The Blue Grit Podcast
by Anya Fedotova
The Blue Grit Podcast features conversations with current and former military leaders, mental health experts, elite athletes, veterans and other individuals who have overcome significant adversity. Each podcast will highlight tactics, techniques and procedures guests used to overcome profound challenges and how those TTPs may be employed to help current Airmen deal with their struggles. As a corollary, podcast will increase awareness of psychological health and assist in de-stigmatizing mental illness, normalize Airmen's own struggles and internalize the message of hope and recovery.
Episodes
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Episode 43 CMSgt (Ret.) Bryan Blue
CMSgt (Ret.) Bryan Blue retired after 30 years of honorable service in the USAF and has been the Community Support Coordinator for Los Angeles Air Force Base, California since 2013. He served as the Installation Resilience Education Program Manager, Executive Director of the Community Action…
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Episode 42 Major Kim "Nike" Rigby
This episode features Major Rigby, a Senior Combat Systems Officer for Air Force Global Strike Command with 900+ hours in the B-52H Stratofortress bomber. In 2014, after returning from a deployment, Maj Rigby’s husband was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Over the following three years, she…
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Episode 41 Dr. Bonnie Kaplan
Episode 41 is one of the most important conversations aired on The Blue Grit Podcast. I interviewed Dr. Bonnie Kaplan, who is a professor emerita in the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary and a co-author of a recently published book The Better Brain: Overcome Anxiety, Combat...
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Episode 40 Michelle Padgett
Michelle Padgett is the Director of Warrior Wellness and Policy Integration, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Office. She is responsible for leading transformation efforts with a multi-disciplinary team of experts to enhance human performance and advance quality service and experience for...
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Episode 39 MSgt Maria Seyborne
We all have our stories. Some are more unfathomable than others. MSgt Maria Seyborne shares her story of overcoming a harrowing hostage situation, PTSD, and why mental health advocacy has become her life mission.
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Episode 38 CMSgt Lisa Arnold
Episode 38 is an interview with CMSgt Lisa Arnold, who is the Command Chief Master Sergeant, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles California. We talk about Chief Arnold’s toughest moments, sexual harassment, surviving deep desperation, rekindling friendships, facing glass ceiling, being…
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Episode 37 Lt Col (Ret.) Dr. Alan Ogle
The topic of this podcast is a form of resilience: heroism. Christopher McDougall, the author of Natural Born Heroes, describes heroism as a skill that can be practiced, rather than a virtue or personality trait. My guest is Dr. Alan Ogle, an operational Air Force psychologist and firefighter…
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Episode 36 Pam Collins and Deidra Saina
Blue Grit Podcast episode 36 is a special edition. For the first time, it features two guests on the same show. And for the first time, the topic of discussion is domestic violence. My two guests are Pam Collins -- who is the Clinical Director of Air Force Family Advocacy Program -- and Deidra...
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Episode 35 SMSgt Jamie L. Britt
Episode 35 is an interview with SMSgt Jamie L. Britt, the First Sergeant, 61st Air Base Group (ABG), Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. SMSgt Britt and I met for this recording of the Blue Grit Podcast episode just 2 months after his father committed suicide. In this interview, SMSgt Britt...
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Episode 34 Col (Ret.) Richard Tatem
Episode 34 Col (Ret.) Richard Tatem by Anya Fedotova
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Episode 33 CMSgt Roger A. Towberman
Episode 33 is an interview with Chief Master Sergeant Roger A. Towberman — the Senior Enlisted Advisor of the United States Space Force and Command Senior Enlisted Leader of the United States Space Command. Chief Towberman represents the highest enlisted level of leadership and provides…
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Episode 32 Col (Ret.) Dr. Jeffrey Smith
Dr. Jeffrey Smith, the owner of Thinkenomics, is a retired Colonel with 30 years of service in the United States Air Force. He is the creator of the Profession of Arms Center of Excellence (PACE) that has a strong footprint in the culture of today’s Air Force. We discuss affective learning…
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Episode 31 Lt Col (Ret.) Dr. Kevin Basik
Episode 31 is a conversation with Lt Col (Ret.) Dr. Kevin Basik, a recognized expert in behavioral integrity and leadership development at the individual, team and organizational levels. We discuss another grit strategy: battle cries. Battle cries are phrases, quotes, symbols, idioms, proverbs…
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Episode 30 Col Ann Igl
The 30th episode of the Blue Grit Podcast is a gripping interview with Colonel Ann Igl, the Commander of 61st Air Base Group, Los Angeles Air Force Base, El Segundo, California. We talk about multigenerational family grit, deployment grit, grit through cancer, separation, and pandemic. We also...
