The Indigenous Approach - 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne)

Latest Episodes:

MACV-SOG: A Conversation with John Stryker Meyer (Part I) Oct 15, 2021

Show notes

*The original audio file uploaded had an issue that has now been corrected. Sorry for the inconvenience.*
In this two-part series, Maj. Dan Lessard sits down with MACV-SOG veteran John Stryker Meyer, AKA "Tilt", for a conversation on his experiences as a Green Beret within SOG in Vietnam.
For more information on the Studies and Observations Group and Meyer's experiences in Vietnam, check out his 2003 memoir titled "Across the Fence: The Secret War in Vietnam"

Candid Conversations: Part II Sep 28, 2021

Show notes

In Part 2 of this two-part series, Master Sgt. Chris Copper returns with Maj. Larry Royer, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) behavioral health officer; Master Sgt. John, Team Sergeant from 19th SFG(A); and Georgia Harrison, United States Army Special Operations Command HPW Suicide Prevention Coordinator to have a candid conversation on issues that are affecting the force today.

Candid Conversations: Part I Sep 13, 2021

Show notes

In Part 1 of this two-part series, Master Sgt. Chris Copper returns with Maj. Larry Royer, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) behavioral health officer; Master Sgt. John, Team Sergeant from 19th SFG(A); and Georgia Harrison, United States Army Special Operations Command HPW Suicide Prevention Coordinator to have a candid conversation on issues that are affecting the force today.

1st SFC (A)'s Language, Regional Expertise & Culture Program Aug 24, 2021

Show notes

In today's episode, we bring on the LREC program managers and a current Special Forces officer to discuss the command's language and culture program.
Francis "Rusty" Restituyo is a retired Green Beret and is the LREC Director.
Jorge Sanchez is a retired Green Beret and runs the Advanced Language Training portion of the LREC.
Scott McDonough is the program manager for Yorktown Systems Group, the company that manages the contractor and database portion of the LREC.
Ian Edgerly is a former PSYOP officer and is the program lead for the Regional Expertise and Culture part of the LREC.
MAJ Tim Ball is a current Special Forces officer and a fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. He wrote an article in War on the Rocks in May of this year about our language program, available here:
https://warontherocks.com/2021/05/talking-the-talk-language-capabilities-for-u-s-army-special-forces/

The Masks We Wear Aug 04, 2021

Show notes

The Army Special Operations Forces community has a lot on our minds after shouldering the burden of 20 years of war. The hardships, trials, struggles we face, have faced, and will continue to face affect us in one way or another. Master Sgt. Chris Copper, the 1st Special Forces Command Human Performance and Wellness NCO, joins Master Sgt. Josh Thompson, former U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, Headquarters and Headquarters Company 1st Sgt., to discuss the different masks we wear and how that can affect someone’s life.

Master Sgt. Chris Copper is the 1st SFC(A) HPW NCOIC and works to ensure that the Soldiers across the organization have the resources available for physical, mental and spiritual health.

Master Sgt. Josh Thompson, at the time of this recording, was the SWCS HHC 1st Sgt. After assuming responsibility, he wrote the paper “The Masks We Wear” and identified what made him want to seek help and the importance of sharing his story.

Josh’s Article
https://havokjournal.com/culture/mental-health-wellness/the-masks-we-wear-an-sf-soldier-speaks-out/

https://usasoc.hpw.agilesof.com/index.html – USASOC Human Performance and Wellness website.
https://suicidepreventionlife.org – Call, (800) 273-8255 to receive immediate assistance.
https://veteranscrisisline.net – Call, (800) 273-8255, press 1.
http://giveanhour.org- non-attributable website to speak to a real person that can listen and provide assistance.
https://www.militaryonesource.mil/confidential-help – website that can provide confidential help. Call, 800- 342-9647.

Concept of Resistance: Part 2 - Resistance in the Indo-Pacific Jul 23, 2021

Show notes

In Part 2 of our series on Resistance, we examine what Resistance looks like in the INDOPACOM AoR with the past, present and future commanders of our forward-stationed battalion in the region.
Guests for this episode:
Lt. Col. Erik Davis is the current commander of 1st Bn, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Okinawa, Japan.
Lt. Col. Ron Garberson works in the Operations Directorate at Special Operations Command - Pacific (SOCPAC) and is the next commander of 1st Bn, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Okinawa, Japan.
Col. (Ret) Dave Maxwell is a senior fellow at Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, and was commander of 1st Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group from 2000 to 2002. He's instructed at the National War College and Georgetown University. With over 20 years of service in the Indo-Pacific, he's an expert on the subjects of SOF and resistance.
*To join the conversation, navigate to the 1SFC CAG page on the SIPR portal, where you will find a button for the CDR's Blog*
Links for this topic:

