The Ready Room

The Cobra Blows Cold Air On Your Junk

In this episode, “Chunks” is back in The Ready Room, and we get back to our roots in aviation. We talk about how we became interested in flying, and reminisce about the different paths we took to earning our “Wings of Gold” and becoming Marine Corps pilots. We talk about the different aircraft we’ve flown, and some favorite historical aircraft that inspired our early love of aviation. We swap flying stories, recounting some of our most memorable experiences as aviators. Chunks recounts his incredible tale of staring down a terrorist during a combat sortie. We both share a profound sense of awe and gratitude at being able to count ourselves among the few who have shared in the legacy of combat aviation. And we both agree that you cannot underestimate the combat effectiveness gained by cold air blowing up your flight suit.

Strength, Kindness and Choke Holds: The Improbable Journey of a Jiu Jitsu Black Belt

In this episode I'm speaking with Professor Noah Crome. A Brazilian Jiu Jitsu coach, whose incredible journey from a debilitating back injury that left him barely able to stand, to improbably, becoming a black belt training under the tutelage of UFC and Pride veteran, Ricardo Almeida, is nothing short of inspirational. Noah’s story is a decades long journey of trials and broken dreams, that ultimately lead to his becoming an elite practitioner and coach, in one of the toughest jiu jitsu schools in the world. Noah is one of those people whose kind and gentle exterior masks an intensity fueled by an inner desire to be a protector of those who can’t protect themselves. His motto “Strength and Kindness” is a constant theme that resonates in everything he does. Although I’ve known him for several years now, we never talked much beyond the halls of Ricardo Almeida’s school. So, listening to his story blew me away! The improbable path that lead him to where he is now, and the hardships that life threw his way, would have caused other men to call it in. Instead, he reinvented himself and prevailed. This was one of the best conversations I’ve had in The Ready Room. Noah is a truly an honest and genuine individual, and I love the way he looks at life.

A Firefighter's Take on the COVID-19 Pandemic

In this episode Chunks (Keith Phillip) and I discuss the COVID-19 pandemic and its possible implications for a post-pandemic world. In addition to being a Marine Corps Officer, Chunks is also a Lieutenant in a large metro-area fire department. Which puts him squarely on the front lines in this crisis. Not surprising to me, since Chunks is the kind of person who has always sought to put himself on the front lines of crisis. Whether it’s the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, or running into a burning building, and now out there serving the public during a global pandemic. While most of us have been stuck at home, Chunks’ schedule has changed very little, in fact he’s gotten busier. We talk about the psyche required to go out every day and be in close contact with the public, knowing that the risk of exposure is so much higher. He is very candid about what he’s seeing and how that compares to the characterizations depicted in legacy media outlets. We discuss the response to the pandemic and what it means for us as a society. Finally, we discuss some of the future possibilities for a post-pandemic world, and we agree that this event will have major implications for humanity going forward.

What Happens in Vegas, Will Take You Around the World

In this episode I’m speaking with Lisa Anderson. Lisa is the director of the United Nations Commercial Air Travel Safety Unit, which falls under the UN department of safety and security. Essentially Lisa and her team evaluate commercial air operators throughout the world and determine their suitability to safely and reliably transport UN personnel. It’s important to note that when Lisa was hired to take the position, the CATSU didn’t exist. She was given guidance on what the UN wanted to implement, but she built the program from the ground up! Pretty impressive. Lisa’s story is a fascinating one. From her childhood in rural Kentucky, where expectations were set to a low-bar. To her travelling the world, as a private corporate pilot. Lisa took advantage of the opportunities presented to her and worked hard to forge a successful career that seemed unlikely to her as a child. We talked a lot about her past, and how her career path led her to where she is now. Given the fact that she worked for the TSA as that organization was still taking shape, we touched on travel security in general and what we’re willing to accept in terms of security measures, and how those differ throughout the world. Lisa was a military spouse as well, and she really opened up about that experience and the challenges that military couples face in maintaining relationships in the face of so much flux, uncertainty and emotional burden.

You Get by With a Little Help from Your Friends

In this episode I’m speaking with Leo Bottary, an accomplished author, keynote speaker, adjunct professor, and fellow podcaster. Leo is a thought leader on the topic of “peer advantage”; The idea of engaging peers in a way that’s selective, strategic and structured. His latest book is called “What anyone can do: How surrounding yourself with the right people will drive change, opportunity and personal growth”. Leo makes the case for harnessing the power of relationships in order to maximize our own potential accomplishments, and that these relationships are a two-way street. The title “What anyone can do” is based on his belief that success and happiness do not depend on superhuman effort, but rather, come to those who possess the discipline to do the little everyday things of which we’re all capable, but that most of us won’t do. We talk about education, and the disconnect between how humans learn and how we evaluate learning. Leo makes the case that, the old trope that we should ‘never discuss religion or politics’ is actually hurting our ability to understand important issues. We talk about the declining trust in government, media and corporations, and what that means for how we connect with each other. We advocate for asking more questions and making less statements. And finally, Leo makes a profoundly important observation for why younger generations are never as bad as the older generation makes them out to be.