1 00:00:04,880 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 1: On this episode of News World. My guest today is 2 00:00:08,160 --> 00:00:12,160 Speaker 1: Beginner General Anthony J. Tata. He retired from the US 3 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:16,640 Speaker 1: Army having served a distinguished military career of over twenty 4 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 1: eight years, including commands in the eighty second Airborne the 5 00:00:20,680 --> 00:00:23,959 Speaker 1: one hundred and first Airborne Division, the tenth Mountain Division. 6 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 1: He served in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Croatia, North Macedonia, Kosovo, Panama, 7 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:34,800 Speaker 1: and Haiti. He is also the national best selling author 8 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: of more than fifteen military thriller novels. The brand new 9 00:00:39,040 --> 00:00:43,559 Speaker 1: installment of his Garret Sinclair series is The Phalanx Code, 10 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: and it tells the story of Garran Sinclair caught in 11 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:51,280 Speaker 1: a deadly game between two tech moduls with fealank squads 12 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:54,600 Speaker 1: hunting him and those he loves. It is the kind 13 00:00:54,600 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 1: of powerhouse military thriller that only someone who is Tony's 14 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: vast military experience could tell. So I'm really pleased to 15 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:07,360 Speaker 1: welcome my guest, Brigadier General Anthony Tata. His most recently 16 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:11,839 Speaker 1: performed the duties of Undersecretary Defense or Policy, the number 17 00:01:11,920 --> 00:01:15,520 Speaker 1: three position in the United States Department of Defense, where 18 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:20,360 Speaker 1: he implemented national defense strategy. His military awards include the 19 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:26,160 Speaker 1: Bronze Star, Combat Action Badge, Ranger tab Master, Parachutist Badge, 20 00:01:26,280 --> 00:01:43,119 Speaker 1: and Department of Defense Award for Distinguished Public Service. Tony, 21 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:45,880 Speaker 1: welcome and thank you for joining me on News World. 22 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:49,160 Speaker 2: Mister speaker. It certainly a privilege to feed speaking with 23 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:50,160 Speaker 2: you and your audience. 24 00:01:51,240 --> 00:01:54,040 Speaker 1: You know, before we discussed the failing's code, I thought 25 00:01:54,040 --> 00:01:57,040 Speaker 1: we might go back and discuss your twenty eight years 26 00:01:57,040 --> 00:02:00,320 Speaker 1: of service to our country and really start at the beginning. 27 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 1: Who encouraged you to join the army. 28 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 2: Mister speaker. I grew up in Virginia, Southeastern Virginia. My 29 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 2: mother was from the Blue Ridge. My parents were teachers, 30 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:14,280 Speaker 2: and they certainly instilled in me and my older brother 31 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:16,840 Speaker 2: who went to the Naval Academy, and my younger sister, 32 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:19,800 Speaker 2: who is a teacher today, the sense of public service. 33 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 2: And so my mother always said, Tony, whatever you do, 34 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:26,359 Speaker 2: always make a difference. And so with that in mind, 35 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 2: and having a brother at the Naval Academy who was 36 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:31,519 Speaker 2: kicking for the football team, I had to do something 37 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:33,840 Speaker 2: opposite of him. So I went to West Point and 38 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:37,760 Speaker 2: when I graduated, it was hard, It was really really hard. 39 00:02:37,800 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 3: I wrestled and played baseball there Yeah, I had. 40 00:02:40,400 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 2: This Elon image from all my time in Virginia, going 41 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 2: to the battlefields and Lee and Grant and all the 42 00:02:48,280 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 2: history in Virginia, whether it's Williamsburg and Jamestown and Yorktown 43 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 2: or the Civil War with the Shanandoah Valley, and my 44 00:02:57,080 --> 00:02:59,519 Speaker 2: mother's very close to some of those battlefields up there 45 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:02,680 Speaker 2: where she grew up. I went with this sense of 46 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,760 Speaker 2: pride in Elon that I came from a state where 47 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:10,880 Speaker 2: people had served in every capacity possible. And then my 48 00:03:10,880 --> 00:03:14,080 Speaker 2: mother's creator always make a difference, and that got me 49 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:18,240 Speaker 2: motivated to go to West Point. And certainly when I 50 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:21,720 Speaker 2: graduated from NTRI Officer Basic and went to my first 51 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:25,200 Speaker 2: tactical unit, I sort of switched on. I said, I 52 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:28,160 Speaker 2: was an athlete growing up. I played on a couple 53 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 2: of state championship baseball teams, and certainly I had these 54 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 2: visions of being a professional athlete and being a paratrooper 55 00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:40,520 Speaker 2: and ranger school graduate. That became my version of being 56 00:03:40,560 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 2: a professional athlete serving my country on the most important 57 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 2: field of all of them. 58 00:03:46,320 --> 00:03:50,840 Speaker 1: You had some remarkable assignments, and you were in some 59 00:03:51,080 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 1: very very different countries. When you look back on that, 60 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 1: what do you think was the most challenging assignment you 61 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:02,360 Speaker 1: were given while you were in a. 62 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:05,000 Speaker 2: I have to say, mister speaker, that's a great question. 