The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the forty-eighth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guests are part of a combat advisor team with 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade, SFC Joseph Escalante and SFC Shelby Kelley. Security force assistance brigades (SFABs) are specialized US Army units with the core mission to conduct advise, support, liaise and assess operations with allied and...
Mar 28, 2024•35 min•Season 12Ep. 4
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the forty-sixth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guest is a Foreign Exchange Officer serving as an Observer-Coach-Trainer Company Team Senior with Task Force 2 (Infantry Battalion), CPT Will Happel of the British Army. CPT Happel has since become a student Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and has since been promoted...
Mar 14, 2024•59 min•Season 12Ep. 3
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the forty-sixth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by LTC Mason Thornal, the Battalion Commander of 1-509th IN (OPFOR) on behalf of the Commander of Operations Group. Today’s guest is the Brigade Commander for 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), COL James Stultz. The 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), which was activated on 1 July ...
Mar 07, 2024•35 min•Season 2Ep. 8
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the forty-fifth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guest is the deputy senior mentor at the Leader Training Program at the JRTC, COL(R) Mike Kershaw. He spent 34 years on active duty as an infantry officer and has been with the Leader Training Program for nearly nine years. The Leaders Training Program at the JRTC is a ten-day planning conference...
Feb 29, 2024•1 hr 5 min•Season 1Ep. 14
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the forty-fourth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guest is the Brigade Commander for 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry, COL Robert Shaw. The 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 25th Infantry Division (Light), which was activated on 1 October 1941 in Hawaii mere days before the attack on Pearl Harbor, conducts military operatio...
Feb 23, 2024•57 min•Season 2Ep. 9
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the fortieth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guests are the Commander and Command Sergeant Major for 2nd Security Force Assistance Brigade, COL Jason Clarke and CSM Paul Fedorisin. Security force assistance brigades (SFABs) are specialized US Army units with the core mission to conduct advise, support, liaise and assess operations with allied ...
Feb 14, 2024•30 min•Season 12Ep. 2
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the forty-second episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by CPT Nicolaus Rohrbough is the battalion assistant S-3 operations observer-coach-trainer for TF-4 (CAV Squadron) on behalf of the Commander of Operations Group. Today’s guest is the Commander of 3-89th Cavalry Squadron, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, LTC Ryan Nugent as well as one of his troop’s executive officers, 1LT Aiden Hutchi...
Feb 08, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Season 4Ep. 3
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the forty-first episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by CPT Benjamin Malcolm of 1-509th IN (OPFOR) on behalf of the Commander of Operations Group. Today’s guest is the Deputy Commanding Officer – Operations for the 82nd Airborne Division, COL Andrew Saslav, All American 07. COL Saslav was the COG from 2021-2022 and the commander of 11th DTG (OPFOR notional higher headquarters). The 82nd Airborne Division speciali...
Feb 01, 2024•1 hr 16 min•Season 1Ep. 13
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the fortieth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guest is the Commanding General for Security Force Assistance Command, MG Donn Hill. The Security Force Assistance Command (SFAC) is a division-level command element for the United States Army's new security force assistance brigades (SFAB). The SFAC draws its heritage from the Philippine Constabula...
Jan 18, 2024•56 min•Season 12Ep. 1
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the thirty-ninth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Command Sergeant Major of Ops Group (CSMOG), CSM Michael Hall. Today’s guest is the commander of 1st Battalion (Airborne), 509th Infantry Regiment, LTC Mason Thornal, also known as Geronimo 06. 1-509th IN is the opposing forces unit for the Joint Readiness Training Center, the infamous “Geronimo,” the most hated unit in the Army. Geronimo’s primary miss...
Jan 12, 2024•25 min•Season 11Ep. 5
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the thirty-seventh episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by MAJ Christopher Gensler from Task Force 5 (BEB) on behalf of the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guest is MAJ Jonathan Tucker, the Battalion S-3 Operations Officer for 317thBrigade Engineer Battalion, 3rd IBCT, 10th Mountain Division. They have the Hollywood call-sign of “Buffaloes” and the motto of “By Industry and Honor,” whil...
Dec 07, 2023•51 min•Season 6Ep. 1
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the thirty-seventh episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guests are all seasoned Observer-Coach-Trainers from across Operations Group, CPT Richard Snyder, CPT Benjamin Malcolm, and CPT Nicolaus Rohrbough. These OCTs have also previously participated in this year’s Large Scale Combat Operations Symposium. Our guest observer-coach-trainers with over 7...
Nov 30, 2023•51 min•Season 1Ep. 12
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the thirty-sixth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guests are all seasoned Observer-Coach-Trainers from across Operations Group, MAJ(P) Drew Zabriskie, MAJ Westly “Wes” LaFitte, and MAJ James Lee. Our guest observer-coach-trainers with nearly fifty decisive action training environment rotations between them. MAJ(P) Drew Zabriskie (L05) is the BS...
Nov 23, 2023•57 min•Season 1Ep. 11
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the thirty-fifth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Command Sergeant Major of Ops Group (COG), CSM Michael Hall. Today’s guest is the Command Sergeant Major of 3-89th Cavalry Squadron, 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, CSM Andrew Baxter. The 3rd Squadron, 89th Cavalry Regiment also draws its heritage from the 899th Tank Destroyer Battalion of infamy during the North African Campai...
Nov 16, 2023•30 min•Season 4Ep. 2
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the thirty-fourth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guest is the Commanding General of the 82nd Airborne Division, MG Christopher LaNeve (All American 06). He was previously the Commander of Ops Group from 2015 to 2016. The 82nd Airborne Division was founded after the American entry into World War I in August 1917 as part of the American Expedit...
