Podcast
Ones Ready
A team of active duty Combat Control (CCT), Pararescue (PJ), and Special Reconnaissance (SR) leveraging our 69 years of special operations experience to make the next generation of operators smarter, faster and stronger than we ever were. We are the PREMIERE resource for all things Air Force Special Warfare. The Ones Ready Podcast is honest talk about what it is like to go from a know-nothing high school graduate to an elite Special Operator. We will cover important practices for success including physical training, nutrition, recovery, and mindset traits essential to any team. Join us in The Team Room to get all your questions answered!! With battle-tested operators from across USAF SPECWAR and far-reaching web of recruiters, subject matter experts, and friends, there are no questions we can’t answer- and if we can’t, we know exactly where to look. See you in The Team Room!Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the OnesReady team are those of the team and do not reflect the official policy or position of the DoD. Any content provided by our Podcast guests, bloggers, sponsors, or authors are of their opinion and are not intended to malign the DoD, any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone.
- Government chart
- #39
- Episodes
- 939
- Releases
- Twice a week
- Typical length
- 34 min
- On air since
- 2019
- Latest episode
- 1 day ago
Episodes
939 episodes, newest first
-
23 min
Ones Finally Ready - Ep 641
Show notes
The Air Force Special Warfare meme wars are apparently back. Aaron, Trent, and Peaches break down how a joke between Ones Ready and JT escalated into an entire AI-generated “Ones Finally Ready” universe, complete with fake movie posters, character transformations, campaign-style content and enough production value that people started messaging the guys asking whether the feud was actually real. The answer is both simpler and somehow more ridiculous: the boys are chirping, everybody has too much access to AI, and some people on the internet have completely lost their ability to recognize a joke.
That leads into the bigger conversation about humor, military culture and cancellation. Aaron talks about people becoming genuinely angry over TACP jokes, including messages and discussions about fighting him in Vegas, while the guys point out that the actual people involved in the “beef” can still hang out, have drinks and laugh about it. They also discuss anonymous military meme pages, why AI keeps blending Trent and Aaron together, the strange professionalism behind JT’s parody campaign, and why being able to make fun of each other may actually be healthier than treating every joke like a personal attack.
Naturally, it gets worse from there. The crew pitches Morgan Freeman narrating the fake movie, wonders whether Ones Finally Ready could outperform the Ground Truth documentary, talks about the LGBTACP shirt raising money for the TACP Foundation, and debates whether Peaches needs to retaliate or simply lean harder into the absurdity. Somewhere underneath all the chaos is a very Ones Ready message: you can disagree, roast each other, get chirped online and still be friends when the phones go away.
LINKS
onesready.com
operatortrainingsummit.comCHAPTERS
00:00 - Ones Ready
01:10 - The Episode Immediately Gets Cancelled
02:00 - The Air Force Special Warfare Meme Wars Are Back
03:00 - Can Military Communities Still Take a Joke?
04:15 - Aaron Apologizes for Going Too Dark
05:04 - The Death of Anonymous Military Meme Pages
05:44 - Pararescue Is Fraud Enters the Chat
06:09 - Ones Finally Ready
06:46 - How the JT vs Ones Ready Beef Started
08:11 - The AI Movie Gets Way Too Professional
09:11 - People Actually Want to Fight Aaron
10:20 - Why AI Keeps Mixing Up Aaron and Trent
11:01 - JT’s AI Character Choices Get Questionable
12:05 - People Think the Feud Is Real
12:59 - Ones Finally Ready vs Ground Truth
13:29 - Building the Fake Documentary
14:08 - Morgan Freeman Should Narrate It
14:50 - The “Beef” Exists Mostly on the Internet
15:20 - Aaron Was Drinking With JT Two Days Earlier
16:12 - Is This the Price of Making TACP Jokes?
17:01 - The Joke Is Actually Helping Ones Ready
17:30 - LGBTACP Shirts Support the TACP Foundation
18:34 - The Ultimate TACP Logic Trap
19:37 - Should Peaches Respond?
20:19 - When the Bit Goes Too Far
20:40 - Operator Training Summit Las Vegas
21:19 - Ones Ready Wrap-UpJoin this channel to get access to perks: HERE
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13 min
Did VALENTINA GOMEZ SLANDER SEC ARMY - OTW
Show notes
Political ads are about to get louder, AI-generated content is getting better, and election-season outrage travels faster than context. In this Outside The Wire episode, Aaron breaks down a campaign attack from Valentina Gomez aimed at Acting Secretary of the Army Adam Telle over the scheduled execution of former Army Maj. Nidal Hasan. Instead of reacting to the clip, Aaron walks through the underlying timeline, Army regulation and specific claims to show how a political narrative can change when the missing context gets put back in.
The central dispute is timing. President Trump approved Hasan’s death sentence on October 2, 2026, and Army Regulation 190-55 requires the Secretary of the Army to select a date between 60 and 150 days later. Aaron argues that portraying Telle as delaying or protecting Hasan does not match that timeline: the execution is currently scheduled for December 3, just 62 days after presidential approval. He also addresses attacks on Telle’s lack of prior military service and explains the broader principle of civilian control of the military.
But the bigger point is not Valentina Gomez, Adam Telle or even one campaign ad. It is how to consume political information without letting outrage do your thinking for you. Aaron breaks down appeals to emotion, ad hominem attacks, missing context and unsupported claims while arguing that viewers should apply the same standard to political messaging even when it comes from someone they generally agree with. Agreement on policy does not make a false claim true.
LINKS
onesready.com
operatortrainingsummit.comCHAPTERS
00:00 - Outside The Wire: Political Misinformation
00:44 - Valentina Gomez Targets Adam Telle
01:58 - Nidal Hasan and the Fort Hood Shooting
02:31 - The Nidal Hasan Execution Timeline
03:10 - Army Regulation 190-55 Explained
04:00 - Why December 3 Matters
05:02 - Civilian Control of the U.S. Military
06:36 - When Political Attacks Become Personal
07:11 - Campaign Ads, Emotion and Missing Context
07:50 - Did Adam Telle Defy the Administration?
08:28 - What the Reporting Actually Shows
09:08 - Recognizing Appeals to Emotion
09:56 - How Political Misinformation Works
10:45 - The Facts Behind Hasan’s Scheduled Execution
11:25 - Hold Your Own Side Accountable
12:17 - Outside The Wire Wrap-UpJoin this channel to get access to perks: HERE
Buzzsprout Subscription page: HERE
Register for our Operator Training Summit: https://www.operatortrainingsummit.com/
Find an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.com
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17 min
Should Air Force BMT Teach Everyone to Swim? - Ep 640
Show notes
After an Airman stationed at Shaw Air Force Base drowned during an off-duty boating trip on Lake Wateree, his family called for swimming instruction to become part of military training and, according to the discussion in this episode, filed a $50 million lawsuit against the federal government. Aaron, Trent, and Peaches wrestle with the tragedy while asking a much harder question: should Air Force Basic Military Training actually be responsible for teaching every Airman how to swim?
The guys break down what that requirement would mean in reality. Air Force BMT receives roughly 800–1,000 trainees every week, the service has limited pool infrastructure, and basic swim proficiency is very different from being capable of rescuing another person in open water. Trent and Aaron argue that turning swim training into an enterprise-wide requirement would create enormous infrastructure, scheduling, sustainment, and follow-on training requirements — eventually leading to the completely reasonable Ones Ready solution that everyone in the Air Force should simply become a qualified rescue swimmer.
Then the rails come off. The conversation shifts to the F-35, F-22, F-47, B-21 and F-15EX, why modern fighters are becoming airborne quarterbacks for autonomous systems, and whether the F-15EX should remain a two-seat aircraft. The episode finishes with the newly invented scientific category of “overbeast,” Airmen thanking Ones Ready for fat-shaming them into getting healthier, Roy Nelson’s legendary overhand right, and Trent choosing chaos on virtually every subject available.
