Welcome to Episode 4 of the In the Name of Service Podcast. I’m your host Dr. Barb Thompson. Here, we broadcast stories of men and women who’ve answered the call to serve in hopes of inspiring and catalyzing the rest of us to follow suit in our own way. Today’s interview is with Eric Ballester. Eric is a husband, father, and recently retired Air Force Special Operations Veteran with 10 combat deployments. Currently, he owns a small business optimizing processes and reducing expenses for business owners, stays extremely active with competitions like American Ninja Warrior, and serves as a board member and treasurer of the Shields and Stripes non-profit organization on a mission to provide innovative holistic care to veterans and first responders.

Eric is bright, charismatic, humble, hilarious, and extremely driven. You will appreciate the approach he takes to service and how honest he is about how it changed over time. If you’ve ever found yourself in a place you didn’t choose or like, you’ll connect with Eric’s story and may even learn a new perspective. During this conversation, Eric highlights the importance of brotherhood, in other words, a real and genuine concern for others. He describes how service showed up at a low point during his service in Special Operations. It wasn’t what he was expecting or going after at that time, but it was there, he recognized it, and it pivoted everything for him.

If you’d like to connect with Eric to talk about mission or business, I recommend following him on LinkedIn and checking out the show notes. I’ve included a few important links to more information about Shields and Stripes as well as two Delta Force Operators who inspired Eric and gave their lives during the Battle of Mogadishu in Somalia on Oct. 3, 1993, Randy Shughart and Gary Gordon. I hope this conversation compels you to action in the work before you today. Thank you for listening!

Shields and Stripes:

https://shieldsandstripes.org

Randy Shughart and Gary Gordon:

https://www.military.com/off-duty/books/2022/08/25/these-delta-force-soldiers-received-medal-of-honor-after-their-sacrifice-somalia.html#:~:text=MSG%20Gary%20Gordon%20and%20SFC,3%2C%201993.

Today’s interview is with Josh Armstrong. He is a current seminary student, husband, and father of three. Josh and I met during his service as a Special Tactics Officer (STO) in the Air Force. He is one of the most thoughtful, selfless, and hardworking individuals I know and I’m so excited for you to hear from him.

A few things struck me about this conversation that I want to share upfront so you can catch them during our conversation. The first is the detail in which Josh recalls his development during his formative and college years. If you are a young person currently searching for answers, you’ll want to listen. And if you in any way are in a position to shape young people, pay attention. You may very well be one of the most influential and positive voices in that person’s life, catapulting them into a life of significant purpose and impact. The second is the specificity of the resources Josh has utilized along the way. Check below in the show notes after you listen because I’ve included a list of Josh’s most influential books from earlier in life as well as his current reading list, his favorite podcasts, and a few important links. The first link is for more information on Air Force Special Tactics, and the second link is to the Working Genius Assessment where you can learn more about which tasks give you joy and energy and which ones drain you.

Lastly, if you are interested in hearing more from Josh, consider connecting with him on LinkedIn. If you enjoy this conversation, you will appreciate his posts full of thoughtful insights he’s learning. Thank you for being here today- I hope this encourages you to attack the work before you today!

Josh’s Influential books/authors from college:

Dietrich Bonhoeffer: Cost of Discipleship, Life Together, and Ethics

Martin Luther: Large Catechism and his commentary on the Letter to the Galatians

Military Books: The Men, the Mission, and Me, Bravo Two Zero, No Room for Error, Lone Survivor, Alone at Dawn

Josh’s Current Reading List (outside of assigned material):

Maps of Meaning by Jordan Peterson

Socrates to Sartre and Beyond: A History of Philosophy by Andrew Stumpf

Relational Cure by John Gottman

Josh’s most frequented podcasts:

Working Genius

At the Table with Patrick Lencioni

Jordan B. Peterson Podcast

Honestly with Bari Weiss

Links:

https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil

https://www.workinggenius.com

Today's interview is with Victoria Weece. She is an expert in the field of military-to -civilian transition, a graduate student at Duke University, the spouse of a US Army Special Forces Officer, and an ultramarathoner.

In our conversation, Victoria shares how she first got started serving her community in college through a clothing drive as well as some of the difficulties and rewards of being a supportive military spouse. She takes us through the story of a very meaningful interaction she had during her position with the Air Force's most elite ground unit and how she learned that serving others does have to be complicated. We hope this episode encourages you in your work today.

For more information and resources regarding military-to-civilian transition, check out Victoria's profile on LinkedIn!

Jared Thompson is a recently retired US Army Special Forces Officer with multiple deployments to the Middle East and Southeast Asia. He served on Active Duty for over 21 years and now lives on 30 acres in Virginia with his family. Since retiring from the Army, Jared has earned his private pilot's license and volunteered for a short-term mission to Kenya with AIM AIR. During this interview, Jared mentions a few acronyms that may be unfamiliar to the non-military listener. Those acronyms' definitions are below and a few links for more information on US Army Special Forces, AIM AIR, and MACV SOG.

Links:

1. AIM AIR is the airwing of Africa Inland Mission, an evangelical mission agency serving in over 20 African nations. For more information, following this link: https://aimair.org

2. To learn more about US Army Special Forces, follow this link: Special Forces | goarmy.com

3. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG) was a highly classified, multi-service United States special operations unit conducting covert unconventional warfare operations before and during the Vietnam War. Learn more about their history here: https://sogsite.com

Definitions:

“Exfil” – short for “exfiltration” which is to remove or withdraw (an intelligence agent, soldier, etc) surreptitiously from an enemy-held area.

“FTX”- field training exercise

“Infil” – short for “infiltration” which is the action of entering or gaining access to an organization or place in a way that attempts to avoid notice.

“ODA” - Special Forces Operational Detachment Alphas (ODAs) are elite teams consisting of mature, intense, highly-trained operators. SF Operators receive specialized training in advanced weapons, language, demolitions, combat medicine, military free-fall, and advanced combat tactics. Today's quiet professional operates in autonomous environments as the most trusted force in America's Army.

“ROTC” – Reserve Officer Training Course- Army ROTC pays for your tuition while you go to college and train to become an Army Officer. Offered at more than 1,000 colleges and universities, you can get the college experience along with a guaranteed career after graduation as a highly respected second lieutenant in the Army, Army Reserve, or Army National Guard.

Listen in for quick description of the podcast and learn what to expect in future weekly episodes