The Jedburgh Podcast

Speed of innovation will be the deciding factor on today’s battlefields. The technology soldiers need to survive and win cannot take years to field. For generations, one of the Army’s greatest challenges has been closing the distance between the soldier who identifies a need and the acquisition system responsible for delivering the solution.

At Fort Bragg, the XVIII Airborne Corps is attacking that problem head on.

Colonel Tom Monaghan, has a mission - build the Joint Innovation Outpost - putting soldiers, acquisition professionals, industry, funding, testing, and Army program offices together to accelerate the development of solutions. 

No red tape. No delays. No endless discussion about contract vehicles. Just lethality, survivability, and mobility.

Colonel Monaghan joins Fran Racioppi to discuss the theory behind the JIOP, Dragon’s Lair, artificial intelligence, and why some of the Army’s best innovations are coming directly from soldiers closest to the problem; including counter-drone and unmanned systems. 

For Monaghan, the leadership philosophy behind that mission is just as important as the technology: provide clarity, listen to the soldier, and solve problems. The JIOP is proving that acquisition does not always have to begin thousands of miles from the operational force. Sometimes the person with the answer is already standing on the drop zone, sitting inside the vehicle, or carrying the equipment that needs to change.

Innovate. Accelerate. Dominate. The Joint Innovation Outpost is building a model designed to ensure that when America's soldiers identify the battlefield need, the Army can move fast enough to solve it.

HIGHLIGHTS:

00:00 Introduction

1:58 Welcome to The Jedburgh Podcast

3:10 Building the Joint Innovation Outpost

5:52 Closing the Gap

8:10 Army Acquisition

12:11 Soldier-Driven Innovation

16:57 Prioritizing Battlefield Innovation

17:01 The Immediate Response Force

18:46 Dragon’s Lair and Accelerating New Ideas

19:22 Why Army Innovation Takes So Long

21:02 The Smartest Generation of Soldiers

23:28 Turning Soldier Ideas Into Battlefield Solutions

26:15 Artificial Intelligence and Human Decision-Making

27:28 Cost, Technology and Scalability

31:14 Innovate, Accelerate, Dominate

32:12 Measuring the JIOP’s Success

33:09 The Future of Army Innovation

34:25 Solving Problems

35:04 Three Things

Quotes

• “We concentrate on anything that improves soldier lethality, survivability, mobility.” 
• “We imagine a world where we close that time gap. We actually get rid of that valley of death.” 
• “The normal process that I just talked about, that should have taken three to five years.” 
• “There’s always a human in the loop.”
• “No piece of software is going to answer every question available.”
• “From an acquisition perspective, we always say cost, schedule, and performance. You never get all three.”
• “Solve problems. Support the soldier. Get them what they need.”
• “There’s nothing I can’t fix in five minutes with a phone call that you mess up. So just go out there and try.”
• “My superpower as a leader is to provide clarity.”

The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by OneBrief; enabling military leaders to make innovative, informed and deliberate decisions faster than ever before. Superhuman command wins wars.

Follow the Jedburgh Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform, read on our website, and watch the full video version on YouTube as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.

The battlefield is changing faster than ever before. Drones can find you. Technology can expose you. America’s adversaries are adapting in weeks instead of years. For U.S. Army Special Forces, rapid evolution while maintaining the people, partnerships, and culture that have made Special Forces effective for generations is the key to success on today’s battlefield.

From the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Museum at Fort Bragg, Fran Racioppi sat down with the command team of 1st Special Forces Command: Brigadier General Joseph Wortham, Command Sergeant Major Lee Strong, and Chief Warrant Officer 5 Jerry Brown. Together, they lead the US Army’s Green Berets, Civil Affairs, Psychological Operations, and the soldiers who enable them. Their mission - prepare, train and equip Army Special Operations Forces to win against an increasingly complex global threat.

We discuss whether the legendary 12-man ODA is still the right formation for the wars of 2030 and 2040, and why the future may not require changing its core, but building new capabilities around it. Robotics and unmanned systems are rapidly becoming part of that evolution, including the development of specialized technical expertise designed to keep pace with technology that can change in a matter of weeks.

