New Podcast: Former General lays out the danger

Former U.S. Army Europe Commander and Human Rights First advisor Ben Hodges

How to meet a Colonel fast

I first met then Colonel Ben Hodges while serving in Iraq with the 101st Airborne Division in 2003. He was the commander for the famed 1st Brigade (Bastogne) of the division as his unit took control over the southern portion of Ninewa province in Northern Iraq. My convoy had just arrived at the abandoned airbase that would come to be known as Q-West and we were sorting out where we would live and base our over 150 men and women, vehicles and Blackhawk helicopters.

We arrived on April 29th after making our way from Baghdad up to Mosul then back down south to Qayyarah. Two of my soldiers decided the best way to see where we were, and where to settle on base, was to climb up the water tower in the middle of the compound.

It was like sending up a red flare for angry infantry commanders. Colonel Hodges came speeding up in a Humvee and explained in colorful language how stupid that was and how I shouldn’t have allowed that as the element commander. I apologized before he sped off to the next crisis.

Fortunately, our relationship improved.

In just a few months I would find myself as a key part of an incredible group of soldiers providing support for the local Iraqis. Our work allowed Ben’s soldiers to focus on security and counter-insurgency and provided peace, goodwill, and what would turn out to be, long term friendships and partners in that region.

Eventually Lieutenant General Hodges went on to serve in a host of increasingly important roles culminating as the Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe during a critical period, both in Europe and the United States, from 2014 to 2017. He retired and remained in Germany to serve still as an advisor to NATO and now with Human Rights First.

On this week’s episode we started talking about his three assignments in the Office of Legislative Liaison at the Pentagon working directly with Congress. He watched hundreds of promotions and confirmations work their way through the Senate but has never seen anything like what Tommy Tuberville and Rand Paul are doing to completely stop the process for personal political agendas.

In this wide ranging conversation we discussed the situations in Ukraine and Russia as well as the dangers to our democracy here at home from people like Ron DeSantis and Rick Scott in his home state of Florida. This is one of those episodes I love that’s like sitting down with an old friend to catch up and inviting a few thousand of our friends to join us.