Best Podcast Episodes About Air Force Academy
Everything podcasters are saying about Air Force Academy — curated from top podcasts
Updated: Apr 02, 2026 – 61 episodes
Listen to the Playlist
Ridealong has curated the best and most interesting podcasts and clips about Air Force Academy.
Top Podcast Clips About Air Force Academy
“… speaking of military capability, a little bit of what President Trump had to say last night about that. Take a listen. Their Navy is gone. Their Air Force is gone. Their missiles are just about used up or beaten. Taken together, these actions will cripple Iran military, crush their ability to support terrorist proxies and deny them the ability to build a nuclear bomb. What do you make of those claims, Court, based on what you're hearing? Are they accurate? They're pretty close to accurate. I mean, yes, the conventional military in Iran has been really badly damaged here. So their ballistic …”
“… is, will there be anything else besides the airstrikes that we have seen now go on for more than a month? Yeah. And someone saying to me, he essentially left the door open for the possibility of putting U.S. troops into Iran. I want to play you speaking of military capability, a little bit of what President Trump had to say last night about that. Take a listen. Their Navy is gone. Their Air Force is gone. Their missiles are just about used up or beaten. Taken together, these actions will cripple Iran military, crush their ability to support terrorist proxies and deny them the ability to build a nuclear bomb. What do you make of those claims, Court, based on what you're hearing? Are they accurate? They're pretty close to accurate. I mean, yes, the conventional military in Iran has been really badly damaged here. So their ballistic missile capabilities, many of their launchers, not all of them, many of their actual missiles, not all of them. So they have taken out quite a bit of their capability, their drones, some of their mines, some of their anti-ship cruise missiles. But the reality is, Kristen, they've not taken them all out. And I find it very difficult to envision a scenario …”
View more
Ridealong summary
President Trump's military strategy against Iran is causing significant market volatility, with stocks initially plunging before stabilizing. As the U.S. military claims to have severely damaged Iran's capabilities, market reactions suggest a cautious optimism about a potential resolution to the conflict. However, rising oil prices indicate ongoing uncertainty in the energy sector.
“… narrowly defined what the objectives were. That was really surprising to me when he said it's just about their missiles and their Navy and their Air Force. didn't mention the nuclear program, didn't mention regime change, didn't mention terrorists, and he most certainly didn't say we're going to open the Strait of Hormuz that we closed, as you rightfully pointed out in the beginning. So I wonder if they're trying to narrow the objectives tomorrow night so that he can declare victory. Yeah, General, you know that blue book thing is all about, you know, the more words, the closer you get to an A. …”
“… some points. That's what it feels like. You know, one day it's about regime change. Then it's a nuclear weapons program. Then it's stopping terrorism. Then it's opening the Strait of Hormuz. Then it's not. And even Secretary Rubio the other day very narrowly defined what the objectives were. That was really surprising to me when he said it's just about their missiles and their Navy and their Air Force. didn't mention the nuclear program, didn't mention regime change, didn't mention terrorists, and he most certainly didn't say we're going to open the Strait of Hormuz that we closed, as you rightfully pointed out in the beginning. So I wonder if they're trying to narrow the objectives tomorrow night so that he can declare victory. Yeah, General, you know that blue book thing is all about, you know, the more words, the closer you get to an A. You know, that's how that works. What were you about to say? Yeah, you know, Michael, it's interesting that I was thinking along the same lines as Ambassador McFaul in terms of what might occur tomorrow night, but we could wake up tomorrow morning to another true social posting saying he's all in for the next four months in terms of another invasion …”
View more
Ridealong summary
Trump's unpredictable leadership leaves Americans and NATO allies confused about the war in Iran. While public opinion strongly opposes the conflict, Trump seems out of touch, throwing around vague objectives that shift constantly. The result? A chaotic approach that lacks clarity and direction, leaving many questioning what victory even looks like.
“… those who haven't tuned into the story at all, we have about five missing scientists all across the nation. NASA engineers, major figures at the Air Force Research Laboratory, many of them were actually overseeing futuristic metal for rocket engines in terms of their projects.”
“… on the screen. This is E2. This was a married mother who vanished last year, could potentially have actually been tied to these missing and dead U.S. scientists. This fills in some of the gaps that Representative Burleson was saying. Big picture for those who haven't tuned into the story at all, we have about five missing scientists all across the nation. NASA engineers, major figures at the Air Force Research Laboratory, many of them were actually overseeing futuristic metal for rocket engines in terms of their projects.”
