EP76 Shooting For The Moon with Janet Petro `81, Director at NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center

In this episode, we sit down with the extraordinary Kathleen Hildreth, the 2024 West Point Distinguished Graduate Award recipient. Kathleen shares her awe-inspiring journey from a cadet at West Point to founding M1 Support Services, a company that stands at the forefront of supporting the Department of Defense. Her story is one of unwavering dedication, from her early days in Army aviation to becoming one of America's richest self-made women, as recognized by Forbes. Her success is not just measured in financial milestones but also in her philanthropic endeavors, including her significant contributions to the Wounded Warrior Project and West Point's initiatives.

Kathleen Hildreth is West Point’s most commercially successful woman graduate to date. A member of the Glee Club and Protestant Chapel Choir as a cadet, Hildreth was commissioned as an Aviation officer. She flew VIPs in Korea and then served as a Maintenance Test Pilot at Hunter Army Airfield before choosing to remove the uniform in 1988 as a captain. While she left the Army, her service continued. After positions of increasing responsibility with Fortune 500 companies, Hildreth founded M1 Support Services in 2003. Through her leadership, M1, a nearly billion-dollar service company, has supported the DoD in over 43 CONUS locations and OCONUS in Iraq, Afghanistan, Chad, Djibouti, Japan, Korea, Germany, Lithuania, and 27 other countries. M1’s critical support earned the Army Aviation Association of America’s Material Readiness Award for Contributions by a Major Contractor in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023. With her entrepreneurial success and exceptional leadership, Hildreth was the first veteran named to the Forbes list of “America’s Richest Self-Made Women” in 2019 and every year since. In 2023, Forbes also selected her to the prestigious “50 over 50” list.  Since 2020, she has served on the board of the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP). She was inducted into West Point’s Omar N. Bradley Lifetime Giving Society in 2023. Hildreth has addressed the West Point Entrepreneurs, cadet academic classes, and the Corbin Forum

The episode delves into her leadership style, the challenges and successes of being an entrepreneur, her philanthropic efforts, and her insights into government contracting and the future of innovation in this space. It also touches on the importance of culture, employee management, safety, and strategic risk mitigation in building a successful business.

Key Quote:

“Like any organization, having the right people in the right positions is one of the most challenging things that you can do, and hiring the right people. We're, we're fortunate that a lot of what we do is related to the military, so a lot of the people we hire are retired military, former military, they already have discipline. They already understand the mission. They're mission-focused focused and to a large degree, they're self-motivated and they don't require a lot of extra motivation. But, you know, we did something here, I was mentioning not liking the bureaucracy,  a lot of large companies will set up a, you know, a framework for this position is a You know, grade 10, step 3, you know, whatever, and it's very bureaucratic and you hire a person into that position that you try to fit in that box. Taking the entrepreneurial view to it. We said, ‘Okay, let's go find good people, and let's figure out what their skills are, and let's figure out the best way to deploy them in the organization, rather than to put them in this, you know, grade three-step, whatever.’ And that has really, I think, paid dividends for, for our management team.” -Kathy Hildreth, Managing Director & Principal for M1 Support Services;  Class of ’83

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Episode Timestamps:

(00:27) Kathy’s career accomplishments

(05:07) Kathy’s inspiration to attend West Point

(11:03) Launching the M1 Support Services and springboarding into Gov’t contracts

(20:35) Finding small business opportunities with the government 

(28:55) Recruiting high-end talent to your organization

(31:50) Stepping into AI and Machine Learning

(34:55) Keeping small businesses comfortable as small businesses 

(37:28) Engaging with contract officers

(39:15) Learning to grow from failure 

(42:58) Mission first focused on culture

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Links:

Connect with Kathy

Visit M1 Support Services Website

Support the Wounded Warrior Project

On this episode, join Sam Kazmer, Class of 2011, and Devin T. Adams, Class of 2013, as they reflect on their West Point legacies and how these experiences carved out their leadership roles.

