Gen. David W. Allvin is the chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force. As chief, Allvin serves as the senior uniformed Air Force officer responsible for the organization, training and equipping of 689,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces serving in the United States and overseas. As a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the general and other service chiefs function as military advisers to the Secretary of Defense, National Security Council and the president.

Allvin graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1986. He has commanded at the squadron and wing levels, including the 97th Air Mobility Wing, Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma. He has held major command staff assignments and served on the Joint Staff.

Allvin served as commanding general, North Atlantic Treaty Organization Air Training Command — Afghanistan; commander, 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, Kabul, Afghanistan; commander, 618th Air and Space Operations Center; director, Strategy, Concepts and Assessments; deputy chief of staff for Strategic Plans and Requirements, Headquarters, U.S. Air Force and director, Strategy, Plans and Policy, Headquarters U.S. European Command; vice director, Strategy, Plans and Policy, the Joint Staff; and director for Strategy, Plans and Policy, J-5, Joint Staff. Prior to his current assignment, the general was the vice chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force.

Allvin is a command pilot with more than 4,600 hours in over 30 aircraft, including 800 flight test hours and 100 combat hours.

Gen. Stephen N. Whiting is the Commander, U.S. Space Command, headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base, Colo.

As the Commander of U.S. Space Command, General Whiting is responsible for defending U.S. and Allied interests in the space domain while providing space-enabled combat effects to joint warfighters around the globe. He exercises combatant command authority over Soldiers, Marines, Sailors, Airmen, and Guardians operating ground and space-based systems around the world.

General Whiting is a 1989 distinguished graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy with a degree in aeronautical engineering. He is a space operations officer and has commanded the 13th Space Warning Squadron; the 614th Air and Space Operations Center and Joint Space Operations Center; the 21st Space Wing; and the Combined Force Space Component Command and 14th Air Force.

General Whiting’s staff assignments include positions at Headquarters U.S. Air Force; U.S. Space Command; U.S. Strategic Command; the Chief of Naval Operations’ Strategic Studies Group; the Office of the Deputy Secretary of Defense; Headquarters Air Force Space Command; and Headquarters U.S. Space Force. Prior to his current position, General Whiting was the Commander, Space Operations Command.

Lt. Gen. David N. Miller, Jr. is the Commander, Space Operations Command, headquartered at Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado. As Commander, he is responsible for the generation, presentation and sustainment of U.S. Space Force combat-ready space, cyberspace, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance and combat support forces. Moreover, as the USSF service force provider, he is responsible to the Secretary of the Air Force and Chief of Space Operations for sourcing, training, certifying and assessing the readiness of America’s Space Forces to execute service and combatant commander-assigned missions.

Lt. Gen. Miller commissioned in 1993 and is a graduate of Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania. He has operational experience across space power disciplines and has held a range of operational leadership and staff positions. During his career, Lt. Gen. Miller has commanded America’s Guardians and Airmen at the squadron, group and wing levels including the 2nd Range Operations Squadron at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California; the 21st Operations Group at Peterson AFB, Colorado; and the 460th Space Wing at Buckley AFB, Colorado.

Prior to his current position, Lt. Gen. Miller was the Special Assistant to the Vice Chief of Space Operations, Headquarters, United States Space Force, Peterson SFB, Colorado.

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David A. Flosi represents the highest enlisted level of leadership. He provides direction for the enlisted force and represents their interests, as appropriate, to the American public and to those in all levels of government. Flosi serves as the senior enlisted leader and primary adviser to the chief of staff and the secretary of the Air Force on all matters regarding the readiness, training, professional development and effective utilization of more than 665,000 Total Force Airmen. Flosi is the 20th chief master sgt. appointed to the highest noncommissioned officer position.

Flosi entered the Air Force in May 1996, as a nuclear weapons specialist. His background includes various leadership duties in conventional and nuclear munitions/missile operations, program management, developmental test and contingency operations at all Air Force organizational levels. He has deployed in direct support of operations Southern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, Inherent Resolve and Freedom’s Sentinel.

Prior to this assignment, he served as the command chief master sgt., Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force John F. Bentivegna serves at the highest enlisted level of leadership and provides direction for the enlisted force representing their interests to the American public and to those in all levels of government. He acts as the personal advisor to the chief of space operations and the Secretary of the Air Force on all issues regarding the welfare, readiness, morale, proper utilization, and development of the U.S. Space Force.

Bentivegna entered the U.S. Air Force in 1994 and has served in both Maintenance and Space Operations career fields. He has held positions at the squadron, division, group, wing, Numbered Air Force, Field Command and Headquarters Air Force and Space Force levels and served as the senior enlisted advisor to the chief operations officer and is the Enlisted Space Systems Operations career field manager, Headquarters Space Force, Washington, D.C.

