Latest Posts
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The hypersonic imperative: Defending the homeland and deterring adversaries
Former Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and former Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy discuss the newly released final report of the Hypersonic Capability Task Force.
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John Chapman’s Dark Night
John Chapman is the first member of the Air Force to receive the Medal of Honor since Vietnam. John’s story takes us to a freezing, snowy mountain range in Afghanistan on March 4th, 2002, where he deployed with SEAL Team 6 during Operation Anaconda. His bravery in the pre-dawn hours that day teaches us something vital about heroism: It means being willing to risk everything… even if no one can see you do it. Special thanks to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and the Defense Visual Information Distributions Service. The appearance of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
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From Plan B to Air Force Secretary: Deborah Lee James on Resilience, Mentorship, and Leadership (Part Two)
Part Two: In the conclusion of their conversation, former Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James shares exhilarating experiences from her military career, including flights in high-altitude spy planes and with the Thunderbirds. She discusses her efforts to improve morale in critical military roles and explores the challenges of leadership, emphasizing the importance of work-life balance and self-awareness. James touches on gender differences in professional settings and the need for playing to one’s strengths. The conversation then shifts to current global threats and technological challenges facing the U.S. military. Despite these challenges, James expresses optimism about America’s future, citing the country’s technological advancements and the potential of future generations.
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From Plan B to Air Force Secretary: Deborah Lee James on Resilience, Mentorship, and Leadership (Part One)
Part One: Gary sits down with Deborah Lee James, the 23rd Secretary of the Air Force. Deborah shares her inspiring journey from a small town in New Jersey to leading a force of 660,000 personnel with a $139 billion budget. She discusses the power of mentorship, the importance of pivoting when faced with setbacks, and her framework for success in both personal and professional life. Deborah offers valuable insights on navigating transitions between public service and the private sector, the role of emotional intelligence in leadership, and the necessity of continual learning. This conversation is filled with practical advice for anyone looking to chart their path to success, regardless of their starting point.
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Defense & Aerospace Daily Podcast [May 31, 23] Esper and James on Defense Innovation Adoption
On this episode of the DefAero Report Daily Podcast, sponsored by Bell, Dr Mark Esper, the 27th US defense secretary, and Deborah Lee James, the 23rd Air Force secretary, who are the co-chairs of the Atlantic Council’s Commission on Defense Innovation Adoption discuss the group’s interim report that includes 10 recommendations aimed at helping the Pentagon accelerate the adoption of game-changing technologies and capabilities by granting key leaders more authority to make key programmatic decisions more quickly and allow greater budget flexibility to turn promising ideas into fielded capabilities with Defense & Aerospace Report Editor Vago Muradian.
