

Phoenix Cast
Task Force Phoenix
A podcast about cybersecurity, technology and innovation issues in the military.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jan 14, 2026 • 1h 1min
Current Events to start 2026
In this episode of the Phoenix Cast, hosts John and Kyle kick off 2026 with a jam-packed current events roundup covering the React to Shell vulnerability (think Log4Shell but for the front end), the Marine Corps' new drone training requirements, Google's TPU announcements that might have NVIDIA sweating, and the launch of GenAI.mil. They also share some exciting podcast milestones, dish out their 2026 predictions, and Kyle reveals his holiday vendetta against PowerPoint that resulted in building his own AI-powered presentation tool.We'd love to hear your thoughts! Tweet us at our new handle, @ThePhoenixCast, and don't forget to join our LinkedIn Group to connect with fellow Phoenix Casters. If you enjoyed the episode, help us out by leaving one of those coveted 5-star reviews on Apple Podcasts. Thanks for listening!LinksKyle’s “The 8 Levels of AI Learning for Modern Commanders”https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/8-levels-ai-learning-modern-commanders-kyle-kmo-moschetto-mxuycReactShell:https://securityboulevard.com/2026/01/top-cves-of-december-2025/TorchTPU:https://hyperframeresearch.com/2025/12/24/can-googles-torchtpu-eventually-bridge-nvidias-cuda-moat/ WSJ: “Why AI Will Widen the Gap Between Superstars and Everybody Else”https://www.wsj.com/lifestyle/workplace/ai-workplace-tensions-what-to-do-c45f6b51?reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink USMC drone program: https://www.marines.mil/News/Messages/Messages-Display/Article/4366306/approved-training-requirements-for-small-unmanned-aerial-systems/USMC AI WORKSHOP MARADMINhttps://www.marines.mil/News/Messages/Messages-Display/Article/4367572/united-states-marines-corps-generative-and-agentic-artificial-intelligence-work/II MEF Leadership AI:https://www.iimef.marines.mil/News/article-display/Article/4364616/ii-mef-advanced-ai-command-course/ Self-Paced AI Training (Military discount available)https://ftcg.io/self-paced-training Vibe Coding book (Gene Kim and Steve Yegge):https://itrevolution.com/product/vibe-coding-book/Gas Town:https://steve-yegge.medium.com/welcome-to-gas-town-4f25ee16dd04

Dec 30, 2025 • 50min
DC I - General Carter
In this episode of Phoenix Cast, hosts John and Kyle are joined by special guest LtGen Jerry Carter, the Marine Corps Deputy Commandant for Information. They discuss the evolution of the DCI role, the cultural and organizational challenges of building a cohesive information warfare community, the urgency of adapting faster in cyberspace and AI, and why winning future conflicts requires rethinking how the Marine Corps fights, learns, and innovates in a persistent state of competition.We'd love to hear your thoughts! Tweet us at our new handle, @ThePhoenixCast, and don't forget to join our LinkedIn Group to connect with fellow Phoenix Casters. If you enjoyed the episode, help us out by leaving one of those coveted 5-star reviews on Apple Podcasts. Thanks for listening!Links:Books mentioned:-The Kill Chain - https://a.co/d/iWefKB4-Next War: Reimaginging How We Fight - https://a.co/d/8l0dDqz-Unit X: How the Pentagon and Silicon Valley Are Transforming the Future of War - https://a.co/d/faqu9uZ

Dec 23, 2025 • 1h 10min
Gen Heritage
In this episode of Phoenix Cast, hosts John, Rich, and Kyle are joined by special guest MajGen (ret) Ryan Heritage - the former J3 (Director of Operations) for US Cyber Command, and Commander of Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command. We'd love to hear your thoughts! Tweet us at our new handle, @ThePhoenixCast, and don't forget to join our LinkedIn Group to connect with fellow Phoenix Casters. If you enjoyed the episode, help us out by leaving one of those coveted 5-star reviews on Apple Podcasts. Thanks for listening!

Nov 13, 2025 • 1h 9min
Marine Corps AI
In this episode of Phoenix Cast, hosts John, Rich, and Kyle are joined by special guest Capt Chris Clark - the Marine Corps Artificial Intelligence Lead in the Marine Corps Deputy CLinks:-(USMC Fellowships) https://www.marines.mil/News/Messages/Messages-Display/Article/4315247/fy26-artificial-intelligence-fellowship-programs/-https://www.marines.mil/News/Messages/Messages-Display/Article/4325857/update-to-maradmin-46025-fy26-artificial-intelligence-fellowship-programs/ -(Private Sector Solutions) https://www.anduril.com/article/anduril-s-eagleeye-puts-mommandant for Information Service Data Office to discuss Marine Corps AI. Have a listen, and let us know what you think!We'd love to hear your thoughts! Tweet us at our new handle, @ThePhoenixCast, and don't forget to join our LinkedIn Group to connect with fellow Phoenix Casters. If you enjoyed the episode, help us out by leaving one of those coveted 5-star reviews on Apple Podcasts. Thanks for listening!ission-command-and-ai-directly-into-the-warfighter-s-helmet/ -(Inference at the Edge) https://research.ibm.com/blog/northpole-ibm-ai-chip Kurzgesagt video on AI Slop AI Slop Is Destroying The Internet

Nov 7, 2025 • 1h 1min
Future of Comm Part 3
In this episode of the Phoenix Cast, hosts John, Rich, and Kyle are joined by special guests Cols Russ Belt and Kevin Stepp, the II MEF and I MEF G-6s. They continue the discussion started by Col Matt Schroer on Episode 122, and LtCols Berdela and Henderson on Episode 123 about the future of communications formations. We'd love to hear your thoughts! Tweet us at our new handle, @ThePhoenixCast, and don't forget to join our LinkedIn Group to connect with fellow Phoenix Casters. If you enjoyed the episode, help us out by leaving one of those coveted 5-star reviews on Apple Podcasts. Thanks for listening!

