Ep. 47: Kaleth Wright - Transformation Beyond Military Life

Have you ever considered what life beyond the uniform might look like for a military leader? Retired Chief Master Sergeant Kaleth Wright joins us, offering an engaging reflection on his journey post-service and the books that have influenced his perspective on human interactions and mentorship. Prepare to be captivated by tales of his time with General Goldfein and the rare combination of exceptional leadership laced with genuine approachability that they cultivated together.

The winds of change are blowing through the corridors of the Air Force, and we're here to track their course. In our conversation with Wright, we dissect the intricacies of systemic reform within the military, tackling the tough questions on restructuring the enlisted promotion system, addressing racial disparities in military justice, and championing gender equality in service opportunities. It's a contemplative look at the balancing act leaders perform while steering through a storm of demands for progress.

Laughter punctuates our discussion as we swap stories about the simple joys in life, such as the unexpected delight of finding the perfect sneaker cleaner. Wright shares insights into the art of inspiring others, the thrill of collaborative achievement, and the humor in acknowledging one's own imperfections. Our dialogue culminates in a powerful message about self-worth and accepting that sometimes, just being 'enough' is an accomplishment in itself. Join us for a heartfelt and honest conversation that celebrates resilience and the human spirit.

Connect with Passing The Torch: Facebook and IG: @torchmartin

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Transcript

Martin Foster: 0:00

Hey everyone, this is Martin Foster and you're listening to Passing the Torch. This episode with Kaleth Wright is actually from August of 2023. I attended the AFSA Summit the Air Force Sargent's Association Summit in Dallas, texas, and I was able to link up along with Josh White from Hero Front to do a podcast, a live. This is the audio from that video, but we actually did a live Facebook interview with retired Chief Master Sergeant Wright and, yeah, I just want to take the information, just want to take the conversation from that video and just post this audio version. So, again, it's from August, but I hope you enjoy. Thanks for listening.

Martin Foster: 0:41

Hey everyone, martin Foster from Passing the Torch. Josh White from the Summit. I'm sorry, what's your name again? K-wright, k-wright, I got to tell a quick story. So he was on my podcast six years ago, right, and you were.

Martin Foster: 0:55

No one was only doing podcasts back then and I got an email from Kitty Grabham and she sent me this whole bio about how to say your name and it made me laugh because it just said Khalith, like kuh, like bruh, but Chief. I just want to say, first and foremost, k-wright. Whether you're Chief, k-wright, you're a good man and I just want to say thank you because, in 2018, and shout out to Freddie Harris and Kitty Grabham for really coordinating on this but you did my podcast and you gave me 45 minutes of your time and that podcast has over 90,000 downloads, which means that, like our message, your message, the attitude, reflects the leadership connected with those over 90,000 people. But I'm just, I'm so grateful and thank you for making me feel important in a very crowded world. So I mean, I really felt significant in the moment. But before I pass it to Josh, I just want to say thank you. And why is life great right now?

K Wright: 2:01

Life is great right now, man, because I'm amongst friends here at AFSA, I'm not working that hard like I used to have to do, and retired life is amazing, surrounded by great people. So I couldn't ask for a better life, better opportunity. I appreciate it man. I'll tell you another thing, man, I appreciate you guys. I'll tell you what I like about y'all. Man, y'all are doggie, y'all like, y'all like hey, man, we're going to do this podcast. You can walk around and pretend like you don't see us if you want to, but I could.

Martin Foster: 2:34

FaceTime someone that we both have a mutual friend.

K Wright: 2:37

Right Every corner. I turn around man, I come out of the shower and one of them is just like what's Josh?

Martin Foster: 2:43

It's not. I have the out here, so I just watched him in her sleep. Hey, I have a question. So coincidentally we did the podcast and it's a great episode, I think episode number six. You recommended three books. One was two of the three were the Alchemist, old man and the Sea. I did a podcast with Toadman yesterday. He just said that's one of the books he recommended was Old man and the Sea. I did a podcast today with Shane Pilgrim. He recommended the Alchemist and I'm like that's crazy. Man K-Wide did this like six years ago. You guys are still in his notes but anyway, but since you've retired I'm joking, they didn't still have his notes, but you've been retired for over three years now, roughly three years. What are some books now that you'd recommend for people that are maybe post retirement or something that's really helped you move forward?

