US Air Force base near Dayton, Ohio, United States
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In this episode of Beyond Sets and Reps, I sit down with Coach Jamie Wynn, someone I've known for more than 20 years. Jamie's path has taken her from growing up in a military family to competing as a Division I thrower at Missouri while serving in the Missouri Army National Guard. We talk about what it took to balance athletics, academics and military responsibilities, and how those experiences taught her to communicate, plan ahead and find solutions when there were competing demands. We also go back to our time together at Missouri and the coaches, teammates and environments that helped shape both of us. Jamie shares what she learned from competing alongside elite athletes, transitioning out of her own athletic career and eventually finding her way into strength and conditioning. Her early career took her from an internship at Missouri to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Westside Barbell, Iowa and eventually UNLV. Through all of those stops, Jamie kept finding people to learn from and experiences that challenged her to grow as a coach and as a person. Thanks to our podcast sponsors, Sorinex and EliteForm, for making these episodes possible.
Forget Area 51. It's time to head to Ohio, where the UFO lore is colder, the security clearances are higher, and allegedly somebody forgot to clean the aliens out of the fridge.This week, we're investigating the mysterious Blue Room at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the legendary top-secret facility supposedly used to store and study crashed UFO wreckage, Roswell debris, exotic technology, strange “memory metal,” and possibly even extraterrestrial bodies.Was Wright-Patterson actually America's original alien warehouse?Before we can answer that, we have to figure out whether the damn room even existed.And that's considerably harder than it sounds.Because Wright-Patterson really did house some of America's earliest official UFO investigations. It really was one of the country's most important centers for analyzing captured and unidentified foreign aerospace technology. And some surprisingly credible people later claimed something extraordinary was hidden there.We're digging into the origins of Hangar 18, Robert Spencer Carr, Barry Goldwater's infamous attempt to gain access, General Curtis LeMay's less-than-welcoming response, the alleged connection between Roswell and Wright Field, former Wright-Patterson commander Arthur Exon, Oliver “Pappy” Henderson, Marion “Black Mac” Magruder, June Crain and her alleged piece of impossible memory metal, and finally Leonard Stringfield, the UFO researcher who found someone claiming he actually made it through the door.Grab your clearance badge. Leave your camera in the car. And if Curtis LeMay asks what we're doing here, tell him we're looking for the bathroom this week on Hysteria 51.Sources:National Archives – Project BLUE BOOK: Unidentified Flying Objectshttps://www.archives.gov/research/military/air-force/ufosU.S. Air Force – The Roswell Report: Fact versus Fiction in the New Mexico Deserthttps://www.af.mil/The-Roswell-Report/All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) – Historical Record Report, Volume Ihttps://www.aaro.mil/Portals/136/PDFs/AARO_Historical_Record_Report_Vol_1_2024.pdfAARO – Congressional and Press Productshttps://www.aaro.mil/Congressional-Press-Products/U.S. Department of Defense – DOD Report Discounts Sightings of Extraterrestrial Technologyhttps://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3701297/dod-report-discounts-sightings-of-extraterrestrial-technology/U.S. Department of Defense – Unidentified Anomalous Phenomenahttps://www.defense.gov/Spotlights/Unidentified-Anomalous-Phenomena/HISTORY – Hangar 18, UFOs and Wright-Patterson Air Force Basehttps://www.history.com/articles/hangar-18-ufos-aliens-wright-pattersonAir & Space Forces Magazine – USAF and the UFOshttps://www.airandspaceforces.com/article/0611ufo/NICAP – Barry Goldwater UFO Correspondence / Wright-Patterson and Curtis LeMayhttps://www.nicap.org/people/goldwater.htmBarry Goldwater – 1975 Wright-Patterson/UFO Correspondencehttps://rense.com/general35/ufodat.htmBarry Goldwater – Larry King Radio Interview, 1988https://www.ufocasebook.com/blueroom.htmlLeonard H. Stringfield – Retrievals of the Third Kindhttps://www.earthfiles.com/2005/09/30/part-3-retrievals-of-the-third-kind-a-case-study-of-alleged-ufos-and-occupants-in-military-custody/James Clarkson – June Crain Interview Transcripthttps://www.majesticdocuments.com/pdf/crain_clarksoninterview.pdfThomas J. Carey & Donald R. Schmitt – UFO Secrets Inside Wright-Patterson: Eyewitness Accounts from the Real Area 51https://www.loc.gov/item/2020715969/Thomas J. Carey & Donald R. Schmitt – UFO Secrets Inside Wright-Patterson – Google Bookshttps://books.google.com/books/about/UFO_Secrets_Inside_Wright_Patterson.html?id=eZpyDwAAQBAJNational Archives – UAP Records: Textual and Microfilm Recordshttps://www.archives.gov/research/topics/uaps/textual-and-microfilmNational Archives – UAP Records Bulk Downloadshttps://www.archives.gov/research/catalog/catalog-bulk-downloads/uap-bulk-downloadFBI Vault – UFO Fileshttps://vault.fbi.gov/UFOWikipedia – Wright-Patterson Air Force Basehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wright-Patterson_Air_Force_BaseWikipedia – Hangar 18https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hangar_18_(conspiracy_theory)Email your Contest Entries to:ForthHandmedia@gmail.comEmail us your favorite WEIRD news stories:weird@hysteria51.comSupport the Show:Get exclusive content & perks as well as an ad and sponsor free experience at https://www.patreon.com/Hysteria51 from just $1Shop:Be the Best Dressed at your Cult Meeting!https://www.teepublic.com/stores/hysteria51?ref_id=9022See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Kathryn Burtson, MD, MHPE, FACP, is our guest on the Faculty Factory Podcast this week for a look into academic coaching and individualized learning plans, part of a broader effort to move graduate medical education forward. Dr. Burtson is a first-time guest on our show and a colonel in the United States Air Force Medical Corps. She is Director of Medical Education at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Associate Professor of Medicine at Wright State and Uniformed Services Universities, and Vice Chair of Faculty Affairs at the Wright State Department of Medicine. Here are the links to her articles mentioned at the start of this podcast: Academic Coaching to Enhance In-Training Examination Performance in Internal Medicine Residency - PubMed Academic Coaching to Promote Self-Directed Learning in Graduate Medical Education - PubMed Empowering Learning: Self-Directed Strategies of Internal Medicine Residents in an Academic Coaching Program - PubMed The House Cup: Using Longitudinal Gamification to Improve Didactic Attendance - PubMed
In episode 192, we sit down with Kristina Knickerbocker - the incredible candidate for Ohio's 10th Congressional District. We talk about why she's stepping away from patient care to run for office and why incumbent Mike Turner's record has left this district ready for someone new.Kristina is running for Ohio's 10th Congressional District, representing the Dayton area, including Montgomery County, Greene County, and part of Clark County. A U.S. Air Force Veteran, Oncology Nurse Practitioner, and mom of two, Kristina has dedicated her life to serving her country and community. She pursued nursing before joining the Air Force, serving as a major and nurse at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, where she led efforts to improve medical care and readiness for service members and their families.While in the Air Force Reserves, Kristina worked as a Neuro-Oncology Nurse Practitioner at The Ohio State University Medical Center, where she saw firsthand the toll of a broken healthcare system on cancer patients. Her own pregnancy nearly turned fatal when doctors failed to listen to her concerns, an experience that taught her the importance of patients advocating for themselves. Today, Kristina and her husband Bret are raising their two young children in the Yellow Springs area near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.Resources:* Kristina's Campaign Website* Email Kristina: info@kristinaknickerbocker.com* Social Media:* Instagram* Facebook* TikTok* YouTube* Threads* X/Twitter* LinktreeWe're bringing together digital creators from across the state to build a powerful digital organizing network called Ohio Creators for Progress. Support and donate to this effort below! ⬇️Connect with United SHE Stands:* Substack* Instagram* TikTok* YouTube* Threads* Buy us a coffee ☕️This episode was edited by Kevin Tanner. Learn more about him and his services here:* Website* Instagram This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.unitedshestands.com/subscribe
Dr. Avi Loeb, Lt. Colonel John Blitch, and HUGE #Orb in Night Sky #Podcast #News Attribution MASSIVE OBJECT IN ORBIT via @UAPWatchers on X Link: https://x.com/UAPWatchers/status/2083644292786962903?s=20 Lt. Colonel John Blitch — a former DELTA Force officer and DARPA scientist at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base via @HighlyStrange on X Link: https://x.com/Go_Kick_Rocks88/status/1714639195329687741?s=20 UAP NDAs bar disclosure to the President via @ProfAviLoeb on X Link: https://x.com/ProfAviLoeb/status/2084341024999243852?s=20 ‼️FAIR USE NOTICE: This video MAY contain copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. The Tempest Universe Podcast distributes this material for the purpose of news reporting, educational research, comment, and criticism, constituting Fair Use under 17 U.S.C § 107.‼️
Dr. Avi Loeb, Lt. Colonel John Blitch, and HUGE #Orb in Night Sky #Podcast #News Attribution MASSIVE OBJECT IN ORBIT via @UAPWatchers on X Link: https://x.com/UAPWatchers/status/2083644292786962903?s=20 Lt. Colonel John Blitch — a former DELTA Force officer and DARPA scientist at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base via @HighlyStrange on X Link: https://x.com/Go_Kick_Rocks88/status/1714639195329687741?s=20 UAP NDAs bar disclosure to the President via @ProfAviLoeb on X Link: https://x.com/ProfAviLoeb/status/2084341024999243852?s=20 ‼️FAIR USE NOTICE: This video MAY contain copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. The Tempest Universe Podcast distributes this material for the purpose of news reporting, educational research, comment, and criticism, constituting Fair Use under 17 U.S.C § 107.‼️
In this bizarre and wildly entertaining episode, host Walter Sterling and legendary journalist Ross Coulthart dive into the deepest corners of the unknown. Discover the chilling legend of the Kandahar Giant—a 12-foot, 1,100-pound, red-haired beast allegedly killed by the US military in an Afghan cave and secretly flown to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. We also explore a mysterious, gelatinous "golden egg" found two miles deep off the Alaskan coast and unravel the terrifying pattern of disappearing US scientists with top-tier nuclear clearance.
Michael Abdelmaseh is Head Engineer at PyroDelta Energy. Pyrodelta has spent nearly a decade cracking a problem that stumped the entire thermoelectric industry. The company's patented Capillary Casting process produces solid-state thermoelectric generators that convert waste heat into clean, stable electricity across applications spanning AI data centers, combustion engines, agriculture, and unmanned aerial vehicles. In February 2026, PyroDelta launched a Florida-based manufacturing facility producing custom-designed, defect-free thermoelectric crystals, directly addressing North American supply chain vulnerabilities from China. Most notably for the drone world, PyroDelta has entered the DARPA Lift Challenge — scheduled for August 2–9, 2026 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio competing for a share of $6.5 million in prize money. Michael has led the engineering team that designed PyroDelta's heavy-lift drone from the ground up. For nearly a decade, Michael and his team have been developing a breakthrough thermoelectric technology that converts waste heat from combustion engines into usable electrical power. In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Michael talks about the engineering behind PyroDelta's patented Capillary Casting process, why the company believes waste heat is one of the most overlooked energy sources in aviation, what it takes to compete in one of DARPA's most demanding drone competitions, and where this technology could lead beyond drones.
Flying jackets, faces frozen mid-scream, a coven convinced they needed David Bowie's blood, and a demon that crashed a text at exactly 666 megabytes — these are the paranormal encounters the famous swear actually happened to them.EPISODE BLOG PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/CelebrityGhostEncountersREAD or DOWNLOAD the full transcript of this episode: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/ff82f8yuFEATURED STORIES IN THIS EPISODE: Don't try and tell some celebrities that ghosts don't exist, because they've seen all the paranormal proof they need to believe. (Celebrity Encounters With The Paranormal) *** A prayer for food resulted in fish raining down from the sky in Yoro, Honduras. And now it happens regularly – sometimes twice a year – with still no definitive explanation. (Cloudy With a Chance of Sardines) *** Is it possible that UFO sightings and sightings of the Chupacabra are somehow related? Even stranger – is it possible the strange dog-lizard-like creatures came from crashed spaceships? (UFOs And The Chupacabra) *** Weirdo family member Laura tells a strange story about a candy store – and its resident ghost. (Haunted Candy Store)CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = The Foreboding00:01:13.649 = Show Open00:02:50.627 = Celebrity Encounters With The Paranormal00:31:59.645 = UFOs And The Chupacabras ***00:39:37.674 = Cloudy With a Chance of Sardines00:46:26.106 = Haunted Candy Store ***00:50:58.248 = Show Close*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad breakLISTEN ON PODCAST APPS: Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://weirddarkness.com/wdapps*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*SOURCES and RESOURCES:“Celebrity Encounters With The Paranormal” by Brent Swancer: http://bit.ly/2ZAzYGX“Celebs Who Have Had Ghost Encounters by Lydia Price: http://bit.ly/2Iq0bCm“UFOs And The Chupacabra” by Nick Redfern: http://bit.ly/2XS41cy“Cloudy With a Chance of Sardines” by Panchali Dey: http://bit.ly/2IQ9p9Y“Haunted Candy Store” by Weirdo family member, Laura(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.Originally aired: January, 2021This episode of Weird Darkness gathers famous names who swear the paranormal found them, a Puerto Rican legend that ties dead Chupacabras to a crashed UFO, a Honduran town where fish fall from the sky, and a Wisconsin candy store with a listener's uneasy childhood dream folded in.It opens with celebrities who came away convinced. Carrie Fisher described lights and electronics switching on and off in her Beverly Hills home after her friend R. Gregory Stevens died there; Matthew McConaughey named the blue-dressed spirit he confronted in his house Madame Blu; and a young Keanu Reeves watched an empty jacket drift through a doorway in his New York apartment, the reality of it confirmed only by his nanny's face. Patrick Stewart saw a man in a beige coat vanish in the wings of the Theatre Royal Haymarket during Waiting for Godot, later matched to the ghost of 19th-century actor-manager Baldwin Buckstone, who died in 1879. Peter Jackson woke to a woman with a screaming face at the foot of his bed near London's St. James Theatre, a ghost his wife had seen two years earlier. Miley Cyrus fled a London flat over a boy she kept seeing on the bathroom sink; Ariana Grande photographed what she called textbook demon faces at Kansas's Stull Cemetery and found the file measured 666 megabytes; and David Bowie spent much of the 1970s certain a coven of witches wanted his semen, lighting black candles and hiring white magician Walli Elmlark to exorcise his swimming pool. John Lennon, by Uri Geller's account, described bug-like beings outside his apartment and an alien metal egg left in his hands, while Sammy Hagar claimed aliens plugged his sleeping brain into a machine and uploaded numerical code in 1967. Shorter accounts follow from Megan Mullally, Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Chloe Sevigny at the Lizzie Borden house, NASCAR's Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba, Lucy Hale, Laura Linney at Broadway's Belasco Theater, Claudia Schiffer, Emma Stone, Selena Gomez, Alyson Hannigan, Demi Lovato, Jenna Bush-Hager in the White House, and Megan Fox.From there the episode travels to Puerto Rico, where writer Nick Redfern chases the claim that the shuttered Roosevelt Roads Naval Station once held the bodies of dead Chupacabras the way Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is rumored to hold dead aliens. On visits between 2004 and 2015, Redfern and monster-hunter Jon Downes collect accounts of a 1957 UFO crash in the hills of Canovanas, sealed off by the military for roughly three weeks, and a second reported crash in the El Yunque rain forest in February 1984 — both said to have left dead Chupacabras in the wreckage, though the creature angle only attached itself to the older case after the Chupacabra panic began in 1995.Next comes Yoro, Honduras, and the Lluvia de Peces, the Rain of Fish that residents trace to Father Jose Manuel Subirana, a Spanish missionary who prayed three days and nights over the region's hunger in the 1850s or '60s. Once or twice a year after a heavy May or June storm, live sardine-like fish cover the streets of a town more than 100 miles from the ocean, and a National Geographic team in the 1970s found the stranded fish were completely blind, hypothesizing underground rivers forced above ground by flooding rather than the waterspouts others propose. The town of roughly 93,000 celebrates with a festival, a parade, and a Miss Fish Rain crowned to ride a float dressed as a mermaid, and locals refuse to sell the catch, sharing it instead as a blessing.The episode closes with Weirdo family member Laura, who worked summers at a haunted candy store in a Wisconsin tourist town, a converted house where a ceramic jar once flew across a room at a coworker. That coworker, a Canadian tribeswoman from a family with the 'sight,' listened to Laura describe a dream that returned every Christmas Eve until she was six or seven — a black, pulsing void of indistinct voices that rose to screams and a pressure closing on her chest, replaced in its final occurrence by an overhead view of a storage yard before it stopped for good. When Laura finished, the coworker told her it was a good thing she never listened to the voices, and suggested Laura had unconsciously sealed off her own ability to sense the spiritual after something that was not benevolent kept trying to reach her.
