Podcasts about white house military office

What does leadership look like at the highest levels of service?  SUMMARY In this episode of Long Blue Leadership, Col. (Ret.) Michael Black '85 discusses his journey from cadet to commanding the White House Communications Agency. He reflects on what it means to be a calm, steady presence in high-pressure environments — and how small daily practices can shape a lifetime of leadership. The full episode is now available.   SHARE THIS PODCAST FACEBOOK  |  LINKEDIN   MICHAEL'S LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS Develop a personal leadership philosophy that guides your actions (like Michael's 5F's: Family, Fitness, Flying, Fairness, and Fun). Always be aware that people are watching you and learning from your example, even when you don't realize it. Nurture relationships continuously - they are critical for long-term success and mentorship. Practice empathy and compassion, especially during difficult moments like delivering challenging news Maintain a holistic approach to fitness - physical, mental, and spiritual well-being are interconnected. Take pride in leaving organizations better than you found them and focus on developing future leaders. Be fair and be perceived as fair - understanding different perspectives is crucial to effective leadership. Incorporate fun and balance into your professional life to maintain team morale and personal resilience. Stay connected to your roots and be willing to mentor the next generation, sharing your experiences and lessons learned. Continuously practice self-reflection and ensure you're living up to your core values and leadership principles.   CHAPTERS Chapter 1 - 0:00:00 - 0:08:55: Family and Military Roots   Michael Black shares his background as a military brat and the educational legacy of his family. Chapter 2 - 0:08:55 - 0:12:10: Delivering a Difficult Notification A profound leadership moment where Black sensitively delivers news of a combat-related death to a staff sergeant's family. Chapter 3 - 0:12:10 - 0:18:40: The 5F Leadership Philosophy Introduction Col. Black explains the origin and core components of his leadership framework: Family, Fitness, Flying, Fairness, and Fun. Chapter 4 - 0:18:40 - 0:25:59: Detailed Exploration of 5F Philosophy   In-depth breakdown of each leadership principle, including personal anecdotes and practical applications. Chapter 5 - 0:25:59 - 0:32:21: Family Legacy and Academy Experience   Discussion of his son's Air Force Academy journey and the importance of nurturing relationships across generations. Chapter 6 - 0:32:21 - 0:38:36: Mentorship and Relationship Building Michael shares his approach to mentoring cadets and the significance of maintaining long-term professional connections. Chapter 7 - 0:38:36 - 0:40:13: Leadership in Civilian and Nonprofit Sectors Reflection on applying military leadership principles in private and nonprofit environments. Chapter 8 - 0:40:13 - 0:41:28: Personal Reflection and Leadership Advice  Final thoughts on leadership, self-improvement, and the importance of continuous personal development.   ABOUT COL. BLACK BIO Michael “Mike” B. Black, vice president for Defense, joined the nonprofit Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association International in July 2022. He is a senior cyber/information technology leader with more than four decades of experience in cyber operations, communications, project/program management, leadership disciplines and organizational development. As AFCEA's vice president for Defense, Col. Black builds strong professional relationships with government, industry and academia partners to position AFCEA International as a leader in the cyber, defense, security, intelligence and related information technology disciplines. Col. Black leads defense operations in support of planning and executing global, large-scale, technically focused, trade shows/conferences supporting Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Operations, Cyber and Homeland Security.  Col. Black is focused on providing opportunities for engagement between and among government, industry and academia. Prior to joining AFCEA International, Col. Black served as chief operating officer at Concise Network Solutions for four years, directly supporting the CEO in developing, executing and managing CNS's master business plan. Prior to joining CNS, he served as the COO and chief corporate development officer at JMA Solutions for two and a half years, working in concert with senior executives to lead operations and the planning and execution of strategies. Prior to joining JMA Solutions, he served as the COO at Premier Management Corporation for four years, where he was responsible for day-to-day operations, all business units and the company's profit and loss. Prior to joining the private sector, Col. Black spent 26 years in the U.S. Air Force holding various communications and leadership positions at many levels. He culminated his distinguished military career as a colonel, commander, White House Communications Agency, leading a 1,200-person team of selectively manned military, then-Department of Defense civilian and contract personnel to provide “no fail” telecommunications services for the president, vice president, named successors, first lady, senior White House staff, National Security staff, U.S. Secret Service and the White House Military Office. Col. Black holds a Bachelor of Science in basic science from the U.S. Air Force Academy, where he was a Distinguished Military Graduate. He holds a Master of Science in national resource strategy, with an information operations concentration, from the National Defense University, Industrial College of the Armed Forces; a Master's Degree in military arts and science from the Army Command & General Staff College; and a Master of Arts Degree in management from Webster University. He is a published author, including writing several leadership articles for The New Face of Leadership Magazine as well the thesis Coalition Command, Control, Communication, and Intelligence Systems Interoperability: A Necessity or Wishful Thinking? BIO EXCERPTED FROM AFCEA.ORG   CONNECT WITH MICHAEL IG: @chequethemike FB: @michael black LinkedIn: Michael Black   CONNECT WITH THE LONG BLUE LEADERSHIP PODCAST NETWORK TEAM Send your feedback or nominate a guest: socialmedia@usafa.org Ted Robertson | Producer:  Ted.Robertson@USAFA.org    Ryan Hall | Director:  Ryan.Hall@USAFA.org  Bryan Grossman | Copy Editor:  Bryan.Grossman@USAFA.org Wyatt Hornsby | Executive Producer:  Wyatt.Hornsby@USAFA.org      ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS   TRANSCRIPT SPEAKERS Guest, Col. (Ret.) Michael Black '85 | Host, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99   Naviere Walkewicz Welcome to Long Blue Leadership, where transformative journeys of Air Force Academy graduates come to life. There are moments in a leader's life that leave a permanent mark. For my guest today, Col. (Ret.) Michael Black, USAFA Class of '85, one such moment came when he was actually sent to deliver news of a combat-related death. It was the first time he'd ever been tasked with that duty, and knew he only had one chance to get it right. As he sat with the widow, Michael found the strength to guide the family through their grief. That part of Michael's story speaks to the depth of his empathy and the calm steadiness that defines him as a leader. We'll explore much more of Michael's journey, from leading the White House Communications team to mentoring cadets at the Academy to daily practices that ground him and the framework that guides him today, what he calls the five Fs of leadership: family, fitness, flying, fairness and fun a guide not only for his life, but for the leaders he inspires. Michael, welcome to Long Blue Leadership. Michael Black Naviere, thank you for having me, and thank you for that very kind introduction. I'm so happy to be here, and I'm just thankful for what you guys do, the AOG and putting this together and telling stories. I think this is amazing. So thank you for the opportunity. Naviere Walkewicz Well, we're grateful you're here. You got your silver on. You got your ‘85 Best Alive, you know, I mean, I'm just blown away here. The class crest… Michael Black Yeah, got it all, you know, the crest and the two squadrons that I was in. I'm just excited, back here for our 40th reunion. Yeah. So that's amazing. So fellowship and fun with your classmates, and just seeing the mountains, you know. Getting off the plane and looking west and seeing the mountains and seeing God's creation is just amazing. And then, of course, the Academy in the background, you know, pretty excited. Naviere Walkewicz Wonderful, wonderful. Well, we're going to jump right in. And actually, the topic is a bit sensitive, but I think it's really important, because we know that when we all raise our right hand, some are prepared and they give all. But not everyone has to actually give the news to the family when their loved one is lost, so maybe you can share what that was like. Michael Black Thank you for allowing me to talk about that. You hit the nail on the head when you said you only have one chance to get it right when you're talking to the family. And so I had a young staff sergeant that was deployed down range at the Horn of Africa, and he happened to be a radio operator in a helicopter supporting the Marines. And there was a mid-air collision that happened while he was deployed, and he was one of the people that perished. So the first notification that I had to make was duty status: whereabouts unknown — to say that to the family. And of course, you can think about the range of emotions that are associated with that. They don't know. We don't know.   Naviere Walkewicz There's still hope. There's not hope.   Michael Black So that was the first day. So going over there with my first sergeant, a medical team, chaplain, you know, that kind of thing, to support us and the family.   Naviere Walkewicz And what rank were you at that time?   Michael Black So I was a lieutenant colonel. So I was a squadron commander of the 1st Comm Squadron at Langley Air Force Base. And I like to say, you don't get to practice that. You have one time to get it right. At least back then, there was not a lot of training to do that. It doesn't happen that often, and so having to make that notification was a tough thing. It was one of the hardest things, if not the hardest thing, I had to do in the service. Two young boys. He had two sons, and at the time, his spouse was military as well, so I go over there to do that the first day. You can imagine, you know, knocking on the door, right, and I'm in uniform, and just the emotions that they can be going through. So we're sitting on the couch in their house, two young boys. I believe their ages were 3 and 5 at the time, they were very young. And I explained to Michelle what we knew. And again, it's scripted. I can't say more or less than that, because 1) don't know, right? And 2), you just don't want to speculate on anything. And then we're waiting to find out his status. So then I have to go back the next day to make that notification, and you're representing the chief of staff of the United States Air Force, and that's kind of something that's scripted for you. “I'm here on the behalf of the Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, and I regret to inform you of the untimely death of your spouse.” The part that was even more heartening for me was after I told her, and with the boys sitting, I believe, on either side of me, she said, “And now Col. Black is going to tell you what happened to your dad.” That was a tough thing to do. And I would say it was the hardest thing that I had to do in the Air Force, in my career, and reflect on “you have one chance to get that right.” I believe we got it right, me and my team, but that was tough. Naviere Walkewicz Wow. Have you kept in touch with the family? Michael Black Yes, I keep in touch with Michelle, just from — just a personal because I'm very personal, outgoing, as you know. And so I've kept in touch with Michelle and the boys. But we're forever bonded by that, and I think that's important to stay in touch. And that's kind of one of my things I think we'll get into a little bit later in the conversation, but that's what I do. Naviere Walkewicz Well, it touches, certainly into, I think, that the family aspect of the five Fs, and because it seems like you even take in them as your family. And I'm curious about your family, because when you're going through that, I mean, you have at least a son — you have son, right?   Michael Black Yes, and two daughters.   Naviere Walkewicz Two daughters. So were you thinking about — did you put on your dad hat in that moment?   Michael Black I certainly did put on my dad hat and, and I think that helped in things. And I think all of the training that I got along the way about dealing with tough situations, and being a leader, it helped. But I took it upon myself after that to talk to other commanders. And in fact, my wing commander at the time, Burt Field, Gen. field was a '79 grad, and we talked, and that also brought him and I closer, because he also asked me to brief the other squadron commanders on that process and how I handled that. And I know when — to this day, Gen. Field and I are still very connected, and he's pretty engaged right now with the Air Force Association's birthday and all that. But a great mentor of mine who also helped in dealing with that. But he was extremely supportive and, and I think that had a factor in just how he evaluated me, right, how I handled that situation?   Naviere Walkewicz Well, it sounds like you certainly picked up some of those traits of taking care of your people recognizing empathy within processes and sharing it. I'm curious, were you always like this, or did you see some of this emulated from your family? Michael Black No, it's a great question. I am a military brat. My dad was in the Army. My dad went to Tuskegee — it was called Tuskegee Institute at that time. My mom went to Alabama A&M, so two schools in Alabama. They're from a very small towns in Alabama. My dad's from Beatrice, Alabama — which is less than 200 people today — and my mom is from Vredenburgh, Alabama. It's about 15 miles away, and it's even smaller than Beatrice. But they went to the same elementary school and high school, so high school sweethearts, and then they went off to college. And then dad got a direct commission in the Army, the Signal Corps. Well, he started out Medical Service Corps, but getting back to your question, so yes, family with that, and even take a step further back to my grandparents, on both sides of the family, but particularly with my paternal grandparents, they went out and visited the Tuskegee Institute at that time, and they saw the statue of Lifting the Veil of Ignorance there, and they decided at that point that they wanted their kids to go to that school. And so there's seven kids within my dad's family, and six of them went to Tuskegee. Naviere Walkewicz   Wow. So I want to fast forward a little bit, and you can certainly share whether it was during the Academy or after graduation, but you have kind of had this great foundation from your family. Let's talk a little bit about the Academy or after-Academy experience, where you had seen additional time where you had grown as a leader. Was there a particular experience that can come to mind, where another shaping of this leadership journey that you've been on? Michael Black Yeah, I think there's multiple throughout my career. I mean, I went to the Army Command and General Staff College for my intermediate professional military education. And there's a story there too. My dad was in the Army, and so I wanted to experience some of the things that my dad did, even though I was Air Force. And so one of my mentors, now-retired Lt. Gen. Harry Raduege, was instrumental in me getting selected for Army Command and General Staff College. And so I went there, and I think that was a big portion of my shaping, although had mentors and folks and coaches in my life leading up to that were, you know, helped shape me, but going to that school… And what I noticed when I got there that the Army was very serious about leadership and leadership philosophy, so much so that we took a class on that where we had to develop a leadership philosophy. And so in taking that class, before the Christmas break, I found out that I was going to be a squadron commander. So I was a major, and I was going to be a squadron commander. And so in that leadership course, I said, “Well, I'm going to go be a squadron commander. I'm going to the fifth combat con group in Georgia. Let me make this philosophy that I'm doing in class be my philosophy, so that when I get there…” And that was really the first time that I thought very serious about, “OK, what is my leadership philosophy?” And I had been a flight commander before, and had people under my tutelage, if you will. But being a squadron commander, you know, being on G series orders. And you know, we know how the military takes the importance of being a commander. And so having that so I did decide to develop my philosophy during that time. And you mentioned the five Fs earlier. And so that was — that became the opportunity to develop that. So family, that's what it was. That's when I developed that — in that course. So family, fitness, flying, fairness and fun — the five Fs. I worked on that when I got there. And so then when I got to take command, I had prepared all of that stuff in this academic environment, and I used it to a T and I briefed the squadron after I took command. I think this is my command philosophy, the five Fs. I subsequently had the opportunity to command two more times after that, another squadron, and then at the White House Communications Agency, which is now wing command equivalent. So had the opportunity to tweak and refine, but the foundation was still the five Fs. And so in doing that, and I can go into a little detail. So you know, family is your immediate family, your your blood family, and that that kind of thing. But family also encompasses your unit, your extended family, you know, and part of that. And so I always tell people you know, your family, you don't want to be the only one at your retirement ceremony because you neglected your family. And I've done many retirement ceremonies. In fact, I've done 25-plus since I retired. Well, that shows you really made no so family is, is important, take care of your family. And I, you know, one of the things I said about that to the folks was if you in your unit, if folks are getting assigned unit, permanent changes, station, PCS to your unit, and they haven't found the place to live in the due time and whatever the house hunting days are, I always gave my folks the option of give them some more time to find a place. They may be looking for schools, I mean looking for a place that just fits the environment that they need. And let's give them that time now, because they're not going to be effective in the organization if they're worried about where they have to live, where their kids are going to go to school and that kind of thing. So take care of all of that, and then get them to work, and they'll be that much more effective because they won't have to worry about where they're living, where the kids are going to school. So take care of your family fitness. You understand physical fitness and what you do and all of that, and I admire all of your accomplishments in that. And so physical fitness in the military kind of goes without saying. You have to maintain certain standards and do that, and do a PT and take a test and that kind of thing. But fitness is more than just physical fitness. It's spiritual and mental fitness. Now I would never be one to tell somebody this is how you need to nurture your spiritual and mental fitness. I think that's personal. But if your spiritual mental fitness is not being nourished, you're not going to be doing yourself any good, your team any good. And honestly, you would be able to tell if an individual is struggling with their spiritual or mental fitness, particularly as a leader and just kind of looking and observing characteristics and the behavior of folks. So I basically told my team, I want you to do whatever it takes to nurture your spiritual and mental fitness, whatever you need to do — if it's meditating, if it's praying, if it's walking, whatever is personal to you, but make sure that it's nurtured. But I also told my folks that if you think my spiritual fitness and mental fitness is out of balance, I want you to tell me, because I might have blinders on. I could be focused on things, just like they could be focused on things, and I would tell them. And I think folks really appreciated the candor and the openness of the leader, the commander, you know, saying that, yes, I want you to tell me if you think my spiritual mental fitness is, you know, is out of balance.   Naviere Walkewicz Did you ever have anyone tell you that?   Michael Black I did. I had strong relationships with my first sergeant, or my command sergeant major, the senior enlisted adviser. So we were, you know, we're hand-in-hand and all the places I was at. And so, yes, I've had them. I've had my wife tell me that. So I think that's important. I just — like I said, you can easily have blinders on and maybe just not see that or have blind spots. And speaking of that, I've written a leadership article on blind spots. I've kind of studied that and understand that. Flying — at the time the primary mission of the Air Force was flying. And so I'd always say, “What is your role in supporting the primary mission, or what is our role in supporting the primary mission of the Air Force?” So make sure you understand that. As a communicator, how do you contribute to the primary mission, or as a logistician, or as information management? But understand what your role is in the primary mission of the Air Force. Fairness, as a leader — it is so important for the leader to be fair, right? It can affect good order and discipline if you're not fair, but equally important is to be perceived as being fair. So I could think I'm being fair, I could think that I'm being fair, but if the perception of the unit, the team, is that I'm not being fair, that's just as detrimental to the mission as actually not being fair. And so I think perceptions are important, and you need to understand that. You need to be aware of the perceptions; you need to be ready to receive the information and the feedback from your team on that. And so I stress the importance of also the perception people have different management. I could be looking at something over there, and I say, “OK, yeah, sky is blue over there,” but somebody's looking at it from a different you know, they may see a touch of some clouds in there, and so they see some light in there, and from their vantage point. And it's just like that in life: Respect everybody's vantage point in things. And so that was the fairness aspect. Then finally, fun. I'm a person that likes to have fun.   