But technology alone will never define Special Forces. We examine where Green Berets are supporting large-scale combat operations, how Special Forces can shape the deep fight for conventional commanders, and why Psychological Operations, Civil Affairs, and trusted partner forces become even more important against peer adversaries. The battlefield may look different from the one this generation fought throughout the Global War on Terror, but the requirement remains the same: create options, influence the fight, and give the joint force an advantage before the enemy ever knows we’re there.

The next generation of Army Special Operations will fight with tools its predecessors could never have imagined. But its greatest advantage will remain the same: exceptional people, trusted partners, and a culture built to take on the missions others cannot.

Highlights:

0:00 Introduction

2:23 Welcome to the Jedburgh Podcast

4:05 Importance of Partnerships

8:07 Command Priorities and Readiness

11:41 Evaluating the ODA Structure

20:02 Incorporating Robotics and Unmanned Systems

33:34 Special Forces in LSCO

47:28 Culture of the Regiment

Quotes:

• “We don’t like to do anything by ourselves. We do everything with a partner.”
• “Those partnerships have to be genuine, they have to be authentic.”
• “It starts by being a genuine, authentic, good partner, not transactional.”
• “Humans are more important than hardware.”
• “When you take really good people that are fit, intelligent, of high character, and you assign them a mission, it doesn’t really matter what their MOS is."
• “How much demand can we put on them before they reach the point of saturation?”
• “It’s the smallest package we can get all of the warfighting functions in.”
• “It cannot be an additional task or an additional hat for someone on the ODA to wear.”
• “Here’s my rifle, here’s my NODs, here’s my radio, and oh, and here’s my drone.”
• “We’re small, we’re light, we’re fast, we’re agile, but we’re lethal.”
• "What we don’t bring in mass, we bring in mass through partnerships.”
• “Although we cannot prepare holistically for what’s next, we can get a head start this."
• “In my opinion, our culture is the best it’s ever been.”

The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by OneBrief; enabling military leaders to make innovative, informed and deliberate decisions faster than ever before. Superhuman command wins wars.

Follow the Jedburgh Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform, read on our website, and watch the full video version on YouTube as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.

Before ground forces can advance, the battlefield has to be shaped. Air defenses have to come down. Enemy weapons have to be destroyed. And the adversaries' will to combat America has to be lessened. This is the job of field artillery; a branch of the US Army where speed, distance, precision, and results determine who controls the battlefield before ground forces ever make contact.

From Fort Bragg, NC, the 18th Field Artillery Brigade leads the Army’s rapidly deployable artillery units. As the largest HIMARS brigade, its soldiers must be prepared to deploy anywhere in the world within 10 days of notification and deliver long-range precision fires in support of the XVIII Airborne Corps, its divisions, and Special Operations Forces.

Fran Racioppi sat down with the command team of Colonel Andy Hercik and Command Sergeant Major George Cabrera, to talk about what it takes to maintain readiness as the battlefield rapidly changes. After two decades of counterinsurgency, field artillery is now leading in large-scale combat operations where kilometers matter, ammunition and logistics can determine operational reach, and the ability to shoot, move, communicate, and survive has become unforgiving.

Drones have made the battlefield increasingly transparent. A cell phone can expose a position. A lingering electromagnetic signature can make a HIMARS crew a target. The answer isn't abandoning the fundamentals. It's executing them better, while using lessons from today's conflicts to change how soldiers train and how the Army develops the capabilities required for tomorrow.

We also discuss what true integration between conventional forces and Special Operations looks like, why the targeting process has to bring every capability together from the beginning, and the responsibility of NCOs and officers to build a formation that doesn't simply comply with standards, but understands why those standards keep soldiers alive and make them lethal.

When the call comes, there won't be time to prepare. 18th Field Artillery Brigade has to be ready.