Designing Solutions That Serve PeopleGabriel Payne thought he knew what his future should look like. After an aptitude test in high school pointed him toward engineering, the path seemed straightforward: attend a large, nationally recognized university and earn the kind of degree serious engineers were expected to pursue. Schools like Purdue, Northwestern, Harvard, and MIT stood at the top of his list. In Gabriel's mind, Christian universities simply could not offer the same level of engineering education.That mindset made his eventual decision even more surprising.As a homeschooled student, Gabriel always enjoyed learning and creating. He loved building with Legos and blocks in his family's Chicago home, asking questions, and exploring new ideas, but he never fit the future engineer stereotype of the kid constantly dismantling gadgets in the garage.Instead, his interest in engineering emerged gradually, growing through the realization that he loved solving problems and thinking analytically. Once he recognized that direction, he pursued it with determination and began searching for a program that would prepare him well for the future.Along the way, Cedarville University entered the conversation almost unexpectedly. Since it was his father's alma mater, Gabriel decided to visit campus, not expecting the experience to change anything. Instead, the visit challenged nearly every assumption he carried about Christian higher education. He found an engineering program that was academically rigorous and highly respected, but he also discovered something else he had not anticipated: a community where professors genuinely invested in students' lives.The more time Gabriel spent on campus, the more he realized Cedarville offered something larger universities often could not: the chance to grow academically, spiritually, and personally all at once.That realization changed everything.Now as a rising senior expecting to graduate in 2027, Gabriel is majoring in mechanical engineering with minors in biomedical engineering and Bible. Along the way, he has found opportunities that continue to confirm he made the right decision. Recently, he shared his experience on the Cedarville Stories podcast, describing how Cedarville has prepared him academically while also shaping his faith and sense of calling.One of the clearest examples has been his involvement in research addressing neck strain in military pilots caused by helmet design, an often-overlooked problem with real human consequences. Through Cedarville's close partnership with Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Gabriel has also gained access to mentorship, research, and hands-on development opportunities that have expanded both his technical skills and his understanding of how engineering can directly impact people's lives.Those experiences have not only strengthened Gabriel's confidence as an engineer but also clarified the kind of work he hopes to pursue after graduation. As technology advances through artificial intelligence, aerospace innovation, and biomedical engineering, he wants to work where “tech and the human body intersect,” developing solutions that improve lives rather than simply pursuing innovation for its own sake.For Gabriel Payne, engineering has become far more than designing systems or solving technical problems. It is a calling rooted in creativity, knowledge, and faith and an opportunity to serve people well and ensure that the human side of technology is never forgotten.https://share.transistor.fm/s/a4e7eb53https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUKBKTjjKLI
Hello Ohio Mysteries Backroads listeners. Did you ever look up in the sky and see something weird, something you can't explain? In this episode we have 3 stories about unexplained things in the night sky. Our first story explores the efforts of a group of St. Joe High School students from Cleveland, Ohio who figured out a way to listen to and track the Soviet satellite, Sputnik, even before our own military. They then created a device from a slide rule and a globe to assist in their efforts. Their efforts landed the boys on TV stations, newspapers, magazines then a visit by the FBI who promptly confiscated all their recorded tapes. Tune in and find out what happened next! Our next story we look at astronomer Jerry Ehman in 1977 using the Ohio State University Big Ear radio telescope. His volunteer job was to simply examine marks on an endless scroll of paper searching for anomalies, outlying marks indicating signals from out space. These signals may show something or someone trying to make contact us here on earth. On this particular day, in review of the data, the signal was so strong he made a notation "WOW" indicating the unusual signal that he had never seen before. This weird and strong signal was so strange, it caused arguments and discussion that continue to this day. Find out what happened and what people think the signal may or may not be. Our final story is about a mystery. A mystery that may or not exist at all. Its yjr infamous Hangar 18 at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Some people think that the aliens that were rumored to have been recovered from a UFO crash at the infamous Roswell, NM crash. Were these alien bodies taken there? Who's allowed there? What really goes on there? Tune in and found out! Check out our Facebook page!: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558042082494¬if_id=1717202186351620¬if_t=page_user_activity&ref=notif Please check other podcast episodes like this at: https://www.ohiomysteries.com/ Dan hosts a Youtube Channel called: Ohio History and Haunts where he explores historical and dark places around Ohio: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj5x1eJjHhfyV8fomkaVzsA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Cristina Gomez and co-host Astra review the latest UFO / UAP news and covers the April 27 House Oversight deadline on missing scientists, Representative Burlison's new FBI escalation on whistleblower Matthew Sullivan, a classified UFO orb described inside a SCIF, the mysterious UFO cluster filmed near Wright Patterson Air Force Base, and Congressman Andy Ogles warning that just knowing the UFO evidence exists makes you a target.To see the VIDEO of this episode, click or copy link - https://youtu.be/-tvW3ElFP18Visit my website with International UFO News, Articles, Videos, and Podcast direct links -www.ufonews.co00:00 - April 27 UFO Deadline00:29 - Two Missing Linked01:25 - NASA vs White House02:53 - UFO Whistleblower Case03:30 - Burlison Sees UFO Orb04:46 - Most Disturbing Sighting05:48 - UFO Cluster Near Base07:03 - Ogles UFO WarningBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/strange-and-unexplained--5235662/support.
What really goes on inside one of America's most talked-about military installations—and what secrets might still be hidden behind its gates? In this compelling episode, Raymond Szymanski, a former insider at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, shares his perspective on the mysteries, rumors, and long-standing speculation surrounding the base. Drawing from his time working at Wright-Patterson, Szymanski discusses the culture of secrecy, the stories that circulated among personnel, and the persistent claims that the base has been connected to the study of unidentified aerial phenomena and extraterrestrial technology. He also explores themes from his book 50 Shades of Greys, where humor and intrigue meet speculation about what might truly be known behind closed doors. This episode invites listeners to examine the intersection of firsthand experience, rumor, and legend. What happens when official silence meets persistent curiosity? How do stories evolve within environments built on confidentiality? And how do we separate credible insight from the mythology that surrounds places like Wright-Patterson? Join us for a fascinating and thought-provoking conversation that takes you inside the world of military secrecy and UFO lore—where the line between insider knowledge and enduring mystery continues to blur.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-x-zone-radio-tv-show--1078348/support.Please note that all XZBN radio and/or television shows are Copyright © REL-MAR McConnell Meda Company, Niagara, Ontario, Canada – www.rel-mar.com. For more Episodes of this show and all shows produced, broadcasted and syndicated from REL-MAR McConell Media Company and The 'X' Zone Broadcast Network and the 'X' Zone TV Channell, visit www.xzbn.net. For programming, distribution, and syndication inquiries, email programming@xzbn.net.We are proud to announce the we have launched TWATNews.com, launched in August 2025.TWATNews.com is an independent online news platform dedicated to uncovering the truth about Donald Trump and his ongoing influence in politics, business, and society. Unlike mainstream outlets that often sanitize, soften, or ignore stories that challenge Trump and his allies, TWATNews digs deeper to deliver hard-hitting articles, investigative features, and sharp commentary that mainstream media won't touch.These are stories and articles that you will not read anywhere else.Our mission is simple: to expose corruption, lies, and authoritarian tendencies while giving voice to the perspectives and evidence that are often marginalized or buried by corporate-controlled media
Grab a beer and join us tonight for another installment of Necro Overtime! First, we'll get into a string of recent sightings in the northeastern part of Ohio. Then, Afroman took the cops who raided his house to court after they sued him for putting raid footage in his music videos, and he won - we'll get into how and why. And finally, retired Air Force Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland - the former commander of the research lab at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, a man named in Tom DeLonge's leaked emails as a key advisor on UAP disclosure, who walked out of his Albuquerque home on February 27th and hasn't been seen since. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Timestamp to skip to the case: (6:33)Maj. Gen. William ‘Neil' McCasland (68) had a very documented career within the US government. He headed up space weapons programs and served as head of research at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. That facility is rumored to house extraterrestrial debris from a UFO crash in Roswell, New Mexico.On February 27, 2026, Neil was seen by his wife and a tradesperson at their home in Albuquerque, New Mexico. His wife left for an appointment, and when she returned one hour later, Neil had vanished.An extensive search has been carried out for Neil, to no avail. According to authorities, Neil's gun and a backpack were also missing from his home.Due to his career history, this case has captured the attention of conspiracy theorists online. Adding to the mystery, Monica Reza, a former colleague of Neil's, went missing during a hike in June 2025 and has never been found. Read our blog for this case - https://truecrimesocietyblog.com/2026/03/18/the-strange-disappearance-of-alleged-ufo-expert-william-neil-mccasland/Be sure to join us on Patreon for weekly exclusive episodes and all episodes are ad-free - Patreon.com/truecrimesocietyJoin us on Instagram for the latest crime news - Instagram.com/truecrimesocietyThis episode is sponsored by: Noom - The Noom GLP-1 Microdose Program starts at $99 and is delivered to your door in seven days. Start your Microdose GLP-1 journey at Noom.com Quince - Refresh your wardrobe with Quince. Go to Quince.com/tcs to get free shipping on your order and 365-day returns
A retired U.S. Air Force general vanishes without a trace. A rocket scientist disappears mid-hike. And a series of deaths and disappearances begin to form a chilling pattern. One that leads back to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, a site long linked to advanced aerospace research and enduring UFO lore. In this special episode of Somewhere in the Skies, Ryan and the Sentinel Network investigate the disappearance of William Neil McCasland and a growing web of scientists and defense personnel connected through the Air Force Research Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. All operating at the intersection of national security, advanced technology, and the unexplained. As the cases unfold, unsettling connections emerge between propulsion research, detection systems, and individuals working at the highest levels of classified programs. Featuring original reporting from the Sentinel Network, this episode explores whether these events are tragic coincidences, or part of a deeper, hidden struggle over next-generation aerospace technology and possibly UFO/UAP materials themselves. This is more than a mystery. It's a pattern. And the search for answers is only just beginning. Based on original investigation and reporting by The Sentinel Network. Visit them at: http://thesentinelnetwork.substack.com For any information on Monica Reza, contatc Detectives Shannon Rincon and Richie Sanchez at (323) 890-5500. Anyone with information about this case can also contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at (800) 222-8477 If you have information about William Neil McCasland, text BCSO to 847411 or call (505) 468-7070. If you have information about the death of Carl Grillmair, contact the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Anonymous tips: Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477. If you have information about the Wright-Patterson incident, contact Lt. Jason Moore of the Miami County Sheriff's Office at (937) 440-6085 ext. 3991. Please take a moment to rate and review us on Spotify and Apple. Follow Suzanne on X: https://x.com/csuzannelanders Book Ryan on CAMEO at: https://www.cameo.com/ryansprague51?utm_campaign=profile_share Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/somewhereskies ByMeACoffee: http://www.buymeacoffee.com/UFxzyzHOaQ PayPal: sprague51@hotmail.com Substack: https://ryansprague.substack.com/ All Socials and Books: https://linktr.ee/somewhereskiespod Email: ryan.sprague51@gmail.com SpectreVision Radio: https://www.spectrevision.com/podcasts Opening Theme Song by Septembryo Closing Song by Per Kiilstofte Copyright © 2026 Ryan Sprague. All rights reserved. #truecrimestories #truecrime #missing #uap #disclosure #missingperson #alien #aliens #aerospace #technology #science #somewhereintheskies Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Not only is a high ranking Space Force General missing but so is a close friend and associate who worked at Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Join Emmy Award broadcast journalist David Denault as he searches this new mystery.
Retired Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland has been missing since February 27, 2026. The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office is leading the investigation with FBI support. Authorities have confirmed no evidence of foul play while stating all possible scenarios remain active. After three weeks, more than 700 homes canvassed, and extensive search operations across Albuquerque's Sandia foothills, there is no confirmed sighting and no publicly identified direction of travel.The documented facts of McCasland's disappearance carry specific legal and procedural weight. A Silver Alert was issued under New Mexico statute, which requires demonstration of irreversible deterioration of intellectual faculties — a threshold his wife has publicly disputed. Authorities cited an unspecified medical issue as a basis for urgency. Missing from his residence: a .38-caliber revolver with leather holster, his wallet, and hiking boots. Remaining at the residence: his cell phone, prescription glasses, and wearable devices. He is believed to have left on foot.McCasland's career included command of the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base — a facility with documented involvement in sensitive aerospace and classified defense research programs — and the Phillips Research Site at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque. The FBI's involvement has not been explained beyond McCasland's background in classified programs. A 2016 WikiLeaks document places McCasland's name in email correspondence between Tom DeLonge and presidential campaign chairman John Podesta in the context of UAP-related discussions. McCasland never publicly confirmed or denied the connection.His disappearance occurred days after the Trump administration announced a directive to release government records on unidentified aerial phenomena. The procedural and investigative record of this case — what has been confirmed, what remains contested, and what law enforcement has declined to address publicly — is the focus of this episode.Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#WilliamNeilMcCasland #MissingGeneral #RetiredAirForce #AlbuquerqueNM #UFOCoverUp #WrightPattersonAFB #TomDeLonge #UAP #FBIInvestigation #TrueCrimeToday
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Three weeks into the disappearance of retired Maj. Gen. William Neil McCasland, the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office and FBI have confirmed two things: no evidence of foul play, and all possible scenarios remain on the table. What they have not confirmed is a direction, a sighting, a piece of forensic evidence, or an explanation for why a man who left his phone and glasses behind walked out with a loaded .38-caliber revolver.McCasland commanded the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base — overseeing classified aerospace weapons programs and billions in military research — before retiring in 2013. He was an avid hiker who knew Albuquerque's Sandia Mountains foothills intimately. Investigators canvassed more than 700 homes, deployed multiple search teams, and brought in the FBI. A gray Air Force sweatshirt was found 1.25 miles from his home — no blood, not confirmed as his. Zero verified sightings in three weeks of searching.The Silver Alert issued by authorities cited an irreversible deterioration of intellectual faculties — the legal threshold required under New Mexico law. His wife publicly contested it. Missing from his home: the revolver, his wallet, and his hiking boots. Remaining at the residence: his cell phone, prescription glasses, and all wearable devices. He is believed to have left on foot.His 2016 appearance in the WikiLeaks Podesta email dump — where Blink-182's Tom DeLonge described him as a key figure in UAP research who was "very, very aware" of classified programs at Wright-Patterson — adds a layer that federal investigators have not addressed publicly. His disappearance came days after the Trump administration announced plans to declassify government UAP records. Former DoD intelligence officer Luis Elizondo went on record refusing to dismiss a targeting scenario. The FBI's presence has not been explained beyond McCasland's background.This episode examines what the investigation has and hasn't told us — and what the documented evidence actually supports.Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8-vxmbhTxxG10sO1izODJg?sub_confirmation=1Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/TrueCrimePodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#WilliamNeilMcCasland #MissingGeneral #RetiredAirForce #AlbuquerqueNM #UFOCoverUp #WrightPattersonAFB #TomDeLonge #UAP #FBIInvestigation #HiddenKillers
Retired U.S. Air Force Major General William Neil McCasland has officially been reported missing, and the details surrounding his disappearance are raising serious questions. McCasland is not just any former military officer. He was the former Commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, one of the most significant locations in U.S. military research and long rumored to be connected to UFO and UAP investigations. His career placed him inside some of the most advanced and highly classified programs in space technology, weapons development, and special access projects. What makes this case even more intriguing is his connection to the 2016 leaked Podesta emails, where he was mentioned in discussions involving UFO disclosure. Now, with renewed government attention on declassifying UFO files, his sudden disappearance has sparked widespread speculation. In this episode of the Investigate Earth Podcast, Chad and Sheri break down the full timeline of McCasland's disappearance, his military background, the programs he was involved in, and why his name continues to surface in conversations surrounding UFO secrecy and government disclosure. Is this simply a missing persons case, or is there something bigger happening behind the scenes?Our Merch StoreSubscribe To Our Substack
47 years. That is how long the U.S. and Iran have been circling each other, probing for weaknesses, and demonizing the other (in many cases for good reason). Tensions reached a tipping point on February 28, 2026 and the United States, along with Israel, initiated a new wave of strikes which has lead to chaos across the Middle East. 11 countries have been targeted by retaliatory strikes from Iran and the death toll on all sides continues to rise. How did we get here? Why was now the time to act? Where does it all end and what decisions will shape the final outcome of this latest use of military force? In this month's episode, we speak with Alex Vatanka, Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute, where he focuses on Iran. We review the terse relationship between these two countries since the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and outline the litany of moments that have shaped the course of history. In addition, the conversation outlines how this war got started and what shape it has taken in the early days, providing key insights into possible outcomes. While much is left to be written in this story, the key moments have been set in motion. Listen to gain critical insights into this fast moving and ever changing conflict that will reverberate across the world for years to come.(Please note: This episode was recorded on February 27, one day before U.S. and Israeli airstrikes started. We have tried to capture the latest updates to the fighting, but understand this conflict has shifted rapidly in the first few days).Alex Vatanka is a Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute. He specializes in Middle Eastern regional security affairs with a particular focus on Iran. He was formerly a Senior Analyst at Jane's Information Group in London. Alex is also a Senior Fellow in Middle East Studies at the US Air Force Special Operations School (USAFSOS) at Hurlburt Field and teaches as an Adjunct Professor at DISAS at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. He has testified before the US Congress and lectured widely for both governmental and commercial audiences, including the US Departments of State and Defense, US intelligence agencies, and a list of international corporations.Born in Tehran, he holds a BA in Political Science (Sheffield University, UK), and an MA in International Relations (Essex University, UK), and is fluent in Farsi and Danish. He is the author of two books: The Battle of the Ayatollahs in Iran: The United States, Foreign Policy and Political Rivalry Since 1979 (2021) and Iran and Pakistan: Security, Diplomacy, and American Influence (2015).He has also written chapters for a number of books, including Authoritarianism Goes Global (2016); Handbook on Contemporary Pakistan (2017); Russia in the Middle East (2018), Winning the Battle, Losing the War: Addressing the Drivers Fueling Armed Non-state Actors and Extremist Groups (2020); Global, Regional and Local Dynamics in the Yemen Crisis (2020); Routledge Handbook of Counterterrorism and Irregular Warfare Operations (2021); and Understanding New Proxy Wars (2022). He is presently working on his third book, Iran's Arab Strategy: Defending the Homeland or Exporting Khomeinism?
