SOFcast

On this episode of SOFcast, we talk to retired Marine Raider Master Sgt. Jarad Stout. In previous episodes we've interviewed the recipients of many different valor awards, but today?s guest earned the Silver Star in an unexpected and little known location, Bamako, Mali. Jarad describes the details from that harrowing day, but that is only part of his story. He was also the Marine of the Year for 2019 and worked as a Congressional Fellow, all before he had to make an earlier than expected transition out of the military. Listen to how he successfully navigated his way into the tech industry and found a new and unexpected passion in the world of cyber-security. Listen now to this packed episode of SOFcast!

On this episode of SOFcast two senior leaders get personal, about their relationship and their careers. Command Sgt. Major JoAnn Naumann, U.S. Army Special Operations Command CSM, and her husband Command Sgt. Major Thomas ?T.J.? Baird, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Senior Enlisted Leader, who have more than 50 years in combined military service, share their insights on what it takes to be successful in your personal and professional life.

They also talk about what keeps them coming back and how they have remained motivated to serve and endure through the toughest assignments and missions.

All that and more on a new SOFcast!

The Honorable Christopher P. Maier, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, joined SOFcast during SOF Week 2023 in Tampa, Florida.

He discussed his role in advocating for the care of our people, the 1st SOF Truth, and how he works with the USSOCOM Preservation of the Force and Family team. Maier also discussed the importance of building understanding with senior policy makers to ensure SOF is properly equipped, funded and postured to meet future challenges.

All that and more on this episode of SOFcast!

Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew Williams shares details about the fateful day he earned the Medal of Honor. He also discusses talking with the President of the United States over the phone in his truck, and what it's like continuing to serve while holding the military's highest award.

All that and more on this episode of SOFcast!

U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Abernethy is the Senior Enlisted Leader for U.S. European Command. In this episode CSM Abernethy talks about his career in Special Forces, valuable take-aways from working at the highest levels, and advice to those in the force to remain ready and vigilant.

All that and more on this episode of SOFcast!

British Royal Navy veteran and world-class chef Robert Irvine joins SOFcast to talk food, military service, and the lessons in service and leadership he's learned during his entrepreneurial journey. Chef Irvine tells is an inspirational story about transition from the military to success in the civilian business world, where he now owns a billion-dollar protein bar company he uses to help and serve others. All that and more on this episode of SOFcast!

1SG Jason Belford is an accomplished combat veteran of the 75th Ranger Regiment and respected a military leader. On this episode 1SG Belford opens up about not only his career coming up through the Ranger Regiment but also his personal struggles with suicide, the decision to change his career path for his family, and what he's learned through his personal and professional journey. This is a story that every SOF servicemember can relate to and one you don't want to miss.

All that and more on this episode of SOFcast!

Operator Drift is real and can have negative effects on servicemembers, their families, and careers. Dr. Brittany Loney brings decades of research and real world experience to this discussion on helping increase operator efficiency, cognitive capability, and overall performance.

All that and more on this episode of SOFcast!

SOFcast kicks off a new season with none other than Alejandro Villanueva, former NFL Pro and U.S. Army Ranger. We talk about life as an immigrant to the United States, his drive to serve his country, leadership under fire, and how pro football and the Army have more in common than you might think. All that and more on this episode of SOFcast!

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MGySgt Chance Stanley and retired Air Commando Mike Lundstrom introduce themselves and discuss the highlights of this upcoming season of SOFcast and the challenge and opportunities of hosting one of the DoD's top podcasts.

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The 13th Commander of US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) U.S. Army Gen. Bryan P. Fenton discusses the journey that brought him to Special Operations, USSOCOM?s priorities, People ? Win ? Transform, and his steadfast belief that USOCOM can achieve any mission "because of the people". Don't miss this season?s finale!

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Note: This episode was previously recorded January 21, 2023.

SOFcat host SGM Matt Parrish talks with Lt. Col. Chris Michele and Cpt. Ricky Garcia about the USSOCOM Ghost Program, a unique iniative under Special Operations Force's Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (SOF AT&L) that bridges the gap between SOF operators and the acquistion power they need to accomplish their missions.

The Commander of SOCNORTH, Maj. Gen. Shawn R. Satterfield, discusses his unorthodox beginnings in Special Forces, how SOCNORTH is getting into the heads of our adversaries, the evolution of SOF training in the Arctic, and homeland defense. All that and more on this episode of SOFcast!

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*Since this recording Brig. Gen Satterfield was promoted to the rank of Major General.*

Climbing Mt. Everest wasn't enough for Special Forces SFC Jason Howell. He set out to do it without using any supplemental oxygen! From becoming a Marine to donning a Green Beret, running Ultra Marathons, and becoming a Special Forces mountaineering instructor, tackling the toughest things in life is just part of SFC Howell's ethos.

