Our guest on Episode 009 is Dr. Rajeev Ramchand. He joins Emily and Jason - after a decade lapse in contact - to help us understand the COVID-19 pandemic better using an epidemiological lens and to educate others about where we are and where we are going. Their conversation covers the basics of epidemiology, the data we have and how to make it better, historical comparisons, and what most concerns him moving forward - namely this is only a “trial run” pandemic and we need to shore up our public health infrastructure and personal communities to deal with the next ones. While he has a fairly different background than our previous guests, his passion of serving others with research and building stronger more inclusive communities, makes him a true Glorious Professional. 

Dr. Ramchand holds a PhD in Psychiatric Epidemiology from Johns Hopkins, and studies mental health particularly in active military and veteran communities. He’s currently a fellow at the Bob Woodruff Foundation. With his “big brain” resume, he is finding fulfillment not only strengthening ties to his own communities but also using his deep knowledge combined with a love of performance to educate others through a series of YouTube Videos about epidemiology. 

Links:

• Dr Ramchand’s Epi Videos
• Dr Ramchand’s COVID-19 and Veterans Paper
• Johns Hopkins Map
• COVID Tracking Project
• Fivethirtyeight article on forecasting
• Visual Guide of Pandemics Through History
• “And the Band Played On” by Randy Shilts
• New England Journal article of COVID-19 prevalence in pregnant women 

In episode 008 of Glorious Professionals we welcome former Quiet Professional (aka Green Beret) Brent Cooper in to talk with Jason and Rich about failure and not quitting, the sum of a team being greater than its parts, and how his unique life experience and passion brought him to be Executive Director of the Green Beret Foundation (GBF). 

Brent grew up working and spent over a decade in the corporate world before getting an age waiver to go to Special Forces Selection at age 30. He credits passing and joining the storied 5th Group not to his reasons to succeed, but his drivers to not fail. From childhood through his first experiences in the team room to his first mission in Afghanistan and “one of his top three moments in life,” his stories are of putting in the work to meet his own - and his team’s - standard of excellence. His blend of talents between military and civilian life is well suited to now helping his brothers and their families at the GBF and speaking knowledgeably about the varied and unique challenges the community faces. 

Links:

• Brent Cooper, GBF Executive Director
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) and Post Traumatic Stress (PTS)
• Green Beret Foundation Twitter

US Congressman Michael Waltz from Florida’s 6th District (Northeast coast covering just south of GORUCK HQ through Daytona and the Palm Coast) joins Jason and Rich for Episode 007. The Congressman is the first Green Beret to serve in Congress and is just the kind of person whose story and perspective we like to share on Glorious Professionals. 

Representative Waltz is a 20-year combat decorated veteran of the Army and current National Guardsman. In addition to serving at the tip of the spear in Afghanistan, Congressman Waltz served as a policy advisor in the Bush White House, so he brings the perspective of a servant leader at both the tactical and the strategic levels. He is a long time supporter of the Green Beret Foundation and the author of Warrior Diplomat, A Green Beret’s Battles from Washington to Afghanistan. In the book he outlines 5 key mistakes he thinks were made; the first three pillars of which (lack of resources, ill-defined strategy, and risk-aversion) become the outline for our conversation about the US response to COVID-19. 

True to his SF roots, the Congressman has deep, proven conviction in the importance of service, communication and boots-on-the-ground information gathering. He has a unique perspective on current events in this pandemic (tactical thinking). He also shares his ideas on strategic planning for future global threats covering internal testing, innovation, private-partnerships, trade with supply chain protections, and most importantly a recommitment to service on the part of everyday Americans to their country and communities.

Links:

• Warrior Diplomat, A Green Beret’s Battles from Washington to Afghanistan
• About Congressman Michael Waltz
• The Green Beret Foundation
• The Berry Amendment
• The Strengthening America’s Supply Chain and National Security Act
• Learn more about GORUCK
• Glorious Professionals podcast website

Episode 006 of Glorious Professionals focuses on community building. Blayne Smith joins Jason and Rich to have a conversation about cultivating, deepening and maintaining interdependent relationships - on the battlefield, in the office, and around your neighborhood. And perhaps online too. Maybe. 

What is the difference between connections and community? What can be accomplished when it doesn’t matter who gets credit? What is the power of knowing your limits and asking for help? What is the tension between the individuality and service to the team? What are the roles of compassion, vulnerability, belonging, service and even shared hardships on team building and community? Through humor, stories and long experience with bringing people together into trusting relationships the guys ask as many if not more questions than they answer, acknowledging oftentimes expanding knowledge and building trust is in asking the right questions and truly listening to each other. 

Blayne is a graduate of West Point and served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, first as a lieutenant in the “big Army” and then as a Detachment Commander for 3rd Special Forces Group. He was the first employee and then Executive Director of Team RWB whose mission is to enrich the lives of America’s veterans by connecting them to their community through physical and social activity. In addition to serving on the GORUCK board and leading events as Cadre, he founded Applied Leadership Partners to help provide strategy, leader development, and coaching services to organizations that are seeking to make a social impact.

