This episode: Are we witnessing a Middle East cooldown—or just a pause between strikes? A new Western-friendly president in Syria sparks debate (plus, Garrett’s tinfoil theory you don’t want to miss).

Meanwhile, Firestorm Labs closes a $47M Series A and earns big love from the team for what could be a breakthrough in distributed, mobile drone manufacturing—giving warfighters the tools to innovate in the field.

We also break down the Hegseth Drone Memo, which could push real tactical autonomy down to O-6s, enable drone training centers, and shift Blue UAS oversight from DIU to DCMA. Will this decentralize innovation or create a Franken-force? And most importantly—will these commanders actually have any money?

Simon gives a Capitol Hill rundown, breaks down the latest from the NDAA and SPEED Act, and makes the case for why defense startups need someone fluent in the language of Congress.

Our Podcast:

National security, defense tech, and geopolitics—serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare. Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take—because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms:

Spotify: shorturl.at/spotify-gr

Apple Podcasts: shorturl.at/apple-gr

YouTube: youtube.com/@GoatRodeoPodcast

This episode: Congress wants to slash requirement validation timelines from years to months. With the SPEED Act and a proposed RAPID directorate on the table, the DoD is eyeing an overhaul of its acquisition system, aiming to reduce the average 800-day process down to 90 days. The crew breaks down what these reforms could realistically change, where optimism collides with bureaucracy, and why even with RAPID’s proposed mandate, buying fast won’t be simple.

Meanwhile, Middle East tensions simmer as signals of potential normalization emerge alongside continued Houthi attacks on shipping, and Ukraine’s arms flow is paused and restarted in the same breath. NATO member countries are ramping up defense venture activity in response to increased spending commitments, but it remains a fraction of U.S. defense budgets.

Also: Simon watched Independence Day, Dave survived the boat parade, and Garrett calls out the gap between policy hype and delivery reality. Just another week on Goat Rodeo.

Our Podcast: National security, defense tech, and geopolitics—serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare. Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take—because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms: Spotify: spoti.fi/3J1kGcO Apple Podcasts: apple.co/3IdB9gA YouTube: youtube.com/@GoatRodeoPodcast

This episode: As the kids take over at home, Congress is (maybe) passing one of the biggest defense budget bills in history. The crew unpacks the latest on the “Big Beautiful Bill,” the parliamentarian gutting it, and why reconciliation has never failed (until maybe now).

Dave breaks down a hidden gem in the bill: $690M for Budget Activity #9, aimed at counter-drone, drone effects, and electronic warfare. We dig into why this targeted funding is a better approach, and how it could give PEOs real flexibility to field capabilities faster.

Garrett offers an apology to FFRDCs, and the team debates why SBIR should focus less on phase 1s and 2s, and more on phase 3 transitions that actually deliver capabilities. Obviant gets a redemption arc, and we explore whether Ukraine, post-war, could become China’s top competitor in drone manufacturing, with hard-earned lessons in software, supply chain, and operational scaling.

Also, Simon is watching Love Island and Congress is chaos. A very Goat Rodeo week.

Our Podcast: National security, defense tech, and geopolitics—serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare. Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take—because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms: Spotify: spoti.fi/3J1kGcO Apple Podcasts: apple.co/3IdB9gA YouTube: youtube.com/@GoatRodeoPodcast

This episode: U.S. struck Iran with B-2’s, and the ceasefire seems very fragile. Garrett, Simon, and Dave unpack the latest strikes, Iranian posturing, and what it means for deterrence.

Meanwhile, NATO makes waves with a new 5% defense spending pledge (sort of), and defense innovation dollars keep flowing. The team digs into Obviant’s $7M raise, the challenge of scaling neo-primes, and why so much of the RDT&E system—especially FFRDCs and UARCs—feels like a black hole for tax dollars.

Also: a $1.5B contract for Carnegie Mellon SEI IDIQ, why Congress still hasn’t dropped a draft budget, and Simon’s unofficial new job as the DoD’s interagency matchmaker.