Find out how he approaches these physically and mentally challenging events and what really happened on the peak of the world's talles mountain! All that and more on this episode of SOFcast.

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USSOCOM welcomes back former Deputy Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, Retired Admiral Sean A. Pybus and his wife Patty. In this episode we discuss Vice Admiral Pybus's storied military career, life as the military spouse of a Navy SEAL, and the tragic loss of their son Christopher to suicide. This is an emotionally packed episode that honors both the illustrious career of a father, love of family from a mother, and the memory of their son. Subscribe Today!

To start the new year USSOCOM is focused on the "First Truth", humans over hardware. SOFcast presents this special episode.

Bob Delaney is no stranger to stress and trauma. In this episode he discusses how he's coped with both as an undercover police officer working to take down the New Jersey mob, reffing Michael Jordan games in the NBA, and his work destigmatizing PTSD. All this and more on a special episode of SOFcast. Subscribe Today!

Mike Sarraille and Andy Stumpf talk about lessons learned from their time as US Navy SEALs, finding their own paths from breaking world records to writing books, and giving back to the families of fallen heroes. All that and more on this episode of SOFcast!

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Zack Garner is a medically retired US Army Green Beret who's found himself repeatedly fighting serious heatlh issues. Zack shares the harrowing stories of coming back from the edge of giving up, from regretting waking up, and how he came back from those dark places. All that and more!

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SGM (R) Mark Stephens is a Commando Hall of Fame inductee, former SMU Operator, and now the Chairman of the Executive Board at Task Force Dagger providing assistance to wounded, ill, or injured US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) members and their families. Mark talks about his career in Army Special Operations, fighting in Somalia, striking back at Al Qaeda after 9/11, and his continued service to his Special Operations community. All that and more on this episode of SOFcast!

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From the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School's hit podcast Pineland Underground, SOFcast welcomes hosts MAJ Bobby Tuttle and SGM Chuck Ritter. We talk about the show's success, dirty deeds done right and cheap, and how podcasts are opening a whole new world of dialogue. All that and more on this episode of SOFcast!

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Lieutenant General Antonio Fletcher discusses his journey into Army Special Forces, the importance of NATO SOF, and the current state of the world. With the war in Ukraine evolving daily, the NATO alliance stands ready to meet the challenges of a complex security environment.

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Dan Rayburn is a successful entrenpreneur and business expert who's made it part of his mission to help SOF veterans maneuver the world of civilian job placement. Dan takes a no-nonsense approach to matching the best company's in the world with uniquely talented Special Operations servicemembers. This isn't your typical "transitioning" talk, this is practical advice you can use right now!

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Retired Chaplain Jeff Struecker recounts his experiences during Gothic Serpent, the military operation depicted in the film "Blackhawk Down". He and fellow members of Task Force Ranger endured some of the most intense and brutal fighting since Vietnam, suffered terrible loss, but ultimately proved to the world the strength of it's SOF members and why Rangers Lead the Way!

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On August 20, 2013 during a change of command ceremony on FOB Ghazni, Green Beret Earl Plumlee found himself facing a complex attack by a determined enemy force that had breached the perimeter and was approaching fast. Armed with his "super cool sniper rifle" and a side arm, MSG (then SFC) Plumlee took the fight to the enemy and miraculously survived nearly unscathed. This is the story of how MSG Plumlee and a handful of SOF warriors pushed back a devastating attack and the events that lead to MSG Plumlee being awarded the Medal of Honor.

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SOFcast host SGM Matt Parrish welcomes the 11th USSOCOM Command Senior Enlisted Leader CSM Shane Shorter. They discuss CSM Shorter's career, leadership philosophy, and how he's reinforcing the "team" concept and values at USSOCOM. All that and more, on this episode of SOFcast.

Amy Master Sergeant Ivan Morera is a Special Forces medic, the DoD's only military freefall qualified upper-body amputee, and a competitor at this year's Warrior Games! MSG Morera sits down with SOFcast host SGM Matt Parrish to talk about the day that changed his life, his road to recovery, and what it takes to prove all the naysayers wrong!

SOFcast talks with a PSYOP Det recently deployed to Europe. They share their experience, lessons learned, and what exactly is PSYOP.

SOFcast co-host and Command Senior Enlisted Leader for US Special Operations Command; Greg Smith shares his journey through the US Air Force and Special Operations. From operating out of hangars in Pakistan days after 9/11 and battling Leukemia, to becoming the senior enlisted leader in USSOCOM, CCM Greg Smtih shares the ups and downs of a spectacular 32-year career.