View more
Ridealong summary
Five scientists have mysteriously vanished across the U.S., with connections to high-stakes aerospace projects. Representative Eric Burleson raises alarms about these disappearances, linking them to suspicious deaths and drone swarms over military bases. This alarming trend raises questions about national security and the fate of those involved in sensitive research.
“… likely a hotel. You know, this concept could be office, but it's most likely going to be a hotel with a beautiful building underneath and a 747 Air Force One in the lobby, which is going to be a trick. And the Supreme Court tomorrow is going to hear arguments about your executive order trying to get rid of birthright citizenship. And I'm going. You're going to go to the Supreme Court tomorrow? I think so. I do believe. And just sit there and listen. Because I have listened to this argument for so long. And this is not about Chinese billionaires or billionaires from other countries who all of a …”
“… budget I think you going to see a great one here And it go up on time on budget Best location in Miami Best, they say it's the best block in Miami, and the state worked with us. People live there, people live in the floors. No, it's going to be most likely a hotel. You know, this concept could be office, but it's most likely going to be a hotel with a beautiful building underneath and a 747 Air Force One in the lobby, which is going to be a trick. And the Supreme Court tomorrow is going to hear arguments about your executive order trying to get rid of birthright citizenship. And I'm going. You're going to go to the Supreme Court tomorrow? I think so. I do believe. And just sit there and listen. Because I have listened to this argument for so long. And this is not about Chinese billionaires or billionaires from other countries who all of a sudden have 75 children or 59 children in one case or 10 children becoming American citizens. this was about slaves. And if you take a look, slaves, we're talking about slaves from the Civil War. And if you take a look at when it was filed, all of this legislation, all of this, everything having to do with birthright citizenship, it was at the end …”
View more
Ridealong summary
Iran's leadership claims they will target 18 U.S. tech companies if the U.S. continues its actions against Iranian leaders. However, the specifics of these threats remain unclear, leading to skepticism about their seriousness. This discussion reveals the complexities of international relations and the challenges of interpreting threats from regimes like Iran's.
“… The next one is slightly, and they're fractal. Well, it gets really even weirder than that. So, you know, I just described this case of this Air Force counterintelligence guy driving this guy Paul Benowitz crazy. Yeah. That book is written by Mark Pilkington. Mark Pilkington is one of two guys that claim to have created all the crop circles. The other guy is a guy named John Lundberg. Oh, right, right, right. AJ, in his video about the crop circles, accuses John Lundberg, again, they call it the circle makers. They have a website they keep updated. he accuses him of being a british …”
“… not just to fold over the wheat, but if you're going to interweave the wheat, like what is your method of doing that? And how are you doing it where, you know, this one is one dimension and then the next one is precisely three-fifths of that dimension. The next one is slightly, and they're fractal. Well, it gets really even weirder than that. So, you know, I just described this case of this Air Force counterintelligence guy driving this guy Paul Benowitz crazy. Yeah. That book is written by Mark Pilkington. Mark Pilkington is one of two guys that claim to have created all the crop circles. The other guy is a guy named John Lundberg. Oh, right, right, right. AJ, in his video about the crop circles, accuses John Lundberg, again, they call it the circle makers. They have a website they keep updated. he accuses him of being a british intelligence agent aj does or at least he strongly implies it um and and part of that is because there was a bunch of weird stuff on the website about mi5 and the cia and then lundberg went to a school this is all very circumstantial so i'm not defending i'm just saying what aj said then lundberg went to a school that shares a courtyard with uh with an m …”
View more
Ridealong summary
In this hilarious segment, the hosts dive into the bizarre world of crop circles, questioning whether these intricate designs are the work of aliens or just clever humans. The funniest moment comes when they ponder the intelligence required to create a visual representation of Pi in a field—just for funsies!
