If you only read headlines, you would think electric vehicles are collapsing.

Sales are “slowing.” Chargers “do not work.” The “transition” is over before it began.

Army veteran and EVgo Senior Vice President Marcy Bauer sees a different reality.

“There are more EVs on the road than there are public fast chargers to serve them.”

That is not a collapse. That is growth outpacing infrastructure.

The Gap That Actually Matters

The core problem is simple.

* EVs on the road keep increasing.

* Public fast charging has not caught up.

Utilization on networks like EVgo is rising. Drivers depend on fast charging more, not less.

At the same time, charging tech is getting better. New chargers can deliver hundreds of kilowatts. More vehicles can actually accept that power. A 20 to 80 percent charge is moving from a 45 minute chore toward a “bathroom, coffee, check your phone” stop.

The bottleneck is not the technology. It is deployment speed and scale.

The Headlines Miss The Long Game

Whenever a subsidy changes or a company adjusts its plans, the same storyline pops up.

“EV demand is dead.”“The transition has failed.”

Look below the fold and you usually see something else.

* Sales are still growing year over year, just not at last year’s record pace.

* A manufacturer paused to retool a plant or shift models.

* A single quarter gets turned into a grand verdict.

Meanwhile, operators keep building. More models come to market. More states invest in infrastructure.

This is not just about EVs. It is about how we talk about American energy. If we confuse noise with signal, we will miss where the real race is happening.

The Global Race We Pretend Is Not Happening

While the United States argues about whether EVs are “real,” other countries are treating them as a strategic industry.

China is building and exporting EVs at scale. Parts of Europe are moving faster on both vehicles and infrastructure. In several markets, EVs make up a huge share of new car sales.

Marcy was blunt. The global EV market is strong. We are the ones at risk of falling behind.

That matters for national security.

If we do not build the vehicles, the batteries, and the chargers here, we will import them. If we do not train the workforce here, our competitors will. This is not a culture war issue. It is an industrial one.

Veterans understand what it means when critical systems are controlled somewhere else.

A Veteran Filter For All The Noise

Marcy spent her Army career in military intelligence. Her job was to turn information into decisions.

She uses the same filter in clean energy.

Is this actionable.

Arguing about 2050 targets does not help if families cannot afford their bills today or drivers cannot charge in a snowstorm on the side of the highway.

So her focus is on what people can feel now:

* Clean air and water.

* Reliable power and transportation.

* Good jobs that cannot be offshored easily.

* Domestic energy that makes us safer.

That is not ignoring climate. It is how you get people to move.

Veterans are good at this. We are trained to sort signal from noise and act on what matters.

Where Veterans Fit In

The EV ecosystem, and clean energy more broadly, needs exactly that mindset.

Marcy sees veterans thrive in roles where things are complex and changing:

* Operations and logistics.

* Field deployment and maintenance.

* Project management and coordination.

Plans will shift. Policies will change. Technology will evolve. Veterans have already lived and worked through that kind of volatility.

Once a team hires one or two veterans and sees how they perform, managers start asking for more.

That is one of the big reasons Project Vanguard exists. Veterans are already a larger share of the clean energy workforce than the general population. They are also some of the most trusted messengers in the country.

If we care about energy security and American competitiveness, we need more of them building the next phase of this system.

Final Thoughts

A lot of people have the EV story backwards.

The problem is not that EVs failed. The problem is that they worked. Now our infrastructure is racing to catch up, and our competitors abroad are moving faster than we are.

Marcy’s path runs from small town America, to Kuwait’s oil-scarred landscapes, to the front lines of fast charging in the United States. Along the way she picked up a filter that veterans know well.

Be honest about the problem. Focus on what is actionable. Build the solution.

If this shifted how you think about EVs, share it with someone who has only seen the headlines. And if you want more veteran-led clarity on American energy, subscribe and stay with us. There is a lot of noise out there. We are here to cut through it.

Picture a 193 megawatt solar site with roughly 1,200 sheep on patrol. Each one needs three to seven gallons of water a day. If you treat that as free grazing, it fails. Treat it as a service with checklists, water logistics, and predator defense, it works.

My guest is Brad Quigley, an Army veteran who served nearly 26 years. He went from missile defense and aviation to ranch foreman in West Texas, and now runs Solar Ranch Experts, using sheep to manage vegetation on solar farms. We talk about the craft of agrivoltaics, the role veterans play in operations and project management, and how local community partners turn a site into an asset.

Agrivoltaics is vegetation management. When developers bring grazers in early, they save money, reduce headaches, and build community trust.

What Agrivoltaics Really Is

Agrivoltaics is not a side hustle under the panels. It is a contracted vegetation management service with standards, timelines, and site safety.

“It’s not free grazing. It’s a vegetation management service, and there’s a lot to it.” - Brad

Brad’s team uses sheep because they can reach under arrays, avoid damaging racking, and recycle nutrients right back into the soil. But the success or failure of a program comes down to ops discipline.

The First Site Survey

Before a single animal moves, a survey answers a few non-negotiables.

* Vendor status and site access. It is a power plant. You do not just walk on.

* Water, first. On a 193 MW site, Brad plans for about 1,200 sheep. At three to seven gallons per head per day, water drives the design.

* Predator risk and fencing. Chain link keeps people out, not coyotes.

* Guardian dogs and cameras. Deter, detect, respond.

* Array layout and movement. Can you water and rotate the flock across multiple blocks without hauling from town.

“Where’s the water. That is number one.” - Brad

When city water or a well is available, costs drop and reliability rises. When it is not, the plan may not pencil at all. On some sites, Brad installs new taps, troughs, or predator skirts at the fence line to make the program viable.

Why Veterans Fit This Work

Veterans live in checklists, timelines, and standards. That maps to solar operations.

“Walking onto a solar site is like walking onto a missile defense site.” - Brad

Operations, project management, safety, logistics. The same muscles. Veterans bring the mindset to meet requirements, train teams, and execute. Many utilities figured this out years ago. More developers and asset owners are now catching up.

Developer Playbook: Bring Grazers In Early

Most grazers are called after COD, when the site is already built. Better results come when developers design for agrivoltaics in planning.

* Choose fencing that keeps predators out and guardian dogs in.

* Place water where sheep actually need it, not where a human wishes it was.

* Plan lanes and gates for safe movement across arrays.

“Bring grazers in pre-design. It saves money and wins permits.”

Local partners matter. In San Angelo, the city’s economic development team connects developers to shepherds and helps align community expectations with project needs. The result is a site that works on paper and on the ground.

Community and Land Outcomes

Sheep manage vegetation without herbicides or heavy machinery and they spend money in town. Mineral, welding, fuel, lunches. Over a long contract, soil biology can improve, not degrade.

“We saw at least six new plant species after one rotation. The seed bank responded.” - Brad

That is the difference between extractive and regenerative. The land looks better at the end of the project than at the start.

A Pathway for Veterans

Brad’s company hires veterans and new farmer-ranchers, trains them on operations, then helps them launch.

“Our goal is to bring veterans and new farmer ranchers into agrivoltaics, teach them, then launch them.” - Brad

If you have ag experience, you have a head start. If you do not, you can still learn the work by joining a solar grazing outfit and moving up. Mentors and simple networking habits accelerate the curve.

“LinkedIn works. Meet in person when you can, then keep the conversation going.” - Brad

Agrivoltaics is simple to describe and hard to do well. That is why veterans belong here. It rewards discipline, planning, and teamwork. It respects the land and the community. It turns a siting challenge into a shared win.

Veterans: if operations is your lane, this is a real industry path you can build a family on.Developers and asset owners: bring grazers in pre-design, plan for water and fencing, and work with local partners. You will get stronger projects and a better relationship with the community.

If this resonated, share it with a teammate, drop a comment with your experience, and subscribe to get the next conversation when it drops.

If you only read headlines, you might think clean energy is stuck. Higher rates, tighter capital, and a lot of noise. Then you look at the load curves, data center growth, and the simple reality that America needs more power, faster. The truth is quieter and more durable. We need every electron we can responsibly build.

That is where veterans come in. On this week’s Project Vanguard, I sat down with Navy veteran and Geronimo Power asset manager Will Hossain. We talked about what is really happening on the ground, why quality projects and steady operations win when money gets tight, and how veterans can walk into this industry with confidence instead of confusion. The short version: all-of-the-above energy, veteran-first hiring pipelines, and practical rotations that train people to run real assets.