K Wright: 3:34

Yeah, the number one book I recommend right now, man, is Malcolm Gladwell's Talking to Strangers Fantastic Like. I think it's an amazing book and I recommend the audio book, the audio book is fire.

K Wright: 3:46

It's fire. Right, it's kind of like a podcast slash audio book, but, man, it really opened my eyes to some things that I suspected, did I think? Some things about how we think we know people but we really don't, and the mistakes that we make, and whatnot. So that's an amazing book, man. Another book I recommend is called the Advice Trap, by a guy named Michael Bungay Stonier. He's an executive coach and the subtitle is something similar to how to Stay Curious a Little Longer, because when we're all mentoring and coaching and trying to help the people that work for us or that look up to us, we're so quick to give advice, so quick to fall into that vice trap of oh, all you need to do is this, as opposed to staying curious, asking more questions and more questions and what else? Tell me more about this and whatever phraseology you use, let's double click on that or what have you? Let's peel back the onion. But just being more curious and asking more questions instead of giving people playbooks, right. And so I really like those two recommendations Awesome.

Josh White: 5:02

So I got to speak with General Goldfiend. Believe it or not, he came on and it all was for me meeting him for 30 seconds and doing an elevator pitch. And JD is cool, Really interesting. I mean, everything about his life is fascinating. Yeah, he's very philosophical and I'm just curious you know what are some of those things that you took away from being so close to someone like that?

K Wright: 5:23

Yeah, the number one thing I took away from him was that you can be amazing and normal at the same time. Right, you can be an amazing human being with a warfighter spirit, with tons of experience and highly regaled by everybody around you, officer and enlisted alike. You could be a superstar but still be a regular person. You could be the person that will crack a joke that I could call and say hey, boss, what you doing? Man, let's have a drink and a cigar. Why don't you spend the night and night? Because I don't want you driving back home. And still to this day, right, if I go to San Antonio, he's like hey, can't wait, come out and stay and we make steaks and all that type of stuff. But he's so down to earth. He's super intelligent. Right, he is an amazing people person, all the skills that you would think.

K Wright: 6:24

A four star general, a senior executive, whether it's in government and now he's transitioning and is doing a lot of great stuff. He has all that. But he also has the common touch that he could come in this room, sit here. He wouldn't be uncomfortable, he wouldn't make you uncomfortable, or he could walk out there with all of these, these airmen, and nobody would you know, maybe initially people would be like, oh, that's to the general, but pretty quickly they'd be laughing and high fiving and drinking and having a good time. So that's that's what I learned from a man is that you know, you don't have to to be stuffy, you don't have to, and you don't have to fake it, you don't have to pretend. You know. He was kind of like me. If he didn't know something he'd say I don't know.

Josh White: 7:06

But sounds like he's. He's very humble.

K Wright: 7:09

He's very humble.

Josh White: 7:10

Right, I mean, that's like everything you're describing to me, like that's the words that I keep hearing in my head.

K Wright: 7:16

If he came in here, right, or if he walked out there and you said, yeah, my, my dad was in the Air Force, he'd be like, oh, yeah, call him, please tell him right now. And then he'd get on and be like, hey man, I'm here with your kid. That's crazy. He's doing great and he's just. He's just a great, great person, absolutely.

Martin Foster: 7:31

I love him. I want to follow up on a question from before, a wider question, and you've had some time. You know this is the sequel, right? I'm on. The last podcast asked you if there was a movie made about your life, you know, with the name of that movie B, and then who would play you? So I want to ask that question again, but we're going to add who would play? So, also again, who would play you? Who would play Todd Simmons? And the only answer is the rock? And then who would play? Who would play Mike Perry? And then who else should we throw in there Josh? And who would play General Golfe? Yeah, or, excuse me.

K Wright: 8:08

JD. Yeah, what did I say? The movie would be?

Martin Foster: 8:13

I don't remember. I have to go back and listen.