Chief Bentivegna entered the United States Space Force on September 1, 2020.

U.S. Navy Capt. Jason Birch, a native of Crofton, Maryland, attended the U.S. Naval Academy Preparatory School in 1995 and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1999. He completed Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL (BUD/S) training with Class 228 in 2000.

Birch has had the privilege of serving in numerous command and staff assignments during his 25 years in special operations. Some of his leadership positions include executive officer of SEAL Team 8, flag aide to the Vice Chief of Naval Operations, chief staff officer of Naval Special Warfare Group 4, and commanding officer of SEAL Team 10.

Prior to his assignment to the U.S. Naval Academy, Birch completed a tour at U.S. Special Operations Command headquarters.

Retired U.S. Air Force Col. Allison Black served over 32 years of active-duty military service, commanding at multiple levels within the Joint Force and U.S. Special Operations Command. She culminated her career as the commander of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida. In this capacity, she prepared Airmen for worldwide missions, specializing in crisis and contingency operations. The wing’s mission encompassed planning, posturing and executing precision strike, specialized mobility, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Under her leadership, the wing operated over 78 aircraft, including the AC-130J Ghostrider, CV-22 Osprey, MC-130J Shadow II, U-28A Draco and MQ-9 Reaper, supporting direct action, unconventional warfare, reconnaissance, counterterrorism, personnel recovery and information operations missions.

Black enlisted in the Air Force in 1992 as a survival, evasion, resistance and escape specialist. In 1998, she completed Officer Training School and Joint Specialized Undergraduate Navigator Training. She joined the Air Force Special Operations Command in 2000 and has flown over 3,400 hours, with 2,000 combat hours in the AC-130H Spectre gunship and U-28A Draco. Black was the first woman to receive the U.S. Air Force Combat Action Medal, engage the enemy from the AC-130H in combat and serve as the deputy commander of the Air Force’s only special tactics wing.

Retired Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman Ramón Colón-López served in the U.S. Air Force for 33 years. In December 2019, he became the fourth senior enlisted adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the most senior enlisted service member in the U.S. armed forces.

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Colón-López moved to the United States in 1986 and enlisted in the Air Force in 1990. His military trajectory led him to the special operations arena, where he successfully completed some of the most rigorous training the Department of Defense has to offer, including the Air Force Pararescue pipeline, Navy SEAL and Army Special Forces courses and other joint special operations training.

Colón-López served as a special operations pararescueman for two decades in combat, with a decade-long experience in the Joint Special Operations Command as a special tactics team leader, advanced force operations team leader and the 24th Special Tactics Squadron and 724th Special Tactics Group senior enlisted advisor, working alongside the Delta Force and SEAL Team 6 during dozens of raids and missions.

As the senior enlisted adviser to the chairman, Colón-López became the first enlisted member of the U.S. armed forces to be awarded the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the nation’s highest noncombat award, for outstanding contributions to national security in a position of great responsibility. He has earned a total of 58 medals, including the Defense Superior Service Medal with one bronze oak leaf cluster, Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal and two Bronze Star Medals for Valor. Colón-López was the Air Force’s first-ever recipient of the Combat Action Medal.

Following his special operations career, Colón-López went on to lead at the strategic level in several organizations in the United States, Japan, Qatar, Germany, Africa and other regions worldwide. Throughout his career, he interacted with leaders from 89 countries, building alliances and partnerships to enhance global security.

Colón-López currently serves on the Military Board of Advisors for First Command Financial Services, and as an independent strategic consultant for several multimillion-dollar firms. In addition, he is a member of the Robert Irvine Foundation Board of Directors and volunteers for veteran support and non-profit organizations.

U.S. Air Force Col. Charles A. Fallon serves as the commandant of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. In this role, he oversees 21 squadrons across nine geographic locations.

Each year, the Air Force Weapons School trains 300 expert instructors to integrate across all domains through graduate-level courses in 31 aircraft and weapons systems. These include Air Battle Manager, A-10 Thunderbolt II, AC-130 Gunship, B-1 Lancer, B-2 Spirit, B-52 Stratofortress, C-17 Globemaster III, C-130 Hercules, CV-22 Osprey, EC-130H Compass Call, F-15C Eagle, F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-22A Raptor, F-35A Lightning II, Joint Terminal Attack Controller, HC-130J Combat King II, HH-60 Pave Hawk, KC-135 Stratotanker, MC-130 Combat Shadow II, MQ-9 Reaper, RC-135 Rivet Joint, RQ-4 Global Hawk, U-2 Dragon Lady, U-28 Draco, intelligence, space, intercontinental ballistic missiles, and cyber. The Air Force Weapons School is also the sole publisher of Air Force Tactics, Techniques and Procedures.