Matt Hesse is a US Army Veteran, entrepreneur, and the founder of the University of Health and Performance. Matt and SGM Parrish talk about the importance of physical fitness and how it contributes to a healthy transition and supports mental and spiritual well-being. They also discuss Matt's passion for helping SOF Veterans by providing a world-class retreat venue where they can implement their own "Purpose Blueprint".

INDOPACOM is comprised of 36 nations, home to 50% of the world's population, and 3,000 different languages! CMDCM (SEAL) David Isom shares some of the unique challenges he faces as the Special Operations Command Pacific (SOCPAC) Senior Enlisted Leader and why SOF is critical to the mission in the Indo-Pacific region.

Have you ever had an idea to fix a problem from deployment or training but didn't know how to make that solution a reality? Northeastern University Program Director for the National Security Innovation Network (NSIN), retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel John Griffin talks about how NSIN is meeting the needs of the DoD with problem solvers from academia, business, and from within the ranks of our service members! Find out how you can bring your innovation to life and still retain the rights to your idea. All that and more on this episode of SOFcast. Subscribe to SOFcast today! Also available on YouTube!

Lyla Kohistany is a former U.S. Navy Intelligence Officer who supported SOF through much of the GWOT and now serves as a cultural consultant for the command. As a child Lyla was brought to the U.S. as a refugee from the Soviet War on Afghanistan in the 1980's. Her familiarity with the Afghan culture made her an invaluable asset to SOF's efforts in Afghanistan, but it hasn't exactly been smooth sailing Lyla. From almost becoming a child bride to becoming the CEO of a non-profit, Lyla Kohistany embodies the SOF tenet "Humans are more important than hardware"!

Promote Leadership
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.promoteleadership.org

Honor the Promise
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.honorthepromise.vet

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Fostering and maintaining relationships with our allies and partners is an integral part of USSOCOM's SOF Strategy. That's why USSOCOM hosts the largest gathering of international SOF personnel outside of NATO, known as J3-I and why this year's SOF Week is even more important as it includes the ISOF Commander's Conference. Our guest for this episode is an operations officer from Czech Republic's SOF, whom we'll call Igor. Igor shares his motivation for serving his country, joining his nation's SOF, and talks about how partnerships with USSOCOM directly influenced him on the battlefield as well as his time stateside as part of USSOCOM's J3-I.

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SOF Truth: Most special operations require non-SOF assistance.

Ms. Kelly N. Hughes is a Senior Acquisition Analyst, with the Program, Budget and Acquisition Team, Secretariat for Special Operations (SSO), ASD-SOLIC. What does all that mean? It means she has a unique insight into the process of getting the best technology and equipment into the hands of SOF operators across the command.

As we prepare for SOF Industry Conference, Kelly takes us behind the curtain of what it takes to support USSOCOM and why it is so important for the individual operator and our national security!

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Winners of the 2022 Best Ranger Competition, from the 75th Ranger Regiment CPT Joshua Corson and CPT Tymothy Boyle join the hosts of SOFcast to talk about what it took to not only complete the three-day grueling event but to beat 50 other teams. Tenacity, endurance, and faith, these Rangers indeed lead the way!

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Detecting and treating brain injuries continues to be a high priority for USSOCOM. That's why ReBlast is so important. ReBlast is a pilot study researching the long-term effects of repetitive, low-level blast exposure (RLLBE) on Special Operations Forces service members.

In this episode, SOFcast is on the road again, this time to Massachusetts General Hospital's Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging. SOCOM Senior Enlisted Leader Command Chief Master Sergeant Greg Smtih sat down with ReBlast study researchers Dr. Yelena Bodien and Dr. Brian Edlow, and the Master Chief Petty Officer of the U.S. Navy Russell Smith to talk about how ReBlast is helping researchers better understand the effects career-long repetitive blast exposure has on brain health and function.

"Optimal cognitive performance and brain health are more important than ever to ensure that SOF can achieve the mission successfully that they need to achieve in the future"
- Dr. Brian Edlow

SFC Doug Kiesewetter is a Special Forces Engineer and Weapons Sergeant with the US Army National Guard 20th Special Forces Group and the Chief Content Officer at SOFLETE.

In this episode, host SGM Matt Parrish and SFC Kiesewetter talk about the changing culture within SOF that encourages physical, mental, and spiritual health and wellbeing. "...it doesn't make sense if you're building a house one day, and the next...you're breaking [it down]. It's just it doesn't make any sense."

In June of 2018, the world held its breath as news of 12 boys and their soccer coach trapped in a cave slowly filling with water hit the headlines. SMSgt Derek Anderson, an Air Force Pararescueman, was part of the team tasked with saving them. Faced with pouring rains threatening to flood the entire cave system, SMSgt Anderson and his team were faced with a seemingly impossible task of conducting a rescue never before performed with 13 lives hanging in the balance. "Show me the impossible..."