Highlights

• 00:00 Introduction
• 01:12 Mission of the 18th Field Artillery Brigade
• 04:16 NCO Leadership and Force Readiness
• 05:38 Subordinate Units and Capabilities
• 09:55 Refocusing on Core Field Artillery Basics
• 13:49 Passing Down Lessons Learned
• 14:40 Interoperability and Special Operations Forces Integration
• 22:31 What Separates the 18th FA Brigade
• 24:58 Joint Force Integration
• 26:15 Modernization, Innovation, and Ammunition Investment
• 30:15 Drone Warfare and Signature Management
• 36:02 Culture of Commitment and the Warrior Mindset
• 41:15 Driving Decision-Making and Warfighting Readiness

Quotes

• “We have to be ready to deploy, fight, and win within 10 days of notification.”
• “We are the Army’s largest HIMARS brigade with 54 HIMARS launchers.”
• “We’re going to first look to strip away adversary air defense and then kill what’s killing us.”
• “It’s much more effective to destroy a launcher than to try to intercept an incoming missile.”
• “Divisions are maneuvering in order to fire.”
• “We now have to be prepared to operate in a completely transparent battlefield.”
• “What we’re trying to do is avoid being at this point on the Earth where the enemy missile hits when it hits.”
• “Shoot, move, communicate, clean up our electromagnetic spectrum.”
• “Making sure soldiers understand the visibility of their signature.”
• “Be more survivable, which then lets us be more lethal, because we’re able to retain more combat power.”

Follow the Jedburgh Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform, read on our website, and watch the full video version on YouTube as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.

The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by OneBrief; enabling military leaders to make innovative, informed and deliberate decisions faster than ever before. Superhuman command wins wars.

Every Green Beret, Civil Affairs soldier, and Psychological Operations soldier starts somewhere. Before they can operate in the world’s most complex environments, they have to prove they can think, adapt, lead, and perform when the standard is uncompromising. At the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, the mission is simple to say and extraordinarily difficult to execute: build the world’s best special operators, then continue making them better.

In this episode, Fran Racioppi travelled to the center of the universe, Fort Bragg, NC, to sit down with the command team responsible for that mission: Major General Jason Slider, Command Sergeant Major Jeff Bochey, and Chief Warrant Officer 5 Gary Ostrander. Together, they lead the organization responsible for assessing, selecting, training, and educating the next generation of Army Special Operations Forces while ensuring today’s operators remain prepared for tomorrow’s fight.

The battlefield is changing rapidly. After more than two decades dominated by counterterrorism, SWCS is adapting its training for large-scale combat operations and peer adversaries capable of contesting American forces across every domain. That means integrating robotics and autonomous systems, preparing operators for the digital and information fight, and understanding how artificial intelligence can enhance the force without allowing technology to replace mastery of the fundamentals.

But modernization also raises a harder question: how much can we ask one operator to do? As new capabilities emerge, SWCS has to determine what belongs in the baseline skill set, what requires specialized expertise, and how to give operational units new capabilities without adding another burden. From the development of robotics expertise to the evolution of Psychological Operations and information warfare, the institution itself has to adapt as quickly as the battlefield.

We also examine the relationship between SWCS, 1st Special Forces Command, and USASOC, and why lessons from operational formations must move rapidly back into the schoolhouse. Training cannot prepare soldiers for the war we just fought. It has to produce leaders who can arrive at their teams on day one, contribute immediately, and adapt to a fight none of us can completely predict.

Technology will change. The enemy will change. The battlefield will change. The standard cannot. The responsibility of SWCS is to ensure that whoever earns the right to join Army Special Operations has the competence, character, discipline, and adaptability to carry its legacy into whatever fight comes next.

Highlights:

0:00 Welcome to the Jedburgh Podcast

4:25 The Mission of SWCS

9:36 The Army Special Operations Center of Excellence

11:40 Staying Humble & Evolving the Force

16:45 Defining the Standard for Lethality

19:27 Preparing for Large-Scale Combat Operations

24:51 Collaboration Across Army Special Operations

29:21 Robotics & the Future of Warfare

36:12 Psychological Operations & Information Warfare

40:09 Recruiting the Next Generation of Special Operators

51:39 Warrant Officer Recruiting & Retention

52:29 Preparing Special Operators for Their Hardest Day

56:07 Technology Without Losing the Fundamentals

The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by OneBrief; enabling military leaders to make innovative, informed and deliberate decisions faster than ever before. Superhuman command wins wars.

Follow the Jedburgh Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform, read on our website, and watch the full video version on YouTube as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.

How do we define success on the battlefield? While many have labeled America's efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan failures, that narrative ignores some of the most remarkable successes ever achieved by U.S. Army Special Forces.