Naviere Walkewicz You are?!   Michael Black Yes, I am. I'm a person that loves to have fun. And so for me, I grew up playing sports. And so I played sports throughout my Air Force career. So that was kind of one of the things I did for fun, intramurals.   Naviere Walkewicz What was your favorite sport?   Michael Black My favorite sport was baseball growing up. I mean, I dreamed about trying to play in the Major Leagues and that kind of stuff. And I played on a lot of baseball teams growing up, and then when I got into the service, played softball, and I played competitive softball. Back in the day, they have base softball teams, and so you would, you know, try out for the team, and I would try out, and I played on base team at probably at least four or five bases that I was at. So I was, these are my own words: I was good. So I played and was very competitive in intramurals. That's another way to bring your team together — camaraderie. They see the boss out there playing. And I always would tell folks that on the squadron team: They're not playing me because I'm the commander. They're playing me because I'm good. I can contribute to the wins in a game. But so it's very competitive. I wasn't a win at all costs, but it wasn't fun to lose. So being competitive and fun. So that's one of the things I did for fun. I also follow professional sports. San Antonio Spurs is my basketball team; Washington Commanders, my football team. So I would go to those events, those games, those contests and stuff like that. Music, concerts, still do that kind of stuff with my kids and my family incorporate fun into — so it's not all work and no play. I think you do yourself justice by, winding down relaxing a little bit and having fun and that kind of thing. And so I encourage my team to do that. Wasn't gonna tell people what they needed to do for fun. I think that's personal, but having fun is important and it helps strike that balance. So that's really the five Fs. And I carried that, as I said, every time I command, every time I've, you know, unit that I've been associated with, particularly after the 2000 graduation from Army Command and Staff College. And I still carry that five Fs today And incidentally, I think the if you bump into somebody who was in one of my units, they're going to remember the five Fs, or some portion of it. In fact, I have a couple mentees that commanded after me, and they adopted the five Fs as their command philosophy. And that's kind of something that's very satisfying as a leader to have somebody adopt your leadership style. They think that it was good for them while they were in the unit. And it's very flattering to see that afterwards. I mean, so much so that I've had people that were in my unit, and then they got assigned to one of my mentee's unit, and they would call me up and they'd say, “Hey, Col. Black, you know, Col. Packler says his command philosophy is the five Fs.” Yeah, I said Marc was in my unit at Langley, and he probably felt that. But that's, that's a true story. Naviere Walkewicz That's a legacy, right there; that's wonderful. Well, speaking of legacy, you have a son that's also a graduate. So talk about that. I mean, you were expected to go to college. It wasn't an if, it was where? How about your children? Was that kind of the expectation? Michael Black So my wife is a college graduate. She's a nurse as well. And so we preached education throughout. And just as an aside, shout out to my wife, who just completed her Ph.D.   Naviere Walkewicz Wow, congratulations!   Michael Black Yes. Wilda Black, last week, in doing that. And so between my family, my immediate family — so my wife, and my two daughters and my son, there are 15 degrees between us.   Naviere Walkewicz And you?   Michael Black And me. So five us, there are 15 degrees. My wife has two master's, a bachelor's and now a Ph.D. My oldest daughter has a bachelor's and two master's. My son has a bachelor's and a master's. My younger daughter has a bachelor's and a master's, and I have a bachelor's and three master's degrees. So I think that adds up to 15.   Naviere Walkewicz I lost count. Social sciences major here.   Michael Black So yes, education. And so my son — he really liked quality things, likes quality things growing up. And so he was looking at schools and researching and looking at the Ivy League, some of the Ivy League schools, and some other schools that, you know, had strong reputations. I purposely did not push the Air Force Academy to him because I didn't want him to go for the wrong reasons. I didn't want him to go because I went there and that kind of thing. But late in the game, you know, in his summer, going into his senior year of high school, he came to me and said, “Hey…” and I'm paraphrasing a little bit, “Dad, you know, your alma mater is pretty good, you know, pretty, you know, pretty has a strong reputation.” And I said, “Yeah, you know, you know, strong academic curriculum and everything else there.” So that summer he said, “Well, I'm thinking I might want to go there.” And I'm thinking to myself, “That's a little bit late in the game, like the summer going into senior year.”   Naviere Walkewicz Did you recruit your mom again?   Michael Black Mom got involved. And then I think you know Carolyn Benyshek. So Carolyn was the director of admissions. I reached out to her and just said, “Hey, I got my son that's interested.” They were actually coming to Baltimore, I believe, for a…   Naviere Walkewicz The Falcon Experience. Right.   Michael Black And so we went to see her, and I'll just kind of say the rest is history. Through her help and guidance, through my son's qualifications — he was able to get in. He went to the Prep School, which is great, and I just want to give a shout out to the Prep School for that. I did not attend the Prep School, but I saw the value of my son going to the Prep School and then coming to the Academy. So I just to this day, thankful for our Prep School and how they prepare folks.   Naviere Walkewicz We feel similarly about that.   Michael Black So, yeah. So he went. And so, of course, a proud dad, right? Your son following in your footsteps, and that kind of thing. So Clinton, Clinton Black is in the Space Force now, and he's assigned to Vandenberg. But my son, he was a soccer player growing up, played a lot of competitive soccer, came here and decided that he wanted to do Wings of Blue, and so he was on Wings of Blue parachute team. And the neat thing about that is that the jump wings that my son wears are the jump wings that my dad earned at Airborne School in 1964, '65 — sometime in the early ‘60s. And so my dad was still living at the time and so he was able to come out here and pin the wings on Clinton. So it skipped a generation because I didn't jump or anything. But my son jumped, and he has mid-500 number of jumps that he's had. And so my dad was able to see him jump, and that was even though Airborne is a teeny bit different than free fall, but still, you know, parachuting, and all of that. So getting to see Clinton excel and do that and see him jump into the stadium, and that kind of thing. He jumped with some of the former Navy SEALs in the X Games, you know, in the mountains. So that was just a proud parent moment. Naviere Walkewicz Wow. That is very exciting. And so, through all of these experiences that you had, I keep wanting to go back to the five Fs .yYu had mentioned earlier that you did some refinement to it. So where you are now, how are you using them? How have they been refined? I mean, flying. What is that? Michael Black So, I asked people to take a little bit of a leap in that, understand where it came from, in my 5s but that aspect refers to the mission, right? And so the Air Force mission has evolved to include space and that kind of thing. But even on the private side, the civilian side, I still use the five F's. And so the flying aspect just refers to the mission, or whatever the mission of your organization is. And so there was some refinement as we brought in space into our mission, but it really reflected on the mission. And so I had different AFSCs that worked for me in in the different units that I was at, and also different services. And so understanding the service aspect of things also was something that I had to take into consideration as far as keeping and refining that, at the White House Communications Agency, about 1,200 military — more Army than Air Force, more Air Force than Navy, more Navy than Marine Corps, and more Marine Corps than Coast Guard. And so being an Air Force commander of a joint unit that had more Army folks in it, you have to understand that lingo, and be able to speak cool and that kind of thing. Dad loved that. And so going to the Army Command General Staff College, and, getting some of that philosophy and understanding that. And then I went to what's now called the Eisenhower School, now ICAF, the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, which is another joint school. And so being around that helped me in those aspects. But really applying that throughout and after I retired, I did 10 years in the private sector with a couple of different small businesses that were government contracted focused, providing professional services, but still, as the chief operating officer of each one of those, it's a pretty high leadership position within the company and so I talked about the five Fs in some terms that my team could understand that, and so still apply that. And then now, with three years working for the nonprofit, the AFCEA organization, where we bring government, industry and academia together to do IT, cyber kind of things, machine learning, artificial intelligence — I still have that philosophy to buy that and what I do, I think it's something that's applicable across the board, not just military. At least I've made it applicable. Naviere Walkewicz I was just gonna ask that, because talk about the private sector and — some of our listeners, they take off the uniform, but they still have that foundation of the military, but they're working with people who maybe don't have that foundation of the military. So how did you translate that in a way that they could feel that same foundation, even though they hadn't gone through a military family or through the Air Force Academy? Michael Black Yeah, no, that's a great question, Naviere. And I think, as a leader, you have to be aware of that. You have to be aware of your team and their background and their experiences. You also you have to speak their lingo, right? I mean, I can't talk just Air Force or military lingo. We talk a lot in acronyms. Naviere Walkewicz Like AFCEA. And I'm sure many know it but would you mind spelling it out? Michael Black Armed Forces Communications Electronics Association. And even though we have that we are more than the armed forces now, so we really are known by just AFCEA, even though that's what that acronym stands for. So I mean, I work with Homeland Security, VA and that kind of thing. But to your point, getting folks to understand where I'm coming from, and I need to understand where they're coming from, you have to take the time, put in the work to do that, so that you can communicate with your folks, and so that they understand where you're coming from, and also, so that they feel valued, right? That you understand where they're coming from. And I think all of that is important. And I tried to make sure that I did that, and I had coaches, mentors and sponsors along the way. So I learned when some of my mentors transition from the military time, and so when they went to go work in the private sector, I still lean on them. “OK, how did you make this transition? And what is it about? And what are the similarities and what are the differences? What do I need to consider in doing that?” And I'm thankful, and that goes back to one key point that I want to make about relationships and nurturing that relationship. I mentioned Gen. Field, worked for him in the early 2000s. But here we are, 2025, and he's in my contacts, he will take my call, he will respond to a text, and vice versa. You know, building that relationship. And so he's with a nonprofit now, and so I still stay in touch with him. The director of the White House Military Office was a Navy admiral that I worked for when I was at the White House. He is now the president and CEO of the United States Naval Institute — Adm. Spicer. You know, 20-something, 15 years ago, worked for him and now we're working together on a big conference. But those relationships are important in nurturing those relationships. And I learned about nurturing from my family. You know, my grandparents, who did that. My grandfather was a farmer. He had to nurture his crops for them to produce. So the same thing, analogy applies in relationships; you have to nurture that relationship. And you know, it circled all the way back to, you know, our 40-year reunion now, and my classmates that are here and nurturing those relationships with those classmates over the years is important to me. I'm the connector within my class, or the nucleus. I mean, those are two nicknames that my classmates have given me: the Col. Connector and Nucleus, and I embrace those. Naviere Walkewicz Yes, that's wonderful. I know that you also mentor cadets. And I think my question for you, from the aspect of some of our listeners, is, did you seek out the cadets? Did they seek you out? How does that mentorship relationship start? Because you talked about how, like, for example, Gen. Field, you had that relationship years ago. That's kind of carried through. But how do you know when that mentorship is beginning? Michael Black I think both of those aspects, as you mentioned. Do they seek that? There are cadets that seek that based upon just what they've experienced and what they've learned. And then some of the cadets know people that I know, and so they've been referred to me, and all that. Some were — like their parents, I worked with their parents. I mean, particularly in the Class of 2023 there are three young ladies that I mentored in the Class of 2023 one whose father worked with me on the White House Communications Agency, one whose mother babysat my kids OK. And then one who's ROTC instructor in junior in high school was my first sergeant. So in those three instances, I was connected to those folks through relationship with either their parents or somebody that worked for me and that that kind of thing. And that was a neat thing to, you know, to be here. I did the march back with those young ladies, and then I connected those three young ladies who did not know each other at the march back, when we got back on the Terrazzo, I found all three of them and explained my relationship with each of them. And they were able to be connected throughout and two of them I actually commissioned, So that was really, really nice. And so, you know, seeking mentorship is, well, mentorship has just been important to me. I benefited from mentorship, and I want to return that favor. I am the chairman of the Air Force Cadet Officer Mentor Association, AFCOMA, whose foundation is mentorship, fellowship and scholarship, and so I'm passionate about mentorship and doing that. I've seen the benefits of it. People did it for me, and I think you can shorten the learning curve. I think you can just help folks along the way. So I'm very passionate about that. Naviere Walkewicz Well, this has been amazing. I think there's two questions I have left for you. The first one being — and I think we've learned a lot about this along the way — but if you were to summarize, what is something you are doing every day to be better as a leader? Michael Black I think every day I take a deep look inside myself, and am I living and breathing my core values? And what am I doing to help the next generation? You know, trying to put that on my schedule, on my radar, that's important to me. And whether I'm at work with AFCEA, whether I'm out here at my 40th reunion, whether I'm on vacation, I always take the time to mentor folks and pass on that. I think that's something that's passionate for me. You mentioned, when we talked about the retirement ceremonies. I mean, I've done 20-plus since I retired. In fact, I have one in November, but it will be my 27th retirement ceremony since I retired. And those things are important to me. And so I reflect, I try to keep my fitness — my physical, spiritual and mental fitness, in balance every day so that I can be effective and operate at a peak performance at the drop of the hat. You know, being ready. And so that's important to me. So there's some self-analysis, and I do live and breathe the five F's. I think that's important. And I think I've proven to myself that that is something that is relatable, not only to my time in the military, but my time in the private sector, and now my time in a nonprofit. And I just continue to do that so self-reflection and really practicing particularly the fitness aspect of the five Fs. Naviere Walkewicz Wow, that's outstanding. And then you probably share this with your mentees. But what is something that you would help our aspiring leaders — those who are already in leadership roles in any facet of it — but what is something that they can do today so that they will be more effective as a leader? Michael Black So I think being aware that people are watching you and your actions. Even when you think that somebody is not watching, they are watching. And so they are trying to learn what to do next, and to be aware of that. And so I think, again, that goes with what you asked me first: What do I do every day. But also being aware of that, so that you can be that example to folks. And then take the time, have some pride in leaving the organization better than it was when you got there. I mean, it's a cliche, but I think I take a lot of pride in that. And then, when the team does good, everybody does good, so you shouldn't necessarily be out there for any kind of glory. That's going to come. But do it for the right reasons. And provide… give the people the tools, the resources and the environment to be successful. And in… I just take satisfaction when I see one of my mentees get squadron command, go do something like the current commander of the White House Communications Agency, Col. Kevin Childs. He was a captain and a major in the organization when I was there. Nothing makes me happier than to see my mentees excel. And then, in this particular instance, he's holding a job that I had, and we still talk. I mean, he had me come out there to speak to the unit about a month ago. And those things give me a lot of pride and satisfaction and confirmation that I am doing the right thing. And so I'm excited about that. Naviere Walkewicz Well, I can say, from the time that I met you a few years ago, you are living what your five Fs. I see it every time you help champion others. Every time I'm around you I'm  energized. So this has been a true joy. Has there been anything that I haven't asked you that you would like to share with our listeners? Michael Black Well, I do want to say personally, thank you to you for all that you do and what the association is doing here. This Long Blue conversation, Long Blue Line — I think this is important to share. There's a Class of 1970 that's in the hotel with us, and I don't know, really, any of those folks, but when I see them walking around with their red hat on — that was their color — and I think about, “OK, 15 years before me.” And so I'm 62. These guys are, if I did the public math, right, 77, 78, maybe even older, depending upon what they did, and still out there doing things, and some of them here with their spouses and that kind of thing. I was just talking to one of the classmates this morning, I said, “You know, I wonder if we're going to be like this when our 55th reunion is,” and they were walking around, and most were in good health and able to do things. So that gives a lot of pride. But, what you're doing, what the rest of the folks here are doing, I think this is amazing. I love the new building, the studio that we're in. This is my first time in the new building, so I'm thankful for this opportunity, and just excited about what you guys do. Naviere Walkewicz Well, thank you so much for that. It's been an absolute pleasure having you on Long Blue Leadership. Michael Black Well, I appreciate it. It's been an honor, and I'm glad you guys timed this for my '85 Best Alive reunion and in the new studio. Naviere Walkewicz Yes, wonderful. Well, as we bring today's conversation to a close, Michael left a reminder for us that stands to me. As a leader, you're always on, you're always being watched. You know your steady presence and deep empathy were forged in life's hardest moments, from guiding a young family through unimaginable loss to breaking the barriers at the highest levels of service to mentoring cadets who will carry forward the legacy of leadership. And then there's that framework he lived by, the five Fs of leadership. It is practical as it is powerful, family, fitness, flying mission, fairness and fun, each one a reminder that leadership is about balance grounding and the courage to keep perspective no matter the challenge. His story reminds us that true leaders create more leaders, and when we anchor ourselves in purpose, faith and these five Fs, we leave behind a legacy that lasts. Thank you for listening to Long Blue Leadership. I'm Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz. Until next time. KEYWORDS Michael Black, Air Force leadership, 5F leadership philosophy, military mentorship, leadership development, combat communication, White House Communications, Space Force, veteran leadership, empathetic leadership, military career progression, leadership principles, professional growth, organizational effectiveness, cadet mentoring, military communication strategy, leadership resilience, Air Force Academy graduate, leadership philosophy, team building, professional relationships.       The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation    

