Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Scott Mann is a former U.S. Army Green Beret with tours all over the world including Colombia, Iraq, and multiple tours in Afghanistan. He is a warrior storyteller and the founder of Rooftop Leadership where he shares the rapport-building skills he learned in Special Forces to help today's leaders make better human connections in high-stakes, low-trust engagements.

Scott is the author of the instant New York Times Best-Seller, Operation Pineapple Express, a third-person narrative detailing the harrowing stories of the veterans, volunteers, and Afghan Allies who navigated the US abandonment of Afghanistan in August of 2021. The Gary Sinise Foundation has also partnered up with Scott to bring his play, Last Out: Elegy of a Green Beret

to the legendary theater Steppenwolf, as well as to stages across the country in an effort provide healing to our Veterans and Families of the Fallen, as well as providing insight to our citizens on the personal cost of the longest war in our Nation’s history.

Scott’s greatest accomplishments are his family; he has three grown sons which now gives him the newfound opportunity to chase Monty, his wife of 27 years, around their Tampa home as often as possible. To learn more about Scott’s full body of work, visit ScottMann.com

Jeff Tiegs is a Counter Terrorism and Counter Insurgency Expert with over 25 years of service in the U.S. Army Special Operations. He has commanded units during combat operations around the globe including Panama, Iraq and Afghanistan. Jeff has a Master’s Degree from the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island and has earned numerous military decorations including the Ranger and Special Forces Tabs, Special Forces Combat Diver Badge and the Military Freefall Badge. He has also received numerous awards including five bronze stars for distinguished service during combat in Iraq and Afghanistan and a silver star award for valor during combat in Iraq. In addition to combat experience, his non-traditional assignments were influential at the policy and strategy levels of the U.S. government.

David Maxwell is a retired US Army Special Forces Colonel and has spent more than 30 years in Asia as a practitioner and specializes in North Korea and East Asian Security Affairs and irregular, unconventional, and political warfare. He is the Editor of Small Wars Journal and a Senior Fellow at the Global Peace Foundation (where he focuses on a free and unified Korea), and a Senior Advisor to the Center for Asia Pacific Strategy.

BG Lawrence Gilbert (Gil) Ferguson is a career Special Forces Officer from Terry, Mississippi. Gil attended the US Air Force Academy and upon graduation in 1990 cross-commissioned into the Army as an infantry officer. Following a tour at Fort Campbell, KY, Gil separated from service for several years, returned to graduate school where he earned an M.A. in American History from Mississippi College and was a schoolteacher before returning to active duty as a Special Forces Officer. Upon returning to Active Service Gil served with 7th Special Forces Group as a Detachment Commander and Headquarters Company Commander.
While at Staff College Gil assessed for 1st SFOD-D where he served as a Troop Commander, Squadron Commander and Deputy Commander. He later commanded 10th Special Forces Group.

Gil has served as an operations officer in the Joint Staff J37 Deputy Directorate for Special Operations; Executive Officer to the CG, US Army Special Operations Command; Chief of Staff at 1st Special Forces Command and US Army Special Forces Command; ADC-O at the 82nd Airborne Division and Director of Operations for CJTF-OIR. He currently serves as the DCG-O for 1st Special Forces Command. Gil has Special Operations experience throughout Latin America, the Middle East and Europe.

Gil and his wife of 28 years, Renee’, have three sons: Lawrence (22), Duncan (20) and Dylan (18). Lawrence is a senior at CU-Boulder where he is an MS4 in Army ROTC. Duncan is a sophomore at UNG where he is an MS2 in Army ROTC. Dylan is a Freshman at Savannah College of Art and Design where he is studying sound design. All three boys grew up playing a variety of sports to include golf, track, soccer and football. Their family enjoys a multitude of outdoor family activities to include snow-skiing, shooting, swimming and hiking.

Master Sgt. Earl Plumlee was born in Clinton, Oklahoma. He grew up working on his family’s cattle ranch and oil field instrument company.

He began his military career by joining the Oklahoma National Guard, serving in the 45th Field Artillery Brigade as a rocket artilleryman (13M) during his junior year of high school. After graduating high school in 2000, Plumlee joined the United States Marine Corps. He attended boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California and Marine Corps School of Infantry. Plumlee was then assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, located in Kaneohe, Hawaii, where he served his first enlistment in a weapons platoon.

