Through the Gray

Podcast Wrap - Joe & Carlys

Podcast Wrap. Joe & Carlys talk about the idea behind the podcast, the execution of that idea, and the impact that the podcast has had. Thank you for being a part of this journey and for sharing these stories.

Joseph Harrison: Past and Presence

Joe's interest in the military was tied to his experiences with his Dad in the outdoors and participating in Boy Scouting. It was further fueled by popular movies and documentaries he saw in his childhood. Joe had an indirect route to the Military Academy. Enlisting in 1996 and serving as a soldier in support of West Point prior to being accepted as a New Cadet in 1997. Joe initially suffered from overconfidence in the skills and abilities that got him to West Point and an underappreciation for the amount of work he'd have to invest in himself to build the skills necessary to succeed. Joe would also struggle to learn how to and prepare himself in a way that allowed him to be smooth in the moment of execution. Joe would graduate West Point in 2001 and commission as an Armor Officer. He would serve at Ft. Riley, Kansas and deploy to Iraq in 2003 and 2005. Command a Tank Company in South Korea. Serve as an instructor at the Maneuver Center of Excellence. Deploying to Afghanistan in 2012 to serve as a Brigade S3 for the NATO Training Mission Afghanistan. Served at Fort Carson, Colorado and Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington as a Field Grade Officer before deploying to Saudi Arabia in 2019 to serve as an Advisor for the Saudi Arabian National Guard. Joe would serve as the Deputy Director for Exercises for I Corps at JBLM, Washington for three years before retiring in 2023. Joe talks about his experiences learning from the past, preparing for the future, and trying to live in the present. This is his story.

Joshua Kuehl: Even Keel

Josh became infatuated with the military and flying after watching “Top Gun”. Josh did everything he could to learn about aircraft and to prepare to become a pilot, including participating in the Civil Air Patrol. Josh needed glasses to correct his vision so becoming a pilot wasn’t feasible, but it didn’t stop his desire to serve. Josh enlisted in the Infantry with the goal to apply to West Point and to enter the Academy. When he reported to his first duty station at Joint Base Lewis McChord he told his chain of commmand his intentions and his company commander supported his ambitions. Nine months after reporting to Joint Base Lewis McChord Josh would be reporting to the United States Military Academy Prep School and West Point the year after. Josh would graduate West Point and commission as an Armor Officer; serving in South Korea, deploying from Fort Carson with the 3rd ACR to Iraq, and later to Kuwait as a staff officer in the Coalition Forces Land Component Command (CFLCC). Josh would leave the military upon the completion of his initial military service obligation and began a journey of discovering his passions for elevators, photography, serving others, and Artificial Intelligence. This is his story.

Joseph Marcee: Who's to Judge?

Joe chose to apply for West Point based off of financial circumstances and first hand experiences. Joe saw what the structure and discipline of Army did for his older brother and was impressed by a West Point Cadet who spoke locally and absolutely commanded the room of high school students. When Joe entered West Point he was exposed to a shock of a different culture and different mindset, but also learned he had an intermittent case of sleep walking. Joe took advantage of every opportunity he could at West Point. Building friendships and participating in one of a time experiences. Joe served as an intern at the Supreme Court, participated in the German Club, and did whitewater kayaking. Joe branched Armor with the expectation to transition to the Judge Advocate General Corps at a later date. Joe would serve as an Armor Officer at Fort Hood, Texas and deploy to Iraq with the 4th Infantry Division. Joe would return from that tour in Iraq and immediately begin his Funded Legal Education Plan to become a Judge Advocate General. Over the next 15 years Joe would serve as a Prosecutor, as Defense, and ultimately as a Judge in the Military judicial system as both an Active Duty and Reserve Officer. Joe would serve on the Defense Team for MAJ HASAN, the Ft. Hood shooter, and has many experiences in both military and civilian trials. This is his story.

Joshua Knobel: Religious Calling

Joshua Knobel: Religious Calling Josh didn’t see West Point as dramatically different from his other college options, but an overnight stay in 1997 caused him to reassess. Joshs’ host (Class of 2000) stayed up late studying the night before and wasn’t prepared for the upcoming day. His classmates in that moment bent over backwards to makes sure he was. Josh couldn’t imagine that happening at any other college, and it sold him. Josh didn’t participate much in sports before West Point, but he played football his senior year to prepare himself for the physical rigors of the Academy. Josh continued to push himself at West Point, but also sought refuge in his friends and in his faith. Joining the fencing team, participating in intramurals, and participating in events at the Jewish Chapel. Josh would graduate from West Point and join the Signal Corps, serving at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona and deploying to Iraq and Ft. Bragg, North Carolina and deploying to Afghanistan. Josh would push himself to accomplish the mission in both organizations, but more importantly he grew in his faith and his desire to be a part of something bigger than himself. In the Spring of 2008 Josh would redeploy from Afghanistan, hand off his Company Command, leave the military, and begin his journey to becoming a Rabbi. This is his story.