Today we talk about further delays to Starliner Crew Flight Test launch (06:01), Inversion Space wants “warehouses in space” (17:10), House bill proposes to end recruit marijuana testing (32:29), the last WWII “triple ace” dies at 102 (50:10), and the 10th Mountain gets three new aces for drone kills (55:12).

Join us as we discuss pet and animal stories while in the military (03:54), Millennium Space lands $414 million contract to build missile-tracking satellites (30:24), the Navy tests a surface drone (38:55), DARPA's autonomous 'Manta Ray' drone (46:13), the Coast Guard offloads $185 million in cocaine and marijuana (51:12), an Air Force pararescue team dropped onto a cruise ship to retrieve a sick child (54:32), and the SS Mayaguez incident on 15 May 1975 (58:42).

Joining me today is Army Retired CW3 Jaime Hernandez. Jaime was born and raised in Ponce, Puerto Rico and graduated from Ponce High School in 1989. He attended Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico pursuing a degree in Accounting. He enlisted in the Army as an 11B and went to basic training at Fort Benning, GA in 2002. His first assignment was to B Company, 2/35 Infantry at Schofield Barracks, HI, and deployed to Afghanistan in 2004. In 2008, he reclassified to MOS 88N Transportation and went to Fort Eustis, VA for training. After being promoted to E-7, he again deployed to Afghanistan in 2010. During that deployment, Jaime applied and was accepted into the Warrant Officer program. He graduated from the Warrant Officer course in 2013 and was next assigned to the 4th ID at Fort Carson, CO. He was next assigned to Camp Casey, South Korea in 2016 followed by an assignment to Fort Hood, TX. He completed a Bachelor’s degree in Transportation and Logistics management from American Military University in 2018, and then deployed to the Arabic peninsula in 2019. Jaime was promoted to CW3 and was assigned to his final duty station back at Fort Eustis. He retired in 2022.

Today we talk about Boeing’s Starliner team delays 1st astronaut launch due to rocket issue (13:43), 3 Guardians complete Army Cavalry Spur Ride (25:00), Navy beats Army in annual Best Warrior Competition (46:41), the Army’s first small drone obstacle course (52:57), and on 7 May 1960 Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev announces that his nation is holding American U-2 pilot Gary Powers (1:02:00).

Today we talk about SpaceX making Starship in-space refueling, Prosthetics chief at Aurora VA improperly canceled 1,000 orders without telling vets, 4th ID bans leaders from contacting soldiers after work, Kirkland AFB Airman sets New Mexico powerlifting record, and on 30 Apr 1789 Washington is sworn-in as the 1st U.S. President.

Today we talk about Rocket Lab launches new NASA solar sail tech toward orbit, Barksdale Air Force Base closes dining facility amid reports of a rat problem, Soldier earns ‘Ace of Syria’ nickname after downing 6 drones, and Pat Tillman killed in Afghanistan 20 years ago.

Joining me today is Army MAJ (Ret) Ruslan Emelyanov. Ruslan was born and raised in the former Soviet Union. When he turned 18, he was conscripted into the Soviet Army in 1989 and chose to be a Paratrooper. Over the next couple years, he accepted an invitation to attend the newly formed Russian Military Academy. He graduated in 1995 and was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Russian Army. He had also earned his Jumpmaster status at that time. His first assignment was to join his new unit already fighting in the First Chechen War. At the conclusion of the war, his unit redeployed in December 1996. Ruslan was then reassigned to Moscow and transferred to the Military Police. In 1998 as a Captain, he resigned his Commission and left the Russian Army. Family relatives who lived in California applied for a Green Card for Ruslan, and in 2000, he joined his relatives in Carmel, CA. When the Sep 11th attacks occurred in 2001, he contacted an Army recruiter about the possibility of joining the U.S. Army. The recruiter said he could enlist with a Green Card and signed him up as an 11B Infantry MOS. At 28, he attended Basic Training at Ft. Benning, GA. After graduating Basic, he attended Jump School and earned his U.S. Parachute Badge. His first assignment was to B Co., 2/35th Infantry at Schofield Barracks, HI. In 2003, he renounced his Russian citizenship and was sworn in as a U.S. citizen. In April 2004, his unit deployed to Afghanistan for a year tour. Upon returning, he was promoted to SGT. He also earned Jumpmaster in the U.S. Army. A few years later, he was recommended for OCS at Ft. Benning, and in 2007 he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Infantry. In 2009, Ruslan changed branches to Civil Affairs and spent the next 12 years working with Special Operations Forces out of Ft. Bragg, NC. He retired from the Army in 2023.

Joining me today is Air Force SMSgt (Ret) Juan Lopez. Juan grew up in California both in Los Angeles and later Vacaville. He attended Vacaville High School and graduated in 1999. He joined the Air Force in 2000 and went to Basic Training in 2001. His AFSC was 1C6 and he attended tech school at Vandenberg AFB, CA. Juan’s first assignment was to 11 SWS (ALERT) at Schriever AFB, CO. In 2002, he was reassigned to 2 SWS at Buckley AFB, CO. After that tour, his next assignment was to work HEO with 460th Det 1 back at Schriever AFB in 2006. Three years later, Juan was chosen to be an instructor with the 533rd Training Squadron back at Vandenberg AFB. In 2013 he was assigned to 13 SWS at Clear AFB, AK for a one year remote tour. He was then assigned back to Buckley with the 2 SWS to work the SBIRS Block 10 program. In 2017, he was promoted to MSgt and then converted to the Reserves through Palace Front. He was assigned to 4 SWS at Buckley as an Active Guard/Reservist. Later, he was moved to the 710th Operations Group and was promoted to SMSgt in 2019. Juan retired on 1 Nov 2021.