Plumlee deployed to Okinawa, Japan, after the 9/11 attacks occurred. He was sent to Bahrain and served on a Marine Security Element to the 5th Fleet. In 2003, he was deployed to Zamboanga, Philippines, to the Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines on Camp Navarro. After returning from this deployment, Plumlee attended the 4th Force Reconnaissance, Recon Indoctrination Program, and was selected to attend the Marine’s Amphibious Reconnaissance Course and became a Basic Reconnaissance Marine. Afterwards, Plumlee attended and graduated from Navy SERE School, Basic Airborne School, the Marine Corps High Risk Personnel Course, and Marine Combat Dive School. Upon returning to the 4th Force Recon, he volunteered for a deployment to Iraq with the 2nd Force Reconnaissance Company.

Plumlee was deployed to Iraq’s Al Anbar region, operating from the Al Asad Airfield from August 2005 to February 2006. Upon returning from this deployment, he attended Military Free Fall School. From there, he was promoted to Recon team leader. In 2007, he married his wife, Terrie. Following his wedding, Plumlee volunteered to deploy to Iraq again in 2008. During this deployment, he was selected and recognized as the Marine Corps Recon Team Leader of the Year. After returning from Iraq, Plumlee decided to make a change in his career trajectory and joined the U.S. Army under the 18X program in January 2009. Upon successful completion of the Special Forces Assessment and Selection, he was chosen to attend the Special Forces Qualification Course, where he had the unique opportunity to attend SERE School for a second time.

In 2009, successfully graduated SFQC as a Special Forces weapons sergeant (18B) and was assigned to 4th Battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne). There, he served in various rotations through the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility. Plumlee deployed to Afghanistan in April 2013, where his unit was tasked with conducting stability operations. Later in this deployment, he was located at Forward Operating Base Ghazni, which was subject to a complex attack on Aug. 28, 2013.

After returning from Afghanistan, Plumlee completed nine months of physical rehabilitation, while continuing to serve in the 4th Battalion, 1st SFG (A).

In 2015, Plumlee was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, with the 1st Battalion, 1st SFG (A), where he served in the INDOPACOM-Crisis Response Force. There he served on foreign details for President Obama and President Trump. In 2018, he was selected for promotion to master sergeant and ended his time in Okinawa. He and his family returned to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, where he served in the 1st SFG (A) headquarters. In August 2020, he was selected to become a team sergeant at 3rd Battalion 1st SFG (A), where he continues to serve.

His awards and decorations include the Silver Star, the Bronze Star Medal, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, two Navy Achievement Medals, the Combat Action Ribbon, four Army Good Conduct Medals, two Marine Corps Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, the Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, the Iraq Campaign Medal with Arrowhead Device, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, the Armed Forces Reserve Medal with "M" Device, three Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbons, the Army Service Ribbon, the Overseas Service Ribbon, four Sea Service Deployment Ribbons, the NATO Medal, two Navy Unit Commendations, Marine Corp Combatant Dive Badge, the Marine Unit Commendation, the Special Forces Tab, the Combat Infantryman Badge, the Military Free-Fall Parachute Badge and the Indonesian Parachutist Badge.

Michael S. Repass is the Chief Executive Officer for Able Global Solutions LLC which he founded in 2013 after retiring from the Army. AGS focuses on international business development to match emerging technology and proven products with potential clients. AGS also examines trends and environments for strategic perspectives.
Mike Repass’ military career began in 1980 upon graduation from the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY. He served an infantry officer and over 30 years as a Special Forces officer. He commanded at every level in Special Forces from captain to major general. He commanded tactical units in the 5th Special Forces Group; the 1st Special Forces Group in Japan, then Commanded the 10th Special Forces Group. He commanded the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Arabian Peninsula during Operation IRAQI FREEDOM for two combat tours. He was the Commanding General for both U.S. Army Special Forces Command and U.S. Special Operations Command, Europe in successive tours.
Mike Repass received a bachelor’s degree in science from the USMA in 1980 and a master’s degree in strategic studies in 2003 from the U.S. Army War College.
His awards include: two Army Distinguished Service Medals, Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, two Bronze Stars; the Combat and Expert Infantryman’s Badge, Parachutist’s and Air Assault badges, and Ranger and Special Forces tabs. He has multiple foreign decorations, accomplishment badges, and awards from the Czech Republic, Estonia, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Ukraine.
In his post-military life, has served as an adjunct instructor on a mobile education team working with European and African nations on national security policy education. He has worked with Ukrainian military forces since 2016 as an instructor and a strategic advisor.
A native of West Virginia, Mike Repass is married to the former Linda L. Rainey from Sheboygan, Wisconsin. They reside in Belle Isle, Florida.

