Insight Thru Experience Podcast

Welcome to the Insight Thru Experience Podcast. In this first episode of Season 3, I sat down with one of our Special Reconnaissance operators to talk about his experience before, during, and after his selection to come to the unit. This is one you don't want to miss.   Visit us online at https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/724STG

Welcome to the Insight Thru Experience Podcast. This week we are talking with three of our medical professionals: Riley (Group Surgeon), Kyle (Medical Ops), and Brandon (IDMT). In this episode, we talk about everything from how the medical section is organized, to how they support the unit members, and many other revealing topics centered around treatment, teaching, and training the force inside the 724 STG. Timeline: 1:00 Intros 3:35 Why did you decide to come to the 724 STG? 8:50 Describe the task organization of Medical inside the 724 STG. 11:30 What do your daily battle rhythms look like? 18:30 Describe the most badass medical scenario you have been apart of during training 20:10 What are the opportunities available to the medical staff here that do not exist at a traditional medical assignment? 29:00 What are you looking for in the medical people we hire and what should people expect when coming to your A&S? 33:00 What should new medical hires expect when coming in and integrating with the operators? 42:35 Describe a day when you made a huge difference in the lives of people in the 724 STG 48:45 Each of you gets 30 sec to brag on someone/something in the Medical realm 53:00 Why should every AF medical professional choose to come to the 724 STG at some point in their career? Visit us online at https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/724STG

Welcome to the Insight Thru Experience Podcast. This week we are talking with Lauren (Clinical Psych), Amy (Clinical Social Worker), Maria (Clinical Social Worker), and Megan (Peer Network Coordinator). Such a pleasure to talk to these professional ladies and hear how they are making a huge difference in the lives of our unit members and their families. For those looking at where their next assignment will be, this week's podcast is just another example of the opportunities and support that exist here at the 724 STG. Timeline: 2:05 Intros 3:50 Diggin in deeper on each of their specialties 8:20 How has the integration been with the operators since you arrived? 15:00 How has your experience with being married to a military spouse affected your ability to do your job here? 17:50 What are some of the common stressors you deal with in your daily duties 20:10 What are some best practices that the Psych Squad is implementing to keep the 724 healthy? 28:05 What is the HPO Team doing in the face of COVID-19 to keep the organization focused and healthy? 29:50 Describe a day at work when you got to do something special in your role 36:25 Why should spouses want to come to the 724? 40:10 What are some things you are working on to help the 724 STG move forward? 43:50 Each of you gets 30 sec to brag on someone/something in the HPO realm 48:15 What is one piece of advice you would give spouses as they PCS here, or are thinking about making the 724 STG a future assignment?   Visit us online at https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/724STG

Welcome to the Insight Thru Experience Podcast. This week we are talking with Rachel, Lauren, and Sarah. These ladies are spouses of unit operators and share their experiences on what life is like when married to a 724 STG operator. Tons of great info in this podcast for those inbound for an assignment, and those considering a future move to the 724 STG. Timeline: 2:10 Intros 3:45 How has your time been during your assignment here? 6:45 How do you deal with the fast pace of the unit? 14:10 What are some positives you would want to make families aware of when it comes to the family support structure at the unit? 18:45 Discussion on the local area and where to live 27:30 What has been the hardest thing to adjust to and how have you dealt with it? 36:45 What are some reasons you should want to come to the 724? 41:15 Who may struggle with an assignment here? 48:55 What advice would you give both the incoming spouses and the spouses thinking about an assignment here?   Visit us online at https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/724STG        

Welcome to the Insight Thru Experience Podcast. This week we interview two of our Cyber (3D) professionals as they reveal what life is like inside the organization and why 3Ds should make the 724 STG a future career goal.  Timeline: 2:15 - Guest intros 10:45 - Describe your prior assignment experiences 17:00 - How did you find out about the 724 STG? 24:00 - Balancing outside life with an assignment at the 724 STG 28:35 - Describing the assessment and selection experience 33:25 - What advice would you give to those prepping for assessment? 36:10 - David explains 3D footprint inside the unit 40:35 - Describing the on-boarding experience 45:10 - Tyler explains his experience in the Special Tactics Comms Course 51:25 - Daily life as a 3D in the Group 57:50 - Why should other 3Ds want to come to the 724 STG? Visit us at 724STG Website

Welcome to the Insight Thru Experience Podcast. This week we bring you part two of a two-part series with members of our Human Performance Optimization (HPO) team. Visit us at https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/724STG/  

This week we sat down with two operators that just graduated from our Operator Training Course (OTC) to gain their perspectives on how to be successful in both Selection and OTC. If you are a Special Warfare operator, or a motivated Combat Mission Supporter, visit our website to learn how to join this elite organization.  https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af...

