On this special, crossover episode of our members-only armed services podcasts, some of our hosts sat down to discuss their experiences with indirect fire and bombardment. With the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, they rehash some of their own personal stories, provide context on today's threat environment, and share some advice for troops both downrange and at home.

China's top military leadership has been shaken by a new round of purges at the highest level, raising urgent questions about loyalty, corruption, and combat readiness. What do these removals, and especially the purge of Zhang Youxia, signal about Xi Jinping's grip on power, the health of the People's Liberation Army, and Beijing's appetite for risk abroad? We are joined by four seasoned analysts of China and its military, three of whom worked at the Central Intelligence Agency, to parse these questions and more.

On this special, free episode of Marine Pulse, Ian Brown sat down with two Marines who recount their mission at Hamid Karzai International Airport on the day of the suicide bombing attack at the Abbey gate during the United States withdrawal from Afghanistan. Aaron Reep and Lee Bowden share their personal accounts of the mission, what stood out to them about their fellow Marines during the mission, and the timeless lessons Marines can take from it.

If you enjoyed this episode, you can listen to all of our armed service podcast shows by becoming a member.

Lt. Gen. (ret) David Deptula sat down with Patrick McSpadden in the War on the Rocks studio for a wide-ranging conversation. Deptula highlights the Air Force's current challenges and addresses what it will take to fix them. The duo discuss everything from previous missions to Deptula's advice for current Airmen, even delving into his favorite D.C. gems for food and drinks. You don't want to miss this special episode of Airman Pulse.

Note: This is a free episode of the members-only Airman Pulse podcast. If you'd like to hear more interesting conversations about life in the Air Force, you can become a member to unlock this show, as well as the other Armed Services Podcasts. The 2026 Mitchell Institute Airpower Forum mentioned in the episode has already taken place at the time of publication. Additionally, the links to the readings mentioned in today's episode can be found below.

https://www.lri.fr/~mbl/Stanford/CS477/papers/Kuhn-SSR-2ndEd.pdf

https://www.forbes.com/sites/davedeptula/2026/01/12/a-15-trillion-defense-budget-implications-for-the-air-force-and-space-force/

As the year comes to a close, Dara Massicot and Mike Kofman talk with Ryan about the state of play from diplomacy to the battlefield.

Gen. Sir Gwyn Jenkins visited Washington a few weeks ago and was kind enough to invite Ryan to the British Embassy for a nice chat about the U.S.-U.K. alliance, the threat landscape, his vision for delivering seapower, learning from Ukraine, acquisition reform, the future of the Royal Navy — which currently faces serious challenges but also key opportunities, and so much more.

Since joining NATO in 2024, Sweden has taken on a more prominent role in European security. Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson joined Ryan in Washington to discuss how Sweden is supporting Ukraine, rebuilding its own military with more resources, and pushing for a faster, more agile defense acquisition system.