Nov 04, 2023•1 hr 23 min•Season 1Ep. 10
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the thirty-third episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guests are two seasoned Observer-Coach-Trainers from within Operations Group, CPT Katherine Elifson and CPT Richard Duam. CPT Katherine “Katie” Elifson (L70) is the distribution company observer-coach-trainer from TF Sustainment (BSB / CSSB). CPT Richard “Richie” Duam (C10) is a rifle company OC...
Oct 26, 2023•43 min•Season 1Ep. 9
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the thirty-second episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guests are two seasoned Observer-Coach-Trainers from within Operations Group, MAJ Maria Carver and MAJ Kevin Berhnhart. MAJ Carver (O05) is the Chief-of-Staff for JRTC Ops Group staff sections, but previously as an engineer was the Senior Protection WfF OCT at brigade echelon. MAJ Berhnhart (B0...
Oct 19, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 8
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the thirty-first episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guest is the Commanding General of XVIII Airborne Corps, LTG Christopher Donahue. The XVIII Airborne Corps was founded in January of 1942 just five weeks after the US entered World War II at what was previously called Camp Polk (what would become Ft. Johnson). They saw extensive service during W...
Oct 11, 2023•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 7
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the thirtieth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience’ and the second annual Large Scale Combat Operations Symposium. Hosted by the Commanding General of the JRTC and Ft. Johnson, BG David Gardner and the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guests are all seasoned Observer-Coach-Trainers from across Operations Group, LTC Drew Zabriskie, MAJ Paul Scifers, MAJ Matt Cline, CPT Richard Snyder, and CPT Nico...
Oct 05, 2023•1 hr 56 min•Season 1Ep. 6
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the twenty-ninth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guest has been the only one to pull a “hat trick” or three successful returns to the podcast, the Platoon Sergeant in 3rd Platoon, Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (2-505th PIR), 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, SFC Tyler Manship also known...
Sep 27, 2023•59 min•Season 3Ep. 6
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the twenty-eighth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guests are the cyberspace electromagnetic activities (CEMA) cell’s officer-in-charge (OIC), for JRTC’s Plans / Exercise Maneuver Control, MAJ Luke Plante (Zulu 88) and one of JRTC’s opposing force’s senior members of their information warfare cell for 1st Battalion (Airborne), 509th Infantry Re...
Sep 21, 2023•51 min•Season 11Ep. 4
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the twenty-seventh episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guest is the Deputy Commander for Support, 42nd Infantry Division (Army National Guard), BG Nathan Lord. The 42nd Infantry has Division has served in World War I, World War II, throughout the Cold War, and took part in combat operations in support of the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT). The div...
Sep 14, 2023•38 min•Season 1Ep. 5
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the twenty-sixth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guest is a repeat offender from episode eleven, the Platoon Sergeant in 3rd Platoon, Bravo Company, 2nd Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment (2-505th PIR), 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, SFC Tyler Manship, also known as Muldoon 07. The 505th PIR has the honor o...
Sep 07, 2023•58 min•Season 3Ep. 5
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the twenty-fifth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guest is the Brigade Commander for 3rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne, COL Richard “Ricky” Taylor. The 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment has the honor of being one of the oldest airborne units in the U.S. military as they were activated in June 1942 during World War II and earned fo...
Aug 30, 2023•57 min•Season 2Ep. 8
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the twenty-fourth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guest is the Battalion Command Sergeant Major for 1-505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 3rd IBCT, 82nd Airborne, CSM Christopher Szalai. The 505th PIR has the honor of being one of the oldest airborne units in the U.S. military as they were activated in June 1942 during World War II and earned f...
Aug 24, 2023•39 min•Season 3Ep. 4
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the sixteenth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guest is the Brigade Fire Support Officer Observer-Coach-Trainer with Task Force Fires, MAJ Westly “West” LaFitte (Fox 20). Joint fire support includes joint fires that assist air, land, maritime, cyberspace, and special operations forces to move, maneuver, and control territory, populations, airsp...
Aug 16, 2023•43 min•Season 7Ep. 2
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the sixteenth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guests are two incoming brigade commanders within the 82nd Airborne Division, COL Jason Schuerger and COL Jaron Wharton. In this episode they discuss how units across the force must approach learning with an emphasis on never repeating the same mistakes in preparation for going to war. Specifically...
Aug 11, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 4
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the twenty-first episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guest is the battalion command sergeant major from 2nd Battalion, 14th Infantry Regiment, CSM Joseph Lachnit within the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. The 2nd IBCT was officially activated in February 1985 along with the rest of the division. While 10th Mountain Divisi...
Aug 03, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 3
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the twentieth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guest is the S-2 intelligence officer for 1st Battalion (Airborne), 509th Infantry Regiment, CPT Benjamin Branower. 1-509th IN BN is the opposing forces unit for the Joint Readiness Training Center, the infamous “Geronimo.” Geronimo’s primary mission is to help units see their selves clearly in ord...
Jul 26, 2023•48 min•Season 11Ep. 3
The Joint Readiness Training Center is pleased to present the nineteenth episode to air on ‘The Crucible - The JRTC Experience.’ Hosted by the former Deputy Commander of Ops Group and retired, COL Edward Twaddell III, on behalf of the Commander of Ops Group (COG), COL Matthew Hardman. Today’s guests are Dr. Lester Grau and Mr. Charles “Chuck” Bartles from the renowned Foreign Military Studies Office at Ft Leavenworth, Kansas. The mission of the Foreign Military Studies Office is to research and ...
Jul 12, 2023•1 hr 2 min•Season 11Ep. 2
