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Time Business News
6 days ago
- General
- Time Business News
Kristin Goodwin Turns Military Background Into a Career Coaching High-Performance Teams
When Brig Gen Kristin Goodwin spots a B-2 stealth bomber in the news, she doesn't just see an aircraft. She notices the formation, the timing, and the coordination behind it. During the early 2024 strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities—the longest B-2 flight since 2001—she could tell right away how much work and preparation had gone into the mission. While most news stories focused on the weapons and flight path, her attention went to those flying the aircraft. Even though the pilots weren't named, Goodwin later learned that one of them was a woman. This detail didn't make the headlines, but it brought back memories of her own time in the military—long before most people expected to see a woman in that seat. Now retired from the Air Force, Goodwin has taken on a different kind of challenge, working with executives, boards, and senior teams instead of pilots and command centers. Through her company, The Delta-v, she draws from over two decades of leadership experience to help organizations perform under pressure, all without losing sight of their people. Leading From a Place Few Women Had Gone Before Goodwin is one of only a few women to have flown the B-2 Spirit, a stealth aircraft known for its long-range precision and classified flight plans. In 2012, she became Vice Commander of the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, the B-2's home. Two years later, she took command of the 2d Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base, becoming the first woman in Air Force history to lead a U.S. bomb wing. Still, her time in the cockpit was just one part of a larger story spanning more than 20 years and multiple mission areas. She has over 3,000 flight hours, including 187 in combat, and has led organizations across space, cyber, nuclear deterrence, and joint operations. In each role, she was responsible for ensuring readiness and supporting her teams under demanding conditions. First Lessons in Leading Without Fear In 1997, long before she held a general's rank, Kristin Goodwin was the 25-year-old commander of an EC-130 aircraft on a mission over Bosnia. Her crew included 15 people—all men, many older than her. During the flight, they encountered multiple emergencies. There was an in-flight engine fire, a medical emergency, a sudden decompression requiring oxygen masks, and an enemy fighter jet that launched to intercept them. Although the mission was a success, what stood out to Goodwin wasn't the outcome, but how everyone showed up for each other when it counted. 'It began with me getting to know my crew and building trust; by knowing them… I mean truly knowing them,' she said. 'I came to know their superpowers and how best to leverage them. They came to trust that I would clearly communicate the mission, empower them and lead them to coherence.' She remembers the team gathering afterward to debrief over coffee and cookies, brewed and baked on the flight home. No one overreacted or lost focus, trusting one another to handle the situation effectively. That early experience changed her view of leadership, showing her that pressure is best met with trust and preparation. Bringing Humanity to the Highest Levels Over the next two decades, Goodwin moved into senior roles across the Air Force and, eventually, the newly formed U.S. Space Force. As Chief of Staff for Space Operations Command, she was responsible for 4,100 personnel operating across 134 sites worldwide. She also led the development of the first field command structure, advised on defense planning, and helped establish systems for intelligence, infrastructure, and operations. At the U.S. Air Force Academy, Goodwin served as Commandant of Cadets, where she designed a 47-month leadership curriculum and launched programs to improve retention, mental health, and cadet connection. Among those programs was SAFE HAVEN, a mobile app offering real-time support, and the 'Safe to Report' policy, which allowed cadets to seek help without fear of backlash. Throughout her career, Kristin Goodwin has led with the belief that people do their best work when they feel valued, supported, and understand their purpose. 'Everything really comes down to relationships,' she said. 'Get to know people, care about them, ask questions, develop rapport. We all need connection.' Coaching Others Through the Fog After retiring from active duty, Goodwin founded The Delta-v, a leadership and strategy firm that helps senior leaders operate effectively through moments of uncertainty and change. As CEO and founder, she works directly with Fortune 500 companies, technology startups, nonprofits, and defense contractors, offering personalized guidance on strategy, operations, AI transformation, and culture. Her background in aerospace, healthcare, cybersecurity, and defense gives her a clear understanding of what it takes to lead in high-pressure industries. Rather than rely on theory, she draws on her operational background to help teams improve clarity, cohesion, and performance. At BAE Systems, she advises on electronic warfare strategy, and at Capitol Defense Consulting, she's helped roll out critical systems for the Department of Defense. Whether she's guiding a company through AI adoption or helping a board reset direction, her approach is grounded in lived experience and built for real-world complexities. Tools, Trust, and the Time to Use Them In addition to coaching, Goodwin designs and leads custom board retreats through The Delta-v. These sessions give senior leaders space to pause, reflect, and work through challenges that shape the future of their organizations. Retreats are built around each board's priorities—whether that's governance, alignment, or collaboration at the executive level. Her facilitation style is hands-on and people-centered, helping teams solve problems, build trust, and move forward together. 