Coach BZ interviews retired USAF General Glen VanHerck, who commanded NORAD for 37 years and flew over 4,000 hours in F-15s, F-35s, and B-2s. VanHerck now runs an advisory firm focused on AI and homeland defense, including a Manhattan-Project-scale initiative called Golden Dome. His leadership philosophy: it's not about planes and places, it's about faces.
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Welcome back, friends, to the Leadership and Success Podcast with Coach BZ. Today, I have the extraordinary honor of sitting down with a true American leader, a man whose career has defined service, innovation, and courage at the highest levels of command. My guest is General Glen D. VanHerck, United States Air Force, retired, the former commander of the North American Aerospace Defense Command, NORAD, and U.S. Northern Command . Throughout his 37-year career, General VanHerck led missions that safeguarded millions, from defending North American skies to coordinating joint operations with our Canadian allies. He's a command pilot with over 4,000 flight hours in some of the most advanced aircraft ever built, including the F-15, F-35, B-1B, and the stealth B-2 Spirit bomber. He's briefed presidents, advised Secretaries of Defense, and led teams through some of the most complex crises of our time, from global pandemics to drone incursions to great power competition. Now, as founder of Glenn VanHerck Advisors, he continues to serve, guiding organizations in AI, data strategy, and homeland defense innovation. His vision for Golden Dome, a Manhattan Project-level initiative to secure America from evolving threats, is reshaping how we think about deterrence industry and readiness in the digital age. But what inspires me most about General VanHerck is his leadership philosophy. He often says, "It's not about planes and places, it's about faces." He reminds us that leadership is not just about the mission, it's about the people who make the mission possible. So whether you're a naval junior officer preparing for command, a Silicon Valley engineer stepping into leadership, or a lifelong learner committed to growth, this episode will challenge how you think about defense, innovation, and leadership in a rapidly changing world. Please join me in welcoming General Glen D. VanHerck. A guardian of the homeland, a visionary of the future, and a servant leader for our time.
