About this episode

This episode explores the essence of courage and leadership through conversations recorded at the U.S. Air Force Academy’s 33rd National Character and Leadership Symposium.

What does courage look like under fire? In captivity? In command? In service? This edition of Long Blue Leadership was recorded on location at the U.S. Air Force Academy’s 33rd National Character and Leadership Symposium (NCLS). We’ve explored these questions with our guests and captured the conversations for you. This special episode features voices shaped by combat, crisis and lifelong service. Their message to cadets is clear: Leadership is earned through character, and character is forged in hard moments.

Topics covered

• courage
• leadership
• character
• service
• combat
• crisis

Keywords

• courage
• leadership
• character
• service
• combat
• crisis
• NCLS

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: U.S. Air Force Academy

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• Leading Through Transition - Jessica Whitney ’10 · April 14, 2026 · 42 min
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• Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers ’11 - When Dreams Take Flight · March 17, 2026 · 37 min
• Lasting Lessons: A Long Blue Leadership Retrospective · February 24, 2026 · 9 min
• Get Back Up: Lessons in Servant Leadership · January 20, 2026 · 54 min

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