
The Jedburgh Podcast
Fran Racioppi

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#175: Changing The Wear And Appearance Of The Army Uniform, US Army Directive 670-1 - SMA Mike Weimer, SGM Laurin Nabors, SGM Alex Kupratty
Standards set the foundation for any professional organization. The baseline for professionalism in the US Army is Army Regulation 670-1; Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia. This regulation dictates the standard for every Soldier, regardless of rank or position. AR 670-1 has long been a hot topic of discussion among Soldiers and leaders at every level; and too often left open to interpretation. Until now… At the direction of senior Army leadership, Army Directive 670-1 has been released to clarify these standards and provide shared understanding between Soldiers and leaders to know what ‘right’ looks like. To explain the changes and how they will affect every member of the Army, Fran Racioppi sat down with Sergeant Major of the Army Mike Weimer, SGM Laurin Nabors and SGM Alex Kupratty. The SMA shares the “why” behind personal grooming standards and the importance of doing the little things that develop a culture of commitment from compliance. SGM Kupratty breaks down the definition of professional soldier from the experienced warriors of 75th Ranger Regiment to the new Privates of 4th Infantry Division. SGM Nabors provides the details on what’s changing, when and how the new standards are expected to be enforced. She also shares her journey from an Army Reserve heavy equipment operator to the halls of the Pentagon. This episode is about redefining what it means to serve in the greatest fighting force the world has ever seen and why development of a war fighting culture starts with how a Soldier presents themself each and every day. Highlights 0:00 Welcome to the Jedburgh Podcast 3:26 Army Directive vs Regulation in 670-1 5:30 Why Now 8:49 Closing Gaps 12:55 Changes to 670-1 21:08 Why Standards Matter 28:25 Analyzing Data 29:42 Beards 34:30 Preparing soldiers 38:10 Active Guard Reserve 44:30 Joining the Ranger Battalion 49:42 The Grace Period 50:33 Daily Habits Quotes “Part of the problem is our process is too slow.” “The first thing I had to figure out is are they educated?” “Do they understand the standards as they are written?” “Once you are emplaced in a leadership position, that’s where the commitment piece has to be rock solid.” "If you can’t do the simple things I’m asking you to do, how are you going to do the hard things in combat?” “We had to come in and really define “What is military appearance?” “It’s a direct reflection of your willingness to be compliant to a standard in your leaders.” “The why reinforces one uniformity.” “We’re part of something bigger than all of us." “Really understanding the generational differences that exist is arguably the most challenging thing that I found as a senior leader in the Army.” “I don’t think anybody knows what large scale combat will look like.” “The camaraderie that exists in that formation is unlike anything I’ve seen before.” “Leadership’s not about 'What did I do here today?' It’s 'What did I do for everyone else here to be successful?'" “You’re only as good as the time you put in.” The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by University of Health & Performance, providing our Veterans world-class education and training as fitness and nutrition entrepreneurs. Follow the Jedburgh Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform, read on our website, and watch the full video version on YouTube as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.
About The Jedburgh Podcast
The Jedburgh Podcast is a conversation with transformative leaders, visionaries, drivers of change, and those dedicated to winning no matter the challenge. Hosted by US Army Special Forces Green Beret Fran Racioppi, each episode in-depth discussion with trailblazers who have earned success through dedication to talent development, preparation, introspection, and the drive to get things done. Our conversation will empower listeners to define success and operate at an elite level, regardless of the task at hand. Fran speaks with leaders in business, athletics, academics, and public service about their personal leadership stories of success, failure, and the road to continuous improvement. The Jedburghs of World War II was the first Special Operations forces and lived by the mantra, how you prepare today determines success tomorrow. Today’s leaders are no different. Our discussions focus on the nine character traits of elite performance used by Special Operations Forces to recruit, assess, select and retain elite performers. Through this lens, we show listeners that success in any field must be earned every day. We strive for each listener to take valuable lessons learned and concrete action steps to improve themselves, their teams, and their organizations. Although developed and used by US Special Operations Forces, these characteristics are inherently applicable to building resilient and successful organizations in any sector or industry, as well as in the betterment of our personal and professional lives. The Nine Characteristics of Elite Performance: -Drive: Growth mindset, be better than yesterday, continuous self-improvement -Resiliency: Perseverance in the face of challenges -Adaptability: Adjust one’s behavior to the situation -Humility: Recognize that you do not have all the answers; a willing learner maintains accurate self-awareness -Integrity: Understand what is legal and correct and align actions and words to both -Effective Intelligence: apply one’s experience and knowledge to the situation -Team Ability: Prioritize organizational needs ahead of oneself, work as a cohesive unit -Curiosity: Exploring the unknown, questioning the status quo in pursuit of better -Emotional Strength: Emotional control in stressful situations brings calm to chaos Fran is the founder of FRsix. He leads small to medium-sized businesses to scale by transforming their leadership and operations through introspection, continuous improvement, and a commitment to a talent mindset. He spent 13-years in the United States Army as a Green Beret, deploying numerous times to The Middle East, Africa, and Europe. Fran was the honor graduate of the Special Forces Qualification Course and the US Army Ranger School. He has served as CEO, COO, CSO, and Director of Global Security, where he was recognized by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security for his leadership and innovation. Fran earned an MBA from the NYU Leonard N. Stern School of Business and a BA from Boston University in Journalism. Fran holds the highest civilian accreditations, including Certified Protection Professional, Certified Business Continuity Professional, and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. Fran volunteers teaching Veterans to sail as the Race Director for Sailahead, a Veterans organization dedicated to reducing the Veteran suicide rate and is the former Treasurer of the United War Veterans Council. Talent War Group is a management consulting and executive search firm comprised of highly experienced and proven business executives and special operations leaders. We’ll drive you to attract, retain, and develop top talent. With services like Executive Search, Talent Advisory, Leadership Development, Executive Coaching, and Speaking & Keynotes, we work with you to create talent solutions to business problems. Contact us at www.talentwargroup.com Access more episodes, subscribe, and learn more.