1 00:00:01,170 --> 00:00:03,900 - [Narrator] Defense News is proudly sponsored 2 00:00:03,900 --> 00:00:06,330 by Navy Federal Credit Union. 3 00:00:06,330 --> 00:00:08,910 If you're a member of our Nation's Armed Forces, 4 00:00:08,910 --> 00:00:12,120 the Department of Defense or if your family is, 5 00:00:12,120 --> 00:00:15,180 we'd be proud to serve you too. 6 00:00:15,180 --> 00:00:17,100 - [Reporter] On this edition of "Defense News Weekly", 7 00:00:17,100 --> 00:00:19,980 a special episode featuring some of the bravest men 8 00:00:19,980 --> 00:00:21,330 and women in the military. 9 00:00:21,330 --> 00:00:24,330 We hear stories of danger, heroism, quick thinking, 10 00:00:24,330 --> 00:00:27,480 and self-sacrifice as we tick through the military branches 11 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:29,880 to highlight some of the most heroic acts by men 12 00:00:29,880 --> 00:00:32,130 and women in uniform from the past year. 13 00:00:32,130 --> 00:00:33,270 Set against the backdrop 14 00:00:33,270 --> 00:00:36,330 of the 2025 Service members of the Year Gala, 15 00:00:36,330 --> 00:00:38,490 it's our annual chance to feature stories 16 00:00:38,490 --> 00:00:41,580 of incredible gallantry from around the armed forces. 17 00:00:41,580 --> 00:00:44,640 Join us to take a break from the latest in news and analysis 18 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:46,590 to celebrate heroic service members 19 00:00:46,590 --> 00:00:49,030 on this edition of "Defense News Weekly". 20 00:00:49,030 --> 00:00:51,863 (uplifting music) 21 00:01:03,401 --> 00:01:04,950 (graphics whooshing) 22 00:01:04,950 --> 00:01:07,080 Welcome back to "Defense News Weekly". 23 00:01:07,080 --> 00:01:09,870 Each year, military times gets the chance to recognize 24 00:01:09,870 --> 00:01:12,120 some of the most auspicious acts of service 25 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:13,020 around the military 26 00:01:13,020 --> 00:01:15,750 with the annual service members of the year gala. 27 00:01:15,750 --> 00:01:19,230 Today, we bring you stories of some of the 2025 recipients 28 00:01:19,230 --> 00:01:21,600 featuring examples of incredible fortitude 29 00:01:21,600 --> 00:01:22,950 in the face of danger 30 00:01:22,950 --> 00:01:24,660 Up first, we learn about a soldier 31 00:01:24,660 --> 00:01:28,170 from the 160th special operations aviation regimen 32 00:01:28,170 --> 00:01:30,000 known as the Night Stalkers 33 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:32,370 and his efforts to save a brother in arms. 34 00:01:32,370 --> 00:01:33,203 Have a look. 35 00:01:33,203 --> 00:01:35,610 (graphics whooshing) 36 00:01:35,610 --> 00:01:36,990 - [Ben] In the army, we have an ethos 37 00:01:36,990 --> 00:01:40,710 and the ethos is I will always place the mission first. 38 00:01:40,710 --> 00:01:43,620 I will never accept defeat. I will never quit. 39 00:01:43,620 --> 00:01:45,960 I will never leave a fall on comrade. 40 00:01:45,960 --> 00:01:49,481 Sergeant David Quay visited an embodiment of that ethos. 41 00:01:49,481 --> 00:01:52,314 (uplifting music) 42 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:57,810 - On November 10th, 2023, 43 00:01:57,810 --> 00:01:59,970 we were conducting routine training 44 00:01:59,970 --> 00:02:02,370 when we received notification of a fallen angel. 45 00:02:03,630 --> 00:02:05,130 Fallen angel is a notification 46 00:02:05,130 --> 00:02:06,827 that there's been an aircraft mishap. 47 00:02:06,827 --> 00:02:09,327 (tense music) 48 00:02:15,390 --> 00:02:16,830 Upon arrival on scene, 49 00:02:16,830 --> 00:02:20,013 we noticed there was a sea of red chem lights. 50 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:23,490 There was a single soldier waving their arms 51 00:02:23,490 --> 00:02:24,640 holding the chem light. 52 00:02:26,610 --> 00:02:28,140 After multiple attempts, 53 00:02:28,140 --> 00:02:30,690 it became clear he wasn't gonna be able to hoist himself 54 00:02:30,690 --> 00:02:31,523 outta the water. 55 00:02:32,610 --> 00:02:34,020 The only way we could recover 56 00:02:34,020 --> 00:02:36,120 was by sending someone in the water. 57 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:37,860 As the senior crew chief on board, 58 00:02:37,860 --> 00:02:39,761 I decided it was my job to do that. 59 00:02:39,761 --> 00:02:41,406 (helicopter whirring) 60 00:02:41,406 --> 00:02:45,001 (tense music) (water burbling) 61 00:02:45,001 --> 00:02:46,860 It was extremely dark. 62 00:02:46,860 --> 00:02:48,810 There was a lot of debris in the water. 63 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:51,180 Once I got to Tanner, 64 00:02:51,180 --> 00:02:53,640 I attempted to hook him into his rescue harness. 65 00:02:53,640 --> 00:02:56,190 As clear as injuries just weren't gonna allow us 66 00:02:56,190 --> 00:02:57,273 to make that happen. 67 00:02:58,380 --> 00:03:00,960 I knew keeping his head outta the water was the priority. 68 00:03:00,960 --> 00:03:02,820 So I sat him on my chest, 69 00:03:02,820 --> 00:03:05,370 asked for the rescue boat with hand and arm signals, 70 00:03:05,370 --> 00:03:08,235 and then waved the helicopter off to give us a break. 