Welcome to the Insight Thru Experience Podcast. This week we interviewed Capt Nick S. who is a Combat Rescue Officer serving at a Rescue Squadron here in the U.S. Nick is the first officer we have interviewed and his experience is a good guide for all those coming behind him to our A&S process. Appreciate all of you tuning in to another Insight Thru Experience Podcast!

Welcome to the Insight Thru Experience Podcast. This week we are bringing you time with SSgt Billy G., a TACP who is currently serving inside the Fires Shop at the 724 STG, and who just successfully navigated and was selected during the last operator A&S. Billy is extremely well-spoken and I think you will be as motivated as I was after listening to his thoughts. Appreciate all of you tuning in to another Insight Thru Experience Podcast! Visit us at https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af...

Well, here we are. My last episode. But no worries, the podcast will hopefully continue in the future with my replacement. If you value what I have provided over the last 6 years on these episodes, please consider following me on my two other channels as I head into the next chapter of life. One channel is my Early Riser channel on YouTube. It started as a hiking channel and is morphing into a Mr. Free philosophy channel. We will discuss some helpful life subjects where I will continue to bring in experiences from my SOF operator and civilian life and my time on long hiking trails. Please subscribe and join the journey. https://youtube.com/@earlyriser71?si=S5Lo0nVG1draoiuk My second channel is new and more operator-centric. It's called The Operator's Mind and will focus on things to help increase mental performance and reduce a lot of the mental noise. This channel is also for everyone, not just operators. https://youtube.com/@theoperatorsmind?si=67BPbQC2VKwRQErP Links to my two Substack channels are below as well. Here I will be writing about subjects that add value to all humans. Check them out. Reading is a part of self-development... so do it!!! Early Riser's Substack: https://substack.com/@earlyriser1?utm_campaign=unknown&utm_medium=web The Operator's Mind Substack: https://substack.com/@theoperatorsmind?utm_campaign=unknown&utm_medium=web Follow me on Instagram: @earlyriser71

We are provided an opportunity to brief every graduating class of PJs and CROs before they exit the pipeline. This is our opportunity to share this amazing future opportunity with the graduates as they begin their PJ/CRO journeys. Jordan, Chuck, and Nick did an outstanding job communicating what we do for the nation. Not everything is included in this edited version of the brief, but I captured enough to give the listener a feel for what life is like inside our unique world of operating at the highest tactical level. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This assignment should be on every AFSPECWAR operator's goal sheet. That doesn't mean we will be a good fit for you, or you a good fit for us, but you will never know until you apply. Quit listening to all the people who have never been here. Come see for yourself. Visit our website at https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/724STG/ Our website has the information you need to be prepared when you come to your job interview at our organization. Take the time to read the information, listen to our podcasts, and prime yourself as much as possible so we get the best look at you when you're here, and you can see if we are a good fit for you as well. Here is the link to an amazing mental prep document created by our mental performance coach: https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/Portals/80/724%20Items/COGNITIVE%20PERFORMANCE%20LEVEL%201%20TRAINING%20MANUAL%20V8.pdf?ver=qk3UZIukvUvF7JS0iRFzqA%3d%3d Note: The thoughts and discussions in these interviews do not represent the official thoughts of the organization. These interviews are meant to inform you on the opportunities that exist here and how to be better prepared when it's your time to perform.

