THE PENTAGON – The Air Force formally added a new career field to its ranks this week, the 3C5XX Combat Podcaster. Under development for three years, this new profession promises to bring an informative yet zany edge to air power.
“The timely dissemination of information is critical to the successful execution of our mission,” said Gen. Ben Phelps of Air Education and Training Command. “And making that information interesting, personable, and—if at all possible—wacky, is a true force multiplier.”
The combat podcaster trainee will have to complete a series of challenging courses, including Army Airborne school and Navy diving school, before concluding 12 weeks of classes called “Interviews and Hot Takes in the Battlespace,” located at National Public Radio headquarters in Washington. It is during these last three months where the “CP” learns how to coax information from his or her “battle guest” in a way that is succinct and fun for the listening audience.