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Episode 29 Col (Dr.) Scott Sonnek
Episode 29 is an interview with Col (Dr.) Scott Sonnek who is the Air Force Director of Psychological Health at the Air Force Medical Readiness Agency. He consults and engages senior leaders at the Headquarters Air Force, DoD, and Congressional levels. He also represents Air Force mental health...
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Episode 28 Lt Lindy Jones
Lt Lindy Jones qualified for the 2020 Olympic trials on her first marathon. Enjoy our conversation about running, her mental game, fast women, and things that really matter to her. Lt Jones is a part of the World Class Athlete Program for track & field and the marathon. She will continue to train...
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Episode 27 Dr. Thomas Joiner
Episode 27 is a conversation with Dr. Thomas Joiner, a leading expert on suicide, a psychologist, the Director of the Military Suicide Research Consortium, and a renowned author of many books, to include Why People Die by Suicide, Myths about Suicide, Lonely at the Top, Mindlessness, and The...
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Episode 26 retired Navy SEAL Rob Stella
Episode 26 is an interview with Rob Stella, a retired Navy SEAL, and a co-founder of Acumen Performance Group. Rob brings his expertise and experiences in strategic/operational planning, multiple deployments to the Middle East, Pacific Rim, Africa, and Afghanistan. He holds a master's degree in...
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Episode 25 Lt Col Rob Marshall
Lt Col Rob Marshall, Deputy Chief of the Research and Scholarship Division, Center for Character and Leadership Development, USAFA. He creates innovative courses and researches the effectiveness of adventure and experiential based learning programs in the development of cadets and adults. He...
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Episode 24 Maj Kesley
Episode 24 is an interview with Major Weston S Kelsey, a 3 time Fencing Olympian, Olympic Coach, and Force Support Squadron Flight Commander. Maj Kelsey discusses how to overcome setbacks and design deliberate practices that mimic high pressured situations to learn adaptations to stress. He is...
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Episode 23 CPT (Ret.) Stephen Machuga
Episode 23 is an interview with Captain (Ret.) Stephen Machuga, the founder and a CEO of Stack-Up.org — an organization that brings both veterans and civilian supporters together through a shared love of video gaming. CPT Machuga discusses overcoming his personal and professional struggles…
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Episode 22 Dr. Aaron Moffett
Episode 22 is an interview with Dr. Aaron Moffett, a sport psychology consultant for the Air Force Wounded Warrior program. He was the head coach for Team USA at the Invictus Games from 2016 to 2018. He teaches how to take human performance to the next level through enhancing mental game. Photo:...
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Episode 21 TSgt (Ret.) Jaime Medina
Episode 21 features TSgt Jaime A. Medina, a recipient of three Bronze Star Medals, multiple Army and Air Force Commendation awards with Valor, Air Force and Army Combat Badges, among many other decorations. As a Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC), he selflessly deployed to multiple locations...
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Episode 20 MSgt (Ret.) David Long
Episode 20 features MSgt (Ret.) David Long who completed 20+ years of Army and Air Force service. While struggling with PTSD at the end of his military career and still in excellent physical shape, he was unexpectedly diagnosed with a heart condition that led to two major heart surgeries....
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Episode 19 A1C (Ret.) BJ Lange
A1C (Ret.) BJ Lange is the comedy coach for the Air Force's Wounded Warrior Program. An actor and comedian, he was diagnosed with cancer while on orders in the Air Force Reserve getting him enrolled into AFW2. A year into temporary retirement, a cancer relapse set him into a mental health free...
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Episode 18 SMSgt Griffin-Greer
Episode 18 is a conversation with SMSgt Tiwanda Griffin-Greer, a first-hand witness of an active shooter event that tragically unfolded at Lackland Training Annex in 2016. (The event is described in further detail in Episode 6 — an interview with Abby Schroder who survived her husband, Col Bill...
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Episode 17 MSgt Deondra Parks
MSgt Deondra Parks, who survived mortar attacks in Iraq, became a victim of a hate crime. She was shot, while studying in a coffee shop in Texas. A survivor of an active shooting event, she talks about forgiveness, seeking support, dealing with PTSD, and moving on with grace.
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Episode 16 Major Monica Marusceac
Monica Marusceac, a board-certified hypnotist and NLP practitioner and trainer, a former Marine combat fighter pilot, now Marine reservist and the CEO of Peak Performance Associates and NoVA Hypnosis & Wellness. The combination of her essential intuition, precision focus as a pilot and her years…
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Episode 15 CMSgt (Ret.) Robert Disney
Retired Chief Master Sergeant Robert L. Disney, Jr. discusses his experiences in the Air Force as a pararescueman. At the pinnacle of his career, he was the first superintendent of the 1st Expeditionary Rescue Group, leading 280 Airmen across three squadrons of C-130’s, HH-60’s, and Guardian…
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Episode 14 Lt Col Mark Zinno
Episode 14 is an interview with Lt Col Mark Zinno, a host of the Hazard Ground Podcast. Every week Hazard Ground brings together servicemembers from across the military, to share their accounts of combat and survival, and deliver inspirational stories of service and resilience from those who have...