LINKS
onesready.com
operatortrainingsummit.comCHAPTERS
00:00 - Ones Ready
01:06 - Airman Drowning at Lake Wateree
02:20 - Should Every Airman Learn to Swim?
03:23 - Can BMT Realistically Teach Swimming?
04:35 - The $50 Million Lawsuit and Personal Responsibility
06:07 - Is Swimming an Air Force Responsibility?
07:19 - Everyone Becomes a Rescue Swimmer
08:05 - What OTS Can Teach in Two Days
08:44 - The Logistics of Swimming at Basic Training
10:06 - F-35s and the Future of Airpower
10:27 - F-16 vs F-35 Capability
11:20 - F-47, B-21 and Connected Combat Aircraft
11:51 - F-15EX: One Seat or Two?
12:40 - Active Duty vs Guard Fighter Culture
13:17 - Trent Chooses Chaos
13:58 - Fat Shaming Apparently Works
15:06 - Overbeast Science
15:33 - Roy Nelson and the Overhand Right
16:00 - Ones Ready Wrap-UpPINNED COMMENT
Should Air Force Basic Military Training include mandatory swim instruction?
A — Yes, every Airman should know how to swim
B — Basic water survival only
C — Only career fields that actually need it
D — No, swimming is a personal responsibilityAnd where do you draw the line between what the military should teach every service member and what adults should already know before they join?
Join this channel to get access to perks: HERE
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Register for our Operator Training Summit: https://www.operatortrainingsummit.com/
Find an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.com
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18A Fitness - Promo Code: ONESREADY
ATACLete- Follow the URL (no promo code): ATACLete
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23 min
AFSPECWAR Pipeline Is 70 Days Faster - Ep 639
Show notes
Air Force Special Warfare trainees are reportedly reaching their berets roughly 70 days faster under the revised training pipeline, and Aaron, Trent, and Peaches dig into what that number actually means. The biggest improvement appears to be less wasted time between courses — reducing the periods where students are awaiting training instead of actually progressing through the pipeline. For Pararescue, Combat Control and other AFSPECWAR career fields with complex course schedules, cutting that dead time could be a significant improvement without removing actual training requirements.
That distinction matters. The guys have been extremely critical of previous “optimization” efforts that shortened a pipeline on paper by simply moving requirements somewhere else. Removing dive training from the three-level pipeline, for example, does not eliminate the requirement — it pushes the scheduling, pre-dive requirements and administrative burden onto operational squadrons. A real improvement is different: keep the standards and capabilities intact while removing unnecessary waiting, improving course alignment and getting fully trained operators to their units sooner.
And this time, Ones Ready gives credit where it’s due. The rollout of the Zulu Course and broader AFSPECWAR pipeline changes generated months of criticism, including plenty from this podcast, but Aaron, Trent and Peaches acknowledge that the current cadre and leadership appear to be moving the system in a positive direction. The unanswered question remains the most important one: are they producing the same quality operator? If the standards remain intact and the Air Force can genuinely graduate the same product faster, then cutting 70 days is a legitimate win.
LINKS
onesready.com
operatortrainingsummit.comCHAPTERS
00:00 - Ones Ready
01:10 - Operator Training Summit Vegas Update
01:53 - The 90s Christmas Photo Shoot Goes Sideways
03:18 - Air Force Special Warfare Pipeline Changes
03:32 - AFSPECWAR Trainees Graduate 70 Days Faster
04:08 - Faster Pipeline or Lower Standards?
05:05 - Air Force PAO Is Making a Comeback
05:43 - The Nellis Active Shooter Messaging Disaster
08:29 - How to Complain to Ones Ready
09:50 - Aaron’s Best Backhanded Compliment
10:20 - Where the 70 Days Actually Came From
11:10 - SNIT, SAT and Students Awaiting Training
11:59 - Could the AFSPECWAR Pipeline Reach One Year?
12:44 - Why 70 Days Actually Matters
14:09 - The Problem With Removing Dive Training
15:01 - Why Moving Training to the Squadron Isn’t Optimization
16:22 - The Zulu Course Could Actually Work
17:22 - Giving the AFSPECWAR Training Wing Credit
19:20 - Early Results Are Trending Positive
20:15 - SERE Duress Signals and a Famous Photo
21:44 - Public Episode Wrap-UpPINNED COMMENT
AFSPECWAR cuts roughly 70 days from the pipeline — but assume the standards stay exactly the same.
What matters most?
A — Less time sitting between courses
B — Getting operators to units faster
C — Keeping every capability in the formal pipeline
D — None of it matters until we see the quality of the graduatesAnd if the product stays the same or gets better, is 70 days enough for you to call the pipeline overhaul a win?
Join this channel to get access to perks: HERE
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Find an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.com
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22 min
New Guard Special Tactics Squadron - Ep 638
Show notes
A new Guard Special Tactics Squadron at MacDill Air Force Base could become one of the most desirable assignments in Air Force Special Warfare. Aaron, Trent and Peaches break down why Tampa is such a strong location, why experienced operators could immediately compete for those billets, and why a Guard STS gives Airmen another option besides staying active duty or walking away from the community completely. The guys argue that the demand could be enormous, especially among experienced CCT, SR and Special Tactics personnel looking for civilian careers, family stability and a way to stay connected to the team.
The bigger conversation is talent retention. The Special Tactics Guard footprint is extremely small compared with the number of experienced operators who eventually leave active duty, and Trent argues that Tampa should be the first of several additional Guard STSs. The crew discusses the potential short-term hit to active-duty manning, but also the possibility of retaining people who might otherwise leave the Air Force entirely. They explore future locations in the Carolinas, Arizona, Nevada, Texas and the Southwest, along with the idea of Guard squadrons developing specialties in areas like drones, diving, global access and other mission sets.
The episode also gets into MacDill’s potential role in hurricane and humanitarian response, Guard authorities, NASA support opportunities and the advantages of keeping experienced operators connected to both military and civilian innovation. The guys react to Rep. Anna Paulina Luna’s announcement about the unit and her emphasis on disaster-response capability, then close with the usual Ones Ready discussion about internet behavior, politicians, and why people say things online they would never say face-to-face.
LINKS
onesready.com
operatortrainingsummit.comCHAPTERS
00:00 - Ones Ready
00:48 - The Entire Crew Actually Wears Ones Ready Merch
01:12 - Operator Training Summit Las Vegas Is Filling Up
02:28 - New Guard Special Tactics Squadron at MacDill AFB
03:15 - Why Tampa Could Become the Most Popular Guard STS
05:19 - The Team Room After Active Duty
06:15 - Why Air Force Special Warfare Needs More Guard STSs
07:35 - Would a Tampa STS Hurt Active-Duty Manning?
08:33 - CCT and PJ Manning Challenges
09:18 - Retaining Experienced Special Tactics Operators
10:27 - Guard Service and Civilian Career Opportunities
11:20 - Where Should the Next Guard STSs Go?
12:40 - Carolinas, Arizona, Nevada and Texas
13:05 - Specialized Guard STS Mission Sets
14:20 - MacDill Facilities and Florida Response Missions
15:47 - The Politics Behind the New Tampa STS
16:51 - Anna Paulina Luna Explains the Guard STS
18:10 - Why Humanitarian Response Is Strong Messaging
19:38 - Why People Act Differently on the Internet
20:54 - Ones Ready Wrap-UpPINNED COMMENT
If the Air Force builds more Guard Special Tactics Squadrons, where should they go next?
A — Carolinas
B — Arizona
C — Texas
D — Nevada
E — Somewhere elseAnd bigger question: would more Guard STSs help retain experienced CCT/SR/ST talent — or hurt active-duty manning too much?