71 00:03:08,235 --> 00:03:09,782 (tense music) 72 00:03:09,782 --> 00:03:12,532 (water burbling) 73 00:03:16,500 --> 00:03:20,100 We sat holding onto the rescue raft for about 45 minutes 74 00:03:20,100 --> 00:03:21,963 until finally a rescue boat arrived. 75 00:03:23,010 --> 00:03:25,560 The rescue boat began lifesaving operations 76 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:27,090 to work on Tanner 77 00:03:27,090 --> 00:03:30,751 until we were airlifted out by another helicopter. 78 00:03:30,751 --> 00:03:33,501 (dramatic music) 79 00:03:39,510 --> 00:03:41,283 We lost five crew members that day. 80 00:03:42,450 --> 00:03:46,473 Steve, Shane, Cade, Andy, and Tanner. 81 00:03:48,240 --> 00:03:50,520 There's a lot of things I carry with me from that night. 82 00:03:50,520 --> 00:03:52,800 Some pride, some regrets. 83 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:53,820 After the incident, 84 00:03:53,820 --> 00:03:55,770 I got to spend some time with Tanner's family 85 00:03:55,770 --> 00:03:57,630 and I've got to build a relationship with them 86 00:03:57,630 --> 00:03:59,730 and it's helped me with my healing process 87 00:04:00,570 --> 00:04:02,250 - For his actions on November 10th, 88 00:04:02,250 --> 00:04:04,950 Staff Sergeant David Quay received multiple awards 89 00:04:04,950 --> 00:04:08,040 including the Soldier's Medal for Heroism. 90 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:11,460 What Sergeant Quay did that night was incredibly heroic 91 00:04:11,460 --> 00:04:13,833 and every Night Stalker would do the same. 92 00:04:15,510 --> 00:04:17,220 - By volunteering to come to the 160th, 93 00:04:17,220 --> 00:04:18,450 there's a common understanding 94 00:04:18,450 --> 00:04:20,100 that we would all do this for one another. 95 00:04:20,100 --> 00:04:21,660 There's zero doubt that Tanner would've done 96 00:04:21,660 --> 00:04:24,990 the same thing for me had the rules been reversed. 97 00:04:24,990 --> 00:04:28,020 - After the incident, we were able to gather every night 98 00:04:28,020 --> 00:04:30,660 to mourn and to heal together. 99 00:04:30,660 --> 00:04:32,370 And without David's leadership, 100 00:04:32,370 --> 00:04:33,900 I do not think this company would be 101 00:04:33,900 --> 00:04:36,150 as successful as it is today. 102 00:04:36,150 --> 00:04:39,420 - This is the tightest knit unit I've ever been a part of. 103 00:04:39,420 --> 00:04:43,500 When tragedy arises, I've never seen so many people step up 104 00:04:43,500 --> 00:04:45,500 and rise up to take care of one another. 105 00:04:46,500 --> 00:04:48,720 As Night Stalkers, we live by two truths. 106 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:52,080 Night Stalkers don't quit and Night Stalkers don't forget. 107 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:54,750 The strength to never quit comes from remembering 108 00:04:54,750 --> 00:04:56,550 those who came before us. 109 00:04:56,550 --> 00:04:59,680 The countless times that Night Stalkers flew into harm's way 110 00:05:01,980 --> 00:05:03,380 in order to save a teammate. 111 00:05:07,769 --> 00:05:09,330 (graphics whooshing) 112 00:05:09,330 --> 00:05:12,030 - [Reporter] Up next, when the USS Mason interdicted a boat 113 00:05:12,030 --> 00:05:15,750 hijacked by pirates, one man had to face the hostage takers 114 00:05:15,750 --> 00:05:17,760 to gain control of the situation. 115 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:19,110 Armed with only a megaphone, 116 00:05:19,110 --> 00:05:21,330 he found himself squared off with the pirates 117 00:05:21,330 --> 00:05:25,590 with the fate of the operation and 22 hostages in his hands. 118 00:05:25,590 --> 00:05:26,605 Here's his story. 119 00:05:26,605 --> 00:05:27,650 (graphics whooshing) 120 00:05:27,650 --> 00:05:30,483 (waves whooshing) 121 00:05:36,775 --> 00:05:39,317 - I have been tasked to board with a team and go there 122 00:05:39,317 --> 00:05:41,730 and be the way of communication 123 00:05:41,730 --> 00:05:44,901 between Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure and the pirates. 124 00:05:44,901 --> 00:05:47,734 (uplifting music) 125 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:52,860 - There's a lot of unknowns going through your head 126 00:05:52,860 --> 00:05:53,880 when you're doing a boarding. 127 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:56,313 You definitely are keeping a sharp eye out. 128 00:05:57,300 --> 00:05:59,310 - All my team had guns except me. 129 00:05:59,310 --> 00:06:01,236 My guns that time was as a megaphone. 130 00:06:01,236 --> 00:06:02,790 (megaphone blaring) 131 00:06:02,790 --> 00:06:06,240 All the time that my team was going on the boat, 132 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:09,604 I was directing the pirates just to pay attention to me. 133 00:06:09,604 --> 00:06:11,760 (Ahmed speaks in foreign language) 134 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:14,310 If I kept all the pirates focusing with me, 135 00:06:14,310 --> 00:06:17,152 that's a good way to keep my team safe. 136 00:06:17,152 --> 00:06:20,070 (Ahmed speaks in foreign language) 137 00:06:20,070 --> 00:06:22,680 So I was actually just giving commands to all the pirates 138 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:24,660 to keep eyes on me, always eyes on me 139 00:06:24,660 --> 00:06:26,700 and even maintain your hands up 140 00:06:26,700 --> 00:06:30,060 because when you your hands up, you cannot do anything. 