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The Afterburn Podcast

The Afterburn Podcast

Written by: John "Rain" Waters
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About this listen

Strap in the cockpit as we dive into the stories of the men and women who defend the freedoms we love. From the cockpit of military jets to boots on the ground. The Afterburn Podcast dives into their stories, the planes, and the missions. For Advertising Opportunities or more information visit: https://theafterburnpodcast.com/John "Rain" Waters Social Sciences
Episodes
  • Dos Gringos June 13th - Denver
    May 8 2026

    Dos Gringos Concert: dosgringosdenver.com

    James "Whacker" Reeman IG: @f16pilot

    Whacker's Content: Fastjetfriday.com

    Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT) Prep with AFOQT Wingman https://afoqtwingman.com/Code: AFTERBURN for 10% off

    🛫 Become a Fighter/Bomber/Cargo/Tanker/RPA Pilot 🎯 : http://bogidope.com/?bd=tappodcast 🛫

    🔺 Aviation & Defense Newsletter - https://bit.ly/AfterburnNewsletter 🔺

    Become a Patron, Support the Show, & Gain Exclusive Benefits: https://www.patreon.com/c/theafterburnpodcast

    🥷 Scrub Your Info from Data Brokers & Protect Yourself | https://aura.com/afterburn 14-day free trial


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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    4 mins
  • Col Roy "Deacon" Qualls | "Shoot Them Down If They Don't Respond" — The 9/11 ROE Nobody Talks About
    Apr 25 2026

    Roy "Deacon" Qualls went from zero flight hours to undergraduate pilot training six months later. From there — OV-10s, F-15s, the Louisiana Air National Guard, and a parallel career at American Airlines flying the 777.

    In this episode Deacon walks through some of the defining moments of that career — receiving the 9/11 shoot down order on an unclassified fax, scrambling toward Air Force One on the morning of September 11th, flying a night CAP over Houston with a live weapons free ROE, and leading airmen through Hurricane Katrina rescue operations out of New Orleans.

    Pilot's Edge: Think, Train, and Fly Like a Pro: https://www.amazon.com/Pilots-Edge-Think-Train-Like/dp/B0FY26ZJJM

    Deacon Fini Flight: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4X8CIjCj9k

    Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT) Prep with AFOQT Wingman https://afoqtwingman.com/Code: AFTERBURN for 10% off

    🛫 Become a Fighter/Bomber/Cargo/Tanker/RPA Pilot 🎯 : http://bogidope.com/?bd=tappodcast 🛫

    🔺 Aviation & Defense Newsletter - https://bit.ly/AfterburnNewsletter 🔺

    Become a Patron, Support the Show, & Gain Exclusive Benefits: https://www.patreon.com/c/theafterburnpodcast

    🥷 Scrub Your Info from Data Brokers & Protect Yourself | https://aura.com/afterburn 14-day free trial


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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    1 hr and 25 mins
  • Aircraft BATTLE DAMAGE Repair: The Air Force Capability You Never Hear About
    Apr 24 2026

    When two brand new F-35s sustained catastrophic damage in separate accidents, the Air Force faced a decision most people don't know exists — write them off as total losses or call in one of the most specialized and least talked about teams in the United States Air Force. They called in the Aircraft Battle Damage Repair team. ABDR.

    In this episode, I sit down with General Sebren and Senior Master Sergeant Cross to break down exactly what aircraft battle damage repair is, how the decision gets made to repair or write off a damaged aircraft, and what it takes to put a $100 million fighter jet back together when the damage doesn't fit any technical order or regulation ever written. We dive into the "Frankenstein F-35" — two damaged airframes combined into one flyable jet — and what that process actually looks like from the people who did it.

    Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT) Prep with AFOQT Wingman https://afoqtwingman.com/Code: AFTERBURN for 10% off

    🛫 Become a Fighter/Bomber/Cargo/Tanker/RPA Pilot 🎯 : http://bogidope.com/?bd=tappodcast 🛫

    🔺 Aviation & Defense Newsletter - https://bit.ly/AfterburnNewsletter 🔺

    Become a Patron, Support the Show, & Gain Exclusive Benefits: https://www.patreon.com/c/theafterburnpodcast

    🥷 Scrub Your Info from Data Brokers & Protect Yourself | https://aura.com/afterburn 14-day free trial


    Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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    35 mins
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