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

Latest Episodes:

The Long Road From Mogadishu: Loss, Grief, and Healing Over Time May 25, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, Chaplain (COL) Chris Dickey talks with Jeff Struecker about dealing with loss and grief following the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993. Their conversation is pointed and powerful, as Mr. Struecker describes his journey and what made other Rangers turn to him for guidance when the smoke cleared.

For more information about Jeff Struecker, visit https://jeffstruecker.com/

Command Team Corner - BG Marks: What He's Reading and Career Advice May 21, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, Brig. Gen. Steve Marks talks about what he’s been reading and how it’s impacted his thinking. Then he discusses his time as the USAG-Italy Commander and how that job impacted him as a leader.

Since recording, Brig. Gen. Marks has moved up to his new role as the Deputy Commanding General of the US Army Special Operations Command (USASOC). We wish him the best, and we want to thank him for his tremendous leadership and mentorship while serving in 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne).

Command Team Corner: CW5 Gronowski - Reflections on Afghanistan May 11, 2021

Show notes

CW5 Scott Gronowski, 1st SFC(A) Command Chief Warrant Officer, reflects on multiple deployments to Afghanistan in light of the recent withdrawal announcement.

Command Team Corner - Extremist Ideologies, Disinformation, and Permissible Online Conduct Apr 29, 2021

Show notes

In this Command Team Corner episode, Maj. Gen. John Brennan sits down with Lt. Col. Eric Johnson and Lt. Col. Chris Ford to discuss Extremism, Disinformation, and Permissible Online Conduct. What we hear is that there are two parts to addressing these problems - shoring up the foundation of our Soldiers' professional military ethic and inoculating the force against disinformation intended to polarize our society.
Maj. Gen. John Brennan is the commander of 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne).
Lt. Col. Eric Johnson is our former G9, who is studying disinformation as a Fellow at New America's Future of War project.
Lt. Col. Chris Ford is the 1st SFC (A) Staff Judge Advocate.

Vax Facts Update - What's New? What's Changing? Get the Facts Here Apr 26, 2021

Show notes

In this episode of the Command Team Corner, we sit down with Maj. Gen. John Brennan, Col. Jamie Riesberg, Lt. Col. Ryan Schloesser, and Lt. Col. Eric Johnson to discuss the latest on the COVID-19 pandemic and vaccines, given the recent changes in guidance with respect to Restriction of Movement (ROM) for fully-vaccinated individuals.
Maj. Gen. John Brennan is the Commander of 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne).
Col. Jamie Riesberg is the 1st SFC (A) Command Surgeon.
Lt. Col. Ryan Schloesser is our Current Operations Division Chief.
Lt. Col. Eric Johnson is our former G9, who is researching Disinformation on a fellowship with New America's Future of War Project.

The Inter-Agency Approach: Civil Affairs and USAID's Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance Apr 15, 2021

Show notes

Show Overview
In this episode, MAJ David Thompson, commander of Alpha Company, 96th Civil Affairs Battalion and Mr. James Fleming, Office Director for Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean in the new Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) discuss humanitarian assistance and interagency relationships.
Bios
James Fleming is the Office Director for Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean in the new Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA) at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). He was formerly Division Chief for the Asia, Latin America, and Eurasia (ALE) Response Division in the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA).
MAJ David Thompson is an active duty U.S. Army Civil Affairs Major assigned to 96th Civil Affairs Battalion (SO)(A). He has a number of deployments to the Middle East and Southwest Asia. David has a Juris Doctorate from Washington and Lee University School of Law. He also holds a BS in Economics and MBA-Leadership from Liberty University. Outside the military, he's worked at the UN Refugee Agency, Department of Defense, and Physicians for Human Rights - Israel.

Message to the Force: The Value of our People Apr 09, 2021

Show notes

Maj. Gen. John Brennan and Command Sgt. Maj. Ted Munter share their thoughts on the value of our people and the role they play in making the command the most relevant organization in the Army.

Caring for Our Most Important Resource Apr 01, 2021

Show notes

Show Overview
In this episode, Col. Eric Kreitz, the 1st SFC (A) Director of Information Warfare sits down with the 1st SFC (A) Chaplain Col. Chris Dickey. They discuss Col. Kreitz's very personal story - one of fear, addiction, and hitting rock bottom...but also one of resilience, support, and overcoming adversity.
Seeking help is not a sign of weakness. If you or someone you know is in need of help, there many resources available like Military One Source, your local health clinic, or your religious support team .
Bios
Col. Eric Kreitz is the Director of Information Warfare at 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne). He has more than 14 years in the PSYOP Regiment and has commanded at the Detachment and Battalion levels.
Chaplain (Col.) Christopher Dickey is honored to serve as the Command Chaplain for 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne). A native of Houston, Texas, and the son of an Army MP and Vietnam Veteran, Chaplain Dickey leads a dedicated team of Chaplains and Religious Affairs Specialists serving across the Command entrusted to care for our most precious resource: our Soldiers and Families.
Military One Source
Behavioral Health Fact Sheet

Honor & Legacy: A Conversation Between Two SF Medal of Honor Recipients Mar 18, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, two Special Forces Medal of Honor recipients, Sgt. 1st Class (R) Melvin Morris and Sgt. Maj. Matt Williams, sit down to discuss what it means to serve in the Special Forces Regiment, the value of diversity, and the importance of partnerships around the world.

Sgt. 1st Class (R) Melvin Morris entered the Oklahoma Army National Guard in 1959 and later requested to join the active Army. He became one of the first Soldiers to don the 'green beret' at the command of President John F. Kennedy, Fort Bragg, N.C., in 1961. Morris volunteered twice for deployments to Vietnam. Sgt. 1st Class Morris received the Medal of Honor on March 18, 2014.

Sgt. Maj. Matthew Williams, the 3rd Special Forces Group operations sergeant major, graduated from Angelo State University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. Driven to serve, Williams enlisted into the Army under the 18X Special Forces enlistment program in September 2005.After completing Infantry One Station Unit Training, Williams attended Basic Airborne Training at Fort Benning, Georgia. He then went through the Special Forces assessment and selection process in 2006 and was accepted into the program. In 2007, Williams graduated as a weapons sergeant from the Special Forces Qualification Course and was assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne). Sgt. Maj. Williams received the Medal of Honor on October 30, 2019.
ASOF History MoH

1st Special Forces Group - Preferred Partners in INDOPACOM Mar 11, 2021

Show notes

In this episode, COL Ed Croot, the 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) Chief of Staff sits down with the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) Commander, COL Ryan Ehrler. They discuss the importance of relationships spanning across the Indo-Pacific and why 1st SFG is "First in Asia".
Col. Ryan Ehrler is the commander of 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), which is regionally-aligned with the INDOPACOM area of responsibility. A graduate of both the U.S. Naval War College and U.S. Army War College, Col. Ehrler previously served as 1st SFG(A)’s deputy commander and has numerous deployments across the Middle East, to include Iraq, Afghanistan, and Syria, as well as North and West Africa.

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