SOFcast

What does it take to lead the most elite warriors in the world? For GEN Bryan Fenton and CSM Shane Shorter, it starts with listening. In this rare and candid episode, the Commander and Senior Enlisted Leader of United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) sit down with SOFcast to reflect on the privilege and responsibility of leading at the highest level. They pull back the curtain on what i...

What happens when a life of service is interrupted by a life-threatening diagnosis? In this powerful episode of SOFcast, hosts Matt Parrish sits down with Major David Carr and his wife Lauren to share their extraordinary journey—one that takes them from the frontlines of special operations to the frontlines of a deeply personal medical battle. After experiencing unexplained symptoms, David—a Green...

What do the locker room and the team room have in common? A lot more than you’d think. In this episode, SOFcast host Matt Parrish sits down with Xavier Scruggs — former Major League Baseball player, ESPN and MLB Network analyst, and all-around grinder — to unpack the parallels between elite athletics and elite military service. From the grind of the minor leagues to stepping into a second career i...

From dreaming of being a commando at eight years old to commanding the Special Forces Qualification Course, Colonel (Ret.) Jim O’Brien’s career is a blueprint for service, humility, and transformational leadership. In this episode, Jim sits down with SOFcast to unpack a lifetime in Special Forces — from chasing insurgents in the Balkans to shaping the next generation of Green Berets. He shares pow...

🎙️ Before there was MARSOC, there was Det One — a hand-picked Marine unit tasked with proving that the Corps could integrate into U.S. Special Operations Command. And at the center of that mission was Force Recon Marine and plank holder John Dailey. In this episode, John joins SOFcast to talk about his journey from rural Virginia to becoming a team leader in Det One — and how that experimental uni...

🎙️ Green Beret veteran, father, artist, and advocate — Michael “Rod” Rodriguez has lived a life marked by deep service, both in and out of uniform. In this powerful episode of SOFcast, Rod shares his journey from multiple combat deployments to post-9/11 healing, and how his own traumatic brain injury and his son's military service redefined his mission. Rod reflects on the power of storytelling, t...

🎧 In this SOFcast Brief, host Matt Parrish sits down with Maj. John Bendokas from Air Force Special Operations Command to break down the newest addition to the AFSOC arsenal — the OA-1K Skyraider II. Born from hard-earned lessons in places like Tongo Tongo and designed to support geographically isolated SOF teams, the OA-1K is a modular, cost-effective platform built for armed ISR, precision stri...

🎙️ From a childhood of poverty and violence in Los Angeles to the ranks of the 75th Ranger Regiment, Angel Cortes’ story is one of grit, growth, and relentless purpose. In this raw and moving conversation, Angel shares how he escaped gang life, found a new mission in the Army, and eventually became a leader in the Ranger Regiment — even after setbacks, doubters, and near-fatal exits. Today, Angel’...

🎙️ In this extraordinary SOFcast episode, we step away from the studio and onto the stage of SOF Week 2025, a premier joint conference co-hosted by U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and the Global SOF Foundation. Recorded live in Tampa, this powerful panel titled “Moments That Matter” features three living SOF recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor: Sergeant Major Pat Payne, U.S. A...

🎙️ From calling in airstrikes with Green Berets and Rangers to leading Airmen across the globe, Rob Zackery’s career as an Air Force TACP is one of purpose, adaptability, and impact. In this episode, Rob shares what it takes to step into any team room and earn trust — not by rank or reputation, but by performance. He reflects on his early combat deployments, including Afghanistan in 2001, the push...

SOFcast | Season 6, Episode 4: Jariko Denman — Standards, Legacy, and Life Beyond the Regiment 🎙️ From being “the demon cadre” at RIP to advising Hollywood directors and embedded reporting in Kabul, Ranger veteran Jariko Denman brings unapologetic honesty and hard-won wisdom to SOFcast. In this wide-ranging episode, Jariko shares what made him choose the Ranger Regiment, how strong leadership shap...

SOFcast | Season 6, Episode 3: Nick Lavery — Choosing to Fight Forward 🎙️ Few stories embody the spirit of SOF like Nick Lavery’s. The first Green Beret to return to combat as an above-the-knee amputee, Nick shares his incredible journey of resilience, mindset, and service — and how his fight didn’t end with recovery. Now an author, speaker, and mentor to warriors and leaders across the country, N...