“… beneath nuclear weapons and missile facilities worldwide. A pattern that almost no one wanted to talk about in an era of Cold War secrecy. Air Force officers whispered about it. And most of the people who lived it stayed silent. Until now, it's all coming out. Today's guest is Richard Barth. In 1964, he was an Air Force security guard, an Air Policeman, stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Vandenberg wasn't some remote radar outpost or ghost station. This was the epicenter of American nuclear missile testing. Atlas missiles, Thor, Minuteman, Titan. This was the place the United States …”
“… to be a man, emerge from the fog. But as it got closer, I realized this was not what it was. And I could feel it in my mind. I mean, it was like it started driving hold of me. For decades, there's been a strange and deeply unsettling pattern lurking beneath nuclear weapons and missile facilities worldwide. A pattern that almost no one wanted to talk about in an era of Cold War secrecy. Air Force officers whispered about it. And most of the people who lived it stayed silent. Until now, it's all coming out. Today's guest is Richard Barth. In 1964, he was an Air Force security guard, an Air Policeman, stationed at Vandenberg Air Force Base. Vandenberg wasn't some remote radar outpost or ghost station. This was the epicenter of American nuclear missile testing. Atlas missiles, Thor, Minuteman, Titan. This was the place the United States government went to actually learn whether its nuclear missiles worked. So naturally, something else was watching from above. And it happened to interact with our next guest. A figure emerging from the mist. A moment of absolute terror in seeing this figure's very foreign face. Loss of control. And then, lost time. All of a sudden, Richard is taken. …”
View more
Ridealong summary
In September 1964, Richard Barth, a security guard at Vandenberg Air Force Base, experienced a terrifying UFO encounter that left him with lost time and a chilling message. His story unfolds alongside another notable incident involving Bob Jacobs, revealing a pattern of strange occurrences at nuclear facilities during the Cold War. This testimony raises unsettling questions about surveillance and intent regarding our nuclear capabilities.
“… but they wanted to effectively classify images from drones in the Middle East. See, that's a car, that's a house. And previously they had Air Force airmen just sitting there clicking, and they were like, okay, we're going to automate that. But it was still scary, don't be evil, working with the government, military. And then there was a backlash. They pulled out, then eventually they went back in and had a new head of Google Cloud. um yeah i mean this is you know it's hard to and i speak for myself personally i obviously have the biased angle because of taiwan i have the biased angle where …”
“… like killer robot fears. The actual, I mean, Google was a subcontractor on that project. And what they were actually exposing to the government was TensorFlow APIs that would run on Google hardware. And so they weren't actually writing any AI software, but they wanted to effectively classify images from drones in the Middle East. See, that's a car, that's a house. And previously they had Air Force airmen just sitting there clicking, and they were like, okay, we're going to automate that. But it was still scary, don't be evil, working with the government, military. And then there was a backlash. They pulled out, then eventually they went back in and had a new head of Google Cloud. um yeah i mean this is you know it's hard to and i speak for myself personally i obviously have the biased angle because of taiwan i have the biased angle where i think they're you know just in general there's this very naive view of the world that doesn't understand why militaries are important and necessary and i think silicon valley got itself in a lot of trouble by giving into this naive mindset that we have no duty to support the military and there's this tension has been So it's a tension that's …”
View more
Ridealong summary
Google's involvement in military AI sparked backlash when they used TensorFlow to automate drone image classification, replacing Air Force airmen. Initially retreating from the project, they later returned amidst ongoing debates about tech companies' moral obligations to the military. This tension raises questions about the role of Silicon Valley in supporting national defense.
“… oh dear okay we're african-american we're in segregation North Carolina, right? We're in segregation North Carolina in 1961. He walks up in an Air Force uniform carrying his parachute and, and his helmet. And instead of hey man are you okay What the hell happened He gets arrested by base police Why For stealing a parachute What? Oh, God. Meanwhile, he's like, our plane went down. We're a nuclear bomber. What? What? Did you not see that I'm, like, covered in shit from this? I literally. Victoria to catch you up do you see the burning wreckage behind me dickhead Maddox is an African American man …”
“… right they get rides back to the base to the front gate once they get to the front gate nobody has told the base that something happened right oh no because they couldn't because they couldn't so they get to the gate get dropped off maddox is black oh dear okay we're african-american we're in segregation North Carolina, right? We're in segregation North Carolina in 1961. He walks up in an Air Force uniform carrying his parachute and, and his helmet. And instead of hey man are you okay What the hell happened He gets arrested by base police Why For stealing a parachute What? Oh, God. Meanwhile, he's like, our plane went down. We're a nuclear bomber. What? What? Did you not see that I'm, like, covered in shit from this? I literally. Victoria to catch you up do you see the burning wreckage behind me dickhead Maddox is an African American man who gets a ride back to base and gets arrested by base police for stealing his parachute yeah you can only imagine the precise phrasing that the MPs used oh yeah so Rairdon shows up in the same way he gets a ride back evil dating so raring gets a ride back he shows up look a cab includes mps so raring gets right back he shows up and they start …”
View more
Ridealong summary
An Air Force pilot gets arrested for stealing his own parachute after surviving a nuclear bomber crash in segregated North Carolina in 1961. Despite the burning wreckage behind him, the base police refuse to believe his story until he provides a secret code to prove his identity. This shocking incident highlights the absurdity of racial prejudice and miscommunication in a crisis.