63 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 2: The most challenging assignment I had was when I was 64 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 2: one hundred and first Airborne Brigade commander in Kosovo, in 65 00:04:15,960 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 2: command of Ukrainian and Polish battalions, a Greek battalion, a 66 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 2: few of my own airborne battalions, and we were responsible 67 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 2: for monitoring the border of Kosovo and North Macedonia and 68 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:33,160 Speaker 2: also keeping the Serbs out of Kosovo, and so had 69 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:36,159 Speaker 2: a separate brigade focused on the Serbs, and my job 70 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 2: was to focus on the peace enforcement that was happening 71 00:04:41,640 --> 00:04:46,200 Speaker 2: between Kosovo North Macedonia. You had the Albanian rebels in there, 72 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:50,080 Speaker 2: and they were crossing the border, and they were ostensibly 73 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:53,480 Speaker 2: the ones that we came in to support because the 74 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:58,240 Speaker 2: Serbs were ostensibly the bad guys. But the Albanian rebels 75 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:02,039 Speaker 2: used that umbrella of support as a method of attacking 76 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:06,720 Speaker 2: into Macedonia. And so it was this real tough geopolitical 77 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:11,240 Speaker 2: problem that manifested. On June twenty fifth, two thousand and one, 78 00:05:11,800 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 2: I was there. I had to lead my troops past 79 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 2: Macedonian military lines into the defenses of the rebels who 80 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:29,799 Speaker 2: had penetrated into Macedonia, moved them in trucks and all 81 00:05:29,839 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 2: broken by NATO negotiators, one of. 82 00:05:32,960 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 3: Whom I found out. I knew once I was on 83 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:35,800 Speaker 3: the ground there. 84 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 2: And certainly the Macedonian army would not let us out 85 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:44,720 Speaker 2: because TV was showing us going in to help the terrorists, 86 00:05:45,080 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 2: and all we were trying to do was diffuse the situation. 87 00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:50,400 Speaker 2: So there we were all night long, cooking and jabbing, 88 00:05:50,440 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 2: getting shot at by the Macedonians who we went into 89 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 2: help at the requests of their president. And I'm on 90 00:05:56,480 --> 00:05:59,080 Speaker 2: the radio talking to the general who I reported to 91 00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:01,760 Speaker 2: I was a colonel, and he says, hey, man, you're 92 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:03,560 Speaker 2: on the ground. I'm just sitting here eating a peanut 93 00:06:03,600 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 2: butter jelly sandwich. You figure it out, And he meant 94 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:09,479 Speaker 2: that in the best possible way, but he put. 95 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:09,960 Speaker 3: A drone over. 96 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:12,520 Speaker 2: We figured out a route out, and I had British 97 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:17,159 Speaker 2: sas Delta Force equivalent supporting me. But that was a 98 00:06:17,200 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 2: long night, but I got every soldier home safely. We 99 00:06:21,440 --> 00:06:24,040 Speaker 2: solved the problem. We diffuse the situation. I got all 100 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 2: the NATO negotiators rescued and out of there, and at 101 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:30,600 Speaker 2: five point forty nine the next morning we were one 102 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:33,359 Speaker 2: hundred percent accounted for it inside the wire. But I 103 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:36,400 Speaker 2: would say that was my most challenging thirty six hours 104 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:38,520 Speaker 2: or so in the US military. 105 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:41,479 Speaker 1: That's really wild. And of course there are regions of 106 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:44,440 Speaker 1: the world where people have been cheerfully hating each other 107 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:46,560 Speaker 1: for very, very long periods. 108 00:06:46,640 --> 00:06:48,920 Speaker 3: That's right, Yeah, that's right. 109 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:51,560 Speaker 1: It's a little bit like the challenge police have if 110 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:54,920 Speaker 1: they go to a domestic problem and all of a 111 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 1: sudden the wife and the husband are both attacking them 112 00:06:58,080 --> 00:06:59,240 Speaker 1: forgetting in the middle of it. 113 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:05,240 Speaker 2: This was classic Clausewitzian wars politics. By another means, the 114 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:09,960 Speaker 2: rebels penetrated far enough to where they held strategic ground 115 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:12,880 Speaker 2: in a town called Harichinovo, and they were in mort 116 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:16,320 Speaker 2: range of the airport of the Seda government, of the 117 00:07:16,360 --> 00:07:20,520 Speaker 2: presidential residents, of the US embassy. All of my troops 118 00:07:20,560 --> 00:07:24,160 Speaker 2: had a battalion protecting the airport down in Scopia. 