141 00:06:30,060 --> 00:06:33,930 - It was a controlled environment when he took charge. 142 00:06:33,930 --> 00:06:38,520 As the translator, he stepped up and put everybody at ease. 143 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:41,880 - I was extremely thankful that we had BM1 El Haroun with us 144 00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:43,470 during the boarding at Central Park. 145 00:06:43,470 --> 00:06:45,840 His abilities to communicate with our detainees 146 00:06:45,840 --> 00:06:46,953 did us a huge favor. 147 00:06:48,420 --> 00:06:51,060 - So we started to expunge the pirates one by one. 148 00:06:51,060 --> 00:06:53,070 - We basically took them back to Mason. 149 00:06:53,070 --> 00:06:54,990 - They said, "Hey, we got people coming back." 150 00:06:54,990 --> 00:06:56,580 I said, "I got a ladder rigged." 151 00:06:56,580 --> 00:06:59,010 - During all that time, we were actually providing 152 00:06:59,010 --> 00:07:01,200 daily medical evaluation for them. 153 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:03,750 We were providing religious services, meal. 154 00:07:03,750 --> 00:07:07,397 - They were kept on board for probably about a month. 155 00:07:07,397 --> 00:07:10,920 (waves whooshing) 156 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:13,830 - Might this moment actually was coming back from deployment 157 00:07:13,830 --> 00:07:15,750 with all my team having the dress whites 158 00:07:15,750 --> 00:07:19,722 and we see all our families waiting for us on the pier. 159 00:07:19,722 --> 00:07:22,950 (uplifting music) 160 00:07:22,950 --> 00:07:26,610 - El Haroun, his role in regards to it was above and beyond. 161 00:07:26,610 --> 00:07:30,870 They were able to carry out a full work list 162 00:07:30,870 --> 00:07:33,810 along with flight quarters, along with evolutions, 163 00:07:33,810 --> 00:07:36,300 and keep 22 other sailors safe. 164 00:07:36,300 --> 00:07:39,720 - Try as much as possible not to drop the line of the water. 165 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:42,120 - He taught us a lot even as officers 166 00:07:42,120 --> 00:07:43,230 and he was also the one 167 00:07:43,230 --> 00:07:45,360 that was just taking in all information he could. 168 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:46,830 Using that to bring himself up 169 00:07:46,830 --> 00:07:49,289 and then passed it on to the next generation. 170 00:07:49,289 --> 00:07:52,122 (waves whooshing) 171 00:07:56,550 --> 00:07:58,620 Kind of sad we don't have that anymore. 172 00:07:58,620 --> 00:08:00,090 We don't get to see him on the bridge 173 00:08:00,090 --> 00:08:01,710 passing his 1MC announcements 174 00:08:01,710 --> 00:08:04,770 and doing his awesome driving that he usually does. 175 00:08:04,770 --> 00:08:06,380 We'll definitely miss BM1 El Haroun. 176 00:08:06,380 --> 00:08:08,010 (waves whooshing) 177 00:08:08,010 --> 00:08:10,140 - Not about me, it's all about the teamwork. 178 00:08:10,140 --> 00:08:12,210 Everybody's had a specific job in the ship 179 00:08:12,210 --> 00:08:14,400 and when we do our job, 180 00:08:14,400 --> 00:08:17,229 it end up that we actually always saving the ship. 181 00:08:17,229 --> 00:08:18,062 Sounds good. 182 00:08:18,062 --> 00:08:19,830 All right. - Sounds good, Chief. 183 00:08:19,830 --> 00:08:22,020 I think my mission, it will never end 184 00:08:22,020 --> 00:08:23,970 until I come back from deployment 185 00:08:23,970 --> 00:08:26,100 making sure every sailor is coming back, 186 00:08:26,100 --> 00:08:27,599 they're able to meet with their families. 187 00:08:27,599 --> 00:08:30,060 (people cheering) 188 00:08:30,060 --> 00:08:32,550 Everything we do, it means nothing 189 00:08:32,550 --> 00:08:35,000 until we keep the ship safe and the sailors safe. 190 00:08:36,813 --> 00:08:38,340 (graphics whooshing) 191 00:08:38,340 --> 00:08:39,210 - [Reporter] When we come back, 192 00:08:39,210 --> 00:08:41,940 more stories of heroism from around the military 193 00:08:41,940 --> 00:08:45,030 from the 2025 Service Members of the Year Awards. 194 00:08:45,030 --> 00:08:45,937 Stay tuned. 195 00:08:45,937 --> 00:08:46,895 (graphics whooshing) 196 00:08:46,895 --> 00:08:49,728 (uplifting music) 197 00:08:52,135 --> 00:08:53,820 (graphics whooshing) 198 00:08:53,820 --> 00:08:57,360 Welcome back, when a military helicopter tragically collided 199 00:08:57,360 --> 00:09:00,510 with a passenger jet in the nation's capitol in January, 200 00:09:00,510 --> 00:09:02,700 some of the first people to arrive on the scene 201 00:09:02,700 --> 00:09:05,400 were members of Coast Guard Station Washington. 202 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:07,350 Given the task of looking for survivors, 203 00:09:07,350 --> 00:09:09,450 they launched straight into the icy waters 204 00:09:09,450 --> 00:09:10,800 of the Potomac River. 205 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:13,020 For their efforts, they were collectively awarded 206 00:09:13,020 --> 00:09:15,900 the 2025 Coast Guardsman of the Year Award. 