In 2018, three active duty guys sat around and joked about making a podcast.
Aaron Love, Pararescue (PJ), Jared “Peaches” Pietras, Combat Controller (CCT), and Trent Seegmiller, Special Reconnaissance (SR) decided that it was time to stop answering questions about their career fields on their personal accounts, and instead create a resource that was longer lasting and far more impactful.
Five years, 711 videos, 265 podcasts and a mountain of AFSPECWAR information later, Ones Ready has changed the game for new Air Force recruits interested in special operations.
What is the goal of Ones Ready?
Aaron: “Leveraging our 60+ years of special operations experience, our goal is to make the next generation of operators smarter, faster, and stronger.
We want to prepare recruits in the best way possible so that they can enter assessment and selection confidently.
We also want to save Air Force recruiters time. Most of the time when a new enlistee shows interest in special operations, the recruiter has zero special operations experience. It’s hard to find a recruiter who has time as an operator.
We thought we had a niche where we could help… and we just went after it.”
What’s the hardest part of the podcast?
Aaron: “We don’t care about being first, we care about being correct.
We live in a world [of instant news] where the rumor mill is constantly circulating on various social media sites, and sometimes it feels like we can be behind on releasing information, even though we aren’t.
We value transparency when it’s honest. Sometimes the truth can take time to figure out.
Does us telling you incorrect information and causing flail help you get into the training pipeline? No, it doesn’t. But the honest truth will be super helpful to you.
Other than vetting information, time management is the hardest part.
We have three guys geographically separated, and we have to find time outside of our normal jobs to build content, engage followers, find guests… and record the actual podcasts at the crack of dawn on the weekends.”
What was the appeal of starting Ones Ready?
Aaron: “Recruiters have a tough job. Recruiters have their lanes they have to stay in. We want to get the recruiters the best possible individuals that are ready to be molded into a viable candidate.
We wanted to be a cheat code to get people the most information.
There’s 100 steps to get into these career fields – we take out steps 1 through 95. Decision making on what career field, basic entry requirements, how you’re going to do in the pipeline, whatever it may be, we have the information readily available through hours of content.
It takes years to get into these jobs. The more efficient we can be, the more time we can save the candidate.”
Who do you have as guests on the podcast?
Aaron: “We do not turn down guests on the podcast. You want to come be on Ones Ready? Come join us!
We have had everyone from Navy Seals, CIA members, former Air Force Special Operations Command leadership, and the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force, to Jason Ellis, the most popular podcaster at the time, as guests.
Oddly enough the character traits we’re looking for like grit, determination, coachability, teamwork… are all found in varying organizations, not just the United States military.”
What do you want people to know about Ones Ready?
Aaron: “It’s easier to hate than create. We’re not here to make everybody happy. We want to get interested candidates the information they need in the most transparent and factual way.
I don’t know how to be a recruiter, but I know how to be a PJ and graduate indoctrination courses. I want to pass that information on and mold the future operators for years to come.
Through more than 260 episodes, we have learned a ton, created great relationships across the force, and we’re continuing our mission of being educational and honest.”
What is the future of Ones Ready?
Aaron: “Our dream is to find a young, motivated PJ, TACP, SR, or CCT to continue developing Ones Ready while still on active duty.
The three of us are getting close to retirement from active duty, but we don’t want the mission of Ones Ready to stop anytime soon.
Currently, when students begin the Air Force Special Warfare pipeline and fill out their intake survey, over 90% of people say they have heard about AFSPECWAR because of us. We want to get that number even higher and we’ll keep producing episodes, and hopefully, prepare future operators for what’s to come.”