LTG David P. Fridovich is a retired Lieutenant General and Green Beret in the United States Army. He graduated in 1974 from Knox College where he was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon. He then went on to receive a master’s degree in political science from Tulane University in 1976. After graduation, LTG Fridovich was commissioned an infantry Second Lieutenant. He served as a Rifle and Reconnaissance Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer, and Light Infantry Company Commander with the 172nd Light Infantry Brigade, Fort Richardson, Alaska. He was appointed Assistant Professor of Military Science at Norwich University, where he trained the Mountain Cold Weather Cadre and Rescue Team.

LTG Fridovich Commanded the Combine/Joint Special Operations Task Force in Operation Joint Forge, Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, from January through July 2000. He assumed command of the 1st Special Forces Group(AIRBORNE) in August of 2000. There, he led the Army Special Operations Task Force, Operation Enduring Freedom-Philippines, Zamboanga, Republic of the Philippines from January through June of 2002. In January of 2005, LTG Fridovich assumed duties as Commander, Special Operations Command, Pacific. He subsequently assumed duties as the Director, Center of Special Operations, U.S. Special Operations Command in 2007, and became deputy Commander in May 2010.
LTG Fridovich retired on November 14, 2011 after more than 37 years of service in the U.S. Army. At the time of his retirement, he was the senior Green Beret in the Army.

--- ALEX QUADE ---
War reporter and documentary filmmaker Alex Quade started her career at the White House during the Persian Gulf War. She’s worked in television covering global conflicts and hostile environments for CNN, FOX, CBS, HLN, APTN and CNNI out of Frankfurt and Berlin, Germany, New York and Atlanta ( Alex Quade - IMDb ). She’s produced videos and reports for The New York Times; front page stories for The Washington Times, Military Times, and Small Wars Journal; and magazine cover features for National Guard, Communicator, and Dangerous Assignments. She’s the recipient of more than two dozen journalism awards. Among them: two national Edward R. Murrow Awards, the national Defense Media Award for her career covering special operations, an International Aerospace Media Award, group Emmy, Peabody and Columbia du-Pont Awards, and the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s Excellence in Journalism Award “for her courageous reporting and honest news coverage". For more info or to contact: http://alexquade.com/ ( Alex Quade — Communications Professional )

Dr. Atalanta has spent nearly a decade working in support of the Special Operations community, with special emphasis on the Green Beret community. A sought-after ghostwriter, collaborator, and editor, the words you find on bookstore shelves, online, or in other communications from your favorite Special Operations inspirational figure may very well be hers. She publishes her own work, as well, having most recently co-authored “Meditations of an Army Ranger: A Warrior Philosophy for Everyone” with LTC JC Glick; and of her numerous viral eponymous online compositions, her essay “We Are the Useful Idiots: How Our Nation Divided Is Playing Straight Into the Hands of Our Greatest Enemies” earned the distinction of Havok Journal’s Article of the Year. She is founder and CEO of SOFXLE (www.sofxle.com), a consultancy bringing Special Operations strategies for mindset, resilience, and no-fail mission success to America’s Law Enforcement community. A trusted writer for, supporter of, and friend to the Green Beret Foundation, Dr. Atalanta owes her career in large part to the Green Berets who have opened their minds, experiences, and worlds up to her.

In her SFACON 2023 talk, “The Hidden Gifts of the Green Beret,” Dr. Atalanta shares the key life lessons she has learned from the Green Berets with whom she has been blessed to collaborate—and hopes to give back to this magnificent community of strength an awareness of the gifts that they bring to bear when they transition back to the civilian world.

You can find her at www.aliceatalanta.com, www.sofxle.com, or [email protected] .

A volunteer at Task Force Dagger Special Operations Foundation (TFDSOF)

Founding Director TFDSOF Health Initiatives Program

The Task Force Dagger Foundation Health Initiative Program started with Geoff Dardia, a career Special Forces soldier, in 2013. His story started like many others: he was “banged up” physically, mentally, and emotionally. Facing divorce, medical retirement, deep depression, and suicidal ideation, he refused to accept standard of care and refused to believe a large portion of his symptoms were “all in his head.”

Geoff sought care outside the conventional medical system. He started a transformational health experience that he later continued with the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine with Dr Mark Hyman MD, at the flagship clinical care and research facility for the Institute of Functional Medicine.