phone call with Musk where the topic never came up. But c'mon — that silence says a lot. Either Johnson's not telling the whole story, or Musk baited him. Neither looks great.The timing is brutal. Musk has been a reliable MAGA ally — hosting DeSantis's launch, reshaping Twitter into a free speech battleground, becoming a key donor and message amplifier. When he turns on your signature policy, it signals open season. And it's not just personal. Elon hates the EV credit phase-outs in the bill. He's furious about the AI regulatory overrides that strip individual from states like California. And his businesses, from SpaceX to Starlink, all have reasons to be wary of the bill's broader tech oversight. So what looked like a united conservative front just fractured — and it fractured loudly. This is the part of the process where fights get public. And loud. And weird.Politics Politics Politics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Iowa and the 2024 RemapIt's moments like this that make me appreciate the Iowa caucus even more. Say what you will about the process — yes, it's clunky, yes, it can be exclusionary — but nobody works harder at retail politics than Iowans. I've been in diners, VFW halls, and school gyms across that state. These are folks who grill candidates, push policy details, and actually pay attention. Compare that to South Carolina, which Biden bumped to the front of the line for the Democratic primary. That move was clearly strategic — to avoid an early embarrassment — but it came at a cost. The engagement just isn't the same. You can walk into a bar in Manchester and get into a policy debate with a random guy sipping Busch Light. That's not happening in Columbia.Now, there's a window to fix it. With 2024 settled, both parties could realign the primary calendar — and they should. Let Iowa go first. Let New Hampshire follow. Put South Carolina third, Nevada fourth. Let people earn it. The current process is dominated by consultants who don't want surprises. But surprises are good. They shake things up. They reveal flaws. They test candidates in real-time, not just in sanitized TV town halls. If you want to know who can campaign in a blizzard, let 'em face a real one. Bring back the vetting. Bring back the grit.Deal Deadlines and Tiers of ImportanceThen there's the global chessboard. June marks the end of the 90-day tariff pause Trump announced on Liberation Day — his dramatic trade reset. That pause gave negotiators time to cut new deals, to defuse tensions. But with just weeks left, where are the deals? Trump hasn't sealed anything. Not with China. Not with India. Not with Vietnam, or Mexico, or even Taiwan. Instead, he's hosting white paper summits and showing off 2017 flashbacks. The branding is tight, but the substance is lagging.Look at the scoreboard. Ukraine was inching toward peace talks — then dropped a drone strike that disabled a third of Russia's bomber fleet. That doesn't scream “diplomatic breakthrough.” Gaza? The American-backed aid initiative is collapsing under mutual mistrust and unconfirmed shootings. We're left trying to guess which footage is real and which claims are propaganda. And while all this plays out, the trade environment remains stuck. Japan, South Korea, Australia — they're locked into frameworks that don't need rewriting. The real action would be a comprehensive tariff reset with Mexico or Vietnam, or a groundbreaking semiconductor pact with Taiwan. But so far, we're getting press releases, not treaties.So here's how I see it. You've got three tiers of trade potential. Tier 1: countries that matter symbolically — Canada, UK, the Netherlands. Deals here look good but don't move markets. Tier 2: mid-size powerhouses like South Korea, Japan, and Germany. All three matter for automotives, while South Korea and Japan both matter for their tech sectors. Finally, Tier 3 is where it counts: China, Mexico, Vietnam, Taiwan, India. If Trump can close one deal there, he regains the upper hand. If he can't, he enters the summer with big talk and no wins — just in time for Senate Democrats to go on offense. Time is ticking.Chapters00:00:00 - Intro00:03:10 - Elon Trashes the BBB00:08:09 - Iowa Caucus 00:11:24 - Trump Trade Tiers00:22:14 - Interview with Michael Cohen00:49:52 - Update00:50:33 - Big Beautiful Bill Senate Discussions00:53:05 - Jaime Harrison Comments00:55:08 - Trump China Trade Talks00:57:23 - Interview with Michael Cohen, con't.01:35:36 - Wrap-up This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.politicspoliticspolitics.com/subscribe

D&P Highlight: How do we stop cars from hitting the roof of the VFW? full 309 Wed, 04 Jun 2025 18:56:00 +0000 lA2LKUE9k26FIlFtbbewXVcO2gxzwf2g news The Dana & Parks Podcast news D&P Highlight: How do we stop cars from hitting the roof of the VFW? You wanted it... Now here it is! Listen to each hour of the Dana & Parks Show whenever and wherever you want! © 2025 Audacy, Inc. News False https://player.amperwave

What kind of a reaction should you expect when you disrespect the bar? Is it possible for Ron to check on his guys and everything goes normally?  Find out, the answers to these questions and more on this bonus "sode" of The Cammo Comedy Show Podcast!If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations.  

