SOFspot

Ranger Rick and Chelsea talked to Bryce Mahoney of the Darby Project--a non-profit that connects, educates, and empowers Army Rangers to lead the way in their communities. We talked about everything from finances to being a "Ranger Always" to ways anyone can support an active duty military member throughout their transition. It's a good listen whether you are, were, or have never be...

The former SOF members of the GSF Team--Stu and Rick--talk with Chelsea about the GSF's 4th Annual Symposium in Europe. This event is taking place in Brussels, Belgium, a hub for EU and NATO special operations. We talk about key speakers at the event, why it's important to convene the local community, and what we're most excited to see happen in this vibrant European hub. We hope to...

At the 2019 Ranger Rendezvous, Chelsea and Rick had the chance to talk to Marcus Hull and Steve Berry of the Three Rangers Foundation. It's a great organization that supports Veterans in many ways--from mentorships to transition support to mental fitness. This episode hits on a lot of real issues and will resonate with anyone who has served (and especially anyone who has transitioned from act...

The GSF's Chelsea Hamashin and CSM (RET) Rick Lamb had the opportunity to attend the 2019 Ranger Rendezvous at Ft. Benning this July. They sat down with US Army Ranger Veteran Tony Mayne to talk about what the Ranger Rendezvous entails, what it means to current and former Rangers, and even hit on some Army history!  Learn More about the 75th Ranger Regiment: https://www.75thrra.org/reunion/ C...

Chelsea and Ranger Rick set a GSF Podcast record by hosting 6 guests from the Pasco Police Office, including Sheriff Chris Nocco. Pasco PD is spearheading efforts in Florida to recruit and employ former Special Operators, and they are piloting programs to expedite the qualification processes. We also discussed Human Performance, the mirrored camaraderie between Special Ops and Police Units, and wh...

Chelsea was joined by GSF President Stu Bradin and Norwich University's Bill Clements, who is both the Dean of the College of Graduate and Continuing Studies and the VP of Academic Affairs. Norwich University has a long military tradition, from being the birthplace of ROTC to its present-day programs that provide school credit for experiential learning for current and former SOF. Listen and l...

In this episode our team sat down with MAJ (Ret) John Spencer, the Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute and Co-Director of the Urban Warfare Project. We talked about what makes Urban Warfare so different, the lack of true training facilities for this terrain, and how SOF can lead the charge on improving preparedness for the Urban Battlefield. Link to Referenced Concrete Artic...

Chelsea and Meaghan had a great talk with LTC Natalie Vanatta of the US Army Cyber Institute. They hit everything from how cyber fits in to special operations to resiliency in the cyber domain to the future threat landscape. It was an interesting discussion, whether you're a cyber pro or a "newb." Learn more about the Army Cyber Institute: https://cyber.army.mil/ GSF Corporate Partn...

In today's "Space Jam" episode, two Space Professionals joined Chelsea and Steve to talk about the realities of Space Conflict, touching on everything from the competitive advantage in space to the impacts of SpaceX, to the inspiration of pop culture on space exploration. Thank you to the two Space Professionals who joined us: US Army Col Dennis Wille and Carissa Christensen, the CE...

In this episode Meaghan, Chelsea, and Steve team up to talk to Nick Rasmussen, a Senior Director for National Security and Counterterrorism Programs at the McCain Institute and former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC). We discussed many facets of counter-terrorism (CT), from having the "imagination" to prevent attacks, the importance of using technology to become mo...

Members of the Global SOF team sat down with The Honorable Sharon Burke, a senior advisor at New America and former assistant secretary of defense for operational energy. We talked about the challenges of the thawing operational environment in the Arctic, the various competitive spaces around natural resources, and worldwide effects of climate change. GSF Partner Highlight: Cisco Learn more at: ht...

Meaghan Keeler-Pettigrew and Steve Jones from the Global SOF team sat down with Congressman Seth Moulton to discuss his views on the U.S. Defense Strategy, ranging from how the budget should be allocated to cyber warfare to the approach to global defense organizations like NATO. See what the Congressman, who is running for the Democratic Nomination for President, has to say in this week's epi...

Chelsea was joined in today's episode by the GSF's "Ranger Rick" Lamb and Colonel Magne Rodahl, a Norwegian SOF Officer, to talk about the Telemark Raid of WW2. This mission was primarily conducted by Norwegian SOF, so we talk about the raid's significance to the war, some of the heroes who contributed, and the importance of allies. So jump on the lift and ride with us up...

Today's guest was The Honorable Jim Locher-- a man who played a leading role in the Goldwater-Nichols Act, the Nunn-Cohen Amendment, the Bosnia Defense Reform Commission, and so much more. He sat down with the GSF's Chelsea Hamashin and Dr. Keenan Yoho to discuss these massive undertakings throughout his career and how he worked across party lines to make things happen.  Enjoy this talk...

Meaghan and Chelsea sat down with Lyla Kohistany and Ashley Sogge from PROMOTE, an organization that focuses on inclusive leadership and maintaining the diverse talent within a SOF workforce. We learn why they started PROMOTE, their process in working with SOF units, and the results of their workshops--even when they get weird! If you'd like to learn more about PROMOTE, check out the links be...

Small businesses are a crucial piece of the defense industry puzzle, especially in the Special Operations domain. In this episode, we had a good discussion with representatives from two of our Small Business Partners-- Lori Larsen of Celestar and Garth Arevalo of Lukos. We talked everything from the pains and perks of running a small business to how to get your foot in the door with special operat...

Free money, job experience, and network growth? Those are some "bennies" we can get behind. DoD SkillBridge is a lesser-known Fellowship Program offered by the U.S. Department of Defense-- it allows Active Duty Military to participate in internships with companies of their choosing prior to their separation from Active Duty.  In today's episode, CDR (Ret) Steve Jones and CDR (Ret) C...

Today we discussed the ins and outs of conducting business, specifically SOF business, on an international level. Topics include the importance of personal relationships, legal considerations, and venues for building out your global network. Our guests today, Mr. Tony Quartararo from Spatial Networks and Mr. Stan Highsmith of Fulcrum (both representatives of GSF Small Business Partners) provide re...

The GSF staff is back to talk about SOF for Life--a multi-faceted program that works to support SOF and SOF support who are transitioning from Active Duty. We talk about what the program entails (transition seminars, support in finding a career, wealth management), and the SOF for Life Survey, which had many findings--including the lack of medical, financial, and career prep that many respondents...

We're beginning our podcast at the beginning, with a discussion of how the Global SOF Foundation started and got to where it is today. Today you'll hear from GSF President Stu Bradin, COO Meaghan Keeler-Pettigrew, Director of International Engagements Rick Lamb, and your GSF podcast spirit guide, GSF Director of Marketing Chelsea Hamashin. The crew is going to discuss how it became obvio...