The Jedburgh Podcast

The title United States Marine is earned…never given. For over 250 years the Marine Corps has been front and center in the defense of America and our allies. But as technology and the battlefield have changed, the character and standard that define a Marine have never wavered.

From the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, VA, Fran Racioppi sat down with Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Carlos A. Ruiz, the 20th senior enlisted leader of the United States Marine Corps, to discuss what it takes to serve in one of the world's most respected fighting forces.

Drawing on decades of service, SMMC Ruiz explains why the Marine Corps' greatest weapon system has never been its aircraft, landing craft or tanks, but the individual Marine. We explore how the Corps develops leaders by instilling discipline, accountability, resilience, and a deep understanding of the history and traditions that connect today's Marines to generations who came before them.
Our conversation also examines how the Marine Corps is preparing for today’s battlefield from large-scale combat operations and force modernization to their role in littoral defense.

The SMMC also shares his top priorities; improving quality of life for every Marine, investing in the physical and mental readiness of the Corps and preparing Marines for civilian life when the uniform comes off. From strengthening partnerships with industry, to building programs to train Marines in the trades, SMMC Ruiz remains as dedicated to the Marines whose service is ending as those who are getting off the bus.

America has changed a lot in 250 years, but the unabashed mission of the United States Marine Corps to fight and win our nation’s wars has not.

A special thanks to the National Museum of the Marine Corps for hosting our conversation and reminding every American that for Marines “Uncommon Valor Is A Common Virtue.”

HIGHLIGHTS
0:00 Introduction
2:18 Welcome to the Jedburgh Podcast
2:54 What It Means To Be A US Marine
7:04 Marine Corps Standard
10:04 Combat Readiness
15:41 Shifting from GWOT
20:00 Marine Corps Culture
26:24 Replacing the ASVAB
30:11 Recruiting Marines
34:38 Retaining Marines
38:02 Transitioning Marines
1:00:44 Barracks 2030
1:05:53 Daily Habits

QUOTES
“What makes the Marines great is your brother or sister next to you will pick you up and you’ll keep moving forward.”
“The promise is that we will make you better.”
“You’ll get an 80% solution that you can pivot anywhere.”
“What are we going to put in the Marines’ hands?”
“They’re not pieces of furniture.”
“Why not invest in the human in the beginning?”
“The Marine Corps will decide.”
“What kind of Marine are you building that is going to be talented and capable enough to arrive at the same moment that the technology is coming?”
“You can’t sell the Marine Corps. It’s too big.”
“Reinlisting Marines two years at a time is how we’re gaining retention.”
“We can help transition Marines better.”
“We’re good enough to keep what we want. We should be good enough to take care of the other ones as well.”
“That’s how you grow. Doing hard things.”
“We’re done trying to defend why the conditions are the way they are.”
“You can’t have beautiful, fancy, state-of-the-art gear and a crappy place to sleep.”
“If you can attempt to every day get to know somebody a little better, you can only move your platoon standard to higher levels because people trust you.”

The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by OneBrief; enabling military leaders to make innovative, informed and deliberate decisions faster than ever before. Superhuman command wins wars.

Follow the Jedburgh Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform, read on our website, and watch the full video version on YouTube as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.

For one day, the rivalry shifts from the battlefield to the lacrosse field. Green Berets. Navy SEALs. America's most elite special operations forces compete with the same intensity, discipline, and commitment to excellence that defines their military careers. But when the final whistle blows, the score becomes secondary to the brotherhood.

Live from the 2nd Annual Stars and Stripes Classic, Fran Racioppi sat down with Army Head Coach Joe Alberici and Navy Head Coach Joe Amplo just hours before the teams took the field. While the rivalry between Army and Navy is one of the greatest traditions in sports, both coaches know the game has always represented something much bigger than winning. Every practice, every workout, and every lesson on the lacrosse field is preparing young men and women to lead under pressure, overcome adversity, and serve their country with honor.

Our conversation examines how service academy athletics develops leaders ready to fight and win our nation’s wars. Coach Alberici and Coach Amplo explain why competition, accountability, and resilience are not just traits of great athletes - they are the same qualities required to lead in combat.

As kickoff approaches, the focus shifts from strategy to mindset. Compete relentlessly. Trust your training. Focus on the next play. Because whether it's on the lacrosse field, on a Special Forces ODA or SEAL platoon, success is built on discipline, accountability, and teammates who refuse to let each other fail.

Army and Navy compete to make each other better because one day these young men and women will stand together in defense of America.