Join this channel to get access to perks: HERE
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Register for our Operator Training Summit: https://www.operatortrainingsummit.com/
Find an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.com
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ATACLete- Follow the URL (no promo code): ATACLete
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37 min
Andruil's Drone Wingmen - Ep 637
Show notes
The F-22 is no longer just flying with other fighter jets. Aaron, Trent, and Peaches break down the emerging world of collaborative combat aircraft, autonomous drone wingmen, and Anduril’s YFQ-44A Fury concept — where a fighter pilot can act as the quarterback and assign high-level tasks to unmanned aircraft operating alongside the formation. The guys also talk about the possibility of ground forces eventually gaining access to those aircraft and what happens when the person on the ground effectively has their own airborne combat network overhead.
The bigger conversation is about why companies like Anduril seem able to move so quickly. Instead of waiting years for the perfect government program, the model they describe is simple: find the warfighter’s problem, build a minimum viable product, let the military break it, fix what failed, and repeat until it works. Trent and Aaron compare that mentality to SpaceX and Tesla — organizations willing to crash prototypes, absorb failure, and keep iterating rather than treating every mistake like the end of a program.
Naturally, the episode eventually gets completely off the rails. The guys talk about rocket-powered Teslas, autonomous Cybercabs, Knight Rider becoming real life, Aaron’s caffeine problem, Weapons School recovery data showing what Friday-night drinking does to performance, and the eternal military question of where high performance ends and team-room culture begins. Peaches also walks through the refreshed Ones Ready and Operator Training Summit sites before the crew tees up the MBRS-only follow-on discussion.
LINKS
onesready.com
operatortrainingsummit.comCHAPTERS
00:00 - Ones Ready
01:10 - Aaron and Trent Start Without Peaches
02:20 - Aaron’s 91st Squadron Leadership Talk
04:36 - Peaches Finally Shows Up
05:08 - The Rise Against Ticket Disaster
07:19 - War Room Recall and the Election Episode
09:05 - Are Ones Ready Actually Vet Bros?
10:24 - Anduril, F-22s and Autonomous Combat Aircraft
12:20 - F-22 Controlled Robot Wingmen
13:08 - Ground Forces Controlling Combat Drones
13:51 - Why Anduril Moves Faster Than Traditional Defense
14:53 - Build It, Break It, Fix It
15:59 - New Ones Ready Website and OTS Updates
19:23 - Operator Training Summit Level 2 Is Coming
19:50 - Autonomous Aircraft That Take Off and Land Themselves
20:51 - Elon Musk and the Rocket-Powered Tesla
23:14 - Why Elon’s Failure Model Works
24:17 - Why Government Innovation Moves Differently
25:13 - The $500,000 Flying Tesla Problem
26:41 - Tesla Is Basically Knight Rider Now
27:59 - The Flying Tesla Needs Autonomous Wingmen
28:44 - Cybercabs and OTS Dallas
30:01 - Aaron’s 800mg Caffeine Habit
30:25 - Weapons School Recovery Data and Alcohol
33:51 - Military Culture vs Human Performance
34:47 - The MBRS Episode Gets Teased
35:33 - Ones Ready Wrap-UpJoin this channel to get access to perks: HERE
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Register for our Operator Training Summit: https://www.operatortrainingsummit.com/
Find an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.com
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1 hr 3 min
***Sneak Peek*** MBRS 99: Run More, Fix Your Hips, Nuclear Energy Is Safe, and Society Is Failing Young Men
Show notes
This MBRS episode starts where most people get uncomfortable and keeps going. Peaches and Trent open with a simple truth from Taylor Starch: nobody runs enough, your hips are probably trash, and injury fear is mostly self-inflicted. From there, the conversation spirals—into broken leadership inside special warfare training, why loosening standards hurts recruiting instead of helping it, and how accountability actually attracts the right people. The back half dives hard into culture: nuclear power fear-mongering, why modern society is terrible at raising functional young men, the illusion of safety, bullying, discipline, violence, and the consequences of parents outsourcing responsibility. Add conspiracy detours, EU dysfunction, Army crime cases, and a brutal assessment of American cultural decay—and you get a classic members-only rant that doesn’t pretend to be polite.
⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 Members intro and running truth bomb
01:00 Nobody runs enough—Taylor Starch wisdom
03:00 Hips, gait issues, and injury prevention
05:00 Zulu course chaos and leadership gaps
08:00 Pipeline frustration and entitlement mindset
12:00 Standards, accountability, and recruiting reality
15:00 Tightening discipline vs “unprofessional” complaints
18:00 Validation, war myths, and why people want testing
21:00 Younger generations: fitter, smarter, different
24:00 AI models, GPUs, and future warfare brains
27:00 Nuclear power fear vs reality
31:00 TSA, illusion of safety, and wasted money
35:00 Violence, bullying, and social correction
40:00 Army murder case and cultural breakdown
47:00 Parenting failures and lost male mentorship
55:00 Teaching basic life skills and confidence
01:00:00 Final rant, nuclear saves the world, wrap-up🎯 Call-to-Actions:
👍 Like the episode
🔔 Subscribe
💬 Comment if standards should rise, not fall
🌟 Leave a review
🪖 Stay a Ones Ready Member
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14 min
HE RAN TOWARDS THE FIGHT
Show notes
A 36-year-old father was driving home on his lunch break when he heard gunfire near Silver Rail Elementary School in Bend, Oregon — the school his two daughters attended. According to the account Trent and Peaches discuss, he saw the teenage gunman entering the building, followed him inside, and stopped the attacker before police arrived. But afterward, his family said he wasn’t looking for recognition. He was struggling with the fact that he hadn’t gotten there sooner.
That becomes the real conversation in this Outside The Wire episode. Trent and Peaches talk about survivor guilt, trauma involving children, combat experience, PTSD, and the difference between someone trained and conditioned for violence versus a civilian who suddenly finds himself walking into something no normal person expects to see. They also revisit the problem with the “hero tour”: society wants to celebrate people who perform extraordinary acts, but recognition can also mean forcing someone to repeatedly relive the worst day of their life. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="1"}
The hardest question is also the simplest. Most people would hear gunfire, call 911, and wait for police. This father had every survival instinct telling him to stay outside — and still went in. Trent and Peaches break down what it takes to override that voice, why examples like this matter, and why being called a hero does not mean the psychological consequences simply disappear when the cameras leave.
LINKS
onesready.com
operatortrainingsummit.comCHAPTERS
00:00 - Ones Ready Outside The Wire
00:34 - Silver Rail Elementary School Shooting in Bend, Oregon
01:35 - Father Runs Into School and Stops the Gunman
02:59 - Survivor Guilt After Heroic Action
03:25 - Uvalde and Why Children Change Trauma
04:50 - What Happens After Becoming a Hero?
05:47 - Combat Training, PTSD and Unprepared Trauma
07:25 - The Problem With the Hero Tour
07:55 - “If Not Me, Who?”
09:16 - Online Scrutiny After Public Heroism
10:27 - Why His Actions Mattered
11:23 - Overriding the Survival Instinct
12:34 - Combat Trauma and Compartmentalization
13:40 - Outside The Wire Wrap-UpJoin this channel to get access to perks: HERE
Buzzsprout Subscription page: HERE
Register for our Operator Training Summit: https://www.operatortrainingsummit.com/
Find an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.com
Collabs:
Ones Ready - OnesReady.com
18A Fitness - Promo Code: ONESREADY
ATACLete- Follow the URL (no promo code): ATACLete
Danger Close Apparel - Promo Code: ONESREADY
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41 min
Rappel Incident - Ep 636
Show notes
This episode starts with something none of us wanted to talk about.
A member of the Air Force community was killed during a rappelling demonstration at a UTSA event in San Antonio.
At the time Trent and Peaches recorded, next-of-kin notifications were still being completed and the member had not yet been publicly identified.
First and foremost:
Much love to his family, teammates, and everyone at the 6th Combat Training Squadron.
Trent and Peaches walk through the publicly available footage from the perspective of two guys who have spent a lot of time around this type of training.
And the first clarification matters:
This was a RAPPEL.
Not a fast rope.
Those are different techniques with different equipment, different safety considerations, and different levels of risk.
