#142: Lethality, Audacity, Creativity - Leading the Special Forces Regiment - Major General Gil Ferguson, Commanding General, 1st Special Forces Command

The United States Army Special Forces command teams are composed of a commissioned officer, a warrant officer and senior non-commissioned officer. A model has evolved over time and is tributed with being a key component to success on the battlefield of yesterday and today.To break down just Army Special Forces balances strategy, experience and teamwork, Creator and Host Fran Racioppi sat down with Command Sergeant Major Dave Waldo and Command Chief Warrant Officer Felix Mosqueda; two of the three senior-most leaders of First Special Forces Command. From atop the Normandy Resistance Monument in Saint Marie Dumont, we broke down what it means to be a Green Beret and how the mission has evolved from the Jedburgh Teams of D-Day to today’s Operational Detachments. CSM Waldo and Chief Mosqueda shared their priorities and vision for Army Special Forces, how the regiment is adapting in the post Global War on Terror environment, the misconception of the Special Forces mission and how they are tackling the recruiting and manning challenges needed for the next battlefield; whether that be against a peer, near peer or terrorist adversary.  Check out our conversation from the birthplace of modern Special Forces; then head over to our YouTube channel or your favorite podcast platform to catch all our coverage from the 80th Anniversary of D-Day. And don’t miss our first documentary, Unknown Heroes: Behind Enemy Lines at D-Day, the story of Operation Jedburgh available now only on YouTube.Highlights0:00 Introduction3:18 Welcome to the Normandy Resistance Monument7:19 Commissioned Officers, NCOs and Warrant Officers11:23 Preparing the Regiment 13:57 Solving the recruiting challenge16:56 Are changes coming to the structure of Special Forces?18:56 Lessons from GWOT24:14 Defining the next fight26:02 Current SF culture30:23 Vision for the Regiment34:29 The New Uniforms35:32 Foundations to success40:13 Football predictions Quotes“They knew they had no choice. There was no can. There was no try. Hope was not a course action. It was only must.” If it’s important to my boss, it’s important to me. If it’s cool to my boss, it’s fascinating to me.” “Make no mistake about it. And to our adversaries who are listening to this. We are absolutely the top of the mountain.”  “Are we meeting the numbers? No.” “Always do more with less. We’re able to do that because of our training pipeline.” “We have to focus on all the missions because every part of the world is set up differently.” “First contact should not be human contact. It should be some sort of tech or robotic.” “Our adversaries are brilliant. They’re also lethal. But do they love each other the way that our folks do?”“If you build good command teams it never gets lonely at the top.” The Jedburgh Podcast and the Jedburgh Media Channel are an official program of The Green Beret Foundation. Learn more on The Jedburgh Podcast Website. Subscribe to us and follow @jedburghpodcast on all social media. Watch the full video version on YouTube.