119 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:27,480 Speaker 3: And so it behooved us to move them right. 120 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:31,920 Speaker 2: And so when the NATO negotiators went in there, they 121 00:07:31,960 --> 00:07:35,000 Speaker 2: had a list of demands and they said, give this 122 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 2: to the Macedonia president. And then you can send the 123 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:40,640 Speaker 2: Americans in to move us. The President agreed to it. 124 00:07:40,720 --> 00:07:42,840 Speaker 2: We came in to move them, we moved them. We 125 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:45,120 Speaker 2: thought we were good to go, and then we had 126 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:48,400 Speaker 2: a fighter away out of there because by then the 127 00:07:48,440 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 2: Big Lion was being told on Macedonian TV that we 128 00:07:52,120 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 2: were helping the bad guys. 129 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:55,600 Speaker 3: So I did it all worked out in the end. 130 00:07:56,080 --> 00:07:59,559 Speaker 1: When you were in Haiti, did you get any sense 131 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:03,040 Speaker 1: of what would take to get that country to become viable? 132 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 3: Yeah? 133 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:08,560 Speaker 2: So my Haiti operation experience was as the chief of 134 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:13,240 Speaker 2: Plans of the eighty second Airborne Division, and I wrote 135 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:16,440 Speaker 2: the plan with the team. We wrote the plan to 136 00:08:17,080 --> 00:08:19,200 Speaker 2: jump three thousand paratroopers in. 137 00:08:19,720 --> 00:08:21,680 Speaker 3: We had the ship of stuff and all that. 138 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:25,760 Speaker 2: And if you recall, this was ninety four and there 139 00:08:25,760 --> 00:08:29,520 Speaker 2: were two options. There was the airborne option, which I 140 00:08:29,640 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 2: was part of. I was on an airplane, and then 141 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:35,720 Speaker 2: there was the Tenth Mountain on the Eisenhower. 142 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:37,040 Speaker 3: Option, where they came in for peacekeeping. 143 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:41,000 Speaker 2: When Colin Pale, Sam Nunn and Jimmy Carter went in, 144 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 2: we paratroopers thought, well, that's just to clear all the 145 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:48,160 Speaker 2: containers and fire trucks that had been disabled off the 146 00:08:48,240 --> 00:08:49,160 Speaker 2: runway to make. 147 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:51,240 Speaker 3: Our job easier, and they're going to lead real quick. 148 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:54,120 Speaker 2: And there were like two days of negotiations and all 149 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:57,400 Speaker 2: of that, and we got told to fly Clinton obviously 150 00:08:57,520 --> 00:09:00,840 Speaker 2: was president, and we go about an hour out from 151 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:03,720 Speaker 2: green light or ready to jump in. We get turned around. 152 00:09:03,800 --> 00:09:06,440 Speaker 2: We're told the deal's been signed. And so I never 153 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 2: physically stepped into Haiti because I got sent back to 154 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:13,800 Speaker 2: Fort Bragg now Fort Liberty, but I spent a year 155 00:09:14,000 --> 00:09:18,120 Speaker 2: researching intel work in that plan. My sense was you 156 00:09:18,200 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 2: really needed to reform the police force because Francois was 157 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:25,280 Speaker 2: in charge then and he was a bad guy. 158 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:26,840 Speaker 3: The corruption was really deep. 159 00:09:27,280 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 2: I don't know that Aristeed was the right guy to 160 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:33,440 Speaker 2: bring in, but he certainly was available. And then Sadris 161 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:38,280 Speaker 2: who signed the document and moved to Costa Rica or somewhere. 162 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:42,120 Speaker 2: Just deep, deep reform. You know, like most of these 163 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:46,000 Speaker 2: third world countries in the Caribbean, they've got to have 164 00:09:46,600 --> 00:09:51,520 Speaker 2: ethics and values and all of that infused because right now, 165 00:09:51,880 --> 00:09:54,840 Speaker 2: you know, or at least then, there was no sense 166 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 2: of duty or loyalty to the country. It was all take. 167 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 3: What you can get, kind of like the Biden administration, when. 168 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:22,240 Speaker 1: You take off the uniform. You've had this terrific period 169 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:25,400 Speaker 1: of serving America, and then you get called back to 170 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:29,880 Speaker 1: work in the Pentagon as part of the official structure, 171 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:34,000 Speaker 1: reporting ultimately to the presidented States. How much different was 172 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:38,240 Speaker 1: the view from running around the Pentagon to being out 173 00:10:38,800 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 1: in a military post where you're surrounded by people who 174 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:43,880 Speaker 1: are focused on the military. 