The available video raises obvious questions about descent speed, rope friction, routing, hardware, hand position, and whether the system was functioning correctly.
But neither Trent nor Peaches claims to know exactly what failed.
Equipment?
Routing?
Connection?
Human error?
Something else entirely?That is what the investigation is for.
What they do know is that a roughly 170-foot free rappel gives you very little room for error.
Buddy checks matter.
Rigging matters.
Equipment checks matter.
And just because you have done something a hundred times does not mean evolution 101 deserves any less attention than evolution one.
The conversation then moves into TACP, CCT, JTACs and the old ROMAD concept.
Peaches explains how young Airmen who were not yet JTAC qualified could still become extremely useful members of the team by learning radios, aircraft integration, procedures and enough of the job to become an extra capability if somebody went down.
Trent talks about his first Afghanistan deployment in 2006, where the TACP and Combat Controller on his team took the time to teach him enough of their job that he could help if things went sideways.
Back then, that mattered.
Teams were taking casualties.
ODAs were getting combined.
People were getting wounded and medevaced.
And the mission still had to continue.
Later, Peaches tells a completely different story about running into a senior enlisted leader years after realizing they had apparently crossed paths downrange.
That turns into one of the strongest leadership conversations in the episode.
A senior leader arrives on a tightly controlled itinerary.
Airmen are standing in a hangar who were not part of the scheduled stop.
His staff expects him to keep moving.
Instead, he sees them, changes direction, walks over and speaks to every one of them.
Schedule be damned.
Peaches follows that with another story about a Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force visiting wounded service members while somebody reminds him that a general is waiting.
His answer was essentially:
The general can wait.
Because sometimes leadership is as simple as remembering which people actually matter.
The episode closes by returning to the rappelling footage and one final point:
Rappelling is dangerous.
Take everything seriously.
LINKS
OnesReady.com
OperatorTrainingSummit.com
CHAPTERS
00:00 - Ones Ready
01:09 - Why This Episode Starts Differently
01:32 - Fatal Rappelling Incident at UTSA
02:04 - What Happened?
03:12 - Rappel vs. Fast Rope
04:02 - Why Fast Roping Is Different
05:25 - We Don’t Know the Cause Yet
06:06 - 6 CTS Det 2 and Next-of-Kin Notification
07:43 - A Celebration Turns Tragic
08:30 - Breaking Down the Available Video
09:39 - Equipment Failure or Routing Problem?
10:24 - Why Buddy Checks Matter
12:24 - Identity Still Not Released
13:17 - TACP Training and JTAC Qualification
13:48 - ROMADs and the “Mini Jag”
14:52 - Learning Another Teammate’s Job
15:33 - Afghanistan When Everybody Was Taking Losses
17:32 - OnesReady.com and Training Programs
20:19 - Peaches Runs Into an Old Teammate
21:31 - “Wait... We Were in Afghanistan Together”
23:27 - When Rank Disappears
24:25 - The Chairman Sees the Airmen
26:29 - He Breaks the Schedule to Meet Them
28:47 - “The General Can Wait”
30:55 - Another Angle of the Rappel Incident
32:22 - Why the Media Keeps Calling It Fast Rope
33:07 - Watching Military TV After Retirement
35:29 - What Pressure Reveals
37:55 - Watching People Quit Before It Starts
39:08 - Take Rappelling Seriously
39:11 - Wrap-UpJoin this channel to get access to perks: HERE
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Find an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.com
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18A Fitness - Promo Code: ONESREADY
ATACLete- Follow the URL (no promo code): ATACLete
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41 min
Beret Inflation - Ep 629
Show notes
Apparently the Air Force looked around and decided what we were desperately missing was another beret.
This time it’s EOD.
Aaron, Trent, and Peaches react to the new rust-colored EOD beret and immediately ask the obvious question:
Who was asking for this?
This isn’t an anti-EOD episode. EOD technicians do an extremely difficult job, go through a demanding pipeline, and bring a legitimate capability to the fight.
But does every specialized career field need its own funny hat?
The boys break down why berets existed in the first place, why they were historically tied to unique units and qualifications, how PJ and CCT ended up with theirs, why Rangers changed colors after the Army adopted the black beret, and why distinctive headgear starts losing some of its meaning when everybody gets one.
Also discussed:
What happened to Goggins in the pipeline?
Is SR actually being merged with CCT?
What traditions do Combat Controllers have?
Should EOD move under AFSOC?
What does an EOD mission inside AFSOC actually look like?
And why would you voluntarily leave Civil Engineering, where you’re the cool guy with the bomb suit and new beret, just to walk into a Special Tactics team room and immediately become another support function getting roasted by Controllers?
The episode also takes a minute to remember Operation Gothic Serpent on its anniversary, including the legacy of the Airmen, Rangers, and special operations forces who fought through Mogadishu and the lessons that shaped the decades that followed.
And eventually the crew discovers the most important possible follow-up question:
If EOD joins the Special Warfare team room...
where exactly do they rank?
That one had to go to MBRS.
Links:
OnesReady.com
OperatorTrainingSummit.comChapters:
00:54 - Does EOD Really Need a Beret?
03:08 - Who Was Asking for This?
04:32 - Are Berets Actually Functional?
05:36 - What Makes a “Sharp” Airman?
06:18 - Who the Hell Is Samson Kearns?
10:31 - The E-4 Mafia Cannot Be Stopped
15:06 - How Did PJ and CCT Get Their Berets?
16:46 - Why Are Berets Supposed to Mean Something?
18:16 - How Big Is Air Force EOD?
21:00 - Your Questions: EOD, Goggins, and Beret History
25:18 - Remembering Operation Gothic Serpent
28:18 - Why Do Some Career Fields Get Berets?
30:07 - Is SR Merging With CCT?
31:11 - What Traditions Do Combat Controllers Have?
32:29 - Does the AFSW Pipeline Need Another Update?
34:26 - Should EOD Move to AFSOC?
37:46 - Why Moving to AFSOC Might Actually Suck
39:37 - Who Ranks Where in the Team Room?
39:51 - Continue the Fight on MBRSJoin this channel to get access to perks: HERE
Buzzsprout Subscription page: HERE
Register for our Operator Training Summit: https://www.operatortrainingsummit.com/
Find an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.com
Collabs:
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18A Fitness - Promo Code: ONESREADY
ATACLete- Follow the URL (no promo code): ATACLete
Danger Close Apparel - Promo Code: ONESREADY
DFND Apparel... -
33 min
Hurricane Ride Out - Ep 635
Show notes
What actually happens on a military base when a hurricane is headed straight at it?
Trent and Peaches break down the stuff most people never see.
Aircraft have to move.
Families may have to evacuate.
Training stops.
Other bases have to make room.
Commanders are staring at forecast models trying to decide whether they are moving too early — or waiting too long.And every decision costs money, training time, operational capability, and potentially lives.
Both Trent and Peaches spent time around Hurlburt Field and the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron, so they walk through what hurricane preparation actually looks like inside the Air Force.
One of the coolest pieces:
The ride-out team.
When most people evacuate, selected personnel stay behind.
Special Tactics.
Security Forces.
RED HORSE.
Rescue-capable personnel.
People with boats, communications, recovery equipment, and the skills to start working almost immediately after the storm passes.At the 23rd, that meant Zodiacs, inflatable boats, rescue equipment, and people already trained to operate in ugly conditions.
Families get moved somewhere safer.
The ride-out team stays.
Then when the storm clears:
Go to work.
They also talk about how difficult the evacuation decision actually is.
Move aircraft too early and you burn money, disrupt training, impact operations, and create problems for every receiving base.
Wait too long and eventually the weather gets bad enough that you cannot safely fly the aircraft out at all.
There is no perfect answer.
There is only risk management.
The conversation then expands into something useful for everybody — not just military people:
How prepared is YOUR family?
Power.
Water.
Food.
Communications.
Starlink.