K Wright: 8:16

Oh man, if there was a movie made about me, what would it be called? Unlikely Okay.

Josh White: 8:24

And uh, I got the name of like your book. No, just dropping that now.

K Wright: 8:28

No, no, no. Okay, just checking the name of my book is uh, Heavy as the Head.

Martin Foster: 8:34

Nice.

K Wright: 8:34

Yeah.

Martin Foster: 8:35

Um. Is that based off the Marlowe quote from the wire?

K Wright: 8:39

Uh yeah, but but that's based off Okay, you know kind of. I think it's Shakespeare All right.

Martin Foster: 8:46

So who would play? You who would play?

K Wright: 8:48

Uh, Denzel Washington would have to play me man which? Uh, are we talking like, John Q?

Martin Foster: 8:54

John Q and Equalizer. Okay, so we're not talking like you, mother.

K Wright: 9:00

Not training Not training.

Martin Foster: 9:03

Yeah, that's next level, that's for the, that's for the third trilogy yeah, and then, so who would play Todd Simmons? Who would play Mike Perry?

K Wright: 9:14

Uh, I don't know about Mike Perry, todd Simmons, I guess the Rock like the Rock. Yeah, it's only a logical choice, right and uh, jd Goffin man would would be like Al Pacino, or uh, have recommendation. What's my man named? Yeah, de.

Martin Foster: 9:32

Niro, yeah, de Niro, yeah. I have a third recommendation. I can't it's so obvious to me, clearly Ryan Gosling.

K Wright: 9:38

Ryan Gosling.

Martin Foster: 9:39

Yeah, when I see Tim Rcoffin and Ryan Gosling, it's like who's it? They have another follow up question, you mind, if I? Uh? Yeah, all right, so what friendship? What new friendship over the past two to three years has something that's just a new friendship. That's really become like a great friendship, but something new.

K Wright: 9:57

Yeah, something new. Friendship wise yeah, I would say. Uh, abbey Scott.

Martin Foster: 10:02

Oh yeah, shark Guy.

K Wright: 10:03

Yeah, is is, uh, you know, young, young chief in the space force that's doing amazing stuff, yeah, rising stuff. So I'm watching them there do that. But, more importantly, he's a golfer. We golfed together a couple times a week. Uh, he's probably supposed to be working some of those times, but, um, and we, we travel along with a bunch of other guys but we talk all the time. Uh, I'm really intrigued by you know his intelligence and what he brings to the table and and he has me spending unnecessary money on Jordan golf shoes. Man, like, every week, he like I almost blocked him a couple of times. It's an investment. Every time it's an investment. Every time a pair of Jordan golf shoes comes out, I get a text from him and you know it, just like I'm like, hey, man, I'm blocking you. Dude, I don't want them, I don't need them, but I just ordered them. They'll be here Thursday, like it's. It's. It's bad, that's good.

Josh White: 11:05

That's that's great. What do you got, jubs? So I'm going to take it in a different direction, all right. Um, so obviously you've had a lot of time to think about the good, the bad, the ugly things. She's proud of, things. Wish you could go back and redo. What are the things that you feel like you would have done differently or for you feel like you may have left on the table?

K Wright: 11:30

Oh, so on the one hand, I live with no regrets. Right, I did what I did. I don't get do overs, blah, blah, blah, blah blah. But if I'm being honest, I think three things I would have done different. One I would have from the beginning I would have been dogged about getting rid of the entire enlisted promotion system Waps, testing, eprs, whatever. I would have wiped it off the map like dropped a nuclear bomb on it, and baby bathwater house tub, all of it would have just left.

K Wright: 12:04

And, and I would have you know, basically ripped the bandaid off, right, rip it all off right and fought to have someone from outside the Air Force design us a system that makes sense and that works and that's whatever. But like everybody else, I've tinkered around the edges, just changed this, but maybe we fixed that and that I would have paid more attention to the military justice stuff as it relates to young African American males. So right when I was about to retire, that report resurface is not like I had never seen the report, it had been a few years before I read it, but it resurfaced, you know, saying that you know young black males in the military, in the Air Force, were receiving, you know, njp at 50% to rate their counterparts, white counterparts, for the same offenses. So I would have, I think, dug deeper into that and tried to figure out, like you know what I have, my theory about some of the reasons that that exists. But and then I think I would have invested more in the things that we needed for our females, you know, making sure they had the right gear, because for years you know it was whether you're a defender or a pilot, just wear the male stuff and you'll be fine. And not just that right, but opportunities for them to advance and excel and have the same opportunities as me, you and anybody else.

