1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:04,400 Speaker 1: Let's say good morning now to Major Andrew Donlan of 2 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:07,880 Speaker 1: the United States Space Force, who's working at Space Systems 3 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:11,400 Speaker 1: Command right here in El Segundo. And in case you 4 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:13,800 Speaker 1: didn't know, there was a Space Command in El Segundo, 5 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 1: that's the home base for Major Donlin who's getting ready 6 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:19,080 Speaker 1: to head to Florida to compete in this year's third 7 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:26,640 Speaker 1: annual Guardian Arena Finals. That sounds exciting. Good morning, Major Donalin, Good. 8 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 2: Morning Amy, thanks so much for having me, Thanks. 9 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:30,000 Speaker 1: For coming on. I know you're getting ready to head 10 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 1: down to Florida. So tell us what are the Guardian 11 00:00:33,159 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 1: Arena Finals and who participates? 12 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:39,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, so the Guardian Arena Finals, as you mentioned, this 13 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:43,239 Speaker 2: is the third annual event across the Space Force, and 14 00:00:43,280 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 2: it's a competition designed to test us as guardians. That's 15 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:52,560 Speaker 2: what we're called in the Space Force. Are our abilities 16 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 2: and skills, not only physically, but academically and mentally as well. 17 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:02,520 Speaker 2: So it's a combination of physical challenges as well as 18 00:01:03,040 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 2: academic and focused on the mission. And so there's teams 19 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:10,040 Speaker 2: from thirty five different units across the country. Earlier in 20 00:01:10,120 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 2: the world that are going to be coming to Florida. 21 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,000 Speaker 2: We had a regional competition a couple of months ago. 22 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:20,280 Speaker 2: So we had a competition among the units at Space 23 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:22,920 Speaker 2: Systems Command, and three of us now will be going 24 00:01:22,959 --> 00:01:25,839 Speaker 2: to represent Space Systems Command down in Florida next week. 25 00:01:26,000 --> 00:01:29,040 Speaker 1: Okay, so there was a regional competition. I mean that 26 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:30,680 Speaker 1: means you're already a winner. 27 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 2: Right, I guess. So it was a stiff competition, but yeah, yeah. 28 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:42,240 Speaker 1: So major Donald tell us because it's not only brawn 29 00:01:42,400 --> 00:01:44,920 Speaker 1: but brains. And I love that aspect of it because 30 00:01:45,120 --> 00:01:47,640 Speaker 1: you know, it's not just going out and competing physically 31 00:01:47,720 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 1: but mentally, so like, what are some of the challenges 32 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:53,920 Speaker 1: that you have to do? And again then what's the 33 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 1: purpose of having you guys compete in these challenges? 34 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 2: Yeah? I like the term use brains and ron. I 35 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:03,400 Speaker 2: think we're a unique service in the Space Force. You know, 36 00:02:03,560 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 2: as you mentioned earlier, not a lot of people even 37 00:02:05,320 --> 00:02:07,160 Speaker 2: knew that we had a base here in El Segundo, 38 00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:10,360 Speaker 2: but not many folks around the country or the world 39 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 2: know that we have a Space Force. It's a relatively 40 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:15,360 Speaker 2: new force. But a huge part of it is, you know, 41 00:02:15,440 --> 00:02:18,040 Speaker 2: we're very different than the Army and the Navy, even 42 00:02:18,080 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 2: the Air Force. You know, so much of what we 43 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 2: do is done you know, kind of behind closed doors 44 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:26,760 Speaker 2: and done to keep our country safe up in the 45 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:29,640 Speaker 2: space domain. And so with that, with the competition, a 46 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:33,280 Speaker 2: lot of it is is academic and knowing about our 47 00:02:33,760 --> 00:02:36,360 Speaker 2: space systems that we utilize, what types of things we 48 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:42,840 Speaker 2: would use in different scenarios, learning about cybersecurity, you know, 49 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 2: space systems, intelligence, all those things come together as part 50 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 2: of our mission. So this competition, Oh. 51 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:52,560 Speaker 1: I'm just gonna say, it sounds like you're taking tests. 52 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 2: Yes, yeah, so it's tests, but done as a team 53 00:02:57,320 --> 00:02:59,639 Speaker 2: in the midst of physical competitions as well. 54 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 1: Oh okay, so combining it. I love that. And then 55 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:05,000 Speaker 1: what's at stake? Major Donlin. Is it just bragging rights 56 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:05,839 Speaker 1: or is or something else? 57 00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 2: Yeah? Mostly just bragging rights for us. That's enough in 58 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:11,520 Speaker 2: our world. 59 00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:14,320 Speaker 1: I love it. I love it. Okay. So we have 60 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:17,240 Speaker 1: our friend Colonel mckaigu, who we got to know before 61 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 1: and during and after his trip to the International Space 62 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:22,680 Speaker 1: Station because he was on loan from the Space Force. 63 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 1: So what are your goals with being a member of 64 00:03:25,360 --> 00:03:26,000 Speaker 1: Space Force? 65 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:29,239 Speaker 2: You know a bit? So I started in the Air 66 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 2: Force and switched over to the Space Force when it 67 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:35,840 Speaker 2: stood up about five years ago, and my goal then 68 00:03:35,920 --> 00:03:38,520 Speaker 2: and continues now is just to contribute to something bigger 69 00:03:38,560 --> 00:03:40,960 Speaker 2: than myself. It was an exciting opportunity to be a 70 00:03:40,960 --> 00:03:44,520 Speaker 2: part of a new service, something that hasn't happened since 71 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:47,040 Speaker 2: the stand up of the Air Force, and I really 72 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:49,000 Speaker 2: do believe in the mission that we're doing. You know, 73 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 2: space impacts everything we do on a day to day basis. 74 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:57,360 Speaker 2: You know, from GPS to ATM machines to almost half 75 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:00,120 Speaker 2: of our infrastructure in the US is relying on space, 76 00:04:00,200 --> 00:04:03,120 Speaker 2: and so protecting that and protecting our way lives is 77 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:07,080 Speaker 2: something that's really important to me, and I feel grateful 78 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:08,400 Speaker 2: to get to contribute to that on a day to 79 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 2: day basis, just going to work every day. 80 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 1: Okay, so you're helping to not only keep us safe, 81 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 1: but also keep us connected, such important stuff. Major Donlin, 82 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:18,360 Speaker 1: thank you so much for coming on. I hope you'll 83 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:21,000 Speaker 1: let us know how you do with The competition is 84 00:04:21,720 --> 00:04:23,720 Speaker 1: next week or over the weekend. 85 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:26,320 Speaker 2: Him Monday and Tuesday next week. 86 00:04:26,279 --> 00:04:28,920 Speaker 1: Okay, so we're expecting to hear big things and we 87 00:04:28,960 --> 00:04:30,799 Speaker 1: want you to come back with the trophy or whatever 88 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 1: award you do. You get a trophy. 89 00:04:33,839 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 2: I think so okay, so all right. 90 00:04:36,360 --> 00:04:40,479 Speaker 1: Representing southern California, it's Major Andrew Donlin of the US 91 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:44,159 Speaker 1: Space Force at Space Systems Command in Elsa Gundo. 92 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:46,840 Speaker 2: Best of luck, thank you very much, a good day. 93 00:04:47,040 --> 00:04:48,840 Speaker 1: I love that, how fun, and I love that they 94 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:50,040 Speaker 1: do that for bragging rights.