Who’s Packing Your Parachute?

Welcome to Fight in Progress!

We are beyond honored to have a hero of ours join our podcast. You won't want to miss today's episode! 

Below you'll find a bio found on Captain Charlie Plumb's website, charlieplumb.com

Captain Charlie Plumb has lived what he believes to be the American Dream. As a farm kid from Kansas, he fantasized about airplanes, although he felt certain he would never have the opportunity to pilot one. It would be the United States Navy who afforded Plumb the opportunity to live out that dream.

After graduating from the Naval Academy, Plumb completed Navy Flight Training and reported to Miramar Naval Air Station in San Diego where he flew the first adversarial flights in the development of what would be called The Navy Fighter Weapons School, currently known as “TOP GUN.” The next year, Plumb’s squadron the Aardvarks launched on the Aircraft Carrier USS Kitty Hawk with Fighter Squadron 114 to fly the Navy’s hottest airplane, the F-4 Phantom Jet. Code named “Plumber,” Charlie Plumb flew 74 successful combat missions over North Vietnam and made over 100 carrier landings.

On his 75th mission, just five days before the end of his tour, Plumb was shot down over Hanoi, taken prisoner, tortured, and spent the next 2,103 days in North Vietnamese Prisoner of War camps. His first prison cell was 8 ft. long and 8 ft. wide. During his nearly six years of captivity, Plumb distinguished himself as a pro in underground communications. He was a great inspiration to all the other POWs and served as chaplain for two years.

Following his repatriation, Plumb continued his Navy flying career in Reserve Squadrons where he flew A-4 Sky Hawks, A-7 Corsairs and FA-18 Hornets. His last two commands as a Naval Reservist were on the Aircraft Carrier Corral Sea and at a Fighter Air Wing in California. He retired from the United States Navy with the rank of Captain after 31 years of service.

Since his return home, Plumb has captivated more than 5,000 audiences in almost every industry around the world with stories that parallel his POW experience with the challenges of everyday life.

To this day, Captain Plumb continues to fly left seat at every opportunity.

 

Description:

Fight in Progress with Susan Simons aims to discuss problems and difficulties our officers face every day from sleep deprivation, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and adrenal fatigue, to depression, isolation, physical illnesses, emotional distress, divorce and all too often suicide. Fight in Progress looks to cover these topics and discuss their solutions to help these warriors navigate these threats through education and preparation. We speak to experts, officers and their families from around the country to have hard discussions on what challenges this community faces, and what we can do to strengthen our men and women in law enforcement.

About the Host-

Susan, President and founder of Under the Shield, is a leading subject matter expert in First Responder Stress/PTSI, and has been an instructor for 26 years in many major military and law enforcement installations around the country including, FBI Academy Quantico VA, US Marine Corps 3rd Battalion 23 Marines Lima Company, US Air Force Europe, consulting clinician NYPD/FDNY post 9-11, National Tactical Operators Association, and Luke AFB in Arizona (current). In these trainings she provides resilience training for all first responders and takes a head on approach to the issues of suicide, divorce, and Post traumatic stress, with solutions to the real issues affecting those in the first responder community.

Through her non-profit, Under the Shield Inc., she has created the only Stress Coach Certification in the United States specifically for law enforcement, first responders, military and their families. Susan holds a M.S. in Counseling and Human Development from Troy University and is a Board Certified Expert in Traumatic Stress as well as a Fellow with the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. 

Contact a stress coach near you at Under The Shield: (855)889-2348

You can also reach out to the hosts directly for help at:

Susan Simmons (334) 324-3570 or susan.simons@undertheshield.com

Tom The-Bomb-Dot-Com (480) 861-6574 or Thaubold@undertheshield.com

If you want to share your story on our Podcast, reach out to:

Tracy “Mrs. The-Bomb-Dot-Com” - Spousal Stress Coach (480) 518-3775

Visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Media/Fight-In-Progress-100743441735923/

Find us on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2tadjn3I4OC75lGmqZL7sc

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US!