This episode of “Late For Changeover” is a full-throttle ride through today’s military headlines and some of the most unbelievable experiments in U.S. history. We kick things off with the Navy and Marine Corps banning kratom (05:14), an herbal supplement some service members have used for pain relief but that leaders now say carries serious risks and abuse concerns. What is it, why was it popular, and what happens next for troops looking for alternatives? Then we head into criminal territory as three soldiers are convicted in a poaching case tied to land on and around an Army installation (18:40). It is a story that mixes wildlife crime, federal land, and very bad career decisions. From courtroom drama to the gridiron, we spotlight the three finalists for the NFL’s Salute to Service Award (27:46), honoring individuals making major impacts for the military and veteran community. These stories are the kind that hit harder than a goal line stand. And for Unheralded History, we blast off into the era when the Cold War made science go full sci-fi: 🚀 Project 1794 tried to build a real flying saucer style aircraft (37:03) 🎈 Project Manhigh sent humans to the edge of space in high-altitude balloons (41:25) 🪂 Project Excelsior featured a daredevil Air Force officer jumping from near space to prove high-altitude bailouts were survivable (47:59)

Strap in. This one goes from herbal supplements to near-space freefall in record time. https://lateforchangeover.com/

This episode of Late For Changeover launches from the Moon and dives straight into the strange, serious, and sometimes surreal corners of military history and modern defense policy. The crew breaks down NASA’s new Moon rocket rolling to the launch pad as astronauts prepare for a return to deep space as early as February (07:49). Back on Earth, we examine why the VA is still awarding disability benefits using medical criteria written nearly 80 years ago, and what that means for today’s veterans (17:32). On the tech front, DARPA wraps up its RACER autonomous vehicle tests, pushing AI-driven ground combat one step closer to reality (32:14). For Unheralded History, we revisit 1945’s Operation Teardrop (42:37) - the last desperate U-boat hunt off America’s coast, and Operation Whitecoat (49:54) from 1954–1973 where soldiers volunteered for controversial Cold War medical experiments in the name of national defense. And because this is Late For Changeover, we close with one of the Pentagon’s most infamous ideas ever uncovered: the 1994 proposal for the so-called “Gay Bomb” (58:02). Real documents. Real funding. Very real questions. Space exploration, veteran policy, autonomous warfare, and the weirdest corners of military history—this episode has it all. https://lateforchangeover.com/

This episode swings from the Pentagon’s corridors to the jungle shadows of Vietnam with no speed limits and no safe assumptions. First, we play the “Complete The Headline” Game (01:39). Next, we open with the Pentagon ordering a hard look at the real-world “effectiveness” of women serving in combat arms roles, a review guaranteed to spark debate across the force and far beyond it. From doctrine to data, this conversation cuts straight into the future shape of the military (13:20). Then we hit the high seas, where the United States Coast Guard posts a jaw-dropping stat line: a record-smashing $4 billion in narcotics seized in a single year, revealing how modern drug interdiction has quietly become one of the most kinetic missions outside declared war zones (23:04). Next, the story turns strange and legally radioactive. An active-duty soldier from Fort Bragg claims his involvement in online sex ads was part of a “secret operation.” Was it cover, misconduct, or something else entirely? The details raise uncomfortable questions about accountability, plausibility, and the limits of “classified” explanations (30:07). We close with an Unheralded History deep dive back into the Vietnam War, unraveling the mystery of Salt and Pepper. Who were they, what did they do, and why did their story fade into the footnotes of a war overflowing with secrets? (38:20) From policy and patrols to scandals and shadow operatives, this episode connects the dots the headlines leave scattered. https://lateforchangeover.com/