Army Special Operations Forces are led by LTG John Braga, Commander of United States Army Special Operations Command. General Braga and Creator and Host Fran Racioppi stormed the Utah Beach Communication Bunker responsible for the coordination of German defenses and later the facilitation of the largest amphibious assault in history. From this iconic setting, we unpacked the significance of World War II on international norms still in play today and challenged at a level not seen since the pre-war era. General Braga shared his vision for Army Special Operations, his focus on threat-informed decision-making, and how Special Operations has evolved; but more importantly where it needs to go and why it’s not there yet. He also explains how Special Operations are preparing for conflict with nation-states like China and Iran, while also ensuring terrorist organizations have no sanctuary across the globe. Finally, we talk about integration, and why Special Operations is a critical node in the cyber and space fight deep behind enemy lines. Check out our conversation from underneath Utah Beach. Head over to our YouTube channel or your favorite podcast platform to catch all our coverage from the 80th Anniversary of D-Day. And don’t miss our first documentary, Unknown Heroes: Behind Enemy Lines at D-Day, the story of Operation Jedburgh available now only on YouTube.  Highlights0:00 Introduction3:25 Welcome to the Le Roosevelt Cafe Bunker on Utah Beach8:14 Significance of Operation Jedburgh10:15 Rangers on Omaha Beach13:35 US Army Special Operations mission19:10 Role of Psychological Operations24:10 Winning Cognitive Warfare?29:43 A change to the Special Forces teams?32:10 Top priority on the next battlefield?41:10 Combatting an enemy that doesn’t value life?44:32 The USASOC culture49:43 Destroying the enemy55:28 USASOC’s future1:00:05 Foundations to Success  Quotes“Here we have the Jedburghs, with small teams having complete outsized impacts.”“We challenge the force…to be strategically driven in everything you do.” “We weren’t created for counter-terrorism.”  “You need to be an information officer.”  “People are the weapon system of USASOC. That’s our greatest investment.”“Every STEM robotics club in high school in America needs to know we have a home for them in Army Special Operations. “We have to modernize. We have to change. Or we'll be behind the adversary.”“The only way to win is a whole of nation and whole of society approach.” “I want to be surrounded by people who want to push themself.” “Everyone should be challenging the training calendar. What are you training for?”“We can’t be afraid of changing because we might get something wrong.”The Jedburgh Podcast and the Jedburgh Media Channel are an official program of The Green Beret Foundation. Learn more on The Jedburgh Podcast Website. Subscribe to us and follow @jedburghpodcast on all social media. Watch the full video version on YouTube.

There’s a difference between the elite and everyone else. Elite by definition means superior in terms of ability or qualities to the rest of a group or society. Elite is not good. It is not great. It certainly is not above average. To be elite means you’re among the best.The Stars and Stripes Classic pitted America’s two most elite Special Operations Forces against each other on the lacrosse field. To talk about what it means to be elite, not just in sports but in anything you do, Fran Racioppi sat down with Paul Rabil. Paul is the co-founder of the Premier Lacrosse League and undoubtedly one of the most elite lacrosse players to ever play the game. Paul is multiple time NCAA champion, a four year All American, he holds NCAA records for the most goals, assists and points. He is a multiple time Player of the Year and two time champion. He holds the most points in professional lacrosse. He is what every young lacrosse player ascribes to be. Paul is also an elite visionary and businessman. He developed the PLL out of the gaps he saw as a player. Now he’s changing professional sports and how athletes are treated by owners. Check out our conversation from the endzone of Gillette Stadium to learn how anyone can be elite if you're ready to put in the work and relentlessly execute. Head over to our YouTube channel or your favorite podcast platform to catch all the action from the Stars and Stripes Classic. Don’t forget to go to Green Beret Foundation to  join our 18 Series Match Challenge to support our team as the Snakeeaters took on the Frogmen. Highlights0:00 Introduction2:33 Stars and Stripes Classic4:18 The level of play5:57 Toughness & extra work8:31 Earn it every day12:49 Building an elite sports league18:15 How does it feel?22:08 How to process the hard times Quotes“Lacrosse is sloppy. That’s also the beauty of it.” “Those that choose to be elite, it’s a lifestyle.” “Earn the right to stay here and be here.” “You just don’t really fake integrity. Someone will suss it out.” “If you don’t go all in, you’ll never reach your potential.” “Attempting to become a subject matter expert is so important in entrepreneurship.” The Jedburgh Podcast and the Jedburgh Media Channel are an official program of The Green Beret Foundation. Learn more on The Jedburgh Podcast Website. Subscribe to us and follow @jedburghpodcast on all social media. Watch the full video version on YouTube.Special thanks to the Premier Lacrosse League and Kraft Sports and Entertainment for hosting the Stars and Stripes Classic.