175 00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 2: That's a really insightful question. Serving as the Undersecretary for policy, 176 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:55,080 Speaker 2: what you see is the importance of civilian control of 177 00:10:55,120 --> 00:11:00,480 Speaker 2: the military. You understand, you know, as a young officer man, 178 00:11:01,080 --> 00:11:04,120 Speaker 2: one star, two star, three star, four star general, they're 179 00:11:04,160 --> 00:11:06,840 Speaker 2: gods and they can do no wrong. And then you 180 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:09,760 Speaker 2: get on top of that and you're looking down and 181 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:14,439 Speaker 2: you're saying, you're not given me the civilian leadership what. 182 00:11:14,520 --> 00:11:16,480 Speaker 3: I need or you are a great job. 183 00:11:16,960 --> 00:11:21,880 Speaker 2: And it really gave me a different perspective on the 184 00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:27,560 Speaker 2: importance of dedicated professionals that want the best for the 185 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:32,600 Speaker 2: country to be servant in those positions. And it also 186 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:38,720 Speaker 2: taught me that you can brook no bs from any 187 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:44,480 Speaker 2: senior officer that may not care for the civilian leadership, 188 00:11:44,559 --> 00:11:46,600 Speaker 2: all the way up to the commander in chief that's 189 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:49,800 Speaker 2: in subordination that needs to be dealt with immediately, and 190 00:11:49,880 --> 00:11:54,400 Speaker 2: so regardless of the circumstances, regardless of what the media 191 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:57,720 Speaker 2: is saying, we have civilian control of the military, and 192 00:11:57,760 --> 00:12:02,480 Speaker 2: whoever is in those positions choose in charge. That tension 193 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:07,000 Speaker 2: was a great educator for me to be in that position, 194 00:12:07,120 --> 00:12:09,440 Speaker 2: even for the short period of time that I was. 195 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:11,319 Speaker 2: And then the last thing I would say is that 196 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:15,560 Speaker 2: I traveled for the last couple of weeks to about 197 00:12:15,600 --> 00:12:21,360 Speaker 2: six different countries, and the esteem with which other countries 198 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:27,400 Speaker 2: hold DoD in the United States is without fail. Yeah, 199 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:29,760 Speaker 2: I was gone during January sixth I was in Rio, 200 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 2: staying with John Abazaide and meeting with Kaled Bend Salmon 201 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:37,560 Speaker 2: to sign a major defense cooperation plan. And even during 202 00:12:37,600 --> 00:12:41,800 Speaker 2: all of that, the regard that these people held our 203 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:44,520 Speaker 2: country is just remarkable. 204 00:12:44,920 --> 00:12:47,040 Speaker 1: The other thing which I was always surprised to learn 205 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:50,960 Speaker 1: is you have it a really big interest in education. 206 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:54,760 Speaker 1: I mean, it's kind of like I'm watching your career 207 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:58,320 Speaker 1: here and you're going from career military to serving the Pentagon. 208 00:12:58,440 --> 00:13:01,640 Speaker 1: In between, you're also the chief operating officer of the 209 00:13:01,640 --> 00:13:05,080 Speaker 1: District of Columbia Public Schools. Then you become the superintendent 210 00:13:05,480 --> 00:13:08,600 Speaker 1: of the Wake County public school system. I mean, that's 211 00:13:08,679 --> 00:13:12,199 Speaker 1: quite a zig zag kind of approach. That's before you 212 00:13:12,280 --> 00:13:15,560 Speaker 1: become Secretary of Transportation. Tell me a minute about the 213 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:16,679 Speaker 1: adventure and education. 214 00:13:17,520 --> 00:13:18,600 Speaker 3: Remember how he started. 215 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:20,840 Speaker 2: My mother's had to always make a difference in that 216 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:22,640 Speaker 2: ethos of public service. 217 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:24,319 Speaker 3: And my father was. 218 00:13:24,240 --> 00:13:28,440 Speaker 2: A thirty year, fifteen term state delegate in the House 219 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:31,439 Speaker 2: of Delegates in Virginia. He used to listen to your 220 00:13:31,480 --> 00:13:33,640 Speaker 2: tapes all the time. I would come home from where 221 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:34,640 Speaker 2: I was deployed. 222 00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:35,280 Speaker 3: I swear to. 223 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 2: God, he'd be like, man, this gindrich guy is really smart, 224 00:13:38,600 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 2: and he'd just be listening to your tapes. Contract with 225 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:44,320 Speaker 2: America and all that. He was a beer and pretzels guy, 226 00:13:44,360 --> 00:13:47,720 Speaker 2: a son of Italian immigrants, was asked to run unusual 227 00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:51,120 Speaker 2: last name high school football coach, good record, all the 228 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:54,800 Speaker 2: makings of a winning ticket, and he won. And Pat 229 00:13:54,880 --> 00:13:58,840 Speaker 2: Robertson's CBN is in that district of part of Virginia 230 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:02,280 Speaker 2: Beach and he represented fifteen terms. Turned down a bunch 231 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 2: of offers to run for Congress, and he says, where 232 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 2: you kids grew up, that's where I want to represent 233 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:09,440 Speaker 2: because this community has been so good to us, and 234 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 2: I want to be good to it. So it's that 235 00:14:11,559 --> 00:14:15,960 Speaker 2: ethos that my parents instilled in me to always contribute 236 00:14:15,960 --> 00:14:17,920 Speaker 2: and try to make things better than you found it. 237 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:21,080 Speaker 2: There were the usual defense contractors when I was leaving, 238 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 2: and then I said, no, I want to get into education. 