I remembered recording this recruiting brief (back in February), and it has been sitting in a folder on my computer for months. This is a recruiting brief Adam (17 STS) and I gave to the graduating class at the TACP FTU in Vegas. This is great info for not only aspiring or current TACPs but for anyone who has their sights set on trying to come to our organization in the future. Adam is a very good speaker and connects well with his audience. I hope you enjoy this episode. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This assignment should be on every AFSPECWAR operator's goal sheet. That doesn't mean we will be a good fit for you or that you will be a good fit for us, but you will never know until you apply. Quit listening to all the people who have never been here. Come see for yourself. Visit our website at https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/724STG/ Our website has the information you need to be prepared when you come to your job interview at our organization. Take the time to read the information, listen to our podcasts, and prime yourself as much as possible so we get the best look at you when you're here, and you can see if we are a good fit for you as well. Here is the link to an amazing mental prep document created by our mental performance coach: https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/Portals/80/724%20Items/COGNITIVE%20PERFORMANCE%20LEVEL%201%20TRAINING%20MANUAL%20V8.pdf?ver=qk3UZIukvUvF7JS0iRFzqA%3d%3d Note: The thoughts and discussions in these interviews do not represent the official thoughts of the organization. These interviews are meant to inform you on the opportunities that exist here and how to be better prepared when it's your time to perform.

Our operator training course (OTC) is a 9-month advanced course that trains our operators to be warfighters at the highest levels. OTC is a course where if you let the stress and schedule control your thoughts and actions, you will struggle to find success. Therefore, we try to prime the operators for success during a week-long course dubbed "Peak Performance", where we help the operators learn how to control the controllables and let go of worrying about the things they don't control Peak Performance is also a way we try to build a bridge from the operators over to our Human Performance staff so they understand how to utilize the experts during training (and beyond) to increase their performance. This podcast is a recording of a panel discussion we had on the first day of Peak Performance. The four panel members are operators who just graduated from OTC a few months ago. They share their experiences, challenges, and tips on how to navigate OTC more successfully. Hopefully, you can take some relatable and actionable tips from this discussion as well. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This assignment should be on every AFSPECWAR operator's goal sheet. That doesn't mean we will be a good fit for you or that you will be a good fit for us, but you will never know until you apply. Quit listening to all the people who have never been here. Come see for yourself. Visit our website at https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/724STG/  Our website has the information you need to be prepared when you come to your job interview at our organization. Take the time to read the information, listen to our podcasts, and prime yourself as much as possible so we get the best look at you when you're here, and you can see if we are a good fit for you as well. Here is the link to an amazing mental prep document created by our mental performance coach: https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/Portals/80/724%20Items/COGNITIVE%20PERFORMANCE%20LEVEL%201%20TRAINING%20MANUAL%20V8.pdf?ver=qk3UZIukvUvF7JS0iRFzqA%3d%3d  Note: The thoughts and discussions in these interviews do not represent the official thoughts of the organization. These interviews are meant to inform you on the opportunities that exist here and how to be better prepared when it's your time to perform.

JC is a Combat Controller who lived every operator's dream at this top-tier level. He was very experienced when he came to the unit and has always been a more open-minded problem-solver and operator. I wanted to interview him after his retirement ceremony where he is still contemplating his future while still processing his time here at the unit. There are many take-aways from this episode, but maybe none bigger than "Get some foundational experience at your first unit then put in an application for A&S. There is no need to wait." I hope you enjoy this interview with JC as much as I did. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This assignment should be on every AFSPECWAR operator's goal sheet. That doesn't mean we will be a good fit for you, or you a good fit for us, but you will never know until you apply. Quit listening to all the people who have never been here. Come see for yourself. Visit our website at https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/724STG/ Our website has the information you need to be prepared when you come to your job interview at our organization. Take the time to read the information, listen to our podcasts, and prime yourself as much as possible so we get the best look at you when you're here, and you can see if we are a good fit for you as well. Here is the link to an amazing mental prep document created by our mental performance coach: https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/Portals/80/724%20Items/COGNITIVE%20PERFORMANCE%20LEVEL%201%20TRAINING%20MANUAL%20V8.pdf?ver=qk3UZIukvUvF7JS0iRFzqA%3d%3d Note: The thoughts and discussions in these interviews do not represent the official thoughts of the organization. These interviews are meant to inform you on the opportunities that exist here and how to be better prepared when it's your time to perform.