In this episode, Fran Racioppi sat down with retired Green Beret Colonel Frank Sobchak, professor at the U.S. Naval War College and author of Training for Victory, to discuss the principles behind one of Special Forces' most enduring missions: building partner forces capable of securing their own future. Drawing on decades of operational experience and extensive historical research, Frank explains why success is rarely determined by firepower alone, but by trust, relationships, and leaders willing to invest in others.

We explore why language, cultural understanding, consistency, and strategic empathy are far more than soft skills - they are combat multipliers that determine whether an advisory mission succeeds or fails. Frank breaks down why partnering alongside allied forces in combat remains the gold standard for developing capable militaries, how advisor continuity builds the trust required for honest conversations, and why empowering local leaders from the very beginning creates lasting success long after American forces have departed.

Our conversation also challenges the conventional narrative surrounding Iraq and Afghanistan by highlighting overlooked success stories like the Iraqi Special Operations Forces, an organization built through years of patient advising and partnership. Finally, we examine what Frank calls "Cold War 2.0" and how the changing character of warfare—from drones and artificial intelligence to digital surveillance—only reinforces the enduring importance of the human domain.

Highlights:

0:00 Welcome to the Jedburgh Podcast

3:54 The Importance of Language

9:13 Cultural Astuteness in Special Forces

13:26 Training Partner Forces

21:45 Host Nation Perspective

25:00 Advisor to Partner Ratios

30:38 The Importance of Combat Advising

33:22 Defining Combat Effectiveness

36:52 US Maintaining Global Order

41:41 Writing Training for Victory

Quotes:

“If you don’t speak the language, it really complicates things.”

“There were times when I felt like I’m at a disadvantage because I’m speaking through an interpreter.”

“You have to understand their perspective.”

“It is those personal connections and those relationships that really matter.”

“We fought 10 Iraq wars, one year at a time.”

“These are risks that commanders and leaders have to look for, identify, recognize, and take action.”

“Anytime you’re doing FID or security force assistance and you’re working with partners, it is two steps forward, one step back.”

“The host nation actually really did like when the same people came back because that gave them consistency.”

“I would put it at a company to an ODA.”

“Combat advising still is the gold standard.”

“Our profession is all about risk.”

“The character of war is changing, but the nature of war is immortal.”

“I firmly believe that the world is a far better place with America leading it.”

The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by OneBrief; enabling military leaders to make innovative, informed and deliberate decisions faster than ever before. Superhuman command wins wars.

Follow the Jedburgh Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform, read on our website, and watch the full video version on YouTube as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.

Green Berets are trained to solve problems that don't come with instructions. Green Berets build trust where none exists. Green Berets lead small teams in uncertain environments. Green Berets adapt when the plan falls apart. Those same qualities that make exceptional Special Forces soldiers also make exceptional entrepreneurs. For Green Berets their next mission begins the day they leave the Regiment.

In this episode, Fran Racioppi sat down with Retired U.S. Army Captain and Green Beret Ben Harrow during the 2nd Annual Stars and Stripes Classic to discuss transition from Special Forces to entrepreneurship and why so many members of the Regiment are uniquely equipped to build successful businesses after service.

Drawing from his experiences leading in combat, recovering from catastrophic injuries, and building businesses after military service, Ben explains how the qualities that define a Green Beret - adaptability, resilience, disciplined execution, and solving complex problems with limited resources are the very same traits required to succeed in business. We discuss the realities of building scalable organizations, developing repeatable systems, hiring the right people, and learning when to lead from the front and when to empower others to take ownership.

We also explore the changing landscape of the Special Forces Regiment as a new generation of leaders emerges without the combat experiences of the Global War on Terror. Ben shares why preserving the culture, brotherhood, and lessons learned from previous generations has never been more important, both inside the Regiment and long after service ends.

Finally, we discuss the importance of the Stars and Stripes Classic and why events like this help preserve the team room. The uniforms may come off, but the relationships, shared experiences, and commitment to one another remain. For Green Berets, that brotherhood becomes the foundation for new missions, new businesses, and new opportunities.