207 00:09:15,900 --> 00:09:17,039 Here's their story. 208 00:09:17,039 --> 00:09:18,360 (graphics whooshing) 209 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:20,760 - As I'm entering the base, 210 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:22,860 I see a line of red or white lights 211 00:09:22,860 --> 00:09:26,130 of emergency vehicles just everywhere. 212 00:09:26,130 --> 00:09:27,810 - To me, it looked like hundreds 213 00:09:27,810 --> 00:09:30,210 of responding assets immediately there 214 00:09:30,210 --> 00:09:31,800 and that was coupled with 215 00:09:31,800 --> 00:09:34,650 that overwhelming smell of jet fuel. 216 00:09:34,650 --> 00:09:37,290 - You could feel it all around your eyes 217 00:09:37,290 --> 00:09:40,710 just up in your nose just there. 218 00:09:40,710 --> 00:09:42,900 - It just was a massive debris field, 219 00:09:42,900 --> 00:09:45,900 chunks of debris floating everywhere. 220 00:09:45,900 --> 00:09:49,380 - The radio, they say 60 souls. 221 00:09:49,380 --> 00:09:54,380 We were looking for 60 souls and that just stuck to me. 222 00:09:54,406 --> 00:09:57,156 (dramatic music) 223 00:10:02,661 --> 00:10:03,692 (playing cards rasping) 224 00:10:03,692 --> 00:10:05,481 (soldiers chattering) 225 00:10:05,481 --> 00:10:07,407 (soldiers laughing) 226 00:10:07,407 --> 00:10:09,810 (operator indistinctly speaks) 227 00:10:09,810 --> 00:10:11,760 - I think everyone's plan at the time 228 00:10:11,760 --> 00:10:14,580 was still trying to understand exactly what was happening. 229 00:10:14,580 --> 00:10:15,960 We didn't have any other details 230 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:18,603 other than a plane had crashed. 231 00:10:19,530 --> 00:10:23,310 - I can say that that day was probably the fastest day 232 00:10:23,310 --> 00:10:25,227 I've seen people get ready. 233 00:10:25,227 --> 00:10:26,502 (zipper rasping) 234 00:10:26,502 --> 00:10:28,230 (tense music) 235 00:10:28,230 --> 00:10:31,590 - Once we came out of the marina and were on scene, 236 00:10:31,590 --> 00:10:33,750 that's when we started just passing on the stuff 237 00:10:33,750 --> 00:10:35,580 that we were seeing firsthand, 238 00:10:35,580 --> 00:10:39,210 and we saw this large piece of metal floating there 239 00:10:39,210 --> 00:10:41,100 and we came up on it to see 240 00:10:41,100 --> 00:10:43,590 and turned out to be a helicopter. 241 00:10:43,590 --> 00:10:48,257 And yeah, when you see that, it's just unbelievable. 242 00:10:48,257 --> 00:10:53,257 (siren blaring) (waves whooshing) 243 00:10:59,010 --> 00:11:01,350 - During the first stage of that night, 244 00:11:01,350 --> 00:11:03,270 you know, the focus was just trying to get 245 00:11:03,270 --> 00:11:05,400 as much information as you can. 246 00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:08,670 The second stage was now realizing 247 00:11:08,670 --> 00:11:11,470 this was going to take more than just a night. 248 00:11:11,470 --> 00:11:14,053 (somber music) 249 00:11:15,420 --> 00:11:17,190 - When we were searching 250 00:11:17,190 --> 00:11:19,023 and we came across our first victim, 251 00:11:20,266 --> 00:11:22,920 and again, just unbelievable. 252 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:24,990 Another shocking thing, you know, 253 00:11:24,990 --> 00:11:29,070 that you don't expect to come across. 254 00:11:29,070 --> 00:11:31,770 - I don't think you can mentally shift 255 00:11:31,770 --> 00:11:34,200 from search and rescue to search and recovery. 256 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:37,080 Effectively, I think we're trained 257 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:40,320 to always be in search and rescue mode. 258 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:43,080 They don't go out there searching for a victim. 259 00:11:43,080 --> 00:11:45,213 They go out there searching for a person. 260 00:11:46,050 --> 00:11:49,170 - The mission evolved into becoming the mission 261 00:11:49,170 --> 00:11:53,520 to reunite all 67 families and friends with their loved 262 00:11:53,520 --> 00:11:56,760 to bring them the much needed closure that night. 263 00:11:56,760 --> 00:11:59,910 - We were able to recover all 67 victims. 264 00:11:59,910 --> 00:12:02,788 Three of which were US Army service members. 265 00:12:02,788 --> 00:12:05,371 (somber music) 266 00:12:13,439 --> 00:12:16,140 (tense music) 267 00:12:16,140 --> 00:12:19,200 You have to have some sort of order to the chaos. 268 00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:20,970 I commend Lieutenant Commander Jenish 269 00:12:20,970 --> 00:12:23,100 for maintaining that order 270 00:12:23,100 --> 00:12:24,510 through everything that was going on 271 00:12:24,510 --> 00:12:26,970 with composure and skill. 272 00:12:26,970 --> 00:12:29,970 - Lieutenant Dravitz was there to fill in the gaps 273 00:12:29,970 --> 00:12:32,280 of what everyone needed that night. 274 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:34,590 Craig was definitely everywhere. 