CMSgt (Ret.) Bryan Blue retired after 30 years of honorable service in the USAF and has been the Community Support Coordinator for Los Angeles Air Force Base, California since 2013. He served as the Installation Resilience Education Program Manager, Executive Director of the Community Action Board, Chair of the Community Action Team, and Employee Assistance Program Manager. Mr. Blue is a certified Sexual Assault/Suicide Prevention Trainer, Master Resilience Trainer, Unconscious Bias Awareness Tr...
Aug 10, 2021•38 min
This episode features Major Rigby, a Senior Combat Systems Officer for Air Force Global Strike Command with 900+ hours in the B-52H Stratofortress bomber. In 2014, after returning from a deployment, Maj Rigby’s husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Over the following three years, she learned first-hand how to find harmony between her career and her enduring commitment to her husband. Major Rigby credits her resilience to a strong support network of family, friends, and teammates who provid...
Jun 15, 2021•1 hr 6 min
Episode 41 is one of the most important conversations aired on The Blue Grit Podcast. I interviewed Dr. Bonnie Kaplan, who is a professor emerita in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary and a co-author of a recently published book The Better Brain: Overcome Anxiety, Combat Depression, and Reduce ADHD and Stress with Nutrition (April, 2021). Dr. Kaplan, along with her co-author Dr. Julia Rucklidge, published over 300 peer-reviewed publications and textbook contributions abo...
May 26, 2021•52 min
Michelle Padgett is the Director of Warrior Wellness and Policy Integration, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Office. She is responsible for leading transformation efforts with a multi-disciplinary team of experts to enhance human performance and advance quality service and experience for warfighters and their families. In this interview, we talk about the power of community resilience. We also discuss the use of artificial intelligence for prevention/operational readiness and grit, challeng...
Apr 22, 2021•53 min
We all have our stories. Some are more unfathomable than others. MSgt Maria Seyborne shares her story of overcoming a harrowing hostage situation, PTSD, and why mental health advocacy has become her life mission.
Mar 03, 2021•56 min
Episode 38 is an interview with CMSgt Lisa Arnold, who is the Command Chief Master Sergeant, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles California. We talk about Chief Arnold’s toughest moments, sexual harassment, surviving deep desperation, rekindling friendships, facing glass ceiling, being a good human and an optimist, her grit, her biggest fears, the importance of sleep, and much more.
Feb 01, 2021•47 min
The topic of this podcast is a form of resilience: heroism. Christopher McDougall, the author of Natural Born Heroes, describes heroism as a skill that can be practiced, rather than a virtue or personality trait. My guest is Dr. Alan Ogle, an operational Air Force psychologist and firefighter who, among many accomplishments during his military career, developed an alcohol prevention program that became the model for use across Air Force and DoD. He also implemented the 360 multi-dimensional asse...
Jan 09, 2021•49 min
Blue Grit Podcast episode 36 is a special edition. For the first time, it features two guests on the same show. And for the first time, the topic of discussion is domestic violence. My two guests are Pam Collins -- who is the Clinical Director of Air Force Family Advocacy Program -- and Deidra Saina who oversees and directs Domestic Abuse Victim Advocacy services at the Air Force bases around the world. We discuss elements of Family Advocacy in the Air Force, the nature of domestic violence, pow...
Oct 18, 2020•59 min
Episode 35 is an interview with SMSgt Jamie L. Britt, the First Sergeant, 61st Air Base Group (ABG), Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. SMSgt Britt and I met for this recording of the Blue Grit Podcast episode just 2 months after his father committed suicide. In this interview, SMSgt Britt talks about coping with suicide of his father, while helping airmen and commanders in the midst of COVID-19. We discuss what he had to let go in order to become the best version of himself. He is honest a...
Sep 21, 2020•41 min
Episode 34 Col (Ret.) Richard Tatem by Anya Fedotova
Sep 08, 2020•43 min
Episode 33 is an interview with Chief Master Sergeant Roger A. Towberman — the Senior Enlisted Advisor of the United States Space Force and Command Senior Enlisted Leader of the United States Space Command. Chief Towberman represents the highest enlisted level of leadership and provides directions for the enlisted force. We cover topics ranging from personal responsibility, to importance of sleep, fears, racial injustice in America, his training routines, and more. Special credit to SSgt Justin ...
