For the Greater Defense

For the Greater Defense – Season 3 Premiere

In this thought-provoking episode, hosts Matthew Plunk and Aidan Weatherford welcome retired Colonel Gary D. Brown, cyber policy expert and professor at the Bush School of Government and Public Service. Together, they dive into the evolving landscape of cyber warfare, exploring topics like:

The integration of AI into offensive and defensive strategies.

Critical lessons for future leaders in navigating cyber policy.

The growing role of "hard" vs. "soft" cyber capabilities.

Insights from the Tallinn Manual on international law and cyber operations.

Whether you're a tech enthusiast, a policy wonk, or curious about the future of global security, this episode delivers compelling insights into the challenges and innovations shaping our digital age.

Meet Colonel (Ret.) Michael Jackson of the United States Air Force (USAF) and professor at the Bush School of Government and Public Service. Col. Jackson gives us a brief background of his career in the USAF and his involvement in the United States Intelligence Community. As well as the future of the space domain as a war-fighting arena and his advice to future public servants. 

What is the future of intelligence? In this episode, COL(R) Matt Gill discusses his time as an Army War College Fellow at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas. 

COL(R) Matt Gill discusses his time with the Joint Multinational Readiness Training Center in Hohenfels, Germany.

"I picked up a book and pretended to read it." In this episode, COL(R) Matt Gill discusses his effort to lead by example during his first deployment to Afghanistan with the 1st Cavalry, the significance of the acronym "NSTR," and the 1st Cav's pivot to the decisive action training environment. 

"I may be special in Special Operations, but I am not special here." In this episode, COL(R) Matt Gill discusses his transition to a new position as the 1st Cavalry G-2 at Fort Hood after two years at Special Operations Command Africa in Stuttgart, Germany. 

Colonel Gill discusses the state of the war in Ukraine. What are both sides getting right and wrong? Why are places like Kharkiv and Kherson so important? Would President Putin consider using nuclear weapons? (This episode was recorded on 22 September 2022)

The master becomes the student. In this episode, COL(R) Matt Gill discusses his transition from eight years of regular deployments to the classrooms of the Naval War College, balancing a career and a family, and his time as the Counterterrorism Intelligence Advisor to the Deputy Director of Special Operations, the Joint Staff J-2, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. 

"Gill, figure it out." In this episode, COL(R) Matt Gill discusses his transition into the Special Operations community and his approach to problem solving during a fundamentally different type of conflict--the Global War on Terror. 

Even the greats start somewhere. In this episode, COL(R) Matt Gill discusses how he and his wife navigated his early path through the Army, from ROTC at Mississippi State and his initial years in field artillery to his transition to intelligence and the impact of 9/11.