A bug-out plan.
A vehicle.
And enough capability to sit tight for roughly 72 hours while you figure out what the actual situation is.Trent makes the point that everybody loves talking about the bug-out bag, but if you have a family, your house is probably your best initial position in most emergencies.
You do not need a bunker.
You need enough preparation to buy yourself time.
The guys also get into military disaster response after Hurricane Maria, why Hurlburt’s Special Tactics capability is uniquely useful after a storm, getting recalled to active duty, Rocky IV indoctrination, Vegas flash floods, and Peaches accidentally winning a one-minute bench-press challenge in flip-flops.
Normal Ones Ready progression.
Links:
OnesReady.com
OperatorTrainingSummit.comChapters:
01:04 - Ones Ready and OTS Updates
04:16 - Hurricane Hits the Gulf Coast
05:15 - What Happens When a Base Prepares for a Hurricane?
07:49 - Trent Left Anyway to Take Care of His Family
08:11 - When Do You Evacuate a Military Base?
10:02 - Commanders Have an Impossible Decision
11:02 - What Happens When You Wait Too Long?
12:01 - What Is a Ride-Out Team?
13:20 - Who Should Stay Behind?
14:17 - Riding Out the Hurricane
15:30 - No Power, No Internet, Starlink Saves the Day
17:07 - What Should Your Family Actually Have Ready?
18:39 - Bug Out or Stay Home?
19:30 - Why Communications Matter After the Storm
20:39 - Special Tactics Disaster Response
22:59 - Would Trent and Peaches Ever Re-Enlist?
25:40 - Vegas Gets Hammered With Rain
26:50 - Hiking Through Lightning Is Apparently Fine
27:40 - Rocky IV Parenting
29:16 - Peaches Accidentally Wins the Bench Press
31:47 - Wrap-UpJoin this channel to get access to perks: HERE
Buzzsprout Subscription page: HERE
Register for our Operator Training Summit: https://www.operatortrainingsummit.com/
Find an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.com
Collabs:
Ones Ready - OnesReady.com
18A Fitness - Promo Code: ONESREADY
ATACLete- Follow the URL (no promo code): ATACLete
Danger Close Apparel - Promo Code: ONESREADY
DFND Apparel... -
1 hr 7 min
***Sneak Peek***MBRS 98: Virtue Signaling, Doxxing, and an ANG Hero
Show notes
This MBRS Only goes deep on internet outrage culture, hypocrisy, and why performative morality keeps collapsing under scrutiny. Peaches and Trent break down the Scotty K Fitness implosion—virtue signaling, selective Second Amendment outrage, and the moment he crossed the line by doxxing a private citizen and their family. From ICE protests and whistle tactics to media manipulation, AI-altered images, and why nuance dies online, the conversation expands into accountability, restraint, and how fast people rush to conclusions without facts. They also hit why leadership under stress matters, why mob energy is the goal—not justice—and why most people have no idea what they’d do in the chaos they’re cheering for. Messy, uncomfortable, and exactly why this stays behind the paywall.
⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 Members intro and attributes-based mindset
02:00 Scotty K Fitness and internet hypocrisy
04:30 Selective outrage and Second Amendment takes
07:00 Kyle Rittenhouse comparisons and false equivalence
10:30 Doxxing a private citizen crosses the line
13:30 Sponsors drop him—consequences explained
15:45 Performative outrage vs real accountability
17:30 ICE protests, whistles, and sensory overload
19:30 Stress, restraint, and real-world decision-making
22:00 Media manipulation and AI-altered imagery
24:30 Mainstream media trust and incentives
26:30 Revolution rhetoric and manufactured chaos
29:00 Colorado ANG hero story and readiness
32:00 Fitness, composure, and community expectations
35:30 Drone pilot mental health study explained
40:30 PTSD, micro-stress, and long-term exposure
45:00 Medical establishment vs reality-based care
50:30 Brain optimization, performance, and bro science
56:30 Training vs real-world decision making
01:02:00 Black Hawk Down legacy and mindset
01:06:00 Final thoughts and member thanks🎯 Call-to-Actions:
👍 Like the episode
🔔 Subscribe
💬 Comment if nuance still matters
🌟 Leave a review
🪖 Stay a Ones Ready Member
👕 Check out the merch storeJoin this channel to get access to perks: HERE
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ATACLete- Follow the URL (no promo code): ATACLete
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DFND Apparel... -
34 min
Public Execution - Ep 634
Show notes
Should the government livestream an execution?
Trent and Peaches get into the proposed public execution of the Fort Hood shooter — and immediately land somewhere that is probably going to piss off people on both sides.
Neither guy has much sympathy for the man convicted of killing 13 people and wounding dozens more at Fort Hood.
The argument is about something different:
Should Americans be able to WATCH the punishment?
They dig into why public executions disappeared from American culture in the first place, how old executions turned into massive public spectacles, and why the firing squad historically has one very practical advantage:
It works.
Then Trent asks the uncomfortable question.
We live in a country where Game of Thrones became a cultural phenomenon, real combat footage lives on social media, police shootings appear online within hours, wars are documented almost in real time, and people willingly consume violent content every single day.
So why does this particular violence suddenly become morally unbearable when the government makes it available to watch?
Peaches can understand the argument that America should not put itself in the same category as countries known for public executions.
Trent’s counterpoint:
Nobody is forcing you to watch it.
That leads into firing-squad procedures, why some rifles historically contained blanks, victims wanting to witness executions, political hypocrisy, and the difference between an execution being available online and turning it into a literal public carnival.
Then the episode pivots into another outrage cycle:
Pete Hegseth working out with Marines.
Videos show him falling behind younger Marines and struggling through parts of the workout, and naturally the internet reacts like the Secretary of Defense just failed selection.
Trent and Peaches have a different reaction.
He’s in his 40s.
They’re young Marines.
They SHOULD smoke him.The weird part would be if they didn’t.
They argue that whatever criticisms somebody has about Hegseth’s policies or leadership, voluntarily showing up, doing PT with troops, answering questions, and letting everyone film the results probably isn’t the hill to die on.
Peaches also tells the story of a former SOCOM commander doing exactly what operators would do:
Pick the event you’re good at and then absolutely crush everybody younger than you.
Also included:
The redesigned OnesReady.com and OperatorTrainingSummit.com.
Why OTS is instruction and mentorship — not an $18,000 fake hell week.
How public firing squads historically used blank rounds.
Why outrage culture makes everything political.
And why the Marines absolutely should have smoked the boss.
Links:
OnesReady.com
OperatorTrainingSummit.comChapters:
00:19 - Ones Ready and OTS Got a Facelift
04:48 - Should an Execution Be Livestreamed?
08:18 - Are We Actually Offended by Violence?
10:14 - Why America Stopped Public Executions
11:39 - Why Firing Squads Rarely Fail
12:29 - Should Victims Be Allowed to Watch?
15:05 - Why Some Firing-Squad Rifles Had Blanks
17:50 - Is the Outrage Actually Political?
23:38 - Pete Hegseth Gets Smoked at PT
27:05 - Who Is Actually Criticizing Him?
29:47 - Marines SHOULD Beat the Boss
30:39 - When the SOCOM Commander Smoked Everybody
32:49 - OTS Vegas and Wrap-UpJoin this channel to get access to perks: HERE
Buzzsprout Subscription page: HERE
Register for our Operator Training Summit: https://www.operatortrainingsummit.com/
Find an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.com
Collabs:
Ones Ready - OnesReady.com
18A Fitness - Promo Code: ONESREADY
ATACLete- Follow the URL (no promo code): ATACLete
Danger Close Apparel - Promo Code: ONESREADY
DFND Apparel... -
33 min
Ready To Ship? - Ep 633
Show notes
How do you actually know when you’re ready for Air Force Special Warfare?
Trent and Peaches are back with Part 3 of the Operator Training Summit FAQs, answering questions submitted directly by candidates.
And this one gets into some of the stuff people obsess over before shipping.
