Always in Pursuit

Mike S. Burke
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‘Always in Pursuit’ podcast is about striving for a better version of yourself every day, always a work in progress. Take this journey with me as we talk to guests who are Always in Pursuit. Music by Playgue Doctor @ playguedoctor@gmail.com Art Work by Korey Cress of Korey Cress Design @ www.koreycress.com Digital edits by Chad Robson Email us your feedback @ alwaysinpursuit.msb@gmail.com The views expressed in the Podcast do not reflect official policy or position of the Department of Defense or US Government.

  1. 12/24/2022

    Season 2 Finale with Mike and Mike

    Send a text In this episode of our podcast, we kick off with a discussion about the challenges of being an infantryman and the debate over who makes the better host for the show. We then delve into some of our favorite episodes from this season, including the highly downloaded episode featuring Michael Rodriquez, who shares his experiences and work with the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation. Mike Lavigne's most downloaded episodes include interviews with Nich Palmisciano and Chelsey Porterfield, while Mike B's most downloaded episode features Larry Broughton and Kim Scott, who discuss the value of their episodes and the impact of Kim's work, including her book on Radical Candor. We also touch on Nick's storytelling ability and the ups and downs of recording podcasts as a host. Mike L shares why he decided to join the AIP team and start doing monthly episodes in 2022. Finally, we preview what's in store for season 3 and when listeners can expect it to start. Tune in for a jam-packed episode filled with valuable insights and entertainment! Thank you for all the support this year, can’t wait to see you in 2023!!

    1h 3m

  2. 12/10/2022

    Green Beret, Harvard Graduate and CEO/Founder Logan Leslie

    Send a text Logan always knew that he wanted to live life differently and sought ways to challenge himself. After the 9/11 attack, he knew that the military was the logical route. When he joined, he attended the premier military leadership school, Ranger School. He decided to go to Special Forces (SF) selection and after multiple deployments with SF along with  almost 10 years of service, he applied to Harvard and was accepted for his undergraduate degree. But he didn’t stop there, he continued his education for 7 years and also  earned his MBA and Law degree.  We spent the bulk of the episode talking about being an entrepreneur, why people may avoid the risks that come with it, and the principles that help with success. Logan talks about how we need to avoid comfort zones and take some risks. Luck plays a factor, but when opportunities are presented, you need to be prepared to take advantage of it.  Logan also advocates for veterans applying to Ivy League schools; he was surprised at how few were in college with him. Being successful in the military is a lot like being an entrepreneur , you need to be self-driven and seek out opportunities to grow. However, being an entrepreneur isn’t structured and if you need that, then maybe this route isn’t for you.   How to find and connect with Logan:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/loganleslie/ https://www.nrockusa.com/ https://hls.harvard.edu/today/logan-leslie-from-active-duty-to-actively-recruiting-veterans/ https://pattillmanfoundation.org/meet-our-scholars/logan-leslie/

    1h 1m

  3. 11/26/2022

    The Twisty Path: Michael Rodriguez Chooses a Life of Purpose After Service as a Green Beret

    Send a text Michael “Rod” Rodriguez grew up surrounded by men who’d served their nation - and his pursuit of the same life of service showed him humanity at its best - and also at its most depraved. After seeing the humanitarian crises in Somalia and Haiti up close, Rod chose the life of the Green Beret. He tells us the journey he took – the twisty path that placed him in the position he currently holds, as the president and CEO of the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation. If you enjoyed this episode, please share with a couple of your friends and leave us a review on whatever platform you use. Also find out more about AIP and the team at www.alwaysinpursuit.org.  Thank you for tuning in to the show! Check out our amazing Sponsors Adyton PBC and Learn more about MUSTR app which is streamlining systems for leaders across the Department of Defense!