What kind of a reaction should you expect when you enjoy a nice treat in rough seas? Is it possible to go on a TDY and get your travel paid for quickly?  Find out, the answers to these questions and more on this weeks "sode" of The Cammo Comedy Show Podcast! If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations.  

Send us a textThis conversation explores the journey of veterans transitioning to civilian life, the importance of community support, and personal stories of resilience. The hosts discuss their experiences with mental health, the role of organizations like the VFW, and the challenges faced by veterans after service. Cory Geisler shares his unique path to joining the Army later in life and his subsequent involvement in veteran support initiatives. In this engaging conversation, Cory Geisler shares his experiences in fundraising for veterans' causes, particularly focusing on the Missing in Action Recovery Project. He discusses his aspirations for leadership within the veterans' community, the challenges of balancing family life with his commitments, and the importance of camaraderie and mental health initiatives like the Irreverent Warriors hikes. The conversation also touches on legislative challenges in Wisconsin and the significance of public support for veterans.Support the show

This episode updates you on how the Big, Bloated Bill in Congress will impact nonprofits and philanthropy. And this week's interview offers a deep dive into how the proposed law would impact nonprofits that hold up America's social safety net.What happens when government cuts to essential services threaten to recreate the horrors of decades past? How do nonprofits navigate serving vulnerable populations while fighting for their very existence? In this powerful episode, Edward Hershey, CEO of Home of Guiding Hands, reveals the critical connection between defending democracy and protecting society's most vulnerable members—people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who depend on services that are now under unprecedented threat.Hershey shares the stark reality of operating a $35 million nonprofit with 1,200 employees while 90% dependent on government funding that's facing massive cuts. From paying payroll on credit cards due to delayed government payments to witnessing a 40% underfunding crisis finally addressed only to be threatened again, his organization's story illuminates how attacking nonprofits, government programs, and philanthropic funding creates a dangerous triple threat to democratic values. The conversation traces a direct line from the horrific institutional conditions exposed by Geraldo Rivera in the 1970s to today's policy decisions that could force a return to those dark days.Through personal accounts of rallying 300 constituents, confronting elected officials, and maintaining hope among staff and clients, Hershey demonstrates that defending democracy isn't abstract—it's about ensuring that government remains "of the people, for the people" by protecting the infrastructure that cares for those who cannot advocate for themselves. His message is clear: we are judged as a society by how we treat our most vulnerable, and preserving that care is preserving democracy itself.You can find all the episodes of this podcast plus our blog, toolkit and other resources at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠fundthepeople.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Resources:Fund the People BlogHome of Guiding HandsGeraldo Rivera's Expose Rate StudyEdward Hershey's Op EdRally footage/media:KPBS Monday 5/26KPBS "San Diego News Now" podcast (2:07 mark) FOX 5 aired footage 5/26 at 1:05 pm and re-aired 5/27 at 6:08 am and 9:08 amKUSI aired footage 5/26 4:07 pm, 6:08 pm, and 5/27 at 5:16 am  10 News mentioned the rally in their morning newscast at 5:42 amBio:Edward Hershey is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Home of Guiding Hands. He assumed his role with HGH on September 1, 2021. Edward began his career at HGH in 2015 as the Vice President of Operations and was then  promoted to Chief Operating Officer. Edward has 27- years of management experience in directing all facets of business operations, with expertise in operations and project management. Prior to joining Home of Guiding Hands, Edward worked for Father Joe's Villages as their Vice President of Operations for 12 years, and for the Employment Development Department where he specialized in Veteran's needs. Edward served in the US Navy during the Gulf War and was honorably discharged in 1993. He serves on the Board for the California Disability Services Institute, and the California Disability Services Association. He volunteers his time for Boy Scouts of America and the VFW. Edward holds a Master's Degree in Human Resource Management with a Specialization in Strategic Innovation and Change Management from Colorado State University and a Bachelor's Degree in Organizational Leadership with a Specialization in Public and Non-Profit Management. Edward is a graduate of the National Leadership Consortium on Developmental Disabilities, a licensed California Contractor, and is a member of the John Maxwell team certified as a leadership coach, speaker, and trainer. He lives in El Cajon with his wife of 16 years Jessica and their three children, Julia, Niko, and Ethan.