It seems much of the angst of those considering applying for our operator selection is centered around Phase III. This is our "field" portion of selection and is a substantial event, even for the most fit and prepared operators. But it shouldn't be feared. It should be highly sought after by anyone in the position to come throw their hat in the arena. In this episode, I compiled the Phase III daily recordings from three high-performing candidates during selection 25-02, so you can get a realistic feel of both the difficulty and value of how we run this phase of selection. It's not about getting beat down for the sake of it. It's about facing unique challenges and learning how to grow into a more competent and capable operator regardless if you are hired or not.   C01 = Officer C15 = CCT C17 = TACP   This assignment should be on every AFSPECWAR operator's goal sheet. That doesn't mean we will be a good fit for you, or you a good fit for us, but you will never know until you apply. Quit listening to all the people who have never been here. Come see for yourself. Visit our website at https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/724STG/  Our website has the information you need to be prepared when you come to your job interview at our organization. Take the time to read the information, listen to our podcasts, and prime yourself as much as possible so we get the best look at you when you're here, and you can see if we are a good fit for you as well.   Here is the link to an amazing mental prep document created by our mental performance coach: https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/Portals/80/724%20Items/COGNITIVE%20PERFORMANCE%20LEVEL%201%20TRAINING%20MANUAL%20V8.pdf?ver=qk3UZIukvUvF7JS0iRFzqA%3d%3d     Note: The thoughts and discussions in these interviews do not represent the official thoughts of the organization. These interviews are meant to inform you on the opportunities that exist here and how to be better prepared when it's your time to perform.

We are provided an opportunity to brief every graduating class of PJs and CROs before they exit the pipeline. Although we usually take a few PJs with us out to Kirtland AFB to help brief, none could break away from training and real-world commitments to travel. So, we got creative and used our virtual resources to pipe TEK into the audience. This podcast is a recording of the brief we gave to the candidates. It's obviously a cut-down version as we had to edit out most of the "good" parts that can't be shared over open media. But TEK still delivered some amazing content about his experiences and what life is like at the unit for a PJ. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This assignment should be on every AFSPECWAR operator's goal sheet. That doesn't mean we will be a good fit for you, or you a good fit for us, but you will never know until you apply. Quit listening to all the people who have never been here. Come see for yourself.   Visit our website at https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/724STG/   Our website has the information you need to be prepared when you come to your job interview at our organization. Take the time to read the information, listen to our podcasts, and prime yourself as much as possible so we get the best look at you when you're here, and you can see if we are a good fit for you as well.   Here is the link to an amazing mental prep document created by our mental performance coach: https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/Portals/80/724%20Items/COGNITIVE%20PERFORMANCE%20LEVEL%201%20TRAINING%20MANUAL%20V8.pdf?ver=qk3UZIukvUvF7JS0iRFzqA%3d%3d   Note: The thoughts and discussions in these interviews do not represent the official thoughts of the organization. These interviews are meant to inform you about the opportunities that exist here and how to be better prepared when it's your time to perform.

Welcome to the Insight Thru Experience Podcast. In this episode, we pulled some of the most pertinent feedback items we pulled from the Days 1-5 selection videos we posted earlier. The intent behind this episode is to give the audience the five biggest takeaways that we garnered from the candidates to help increase the performance of not only future candidates here, but also across the military and civilian sectors as well. Takeaways: 1. During problem-solving, leaders need to establish a proper planning structure, set clear intent, and get out of the way. 2. Sleep deprivation will be a huge obstacle during the process. 3. Use the Cognitive Performance Manual on our website to increase your cognitive capacity before you get here. (Link to manual below) 4. Build a strong "why" statement before you get here. 5. Get better at solving novel problems. Runner UpTopics: 6. Footwear choices. 7. Physical prep advice. For more info on our unit... Visit our website at https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/724STG/ Our website has the information you need to be prepared when you come to your job interview at our organization. Take the time to read the information, listen to our podcasts, and prime yourself as much as possible so we get the best look at you when you're here, and you can see if we are a good fit for you as well. Here is the link to an amazing mental prep document created by our mental performance coach: https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/Portals/80/724%20Items/COGNITIVE%20PERFORMANCE%20LEVEL%201%20TRAINING%20MANUAL%20V8.pdf?ver=qk3UZIukvUvF7JS0iRFzqA%3d%3d   Note: The thoughts and discussions in these interviews do not represent the official thoughts of the organization. These interviews are meant to inform you about the opportunities that exist here and how to be better prepared when it's your time to perform.