K Wright: 13:41

Because you know, whether we want to believe it or like to believe it, there's still a lot of bias in our systems and because and it's tied together right Sometimes because, coming up, we don't make sure that, you know, women have the same opportunities, they get burnt out. You know quicker and decide you know, hey, I'm going to do something else if I got to put up with but this stuff, because many times throughout their careers especially in career fields where you know women they're not, they're only a few women sometimes they just adjust to the stuff that men do and say and eventually it wears on or they get so hardened to it that it becomes part of them and it doesn't serve them well when they get in a leadership position. So I think you know, overall, I think, instead of you know, our philosophy was we're gonna just hit a bunch of singles, right, we're not gonna try to hit a home run. But also that means like just bam, you know, you're all over the place instead of finding, hey, man.

K Wright: 14:43

There's three things that are really, really important. Let me just focus on that. I can see how it'd be really hard.

Josh White: 14:48

I mean, you're getting pulled in every direction, right? Everyone who brings an issue to you. That's the issue you know, and to decipher you know truly what needs the most TLC I can see would be really challenging and you know the system defeats you.

K Wright: 15:05

Man, really, yeah, man, I mean I'm trying to fix all that stuff. You know how hard it is in the Air Force to fight through all of the bureaucracy and red tape and all that type of stuff so you almost get relegated to well, I almost feel like there's really no chance for me to rip the band aid off the promotion system because I'm being so much resistance and it's wasting so much time and there's so many you know people embedded in these places that are, you know, fighting me and I don't even know they're fighting me. So let me just find some easy wins and get some stuff that I can actually fix, especially when you know in the Air Force, in the military, you know command terms are. There's this short man you know the Chief Master of the Air Force is typically four years. I did about three and a half, but most of the jobs that senior leaders have are two years, right, and it goes by quick. So you don't have a whole lot of time to waste and you can easily get defeated right, especially in the building.

Josh White: 16:17

I was kind of in your own little bubble in there oh.

K Wright: 16:23

And that's a lot of bullshit in there. That's kind of what it is. It's like, hey, this is simple, let's just do it. And then there's 17 other people who have to chime in and you don't know that they're chiming in and they've been retired for 10 years and they didn't work back then, so they don't believe in it now.

K Wright: 16:41

And you know what was also a little bit frustrating, what I think I would have appreciated more of the people who opposed some of the changes we were trying to make would have come to me and say you know, okay, right, this is a valiant effort, but we're not gonna do it and it's not gonna work. Don't waste your time. But instead I think people would say, oh, wow, that's a great idea. Like, yeah, just give it to me. No, we'll work on it, we'll get back to you. And then they throw it in the trash or put it somewhere and be like he'll be retired in a couple of years, so thinking, making progress, you're waiting on stuff to happen, you're out. You know me, man, I was always out ahead of myself, right Ahead of my skis. It's like, yeah, we about to get this. Like what, we about to get what? I'll just be out there promising stuff, man Cause I'm thinking this is a easy win right, this is so.

Josh White: 17:31

It almost sounds like it was. You know, you hear, you hear the position. Chief Master, sergeant of the Air Force. You assume that comes with a tremendous amount of power, and what it sounds like to me is it was much more like convoluted than you expected.

K Wright: 17:46

Yeah yeah, it is, and that's all of right. That's all. That's to include Chief of Staff, right? So it's not just Chief Master, sergeant of the Air Force. You think Chief of Staff has the magic wand and when he says, do this, it just happens. But even at that level there's a layer of bureaucracy and red tape, and his or her time is limited as well, and so people will wait you out.

Josh White: 18:09

I saw it at every level. I thought of that waiting in the mouth.