Oct 24, 2025 • 1h 17min
CSIS Cyber Force Project
In this episode of the Phoenix Cast, hosts John and Kyle are joined by special guests Josh Stiefel and LTG (ret) Edward Cardon, the architects of CSIS’ Cyber Force project. We'd love to hear your thoughts! Tweet us at our new handle, @ThePhoenixCast, and don't forget to join our LinkedIn Group to connect with fellow Phoenix Casters. If you enjoyed the episode, help us out by leaving one of those coveted 5-star reviews on Apple Podcasts. Thanks for listening!Links:CSIS announcement: https://youtu.be/f-u_P9yp6AI?si=ykRebsVoEtFC3BkPCSIS 16 Sept panel: https://www.csis.org/events/launch-commission-us-cyber-force-generationMcCrary Institute: Cyber Force, ROI, and the Case for Reform with Ed Cardon & Josh Stiefel

Sep 30, 2025 • 55min
Current events: AI for payments, more vulns
What should leaders take from Brickstorm, a 150-year-old company felled by one password, and an easy Microsoft global-admin misstep—plus how agent-to-agent payments could evolve? In this episode of the Phoenix Cast, hosts John and Kyle connect the dots for you. Have a listen, and let us know what you think!We'd love to hear your thoughts! Tweet us at our new handle, @ThePhoenixCast, and https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/google-brickstorm-malware-used-to-steal-us-orgs-data-for-over-a-year/https://thehackernews.com/2025/09/how-one-bad-password-ended-158-year-old.html?m=1don't forget to join our LinkedIn Group to connect with fellow Phoenix Casters. If you enjoyed the episode, help us out by leaving one of those coveted 5-star reviews on Apple Podcasts. Thanks for listening!Links:https://dirkjanm.io/obtaining-global-admin-in-every-entra-id-tenant-with-actor-tokens/https://colinmcnamara.com/blog/understanding-a2a-ap2-protocols-builder-guide

Sep 12, 2025 • 1h 19min
Future of Comm Part 2
This conversation features John Henderson and Glenn Berdela, Commanding Officers of key communications battalions, who share their expertise in military communication. They discuss the evolution of technology in military operations and the importance of teamwork for combat readiness. The pair dive into integrating joint force strategies and modernizing military operations, highlighting the significance of adapting to contemporary demands. They also touch on the challenges young Marines face in a changing environment, all while throwing in some entertaining college football rivalries.

Aug 19, 2025 • 1h 12min
Future of Comm Part 1
In this episode of the Phoenix Cast, hosts John and Kyle are joined by special guest Col Matt Schroer - Enterprise and Expeditionary Communications Branch Head, Deputy Commandant for Information (DC I), Information Command, Control, Communications and Computers (IC4). They discuss the future of Marine Corps communications and some of the work being done to move the Marine Corps enterprise forward. We'd love to hear your thoughts! Tweet us at our new handle, @ThePhoenixCast, and don't forget to join our LinkedIn Group to connect with fellow Phoenix Casters. If you enjoyed the episode, help us out by leaving one of those coveted 5-star reviews on Apple Podcasts. Thanks for listening!

Aug 11, 2025 • 54min
Thunderstruck
In this episode of Phoenix Cast, hosts John, Rich, and Kyle are joined by special guest LtCol Brian Kerg - Commanding Officer of Comm Squadron 38 to discuss the basics of a Communications Squadron, and an upcoming competition that MWCS-38 will be having - Thunderstruck. Have a listen, and let us know what you think!We'd love to hear your thoughts! Tweet us at our new handle, @ThePhoenixCast, and don't forget to join our LinkedIn Group to connect with fellow Phoenix Casters. If you enjoyed the episode, help us out by leaving one of those coveted 5-star reviews on Apple Podcasts. Thanks for listening!Links:ThunderStruck Announcement on LinkedIn: https://rb.gy/19d6y2ThunderStruck Announcement from ‘Do You Even Comm, Bro?’ on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DMVcy-msnoM/?hl=enMWCS-38 Homepage: https://www.3rdmaw.marines.mil/Units/MACG-38/MWCS-38/Marine Corps Warfighting Publication 3-20: Aviation Operations https://www.marines.mil/Portals/1/Publications/MCWP%203-20%20Formerly%20MCWP%203-2.pdf?ver=2017-10-11-094942-787MWCS-38 at Project Convergence Capstone 5: https://defensescoop.com/2025/04/14/marines-accomplish-two-communications-firsts-at-armys-project-convergence/MWCS-38 Developing the Comm-Sensor Integration Team: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/492346/project-convergence-capstone-5-returns-california-expands-indo-pacific-aorMarine Corps Aviation Learning Management System (MCALMS): https://mcalms.usmc.mil/Maneuver Chess: Integrating Think and Fight Drills into Military Training: https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2024/november/maneuver-chess-integrating-think-and-fight-drills-militaryInternal MWCS-38 Super Squad Competition review on LinkedIn : https://shorturl.at/6c9Gi