Fallon graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2003 and is a command pilot with over 2,800 total flying hours, including 616 combat flight hours. Before his current assignment, Fallon served as the chief of the Strategy Integration Division at the Pentagon. He also commanded the 55th Fighter Squadron at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, and held key leadership positions, including the F-16 Weapons School Air Combat Command and Director of Operations senior leader management chief.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Alea Nadeem serves as the commander of the 150th Security Forces Squadron at the 150th Special Operations Wing, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico.

Before joining the Special Operations Wing, Nadeem was a congressional budget and appropriations liaison to the Senate Appropriations Committee, assigned to the Secretary of the Air Force, Financial Management and Comptroller at the Pentagon. Previously, she served as a policy advisor on the National Security Council, working in the Executive Office of the President at the White House. In this role, she assisted and advised the president and National Security Advisor on defense matters. She previously chaired the Department of the Air Force Women’s Initiative Team and remains an active member.

Nadeem began her U.S. Air Force career in 2004 as a graduate of enlisted basic training. She later commissioned through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps. An intelligence officer by trade, she specialized in the Middle East. Her assignments have included roles with security forces, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Headquarters Air Force and a deployment to the Combined Air Operations Center in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.

At the age of 8, Nadeem moved to Mosul, Iraq, where she lived under Saddam Hussein’s regime and attended school for part of her elementary education. She has spoken to numerous organizations, sharing her experiences of living in Iraq as a child.

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Dr. Robert E. Schmidle serves as the Arizona State University advisor on Cyber Capabilities and Conflict Studies. He is also a professor of practice at Arizona State’s School of Politics and Global Studies. Additionally, Schmidle serves as the university’s senior fellow at the Future Security Initiative and in the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments in Washington, D.C.

During his active-duty career, Schmidle served as the first deputy commander of U.S. Cyber Command. He later became the head of Marine Corps Aviation, and his final assignment was as the principal deputy director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. He has extensive operational flying experience, with over 4,700 hours in tactical fighters, primarily in the F-4 Phantom, F-18 Super Hornet and F-5 Tiger aircraft. A graduate of the Naval Fighter Weapons School or TOPGUN, Schmidle taught advanced fighter tactics for over 35 years.

Schmidle deployed to Operation Desert Storm as the VMFA-333 executive officer, where he led the largest Marine Corps strike on the first night of the war. During this conflict, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with combat V denoting valor in combat. He would subsequently command VMFA251, leading the squadron in combat operations in Bosnia and then aboard the USS America or CV-66 as part of Carrier Air Wing One. Schmidle was then selected for an extraordinary second operation command, this time as the commanding officer of VMFA-115. As a colonel, he commanded the Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force (experimental), planning and executing the Marine Corps warfighting experiments.

Schmidle’s doctoral thesis, recognized with distinction, was titled The Power of Context in Shaping Moral Choices. He is a member of The Golden Eagles, the National Security Agency Advisory Board and the British Wittgenstein Society. His numerous publications cover the fields of moral philosophy, social psychology, cybersecurity and military history. He is also an active certified flight instructor, national air racer, air show performer and aerobatic competitor in his Pitts Special biplane.

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Nathan Schmidt graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2002, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. During his active service, he completed three combat tours in Iraq from 2004 to 2007, including operations in Fallujah, Rutbah, Haditha and Al Asad.

Following his active-duty military service, he joined the Marine Corps Reserve, where he completed 20 years of honorable service, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in December 2023.

His civilian career included three assignments with the Foreign Service, serving at U.S. embassies in Prague, Czech Republic (2013–15); Kyiv, Ukraine (2015–18); and Vienna, Austria (2018–21). Schmidt is fluent in Russian.

In 2021, Schmidt retired from federal service after 21 years and founded the Mountain Seed Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, along with several other for-profit companies. The Mountain Seed Foundation’s mission is to support families affected by war through mental health services, therapy and mountain climbing.

Dr. John Torres is a self-described “Air Force brat” who graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1982. His 32-year military career in the Air Force included active duty as a C-130 Hercules pilot and service in the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve as a flight surgeon. His military service also included a tour of duty in Iraq in 2004, as well as rescue missions at the South Pole and in response to Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita.

Leveraging his combined medical and military experience, Torres helped establish training courses for NATO Special Forces soldiers to ensure a high level of consistency across various nations, languages and cultures. He currently teaches NATO Special Forces a range of skills, including tactical combat casualty care, combat simulations and medical leadership. Additionally, throughout his career, Torres has undertaken numerous humanitarian missions to Central and South America, providing medical care for children in need.

Torres is also the author of Dr. Disaster’s Guide to Surviving Everything.