Sam Kazmer is a metro Atlanta native and West Point Class of '11. At West Point, Sam studied Economics and competed on the Nordic Ski Team. Upon graduation in 2011, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Infantry and stationed in Vicenza, Italy, with the 173rd Airborne. Following service there, Sam was selected to serve with the 2d Ranger Battalion in Tacoma, WA. After sustaining training injuries during a parachuting crash while conducting an airfield seizure exercise, Sam was medically retired from the Army in 2017. Upon retirement, Sam and his wife, Sara, began their journey in entrepreneurship by traveling through North America, South America, and Europe to develop a concept for a craft brewery. In 2019, they returned to Atlanta, GA, and opened Elsewhere Brewing Co in October 2020. In September 2023, they opened a second location in Atlanta. Currently, Sam is the CEO of Elsewhere Brewing Co. as he continues to search for new and novel ways to grow Elsewhere as a business and a brand.

Devin T. Adams, Class of '13 (D-1), is the CEO and Founder of What’s A Roadblock Beverage Company (WARBEVCO.), a portfolio of brands that currently owns two award-winning mezcal brands: Sigiloso and Mala Mía Mezcal. Devin T. is a Vanderbilt Law School graduate and studied Economics and Systems Engineering at West Point. Devin T. served as a Ranger qualified Fire Support Officer in the 173rd Airborne Brigade and as an enlisted Infantryman in the 82nd Airborne Division, completing a deployment to Afghanistan in OEF XII.

Join Sam and Devin as they discuss their time at West Point and how they developed an entrepreneurial spirit and strong leadership they use today in their small businesses.

Key Quotes:

“I'd say, you know, at West Point, I definitely,  what am I trying to figure out? I'm trying to figure out how to be a leader because I need to, I need to figure that out real fast because I guess I'm going to show up to the 173rd, and sure enough.  I show up to the 173rd, I'm there for two months, and we're in Afghanistan. And in the first month we're there two or three officers had gotten killed right off the bat. And I would say like four or five platoon leaders lost their jobs. So it was like I need to figure this out and the consequences are real.” -Sam Kazmer

 “There's just so much, so much care, like the sponsor system at West Point, I think is such a great idea. The professors, I couldn't really, I was being a hardheaded 19, 20-year-old when we were at school, but I'm just so thankful for all the, the professors that poured into me over the years.I think again, back to our economics degree, I'm fascinated by how advanced the level of understanding that they were pushing on us was because I really felt like I  understood a lot of things from a very like from an academic and theoretical level.” -Devin T. Adams

Episode Timestamps:

01:42 Reflecting on the Journey to West Point

04:20 The Challenges and Lessons of West Point

12:45 Transitioning into Entrepreneurship

15:39 The Impact of Military Training on Business

20:26 The Role of Perseverance in Entrepreneurship

23:07 Preparation and Planning in Entrepreneurship

37:37 Applying Military Principles in Business

39:14 The Importance of Teamwork and Mentorship

45:11 Overcoming Failure and Embracing Growth

55:18 The Power of Community and Networking

57:14 The Future of Elsewhere Brewing Company

01:05:02 The Importance of Mental Health and Wellness

Links:

Connect with Sam

Connect with Devin

Check out Elsewhere Brewing Co. 

Check out What’s a Roadblock Beverage Company

This episode spotlights an engaging conversation with Michelle Tumolo, the Head Coach of Women's Lacrosse at West Point. Join us as Tumolo shares insights into her coaching journey, delving into her passion for lacrosse, the transition from player to coach, and the immense pride she takes in leading the team at Army West Point.

We explore the evolution of lacrosse at West Point and the strides made in developing women's sports programs. Tumolo sheds light on the remarkable balancing act her players undertake, managing academics, and military commitments, and excelling as Division 1 athletes.

Tumolo opens up about her unique approach to team culture, emphasizing the significance of building strong relationships with her players and fostering a supportive environment. Discover the philosophy that propels her coaching style and contributes to the success of the team.

