Christopher C. Miller: Former Secretary of Defense, Retired U.S. Special Forces & Director of National Counter-Terrorism

In this week’s Team Never Quit Podcast, Marcus spends some time speaking with retired U.S. Army Special Forces Colonel Chris Miller, who served as the Acting Secretary of Defense under President Donald Trump. Chris also served as Director of the National Counter-Terrorism Center as well as numerous command and staff positions within the 5th Special Forces group (Airborne). He also participated in combat operations in Afghanistan & Iraq.
In his role as the Secretary of Defense, Chris was overseeing military departments, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the unified commands, as well as planning and coordinating military deployments and operations.
With his vast military knowledge and experience of over 3 decades, Mr. Miller brings to the table an interesting and informative perspective to the role of the U.S military, and it’s function at every level.

In this episode you will hear:
• This is the book launch, officially. (9:01)
• They have all this exclusive intelligence. You know how much got to the ground force? Zero.(15:44)
• There were lessons learned, and we’re all about passing it on. That’s what we’re all about now. (18:07)
• [Speaking to Marcus] This is the path the Lord put you on. You accept that. You are the face of the war. (21:58)
• The [the military] has a structure that will take people in and form them differently and change how they view life in a good way. (25 :00)
• The army makes a good man better and a bad man worse. (27:26)
• It’s all about selfless service and it’s not about you (32:44)
• When my heart and my mind became aligned with being a selfless servant, it was like rocket fuel. (33:28)
• When you realize this is how it is might as well just embrace it. It’s a game changer. (33:42)
• I was the Secretary of Defense under President Trump for the last 73 days. Not a lot went on. (37:19)
• I spent like 35-36 years as a government employee or as a military person. (38:03)
• If you are asked to interview for a job, always interview because you’re gonna learn something and you might get the job. (42:28)
• Al Qaeda had been seriously weakened from all of our attacks. We call it mowing the grass. Just keep killing them off. Eventually there’s not going to be anybody left – and it worked. (44:32)
• I know we can’t defeat terrorism - that’s a verb. We can defeat Al Quada (a noun). (45:26)
• [Marcus] If we’re fighting terrorists, we’re trained terrorists, trained to cause terror to them, so much so that there won’t be another group coming up after them. (45:57)
• Special Operator: Figure out the network, figure out the incentive system, communicate, execute. (46:50)
• The only person who could keep us attacking was President Trump. (47 :04)
• We killed off the head of ISIS. This guy was the definition of evil. (47:38)
• The President asked me if I wanted to become a political appointee. (48:36)
• The purpose of the military is not only to protect and serve, but to defend the constitution and to ultimately protect the people of the United States. (51:43)
• I only learn when I screw something up. (64:05)
• I was really pissed about the way Afghanistan ended. (65:55)
• We will fire a kid who messes up a piece of paperwork, and our generals aren’t held accountable for losing a war. (66:16)
• Chris’ Book: Soldier Secretary (85:57)