'Extraordinary things happen when talented people unite behind a common mission,' she said. Goodwin also shares her insights through speaking engagements, delivering talks on topics like 'The Soul of Leadership,' 'Human-Centric AI Transformation,' and 'Strategic Navigation Through Chaos.' Her presentations combine practical tools with reflection, encouraging leaders to think more deeply about their impact on others. Where Leadership and Life Move in Tandem Kristin Goodwin may not spend her days flying anymore, but she still starts them early. Most mornings, she's up at 5:00 a.m. for a workout before jumping into coaching calls, planning sessions, and team workshops. She now serves as COO of TechWise, a defense consulting firm that works in training, systems integration, and new technology. Previously, she worked as interim COO of Caribou Thunder, where she helped drive a 67% revenue increase by improving its structure and culture. Outside of work, Goodwin stays active in her community. She serves on several boards, mentors others through professional women's organizations, and is deeply involved with Home Front Military Network, a nonprofit that helps active-duty service members and veterans access financial and mental health resources during times of need. Most of her personal time is spent outdoors, whether it's long-distance biking, running, or hiking. The rest is devoted to her greatest accomplishment: being a mom to her two school-aged daughters. Her schedule may be full, but 'work-life balance' isn't part of her vocabulary. 'I prefer the term 'Life Harmony,'' she said. 'As a mom and professional, it is not so much 'balance' as learning to live in the moment, clarifying priorities, and never taking myself too seriously.' Impact That Can't be Quantified Titles and roles offer a glimpse into Goodwin's career, but they don't tell the whole story, leaving out much of what makes it meaningful. Her impact shows up most in the people she's supported—whether in the military or in executive circles. One reminder sits framed on her desk: a letter from Staff Sgt. Desmond Awadzi, a young airman from Ghana who served under her command at Barksdale. She saw his potential early and nominated him for Officer Training School, where he was later accepted. In his letter, he thanked her for believing in him, for noticing where he came from, and for helping him see what was possible. Goodwin keeps that letter not as a symbol of achievement, but as a personal reminder of the lasting influence leaders can have when they invest in others. 'Helping others write their next great chapter, opening doors that may otherwise remain closed, that is the type of leadership I work to always embody.' TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Hindustan Times
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
How US used its bunker-buster bombs at Iranian nuclear sites
The deep penetrating bombs that the US dropped into two Iranian nuclear facilities were designed specifically for those sites and were the result of more than 15 years of intelligence and weapons design work, the Pentagon's top leaders said Thursday. US Air Force B-2 Spirit bomber, assigned to the 509th Bomb Wing out of Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, performs a fly-over during the Speed of Sound Airshow, at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base in St. Joseph, Missouri, U.S. September 14, 2024.(Reuters) Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at a press briefing that they are confident the weapons struck exactly as planned. Caine, the nation's top military officer, offered new details about the work that went into building the "bunker-buster" bombs and how the US used them to burrow into the Iranian sites. He sought to show the level of destruction but did not directly address President Donald Trump's assertion that Tehran's nuclear programme has been "obliterated." A classified briefing that pushed US work on bunker busters The bombs, called the GBU-57 A/B Massive Ordnance Penetrator, have their roots in a decades-old classified briefing "of what looked like a major construction project in the mountains of Iran," Caine said. That turned out to be the Fordo fuel enrichment plant, with construction believed to have started around 2006. It became operational in 2009, the same year Tehran publicly acknowledged its existence. The classified briefing was shown in 2009 to a Defense Threat Reduction Agency officer, who with a colleague "lived and breathed" Fordo for the next 15 years, studying the geology, construction dig, the earth moved and "every piece of equipment going in and every piece of equipment going out," Caine said. What they concluded: The US didn't have a bomb that could destroy those sites. So the Pentagon got to work, Caine said. "We had so