In an exciting twist, Tumolo shares her anticipation as the newly appointed assistant coach for the Women's U 20 lacrosse team set to compete in Hong Kong in 2024. 

Additionally, she reflects on the potential inclusion of lacrosse in the 2028 Olympics, expressing her enthusiasm for the sport's global recognition

Key Quote:

“ For these young women to be focused on academics and, it's not easy academics, right? And then their military obligations and then to be a D1 athlete on top of that and a successful team. it just makes me feel so honored to call them my players, to be able to lead them and learn from them. You know, obviously, they're all becoming leaders and they're constantly learning every single day as they lead and as they get older and have more responsibilities, it's been an honor of a lifetime for the past few years. I think I've learned the past few years how to become a better leader as well.” - Michelle Tumolo

Episode Timestamps:

(00:06) Michelle’s career highlights

(05:55) Philosophy on teamwork

(10:09) Revealing the new women’s lacrosse staff

(14:30) Women’s lacrosse in the 2028 Olympics

(16:11) Plans for the upcoming season

Links:

Michelle Tumolo’s LinkedIn

Army West Point Women’s Lacrosse  

West Point Association of Graduates

This episode features an interview with 1LT Evan Walker ‘21 and 1LT Tyrese Bender ‘21, recipients of the Rhodes Scholarship, a graduate scholarship program.

1LT Walker served as the Cadet Second Regimental Commander, Captain of the Army Boxing team, and co-President of the Elevation Initiative. In the first year of her Rhodes Scholarship, she completed a Master's of Sociology from the University of Oxford and will soon complete her candidacy as a Master of Public Policy. She looks forward to serving as a Military Intelligence Officer at Fort Liberty in North Carolina.

1LT Bender served as the Cadet Deputy Brigade Commander, a team captain for Army Track and Field, and will soon conclude his master’s degree at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, earning a distinction-level award for his Sociology thesis. Outside of his graduate studies, he volunteers as a coach for young athletes and competes in multiple long-distance charity races, as he prepares for his next role as a Military Intelligence officer at Fort Eisenhower in Georgia.

In this episode, 1LT Walker and 1LT Bender talk about their experience at West Point, what it took to receive the Rhodes Scholarship and attend the University of Oxford, and how they look to continue the legacy of the Long Gray Line in the future.

**This episode does not imply Federal endorsement.

Key Quotes:

“ I think just being able to continue to open your mind to just collect all this information while also making sure you have the time to reflect on it, which the last two years with GSP at West Point really helps, the time that we've had at Oxford has really helped. And so taking in information, processing it so that you can better have the best actions or responses to those stimuli that you're encountering, I think has been the biggest thing.” - 1LT Evan Walker

“It was a long four years at West Point, and it was a long two years, as well, at Oxford. But I think the lessons that those years really taught me was just to remember how important it was to, not only understand and communicate complexity, but also to do so in a matter that is interpretable and motivating for the people that's in your organization. Because, as Evan mentioned earlier in this episode, it all boils down to people. And I think that not only the four years at West Point taking, you know, philosophy classes, physics classes, engineering classes, but also going through GSP and reflecting. And then, again, at Oxford being challenged intellectually, being challenged in our interpersonal relationships to widen our perspective, just makes us confront complexities and contexts in their raw form and being able to communicate them in a tangible format to people whose lives that they impact, I think is the sticking point for me from the past six years.” - 1LT Tyrese Bender

Episode Timestamps:

(02:18) Experiences at West Point

(12:22) Rhodes Scholarship program experience

(18:09) Writing retreat at Buckner

(24:33) The final competition

(33:33) Re-entering the Army

(41:16) Maintaining relationships

(47:18) Experiential learning outside of the classroom

(52:18) Key takeaways

Links:

1LT Evan Walker’s LinkedIn

1LT Tyrese Bender’s LinkedIn

MAJ Renee Sanjuan’s LinkedIn

West Point Graduate Scholarship Program

West Point Association of Graduates

This episode features an interview with Janet Petro ‘81, Director at NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center.

