<p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Green Berets are built over time. Special Operations Truth #3: SOF cannot be mass produced. America’s most elite warriors are developed through experience, through leadership, and through the responsibility of developing others. This is the job of the Special Forces Noncommissioned Officer.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">In this episode, </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/francisracioppijr/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Fran Racioppi</a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> sat down with retired Command Sergeant Major </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-abernethy/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Rob Abernethy</a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> to dissect the evolution of the Green Beret NCO, and their officer counterparts, to show how that development shapes the effectiveness of Army Special Operations and national strategy.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">CSM Abernethy served nearly four decades in the Army and across special operations from a junior 18E communications sergeant, to the Command Sergeant Major of US Army Special Operations Command and United States European Command. Rob breaks down the role of the NCO as the backbone of the Regiment, the importance of regional alignment in building partner forces, and where Special Forces fits into military strategy from the pre-9/11 period, through the Global War on Terror and into today’s Large Scale Combat Operations.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">We also explore the rapid evolution of technology and the challenge of integrating new tools without losing the fundamentals of leadership and warfighting. From artificial intelligence to modern battlefield systems, Rob emphasizes that technology must support the force, not replace the mindset that defines it.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Finally, after retiring as one of the longest serving Green Berets in the Army, CSM Abernethy shares his perspective on transition after service and his current role continuing to develop soldiers through his work at </span><a href="https://www.ausa.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">AUSA</a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">This is a conversation about leadership, evolution, and the responsibility to prepare the next generation of Green Berets for the fight ahead.</span></p><p><br></p><p><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">HIGHLIGHTS</strong></p><ul><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">0:00 Introduction</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">2:00 Welcome to the Jedburgh Podcast</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">5:20 From junior to senior NCO on an ODA</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">15:31 Role of the Team Sergeant</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">18:52 The culture of a Special Forces team</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">25:02 Importance of Regional Alignment</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">32:08 Bridging the generation gap</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">43:14 American Military Technological Advantage</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">49:00 Biggest Threat to America</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">52:18 Remembering Service</span></li></ul><p><br></p><p>QUOTES</p><ul><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">“The average age on the teams was much older.”</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">“Nobody says, ‘Hey, I’m going to join the Army and my goal is to be a sucky soldier.’”</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">“The Team Sergeant is one of the most critical parts of the team.”</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">“Over time, what you do is build confidence with the team.”</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">“The Officer’s success is really the Team’s success and the Team’s success is based on the Officer.”</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">“Our confidence as a Team Sergeant needs to be projected through the team leader.”</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">“You have to have a lot of confidence in the team you’re selecting.”</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">“The administrative stuff makes a difference.”</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">“The little things absolutely matter.”</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">“The more astute you are to the environment in which you’re going to operate, the better you’re going to be.”</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">“In the next 10 years, it’s going to be phenomenal what we actually bring to the battlefield because AI is going to make us that much better.”</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">“The Department of War is crushing the acquisition process now.”</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">“Our relationship with our NATO allies has been strong and needed, and still will be needed.”</span></li><li><span style="background-color: transparent;">“One thing that stayed consistent was my desire to be good, to be an expert, and lead by example.”</span></li></ul><p><br></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by </span><a href="https://www.onebrief.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">OneBrief</a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">; enabling military leaders to make innovative, informed and deliberate decisions faster than ever before. Superhuman command wins wars.</span></p><p><br></p><p><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(14, 16, 26);">Follow the </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/jedburghpodcast/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Jedburgh Podcast</a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(14, 16, 26);"> and the </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/greenberetfoundation/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Green Beret Foundation</a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(14, 16, 26);"> on social media. Listen on your </span><a href="https://pod.link/1558608802" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">favorite podcast platform</a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(14, 16, 26);">, read on our </span><a href="https://greenberetfoundation.org/the-jedburgh-podcast/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">website</a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(14, 16, 26);">, and watch the full video version on </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@jedburghpodcast" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">YouTube</a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(14, 16, 26);"> as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.</span></p>