239 00:14:24,400 --> 00:14:28,600 Speaker 2: Eli Broad, he had an education foundation. They recruited me 240 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:31,360 Speaker 2: to come in and go through a superintendent's training school 241 00:14:31,680 --> 00:14:36,119 Speaker 2: because he believed that leadership was the key to unlocking 242 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:39,800 Speaker 2: the potential of public education. I agree with him. And 243 00:14:40,360 --> 00:14:44,120 Speaker 2: Michelle Ree was on his board. And Michelle was the 244 00:14:44,240 --> 00:14:47,880 Speaker 2: chancellor of DC Public Schools, had just started been there 245 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:51,200 Speaker 2: nine months or so, and she called me and said, hey, Tata, 246 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:53,320 Speaker 2: I need a general to come in and run my 247 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:57,760 Speaker 2: business operation so I can focus on academics. And so 248 00:14:57,840 --> 00:14:59,760 Speaker 2: I did that, and Michelle and I to this day 249 00:15:00,120 --> 00:15:03,200 Speaker 2: and very close friends. She was awesome. She was thirty seven. 250 00:15:03,240 --> 00:15:06,080 Speaker 2: I was forty seven. The Washington Post did a big 251 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:08,520 Speaker 2: article on how's this general going to work for? 252 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:11,560 Speaker 3: You know, young woman and all that. It was crazy. 253 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:15,080 Speaker 2: And then Waite County, that's Raleigh, North Carolina, fifteenth largest 254 00:15:15,080 --> 00:15:18,320 Speaker 2: system in the country, recruited me. They just had a 255 00:15:18,440 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 2: change in twenty ten, Tea Party of Revolution. School board 256 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:25,920 Speaker 2: went from Democrat to Republican. They wanted somebody to come 257 00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:29,960 Speaker 2: in with leadership skills outside the system. Turns out I 258 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:32,560 Speaker 2: was that guy. Certainly, we did a lot of good there, 259 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:35,200 Speaker 2: and probably one of the most rewarding parts of my 260 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:40,440 Speaker 2: life so far has been implementing the programming within you know, 261 00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:43,000 Speaker 2: the one hundred and fifty thousand students, one hundred and 262 00:15:43,000 --> 00:15:47,760 Speaker 2: seventy schools, eighteen thousand employees in Waite County. We established 263 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:52,240 Speaker 2: leadership academies, young Men's Academy, young women's Academy, a career 264 00:15:52,320 --> 00:15:57,360 Speaker 2: tech academy. We created innovative programming think about charter schools 265 00:15:57,360 --> 00:16:01,080 Speaker 2: within a public school system that could with charter schools 266 00:16:01,080 --> 00:16:04,160 Speaker 2: that were outside the public school system. And I wanted 267 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:07,280 Speaker 2: parents voting with their feet inside the district. And it 268 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:10,720 Speaker 2: was effective. Last year, the two leadership academies had the 269 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 2: highest proficiency rates and graduation rates in the state of 270 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:17,720 Speaker 2: North Carolina. That kind of stuff makes me feel good. 271 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:20,120 Speaker 2: I know that I made a difference. And then Pat 272 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:22,840 Speaker 2: McCrory called me up and said, hey, I just wanted 273 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:26,720 Speaker 2: to being governor. Will you be my transportation Secretary. I 274 00:16:26,760 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 2: think it was more a move to take me off 275 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:31,880 Speaker 2: the chessboard because Tom Tillis was getting ready to run 276 00:16:31,920 --> 00:16:34,320 Speaker 2: for Senate, and you know, there are a lot of 277 00:16:34,360 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 2: rumors about me and all that, and I got in line, 278 00:16:37,480 --> 00:16:40,000 Speaker 2: and then some things didn't happen they were supposed to happen, 279 00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 2: and you know, here we are today. 280 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:42,120 Speaker 3: But that's fine. 281 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:45,680 Speaker 1: I'm just saying about the totally different application of skills 282 00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 1: from thinking about education to thinking about the state transportation system. 283 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:52,320 Speaker 1: Did you enjoy that? 284 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:57,680 Speaker 2: I did, in part because Pat was such a transportation 285 00:16:57,800 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 2: focused governor, was such a big part of his platform. 286 00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:04,320 Speaker 2: First of all, the leadership part is transferable. It's all 287 00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:07,760 Speaker 2: about caring about loving the people you lead. I had 288 00:17:07,800 --> 00:17:11,600 Speaker 2: twelve thousand employees in the Department of Transportation. I had 289 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:14,720 Speaker 2: an airplane I could get around the state King air 290 00:17:14,840 --> 00:17:17,680 Speaker 2: that I would take to go visit with people, Understand 291 00:17:17,720 --> 00:17:20,000 Speaker 2: what they were doing, have them show me what's important 292 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:23,840 Speaker 2: in their engineer districts. You know, you're working with engineers, 293 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:27,680 Speaker 2: professional engineers, super left brain. Trying to help them see 294 00:17:27,720 --> 00:17:30,600 Speaker 2: the vision was the fun part for me because they 295 00:17:30,720 --> 00:17:32,879 Speaker 2: do it brick by brick, and sometimes you need to 296 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:35,000 Speaker 2: build it from the top down, and there were a 297 00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:38,560 Speaker 2: lot of great conversations, but so many good people that 298 00:17:38,680 --> 00:17:41,080 Speaker 2: I got to work with in my time in North Carolina. 