QUOTES

• “The leadership had never really experienced combat.”
• “That same sense of brotherhood that we felt playing college lacrosse, the only thing closest to that was being on an ODA.” 
• “Your country has asked you to do some pretty amazing things in your career. Now have you ever thought about running a company?” 
• “Part of the reason you’re selected is to be that adaptive thinker and say to any problem you come up to “I’ll figure it out.”
• “Never lead off with no.”
• “You have to bring people in that are willing to get after it.” 
• “I don’t want to lose to Navy.” 
• “It’s just background noise.”

HIGHLIGHTS

• 0:00 Introduction
• 2:23 Welcome to the Stars & Stripes Classic
• 4:49 The status of the Special Forces Regiment
• 10:04 Special Forces Entrepreneurism
• 20:35 Character Matters

The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by OneBrief; enabling military leaders to make innovative, informed and deliberate decisions faster than ever before. Superhuman command wins wars.

Follow the Jedburgh Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform, read on our website, and watch the full video version on YouTube as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.

The scoreboard may decide the winner, but it doesn’t tell the story of the game. The Stars and Stripes Classic pits America’s Green Berets against Navy SEALs, renewing Special Operations' greatest rivalries. But beyond the game, every operator on the field, and family member in the stands, represents an unwavering commitment to something greater than themselves.

In this episode, Fran Racioppi sat down with the President and CEO of the Green Beret Foundation Charlie Iacono, and Chief Warrant Officer Nick Lavery, to discuss why the Stars and Stripes Classic is much more than just a game. It is an opportunity to strengthen the Special Operations community, honor the legacy of those who served before us, and introduce the next generation to the values that define Special Operations.

Charlie shares how the Green Beret Foundation continues to evolve beyond traditional support programs, placing families at the center of its mission and developing initiatives like Task Force Tatanka to deliver customized solutions for Green Berets, veterans, and their loved ones. Nick reflects on the mindset that carried him from catastrophic injury in Afghanistan back to an Operational Detachment Alpha, redefining resilience not as avoiding adversity, but as the willingness to confront it, adapt, and continue moving forward.

Our conversation explores the unique relationship between Green Berets and Navy SEALs - fierce competitors on the field, trusted teammates in combat. From military leadership and entrepreneurship to preserving the legacy of Special Operations, we discuss why sharing these stories remains critical to strengthening the community and inspiring the next generation.

The Stars and Stripes Classic is a reminder that while competition builds excellence, it is service, family, and the enduring bonds of the Special Operations community that define the legacy of the Green Berets and Navy SEALs long after the final whistle blows. Listen or watch this episode and don’t miss this year's game; August 2nd from the Ohio State Lacrosse Stadium in Columbus Ohio and being broadcast on ESPN. 

HIGHLIGHTS

• 0:00 Introduction
• 2:25 Welcome to the Stars & Stripes Classic
• 4:03 Preparing for the Game
• 5:10 Character on the Field
• 6:35 Green Berets vs Navy SEALs
• 10:05 Green Beret Families
• 14:56 Resiliency Matters
• 21:04 Task Force Tatanka

QUOTES

• “The culmination of teamwork has been fantastic.”
• “No plan survives first contact.”
• “We are more alike than we are different.”
• “We’re like the most stereotypical brotherly relationship that maybe exists.”
• “Families are the bedrock for our foundation.”
• “We’re not telling the story enough.”
• “Adversity is inevitable.”
• “Resiliency is defined as one’s capacity to deal with or bounce back from challenges.”
• “There’s no way this is how this ends.”
• “You have to be unapologetically confident in the decisions you make when you put together a team.”
• “We are continuously evolving that objective.”
• “The biggest challenge with opportunities is they’re continuously evolving.”

The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by OneBrief; enabling military leaders to make innovative, informed and deliberate decisions faster than ever before. Superhuman command wins wars.

Follow the Jedburgh Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform, read on our website, and watch the full video version on YouTube as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.

The title United States Marine is earned…never given. For over 250 years the Marine Corps has been front and center in the defense of America and our allies. But as technology and the battlefield have changed, the character and standard that define a Marine have never wavered.

From the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, VA, Fran Racioppi sat down with Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Carlos A. Ruiz, the 20th senior enlisted leader of the United States Marine Corps, to discuss what it takes to serve in one of the world's most respected fighting forces.