Raymond Szymanski brings rare firsthand insight into one of the most secretive locations in modern military history—Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, long associated with alleged UFO retrievals and classified aerospace projects. Drawing from his background as a career Air Force insider, Szymanski's work Inside Wright-Patterson AFB and 50 Shades of Greys explores what really happens behind closed hangar doors, separating fact from rumor while revealing how government secrecy, disinformation, and national security have shaped the UFO narrative for decades. His testimony offers a grounded yet compelling perspective for anyone seeking to understand the truth behind crash retrievals, alien technology claims, and the shadowy world of military intelligence.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-x-zone-radio-tv-show--1078348/support.Please note that all XZBN radio and/or television shows are Copyright © REL-MAR McConnell Meda Company, Niagara, Ontario, Canada – www.rel-mar.com. For more Episodes of this show and all shows produced, broadcasted and syndicated from REL-MAR McConell Media Company and The 'X' Zone Broadcast Network and the 'X' Zone TV Channell, visit www.xzbn.net. For programming, distribution, and syndication inquiries, email programming@xzbn.net.We are proud to announce the we have launched TWATNews.com, launched in August 2025.TWATNews.com is an independent online news platform dedicated to uncovering the truth about Donald Trump and his ongoing influence in politics, business, and society. Unlike mainstream outlets that often sanitize, soften, or ignore stories that challenge Trump and his allies, TWATNews digs deeper to deliver hard-hitting articles, investigative features, and sharp commentary that mainstream media won't touch.These are stories and articles that you will not read anywhere else.Our mission is simple: to expose corruption, lies, and authoritarian tendencies while giving voice to the perspectives and evidence that are often marginalized or buried by corporate-controlled media
One of the sites that shook me most on my recent Cambodia tour was a site that I had never even heard of before - the Baphuon: Cambodia's Mysterious Golden Mountain Temple! Was this temple actually constructed on top of a much older precision megalithic base? Did you know that a 10,000+ year old mummy was discovered in Nevada's Spirit Cave in 1940? The original tests done on it by Smithsonian scientists found that it was of European origins. Why was this ancient specimen taken and buried, never to be seen or studied again? Most people have heard about the Roswell incident, but very few people seem to have ever heard about the 1953 Kingman UFO crash retrieval... Pulling from leaked emails, eye-witness accounts and the sworn testimony of mechanical engineer Arthur G. Stancil who worked at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, I piece together the details of this incredible event. Why are our history books mostly silent when it comes to the ancient mounds of America and the anomalous artifacts and enigmatic entities that were unearthed inside them? Why has this fascinating history been suppressed? JOIN ME ON A 2026 TOUR TO EGYPT OR PERU
Most people have heard about the Roswell incident, but very few people seem to have ever heard about the 1953 Kingman UFO crash retrieval... Pulling from leaked emails, eye-witness accounts and the sworn testimony of mechanical engineer Arthur G. Stancil who worked at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, I piece together the details of this incredible event. A crashed UFO, deceased entities and a government cover-up that supposedly took place in the remote desert region near Kingman, Arizona - this is the story of the Kingman crash...JOIN ME ON A 2026 TOUR
OCF MINISTRY NEWS Support widows and widowers across OCF this GivingTuesday: Your gift—large or small—directly provides opportunities for widowed members of the OCF family to find comfort, community, and Christ-centered encouragement at our Conference Centers. Visit ocfusa.org/givingtuesday to learn more and donate now. https://www.ocfusa.org/givingtuesday/ Read the latest Annual Impact Report: Visit ocfusa.org/air to check out financial reports, members' stories of impact, and year-in-review reports from OCF Service Academy & Gateways, Regional Coordinators, and Conference Centers. https://www.ocfusa.org/air/ Join OCFers in prayer: Visit ocfusa.org/pip to download the current month's prayer list or ocfusa.org/needprayer to submit a prayer request. https://www.ocfusa.org/pip/ https://www.ocfusa.org/needprayer/ Register for a Winter Retreat session at one of OCF's Conference Centers: 20-27 December, 28 December-4 January at Spring Canyon in Buena Vista, Colo. https://www.springcanyon.org/winter-retreat/ 21-26 December, 27-30 December, 30 December-2 January at White Sulphur Springs in Manns Choice, Pa. https://www.whitesulphursprings.org/winter-retreat/ GUEST SPOTLIGHT Today's episode features two individuals—Naomi and Mackenzie—whose voices you'll hear more in the future as they begin hosting a new podcast called "OCF Anchored & Armed." Naomi lives at Edwards Air Force Base with her active-duty husband and their three kids, while Mackenzie is a first lieutenant stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Naomi and Mackenzie discuss their inspiration for the upcoming podcast designed for Christian women in uniform and military wives, share their passion for encouraging other women in the military community, participate in Crosspoint's first-ever lightning round, and more. Interested in connecting with them? You can send an email to anchored@ocfusa.org. And keep an eye out for the Google Form that will be featured in the show notes of each OCF Anchored & Armed episode to come. OCF Anchored & Armed launches in January 2026. If you would like to share your own story, complete the form on OCF's "Be a Guest" webpage. Alternatively, if you have an idea for a guest or topic we should consider for a future episode of the show, send an email to podcast@ocfusa.org. https://www.ocfusa.org/podcastguest/ POINTS TO PONDER As you listen to this conversation with Naomi and Mackenzie, here are a few questions to ponder in your personal time, with a small group, or with a mentor: Thinking of Hebrews 6:19, what does it mean to you to be "anchored and armed" in Christ? What helps you feel connected to others who come from similar walks of life? What difference does that connection make?
How can CTE listen to regional economic and workforce needs and build a vision so big that others can't help but support it?Watch this episode on YouTube Matt Kirchner sits down with Adam Snoddy, Principal of the Butler Tech Aviation Center, to explore how one district used its regional economic identity to design a world-class CTE program. Located between Cincinnati and Dayton—home to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Amazon's CVG air hub, a web of regional airports, and one of the densest aviation job markets in North America—Butler Tech built a high school aviation program directly aligned to its region's workforce DNA.Adam walks us through how the program launched in 2019 and quickly outgrew its original model. Today, Butler Tech is opening a 20,000 sq. ft. aviation high school and 8,500 sq. ft. hangar, backed by $15 million in district, county, JobsOhio, and city investment. Students begin with a full sophomore-year “Introduction to Aviation” exploration before choosing pathways in Flight, Maintenance, or Engineering, with engineering intentionally grounded in maintenance fundamentals to create stronger systems thinkers and safer future engineers.The real story? This aviation program is a template. Whether your region is built on advanced manufacturing, healthcare, logistics, energy, agriculture, or something entirely different, Butler Tech's approach offers a roadmap for building CTE around local industry, future workforce demand, and transferable technical skills.Listen to Learn:How regional economic DNA shaped Butler Tech's aviation program and why every CTE district should start hereWhat a $15 million aviation campus means for students, industry, and community partners Why Butler Tech begins 10th grade with a full exploration year before pathway selectionHow flight, maintenance, and engineering pathways work, and why engineering starts in the maintenance hangarWhat every CTE leader can take from this model, even if their region has nothing to do with aviation3 Big Takeaways from this Episode:1. CTE should be built around regional economic DNA. Southwest Ohio's aviation ecosystem—CVG, Wright-Patt, Joby, UPS, regional airports—creates unmatched demand for aviation talent. Butler Tech aligned its entire program to that reality, proving CTE is strongest when built around local industry needs and future workforce trends.2. An exploration-first model helps students make smarter pathway decisions. Every student begins with “Intro to Aviation,” experiencing flight, maintenance, and engineering pathways. This helps students discover interests—and eliminate misaligned ones—long before making postsecondary commitments.3. Hands-on systems training creates better technicians, engineers, and pilots. Butler Tech's engineering pathway starts with maintenance fundamentals because employers consistently stress that engineers must understand the systems they design. Students build real-world intuition early, leading to safer, more capable graduates in any technical field.Resources in this Episode:Learn more about Butler Tech's Aviation prograWe want to hear from you! Send us a text.Instagram - Facebook - YouTube - TikTok - Twitter - LinkedIn
In this episode of The Deep Dive, we unravel one of the most provocative claims in the UFO discourse: that the real secret isn't just extraterrestrial visitation—it's the nature of reality itself. Drawing from documented testimony, insider accounts, and theoretical physics, we explore how decades of government secrecy may be rooted not in fear of aliens, but in fear of what their existence implies about consciousness, time, and space.We begin with high-level institutional knowledge. From General Arthur Exon's assertion that the Roswell crash was immediately recognized as extraterrestrial, to Eisenhower's alleged 1954 disappearance for a secret meeting at Edwards Air Force Base, the evidence suggests presidents and generals have long been aware—and complicit in cover-ups. Nixon reportedly showed alien bodies to comedian Jackie Gleason. Jimmy Carter, despite having seen a UFO himself, was denied access to files by CIA Director George H.W. Bush. Even Senator Barry Goldwater was refused entry to the rumored “Blue Room” at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, told the material was “above top secret.”But the story doesn't stop at politics. We follow the thread north to Canada, where Wilbert Smith, head of Project Magnet, publicly declared that flying saucers were real and piloted by ETs. Smith claimed to have handled debris from a 1952 Washington, D.C. incident—magnesium ferrite, a material harder than anything known at the time. This led researchers to a startling conclusion: the technology was so advanced, it forced a rethinking of physics itself.Enter consciousness. Smith and others began exploring ESP, telepathy, and the “hard problem” of subjective experience. Intelligence agencies even investigated automatic writing cases, such as Francis Swan's alleged contact with an entity named AFFA. The implication? That understanding UFOs might require understanding consciousness as a primary force—not a byproduct of matter, but the very ground of reality.This aligns with biocentrism, a theory suggesting that consciousness creates the universe, not the other way around. Nobel physicist Max Planck once said, “I regard consciousness as fundamental.” If true, then time, space, and even physical laws may be observer-dependent. Muon decay experiments and quantum wave collapse support this idea: reality becomes definite only when observed.So what does this mean for the UFO mystery? Abductees often report telepathic communication—clear, noise-free, and instantaneous. These beings may have mastered consciousness itself. And that's where the cover-up deepens. If millions have been abducted and governments can do nothing to stop it, disclosure would mean admitting total impotence. Worse, the social structure of these entities—hive-like, communal, lacking individuality—resembles ideological models antithetical to Western values. Revealing them might destabilize not just science, but society.Finally, we explore whether consciousness is an information field—and whether technologies like the internet, Memex, and even Google's algorithm were intuitive downloads from that field. If so, the ultimate secret may not be aliens at all. It may be the latent power of the human mind.Grant Cameron Websitewww.presidentialufo.org
The Light Gate welcomes guest: Author and Researcher, .Dr. Irena Scott November 10th, 2025. Time: 5-7pm pacific / 8-10pm eastern Episode: 133 Discussion: Tonight, Monday night live, The Light Gate welcomes back researcher and author Dr. Irena Scott. Dr. Irena Scott received her Ph.D. from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, did post-doctoral research at Cornell University, and has had a professorship at St. Bonaventure University. Her MS was from the University of Nevada, her BS from Ohio State University in astronomy and biology, and she has done research and teaching at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, and the University of Nevada. The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) employed her in Ph.D. level (GS-11) research in satellite photography including in the Air Order of Battle section of its Photographic Interpretation Office, which involved aircraft identification with above top-secret Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI), clearances. She was employed as a Physical Scientist/Cartographer in the DMA Aerospace Center (now the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency) using satellite photography, and she worked at Battelle Memorial Institute. She has been sent for work-related purposes to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and has been in the secured areas including the Blue Room (NASIC) building. She was an astronomer at the Ohio State University Radio Observatory “Big Ear” (noted for the WOW SETI signal that might be humanity's only signal from ET), is an amateur astronomer, and has taken flying lessons She was a correspondent for Popular Mechanics magazine. Her publications include books, and works in peer-reviewed scientific journals, magazines, and newspapers. Her photography has been shown on television and in magazines, books, and newspapers. She served on the MUFON Board of Directors (1993 to 2000) and is a MUFON consultant in physiology and astronomy and a field investigator. She was a founding member of the Mid-Ohio Research Associates (MORA) and an editor for the Ohio UFO Notebook. Her UFO publications include articles in the MUFON UFO Journal, the International UFO Reporter, and FATE magazine. She was a keynote speaker at 2022 5th Symposium on UFOlogy and Exobiology International Symposium in Brazil; a featured speaker at the 2019 50th Anniversary International MUFON Symposium, the 22nd Annual UFO Festival in McMinnville, Oregon, the UFO.CON in San Francisco, and invited to be a featured speaker at the UFO MEGA Conference 2022 in Las Vegas, which was cancelled. She has done numerous podcasts such as Coast to Coast and Shirley MacLaine's Independent Expression Radio. Her most recent books on UFOs are: UFOs TODAY 70 Years of Lies, Disinformation, and Government Cover-Up, published by Flying Disk Press, MUFON Books, and in German by NIBE VERLAG; Inside the Lightning Ball: Scientific Study of Lifelong UFO Experiencers, published by Flying Disk Press and by Flying Disk Press, Latinoamerica; and Sacred Corridors Secrets Behind the Real Project Blue Book, Wright-Patterson AFB, Roswell, Battelle, Memory Metal, Dr. J. Allen Hynek & UFO Cover-Ups, published by Flying Disk Press. Her latest book is Beyond Pascagoula The Rest of the Amazing Story. The book, Beyond Reasonable Doubt, The Pascagoula Alien Abduction, with Philip Mantle co-author, is to be released in September. A book, Aliens and the Apocalypse: The Meaning of Alien Messages, has been accepted. Flying Disk Press initially published all. She has taken a scientific approach to UFO phenomena and published papers about UFO data in peer-reviewed scientific journals, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) publications. Links:Website: https://irenascott.com/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irena_Scott Twitter: @tstart194 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/irena.scott1
The Chat welcomes Special Guest Dr. Irena Scott November 8th, 2025 Irena will be discussing her book " Beyond Pascagoula" About Dr. Irena Scott Dr. Irena Scott received her Ph.D. from the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine, did post-doctoral research at Cornell University, and has had a professorship at St. Bonaventure University. Her MS was from the University of Nevada, her BS from Ohio State University in astronomy and biology, and she has done research and teaching at The Ohio State University College of Medicine, and the University of Nevada. The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) employed her in Ph.D. level (GS-11) research in satellite photography including in the Air Order of Battle section of its Photographic Interpretation Office, which involved aircraft identification with above top-secret Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI), clearances. She was employed as a Physical Scientist/Cartographer in the DMA Aerospace Center (now the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency) using satellite photography, and she worked at Battelle Memorial Institute. She has been sent for work-related purposes to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and has been in the secured areas including the Blue Room (NASIC) building. She was an astronomer at the Ohio State University Radio Observatory “Big Ear” (noted for the WOW SETI signal that might be humanity's only signal from ET), is an amateur astronomer, and has taken flying lessons She was a correspondent for Popular Mechanics magazine. Her publications include books, and works in peer-reviewed scientific journals, magazines, and newspapers. Her photography has been shown on television and in magazines, books, and newspapers. She served on the MUFON Board of Directors (1993 to 2000) and is a MUFON consultant in physiology and astronomy and a field investigator. She was a founding member of the Mid-Ohio Research Associates (MORA) and an editor for the Ohio UFO Notebook. Her UFO publications include articles in the MUFON UFO Journal, the International UFO Reporter, and FATE magazine. She was a keynote speaker at 2022 5th Symposium on UFOlogy and Exobiology International Symposium in Brazil; a featured speaker at the 2019 50th Anniversary International MUFON Symposium, the 22nd Annual UFO Festival in McMinnville, Oregon, the UFO.CON in San Francisco, and invited to be a featured speaker at the UFO MEGA Conference 2022 in Las Vegas, which was cancelled. She has done numerous podcasts such as Coast to Coast and Shirley MacLaine's Independent Expression Radio. Her most recent books on UFOs are: UFOs TODAY 70 Years of Lies, Disinformation, and Government Cover-Up, published by Flying Disk Press, MUFON Books, and in German by NIBE VERLAG; Inside the Lightning Ball: Scientific Study of Lifelong UFO Experiencers, published by Flying Disk Press and by Flying Disk Press, Latinoamerica; and Sacred Corridors Secrets Behind the Real Project Blue Book, Wright-Patterson AFB, Roswell, Battelle, Memory Metal, Dr. J. Allen Hynek & UFO Cover-Ups, published by Flying Disk Press. Her latest book is Beyond Pascagoula The Rest of the Amazing Story. The book, Beyond Reasonable Doubt, The Pascagoula Alien Abduction, with Philip Mantle co-author, is to be released in September. A book, Aliens and the Apocalypse: The Meaning of Alien Messages, has been accepted. Flying Disk Press initially published all. She has taken a scientific approach to UFO phenomena and published papers about UFO data in peer-reviewed scientific journals, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) publications.