299 00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:43,480 Speaker 3: I really enjoyed all those skills. 300 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:46,800 Speaker 2: Whether you're talking to a soldier in a foxhoil, a 301 00:17:46,880 --> 00:17:50,040 Speaker 2: teacher in a classroom, or a transportation worker at the 302 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:53,239 Speaker 2: port operating a crane, it's all the same. You got 303 00:17:53,280 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 2: to care about them, you've got to understand what they need, 304 00:17:55,640 --> 00:18:12,880 Speaker 2: and you've got to resource them. 305 00:18:12,920 --> 00:18:17,439 Speaker 1: With all of these skills, you pivot and you start writing, 306 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:21,480 Speaker 1: and you write fiction, which I think is vastly harder 307 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:22,200 Speaker 1: than nonfiction. 308 00:18:22,359 --> 00:18:25,840 Speaker 3: I agree with you. What led you down that road? 309 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:26,879 Speaker 1: You know? 310 00:18:27,040 --> 00:18:30,879 Speaker 2: I had always wanted to write. I was one of 311 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:34,879 Speaker 2: these kids to teachers as parents that read a lot. 312 00:18:34,960 --> 00:18:37,439 Speaker 2: And then I started reading. Why am I so interested 313 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:40,000 Speaker 2: in what I'm reading? And you know how to write 314 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:41,800 Speaker 2: a book, how to write a novel, how to write 315 00:18:41,800 --> 00:18:45,320 Speaker 2: a mystery. You know Stephen King's Dancy maccobb on writing 316 00:18:45,400 --> 00:18:48,439 Speaker 2: by Stephen King, you know several other books, and I 317 00:18:48,480 --> 00:18:52,320 Speaker 2: just started writing. I remember Tom Clancy came and visited 318 00:18:52,359 --> 00:18:53,360 Speaker 2: my troops one time. 319 00:18:53,440 --> 00:18:56,840 Speaker 3: He was writing the Airborne Book, and he. 320 00:18:56,880 --> 00:19:01,040 Speaker 2: Was smoking like a chimney, and we were packing out 321 00:19:01,160 --> 00:19:03,760 Speaker 2: for a jump and he wanted to see that, you know, 322 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:06,560 Speaker 2: and I'd put this guy in. There's Tom Clancy smoke 323 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:10,080 Speaker 2: and standing there talking to paratroopers with parachutes on. That's 324 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:12,879 Speaker 2: rule number one is don't let any fire near a parachute, 325 00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:16,159 Speaker 2: right because you might burn a static line or something. 326 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 2: And so my sardin major comes love and starts yelling. 327 00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:20,040 Speaker 3: At it, like who is this guy. 328 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:22,800 Speaker 2: I'm like, mister Clancy, we're going to move him over here. 329 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 2: But he said famously, if you want to be a writer, 330 00:19:25,920 --> 00:19:28,200 Speaker 2: then right. So I started writing, and I've been writing 331 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 2: most of my life. I've always enjoyed it. I love 332 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:34,080 Speaker 2: the creative aspect to it, and certainly Failings Code is 333 00:19:34,119 --> 00:19:37,960 Speaker 2: book sixteen for me with Sam Martin's Press McMillan. They're 334 00:19:38,000 --> 00:19:42,160 Speaker 2: a great publisher, My editor, Mark Residik is fantastic. I've 335 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:46,199 Speaker 2: received great support from them, in from Kensington Books, my 336 00:19:46,240 --> 00:19:49,240 Speaker 2: other publisher that published a series of books for me. 337 00:19:49,359 --> 00:19:51,240 Speaker 2: So I love the creative process. 338 00:19:51,440 --> 00:19:52,720 Speaker 1: Did you have any idea you're going to end up 339 00:19:52,720 --> 00:19:56,400 Speaker 1: writing a series rather than a single book. Yeah. 340 00:19:56,440 --> 00:20:00,119 Speaker 2: I think I created a group of people that I 341 00:20:00,200 --> 00:20:03,760 Speaker 2: wanted to base a series on. I like reading series. 342 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:06,200 Speaker 2: You know, it's that old saying that you're an author, 343 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:09,639 Speaker 2: you know, write what you like to read, not necessarily 344 00:20:09,640 --> 00:20:12,920 Speaker 2: what you know. And so I like to read series. 345 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:15,440 Speaker 2: I like to read thrillers. I like to read mysteries, 346 00:20:15,800 --> 00:20:18,399 Speaker 2: and so that kind of form. I got typecasts a 347 00:20:18,400 --> 00:20:20,160 Speaker 2: little bit as a former military guy. 348 00:20:20,560 --> 00:20:22,120 Speaker 3: Hey give me a military thriller. 349 00:20:22,520 --> 00:20:25,720 Speaker 2: So I did some of that, but I also made 350 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:28,520 Speaker 2: a little bit more Jack Reacher Lee Child kind of 351 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:30,360 Speaker 2: guy with one of my series. 352 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:31,680 Speaker 3: So and I love it. 353 00:20:31,800 --> 00:20:33,359 Speaker 1: How many total books have you written? 354 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:34,440 Speaker 3: Sixteen? 355 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:38,240 Speaker 2: This is my sixteenth published one. My first thing I 356 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:42,200 Speaker 2: ever wrote is unpublished. It's called The Last Gamble and 357 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:45,600 Speaker 2: it's a story about a Heisman trophy running back at 358 00:20:45,640 --> 00:20:48,240 Speaker 2: West Point who gets caught in a mob point shaving scheme. 359 00:20:48,960 --> 00:20:53,359 Speaker 2: And that's ultra fiction because it's been a long time 360 00:20:53,400 --> 00:20:55,760 Speaker 2: since West Points had a Heisman trophy running back. 361 00:20:56,400 --> 00:21:00,480 Speaker 1: Still one can hope. How do you conceptualize somebody like 362 00:21:00,520 --> 00:21:01,359 Speaker 1: Garrett Sinclair? 