The Ready Room Podcast

”Turning tragedy into fuel; the story of Shields and Stripes”, with Ret. USAF Pararescue Jumper, MSgt Steve Nisbet

When tragedy strikes, most people crumble. The pain and loss is to much for them and life as they know it stands still. However, there are a select few, who have learned to turn tragedy into fuel, they can take an event that would rock most people, and use it as motivation, as inspiration, and as the driving force towards a new mission. On today’s episode I welcome Ret. MSgt. Steve Nisbet, a USAF Pararescue Jumper who served at the highest echelons the U.S. Special Forces have to offer. We talk about his career, his role as a PJ, and how a tragic event and witnessing the death of a close friend has motivated him towards his new mission; a mission that continues to this day and serves  as the driving force towards his goal of supporting the warriors returning home from the battlefield. This is the story of Shields and Stripes. 

A self-serve bar? Owned by Marines? A true story, with Ret Marine F/A-18 pilot Maj ”Fiesta” Ballester

Once upon a time two Marine pilots opened a bar, and not just any bar, a self-serve bar. A bar where you pour your own beer, your own wine, and even your own mixed drinks. Yes, folks, this is real. And while you’re enjoying your tasty beverage, you can rage out at some original Mario Kart, challenge your neighbor to a gigantic game of scrabble, or just sit back and enjoy one of the 80 different taps they have to offer. We talk about the decision, the process, the lessons, and differences between combat risk, and business risk, and also, some of the really cool perks of having 80 kegs of beer at your disposal. On today’s episode I welcome one of my closest friends, Retired Marine Major Ramon “Fiesta” Ballester. An F/A-18 hornet pilot, amateur salsa dancer, and one of my favorite angry people. Cheers!

When your friends die, the mission continues. The story of May 2, 2005, with Ret. Marine LtCol Ben ”Big Gay” Buerke

On May 2^nd, 2005, 2 F/A-18 Hornets from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 323, the “Death Rattlers”, collided over central Iraq. After two successful ejections, both pilots were tragically dragged to death in their parachutes after reaching the ground. The event rocked the families, the squadron, and the air wing. With us today is retired Marine LtCol Ben “Big Gay” Buerke, a MAWTS 1 IP, former Commanding Officer, and was a Captain with VMFA-323 on that deployment. We talk about his background, the culture of the Death Rattlers, and his personal account of that tragic day. But most importantly, we talk about how the squadron reacted, the leadership lessons learned, and how the Ready Room, the families, and the Marines took a devastating event and used it to galvanize them closer together. 

In memoriam. 

LtCol John "Dukes" Spahr USMC                                                           

Capt Kelly "Trash" Hinz USMC 

Marines infiltrate the White House. The story of Marine F/A-18 Hornet pilot, Maj ”Barf” Byers

There has never been a Marine elected President of the United States...yet. However, we have infiltrated the perimeter. Enter Brad Byers. From a blue collar Midwest kid to North Carolina Wrestler turned Marine Corps F/A-18 Pilot. We talk flight school, carrier aviation, and being a new guy in combat; along with some port call shenanigans and how you earn the callsign "Barf". But most importantly, we talk leadership and lessons learned while serving as the Senior White House advisor to the Secretary of Defense, legendary Marine Corp general, Jim Mattis. Enjoy!

Aviation wisdom from a 13 yr old, with future fighter pilot and human airplane encyclopedia, Keagan Evans.

Wisdom comes in all shapes and sizes. And when it comes to aviation wisdom, it comes in the form of a 13  year old 8^th grader from Cleveland, Ohio, who was struck by the aviation bug 3 years ago and hasn’t looked back since. Not only does he always sharpen his pencils, he also has a plan to own is own airport one day, and can speak airplane as good as any pilot I’ve ever know. On this episode I welcome Keagan Evans. A living breathing airplane encyclopedia that will educate you an all things airplane, even it means locking yourself in your car to avoid his barrage of aviation knowledge. We talk about his first time flying, his loyalty to a certain airline, and how its never too early to ask a commercial airline for a job, even at 13. Take some notes on this one, folks; this kid is going places!

9 - Lines, CASEVACS, getting shot at, and other fun Combat Controller stuff, with Ret. Air Force MSgt Eric Ballester

Have you ever been shot at? Have you ever been shot at and witnessed two of your close friends being wounded right next to you, one shot through the neck, the other through the arm. Have you ever been shot at while trying to coordinate a medevac for your two friends that just got shot? Have ever been shot at while coordinating a medevac helo for your friends that were just shot while simultaneously coordinating an air strike on an enemy position only 150 meters away? Yea, I haven’t either, but I know a guy who has. That’s called Tuesday in the life of an Air Force Combat controller. On today’s episode I welcome Ret. MSgt Eric Ballester. A 20-year combat controller with 10 combat deployments and stories for days. We talk 9-Lines, culture, and the unforgettable road to becoming a CCT.  

Gunship stories from Nam and how to smuggle machine guns, not even kidding. With Ret. Marine Col Don ”Bubba” Beaver

You ever traded baseball cards? Or food recipes, or ideas, or anything that falls under the category of normal? How about trading a leather flight jacket and sunglasses for an Army helicopter? Or some live lobsters for some AC units? Only the most resourceful and creative can navigate such deals. This is next level dealing. Enter retired Marine Col Don "Bubba" Beaver. A great American and storyteller who could write a book about his escapades and combat experience as a Huey gunship pilot in Vietnam. Oh, and if you ever slam a bunch of late night cocktails and get tagged in by the ships XO to fly a night MEDEVAC at 3 am to evacuate a wounded sailor from a nuclear submarine, call Don; he can talk you through it. Enjoy! 

What‘s this Ready Room Podcast all about?

Few people can take a perfectly good and honest story and embellish it to no avail, better than a Marine Corps pilot. And so it is that The Ready Room podcast was born. My name is Phillip Goebel, my callsign is SUSAN. I’m a hockey player from the Midwest turned Marine Corps F-18 Pilot.  If you google my name you’ll probably find a mugshot, some college hockey stats, and a picture of a restaurant I owned back in the day. Lucky for me in 15 years on active duty I was blessed to serve with some absolutely amazing people, and even a few that slipped through the cracks. Regardless, in every situation and encounter, whether it was a high or low stress scenario, there were lessons learned, many that were learned the hard way, and some of which were paid in blood. The goal of this podcast is to extract these lessons and share them with the world. Through the avenues of intelligent conversation, humor, history, shenanigans, and culture; I hope to share with people stories and lessons that will resonate in their daily lives. It might be something as simple as, hey, don’t get hammered with your old Tomcat buddies and crash your golf cart on the arresting gear, because that did happen, or something as serious as, how to genuinely take care of your people and how to get them to put every ounce of who they are into what it is they are doing. In my experience, I've found that a strong dose of humor paired with a good cup of coffee or a quality beverage or two, will help keep things rolling. I hope you enjoy it, if you don’t, no worries, I encourage you to listen to Jocko Willink, Jordan Peterson, Joe Rogan. There’s tons of really good brain food out there that’s worth checking out. And for those of you that do stick around, I hope you enjoy the ride. I am your host, SUSAN, and this is the Ready Room Podcast.