275 00:12:34,590 --> 00:12:38,580 In days following, our focus as a unit was to heal 276 00:12:38,580 --> 00:12:42,990 and to recognize that resources are available 277 00:12:42,990 --> 00:12:45,360 and that we really emphasize the importance 278 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:48,480 to, you know, seek professional mental health 279 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:50,160 to talk it out. 280 00:12:50,160 --> 00:12:52,740 As far as what's next for Station Washington, 281 00:12:52,740 --> 00:12:55,740 we truly have become a stronger station. 282 00:12:55,740 --> 00:12:57,660 - Station Washington is gonna continue to train. 283 00:12:57,660 --> 00:13:00,180 Gonna continue to train, maintain, and operate. 284 00:13:00,180 --> 00:13:03,570 - We have great people here that love to do their job. 285 00:13:03,570 --> 00:13:05,190 - At the end of the day, we were just doing our job 286 00:13:05,190 --> 00:13:07,590 and I think we're gonna continue to do it without a doubt, 287 00:13:07,590 --> 00:13:09,630 especially with the brothers and sisters we have here, 288 00:13:09,630 --> 00:13:11,663 the men and women that we serve alongside with. 289 00:13:14,524 --> 00:13:15,357 (graphics whooshing) 290 00:13:15,357 --> 00:13:16,190 (tense music) 291 00:13:16,190 --> 00:13:17,820 - [Reporter] When hundreds of drones were launched 292 00:13:17,820 --> 00:13:20,310 at Israel by Iran in 2024, 293 00:13:20,310 --> 00:13:23,550 members of the Air Force stood by to aid in the defense. 294 00:13:23,550 --> 00:13:27,030 Among them was Captain Carla Nava, a weapon system officer, 295 00:13:27,030 --> 00:13:30,330 in a historic all female crew on a combat mission 296 00:13:30,330 --> 00:13:32,130 who helped take down five of the drones 297 00:13:32,130 --> 00:13:34,020 before they reach their targets. 298 00:13:34,020 --> 00:13:36,301 Hear about the experience in her own words. 299 00:13:36,301 --> 00:13:38,416 (graphics whooshing) 300 00:13:38,416 --> 00:13:40,260 (upbeat music) 301 00:13:40,260 --> 00:13:43,533 - So my call sign, I wish I could tell you the story. 302 00:13:44,370 --> 00:13:46,530 You have to technically buy a fighter pilot 303 00:13:46,530 --> 00:13:48,540 or fighter WSO a drink. 304 00:13:48,540 --> 00:13:50,793 But I can say it seems for girl, you're nuts. 305 00:13:52,500 --> 00:13:54,750 Fighter pilot culture is more of an attitude, 306 00:13:55,770 --> 00:13:57,179 being a pit bull on a leash. 307 00:13:57,179 --> 00:13:59,762 (upbeat music) 308 00:14:01,470 --> 00:14:05,520 October 2023, I had just become a two ship WSO 309 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:07,200 or weapons systems officer, 310 00:14:07,200 --> 00:14:10,050 which means I could lead a two ship formation. 311 00:14:10,050 --> 00:14:13,773 And my squadron, the 492nd was deployed to the Middle East. 312 00:14:15,210 --> 00:14:18,060 There was conflict between Israel and Iran. 313 00:14:18,060 --> 00:14:19,710 The tensions were really high. 314 00:14:19,710 --> 00:14:24,710 And on April 13th, 2024, everyone was starting to catch wind 315 00:14:24,870 --> 00:14:26,490 that something big was gonna happen. 316 00:14:26,490 --> 00:14:31,490 (wind whooshing) (dramatic music) 317 00:14:32,250 --> 00:14:35,850 Atomic and I, we had the opportunity to be number two 318 00:14:35,850 --> 00:14:37,680 of a two ship of alert lines 319 00:14:37,680 --> 00:14:40,800 in response to this possible drone onslaught 320 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:42,330 that we're expecting. 321 00:14:42,330 --> 00:14:44,340 I was excited to actually get action 322 00:14:44,340 --> 00:14:47,100 'cause I haven't had that opportunity up until that point, 323 00:14:47,100 --> 00:14:49,950 but also nervous that I knew that if we failed, 324 00:14:49,950 --> 00:14:52,263 it would be catastrophic for civilians. 325 00:14:52,263 --> 00:14:55,530 (ship whirring) 326 00:14:55,530 --> 00:14:58,560 After about five to like 10 minutes, 327 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:00,180 we started to see on our sensors 328 00:15:00,180 --> 00:15:03,570 like some possible drones popping up. 329 00:15:03,570 --> 00:15:06,270 And I remember thinking, "This is actually happening. 330 00:15:06,270 --> 00:15:09,180 This is gonna be a life changing event for us." 331 00:15:09,180 --> 00:15:10,710 And we captured it on the radar. 332 00:15:10,710 --> 00:15:12,540 I queued up the targeting pod. 333 00:15:12,540 --> 00:15:16,170 As a WSO, I'm the final authority to drop the weapon 334 00:15:16,170 --> 00:15:19,113 and the words left my mouth cleared to shoot. 335 00:15:20,790 --> 00:15:22,660 An Atomic pressed on the button 336 00:15:23,550 --> 00:15:25,530 and held it for an uncomfortable amount of time, 337 00:15:25,530 --> 00:15:28,500 and that's a flash of light from the left side of our jet. 338 00:15:28,500 --> 00:15:31,500 Just like out of the corner of my eye, I see it. 339 00:15:31,500 --> 00:15:34,450 Two to five seconds later, I see an explosion on my screen. 340 00:15:35,580 --> 00:15:37,800 In the heat of the moment, I assessed that Atomic 341 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:40,170 and I only shot down three drones. 