363 00:21:02,280 --> 00:21:05,560 Speaker 2: Great question, Sinclair, I spent a lot of time drafting 364 00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:08,440 Speaker 2: out his bio. I had talked to my agent at 365 00:21:08,480 --> 00:21:11,480 Speaker 2: Trident Media, and when San Martin signed me to a 366 00:21:11,560 --> 00:21:14,360 Speaker 2: new contract, they wanted sort of a new thing. And 367 00:21:14,400 --> 00:21:17,280 Speaker 2: my agent said, Tony, you're a general. Give him a general, 368 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:19,879 Speaker 2: and you can make it about whatever you want. But 369 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:24,000 Speaker 2: make the protagonist someone that you can go deep on 370 00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:27,800 Speaker 2: and reflective of your core values or whatever. 371 00:21:27,520 --> 00:21:30,600 Speaker 3: It is that you want. So my agent and I. 372 00:21:30,520 --> 00:21:32,560 Speaker 2: Had talked about this and I agreed with him, and 373 00:21:32,600 --> 00:21:36,000 Speaker 2: so mapping out Sinclair, you know, he meets his wife 374 00:21:36,040 --> 00:21:39,600 Speaker 2: in church in Fayetteville, probably near bellefeed and Seed. He 375 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:41,680 Speaker 2: went to high school in Fayetteville. He was the son 376 00:21:41,760 --> 00:21:45,240 Speaker 2: of a paratrooper West Point grad. His grandfather was a 377 00:21:45,359 --> 00:21:49,560 Speaker 2: ranger at Normandy and that's actually how Feline starts, as 378 00:21:49,600 --> 00:21:53,080 Speaker 2: his grandfather scaleing the cliffs of Point de Hak. And 379 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:59,919 Speaker 2: so this lineage of military duty, which I do not have. 380 00:22:00,160 --> 00:22:02,879 Speaker 2: My father served as two years in the army. But 381 00:22:03,320 --> 00:22:07,200 Speaker 2: I wanted somebody who had this measuring stick against him, 382 00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:10,320 Speaker 2: something to live up to, to prove whether or not 383 00:22:10,359 --> 00:22:12,520 Speaker 2: he wanted to prove that and create that sort of 384 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 2: internal dynamic. And then he's got two children. And so 385 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:20,879 Speaker 2: my previous protagonist had been Jake Mahigan, a loaner, former 386 00:22:20,920 --> 00:22:23,680 Speaker 2: Delta Force operative, Native American from the Outer Banks in 387 00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:26,760 Speaker 2: North Carolina, they could not be more different. 388 00:22:27,160 --> 00:22:29,359 Speaker 3: Jake had no responsibility to anybody. 389 00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:34,200 Speaker 2: Garrett Sinclair not only has a family and responsibility to them, 390 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:37,199 Speaker 2: but he has responsibility to all of his troops. He 391 00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:42,000 Speaker 2: leads the Joint Special Operations Command, He leads a subunit 392 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:45,440 Speaker 2: of Joint Special Ops called Test Wars Dagger that does 393 00:22:45,600 --> 00:22:49,960 Speaker 2: presidential directed missions. And that's kind of the unique fictional 394 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:53,120 Speaker 2: part of this. And so he personally goes on these 395 00:22:53,160 --> 00:22:57,159 Speaker 2: missions at the president who in my development of the 396 00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:02,199 Speaker 2: character Sinclair's wife as a college roommate of who is 397 00:23:02,240 --> 00:23:06,520 Speaker 2: now the president, Kim Campbell. And there's some question as 398 00:23:06,560 --> 00:23:10,000 Speaker 2: to whether or not Campbell helped off his wife or not, 399 00:23:10,119 --> 00:23:12,119 Speaker 2: which happens in the first book in the series. 400 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:13,719 Speaker 3: So there's that tension. 401 00:23:13,840 --> 00:23:18,840 Speaker 2: So I wanted multiple layers of tension, ultra responsible And 402 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:23,120 Speaker 2: now in Falanx Code, what we see is that he's 403 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:26,120 Speaker 2: been through so much in the first two books. And 404 00:23:26,160 --> 00:23:28,440 Speaker 2: you don't have to read the first two to understand 405 00:23:28,600 --> 00:23:33,679 Speaker 2: or get into Faalanx. But the country's politically divided. You 406 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:38,919 Speaker 2: have two tech giants think on one side the worst 407 00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:44,639 Speaker 2: attributes of Google and Facebook colluding with the government to 408 00:23:44,840 --> 00:23:50,000 Speaker 2: consume personal identity, personal financial data to control people. 409 00:23:50,040 --> 00:23:51,720 Speaker 3: And then on the other side. 410 00:23:51,880 --> 00:23:56,480 Speaker 2: Think Elon Musk and X which is called Project Optimists, 411 00:23:57,160 --> 00:24:03,960 Speaker 2: and Optimists co opts and Claire into helping defend his 412 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:09,679 Speaker 2: developers who are developing decentralized Wi Fi, decentralized finance, all 413 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:14,440 Speaker 2: the dydfi crypto, all of that helping people protect their 414 00:24:14,480 --> 00:24:19,840 Speaker 2: personal information. So it's big tech against decentralized tech. And 415 00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:22,199 Speaker 2: Sinclair gets caught in the middle of this, and in 416 00:24:22,240 --> 00:24:27,400 Speaker 2: the meantime learns a devastating secret about his grandfather who 417 00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:29,960 Speaker 2: scaled the cliffs appoint to Hawk. 418 00:24:30,640 --> 00:24:34,400 Speaker 1: This isn't just purely military in the sense of violence 419 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:37,600 Speaker 1: and those kind of things. You really get into the 420 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:40,560 Speaker 1: whole issue of cyber behavior and the impact of the 421 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:44,399 Speaker 1: cyber world and how cyber warfare can evolve. How do 422 00:24:44,440 --> 00:24:47,280 Speaker 1: you see all of that evolving and its impact both 423 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:50,840 Speaker 1: on our civilian lives and also on the whole system 424 00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:51,840 Speaker 1: of national security. 425 00:24:52,400 --> 00:24:54,000 Speaker 3: That's what this book is really about. 