“Energy’s not going anywhere. Data centers are blowing up. It’s any and all sources. We’re adapting, we’re adopting, and we’re going to be okay.”

Markets reward competence. When funding gets harder, the industry doesn’t stop, it optimizes. The froth fades, the pros remain. Projects that survive are built better and operated tighter.

“As that easy money goes away, it’s going to be the real players that step up. Projects will be more robust and better operating than what we’ve seen in the past.”

The hype cycle around residential solar proved it: quick profits disappear, steady operators stay. In Texas, that shows up as quiet resilience: batteries kicking in, lights staying on, no headlines needed.

Will’s day job is asset management, but his real mission is people. He saw veterans scattered across the company with no real connection, so he started a monthly call. It began small, then grew into a true pipeline.

“We didn’t even know who all our veterans were. We started a monthly veterans call, then asked what’s next.”

His own story explains why that matters. A Navy nuclear operator turned MBA, Will entered asset management without much guidance. Now he’s building a structured 18-month rotation that gives vets a clear runway from training to full-time roles.

“Take a competent individual, put them in for 18 months of training, and pre-slot them for where they’ll land. That’s the efficient play.”

The same logic drives Project Vanguard’s mission: connecting veteran networks across companies so nobody transitions alone. Veterans don’t need special treatment, they need translation. A way to connect their operational mindset to a new mission.

“Your skill sets still translate. You just need to unlock how to sell them and make them make sense in a different world.”

Veterans are trainable, accountable, and calm under pressure. Which is exactly what America’s growing energy sector needs.

Markets will cycle. Headlines will swing. The mission stays steady. Build more reliable power, faster, with people who know how to operate under pressure and learn on the job. That is why we are building Project Vanguard as a home base for veterans who want to serve again in energy. Connect with each other. Translate your skills. Step into rotations that lead somewhere real. Then go run the assets that keep families safe and the economy moving.

If this resonated, share it with a veteran who is looking for their next tour, or with a hiring manager who needs a steady hand on the controls. Drop a comment with what you want to know next, and subscribe to keep the veteran-led conversation going.

Timestamps:

* 00:00 – Intro, mission, guest setup

* 02:36 – The optimization era

* 05:48 – Batteries and quiet resilience

* 06:32 – Asset management and ERG build

* 09:38 – From Navy to assets

* 10:57 – 18-month vet rotation plan

* 14:22 – Pre-slotting for small teams

* 19:43 – Networking that actually works

* 24:02 – Purpose and skill translation

* 26:14 – Closing and next steps

The grid is no longer a background utility. It’s the front line.

Explosive load growth from AI, data centers, and new manufacturing is colliding with a system built for a different era. At the same time, cyber and physical risks are converging in ways that stress every assumption we’ve made about reliability and resilience.

In this conversation, Army veteran and energy security leader Jonathon Monken lays out what’s changing, why it matters, and where veterans can lead next.

The stakes just changed

Jonathon’s short version of 2025: growth everywhere, all at once. The old luxury of flat load is gone. Utilities that spent decades saying “yes” are now telling large customers “we can’t serve that load on your timeline.” That is new, and it reshapes decisions across the economy.

“We don’t have the luxury of flat load growth… there’s so much coming onto the system through data centers and manufacturing… utilities [are] saying, ‘I don’t think we can support that.’”

The takeaway is simple and sobering. Capacity, interconnections, and time-to-serve are now gating functions on growth.

What this means for readers: reliability isn’t a side topic. It’s the cornerstone of American competitiveness.

The grid is a battlefield, and resilience is the doctrine

Monken’s career runs from combat arms to state emergency management to PJM to advising on grid resilience and national security. His lens is operational: design for the fight you’re actually in, not the one you wish you had.

He argues the technology portfolio we need largely exists. The pinch points are economics, market rules, and policy coordination. Batteries are already quietly stabilizing markets. Solar-plus-storage at the home and facility level is rising because people want control. But the grid must not become a story of haves and have-nots. Good design and market incentives need to scale resilience for everyone, not just those who can go off on their own.

“Right now, generally speaking, it’s not a technology problem… This is an economics issue, and a policy issue.”

Bottom-up beats culture-war

Clean energy got trapped for years in a single-issue frame. That’s not where communities live. Veterans know the real conversation is reliability, jobs, and local impact. They also carry credibility across partisan lines.

Kevin and Jonathon both call out the gap between online debates and on-the-ground work. The fix is more local participation, not louder national shouting. When veterans host gatherings at industry conferences or in project counties, people show up, talk plainly, and leave with clarity instead of slogans.

“What resonates with people in your community? What means something to the people you live near?”

Why it matters: the fastest way to durable support is to connect projects to people, training, and paychecks where they live.

The lever we have to pull now: siting and permitting

If Jonathon had a single magic-wand reform for the next 12 months, it’s siting and permitting, especially for transmission. We cannot meet modern reliability requirements with yesterday’s processes. Transmission is the backbone that lets a diverse portfolio deliver when and where it’s needed.

“We cannot use historical practice as the model for the challenges we’re walking into… there needs to be a clear understanding of how transmission supports this at scale.”

Translation: no amount of optimism can move electrons without pathways. Build the backbone, speed the queues, keep standards high, and cut the dead time.

Veterans: you are more qualified than you think

Monken’s advice to vets is refreshingly direct: don’t disqualify yourself. Energy is broader than “engineer at a utility.” Operations, security, logistics, project execution, emergency management, community engagement, data, and risk are all core to this transition.

“Give yourself a little credit… your experience and skills are applicable. It’s not ‘do I fit,’ it’s ‘which part of the mission needs me most?’”

Kevin’s framing matches: we’ll give you the battlefield map, you pick your lane, and we help you advance. That’s why Project Vanguard is launching fellowships, chapter leads, and peer networks. It’s not charity. It’s a talent pipeline for national strength.

Bold truth: veterans remain among the most trusted voices in America. Use that trust to serve again, this time on the energy front.

Mission Forward

If we do the simple things quickly and the hard things steadily, we will keep America’s lights on and its edge sharp. Build the backbone. Clear the queues. Scale storage. Bring communities in early. Put veterans out front where calm credibility wins the room.

Energy security is national security.All of the above is a strategy, not a slogan.Veterans are built for this fight.

If this resonated, share it with one person who needs to hear it. Drop a comment with your biggest takeaway or question. And if you’re a veteran ready to step into energy, subscribe and raise your hand. We’ll get you oriented and moving.

Timestamps:

* 00:00 – Cold open, energy security

* 02:48 – Monken’s path and mission

* 06:49 – Translating service to energy

* 12:45 – Legacy stories, PV community

* 18:27 – Enlistment, deployment calculus

* 21:39 – Generational shifts in the force

* 26:44 – Building a veteran pipeline

* 28:15 – Coalitions, all-of-the-above policy

* 34:31 – Community siting, local realities

* 36:20 – End of flat load

* 40:00 – Storage performance, self-supply trend

* 41:53 – Siting, permitting, transmission

* 44:28 – Breaking in, skills, mentorship

* 50:32 – Closing thanks, next steps

This week on Project Vanguard Podcast, I sit down with Jason Fabre, a Houston utility leader who built a Special Response Team that treats hurricanes, heat waves, and winter storms like missions.

The conversation is straight talk about reliability, not politics. If you have worn a uniform, the cadence will feel familiar.

Field lessons from Winter Storm Uri

We get an inside track on what actually failed and what changed since.

* The crisis started on the generation side, not distribution.

* ERCOT ordered load shed to prevent a black start, which forced utilities to de-energize large blocks.

* The shed was so big that rotation broke down in places.

* Post-Uri fixes are practical: intelligent switching, automation, and better protection of critical circuits so hospitals and public safety stay up and rotations are fairer when the worst hits.

Why this matters: Energy security is national security. This is incident command, logistics, and communication under pressure.

Inside Jason’s Special Response Team

So what does the team actually do?

* Day-to-day crews keep the system healthy.

* The SRT plans for the abnormal: hurricanes, derechos, urban marathons, multi-day heat events.

* During events, the SRT owns staging, materials, and execution so the business never has to “change hats.”

Translation: One team keeps tempo. One team takes the hit.

Tech that moves the needle

* Drones for eyes on flooded or inaccessible areas. Faster assessment, safer crews, faster repairs.