Gene Sharp’s “From Dictatorship to Democracy”

https://www.nonviolent-conflict.org/resource/from-dictatorship-to-democracy-a-conceptual-framework-for-liberation/

Assessing Revolutionary and Insurgent Strategies (ARIS) Project:
https://www.soc.mil/ARIS/ARIS.html
Resistance Operating Concept (ROC):
https://jsou.libguides.com/ld.php?content_id=54216464

Concept of Resistance: Part 1 - Resistance in Europe Jul 08, 2021

Show notes

The concept of resistance is foundational to Army Special Operations Forces, as our mission is generally to partner with forces to either support or defeat resistance movements. In this two-part series, we pair experts on resistance with our forward-stationed battalion commanders in Germany and Japan to discuss what resistance is and how it’s applied in today’s operational environment.
*To join the conversation, navigate to the 1SFC CAG page on the SIPR portal, where you will find a button for the CDR's Blog*
Links:
Assessing Revolutionary and Insurgent Strategies (ARIS) Project:
https://www.soc.mil/ARIS/ARIS.html
Resistance Operating Concept (ROC):
https://jsou.libguides.com/ld.php?content_id=54216464
Lt. Col. Mike Penn is a Special Forces officer and commander of 1st Bn. 10th Special Forces Group in Stuttgart, Germany. He’s been in the Army for almost 25 years and has spent the majority of that time in Special Operations units.

Mr. Paul Tompkins is currently the Sensitive Activities Division Chief at the US Army Special Operations Command. A retired CW4 with 28 years of service, Mr. Tompkins joined the Special Forces regiment in 1980 and spent time planning resistance operations against the Soviet Union during his time with 10 Special Forces Group in the ‘80s.

Dr. Otto Fiala, also currently working at USASOC, is a retired Army Colonel and was the lead author of the Resistance Operating Concept while at Special Operations Command Europe.

LtCol. Randy Martin has spent most of his career within the US Air Force Special Operations Command and is a subject matter expert on Resistance at SOCEUR.

Master Sgt. Frank Miller is a colleague of Mr. Tompkins and Dr. Fiala at USASOC. He’s served 15 years as a Green Beret, including several years with 1st Bn 10th Group in Germany, and is a Silver Star recipient from combat actions in Afghanistan in 2010.

528th Special Operations Sustainment Brigade - A one-of-a-kind unit supporting SOF globally Jun 24, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, Maj. Dan Lessard sits down with the command team and battalion commanders of the 528th Special Operations Sustainment Brigade to discuss what makes their brigade so unique.
Col. Mike Summers is the commander of the 528th.
Command Sgt. Maj. Dejarius Jones is the command sergeant major.
Lt. Col. Al Davis is the commander of the 528th STBn (has since changed command).
Lt. Col. Brian Wong is the commander of the 112th Signal Bn.
Lt. Col. Sapriya Childs is the commander of the 389th MI Bn.
For additional history about the 528th , check out the ARSOF History page, here: https://arsof-history.org/branch_support.html

Embracing Transition: A Command Team Conversation on Human Performance and Wellness Jun 15, 2021

Show notes

In this episode Col. Jamie Riesberg sits down with Maj. Gen. John Brennan, Command Sgt. Maj. Ted Munter, Col. Brian O'Leary and Lt. Col. Chris Ford to discuss how transitioning from COIN/CT to Great Power Competition affects the force, identifying mental health concerns, and the importance of seeking help.
Maj. Gen. John Brennan is the commander of 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne)
Command Sgt. Maj. Ted Munter, Command Sergeant Major of 1st SFC (A)
Col. Jamie Riesberg, 1st SFC (A) Command Surgeon
Col. Brian O'Leary, 1st SFC (A) Command Psychologist
Lt. Col. Chris Ford, 1st SFC (A) Staff Judge Advocate

Celebrating the Diversity We Have – A Conversation with Lt. Gen.(R) Nagata and Maj. Min Jun 01, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, Maj. Gen. Brennan sits down with Lt. Gen. (R) Michael Nagata and Maj. Ryan Min to talk their unique backgrounds and experiences as our command concludes our observance of Asian American and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month.

Lt. Gen. Nagata retired in 2019 after serving more than 37 years in the Army. His time in Special Operations Forces includes service in 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Special Missions Units, and as commander of SOCCENT. He concluded his career as the Director of Strategy for the National Counterterrorism Center and now serves as a Strategic Advisor and Senior Vice President at CACI International.

Maj. Ryan Min is a PSYOP officer with 16 years of service who is currently serving in 1st SFC(A)’s Commander’s Initiatives Group.

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