426 00:24:54,040 --> 00:24:59,159 Speaker 2: That's the theme of the book is unchecked technological advancements. 427 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:03,760 Speaker 2: Looting with government in a techno fascist way is probably 428 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:07,240 Speaker 2: the greatest threat to mankind today. And that's what Garrett 429 00:25:07,240 --> 00:25:12,280 Speaker 2: Sinclair in Faalanx code is defending against and when I 430 00:25:12,359 --> 00:25:16,520 Speaker 2: think about in my personal business, in my private life, 431 00:25:16,760 --> 00:25:21,199 Speaker 2: I work with logistics companies and defense companies and energy 432 00:25:21,200 --> 00:25:25,160 Speaker 2: companies and aerospace companies, and the rate at which AI 433 00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:30,560 Speaker 2: is changing just the information landscape is really breathtaking. And 434 00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:34,160 Speaker 2: so here what we have is sort of a fictionalized 435 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:39,680 Speaker 2: version of that where the Failanx Corporation has created a 436 00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:43,040 Speaker 2: way to every time you touch your phone, it knows 437 00:25:43,080 --> 00:25:45,320 Speaker 2: where you are, it knows what you're looking at, is 438 00:25:45,400 --> 00:25:47,520 Speaker 2: listening to you. And I know a lot of that 439 00:25:47,600 --> 00:25:52,960 Speaker 2: already happens, but take that to it's logical extension where 440 00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:57,480 Speaker 2: you have zero privacy, All the cameras on your phone, 441 00:25:57,560 --> 00:26:01,200 Speaker 2: your iPad, your MacBook are all looking back at you 442 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:04,640 Speaker 2: twenty four to seven year ring camera in a constant 443 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 2: surveillance state, and then all your personal data that they 444 00:26:09,600 --> 00:26:11,720 Speaker 2: have to use against you. 445 00:26:11,800 --> 00:26:15,600 Speaker 3: Did you pay every dime of your taxes? Arbitrary? 446 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:20,200 Speaker 2: People think about the guy, mister speaker who was call 447 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:23,280 Speaker 2: on Twitter, some thirty year old guy or whatever in 448 00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:27,480 Speaker 2: the administration call on Twitter saying I don't like these 449 00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:30,320 Speaker 2: accounts here because they're saying bad things about the president. 450 00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:34,240 Speaker 2: Take them down, and Twitter took them down. That's the 451 00:26:34,359 --> 00:26:37,359 Speaker 2: analog version of what I'm talking about. Now, you just 452 00:26:37,400 --> 00:26:40,280 Speaker 2: automate that, like, Okay, this is speech I don't like. 453 00:26:40,359 --> 00:26:42,520 Speaker 2: This is somebody I don't like. This is somebody saying 454 00:26:42,560 --> 00:26:46,920 Speaker 2: stuff that's counter to my narrative. Make it shut down automatically. 455 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:50,879 Speaker 1: If you look at the Chinese communist social credit model, 456 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:55,480 Speaker 1: that's literally parallel. I mean, it's the use of totolitarian knowledge. 457 00:26:55,680 --> 00:26:58,879 Speaker 1: So if you're not behaving properly, you can't get on 458 00:26:58,920 --> 00:27:01,720 Speaker 1: an airplane. 459 00:27:02,400 --> 00:27:04,560 Speaker 3: We're not far from that. I don't think. 460 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:07,639 Speaker 1: I mean, I think it's fascinating. I think, frankly, your 461 00:27:07,640 --> 00:27:11,240 Speaker 1: whole life lends itself to someday being an autobiography. I mean, 462 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:14,640 Speaker 1: put a memoir with all the different things you've done 463 00:27:14,880 --> 00:27:18,080 Speaker 1: as an army brat. If I want to thank you 464 00:27:18,240 --> 00:27:20,919 Speaker 1: for your service to our country, and I want to 465 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:23,600 Speaker 1: recommend to our listeners to get a copy of your 466 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:28,040 Speaker 1: new book, The FEALANX Code, a Garrett Sinclair novel, which 467 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:31,080 Speaker 1: is available now at Amazon and in bookstores everywhere. And 468 00:27:31,119 --> 00:27:33,879 Speaker 1: I have a hunch once they get into your world, 469 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:36,280 Speaker 1: they're going to look at all those other books and 470 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:38,800 Speaker 1: decide they have to have them, but thank you very 471 00:27:38,840 --> 00:27:41,359 Speaker 1: much for spending the time talking with us. 472 00:27:41,600 --> 00:27:43,960 Speaker 2: Thank you, it's better privilege, and thank you for being 473 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:44,760 Speaker 2: an army brat. 474 00:27:44,760 --> 00:27:46,360 Speaker 3: That's a tough job in its own right. 475 00:27:49,600 --> 00:27:52,439 Speaker 1: Thank you to my guest, Brigadier General Anthony Tata. You 476 00:27:52,480 --> 00:27:55,080 Speaker 1: can get a link to buy his book The Falanx 477 00:27:55,119 --> 00:27:58,840 Speaker 1: Code on our show page at newtsworld dot com. Newtsworld 478 00:27:58,880 --> 00:28:03,240 Speaker 1: is produced by English sixty and iHeartMedia. Our executive producer 479 00:28:03,640 --> 00:28:08,199 Speaker 1: is Guernsey Sloan. Our researcher is Rachel Peterson. The artwork 480 00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:12,399 Speaker 1: for the show was created by Steve Penley. Special thanks 481 00:28:12,400 --> 00:28:15,320 Speaker 1: to the team at Gingrish three sixty. If you've been 482 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:18,919 Speaker 1: enjoying Newtsworld, I hope you'll go to Apple Podcasts and 483 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:21,840 Speaker 1: both rate us with five stars and give us a 484 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:25,960 Speaker 1: review so others can learn what it's all about. Right now, 485 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:30,400 Speaker 1: listeners of Newtsworld can sign up for my three freeweekly 486 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:35,880 Speaker 1: columns at gingristree sixty dot com slash newsletter. I'm newt Gingrich. 487 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:37,280 Speaker 1: This is Nutsworld.