General Krulak is a former commandant of the U.S. Marines Corps and a deputy director of the White House Military Office, and he has served by presidential appointment as chairman of the U.S. Naval Academy Board of Visitors, overseeing the board responsible for the policies of the U.S. Naval Academy. Following his retirement from military service, General Krulak was made chairman and CEO of MBNA Europe Bank in England, where he oversaw the financial turnaround for the credit card provider. He subsequently joined MBNA America Bank as vice chairman and chief administrative officer, where he was responsible for corporate and personnel development and education. General Krulak served as president of Birmingham-Southern College and continues to be passionate about supporting the development of young people.   General Krulak joins me today to share the experience he gained while working with Presidents Regan and Bush as part of the White House Military Office staff and how his role was pivotal in providing military support. He discusses his move into leading private companies and why it was important to him to be authentic and honest to get the best out of his staff and himself in this new industry. General Krulak also shares the motivation behind his charitable work with the US Israel Education Association and the future objectives of the program. “Where principle is involved, be deaf to expediency.” - General Krulak This week on The Wow Factor: The advantages of growing up a military junior Why he decided to join the Marine Corps His journey through training school to become an Infantry Officer and subsequently go to Vietnam The emotional impact of being in the Marine Corps on his wife and family How he progressed through the ranks in his career The difference between the public and classified areas of his work at the White House The personal importance of embracing Christianity to General Krulak His pride in being selected as the Marine Corps Commandant The Importance of prayer in significant moments The Influence of his father and other mentors such as President Regan Why he is passionate about moving forward and helping young people How he continued to grow as a leader Why he doesn't dwell on regrets General Krulak's Words of Wisdom: If you want to be successful in life, be a man or a woman of character, have moral courage, do the right thing, have integrity.  Connect with General Krulak: Hope for the Warriors website US Israel Education Association website Human Rights First website   Connect with The WOW Factor: Website I Like Giving: The Transforming Power of a Generous Life book by Brad Forsma LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Twitter  

