Ep. 69: Tiffany Zaloudek - Passion, Perseverance, and SERE Training

Send us Fan MailRoughly 1.25% of the Air Force hold the rank of Chief Master Sergeant. It’s already a tough milestone to achieve. Tiffany Zaloudek is someone who did just that and made even more history recently by becoming the first female survival, evasion, resistance, escape (SERE) specialist to earn the rank of Chief Master Sergeant, the highest enlisted rank in the U.S. Air Force.SERE training is one of the most rigorous programs in the military, designed to prepare Airmen for survival in extreme conditions, evading capture, resisting interrogation, and escaping captivity.Although not the first female SERE specialist, when she earned her beret in 2007, she broke an eight-year dry spell in which no women had graduated from the specialized training course. Reflecting on her initial recruitment, she remembers her recruiter handing her a SERE brochure with no women in it.Her career is a testament to her dedication, resilience, and impact on SERE training and culture, inspiring countless Airmen. Tiffany now holds the highest enlisted rank, breaking barriers and paving the way for future generations of female service members in elite and challenging roles.Support the showConnect with Passing The Torch: Facebook and IG: @torchmartinMore Amazing Stories:Episode 41: Lee Ellis – Freeing You From Bond That Make You InsecureEpisode 81: Kurt Warner – Perseverance, Humility, and Lighting the Way Episode 90: Michelle 'MACE' Curran – How to Turn Fear into Fuel------------© 2026 TORCH LEAP®, LLC. All rights reserved.