“… ultimately. So before you even knew what any of this stuff was, you just wanted to land a plane on an aircraft carrier. So I did talk to the Air Force. I talked to a Navy recruiter, Lieutenant Goddess. Oh, you're great. We want you. Come on, come on, come on. The Navy would love to have you. Come on, come on. I talked to an Air Force recruiter. I don't remember his name. He like the Air Force only takes the best and the brightest And I like that probably ain me I going Navy Oh shit So many factors Again, the Lord steering me down the path that I was to go. And the Navy was it. Well, where did …”
“… I've ever done has been just the same. And I'm and I'm sure that I'm not unique, that other people experience the same. Yeah, I think a lot of people do. Yeah. So why did you pick the Navy? Landing, the challenge of landing airplanes on boats, ultimately. So before you even knew what any of this stuff was, you just wanted to land a plane on an aircraft carrier. So I did talk to the Air Force. I talked to a Navy recruiter, Lieutenant Goddess. Oh, you're great. We want you. Come on, come on, come on. The Navy would love to have you. Come on, come on. I talked to an Air Force recruiter. I don't remember his name. He like the Air Force only takes the best and the brightest And I like that probably ain me I going Navy Oh shit So many factors Again, the Lord steering me down the path that I was to go. And the Navy was it. Well, where did you wind up going? I went to initially Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida. Gunnery Sergeant Tybertius Gerhardt, United States Marine Corps. And, boy, I could, again, I keep a loom back to the book because there's several amazing stories about him. And I even referred back to him even when I was in Starliner, things that he had …”
View more
Ridealong summary
In this segment, the speaker reflects on their challenging journey to join the Navy, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and discipline. They recount a memorable lecture from Gunnery Sergeant Tybertius Gerhardt during Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida, where he taught them life-saving lessons while dolphins played in the background, symbolizing the beauty of focus amidst struggle.
“… is And this is how we going to get But when you see a geek and he got like an AR and a bulletproof vest on and he like I just hanging out this Air Force base That's like we're about to get. But I love maybe you have this in half-assed Internet research, but who the Jeffrey Donovan character is like based on visually. Oh, yeah. is a former ranger who was in Norman Schwarzkopf's security detail, who was like a bespectacled dude who was like yoked and very scary, but also a big dork. And that fusing those two ideas together to make a character is really interesting. You're up with the Sean …”
“… you only. Honestly, a dude wearing a bulletproof vest who has big horn rim glasses. Yeah I kind of did mine I said a movie with a debrief When there a debrief in a movie and it like all these important people are in a room and they like this is how it is And this is how we going to get But when you see a geek and he got like an AR and a bulletproof vest on and he like I just hanging out this Air Force base That's like we're about to get. But I love maybe you have this in half-assed Internet research, but who the Jeffrey Donovan character is like based on visually. Oh, yeah. is a former ranger who was in Norman Schwarzkopf's security detail, who was like a bespectacled dude who was like yoked and very scary, but also a big dork. And that fusing those two ideas together to make a character is really interesting. You're up with the Sean Fennessey word for stealth homage that gives every movie nerd a criteria orgasm. Okay, I don't want to overdo it, but there's three. There's one that's very obvious, which is Del Toro says, keep an eye out for the state police. They are not always the good guys. Of course, Del Toro was state police in traffic, for which he won his Academy Award. In Thief, …”
View more
Ridealong summary
The rewatchables crew introduces a new award category inspired by listener Abby Soul, highlighting personal moments in movies that resonate deeply with individual viewers. From a character's quirky habits to the emotional connections in scenes, they share what speaks to them, revealing how unique interpretations can enhance our viewing experience.