* Stronger standards in high-wind corridors, with non-wood alternatives that fail less and recover faster.

* Self-healing distribution with remote switching. Find the fault, isolate it, reroute power, then narrow the outage footprint.

This is reliability work that saves hours when hours matter.

Why veterans fit utilities

* Clear roles and comms, long days, real consequences.

* Safety culture with checklists and after-action learning.

* Field leadership that blends tempo with care for people.

* Service mindset. The customer is a community.

If you thrived as an NCO, crew lead, or section chief, you will thrive here.

Your on-ramp this week (veterans)

* Pick a lane: lineman apprentice, substation tech, SCADA, dispatch, damage assessment, project management, emergency management.

* Translate your MOS: incident command, convoy or logistics coordination, safety, after-action reports. Use STAR stories with numbers and dates.

* Network with intent: find veteran ERGs and Veterans in Energy, message two people for ten minutes on how they got hired.

* Prepare to talk resilience: triage under pressure, protect critical load, communicate with the public, support rotation plans.

* Show you learn fast: ask about outage management systems, switching protocols, and storm rosters. Bring a notebook.

Final Thoughts

The internet argues about ideology. The lights do not care.

Veterans know the difference.

If you want work that matters, this is it.

If this helped, forward it to one veteran who would crush in utilities.If you hire, hit reply and tell us where veterans should apply this month.

Most people don’t break into clean energy project development by asking, “Can I work for free?” But that’s exactly what Landon Redmon did.

An Army National Guard veteran and self-proclaimed “intern,” Landon’s story isn’t about having the perfect résumé. It’s about persistence, cold-calling thousands of strangers on LinkedIn, and showing up to veteran happy hours until doors opened.

That grit turned into a career leading 100–200 MW solar and battery projects across Kentucky and Georgia, projects shaping the future of American energy.

From Pre-Med to Water Purification to Solar

Landon didn’t start in energy. He started as a pre-med student, working as a phlebotomist to pay tuition, then joined the Guard as a 92W Water Dog, purifying water and hauling fuel.

A motorcycle accident ended his military career early. Medical school was off the table. But instead of stopping there, he pivoted. A sales role in SCADA systems introduced him to utility-scale solar. From there, he jumped into development, where he’s never looked back.

Lesson for veterans: your first path doesn’t have to be your final one. Persistence and adaptability are the transferable skills.

What Project Development Really Takes

For listeners who don’t live in the weeds, Landon breaks project development down into four pillars:

* Land – finding and securing the site

* Interconnection – space on the grid

* Permitting – local and state approvals

* Offtake – a buyer for the power

It sounds simple. In reality, it’s years of relationship-building, paperwork, and problem-solving across conservative counties where “solar” isn’t always a welcome word.

But here’s the surprise: when Landon talks to landowners, county commissioners, and local businesses in rural Georgia, they’re not hostile. They’re calling him asking, “When can we get this project built?”

Why? Jobs. Taxes. Reliability. The basics that keep communities alive.

Clean Energy Without the Politics

One of the strongest themes in this conversation: renewables don’t have to be partisan.

* In red districts, Republican leaders are asking Landon how they can help move projects forward.

* At the local level, it’s less about ideology and more about whether a new project keeps the lights on, funds schools, and strengthens local budgets.

* For veterans, it’s always about national security = energy security.

As Landon puts it: “I feel like I’m continuing service, without being shot at.”

Veterans as the Quiet Professionals

This episode hits the heart of Project Vanguard’s mission:

* Veterans are 10% of the clean energy workforce, twice the rate of the general industry.

* Communities trust veterans more than almost any other group.

* Veterans know how to lead in tough environments and earn trust one conversation at a time.

That’s why we believe doubling the number of veterans in energy isn’t just good for the industry, it’s essential for American energy dominance.

Landon is proof. From cold calls to co-chairing his company’s veteran group, he’s showing how service continues in the civilian world.

Final Thoughts

Talking with Landon reminded me of something simple: we don’t need more politics, we need more veterans in this fight.

Whether it’s hog hunts with landowners in Georgia or teaching your coworkers what an MRE tastes like, veterans know how to connect across divides. That’s what makes them the quiet professionals of the energy transition.

If this story sparks something for you, share it with another veteran or someone who still thinks energy is a left vs. right debate. The truth is simple: energy security is national security. And we need every tool, and every veteran, to build it.

Timestamps:

* 00:05 – Introduction and Mission

* 02:05 – How Kevin and Landon Met

* 03:25 – Breaking In Through Persistence

* 05:58 – Landing the First Project Development Role

* 08:52 – Why Landon Joined the Guard

* 13:50 – Transition into Energy Sales

* 15:11 – What Project Development Really Involves

* 16:46 – Local Support for Solar in Georgia

* 20:27 – Veterans, Firearms, and Local Trust

* 23:06 – Leading Projects in Red States

* 26:29 – Fighting Misinformation and Educating Communities

* 28:06 – Advice for Veterans Entering Energy

* 29:43 – The Vanguard Slack Network

* 30:44 – Final Thoughts and Why Veterans Are Needed

* 31:44 – Veteran Resource Group and MRE Stories

Resources:

People & Networks

* Landon Redmon – Army National Guard veteran and Project Developer LinkedIn

* Rob Anders – Colonel, clean energy leader, and guest on a past Project Vanguard episode LinkedIn

* Evan Weaver – Veteran working at NextEra Energy LinkedIn

Organizations & Companies

* EDP Renewables (EDPR) – Landon’s employer, global leader in renewable energy Website

* Veterans Synergy Group – Veteran employee resource group co-chaired by Landon and Rob Anders (internal EDPR ERG)

* NextEra Energy – Renewable energy and utility company Website

* Atlantic Council Fellowship – Energy and security policy fellowship program Website

Industry Events & Conferences

* RE+ (Renewable Energy Plus) – The largest clean energy event in North America Website

Military & Service References

* 92W Water Treatment Specialist (“Water Dog”) – U.S. Army MOS for water purification Army MOS Info

* MREs (Meals Ready-to-Eat) – U.S. military field rations Amazon

* “In the Army Now” (1994) – Pauly Shore movie jokingly referenced for the Water Dog MOS IMDb

Transcript:

Kevin Doffing (00:05.592)

Welcome to Project Vanguard podcast, home of the community of veterans in energy, where we explore the journeys of veterans leading in energy. We're building American energy dominance through an all the above approach where energy security is national security. And our mission is to double the amount of veterans working in the energy industry. I'm your host, Kevin Doffing. Today's guest is Landon Redmon, an Army National Guard veteran turned project developer in utility scale solar and battery storage.

Kevin Doffing (00:35.116)

Lennon's path into energy wasn't straightforward though. He started out studying pre-med in college, found himself purifying water in the guard, and after a motorcycle accident, up into his military career, he stumbled into renewables through making cold calls, being persistent, and having a willingness to start at bottom. Now,

Kevin Doffing (00:55.106)

He's leading project development on utility scale projects across Kentucky and Georgia, navigating land deals, community relationships, and state permitting in some of the most conservative parts of our country. And along the way, he's learned something important. Clean energy doesn't have to be a partisan issue. At the local level, it's all about keeping things practical, not political. He knows what matters most, jobs, taxes, keeping lights on.

Kevin Doffing (01:24.108)

In this episode, we talk about how veterans can break into project development, why national security and energy security are inseparable, and what it takes to earn trust in rural communities. We also dive into how Project Vanguard's veteran network is opening doors, turning cold calls into warm leads, and why the next wave of clean energy will need more veterans like Landon to make it happen.

Kevin Doffing (01:48.598)

If you want a candid look at where clean energy meets real America and why veterans are the quiet professionals leading the charge, this conversation is for you. Let's get into it.

Kevin Doffing (02:05.098)

Landon, thanks so much for making the time to be here today, man. I'm real excited to have you on here, especially because you just have this great story. It's a lot more reason than mine on getting into this industry and the way you went about doing it, but also just the great work you're doing. So thanks for making the time.

Landon Redmon (02:19.746)

Yeah, I'm proud to be here. Thanks, Kevin.

Kevin Doffing (02:21.624)

So

Kevin Doffing (02:22.135)

before we get into it, I want to go back to how you and I met. Can you tell that story?