Toughness defines Special Operations and the sport of lacrosse. Toughness requires a person to deal with hardship, overcome difficult situations, persevere through mental and physical challenges. Toughness is one part natural, one part learned, and one part the result of consistency. To excel as a Green Beret, Navy SEAL or a lacrosse athlete, you better be tough. Joe Alberici and Ben Harrow are two tough men. Joe is the head coach of Men’s lacrosse at West Point, and Ben is a West Point lacrosse alumni, Green Beret and double leg amputee.Coach and Ben joined Fran Racioppi to recap the Stars and Stripes Classic, what it meant for our Green Berets and Navy SEALs to face off on the lacrosse field, how to build teams based on being tough, and what it takes to win no matter the challenge; whether that’s on the playing field, the battlefield or the boardroom. Take a listen, watch, or read our conversation, then head over to our YouTube channel or your favorite podcast platform to catch all the action from the Stars and Stripes Classic. Don’t forget to go to Green Beret Foundation to  join our 18 Series Match Challenge to support our team as the Snakeeaters took on the Frogmen. Highlights0:00 Introduction2:05 Stars and Stripes is in the books3:17 Break down the game for us4:57 Ben Harrow is toughness6:46 Why is toughness important?10:39 West Point lax is a player15:01 Put in the extra work16:22 What did you tell the team after the game?Quotes“Clock got a little short on us. Time ran out.”“Toughness is when you're 100%, 100% of the time.” “Grateful for everything. Entitled to nothing.” “If you can be an elite human being…you’ll probably be a pretty darn good Army lacrosse player.” The Jedburgh Podcast and the Jedburgh Media Channel are an official program of The Green Beret Foundation. Learn more on The Jedburgh Podcast Website. Subscribe to us and follow @jedburghpodcast on all social media. Watch the full video version on YouTube.Special thanks to the Premier Lacrosse League and the Kraft Group for hosting us the Stars and Stripes Classic.

The greatest entrepreneurial adventures take a lot of sleepless nights, a bias for action and a commitment to people. Starting a professional sports league is no different.  As we gear up for the first ever Stars and Stripes Classic, Fran Racioppi is joined by Mike Rabil, the co-founder of the Premier Lacrosse League. Mike and his brother Paul, started the league with a vision to put the players at the center of the business model.From better pay, to open marketing, to benefits and equity in the league, they’re redefining how professional sports embraces their athletes.Mike shared the market opportunity he and Paul saw in lacrosse and how they relentlessly pursued investment and support. He explained how giving players equity, access to marketing content and a seat at the table have created a more inclusive league. And he showed us where the sport is headed with regional affiliation. They also previewed the Stars and Stripes Classic coming September 2 to Gillette Stadium where the bonds between lacrosse and Special Operations will face off for the very first time. Take a listen, watch, or read our conversation with the business mind behind the PLL, then head over to our YouTube channel or your favorite podcast platform to catch all the action from the Stars and Stripes Classic. Don’t forget to go to Green Beret Foundation to  join our 18 Series Match Challenge to support our team as the Snakeeaters take on the Frogmen. Highlights0:00 Welcome to Fairfield University4:15 What was the vision for the PLL?6:21 How do you start a pro sports league?8:10 How does the open marketing concept help promote the game?10:20 Why introduce regional affiliation?12:07 Why keep the 2-point shot?12:48 How do you recruit the best athletes to lacrosse?15:46 The Stars and Stripes Classic?Quotes“I slept on a lot of hotel floors. Cried, bled a lot.” “People ask us who our competitors are. I say ‘all the other sports.’” “We know we need to continue to pay the players more.” “Each time these guys stop on the field they get five stock options.” “The lacrosse community is really tied into Special Forces.” The Jedburgh Podcast and the Jedburgh Media Channel are an official program of The Green Beret Foundation. Learn more on The Jedburgh Podcast Website. Subscribe to us and follow @jedburghpodcast on all social media. Watch the full video version on YouTube.Special thanks to the Premier Lacrosse League for hosting us at Fairfield University and for sponsoring the Stars and Stripes Classic.