Highlights:
0:00 Introduction
2:02 Welcome to the Stars & Stripes Classic
2:39 Preparing for the Game
5:34 Playing at USMA & USN
14:01 Ownership & Accountability
17:03 Pregame Message

Quotes:
“The excitement and desire to be a part of this again from the community was incredible.”
“My number one job is to keep you from yourself.”
“I have such a love, respect, and aberration for a young person just to be looking at these academies.”
“Both of our institutions uncover the best version of the human being that’s inside.”
“They have to be good humans who contribute to society because even their military service is going to end at some point.”
“You’re always looking to mentor.”
“Great leaders hold themselves to the higher standard as consistent as they possibly can.”
“The best leaders hold each other and others to that standard consistently.”
“Each day we tell a young man we’re trying to build you a masterpiece.”
“Before you hold others accountable, you got to hold yourself accountable.”
“Go back to the basics.”
“Let’s just make sure we’re getting onto the next play.”

The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by OneBrief; enabling military leaders to make innovative, informed and deliberate decisions faster than ever before. Superhuman command wins wars.

Follow the Jedburgh Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform, read on our website, and watch the full video version on YouTube as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.

The United States Military Academy at West Point is the foundation of the US Army. Along the cliffs, through the halls, and on the fields America’s best and brightest are trained to lead not just soldiers, but America. But behind the tradition and pageantry, West Point understands that athletics of any level create disciplined warriors prepared to lead in any situation.

In this episode, Fran Racioppi sat down with Tom Theodorakis, Director of Athletics at West Point, to discuss how one of the most respected athletic programs in the country directly supports the mission of the United States Military Academy and helps develop the next generation of Army leaders.

With more than 30 Division I programs and over 1,200 cadet-athletes, Tom explains what makes Army West Point different from every other program in college athletics. Cadet-athletes are not just balancing Division 1 sports and rigorous academics; they are simultaneously preparing to become officers in the United States Army where they will lead soldiers and shape national security strategy for decades to come.

We discuss the demanding reality of being a cadet-athlete, the recruiting process, and what it takes to attract elite competitors to an institution built around service before self.

Tom also addresses the realities behind funding Army athletics, correcting the misconception that the program is fully government funded, and explaining how external support and partnerships help sustain the mission of Army West Point Athletics.

Finally, we discuss the opportunities available to cadet-athletes after graduation, including pathways to world-class and professional athletics, and most importantly serving as officers in the United States Army.

Highlights
0:00 Introduction
2:09 Welcome to the Jedburgh Podcast
3:43 Athletic Director Responsibility
6:01 Recruiting Athletes to West Point
8:31 Competing at the D1 Level
11:14 Funding Athletics
12:06 NIL Impact
13:08 Defining Sustainability
14:04 West Point Cadet-Athlete Experience
18:18 West Point Pro Athletes
19:58 Coaching Cadet-Athletes
22:54 Creating Warriors
25:26 Defining Success
26:50 Cadet to Lieutenant

Quotes:
“It’s very humbling and also a tremendous responsibility .”
“We want to win. If we’re going to keep score we want to win.”
“That atmosphere of winning is something that’s paramount.”
“We need to continue to just recruit and put ourselves on the biggest stage possible.”
“We want to make sure to create the best area, the best resources for our athletes to just grow.”
“The idea is that when someone comes here, they say ‘they care about athletics.’”
“We need to continue to be innovative.”
“We sell not the transactional experience, but it’s the transformational experience.”
“What are we doing now to make sure we’re in a good position in the future?”
“This place is about challenging our athletes.”
“Every cadet here is an athlete.”
“The key word here is ‘path.’”
“You have to fully embrace this place and love this institution.”
“You got to win too. Results matter.”
“These are all things athletics can teach you on the field.”
“There’s so many things that we do here at West Point that now more than ever help us.”
“That’s the best part of the job.”

The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by OneBrief; enabling military leaders to make innovative, informed and deliberate decisions faster than ever before. Superhuman command wins wars.

Follow the Jedburgh Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform, read on our website, and watch the full video version on YouTube as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.

Modern warfare is no longer defined by who has the biggest force, but by who can adapt the fastest. The battlefield is changing in real time through artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, cyber capabilities, and the speed of information. But even in the most advanced operating environments, victory still comes down to disciplined leaders, trusted teams, and soldiers prepared to make decisions under pressure when everything is on the line.

The responsibility for America’s rapid response to any crisis belongs to the Army’s XVIII Airborne Corps.