Dan Kaszeta is a specialist defence and security consultant and is an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute and the author of 'Toxic'. he has held positions in the US Secret Service and White House Military Office. Dan is of Lithuanian ancestry and has long studied Baltic history. He is experienced in many aspects of physical, technical, and operational security, and has 20 years of experience in every aspect of CBRN defence, across both military and civil sectors. He is also a Liveryman of London, supporter of NAFO, and outspoken critic of the current UK government – which we'll talk about more in the interview, because that has caused some political controversy recently. --------- LINKS: http://strongpointsecurity.co.uk/resources/downloads/ https://twitter.com/DanKaszeta https://www.linkedin.com/in/dankaszeta/ https://rusi.org/people/kaszeta https://www.crowdjustice.com/case/dan-kaszeta-end-blacklisting/ --------- ARTICLES & NEWS: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-66180552 https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/may/23/dan-kaszeta-banned-from-uk-government-event-for-tweets-criticised-tories https://muckrack.com/dan-kaszeta/articles --------- BOOKS: Toxic: A History of Nerve Agents, from Nazi Germany to Putin's Russia (2020) The Forest Brotherhood: Baltic Resistance Against the Nazis and Soviets (2023) CBRN and Hazmat Incidents at Major Public Events: Planning and Response (2012) ---------

Behind the barbecues and pool parties that celebrate Memorial Day is the remembrance of those who gave their lives in defense of this country. To honor the occasion, Celebrations Chatter is presenting a special military-focused episode. To share perspectives on the men and women in uniform, we're sitting down this week with Rob Newson. Rob has had a highly accomplished military career as a U.S. Navy SEAL and as the Deputy Director/Director of the White House Military Office, and later became VP of Strategy and Vision for the Philadelphia 76ers.   Today, Rob has taken his years of leadership expertise to his current passion as an anti-cancer catalyst for Cancer in the Military.  Rare, terminal cancers and chronic medical conditions are plaguing young, otherwise healthy, top performers of our nation's military following service during the post-9/11 era.  Rob's objective is to create a national anti-cancer swarm focused on cancer within the veteran community.    We cover a wide variety of topics, including how military life shaped Rob as an individual, the issues many veterans are facing with cancer brought on by duty-related toxic exposure, and dive into current events such as the war in Ukraine.  Rob's dedication to service, both in his military career and as a civilian, inspires us greatly. It was an honor to sit down with him and get to know him better.   New podcast episodes released weekly on Thursday. Follow along with the links below: Sign up for the Celebrations Chatter Newsletter: https://celebrationschatter.beehiiv.com/    Subscribe to Celebrations Chatter on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@celebrationschatter  Follow @CelebrationsChatter on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celebrationschatter/    Follow @CelebrationsChatter on Threads: https://www.threads.net/@celebrationschatter  Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Apple Podcasts:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/celebrations-chatter-with-jim-mccann/id1616689192    Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Yxfvb4qHGCwR5IgAmgCQX?si=ipuQC3-ATbKyqIk6RtPb-A    Listen to more episodes of Celebrations Chatter on Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5saWJzeW4uY29tLzQwMzU0MS9yc3M?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwio9KT_xJuBAxUAAAAAHQAAAAAQNg  Visit 1-800-Flowers.com: https://www.1800flowers.com/    Visit the 1-800-Flowers.com YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@1800flowers  Follow Jim McCann on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim1800flowers/  Follow Jim McCann on X / Twitter: https://twitter.com/jim1800flowers (@Jim1800Flowers)

Check out this week's episode of Mothers In Construction Podcast dropping Thursday . Season 4 Episode 45 is with Christine Merdon. Listen to her Story! Christine Merdon is the CEO/President of Merdon Strategies, LLC, a woman owned small business providing management consulting to federal contractors for strategy, growth, organizational leadership and optimization of team performance. In addition, she is pursuing her Ph.D. in Civil Engineering at the University of Maryland. Ms. Merdon is a professional engineer, with significant public and private industry experience. She has a master's and bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Maryland. Ms. Merdon had a leadership role for 9 years at the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) as the Acting Architect of the Capitol and Chief Operating Officer. She was responsible for construction, facilities maintenance and operation of the historic U.S. Capitol Building, the care and improvement of more than 570 acres of grounds and the operation and maintenance of 18.4 million square feet of buildings including: the House and Senate Congressional Office Buildings, the Capitol Visitor Center, the Library of Congress Buildings, the U.S. Supreme Court Building and U.S. Botanic Gardens. As Acting Architect of the Capitol, she was a member of the Capitol Police Board, and the President's Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Before joining the AOC, Ms. Merdon worked in private industry as Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of Program and Construction Management with McKissack & McKissack. She has been responsible for successfully managing more than $15 billion in major construction projects and programs including: Washington Nationals Major League Baseball Stadium, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, National Museum of African American History and Culture, O'Hare Modernization Program, and Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson Memorial Renovations. Her private industry experience also included time spent as a Project Manager and Site Superintendent for Clark Construction. She began her career with the U.S. Navy for a total of 17 years, which included an assignment to White House Military Office as a Project Manager. Throughout her career, Ms. Merdon has won many projects excellence awards and she is the proud recipient of the 2016 D.C. Professional Engineer of the Year. She is a distinguished member of the National Academy of Construction. She is also a member of the Society of Women Engineers, Society of American Military Engineers, former Chair of the Board of Visitors for the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of Maryland, and the past president of the National Capitol Region ACE High School Mentor Program. She is a distinguished member of the National Academy of Construction. She resides in Alexandria, Virginia with her husband, Michael, and daughter Nadya.

(12/13/22) - In today's Federal Newscast: The Defense Department Inspector General issues a critical report on the behavior of the former director of the White House Military Office. A 17th Sergeant Major of the Army has been selected. And DCSA awards two contracts worth more than $2 billion each.

This week we have an incredible and inspiring story from someone who struggled throughout high school to hanging out with the President of the United States. This week the Shadows Podcast has the honor of welcoming retired 44-year United States Air Force General, former Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and author of Dark Horse, Larry Spencer, to the show. During this episode, Larry talks to us about his upbringing in the Southeast District of Columbia. He tells us about his father's legacy and an injury that occurred while serving. Why did he decide to join the Air Force in the early 70s? What were some of the struggles he dealt with when it came to discrimination early in his career? What did it mean to him to be a Commander? What was the one moment that stands out the most when he thinks of leadership? He also talks about his time interacting with the Presidents of the United States while serving in the White House Military Office. What was his time like as the Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force? He also discusses the Air Force Association (https://www.afa.org/), the two Air Force awards named in his honor (Air Force Innovation and the Special Acts and Services Awards.), and his books; The Green Eyeshades of War: An Examination of Financial Management during War and Dark Horse. Both can be purchased at https://www.generallarryspencer.com/published-books. This powerful episode is available on any podcast platform and www.theshadowspodcast.com. Next week the Shadows Podcast returns with episode 90: The Chronicles of Allen Levi Simmons. He's a former Marine, host of the Purpose Pod, and author of Can I Speak? Stay tuned for the premiere of season 2 of Rising From The Shadows: Behind the Mask on Monday, August 1, 2022. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/shadows-podcast/support

In this episode, Dr. Janét Aizenstros shares her journey to success. She speaks on her relationship with God and how intricate it was to her success. She shares how she went from being mad at God to learning to trust Him in every aspect of her life. And creating a women-led 9 figure business with a central focus on serving women in business. Dr. Janét Aizenstros is the founder and CEO of Ahava Digital Group (ADG) -- a women-led digital consultancy working with Fortune companies to help them connect with women consumers using data and technology. She is an award-winning Canadian businesswoman that is the recipient of the prestigious 2021 RBC Canadian Women Entrepreneur Excellence Award, one of the 2021 EY Entrepreneur of the Year for Ontario finalist, a recipient of the 2020 WXN Canada's Most Powerful Women Entrepreneur Award: Top 100, 2019 honorary Presidential Service Award by the White House Military Office, and the Employer Of The Year by Canadian Business. To connect with Dr. Janét Aizenstros visit: https://www.janetaizenstros.com/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/tisha-talks/message

December 7, 1941 and September 11, 2001 are two dates that will live in infamy. Although 60 years apart, they both represent defining moments in US History. Our guests on this episode, Dorinda Nicholson and Lieutenant Colonel Robert Darling, United States Marine Corps (retired), were eyewitnesses (respectively) to the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the response of America's leadership from within the White House bunker to the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Dorinda Nicholson was born in Hawaii to a Hawaiian mother and a Caucasian father from Missouri. On December 7, 1941, Dorinda, whose family lived near the tip of the Pearl City Peninsula, was six years old when she witnessed the bombing of Pearl Harbor by Imperial Japan. Her home was only a few hundred yards from the USS Utah, the first ship to be attacked on that fateful day. After fleeing their home to take refuge in a sugar cane field, she and her family had a panoramic view of the attacks on the entire American fleet. Dorinda, who went on to become a mental health professional, is a sought after speaker and author of books such as “Pearl Harbor Child” and “Pearl Harbor Warriors”. One of Dorinda's passions is to bring awareness to the suffering of civilian populations, particularly children during times of war. As an officer in the USMC, Robert Darling piloted Cobra attack helicopters during Desert Shield and Desert Storm during the 1st Gulf War and in Somalia, Africa in support of Operation Restore Hope. He was later selected to fly as a Presidential pilot with Marine Helicopter Squadron 1 and in the year 2000, he was chosen to work for The White House Military Office, Airlift Operations Department. While serving in that capacity on 9/11/2001, during the terrorist attacks on America, Darling responded to the underground White House bunker, known as the President's Emergency Operations Center. From that location, he directly supported the Vice-President and the National Security Adviser during the critical moments of that day. Lieutenant Colonel Robert Darling retired from the USMC in 2007 after 20 years of service. He is now a professional speaker in crisis leadership and decision making and is the author of “24 Hours Inside the President's Bunker, 9/11/01 The White House” In this episode of Your History Your Story, Dorinda and Robert will recount their experiences on those two historic days in American history and will tell how those events have impacted their lives. They will also share their thoughts on what we, as a country, can learn about leadership in crisis, war, and its' impact on human lives. Photo(s): Courtesy of Dorinda Nicholson and Robert Darling Music: "With Loved Ones" Jay Man

Today we spoke with Rob Newson - VP of Strategy and Vision at Philadelphia 76ers. This episode was brought to you by Commit Action. It is a differentiator. We use it and are huge fans. It pairs you with a dedicated accountability coach whose sole job is to give you clarity on what needs to get done and the accountability to make sure you do it. This levels up your productivity. Join fellow members including venture backed founders, globe-trotting internet entrepreneurs & Fortune 500 execs…and ourselves. Find out more at www.commitaction.com A master integrator - of ideas, personalities, and actions...skilled and experienced at getting the best from teams, concepts and processes. Rob is driven by a sense of contribution and community, and motivated by challenges, teamwork and the finish line. A 30 year Navy SEAL (now retired from the Navy), he is renowned for his creativity, unconventional approaches, leadership, project management and inter-and intra-organisation coordination. Rob has a PhD in Leadership Studies and was the Director at the White House Military Office, as part of the US Dept. of Defense. We speak about how he got into the NBA, cultivating and retaining championship DNA (Identity and Culture) - and what he brings to the table in his role with the 76ers. The value and importance of teamwork is dug into - "if you want to go far, go with others". Rob explains his workouts to get rid of body rust and unpacks The Honor Foundation - a world-class career transition institute for US Special Ops. Find out more at www.honor.org

