Sent us text! We would love to hear from you!

You fought your way through the door. Now what? In Episode 268, Commander Drew Brown and Dr. Paul Thompson ask a question every person who has made it should answer: Are you holding the door open or telling the next person to fight just as hard? Drawing on their experience as Black naval aviators, the Wingmen make the case that passing on the gouge isn’t lowering the standard. It’s knowing where to put the work. Explain the process, make the introduction, give specific help, and then let the next generation take responsibility for their own flight. Pass down the wisdom, not the unnecessary hardship.

The good news this week is all about people stepping up. Seven strangers in Prospect Park, Pennsylvania, lifted a car off a trapped e-bike rider with nothing but teamwork. New FBI figures show violent crime fell across the country last year, and the Wingmen talk about how to tell that story honestly without dismissing anyone’s pain. And high schooler Sarah Shelke built Mind4Youth, a youth-led organization helping young people get access to mental health support.

In the Jet Jolt, the guys explain the emergency button that can actually land an airplane: Garmin Autoland. In the Frequent Flow-Line, Sophie, a bartender in Belgium, wants a bigger life but is afraid to leave what she knows. Ace takes the first answer, then Drew and Paul share what the Navy taught them about preparing for the next step. Ace also leads The Gouge on why learning and using people’s names matters. And the episode closes with a Wingmen story about a teenager who learns he isn’t half of anything. He’s twice blessed.