many PhDs working on the mock programm — doing modelling and simulation — that we were quietly and in a secret way the biggest users of supercomputer hours within the United States of America," he said. How the bunker busters are designed The 30,000-pound bomb is comprised of steel, explosive and a fuse programmed to a specific detonation time. The longer the fuse, the deeper the weapon will penetrate before exploding. Over the years, the military tested and retested it hundreds of times on mock facilities, Caine said. Crews fine-tuned the bombs to detonate in the mock enrichment rooms, delaying detonation until they had reached a position to send a pressure blast through open tunnels to destroy equipment underground. How the US said it bombed an Iranian underground nuclear facility Fordo had two main ventilation routes into the underground facility — and officials carefully eyed these entry points as a way to target the site. Each route had three shafts — a main shaft and a smaller shaft on either side, which looked almost like a pitchfork in graphics provided by the Pentagon. In the days preceding the US attack, Iran placed large concrete slabs on top of both ventilation routes to try to protect them, Caine said. In response, the US crafted an attack plan where six bunker-buster bombs would be used against each ventilation route, using the main shaft as a way down into the enrichment facility. Seven B-2 stealth bombers were used, carrying two of the massive munitions apiece. The first bomb was used to eliminate the concrete slab, Caine said. The next four bombs were dropped down the main shaft and into the complex at a speed of more than 1,000 feet per second before exploding, he said. A sixth bomb was dropped as a backup, in case anything went wrong. In addition to the 12 bombs dropped on Fordo, with six on each ventilation route, two more hit Iran's main Natanz facility, Caine said. Each crew was able to confirm detonation as they saw the bombs drop from the aircraft in front of them: "We know that the trailing jets saw the first weapons function," Caine said. The pilots reported back that it was the brightest explosion they had ever seen — that it looked like daylight, he said. Questions remain about the whereabouts of Iran's highly enriched uranium Caine said the munitions were built, tested and loaded properly, guided to their intended targets and then exploded as designed. "Iran's nuclear facilities have been destroyed," Hegseth said. However, questions remained as to whether the highly enriched uranium that Iran would need to develop a nuclear weapon was at the site at the time. Asked repeatedly, Hegseth did not say if the uranium had been destroyed or moved. "I'm not aware of any intelligence that I've reviewed that says things were not where they were supposed to be — moved or otherwise," Hegseth said.
Scoop
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
The Real Winners: The Strategic Fallout Of The Israel-Iran War
On June 24, US President Donald Trump announced a truce between Israel and Iran following nearly two weeks of open warfare. Israel began the war, launching a surprise offensive on June 13, with airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities, missile installations, and senior military and scientific personnel, in addition to numerous civilian targets. In response, Iran launched a wave of ballistic missiles and drones deep into Israeli territory, triggering air raid sirens across Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Beersheba and numerous other locations, causing unprecedented destruction in the country. What began as a bilateral escalation quickly spiraled into something far more consequential: a direct confrontation between the United States and Iran. On June 22, the United States Air Force and Navy carried out a full-scale assault on three Iranian nuclear sites—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan—in a coordinated strike dubbed Operation Midnight Hammer. Seven B-2 bombers of the 509th Bomb Wing allegedly flew nonstop from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri to deliver the strikes. The following day, Iran retaliated by bombing the Al-Udeid US military base in Qatar and firing a new wave of missiles at Israeli targets. This marked a turning point. For the first time, Iran and the United States faced each other on the battlefield without intermediaries. And for the first time in recent history, Israel's long-standing campaign to provoke a US-led war against Iran had succeeded. Strategic Fallout Following 12 days of war, Israel achieved two of its goals. First, it pulled Washington directly into its conflict with Tehran, setting a dangerous precedent for future US involvement in Israel's regional wars. Second, it generated immediate political capital at home and abroad, portraying US military backing as a 'victory' for Israel. However, beyond these short-term gains, the cracks in Israel's strategy are already showing. Netanyahu did not achieve regime change in Tehran—the real objective of his years-long campaign. Instead, he faced a resilient and unified Iran that struck back with precision and discipline. Worse still, he may have awakened something even more threatening to Israeli ambitions: a new regional consciousness. Iran, for its part, emerges from this confrontation significantly stronger. Despite US and Israeli efforts to cripple its nuclear program, Iran has