Janet began her professional career as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army after graduating in 1981 from West Point with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering. She was in the second class of West Point graduates to include women. 

Prior to being named Director at the Kennedy Space Center, Janet served as the deputy director since April 2007. During her tenure, she served a 12-month appointment at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. as the deputy associate administrator and acting director for the Office of Evaluation. 

Prior to joining NASA, Janet served in various management positions for Science Applications International Corporation and McDonnell Douglas Aerospace Corporation.

In this episode, Janet talks about her journey from West Point cadet to her current role as Director of the Kennedy Space Center, her fascinating conversation with Elon Musk and partnering with SpaceX, and what to expect from NASA in the near future.

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Key Quotes:

“I think West Point was instrumental. I often talk about West Point as being sort of the foundational experience for who I am today. I was 17 years old when I went there. I had a, you know, handful of jobs, but nothing so immersive an experience as going to a place like West Point where, again, it's a very intensive training process. There's the academics, there's of course the military training, and of course all the stuff we go out in the field and learn to do. But what it did, you know, when you're young and you're 17, you're really not that confident, you really don't know what you can and you can't do. But going to West Point and learning 'cooperate and graduate', like nobody did anything on their own. You survived by cooperating together on how to get things done. And so I think that value of learning how to be a good teammate, a good team member, was one of the most important things I learned there.” - Janet Petro

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Episode Timestamps:

(02:09) Janet’s background and experience at West Point

(10:04) Current role as Director of the Kennedy Space Center

(17:40) Mentorship and advice for cadets

(22:06) Graduation and becoming an aviator

(37:20) Upcoming NASA missions

(39:33) Partnering with SpaceX and speaking with Elon

(46:55) Astronauts and traveling into space

(52:09) Final thoughts

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Links:

Janet Petro’s LinkedIn

West Point Association of Graduates

This episode features an interview with Sue Irons Beachler, West Point class of 1989, and Veterans Service Officer.

Sue received her commission as a Signal Corps officer from West Point in 1989. She is a Desert Shield and Desert Storm veteran and has earned the Bronze Star Medal and Senior Parachutist Badge. Upon completion of company command in Germany, Sue returned to her hometown, Canton, S.D., and has served as the Lincoln County Veterans Service Officer since 2015. Sue has also served as a WPAOG volunteer in various positions supporting Classes, Societies, SIGs, and her Region since 2017.

In this episode, Sue talks about the path to becoming a Veterans Service Officer, her involvement within the WPAOG, and the importance of claiming the VA benefits West Point graduates are entitled to.

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Key Quotes:

“It's our duty to file a claim or to use our VA benefits which we have earned. We raised our right hand to support and defend the Constitution, and in turn we went where we were told to go, we did what we were told to do, and we did all of that. But the handshake that the government gave us was, ‘when you're all done, we're going to take care of you’. And so, by taking care of us, those are our VA benefits, which we have earned.” - Sue Irons Beachler

“I think the most important reason why we need, and this is what our program is hoping to do, is to educate graduates and family members. If we can make a difference for one person, if we can save a life by getting somebody that's struggling access to benefits that will help them, then we've made a difference. And so we can do that one encounter at a time, one person, one conversation at a time, and that will spread. And that's how, again, connecting all of us, the long gray line, so that we can help each other. We can grip hands and do that.” - Sue Irons Beachler

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Episode Timestamps:

(01:52) Sue’s military career

(04:03) Becoming a Veterans Service Officer

(06:44) Getting involved with WPAOG

(13:55) Next steps in the program

(19:46) Final thoughts

(23:00) Spreading the word

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Links:

Sue Irons Beachler’s LinkedIn

Greg Gadson’s LinkedIn

West Point Association of Graduates

This episode features an interview with LTC McKinley Wood, West Point class of 2001, and recipient of the 2023 Alexander R. Nininger Award for Valor at Arms.

