Go Bold #44: Chad McCoy on being a PJ with the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command

In this episode we speak with retired U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Chad McCoy, a special operator who served as a PJ, that's Para-Jumper or Pararescue, with the 66th and 33rd Rescue Squadrons of the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC).Chad then went on to serve as the Senior Chief with the 24th Special Tactics Squadron of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC).Throughout his military career, Chad was part of the cadre of specialists that serve as the rescue response for U.S. military services. Their motto is: That Others May Live.We discuss the extensive training and advanced skills required to be a PJ in the Special Ops community, and how that training has evolved over the years, and how today's operators need to be multifaceted and adaptable for multi-domain operations.Special Operations is often sensationalized in Hollywood movies, so Chad sheds light on the mystique of Special Operations as he shares his journey on what it means to be a Tier 1 operator working with U.S. Navy SEAL Teams, Army Special Forces, and conducting clandestine operations. Chad's first-hand insight was gained through 17 combat deployments in various theaters of operation around the world.Chad went on to work at the Doolittle Institute, an Innovation Institute which supports the Air Force Research Lab Munitions Directorate. It is here where Chad saw issues which small businesses face when dealing with the Department of Defense, and where he reinforced his view on the need to iterate quickly for the needs of the warfighter.Today Chad McCoy is the co-founder of Firestorm Labs, an innovative company focused on the rapid production of modular, low-cost, mission adaptable platforms which are geared for the highly dynamic nature of modern warfare.Chad is the real deal, and throughout our conversation you'll hear him speak with humility, a quality which I respect and I feel makes for an engaging discussion.We thank Chad McCoy for his time and his insight into the world of Pararescue and Special Operations, and for sharing the focus at Firestorm Labs.Go Bold!