demonstrated that its strategic capabilities remain intact and highly functional. Tehran established a powerful new deterrence equation—proving that it can strike not only Israeli cities but US bases across the region. Even more consequentially, Iran waged this fight independently, without leaning on Hezbollah or Ansarallah, or even deploying Iraqi militias. This independence surprised many observers and forced a recalibration of Iran's regional weight. Iranian Unity Perhaps the most significant development of all is one that cannot be measured in missiles or casualties: the surge in national unity within Iran and the widespread support it received across the Arab and Muslim world. For years, Israel and its allies have sought to isolate Iran, to present it as a pariah even among Muslims. Yet in these past days, we have witnessed the opposite. From Baghdad to Beirut, and even in politically cautious capitals like Amman and Cairo, support for Iran surged. This unity alone may prove to be Israel's most formidable challenge yet. Inside Iran, the war erased, at least for now, the deep divides between reformists and conservatives. Faced with an existential threat, the Iranian people coalesced, not around any one leader or party, but around the defense of their homeland. The descendants of one of the world's oldest civilizations reacted with a dignity and pride that no amount of foreign aggression could extinguish. The Nuclear Question Despite the battlefield developments, the real outcome of this war may depend on what Iran does next with its nuclear program. If Tehran decides to withdraw from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT)—even temporarily—and signals that its program remains functional, Israel's so-called 'achievements' will be rendered meaningless. However, if Iran fails to follow this military confrontation with a bold political repositioning, Netanyahu will be free to claim—falsely or not—that he has succeeded in halting Iran's nuclear ambitions. The stakes are as high as they've ever been. A Manufactured Farce Some media outlets are now praising Trump for supposedly 'ordering' Netanyahu to halt further strikes on Iran. This narrative is as insulting as it is false. What we are witnessing is a staged political performance—a carefully orchestrated spat between two partners playing both sides of a dangerous game. Trump's Truth post, 'Bring your pilots home,' was not a call for peace. It was a calculated move to reclaim credibility after fully surrendering to Netanyahu's war. It allows Trump to pose as a moderate, distract from Israel's battlefield losses, and create the illusion of a US administration reining in Israeli aggression. In truth, this was always a joint US-Israeli war—one planned, executed, and justified under the pretext of defending Western interests while laying the groundwork for deeper intervention and potential invasion. Return of the People Amid all the military calculations and geopolitical theater, one truth stands out: the real winners are the Iranian people. When it mattered most, they stood united. They understood that resisting foreign aggression was more important than internal disputes. They reminded the world—and themselves—that in moments of crisis, people are not peripheral actors in history; they are its authors. The message from Tehran is unmistakable: We are here. We are proud. And we will not be broken. That is the message Israel, and perhaps even Washington, did not anticipate. And it is the one that could reshape the region for years to come. - Dr. Ramzy Baroud is a journalist, author and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of six books. His latest book, co-edited with Ilan Pappé, is ' Our Vision for Liberation: Engaged Palestinian Leaders and Intellectuals Speak Out'. His other books include 'My Father was a Freedom Fighter' and 'The Last Earth'. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA). His website is
Yahoo
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
B-2 bombers from Whiteman Air Force Base lead nuclear site attack in Iran
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — B-2 pilots from Whiteman Air Force Base in Knob Noster, Missouri, completed the largest and most successful B-2 operational strike in the program's history on Saturday. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth praised B-2 stealth pilots from Whiteman Air Force Base for their part in Operation Midnight Hammer. 'I want to recognize the pilots who flew those bombers, who flew those fighters, who flew those refuelers. Warriors. Every American involved in this operation performed flawlessly,' Hegseth said. Trump, local leaders speak on US strike on Iranian nuclear sites Secretary Hegseth spoke at a nationally televised press briefing from the Pentagon this morning, calling the U.S. military offensive against three Iranian nuclear sites 'an incredible and overwhelming success.' According to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, on Friday, B-2s departed from Whiteman headed in different directions. Those sent west were decoys. 'Seven B-2 Spirit bombers, each with two crew members, proceeded quietly to the east with minimal communications. Throughout the 18-hour flight into the target area, the aircraft completed multiple in-flight refuelings,' Caine said. According to General Caine, between 6:40 p.m. and 7:05 p.m. Eastern Time, the B-2s dropped 14 Massive Ordnance Penetrator weapons on the first of several targets at Fordow Nuclear Facility in Iran. 