Performing at an elite level isn’t about doing special things. It’s about focusing on the basics and the fundamentals; then executing them with precision. A coach’s job is to harness the energy of the players and direct it towards a common goal. As we gear up for the first ever Stars and Stripes Classic, Fran Racioppi sat down with the Head Coach of the California Redwoods and Army Reservist Nat St. Laurent. Nat’s primary mission is to take a group of elite alpha lacrosse athletes all capable of big things and get them to focus on the little details; a skill he learned teaching soldiers to throw hand grenades as an instructor. He shares his Army lessons learned and how they made him a better coach.Nat also provided his perspective on the growth of the Premier Lacrosse League, how regional affiliation has enhanced the fan base, and how everything the PLL does is all out; including the 2-point shot. Take a listen, watch, or read our conversation with one of the PLL’s inaugural coaches, then head over to our YouTube channel or your favorite podcast platform to catch all the action from the Stars and Stripes Classic. Don’t forget to go to Green Beret Foundation to  join our 18 Series Match Challenge to support our team as the Snakeeaters take on the Frogmen. Highlights0:00 Introduction2:27 Welcome to Fairfield University3:14 PLL regional affiliation5:06 Growing the PLL fan base6:47 What Army lessons do you use as a coach?9:28 PLL player development11:32 The 2-point shot13:12 Staying focused in down times14:54 Stars and Stripes ClassicQuotes“Whatever the PLL does it’s all out.” “Being part of something bigger than yourself…it becomes an honor.” “It is extremely important to do those little things right and to do it with a purpose that’s bigger than yourself. “Our mindset every game is 1-0. We can’t do anything about the results from previous games.” “They’re not going to be able to turn over their compete level.” The Jedburgh Podcast and the Jedburgh Media Channel are an official program of The Green Beret Foundation. Learn more on The Jedburgh Podcast Website. Subscribe to us and follow @jedburghpodcast on all social media. Watch the full video version on YouTube.Special thanks to the Premier Lacrosse League for hosting us at Fairfield University and for sponsoring the Stars and Stripes Classic.

The United States doesn’t play for second place. Not on the battlefield and certainly not on the lacrosse field. As we gear up for the first ever Stars and Stripes Classic, Fran Racioppi sat down with Head Coach of Team USA Seth Teirney. Seth is also the Director of Competition at the Premier Lacrosse League and the Head Coach of Hofstra University. He’s involved in every aspect and level of lacrosse from the pros down to youth. He’s a national champion as a coach and played in the National Lacrosse League as a player. Seth’s attitude about lacrosse is gold medal or bust. Fran and Seth covered why it takes “feeling the sport” to compete at the highest level as both an athlete and a coach. Seth shared the launch story of the PLL from a broken down bus in Israel and how the PLL honors the Indigenous legacy of lacrosse. Seth also gives his tips to parents raising athletes and explains what it means to coach the US National Team. Plus he makes his prediction for the battle of the year, as the Green Berets take on the Navy SEALs September 2 at Gillette Stadium.Take a listen, watch, or read our conversation with one of lacrosse’s greatest players and coaches, then head over to our YouTube channel or your favorite podcast platform to catch all the action from the Stars and Stripes Classic. Head over to Green Beret Foundation and join our 18 Series Match Challenge to support our team as the Snakeeaters take on the Frogmen.  Highlights0:00 Introduction1:27 Welcome to Fairfield University3:30 Setting the lacrosse example5:16 Growing the PLL7:12 The origins of lacrosse8:58 Lacrosse is about feeling10:49 How have the players evolved?12:48 Gold medal or bust14:08 How coaches have changed16:01 Is junior level competition healthy?18:00 A tribute to Andy Towers19:53 The PLL’s next phase21:48 Recruiting the top athletes22:46 Stars and Stripes ClassicQuotes“This whole thing started when a bus broke down in 2018 in Israel.”“This sport. Where it came from. It was not just playing. It was understanding.”“It’s not written down in a handbook. You’ve got to be able to feel the game.” “It’s an all-in sport that is on fire right now.” “There is no second place. We’re not playing for second place. It’s gold medal or bust.” “When we get the Stars and Stripes Game going…that’s a forever day.” The Jedburgh Podcast and the Jedburgh Media Channel are an official program of The Green Beret Foundation. Learn more on The Jedburgh Podcast Website. Subscribe to us and follow @jedburghpodcast on all social media. Watch the full video version on YouTube.Special thanks to the Premier Lacrosse League for hosting us at Fairfield University and for sponsoring the Stars and Stripes Classic. 