What actually helps people survive the hardest parts of selection?
Should you tell everyone what you’re trying to do?
What qualities matter most in a teammate?
How much should you train your breath hold?
Are peer reviews just popularity contests?
What mistakes get candidates in trouble?
How do you build mental toughness?
How much recovery is too much recovery?
Is there still a SWIC program between BMT and Assessment & Selection?
And most importantly:
How do you know when you’re actually ready to ship?
Trent and Peaches make the case that candidates spend way too much time worrying about secret programs, pipeline changes, apps, recovery scores, and the exact training plan somebody else used.
The bigger things are much less complicated.
Be consistent.
Be trainable.
Tell the truth.
Take responsibility.
Get comfortable being uncomfortable.
Eat enough.
Build an aerobic base.
Get strong enough to handle volume.
And stop relying on the pipeline to prepare you for the pipeline.The Air Force may change prep programs.
Accessions may increase.
SWIC may exist in one form and disappear in another.None of that changes your responsibility:
Show up ready.
Trent’s rough benchmark?
If you’re running around a 9:00 mile-and-a-half, handling the rest of the IFT comfortably, and putting up strong pull-up numbers, you’re probably in a much better place than the person who barely passed an IFT and immediately accepted the first available ship date.
Peaches adds another test:
Could you pass an IFT tired, after you already trained, with almost no notice?
If the answer is no, you might have more work to do.
This is the stuff we wish candidates would focus on before they get on the plane.
Links:
OnesReady.com
OperatorTrainingSummit.comChapters:
00:00 - OTS FAQ Part 3
02:49 - What Gets Candidates Through the Hardest Parts of Selection?
05:16 - What Qualities Matter Most in a Teammate?
07:07 - What’s the Best Way to Train Breath Holds?
09:33 - Are Peer Reviews Just Popularity Contests?
11:34 - What Are the Biggest Candidate Mistakes?
13:19 - Why Choose a Job Where You Could Die?
15:36 - How Would You Build Push-Ups From Scratch?
17:08 - How Will Drone Warfare Change Future Operations?
18:10 - How Do You Actually Build Mental Toughness?
19:47 - Should You Listen to Your WHOOP Recovery Score?
22:28 - When Do You Need a Recovery Week?
25:04 - Is SWIC Still Part of the Pipeline?
27:44 - Should You Ship Just Because You Passed the IFT?
29:42 - How Do You Know When You’re Ready?
31:25 - FAQ Part 4 Is ComingJoin this channel to get access to perks: HERE
Buzzsprout Subscription page: HERE
Register for our Operator Training Summit: https://www.operatortrainingsummit.com/
Find an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.com
Collabs:
Ones Ready - OnesReady.com
18A Fitness - Promo Code: ONESREADY
ATACLete- Follow the URL (no promo code): ATACLete
Danger Close Apparel - Promo Code: ONESREADY
DFND Apparel... -
2 hr 30 min
Tim Kennedy WOUNDED in CONGO?! MOH Drama Update - War Room Recall
Show notes
The War Room is back — Aaron Love, Jake Zweig, Nate Cornacchia, and Ben Pappas — and this one goes off the rails almost immediately.
The biggest story:
Tim Kennedy was reportedly seriously wounded during a contracting operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The crew works through what is currently known, what is still unverified, and what appears to connect the operation to companies associated with Eric Prince.
According to the information discussed on the show, Kennedy was reportedly part of a small private military/security element supporting Congolese government interests involving mineral revenue protection, border security, and tax enforcement when the team was ambushed.
A former New Zealand SAS operator was reportedly killed.
Kennedy was reportedly shot multiple times — including wounds to the foot, ankle, femur, and upper body — before eventually being evacuated for advanced medical treatment. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="1"}
Aaron breaks down what a catastrophic femur injury can actually mean medically, especially when combined with a prolonged tourniquet time and additional wounds farther down the leg.
The crew also asks the uncomfortable question:
Why was Tim Kennedy there in the first place?
At nearly 50 years old, after a Green Beret career, UFC career, businesses, media success, and everything else he has already accomplished — what keeps somebody going back?
Combat addiction?
Identity?
Adrenaline?
Trying to prove something?
Or simply taking another contract because that is still the world he knows?Nobody on the panel celebrates what happened.
In fact, all four make the same point:
They hope Tim recovers.
But accountability and empathy can exist at the same time.
From there, the War Room moves into another wild story:
The proposed public firing-squad execution of the Fort Hood shooter.
The panel agrees the punishment itself is not the issue.
The livestream is.
Do Americans really want the government broadcasting an execution?
Does that create deterrence — or propaganda?
Does it strengthen society — or normalize something that should remain solemn?
The guys compare the proposal to public executions historically, discuss why violence can become intoxicating in crowds, and question what message America actually sends if state-sponsored killing becomes entertainment.
Finally, they give a brief update on the John Chapman / Takur Ghar controversy and the Ground Truth documentary.
That documentary is still coming.
Britt Slabinski remains connected to the project.
And because that story requires about two decades of context to explain correctly, the guys decide it deserves its own episode rather than trying to cram it into twenty minutes. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="2"}
Also included:
- hurricanes and BUD/S surf misery
- Blackwater history
- modern drone warfare
- whether Tim Kennedy could rebuild his public image
- Pete Hegseth and performative leadership
- JD Vance surprisingly giving a solid answer
- why SOF personalities are not exactly normal
- combat addiction
- prosthetics after catastrophic trauma
- and the War Room crew repeatedly losing the plotChapters:
00:07 - The Whole War Room Is Back
06:05 - Tim Kennedy Reportedly Wounded in the Congo
08:09 - What Was Kennedy Doing There?
09:04 - Eric Prince, Vectus, and the Congo Contract
11:53 - This Was Not a U.S. Military Mission
14:03 - Why Was Tim Kennedy Back in the Fight?
16:31 - The Crew Wishes Tim a Full Recovery
17:33 - What Happened in the Ambush?
20:56 - Five Hours With a Tourniquet?
23:22 - Was the U.S. Military Anywhere Nearby?
30:26 - Is Tim Kennedy at Walter Reed?
32:01 - Was Russia’s Africa Corps Involved?
34:04 - Combat Is a Hell of a Drug
36:08 - How Bad Is a Gunshot Through the Femur?
41:19 - Could He Lose the Leg?
47:01 - Can Tim Kennedy Rebuild His Reputation?
54:57 - What Really Happened in the Ambush?
01:02:22 - Should the Fort Hood Shooter Be Executed Publicly?
01:09:04 - Punishment vs. Spectacle
01:12:19 - What Other Countries Publicly Execute People?
01:17:55 - Is Pete Hegseth Becoming the Problem?
01:23:54 - Why Public Violence Changes Crowds
01:31:44 - Is Hegseth a Change Agent or Just a Liability?
01:40:06 - John Chapman / Ground Truth Update
01:54:36 - What Does AFSOC Actually Need From Special Warfare?
02:29:07 - Wrap-UpJoin this channel to get access to perks: HERE
Buzzsprout Subscription page: HERE
Register for our Operator Training Summit: https://www.operatortrainingsummit.com/
Find an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.com
Collabs:
Ones Ready - OnesReady.com
18A Fitness - Promo Code: ONESREADY
ATACLete- Follow the URL (no promo code): ATACLete
Danger Close Apparel - Promo Code: ONESREADY
DFND Apparel... -
1 hr 47 min
TRUST COLLAPSE with Aaron and Ben Pappas live
Show notes
Why don’t Americans trust institutions anymore?
Aaron Love joins Ben Pappas for a live conversation about collapsing confidence in government, media, the justice system, major institutions, and the people who are supposed to tell us the truth.
Ben starts with polling discussed on the show showing confidence in major U.S. institutions near historic lows — while the military and small business remain among the most trusted.
So what happened?
Aaron’s argument is that there wasn’t one single event.
It stacked.
Vietnam.