FBI says Cedar Point was the target of a possible terror attack; civilian employees at Dayton's Wright Patterson Air Force Base will be part of the largest furlough in base history; Cincinnati's airport could be one that has air traffic reduced due to the government shutdown; a Pittsburgh university is offering a scholarship for Ohio students whose majors are eliminated due to Ohio law banning DEI initiatives at public colleges and universities.
Three people connected to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base are found dead in what investigators describe as a double murder-suicide spanning three Ohio counties. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signs a death warrant for the man convicted in one of Brevard County’s most brutal child murders. Drew Nelson reports.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Context of White Supremacy hosts the weekly summit on Neutralizing Workplace Racism 10/30/25. We're nearly a full month into the US federal government "shutdown," and many more federal workers report feeling the direct impact of not being compensated, being furloughed, and wondering when will all of this will be resolved. Again, 65% of federal employees allegedly survive paycheck to paycheck. In Ohio, three Air Force employees are reported dead in a shocking double murder-suicide. 34-year-old Jacob E. Prichard allegedly killed his wife, Jaymee Prichard, and stuffed her body in the trunk of his car. Jacob drove the vehicle with his wife's remains to a fellow co-workers residence, and once there, he allegedly killed Jamie S. Gustitus before taking his own life. The Kansas City star reports, "It's unclear what the relationship between the married couple and Gustitus was other than the fact they all worked at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Greene County." Additionally, many non-white callers report being threatened and/or verbally accosted in the workplace. We remind Victims of Racism to expect to be humiliated on the job and to have a code to help maintain your composure when subjected to Racist insults at work. #NoPoliticsOnTheJob INVEST in The COWS – http://paypal.me/TheCOWS Cash App: https://cash.app/$TheCOWS CALL IN NUMBER: 720.716.7300 CODE 564943# #SobrietyWouldBeBest INVEST in The COWS - http://paypal.me/TheCOWS Cash App: http://cash.app/$TheCOWS Call: 720.716.7300 Code: 564943#
In this episode of The Deep Dive, we trace the evolution of official UAP investigations—from the post-WWII hunt for wreckage to a radical conclusion reached by insiders: the phenomenon may be intrinsically tied to human consciousness.It begins in the early 1950s, when Canadian official Wilbert Smith discovered that the U.S. was already running a deeply classified program focused on flying saucers. In a sensitive memo, Smith noted that American authorities were interested not just in the craft—but in the mental phenomena associated with them. This wasn't a fringe idea. It was embedded in the earliest stages of secrecy.Smith named Dr. Vannevar Bush, the wartime science czar, as heading a small group studying the “modus operandi” of the saucers. Bush's involvement signaled that the highest levels of American science were taking the phenomenon seriously. Around the same time, Dr. Eric Walker, executive secretary of the Research and Development Board, admitted attending meetings about the recovery of a flying saucer and its occupants—reportedly stored at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. When asked about MJ-12, the legendary secret group, Walker said he'd known about them for 40 years.These early confirmations lend weight to the idea that crash retrievals and compartmented programs were real. But as the decades progressed, the investigation took a strange turn.In the 2000s, the U.S. government launched a new wave of UAP research. One of the most prominent was Robert Bigelow, who spent millions studying the phenomenon. While known for chasing hard evidence—exotic materials, reverse engineering—Bigelow also funded parapsychology research, including grants to Dean Radin in the 1990s.This dual interest led directly to the creation of AAWSAP—the Advanced Aerospace Weapon System Applications Program with support from Senator Ted Stevens, AAWSAP received $22 million to study aerial phenomena, particularly those reported at Skinwalker Ranch.Under Bigelow's direction, buildings were reportedly modified to store recovered UAP materials. Luis Elizondo, a key figure in later disclosure efforts, claimed these materials were “metamaterials” with isotopic ratios not found on Earth—implying off-world origin.But the deeper shift came from James Lakatsky, who managed AAWSAP for the DIA. After years of research, Lakatsky concluded that physical phenomena were connected to psychic phenomena—and that consciousness played a crucial role.He defined the UAP as a technology that integrates physical and psychic elements, and that manipulates psychological and physiological parameters in the witness. In other words, the phenomenon doesn't just fly—it interacts with minds, tailoring experiences to individuals, and potentially influencing culture.Robert Bigelow echoed this in his “Theory of WOW View,” suggesting that the intelligence behind the phenomenon performs absurd, physically impossible acts to grab attention and challenge our assumptions. It's not just surveillance—it's messaging. Games. Performance art designed to break our reality framework.Tim Taylor, a high-level intelligence official, visited experiencer Chris Bledsoe not because Bledsoe was a threat—but because the phenomenon seemed to “like” him. It was communicating with Bledsoe, not the intel officers. This suggests that connection, intent, and consciousness matter.Jim Semivan, former CIA, described the truth as “indigestible.” He worried about how to explain to children that there's a force that can control the environment, insert thoughts, deceive, and that we're not in control. The fear isn't about technology—it's about existential collapse.This leads to a profound realization: the secrecy may not be about protecting advanced hardware, but about shielding humanity from a truth that could shatter our worldview. If the phenomenon is tied to consciousness, then our understanding of reality, free will, and identity is at stake.
John Horrigan received five Boston/New England Emmy Awards (and had twenty nominations) for his role as host and writer of the critically-acclaimed television show entitled "The Folklorist". The program even featured paranormal segments on the Gloucester Sea Serpent, Ape Canyon, The Angels of Mons, Spring-heeled Jack and the Dover Demon. He has had an interest in unexplained mysteries and paranormal events for nearly 40 years. He began broadcasting about the unexplained on local access television and radio beginning in 1991, producing programs dedicated to mysterious phenomena such as Nightime Talk Television (1989), Omnibus Unlimited (1992), Tails (1993), AAHA (1999) and Forteana (2000). He was the last person to interview Betty Hill (alleged first alien abductee) in 1999 with “The Lost Betty Hill Interview”. His research into Unidentified Flying Objects took him to Roswell, New Mexico (three times); Area 51; Kecksburg, Pennsylvania; Shag Harbour, Nova Scotia; Gulf Breeze, Florida; the San Luis Valley (investigating cattle mutilation), the Lockheed Skunk Works; Wright-Patterson Air Force Base; Eglin Air Force Base; Cheyenne Mountain; Edwards Air Force Base; Hill Air Force Base; Dugway Proving Grounds; White Sands Missile Range and Hurlburt Field.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-x-zone-radio-tv-show--1078348/support.Please note that all XZBN radio and/or television shows are Copyright © REL-MAR McConnell Meda Company, Niagara, Ontario, Canada – www.rel-mar.com. For more Episodes of this show and all shows produced, broadcasted and syndicated from REL-MAR McConell Media Company and The 'X' Zone Broadcast Network and the 'X' Zone TV Channell, visit www.xzbn.net. For programming, distribution, and syndication inquiries, email programming@xzbn.net.We are proud to announce the we have launched TWATNews.com, launched in August 2025.TWATNews.com is an independent online news platform dedicated to uncovering the truth about Donald Trump and his ongoing influence in politics, business, and society. Unlike mainstream outlets that often sanitize, soften, or ignore stories that challenge Trump and his allies, TWATNews digs deeper to deliver hard-hitting articles, investigative features, and sharp commentary that mainstream media won't touch.These are stories and articles that you will not read anywhere else.Our mission is simple: to expose corruption, lies, and authoritarian tendencies while giving voice to the perspectives and evidence that are often marginalized or buried by corporate-controlled media
John Horrigan received five Boston/New England Emmy Awards (and had twenty nominations) for his role as host and writer of the critically-acclaimed television show entitled "The Folklorist". The program even featured paranormal segments on the Gloucester Sea Serpent, Ape Canyon, The Angels of Mons, Spring-heeled Jack and the Dover Demon. He has had an interest in unexplained mysteries and paranormal events for nearly 40 years. He began broadcasting about the unexplained on local access television and radio beginning in 1991, producing programs dedicated to mysterious phenomena such as Nightime Talk Television (1989), Omnibus Unlimited (1992), Tails (1993), AAHA (1999) and Forteana (2000). He was the last person to interview Betty Hill (alleged first alien abductee) in 1999 with “The Lost Betty Hill Interview”. His research into Unidentified Flying Objects took him to Roswell, New Mexico (three times); Area 51; Kecksburg, Pennsylvania; Shag Harbour, Nova Scotia; Gulf Breeze, Florida; the San Luis Valley (investigating cattle mutilation), the Lockheed Skunk Works; Wright-Patterson Air Force Base; Eglin Air Force Base; Cheyenne Mountain; Edwards Air Force Base; Hill Air Force Base; Dugway Proving Grounds; White Sands Missile Range and Hurlburt Field.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-x-zone-radio-tv-show--1078348/support.Please note that all XZBN radio and/or television shows are Copyright © REL-MAR McConnell Meda Company, Niagara, Ontario, Canada – www.rel-mar.com. For more Episodes of this show and all shows produced, broadcasted and syndicated from REL-MAR McConell Media Company and The 'X' Zone Broadcast Network and the 'X' Zone TV Channell, visit www.xzbn.net. For programming, distribution, and syndication inquiries, email programming@xzbn.net.We are proud to announce the we have launched TWATNews.com, launched in August 2025.TWATNews.com is an independent online news platform dedicated to uncovering the truth about Donald Trump and his ongoing influence in politics, business, and society. Unlike mainstream outlets that often sanitize, soften, or ignore stories that challenge Trump and his allies, TWATNews digs deeper to deliver hard-hitting articles, investigative features, and sharp commentary that mainstream media won't touch.These are stories and articles that you will not read anywhere else.Our mission is simple: to expose corruption, lies, and authoritarian tendencies while giving voice to the perspectives and evidence that are often marginalized or buried by corporate-controlled media
Columbia Technology Partners (CTP) fosters a vibrant, competitive culture that blends professional growth with a fun, engaging workplace, shares Allen Scott, the Director of People & Culture. CTP seeks cleared professionals, particularly those with CISSP and ISSEP certifications, for roles in cybersecurity, cloud engineering, and systems engineering. The company supports continuous education with paid training and exams to fuel career advancement. Beyond work, CTP's new office boasts 75-inch TVs, video game tournaments, cornhole, and regular happy hours, creating a welcoming environment where coworkers can connect. With opportunities in Maryland, Aberdeen, and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, CTP offers prospective employees both challenging missions and a lively, supportive culture.Find complete show notes at: https://clearedjobs.net/columbia-technology-partners-upskilling-from-certs-to-cornhole-podcast_ This show is brought to you by ClearedJobs.Net. Have feedback or questions for us? Email us at rriggins@clearedjobs.net. Sign up for our cleared job seeker newsletter. Create a cleared job seeker profile on ClearedJobs.Net. Engage with us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X, or YouTube. _
How the government shutdown is impacting Dayton's Wright-Patterson Air Force Base; Toledo mom accuses a school employee of abusing her 8-year-old; the next steps for Ohio lawmakers in the redistricting process; auto racing may return to Cleveland.