Welcome to the Insight Thru Experience Podcast. This is the fifth and last episode where we hear from operator candidates as they proceed through our operator assessment and selection. Day five finds the candidates back at the hotel after completing Phase III--the field phase. In this episode, the candidates discuss their final few events and how they performed. Many lessons are being delivered in their thoughts, and this should serve as a training guide for those coming behind them. Their insights from day five provide a great look inside the selection process for one of the nation's most elite units. You will hear terms like "good side of the road", "under the streetlight", and "redline" in their comments. These are all terms and concepts that we use during the process to serve as guideposts for the candidates during selection. Intent I chose nine candidates at random to answer six questions each night before they went to bed down. The intent behind doing this was to give the listener a feel for what it's like to move through Phase II of our selection process and how to prepare effectively before you show up. For more info on our unit... Visit our website at https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/724STG/ Our website has the information you need to be prepared when you come to your job interview at our organization. Take the time to read the information, listen to our podcasts, and prime yourself as much as possible so we get the best look at you when you're here, and you can see if we are a good fit for you as well. Here is the link to an amazing mental prep document created by our mental performance coach: https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/Portals/80/724%20Items/COGNITIVE%20PERFORMANCE%20LEVEL%201%20TRAINING%20MANUAL%20V8.pdf?ver=qk3UZIukvUvF7JS0iRFzqA%3d%3d    Note: The thoughts and discussions in these interviews do not represent the official thoughts of the organization. These interviews are meant to inform you about the opportunities that exist here and how to be better prepared when it's your time to perform.

Welcome to the Insight Thru Experience Podcast. This is the fourth of five episodes where we hear from operator candidates as they proceed through our operator assessment and selection. Please visit our YouTube channel and go to the comments section of this video to give these guys some appreciation for recording them. They sacrificed some sleep and mental bandwidth to record these for you.  https://youtu.be/Xt_BOx8L0qM?si=KTu1yde73TKLRS9p  Day four brings forth a host of insightful information coming from these nine guys as they were in the middle of Phase III (field phase). One of the main themes they discuss is how sleep deprivation is the largest variable affecting their ability to perform at peak levels. They also discuss how they are realizing that real problem-solving is often much different than what they are used to back in their normal worlds at their current units. Their insights from day four provide a great look inside the selection process for one of the nation's most elite units. I chose nine candidates at random to answer six questions each night before they went to bed down. The intent was to give the listener a feel for what it's like to move through Phase II of our selection process and how to prepare effectively before you show up. For more info on our unit... Visit our website at https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/724STG/ Our website has the information you need to be prepared when you come to your job interview at our organization. Take the time to read the information, listen to our podcasts, and prime yourself as much as possible so we get the best look at you when you're here, and you can see if we are a good fit for you as well. Here is the link to an amazing mental prep document created by our mental performance coach: https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/Portals/80/724%20Items/COGNITIVE%20PERFORMANCE%20LEVEL%201%20TRAINING%20MANUAL%20V8.pdf?ver=qk3UZIukvUvF7JS0iRFzqA%3d%3d    Note: The thoughts and discussions in these interviews do not represent the official thoughts of the organization. These interviews are meant to inform you about the opportunities that exist here and how to be better prepared when it's your time to perform.

Welcome to the Insight Thru Experience Podcast. This is the third of five episodes where we hear from operator candidates as they proceed through our operator assessment and selection. Day three is interesting. The guys were processing the feedback from day two and looking for any signs that they were performing better. Sometimes, our need for a win overshadows reality, and this was in full effect on day three for some of the guys. They didn't perform very well during their individual problem-solving event, but they processed it as an improvement from the day before. Regardless, their insight into day three is a great look inside the selection process for one of the nation's most elite units. I chose ten candidates at random to answer six questions each night before they went to bed down. The intent behind doing this was to give the listener a feel for what it's like to move through Phase II of our selection process and how to prepare effectively before you show up. For more info on our unit... Visit our website at https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/724STG/ Our website has the information you need to be prepared when you come to your job interview at our organization. Take the time to read the information, listen to our podcasts, and prime yourself as much as possible so we get the best look at you when you're here, and you can see if we are a good fit for you as well. Here is the link to an amazing mental prep document created by our mental performance coach: https://www.airforcespecialtactics.af.mil/Portals/80/724%20Items/COGNITIVE%20PERFORMANCE%20LEVEL%201%20TRAINING%20MANUAL%20V8.pdf?ver=qk3UZIukvUvF7JS0iRFzqA%3d%3d