U.S. Air Force Capt. Zamot is a lead weapons systems officer assigned to the 335th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. After graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2018, he attended Undergraduate Combat Systems Officer Training at Naval Air Station Pensacola and was selected to fly the F-15E Strike Eagle. In 2024, Zamot deployed to an undisclosed location in U.S. Central Command in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. During that time, he flew 48 combat sorties and destroyed four enemy unmanned aerial vehicles.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Cory Green is the noncommissioned officer in charge of future operations for the 60th Security Forces Squadron, Travis Air Force Base, California. He advises the defense force commander on force protection operations supporting three wings, 26,000 personnel and $18.5 billion in power projection assets. Furthermore, he oversees the tactics development process by integrating training and evaluations with mission partners to broaden the security forces’ capabilities for a 274-member unit.

Green was born and raised in Bakersfield, California, and enlisted in the Air Force in January 2008. He graduated from the Security Forces Academy in May 2008. Since then, he has filled a variety of security forces roles and responsibilities. Green has served as an installation entry controller, armorer, patrolman and combat arms instructor. In 2019, Green was selected to be an instructor at the security forces’ largest ground combat regional training center, located at Fort Bliss, Texas. During this assignment, he led a flight of cadres in preparing defenders across the security forces enterprise for overseas contingency operations.

Green has deployed three times in support of the Global War on Terror to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar; Prince Hassan Air Base, Jordan; and Kandahar, Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, he conducted the security forces tactical security element mission, where he led a fire team as the lead truck commander on 103 outside-the-wire missions and 32 high-value target capture operations. Before his current assignment, Green served as a flight sergeant for the Air Force Security Forces Center Detachment 3 at Fort Bliss.

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Haley Kallisto attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Conference as the sole liaison between 16 government agencies. She relayed national security information between parties, guaranteeing protection for the U.S. president, China’s president, 3,500 foreign delegates, and over 100 corporate leaders. She championed the multinational Noble Skywave radio competition, placing the sector in the top 12% overall out of 374 units and establishing contact with 20 countries. Kallisto reviewed cruise missile defense academics in preparation for Cope North, a large-force wartime exercise, allowing for the training of five students managing ACE activities in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command region. She briefed 40 bi-national Component-Numbered Air Force senior leaders on tactical command and control and North American Aerospace Defense Command-U.S. Northern Command homeland defense mission sets. As a certified crisis counselor for a national suicide hotline, she mentored 11 youths experiencing suicidal ideation and de-escalated deadly situations. Kallisto also became one of three victim advocates for the 194th Wing and facilitated annual Sexual Assault Prevention and Response training sessions while supporting victims.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Mykhailo Khromiak deployed in support of Ukraine war efforts as a critical command-and-control liaison for the Air Domain Awareness Cell. His efforts alerted forces to 2,000 air threats and 1,500 ballistic missiles, saving 43 million lives across 24 regions. Khromiak crafted a $273 million anti-missile translation guide, interpreting unmanned aerial vehicles and navigation manuals for allied pilots, which increased jet survivability.

Mykhailo served as the lead linguist for the secretary of defense and the Ukraine minister of defense, ensuring global alliances. He advanced real-time Ukrainian language support, identifying hostile activity from enemy targets and enhancing the endurance of 40 aircraft. Mykhailo transported 16 tons of munitions and equipment to Gila Bend Auxiliary Field, preparing three major commands with a divert airfield and a safe haven for in-flight emergencies for 20 joint units across five airframes. This effort generated 23,000 sorties and 239 pilot graduates.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Joseph Mazure joined the Air Force in 2007. He worked in Munitions Systems for three years and in 2013, he cross-trained into the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Specialist career field.

Mazure has deployed to Djibouti, Afghanistan, and Qatar, and volunteered for a year-long assignment in Qatar. Some notable recent career highlights include collaborating with the U.S. Space Force and the National Reconnaissance Office to rectify a critical flaw in survival radios that affected 13 partner nations, revitalizing secure emergency satellite communications coalition-wide. Mazure coordinated personnel recovery for four downed aircraft across three combatant commands, activating 15 U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy rescue assets, culminating in the recovery of 15 personnel.

He currently manages one of the largest operational SERE sections in the Air Force, providing refresher training for 2,000 aircrew members. He also develops SERE specialists as personnel recovery experts for multiple deployments annually.

U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Gabrielle “DARE” Sutedjo graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 2021. She is currently an intelligence analyst for the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, where she supports four F-15E Strike Eagle squadrons. As an analyst, Sutedio provides wing and squadron leadership with the latest Top Secret geopolitical reporting, as well as adversary tactics and threat developments around the world, specifically regarding emerging technological advancements and great power competition.