“… by taking them down, beating them publicly. The people are taking over and killing these SOBs who have committed so much. So it looks like those forces are kind of the last bastion. The leadership is kind of gone, but the patrols are still out, and now the people are getting arms, and they're taking them out. No, they are. They're doing a good job. But what the insurgents or the revolutionaries are doing right now is what I would call probe and reaction attacks. So they set up a hit on an IRGC. And then they see how they react. And they're learning. And so they are a learning organization. …”
“… is no aisle in D.C. Go tell me where the good guys are. I'll listen. Yeah, there are few and far between. I've been watching some fun things like Iranians attacking IRCG vehicles as they drive through, and the besiege. They've been besieging the besiege by taking them down, beating them publicly. The people are taking over and killing these SOBs who have committed so much. So it looks like those forces are kind of the last bastion. The leadership is kind of gone, but the patrols are still out, and now the people are getting arms, and they're taking them out. No, they are. They're doing a good job. But what the insurgents or the revolutionaries are doing right now is what I would call probe and reaction attacks. So they set up a hit on an IRGC. And then they see how they react. And they're learning. And so they are a learning organization. I'm going to guess they're getting a lot of help from intel people on the ground. And when they want some bombs in a certain location here or there, we'll be happy to deliver them 30 minutes or three. And I want you to hear this is Donald Trump on Air Force One. It's going to sound, you know, some background noise about it, but he says not only have …”
View more
Ridealong summary
President Trump claims to have effectively eliminated two regimes in Iran, dubbing them 'mostly dead.' This commentary highlights the ongoing geopolitical tensions and critiques the political landscape in Washington, suggesting that both parties are failing to address crucial issues. The metaphor of 'mostly dead' adds a humorous twist, referencing a classic film while underscoring the gravity of the situation.
“… should. If that happened, bitch, I'm going to the moon. You're leaving? Yeah, I'm going to the moon. I'm taking NASA, whatever that shit called, Air Force. N-A-S-A. Yeah, NASA. I'm taking that to the moon because shit getting crazy. I like that shit. Dude would you ever Who's the first Asian on the moon You think you could do it Oh my god I don't think there's no Asian on the moon Bro has anybody ever streamed from the moon Oh that would be tough Bro you could do it because that one guy was given That rich guy was giving people a ride Jeff Bezos Amazon He did As of 2026 no Asian person has walked …”
“… yeah But now you're in like you live in America now. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So if you had to fight now, if they had America versus Taiwanese war, who would you fight? Whose side would you fight on, you think? I don't think that's going to happen, but I should. If that happened, bitch, I'm going to the moon. You're leaving? Yeah, I'm going to the moon. I'm taking NASA, whatever that shit called, Air Force. N-A-S-A. Yeah, NASA. I'm taking that to the moon because shit getting crazy. I like that shit. Dude would you ever Who's the first Asian on the moon You think you could do it Oh my god I don't think there's no Asian on the moon Bro has anybody ever streamed from the moon Oh that would be tough Bro you could do it because that one guy was given That rich guy was giving people a ride Jeff Bezos Amazon He did As of 2026 no Asian person has walked on the moon bro Damn I gotta be the first one man I'll be down to do it bro Damn Bro you could get up there And it would be cheaper to get you up there Because the luggage You have to pay $75 if it's over like a certain amount of weight Overweight? But you be in you be I think you would be Cuz I skinny right I weigh 120 Well I just saying you …”
View more
Ridealong summary
Imagine if you could escape Earth and hang out with gay aliens on the moon! In a humorous conversation, two friends discuss the absurdity of space travel, the potential for alien life, and the hilarious consequences of being the first Asian on the moon. Their banter takes a wild turn as they contemplate the quirks of intergalactic friendships and the price of admission to such an adventure.
“… But the kid doesn't want me to be his dad. He's got a dad. It's difficult. But my stepdad, he's a guy that didn't go to college. Was in the Air Force. Worked sales jobs. Was like selling fire alarms or house alarms. And then made his way into the television advertising business. And then became like a badass. Oh really? That's awesome. Where's he from? What's his story? He has a crazy story. He's from Cuba. He left when he was very little. But he left without his father because his father was in jail. A political prisoner for 14 years or 10 years, 11 years. But he didn't meet his dad until …”
“… He's a badass. I got lucky with a good stepdad. I think it's also a difficult position to be in. It is impossible. I dated a gal with a kid. I found it to be impossible. It's hard. Because I cared about the kid and now I want the kid to turn out good. But the kid doesn't want me to be his dad. He's got a dad. It's difficult. But my stepdad, he's a guy that didn't go to college. Was in the Air Force. Worked sales jobs. Was like selling fire alarms or house alarms. And then made his way into the television advertising business. And then became like a badass. Oh really? That's awesome. Where's he from? What's his story? He has a crazy story. He's from Cuba. He left when he was very little. But he left without his father because his father was in jail. A political prisoner for 14 years or 10 years, 11 years. But he didn't meet his dad until he was 14. Wow. In Miami when his dad made it out and came here. And so he had such a difficult coming up. And my mom had a really difficult coming up because she left Cuba when she was little. How old was she? I'm pretty sure she was 12 when she left Cuba. And then she was in Spain from 12 to 15, 16. Then she went to the Dominican Republic. Really …”
View more
Ridealong summary
Accents can reveal much about cultural identity and family ties. In a candid discussion, a comedian reflects on how his immigrant upbringing shapes his language and relationships, highlighting the importance of presence in family moments. This exploration of identity showcases how personal experiences influence humor and connection.