Rocket Science and Redemption: Dr. Joe MillerIn a quiet town just outside Dayton, Ohio — where the history of aviation runs deep — Dr. Joe Miller's journey took flight with a love for airplanes and a desire to serve God. As a high school student, deeply moved by the courage of missionary aviators and the powerful message of Elisabeth Elliot's Through Gates of Splendor, Joe began to ask a bold, life-shaping question: How can I use engineering to glorify Christ and serve the world?That question became his compass, and God used it to guide him to Cedarville University — first as a student, then, years later, as a professor.After nearly two decades in aerospace — collaborating with the U.S. Air Force on advanced innovations and leading elite engineering teams — Joe had no plans to leave the field he loved. But when Cedarville called and God stirred his heart, he recognized a higher calling.“I had no desire to leave,” he recalls. “But I was called to something bigger — training the next generation of Christ-centered engineers.”For Dr. Miller, teaching is more than a profession — it's a mission. He sees engineering not just as a discipline of problem-solving but as a calling to serve people, protect life, and steward creation. His classroom hums with purpose: a place where technical rigor meets Gospel clarity.His vision is clear: to mentor engineers who are technically excellent, spiritually grounded, and passionately committed to using their gifts for God's glory. Through collaborations with organizations like Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dr. Miller helps students connect classroom theory to real-world innovation — always with Christ at the center.“The Gospel,” Joe tells his students, “isn't something we tack onto our careers — it's the foundation. Everything flows from that.”Dr. Miller isn't just instructing engineers. On this week's episode of the Cedarville Stories podcast, hear how he's shaping disciples — leaders who will carry light into launchpads, boardrooms, and beyond.https://share.transistor.fm/s/1a0ce2a2https://youtu.be/KwporBWAamQ
In this episode, we interview Bruce, an accomplished aerospace engineer at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and a dedicated paranormal investigator. Bruce shares his extensive knowledge and firsthand experiences with unexplained phenomena. He recounts witnessing unidentified aerial objects emerging from the ocean while sailing off the U.S. East Coast. Having grown up in a haunted house, Bruce's early encounters fueled his lifelong fascination with the paranormal. He also shares a remarkable sighting in Tennessee's Appalachian Mountains, where he observed three humanoid figures on a thermal camera, seemingly stepping through what appeared to be a ring of light — potentially a portal. Could these beings be the elusive Sasquatch, commonly known as Bigfoot, and might this explain why they remain so difficult to track? Bruce runs the popular X account Bruce's Conspiracy and Coffee (@BruceConspiracy), where he engages a wide audience on these intriguing topics.We are thrilled to announce the official launch of Let's Get Freaky merchandise! Our collection includes hoodies, t-shirts, mugs, stickers, and more. Explore the full range at http://tee.pub/lic/aQprv54kktw.Do you have a paranormal or extraordinary experience to share? We'd love to hear from you! Contact us to be a guest on the Let's Get Freaky podcast. Email us at letsgetfreakypodcast@mail.com or reach out via social media on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, or YouTube at @tcletsgetfreakypodcast. Connect with us at https://linktr.ee/letsgetfreaky.
Columbus City Schools teacher killed in a domestic violence incident; drivers stranded after a semi crash closed I-71 northbound in Fayette County for more than 8 hours overnight; some Ohio lawmakers are urging federal officials to keep Wright-Patterson Air Force Base under 4-star command amid Defense Department cuts; why did ODOT post a rendering of the new Cleveland Browns stadium full of trash?
Columbus City Schools teacher killed in a domestic violence incident; drivers stranded after a semi crash closed I-71 northbound in Fayette County for more than 8 hours overnight; some Ohio lawmakers are urging federal officials to keep Wright-Patterson Air Force Base under 4-star command amid Defense Department cuts; why did ODOT post a rendering of the new Cleveland Browns stadium full of trash?
What does it take to lead at every level and shape the leaders of tomorrow? SUMMARY Long Blue Line podcast host, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99 sat with Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Sherman '95, the U.S. Air Force Academy's vice superintendent, for a deep dive into leadership, humanity and building a world-class service academy. This episode is packed with wisdom for aspiring, emerging, and seasoned leaders alike. SHARE LINKEDIN | FACEBOOK GEN. SHERMAN'S TOP 10 LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS - Leadership is a human experience - focus on connecting with and caring about people. - Love what you do and love the people you lead; passion inspires others to follow you. - Embrace failures and challenges as opportunities for personal growth and development. - Set the right culture and values within your team to build trust and mutual support. - Be present and engaged with your team, understanding their motivations and experiences. - Leadership is about more than rank or position - it's about earning genuine trust and respect. - Invest time in understanding different generations, cultural nuances, and individual perspectives. - Balance professional excellence with personal growth and life experiences. - Support your team's development by providing encouragement and holding them accountable. - Your legacy is built through individual interactions and the positive impact you have on people's lives. CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction to Major General Thomas P. Sherman 01:29 Choosing Leadership Over Flying 07:23 The Impact of Mentorship and Values 12:46 Heritage and Evolution of Security Forces 17:43 Personal Growth in Aviano, Italy 24:17 The Importance of Work-Life Balance 29:50 Culminating Command Experience at Bagram 42:25 The Role of Family in Leadership 51:29 Continuous Self-Improvement as a Leader 56:27 Embracing Failure as a Growth Opportunity 01:00:06 Legacy and the Impact of Leadership ABOUT GEN. SHERMAN BIO Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Sherman is the Vice Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. He is serving as the chief operations officer to the Superintendent and overseeing the Academy's blend of military training, academics, athletics, and character development for cadets. Gen. Sherman commissioned in 1995 from the Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. He built a distinguished career as a security forces officer. He's held command at nearly every level. His key assignments include leadership of the 88th Air Base Wing at Wright-Patterson AFB and critical staff positions at the Pentagon. In May 2024, Gen. Sherman was tapped to serve as the Academy's Vice Superintendent CONNECT WITH GEN. SHERMAN LINKEDIN ALL PAST LBL EPISODES | ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS TRANSCRIPT SPEAKERS Guest, Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Sherman '95 | Host, Lt. Col. (ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99 Naviere Walkewicz 00:00 Welcome to Long Blue Leadership, the podcast where we share insights on leadership through the lives and experiences of Air Force Academy graduates. I'm Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99 today. I'm joined by a leader whose career has taken him from the flight line to the halls of Congress and now back to the very institution that launched it all. Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Sherman currently serves as vice superintendent of the Air Force Academy, where he plays a critical role in guiding the development of our future officers and ensuring the Academy remains a world class institution for leadership, character and Day 1 readiness to win the future fight. A 1995 Academy graduate, Gen. Sherman has spent nearly three decades serving in key operational, strategic and command roles. He's led at every level, from squadron to wing command, and his assignments have included everything from nuclear security enterprise to homeland defense, policy development at the Pentagon, and legislative affairs at the highest levels of the Department of the Air Force. Prior to his role as vice superintendent, Gen. Sherman served in the Office of the Deputy Secretary of Defense, where he was a principal military assistant leading policy integration across joint staff, interagency services and combatant commands. He's perhaps best known in command circles for leading the 88th Air Base wing at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, one of the largest and most complex wings in the Air Force, with a focus on people first, leadership and mission excellence. Gen. Sherman, welcome to Long Blue Leadership. We're so glad you're here too. MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 01:32 It is great to be here. Thank you. Naviere Walkewicz 01:33 We're excited and we're going to dive right in, because I think what is so special for our listeners is really hearing these moments that have changed your life. I'd like to start at the Academy. You turned down a pilot slot. You were rated, but said no. MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 01:48 Well, actually it was a little bit before that. You know, it's kind of interesting, because that was the draw that brought me here, is I just had this incredible passion to want to fly, and I love flying, and I truly enjoyed it, especially through all the different airmanship programs and things like and things like that we had here. The experiences were fantastic. But, you know, as I was starting to learn more about myself going through the Academy, I was starting to feel my heart getting pulled in a direction of wanting to really lead people and really spend a lot of time working with the enlisted. And I think that came from a couple different areas. I think it was some really unique exposure that I got during my ops Air Force time, which I went to Ramstein Air Base in Germany, during ops, and just had our action officer that worked this, I think just did a phenomenal job. And I really started getting pulled to what was then called security police. That is actually when Laurie and I got together and started dating, because Laurie is here in Colorado Springs, but she grew up as an Air Force brat. My father-in-law is a retired Chief Master Sgt., and so there was a lot of mentorship that was taking place around dining room table when I was a young cadet. And I think one of the things that her parents really taught me was just the value of the enlisted force, and so I was feeling my heart really getting pulled. And so obviously, there's a conundrum. There's a conundrum on what were the root desires that brought me here — what were the things that I was learning as a cadet, my joy of flying, and also, particularly the culture at that time, was that that was really the job that you needed to aspire to be, that was the expectation of cadets. And so then to really kind of run counter to that strong current was really kind of a unique, you know, almost unnavigated area, right? And so to really kind of take the story out to its next level is that I'd really gotten to a point where talking with people there — we hadn't had the AMT program, but there were these NCOs that were kind of tangentially attached to cadet squadrons. And so I got a chance to talk to one of the master sergeants that was there who was a maintainer by background. And I was kind of pouring my heart out to him on, you know, what had I been talking to him with my now in-laws, about where was my heart pulling me? And so he said, ‘Give me just a second.' And he picked up the phone, and he called my AOC and he goes, ‘Hey, you're gonna be there for a little while.' And this was a Friday afternoon. He said, ‘I got a cadet that needs to come talk to you.' And he hangs up the phone and he goes, ‘Now you go tell your AOC what you just told me.' And so I ended up going to my AOCs office that day, and we had about a two-hour conversation about this. I sat down and really, kind of took the time to explain to him what was I feeling, And obviously, I really try to see the best in people. And so I think from a noble place, he was doing his best to convince me that I was making a grave mistake. And went on to talk to me about what his concerns were, the career field that I was looking at, things along those lines. And we can save that conversation for another time, but I think really where the foundation came in is where we started to talk about leadership. And you know, what I was asking him to do was to pull my rated recommendation form, so we had just submitted them, and I was asking him to pull my rated recommendation form. I didn't want to compete for it anymore. And so we started to talk about leadership. And he says, ‘Hey, Cadet Sherman, you need to understand that leadership in this Air Force is being the lead F-16 pilot on a bombing run, you know, putting iron on target.' And that's true. It's a very important part of leadership. It is a very important part of tactical operational leadership in this Air Force. So he's not wrong in that space. But I was looking at it from a different lens, and I was looking at it, I think, on a larger level. And what I don't think he realized is that 30 seconds before I walked into his office, he set me up for success. I just happened to be waiting outside the office, and all of a sudden, I looked on his cork board, and somebody, and I don't know who it was, had pinned a note that was written to Airman Magazineby an airman first class. And this airman first class titled this, “I need a leader.” And this A1C felt so strongly about what they were feeling — and I have no idea who this person was — felt so strongly about it that they put pen to paper, and this would have been the fall of 1994, and sent this into Airman Magazine, and it says, “I need a leader.” Commissioning sources. ‘Send us lieutenants that we can look up to that will hold us accountable when we do wrong, that will encourage us when we do well, that will be an example that we can look up to, that will care about us as human beings, because you are not sending them to us now. Air Force, I need a leader.' Like that 30 seconds just before I walked into his office — that changed my life, and it changed my life, because for me, at that moment, what I was getting ready to go ask my AOC to do, what I was looking at inside myself, that became my charge. And so as we spoke, you know, 20-year-old Cadet First Class Sherman — I might have been a 21-year-old at the time — Cadet First Class Sherman pushed back on my AOC, and I said, ‘Sir, I disagree.' I said, ‘I want to be that guy. I want to be that guy that that A1c is asking for on your cork board outside, because that's leadership in this Air Force.' And so, to his credit, he said, ‘Hey, I want you to go think about this over the weekend. You know, think about what you're doing. Come back to me on Monday. No questions asked. I'll pull it if you want me to.' And I left there, and I remember feeling like, not like a weight had been lifted off my shoulder, but I almost felt like this sense of like, ‘Now I've got my purpose,' because that little article has shaped me my entire career, and I mean to this day, and at a scale. You know, as a lieutenant, my scale is this big on what I'm affecting to help do and be what that A1C needs to a wing commander. I always keep it in the back of my head, and after all of these years, I am still thinking about, Am I doing right by that A1C that 31 years ago, felt so strongly about something that they wrote a note to Airman Magazine, and that became my charge. Naviere Walkewicz 08:09 That is incredibly powerful. I'm a little bit without words, because I'm thinking about, first off, being brave enough to disagree with an AOC. I mean, I think that takes courage in showing your leadership there. Were you always like that? Have you always been someone that is steadfast in a decision and being able to kind of speak out? MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 08:30 So I get that from my parents. And, you know, I grew up in Corona, California. My mom and dad are amazing people. And we didn't grow up with a lot of money, and we grew up from a pretty meager background, and my mom and dad had made a decision early on in their marriage, when they had my sister and I, that my mom was going to focus to make sure that Nancy and I got an education, and my dad was going to work as many jobs as he had to to put food on the table. And sometimes my dad was holding down three jobs to make sure that we had nutritious food to eat, and my mom was working miracles to make sure that we were fed well, but that also that she was dedicated and had the time to volunteer for things like PTA, being involved as a class volunteer, making sure that we were involved in things and had exposure to things that what they did was they also instilled in me this really strong blue collar work ethic. And it was this aspect of, if I just roll up my sleeves and put in the work, anything is possible. And so on that line, this young kid growing up with a West Coast father and an East Coast mother, and just this, really neat family background that things for me, that I believed in I would go after with all of my heart and soul. And so I found out about the Academy when I was 12 years old. And so, you know, when I at 12 years — we were going to a community event there in Corona, and there was an officer recruiter — Capt. Craig. was her name — and we started talking. She says, ‘Hey, did anybody talk to you about the Air Force Academy?' And I said, ‘No, this sounds great.' So from there, I just made this decision as a 12-year-old, and I worked all the way through junior high and high school to get here, because to go to your point like, ‘I made a decision, I'm gonna see this thing through.' Naviere Walkewicz 10:30 Whoa. OK, so you knew you were going to the Academy before you graduated high school. MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 10:35 Yes, in my mind, there was no other option. Naviere Walkewicz 10:39 And so anyone in your family serve, or were you the first one in your family to serve? MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 10:43 So I am the first officer and career member of the family. My dad was drafted and went to Vietnam in 1967 and stayed through Tet of 1968. I had an uncle, Harry Lee Schmidt, who was a C-47 loadmaster in World War II and Korea, and my grandfather was actually a part of the initial kind of what was the foundation of the OSS and the Navy doing beach recon on beaches in the South Pacific, prior to island hopping campaign and island landings. And so there was this real heritage of service, right? Just not career service. But even then, as a kid, I always had in my mind, ‘OK, one way or another, I'm going to serve, and if I do an enlistment and then go to college afterwards —' but I had this idea that, ‘OK, I'm going to serve,' and then all of a sudden, this became this amazing conduit that got me here, right? Naviere Walkewicz 11:38 And they also had ties to aviation. How did they feel about your decision, your family? MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 11:43 It was interesting, because they knew how passionate I was about aviation growing up. I mean, we did not miss an air show at March Air Force Base, the Chino air show, which was planes of fame, which was all historic aircraft. I volunteered as a high school student to work there, and we helped restore airplanes with me and my friends. You know, it was interesting, because my parents were very supportive in ‘OK, where's your heart leading you? And, what makes you feel so strongly about this?' Because when I first talked to him on the phone, I called him from Ramstein Air Base and said, ‘Hey, I think I know what I want to do in the Air Force. I want to go to security police. And my mom was like, ‘What's that? And, so, as time went by and I explained it, I think my parents probably all along knew that that was probably going to be a very good fit. And then after commissioning and at my first assignment, I think that they were certain of it, right? Yeah, they were absolutely certain. Naviere Walkewicz 12:37 That is amazing. Well, I want to dive into this profession a bit, because it's interesting. You know, you've mentioned, when you came in, it was security police, and, security forces and you hear people saying defenders and peacekeepers. So there's this lineage and this heritage. Can you maybe talk a little bit about that and then maybe lead us into that next transformational moment that you might have had in this role? MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 12:58 OK, I'm very proud of the fact that, you know, I am part of an ever decreasing group of folks that came in when we were still security police, and that was really still the peacekeeper days, because this was all kind of the follow on on the Cold War. The peacekeepers were our cold warriors and that was a huge part. Our defenders came in and really, that name started to really grow in 1997 when the name changed from security police to security forces, and we were actually going back to some of our heritage that was in Operation Safeside, which was the combat security police squadrons in Vietnam. So when you think about the courage that was displayed during the Tet Offensive at places like Tan Son Nhat that those were safe side warriors that were a part of these combat security police squadrons. And so the very — part of the lineage of the very beret, and flash that we have is actually a tip of the hat to the lighter blue berets, and that flash with the Falcon and the crossed runways that goes back, actually, to our Safeside heritage days. The beret goes back even farther than that. It goes back to Strategic Air Command, Elite Guard back in the 1950s. So it's this great lineage. And so, you know, for me, part of it was like when I got my first beret, wow, that meant something to me. And then, you know, as we then kind of transformed along the way, and this amazing career field grew, and the aspects of this air based ground defense, which was really, I would say, was kind of the draw that got me into wanting to go into security police, was I really liked this idea of, ‘How do we do base defense?' The law enforcement side was intriguing to me, but it was based defense that just had me just had me captivated. Naviere Walkewicz 14:44 And was that something that you found out early in your career? After you graduate the Academy, you're now in security police. Is that when you kind of realized, ‘This is where I want to go in, air, base, ground defense.'? MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 14:54 It even happened at ops. So as we were spending time with the security police squadron, I ended up spending time with a captain who was heading up the Elite Guard, and there was an interaction we had as I was doing a ride along. He's like, ‘Hey, you need to come see me.' And so I went and met up with him, and he took me around and introduced me to all of his airmen that were part of the guard. He knew something all about them. And then we went to his office and talked, and he had gone to Ranger School and Airborne and things like that, and said, ‘Hey, like, the future of the career field is actually us looking to the past.' And really kind of got me fired up on what we call back then, air base ground defense. So when I got to McChord — McChord Air Force Base was my first duty station. And the great thing about going to AMC first is it AMC is a mobility — I mean, it is all about mobility and the operations associated with it. And so the first thing that that my task was as the second lieutenant in that squadron was, I was the air base ground defense flight commander. So that was, I mean — we would go out to Fort Lewis, and we would bivouac for days. And I had, you know, a 44 person team that was a base defense sector. I had specialized K-9 units heavy weapons. And back in those days, we had 81mm mortar teams and fire direction centers that we would set up. So I just got completely on board with the air base defense piece. And so that was that was very passionate for me, which then made the next step to Korea an absolutely logical next location, going to the wolf pack at Kunsan, not only getting a chance to then stand up Gwangju as a part of the first Air Expeditionary Unit to go back to Korea since the Korean War, but then doing the mobile reserve aspect of it. And it was just a great assignment. Naviere Walkewicz 16:40 Wow. So you were right in from the very beginning. You got kind of just into it all. MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 16:45 So when we go back, when you were talking to me about, ‘Hey, when you make your mind up...' So I had this five-year plan built out. And, you know, my five-year plan was ‘OK, I'm gonna do my first assignment at the first opportunity to PCS. I need to go remote. I need to go to Korea. And then, OK, how can I get another overseas assignment after that? And then what do I need?' So the thought was, “Let me get to as many match comms as I can, as fast as I can in my career, and use that as a place — OK, because I want to build my experience base out. Because even as a lieutenant and young captain, I didn't want to come across as a one-trick pony. So my thought was, “Let me just get as much as I could under my belt early on.' And so after I left Kunsan, I ended up going to Aviano Air Base in Italy, which, for me, when you look at like those moments in life that are transformational, this was transformational on a different level. You know, some assignments you go to are very much professional growth assignments. This assignment, for me, was very much a personal growth assignment. Naviere Walkewicz 17:52 OK, so tell me more. MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 17:55 I mean, when you think about it, four years at USAFA, very uniquely focused on a plate that is overflowing with things that you need to get done. So you are, you're focused on, you know, everything from grades to military training to all of those things. And then I get to my first base, and I am just working, and I'm volunteering for everything, and we have got a heavy ops tempo of exercises and things like that. And my leadership was fantastic, because they were throwing me into every opportunity I could. And then, boom, I go to Korea, and that is a unique warfighting focused — and at Kunsan especially was heavily warfighting focused. So now all of a sudden I am spending really, when you think about it, the last almost seven years being uniquely focused on mission, right? And so I get to Aviano Air Base, Italy, and the first thing that happens is Operation Allied Force kicks off. So I get there in January, boom. Allied Force kicks off. I think it was in end of February, beginning of March. And wow, what? Again, what an amazing, mission focused experience. And then after we finished up Allied Force and the base returned back to more of its steady-state standpoint, it was the Italians that took me under their wings, that because I made a specific choice, because I grew up — my mom's side of the family are all Italian immigrants — and I was always at my Nonnie and Papa's house, and there was just a lot of that growing up, which is that whole, like, you know, West Coast dad, East Coast mom thing, but I didn't know, you know, my mom and her brothers never spoke Italian. And there was a lot of that, that thought back in those days that, you know, ‘Hey, we're here to be American, so we're going to learn English, and we're not going to speak, you know, the language that we came from,' right? And so my mom and her brothers really never learned to speak Italian. And so my thought was, ‘Gosh, I grew up with this as such a strong part of my childhood that I need to put myself in a position where I can learn the language and start to kind of get an appreciation on the culture. Together.' And so I specifically — and really lucked out on a location, but I was about 20 kilometers away from Aviano. I was in an amazing town. I was the only American living in the complex that I was in. So I was like, ‘If I'm going to learn, I need to just dive in the way that you do, in the way that I do, and just start learning.' And so I ended up kind of building this support group of Italian families that all kind of took me under their wings. Naviere Walkewicz 20:27 Wait, I have to ask you a question, because back when you're at the Academy, you said you spoke to your now in-laws. So was Laurie not a part of this? MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 20:35 So Laurie and I, right. So that's an important part of the story. Laurie and I dated for two years while I was a cadet, and when I was in tech school, her and I made the very difficult decision — and as painful it was — to part ways, so her and I actually parted ways for a few years. I was single at the time. Laurie was still here in Colorado Springs, and I was getting a lot of assignments under my belt, which, to be honest with you, you know, in retrospect, it was very fortunate, because I may not have made the same assignment choices had I been married at the time. And because I wasn't married, there were no other variables that I needed to factor in, other than personal experience goals, right, that I wanted to play into, and so I could just put down whatever assignment I wanted, and that allowed me the opportunity to just focus on job. And while Laurie and I stayed in touch, and I stayed in touch with her parents over the years, I was in Aviano, and her and I were not together at that point, Naviere Walkewicz 21:39 That makes sense. I was like, why were you alone in Italy? MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 21:43 It's a fair question. But I also think that being single in that environment allowed me — and that's where I think it helped me develop as a person. And so there are a lot of, I think, really wonderful things that happened during that time, and that was because I was so uniquely mission focused. It was these, this amazing group of Italian friends together, that really kind of taught me about there, there's a time to relax, you know, there's a time to work, there's a time to relax, and there's also a real human need to enjoy life and enjoy time together, which is quintessentially Italian. And so, as my pool of this, these amazing people — that by the way, for the last 25 years, we've been going to visit. It's the same families that took me under their wings when I was a lieutenant, are the same families that were all tuning in as we were doing a live stream of me pinning on my second star. And so I've never been stationed anywhere else in my career where I felt more at home. And so I think this sense of like, ‘Wow. This like independently as my own person, this feels like home.' And as time went by and I started to get an appreciation for actually things that were a part of my childhood. Because, you know, we would have these long, huge meals, we would spend four or five hours at the table as a family. And for me, this was all normal. Well, that was also a part of kind of normal Italian life and normal Italian culture. You're not going out to dinner with your friends unless you're investing at least three hours at the restaurant. But for me, this was all — this felt normal to me. And so it was about, you know, you don't need to eat your food in five minutes. Naviere Walkewicz So contrary to USAFA, by the way. MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN You know, you don't need to chew no more than seven times and swallow. So it was about experiencing that, and learning even just some things that became personal passions. Like, you know, how wine is made and why wine pairing matters, and how is this process? And so all of a sudden, this personal experience — and I think growing as a human being was taking place there, and I was maturing as a human being because I had gotten all of this phenomenal job experience under my belt, but this was where I was growing as a human being. And you know what's interesting, as time has gone by, I have noticed just how impactful that time was, because there are things that I've noticed, even as a senior officer, that I feel very strongly about, that I don't think I felt as strongly about as a junior officer, and it was because of that experience, and it was the aspect of when people are on leave, let's let them take leave. There is a part of the human experience that you need to enjoy time with people that you care about, because what it does is you're not slacking off from work. You're not leaving everybody hanging. What's happening is that, because you're taking some time to just enjoy life with people you care about, when you come back, the restorative effects that have taken place because you simply breathe and you enjoyed what it was that you were doing and whatever your passion was, you know, unencumbered, you could enjoy that. And we all realize that there are times, especially as you get into positions of authority, that, hey, they're going to need to call you periodically. But what was interesting is that, especially, I mean, I'll give an example as a wing commander. As a wing commander, despite realizing how important that mission is and how big Wright-Patt was, we, Laurie and I took leave, and we took two weeks of leave, and we went back to Italia and visited our friends and enjoyed life, because the culture helps us to slow down. But what it also did is I gave my staff some parameters. ‘Hey, here are the things that I think are important, like on a scale of one to 10. Here are the things that I think are an eight. So an eight or higher, call me. Don't text me.' I said, ‘Physically call me, because I will answer the phone knowing it's for — and then you have my undivided attention.' But what it also does is it means that my vice wing commander who is there, that I am empowering my vice wing commander and showing to everybody else I trust this leader to lead this wing in my absence. And if it's something that really needs my involvement, they'll get a hold of me. But I think our junior leaders need to see that at the senior most levels, that I can physically trust and emotionally trust my vice, my deputy, to hold things down while I'm gone, and that I'm not irreplaceable, and that if I did my job as a leader, I set the conditions that allowed the wing to thrive in my absence, and didn't mean that the wing had to hang on every decision I made or every word that I said, that I set the conditions that allowed them to be successful and fostered the leadership that allowed them to lead in my absence. And I felt great while I was gone, because I knew the people that we had there, and I knew the investment that we made in them. So that was kind of a long, you know, trip around this… Naviere Walkewicz 27:26 I mean, I think it was so powerful that you kind of learned that about yourself in Italy. And then would you say that there was anyone that you saw emulating that? Or was it just something over time, you developed this realization that you need to enjoy life and you need to allow people the space to do so. MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 27:43 So I would say the people that I was emulating in that aspect were a lot of the families that were there. I have been fortunate that I have worked for some commanders who, at different times in their life felt the same way. Conversely, I also worked for commanders that did not feel the same way. And, you know, an interesting case in point on something that on an experience I had in a command bill and after I had left Aviano — this is when Laurie and I were back together; we were married at this point. I had a group commander that was frustrated about me taking leave and called me every day at 1500; every day at 1500 I got a telephone call. And you know what that does is now all of a sudden, you're eating lunch, and the clock is getting closer to 1500 and you start to get that knot in your stomach and you're like, ‘OK, what are we going to talk about today?' And so, unfortunately you don't see some of the same appreciation for that across the board. So how do we deal with it? The best thing that we deal with it is that that's where the buck stops. We don't pass it down to our people. So after I got the call from him, I didn't call back to the squadron. I got the call from him. We went through the call, we answered the questions, and I didn't then immediately turn around and call back to my ops officer who was running the Squadron at the time, and say, XYZ. And we just left it there, because at that point in time, the bucks got to stop it at that point. So I think that that's kind of the, you know, the alpha and the omega of learning and then also having your own personal resilience and courage to say, ‘I accept that the buck stops here, and I'm not going to let this roll downhill to my people.' Naviere Walkewicz 29:41 That's an excellent leadership lesson, because I was going to ask you, ‘What does that look like, and how would you how would you handle that?' And so you went right into that. Thank you so much for that. So what has it been like leading security forces — defenders? What's it been like? Has there been a moment in time where — a particular assignment or something's really stuck into your mind or into your heart, because it's just really affected you? MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 30:05 Absolutely. I will tell you, as we go back, as we were kind of talking about decisions that you make in your youth, and that critical decision that I made in the fall of '94 I mean, I have worked with some of the most amazing people I've worked in my life. I have gotten a chance to go to places I never thought that I would see. And so, when you kind of roll up, I would say it was my final squadron command, and I would say that that was a real culminating squadron command. So I commanded four squadrons, and we command early, and we command often, and there's a lot of responsibility that that's placed on us as young officers to command as a young officer. And so having the opportunity to command two times as a captain, or one time, you know, as a major-select, then as a major, then as a lieutenant colonel. So that culminating command would have been Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan in May of 2012 to May of 2013 and you know, it was interesting because all of my previous squadron commands had all been vested in either the contingency response or the kind of combat contingency environments. And it was almost like all of those were leading me to this moment. So let me just kind of set the conditions on what Bagram was like at that point in time. We had grown the squadron to about a 1,200-person squadron, huge squadron. And what we were also responsible for is we had taken over battle space ownership from the Army. So the Air Force was controlling 220 square miles of battle space throughout Parwan province, which is a huge. I mean, it's twice the size of Washington, D.C., if you want to try to give a comparison, more or less is fair to look at that level as just a huge amount of terrain in which our airmen were responsible from everything from humanitarian operations and goodwill outreach to engagements to literal kinetic action and combat in the battle space. And so a part of this culmination was, was an environment where as the defense force commander — as that squadron commander to them as a lieutenant colonel at that point — I mean how we are weaving ourselves into their lives, and how we are working with their section commanders, and how we're working and managing the value of our perimeter defenses with our teams that were going outside of the wire doing legitimate patrolling and engagement and things along those lines, was huge. And I think that that is an example. And when you look in the rearview mirror to say, ‘Gosh, now this, a lot of this makes sense, like all of these assignments, whether by design or whether by fate, somehow gave me an experience that at this moment, I needed it most.' And I think, as I talk, we've really enjoyed being here with the cadets and talking to them about, how does a leader really develop trust, and how does trust really manifest itself? And so, through the time that we were there, and the engagement as their leader — not just the leader who's just simply circulating, because that's important, but they also need to see your decision making and your strategic thought. And how do you react under pressure? How are you reacting as we've got incoming in, and what do you do being the person in the joint defense operations center, helping to manage that, and how are you both taking care of people, and how are you managing mission? And they see that. And so I would say that the development of that level of trust, especially in an environment where you are literally dealing with high costs, is huge. And so I think there was one, situation that really rests on my heart that and I don't talk about this to give validation, but I think I talk about it on it's about how people connect, and why do I feel so strongly that leadership is a human experience, like this is a what we are doing as a human experience. And so I was retiring my chief. So I was asked by my chief at Bagram — this was some years later. He's out of the 105th Base Defense Squadron out of the New York Air National Guard, and him and I were a phenomenal team there. Dave Pritchard and I just made a great team. And so he was retiring, and asked me to come back and do his retirement. So we had done the retirement ceremony. We were at the VFW afterwards, having his after-party and so forth. And so I had gone into the bathroom for a comfort break and washed my hands and things like that. And I noticed, as I was kind of moving towards the bathroom, there was kind of a young man who was kind of floating. You know, floating around. And so I came out of the restroom as I was finished, and he was waiting there at the exit of the restroom for me, and kind of, you know, got in front of me, and he stood there, and he looked at me, and he goes, ‘Hey, sir, I just, I needed to let you know this, that I was one of the airmen in one of your patrols that got hit by an IED, and he said, your investment in us, and the words that you used and when you came to talk to us, and the faith that you had in us gave me the courage to go back outside of the wire when you asked us to go back outside.' And so why that rests so heavy is when you think about what, what is the what is the con? The consequence there is that somebody believed in you so much that when you spoke to them and said the word, they were going to go back out and do it again, in spite of what had just happened to you. And I don't think there is any stronger level of trust that you can ask from somebody than to have one of those moments. And so that moment just resides very, very heavy on my soul, because I think it puts into real, tangible context, what is the responsibility of leadership? What is your responsibility of leadership? Naviere Walkewicz 36:42 I'm letting that sit a little bit, because I can't even imagine the amount of feeling that you had first for him, the courage to share that with you. Because I'm sure that he really wanted to share that. I'm curious if you can remember perhaps, what he might have been referring to, like what you were sharing with the men and women there. MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 37:02 So, you know, it was also a part of things that, in times after Bagram have really been used for me as a senior leader on why I reinforced the importance of values. And, this was one particular incident there that really comes to mind is, and I use this when I when I talk to people, because I again, it's the consequence, and it's why our responsibility as leaders to set the right conditions and culture and all of that is so incredibly valuable. And so I talked to people about a story about we had had a situation where we had some real destabilization in the battle space. There was a particular village that we were having some unique challenges with, and we were doing a lot of kind of battlefield shaping, and we were doing some particular village engagement, and the engagement just wasn't happening. And so we were now kind of starting to escalate our interaction with the village a little bit more and as we were doing that, we were now going to start doing more shaping operations. So it just so happens that one of these nights —this was in the late fall, early winter of 2012 — and we were sending one of our patrols outside to do some shaping and engagement operation there. But this was in the evening. This was a different aspect that we were working for this particular mission. And so mounted up that the airmen are ready to go. They're pushing outside, they're right on time, and everything is going according to plan, and they are getting close to what we call the objective rally point. So that was where they were going to rally up before they actually moved into the village after that. And so everything was going according to plan. And the only thing they needed to do before they got to the objective rally point was really kind of go down a small gully over a rise, and then they meet at their objective rally point at that point. And so teams are moving out. First truck over the rise, getting to the point. Second truck over, everything's going fine. Third truck over, fourth truck after that, BOOM, off goes the IED. And what had happened is, they were waiting for this opportunity, and they knew exactly what to do. And that is, if you hit the last truck in the movement, you've got three trucks that are gone ahead of time, and now we've got folks in a very precarious situation. And so what I talk to people about, when we talk about conditions and the real impact that a leader has, is I'll talk to them about who was in that truck, who was in that MRAP that we were sending down at that point in time. And inside that MRAP was the face of America. And the explosion was significant, and it did some considerable damage. It threw the engine out of it, penetrated the hole, ripped one of the doors off the side in the front. And so, you know, the truck commander was National Guard from, actually from Tennessee, and he had gotten injured, broken an arm because that door had peeled back. And as the door peeled back, his arm got caught and broke his arm. The driver, Asian American coming out of the state of California, active duty. He had injuries to his legs because of the penetration of the hole. We had a gunner up in the turret, African American female from the New York Air National Guard. She had a broken pelvis at the time, and she just stayed on the gun the entire time despite her injuries. We had our radio operator. European American female coming from the Midwest. She was actually Air Force Reserve. She had a case of TBI from the explosion, and she was still making calls on the radio. We had two of our riflemen in the back, both came from Hispanic heritage, one of them from Puerto Rican heritage, one of them from Mexican heritage. They were very fortunate that while they got tossed around the back and had some minor TBI issues, they were more or less bumps and bruises, and they were all by themselves. Yeah, because they were all alone, they were in the middle of Afghanistan, they had just gotten hit. And so for me, what's so important about that story is that if we did not set the right culture and the right values and the right expectations and be in a leader by example, and they were harassing each other on Bagram, and they were assaulting each other on Bagram, and they weren't respecting each other on Bagram, and they didn't care about each other on Bagram, they would have died out there that night. But they treated each other like a family, and they cared about each other like a family, and they took care of each other like a family that night, and