In this engaging conversation, the boys and Michael Michelini from Jam Poetry discuss their recent performances and the challenges of balancing music with personal commitments. They explore the unique aspects of live shows, particularly in Philadelphia, and delve into the importance of content creation in today's music industry. The discussion also touches on the evolution of music recognition in the age of social media, reflecting on how bands navigate this landscape to stand out. In this engaging conversation, the hosts explore the legacy of Warped Tour, the resurgence of 90s emo music, and the influences of these genres on the band Jam Poetry. They discuss the significance of song titles, the creative process behind their album art, and the connections within the Deer Park music scene. The conversation highlights the evolution of local music venues and the nostalgia associated with past music festivals. In this engaging conversation, the hosts delve into various themes surrounding music, particularly focusing on songwriting, the Long Island music scene, and the experiences at local venues like the VFW. They also discuss the dynamics of hockey, touching on the Rangers and Islanders, controversies within the sport, and the changes in broadcasting. The conversation wraps up with reflections on the evolution of hockey over the years and the future of the band Jam Poetry.Power chords and crashing boards. Mikey, Tom, and Justin talk music, hockey, and anything else that gets in their way. Tom and Mikey are lifelong friends that grew up on Long Island during the glory days of alternative music where our local bands were As Tall As Lions, Brand New, Taking Back Sunday, Bayside, The Sleeping, Envy on the Coast, you get the point. We spent many nights together at The Downtown, catching any pop-punk, indie, hardcore, or emo band that came through. This was not a phase, Mom! Fast forward 20 years and we are still just as passionate about the scene as we were during our girl jeans and youth XL band tees days. Tom and Mikey are diehard New York Islanders fans, but Justin (Bolts fan) likes to remind us that we are #notanislespodcast. As we got older we realized we can like more than one thing and running beside our love for music has always been our love for hockey. We have realized we are not alone in this thinking, actually there are many of us that love these two things! This podcast explores just how connected they are!NEW EPISODE EVERY TUESDAY! SUBSCRIBE SO YOU NEVER MISS A GREAT INTERVIEW!FOLLOW:INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/bardownbrea...TWITTER: https://twitter.com/bardownbreakdwnFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/BarDownBreak...WEBSITE: https://bardownbreakdown.comMERCH: https://isles-meetups.creator-spring.comPLAYLISTS: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7Fo...#poppunk #punk #emo #hardcore #hockey #nhl #podcast #elderemo #bardownbreakdown #bardownbreakfest

Sick of being sick, a satisfying sequel, saying farewell to a horror legend, a listener challenge, my love affair with newspapers, stirring my fancy, thoughts on Pavements, a terrible Q&A, raising a glass to George Wendt, a jaw-dropping quote from Jung, and you don't mess with the Zbig. Stuff mentioned: Final Destination: Bloodlines (2025), Candyman (1992), Pavements (2025), Landmark Nuart Theatre (11272 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025), Cinefile Video (11280 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025), Cape Fear (1991), Cheers (1982-1993), James Poniewozik "Everybody Knew His Name: 'Norm!'" (The New York Times, May 20, 2025 https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/20/arts/television/george-wendt-norm-cheers.html), VFW (2019), Edward Luce Zbig: The Life of Zbigniew Brzezinski, America's Great Power Prophet (2025), and Morning Joe (2007-present).