K Wright: 18:12

I saw it at every level and I saw it from the time I was a group superintendent, wing command chief, naf. You know there was a group of you know, typically civilian, you know, that are retired or would have you, that have been in place for a long time, will be in place for a long time, and their philosophy was hey, we'll just you, just like the last guy. Great idea, yeah, right, right, right, let me see. Yeah, yeah, we, we, we, we wait him out. It's gonna give him a little bone here and there and so, but I think that comes with any job, right, it doesn't matter where you are, what corporate, nonprofit right, power is limited and it really should be right.

K Wright: 18:57

And I think understanding how to navigate the systems is just part of being a leader. And and it's part of the checks and balances, because if all leaders were untethered to just do whatever they want to do, some people use their powers for good and some don't, right, so you. So I didn't like it, but I kind of understand it and I dealt with it, not not so well, I guess.

Josh White: 19:27

I mean from our observations. You did fantastic. You know so. No one out on the outside could would know that that was happening. You know, every time we saw you it was like you just gave people hope you know it is to be the boss.

Martin Foster: 19:43

What's the James Brown song that used to come out to Cost to be the boss? It cost to be the boss.

Josh White: 19:49

Yeah.

Martin Foster: 19:51

Hey, so If there was a giant billboard that you could place anywhere in the world With your message on it and everyone had to see and everyone had to read it, where would you place that billboard and what would you want that message to say?

K Wright: 20:05

I Place it somewhere on the internet, on the on the Google splash page.

Martin Foster: 20:12

You know that's that question probably a hundred times over various podcast episodes. No one's ever said that I get Times Square a lot. I get a Lot of different, like Mount Rushmore, but no one's ever said that I split up.

K Wright: 20:23

Because, because everybody goes to Google right everybody opens up their browser and typically it's good.

K Wright: 20:27

first thing it comes up as Google and I think the message would be you're enough? Because I know sometimes people struggle with am I enough? Am I good enough? Am I, you know, handsome enough? Am I pretty enough? I'm not smart enough, can't, can I do this? You know, and Sometimes people just need reinforcement, you know, for others and from others, and sometimes from yourself, right, sometimes we need to be able to look in the mirror and say you know I am enough, right, and I don't have to prove myself to you or you or you or you, you know, I'm confident in who I am and and what I can do, and you know I can, I can do this Right, and that's not a you know, people don't need rah, rah, rah, you know, cheer you on type of stuff, but sometimes and I talked to a lot of people who sometimes I wouldn't need a state, they use those words and and sometimes their actions and other things they say Leave me to believe that you know, maybe I'm not enough, maybe I don't belong here, maybe this is not right for me, maybe I didn't deserve this life or promotion or what happened, and I and I think you know, I want people to Understand and believe that, hey man, you, you're enough doesn't mean that we don't all have things to work on, and we should all Be able to look in the mirror and work on ourselves.

K Wright: 21:55

Get a little bit better every day about with whatever it is we aspire to do or be. But Sometimes that reminder this is a good thing.

Martin Foster: 22:05

So I have a miscellaneous question. That's just kind of fun question. Sure, maybe two, but what purchase of a hundred dollars or less as most impacted your life?

K Wright: 22:17

$100 or less, trying to think I buy a lot of shit.

Martin Foster: 22:33

Something to clean the Jordan golf shoes.

K Wright: 22:36

Yes, that's it, I bought it. I was in that. You know how you walk through the mall and there's always somebody mostly people trying to sell you something to put on your face or something like it's always a dude that selling makeup wipes, so I don't know what, yeah, but. And there's always a sneaker, a sneaker dude with sneaker cleaner stuff and I'm like man, I don't want your $45, $45 mix of dawn dis detergent and whatever.

K Wright: 23:01

Yeah and but one day I was like you know what man, this dude, he was a young guy and I was like he's hustling, he's trying to make an honest dollar. He could be out, you know. So, drugs up. Let me just you know, yeah, and I bought some of that stuff and about you, definitely, he also me, right, I'm like, oh, I'm just like, oh, it's like 65. I'm like, dude, 65 hours, like that's almost you know the price of the shoes and so, yeah, I bought some of that man and it's been, you know, it's been great. Like I wear. I wear not this particular pair, but you know I wear George with tuxedos and stuff. Yeah, I'll wear some dress shoes tomorrow, but I typically wear, you know, reebok classics or Joe Chucks with suits and tuxedo.

