My guest today is Air Force Chief Master Sergeant (Retired) Michelle “Taz” Zayatz.  Michelle grew up in Pittsfield, MA and graduated from Taconic High School.  In 1982 she joined the Air Force with an Air Force Specialty Code of 276 Aerospace Control and Warning System.  Her first assignment was to the 667th Air Control and Warning Squadron at Hofn Air Station, Iceland in 1982.  After completing that remote tour she was assigned to the 2nd Communications Squadron at Buckley Air National Guard base in Colorado.  During this assignment, she met and married her husband, Allen.  In 1986, Michelle separated from Active Duty and accompanied her husband as he finished his Active Duty career in the Air Force.  Throughout their subsequent PCS moves, she continued her career by joining the Air National Guard in MS, NY and CO.  In 1998, she transferred from the COANG to the Air Force Reserves and became a founding member of the 8th Space Warning Squadron at Buckley AFB.  In 2006, Michelle moved to the 310th Space Group at Schriever AFB.  In 2007, she requested to be reassigned to stand up the new 310th Mission Support Group in Denver.  Chief Zayatz retired in 2011.

Today the Late Crew discusses how Boeing's Starliner may fly again (04:47), Booz Allen unveils ‘Brilliant Swarms’ satellite concept for missile defense (12:05), those ‘Hegseth bodyguards’ are actually there for the ‘Doomsday’ plane (22:52), how Ranger School is scrapping traditional pushups and situps for functional fitness test (29:05), a proposal to tie soldiers’ promotions more to job proficiency (38:44), and the creation of the Air Force Academy on 1 April 1954 (50:59).

Today the Late Crew talks about how much the returning astronauts will get paid (03:50), Star Catcher sends electricity across an NFL football field in key space power-beaming test (16:23),  Boeing awarded $20B to build the F-47 (26:20), the Army wants to make it easier to call Lyft and Uber on base (38:09), and the end of the Battle of Iwo Jima on 25 Mar 1945 (58:43).

Late For Changeover 19 Mar 2025

Today the Late Crew welcomes Air Force CMSgt (Ret) Michelle Zayatz!  We discuss Butch and Suni coming home from the ISS (27:04), the Intuitive Machines moon lander falling on its side at the lunar south pole (36:53), how 2 soldiers and an Army vet were indicted on charges of selling secrets to a Chinese agent (43:21), that the Army is losing nearly 1/4th of Soldiers in the first 2 years of enlistment (54:39), and the history of Air Force CMSgt Richard Etchberger and his Medal of Honor action on 11 Mar 1968 (01:08:38).

Today the Late Crew talks about Elon Musk on the Joe Rogan Experience (05:13), the Blue Ghost moon lander aces historic lunar landing for NASA (13:56), the Air Force Academy discovers widespread cheating (18:53), a West Point colonel faces misconduct charges for the third time (22:44), the Supreme Court again refuses to review whether military members can sue for malpractice (30:06), the Blue Origin historic all-woman space flight (41:35), and the history of the Battle of the Bismarck Sea 3-4 Mar 1943 (53:33).

Today the Late Crew gets to know about CJCS candidate Lt Gen Dan Cain (05:05), how National Guard troops in Kentucky airlifted 296 people trapped by floods (22:12), the Pentagon extends tour length for troops bringing families to South Korea (29:07), President Trump is annoyed by Boeing for a new Air Force One (39:20), and the USS Monitor is commissioned on 25 Feb 1861(50:48).

Today the Late Crew discusses the risks with the current Artemis 3 moon landing plan (06:19),  how Alaska rescue units had a hell of week in January (15:38), how the Army took over $151M from soldier’s BAS but did not use it on food (22:21), Navy SEALS often train in crappy water (38:45), and the Battle of Iwo Jima begins on 19 feb 1945 (49:07).

Today the Late Crew discusses the Army 1SG’s field Super Bowl party (09:42), President Trump’s Iron Dome (18:54), overmedication in the VA (31:34), VA prescriptions of opioids and benzes lead to higher mortality rates (40:51), Fort Bragg is back (50:01), and the history of Operation Homecoming 12 Feb 1973 (58:40). 

Today the Late Crew reacts to Air Force deportation flights with Ravens onboard (08:00), the new Air Force dress and grooming standards (19:40), the Pentagon does away with “Identity Months” (33:22), audit results for the Government Travel Card (42:32), we play the Military Auction Game (58:04), and the history of the Yalta Conference (01:11:14).