The Oak Lines | EP4 — Colonel Herb Stern: What We Carry Forward

The Oak Lines | EP4 — Colonel Herb Stern: What We Carry Forward

Colonel (Retired) Herbert Irving Stern, West Point Class of 1941, is 107 years old — the oldest living graduate and the last surviving member of his class. His call sign is Dockyard Six. He still answers to it. In this conversation, Herb shares stories from his time at West Point, the Battle of the Bulge, and the decades that followed: earning his appointment through a competitive exam, commanding an artillery battery at age 26, earning the Silver Star for registering 10 artillery battalions on a single crossroads in freezing fog, and liberating a concentration camp outside Salzwedel in 1945. After the war he attended the French War College in Paris, served across NATO, Turkey, and Iran, and spent a year on a classified study for President Eisenhower before briefing him personally at the White House — then received a letter of dereliction signed by Eisenhower himself. Herb retired as a colonel after 27 years. The transition into civilian business was harder than he expected. And what he still reads, thinks about, and pays attention to at 107 is worth hearing. This episode includes a bonus segment: Herb's remarks from his birthday celebration at Falcons Landing, where he shares the best birthday he ever had. Special thanks to Frank Hall and Buck Coates at Falcons Landing for making this conversation possible. Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/OsRtI5phXh4 [https://youtu.be/OsRtI5phXh4] Learn more about Colonel Herb Stern: West Point Association of Graduates: https://www.westpointaog.org/news/west-points-oldest-living-graduate-celebrates-founders-day/ [https://www.westpointaog.org/news/west-points-oldest-living-graduate-celebrates-founders-day/] National WWII Museum oral history: https://www.ww2online.org/view/herbert-stern-0#disciplining-troops [https://www.ww2online.org/view/herbert-stern-0#disciplining-troops] Stay Rooted. Find Your Outpost. Follow The Oak Lines: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheOathAndOak [https://www.youtube.com/@TheOathAndOak] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6g9zMRZeoKU0gtSggFyhwz [https://open.spotify.com/show/6g9zMRZeoKU0gtSggFyhwz] Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oak-lines/id1870909729 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oak-lines/id1870909729] Follow Oath and Oak: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theoathandoak [https://www.instagram.com/theoathandoak] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oath-oak-llc [https://www.linkedin.com/company/oath-oak-llc] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OathOakOutpost [https://www.facebook.com/OathOakOutpost] 🌐 https://www.theoathandoak.com [https://www.theoathandoak.com] Stay Rooted. Find Your Outpost.

The Oak Lines | EP3: Two Voices, One Calling with LTG (Ret.) John and Maureen Dubia

Lieutenant General (Ret.) John Dubia, West Point Class of 1966, and his wife Maureen join Ted Adair at the Oath and Oak Outpost for a conversation about 58 years of partnership, 25 moves, and the shared commitment that held it all together. John commanded an artillery battery in Vietnam with the 1st Infantry Division, served as the 39th Chief of Field Artillery at Fort Sill, and later became Director of the Army Staff. After retiring, he continued serving through leadership roles with the Fisher House Foundation, Boulder Crest Foundation, Armed Services YMCA, and the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA). Maureen grew up as an Air Force daughter, attended 14 schools before graduating high school, and spent decades advocating for military children. Her research work with the Military Child Education Coalition helped change how installations handle grade transfers, course credits, and sports tryouts for kids moving between duty stations. In this episode, the Dubias talk about raising three sons across continents, numbered letters during a Vietnam deployment, a surprise luncheon with the Queen Mother, losing their oldest son to leukemia, and the faith and teamwork that carried them through every chapter. In this episode: 0:00 Meet the Dubias 2:17 Raising kids on the move, 25 relocations, and what it taught their sons 5:37 Maureen's work with the Military Child Education Coalition 10:47 The team behind the commander, and why it started on day one 14:04 Numbered letters, no phone calls, and staying connected during Vietnam 17:00 "Thank you for your service," from being spit on at Travis AFB to today 20:00 What civilians misunderstand about military family life 22:17 A German counterpart, a dance floor, and an unexpected POW story 25:44 Translating military leadership into civilian purpose 29:12 Target Locked: Family, faith, and giving back 31:00 Luncheon with the Queen Mother at a British horse race 34:42 Resilience after loss, and what holds a family together 44:43 Five Minute Fire Mission: Favorite posting, hardest move, three words 48:16 Forward March: Advice for veterans and spouses navigating transition The Oak Lines is a podcast from Oath and Oak, a veteran-led community rooted in Leesburg, Virginia. Each episode features veterans and military families sharing the stories that shaped them and the purpose they carry forward. Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@TheOathAndOak Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6g9zMRZeoKU0gtSggFyhwz Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oak-lines/id1870909729 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theoathandoak LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oath-oak-llc/ Website: https://www.theoathandoak.com Stay rooted. Find your outpost. Follow The Oak Lines: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheOathAndOak [https://www.youtube.com/@TheOathAndOak] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6g9zMRZeoKU0gtSggFyhwz [https://open.spotify.com/show/6g9zMRZeoKU0gtSggFyhwz] Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oak-lines/id1870909729 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oak-lines/id1870909729] Follow Oath and Oak: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theoathandoak [https://www.instagram.com/theoathandoak] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oath-oak-llc [https://www.linkedin.com/company/oath-oak-llc] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OathOakOutpost [https://www.facebook.com/OathOakOutpost] 🌐 https://www.theoathandoak.com [https://www.theoathandoak.com] Stay Rooted. Find Your Outpost.