Martin Foster: 23:45

Yeah, yeah, I love it. I have one last question for you. All right, so what are you world-class at that people might not know? Second part of that question is it a Denzel Washington training day impression?

K Wright: 24:02

Now I don't have any. It's not that right. I Don't know if I'm world-class at anything, man, I think I'm just like a skill or something that.

K Wright: 24:12

Yeah, I think I'm one of those you know jack of some trades, master of none. But if I had to say you know what I'm, what I think I'm most skilled at, I think, is Understanding, motivating, encouraging, inspiring people, right. So I feel like you know that's my strong suit. That's where you know I make my. My money in terms of having a real impact on people is I Can, I can read when you're doing good. I can read typically when you're not doing doing so well, and so I love being around people, I love helping people, I love coaching and mentoring and all that good stuff. I Tell you what I'm not good at. I'm not good at anything mechanical. I'm trying to be better. Like I installed my own Google Nest doorbell and okay, camera and shit like that. I'm like, oh, okay, like. But most things, if it's got anything that's mechanically inclined, like I'm Sometimes, like when I'm buying a car man, I open the hood just because I think it's the right thing to do, but I have no clue what it's looking the party.

K Wright: 25:23

I think I can find, I know how to do the battery and I could probably find a little oil thing. But other than that, I don't know, I don't even know. I open this here.

Martin Foster: 25:35

Well, we like you. Hey, Josh, I was just gonna wrap it up. Definitely I know a lot of people out there want to see you, but we like you, we're thankful for you. Just thank you again so much for being kind to us and just for your compliments and Just encouraging us, right, because we were, you know, we were able to connect this week and we talked about some of the hurdles that we have to face with, you know, and it's People who's not sure like what podcasting is or just social media, and there's there's a lot of Influence tech me had with this. But again, just thanks for Removing the bureaucracy and, you know, to saying, hey, just go for it, guys.

K Wright: 26:10

Yeah so we appreciate you. Thank you guys, man, thanks for doing this, thanks for tracking me down and hold me, hold me to it, and thanks for all the great work that you do, man, because I think you not only do, you know you guys, you're able to deal with some some difficult, some challenging, some fun Topics, but I think you help provide exposure to a lot of people right that otherwise might not get this type of exposure, and so I think it's it's a, it's a really good thing, man. I'm proud of you guys. Thank you, part of you. Thank, thanks, man. I appreciate that. Yeah, I think.

K Wright: 26:42

The one thing I will say, though, to something you just mentioned, it's probably unfair to say one person right. So you know, I was obviously the face and receive most of, not all of the credit for all the stuff, but, man, I had a. I had an amazing team. No, chris McBride, manny Pinheiro, kate Karen Marshall, mika Dixon, like they, they were Jamie Ten, man Harry, like. These guys were amazing, and we still like family Today.

K Wright: 27:19

So you know, I owe a lot of credit to the people that I was able to, the team that we built that really, honestly, you know, had a lot of power in terms of holding me accountable, saying no man, that's stupid, that doesn't make a make a lot of sense. That would make me do things that I didn't want to do. You know I like, for example, I hated going to to the Hill to testify and to see Congressman and senators and they would be like, yeah, you can hate it what you're going, so suck it up and and you're just over there, right? And so a lot of times, man, our teams and the people around us don't receive enough credit. I want to make sure that you know those folks that are still teammates and like family to me today Really, really get get the credit for a lot of the work that we did.

Martin Foster: 28:13

Alright, everyone, thanks for listening. Hope you enjoyed the episode. If you enjoyed the episode, you took something away. Please follow or subscribe, passing the torch and your front with Josh white, and tag us both on social media. Let us know what you're able to take away. I Are you. Everyone that wraps it wraps it up for today. Remember vision, relate, develop, take care everyone, foster out.