Landon Redmon (02:26.99)

Yeah. So I was in a business development role for SCADA. So supervisory control and data acquisition. It's what collects data and controls these projects remotely on the utility scale. And was a huge fan of sales, wanted to get into the project development world. Was calling anybody and everybody I could on project development connected with probably 2000 people I did not know on LinkedIn. Just to

Landon Redmon (02:56.462)

try and tell people about project development came across Evan Weaver, a veteran over at NextEra. Saw that he was going to be at RE plus. This was, what is that, like 2023 ish. So that was the big, one of the big Vegas ones. I was like, Hey man, can we chat about project development? I want to get into the space, see what's going on. He's like, yeah, sure. Just come by. going to be at this little vet's happy hour. was like, sweet. I'll pull up.

Landon Redmon (03:25.696)

He was like, Hey, I just got accepted and I'm about to start this fellowship with the Atlantic council. I was like, that's really cool. Can I apply to it? And he's like, I don't know, check it out. And I checked it out. Deadline passed. Saw that you were front running that and said, Hey, Kevin, missed the deadline. I can't still apply. Can I? The answer was no. right.

Kevin Doffing (03:48.718)

Get out of here, private.

Landon Redmon (03:50.998)

Yeah. So then it was, all right, can I help you run it? You need assistance? Do you need an intern? And that's how I got into project development. Kind of.

Kevin Doffing (04:01.134)

Okay, so you're skipping a lot of things that happened after that, but you're also skipping the part that like who reaches out and says, I can't apply for a thing. Can I work there for free? Like, I feel like you're good in sales. Also, you're the only person that we've had that's made inroads and we've cold calls, taps programs nationwide. And you're like, what, it's just like calling a cold call list. And I'm like, yeah, people aren't usually good at that, man.

Landon Redmon (04:11.009)

Yeah.

Landon Redmon (04:27.042)

Yeah. And the business development role, was all calling senior directors and C-suites. So there was a lot of, you can't really care about who you're calling. They're way above your pay grade. So it doesn't really matter. And I would say where that comes from with me is way back when, all right, we're talking like early 2000s. was little land in. Whenever me and my brothers were home, we wanted to order pizza. Mom was like, all right, cool. You're ordering it.

Landon Redmon (04:57.058)

This is what you can order. These are your parameters. This is your budget, but you're calling them and you're telling them what you want. So is like five years old, maybe. Ordering pizza from Domino's, giving the guy the tip at the door, taking the boxes of pizza, definitely breaking any sort of social anxiety barriers at a very young age.

Kevin Doffing (05:19.276)

Nice. So whenever we go get donuts at the drive-through line is long, I just have my daughter go in with the credit card. I watch them. Don't call the cops on me. But it's nice when a five or a seven year old is like going in and transacting with an adult.

Landon Redmon (05:34.124)

Exactly. It's just starting social interactions at like an early age and being comfortable with it.

Kevin Doffing (05:40.494)

was a lot of self-confidence. Okay, so that's how you weren't afraid to ask for something that most people, nobody else asked, hey, can I be the intern as the moniker stuck through the program, in the intern. But then how did that help you get a job in this space?

Landon Redmon (05:58.424)

That was just sort of networking a nice little piece on the resume definitely helped me get a more well-rounded perspective of the space. And then I think connections definitely played a part in knowing like who was hiring and where. And I was just kind of shotgun blast applying to Project Ev everywhere. And EDP was one of the applications. You knew Rob Anders who's just on the podcast.

Landon Redmon (06:28.046)

great podcast, the guy is an icon of a man. And you're like, Hey, know Rob, I can say that you apply to the project dev position and we'll see what happens. And then I ended up getting it, which was great.

Kevin Doffing (06:43.352)

think I told Rob, if you don't hire him, I will. And Rob was like, Kevin, we've got a process for this. Like, calm down. It was very like, we do things by the book around here, Kevin. I appreciate your feedback, but what will happen will happen.

Landon Redmon (06:58.318)

Yeah, Rob's very serious. His process for hiring though, is like no other. The interview process, got to the interview, no context beforehand. Panel of eight people is like the entire team and then like four people from adjacent teams and then me.

Kevin Doffing (07:20.152)

So it's like an E5 panel. You're just going in there, gonna be grilled.

Landon Redmon (07:23.384)

Yeah,

Landon Redmon (07:23.635)

but it wasn't too bad. I just kinda showed up and was like, cool, alright, more people to talk to. How are y'all doing?

Kevin Doffing (07:30.255)

my god, I forget, did you ever go through an E5 panel? Or did you get out a Z4? Yes.

Landon Redmon (07:34.83)

Yeah, I got out as E5. So we went through an E5 panel and then there was some like Soldier of the Year competition that I had gone through as well. That was a panel of all these like colonels and whatnot. I was like, goodness. Yeah, kind of the same vibe. A little bit more serious in the military.

Kevin Doffing (07:53.28)

Now I, I just remember prepping our guys when we were in Iraq for their E six board, like I wasn't doing it. Obviously like I'm an idiot. I don't know anything. I was a lieutenant, but like just hearing my guys talk about like the strategies of like, just remember you're never wrong and just work through anything and never admit defeat. And I was just like, you're not saying lying. No, it's not lying. It's about confidence. And that's the greatest respect I've ever had for the NCO core is just the fact that like,

Kevin Doffing (08:23.316)

It's a hundred percent about always like instill confidence in everyone around you leadership lead by example, but never admit defeat. Just go in there and crush it. Like I just love and I love the horror stories of guys getting ground up inside of a panel. Like, like guys will tell me like I got lectured on how much wires and like, you know, those old field phones that we would use in the field from like the eighties.

Landon Redmon (08:36.054)

I've liked it.

Kevin Doffing (08:52.076)

And I got to know from the TM what it was and who would know that? But I got grilled on not knowing it. man. Well, so that brings me to, know, something I always like to talk about, get yourself, how did you get into the military in the first place?

Landon Redmon (09:10.2)

So that was sophomore year of college, you know, made it through freshman year. I had that big old tuition bill from freshman year. I was thinking, that's a lot of money. How do I pay for that? Got a part-time job as a phlebotomist and going through college, was a biology pre-medicine major.

Kevin Doffing (09:31.403)

Tell everybody what a full bottom is says if they don't already know because these people are also dear to my heart.

Landon Redmon (09:35.948)

Yeah. So you draw blood. That's what you do is throw needles in arms and you draw blood.

Kevin Doffing (09:40.662)

And if you work at a plasma center and college station back in around 2000, I really appreciate you funding my lifestyle.

Landon Redmon (09:48.814)

Yeah, that was 90 % of who I was drawing blood from was, you need an extra little 40 bucks for the weekend and then you're good to go.

Kevin Doffing (09:59.938)

Yeah, and if you go twice that week, you get a net $2 adder. And if you can make it four times in the month, that's another $2 and you just keep stacking it on.

Landon Redmon (10:07.138)

Yeah, it's a good little college kid sidekick.

Kevin Doffing (10:10.606)

Kevin Doffing (10:11.128)

I love that. All right, so we go from full bottomist to paying our job to what does the military have for me?

Landon Redmon (10:17.494)

Yeah. So I was actually sitting in the cafeteria doing homework in college, sophomore year. And I saw this email. It was like, pay your tuition. I was like, that's a scam. Clicked on it anyway. All right. Okay. Boomer. And it was the national guard recruiter. And it was like, Hey, join the national guard, pay for your tuition. Get a little paycheck from your drill weekends. It's like, sounds kind of cool. Sure. When spoke with the recruiter.

Landon Redmon (10:46.83)

There were all these cool jobs, whatever, whatever. I chose 92 Whiskey water purification because the drill unit was like five, 10 minutes from the campus. So I was a little water. You know, I haven't, I hear that every single time, but I have not seen it.

Kevin Doffing (10:58.498)

Have you seen that Pauly Shore movie?

Kevin Doffing (11:06.318)

Good one. I can't remember what it was called now, but that was ZMOS.

Landon Redmon (11:10.734)

Yeah, yes, it's a infamous movie. hear it every time I say water dog. It's on the to-do list. A years late, but it's on the to-do list. I found it.

Kevin Doffing (11:17.006)

I had to check it out.

Kevin Doffing (11:20.366)

Flair

Kevin Doffing (11:20.626)

is from when was 12. I assume it's held up.