Most recently, she served as the chief of the Combat Intelligence Cell during a deployment to the Middle East, where her team provided real-time and near-real-time threat updates for more than 6,000 theater personnel. Her team provided threat reaction recommendations to wing and squadron leadership, enabling base personnel to plan and conduct operations in a contested environment under a persistent theater ballistic missile threat, as seen during the April 13 Iranian attacks against Israel and again on October 1. Additionally, she worked with F-15E aircrews to plan and execute defensive operations over Jordanian, Syrian, and Iraqi airspaces. Her team enabled the successful engagement of more than 80 adversary one-way attack drones, safeguarding Israel from attack and likely preventing a larger regional war between Israel and Iran.

U.S. Air Force Capt. Greg “Boards” Liquori is an F-15E flight lead pilot from the 335th Fighter Squadron at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina. Liquori was born into a three-generation Air Force family and grew up in various places around the country. As an avid snowboarder, outdoorsman and ice hockey player, Liquori calls Colorado home, where he graduated from Cheyenne Mountain High School in 2014. He earned his commission as a distinguished graduate of the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Colorado in 2018. Two years later, Liquori graduated from Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training with an assignment to the F-15E Strike Eagle. Liquori has completed two deployments to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility and has logged over 950 flight hours and 513 combat hours. He is currently completing his instructor qualification in the F-15E and serves as his squadron’s chief of mobility.

U.S. Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Robert Gutierrez Jr. is the major command functional manager for the combat control career field, A3S Special Warfare Division, Air Education and Training Command, JBSA-Randolph AFB, Texas. The division is responsible for force development and management of all special warfare enlisted and officer career fields, overseeing and managing all special warfare training pipelines covering 86 facilities and 16 Army, Air Force, and Navy training sites across 10 states. The division is also integrated with special warfare recruiting for standards and qualifications for candidates worldwide.

Gutierrez entered the Air Force in 2002 and graduated from the Combat Control Apprentice and Journeyman pipeline in 2004. As a combat controller, he is a qualified combat diver, static line parachute jumpmaster, military freefall parachutist, explosive demolition supervisor, joint terminal attack control instructor and air traffic controller. Gutierrez has had multiple combat deployments throughout his career and has repeatedly been decorated for valor.

Prior to assuming his current position, Gutierrez served as the group senior enlisted leader, Special Warfare Human Performance Support Group, Special Warfare Training Wing, JBSA-Lackland, Texas.

Workshop: Task Force Hope: Crisis Leadership and Moral Injury Recovery Task Force (TF) Hope equips participants with the tools to face adversity head-on, lead decisively through crisis, and recover with resilience from the lasting weight of moral injuries. Forged in the crucible of operational challenges, it embodies 14 years of relentless refinement, evolving from a 2010 Squadron Officer School (SOS) paper into a powerful SOS elective and further sharpened by the innovative rigor of the 2020 SOS Think Tank. Tested and validated by over 2,000 Air Force captains, three academic years of Air War College students and faculty, the 55th Operations Group Global Squadron Command Summit, and multiple Air Force, Army, and USSOF units, TF Hope empowers leaders to master their craft, make bold decisions amidst uncertainty, and outpace the chaos of crisis. The resounding feedback from participants underscores its impact: “Why didn’t I hear this earlier in my career?”

Major Tara Holmes is the Chief of Cadet Development at the Center for Character and Leadership Development at the U.S. Air Force Academy, where she leads character and leadership development for 4,200 cadets and oversees a 152-member staff. She plans and executes developmental programs focused on cadet honor education and collaborates with faculty, staff, and other military service academies. Holmes has held various instructor roles throughout her career, including as an electronic warfare officer on the B-52H Stratofortress and an instructor combat systems officer on the T-1A Jayhawk. She earned a Ph.D. in Business and Management from the University of Maryland and is an Air Education and Training Command Master Instructor with 21 Pacific Power Projection missions.

Workshop: Forging Warriors of Change: Mastering Critical Thinking and Leadership Through Adversity In this workshop, you will sharpen your ability to lead yourself and others with clarity and resolve through the adversity and friction of change. You will gain insight into the critical distinctions between “change” and “transition,” equipping you to anticipate and overcome resistance with precision and decisiveness. Through two dynamic and engaging activities, you will strengthen your readiness to navigate uncertainty, forge stronger teams, and execute with conviction amidst challenges. Finally, you will leave with actionable resources to sustain momentum and ensure that organizational and personal transformations are not only successful but enduring—because true leaders don’t just adapt to change; they drive it with vision, courage, and mastery.