LTC Wood most recently served as the Battalion Commander of the 3rd Battalion, 304th Regiment, with the responsibility of providing weapons, tactical employment of crew-served weapons, and physical confidence training to the United States Military Academy. LTC Wood earned a Bachelor of Science in Systems Engineering from West Point in 2001 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in Armor. He has served as a Tank Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer, and Battalion Maintenance Officer during three Middle East deployments, two National Training Center rotations, a Joint Readiness Training Center rotation, and more. He has civilian work experience as a Design Engineer at Caterpillar, Assistant Chief and Chief Engineer at Bank of America, and as Assistant University Engineer and Associate Director of Engineering Services at University of Richmond.

In this episode, LTC Wood talks about how to lead in asymmetric warfare through moral, ethical, and fair leadership, and how West Point taught him the most important lesson of all, the value of teamwork.

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Key Quotes:

“The Academy really brought to realization the value of teamwork to me, whether it's someone trying to help me through the studying for an exam, or me running next to someone on a PT test or practice saying, ‘Hey, here's how you breathe’, whatever it is. The value of teamwork and how much more you can accomplish. There's a saying that says, ‘if you want to go far, run as a group. If you want to go fast, go by yourself.’ And I prefer to go far, you know? Go fast, get tired quickly, be done with it, and get passed. So the academy really pushed on us, if you failed, it's not because you failed, it's because you all failed each other.” - LTC McKinley Wood

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Episode Timestamps:

(02:26) Attending West Point

(06:57) Becoming an Armor Officer

(13:50) Favorite memories as a cadet

(17:20) How to lead in asymmetric warfare

(24:32) Stories from the battlefield

(26:46) Leveraging connections throughout his career

(32:18) Experience as battalion commander

(36:14) Advice for cadets

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Links:

LTC McKinley Wood’s LinkedIn

COL James Enos’ LinkedIn

West Point Association of Graduates

This episode features an interview with GEN (R) Austin Scott Miller ‘83.

GEN (R) Miller recently retired after nearly 40 years in the United States Army. He supported, led, and shaped the most challenging national security issues at the highest levels of the United States government. Most recently, commanding all U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan. As Commander of the Joint Special Operations Command, GEN (R) Miller directed U.S. operations in complex geopolitical regions including the Indo-Pacific, Africa, Middle East, and South Asia. As the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, he led the initiative to integrate women into the prestigious U.S. Army Ranger School. He also commanded Assault Forces in Mogadishu, Somalia during “Blackhawk Down”.

In this episode, GEN (R) Miller talks about his experiences as a Task Force Ranger, as the Commander of the Maneuver Center of Excellence, as the final commander of NATO’s Resolute Support Mission and United States Forces in Afghanistan, and his continuous involvement in West Point after transitioning out of the military.

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Key Quotes:

“First of all, I go with the mantra, ‘leaders have never arrived’. I just think that's got to be our mindset and that there's this opportunity to always get better, always learn more, always improve your craft, understand more, develop more. If you keep that in mind, you're continually learning, you're as ready as you can be. You don't get another chance of being more ready. But if you take that approach and you're always trying to learn, then you'll be okay.” - GEN Scott Miller

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Episode Timestamps:

(02:31) Attending West Point

(07:57) Task Force Ranger experience

(15:43) Commanding the Maneuver Center of Excellence

(20:27) Entering the private sector

(25:27) Life after retirement

(31:57) Transitioning out of the military

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Links:

GEN (R) Scott Miller

COL Sean Morrow

West Point Association of Graduates

This episode features an interview with COL (R) Mark Bieger ’91, President & CEO of the West Point Association of Graduates.

Mark graduated from the United States Military Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and commissioned as an Infantry officer. For more than 28 years in the U.S. Army, he held leadership positions at the platoon, company, battalion, and brigade levels, deploying twice to Iraq and receiving the Silver Star for valorous actions. 

Mark also served in staff positions, including on the Army Staff at the Pentagon, with the U.S. Central Command in MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, and with the U.S. Army’s Pacific Command at Fort Shafter, Hawaii. Prior to his retirement from the Army in December 2019, he served as USMA chief of staff.