Landon Redmon (11:23.15)

Yeah. Well, as a water dog, you purify water. And AIT, you learn all sorts of how to turn ocean water, brackish water, whatnot water into potable water. So drinkable water. I think it's your unit. You've got water fountains, you've got water bottles. You're not doing too much of that. I did have a buddy out of AIT go to Hawaii and he was properly purifying water with like a TWIP system. It's like an actual water purification system.

Landon Redmon (11:52.366)

Which was really cool. But when I got to my unit, not purifying water, totally fine. No reason to purify water in Norman. But it did basically turn into a truck driver and a fueler. So you got to move the water with hippos, just big old storage tanks of water. And then we are attached to the fuelers. So you just kind of help them out whenever they need help. And then that was about it.

Kevin Doffing (12:16.376)

So you go through and what's the moment you decide I'm gonna get out?

Landon Redmon (12:21.646)

So it wasn't

Landon Redmon (12:22.486)

my decision. I was medically discharged. That was somebody else's decision after a motorcycle incident, which was unfortunate. And then diverted my career from medicine and the military. Cause the plan was to be in the guard as enlisted, commission into the med school scholarship program and then be a provider as an officer and go active duty.

Landon Redmon (12:51.414)

With being medically discharged, that was no longer an option. And the quarter million dollar bill of medical school seemed a lot less appealing when somebody else wasn't paying for it. for sure. So then I'm sitting there with a bio premed degree thinking, how do I make money if I don't want to go to medical school? And it's like, all right, well, I can work in these medical type jobs. It's like a medical assistant, surgery tech, stuff kind of like that. And.

Landon Redmon (13:21.31)

wasn't great money. The next logical step was, well, do I want to teach, go back and get like a teaching certificate or medical device sales. Going back to school to then teach at school wasn't super appealing. So like, all right, we'll do medical device sales. I heard you can make money on it. Let's go see how that goes. Yeah. Applied for a position that was supposed to be medical device sales and ended up being scada sales for utility scale solar. And I was like, Hey, this isn't.

Landon Redmon (13:50.87)

Exactly what I signed up for, but like, whatever, we'll make it work. This seems kind of cool. See where it goes. And that is, yeah, where I learned I'm not a huge fan of sales and I wanted to help create the projects instead of sell to the projects. So that is the long story of how I quote unquote chose to get out of the military and then what happened after.

Kevin Doffing (14:11.886)

So

Kevin Doffing (14:12.537)

how have you liked project development versus the sales skater stuff?

Landon Redmon (14:18.734)

10 out of 10, never looked back on sales, SCADA, healthcare, the military, anything. I'm super glad that I'm in project development.

Kevin Doffing (14:27.394)

I

Kevin Doffing (14:27.504)

when talk to Rob, he's always telling me like, you're doing good and they just keep throwing more stuff at you. And it sounds like you're busy, busy good, not busy like falling behind. like, I hear good things from people that have no reason to lie to me. So.

Landon Redmon (14:42.638)

That was good. Yeah. It's a lot of fun. So just as a breakdown of Project Dev for listeners not familiar, we've got four main pillars. It's bringing the project from the time of this idea up until construction. And you got to make sure you've got land, interconnection, permitting, and off-take. So land, a physical place to put it. Just land acquisition, land contracts, all that good stuff. Interconnection, making sure you've got a place on the grid. There's space on these transmission lines to put it.

Landon Redmon (15:11.512)

That comes in the form of a generation interconnection agreement and then permits legally being allowed to put the project where you want to put it. Then off take is making sure you've got a buyer normally in a form of a power purchase agreement for the project. Put all those four together. You've got a wonderful medley to create a project, hit construction and get electricity onto the grid. So that is project development and induction.

Kevin Doffing (15:39.818)

Okay. So, you know, kind of give us your report from the field, your field report. You know, what are you seeing out there right now? You mentioned earlier, before we got things started, you're working in Georgia. What's it like on the ground right now considering, you know, the attitude that the administration has been taking to our industry? You know, what's that feel like at the local level?

Landon Redmon (16:02.392)

Yeah,

Landon Redmon (16:02.612)

so one of my projects, our front runner project in Georgia, the local community is calling me all the time and saying, hey, what's the news on the project? They absolutely want the project. Who's they?

Kevin Doffing (16:12.878)

Is this the landowners, is the county commissioners, is it the off takers, is who is it?

Landon Redmon (16:18.318)

We've got landowners, neighbors, county commissioners, the economic development authority, former house speaker for that district, the current state speaker for that district. We've got the, just people I come across on the street, they want the project. They see the economic benefits that can come with this project. I was calling even just like the local utility sales rep guide, just to get some estimates on.

Landon Redmon (16:46.676)

what we would need for our like a control house and our O for a service contract on electricity. He's like, hey, you're working. This is that solar project, right? I was like, yeah, yes, sir. It sure is. What's going on? He's like, I really hope it goes through. We want to see the project in our county. Please build it.

Kevin Doffing (17:04.44)

So

Kevin Doffing (17:04.56)

what's their motivation? Do they just see the economic benefit? Is there a lack of other economic development opportunities for them? Like what's kind of driving their excitement?

Landon Redmon (17:14.126)

So in some counties there is a lack of other industry in the county. This county has an airport. They train people to be pilots at this airport. They don't particularly have a lack of industry. Now it's a smaller county. We're talking about rural Georgia here. It's not Atlanta by any means, but it's still like, it's a nice county and they just see that these projects have very minimal drain.

Landon Redmon (17:41.772)

or draw from these local resources with a significant upside in terms of the additional tax base that they can provide.

Kevin Doffing (17:49.954)

They

Kevin Doffing (17:50.155)

built additional renewable energy projects in the county or?

Landon Redmon (17:53.782)

No, this would be their first one.

Kevin Doffing (17:55.778)

Yeah, we've seen that there's one place we're helping a developer in Indiana and just to the east of them, there's another county that kind of started welcoming renewable energy project development like 15 years ago. wow. And they kind of hang their hat on it because they're the only county in like that area that's not hard up for some of their road work or they have a new ambulance. They have, you know, you know, an auditorium.

Kevin Doffing (18:23.022)

for their high school and just different things that are more available with that economic development. I know that last session, India's state government was like, hey, you can't keep turning things away. And then coming asking us for money for projects. People are trying to give you money. Yeah. Let them give you money.

Landon Redmon (18:40.718)

Yeah. So a lot of our projects are in Illinois and Indiana. I am over in the Southeast. I'm in Kentucky and Georgia, but with our Indiana and our Illinois projects, a lot of those counties say, Hey, the first project's great. You delivered on all your promises, operating the project. Please come back and do another one. Like we've got space for it. It works out on the grid for there to be like the room on the grid. And we just have like a phase two and phase three and they just.

Landon Redmon (19:09.474)

double and triple the benefits of the project.

Kevin Doffing (19:11.544)

point. Yeah, and you have most of those development done at that point too.

Landon Redmon (19:14.402)

Right. Yeah. So a lot of the like local relationships, it's going to be the same developer as long as they're still with the company and you just kind of rent and repeat.

Kevin Doffing (19:21.92)

Awesome.

Kevin Doffing (19:23.292)

So how does like your status as a veteran play into that when you're in those communities? Or does it even come up at all?

Landon Redmon (19:29.07)

So it comes up sometimes, normally directly. I think it can come up sometimes just because of the perspective on topics normally in these rural communities. People talk about firearms a lot and they're like, oh, you seem comfortable around firearms. you like police or military? I'm like, probably service. So it comes up like that. And then in terms of the messaging that we have, it's not required.

Landon Redmon (19:57.99)

But the reason that I work in renewables is absolutely for national security. With my military career being cut short, it played nicely to make good money and then also contribute to energy security, which then bolsters national security. So I feel like I'm just continuing service without being shot at, which is really cool. that is. Yeah. So that's a big piece of whatever I get asked, like why renewables? Cause.

Kevin Doffing (20:20.647)

to not be shot at.

Landon Redmon (20:27.744)

It seems to be like you're the villain in some counties and it's just like miseducation on the industry as a whole. you're like, Hey, this is actually wildly patriotic and there's a great reason for this.

Kevin Doffing (20:38.584)

So go back, you're hanging out with a bunch of local constituents or stakeholders and they're asking, hey, you seem familiar with or comfortable around firearms. Is that because they're open carrying, you're open carrying, or you're just like, hey, let's do a meet and greet at the gun range.