Retired Marine Lt. Colonel Robert Darling joins Tim to tell his story of what it was like in the White House bunker on 9/11, where the vice president and other administration officials gathered intel and made decisions minute by minute. Some of those decisions were not only life and death, but historically, never had to be made before. Robert gives an insider's story on how the nation's leadership responded to the most severe attack on America's homeland since the Civil War.  This episode is part of our special series, "9/11: A Generation Removed." https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/shapingopinion/Inside_the_White_House_Bunker_at_20.mp3 As much as has been reported over the years about what happened on September 11th, 2001, outside of some of the leaders involved, you rarely get the chance to hear the story from an insider – someone who was both a participant and a witness to history, in that context. That's what you get when you hear the story of now retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel Robert J. Darling. Bob was a military liaison officer to the President. He was primarily responsible for planning air travel logistics for the President, the Vice President and the First Family. He was a pilot of Marine One, the helicopter that carries the President. He was a combat-hardened former Marine Cobra helicopter pilot. On September 11th, he found himself in direct support to Vice President Dick Cheney, the National Security Advisor, Dr. Condoleezza Rice, and others in the administration and in the nation's leadership apparatus. He was a critical communications link between those in the White House bunker and the chain of command outside of the bunker in national security, at the Pentagon, transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration, world leaders and others. When the terrorist attacks happened, the President was in Florida. The vice president was on site in the White House, along with other senior members of the administration. In the years before September 11th, much prepared him for what he'd see, what he'd hear and what he would have to do on that day. But as we find out, everyone who was with him in the White House bunker that day brought with them their own special histories and experiences that uniquely prepared them for the roles each would play, to make decisions that would affect the safety of millions and influence the future of the country they served. Links Robert J. Darling (website) 24 Hours Inside the White House Bunker, by Robert J. Darling (Barnes & Noble) Inside the White House Bunker on 9/11, West Point Center for Oral History About 9/11: A Generation Removed On September 11, 2021, America will mark the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the country that happened on September 11, 2001. In remembrance of the event, the Shaping Opinion podcast will release a series of nine distinct episodes centered on the 9/11 attacks, starting on Friday, September 3rd and culminating on the 20th Anniversary, September 11, 2021.  The series, entitled, “9/11: A Generation Removed,” will feature six new and original episodes for 2021, and three encore episodes, all based on the personal experiences of guests and stories of people who were there in New York, in Washington, D.C., and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. About this Episode's Guest Robert J. Darling Lieutenant Colonel Robert J. Darling retired from the United States Marine Corps with just over twenty years of active duty service in October 2007. He flew Cobra attack helicopters in Desert Shield and Desert Storm during the first Gulf War and in Somalia, Africa in support of Operation Restore Hope. In June 1998, he was selected to fly as a presidential pilot with Marine Helicopter Squadron One and in October 2000, he was selected to work for The White House Military Office, Airlift Operations Department. It was in that capacity that, then Major Darling supported the President,

Retired Marine Lt. Colonel Robert Darling joins Tim to tell his story of what it was like in the White House bunker on 9/11, where the vice president and other administration officials gathered intel and made decisions minute by minute. Some of those decisions were not only life and death, but historically, never had to be made before. Robert gives an insider's story on how the nation's leadership responded to the most severe attack on America's homeland since the Civil War.  This episode is part of our special series, "9/11: A Generation Removed." https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/shapingopinion/Inside_the_White_House_Bunker_at_20.mp3 As much as has been reported over the years about what happened on September 11th, 2001, outside of some of the leaders involved, you rarely get the chance to hear the story from an insider – someone who was both a participant and a witness to history, in that context. That's what you get when you hear the story of now retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel Robert J. Darling. Bob was a military liaison officer to the President. He was primarily responsible for planning air travel logistics for the President, the Vice President and the First Family. He was a pilot of Marine One, the helicopter that carries the President. He was a combat-hardened former Marine Cobra helicopter pilot. On September 11th, he found himself in direct support to Vice President Dick Cheney, the National Security Advisor, Dr. Condoleezza Rice, and others in the administration and in the nation's leadership apparatus. He was a critical communications link between those in the White House bunker and the chain of command outside of the bunker in national security, at the Pentagon, transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration, world leaders and others. When the terrorist attacks happened, the President was in Florida. The vice president was on site in the White House, along with other senior members of the administration. In the years before September 11th, much prepared him for what he'd see, what he'd hear and what he would have to do on that day. But as we find out, everyone who was with him in the White House bunker that day brought with them their own special histories and experiences that uniquely prepared them for the roles each would play, to make decisions that would affect the safety of millions and influence the future of the country they served. Links Robert J. Darling (website) 24 Hours Inside the White House Bunker, by Robert J. Darling (Barnes & Noble) Inside the White House Bunker on 9/11, West Point Center for Oral History About 9/11: A Generation Removed On September 11, 2021, America will mark the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the country that happened on September 11, 2001. In remembrance of the event, the Shaping Opinion podcast will release a series of nine distinct episodes centered on the 9/11 attacks, starting on Friday, September 3rd and culminating on the 20th Anniversary, September 11, 2021.  The series, entitled, “9/11: A Generation Removed,” will feature six new and original episodes for 2021, and three encore episodes, all based on the personal experiences of guests and stories of people who were there in New York, in Washington, D.C., and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. About this Episode's Guest Robert J. Darling Lieutenant Colonel Robert J. Darling retired from the United States Marine Corps with just over twenty years of active duty service in October 2007. He flew Cobra attack helicopters in Desert Shield and Desert Storm during the first Gulf War and in Somalia, Africa in support of Operation Restore Hope. In June 1998, he was selected to fly as a presidential pilot with Marine Helicopter Squadron One and in October 2000, he was selected to work for The White House Military Office, Airlift Operations Department. It was in that capacity that, then Major Darling supported the President,

This episode from Friday, June 16, 2017 is part of our "Fan Favorites" collection. Recommended by Becky Gossett: "Brian Mosteller served as special assistant to President Barack Obama and director of Oval Office Operations from 2008 through the entirety of Obama's two administrations. His talk was informative, entertaining and engaging, with some added insight into the Obama family, along with the "inside scoop" to the daily operations inside the Oval Office." Brian Mosteller served as Special Assistant to President Obama and Director of Oval Office Operations from 2008 through the entirety of two administrations. His duties included ensuring that President Obama could execute his schedule on a daily basis and, on behalf of the President's immediate interests, overseeing the planning and implementation of White House functions, speeches, State Visits and meetings. Mr. Mosteller worked daily with senior staff, other Executive Branch offices, the White House Military Office, the Secret Service, and the Private Residence staff. Find full speaker bio, and the event details here: https://bit.ly/2SCgcck

This week's episode features an Interview with City Councilman Greg Raths, a retired Colonel with the US Marine Corps, and Assistant Chief of Staff of The White House Military Office. We discuss Greg's run for California's 45th congressional district, his goals surrounding that run and his personal history in Mission Viejo. We also feature several properties in the Mission Viejo area. Thanks to today's special realtor guest, Patti Gregory. Thank you to today's sponsors: MyNHD.com Natalie Toledo Visit our website at: https://moreandmorenetwork.com/ (https://moreandmorenetwork.com/) More & More Marketing, LLC

General Krulak is a former commandant of the U.S. Marines Corps and a deputy director of the White House Military Office, and he has served by presidential appointment as chairman of the U.S. Naval Academy Board of Visitors, overseeing the board responsible for the policies of the U.S. Naval Academy. Following his retirement from military service, General Krulak was made chairman and CEO of MBNA Europe Bank in England, where he oversaw the financial turnaround for the credit card provider. He subsequently joined MBNA America Bank as vice chairman and chief administrative officer, where he was responsible for corporate and personnel development and education. General Krulak served as president of Birmingham-Southern College and continues to be passionate about supporting the development of young people.   General Krulak joins me today to share the experience he gained while working with Presidents Regan and Bush as part of the White House Military Office staff and how his role was pivotal in providing military support. He discusses his move into leading private companies and why it was important to him to be authentic and honest to get the best out of his staff and himself in this new industry. General Krulak also shares the motivation behind his charitable work with the US Israel Education Association and the future objectives of the program.   “Where principle is involved, be deaf to expediency.” - General Krulak   This week on The Wow Factor: The advantages of growing up a military junior Why he decided to join the Marine Corps His journey through training school to become an Infantry Officer and subsequently go to Vietnam The emotional impact of being in the Marine Corps on his wife and family How he progressed through the ranks in his career The difference between the public and classified areas of his work at the White House The personal importance of embracing Christianity to General Krulak His pride in being selected as the Marine Corps Commandant The Importance of prayer in significant moments The Influence of his father and other mentors such as President Regan Why he is passionate about moving forward and helping young people How he continued to grow as a leader Why he doesn't dwell on regrets   General Krulak's Words of Wisdom: If you want to be successful in life, be a man or a woman of character, have moral courage, do the right thing, have integrity.   Connect with General Krulak: Hope for the Warriors website US Israel Education Association website Human Rights First website   Connect with The WOW Factor: Website I Like Giving: The Transforming Power of a Generous Life book by Brad Forsma LinkedIn Instagram Facebook Twitter              

This story was co-published with ProPublica. Stay up to date with email updates about WNYC and ProPublica’s investigations into the president’s business practices. President Donald Trump’s recent musings about staging his Republican National Convention speech at the White House drew criticism from government ethics watchdogs and even one Republican senator, John Thune of South Dakota. The suggestion wasn’t an isolated blending of official presidential duties and the campaign. It was part of a yearslong pattern of disregarding such boundaries in the Trump White House. There is a law, called the Hatch Act, that prohibits most government officials from engaging in politicking in the course of their official work. The law does not apply to the president or vice president. While other presidents took campaign advantage of the trappings of the office, something that came to be known as the “Rose Garden strategy,” they typically refrained from explicit electoral appeals or attacks on their opponents at official presidential events. Federal election law and measures governing appropriations prohibit using taxpayer dollars for electioneering. Since resuming official travel at the beginning of May after a coronavirus-imposed pause, Trump has held 25 presidential out-of-town events. Of these events, transcribed on the official White House website, the president spoke about the election or attacked his opponent, Joe Biden, at 12 of them, nearly half. His presidential stage provided a venue for supporters to urge others to vote for Trump in November at three additional events. Administration officials have been cited for breaking the Hatch Act 13 times by federal investigators at the Office of Special Counsel (not to be confused with special counsel Robert Mueller). Twelve more investigations are underway. The law dates from the New Deal era, enacted after a scandal where employees of the Works Progress Administration were pressured to work on the campaigns of candidates friendly to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Neither the White House, the campaign or Trump’s campaign treasurer, Bradley Crate, responded to requests for comment. Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, violated the Hatch Act so many times that the OSC took the drastic measure of recommending she be fired, calling her actions “egregious, notorious and ongoing.” (Trump refused to do so.) The special counsel, Henry Kerner, is a Trump appointee and member of the conservative Federalist Society. He previously worked for Republicans Darrell Issa and Jason Chaffetz on Capitol Hill. When asked about the OSC’s recommendation, Conway said, “blah blah blah,” adding, “Let me know when the jail sentence starts.” Hatch Act violations are not criminal. The most significant result of a violation is dismissal. Hatch Act violations were relatively rare in the previous two presidential administrations. Two cabinet officials were cited for Hatch Act violations during the eight years of Barack Obama’s presidency. Some half-dozen senior officials in the Obama and Bush administrations said that they were frequently advised to avoid even the appearance of electioneering at official events. “There was a very bright line between what was a campaign event and what was an official event,” said Greg Jenkins, the director of advance for President George W. Bush during the period that included the 2004 reelection campaign. “If you could stretch things and say, yes, it’s perfectly legal to do this, but it has the appearance of impropriety — you don't do it.” Kathleen Sebelius, the former secretary of health and human services under Obama, was cited for making a statement urging his reelection during a gala for the Human Rights Campaign, an LGBTQ rights group. Sebelius apologized, and the Treasury was reimbursed for the cost of the trip. “I’d prefer that it not be on my record,” Sebelius said in an interview from her home in Lawrence, Kansas. Given that she was on the Kansas ethics commission and was a national board member of Common Cause, “it’s kind of a black mark.” She added: “But I did what they say I did,” and said that “it puts into perspective what goes on every day in this current administration that just makes the top of my head come off.” Previous campaigns have reimbursed taxpayers for costs associated with politicking while on official travel. And while disclosures do show that campaign committees associated with Trump have paid $896,000 to the Treasury and the White House Military Office in May and June, federal law doesn’t require an accounting of what those expenses were for. Trump would not violate the Hatch Act if he chose the White House for his nomination acceptance speech, but executive branch employees in the White House and agencies might be in jeopardy if they support or attend the event, experts said. “There are several laws that prohibit the use of federal funds and resources for partisan political events like the president’s RNC speech,” said Donald Sherman, deputy director of the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, or CREW. “Trump’s predecessors scrupulously avoided mixing official conduct with politics in this way, but President Trump has routinely used the apparatus of the government to try to boost his electoral prospects.”

Episode 31: Witnesses and Elitist Martini Lunches In this jam packed episode, Bradley welcomes Army combat veteran and former White House Military Office staffer Todd McKinley to discuss the 2020 race along with his time working alongside Vice President Joe Biden. Other topics include the impeachment trial, CNN’s attack on heartland America and much more!  

