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General Christopher Donahue, commanding general of U.S. Army Europe and Africa joins Joe for a wide-ranging conversation on leadership, culture, and what it takes to drive real change at scale across massive, dispersed organizations.

Having led at the division, corps, and now theater Army level, Donahue reflects on what doesn’t change as responsibility grows. Regardless of rank or scope, leaders must still create belief in the why, articulate a clear vision, translate that vision into a workable plan, and embed it into culture and process so change actually sticks.

They also explore what is changing rapidly. From the impact of emerging technologies to the realities of modern warfare—where sensing, drones, and data shape every decision—they discuss why leaders must continuously adapt, integrate new tools, and keep developing themselves to stay ahead. The conversation reinforces a timeless truth: while the tools evolve, leadership remains the decisive factor.

In this episode, General Donahue and Joe also explore:

• Why culture without process is just wishful thinking
• How leaders turn intent into execution through clear systems and standards
• Why meaningful change must be measured, not just announced
• How repetition, standards, and accountability build real readiness
• What improved culture looks like when performance rises and negative indicators fall
• Why realistic training standards matter—especially under stress
• Avoiding groupthink by rotating teams and encouraging honest feedback
• Creating a climate where people can speak truth to power without fear
• Why leaders should never expect to fight the last war again
• The growing challenge of offense in a world of constant sensing and surveillance
• How technology, data, and modeling are reshaping how leaders think about risk and capability
• Why, in the end, it still always comes back to leadership

Whether you’re leading a small team or a global organization, this conversation offers a grounded reminder that clarity, discipline, and culture—not slogans—are what allow leaders to turn complexity into coherent action.

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Meet ROGER Bank—a modern, digital bank built for military members, by military members. With early payday, no fees, high-yield accounts, and real support, it’s banking that gets you. Funds are FDIC insured through Citizens Bank of Edmond, so you can bank with confidence and peace of mind.

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Alpha Coffee co-founder and retired Army lieutenant colonel Carl Churchill joins Joe for a candid conversation on leadership, resilience, and what it really takes to build something that lasts after the uniform comes off.

After serving more than two decades in the Army, Carl found himself facing an unexpected second career shaped not by careful planning, but by crisis. In the wake of the Great Recession, he and his wife Lori cashed out their savings and took an all-in leap to build Alpha Coffee from their basement—navigating years of uncertainty, near-misses, and hard-earned lessons before the business finally found its footing. Drawing on his military background, Stoic philosophy, and a refusal to quit, Carl shares how discipline, culture, and clarity of purpose carried him through nearly a decade of struggle.

In this conversation, Joe and Carl explore what leadership looks like when there’s no rank to hide behind: how military lessons translate into entrepreneurship, why culture matters more than strategy, and how leaders must adapt their style as contexts and generations change. Along the way, they reflect on stress, perspective, boundaries, and the quiet confidence that comes from having faced truly hard things before.

In this episode, Joe and Carl also explore:

• Tips for making great coffee
• Why Carl chose to walk away from promotion to keep leading people, not staffs
• What “burning the boats” looks like when your family and future are on the line
• How military hardship inoculates leaders against stress and uncertainty
• Why culture—not strategy—is the true differentiator between great and failing teams
• Leading younger generations without abandoning standards or expectations
• The challenge of setting boundaries when you genuinely love your work

Whether you’re navigating life after military service, building something from scratch, or leading people through uncertainty, this episode offers a grounded reminder that the habits forged in discipline, humility, and persistence still matter—long after the mission changes.

A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors!

Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!

Meet ROGER Bank—a modern, digital bank built for military members, by military members. With early payday, no fees, high-yield accounts, and real support, it’s banking that gets you. Funds are FDIC insured through Citizens Bank of Edmond, so you can bank with confidence and peace of mind.

Send us a text

Retired Marine Corps fighter pilot, Top Gun instructor, and leadership consultant Dave Berke joins Joe for an honest conversation about ego, responsibility, and what it truly means to lead—both in the arena of combat and in everyday life.

As the bestselling author of The Need to Lead, Dave pulls back the curtain on the high-pressure world of fighter aviation, the chaos of ground combat in Ramadi, and the quiet challenges of becoming a better leader at home. He reveals how his biggest breakthroughs came not from triumphs, but from failure—from dogfights he should have won, leadership roles he wasn’t ready for, and moments where ego clouded judgment.

In this episode, Joe and Dave also explore:

• Why ego is the most dangerous threat to good leadership—and how to recognize the voice that “loves you to death”
• How Top Gun actually works (and why the instructors are more humble than Hollywood suggests)
• Lessons from Ramadi—operating in chaos, fighting self-doubt, and learning fast under pressure
• Why leaders fail when they cling to control instead of developing others
• The danger of complacency—and how one “guaranteed win” dogfight changed Dave’s approach to preparation
• Preparing for your own departure as a leader—why good leadership outlasts the leader
• The hard emotional work of transition and why believing in your next mission matters more than salary, title, or prestige

Whether you’re leading in uniform, managing a team, or navigating a major life transition, this episode offers hard-earned wisdom on how to stay grounded, remain teachable, and build teams capable of enduring whatever comes next.

Dave Berke is a retired U.S. Marine Corps officer, former TOPGUN Instructor, and now the Chief Development Officer and a leadership instructor at Echelon Front. As an F/A-18 pilot, he deployed twice from the USS John C. Stennis in support of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He later spent three years at TOPGUN as an Instructor Pilot, Training Officer, and senior staff pilot overseeing the course.

He also served on the ground in Ramadi in 2006 as an ANGLICO Forward Air Controller with the Army’s 1st AD, leading his team on scores of combat missions and accompanying SEAL Task Unit Bruiser on nearly every major operation of the Battle of Ramadi.

Dave was the only Marine selected to fly the F-22 and became the first operational pilot qualified in the F-35B, later commanding the Marine Corps’ first F-35 squadron. He holds a Master’s in International Public Policy and an MBA from Johns Hopkins University.

After retiring, Dave joined Echelon Front, bringing deep experience in combat leadership, decision-making, risk mitigation, and building high-performance teams.

A Special Thanks to Our Sponsors!

Veteran-founded Adyton. Step into the next generation of equipment management with Log-E by Adyton. Whether you are doing monthly inventories or preparing for deployment, Log-E is your pocket property book, giving real-time visibility into equipment status and mission readiness. Learn more about how Log-E can revolutionize your property tracking process here!

Meet ROGER Bank—a modern, digital bank built for military members, by military members. With early payday, no fees, high-yield accounts, and real support, it’s banking that gets you. Funds are FDIC insured through Citizens Bank of Edmond, so you can bank with confidence and peace of mind.