Landon Redmon (20:53.486)

I mean, somewhere in between all of that. So I don't normally open carry because we're taking flights. here in Texas, it's pretty standard just for Texas citizens to open carry. No, you meet these landowners and just people in their homes and they have firearms laying around. They're like, hey, you want to check out my Glock? You want to see my Remington 700, yada yada? And they're like, yeah, sure. Why not? And we're actually going on a hog hunt.

Kevin Doffing (21:00.01)

That's probably for the-

Landon Redmon (21:23.668)

next weekend. So nice. With some locals in the community, we had purchased a hawk hunt at a touchdown club as their local football high school booster club. yeah, so firearms definitely come up in these communities.

Kevin Doffing (21:39.936)

All this makes sense to me. Yeah. I grew up in Texas. I get all this. Yes. You did not grow up in Texas though. You live here now, but...

Landon Redmon (21:47.128)

Yup, born and raised, Dave W.

Kevin Doffing (21:49.772)

No, that doesn't count. That's southern Oklahoma.

Landon Redmon (21:51.446)

Not Houston. I

Landon Redmon (21:53.069)

never stepped foot in Houston until this job. What do you think? It never ceases to amaze me how human it is here. It is insane.

Kevin Doffing (21:55.918)

Think of it now.

Kevin Doffing (22:02.422)

It has been overcast lately, so it's like not too bad. you haven't had, well, you did have last August here,

Landon Redmon (22:09.71)

Yeah. It's, like walking into a hot shower. Yeah. But it's out of the front door.

Kevin Doffing (22:14.67)

It's

Kevin Doffing (22:14.91)

a furnace. It's furnace of your own sweat. Okay, so when you're doing these hog hunts and stuff like that, like, what does that look like? I mean, you get to go hog hunting for work or this is like, yeah, I'll meet you up, you know, whenever we're off clock or, you know, this is just part of stakeholder relations.

Landon Redmon (22:32.206)

It's just kind of part of stakeholder relations sometimes. Now this, this hog hunt will be on a weekend. So it's not like I'm getting paid for it, but I'll already be out there for project activities. So yeah, it's like somewhere in the middle.

Kevin Doffing (22:46.786)

I come from oil and gas, like white wing hunging is part of BD. I mean, if you're going to go get some whitetail, maybe do some elk or, know, the company owned lease by an oil field services company is a must for your business development, you know, spend. Yeah. that's awesome, man. Well, so what's kind of coming up next for you?

Landon Redmon (23:06.638)

Are you about like in his projects, career or? All the above. All the above. So currently it's one of our

Kevin Doffing (23:11.958)

key

Kevin Doffing (23:12.15)

messages all the above.

Landon Redmon (23:14.826)

Yeah, absolutely. I'm currently the lead for all of our Kentucky and Georgia projects. So we've got three projects in both of those states, anywhere between a hundred megawatts and 200 megawatts of solar and battery. So we're really just trying to get those matured to the point where we can start construction. But what that looks like in the short term of one, two years is a lot of permitting, a lot of local and state level permitting. So.

Landon Redmon (23:43.926)

It might seem like daunting paperwork. actually really like it. It's like just enough legal work to play paralegal without even touching the legal space. I, I don't want to be a paralegal. No, thank you. But yeah, I'll play paralegal and permit some projects. So.

Kevin Doffing (24:02.732)

So go back, as you're working in these states, these are places that traditionally someone would think, well, renewable energy is all about the Democrats and these are not democratic states, right? So how are these projects getting built in a place that from the outside looking in would be antagonistic, if not outright hostile to renewable energy project development?

Landon Redmon (24:25.294)

Yeah. So there are definitely some red states. A lot of these reps in those states are red as well. You you get your blues sprinkled in there. All of our projects are in red districts. But that front runner project in Southern Georgia that I'm going hog hunting with next week, yeah, the state rep for that project, red, far right leaning, but sees the economic benefits of this project and has reached out to me.

Landon Redmon (24:54.626)

directly and said, Hey, I want to see that project built. can, how can we get that built? Let me know if we need to work together to get over any hurdles. So they absolutely see that there's the need and the benefit from these projects. Now you don't see that everywhere. Sometimes you get the stereotypical, I'm Republican, I'm against solar wind battery just because, but at its roots, like solar wind and battery

Landon Redmon (25:24.344)

Like our Republican, it's very much a business that's not dependent on much else. It's a energy independence, U.S. born and raised business. it, it shocks me that you see the right not agreeing with that.

Kevin Doffing (25:40.962)

Yeah, it's very conservative in principle. Right? Yeah. So where do you think that disconnect? Where does that land that you end up with, especially at the federal level, you have a lot of people that are anti this, even though it's bringing jobs and economic development into districts or state? What's your take on that?

Landon Redmon (25:59.886)

I think

Landon Redmon (26:00.056)

it's just a change. think it's a change that's something people aren't exactly used to. Change isn't easy in any sense. And it's really just an educational battle. So I didn't want to get into teaching, but a lot of project development is teaching and it's just correcting misinformation. It's just enough teaching. right. So project development is like, it's everything. Project development is all the above really.

Landon Redmon (26:29.858)

Just enough of teaching to satisfy that. And it really is just teaching people about what these projects are disproving or like correcting the misinformation from all these myths about renewables and then showing the benefits, like clearly outline the facts and letting the facts speak for themselves.

Kevin Doffing (26:53.356)

No, man, I think that's right on the head. You you got to shape the battlefield you want to fight in. And I think that clear messaging is really one of the things that the industry has not gotten great at. Even in energy independence or national security, think are really big messages that are harder to land. And you got to make it more bite-sized. Like when I talk about national security, I just talk about beat China, right? That's it. We're trying to beat China. That's our national security talking point.

Kevin Doffing (27:22.7)

because we don't want to fall behind on where the puck is going. the energy sector, the energy industry is going a certain way.

Kevin Doffing (27:34.272)

regardless of what certain legislation is trying to force or EOs, you know, and we need to chase where the puck's going to be, not where it is right now or where it was in the case of trying to finance coal projects. So this is really great that you're doing this work. And I think that what you're bringing to the industry is really great. If there's other veterans that are trying to come in behind you, given, you know, you kind of had to blaze your own path into this industry.

Kevin Doffing (28:01.314)

What advice would you have for them on how to get into project development or the industry at all?

Landon Redmon (28:06.328)

Don't be afraid to reach out to people. It's going to be the same thing in the military of it didn't really matter who you're talking to. As long as you speak with them, with the addressing them properly and then with respect, you can talk to anybody about anything. There's something my drill sergeant told me back in basic. You talk to a two star as a private, you better say yes, sir. No, sir. Yes, ma'am. No, ma'am. But you can talk to them. There's no, there's nothing prohibiting that. Right. So absolutely reach out to anybody.

Landon Redmon (28:34.112)

And everybody, there are people out there who will lend a helping hand, help you make connections, but they're not going to unless you ask them.

Kevin Doffing (28:43.79)

Yeah. Well, I mean, that's, I mean, you've been on the project Vanguard Slack channel, which is a way better iteration of than we did with the veterans advanced energy project. remember you always trying to like drop articles and stimulate conversation, but I don't think we had enough people when there was just like 15 to 20 people. Now that we got 350 people, it's a lot easier to generate conversation. What's your experience been like with that channel?

Landon Redmon (29:08.206)

it's been great. People drop job postings all the time. This morning I saw somebody like, like a site operations manager, somebody, their company's actively hiring and they're trying to fill those roles. see anything and everything in the energy industry in that Slack channel, jobs postings pop up regularly.

Kevin Doffing (29:28.59)

Yeah. No, I mean, that's where I always try to direct people now. So if a landing the intern came and found me tomorrow, I'd be like, well, let's jump you into Slack and like, let's, let's get you in there and you can go meet hundreds of people that are ready to take your phone call right now.

Landon Redmon (29:43.65)

Yeah. So it's, it's like providing warm leads for your jobs instead of cold calling.

Kevin Doffing (29:48.974)

There you are the sales guy. doesn't leave you. I have a theory that whatever your first job is, like after high school or college, you know, whenever you're like paying your own way, it's just baked into your bones. And that's one reason like the military has an outsize influence, but that was like your first job job. Like you just can't get out of that. But if your first job was sales or your first job was whatever, you never get that out of your bones. It's just always there more prominently than anything else you've done.