Dane Neal fills in for Lisa Dent on Memorial Day: Segment 1: Robert Irvine joins Dane Neal, in for Lisa Dent, to discuss his passion for military personnel and first responders through The Robert Irvine Foundation. Segment 2: Stan Czech joins to discuss the work that the VFW does and the programs and services they […]

Dane Neal fills in for Lisa Dent on Memorial Day: Segment 1: Robert Irvine joins Dane Neal, in for Lisa Dent, to discuss his passion for military personnel and first responders through The Robert Irvine Foundation. Segment 2: Stan Czech joins to discuss the work that the VFW does and the programs and services they […]

What kind of a reaction should you expect when you disrespect your boss? Is it possible to get a new supervisor and everything goes well?  Find out, the answers to these questions and more on this weeks "sode" of The Cammo Comedy Show Podcast! If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations. 

Aaron Cayce, owner of Phoenix Weaponry in Berthoud is hosting a machine gun shoot along with Neil Schall of the VFW and both join Weld County Sheriff Steve Reams to preview the event.

What kind of a reaction should you expect when you get caught with candy in basic training? Is it possible to fly into a storm and everything go well?  Find out, the answers to these questions and more on this weeks "sode" of The Cammo Comedy Show Podcast! If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations.

The news from Northfield, Minnesota on Monday, May 19th 2025:Northfield Police Chief & Schools Superintendent Comment on Criminal Charges Against Former Teacher & School Resource Officer  Hydrant Flushing Begins In Northfield Memorial Day 2025 Series: What is the VFW? 

Recently named the High School Teacher of the Year by her local Veterans of Foreign Wars post, the wider VFW district, and the state VFW organization under the VFW's Smart/Maher National Citizenship Education Teacher Program, Celina Education Association member Alicia Ball is dedicated to teaching her students be good citizens by getting them outside their classroom and building up their community, and she's always adding new projects to her list. In this episode, Ball explains why she's so passionate about her students' community service, and how these activities help fuel her through hard times and good times alike.HELP ALICIA'S STUDENTS | If you have connections, resources, or any ideas that can help Alicia Ball take her students to volunteer at a soup kitchen in New York City, please send Alicia an email at ansneddon@gmail.comSUBSCRIBE | Click here to subscribe to Public Education Matters on Apple Podcasts or click here to listen on Spotify so you don't miss a thing. You can also find Public Education Matters on many other platforms, including YouTube. Click here for links for other platforms so you can listen anywhere. And don't forget you can listen to all of the previous episodes anytime on your favorite podcast platform, or by clicking here.SHARE YOUR STORY | Public Education Matters continues to lift up the good work of OEA members and OEA locals across the state. Help us tell your local's story! Please send us an email at educationmatters@ohea.org to let us know about what educators you know are doing to help their schools, students, co-workers, and communities.Featured Public Education Matters guest: Alicia Ball, Celina Education Association memberAlicia Ball is the proud mom of two girls, Baylie and Linden, and wife to Andy. She is teaching English at Celina High School and is just about to complete year 15. She teaches dance part time and loves reading, boating, and shopping. Connect with OEA:Email educationmatters@ohea.org with your feedback or ideas for future Public Education Matters topicsLike OEA on FacebookFollow OEA on TwitterFollow OEA on InstagramGet the latest news and statements from OEA hereLearn more about where OEA stands on the issues Keep up to date on the legislation affecting Ohio public schools and educators with OEA's Legislative WatchAbout us:The Ohio Education Association represents nearly 120,000 teachers, faculty members and support professionals who work in Ohio's schools, colleges, and universities to help improve public education and the lives of Ohio's children. OEA members provide professional services to benefit students, schools, and the public in virtually every position needed to run Ohio's schools.Public Education Matters host Katie Olmsted serves as Media Relations Consultant for the Ohio Education Association. She joined OEA in May 2020, after a ten-year career as an Emmy Award winning television reporter, anchor, and producer. Katie comes from a family of educators and is passionate about telling educators' stories and advocating for Ohio's students. She lives in Central Ohio with her husband and two young children. The interview in this episode was recorded on April 17, 2025. 

What kind of a reaction should you expect when you get drunk for the first time ever? Is it possible for an Air Crew to leave passengers alone?  Find out, the answers to these questions and more on this weeks "sode" of The Cammo Comedy Show Podcast! If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations.  