Dr. Jackie Hooper is a scholar-practitioner, leader, International Coaching Federation certified leadership coach, and keynote speaker with extensive experience in academic, healthcare, and corporate settings. Relevant to her NCLS workshop this year, Jackie is a Prosci Certified Organizational Change Management practitioner and has worked with dozens of leadership teams in the midst of transformational change and organizational re-design. Jackie has presented at regional, national, and international conferences that address health, individual and organizational performance, and the psychology of excellence. She is also a certified Health and Wellness coach through Wellcoaches® and an expert on sleep and human performance.

Workshop: Task Force Hope: Crisis Leadership and Moral Injury Recovery Task Force (TF) Hope equips participants with the tools to face adversity head-on, lead decisively through crisis, and recover with resilience from the lasting weight of moral injuries. Forged in the crucible of operational challenges, it embodies 14 years of relentless refinement, evolving from a 2010 Squadron Officer School (SOS) paper into a powerful SOS elective and further sharpened by the innovative rigor of the 2020 SOS Think Tank. Tested and validated by over 2,000 Air Force captains, three academic years of Air War College students and faculty, the 55th Operations Group Global Squadron Command Summit, and multiple Air Force, Army, and USSOF units, TF Hope empowers leaders to master their craft, make bold decisions amidst uncertainty, and outpace the chaos of crisis. The resounding feedback from participants underscores its impact: “Why didn’t I hear this earlier in my career?”

Lieutenant Colonel Brandon Murphy, Class of ’07, currently serves as the Director of Operations for the 306th Operations Support Squadron at the U.S. Air Force Academy, overseeing 75 personnel and managing operations for various airmanship programs and flight training across multiple squadrons and airfields. He also supports the Air Force’s Parachute Demonstration Team, the Wings of Blue, as a UV-18B pilot. Murphy graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy with degrees in Systems Engineering Management and Military Strategy, and over his career has completed over 200 combat missions in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, and NEW DAWN. He is a distinguished graduate of several military institutions and a senior pilot with nearly 1,000 combat hours.

Workshop: Task Force Hope: Crisis Leadership and Moral Injury Recovery Task Force (TF) Hope equips participants with the tools to face adversity head-on, lead decisively through crisis, and recover with resilience from the lasting weight of moral injuries. Forged in the crucible of operational challenges, it embodies 14 years of relentless refinement, evolving from a 2010 Squadron Officer School (SOS) paper into a powerful SOS elective and further sharpened by the innovative rigor of the 2020 SOS Think Tank. Tested and validated by over 2,000 Air Force captains, three academic years of Air War College students and faculty, the 55th Operations Group Global Squadron Command Summit, and multiple Air Force, Army, and USSOF units, TF Hope empowers leaders to master their craft, make bold decisions amidst uncertainty, and outpace the chaos of crisis. The resounding feedback from participants underscores its impact: “Why didn’t I hear this earlier in my career?”

Colonel Jonathan Sawtelle is currently the Air Force Weather Career Field Manager at Headquarters Air Force, the Pentagon, Washington D.C. He commissioned in 2003 through Air Force ROTC and has completed four deployments in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. He served as an Air Staff program element monitor (PEM), an executive officer to the Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, and a legislative liaison on Capitol Hill. Col Sawtelle’s squadron command was at Squadron Officer School where he invested in nearly 2,000 officers and civilians from every USAF career field.

Workshop: Moral Injury and Warrior Ethos This workshop focuses on understanding the phenomenon of moral injury and its relation to warrior ethos. We will contrast moral injury with PTSD, before discussing the relationships among moral injury, just war theory, and neuroethics. We will conclude with discussing how to prevent and heal moral injuries. Participants will better understand their roles as warriors, warrior developers, and/or citizens.

Dr. Logan Sisson is an Instructor of Professional Development at the Center for Character and Leadership Development.  Previously he was an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at the U.S. Air Force Academy and a mobility pilot.  He retired from the Air Force after almost 24 years.  He has taught courses in ethics, just war theory, cyber warfare, human rights, comparative religion, medical ethics, moral injury, and symbolic logic.

Workshop: Crafting Warrior Leaders: Mastering Adversity, Decisive Action, and Team Resilience As global challenges grow increasingly complex and relentless, the call for leaders who embody the Warrior Ethos has never been more urgent. True leaders thrive in adversity, leading their teams through the fog and friction of crisis with unwavering clarity and purpose—their “north star” lighting the way. They execute with courage, decisiveness, and relentless action, understanding that the path may be unclear and that moral burdens may endure for life. Resilient individuals, teams, and organizations are forged not just to withstand adversity but to outpace and outmaneuver any adversary through superior readiness, rapid decision-making, and mastery of their craft. This workshop cultivates a warrior mindset, equipping you with the tools to confront challenges head-on through dynamic exercises, high-impact group discussions, and practical strategies designed to strengthen your mental resilience, sharpen your decision-making, and forge an unbreakable bond within your team.

