If not the Army or Marines, transfer to DHS and border patrol.
“If you hear my gun I wasn’t aiming at you.” - Dale Stark, ret. A-10 pilot
In this episode, we sit down with retired Lieutenant Colonel John "Karl" Marks, the A-10 Warthog pilot with the most A-10 flight hours in history (7,500+ hours), for an incredible, 6 hour in-depth conversation. Karl shares his experience flying combat missions from Desert Storm to Afghanistan, earning a Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, 18 Air Medals, and 13 combat deployments along the way.
00:00:00 - Introduction to Carl Marks and His A-10 Career
00:02:00 - Receiving 7,500 Hours in the A-10 Warthog
00:04:00 - "Die Commie Die" Story and T-Shirt Origin
00:06:00 - Signed Desk Ornament Giveaway Details
00:09:00 - How the Air Force Preserves Close Air Support Skills
00:14:00 - Future of CAS and Transition to F-35
00:18:00 - Carl’s Childhood Dream of Flying the A-10
00:22:00 - Winning an A-10 Assignment Out of Pilot Training
00:30:00 - Training for Cold War Combat Missions
00:36:00 - Deploying to Desert Shield in Saudi Arabia
00:43:00 - Shifting Tactics from Low-Level to High-Altitude Attacks
00:50:00 - Trust Between Pilots and Ground Controllers
00:56:00 - First Combat Mission in the A-10 Warthog
01:03:00 - Striking Iraqi Forces and Lessons Learned
01:12:00 - Adapting to Threats in Desert Storm
01:20:00 - Changes in Close Air Support Tactics Over Decades
01:30:00 - Differences Between Desert Storm and Afghanistan
01:38:00 - How Precision Guided Weapons Changed CAS
01:48:00 - Lessons from Supporting Special Forces
02:00:00 - Reflections on Leadership and Combat Mindset
02:12:00 - The End of the Cold War and Its Impact
02:20:00 - Career Highlights and Favorite Missions
02:36:00 - Transitioning to a New Era of Air Combat
02:45:00 - Mentorship and Preparing the Next Generation
03:00:00 - Life Lessons Learned from 30 Years of Combat
03:15:00 - Coping with the Stress of War
03:30:00 - Funniest and Wildest Deployment Stories
03:45:00 - Honoring Fallen Friends and Brothers
04:00:00 - Thoughts on the Legacy of the A-10 Warthog
04:18:00 - How Air Combat Continues to Evolve
04:30:00 - Final Reflections on Service and Sacrifice
04:45:00 - Advice to Young Pilots and Future Warriors
Dale Stark 6 minute clip
“If you hear my gun I wasn’t aiming at you.” - Dale Stark, ret. A-10 pilot
In this episode, we sit down with retired Lieutenant Colonel John "Karl" Marks, the A-10 Warthog pilot with the most A-10 flight hours in history (7,500+ hours), for an incredible, 6 hour in-depth conversation. Karl shares his experience flying combat missions from Desert Storm to Afghanistan, earning a Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, 18 Air Medals, and 13 combat deployments along the way.
00:00:00 - Introduction to Carl Marks and His A-10 Career
00:02:00 - Receiving 7,500 Hours in the A-10 Warthog
00:04:00 - "Die Commie Die" Story and T-Shirt Origin
00:06:00 - Signed Desk Ornament Giveaway Details
00:09:00 - How the Air Force Preserves Close Air Support Skills
00:14:00 - Future of CAS and Transition to F-35
00:18:00 - Carl’s Childhood Dream of Flying the A-10
00:22:00 - Winning an A-10 Assignment Out of Pilot Training
00:30:00 - Training for Cold War Combat Missions
00:36:00 - Deploying to Desert Shield in Saudi Arabia
00:43:00 - Shifting Tactics from Low-Level to High-Altitude Attacks
00:50:00 - Trust Between Pilots and Ground Controllers
00:56:00 - First Combat Mission in the A-10 Warthog
01:03:00 - Striking Iraqi Forces and Lessons Learned
01:12:00 - Adapting to Threats in Desert Storm
01:20:00 - Changes in Close Air Support Tactics Over Decades
01:30:00 - Differences Between Desert Storm and Afghanistan
01:38:00 - How Precision Guided Weapons Changed CAS
01:48:00 - Lessons from Supporting Special Forces
02:00:00 - Reflections on Leadership and Combat Mindset
02:12:00 - The End of the Cold War and Its Impact
02:20:00 - Career Highlights and Favorite Missions
02:36:00 - Transitioning to a New Era of Air Combat
02:45:00 - Mentorship and Preparing the Next Generation
03:00:00 - Life Lessons Learned from 30 Years of Combat
03:15:00 - Coping with the Stress of War
03:30:00 - Funniest and Wildest Deployment Stories
03:45:00 - Honoring Fallen Friends and Brothers
04:00:00 - Thoughts on the Legacy of the A-10 Warthog
04:18:00 - How Air Combat Continues to Evolve
04:30:00 - Final Reflections on Service and Sacrifice
04:45:00 - Advice to Young Pilots and Future Warriors
Dale Stark 6 minute clip
"It is hard to imagine a more stupid or more dangerous way of making decisions than by putting those decisions in the hands of people who pay no price for being wrong." – Thomas Sowell