Drawing on decades of service, SMMC Ruiz explains why the Marine Corps' greatest weapon system has never been its aircraft, landing craft or tanks, but the individual Marine. We explore how the Corps develops leaders by instilling discipline, accountability, resilience, and a deep understanding of the history and traditions that connect today's Marines to generations who came before them.

Our conversation also examines how the Marine Corps is preparing for today’s battlefield from large-scale combat operations and force modernization to their role in littoral defense. 

The SMMC also shares his top priorities; improving quality of life for every Marine, investing in the physical and mental readiness of the Corps and preparing Marines for civilian life when the uniform comes off. From strengthening partnerships with industry, to building programs to train Marines in the trades, SMMC Ruiz remains as dedicated to the Marines whose service is ending as those who are getting off the bus. 

America has changed a lot in 250 years, but the unabashed mission of the United States Marine Corps to fight and win our nation’s wars has not.

A special thanks to the National Museum of the Marine Corps for hosting our conversation and reminding every American that for Marines “Uncommon Valor Is A Common Virtue.”

HIGHLIGHTS

• 0:00 Introduction
• 2:18 Welcome to the Jedburgh Podcast
• 2:54 What It Means To Be A US Marine
• 7:04 Marine Corps Standard
• 10:04 Combat Readiness
• 15:41 Shifting from GWOT
• 20:00 Marine Corps Culture
• 26:24 Replacing the ASVAB
• 30:11 Recruiting Marines
• 34:38 Retaining Marines
• 38:02 Transitioning Marines
• 1:00:44 Barracks 2030
• 1:05:53 Daily Habits

QUOTES

• “What makes the Marines great is your brother or sister next to you will pick you up and you’ll keep moving forward.”
• “The promise is that we will make you better.”
• “You’ll get an 80% solution that you can pivot anywhere.”
• “What are we going to put in the Marines’ hands?”
• “They’re not pieces of furniture.”
• “Why not invest in the human in the beginning?”
• “The Marine Corps will decide.”
• “What kind of Marine are you building that is going to be talented and capable enough to arrive at the same moment that the technology is coming?”
• “You can’t sell the Marine Corps. It’s too big.”
• “Reinlisting Marines two years at a time is how we’re gaining retention.”
• “We can help transition Marines better.”
• “We’re good enough to keep what we want. We should be good enough to take care of the other ones as well.”
• “That’s how you grow. Doing hard things.”
• “We’re done trying to defend why the conditions are the way they are.”
• “You can’t have beautiful, fancy, state-of-the-art gear and a crappy place to sleep.”
• “If you can attempt to every day get to know somebody a little better, you can only move your platoon standard to higher levels because people trust you.” 

The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by OneBrief; enabling military leaders to make innovative, informed and deliberate decisions faster than ever before. Superhuman command wins wars.

Follow the Jedburgh Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform, read on our website, and watch the full video version on YouTube as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.

For one day, the rivalry shifts from the battlefield to the lacrosse field. Green Berets. Navy SEALs. America's most elite special operations forces compete with the same intensity, discipline, and commitment to excellence that defines their military careers. But when the final whistle blows, the score becomes secondary to the brotherhood.

Live from the 2nd Annual Stars and Stripes Classic, Fran Racioppi sat down with Army Head Coach Joe Alberici and Navy Head Coach Joe Amplo just hours before the teams took the field. While the rivalry between Army and Navy is one of the greatest traditions in sports, both coaches know the game has always represented something much bigger than winning. Every practice, every workout, and every lesson on the lacrosse field is preparing young men and women to lead under pressure, overcome adversity, and serve their country with honor.

Our conversation examines how service academy athletics develops leaders ready to fight and win our nation’s wars. Coach Alberici and Coach Amplo explain why competition, accountability, and resilience are not just traits of great athletes - they are the same qualities required to lead in combat.

As kickoff approaches, the focus shifts from strategy to mindset. Compete relentlessly. Trust your training. Focus on the next play. Because whether it's on the lacrosse field, on a Special Forces ODA or SEAL platoon, success is built on discipline, accountability, and teammates who refuse to let each other fail.

Army and Navy compete to make each other better because one day these young men and women will stand together in defense of America. 