Dr. Justin Stoddard serves as Assistant Professor and Chief of Innovation and Prototyping at the Center for Character and Leadership Development. He enlisted into the U.S. Army as a combat medic and then commissioned from the Army ROTC program at the University of Colorado, Boulder with a bachelor’s degree in both Philosophy and Russian Studies. As an Army officer, Stoddard served in a variety of assignments including rifle platoon leader in Afghanistan, Headquarters Company Commander, and Senior Intelligence Division Chief. He earned a master’s degree in 2011 from the University of Texas – El Paso in Leadership Studies and Intelligence and National Security Studies, and a Ph.D. in 2019 from the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs in Higher Education Leadership and Research. Stoddard began instructing at the Academy in 2015 and completed his doctoral research on the resiliency of cadets and the important role of adversity in building character.

U.S. Navy Lt. Sheridynn “Tee-Ball” Scheppers is an F/A-18 Super Hornet pilot with the Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) -32 “Fighting Swordsmen” at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia. Born in Arizona and raised as a military brat, she has lived in Texas, South Korea, Alabama, Louisiana, Colorado, and Maryland. Inspired by her parents, who graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1991, Scheppers followed in their service academy footsteps and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 2019.

In September 2019, Scheppers reported to Pensacola, Florida, for introductory flight screening and aviation preflight indoctrination. After completing both in August 2020, she trained with the Training Squadron (VT) -27 “World Famous Boomers” in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Scheppers selected jets in May 2021 and continued training with the Training Squadron (VT) -21 “Redhawks” in Kingsville, Texas. She earned her “Wings of Gold” in November 2022 and reported to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) -106, “The Gladiators,” in Virginia Beach, Virginia, for fleet replacement squadron training.

In November 2023, Scheppers joined Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) -32 on deployment, participating in Operations Inherent Resolve and Prosperity Guardian. She has logged 593 flight hours, 146 combat hours, and 138 carrier-arrested landings.

U.S. Navy Lt. Rodney “TROG” Hill , a native of Carrollton, Georgia, was commissioned through Officer Candidate School and currently serves as an F/A-18F Super Hornet weapon systems officer with Strike Fighter Squadron 32. With more than two years in the squadron, Hill has accumulated over 600 flight hours in the F/A-18F Super Hornet and successfully completed 126 carrier landings aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.

During his nine-month deployment in the Red Sea in support of Operation Prosperity Guardian, Hill played a critical role in ensuring mission success, employing more than 15,000 pounds of ordnance on various missions. Notably, he successfully neutralized three Houthi Rebel one-way attack drones using the AIM-9X Sidewinder. Hill’s skill, dedication, and leadership exemplify the commitment of today’s naval aviators, ensuring mission success in defense of the U.S. and our allies.

Kevin Chapman is the eldest sibling of Medal of Honor recipient and U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 2026 class exemplar, Master Sgt. John A. Chapman. He is a small business owner and dedicated Christian mentor, who is also a devoted husband of 30 years and proud father of two adult children.

Maj. Gen. Matthew Wolfe Davidson is the commander of Second Air Force, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi. He is responsible for the development, oversight and direction of all operational aspects of basic military training, initial skills training and advanced and supplemental nonflying training for 93 percent of the Air Force across 265 specialties. The Second Air Force delivers over 2,700 courses and graduates 150,000 Airmen, Guardians, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and international students annually. The command includes five training wings at Keesler AFB; Sheppard and Goodfellow AFB, Texas, Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, and a network of 103 operating locations around the world.

Davidson is a 1993 graduate of Oklahoma State University’s Reserve Officer Training Corps program. He is a career Special Tactics officer and has led air, space and special operations forces during operations Provide Comfort II, Assured Response, Joint Endeavor, Enduring Freedom, Enduring Freedom Philippines, Iraqi Freedom and Freedom’s Sentinel. He has commanded at the squadron, group and wing levels, led joint operations as the deputy commanding general for Special Operations Joint Task Force-Afghanistan and U.S. Space Command operations as the deputy combined force space component commander and vice commander. Davidson was also the deputy commander for Air Force Special Operations Command. Prior to his current assignment, he was the deputy director for the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

Lori Chapman Longfritz is the sister of Medal of Honor recipient and U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 2026 class exemplar, Master Sgt. John A. Chapman.

Longfritz is co-author of the New York Times best-seller Alone at Dawn, the primary source about her brother John’s U.S. Air Force career field, Combat Control, and the actions that eventually earned him the Medal of Honor. She knew that story had to be told and occasionally speaks about it but has always wanted to share who John was at his core. That dream is finally coming true with her soon-to-be-published book, First There: The Life and Legacy of American Hero MSgt John Chapman.