“… games, it was always like, it's like, uh, uh, Invictus, but obviously for, you know, more like us, it was always the us. So like Marines, Navy, Air Force, Special Forces, Army, uh, and then like Canada had a contingent there, Australia had a contingent there. And then the only other contingent that was consistently there, wounded warriors, hurt in Iraq and Afghanistan, Denmark, it was the one country that was there every time I hosted and I hosted it maybe seven times, every single time, Danish men and women who had suffered grievous battlefield injuries defending the interests of the United …”
“… languages, you know, it's the first thing we all learn when we take Spanish. So who shows that to Trump? Like, uh, you might want to see this doing that to the Danes. And by the way, the Danes, every time I used to host this thing called the warrior games, it was always like, it's like, uh, uh, Invictus, but obviously for, you know, more like us, it was always the us. So like Marines, Navy, Air Force, Special Forces, Army, uh, and then like Canada had a contingent there, Australia had a contingent there. And then the only other contingent that was consistently there, wounded warriors, hurt in Iraq and Afghanistan, Denmark, it was the one country that was there every time I hosted and I hosted it maybe seven times, every single time, Danish men and women who had suffered grievous battlefield injuries defending the interests of the United States of America. And now we're like, yeah, fuck those guys. We're going to take Greenland. Yeah. They joined us when we invoked article five and now we're going to go article five against them. You know, it's, you love to see it. Yeah. All right. What do we got, Brady? Anybody, anybody want to know anything? Yes. Uh, first up, John, be honest with …”
View more
Ridealong summary
An aspiring comedian believes their anxiety and overthinking are barriers to confidence, but the truth is, these traits can be their greatest assets. Embracing these qualities can lead to unique comedic insights and relatable material. The key is to channel that energy into writing and performing, transforming anxiety into a superpower.
“… the escalation frameworks with respect to this one conflict really It applies much more broadly I've developed these since I taught for the Air Force because I needed to find a way to help our government, our military understand how the transition from the bombing or the military piece to the outcome. And what's in the middle is the military, the bombs change politics. They change politics in the enemy. They change politics for us. For us, we don't want to lose. And that's why we got stuck in two forever wars. And now we may well just get right back into another. Not because Trump wants to. …”
“… that Israel got itself into the idea they were going to cleanse, expel large portions of the two million out of Gaza? That happened because they got into stage three of the escalation trap in Gaza So this isn just about America So we only talking about the escalation frameworks with respect to this one conflict really It applies much more broadly I've developed these since I taught for the Air Force because I needed to find a way to help our government, our military understand how the transition from the bombing or the military piece to the outcome. And what's in the middle is the military, the bombs change politics. They change politics in the enemy. They change politics for us. For us, we don't want to lose. And that's why we got stuck in two forever wars. And now we may well just get right back into another. Not because Trump wants to. He's being sucked into it. So what happens after stage three? After stage three, this is what America has faced in Vietnam. And President Biden faced this in spades here. When you try to pull out after you're in stage three and end these ongoing conflicts here, usually it ends poorly for your legacy. And you saw that with Lyndon Johnson. And you …”
View more
Ridealong summary
President Biden's withdrawal from Afghanistan has severely impacted his legacy, leading to plummeting approval ratings. This situation mirrors the historical challenges faced by leaders like Lyndon Johnson during the Vietnam War, where the aftermath of military decisions can haunt political careers. As Trump navigates his own political dilemmas, the specter of historical failures looms large over current geopolitical strategies.
“… want to start with that. Security has gotten way better since 1999. If I go back to where I was in 1999, which was doing security for the U.S. Air Force. But also, it's far more complex than it was back in 1999. Right. First of all, the IT environments are amazingly complex. But just to be clear, like, we had, in fact, I've got one of the boxes right behind me, Network Systems Group, Border Guard 2000 was our line rate packet filter. And literally, we were looking for plain text strings, because nothing was encrypted, that were like, oh, people are sending admin commands to SMTP servers. Like, …”
“All right, Andy, I'm throwing this to you. I'm going to say, and I love Joshua's when he does these unpopular opinions, but I think he's just flat out wrong here. OK. Like, I just want to start with that. Security has gotten way better since 1999. If I go back to where I was in 1999, which was doing security for the U.S. Air Force. But also, it's far more complex than it was back in 1999. Right. First of all, the IT environments are amazingly complex. But just to be clear, like, we had, in fact, I've got one of the boxes right behind me, Network Systems Group, Border Guard 2000 was our line rate packet filter. And literally, we were looking for plain text strings, because nothing was encrypted, that were like, oh, people are sending admin commands to SMTP servers. Like, that's the level of vulnerability things we were dealing with. This is not like basic, like, we wouldn't even call this basic patches anymore. The amount of just insecure by default and by you're stuck there software was through the roof. In fact, to connect into this, our security system, we had to use Telnet. That's pretty old. We didn't have …”
View more
Ridealong summary
Cybersecurity has drastically improved since 1999, despite the increasing complexity of technology. Back then, security measures were primitive, relying on insecure methods like Telnet, while today’s systems update seamlessly to protect users. This evolution shows that while we often romanticize the past, the present offers far superior security solutions.