    1h 16m

  4. 11/12/2022

    Service, Yoga and Non-Profits with Kevin Keaveny and Jessica Bugbee

    Send a text Mike met Kevin and Jessica through the Veterans Yoga Project where Jessica was an instructor while Mike and Kevin were her students. In this episode, they talk about why they joined the military and some of the good and bad of military service. They all had different reasons for joining the military along with different experiences, but they shared the same struggles after they transitioned from the military to civilian life. It was difficult to integrate after deployments and not taking the time needed to process what we had experienced.  We discuss their journey into yoga and how it has enhanced the lives of many. It has helped them in the intellectual, physical, and spiritual dimensions of their lives. The Veterans Yoga community has helped them and like any community, there is always common ground to be found. They spend some time talking about what it was like to become a yoga instructor. Now they can bring yoga to Veterans and share the benefits with everyone.  Kevin and Jessica talk about how they got started with non-profit organizations and how it has grounded them and provided a sense of purpose because of the people they help. It is a rollercoaster at times, but the reward is worth all the struggle because when they see it change lives  it renews their passion. They also discuss how the communities they work with have helped and provided resources. Jessica's newest project is focused on prevention and giving service members tools to prevent some of the issues that plague Veterans.  They are both amazing human beings and they have a lot of fun in this episode! Find Kevin, Jessica, and Nonprofits:  https://www.hvncvr.org/ https://veteransyogaproject.org/ https://www.tribeyogamilitary.org/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-keaveny-5a72714/ https://www.instagram.com/bugbeejessica/

    1h 30m

  5. 10/22/2022

    Taking Ethics Beyond the Classroom into the Field with Benjamin Ordiway

    Send a text CPT Benjamin Ordiway is a Philosophy Instructor at the United States Military Academy at West Point. After serving as a Cavalry Scout in the 82nd Airborne and Cavalry Officer, he made a shift to Civil Affairs and served in 1st Special Forces Group. In 2020, he pursued his Master’s Degree in Philosophy from University of Michigan. Along the way, he found his passion and incredible insights into ethical training and moral reasoning. He has authored multiple articles which have been read by thousands inside and outside the military.  We start the episode with Benjamin outlining the difference between morals and ethics. We need to define it so that we can know what training we need to do and prepare ourselves for the future. This sets the stage in the episode for us to talk about how we should conduct the training and where mistakes are made when trying to conduct check the box training.  We must allow mistakes to be made in training so that we can learn from them and also so we can identify shortfalls in ourselves and teams. We need to stop teaching them what to think, instead of how to think. A part of this starts from the moment people arrive to an organization and the mentalities we instill immediately.  In the episode, Mike throws himself in the fray and they run through an ethical dilemma. One that really happened where they talk through the events and decisions that were made. Ben walks us through how as a coach, you would walk another leader through an exercise to learn from the situation. As the coach, you help the person realize the emotions that come into play during a moral dilemma.  Benjamin Ordiway Articles and finding him on LinkedIn https://fromthegreennotebook.com/2021/02/20/how-to-wage-a-counterinsurgency-against-organizational-culture/   https://fromthegreennotebook.com/2021/05/17/ethics-breathing-life-or-hot-air/   https://media-cdn.dvidshub.net/pubs/pdf_63722.pdf   https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminordiway If you enjoyed this episode, please share with a couple of your friends and leave us a review on whatever platform you use. Also, find out more about AIP and the team at www.alwaysinpursuit.org.  Thank you for tuning in to the show!   Check out our amazing sponsors Adyton PBC and Learn more about MUSTR app which is streamlining systems for leaders across the Department of Defense!

    1h 18m

  6. 10/08/2022

    From Serving in the Army to Leading it: Patrick J. Murphy’s Blue Collar Journey from Congress to the Pentagon and Beyond

    Send a text Growing up in a rowhouse in blue-collar North Philly gave Patrick J. Murphy a full education before he ever stepped foot in college. Those humble beginnings launched him into a career in the law, service in the Army, and ultimately into the halls of Congress as the first veteran elected with service in Operation Iraqi Freedom.  Murphy’s resume is long and diverse, and his experiences defy an one label we could try to assign - but AIP co-host Mike Lavigne did his damndest, as he explores the backstory of a man whose desire to serve took him from the serving in the Army to leading it as the 32nd Undersecretary of the Army, with service as the Acting SECARMY during a critical period in the Army’s history.  If you enjoyed this episode, please share with a couple of your friends and leave us a review on whatever platform you use. Also find out more about AIP and the team at www.alwaysinpursuit.org.  Thank you for tuning in to the show! Check out our amazing Sponsors Adyton PBC and Learn more about MUSTR app which is streamlining systems for leaders across the Department of Defense!