'The remaining bombers then hit their targets as well, with a total of 14 M.O.P.s dropped against two nuclear target areas.' View the latest headlines from Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas at According to Secretary Hegseth, the operation obliterated the Iranian nuclear program. 'Our B-2s went in and out of these nuclear sites. In and out and back without the world knowing at all. In that way, it was historic,' he said. The strike was the longest B-2 mission since the crews flew into Afghanistan in 2001 after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. It is the first time crews have ever dropped the so-called 'Bunker Busters.' The B-2 Spirits are part of the 509th Bomb Wing based at Whiteman Air Force Base outside of Knob Noster, Missouri. From there, the planes can deploy anywhere in the world. They are capable of carrying conventional or nuclear weapons. According to Caine, Saturday night's attack was supported by U.S. Strategic Command, U.S. Transportation Command, U.S. Cyber Command, U.S. Space Command, U.S. Space Force and U.S. European Command. Caine said initial battle damage estimates indicate that all three nuclear sites in Iran sustained severe damage or destruction. He says more than 125 U.S. aircraft participated in the mission, including B-2 stealth bombers, fighters, air refueling tankers, a guided missile submarine and a full array of intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance aircraft. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Business Insider
23-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Insider
The US military dropped new photos of the Operation Midnight Hammer B-2 Spirit bombers
The US military released new imagery of its B-2 stealth bombers from before and after the operation against Iran. The B-2s were part of Operation Midnight Hammer against Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend. Iran has already retaliated by launching missiles at a US air base in Qatar. The US Air Force on Monday released new photos and video footage of the B-2 Spirit stealth bombers from before and after their participation in Operation Midnight Hammer, the bombing mission that hit Iran's nuclear facilities. The 509th Bomb Wing that operates the B-2s shared several photos of the aircraft preparing for the operation, which began just after midnight on Saturday, and taking off from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. Seven B-2s flew from Whiteman to Iran, where they dropped 14 heavy bunker-buster bombs — the 30,000-pound GBU-57 — on Tehran's nuclear facilities. Pentagon leadership characterized the mission as a highly secretive and complex operation involving deception tactics. The GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator is the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal. It is designed to penetrate hardened, underground bunkers, and the B-2 is the only operational aircraft able to carry it. Saturday marked the first time that the MOP was used in combat. The US military targeted Iranian nuclear facilities at Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters on Sunday that American forces fired about 75 precision-guided weapons during the operation, including the 14 MOPs and over two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from a US Navy submarine at an undisclosed location in the Middle East. "We devastated the Iranian nuclear program," Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said alongside Caine, who added that initial battle damage suggested that all three sites sustained damage and destruction. The full extent of the damage remains to be seen. Caine said the operation involved over 125 aircraft, including the B-2 bombers, a mix of fourth- and fifth-generation fighter jets, and aerial refueling tankers. The 509th on Monday also released new photos of the B-2s returning to Whiteman after the operation. The B-2 is a stealth bomber with a unique flying-wing design built by the US aerospace company Northrop Grumman. It features a low-observable stealth design that allows it to fly through enemy airspace without being spotted by enemy radars supporting hostile surface-to-air-missile batteries. Caine said that Iran's surface-to-air missile systems did not appear to have spotted the US aircraft. "Throughout the mission, we maintained the element of surprise." Rafael Grossi, the United Nations nuclear watchdog chief, confirmed that Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan were hit, although the extent of the damage to the underground portions of the sites is unclear. However, satellite imagery revealed extensive destruction above ground at Isfahan, which was struck by the Tomahawks. Iran responded to the attacks on Monday by firing a volley of ballistic missiles at the US military's largest Middle East base, Al Udeid in Qatar. Doha said it intercepted all the threats and that there were no casualties. President Donald Trump previously warned Iran that any retaliation would be met with additional use of force. The US military has a large force presence in the Middle East, with fighter jets, warships, and aircraft carriers that could be used for offensive or defensive purposes. The unprecedented US bombing and Iran's retaliation come as Israeli forces have spent the past week and a half battering Iran's nuclear and military facilities.