From their headquarters at Fort Bragg, NC, Fran Racioppi sat down with Lieutenant General Greg Anderson, Commanding General of the XVIII Airborne Corps, to discuss how he is preparing America’s Contingency Corps for combat in an increasingly dangerous world.

Leading more than 80,000 soldiers across the 3rd Infantry Division, 10th Mountain Division, 82nd Airborne Division, and 101st Airborne Division, and other subordinate commands, LTG Anderson explains how the Corps balances readiness, speed, and innovation while maintaining the fundamentals that have always defined military success.

Our conversation explores the role of Noncommissioned Officer, the importance of mastering the basics, and why leadership development remains America’s greatest asymmetric advantage. We also discuss the integration of conventional and special operations forces, the concept of compound warfare, and the difference between interoperability and true integration on the battlefield.

LTG Anderson breaks down the Corps’ push toward innovation through initiatives like the Joint Innovation Outpost and experimental exercises that incorporate artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data-driven decision-making into operational planning. But even as technology changes warfare, he makes one thing clear; there must always be a human in the loop.

Highlights
0:00 Introduction
2:17 Welcome to the Jedburgh Podcast
4:01 The role of XVIII Airborne Corps
9:57 Empowering NCOs
14:58 Joint Innovation Outpost
19:00 Speeding the Acquisition Timeline
22:53 Keeping A Human in the Loop
25:41 Integration vs Interoperability
29:13 Guiding the Tactical Level Leader
32:48 Compound Warfare Today
37:22 Generational Warfighting Differences
42:00 The XVIII Airborne Corps Formation
45:04 Daily Habits

Quotes
“What operational problems do they expect us to solve for them?”
“If I’ve got a strong team…we’ll typically prevail.”
“Certainly what I’ve learned of any value has come from non-commissioned officers that raised me up.”
“The role of the non-commissioned officer is to become the technical tactical experts in the application of violence at the tactical level.”
“What are we doing to get the NCO corps to that point where they are the Army?”
“How do we use advanced computing to allow us to make decisions more informed and faster than our opponents?”
“The advantage of war fighting is not replacing humans with machine decision making. It’s now creating superhumans that are enabled by it.”
“Interoperability is our ability to work together in an efficient, effective manner.”
“Compound Warfare is the blending of regular and irregular capabilities to create a host of dilemmas for your enemy.”
“You’ll never be able to tell that tactical level leader when things are going to change and shift if you haven’t done the operational level rigor.”
“My role as the general is not to solve the problem or be the hero that comes in, but to think and understand the problem we’re trying to solve.”

The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by OneBrief; enabling military leaders to make innovative, informed and deliberate decisions faster than ever before. Superhuman command wins wars.

Follow the Jedburgh Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform, read on our website, and watch the full video version on YouTube as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.

Some people don’t just pass through your life. They leave a mark that stays with you long after they’re gone. Not because of what they did in a single moment, but because of how they lived every day, how they showed up for people, and how they made others feel.

From the 2nd Annual Stars and Stripes Classic, Fran Racioppi sat down with Pam Patton and Tom Schneider to honor the life of Major Jeff Toczylowski, a Green Beret whose impact on the people around him is still felt nearly two decades later. A letter Jeff left to his family and friends in the event of his death defines the character of a Green Beret; a warrior and a man who cared more about others than himself. Jeff’s last wish…take everyone to Vegas to celebrate his life.

Today, his legacy lives on through the annual memorial golf outing in his honor, now approaching its 20th year. What started as a way to cope with loss has become something much bigger. A reunion. A celebration. A community built around a single person who continues to be the common thread connecting hundreds of people who gather not to mourn, but to celebrate a life well lived.

Join the Green Beret Foundation and all of Toz’s family and friends this August 1st, at the Five Ponds Golf Course in Warminster, PA to celebrate his service and support all Green Berets past, present and future.

HIGHLIGHTS
0:00 Introduction
1:48 Welcome to the Stars & Stripes Classic
2:27 Who was MAJ Jeff Toczylowski
5:47 The 20th Annual Memorial Golf Tournament
8:51 Vegas Time
13:19 Honoring Toz’s Legacy

QUOTES
“He literally lived every day like it was his last…to the fullest.”
“He impacted a lot of people.”
“It really is like a reunion.”
“The celebration of life is really why everybody comes back.”
“It changed him forever.”
“No matter what’s going on in life, be good to the people around you and live each day to the fullest because today could be it.”

The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by OneBrief; enabling military leaders to make innovative, informed and deliberate decisions faster than ever before. Superhuman command wins wars.

Follow the Jedburgh Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform, read on our website, and watch the full video version on YouTube as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.