003: Dave Berke - Retired Marine Corps Officer | Combat Veteran

Take The Hill - A Leadership Podcast

Biography: Dave Berke

As an F-18 pilot, Dave deployed twice in support of combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He spent three years as an Instructor Pilot at TOPGUN where he was dual qualified in the F-16 Fighting Falcon and served as the program’s Training Officer

He then served as an ANGLICO Forward Air Controller supporting the Army’s 1st Armored Division during extensive urban combat operations in Ramadi, Iraq in 2006. He was the only Marine selected to fly the F-22 Raptor having served as an exchange officer at the Air Force’s 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron as the Division Commander.

Dave then became the first operational pilot ever to fly and be qualified in the F-35B, serving as the Commanding Officer of the Marine Corps’ first F-35 squadron from 2012-2014.

Dave earned his Master’s degree in International Public Policy from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies with a concentration in Strategic Studies. He is now a leadership consultant at Echelon Front.

Echelon Front

Dave currently works as a Leadership Instructor and Director of Long Range Programs with Echelon Front. Echelon Front’s mission is to educate, train, mentor, and inspire leaders and organizations to achieve total victory.

More information about their team and mission can be found at www.echelonfront.com

Episode Timeline

00:00 Intro Theme

01:15 Dave Berke Introduction

03:50 Leadership Growth: Ramadi, Iraq 2006

05:50 Courage: You get to choose how your respond

08:00 Accepting Responsibility

13:00 Leadership transcends environments

16:00 Leadership is Relationships

17:40 Alignment: Mission & Vision to Tactical Decisions

21:30 Millennials: They’re seeking Leadership

24:10 It’s Simple. Not Easy.

27:00 The two Universal Challenges of Leadership

28:00 Be Humble. Be Better at what you are doing.

29:30 Teams: Relationships are the most important tool

31:50 Connecting with Dave Berke and Echelon Front

33:20 Closing remarks with Dennis & Patrick

34:40 Closing Theme

Connecting with Patrick & Dennis

We look forward to the opportunity to hear from you. If you have any questions, show ideas, or feedback feel free to contact us by email.

Thank you for your continued support of Take The Hill

Dennis Frketich: [e-mail]

Patrick Mulvihill: [e-mail]