The Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Michael Gilday, says it may take decades for nuclear attack submarines to deploy for the country of Australia. The subs are part of an agreement the US, Australian, and British governments announced Septem

Gen. Craig McKinley, USAF ret. on the National Guard's role in Afghanistan and other overseas ops

Aug 27th, 2021 28m 13s

Task force 1-194 is working the evacuation of State Department and military personnel from Afghanistan this week. That unit is a National Guard unit from Minnesota. It’s on-site at Karzai International airport in Kabul, at the heart of the acti

Gen. Joseph Votel, USA ret. on the situation in Afghanistan, and what comes next

Aug 19th, 2021 31m 22s

The collapse of the Afghan government and the Taliban’s takeover of the country have dominated headlines around the world this week. General Joseph Votel (USA ret.) is President and CEO of Business Executives for National Security. He’s former

Gen. Lester Lyles, USAF ret. on the future of space for national security, the economy, and more

Aug 13th, 2021 30m 15s

A new Chinese space station could be the first of a number of competitors for the International Space Station the U-S collaborates on, with Russia, Japan, Canada, and the European Union. Private companies are looking at building in space too. G

Adm. Jonathan Greenert, USN ret. on the emergence of a stronger Japan in Great Power Competition

Aug 6th, 2021 39m 28s

China is getting even more aggressive in its expansion in the Pacific. One huge factor in countering China may be one of the US’s best allies today, and one of China’s rivals for thousands of years. Admiral Jonathan Greenert (USN ret.) is forme

Adm. Thad Allen, USCG ret. on the missing tool for more effective disaster response

Aug 3rd, 2021 30m 18s

The pandemic’s resurgence is causing some jurisdictions to extend or reinstate mandates on masks, social distancing, and other measures. Those jurisdictions are rethinking the way they’re responding to the disaster the pandemic has become. Admi

Adm. Bill Gortney, USN ret. on dealing with the threat from Iran, and the future of the Navy's air fleet

Jul 25th, 2021 31m 14s

A group of Iranian war ships is headed toward Russia this week to join a Navy parade in St. Petersburg. Protesters are demonstrating across Iran about a drought in one region of that country; and thousands of oil workers are on strike in that c

Gen. David Goldfein, USAF ret. on what war will look like in the future; & exiting Afghanistan

Jul 16th, 2021 36m 10s

The Biden administration will release its National defense strategy in 2022, along with a series of other strategy documents that detail the war - or wars - the defense department is preparing for, and expecting to fight. One of the leaders tha

Adm. James Stavridis, USN ret. on the marketplace of ideas, and potential of war with China

Jul 9th, 2021 31m 10s

The politicization of the military is one of the most controversial in the national security community right now. Because of that, I’ve encountered a number of military leaders of all backgrounds and services who are reluctant to share their vi

Gen. Norton Schwartz, USAF ret. on strengthening the US national security apparatus

Jul 2nd, 2021 34m

The debate is starting in Washington over appropriations and authorizations for the national security community in the coming fiscal year. That debate includes the Defense Department, but it also includes Congress, think tanks, and other stakeh

Adm. Sandy Winnefeld, USN ret. on fundamental changes needed to win Great Power Competition

Jun 25th, 2021 31m 55s

The Department of Defense has begun the difficult process of swinging its attention from counterinsurgency to great power competition. The most recent evidence of that shift is the 2021 Annual Threat Assessment of the U-S Intelligence Community

Gen. Chuck Wald, USAF ret. on the US relationship with Iran, present and future

Jun 18th, 2021 29m 34s

President Biden completed his first meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin this week. About the same time two Iranian ships that reports indicate were headed for Venezuela have changed course. No one is suggesting those events are conne

Gen. Hawk Carlisle, USAF ret. on the Air Force of the future

Jun 13th, 2021 33m 38s

The new Defense Department budget request includes a dramatic reimagining of the Air Force. The force wants to retire more than 200 aircraft… and buy fewer fighter aircraft than Congress has imagined in the past. General Hawk Carlisle, USAF ret

Gen. Carter Ham, US Army ret. on China's expansion in Africa and US opportunities to build alliances

Jun 11th, 2021 29m 10s

The Commander of U.S. Africa Command, Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, says a Chinese naval base in Djibouti has a pier that will accommodate an aircraft carrier. It’s the latest move by China to establish itself as a naval power all over the world.

Adm. Jamie Foggo, USN ret. on Russia, China, and a new National Defense Strategy

Jun 4th, 2021 41m 40s

The National Defense Strategy is due for an update. But Great Power Competition is likely to continue to be its focus, since America’s competitors keep spreading influence around the world. Russia is militarizing the Arctic; China is building b

Adm. Paul Zukunft, USCG ret. on the Arctic's place in great power competition

May 19th, 2021 36m 19s

Episode 2 - Adm. Paul Zukunft, USCG ret., 25th Commandant of the US Coast Guard. Each of the military services is working on, or has released, an Arctic strategy. The service with the greatest forward presence in the Arctic is the Coast Guard.

Gen. Larry Spencer, USAF ret. on diversity & race issues in the US military officer corps

May 12th, 2021 36m 16s

Episode 1 - Gen. Larry Spencer, USAF ret., former Vice Chief of Staff, US Air Force. Sec. Austin recently ordered a "stand down" to address and combat extremism in the ranks. And the broader discussion on race and diversity has permeated the De

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