Our Podcast: National security, defense tech, and geopolitics—serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare. Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take—because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms: Spotify: spoti.fi/3J1kGcO Apple Podcasts: apple.co/3IdB9gA YouTube: youtube.com/@GoatRodeoPodcast

This episode: Israel’s latest strikes on Iranian nuclear and missile sites show just how deep their long game goes—decades of tradecraft, infiltration, and information warfare. Garrett, Simon, and Dave unpack what makes Israel’s influence operations so effective, and whether Iran’s regime is finally starting to crack.

Meanwhile, OpenAI just landed a $200M Pentagon contract, signaling a new chapter in how the DoD engages with commercial AI players. We break down the implications for go-to-market strategy, compliance, and what this means for everyone still stuck outside the wire.

Plus: massive defense tech funding rounds, Capitol Hill’s budget mess, and why tech execs getting military rank has the community talking.

Our Podcast: National security, defense tech, and geopolitics—serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare. Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take—because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms: Spotify: spoti.fi/3J1kGcO Apple Podcasts: apple.co/3IdB9gA YouTube: youtube.com/@GoatRodeoPodcast

This episode: Garrett’s got a fancy espresso in hand and a new 6.5 Creedmoor rifle in the safe. Simon lays out why he expects the DoD budget to tighten. And Dave breaks down why the House Armed Services Committee thinks acquisition needs a reboot—with the SPEED Act leading the charge.

The crew covers where the defense budget is actually changing (hint: it’s not shrinking overall, but it is shifting), and what startups should know about competing in a world of smaller slices and faster timelines.

Also on deck: Palmer Luckey eyes an Anduril IPO, the civil liberties questions raised by Palantir’s proposed government database, and how American capitalism still gives defense innovation a fighting chance—if the policy keeps up.

Our Podcast: National security, defense tech, and geopolitics—serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare. Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take—because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms: Spotify: spoti.fi/3J1kGcO Apple Podcasts: apple.co/3IdB9gA YouTube: youtube.com/@GoatRodeoPodcastc

This episode: Chris Naganuma joins the crew fresh off a trip to Ukraine, where he’s been working directly with frontline units, advising on drone tactics and strike operations against Russian targets. With a background spanning foreign military sales, pro shooting, OSINT analysis, and ground-level battlefield advising, Chris brings firsthand insight from a warzone most people only follow online. We break down one of the most devastating drone operations of the war: a $500K effort that took out a third of Russia’s bomber fleet using container trucks and one-way drone strikes. It’s the kind of asymmetric warfare the West talks about—but Ukraine is executing. We get into OSINT vs. mainstream media, why U.S. defense can’t build this way (yet), and how private industry could partner more directly with Ukrainian teams to learn, adapt, and scale. Chris lays out what it would take to repatriate those lessons—and why 1,000 U.S. govvies should be on the ground learning, not watching from afar. Also: deterrence vs. warfighting, rising risk tolerance, and why the drone supply chain won’t fix itself. Our Podcast: National security, defense tech, and geopolitics—serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare. Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take—because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo. Listen on other platforms: Spotify: spoti.fi/3J1kGcO Apple Podcasts: apple.co/3IdB9gA YouTube: youtube.com/@GoatRodeoPodcast

This episode: We open with Memorial Day and the heavy reality that veteran suicide remains a crisis—one that’s still not widely understood or acknowledged by the broader public. The crew reflects on service, loss, and what it means to carry that forward.

We also dig into new legislative movement in Texas, where lawmakers have funded ibogaine treatment trials for veterans—a major moment for the “Right to Try” movement and an opening for alternative approaches to care in the veteran community.

Then it’s on to the sprint ahead: DoD’s end-of-year buying season is here. With Congress blowing deadlines and operating under continuing resolutions, the government is late to fund itself—again. That means contractors now face a four-month window to move fast, win work, and obligate dollars before September. Dave lays out tactical go-to-market advice for companies trying to navigate the most chaotic stretch of the federal funding cycle.

Our Podcast: National security, defense tech, and geopolitics—serious topics, but that doesn’t mean we have to be boring about it. The Goat Rodeo Podcast brings you three military veterans turned defense insiders, breaking down the biggest stories shaping the future of warfare. Expect sharp insights, unfiltered debates, and the occasional defense industry hot take—because let’s be honest, this space can be a total goat rodeo.

Listen on other platforms: Spotify: spoti.fi/3J1kGcO Apple Podcasts: apple.co/3IdB9gA YouTube: youtube.com/@GoatRodeoPodcast