Links:

• Blayne Smith Bio - Applied Leadership Partners
• Team RWB
• Dunbar’s Number (of Relationships)
• Learn more about GORUCK
• Glorious Professionals podcast website

In Episode 005 of Glorious Professionals, Jason and Rich bring Cadre Surfhog (aka Sean) into the garage to talk about his most recent deployment and bringing the “deployment mindset” to home quarantine - most notably the importance of adaptability when the abnormal becomes normal. You can’t dictate events/atmospherics but you do dictate your response. 

From the Special Forces list of Core Attributes, Adaptability:

“The ability to maintain composure while responding to or adjusting one’s own thinking and actions to fit a changing environment; the ability to think and solve problems in unconventional ways; the ability to recognize, understand and navigate within multiple social networks; the ability to proactively shape the environment or circumstances in anticipation of desired outcomes.”

Surfhog is a GORUCK Cadre and combat diver with almost 30 years of Special Forces training and experience. He's served in multiple deployments to the Middle East and Africa. He returned home in March 2020 from an eventful 13-months in Iraq. In this conversation, the guys get into the events of late December 2019 into January 2020 just before he was due to come home. Some of the featured lessons from his service are having an optimistic attitude with realistic expectations, and doing the most with 80% information. He stresses the importance of focusing on true needs, having a schedule (the 2-3-7 rule) and making sure to maintain the physical piece both on deployment and now at home - especially now in the time of COVID-19.

Links:

• Background via Wikipedia about events discussed:
• • December 2019 United States airstrikes in Iraq and Syria 
  • Attack on the United States embassy in Baghdad
  • 2020 Baghdad International Airport airstrike 
  • Operation Martyr Soleimani 
• About GORUCK Special Forces Cadre
• A GORUCK garage workout
• Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
• ARSOF Core Attributes poster
• Schedule and Ideas for getting your family involved
• Learn more about GORUCK
• Glorious Professionals podcast website

Welcome to our first non-beta episode of the Glorious Professionals Podcast! It is particularly fitting that Jason’s first guest is Dr. Richard Angel. Dr Angel is a Special Forces Medic (18D), 7th SFG (A) turned ER Doctor and is just coming out of his battle with COVID-19. For a primer on their conversation see his blog post here. 

Jason and Dr. Angel talk more in depth about his symptoms and recovery. Dr. Angel offers his advice - as one who has survived - on how you can prepare your body to fight the infection (stay hydrated!); some home care regimens and helpful items to have on hand; and warning signs that you - or a loved one - need to see a doctor or head to the ER. This convo obviously is not a substitute for talking to a doctor or medical professional about your specific circumstances. It is rather a general conversation to inform listeners about what they might expect and how Dr. Angel was able to help himself stay out of the already burdened ER. 

Take this seriously folks - if not for you, then for everyone else and the heroes in the medical professions on the front lines in hospitals across the country.

Links:

• Blog Post: What to Do If You Get COVID
• Buckley’s Cough Syrup
• Pulse Oximiter
• Virology Podcast mentioned
• Learn more about GORUCK
• Glorious Professionals podcast website

In this episode of the Glorious Professionals Podcast, Rich gets his turn in the hot seat. You've heard Rich's voice on the previous two podcasts interviewing Jason and Emily, and GORUCK Nation might know him from the MACV-1 Introduction and his return to Vietnam video series. 

Rich has had a very storied career and shares his tales with humor and knowledge born of reflection - so much so that after an hour and a half of incredible conversation we barely got out of Vietnam. He not only tells some great war stories but talks about how he processes them and about the power and importance of tribal mentorship and that storytelling to keep him alive.

Links:

• From Rich: Back in Vietnam, 45 Years Later
• Creating MACV-1 Jungle Rucking Boot
• Ken Burns' Vietnam War documentary
• Learn more about GORUCK
• Glorious Professionals podcast website

In our second episode of the Glorious Professionals Podcast, current head of Travel and Women's for GORUCK, Emily McCarthy talks to Richard and Jason about her professional journey and how she wound up as a new CIA Case Officer drinking cola with Sudanese Rebels, among many other stories of adventure through service. 

The “Glorious Amateurs” of the OSS in WWII and the “Quiet Professionals” of the Green Berets are our inspiration for this podcast. On Glorious Professionals we will talk to people from all walks of life and all occupations - what they have in common is that in their area of expertise or interest, they are continually striving for excellence.

This conversation spans the globe and returns to Jacksonville as we hear from Emily how running, travel and listening - especially to those who have walked the path or have the knowledge - have been so important to her journey.

Links:

• Follow Emily: Instagram // LinkedIn
• Learn more about GORUCK
• Glorious Professionals podcast website

In this first episode of the GORUCK Glorious Professionals Podcast, GORUCK founder Jason McCarthy talks to Emily McCarthy and Richard Rice about his history and the origins of the brand.

The “Glorious Amateurs” of the OSS in WWII and the “Quiet Professionals” of the Green Berets are our inspiration for this podcast. On Glorious Professionals we will talk to people from all walks of life and all occupations - what they have in common is that in their area of expertise or interest, they are continually striving for excellence.

In this first conversation we hear from Jason about what drives him, how he deals with adversity, and his advice for pursuing excellence.

Links:

• Follow Jason: Instagram // LinkedIn
• Learn more about GORUCK
• Glorious Professionals podcast website