EPISODE #105 – Marine Airpower, the Battle of Ramadi, and Flying the Beast: The F-35 and MV-22

Strap in and arm hot, folks—this one’s a burner. Welcome to Episode 105 of the Lessons from the Cockpit show! I’m your host Mark Hasara, retired KC-135 pilot, author of Tanker Pilot, and a lifelong aviation nut with over 60 years of airpower obsession.

This week, I sit down with Colonel Byron “Shrek” Sullivan, a retired United States Marine Corps airpower warrior. And trust me—this is the kind of episode that makes your hair stand up. "Shrek" is a Marine’s Marine—combat leader, airpower tactician, and the former commander of VMX-1, the Corps’ top Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron at Yuma, Arizona. He’s called in air support as a Forward Air Controller on the ground in Ramadi, and he’s led Marines flying cutting-edge aircraft like the F-35B Lightning II and the MV-22 Osprey.

🪖 On the ground or in the air, Shrek brings the thunder—and in this episode, you’ll hear: - What it's like calling in airstrikes under fire - How the Marines train to dominate the battlefield with airpower - The challenges and differences flying the F-35 vs. the Osprey - Why our enemies fear the U.S. Marine Corps and its aircraft

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