342 00:15:40,170 --> 00:15:42,480 And it wasn't until we get to the debrief 343 00:15:42,480 --> 00:15:43,950 that we put in our tapes, 344 00:15:43,950 --> 00:15:46,530 which essentially records everything that we shot, 345 00:15:46,530 --> 00:15:49,950 and we realized that we actually shot down five drones. 346 00:15:49,950 --> 00:15:52,980 Five is a magic number in the aviation community. 347 00:15:52,980 --> 00:15:55,530 Since the beginning of flying in World War I, 348 00:15:55,530 --> 00:15:58,950 ACE has been known as having five aerial victories, 349 00:15:58,950 --> 00:16:02,010 and this hasn't happened in a couple decades. 350 00:16:02,010 --> 00:16:03,840 To be part of the first fighter squadron 351 00:16:03,840 --> 00:16:05,700 to have done it in that decade was amazing. 352 00:16:05,700 --> 00:16:07,750 So it was a shared victory for all of us. 353 00:16:08,715 --> 00:16:10,140 - It was a selfless moment 354 00:16:10,140 --> 00:16:11,820 of being willing to get into an aircraft 355 00:16:11,820 --> 00:16:14,920 and face overwhelming odds and then come out on top. 356 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:16,320 (people clapping) 357 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:18,180 - After that deployment, 358 00:16:18,180 --> 00:16:20,700 it was time for me to move on to my next assignment, 359 00:16:20,700 --> 00:16:23,550 which was gonna be NAS Pensacola. 360 00:16:23,550 --> 00:16:27,333 My role as an instructor, 455th formation flight commander. 361 00:16:29,130 --> 00:16:32,150 - What we have here is the only pipeline forces 362 00:16:32,150 --> 00:16:33,270 in the entire Air Force. 363 00:16:33,270 --> 00:16:36,930 So failure here is potentially failure for the Air Force. 364 00:16:36,930 --> 00:16:39,540 - I have a bubbly personality and I am very friendly, 365 00:16:39,540 --> 00:16:41,880 but I take training very seriously. 366 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:43,890 So I will lay it to them straight 367 00:16:43,890 --> 00:16:46,200 whether they are meeting the standard or not. 368 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:48,540 I know I come from a different demographic, 369 00:16:48,540 --> 00:16:51,120 a different background, a different gender entirely 370 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:53,910 than probably 80% of the Air Force now. 371 00:16:53,910 --> 00:16:56,040 Thank goodness I've always been seen as an equal 372 00:16:56,040 --> 00:16:58,140 and I really wanna make sure young women 373 00:16:58,140 --> 00:17:00,420 that are seeking an career in aviation 374 00:17:00,420 --> 00:17:02,883 know that it's definitely an opportunity. 375 00:17:03,900 --> 00:17:05,760 - Part of our training process is to make sure 376 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:09,030 that we hand over the experiences that we gain 377 00:17:09,030 --> 00:17:10,500 and certainly Captain Guns Nava 378 00:17:10,500 --> 00:17:12,030 is gonna be able to take those experiences 379 00:17:12,030 --> 00:17:14,100 and start feeding that into some of the lieutenants 380 00:17:14,100 --> 00:17:15,983 that are going through our program today. 381 00:17:19,382 --> 00:17:21,120 (graphics whooshing) 382 00:17:21,120 --> 00:17:21,953 - [Reporter] When we come back, 383 00:17:21,953 --> 00:17:23,460 our financial expert returns 384 00:17:23,460 --> 00:17:26,546 with a primer on how to earn money with compound interest. 385 00:17:26,546 --> 00:17:28,089 (graphics whooshing) 386 00:17:28,089 --> 00:17:30,922 (uplifting music) 387 00:17:32,973 --> 00:17:34,410 (graphics whooshing) 388 00:17:34,410 --> 00:17:35,550 - [Reporter] Welcome back. 389 00:17:35,550 --> 00:17:37,770 Compound interest can sound complicated, 390 00:17:37,770 --> 00:17:40,830 but the results can be simple, dramatic gains. 391 00:17:40,830 --> 00:17:42,540 On this week's edition of Money Minute, 392 00:17:42,540 --> 00:17:44,610 Jeanette Mack from Navy Federal Credit Union 393 00:17:44,610 --> 00:17:46,370 talks you through how it works. 394 00:17:46,370 --> 00:17:47,760 (graphics whooshing) 395 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:50,220 - Wanna grow your money without working harder for it? 396 00:17:50,220 --> 00:17:51,660 Then you should be taking advantage 397 00:17:51,660 --> 00:17:54,630 of a little something called compounding interest. 398 00:17:54,630 --> 00:17:57,030 Actually, it's a big something that has the power 399 00:17:57,030 --> 00:17:59,250 to help you build wealth over time. 400 00:17:59,250 --> 00:18:01,800 It works by earning interest on the money you save 401 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:03,840 and earning interest on top of that, 402 00:18:03,840 --> 00:18:07,470 then more on top of that. and so on year after year. 403 00:18:07,470 --> 00:18:10,080 The earlier you start, the bigger the results. 404 00:18:10,080 --> 00:18:12,240 So let's say you start saving at age 40. 405 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:16,050 You put away $3,000 a year in an account earning 3%. 406 00:18:16,050 --> 00:18:19,950 By age 65, you'll have over $112,000. 407 00:18:19,950 --> 00:18:21,300 That's solid growth. 408 00:18:21,300 --> 00:18:23,100 But if you had started at 25, 409 00:18:23,100 --> 00:18:25,770 you'd end up with more than 232,000. 410 00:18:25,770 --> 00:18:26,910 Nearly double. 