Today's Show : Historian & Best Selling Author, Doug Wead calls in, Former Massachusetts State Director For Trump Campaign, Dean Cavaretta calls in, Jexit Leader, Alexandra Levine calls in, U.S. Congressional Candidate From Ohio, Duane Hennen calls in, Political Activist, Star Carter calls in, Doctor and Lobbyist, Minnie Diaz calls in, Businesswoman & Talk Show Host, Tamara Leigh calls in,Retired Army Paratrooper, Iraq and Afghanistan Vet, Activist, White House Military Office & 2020 U.S. House Candidate, Todd A. Mckinley calls in, U.S. Congressional Candidate From Maryland, Tim Fazenbaker calls in, President Trump Signs Bill Criminalizing Animal Torture, President Trump Donates Third-Quarter Salary to Help Fight Opioid Crisis, House Judiciary Committee Invites Trump to Testify in First Impeachment Hearing, Judge: Don McGahn Must Testify About White House Role, Elizabeth Warren Accused of Lying to School Choice Activist: ‘No, My Children Went to Public Schools', ‘Bombshell' Starring Charlize Theron as Megyn Kelly Wins Social Justice Award, Obama skeptical about 2020 Democrats, Supreme Court temporarily blocks subpoena seeking Trump's financial records, A Transgender Super PAC Muscled Approval of School District's Radical Locker Room Policy, Iran is threatening United States again, Support for Impeachment Collapses Among Black/Hispanic Voters, Obama criticizes Biden, Goldman Sachs Tells Employees: Use Transgender Pronouns to Become an ‘Ally', Washington Post: Jared Kushner Manages Border Wall Construction, Impeachment Polls Prove Schiff Hearings Were a Huge Failure, House Democrats Sue Trump Administration over Census Documents and SJW madness continues.

Today's Show : Founder of Queen Of Peace Media, Public Speaker, Talk Show Host, & Best Selling Author, Christine Watkins calls in, Popular Radio Show Host, Gary Wellings calls in, U.S. Congressional Candidate From California, James P. Bradley calls in, National Political Commentator, Republican Operative, & Former Trump campaign staffer, Hunter Dworsky calls in, Doctor, Political Activist, NRA Member & 2020 Republican Congressional Candidate For The 13th District Of Ohio, Duane Hennen calls in, Retired Army Paratrooper, Iraq and Afghanistan Vet, Activist, White House Military Office & 2020 U.S. House Candidate, Todd A. Mckinley calls in, President Trump Surges with Women in Suburbs & Tops All Democrat Candidates in Large Donations, President Trump Approval Jumps Back to 50 Percent Despite Impeachment Inquiry, President Trump Launches ‘Black Voices for Trump' Coalition for 2020, President Trump's Favorability Higher than 2020 Democrat Candidates — During Impeachment, Maryland Officials Drop Sanctuary Policy After Illegal Alien Sex Crimes, 5.8 Million Individuals Off Food Stamps Under Trump, Democrats Shift from ‘Quid Pro Quo' to ‘Bribery' and ‘Extortion' Ahead of Public Impeachment Hearings, Billionaires call out Elizabeth Warren, Ralph Northam Plans Gun Control War, Kanye West 2024, Elizabeth Warren Confirms Her Medicare for All Plan Will Cover Illegal Immigrants, Devin Nunes Requests Adam Schiff Testify in the Impeachment Inquiry, Report: GOP Lawmakers Plan to Call Hunter Biden as Witness in Public Impeachment Hearings, John Legend remake, Non-Citizens to Stay on North Carolina Voter Rolls Before 2020 Election, Bernie Sanders Vows to Stop Deportations for Thousands of Convicted Murderers and Sex Offenders, Kelly & Tillerson Tried to Run the Country Behind Trump's Back, 58 Bodies Found in Cartel Mass Graves @Mexican Border & Cancel Culture madness.

Today's Show : Former Police Officer, Lawyer & Political Candidate, Joe Murray calls in, Attorney, Best Selling Author and Activist, Teisha Powell calls in, U.S. Congressional Candidate From Georgia, Lisa Babbage calls in, Evangelist, Motivational Speaker, Activist & Best Selling Author, Samuel Tolley calls in, Retired Army Paratrooper, Iraq and Afghanistan Vet, Activist, White House Military Office & 2020 U.S. House Candidate, Todd A. Mckinley calls in, U.S. Congressional Candidate From California, Paul Jones calls in, U.S. Congressional Candidate From Maryland, Tim Fazenbaker calls in, President Trump Calls Turkish President to Ensure Syria Ceasefire, RNC Rakes in Record $27.3 Million in September, Canadian Election,Blue-Collar American Workers Enjoy Highest Wage Growth in Trump Economy, Elizabeth Warren Deletes Tweet Announcing Her DNA Test Results, Elijah Cummings Legacy, Adam Schiff Staffer Met with Impeachment Witness on Ukraine Trip, Rick Perry Resigns, Ex-Ukraine Envoy Testifies, Armed Man Wearing Helmet and Vest Arrested Outside Trump's Texas Rally, Mexico Forced to Release El Chapo's Son After Paramilitary Cartel Violence, Louis Vuitton Plans to Create 1K U.S. Jobs by Opening Plant in Texas Town, House Intel Republicans: Adam Schiff Is Hiding Impeachment Documents from Us, Trump Campaign Vows to Sue CNN for Bias After Project Veritas' Latest Leaks, Obama Administration ‘Rebuffed' Warnings About Corruption Linked to Hunter Biden's Ukraine Work, Clinton Email Probe: State Department Finds 38 People Committed Violations, Pew: U.S. Christian Population in Freefall and 12% Drop in Ten Years, Britain's First Chick-fil-A to Be Shut Down After LGBTQ Lobbying, Latino-Owned Businesses Growing at Record Pace in Trump Economy, Florida senate trying to reinstate Scott Israel as sheriff, Human Waste from Homeless People Seeps into Miami Streets

Today's Show : U.S. Congressional Candidate From California, Paul Jones calls in, U.S. Congressional Candidate From Maryland, Tim Fazenbaker calls in, U.S. Congressional Candidate From Oregon, Angela Roman calls in, Retired Army Paratrooper, Iraq and Afghanistan Vet, Activist, White House Military Office & 2020 U.S. House Candidate, Todd A. Mckinley calls in, Desert Storm Veteran,Columnist, Activist & Radio Show Host, Eric Thompson calls in, Comedian, Actor & Political Junkie, Topher Frank calls in, Democrats in Red States Having a Rough Time Defending Impeachment Back Home, Mueller was pursuing FBI director job when he met with Trump in 2017, ‘Whistleblower' Attorneys Offered Rate Discount for Trump Informants & Ranted Against President on Social Media, More than 2.5 Million Households Drop Off Food Stamps Under Trump, Elizabeth Warren lied about being fired for pregnancy, U.N. Pleads for Money as Finances Poised to Run Dry by Month's End, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey Trying to Block Trump Rally, Democrats Keeping Key Impeachment Witness Transcripts Secret, Report: Ukraine ‘Whistleblower' Had ‘Professional Relationship' with 2020 Democrat, Rosenstein leaked texts, 87 House Republicans Move to Censure Adam Schiff, Chinese Cargo Ships Dump 73% of Trash in Atlantic Ocean, ACLU Sues Trump to Get Taxpayer-Funded ‘Mental Health Services' for Border Crossers, George Soros PAC Gives Planned Parenthood $350K to Turn Virginia Blue & Cancel Culture Epidemic.

Today's Show : Best Selling Author, Retired Vet, Commentator & Popular Columnist, Bill Riley calls in, Popular Columnist, Activist & Best Selling Author, Eric Mao calls in, Doctor, Political Activist, NRA Member & 2020 Republican Congressional Candidate For The 13th District Of Ohio, Duane Hennen calls in, Retired Army Paratrooper, Iraq and Afghanistan Vet, Activist, White House Military Office & 2020 U.S. House Candidate, Todd A. Mckinley calls in, Popular Talk Show Host, Entrepreneur, Political Activist & Freedom Fighter, Will Johnson calls in, Turning Point USA Contributor, Correspondent At Campus Reform & Prager U Ambassador, Joshua Aminov calls in,Retired Police Chief, Homicide Detective & Activist, Michael Valsi calls in,AJ From Houston calls in, Leader Of Blacks 4 Trump calls in, Activist & Talk Show Host, Matthew Holloway calls in, President Trump Re-election Campaign Begins Fundraising off Impeachment, President Trump Authorizes Release of Ukraine Phone Call Transcript, President Trump Approval Rating Jumps to 53 Percent, WSJ/NBC Poll: Healthcare for Illegals ‘Least Popular' Policy in 2020 Race, Chicago Police Suffer Five Downed Officers in One Week, Drag Queen Story Hour for Young Children Celebrated as Part of LGBTQ ‘Big Read' Event, Catholic Missionaries Compare Greta Thunberg to Virgin Mary, The Current Pope Is The Most Corrupt In History, Trump Admin Tells UNC & Duke to Revise Islam Program or Lose Taxpayer Funds, Iran Update & SJW's Continue To Get Crazier.

Today's Show : Doctor, Political Activist, NRA Member & 2020 Republican Congressional Candidate For The 13th District Of Ohio, Duane Hennen calls in, Retired Army Paratrooper, Iraq and Afghanistan Vet, Activist, White House Military Office & 2020 U.S. House Candidate, Todd A. Mckinley calls in, Turning Point USA Contributor, Correspondent At Campus Reform & Prager U Ambassador, Joshua Aminov calls in, Lobbyist, Leader at South Carolina Carry Inc & Director at Liberty Sc, Matt Wavle Calls in, Activist & Proud Boy's Member, Bradley Burris calls in, Musician, Podcast Host & Constitutionalist, Michael F. Rose calls in, Popular Talk Show Host, & Activist, Chris Cella calls in, Retired Police Chief & Detective, Michael Valsi calls in,President Trump: New Brett Kavanaugh Claim ‘to Scare Him into Turning Liberal', President Trump Celebrates ‘Historic Milestone' of 150th Judge Confirmed, President Trump: Illegal Migration Costs Americans $300 Billion Each Year, President Trump Confirms U.S. Killed Osama Bin Laden's Son and Successor Hamza, BBC Tells Schoolchildren There Are ‘over 100' Genders, 2,246 Unborn Children Found In Abortionist's Home, Former NFL Player Accused of Vandalizing His Own Business with ‘MAGA' and Racist Slurs, James Bond Controversy, Middle Class Fleeing Liberal Cities, DOJ IG Michael Horowitz Finalizing Report on FISA Abuse Investigation, Gallup: 83 Percent of Adults Blame ‘Mental Health' for Mass Shootings, Research: 600K Illegal Aliens Expected to Successfully Enter U.S. this Year, Alleged Victim of Brett Kavanaugh Does Not Recall Incident, Manhattan DA Subpoenas Trump's Personal/ Corporate Tax Returns, DACA Illegals Sue to Ensure they get welfare, HS Cheerleaders on Probation for Posing with ‘Trump 2020' Banner & U.S. Carbon Emissions at Lowest Level Since 1992.

Today's Show : Harvard Business School Grad, Political Consultant, Public Speaker, Co-Founder of Feed Me App & Best Selling Author, Todd Cefaratti calls in, Popular Talk Show Host, Lobbyist & Activist, Chris Cella calls in, Retired Police Chief, Homicide Detective & Activist, Michael Valsi calls in, Retired Army Paratrooper, Iraq and Afghanistan Vet, Activist, White House Military Office & 2020 U.S. House Candidate, Todd A. Mckinley calls in, Leader of Blacks 4 Trump calls in, President Trump Cancels Secret Camp David Meeting with Taliban, President Trump Soon to Decide 2020 Refugee Numbers, Parents Irate over Forced Elementary Gender Identity Curriculum, Poll: Increasing Immigration, Giving Illegals Right to Vote Most Unpopular 2020 Political Positions, Bahamian PM: U.S. Aid Likely Reduced Number of Hurricane Dorian Deaths, Jemele Hill: Black Athletes Need to Leave White Colleges, Black Unemployment Hits Record Low & Black-White Unemployment Gap Shrinks to Smallest Ever, Report: NYT Bestseller List Artificially Boosts Michelle Obama's Book over Judge Jeanine's, Red hats are now offensive to democrats, Virginia Erases American History from Streets: Jefferson Davis Highway Now Richmond Highway, CNN to Host Another Marathon Town Hall on LGBT ‘Issues', Exclusive–American Airlines Mechanic Accused of Sabotaging Flight Came to U.S. from Iraq, 6.2 Million Individuals Off Food Stamps Under Trump, El Paso Shooting Survivors Sue Walmart over Alleged Lack of Armed Guards & Church Vandalized After Pastor Opposed Drag Queen, NASCAR Shifts on Guns and Rejects Ad Showing Semiautomatic Rifle & liberal politics keep destroying America.