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Episode 13 SMSgt Israel Del Torro (DT)
Episode 13 of The Blue Grit Podcast is with SMSgt Israel Del Toro who was severely injured in Afghanistan and suffered third degree burns on 80% of his body. He used adaptive sports to overcame his physical limitations. He participated in the Nationals, the Invictus, the Endeavor Games, the…
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Episode 12 Lt Col (Ret.) Dave Grossman
Episode 12 features Lt Col (Ret.) Dave Grossman, the author of On Killing and On Combat. He is a retired US Army Ranger, a paratrooper, a former West Point psychology professor, and one of the nation's leading trainers for military, law enforcement, mental health providers, and school safety...
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Episode 11 Lt Col (Dr.) Cynthia Rutherford
Episode 11 features Lt Col (Dr.) Cynthia Rutherford who shares a powerful story of overcoming her childhood abuse, to include sexual trauma. She discusses how her painful life experiences taught her to be a better physician and an Air Force Officer.
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Episode 10 Col (Ret) Lee Ellis
Episode 10 features Col (Ret.) Lee Ellis, who spent 5 ½ years as a prisoner of war in Hanoi and surrounding areas with Senator John McCain and other military leaders. He is the author of 2016 award-winning Engage with Honor: Building a Culture of Courageous Accountability and Leading with Honor:...
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Episode 9 Dr. Gary Percival
Episode 9 is an interview with Dr. Gary Percival, a SERE psychologist who has an extensive first-hand experience working with the survivors of captivity and isolation. He offers a comprehensive conceptualization of grit, draws a distinction between grit and hardiness, and offers concrete…
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Episode 8 Capt Brock McNabb
Episode 8 is dedicated to the Suicide Prevention efforts and features a moving conversation with Capt Brock McNabb, an Air Force social worker. He talks about coping with losing his best friend, an Army psychologist, who committed suicide.
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Episode 7 Lt Col Jaime Humphries
Episode 7 is an interview with Lt Col Jaime Humphries, a Public Affairs officer who discusses the aftermath of dealing with the deadliest shooting in Iraq. He has an interesting perspective on moving forward and becoming productive in the midst of chaos and trauma.
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Episode 6 Abby Schroeder
Episode 6 features an interview with Abby Schroeder, the widow of Col Bill Schroeder who was shot, defending the lives of others. Abby discusses her life after losing the love of her life. She continues to use strategies she has learned from the Air Force resiliency trainings, relying heavily and...
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Episode 5 LTC (Ret.) Orb Greenwald
Episode 5 is an interview with Orb Greenwald a former Olympic pentathlete, a swim coach for the USAF special forces selection course. This interview is just weeks after his wife Cordy passed away. Coach Greenwald talks about his failures, grief, being a warrior, and developing grit through…
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Episode 4 Maj Alea Nadeem
Episode 4 features Maj Alea Nadeem who was kidnapped as a child in Iraq. She eventually was able to return to the US. As an adult, she joined the USAF and has a unique perspective on freedom and resilience. She is also passionate about female veterans' healthcare and is working on developing...
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Episode 3 Maj (Ret.) Kat Portillo
Episode 3 features an interview with a wounded warrior, Maj Kat Portillo, and 18 year Air Force veteran. She is a former bodybuilder, triathlete, and an advocate for fitness and health. In 2015, she was involved in a motor vehicle accident that left her paralyzed from the shoulders down.
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Episode 2 Dr. (Ret Lt Col) Hector Acosta
Episode 2 features an interview with the former POW, Dr. (Ret Lt Col) Hector Acosta who discusses his experiences of continuing to build grit after being shot down and held captive in Vietnam.
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Episode 1 Colonel David Hammiel
Episode 1 features an interview with Colonel David Hammiel. Col Hammiel is the commander of the 61st Medical Squadron at Los Angeles Air Force Base, California. He is a board certified and licensed clinical social worker. He has served in a variety of positions, to include mental health, family...
About this show
The Blue Grit Podcast features conversations with current and former military leaders, mental health experts, elite athletes, veterans and other individuals who have overcome significant adversity. Each podcast will highlight tactics, techniques and procedures guests used to overcome profound challenges and how those TTPs may be employed to help current Airmen deal with their struggles. As a corollary, podcast will increase awareness of psychological health and assist in de-stigmatizing mental illness, normalize Airmen's own struggles and internalize the message of hope and recovery.
Hosted by
Anya Fedotova
Categories