Landon Redmon (30:19.374)

First job out of high school, it was just for a summer, but it was a proper full-time job for the whole summer. Chick-fil-A. It took so long to break the my pleasure. I was just the Chick-fil-A guy, like freshman year of college. Just like, I'm so sorry. I can't not say my pleasure.

Kevin Doffing (30:38.904)

I'm sure your dates love that.

Landon Redmon (30:40.558)

Landon Redmon (30:41.283)

Super formal is like, okay, sure. It's kind of weird, but whatever.

Kevin Doffing (30:44.266)

Well, you got the smile for it. You're welcome. Well, Landon, any last thoughts for veterans that are considering this industry?

Landon Redmon (30:52.834)

I would absolutely do it. It's got a lot of opportunity, continuing service. It's a mission that needs to be fought and the industry wants veterans.

Kevin Doffing (31:02.326)

Absolutely. And I think we need veterans. So I mean, not just, you know, the scale and quantity of that talent pipeline coming out of the military every year, but also just the quality of the leadership and just getting things done in an emerging industry that's scaling now. So, Hey man, I really appreciate you making the time. It's always great to chat. I love how we started this and you're like, Hey, is this going to be recorded? Yes, we're recording the podcast. Just to close up on that. We did record this.

Landon Redmon (31:31.682)

Yeah.

Kevin Doffing (31:33.11)

Yeah. But thanks for taking the time, man. I know you're busy. I know that they're throwing a lot of things. It's actually over there at EDPR. And we didn't even talk about the veteran employee resource group. Can you give a quick plug for that?

Landon Redmon (31:44.194)

Yeah. So Colonel Rob Anders and myself are the co-chairs for the Veterans Synergy Group is what it's branded here. And we just kind of do stuff for our veterans, try and make sure our veterans benefits are in an organized place for them to see should they need anything. And then another big part is teaching the rest of the company about military culture. So most recently we did a.

Landon Redmon (32:13.578)

MRE lunch and learn and for our non-military listeners here and MRE is a meal ready to eat. It is the food that is used with service members when in scenarios that they don't have access to kitchens or restaurants. delicacy. So you're talking about remote locations. It's like a, it's like a military lunchable, but not as good. Think of like great value kind of canned food, but in brown pouches.

Kevin Doffing (32:42.444)

Yeah, but the peanut butter pouch. like, you can live off.

Landon Redmon (32:45.492)

Yeah, well, all right, don't don't dog on a few but now you put in

Kevin Doffing (32:48.824)

your

Kevin Doffing (32:48.984)

top pocket, you're on the rock march and then every once in you just take a little hit of that. And who hasn't just tried to dip the Folgers packet that they would sometimes slide in there just to kind of stay awake at 30.

Landon Redmon (32:52.258)

Yeah, that'll make your day.

Landon Redmon (33:01.582)

Isn't that what they deemed is like ranger dip? can put it up in a little napkin to make it a little bit better than just raw grounds in your lip.

Kevin Doffing (33:04.718)

Sounds alright.

Kevin Doffing (33:12.898)

That sounds too smart for me.

Landon Redmon (33:15.598)

Man. But yeah, so we did an MRE lunch and learn. It was great. We had a bunch of people come down to one of our big conference rooms. We had a bunch of civilians eat MREs and they're like, Hey, these aren't that bad. And we explained the context of why service members hate them is yeah, they're not that bad, but try eating them breakfast, lunch and dinner three, four weeks straight or months at a time. Anything at that frequency is going to be gross.

Landon Redmon (33:44.438)

You eat your favorite meal, breakfast, lunch, and dinner for a week straight. Tell me if you like it anymore.

Kevin Doffing (33:50.202)

week you've run out of like the Cajun jambalaya you've run out of anything you liked eating and then you're stuck with like yeah god I don't even want to remember like I'm so scarred I can't even think about it but it's like well I do need calories so I guess I'm going to consume this

Landon Redmon (34:06.154)

Yeah, at that point it's very much a, I'm gonna eat this or I'm gonna die of hunger and die of hunger is a terrible way to die in the military.

Kevin Doffing (34:15.982)

But you paused there, you paused and you had to think about it like, dying of hunger, eating this thing. All right.

Landon Redmon (34:23.896)

Well yeah, you definitely, you weigh out the pros and cons. You thought about it. And then you come to the conclusion that you have to eat it.

Kevin Doffing (34:31.049)

Yeah, that sounds about right. Well, man, thanks again for making the time. We could end on the high note of explaining to everyone what an MRE is and going down that memory lane. But, thanks, man. Appreciate it. All right, brother, we'll talk to you soon.

Landon Redmon (34:45.944)

Yeah, my pleasure.

Landon Redmon (34:48.824)

Take care.

Kevin Doffing (34:50.744)

Thanks for tuning in to the Project Vanguard podcast. this episode sparked something for you, share it with someone who's ready to think differently, whether it's about an all-the-above energy approach, how energy security is national security or the veteran workforce in our industry. If you believe what we're building, a quick review goes a long way. You can do that wherever you get your podcasts. Until next time, keep up the fire.

When Marine Corps Osprey pilot Tim Sabean left the cockpit, he didn’t just switch careers. He stepped into one of the most ambitious energy projects in U.S. history, Bechtel’s Thacker Pass lithium mine.

Lithium may not sound as glamorous as flight ops, but this project could redefine America’s energy security. It’s the largest known lithium deposit in the country, powering everything from EV batteries to grid-scale storage — and reducing our dependence on foreign supply chains.

“It’s the best of both worlds,” Tim says of the Osprey, “a plane and a helicopter.” But now, he’s learning an entirely new operating environment: multi‑billion‑dollar mining and metals construction.

Why Lithium? Why Now?

* Strategic resource: Lithium is the backbone of batteries for EVs and energy storage. Controlling domestic supply is critical for U.S. competitiveness and national security.

* Scale of Thacker Pass: This isn’t a pilot project, it’s the largest lithium clay deposit ever recorded globally, located in northern Nevada. This can make America the Saudi Arabia of Lithium

* Private‑public alignment: Backed by Lithium Americas, GM, and DOE financing, this project signals a turning point in domestic mining and supply chain policy.

“If we do this right,” Tim explains, “it could open up a lot of doors for the market.”

The Veteran Blueprint: Breaking into Energy

Tim’s path looks different from many transitioning vets:

* Grad school pivot: He earned a master’s in sustainable energy from Johns Hopkins, balancing coursework with deployments and family life.

* Networking over job boards: Tim leveraged his new Project Vanguard connections and direct outreach to veterans at companies like Bechtel, skipping the resume application black hole online.

* Skill translation: ‘Everyone thinks they’re a project manager in the military. Then you realize managing billion‑dollar budgets is a different animal.’

For veterans considering energy careers: don’t underestimate your soft skills: decision-making under pressure, mission focus, and team building. Those translate even if the technical side is new.

Reality Check: The Civilian Transition

The move from military to corporate life isn’t seamless:

* Speed: “I thought civilians would be slow. It’s been the opposite — everything’s happening fast.”

* Culture Shift: Trading cammies for daily wardrobe decisions. Learning corporate hierarchies that operate on influence, not rank.

* Humility Required: “I applied to jobs thinking I was a shoo‑in. No one knew what an Osprey was. That was humbling — and good for me.”

Energy Transition Without the Politics

One of Tim’s biggest insights? The clean energy fight isn’t about tree‑huggers vs. drillers. It’s about All of the Above: options, resilience, and realism:

“You can’t ignore that oil and gas isn’t going anywhere soon. But we can make energy more available and give people freedom of choice.”

Takeaways for Veterans (and Employers)

* For vets:

* Start networking early and build your network before you get out. You’re part of a huge and influential alumni group.

* Consider grad school if you want to pivot industries.

* Translate your experience honestly: mission focus > flashy titles.

* For employers:

* Veterans may not know megawatts from kilowatts, but they can learn fast.

* Hire for character, train for skill.

* Integrate veterans you already employ into your hiring process to guide candidates.

Why This Matters

The fight for American energy dominance isn’t just about tech or policy, it’s about people. Veterans like Tim bring the grit, precision, and trust this industry needs to scale.

And as Project Vanguard continues to grow, these stories become roadmaps for the next wave of vets asking: What’s my next mission?

“I had seven seconds to decide.”