Today's Show : U.S. Senate Candidate, Political Activist & Lobbyist, Matt Waters calls in, Lobbyist, Political Activist & Regional Coordinator At Students For Life Of America, Nick Sfla calls in, Director Of Communications North Carolina For Donald J. Trump campaign, Lobbyist & D.C. Insider, W. Kirk Bell calls in, Congressional Candidate, Senate Candidate, Lobbyist & Popular Talk Show Host, David Weikle calls in, Retired Police Chief, Homicide Detective & Activist, Michael Valsi calls in, Evangelist, Motivational Speaker, Activist & Best Selling Author, Samuel Tolley calls in, Military Expert, Veteran, Engineer, Political Advisor, Campaign Manager & Activist, Chris Kasperski calls in, Retired Army Paratrooper, Iraq and Afghanistan Vet, Activist, White House Military Office & 2020 U.S. House Candidate, Todd A. Mckinley calls in, President Trump Says Serious China Trade Negotiations Coming Soon, President Trump Labor Day Proclamation: American Workers the ‘Greatest Labor Force in the World', President Trump Criticizes John Brennan, James Clapper & James Comey over Iran Image, President Trump Scolds General Motors for Moving Plants to China After Bailout, IG Report: James Comey Passed Private Conversation with Trump to FBI Team Investigating Russia Collusion, At Least 10 Teenagers Shot at Alabama High School Football Game Over The Weekend, Record Number of Americans Working: 157 Million on the Job in the U.S., Illegal Migrant in Kate Steinle Killing Escapes Guilty Verdict for Gun Possession, Odessa Shooting, Hollywood Blacklising Consevatives, TalentAgent Alleged to Have Dirt on Jeffrey Epstein Vanishes ‘Like a Ghost', Almost 13K Homes in Bahamas Destroyed & Damaged by Hurricane Dorian, Texas Firearm Laws Change to Benefit Self-Defense Gun Use, Walmart Bans Open Carry & Asks White House to Pursue Gun Control & Drag Queen drama continues.

Today's Show : Lawyer, Lobbyist, Political Consultant, & President of ‘Frontiers For Freedom', George Landrith calls in, Retired Police Chief, Homicide Detective & Activist, Michael Valsi calls in, Retired Army Paratrooper, Iraq and Afghanistan Vet, Activist, White House Military Office & 2020 Tennessee U.S. House Candidate, Todd A. Mckinley calls in,Popular Talk Show Host, Desert Storm Veteran,Columnist & Activist, Eric Thompson calls in, Founder of College Republicans United, Founder Of Republicans United & Leader of Nationalists United, Kevin Decuyper calls in, Conservative Talk Show Host, 2024 Presidential Candidate, Activist & Best-Selling Author, Daryl Kane calls in, Political Activist & Historian, Archie Kennedy calls in, AJ from Houston calls in, President Trump Thanks Democrats for Robert Mueller Hearings, President Trump Sues to Block Congress from Obtaining His Tax Returns, Matt Drudge on ‘Dazed and Confused' Mueller: ‘Drug Test Everyone in Washington!', Andrew McCabe's Book Contradicts Robert Mueller's Testimony on Job Interview with Trump, Mueller Confronted for Stacking His Team with Hillary Clinton Allies, Liberal Michael Moore Rips Democrats for Putting Faith in ‘Frail Old Man' Robert Mueller, Fox News Audience Grows as MSNBC, CNN Collapse Double Digits, Jeffrey Epstein Found ‘Semi-Conscious' in Jail Cell After Possible Attack, Federal Government to Reinstate the Death Penalty After Nearly Two Decades, Robert Mueller Refers Lawmakers to His ‘Report' Roughly 124 Times in 1 Day, Poll: Moderate Democrats Turned Off by Party's 2020 Open Borders Agenda & CNN/MSNBC suffers double digits ratings loss.

Today's Show : 2020 Texas U.S. House Candidate, Rich Helms calls in, Retired Army Paratrooper, Iraq and Afghanistan Vet, Activist, White House Military Office & 2020 Tennessee U.S. House Candidate, Todd A. Mckinley calls in,Popular Talk Show Host, Desert Storm Veteran,Columnist & Activist, Eric Thompson calls in, Political Activist & Historian, Archie Kennedy calls in, AJ from Houston calls in, Evangelist, Motivational Speaker, Activist & Best Selling Author, Samuel Tolley calls in, Doctor, Award-Winning speaker, Professor, Veteran, Technology Expert, Best Selling Author & Commissioner Of Parks & Recreation For Maricopa County,Bob Branch calls in, President Trump ‘Not Happy' with ‘Send Her Back' Chant at Ilhan Omar, President Trump Celebrates Collapse of ‘Bullsh*t' Democrat Impeachment Vote, Trump rally recap, Nancy Pelosi breaks house rules, YouGov Poll: Nearly 9-in-10 GOP Voters Support Trump Telling Democrats ‘Go Back & Help Fix' Foreign Countries, Media Smear Chris Pratt for Wearing ‘White Supremacist' Gadsden Flag Shirt, California: 22 MS-13 Gang Members Charged with Brutal Machete Murders, Texas Port of Entry Shut Down Over Threatened Migrant Rush, Trump Administration Enacts Rule Ending Family Planning Funds to Abortion Providers, El Chapo Sentenced to Life in Prison, Smartguns, Feds End Campaign Finance Investigation into Trump ‘Hush Money' to Stormy Daniels, Report: Viral ‘FaceApp' Now Owns Rights to 150 Million Users' Faces and Names, Pentagon puts 2,000 Troops to Southern Border, Netflix SPlunge After Subscribers Slump, AOC gets Republican 2020 challenger, Judge Denies Jeffrey Epstein Bail in Sex Trafficking Case, Report: Trump Campaign Plans Mobile App for Supporters & Columbia University Offers ‘Stress Management' for Illegal Alien Students.

Today's Show : Retired Army Paratrooper, Iraq and Afghanistan Vet, Activist, White House Military Office & 2020 U.S. House Candidate, Todd A. Mckinley calls in, Lobbyist, Political Commentator, Activist & Radio Show Host, Michael Hart Calls in, Desert Storm Veteran,Columnist, Activist & Radio Show Host, Eric Thompson calls in, Conservative Talk Show Host, 2024 Presidential Candidate, Activist & Best-Selling Author, Daryl Kane calls in, Doctor, Award-Winning speaker, Professor, Veteran, Technology Expert, Best Selling Author & Commissioner Of Parks & Recreation For Maricopa County,Bob Branch calls in, Founder of College Republicans United, Founder Of Republicans United & Leader of Nationalists United, Kevin Decuyper calls in, Director, Producer, Political Commentator & Activist, Gianni Rodriguez-Parris calls in, AJ From Houston calls in, President Trump ‘Actively Working' on Crackdown on Welfare-Dependent Immigration, President Trump: Obama ‘Had to Know' of ‘Setup' to Block His Presidential Bid, President Trump ‘Not Going to Fire' Kellyanne Conway, Dems announce debate candidates, Vermont to Allow Taxpayer-Funded Transgender Sex Reassignment Surgeries for Children, Court: California Law Allows Prison Inmates to Legally Possess Marijuana, Emails Show Obama State Department's Role in Anti-Trump Coup Cabal, Restoration Hardware Plans to Move Manufacturing Back to U.S., Elizabeth Warren Surging Ahead of First Presidential Debate, Pew: Illegal Alien Population Booms in Red States Ahead of 2020 Election, Texas Town 1st in Nation to Ban Abortion & Declares Itself ‘Sanctuary City for the Unborn', David Spade Not Interested in ‘Piling On' Trump On New Comedy Central Show, 3 Key Facts About California's ‘Medicare for Illegals' Plan & Facebook launching Crypto this week

Today's Show : Business Mogul, Harvard Business School Grad, Actor, Veteran, Activist, Public Speaker & Political Candidate, David Gurfein calls in, Retired Army Paratrooper, Iraq and Afghanistan, White House Military Office & 2020 U.S. House Candidate, Todd A. Mckinley calls in, Popular Talk Show Host, Lobbyist, Political consultant, Strategist & Activist, Clint Bellows calls in, Conservative Talk Show Host, 2024 Presidential Candidate, Activist & Best-Selling Author, Daryl Kane calls in, Founder of College Republicans United, Founder Of Republicans United & Leader of Nationalists United, Kevin Decuyper calls in, Lobbyist, Activist, & Director, Gianni Rodriguez-Parris calls in, President Trump Signs Order Cracking Down on Welfare-Dependent Legal Immigration, President Trump: Democrats the ‘Do Nothing' Party, President Trump: Pelosi Blew Up Infrastructure Talks with ‘I-Word', President Trump Previews ‘Great Healthcare Plan' Release in June, ESPN President Takes a Knee — ‘Fans Do Not Want Us to Cover Politics', GOP's Fred Keller Wins Pennsylvania 12th District Special Election, CBS News Encourages Physical Assaults Against Political Right, Report: Man Arrested on Terror Charges After Discussing Bombing Trump Tower, California Sues Trump to Keep $1 Billion for Ghost Train to Nowhere, Michael Avenatti Charged with Stealing Money from Stormy Daniels, Judge Rules Against Trump Effort to Block Deutsche Bank Subpoena, Money Trail from Foreign Oligarchs to Hunter Biden Bank Accounts Exposed, Obama Judge: Congress Can Subpoena Trump's Personal Finances, 71 % of voters approve economy, 64% Say FBI Knew Dossier Was Bunk Prior to Applying for FISA Warrant, Senate to Vote on $400 Million Humanitarian Aid Bill to Venezuela, Jussie Smollett CCase Documents Ordered Unsealed & Sanctuary City Defends Releasing Illegal Alien MS-13 Accused Murderers.

Eldonna is a retired Air Force veteran with 23 years of honorable military service.  She is a negotiation and contracts expert with over 30 years of leadership, contracts management and negotiation experience.  She has negotiated contracts from $1 to over $100 million both stateside and internationally.  She was deployed to the Middle East after 911 and has years of experience in foreign acquisition. She is a subject matter expert in the Contracting Career Field and has developed and taught courses on Contract Claims, Negotiation and other aspects of Contracting.  She was selected for an assignment to the White House Military Office in 2002.  She has 7 years of extensive experience working for defense contractors in the Aerospace Industry.  She holds a Top Secret security clearance and  has been a trusted agent of the U.S. Government for 30 years. Eldonna is the CEO of Dynamic Vision International Inc a training and consulting firm. She is an international award winning speaker and an award winning author. Her website is http://thinklikeanegotiator.com/

Lieutenant Colonel Robert J. Darling was working for the White House Military Office during 9/11. Darling recalls personal stories from that infamous day. Also, he sheds light on his purpose and how we all can have greater impact.