For decades the Middle East has been America’s top national security challenge.From terrorism, to war, to regional instability, it takes more than a military effort to find solutions.As America navigates one of the most volatile times in history, Fran Racioppi sat down with retired General Joseph Votel, one of America’s most influential leaders and scholars in Middle East policy. General Votel served as Commander of United States Special Operations Command, US Central Command, Joint Special Operations Command and 75th Ranger Regiment; organizations critically responsible for America’s Middle East operations. General Votel unpacked the reasons why Hamas chose to attack Israel, Iran’s malign influence, and the responsibility of the other Gulf states in preventing regional instability. He also broke down the opportunities the United States has across the diplomatic, information, military and economic spectrum; including America’s ability to mobilize for a peer-to-peer fight. Plus he talked all things Ranger Regiment, the officer-NCO relationship, and keys to effective leadership. Take a listen, watch, or read our conversation with one the Army’s most respected leaders then head over to our YouTube channel or your favorite podcast platform to catch up on our entire national security series from Washington, DC and Fort Liberty, NC. Highlights:0:00 Welcome to Odgers Berndtson3:07 The rise of China and Russia13:47 Why is Iran on the offensive?21:14 Using the elements of National Power24:34 The impacts of the Israel-Gaza War32:55 General Votel’s call to serve42:35 Advice to new leaders47:42 How the NCO corps separates the US military 56:46 The role of Special Forces in the peer-to-peer fight1:05:09 Solving the recruiting challenge1:13:28 General Votel's Three Daily FoundationsQuotes: “In a word, they’ve had it and they're trying to reassert themselves.” “Putin has pretty much told us what he wants to do. He wants to eclipse the United States.” “The Gulf partners, the other Arab states, aren’t that keen on having a new Palestinian state in the region.”“We have over-militarized a lot of our foreign policy in these areas. We need to be leading with diplomacy.”“If you open these humanitarian corridors, are you arming your adversary?” “When I showed up to West Point…instant buyer’s remorse.” “To me, leadership has really become about the basics.” “I had a Sergeant Major. Bill Thetford. We were together for eight plus years; longer than the average American marriage.” The Jedburgh Podcast and the Jedburgh Media Channel are an official program of The Green Beret Foundation. Learn more on The Jedburgh Podcast Website. Subscribe to us and follow @jedburghpodcast on all social media. Watch the full video version on YouTube.Special thanks to Odgers Berndtson for hosting this conversation.