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US Cyber Command's Senior Enlisted Leader Cheryl D. Lyon and US Space Command's Senior Enlisted Leader MGySgt Scott H. Stalker join SOFcast to to discuss their organizations respective roles in future combat, safeguarding our country's interests, and where SOF fits in their missions.

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The Commander of USSOCOM GEN Richard D. Clarke returns to SOFcast for our season finale! General Clarke discusses leadership and accountability, the evolving global role of SOCOM, and why "we can't take our foot off the gas" in taking care of SOF servicemembers.

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SSgt Nick Jones is only the 8th Marine Raider to receive the Navy Cross for valor, an award second only to the Medal of Honor. SSgt Jones take us into the ISIS-occupied tunnels of Northern Iraq and into the battle that changed his life. Leadership in the face of danger, selfless determination, and what it takes to be "Always Faithful, Always Forward"!

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Resilience isn?t a ?one-size-fits-all? solution. It?s different for everyone and figuring out where to start can be overwhelming. Air Force Special Operations Command Division Chief for the integration of Air Force resiliency programs and Special Operations Command?s Preservation of the Force and Family (POTFF) program?s, Lt. Col. Onnie Retkofsky talks with SOFcast about tapping into her own spiritual drive that helped her accomplish becoming a 5x Ironman All World Athlete and 12x Ironman finisher. Lt. Col. Retkofsky also shares some ways to help you find your own focus for resilience.

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SOFcast goes to Washington! Hosts CCM Greg Smith and SGM Parrish sat down with representatives from both sides of the aisle during last year's SOF Caucus to discuss their support for SOF operations, family, and what they?re doing for SOF?s readiness.

Guests
Rep. Kathy Castor (D-FL)
Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL)
Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA)
Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC)

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Brad Thomas is one of those people you can?t put into a box. He?s an Army Ranger who fought in Gothic Serpent (aka Black Hawk Down), became an SMU Commando, and now makes music alongside other SOF veterans in the band Silence and Light. SOFcast hosts CCM Greg Smith and SGM Matt Parrish talked with Brad about his experience in SOF, finding his tribe, and how music connects him to fellow veterans.

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The last 20 years of GWOT and counter-insurgency has dramatically shaped today?s force. Dr. David Kilcullen has been at the forefront of those shaping policies and strategies. Dr. Kilcullen joins the hosts of SOFcast to discuss how the lessons learned from GWOT (the good and the bad) will be applied to the future of SOF and where those lessons fit in Strategic Competition.

Dr. David Kilcullen is the former senior counter-insurgency advisor to General David Patreus and former Chief Strategist in the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the US State Department. He?s also the author of The Accidental Guerrilla, Counterinsurgency, Out of the Mountains, Blood Year, and The Dragons and the Snakes: How the Rest Learned to Fight the West

The Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, SEAC Ramón Colón-López, joins SOFcast to talk about the role of SOF in Great Power Competition, getting the record straight on diversity in the ranks, and what he?s doing to preserve the mission of special operations at the highest levels of decision-making.

SEAC Ramón Colón-López is the 4th Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman and a USAF Pararescueman.

Women have long had a place in Special Operations, but recent changes in policies has broadened the opportunities for women to serve in SOF positions previously offered only to men. These opportunities have come with it?s share of criticism regarding culture, standards, and equality.

Maj Carly Costello and CPT Julia Pleasants join the hosts of SOFcast to discuss the role of Women in SOF; how these new roles are critical to the future of SOCOM and how do we ensure these trailblazers get a fair shot at doing their job without being hindered by a spotlight.

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Fresh out of JRTC and a training event overseas working with partner forces, members of the US Army?s 10th Special Forces talk with SOFcast about what?s gone right, wrong, and everything in between. This isn?t an ?everything?s great? conversation. This is a candid, ?no-holds-barred? discussion about their experience training alongside conventional forces, the growing pains of re-balancing to strategic competition, and why working with partner forces is imperative to the mission readiness of SOF units.

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Members of today?s US Special Operations Forces are often regarded as heroes, but there are those that today?s elite operators look up to and regard as their own heroes. John Stryker ?Tilt? Meyer is one of those men!

As a member of the clandestine MAC-V SOG operating in the midst of the Vietnam War, Tilt recounts his combat experiences, some very close calls, and how close partnership with indigenous forces along with coordinated joint operations lead to successful missions in places where American troops ?officially? never were.

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Motivation, drive, and patriotism! We?re talking about Special Forces MSG Tim Kennedy!
From lessons learned in the cage, to the ups and downs of running businesses, and living the life of an influencer; Tim Kennedy and SOFcast hosts CCM Greg Smith and SGM Matt Parrish talk about what it takes to stay motivated, driven, and always striving for the next challenge.

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