Join America's Heroes Group as we welcome two distinguished guests — Carol Whitmore, Senior Vice Commander-in-Chief of the National VFW, and Eugene Blackwell, Senior Vice Commander of the Illinois VFW. Both are U.S. Army Veterans with decades of service and a passion for advocating for veterans. In this discussion, they share updates on the national and state VFW initiatives, addressing key issues such as veteran homelessness, mental health support, intergenerational leadership, and the evolving mission of the VFW.Topics:Introduction to VFW Leadership: Carol Whitmore & Eugene BlackwellVFW Mission and Core ValuesNational VFW Initiatives for 2025Tackling Unaccredited Claim Consultants and Protecting Veterans' BenefitsAddressing Veteran Homelessness and Mental Health SupportStrategies for Engaging Younger Veterans in VFW LeadershipIllinois VFW Updates: Community Outreach and Intergenerational ConnectionsUpcoming National VFW Convention in August 2025Personal Stories of Military Service and Lessons LearnedQ&A and Final Remarks

What kind of a reaction should you expect when just want your hair cut? Is it possible party in Afghanistan?  Find out, the answers to these questions and more on this weeks "sode" of The Cammo Comedy Show Podcast! If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations.  

What kind of a reaction should you expect when you spot a safety issue in the Navy? Is it possible for the weapons instructor to clean a weapon normally?  Find out, the answers to these questions and more on this weeks "sode" of The Cammo Comedy Show Podcast! If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations. 

In this episode of #StillServing: The VFW Podcast, host Rob Couture catches up with his fellow directors of the VFW Washington Office after an almost two-month-long hiatus.  Featured Guests: • Ryan Gallucci – Assistant Adjutant General & Executive Director, VFW Washington Office • Mike Figlioli – Director, VFW National Veterans Service • Kristina Keenan – Director, VFW National Legislative Service Episode Highlights: Ryan shares his recent health issues and his travels overseas while accompanying VFW senior leadership visiting troops and international partners. Kristina discusses the success of the Washington Conference, her recent promotion as the new VFW legislative director, and the current legislation she and her team are advocating for. Mike talks about the $14.6 billion that VFW service officers have recouped for veterans they have assisted in the VA claims process. He also discusses some of the latest online tools available to veterans in claiming their earned benefits. Rob tells of his travels to Southeast Asia, visiting Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) sites in Thailand and Vietnam. He also recounts a heartfelt story of a recent journey with his siblings on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of his father's plane crash at Fort Hood, Texas. Lastly, Rob gives a status update about his co-host, Brittany Dymond Murray.    Join us for powerful discussions, firsthand insights, and a commitment to ensuring veterans receive the care and support they deserve. The VFW is always #StillServing. For more information or to continue the conversation, please visit: Veterans of Foreign Wars Website VFW Podcast Page @VFWHQ on Twitter VFW on Facebook @VFWSTILLSERVING on YouTube @RobCoutureVFW on Facebook Call 1-888-JOIN-VFW Text “NEEDS” to 20222 to donate to the Unmet Needs Program. Today's VFW — Share Your #StillServing Story Sports Clips Help A Hero — Text HERO to 71777 to donate online  

What kind of a reaction should you expect when you arrive in Vietnam? Is it possible for the Drill Sergeant to be nice to you in Basic Training?  Find out, the answers to these questions and more on this weeks "sode" of The Cammo Comedy Show Podcast! If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations.  

What kind of a reaction should you expect when you don't have a jack to fix your flat tire? Is it possible for a young Airmen to just enjoy his day off in his on way without being bothered?  Find out, the answers to these questions and more on this weeks "sode" of The Cammo Comedy Show Podcast! If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations.  

After announcement about federal cuts to VA's across the country, we wanted to know if Connecticut veterans are already or set to feel the pinch. We got perspective from Charlie Pickett, Senior Vice Commander of Connecticut's VFW.  IMAGE CREDIT: Melissa Sheketoff

What kind of a reaction should you expect when you mess up a facing movement is Basic Training? Is it possible for military folks to drink and be on time the next day?  Find out, the answers to these questions and more on this weeks "sode" of The Cammo Comedy Show Podcast!If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations.  