The responsibility for recruiting, training and retaining US Army soldiers sits on the shoulders of the Sergeant Major of the Army; a job in which there is no training course and where experience is the defining factor. To break down what the Sergeant Major of the Army does, the current state of the Army, and where the Army is headed, Fran Racioppi traveled deep into the center of the Pentagon for a conversation with Sergeant Major Mike Weimer, the 17th Sergeant Major of the Army and the first Green Beret selected for the role. The SMA defined professional warfighting and the importance of an all volunteer force. He broke down the art and science relationship between commissioned and non-commissioned officers. He shared how his experience in the Special Forces shadows prepared him for the limelight of the SMA role. And they talked about the future, including his vision for solving the recruiting challenge, how warfare is evolving from the kill chain to the kill web, how he’s planning to retain the right people, and how the integration of Special Operations and the regular Army is more important now than ever. Highlights:0:00 Introduction2:53 The Army is busy 3:52 The Professional Warfighter11:40 People are the Army’s weapons system 15:53 The relationship between Commanders and NCOs22:24 SMA Weimer’s transition from the shadows25:55 The Army’s recruiting challenges34:51 CTCs and the Kill Web40:12 Retaining the best and brightest43:50 Integrating Special Forces and the regular Army50:36 The Army’s biggest opportunity52:17 Daily Foundations to SuccessQuotes: “Those that are committed, I remind them; the audio and video has got to match.” “All of the services are platform centric. The Army’s platform is its people.” “The non-commissioned officer is the asymmetric advantage.” “The things that are usually the hardest in life are the things that are usually the most rewarding.”  “Whatever you’ve done prior to coming into this seat is how you’ve prepared.” “We’re on track to make our numbers this year….We need those numbers to be higher in upcoming years.” “I have a fair amount of combat…I’ve never been to war.” “You don’t necessarily get do-overs in the fight that we’re preparing for now.”“It’s not just about retaining people; it’s about retaining the right people.”“Standards and discipline can’t just be some whimsical thing we throw around.”Take a listen, watch, or read our conversation with the Army’s most senior non-commissioned officer, then head over to our YouTube channel or your favorite podcast platform to catch up on our entire national security series from Washington, DC and Fort Liberty, NC. The Jedburgh Podcast and the Jedburgh Media Channel are an official program of The Green Beret Foundation. Learn more on The Jedburgh Podcast Website. Subscribe to us and follow @jedburghpodcast on all social media.

Lethality, audacity and creativity. That’s the culture of the Special Forces Regiment and the values each Special Operator is expected to live by. They’re also the foundation of what it takes to be the premier partnered irregular warfare force in the arsenal of the United States Military. Our nation’s Green Berets, Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations soldiers are led by Major General Gil Ferguson; the Commanding General of 1st Special Forces Command. For the final interview of our Fort Liberty series, Fran Racioppi sat down with General Ferguson for a conversation on what it takes to man, train and equip our Special Forces units. They dug into his goal to enhance the culture of the Regiment, how the Special Forces Groups are preparing for regional conflicts with unknown enemies, at unknown times; and just how Green Berets are solidifying themselves as the go-to option in the deep sensor fight against our peer adversaries.General Ferguson also explains the SOF-Space-Cyber Triad, where he sees Special Forces in a decade, and as our units evolve, what needs to stay the same.  Take a listen, watch, or read our conversation with America’s top Green Beret, then head over to our YouTube channel to watch General Ferguson share the lineage of America’s first Special Forces in the Jedburgh Media Channel’s first documentary, Unknown Heroes, Behind Enemy Lines at D-Day, the story of Operation Jedburgh.    Highlights:0:00 Welcome to the JFK Special Warfare Museum4:04 The premier partnered irregular warfare force7:18 Man, train, equip for any theater9:40 The culture of 1st SFC13:52 The misperceptions of Special Forces18:50 SOF in the Peer-to-Peer Fight27:16 How is SOF keeping people first?34:07 SOF, Space Cyber Triad39:43 Where are Special Forces in 5-10 years?42:14 How are Civil Affairs and PsyOps integrating into the SOF battlefield?50:47 What has to stay the same in SOF?54:32 Daily Foundations For SuccessQuotes: “The United States fights coalition warfare. We don’t ever want to fight by ourselves.” “We don’t know where the next fight’s going to be, we don’t know who it’s gonna be with, and we don’t know when it’s gonna start.”“The guys we are running the Columbian military were all folks that were captains with me when I was a 7th Group Commander.”“Technology is not going to win the next fight. The side that most effectively and audaciously employs technology is going to win.”“18x make up more than 50% of our force now; and that is a good thing.”“I don’t want to spend time in my office. That is not where I’m effective.” The Jedburgh Podcast and the Jedburgh Media Channel are an official program of The Green Beret Foundation. Learn more on The Jedburgh Podcast Website. Subscribe to us and follow @jedburghpodcast on all social media. Watch the full video version on YouTube.