they lived and they all came home. So for me, if we're going to talk about what is the true consequence of leadership — and I use consequence deliberately, because oftentimes that's used in a pejorative manner — but this is the true result of your actions, that if you don't set those conditions, then you are legitimately putting your people at risk. And so that whole experience at Bagram, and in so many ways that we all carry our scars and our bruises and things like that. I wouldn't trade that experience for the world, but that was tough. And I often describe it as a tale of two cities. You know, it was the best of times. It was the worst of times. Naviere Walkewicz 42:34 I think a lot of times, when leaders go through experiences like that, they have some more fortunate than others, but a support network. And I would guess it would be your family. How has your family played a role in these moments in your life, in helping you as a leader? MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 42:54 So I will say it's primarily my wife. I have got this wonderful support of parents and my in-laws and so forth. And what's been truly fortunate is how close I am with my in-laws. Because when Laurie and I were dating while I was a cadet, anytime I had an overnight or weekend pass, I was over at her mom and dad's house and so I think that being married to somebody that has truly known you from the beginning, you know, where, whether we got a training weekend going on, or something like that, or I'm working first BCT or whatnot, that Laurie was a unique part of all of these things. And I would say that it has been incredibly heartwarming to watch her interact with the cadets here, because it's fun, because her and I do everything together. And so as we're going to events, I'll have a group of cadets that I'm talking to, and then I'll look over and Laurie's surrounded by a group of cadets who are asking her just very insightful questions about our experiences together, and ‘Was it tough sending them away on deployments?' Or how, you know, in those tough times, ‘How do you how do you keep your marriage together?' Just really insightful questions to ask, but she has just been so central to everything that I do. And so going back a little bit and talking about, like the strength of our relationship and how much that helps, we actually needed to have that breakup period as horribly painful as that was, and wow, was I carrying a torch for her all of those years. I mean, I remember, you know, as time was going by, I would talk to my mom, and I'd be like, ‘Mom, I just wish that Laurie could see the man that I become.' But we needed that time because oftentimes, and what we found in ourselves, we didn't know it at the time, because you're living in your environment and you can't see it, right? Is that in youth, things are often absolutes. And you often will get to a place where you're starting your marriage, your relationship is growing. And if you start to talk about marriage, there are things that we have found were absolutes for us. You know, certain things that we did, how we practiced our faith. Did we open up presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, but the expectation was somebody was going to have to give up their particular tradition to conform to the tradition of one of the spouses. And in your youth, that seems reasonable, and I think we needed that time to be apart, having had that time together at such an important time in each of our lives here. But we needed that time apart, because I think we needed that frame of reference as we grew as people into adults. Grew as young adults. And now all of a sudden here I'm getting multiple assignments, and now being thrust into leadership positions with accountability and authority, and then coming back to that, all of a sudden, you're realizing, ‘Gosh, the world just isn't always in absolutes. And maybe a marriage doesn't have to be zero sum, but maybe a marriage can be positive sum.' And do we really have to make somebody give up something that is important to them, that is a part of their identity? Because somehow you feel like you have to conform your marriage into one side or the other. And so, I think for us that was that was so incredibly important. So to kind of get to that story is that, you know, I left Aviano and I went to Al Dhafra. I was in Al Dhafra actually for September 11. It was my first squadron command, but it was a squadron command I wasn't expecting, because I came there as a chief of security forces for about a 70-person security forces flight as a part of the 763rd Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron at Al Dhafra. And then all of a sudden, 9/11 happens, and we went from about 400 people on Al Dhafra to about 4,000. And you know, U-2s came in, ISR platforms came in. Everything changed. And all of a sudden, this 70-person security forces flight that I had grew into about a 350-person security forces squadron. And AFSET said, ‘Hey, Sherman, you built it, you keep it, and we'll replace you with a major when you leave.' And I was a six-year captain, and so then finishing up that assignment, and I got picked up for — there was a point to that story — but it was about coming back, is that, hey, I got these new, unique experiences that grew me under my belt. And then I came back to do an AFIT program at Cal State San Bernardino. And that was the moment that brought Laurie and I back together. Naviere Walkewicz In what way? MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN And so, I had a health scare. Nobody knows what it was. We never figured it out. Doctors never figured it out. But it was one of those things, like, all of a sudden, I shotgun something out to everybody I knew. I said, ‘Hey, doctors are a little bit concerned, you know, keep me in your thoughts.' And so Laurie, Laurie is like, ‘Holy cow, you can't just send a one liner and leave it at that.' So she called my mom and dad and said, ‘What's his phone number?' And so it started to turn into ‘Hey, give me all of your test results after you get it back.' Then pretty soon we're talking a couple times a week, and then pretty soon we're talking every other day, and then we are talking every day. And the beauty of this was that we already knew each other, so we already knew what everybody's favorite color was — by the way, Laurie's is purple. We knew what music each other liked. We knew things about each other. And some of the things that actually drew us together when we were dating here was, you know, we had things like some common family traditions, like, you know, Italian fish on Christmas Eve and sitting around the table for hours and stuff like that were all things that we had in common. So we already knew that about each other. Now, her and I on the phone, we're getting into some real, like substantive discussions, children, faith. How do you how you raise children? How do you know, what are we going to do for different traditions? What happens if I have to take a remote; what does that mean? And so we were getting into these really, deep conversations. And, you know, I would come back from either class or then when I PCs to the security forces center out at Lackland, you know, I would come home from work, and this was in the old flip phone days where you had a battery that came off the back. So I would have one battery in the charger, and then I would have an earbud in, and I'd have the phone in my pocket. Yeah, and I'd come home and to call her, and we would just go throughout the evening. So I'm ironing BDUs at the time, shining my boots and stuff like that, and so, and we were just talking. And then we were just kind of like living life together. And, after that point, it became very clear that those two young people who sincerely cared about each other, now, each of us grew up and had experiences in a place that allowed us to really appreciate each other and really love each other. And you know, we were married just a little over a year after that. And it has been phenomenal, her support. And I think one of the great testaments to that was, 10 days after we got married, I went to Baghdad, but she's like, ‘I grew up in the Air Force. I know how this works. We're gonna move the house. I'll get the house put together.' And she's also a professional in her own right, which is great. So she was working in a legal office here as a paralegal and legal assistant here in Colorado Springs, and has been a GS employee for the last 18-plus years. So what's great is she, too has her own aspect of service. What I love about it is that in the jobs that she's in and then the jobs that I'm in, we can talk shop, and then we cannot talk shop, right? And so she's the first person I go to if I have to ask a question, she's the first person that I'll go to say, ‘Hey, did I do that right? Or do I need to backtrack on that a little bit?' Because she knows me, and she knows me completely, and that level of trust and love and faith that we have for each other has truly enabled me to be able to serve our airmen on a level that I don't think would have been possible without her. Naviere Walkewicz 51:59 Would you say that she's had a role in your development as a leader, in the way that you lead. MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 52:05 Oh, absolutely, absolutely, because, and I love it, because her experience as a brat and her dad as a chief gives her a very unique lens to look through. And so the advice that she gives me she can give me from her teenage self in some way, you know, from that experience, watching how her dad interacted with something or knowing her aspect about this. And then as she's developed professionally, working on the E-Ring at the Pentagon a couple different times, working for very senior leaders, knows how to navigate that space. So then I'll go to her for advice, like, ‘Hey, how did your boss handle something like this?' ‘Well, let me tell you what, how we work through this...' And so I would absolutely say that that Laurie has uniquely influenced and helped me to become the best version of myself that I can be. Naviere Walkewicz 53:03 Wow. Well, I want to ask you a little bit about developing yourself as well, because one of the questions we like to ask is, what are you doing every day to make yourself a better leader? Can you share what that might be? MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 53:17 I've said it a couple times during this: I truly believe that leadership is a human experience, so for me, it's about the interaction. And so oftentimes, advice that I've given to people — like there are amazing resources abound that can help people, give people leadership perspectives, and we can either learn it from history, or we can learn it through study. We can learn it through analysis. We can learn it through books. And I've always talked to people about use the external tools that help to grow you, but make sure that you're using it to influence the personality that you already have. Because oftentimes what happens is, is that people will have this really strong desire to say, “OK, I want to make sure that I do this right. And so in doing this right, let me make sure I've got my checklist, and so I'm going to greet them, I'm going to ask them how their family is, I'm going to ask them if the kid did all right in the baseball game. And I'm going to go through my checklist, and if I do that, I fulfill my leadership obligation.' Now not everybody does, and I'm making generalities on but, but I think that there can oftentimes be the allure that when you are focusing on what may be the theory or the principle of the day, and not using it to supplement and grow and mature your personality, that there is a strong allure to want to wholesale replicate what it was that you learned, and you're doing it in a noble place. It's not nefarious. It's being done in a noble, genuine place. But there's that allure to say, ‘OK, good, I really like what I've learned. I'm going to do these things and step through.' And so why I talk so much about the experience, and why I talk so much about the interaction, is that the more that you know the people that you may be influencing by just simply being there and understanding what that means. It means you're eternalizing the value of your presence. You're listening to their stories, and you're understanding for them, what are the things that are motivating them? What are the things that they value? Because each generation, each environment, each condition is going to require something a little bit different from you, and if you don't take the time to understand your environment or generation or cultural nuances or things like that on where you're at, then you are missing that opportunity to develop trust, where they start to believe in you as a person, and not just the rank and position that you hold, because they'll do the right thing for the rank and position that you hold. That's the caliber of people that we have in this Air Force of ours. They'll do the right thing. But if you transcend that in the fact that they believe in you wholeheartedly and trust you, oftentimes with their own lives, it means that you've invested something into them, where they truly know that you care. And that goes back to that A1C on the cork board that said, ‘I need somebody who cares about me as a person.' Naviere Walkewicz 56:41 You know, as I think about what you've experienced through your career and the lessons you've learned, both professionally and personally, what would you say to yourself back then that you should be doing back then to get to where you're at now? Because we have listeners that are like, ‘What can I start planting today, that will bloom down the road?' MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 57:03 Absolutely. And so I think if I was to go back and put my arm around Cadet First Class Sherman, I think what I would do is — because it is, it is oftentimes easy to look in the crystal clear mirror of hindsight, right? But I think instead, what I would do is I would put my arm around him and say, ‘Keep following your heart and let the failures happen, because the failures are going to grow and let the stumbles happen and enjoy the triumphs with people and be appreciative for what got you there.' And I think it would be more of the encouragement of like, ‘You have laid out a path for you take the path wherever it goes, the joy, the pain, the triumph, the failure, all of those things, because all of that helps to develop the leader.' And oftentimes you want to go back and say, gosh, if I was going to talk to my previous self, then I would say, ‘Ah, don't do that one thing,' right? But I'm looking at it saying that if I didn't do that one thing, then I'm not sure that I would be where I'm at at a time to make sure I didn't do that thing at a moment that was incredibly catastrophic. And so while we have this desire to want to prevent ourselves from the failure, I think that what we have to do is say you're going to fail and you need to fail, and it's going to sound — relish in the failure, because it is often emotionally troubling, especially those of us that come here because we are Type A perfectionist, and that's part of the draw of coming to this amazing place. Is there a certain personality traits that help us to be successful here, but not all of those personality traits make us uniquely successful in all situations outside, and so you've got to have that failure at some point in time. And the failure that you can get up and say, ‘OK, I did this. This happened. My soul is bruised. My ego is bruised. I may have to take a little bit of accountability for this. OK, now I need to have the courage to take the next step forward again.' Because I could easily retreat back to a safe place, and I could become risk averse, and all that does is hurt the people around you. OK. I have to have the courage to breathe and take the step again and get back in there. So I would tell my — I don't think I would want to prevent myself from doing anything. I think even the growth that took place while Laurie and I were apart — and, like I said, that torch that I carried for her — I think if I had whispered in my ear and said, ‘Hey, just relax, you're gonna marry her.' I think I needed that torch, because that in my own mind and my own emotion was me needing to become a better man, and so I think I needed to go through — like, sometimes you need the struggle, and sometimes the things that are most valuable are the things that you had to go through the struggle for, right? And I think that's where my blue collar ethics background comes in. It's like, I'm just going to roll up my sleeves and I'm going to work through the struggle. Naviere Walkewicz 1:00:36 Wow. Well, we took a look back. I just want to ask you a question forward. So do you think about legacy? And what do you want your legacy to be? Is that something that plays in your mind as you wake up each morning or go to lead people? MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 1:00:50 I think the way that I look at it is, I look at it in a in a different aspect, and the way that I look at it is in a very confined point to point. It's not about what is going to be Tom Sherman's legacy when he retires someday, but was that interaction that I had with somebody to give them some encouraging words when they fell down, did that matter to them at that moment? Because there are people for me in my failures that were commanders, that were leaders, that were mentors, that were senior enlisted, that, you know, grabbed that lieutenant by the arm and helped to lift me up. And their memories are etched in my fabric. And so I think that it's about that individual event that your legacy will live in the people in which you made a difference to them. Naviere Walkewicz 1:01:49 Well, I'll share with you, I was telling my son — he's a cadet, a third-class cadet, actually, now he's about to be a C2C — that I was doing this podcast with you, and he said, ‘What an incredible leader, Mom, he motivates me. He's so inspiring.' So your legacy is already through my son— MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 1:02:05 Thank you! That means — thank you so much for sharing. Naviere Walkewicz 1:02:10 —that you really made an impact. So we're going to get to your final thoughts here in a little bit. But before we do, I want to make sure that you know our podcasts publish on every second Tuesday of the month, and you can certainly listen to Gen. Sherman in any of our other podcasts on longblueleadership.org. So Gen. Sherman, what would you like to leave our listeners with today? This has been incredible, by the way. Thank you. MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 1:02:32 I have truly enjoyed this, and it's just been — it was just wonderful having the conversation with you, and it's in real honor to be a part of this. I truly believe in what you're doing here. Naviere Walkewicz 1:02:43 Thank you. It's my pleasure to help share your story and help inspire others. And is there anything we might leave with our listeners that that they can part with tonight? MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 1:02:51 I think, for me, you need to love what you do and love I think, is one of the most powerful words in language. And I don't just say the English language. I say in language because of the strength behind the meaning and how wide the meaning can be impactful. If you love what you do, people will feel that your very presence will make a difference. They'll feel that if you love what you do, then you're being, you know, internally, inspired by the love that you have for what you're being a part of, right? If you love and care about your people, they will follow you to the ends of the Earth, because they know the passion that you have and the belief that you have in them. So I think that as we go back to these things, we oftentimes look at the terms of courage and love may seem diametrically opposed, and I would attest that you can be most courageous and that your courage will be most effective only when it's buttressed by the love that you have in what you do and who you do it with. Naviere Walkewicz 1:04:08 Thank you, sir, for that. Thank you for being on Long Blue Leadership. MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN 1:04:11 Absolutely. Thank you. This was a wonderful time. It was a real honor. Naviere Walkewicz 1:04:14 Thank you. Well, until next time, I'm Naviere Walkewicz. We'll see you on Long Blue Leadership. KEYWORDS Leadership, Air Force Academy, Major General Thomas P. Sherman, mentorship, personal growth, security forces, work-life balance, family support, continuous improvement, legacy The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation
Legislating From a Perspective of Faith and YouthImagine being the youngest face in the room as you try to find your footing among seasoned legislators. That is the struggle Ty Mathews, one of the youngest legislators at the Ohio Statehouse, has had to face as he follows his faith in Jesus and forges a clear path for his constituents in the 83rd District.In this episode of the Cedarville Stories podcast, freshman representative Ty Mathews shares his journey to the Ohio Statehouse, where he's still getting his feet wet in his third month on the job.Ty's story begins at Cedarville University, where he balanced ROTC training with political and biblical studies, learning to lead with both discipline and faith. At Cedarville, Ty was introduced to a worldview that combined leadership with purpose, an experience that still shapes how he approaches his work today. He credits his time there for grounding him in Christian values that continue to guide his decisions in the Statehouse.Now, as one of the youngest members of the Ohio legislature, Ty is already working hard to make a difference. In the podcast, he shares his main priority — the Ohio Defense Initiative — which aims to bring high-tech defense companies to Ohio, tapping into the state's strategic military assets like Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. His plan is to create high-paying jobs and foster innovation in areas like cybersecurity and drone technology.Through it all, Ty remains grounded in his faith, finding strength in the values he developed at Cedarville. His story is a testament to the power of youthful ambition, faith, and determination. Even though he's early in his political career, Ty is already showing that age doesn't determine impact — purpose does.https://share.transistor.fm/s/c3aade88https://youtu.be/h31q8O0_DWI
Sorry guys, I accidentally uploaded the after hours in stead of the actual episode. Here is the real deal. Enjoy! Come along for another installment of everyone's favorite old ufo document show, From The Files Of Project Bluebook! https://linktr.ee/allts Project Blue Book was a U.S. Air Force study of unidentified flying objects (UFOs) from 1952 to 1969. It was the third such study, following Project Sign and Project Grudge. The project was headquartered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, and was publicly discontinued in December 1969. The project had two primary goals: To determine if UFOs were a threat to national security. To scientifically analyze UFO-related data. Over the course of its existence, Project Blue Book collected and analyzed over 12,000 UFO reports. The vast majority of these reports were eventually explained as misidentified natural phenomena, conventional aircraft, or hoaxes. However, a small percentage of cases remained unexplained. The project's conclusions were that no UFO ever posed a threat to national security, and that there was no evidence that UFOs were extraterrestrial spacecraft. These conclusions have been widely disputed by UFO researchers and enthusiasts, who argue that the Air Force did not adequately investigate the phenomenon and that some UFO sightings remain unexplained. Project Blue Book remains a controversial topic, with many people believing that the government is still hiding information about UFOs. The project has been the subject of numerous books, documentaries, and television shows, including a recent History Channel series of the same name.