411 00:18:26,910 --> 00:18:28,830 So you see time really is money 412 00:18:28,830 --> 00:18:31,230 and it's your best advantage toward retirement. 413 00:18:31,230 --> 00:18:34,710 Start by saving even small amounts in an account or a CD 414 00:18:34,710 --> 00:18:36,330 then watch it grow into something big 415 00:18:36,330 --> 00:18:38,970 by making compounding interest work for you. 416 00:18:38,970 --> 00:18:40,320 So what are you waiting for? 417 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:41,370 Start saving now 418 00:18:41,370 --> 00:18:43,560 and let the superpower of compounding interest 419 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:45,890 be your financial goals biggest hero. 420 00:18:45,890 --> 00:18:47,460 (graphics whooshing) 421 00:18:47,460 --> 00:18:48,420 - [Reporter] To get more coverage 422 00:18:48,420 --> 00:18:50,040 of military and defense topics, 423 00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:53,173 aim that intellectual sniper rifle toward militarytimes.com 424 00:18:53,173 --> 00:18:56,310 and defensenews.com for more headlines. 425 00:18:56,310 --> 00:18:59,220 And to be the most informed coasty in the rescue boat, 426 00:18:59,220 --> 00:19:00,840 sign up for our Early Bird Brief. 427 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:02,610 Compiled each morning bringing you 428 00:19:02,610 --> 00:19:04,380 the most recent headlines. 429 00:19:04,380 --> 00:19:06,780 And if social media is how you stay up to date, 430 00:19:06,780 --> 00:19:09,450 follow us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and X, 431 00:19:09,450 --> 00:19:13,530 and we're on TikTok, so go follow us there as well. 432 00:19:13,530 --> 00:19:15,900 When we come back, our final look at recipients 433 00:19:15,900 --> 00:19:18,861 of the 2025 Service Members of the Year Awards. 434 00:19:18,861 --> 00:19:20,078 (graphics whooshing) 435 00:19:20,078 --> 00:19:22,911 (uplifting music) 436 00:19:25,168 --> 00:19:26,880 (graphics whooshing) 437 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:29,130 Welcome back to "Defense News Weekly". 438 00:19:29,130 --> 00:19:30,450 To wrap up the show this week, 439 00:19:30,450 --> 00:19:33,540 we have the story of a guardian who took an unusual path 440 00:19:33,540 --> 00:19:36,630 by enrolling in the Army Drill Sergeant Academy. 441 00:19:36,630 --> 00:19:38,280 Hear about the lessons he learned there 442 00:19:38,280 --> 00:19:40,855 and how he turned into a mental health advocate. 443 00:19:40,855 --> 00:19:42,750 (graphics whooshing) 444 00:19:42,750 --> 00:19:45,240 - You can't teach resiliency in a book. 445 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:46,500 It's something you have to experience. 446 00:19:46,500 --> 00:19:48,510 You have to build that callous over and over again 447 00:19:48,510 --> 00:19:49,863 and callousing that mind. 448 00:19:50,700 --> 00:19:54,240 Learning to be comfortable with the uncomfortable, 449 00:19:54,240 --> 00:19:56,823 that's the only way to be an effective leader. 450 00:19:58,620 --> 00:20:02,100 My career all started back in 2018 in the Air Force 451 00:20:02,100 --> 00:20:05,880 until 2020 when after winning the Space Force. 452 00:20:05,880 --> 00:20:07,980 The Space Force offered me a brand new service, 453 00:20:07,980 --> 00:20:09,060 brand new culture. 454 00:20:09,060 --> 00:20:11,100 All those mission sets were an opportunity for me 455 00:20:11,100 --> 00:20:13,860 to be a part of what I thought to be the next leading edge 456 00:20:13,860 --> 00:20:15,170 of military operations. 457 00:20:15,170 --> 00:20:16,560 (Yuji indistinctly speaks) 458 00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:18,990 One of my goals from the beginning of my career, 459 00:20:18,990 --> 00:20:20,550 ever since basic military training, 460 00:20:20,550 --> 00:20:22,410 I saw those military training instructors, 461 00:20:22,410 --> 00:20:23,850 I wanted to be a part of that 462 00:20:23,850 --> 00:20:25,087 and I was actually asked, 463 00:20:25,087 --> 00:20:27,180 "Hey, what do you think about going down 464 00:20:27,180 --> 00:20:29,100 to the Army Drill Sergeant Academy 465 00:20:29,100 --> 00:20:30,840 to figure out how they do things there 466 00:20:30,840 --> 00:20:33,300 and see what you want to bring to the Space Force?" 467 00:20:33,300 --> 00:20:35,820 - What we were looking for was some new ideas 468 00:20:35,820 --> 00:20:38,790 on how we want Space Force MTIs to operate, 469 00:20:38,790 --> 00:20:41,310 and Sergeant Moore was the best person to send through. 470 00:20:41,310 --> 00:20:43,830 Some people just have that inherent desire 471 00:20:43,830 --> 00:20:46,203 to just be the best no matter what. 472 00:20:47,820 --> 00:20:48,653 - [Sergeant Moore] At the academy, 473 00:20:48,653 --> 00:20:51,720 I was also joined by Technical Sergeant Gudgeon. 474 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:54,360 He ended up becoming my brother throughout that training. 475 00:20:54,360 --> 00:20:55,650 - Myself and Sergeant Moore 476 00:20:55,650 --> 00:20:57,300 being introduced to that environment, 477 00:20:57,300 --> 00:20:59,160 we both leaned on each other quite a bit. 478 00:20:59,160 --> 00:21:01,020 - Their goal was to treat us like the trainees 479 00:21:01,020 --> 00:21:02,670 so we could understand what that was like. 480 00:21:02,670 --> 00:21:05,070 And they were firm, they were direct. 