Watergate.
Iraq and the WMD claims.
Afghanistan.
The 2008 financial crisis.
Government surveillance.
COVID.
Epstein.Every time an institution gets something wrong, hides something, spins something, or refuses to provide accountability, another little piece of trust disappears.
Aaron argues that COVID accelerated that collapse more than anything else in recent memory because distrust spread across multiple institutions at once — government agencies, health authorities, employers, media organizations, and political leadership. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="1"}
That leads into another question:
Why are people increasingly getting their information from podcasts, YouTube, X, and independent creators?
Aaron makes the case that long-form podcasting is simply better suited for difficult subjects. You can hear context, disagreement, tone, nuance, and people actually challenging each other instead of compressing everything into a short scripted news segment. :chatgpt-content-reference{index="2"}
But that creates responsibility too.
Aaron and Ben talk about the difference between skepticism and paranoia, why independent voices still have to check themselves, how leaders rebuild trust once it is lost, and why sometimes restoring credibility means exposing everything — even when the truth is painful.
Aaron’s answer:
Sunlight is the best disinfectant.
The conversation then expands into leadership, accountability, personal agency, political principles, the Lindsey Clancy case, rule of law, and what happens when people stop believing the system will produce a fair outcome.
They close on something much smaller but probably more useful:
Trust is built the same way everywhere.
Show up.
Do what you said you would do.
Be consistent.
Own your mistakes.
And be there when people need you.That works for governments.
It works for teams.
And it works at home.
Links:
OnesReady.com
OperatorTrainingSummit.comChapters:
00:07 - Why Americans Don’t Trust Institutions
05:42 - Confidence Is Near Historic Lows
10:46 - Did COVID Break Institutional Trust?
14:00 - Vietnam, Watergate, WMDs, and the Long Decline
19:51 - Why Nothing Shocks People Anymore
23:32 - Epstein and the Accountability Problem
30:25 - Can Government Ever Rebuild Trust?
35:38 - Why Podcasts Are Replacing Traditional News
40:33 - Why American Soft Power Still Matters
45:32 - How Do Leaders Rebuild Lost Trust?
48:39 - What If YOU Are the Leadership Problem?
52:18 - How Aaron Decides Who Gets His Vote
56:30 - System Failure vs. Personal Accountability
01:05:45 - Cause Does Not Erase Culpability
01:11:05 - What Happens When Moral Guardrails Move?
01:16:29 - How Aaron Builds Trust in Real Life
01:20:24 - Iran: Preparing for Continued Operations
01:28:00 - Could the U.S. Force the Strait of Hormuz?
01:34:19 - Is the Younger Generation Too Comfortable?
01:36:59 - Could America Win a Ground War With Iran?
01:45:09 - Final ThoughtsJoin this channel to get access to perks: HERE
Buzzsprout Subscription page: HERE
Register for our Operator Training Summit: https://www.operatortrainingsummit.com/
Find an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.com
Collabs:
Ones Ready - OnesReady.com
18A Fitness - Promo Code: ONESREADY
ATACLete- Follow the URL (no promo code): ATACLete
Danger Close Apparel - Promo Code: ONESREADY
DFND Apparel... -
35 min
Drone Command - Ep 632
Show notes
Apparently the military needs another combatant command.
This one, though, might actually make sense.
Trent and Peaches break down the proposed four-star command focused on autonomous warfare — unmanned aircraft, robotics, counter-drone systems, networks, software, offensive capabilities, defensive capabilities, and all the other technology that has gone from “cool science project” to absolutely essential on the modern battlefield.
Ukraine made the problem impossible to ignore.
Iran reinforced it.
And every service trying to independently invent, purchase, regulate, fund, and operate its own version of the same technology probably is not the fastest way forward.
A centralized command could mean common standards, dedicated funding, fewer duplicated programs, faster development, better interoperability, and hopefully fewer situations where the Army, Air Force, Marines, and Navy all show up with equipment that somehow still cannot talk to each other.
But there is another side to it.
The military is simultaneously talking about reducing the number of general officers by roughly 20%.
So how exactly do you create a new four-star headquarters without immediately growing another pile of generals, colonels, chiefs, staffs, deputies, directorates, and all the positions required to feed that headquarters?
That leads into a bigger conversation about military bureaucracy, SOCOM funding, Special Tactics, why Special Warfare probably does NOT need to become another assault force, and what SOCOM actually expects Air Force operators to be world-class at.
The answer is pretty simple:
Be exceptional at the capability nobody else can provide.
The guys also get into drone warfare on the Ukrainian front, how difficult it has become to hide from persistent surveillance, civilian police departments using organic ISR, counter-UAS requirements around military installations, and why some of the Air Force’s aviation rules may be making small-drone training unnecessarily difficult.
Also discussed:
Wu-Tang.
Tom Clancy predicting terrible things.
Why there are too many generals.
Why every four-star apparently needs another general standing next to him.
And why Peaches may or may not survive a piss test after sitting inside T-Mobile Arena.Links:
OnesReady.com
OperatorTrainingSummit.comChapters:
00:54 - Why Is the Military Creating Another Command?
04:33 - What Would an Autonomous Warfare Command Actually Do?
07:18 - Does Congress Still Have to Approve This?
09:43 - Why Not Let Every Service Run Its Own Drone Programs?
11:04 - What Happens If SOCOM Starts Paying for AFSW Training?
12:19 - Does Special Tactics Need to Be an Assault Force?
15:39 - Is This New Command Actually Necessary?
17:37 - What Capabilities Would It Control?
18:57 - Could This Finally Fix Air Force Drone Rules?
20:27 - Why Can’t the Services Just Talk to Each Other?
21:42 - What Has Ukraine Changed About Warfare?
23:31 - How Far Has Drone Technology Already Spread?
25:22 - Did Tom Clancy Predict This Stuff?
28:23 - How Do You Create a New Command While Cutting Generals?
30:47 - How Many Generals Does a Headquarters Really Need?
31:35 - OTS Vegas and Wrap-UpJoin this channel to get access to perks: HERE
Buzzsprout Subscription page: HERE
Register for our Operator Training Summit: https://www.operatortrainingsummit.com/
Find an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.com
Collabs:
Ones Ready - OnesReady.com
18A Fitness - Promo Code: ONESREADY
ATACLete- Follow the URL (no promo code): ATACLete
Danger Close Apparel - Promo Code: ONESREADY
DFND Apparel... -
34 min
Just Listen - Ep 631
Show notes
Trent and Peaches get into a problem the Air Force needs to think about now — not five years from now.
Airmen are coming home from combat experiences that may look very different from what the GWOT generation went through.
And one of the fastest ways senior leaders can screw this up is by immediately saying:
“I know what you went through.”
Maybe you don’t.
Trent talks about coming home from early deployments and hearing people try to relate to experiences they had never actually shared. Peaches tells his own story about saying the wrong thing to Will Markham after Afghanistan and realizing how badly even good intentions can miss the mark.
That becomes the larger point of the episode.
Some Airmen today are dealing with repeated attacks, large explosive events, exhaustion, high operational tempo, and potentially significant blast exposure. Trent argues that leaders with Iraq and Afghanistan experience need to be careful about turning their own deployments into the measuring stick for somebody else’s experience.
Listen first.
Give people space.
Know what resources exist.
And understand that somebody may not want help the week they get home — but they may need it months or years later.
The crew talks about True North, lessons learned from POTFF and SOCOM, decompression programs, the strange transition from being in combat to suddenly sitting at home with your family, and why resources have to remain available long after the welcome-home ceremony is over.
This is not about treating returning Airmen like they are broken.
It is about recognizing that the environment changed — and making sure our leadership changes with it.
Also: Aaron apparently has a tanning emergency, Peaches accidentally congratulated a combat veteran for surviving Afghanistan, PJs still dress like granola-powered slackline instructors, and OTS has some bigger changes coming in 2027.
