The Indigenous Approach

SSG Thomas sits down with SFC H.E., SPC Lat, and SFC T for a conversation on the art of fighting and how to maintain your peak performance. SFC H.E. is the senior combatives instructor for the 95th Civil Affairs advanced skills detachment. SPC Lat is an amateur boxer and public affairs Soldier for 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne).  SFC T is a MMA champion and communications sergeant for 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne). 

Master Sgt. Chris Copper, Master Sgt. Jim Rooney, and Sergeant First Class (Retired) Bill O'Brian discuss transition from military service to civilian life. Navigation from military service to civilian life can be a struggle for some, and this discussion will hopefully enlighten those who need guidance and direction moving forward. Your transitioning phase will be determined by what you want out of it.

In this episode, Staff Sgt. Thomas sits with Major Christopher Pierce, Performance and Wellness Sleep Program Manager  and Mr. Ryan Carroll, HPW Coordinator,  to discuss how the lack of adequate sleep can affect mental health, physical fitness, and critical thinking.  They also discuss programs and technologies utilized within 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) to monitor and optimize sleep habits.Major Pierce is also author of "Self-Health Andragogy: Self-Directed Learning Approach to Mental and Physical Self-Care." His book can be found on Google books or Amazon.If you have suggestions for topics or guests please let us know through the survey link below.1SFC(A) - Indigenous Approach Podcast Survey (surveymonkey.com) 

In Part 2 of this two-part series, Master Sgt. Chris Copper returns with  Maj. Larry Royer, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) behavioral health officer; Master Sgt. John, Team Sergeant from 19th SFG(A); and Georgia Harrison, United States Army Special Operations Command HPW Suicide Prevention Coordinator to have a candid conversation on issues that are affecting the force today. 

In Part 1 of this two-part series, Master Sgt. Chris Copper returns with  Maj.  Larry Royer, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) behavioral health officer; Master Sgt. John, Team Sergeant from 19th SFG(A); and Georgia Harrison, United States Army Special Operations Command HPW Suicide Prevention Coordinator to have a candid conversation on issues that are affecting the force today. 

In today's episode, we bring on the LREC program managers and a current Special Forces officer to discuss the command's language and culture program.Francis "Rusty" Restituyo is a retired Green Beret and is the LREC Director.Jorge Sanchez is a retired Green Beret and runs the Advanced Language Training portion of the LREC.Scott McDonough is the program manager for Yorktown Systems Group, the company that manages the contractor and database portion of the LREC.Ian Edgerly is a former PSYOP officer and is the program lead for the Regional Expertise and Culture part of the LREC.MAJ Tim Ball is a current Special Forces officer and a fellow at the Foreign Policy Research Institute. He wrote an article in War on the Rocks in May of this year about our language program, available here:https://warontherocks.com/2021/05/talking-the-talk-language-capabilities-for-u-s-army-special-forces/

In Part 2 of our series on Resistance, we examine what Resistance looks like in the INDOPACOM AoR with the past, present and future commanders of our forward-stationed battalion in the region.Guests for this episode:Lt. Col. Erik Davis is the current commander of 1st Bn, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Okinawa, Japan.Lt. Col. Ron Garberson works in the Operations Directorate at Special Operations Command - Pacific (SOCPAC) and is the next commander of 1st Bn, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) in Okinawa, Japan.Col. (Ret) Dave Maxwell is a senior fellow at Foundation for the Defense of Democracies, and was commander of 1st Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group from 2000 to 2002. He's instructed at the National War College and Georgetown University. With over 20 years of service in the Indo-Pacific, he's an expert on the subjects of SOF and resistance.*To join the conversation, navigate to the 1SFC CAG page on the SIPR portal, where you will find a button for the CDR's Blog*Links for this topic: Gene Sharp’s “From Dictatorship to Democracy”https://www.nonviolent-conflict.org/resource/from-dictatorship-to-democracy-a-conceptual-framework-for-liberation/Assessing Revolutionary and Insurgent Strategies (ARIS) Project: https://www.soc.mil/ARIS/ARIS.htmlResistance Operating Concept (ROC):https://jsou.libguides.com/ld.php?content_id=54216464

In this episode, Lt. Col. Thomas Gaines and Dr. Angus Fletcher discuss creativity and leadership. Lt. Col. Gaines is the command's G6 and Dr. Fletcher is a Story Science Professor from Ohio State University. Together the two have done quite a bit of research on creativity and leadership. Enjoy the episode. It's a great one and an interesting conversation

We're back! It's another episode of the Indigenous Approach. This time we sit down with the command team and have a candid conversation on vision and ARSOF Integration.