Aug 05, 2020•52 min
Dr. Jeffrey Smith, the owner of Thinkenomics, is a retired Colonel with 30 years of service in the United States Air Force. He is the creator of the Profession of Arms Center of Excellence (PACE) that has a strong footprint in the culture of today’s Air Force. We discuss affective learning, leading by example, and shaping healthy organizational culture that creates image appeal and a genuine sense of belonging for its members. Dr. Smith discusses the necessity of intention in engineering a healt...
Jul 19, 2020•59 min
Episode 31 is a conversation with Lt Col (Ret.) Dr. Kevin Basik, a recognized expert in behavioral integrity and leadership development at the individual, team and organizational levels. We discuss another grit strategy: battle cries. Battle cries are phrases, quotes, symbols, idioms, proverbs, or expressions that not only prepare us for stormy times but build our life's narratives and guide us when we struggle. "It is what it is." "We will love our way our of this." "Just do the next right thin...
Jul 03, 2020•1 hr 5 min
The 30th episode of the Blue Grit Podcast is a gripping interview with Colonel Ann Igl, the Commander of 61st Air Base Group, Los Angeles Air Force Base, El Segundo, California. We talk about multigenerational family grit, deployment grit, grit through cancer, separation, and pandemic. We also discuss a Soviet Union crisis aversion, eating lamb brains, lethargarians, gratitude, humor, grace, and much more.
May 04, 2020•41 min
Episode 29 is an interview with Col (Dr.) Scott Sonnek who is the Air Force Director of Psychological Health at the Air Force Medical Readiness Agency. He consults and engages senior leaders at the Headquarters Air Force, DoD, and Congressional levels. He also represents Air Force mental health interests at the Defense Health Agency’s behavioral health clinical community. We discuss psychological impacts of COVID-19, opportunities and innovation amidst crisis, routines, small sustainable improve...
Apr 21, 2020•32 min
Lt Lindy Jones qualified for the 2020 Olympic trials on her first marathon. Enjoy our conversation about running, her mental game, fast women, and things that really matter to her. Lt Jones is a part of the World Class Athlete Program for track & field and the marathon. She will continue to train for the Olympic trials in the 10k on the track this Summer.
Mar 27, 2020•50 min
Episode 27 is a conversation with Dr. Thomas Joiner, a leading expert on suicide, a psychologist, the Director of the Military Suicide Research Consortium, and a renowned author of many books, to include Why People Die by Suicide, Myths about Suicide, Lonely at the Top, Mindlessness, and The Perversion of Virtue: Understanding Murder-Suicide. This is a helpful conversation about nature, causes, and management of suicidal behavior and related disorders. We discuss his interpersonal theory of suic...
Feb 20, 2020•33 min
Episode 26 is an interview with Rob Stella, a retired Navy SEAL, and a co-founder of Acumen Performance Group. Rob brings his expertise and experiences in strategic/operational planning, multiple deployments to the Middle East, Pacific Rim, Africa, and Afghanistan. He holds a master's degree in sport and performance psychology and is working on completing a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership.
Jan 28, 2020•1 hr 4 min
Lt Col Rob Marshall, Deputy Chief of the Research and Scholarship Division, Center for Character and Leadership Development, USAFA. He creates innovative courses and researches the effectiveness of adventure and experiential based learning programs in the development of cadets and adults. He discusses his passion of using outdoor experiences to enhance people’s lives, especially in building resiliency and positive coping skills.
Dec 30, 2019•1 hr 6 min
Episode 24 is an interview with Major Weston S Kelsey, a 3 time Fencing Olympian, Olympic Coach, and Force Support Squadron Flight Commander. Maj Kelsey discusses how to overcome setbacks and design deliberate practices that mimic high pressured situations to learn adaptations to stress. He is currently guiding the growth of a fencing club in Oklahoma.
Dec 08, 2019•49 min
Episode 23 is an interview with Captain (Ret.) Stephen Machuga, the founder and a CEO of Stack-Up.org — an organization that brings both veterans and civilian supporters together through a shared love of video gaming. CPT Machuga discusses overcoming his personal and professional struggles through following his passion for gaming. He strategically capitalized on the benefits of video gaming, building a powerful charity and robust support network. He is currently working on developing evidence ba...