Drones drones drones!!! Some are saying they're Chinese, and drones actually shut down Wright-Patterson Air Force Base... yea, that one... AND, there's a bit of… The post NEWS AND VIEWS FROM THE NEFARIUM DEC 19 2024 appeared first on The Giza Death Star.
//The Wire//2300Z December 18, 2024////ROUTINE////BLUF: RUSSIA APPREHENDS ALLEGED KIRILLOV ASSASSIN. CONGRESS PROPOSES 1,500+ PAGE SPENDING BILL. MORE DRONE INCURSIONS REPORTED AT OHIO MILITARY BASE. CALIFORNIA DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY REGARDING BIRD FLU.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-Russia: As the investigation into the assassination of General Kirillov continues, one alleged assailant has been detained for his role in the attack. Allegedly, the unidentified attacker planted the IED, and managed the video camera which livestreamed the attack to a command center in Ukraine, which remotely detonated the IED. AC: Though none of this information is independently verifiable, perhaps more concerningly is the lack of Russia's response to this attack. Russia will certainly respond in some manner, though at the moment the means by which this will occur is anyone's guess.-HomeFront-New Jersey: The “drone” saga continues as before, largely spurred on by recent contradictory governmental statements. Very few new sightings have occurred (possibly due to poor weather conditions reducing visibility throughout the region), however many people are still concerned that the drones (as in, the legitimate ones that can be discerned from commercial aircraft) are being operated by a foreign adversary. A few days ago the DoJ, DoD, and DHS issued a joint statement that none of this activity is abnormal and that all drone activity is either lawful civilian operation or a case of observers mistaking commercial aircraft for unmanned platforms.Ohio: Following Friday's airspace closure at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, more drone reports emerged this morning. Additional unmanned aerial platforms were observed flying over the base overnight, as well as early this morning.Washington D.C. – The latest omnibus spending bill has caused concern in Congress due to its roughly 1,500 page length and the last-minute introduction of the bill which statistically suggests that no one has had time to read through it all. However, readers of the bill have already identified that Congress is allegedly trying to give itself a 40% pay raise, prompting a general state of outrage from taxpayers.California: Governor Newsom has declared a state of emergency regarding the H5N1 bird flu outbreak. No human-to-human cases of transmission have been reported.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst Comments: The recent statements by government agencies to address the New Jersey situation haven't really alleviated concerns due to most people simply not believing anything federal agencies have to say. One surefire way to ensure that the American people think the drones are part of a secret government test, is to say that the drones are not part of a secret government test.Perhaps most damningly is the contradiction of what government says, and what agencies do. For instance, the DHS says the drones aren't a threat. However, the drones spotted all around the country are so little of a threat that it has become essential to deploy large scale defenses to protect against them, and to close airspace over critical military bases due to drone activity. For instance, in October, Langley Air Force Base issued a solicitation (Notice ID FA480025R0001) for counter-UAS netting to protect the F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft parked on the ramps at their airfield. The use of anti-drone netting is a wise force-protection move, however this does raise the larger concern as to why anti-drone netting would be required at an American military base within the United States.Recently, a Chinese national was arrested for flying a drone over Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Yinpiao Zhou was arrested before boarding a flight back to China on December 9th.Ever since the Ukrainian war proved their utility, small quadcopters (and now, fiber-optically controlled FPV drones) are a cle
Since November, American East Coast residents and U.S. officials have demanded clarity after a wave of drone sightings occurring over New Jersey and New York, with their origins and intent still shrouded in mystery. While the FBI and others have activated specialized drone detection systems to help assess the situation, Pentagon officials have reassured the public that most of the sightings are misidentifications, although many local leaders and residents remain unconvinced and increasingly anxious. This week on The Micah Hanks Program, we take a deeper look at the ongoing mystery drone sightings, as well as popular theories that have recently emerged as sightings have now been reported over Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio and other military facilities. Have you had a UFO/UAP sighting? Please consider reporting your sighting to the UAP Sightings Reporting System, a public resource for information about sightings of aerial phenomena. The story doesn't end here... become an X Subscriber and get access to even more weekly content and monthly specials. Want to advertise/sponsor The Micah Hanks Program? We have partnered with the AdvertiseCast to handle our advertising/sponsorship requests. If you would like to advertise with The Micah Hanks Program, all you have to do is click the link below to get started: AdvertiseCast: Advertise with The Micah Hanks Program Show Notes Below are links to stories and other content featured in this episode: DRONES: Drones shut Wright Patt airspace down for about four hours late Friday Biden Admin Official Offers Reason for Mystery Drone Sightings East Coast drones latest: 'Something's going on,' New Jersey mayor says Trump discusses drone sightings Chuck Schumer on New Jersey drone sightings (Pt 1) Wright Patterson AFB Audio SECRET TESTS? NARTP Signs Cooperative Research and Development Agreement With USTRANSCOM, USAF Air Mobility Command, and ACEA NUKE SNIFFERS? Mystery Drones Could Be Trying to Find 'Radioactive Material'—Aerospace CEO Ferguson's original posting on Tik Tok New Jersey State Emergency Responders Have Issued An Intelligence Bulletin BECOME AN X SUBSCRIBER AND GET EVEN MORE GREAT PODCASTS AND MONTHLY SPECIALS FROM MICAH HANKS. Sign up today and get access to the entire back catalog of The Micah Hanks Program, as well as “classic” episodes, weekly “additional editions” of the subscriber-only X Podcast, the monthly Enigmas specials, and much more. Like us on Facebook Follow @MicahHanks on X. Keep up with Micah and his work at micahhanks.com.
End of Daylight Saving Time on the horizon? The latest drone sightings across the nation this weekend. Drones shut down airspace around Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. Glenn Beck stops by with his own theories on drones above the Northeast. Is the government incompetent or lying? How the Left thought about presidential pardons then and now. Joe Biden makes life better for Chinese spies. Talking heads still trying to figure out how Donald Trump won the election. The future of cryptocurrency is a lot more promising now than it was before the election. Democrats continue to seemingly excuse the murder of the UnitedHealthcare CEO. Mitt Romney on the state of the two parties. ESPN host Stephen A. Smith goes off on the Democrat Party. Welcome to the Joe Biden comedy tour. ABC News pays $15 million to Donald Trump in a settlement. Republicans still into big spending. Is war about to break out between Russia and NATO? 00:00 Pat Gray UNLEASHED 00:50 Trump to Stop Daylight Savings 06:28 NewsNation goes Drone Hunting 10:39 PteroDynamics??? 15:19 Mayorkas tells CNN Drones aren't Flying over NJ 19:26 Drones over Wright-Patterson Air Force Base 25:15 Presidential Pardons By the Numbers 30:49 Why is the Government Quiet? 33:48 Glenn Beck Walks In 46:12 Flashback to Adam Kinzinger 46:33 Joy Reid Flashback on Pardons 51:51 Chinese Spy Commuted Sentences 57:14 Blinken on Cost in Afghanistan 1:00:37 Mark Cuban on Why Kamala Lost 1:03:57 Van Jones calls Trump Smart 1:08:55 Bernie Sanders on UHC CEO Murder 1:09:38 AOC on UHC CEO Murder 1:13:11 Mitt Romney Reflects on GOP 1:16:01 Stephen A. Smith is Tired of the Lies 1:19:40 Joe Biden Describes his Presidency 1:21:50 Joe Biden says his Campaign was Scandal-Free 1:23:05 ABC Will Pay Trump $15 Million 1:28:33 Rep. Tim Burchett Explains NDAA Passage 1:31:31 Dan Patrick Purchasing Border Wall Materials 1:34:48 Russia & Germany??? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We visit the Brunswick Naval Aviation Museum in Maine and speak with the Vice President and Operations Manager, and the Executive Director. In the news, more furloughs and cost-cutting measures at Spirit Airlines, the FAA's final rule is out on powered-lift vehicles such as eVTOLS, a fuel top-off assumption leads to the loss of a Beechcraft B-60, the “doomsday plane” gets an official designation, and Boeing machinists vote again on a contract proposal. Guests At the Brunswick Naval Aviation Museum we spoke with Vice President and Operations Manager Jeff Smat and Executive Director John B. Briley. The Museum was founded in 2009 as a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation with a mission to preserve the rich heritage of NAS Brunswick (NASB) by honoring the tens of thousands of men and women who served here, educate the public about the history of maritime patrol aviation and NASB, and maintain a memorial for those NASB-based airmen who gave their lives in service to their country. The museum is located at 179 Fitch Avenue, Brunswick, ME 04011. Currently, the Museum and Memorial Gardens are open Wednesdays (10:00 am-4:00 pm) and Sundays (12:00 pm-4:00 pm). For more on SERE, see Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape. Jeff Smat on the flight simulator. Aviation News Spirit to Furlough More Than 300 Pilots as Losses Mount Spirit Airlines is experiencing financial difficulty and a second-quarter net loss of $158 million. More red ink is expected for the third quarter. Last month the airline furloughed 186 pilots and plans to do the same for 330 more pilots effective January 31, 2025. (Spirit has 3,500 pilots.) About 120 captains are to be downgraded. Spirit says it will sell 23 of its Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft next year. That's a fleet reduction of about 11 percent. Energy Reserves and Pilot Training For eVTOLs Addressed in FAA's SFAR Rules The FAA issued its final rule for powered-lift vehicles, such as eVTOLS. The Integration of Powered-Lift: Pilot Certification and Operations; Miscellaneous Amendments Related to Rotorcraft and Airplanes - Final Rule adopts permanent amendments and a Special Federal Aviation Regulation (SFAR) for ten years to facilitate the certification of powered-lift pilots, clarify operating rules applicable to operations involving a powered-lift, and finalize other amendments which are necessary to integrate powered-lift into the National Airspace System (NAS). The Integration of Powered-Lift: Pilot Certification and Operations; Miscellaneous Amendments Related to Rotorcraft and Airplanes NPRM was issued in June 2023. Standing order to top off fuel tanks backfires on pilot In November 2022, the pilot of a Beechcraft B-60 (N51AL) assumed the FBO topped off the fuel tanks, per his standing fueling order, before hangaring the aircraft. But fuel was not added this time and the pilot landed in a cemetery when both fuel-starved Lycoming engines quit. The pilot and his wife sustained minor injuries. See Project Summary: Aviation Investigation - 3 Docket Items - ERA23LA050 from the NTSB. SNC Receives Second Boeing 747-8 for SAOC Conversion as Aircraft Gets E-4C Designation Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) now has the second of five Boeing 747-8s from Korean Air for conversion to “Doomsday aircraft,” which become airborne command centers during national emergencies. These provide critical command, control, and communication (C3) for the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairs of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The E-4C will replace the current fleet of E-4B Nightwatch B747-200 aircraft. The contract notice says the award was for $13 Billion. SOC recently cut the ribbon for its Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) at its Aviation Innovation and Technology Center (AITC) in Dayton, Ohio. This 100,000 sq. ft. hangar is located near Wright Patterson Air Force Base. Boeing Machinists head to the polls in decisive vote that could end strike
Hangar 18, a classified facility rumored to exist within Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, is believed by some to be a secret storehouse for extraterrestrial technology and artifacts. Conspiracy theories abound regarding what may be housed within its walls, including crashed UFOs, alien bodies, and advanced weaponry. Despite government denials and secrecy surrounding the base, speculation about Hangar 18 continues to fuel rumors and intrigue within the UFO community. For a full list of sources, please visit: sosupernaturalpodcast.com/alien-hangar-18 So Supernatural is an audiochuck and Crime House production. Find us on social!Instagram: @sosupernatualpodTwitter: @_sosupernaturalFacebook: /sosupernaturalpod