Highlights:

• 0:00 Introduction
• 2:02 Welcome to the Stars & Stripes Classic
• 2:39 Preparing for the Game
• 5:34 Playing at USMA & USN
• 14:01 Ownership & Accountability
• 17:03 Pregame Message

Quotes:

• “The excitement and desire to be a part of this again from the community was incredible.”
• “My number one job is to keep you from yourself.”
• “I have such a love, respect, and aberration for a young person just to be looking at these academies.”
• “Both of our institutions uncover the best version of the human being that’s inside.”
• “They have to be good humans who contribute to society because even their military service is going to end at some point.”
• “You’re always looking to mentor.”
• “Great leaders hold themselves to the higher standard as consistent as they possibly can.”
• “The best leaders hold each other and others to that standard consistently.” 
• “Each day we tell a young man we’re trying to build you a masterpiece.”
• “Before you hold others accountable, you got to hold yourself accountable.”
• “Go back to the basics.”
• “Let’s just make sure we’re getting onto the next play.”

The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by OneBrief; enabling military leaders to make innovative, informed and deliberate decisions faster than ever before. Superhuman command wins wars.

Follow the Jedburgh Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform, read on our website, and watch the full video version on YouTube as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.

The United States Military Academy at West Point is the foundation of the US Army. Along the cliffs, through the halls, and on the fields America’s best and brightest are trained to lead not just soldiers, but America. But behind the tradition and pageantry, West Point understands that athletics of any level create disciplined warriors prepared to lead in any situation. 

In this episode, Fran Racioppi sat down with Tom Theodorakis, Director of Athletics at West Point, to discuss how one of the most respected athletic programs in the country directly supports the mission of the United States Military Academy and helps develop the next generation of Army leaders.

With more than 30 Division I programs and over 1,200 cadet-athletes, Tom explains what makes Army West Point different from every other program in college athletics. Cadet-athletes are not just balancing Division 1 sports and rigorous academics; they are simultaneously preparing to become officers in the United States Army where they will lead soldiers and shape national security strategy for decades to come.

We discuss the demanding reality of being a cadet-athlete, the recruiting process, and what it takes to attract elite competitors to an institution built around service before self.

Tom also addresses the realities behind funding Army athletics, correcting the misconception that the program is fully government funded, and explaining how external support and partnerships help sustain the mission of Army West Point Athletics.

Finally, we discuss the opportunities available to cadet-athletes after graduation, including pathways to world-class and professional athletics, and most importantly serving as officers in the United States Army.

Highlights

• 0:00 Introduction
• 2:09 Welcome to the Jedburgh Podcast
• 3:43 Athletic Director Responsibility
• 6:01 Recruiting Athletes to West Point
• 8:31 Competing at the D1 Level
• 11:14 Funding Athletics
• 12:06 NIL Impact
• 13:08 Defining Sustainability
• 14:04 West Point Cadet-Athlete Experience
• 18:18 West Point Pro Athletes
• 19:58 Coaching Cadet-Athletes
• 22:54 Creating Warriors
• 25:26 Defining Success
• 26:50 Cadet to Lieutenant

Quotes:

• “It’s very humbling and also a tremendous responsibility .”
• “We want to win. If we’re going to keep score we want to win.”
• “That atmosphere of winning is something that’s paramount.”
• “We need to continue to just recruit and put ourselves on the biggest stage possible.”
• “We want to make sure to create the best area, the best resources for our athletes to just grow.”
• “The idea is that when someone comes here, they say ‘they care about athletics.’”
• “We need to continue to be innovative.”
• “We sell not the transactional experience, but it’s the transformational experience.”
• “What are we doing now to make sure we’re in a good position in the future?”
• “This place is about challenging our athletes.”
• “Every cadet here is an athlete.”
• “The key word here is ‘path.’”
• “You have to fully embrace this place and love this institution.”
• “You got to win too. Results matter.”
• “These are all things athletics can teach you on the field.”
• “There’s so many things that we do here at West Point that now more than ever help us.”
• “That’s the best part of the job.”

The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by OneBrief; enabling military leaders to make innovative, informed and deliberate decisions faster than ever before. Superhuman command wins wars.

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