481 00:21:05,070 --> 00:21:08,040 But the phrase of saying, "Hey, we're tearing someone down 482 00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:09,780 or break 'em down to build 'em back up again" 483 00:21:09,780 --> 00:21:11,130 This isn't necessarily true. 484 00:21:11,130 --> 00:21:12,780 It's not like the Vietnam era draft. 485 00:21:12,780 --> 00:21:14,850 You know, everyone that wants to be in the military, 486 00:21:14,850 --> 00:21:16,440 they raised their right hand and they joined. 487 00:21:16,440 --> 00:21:17,610 So it's a completely different force 488 00:21:17,610 --> 00:21:19,383 and their training reflects that. 489 00:21:20,550 --> 00:21:22,950 Sergeant Gudgeon and I were not only the first guardians 490 00:21:22,950 --> 00:21:24,540 to graduate from the Drill Sergeant Academy, 491 00:21:24,540 --> 00:21:27,600 but the first joint service members outside of the Army 492 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:29,103 to graduate that academy. 493 00:21:32,430 --> 00:21:35,790 - Not only did he excel, which we knew that he would, 494 00:21:35,790 --> 00:21:37,680 it was a better outcome 495 00:21:37,680 --> 00:21:40,170 than we could have possibly hoped for. 496 00:21:40,170 --> 00:21:42,780 But what I also noticed is that sometimes Sergeant Moore 497 00:21:42,780 --> 00:21:44,820 will give too much of himself 498 00:21:44,820 --> 00:21:46,530 in the pursuit of taking care of other people 499 00:21:46,530 --> 00:21:48,090 or taking care of the mission. 500 00:21:48,090 --> 00:21:50,850 And finally, he made the courageous decision 501 00:21:50,850 --> 00:21:52,440 to step up and ask for help. 502 00:21:52,440 --> 00:21:55,680 - I did struggle with a mental health crisis. 503 00:21:55,680 --> 00:21:58,860 I was practicing perfectionism in a bad way. 504 00:21:58,860 --> 00:22:02,550 The pressure of excellence kind of got worse and worse. 505 00:22:02,550 --> 00:22:05,640 And Major Mathews ensured that I knew 506 00:22:05,640 --> 00:22:07,770 that my mission was to take care of myself. 507 00:22:07,770 --> 00:22:08,700 - So he took that knee 508 00:22:08,700 --> 00:22:11,190 and he went through all the treatment that he needed. 509 00:22:11,190 --> 00:22:13,740 And since Sergeant Moore has been through the struggle 510 00:22:13,740 --> 00:22:15,180 and he's come out the other side hole, 511 00:22:15,180 --> 00:22:17,772 I've seen him be a much more effective leader in NCO. 512 00:22:17,772 --> 00:22:20,100 - [Sergeant Moore] Let it suck now. Let there be pain now. 513 00:22:20,100 --> 00:22:22,710 - Yes, sir. - And when we had a need 514 00:22:22,710 --> 00:22:24,810 for a _ instructor 515 00:22:24,810 --> 00:22:26,760 to lead our curriculum development, 516 00:22:26,760 --> 00:22:29,744 we saw Sergeant Moore and we said, "That's the guy." 517 00:22:29,744 --> 00:22:31,260 (people clapping) 518 00:22:31,260 --> 00:22:33,840 His knowledge and his understanding 519 00:22:33,840 --> 00:22:35,010 of the way the Army does things 520 00:22:35,010 --> 00:22:36,630 at their Drill Sergeant Academy 521 00:22:36,630 --> 00:22:40,230 is one of the pillars that we're leaning on. 522 00:22:40,230 --> 00:22:41,760 That way we're moving forward with the Space Force 523 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:43,710 is a holistic health approach. 524 00:22:43,710 --> 00:22:46,110 We don't want robots that are follow a script. 525 00:22:46,110 --> 00:22:48,420 We want critical thinkers that are able to do 526 00:22:48,420 --> 00:22:50,760 what they do best with their skillset. 527 00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:54,030 With everything being so new and unprecedented, 528 00:22:54,030 --> 00:22:55,800 every guardian has a chance to leave 529 00:22:55,800 --> 00:22:57,242 kind of their fingerprint on this baseboard. 530 00:22:57,242 --> 00:22:59,370 - [Team] 10, 11, 12. 531 00:22:59,370 --> 00:23:00,990 - Sergeant Moore's drive for excellence 532 00:23:00,990 --> 00:23:02,610 is still a mystery to me. 533 00:23:02,610 --> 00:23:07,050 I was looking to bottle it up and sell it to an extent. 534 00:23:07,050 --> 00:23:09,210 He's just one of those members who's gonna do great things 535 00:23:09,210 --> 00:23:12,090 for as long as he chooses to wear the uniform. 536 00:23:12,090 --> 00:23:13,500 - He's gonna be a senior leader one day, 537 00:23:13,500 --> 00:23:15,750 and then everybody who crosses his path 538 00:23:15,750 --> 00:23:19,533 will be changed positively by having interacted with him. 539 00:23:20,490 --> 00:23:24,300 There are generations of guardians who will go out 540 00:23:24,300 --> 00:23:28,083 and have the imprint that Sergeant Moore left on them. 541 00:23:31,591 --> 00:23:33,030 (graphics whooshing) 542 00:23:33,030 --> 00:23:34,200 - [Reporter] Well, that's all we have time for 543 00:23:34,200 --> 00:23:35,040 in this episode. 544 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:37,576 Thanks for joining us and we'll see you next week. 545 00:23:37,576 --> 00:23:40,409 (uplifting music)