That’s how Commander Kirk Lippold described the moment a terrorist bomb tore a 40-foot hole in the USS Cole, killing 17 of his sailors and nearly sinking the ship.

As the commanding officer, he didn’t flinch. He got to work. Damage control. Sailor safety. Power restoration. In the chaos, the mission was simple: save the ship. And they did.

Today, Captain Lippold is still on a mission, this time to help the U.S. become energy independent, economically resilient, and globally competitive. He’s not chasing titles. He’s connecting the dots between national security, clean energy, and leadership that actually works.

🎙️ What We Cover in This Episode

* How military decisions under pressure translate into private sector leadership

* Why energy independence is a national security issue

* What Washington is getting wrong about energy policy

* How veterans can lead this next chapter, not as figureheads, but as founders

* Lippold’s work mentoring veterans and supporting bipartisan energy solutions

From Naval Command to National Security Advisor

Captain Lippold didn’t leave leadership behind when he retired. He’s briefed Congress. Served on national security advisory boards. And now, he’s focused on the long game: helping veterans and energy leaders work together to build a secure, all-of-the-above energy future.

“It’s not just about the environment. It’s about national stability. About not being held hostage by foreign powers who control critical fuels or minerals.”

He’s especially passionate about building domestic supply chains, protecting U.S. critical infrastructure, and educating policymakers who’ve never worked a day in energy or worn a uniform.

Veterans as the Vanguard

One of the most powerful moments in this episode came when we discussed why veterans matter so much in this transition.

“Veterans aren’t partisan. They’re mission-driven. And the mission now is American energy independence.”

That’s the ethos we live by at Project Vanguard and Lippold brought it home. We’re not here to perform patriotism. We’re here to build.

Because we’ve seen what failure looks like.

If you want to understand what energy security really means or what true leadership under pressure sounds like, this is the episode.

It’s not polished. It’s real.

And if you’ve ever wondered what a next tour of duty could look like for veterans in America’s energy sector, listen to this.

Because the mission never stopped. It just changed shape.

Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction02:08 – Commanding the USS Cole during a terrorist attack06:14 – The power of training, trust, and preparation10:17 – National security lessons applied to energy infrastructure14:00 – Grid resilience vs. grid reliability17:41 – What civilian energy planners can learn from military culture21:44 – Cybersecurity threats to the grid25:39 – How perception and misinformation shape vulnerability30:22 – Balancing decentralization with national security34:18 – Lessons from Pearl Harbor to PG&E38:47 – The role of leadership during uncertainty42:50 – Designing for the known unknowns47:35 – The human factor in system resilience51:58 – Final thoughts on energy, defense, and public trust

When veterans leave the military, they don’t stop serving, they just find new battlefields. For Rob Anders, that battlefield is the American power grid.

After two deployments as an Army infantry officer, Rob now develops utility-scale clean energy projects and teaches at the U.S. Army War College. He’s lived both sides of the national security equation, and in this episode, he lays out exactly why the energy transition is America’s next critical mission.

From leading platoons to building power plants, Rob shares the lessons, the obstacles, and the advice that every transitioning veteran and energy professional should hear.

The Developer Mindset: Why Veterans Thrive in Clean Energy

After Iraq and Afghanistan, Rob didn’t know exactly what was next, but he knew he still had a mission. He zeroed in on the intersection of energy, national security, and leadership, and realized development was the tip of the spear.

“There’s no degree in project development. You’ve got to piece together skills, lead from the front, and figure it out. That’s why veterans do well here.”

From battlefield logistics to stakeholder management, Rob breaks down how veterans bring decision-making under pressure, adaptive leadership, and an appetite for mission-driven work that makes them ideal for this sector.

Energy Is National Security

Rob’s role at EDP Renewables is more than a job. He sees the work as essential to America’s ability to meet the demands of AI, reshoring, and domestic industry, all while building local economic resilience.

We dig into:

* The once-in-a-generation power demand spike coming from data centers and electrification

* Why renewables aren’t alternative anymore, they’re the mainstream

* How permitting battles at the county level have strategic national security implications

“If we don’t build fast enough, we lose the opportunity and those jobs, dollars, and tech leadership go elsewhere.”

Bridging the Local Divide: From Rural Resistance to Buy-In

One of the most grounded parts of this episode is Rob’s take on why local permitting is so hard and how veterans can help bridge that gap.

He shares:

* Real stories from Indiana and Texas, where out-of-town opposition groups convinced farmers to pass on wind leases

* The missed economic benefits those farmers now regret

* How developers can stay engaged after the ribbon cutting to keep telling the good-news story

“When the benefits finally hit… new fire trucks, upgraded schools… it’s often too late. There’s no one there reminding people how it happened.”

Service Doesn’t End at ETS: Rob’s Advice for Veterans

Rob didn’t walk a straight line into clean energy. He went to grad school at Georgetown, joined DOE, stayed in the Guard and Reserve, and now teaches colonels and future generals how to think strategically.

His parting advice to veterans:

* Give yourself time to reflect, and be honest about what lights you up

* Find a mission field that gives you optionality (he uses a brilliant “roundabout” metaphor here)

* Stay connected to the military through the Guard or Reserve, you might be surprised what doors it opens

* Most importantly: “Know what to ask for.” People want to help you. But you have to know what to ask.

“If you're unsure about your path, find a place that gives you access to many roads, not just one.”

This episode is packed with insight, experience, and battle-tested wisdom. Whether you're a veteran considering your next mission, or a developer wondering what military leadership brings to the table, this one hits home.

Welcome to Project Vanguard, where veterans and mission-driven leaders share what it takes to build America’s energy future. I’m your host, Kevin Doffing.

Today’s guest is Larry Perry, an Army veteran, HR leader, and a quiet powerhouse helping shape the clean energy workforce. After turning down the opportunity to enroll at West Point, enlisting in secret, and spending more time in the field than most infantry units, Larry found his way into corporate America and ultimately, clean energy

Now, he’s the driving force behind a thriving Veteran Employee Resource Group (ERG), a fast-growing community of over 100 veterans, and the inaugural Veterans Summit at one of the country’s largest renewable energy companies. In this episode, we get into everything from grassroots hiring to the legislative fight for energy security and why Project Vanguard is more than just a podcast.

A Surprise Enlistment and a Career Reboot

Larry didn’t take the traditional route into the Army, or out of it. He turned down a potential West Point appointment from a family connection, only to secretly enlist the next year without even telling his girlfriend. After 10 years of service as an electronics specialist on Bradley Fighting Vehicles, a medical retirement rerouted his life.

He used the GI Bill and 9/11 education benefits to finish both his bachelor's and master's degrees, paving his way into corporate leadership. But it wasn’t just about upward mobility, it was about service, community, and finding purpose again.

‘I didn’t tell friends. I didn’t tell anyone. Just my mom. And then it was like, hey, I’m shipping off.’

The Veteran Blueprint

Inside his company, Larry launched a veterans group that’s become a case study in impact: growing from 20 members to 125+, launching a full-scale summit, and helping veteran hires feel seen from day one.

He sends swag to technicians in West Texas. Hosts summits. Coaches hiring managers. And helps civilian teams understand what a military resume really means.

‘Too many times they see it and think: this isn’t a one-for-one. And no, it’s not. But what you do get is someone who will outperform.’

We talk about the small moves that make a big difference in retention and why every company needs a Larry in the room.

From Capitol to County: Making Policy Personal

Larry and I also dive into the state legislative fight around clean energy and how it’s affecting local hiring. Veterans bring a missing voice to the policy table, and Larry saw firsthand how impactful that can be during our recent Veterans Day at the Texas Capitol.

‘These aren’t bots running projects, these are families. So when you pass something that hinders a project, it hits people.’

We talk about how veterans can help bridge the political divide, lead local storytelling efforts, and reframe energy security as national security.

Advice for the Next Generation

Larry closes with some tactical wisdom for any veteran trying to get into the clean energy space:

* Network relentlessly. It really is who you know.

* Leverage Project Vanguard’s Slack. You’ll get a warm intro and support from others who’ve made the leap.

* Don’t sleep on education. Conferences, community events, and even just raising your hand. Those moves matter.

“We can get you the screening call. But getting the job? That’s on you.”

📬 Want to connect with veterans in clean energy?

Join the Project Vanguard Slack community at ProjectVanguard.com