    1h 2m

  7. 09/24/2022

    Inventing Your Own Success with Matt Butler

    Send a text Matt joined the Air Force to travel the world, but initially he only joined to do one enlistment. But after the events of 9/11, he was called to dedicate his life to flying the skies as a crew member of Joint Surveillance Target  Attack Radar System (STARS) program.   After spending two decades burning holes in the sky, Matt decided it was time to find a new path. His next adventure would meld together his passion for friends, the outdoors, and playing games. He invented the Rollers Yard game which to date has sold over 100,000 units and is still going strong. It is carried by a major retailer and even a large corporation tried to steal the invention from him. His second invention, Tally Tumblers, has numerous varieties and is rapidly growing!  Matt discusses the good, bad, and the ugly of his journey as an entrepreneur/inventor and mentors that have helped him along the way. He also highlights some amazing organizations that are designed to help transitioning veterans get a head start on their own pursuits.  Matt closes out the episode with words of wisdom for all veterans and especially those looking at stepping into entrepreneurship. Find Matt and Rollers:  https://rollors.com/  https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattjbutler-1/ Links to topics discussed in episode:  https://www.amazon.com/Borrowing-Brilliance-Business-Innovation-Building/dp/1592405800 https://bunkerlabs.org/ https://www.score.org/resources-veteran-entrepreneurs https://www.warriorrising.org/ If you enjoyed this episode, please share with a couple of your friends and leave us a review on whatever platform you use. Also find out more about AIP and the team at www.alwaysinpursuit.org.  Thank you for tuning in to the show! Check out our amazing Sponsors Adyton PBC and Learn more about MUSTR app which is streamlining systems for leaders across the Department of Defense!

    58 min

  8. 09/10/2022

    No Muscle Cars - Retired Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman John Wayne Troxell Reflects on a Life of “Putting In The Work”

    Send a text One NCO’s first experience in combat completely changed the trajectory of his life - and put him on a focused path to a lofty goal: help every member of the joint force be physically, mentally, and emotionally prepared to fight in the most disadvantageous terrain on their worst day – and win. John Wayne Troxell, who served as a command sergeant major for 20 years before becoming the third Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2015, learned a lot in the 7 months between redeploying from Operation Just Cause and deploying again to Operation Desert Shield some 7 months later. He took those hard-learned lessons and made them a primer that would ultimately shape his 38 years of service to the nation. AIP co-host Mike Lavigne’s conversation with his worst PT nightmare (and boss of exactly 72 hours) covers a lot of ground – from the successes Troxell experienced in peacetime and in combat, to the crushing realities of being suspended and investigated as the Defense Department’s most senior noncommissioned officer. If you enjoyed this episode, please share with a couple of your friends and leave us a review on whatever platform you use. Also find out more about AIP and the team at www.alwaysinpursuit.org.  Thank you for tuning in to the show! Check out our amazing Sponsors Adyton PBC and Learn more about MUSTR app which is streamlining systems for leaders across the Department of Defense!

    1h 22m
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4.9
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About

‘Always in Pursuit’ podcast is about striving for a better version of yourself every day, always a work in progress. Take this journey with me as we talk to guests who are Always in Pursuit. Music by Playgue Doctor @ playguedoctor@gmail.com Art Work by Korey Cress of Korey Cress Design @ www.koreycress.com Digital edits by Chad Robson Email us your feedback @ alwaysinpursuit.msb@gmail.com The views expressed in the Podcast do not reflect official policy or position of the Department of Defense or US Government.

Information

  • Creator
    Mike S. Burke
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2022
  • Episodes
    74
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Always in Pursuit
  • Show Website
    Always in Pursuit