Saving Priceless History! From cracks in the US Capitol Dome, to the dirt of Idaho, to the empty shelves of the Iraq Museum, experts protect the artifacts of our society. These artifacts are an important element of maintaining the lessons of who we are, of remembering what came before, and of having an appreciation of what we can accomplish. Encompassing historical archaeology, restoration, and even investigating the theft of priceless artifacts, it turns out these efforts have beginnings and endings, outputs and outcomes, teams, plans, risks, and budgets – they are projects. In this episode, we discuss three very different CRM projects: the restoration of the most iconic building in the United States (the Capitol Dome), the identification of a lost town in Idaho, and the memorable recovery during the Iraq conflict of some of the most important cultural artifacts of antiquity. We see the efforts of these professionals, Christine Merton, Bob Weaver and Colonel Matthew Bogdanos through a PM Point of View, and take some lessons that we can use in all of our projects. Listen, learn, and get a free PDU! PM Point of View® (PM-POV) is a podcast series produced by Final Milestone Productions and PMIWDC. PM-POV allows our membership and the public at large to listen to brief and informative conversations with beltway area practioners and executives as they discuss various perspectives on project management -- its uses, its shortcomings, its changes, and its future. Listeners can send comments and suggestions for topics and guests to pm-pov@pmiwdc.org. PM Point of View® is a registered trademark of M Powered Strategies, Inc. PDUs Awarded:  1 PDU Information Earn education PDUs in the PMI Talent Triangle for each podcast you listen to — over 9.5 PDUs by listening to the entire series! Use the following information in PMI's CCRS system to register the PDUs for this podcast: PDU Category: Online or Digital Media Provider Number: C046 Activity Number: PMPOV0035 PDUs for this episode: 1 » More PM-POV Episodes About the Speakers Christine Merdon, PE, CCM   Architect of the Capitol Chief Operating Officer Ms. Merdon began her Federal career in 1981 as a cooperative education engineering student for the U.S. Navy. After earning her Bachelor of Science degree in 1987, from the University of Maryland in Civil Engineering, she continued her career with the Navy as a project engineer and project manager. In 1998, she received a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering. In 1990, she joined the White House Military Office as a Project Manager responsible for managing classified design and construction projects at the White House, Camp David, and other Presidential Support Facilities. In 1998, Ms. Merdon was hired by Clark Construction, LLC, where she was project manager and superintendent on numerous projects including the American Red Cross Headquarters, Bethesda Place II, and the renovation of Baltimore’s historic Hippodrome Theater. Ms. Merdon joined McKissack & McKissack in 2000, where she ascended to the role of Senior Vice President of Program and Construction Management. Her responsibilities included operations and business development for program and construction management contracts in Washington, DC, Chicago, Illinois, and Los Angeles, California. She was instrumental in the growth of the company in Washington, and start-up and management of the program management division in Chicago and Los Angeles. All told, she has been responsible for the successful program and construction management of more than $11 billion in major construction projects and programs including: Washington Nationals Major League Baseball Stadium, O’Hare Modernization Program, Eisenhower Executive Office Building life-safety upgrades, Los Angeles Unified School District, Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial, Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum for African American History, and Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson Memorial Renovations. Throughout her career, Ms. Merdon has won many outstanding performance awards, as well as project excellence awards for construction projects. She is a Registered Professional Engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a member of the Construction Management Association of America, and a Certified Construction Manager. Ms. Merdon is the President of the DC Chapter of the Architecture, Construction, and Engineering (ACE) mentor program, and is very active in the Women in Engineering program at the University of Maryland.   Colonel Matthew Bogdanos   New York County District Attorney’s Office Homicide Prosecutor Colonel Matthew Bogdanos is a homicide prosecutor for the New York County District Attorney’s Office. Raised waiting tables in his family's Greek restaurant in Lower Manhattan, he is a former middleweight boxer who joined the U.S. Marine Corps at 19. He left active duty in 1988 to join the DA’s Office; but remained in the reserves, leading a counter-narcotics operation on the Mexican border, and serving in Desert Storm, South Korea, Lithuania, Guyana, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kosovo. Losing his apartment near the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, he joined a counter-terrorism task force in Afghanistan, receiving a Bronze Star for actions against al-Qaeda. He then served in the Horn of Africa and three tours in Iraq—leading the international investigation into the looting of Iraq’s National Museum—before deploying again to Afghanistan in 2009. The first to expose the link between antiquities trafficking and terrorist financing, he has presented those findings in 22 countries, in venues including the United Nations, Interpol, British Parliament, the Peace Palace in The Hague, and the U.S. Senate. He received a National Humanities Medal from President Bush for helping recover more than 6000 of Iraq's treasures in eight countries. He holds a classics degree from Bucknell University; a law degree, master’s degree in Classics, and Recognition of Achievement in International Law from Columbia University; and a master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the Army War College. In addition to dozens of military decorations, he received the 2004 Public Service Award from the Hellenic Lawyers of America, 2007 Proclamation from the City of New York, 2009 Proclamation from the City of Philadelphia, 2011 Ellis Island Medal of Honor, 2016 International Giuseppe Sciacca Achievement Award from the Vatican, and was Grand Marshal of the 2010 Greek Independence Day Parade. Returning to the DA’s Office in October 2010, he still boxes for wounded veterans and continues the hunt for stolen antiquities, recently leading an investigation that resulted in the largest seizure of stolen antiquities in U.S. history: $150 million dollars in ancient statues stolen from Southeast Asia. All royalties from his book, Thieves of Baghdad, are donated to the Iraq Museum.   Robert Weaver   Lead Historian Robert Weaver is the lead historian on major CERCLA and other environmental litigation cases. Researched industrial technology and process, identified Responsible Parties, and assisted attorneys in case strategy. He also continues with cultural (archaeological) resources projects. He served as lead historical archaeologist for the Sandpoint Archaeology Project, which is the largest Section 106 mitigation project in the State of Idaho. The project excavated information on the initial railroad town of Sandpoint (1881-1915) and recovered over 560,000 artifacts, mainly historical.  

The Software Process and Measurement Cast 420 features our interview with John Hunter.  John is a SPaMCAST alumni; John first appeared on SPaMCAST 226 to talk about why management matters.  In this podcast John returns to discuss building capability in the organization and  understanding the impact of  variation.  We also talked Deming and why people tack the word improvement on almost anything!    John’s Bio John Hunter has served as an information technology program manager for the Office of Secretary of Defense Quality Management Office, the White House Military Office and the American Society for Engineering Education. In 2013, he published his first book - Management Matters: Building Enterprise Capability. John created and operates one of the first, and still one of the most popular, management resources on the internet.  He continues to aid managers in their efforts to improve their organizations with an emphasis on software development and leveraging the internet.  His blog is widely recognized as a valuable resource for leaders and managers with a focus on improving the practice of management in organizations. Re-Read Saturday News In this week’s re-read of The Five Dysfunctions of a Team  by Patrick Lencioni (Jossey-Bass, Copyright 2002, 33rd printing), we tackle the sections titled Accountability, Individual Contributor, and The Talk.  We are getting close to the end of the novel portion of the book but over the next few weeks, we have a number of ideas to extract from the book before we review the model. (Remember to buy a copy and read along.)  We are well over halfway through this book and I am considering re-reading Carol Dweck’s Mindset next.  What are your thoughts? Takeaways from this week include: Team members hold other team members accountable.         Be aware of how you affect the people around you or suffer the consequences! Try to step back and reduce the stress when confronted by tough negotiations. Visit the Software Process and Measurement Cast blog to participate in this and previous re-reads. Next SPaMCAST The Software Process and Measurement Cast 421 will feature our essay on vanity metrics.  Vanity metrics make people feel good, but are less useful for making decisions about the business.  The essay discusses how to recognize vanity metrics and the risks of falling prey to their allure. We will also have columns form Steve Tendon with another chapter in his Tame The Flow: Hyper-Productive Knowledge-Work Performance, The TameFlow Approach and Its Application to Scrum and Kanban, published by J Ross (buy a copy here).   Finally, Gene Hughson will anchor the cast with an entry from his Form Follows Function Blog.   Shameless Ad for my book! Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: “This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, for you or your team.” Support SPaMCAST by buying the book here. Available in English and Chinese.

Join Dr. Carlos as he discusses the problems with Veteran's healthcare, social security and more with 45th Congressional candidate Col. Greg Raths.Commitment to serve the people, not the political parties or the special interests. Greg lives by conservative principles that have guided him throughout his life and throughout his years of service to our country. However, he believes strongly that everyone has an equal right to their beliefs and that we must find solutions that work for the greater good of our nation. At the core of those principles lies a firm belief in a limited government that inspires trust, and demands accountability.Greg is a passionate leader and defender of national security, economic growth so all can thrive, and move our country forward towards the equality of rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. He currently serves on the City Council for Mission Viejo.Greg graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business. He later earned a Masters Degree from the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., and recently received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Political Science at CSUF.Greg is a long time homeowner and resident of Mission Viejo. He came to Orange County in 1978 as a young First Lieutenant in the Marine Corps and was based at the Marine Corps Air Station at El Toro.He served 30 years on active duty as a fighter/attack pilot retiring in 2004 at the rank of Colonel. During his years in service he commanded a Marine Corps Fighter/Attack Squadron, Marine Air Group, and served as Chief of Staff of a Marine Air Wing. He is a decorated combat pilot of Operations Desert Storm, Southern Watch and Restore Hope. He has 75 combat missions in the F/A-18 Hornet. He also served for three years as Assistant Chief of Staff and Chief Financial Officer of the White House Military Office from 1996-1999.

Think Like A Negotiator: 50 Ways to Create Win Win Results by Understanding the Pitfalls to Avoid                 by Eldonna Lewis Fernandez This on demand audio series is a part of the Executive Girlfriends Group Vignette Series. Chicke Fitzgerald interviews Eldonna Lewis Fernandez. The original live interview was 10/17/14. Eldonna is a retired Air Force veteran with 23 years of honorable military service.  She is a negotiation and contracts expert with over 30 years of leadership, contracts management and negotiation experience.  She has negotiated contracts from $1 to over $100 million both stateside and internationally.  She was deployed to the Middle East after 911 and has years of experience in foreign acquisition. She is a subject matter expert in the Contracting Career Field and has developed and taught courses on Contract Claims, Negotiation and other aspects of Contracting.  She was selected for an assignment to the White House Military Office in 2002.  She has 7 years of extensive experience working for defense contractors in the Aerospace Industry.  She holds a Top Secret security clearance and  has been a trusted agent of the U.S. Government for 30 years. Eldonna is the CEO of Dynamic Vision International Inc a training and consulting firm. She is an international award winning speaker and an award winning author. Her website is http://thinklikeanegotiator.com/ To order her book click HERE For more information about the Executive Girlfriends' Group see: http://www.executivegirlfriendsgroup.com    

Welcome to the Software Process and Measurement Cast 226!    The Software Process and Measurement Cast 226 features my interview with John Hunter.  We talked about his new book Management Matters: Building Enterprise Capability.  A great interview with someone who has an amazing perspective on the world!  Jo Ann Sweeney also stopped in to talk about the Worth Working Summit  . . . I was one of the speakers and higly recommend checking it out! John Hunter combines technology with management expertise to improve the performance of organizations. He has served as an information technology program manager for the American Society for Engineering Education, the Office of Secretary of Defense Quality Management Office and the White House Military Office. In 2013, he published his first book - Management Matters: Building Enterprise Capability. John currently lives in Malaysia and serves as a senior facilitator for The W. Edwards Deming Institute and a senior consultant for Hexawise.  He also write blogs for both of those organizations in addition to authoring many other blogs. John created and operates one of the first, and still one of the most popular, management resources on the internet.  He continues to use the internet to aid managers in their efforts to improve their organizations.  His blog is widely recognized as a valuable resource for leaders and managers. He is the founder and CEO of Curious Cat ltd., managing over 20 web sites on management, software development, investing, engineering, travel and other topics. Contact Information:http://curious-cat-media.comhttp://johnhunter.com/blogging_honors.cfm Have you checked out Daily Process Thoughts?  Daily Process Thoughts is delivering a quick daily idea, thought or simple smile to help you become a better change agent.  Check it out at www.tcagley.wordpress.com.  Shameless Ad for my book!  Mastering Software Project Management: Best Practices, Tools and Techniques co-authored by Murali Chematuri and myself and published by J. Ross Publishing. We have received unsolicited reviews like the following: "This book will prove that software projects should not be a tedious process, neither for you or your team." NOW AVAILABLE IN CHINESE!  Have you bought your copy? Contact information for the Software Process and Measurement Cast Email:  spamcastinfo@gmail.comVoicemail:              +1-206-888-6111      Website: www.spamcast.netTwitter: www.twitter.com/tcagleyFacebook:  http://bit.ly/16fBWV One more thing!  Help support the SPaMCAST by reviewing and rating the Software Process and Measurement Cast on ITunes! It helps people find the cast.  Next: The Software Process and Measurement Cast 227 will wrap up my essay titled "Underperforming Agile?"  What should you do if you have embraced Agile and it is not embracing you back?