Join us LIVE Friday, April 4th, 2025, at 4:10 EST when the #ELB Podcast hosts author & NJ Superintendent Glenn Robbins. Glenn is the award-winning Superintendent at Brigantine Schools in beautiful Brigantine Beach, NJ on the famous Jersey Shore!Since stepping into his role as Superintendent in February 2020, Glenn Robbins has led the Brigantine School District to great heights--academically, socially, and more. The district has been recognized for its excellence, earning designations such as New Jersey Department of Education High-Achieving District and two-time Safety District of the Year. The district has also garnered national attention, receiving the State/National VFW School of the Year award for its support of military personnel, a testament to Robbins' commitment to community partnerships, particularly with the nearby Coast Guard and VFW. Glenn is also a national motivational speaker and educational leadership speaker and multiple book author. His most recent work, I Won't Back Down, was released in early 2025! You can learn more about Glenn here: https://glennrobbins.com/You can learn more about Brigantine Schools here: https://nj50010871.schoolwires.net/do...You can find I Won't Back Down here on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3R2u4ewThis podcast is sponsored by IXL Personalized Learning. IXL is used by more than 1 million teachers each day. It is also the most widely used online learning and teaching platform for K-12. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/ELBIXL

If you want a real-world blueprint for explosive growth in the drinks industry, look no further than Carbliss — an independently owned RTD brand that scaled from a home kitchen experiment to 2.7 million cases in 2024 — in just five years.In this episode, we sit down with Adam Kroener, co-founder and president of Carbliss, to break down how he's disrupting the RTD category with a product-first, regionally focused strategy. Rather than going national too soon, Adam and his team have taken a “narrow and deep” approach, flooding targeted markets with retail and on-premise placements to build velocity and pull-through demand — a playbook that's landed Carbliss among the fastest-growing RTD brands in America.In this episode, Adam shares:How Carbliss grew from 400K cases in 2022 to 2.7 million in 2024 — and why he's not in a rush to go nationalWhy flavor is everything — how Carbliss wins at “liquid-to-lips” and drives high velocity per outletThe brand's unique on/off-premise playbook — focusing 50% of the year on each channel for maximum impactHow they hold distributors accountable to performance targets before expanding into adjacent marketsHow Carbliss built a 35-person sales team to support deep regional distribution and prevent product from sitting on shelvesAdam's journey from cheese co-packer to beverage CEO, and why his lack of beverage industry experience turned out to be a competitive advantageHow a combination of bootstrapping, smart credit, and one key angel investor allowed them to scale without giving up controlWhy Carbliss appeals to a broad range of drinkers — from 21-year-olds to 80-year-olds at the VFW, and what that means for their brand strategyListen in to get Carbliss' growth playbook!Last Call: This week, we unpack an eye-opening chart from the American Association of Wine Economics. Did you know that one supplier controls a full third of the market? And the top 10? They're responsible for about 70% of total case volume. We break down what this means for the wine aisle, and how that's changed over time (we refer to a 2011 study). And we discuss why indie brands struggle to break through; how the biggest players keep growing; and the one strategy that's working for small brands right now.Don't miss our next episode, dropping on April 9.For the latest updates, follow us:For the latest updates, follow us:Business of Drinks:LinkedInInstagram @bizofdrinksErica Duecy, co-host: Erica Duecy is founder and co-host of Business of Drinks and one of the drinks industry's most accomplished digital and content strategists. She runs the consultancy and advisory arm of Business of Drinks and has built publishing and marketing programs for Drizly, VinePair, SevenFifty, and other hospitality and drinks tech companies.LinkedInInstagram @ericaduecyScott Rosenbaum, co-host: Scott Rosenbaum is co-host of Business of Drinks and a veteran strategist and analyst with deep experience building drinks portfolios. He currently serves as Head of Search at Distill Ventures. He was formerly the Vice President of T. Edward Wines & Spirits, a New York-based importer and distributor.LinkedInCaroline Lamb, contributor: Caroline is a producer and on-air contributor at Business of Drinks and a key account sales and marketing specialist at AHD Vintners, a Michigan-based importer and distributor.LinkedInInstagram @borkalineSPONSOR: SWIG Partners is exclusively offering $100 off their supplier-distributor matchmaking fee when you mention the Business of Drinks podcast, or inquire via this link: ⁠https://www.swigpartners.com/businessofdrinksIf you enjoyed today's conversation, follow Business of Drinks wherever you're listening, and don't forget to rate and review us. Your support helps us reach new listeners passionate about the drinks industry. Thank you!

