The Indigenous Approach – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, Lt. Col. Thomas Gaines and Dr. Angus Fletcher discuss creativity and leadership. Lt. Col. Gaines is the command's G6 and Dr. Fletcher is a Story Science Professor from Ohio State University. Together the two have done quite a bit of research on creativity and leadership. Enjoy the episode. It's a great one and an interesting conversation

We're back! It's another episode of the Indigenous Approach. This time we sit down with the command team and have a candid conversation on vision and ARSOF Integration.

1st Special Forces Command Chief of Staff, COL Pat Nelson, joins the conversation to speak on his 30 plus years of military service, his transition from the 75th Ranger Regiment to an SF Commissioned Officer,  and his top priorities and objectives as the new 1st SFC Chief of Staff. 

Author and Historian, Marc Leepson, joins the Indigenous Approach to discuss his 2017 biography, Ballad of the Green Beret: The Life and Wars of SSG  Barry Sadler: From the Vietnam War and Pop Stardom, to Murder, and an Unsolved, Violent Death.

1st Lt. Rodney Walker, 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) Chaplain Lt. Col. Brandon Moore, and Deputy Command Chaplain Maj. Colt Randles discuss creative ways to strengthen marriages through communication and the seven principles for making marriage work.  This conversation explains that even though marriages may be shaky or successful, it could always grow stronger.



Links mentioned in the podcast:

Created for Connection: The "Hold Me Tight" Guide for Christian Couples Hardcover - October 4, 2016 by Kenneth Sanderfer and Dr. Sue Johnson EdD

Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love
by Dr. Sue Johnson EdD, Apr 8, 2008

"Growing Through Adversity" premiere - release of the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps' first Strong Bonds film l Article l The United States Army
Links to film and road map are in the article.

Discover Your Love Language - The 5 Love Languages
Chapman, G. D. (2010). The Five Love Languages. Walker

The Gottman Institute l A research-based approach to relationships
Gottman, J. (2000). The seven principles for making marriage work. Orion.

SGT Rudi Horvath joins the Indigenous Approach to help mark the 70th anniversary of 10th Special Forces Group. Rudi was one of the "Originals" from 1952, and helped forge the Special Forces community into the premier partnered irregular warfare force it is today. 

In this episode , we speak to Dr. Keith Adkins - the son of Medal of Honor recipient , CSM Bennie Adkins who was bestowed with the prestigious award in 2014 for his display of valor during combat operations in the Vietnam War in 1966. 

In this episode, we take a bit of a deep dive into the world of Robotics and Autonomous Systems and we explore where the nexus is between Robotics and Army Special Operations. 

Our guests for today's episode:

Jason is an Operations Planner in the USASOC G3 Counter Weapons of Mass Destruction Division and the USASOC ARSOF Robotics Division’s Subterranean Robotics and Autonomous Systems Manager.  He works alongside CWMD planners to develop Robotics and Autonomous Systems solutions for close, confined spaces with fouled air and other environments that challenge life support.

Dave is a Special Forces Major who works in the USASOC Combat Development Directorate and is focused on mobility. He’s USASOC’s touchpoint with the Army’s Next Generation Combat Vehicle Cross Functional Team and the Army’s Robotics Requirements Division. 

MAJ Corey Wallace is an Armor officer and is the Robotic Combat Vehicle Requirements Lead at the Next Generation Combat Vehicle Cross Functional Team.


Book Recommendations from our guests:

Lean Product Playbook - Dave Olsen
Kill Chain - Christian Brose
Army of None - Paul Scharre
The Innovator's Dilemma - Clayton Christensen 

In this episode, Sgt. 1st Class Jake Braman sits down with Brig. Gen. Derek Lipson to learn more about our DCG-S and to get his thoughts on where the command is heading.


Brigadier General Derek Neal Lipson was commissioned an infantry officer in 1990, following his graduation from Midland Lutheran College, in Fremont, Nebraska, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Journalism. He completed the Special Forces Qualification Course in 1994.

Brigadier General Lipson commanded at all levels within 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne), culminating as the Group Commander from 2015-2018. Non-combat deployments included Colombia, Bolivia and Grenada, and he responded to numerous natural disasters in the South East United States, to include Hurricane Katrina.

Brigadier General Lipson has deployed multiple times, serving in Afghanistan in 2002, as the    Advanced Operations Base Tikrit Commander in Iraq from 2006-2007, the senior advisor to Iraqi Special Operations in 2008, Special Operations Task Force – North Commander in Iraq in 2010, senior advisor to the Afghan National Army Special Operations Command, 2nd Brigade in 2014 and as the Special Operations Command Forward – Central Africa Commander in 2016. Following Group Command, he served as the Team KSA Commander in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from 2018-2020.

Before being named as the Deputy Commanding General Support, 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne), he served as the Deputy Commanding General U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School.  He has also served as a Special Assistant to the Director of the Army National Guard in Washington, D.C.

Brigadier General Lipson is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, Command and General Staff Officer Course, and the U.S. Army War College. He holds master’s degrees in Adult and Continuing Education from Kansas State University and in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College.

His awards include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit with oak leaf cluster, Bronze Star with three oak leaf clusters, Defense Meritorious Service Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters. He has been awarded the Combat Infantryman, Military Free Fall Parachutist, and the Senior Parachutist badges.

Brigadier General Lipson is married to the former Jennie Engelhaupt. They have two daughters and two grandchildren.

Command Sgt. Maj. Ted Munter joins Master Sgt. Chris Copper, the 1st Special Forces Command (Airborne) Human Performance and Wellness Senior Enlisted Leader, and Master Sgt. Geoff Dardia, the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne) Human Performance and Wellness Senior Enlisted Leader. They discuss the importance of not waiting until the last minute to perform proper maintenance on the most crucial piece of equipment, oneself.

Links to the programs discussed:

Intrepid Spirit

STAR Program

PREP