“… the moving target indicator mission. We've obviously talked on prior podcasts about the E-7 situation. How much of a pushback do you think the Space Force guys will get from the Air Force guys here on this? Do you have a sense for how much weight they're at this point looking to still put behind the E-7 or is that not the hill they want to die on? It's interesting you say hill because I mean, a lot of this pressure is coming from Capitol Hill. If you look at the NDA, the appropriations and the reconciliation, they all pressure the Air Force to continue the E-7 prototypes, specifically the …”
“Brian, I'm just kind of curious what Vivian mentioned, the moving target indicator mission. We've obviously talked on prior podcasts about the E-7 situation. How much of a pushback do you think the Space Force guys will get from the Air Force guys here on this? Do you have a sense for how much weight they're at this point looking to still put behind the E-7 or is that not the hill they want to die on? It's interesting you say hill because I mean, a lot of this pressure is coming from Capitol Hill. If you look at the NDA, the appropriations and the reconciliation, they all pressure the Air Force to continue the E-7 prototypes, specifically the prototypes. We're not really looking at changes to the program of record quite yet from their perspective, though obviously the Pentagon is looking to kill it. This is one delicate dance. I'm really interested to see how it plays out because based on our reporting and our understanding of where things are right now, the Air Force wants the E-7. The Air …”
View more
Ridealong summary
The Air Force is caught in a budget battle over the future of the E-7 aircraft, crucial for their operations but facing pressure from the Pentagon to cut costs. Despite the need for the E-7, industry and congressional forces are pushing to keep the program alive amidst competing priorities, including a shift towards space-based capabilities. This delicate dance will determine the fate of the E-7 and the future of Air Force refueling strategies.
“… they think. So go meet with them. That's the interrupt part. The process part is like, I'll give you a good example. Somebody is going to out-Salesforce Salesforce, not for the hostages that they have, but is going to build the Greenfield version of Salesforce. Because how is that possible? Everybody hates using Salesforce. There's a new company that's going to do this better that's going to be AI native. How do we make sure that we are adept at finding, picking, and winning, and supporting that investment? Well, we believe in adverse selection versus positive selection. So a very inexpensive …”
“… from my wife and children's perspective, like a weekly occurrence right now where it's like, ah, gotta cancel this. I have to have dinner with this entrepreneur who has discovered that the fountain not of youth, but of perpetual motion, or so they think. So go meet with them. That's the interrupt part. The process part is like, I'll give you a good example. Somebody is going to out-Salesforce Salesforce, not for the hostages that they have, but is going to build the Greenfield version of Salesforce. Because how is that possible? Everybody hates using Salesforce. There's a new company that's going to do this better that's going to be AI native. How do we make sure that we are adept at finding, picking, and winning, and supporting that investment? Well, we believe in adverse selection versus positive selection. So a very inexpensive deal that has been hanging around the hoop for six months, that's probably bad. We don't want to meet with them. We want to meet with the best company. If it's the best company, every other venture firm also wants to meet with the best company, obviously. They're going to send out their big guns to go try to win that deal. And it's very hard to win …”
View more
Ridealong summary
In the competitive landscape of AI, aggregators are set to outshine big tech giants like Google by offering diverse model access. Just like using Kayak to find flights across multiple airlines, investors recognize that leveraging a variety of specialized models is key to success. This trend is reshaping the investment strategy in consumer AI, focusing on partnerships that prioritize expertise and market understanding.