Links:
OnesReady.com
OperatorTrainingSummit.comChapters:
00:54 - Aaron Has a Tanning Emergency
01:13 - The Dumbest Thing You Can Say After a Deployment
02:01 - Peaches’ “Congratulations” Disaster
03:42 - When People Think They Understand Your War
06:52 - Today’s Combat Environment Is Different
09:10 - Why Trent Started Thinking About This
11:04 - When Leaders Try Too Hard to Relate
14:52 - Airmen Are Becoming Frontline Targets
16:53 - What SOCOM Learned About Brain Health
17:31 - True North, POTFF, and Scaling Support
20:36 - Weapons School Students Coming Straight From Combat
23:24 - Leaders Need a New Playbook
25:45 - Some People Aren’t Ready for Help Yet
28:25 - Did Decompression Actually Work?
30:38 - Support Has to Last Longer Than the Deployment
31:40 - PJ Merch and OTS 2027Join this channel to get access to perks: HERE
Buzzsprout Subscription page: HERE
Register for our Operator Training Summit: https://www.operatortrainingsummit.com/
Find an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.com
Collabs:
Ones Ready - OnesReady.com
18A Fitness - Promo Code: ONESREADY
ATACLete- Follow the URL (no promo code): ATACLete
Danger Close Apparel - Promo Code: ONESREADY
DFND Apparel... -
27 min
Where Are They? - Ep 630
Show notes
Trent and Peaches start with the completely normal question of whether Noah’s Ark has finally been found after 4,300 years.
From there, naturally, they end up fixing marriage, military careers, Air Force talent management, bureaucracy, government civilians, and the apparent disappearance of larger-than-life Air Force leaders.
The Noah’s Ark claim kicks off a conversation about truth, archaeology, UFOs, and the uncomfortable reality that even if somebody definitively proved something world-changing tomorrow, most of us would still be arguing about gas prices and whatever nonsense is trending online.
Then the episode shifts into something a little more useful:
Who you marry may be the most important decision you ever make.
Trent and Peaches talk about why people settle, why “we’ve been dating long enough” is a terrible reason to get married, and why careers are far easier to change than the person you build your entire life around.
That leads into military careers and why 20 years in the Air Force does not necessarily mean doing one thing for two decades. Different units, missions, deployments, staffs, schools, and responsibilities can make the career far broader than outsiders realize.
Then Trent asks the bigger question:
Where are today’s Robin Olds, John Boyds, and other disruptive Air Force legends?
His theory is not that the talent disappeared.
The talent is still there.
The system just got better at suppressing it.
Too many regulations. Too much bureaucracy. Too many people who see initiative as more work. Too many leaders unwilling to identify a talented Airman, give them room, and tell everyone else to stay out of the way.
They also get into the role of long-term government civilians, continuity, contractors, and when institutional knowledge stops being an asset and starts becoming a roadblock.
Also: Noah, Lindsey Clancy, Adam Carolla, marriages, Spencer going back somewhere he apparently should not, PJ merch, and Peaches once again somehow fixing the Air Force in under 30 minutes.
Links:
OnesReady.com
OperatorTrainingSummit.comChapters:
01:06 - Did They Actually Find Noah’s Ark?
03:43 - What Would Proof Even Change?
06:21 - UFOs Proved Nobody Cares
08:10 - Why Adam Carolla Still Works
09:49 - Should Marriage Really Be This Much Work?
11:15 - The Most Important Decision You’ll Make
12:30 - Why Military Careers Aren’t One Job
15:09 - Choose Your Spouse Wisely
16:09 - Where Are Today’s Robin Olds?
17:01 - Did the Air Force Kill Its Mavericks?
19:43 - Let Fighter Pilots Be Fighter Pilots
21:15 - Bureaucracy vs. Talent
22:05 - When Continuity Becomes a Roadblock
23:33 - We Fixed the Air Force
25:03 - PJ Merch and Wrap-UpJoin this channel to get access to perks: HERE
Buzzsprout Subscription page: HERE
Register for our Operator Training Summit: https://www.operatortrainingsummit.com/
Find an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.com
Collabs:
Ones Ready - OnesReady.com
18A Fitness - Promo Code: ONESREADY
ATACLete- Follow the URL (no promo code): ATACLete
Danger Close Apparel - Promo Code: ONESREADY
DFND Apparel... -
2 hr 25 min
Air Force PJ vs SEAL on Chapman Medal of Honor, Iran Escalation?
Show notes
Ben Pappas brings Aaron Love and Jake Zweig into the War Room, and they start with one of the most emotionally charged stories in modern special operations history:
Takur Ghar.
More than two decades after the battle, a new documentary is challenging major pieces of the accepted account surrounding Medal of Honor recipient John Chapman.
Aaron lays out why Ones Ready is approaching the controversy differently.
No character assassination.
No anonymous dirt.
No SEAL-vs-PJ nonsense.
No pretending an unreleased documentary has already settled the issue.Just look at the claims, look at the evidence, and wait for the complete case.
They walk through the ISR footage, the Medal of Honor process, Britt Slabinski’s connection to the story, competing interpretations of what happened on the mountain, the questions raised by Chapman’s autopsy, the Ranger QRF, Jason Cunningham’s actions, and why revisiting these events carries consequences far beyond internet arguments.
Aaron’s bigger point:
Some things in the community should remain sacred.
Then the War Room moves to another rapidly changing battlefield — drones.
Cartels are already using drones for surveillance, smuggling support, and other capabilities. Ben, Aaron, and Jake discuss where that technology could go, what Ukraine has demonstrated about cheap unmanned systems, and why counter-drone technology may become one of the most important capabilities in the next fight.
From there, the conversation moves into current geopolitical uncertainty, energy, military readiness, and finally something everyone can actually control:
Leadership.
How do you lead a family, military unit, business, or yourself when everything around you feels unstable?
Forecast.
Prepare.
Communicate.
Make hard decisions early.
And stop waiting until the organization is already on fire.This is War Room Recall.
Links:
OnesReady.com
OperatorTrainingSummit.comChapters:
00:07 - Welcome to War Room Recall
03:01 - The John Chapman Controversy
06:10 - Aaron’s Ground Rules
08:38 - What the ISR Footage Shows
11:07 - Ground Truth Challenges the Accepted Story
13:22 - Why Takur Ghar Was Such a Dangerous Objective
17:29 - Britt Slabinski Gets Put on the Spot
22:07 - The Impossible Medal of Honor Question
25:36 - Why Chapman and Slabinski’s Stories Are Connected
27:50 - Why Is This Coming Out Now?
30:02 - How Neil Roberts Fell From the Helicopter
34:22 - The Autopsy Question
37:57 - Bunker, Kitchen, or Something Else?
42:50 - What Should a Medal of Honor Represent?
44:55 - Aaron: Some Things Should Be Sacred
48:02 - Stop Turning SOF History Into Team-Room Warfare
50:38 - From Takur Ghar to Cartel Drones
54:37 - The Cartels Are Already Using Drones
58:57 - How Far Could This Actually Escalate?
01:01:08 - What Happens When Drone Swarms Scale?
01:02:25 - The Counter-Drone Arms Race
01:09:40 - The Iran Conversation
01:21:51 - Aaron’s Closing Take
01:24:13 - Ben and Jake Take Over
01:35:55 - Leadership When Everything Is Changing
01:53:29 - Great Leaders See Problems Early
01:57:18 - How Do You Actually Prepare?
02:02:19 - What Will the Next War Look Like?
02:23:53 - War Room Wrap-UpJoin this channel to get access to perks: HERE
Buzzsprout Subscription page: HERE
Register for our Operator Training Summit: https://www.operatortrainingsummit.com/
Find an Air Force Recruiter: AirForce.com
Collabs:
Ones Ready - OnesReady.com
18A Fitness - Promo Code: ONESREADY
ATACLete- Follow the URL (no promo code): ATACLete
Danger Close Apparel - Promo Code: ONESREADY
DFND Apparel...
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