What kind of a reaction should you expect when you don't drink your fluids inbasic training? Is it possible for the Army Major to work late and not get harrissed?  Find out, the answers to these questions and more on this weeks "sode" of The Cammo Comedy Show Podcast! If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations.  

What kind of a reaction should you expect when you poop your pants in Basic Training? Is it possible for the Air Force guys to go to the strip club and have a good time?  Find out, the answers to these questions and more on this weeks "sode" of The Cammo Comedy Show Podcast! If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations.  

What Gwyneth Paltrow thinks of Meghan Markle and what Prue Leith thinks of Meghan; The latest on Aaron Goodwin murder plot by his estranged wife; One star reviews from Spooner, WI and VFW's in Texas! The show ends with the 5 second rule, it's national chicken day! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What Gwyneth Paltrow thinks of Meghan Markle and what Prue Leith thinks of Meghan; The latest on Aaron Goodwin murder plot by his estranged wife; One star reviews from Spooner, WI and VFW's in Texas! The show ends with the 5 second rule, it's national chicken day! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What kind of a reaction should you expect when you disrespect a general officer? Is it possible for the 101st Airborne to get good food?  Find out, the answers to these questions and more on this weeks "sode" of The Cammo Comedy Show Podcast! If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations.  

What kind of a reaction should you expect when you do not follow directions very well? Is it possible for the Air Force to respond well to a fire in the barracks?  Find out, the answers to these questions and more on this weeks "sode" of The Cammo Comedy Show Podcast! If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations.  

Amazing podcast with my friend Zack Zdroik. Zach is a Marine Corps Veteran/Afghanistan Veteran. Father and Relentless Veteran Advocate. Zach was the Executive Director of Veteran Outreach Of Wisconsin. He has worked for the VFW, Racine County (accredited by the VA), VOW, Cameron firm, and now ceo/co-founder- VetmedQRF Zach and I talked indepth about veteran advocacy and what we've seen and experienced face to face with veterans. We talked about the homeless veteran issue at full spectrum. This was a treat for me since I don't get to have these types of conversations. There's certain things only veteran advocates know about within our community and helping veterans in crisis.    Check out VetMedQRF!    

What kind of a reaction should you expect when you let Navy guys drink at sea? Is it possible for the a promotion board to go well?  Find out, the answers to these questions and more on this weeks "sode" of The Cammo Comedy Show Podcast! If you have any funny military stories of your own that you would like to share, drop us a line at:stories@cammocomedy.com  or  Leave a voicemail at (531) 222-6146  Sadly, the voicemail will only record in 2 minute blocksWe are here to make you laugh, but behind this there is the imbedded philosophy of, "No One Left Behind." Sadly, 22 vets per day commit suicide, approximately 67,500 vets are homeless and thousands struggle with everyday life after service.  What we hope to accomplish is providing a fun place to gather that will have a similar feel to the conversations that happen at the VFW or American Legion between vets.  Since the latest generations of vets are not really going to these places anymore, we are making it happen online.  We believe that the sense of community will help some who struggle, while providing stories about the good times that we can all laugh at!An additional part of this show is capturing the oral history of the military over the past few decades, so if you happen to know a veteran who served during WW2, Korean War or Vietnam eras, we would love to hear from them.  Obviously, we want to hear stories from all eras, but we have special respect for the older generations.  

Join Keith McKinley, (Ret.) Colonel of the U.S. Army Reserve and Indiana National Guard, as he shares insights into the Southwest Louisiana Veterans Association's 2025 mission and agenda. Learn about their impactful programs, veteran services, collaborations, and how they support active-duty military, veterans, and their families. Keith highlights key initiatives, partnerships with organizations like VFW, American Legion, and Louisiana's Department of Veterans Affairs, and how the local community, businesses, and nonprofits are coming together to make a difference.