SOFcast | Season 6, Episode 2: Melissa Johnson — Accelerating Innovation for SOF 🎙️ How do you rapidly deliver cutting-edge gear and tech to the world’s most agile warriors? USSOCOM Acquisition Executive Melissa Johnson joins SOFcast to pull back the curtain on how her team connects the team room to the tech world — fielding solutions faster, smarter, and closer to the fight. From counter-UAS brea...

SOFcast | Season 6 Premiere: GEN Bryan Fenton & CSM Shane Shorter 🎙️ SOF is purpose-built for exactly what our Nation demands: unmatched agility, readiness, and lethality — fueled by our people. In this powerful season opener, GEN Bryan Fenton and CSM Shane Shorter reflect on leading U.S. Special Operations Command, the relentless pursuit of excellence, and the enduring truth that humans are m...

On this episode of SOFcast, we talk to retired Marine Raider Master Sgt. Jarad Stout. In previous episodes we've interviewed the recipients of many different valor awards, but today’s guest earned the Silver Star in an unexpected and little known location, Bamako, Mali. Jarad describes the details from that harrowing day, but that is only part of his story. He was also the Marine of the Year for 2...

On this episode of SOFcast two senior leaders get personal, about their relationship and their careers. Command Sgt. Major JoAnn Naumann, U.S. Army Special Operations Command CSM, and her husband Command Sgt. Major Thomas “T.J.” Baird, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Senior Enlisted Leader, who have more than 50 years in combined military service, share their insights on what it takes to b...

The Honorable Christopher P. Maier, the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict, joined SOFcast during SOF Week 2023 in Tampa, Florida. He discussed his role in advocating for the care of our people, the 1st SOF Truth, and how he works with the USSOCOM Preservation of the Force and Family team. Maier also discussed the importance of building understanding w...

Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew Williams shares details about the fateful day he earned the Medal of Honor. He also discusses talking with the President of the United States over the phone in his truck, and what it's like continuing to serve while holding the military's highest award. All that and more on this episode of SOFcast!

U.S. Army Command Sgt. Maj. Robert Abernethy is the Senior Enlisted Leader for U.S. European Command. In this episode CSM Abernethy talks about his career in Special Forces, valuable take-aways from working at the highest levels, and advice to those in the force to remain ready and vigilant. All that and more on this episode of SOFcast!

British Royal Navy veteran and world-class chef Robert Irvine joins SOFcast to talk food, military service, and the lessons in service and leadership he's learned during his entrepreneurial journey. Chef Irvine tells is an inspirational story about transition from the military to success in the civilian business world, where he now owns a billion-dollar protein bar company he uses to help and serv...

1SG Jason Belford is an accomplished combat veteran of the 75th Ranger Regiment and respected a military leader. On this episode 1SG Belford opens up about not only his career coming up through the Ranger Regiment but also his personal struggles with suicide, the decision to change his career path for his family, and what he's learned through his personal and professional journey. This is a story...

Operator Drift is real and can have negative effects on servicemembers, their families, and careers. Dr. Brittany Loney brings decades of research and real world experience to this discussion on helping increase operator efficiency, cognitive capability, and overall performance. All that and more on this episode of SOFcast!

MGySgt Chance Stanley and retired Air Commando Mike Lundstrom introduce themselves and discuss the highlights of this upcoming season of SOFcast and the challenge and opportunities of hosting one of the DoD's top podcasts. Subscribe and listen now, also available on YouTube.

The 13th Commander of US Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) U.S. Army Gen. Bryan P. Fenton discusses the journey that brought him to Special Operations, USSOCOM’s priorities, People – Win – Transform, and his steadfast belief that USOCOM can achieve any mission "because of the people". Don't miss this season’s finale! Subscribe and listen now, also available on YouTube. Note: This episode was pr...

SOFcat host SGM Matt Parrish talks with Lt. Col. Chris Michele and Cpt. Ricky Garcia about the USSOCOM Ghost Program, a unique iniative under Special Operations Force's Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (SOF AT&L) that bridges the gap between SOF operators and the acquistion power they need to accomplish their missions.