Ep. 285 - Jackie Gray (Red Circle Foundation)

Dr. Melvin Stith is a transformative leader in and out of the military. He joined the Army as a commissioned officer after earning his bachelor's degree in sociology at Norfolk State in 1968, serving with the Military Intelligence Corps. He served in Vietnam until 1972 and retired as a Captain.    After returning from the war, Dr. Stith pursued further education, obtaining his MBA and PhD from Syracuse University. He would dedicate the following decades in the academe, holding prestigious positions as the chairman of the marketing department at Florida State University, dean of Florida State’s business school, and Jim Moran Professor of Business Administration, among others.   Dr. Stith is also notable as a founding member of the PhD Project, a national program that advocates for diversity in the business world. Dr. Stith talks about the importance of improving recruitment in the military and highlighting the benefits of making a career from serving the country.   Learn more about the PhD Project: https://phdproject.org/   Join the SOFREP Book Club here: https://sofrep.com/book-club  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

2 Joulu 202347min

Jim Whaley is a former US Army Aviation Officer and CEO of Mission Roll Call. This nonprofit provides veterans with a unified voice to the nation’s leaders and communities. The American public supports the military but there is a chasm between what people know and what veterans have to live through everyday.   There are 18.5 million veterans and over 1 million are homeless. Suicide and food insecurity remain rampant. The military today is falling short of recruitment targets and there is a gap between what the military needs to do and the available people actually to do it. Get your voice heard and support vets with Mission Roll Call.    Learn more about the Mission Roll Call: https://www.missionrollcall.org/ Join the SOFREP Book Club here: https://sofrep.com/book-clubSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

25 Marras 202352min

Bruce Wright is a US Navy Veteran who served in the Vietnam War and has since become a patient and advocate for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), helping increase awareness of the long-term complications of Agent Orange exposure. He shares his difficulties going through the VA and dedicates himself to helping other vets maximize their benefits for themselves and their families.   Wright recalls his time serving on a Navy destroyer and carriers. He explains what a "polliwog" is, the Navy tradition of not washing cups, and the failure of the F-14 that killed Goose because the Navy did not perform spin tests on it. For vets who served in Vietnam from the 1960s to 1971, get in touch with the CLL Society and see what the VA can do for you.   Learn more about CLL Society: https://cllsociety.org/ Join the SOFREP Book Club here: https://sofrep.com/book-clubSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

18 Marras 20231h 3min

Remi Adeleke is a former Navy SEAL, filmmaker, memoirist, and #1 New York Times bestselling author. During his service as a SEAL, Remi specialized as a medic and in Human Intelligence (HUMINT). He sheds light on how he uncovered "rat lines," on-the-ground routes used to move people and equipment in challenging environments. Adeleke also recounts harrowing stories from jump school, sharing how guys had parachute malfunctions and pulled their reserve parachutes first.   Transitioning to the entertainment industry, Adeleke discusses how his military background seamlessly aligned with the needs of Michael Bay's Transformers: The Last Knight. He has taken on acting roles in Ambulance (2022), Special Forces: World's Toughest Test (2023), and Plane (2023). Lately, he has delved into new roles behind the camera as both a writer and director. His most recent literary endeavor, Chameleon, marks the first installment in his Black Box Thriller series.   Check out the Down Range Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/down-range/id1713364300   Get your copy of Chameleon: https://amzn.to/3ucwOhb   Join the SOFREP Book Club here: https://sofrep.com/book-club See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

11 Marras 202346min

Miles Lagoze is a Combat Camera Marine veteran and the critically acclaimed director of Combat Obscura, a 2019 documentary that utilizes footage he captured during his unit's historic mission to secure ground in the northern Sangin and Kajaki districts of Afghanistan. His debut book is titled Whistles from the Graveyard.    Lagoze recounts his enlistment at the age of 18 and the controversy he faced while using a government-issued camera for his film. The documentary presents a raw and graphic portrayal of the Afghan War, often evoking polarized reactions from audiences. Meanwhile, Whistles from the Graveyard uncovers the grim reality faced by the men and women deployed to fight America's longest war.     Watch Combat Obscura: https://www.amazon.com/Combat-Obscura-Miles-Lagoze/dp/B07N8JZG1C   Get your copy of Whistles from the Graveyard: https://amzn.to/3s34Eoa   Join the SOFREP Book Club here: https://sofrep.com/book-club See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

28 Loka 202355min

This episode's guests are Charles and Sean Sasser, a father and son duo with deep roots in the military. Charles is a 30-year veteran of both the Army and the Navy, where he spent 13 years as a Green Beret and a journalist respectively. Sean is also an Army veteran, volunteering for the Ranger regiment as a HUMINT collector and also serving in the STB.   They share their career stories, from Charles' journey through Airborne School before joining the 82nd, just one of 7 divisions he eventually served with, and Sean's experience in RIP (now known as RASP) and going through the good and bad of a medboard. Rad, Charles, and Sean also talk about the new names of bases and how the military, for its faults, is still a place of belonging for its members.   Join the SOFREP Book Club here: https://sofrep.com/book-clubSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

21 Loka 20231h 7min

John Antal is a 30-year Army veteran who retired as a colonel. He is a former Operations Officer; Commander of the 16th Cavalry Regiment; and Special Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Antal is a prolific author who has published 14 books and hundreds of magazine articles on military history, technology, and leadership.   The surprise attack of Hamas is a failure in imagination. It unmasks the vulnerability of the US and its allies to first strikes and serves as a sobering wake-up call to the failure of deterrence. There is a need to be serious about sending bullies a clear and lasting message and mobilizing society to the specter of a very real war.   Get your copies of John Antal’s books:    Next War: https://amzn.to/48TXXoP   Leadership Rising: https://amzn.to/48MHzqh   7 Seconds to Die: https://amzn.to/3M0xCvq   Check out Next War on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSKRH_UqSko   Join the SOFREP Book Club here: https://sofrep.com/book-clubSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

14 Loka 202358min

James Hasson is a former US Army captain, Bronze Star recipient, and author of Kabul. He narrates important yet lesser-known facts about the US war in Afghanistan like the flawed Doha Agreement and the unwise decision to give up Baghra. James shares how mistakes were made, from the abandonment of US citizens to the unkept promises to the Afghan people.    James spoke with soldiers on the ground during the withdrawal. There was utter chaos at the gates, planes were landing and taking off ad hoc, and crowds of people were literally dying trying to escape the Taliban. He talks about how the ranks of the Afghan army melted away and how tragic it was that President Biden ordered them to leave their allies to fend for themselves.    Follow James on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamesHasson20   Get your copy of Kabul here: https://amzn.to/3ZEGTz7   Join the SOFREP Book Club here: https://sofrep.com/book-club See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

7 Loka 202357min