The Indigenous Approach returns! We're back with another series of episodes. In this episode, an OPSEC violation was trending on social media. Next, it's Veterans Day time. Salute to all those who served. Lastly, it's coming up on the 60th Anniversary of the passing of President John F. Kennedy. We discuss his legacy and what it means for Special Operations today in 2023. New episodes every two weeks! 

In this episode, the command's Chaplain and Psych speak with Dr. Harold Koenig on moral injury.  The episode intertwines health and spirituality on how to treat moral injury related to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

May is mental health awareness month and in this episode, we talk to Staff Sergeant Amanda Baker, mother, spouse, and an outstanding NCO in the command. She’s an advocate using behavioral health and she’ll share her real life experience.

In this episode, Staff Sgt. Amanda Baker discusses Black History Month with Col. Tavi Brunson and Lt. Col Burton Furlow, the brigade commander and special troop battalion commander of 528th Sustainment Brigade Special Operations Airborne. Listen as these two leaders explore what Black History Month means to them and several key insights on leadership serving in Special Operations. 

In this episode of the Indigenous Approach, we are joined by Dr. Sean McFate, author of the 2019 book The New Rules of War. Sean is currently a Senior Fellow at the Atlantic Council and a professor at National Defense University, Georgetown University, and Syracuse University. We discuss with Sean the role of SOF in Irregular Warfare and Strategic Competition. 

1st Special Forces Command Chief of Staff, COL Pat Nelson, joins the conversation to speak on his 30 plus years of military service, his transition from the 75th Ranger Regiment to an SF Commissioned Officer,  and his top priorities and objectives as the new 1st SFC Chief of Staff. 

Author and Historian, Marc Leepson, joins the Indigenous Approach to discuss his 2017 biography, Ballad of the Green Beret: The Life and Wars of SSG  Barry Sadler: From the Vietnam War and Pop Stardom, to Murder, and an Unsolved, Violent Death.

1st Lt. Rodney Walker, 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) Chaplain Lt. Col. Brandon Moore, and Deputy Command Chaplain Maj. Colt Randles discuss creative ways to strengthen marriages through communication and the seven principles for making marriage work.  This conversation explains that even though marriages may be shaky or successful, it could always grow stronger.Links mentioned in the podcast:Created for Connection: The "Hold Me Tight" Guide for Christian Couples Hardcover - October 4, 2016 by Kenneth Sanderfer and Dr. Sue Johnson EdDHold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Loveby Dr. Sue Johnson EdD, Apr 8, 2008"Growing Through Adversity" premiere - release of the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps' first Strong Bonds film l Article l The United States ArmyLinks to film and road map are in the article.Discover Your Love Language - The 5 Love LanguagesChapman, G. D. (2010). The Five Love Languages. WalkerThe Gottman Institute l A research-based approach to relationshipsGottman, J. (2000). The seven principles for making marriage work. Orion.

SGT Rudi Horvath joins the Indigenous Approach to help mark the 70th anniversary of 10th Special Forces Group. Rudi was one of the "Originals" from 1952, and helped forge the Special Forces community into the premier partnered irregular warfare force it is today. 

In this episode , we speak to Dr. Keith Adkins - the son of Medal of Honor recipient , CSM Bennie Adkins who was bestowed with the prestigious award in 2014 for his display of valor during combat operations in the Vietnam War in 1966. 

In this episode, we take a bit of a deep dive into the world of Robotics and Autonomous Systems and we explore where the nexus is between Robotics and Army Special Operations. Our guests for today's episode:Jason is an Operations Planner in the USASOC G3 Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction Division and the USASOC ARSOF Robotics Division’s Subterranean Robotics and Autonomous Systems Manager.  He works alongside CWMD planners to develop Robotics and Autonomous Systems solutions for close, confined spaces with fouled air and other environments that challenge life support.Dave is a Special Forces Major who works in the USASOC Combat Development Directorate and is focused on mobility. He’s USASOC’s touchpoint with the Army’s Next Generation Combat Vehicle Cross Functional Team and the Army’s Robotics Requirements Division. MAJ Corey Wallace is an Armor officer and is the Robotic Combat Vehicle Requirements Lead at the Next Generation Combat Vehicle Cross Functional Team.Book Recommendations from our guests:Lean Product Playbook - Dave OlsenKill Chain - Christian BroseArmy of None - Paul ScharreThe Innovator's Dilemma - Clayton Christensen