Nov 12, 2019•57 min
Episode 22 is an interview with Dr. Aaron Moffett, a sport psychology consultant for the Air Force Wounded Warrior program. He was the head coach for Team USA at the Invictus Games from 2016 to 2018. He teaches how to take human performance to the next level through enhancing mental game. Photo: Lucy Jones, an Air Force Wounded Warrior athlete, learns to relax and float in the pool with her coach, Aaron Moffett, at an adaptive sports and rehabilitation camp at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., April 1...
Oct 20, 2019•1 hr 4 min
Episode 21 features TSgt Jaime A. Medina, a recipient of three Bronze Star Medals, multiple Army and Air Force Commendation awards with Valor, Air Force and Army Combat Badges, among many other decorations. As a Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC), he selflessly deployed to multiple locations and crushed every mission, while his personal life was falling apart. With candor, Jaime discusses his struggles with addiction, self-medicating, denial, isolation, divorce, and harm he was causing to s...
Sep 21, 2019•52 min
Episode 20 features MSgt (Ret.) David Long who completed 20+ years of Army and Air Force service. While struggling with PTSD at the end of his military career and still in excellent physical shape, he was unexpectedly diagnosed with a heart condition that led to two major heart surgeries. Determined to find his way back to health, he continued to emphasize fitness. He was enrolled in the Air Force Wounded Warrior Program. After competing as a wounded warrior, he continued to find resiliency by g...
Sep 03, 2019•1 hr 4 min
A1C (Ret.) BJ Lange is the comedy coach for the Air Force's Wounded Warrior Program. An actor and comedian, he was diagnosed with cancer while on orders in the Air Force Reserve getting him enrolled into AFW2. A year into temporary retirement, a cancer relapse set him into a mental health free freefall he soon found his resilience via teaching his passion of improv comedy to his fellow wounded warriors and their caregivers - helping them and him heal with laughter therapy. Check out BJ Lange's s...
Aug 23, 2019•1 hr 6 min
Episode 18 is a conversation with SMSgt Tiwanda Griffin-Greer, a first-hand witness of an active shooter event that tragically unfolded at Lackland Training Annex in 2016. (The event is described in further detail in Episode 6 — an interview with Abby Schroder who survived her husband, Col Bill Schroeder.) SMSgt Griffin-Greer discusses struggling with survivor’s guilt, invisible wounds, and finding a balance between giving 100% to the Air Force and her family.
Aug 05, 2019•1 hr 10 min
MSgt Deondra Parks, who survived mortar attacks in Iraq, became a victim of a hate crime. She was shot, while studying in a coffee shop in Texas. A survivor of an active shooting event, she talks about forgiveness, seeking support, dealing with PTSD, and moving on with grace.
May 22, 2019•51 min
Monica Marusceac, a board-certified hypnotist and NLP practitioner and trainer, a former Marine combat fighter pilot, now Marine reservist and the CEO of Peak Performance Associates and NoVA Hypnosis & Wellness. The combination of her essential intuition, precision focus as a pilot and her years of hypnosis training and practice allow her to hone in on her clients’ needs with pinpoint accuracy. She discusses her methods of efficiently bringing highly tailored solutions to help reset minds and ac...
Apr 16, 2019•48 min
Retired Chief Master Sergeant Robert L. Disney, Jr. discusses his experiences in the Air Force as a pararescueman. At the pinnacle of his career, he was the first superintendent of the 1st Expeditionary Rescue Group, leading 280 Airmen across three squadrons of C-130’s, HH-60’s, and Guardian Angel forces providing Personnel Recovery and Combat Search and Rescue to the entire theater of Iraq and Syria.
Apr 01, 2019•1 hr 11 min
Episode 14 is an interview with Lt Col Mark Zinno, a host of the Hazard Ground Podcast. Every week Hazard Ground brings together servicemembers from across the military, to share their accounts of combat and survival, and deliver inspirational stories of service and resilience from those who have fought on and off the battlefield.
Feb 14, 2019•52 min