“… is a hotspot historically as well. I believe Nathan Twining, who's head of Air Material Command, responsible for all aircraft development of the Air Force, wrote the famous Twining Memo in 1947, saying UFOs are not visionary nor fictitious. Right. I believe they had like an observation program going on in Alaska. And then just recently, you had, it was this weird sequence of events, but in early 2023, you had the Chinese spy balloon. And then right after that, you had this bizarre, you know, these things seem to show up and like jam, you know, the radars of these F-22s. And one of them …”
“… sounds like they were pretty aware of this, to say, oh, we've never had 45 minutes, but it's like, that implies, okay, you're sitting on maybe, you know, shorter clips of UFOs. Yeah, they've got something. They've got something, yeah. I mean, Alaska is a hotspot historically as well. I believe Nathan Twining, who's head of Air Material Command, responsible for all aircraft development of the Air Force, wrote the famous Twining Memo in 1947, saying UFOs are not visionary nor fictitious. Right. I believe they had like an observation program going on in Alaska. And then just recently, you had, it was this weird sequence of events, but in early 2023, you had the Chinese spy balloon. And then right after that, you had this bizarre, you know, these things seem to show up and like jam, you know, the radars of these F-22s. And one of them specifically was in Alaska and crashed. And I've heard some very strange things around this specific craft. I've heard things like it reassembled itself and was seen in the air over Canada. Bizarre. I've heard something about deleted emails involving this specific craft in the National Military Command Center servers. So I don't know. It seems like there's …”
View more
Ridealong summary
In a jaw-dropping moment, President Reagan hinted that UFOs are real during a White House viewing of E.T., suggesting that many in the room knew the truth. This connection between UFO sightings and nuclear sites, particularly in Alaska, raises questions about secret military knowledge and the bizarre incidents surrounding recent unidentified crafts. The involvement of high-level scientific advisors at UFO crash sites adds another layer of intrigue to this ongoing mystery.
“… a regime change war, then we're doing ahead of schedule extremely well. Soon, the Iranian military will not have a Navy. They will not have an Air Force. They will not only not have missile launchers, missiles, the ability to manufacture more missiles. They will also be continuing their weekend at Bernie's leadership style where we don't know if he's alive or dead. and just in a hole like a rat sending out telegram notes, I guess. So from a military analysis, I think they're ahead of schedule, measurably achieving the objectives. War is always uncertain, so nobody knows where to actually end. …”
“… of Defense went on TV again to say the objectives are very clear, deny nuclear capability, destroy the missile shield and all of its parts and components, and destroy the Navy. If you take those goals, not what people think they are, that it's not a regime change war, then we're doing ahead of schedule extremely well. Soon, the Iranian military will not have a Navy. They will not have an Air Force. They will not only not have missile launchers, missiles, the ability to manufacture more missiles. They will also be continuing their weekend at Bernie's leadership style where we don't know if he's alive or dead. and just in a hole like a rat sending out telegram notes, I guess. So from a military analysis, I think they're ahead of schedule, measurably achieving the objectives. War is always uncertain, so nobody knows where to actually end. But as of this morning, 16,000 targets, 90 ships. It's just incredible. A lot of historic first moments. It's the first time we've ever sunk a submarine with a precision attack, or basically a ground-based system. There are so many successes here, and it's weird because if you go to any media channel, it seems to, besides most of them, it seems like …”
View more
Ridealong summary
The U.S. is achieving its military objectives in the Iran conflict ahead of schedule, with significant progress in disabling Iran's military capabilities. John Spencer, a military analyst, highlights that while the media portrays a different narrative, the reality shows the destruction of key military assets and a historic first in precision attacks. This analysis reveals a stark contrast between military success and public perception.
Top Podcasts About Air Force Academy
Bannon`s War Room
8 episodes
Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar
4 episodes
The MeidasTouch Podcast
4 episodes
The Rob Carson Show
3 episodes
American Alchemy with Jesse Michels
2 episodes
The a16z Show
2 episodes
The Shawn Ryan Show
2 episodes
Aviation Week's Check 6 Podcast
2 episodes
Stories Mentioning Air Force Academy
Best Podcasts on Iran's Crisis & Oil Prices
Iran faces a critical juncture as it grapples with the choice between regime change and potential chaos, which could destabilize the Gulf region and trigger a global recession. Meanwhile, Trump's leverage over Iran, including sanctions and energy negotiations, complicates the ongoing conflict, exacerbated by a severe energy crisis that is driving up oil prices worldwide.
Top Podcasts on US-Iran Tensions & Oil Prices
Rising tensions between the United States and Iran have led to a surge in oil prices, surpassing $100 per barrel. This escalation is causing increased economic uncertainty globally, as higher energy costs could impact various industries and consumer spending. The situation highlights the geopolitical risks affecting the global economy.
Oil Prices