Charles Gomes | EP2: Grounded in Purpose Through Jiu-Jitsu

From Brazil to the Navy to Lamborghini to Jiu-Jitsu: Charles Gomes' Veteran Entrepreneur Story | The Oak Lines Ted Adair interviews Charles Gomes—Brazilian immigrant, Navy veteran, former Lamborghini sales leader, and co-owner of Gracie Baja jiu-jitsu in Leesburg and Ashburn, VA. Charles shares his journey from a dirt-floor home in Brazil to California at age eight, joining the Navy after 9/11 as a damage controlman aboard USS John C. Stennis during Operation Iraqi Freedom, and discovering jiu-jitsu through shipboard "Friday night brawls" with DC1 Rosetti. He transitioned to sales through coaching connections, then joined Lamborghini's US headquarters in 2012 to build customer relations for the Americas. Charles left Lamborghini for the direct impact of teaching jiu-jitsu—transforming bullied kids, supporting adults in health and sobriety, and building diverse community. He discusses mentorship for veterans, lessons from high-performing clients, and entrepreneurial advice: write goals in pen, actions in pencil, ignore critics, build a plan, and commit fully. The episode closes with his community work supporting veteran nonprofits, a 35-hour Veterans Day fundraiser, and an invitation to try Gracie Baja free for two weeks. CHAPTERS: 00:00 From Brazil to the American Dream 06:23 Navy Service & Discovering Jiu-Jitsu at Sea 13:16 Veteran to Entrepreneur: Sales, Lamborghini & Giving Back 30:01 Jiu-Jitsu as 'Third Place': Body, Mind, Spirit 37:28 Mentorship & Entrepreneurial Advice Follow The Oak Lines: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheOathAndOak [https://www.youtube.com/@TheOathAndOak] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6g9zMRZeoKU0gtSggFyhwz [https://open.spotify.com/show/6g9zMRZeoKU0gtSggFyhwz] Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oak-lines/id1870909729 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oak-lines/id1870909729] Follow Oath and Oak: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theoathandoak [https://www.instagram.com/theoathandoak] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oath-oak-llc [https://www.linkedin.com/company/oath-oak-llc] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OathOakOutpost [https://www.facebook.com/OathOakOutpost] 🌐 https://www.theoathandoak.com [https://www.theoathandoak.com] Stay Rooted. Find Your Outpost.

The Avilas | EP1: From Combat to Cocina

In this episode of The Oak Lines, Ted Adair sits down with Abraham and Stephanie Avila, a veteran couple who built a new life together through food, family, and service in Leesburg, Virginia. They share the path from military life to opening Casa de Avila, tracing their story from Colorado kitchens and family traditions to the difficult decision to start a taco business during the pandemic. Abraham and Stephanie talk openly about risk, perseverance, and what it meant to rely on community, family, and each other while building something from the ground up. This conversation is about partnership, tradition, and finding purpose after service. Follow The Oak Lines: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheOathAndOak [https://www.youtube.com/@TheOathAndOak] Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6g9zMRZeoKU0gtSggFyhwz [https://open.spotify.com/show/6g9zMRZeoKU0gtSggFyhwz] Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oak-lines/id1870909729 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oak-lines/id1870909729] Follow Oath and Oak: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theoathandoak [https://www.instagram.com/theoathandoak] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/oath-oak-llc [https://www.linkedin.com/company/oath-oak-llc] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OathOakOutpost [https://www.facebook.com/OathOakOutpost] 🌐 https://www.theoathandoak.com [https://www.theoathandoak.com] Stay Rooted. Find Your Outpost.