Retired Chief Master Sgt. Mike West is a recognized leadership expert with 30 years of military experience in Special Operations Forces. He has provided oversight at multiple Air Force Special Operations bases, including those in Washington, North Carolina, Florida and overseas in Japan and the United Kingdom. His leadership expertise spans all levels of organizational development, including facilities infrastructure, human resources, logistical analysis, unit deployments, national security strategies, program management and budget management.

As a veteran Airman, West has participated in numerous operational deployments both stateside and overseas in support of training and worldwide operations. He is a highly decorated combat veteran, having served in nearly every operation since joining the military in 1989, including Operation Desert Storm and, most recently, the Global War on Terrorism in Afghanistan. During his combat deployments, West provided direct support to Army Special Forces teams as a Joint Terminal Attack Controller, directing drones, bombers and attack aircraft to strike enemy targets. His heroic actions as a JTAC on the battlefield earned him the Bronze Star and Silver Star medals.

West retired from the Air Force in 2019 at Hurlburt Field. He is currently vice president of the Combat Control Association and one of the founding members of the Combat Control Foundation. The foundation’s mission is to support injured and wounded warriors, support active-duty personnel and veterans through resiliency projects, support their families and promote education and fellowship.

Workshop: The U.S. Air Force way of war What is a “Way of War,” and why does it matter to those interested in understanding the warrior ethos? The Air Force story stretches back to aerial operations before World War I — well before it became a separate service — and looks forward to a new era of operations in space. But how have Air Force leaders determined the best manner in which to employ air and space power over time? In this workshop, Laslie presents a concise account of this expansive history, offering a new perspective on how President Truman’s National Security Act of 1947 created an independent way of warfare. In this workshop, Laslie presents a concise account of this expansive history, offering a new perspective on Air Force history, but also how you can look at Air Force history to determine your own way of war.

In this interactive session, participants will be asked to engage in the “wicked problems” our aerial ancestors faced, and future warriors will encounter. From the earliest battles of the Air Force’s predecessor organizations to its modern incarnation, Laslie identifies four distinct and observable ways of war that developed over four distinct epochs. Beginning with the development of early airpower (1906–1941), he highlights the creation of roles and missions with bombardment theory and practice ascendant. An era of strategic dominance (1942–1975) followed, in which the ideas of strategic bombardment ruled the Air Force. When such notions were unceremoniously proven false during the Vietnam-era conflicts, a period of tactical ascendancy (1975–2019) began. Finally, Laslie considers the current environment, where much of the Air Force story remains unwritten as it grapples with the prospects and challenges posed by drones and the U.S. Space Force. But how does all of this apply to you? What is your personal way of war and how can knowing that help sharpen your focus and make you a better warfighter and teammate?

Dr. Brian D. Laslie is a recognized authority on U.S. Air Force history and the command historian at the U.S. Air Force Academy. A 2001 graduate of The Citadel and a historian of air and space power studies, Laslie received his Master of Science in international relations from Auburn University at Montgomery in 2006 and his doctorate in history from Kansas State University in 2013. He is the author of numerous books and chapters on U.S. Air Force and air power history.

Workshop: From war stories to warrior narratives: how personal narratives can foster the warrior ethos How can the act of creating narratives – specifically, the creation of personal narratives – foster the warrior ethos? The importance of stories and storytelling to our culture and essential humanity cannot be overstated, and the sharing of war stories is deeply ingrained in the weekly, perhaps even daily, activities at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Though stories have the power to educate and entertain, the sharing of a story also carries significant benefits for the storyteller, particularly when that story is part of a larger personal narrative. Personal narratives connect experiences, feelings, ideas and impressions to foster a clearer sense of identity, a greater sense of purpose and a firmer understanding of how one’s actions impact others.

In this workshop, Napolitano offers an introduction to the relationship between crafting a personal narrative and cultivating a warrior ethos. How can the concept of (and, potentially, the creation of) a personal narrative aid warfighters as they strive toward the ideals of personal responsibility, courage, honor and rectitude? Can the crafting of a narrative make abstract principles more concrete for the person creating and the person receiving the narrative?

Participants will engage in reflective writing and consider how writing a personal narrative can promote greater clarity regarding one’s identity and values. Participants will also consider how the sharing of personal narratives potentially benefits both the creator and the recipient and how both are primed to develop a clearer sense of self because of engaging with the narrative process.

Dr. Marc Napolitano Dr. Marc Napolitano is an assistant professor of English at the U.S. Air Force Academy. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English from Villanova University and went on to complete his doctorate in English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His research interests include nineteenth-century British literature and theatrical and cinematic adaptations of British novels.