Mark Valentine is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a combat veteran F-16 pilot who served for over 25 years. Today, he is the President of Global Government at Skydio, a leading U.S. drone manufacturer. Despite his vast experience flying combat jets, Valentine admits that in today’s battlefield, drones impact results in ways that new jets or missiles cannot.



As autonomous drones become more sophisticated, they now make far fewer errors compared to their human operators. However, in actual combat where lives are on the line, the humans behind the drones must face a deeper question about the desensitization that happens when a soldier uses a drone thousands of miles away, like a video game, to take another life.



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Mark Valentine is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and a combat veteran F-16 pilot who served for over 25 years. Today, he is the President of Global Government at Skydio, a leading U.S. drone manufacturer. Despite his vast experience flying combat jets, Valentine admits that in today’s battlefield, drones impact results in ways that new jets or missiles cannot.
 
As autonomous drones become more sophisticated, they now make far fewer errors compared to their human operators. However, in actual combat where lives are on the line, the humans behind the drones must face a deeper question about the desensitization that happens when a soldier uses a drone thousands of miles away, like a video game, to take another life.
 
Join the SOFREP Book Club here: <a href="https://sofrep.com/book-club">https://sofrep.com/book-club</a>

Special operations military news and straight talk with the guys in the community. Hosted by former military operators. As seen ranked #1 in Apple Podcasts government category.

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Mark Valentine, Retired F-16 Pilot and President of Global Government at Skydio

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/8870183c-9095-4e35-994d-b1b30092e83a/transcript

Magnus Johnson is a former Green Beret, Bronze Star recipient, and co-founder of Mission 22, a national nonprofit dedicated to ending the veteran suicide epidemic. He has spent his life studying what breaks men and what builds them, first on the battlefield, then in the long, often invisible struggle of coming home. After leaving the military, Johnson faced what so many veterans face: the disorienting work of rebuilding identity outside the uniform. That journey, through art, mindfulness, community, and faith, became the foundation for everything he has built. This includes Mission 22's Recovery + Resiliency program, designed to help veterans transform trauma into Post Traumatic Growth. Find out more about 'The Men we Make' here : http://www.magnusrjohnson.com

Magnus Johnson is a former Green Beret, Bronze Star recipient, and co-founder of Mission 22, a national nonprofit dedicated to ending the veteran suicide epidemic. He has spent his life studying what breaks men and what builds them, first on the battlefield, then in the long, often invisible struggle of coming home. After leaving the military, Johnson faced what so many veterans face: the disorienting work of rebuilding identity outside the uniform. That journey, through art, mindfulness, community, and faith, became the foundation for everything he has built. This includes Mission 22's Recovery + Resiliency program, designed to help veterans transform trauma into Post Traumatic Growth. Find out more about 'The Men we Make' here : http://www.magnusrjohnson.com

The Truth About Veteran Suicide No One Talks About: Magnus Johnson of Mission 22

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/19721c05-4d42-436c-8169-b41901396fad/transcript

Jack MacTavish is a retired United States Army Colonel and author of action-adventure and espionage fiction. Over a military career spanning more than 36 years in both the U.S. Army and Army Reserve, he served in airborne, special operations, and joint assignments, including roles supporting U.S. Army Special Operations Command and U.S. Special Operations Command.

His operational experience took him across multiple global regions, including Afghanistan, Korea, Haiti, Central and South America, and the Middle East. In addition to his military service, MacTavish has supported missions within the U.S. Intelligence Community as a contractor.

MacTavish is the author of Royal Diamonds (2026), his debut novel, which blends action-adventure, espionage, and historical intrigue. His writing is informed by firsthand experience, emphasizing realism, operational authenticity, and the complexities of modern conflict and global power dynamics.

He currently resides in North Carolina, where he continues to write and remains an advocate for veteran causes, including support for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.

Jack MacTavish is a retired United States Army Colonel and author of action-adventure and espionage fiction. Over a military career spanning more than 36 years in both the U.S. Army and Army Reserve, he served in airborne, special operations, and joint assignments, including roles supporting U.S. Army Special Operations Command and U.S. Special Operations Command.
His operational experience took him across multiple global regions, including Afghanistan, Korea, Haiti, Central and South America, and the Middle East. In addition to his military service, MacTavish has supported missions within the U.S. Intelligence Community as a contractor.
MacTavish is the author of Royal Diamonds (2026), his debut novel, which blends action-adventure, espionage, and historical intrigue. His writing is informed by firsthand experience, emphasizing realism, operational authenticity, and the complexities of modern conflict and global power dynamics.
He currently resides in North Carolina, where he continues to write and remains an advocate for veteran causes, including support for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation.

Operator to Author: Jack MacTavish on the Story Behind Royal Diamonds

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/f0ebf590-ffe6-4061-878f-b41100f05734/transcript

Kyle Steiner is a U.S. Army Special Forces veteran and combat leader who served in the Global War on Terror. He enlisted in the Army in 2005 and deployed to Afghanistan with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, serving in the Korengal Valley during some of the most intense fighting of the war. His experiences there were later captured in the acclaimed documentaries Restrepo and Korengal.

During combat operations, Steiner was wounded in action and awarded two Purple Hearts after surviving multiple enemy attacks, including an RPG blast and a machine-gun round that struck and deflected off his helmet.

He later went on to serve in U.S. Army Special Forces, conducting missions across the Middle East, Central America, and South America. Over the course of his career he became Ranger-qualified, Combat Diver-qualified, HALO-certified, and a graduate of the Special Forces Sniper Course. His assignments included service with SOCOM’s Crisis Response Force.

Steiner’s military decorations include two Purple Hearts, three Bronze Stars, and the Army Commendation Medal with “V” device for valor.

Today, he is the founder of Operator Mindset, a leadership and performance coaching platform focused on discipline, resilience, and purpose. He is also a husband, father, and speaker who shares lessons from combat, leadership, and personal transformation.

Kyle Steiner is a U.S. Army Special Forces veteran and combat leader who served in the Global War on Terror. He enlisted in the Army in 2005 and deployed to Afghanistan with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, serving in the Korengal Valley during some of the most intense fighting of the war. His experiences there were later captured in the acclaimed documentaries Restrepo and Korengal.
During combat operations, Steiner was wounded in action and awarded two Purple Hearts after surviving multiple enemy attacks, including an RPG blast and a machine-gun round that struck and deflected off his helmet.
He later went on to serve in U.S. Army Special Forces, conducting missions across the Middle East, Central America, and South America. Over the course of his career he became Ranger-qualified, Combat Diver-qualified, HALO-certified, and a graduate of the Special Forces Sniper Course. His assignments included service with SOCOM&rsquo;s Crisis Response Force.
Steiner&rsquo;s military decorations include two Purple Hearts, three Bronze Stars, and the Army Commendation Medal with &ldquo;V&rdquo; device for valor.
Today, he is the founder of Operator Mindset, a leadership and performance coaching platform focused on discipline, resilience, and purpose. He is also a husband, father, and speaker who shares lessons from combat, leadership, and personal transformation.

Two Purple Hearts: The Kyle Steiner Story

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/723a34ad-7d54-44ed-86b2-b40a00e8eb76/transcript

Mark Valentine, Retired F-16 Pilot and President of Global Government at Skydio

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