In this episode, Mark talks about his West Point experience and the highlights of his Army career, his mission and goals for the WPAOG and the Margin of Excellence programs they have to offer, and the importance of recognizing and utilizing the benefits of the Long Gray Line.

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Key Quotes:

“Every university has a development office. Most universities have alumni associations. Only West Point has the Long Gray Line. And there's other universities out there in the nation that would like to achieve that ideal or that group, but the Long Gray Line is a powerful force, and our graduates and their families are strong, connected, active, and passionate, I believe. And at the core of all of our graduates is a genuine love for their academy and maybe even more so a commitment to other grads.” - Mark Bieger

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Episode Timestamps:

(02:01) Mark’s background and West Point experience

(08:03) Highlights of his Army career

(16:50) Transitioning from the Army

(23:44) Goals and mission for the WPAOG

(40:07) The Ring Melt

(42:02) Margin of Excellence programs

(47:30) Final thoughts

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Links:

Mark Bieger’s LinkedIn

Dave Siry’s LinkedIn

West Point Association of Graduates

This episode features a conversation between LTG Steve Gilland ‘90 & BG Shane Reeves ‘96.

LTG Gilland currently serves as the 61st Superintendent of the United States Military Academy. A career Infantry officer, he has served in a variety of tactical assignments in Air Assault, Armor, Mechanized Infantry, Ranger and Special Operations units. He most recently commanded 2nd ROK-U.S. Combined Division in Korea, and has participated in numerous operational deployments to the Middle East, Africa, and Afghanistan throughout his career. 

BG Reeves currently serves as the 15th Dean of the Academic Board at West Point. He commissioned into the Army in 1996 as an Armor Officer. After law school in 2003, he transitioned into the Judge Advocate General’s Corps with assignments including Senior Trial Counsel, International and Operational Law Professor, and Deputy Staff Judge Advocate of Joint Special Operations Command. He has written over 30 articles and book chapters on the Law of Armed Conflict and national security issues and co-founded the Lieber Institute for Law and Land Warfare. 

In this episode, LTG Steve Gilland and BG Shane Reeves talk about encouraging conversation and fostering innovation at the academy, the exciting expectations for West Point’s brand new Innovation Hub, and announce this year's intellectual theme: innovation, technology, and the future of national defense.

**This episode does not imply Federal endorsement.

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Key Quotes:

“And you mentioned the talent that we have here at the United States Military Academy, that doesn't just reside within our cadet population, it resides across the entire academy. And it lends to the term that you've coined as the intellectual capital of the United States Military Academy. And I think that's something that we've got to remember, is that there is intellectual capital residing across every academic discipline, both cadet in uniform, out of uniform, experts in their respective fields, that have some really creative minds and can come up with great solutions for complex problem sets.” - LTG Steve Gilland

“Necessity drives innovation oftentimes. I mean, it's risky not to innovate. It's risky to stay ‘status quo’. This is something that West Point can really offer, and thinking about the counter drone example makes me think about the high energy laser work that we're doing in an interdisciplinary way. There's 2nd Lt. Ashley Clegg and Cadet Mackenzie Arnes, both working on this counter drone effort with our higher energy laser program. But what's interesting about it is, one is a physicist, right, a physics major, and the other one's a law major, trying to think about how this works together. And I think that's the power of this place. I think the power is an interdisciplinary approach to innovation to get ahead of what we're perceiving as a future threat.” - BG Shane Reeves

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Episode Timestamps:

(01:55) Defining innovation

(05:05) Innovation at the academy

(10:03) Encouraging conversation in the military

(18:20) Fostering experiential learning

(24:59) Cross functional teams at Futures Command

(32:16) Encouraging innovation at West Point

(41:39) The innovation hub

(46:01) Research as a form of education

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Links:

LTG Steve Gilland

BG Shane Reeves

West Point Association of Graduates