Matt “Flounder” Arny is a part-time podcaster while being a full-time husband, dad, youth sports organizer, Scouts leader and management consultant in the technology and aerospace industries.

In his career in the US Navy, Flounder flew in both the F-14B Tomcat and F/A-18F Super Hornet serving tours in VF-102 and VFA-103 and then as Commanding Officer in VFA-154

Flounder logged over 3,000 flight hours in the F-14A/B/D, F/A-18B/D/F, JAS-39D, F-4, F-5, F-16, TA-4 and various other aircraft accumulating over 700 arrested landings and 89 combat missions.

Mike Benitez is a military veteran with 25 years of active service—eight in the Marine Corps and 17 in the Air Force. His diverse background includes over 2,400 flight hours spanning five combat deployments along with a range of assignments in the Pentagon, DARPA, Congress, Silicon Valley, and operational test. He is a graduate of the US Air Force Weapons School, holds two degrees from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and professional certifications from Georgetown University (legislative affairs), the Wharton School (product management), and Harvard University (business strategy).

By day, Mike works as a director of product at a defense technology startup. By night, he is a contributing editor at War on the Rocks and operates the Merge—a defense news outlet that publishes a newsletter and podcast.

Scott “Roger” Chafian is a 20 year Navy veteran who served first as a Surface Warfare Officer and later as one of the Navy’s first Expeditionary Warfare Officers. He has multiple shipboard deployments in all major Fleet AORs serving in Anti-Submarine Warfare and Aegis Combat Systems Officer billets as well as Anti-Terrorism and Security Cooperation missions to the Middle East, Africa, Central and South America, and Southeast Asia. Scott holds degrees in International Relations and Military History as well as US Army Command and Staff College certification as a Strategic Planner and both a Navy and Army Historian.

Scott is a Founding Partner and Chief Content Officer of Authentic Media. He has hosted the “Fight’s On!”, F-22, F-16, and F-15E series as well as Authentic’s Author Debriefs on YouTube.

Col Lewis graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1996, with a major in American History. He was awarded a Masters of Arts in National Security Studies (with distinction) from the Naval War College and a Masters of Science in National Security Strategy from the National War College.

Col Lewis has flown over 3,900 total mishap free flight hours with over 2,800 in the FA-18A-D, and over 400 hours in combat. His personal decorations include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with gold star, the Air Medal-Air Heroic (with star and Combat V), the Air Medal-Strike Flight (with numeral eight), the Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal (with gold star and Combat V), and the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal (with gold star and Combat V), the Combat Action Ribbon, the Humanitarian Service Medal, and the Japanese Defense Cooperation Award.

An energetic and results-driven professional, Brian has over 20 years of experience in the Navy as a carrier-based combat fighter pilot, US Naval Academy aerospace engineering instructor, F/A-18 test pilot, and weapons development officer. While in uniform, his infectious positivity earned him the call sign “Sunshine”. Besides leading aircraft in combat on four deployments, he also routinely led both technical and interactive presentations for 250+ person audiences.

After retiring from the Navy in 2018, Sunshine began training Navy fighter pilots on current systems as well as helping Navy engineers design future systems. On Authentic, Sunshine has hosted the “Test Pilot” series as well as episodes on the AIM-9 and SM-2. Find out more about Sunshine on his website 3-Wire.

Andrew 'Scar' Van Timmeren is a former F-22 Pilot for the United States Air Force with almost 1,000 hours in the aircraft. He flew on multiple continents, including CENTCOM in 2014, the first F-22 European presence in 2016, and many more trips around the country and world flying with our partners and allies. His F-22 permanent assignments included Holloman AFB, Tyndall AFB, and Langley AFB. He is passionate about teaching Air Power and keeping the tradition of April 15 1953 alive! He's married to his beautiful wife and has 2 young boys.

Ken 'Primetime' Katz is an aerospace engineer who began his career on US Air Force active duty as a flight test engineer at the Air Force Flight Test Center, Edwards Air Force Base. After completing his military service, he flight tested the V-22 Osprey for Boeing. Currently he is employed as a principal engineer at a major aerospace and defense contractor. Ken is also an avid general aviation pilot with a commercial certificate for single- and multi-engine airplanes. He is the author of three books about aircraft, most recently The Supersonic BONE: A Development & Operational History of the B-1 Bomber.

John 'Rain’ Waters is a former F-16 fighter pilot and current 777 pilot.  John began his career in the Air Force as First Assignment Instructor Pilot. He has flown the T-6II, T-38C, MC-12W, and F-16 with 960 combat hours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Inherent Resolve. He concluded his active duty Air Force career as the F-16 Viper Demo Team Commander and Pilot. 

John is the founder and host of the Afterburn Podcast and Board Member at Guns Garin Memorial Foundation.

Gravy flew the AV-8B Harrier on combat deployments to Iraq including flight operations off the USS BOXER and USS TARAWA. He was an Instructor Pilot (IP) at MAWTS-1 where he also flew as an aggressor in the F-5N Tiger II. Gravy was the initial cadre at VMFAT-501 flying the F-35B Lightning II out of Eglin AFB, FL.  He commanded VMFA-121 across the First Island Chain flying out of Australia, Singapore, the Philippines, Japan, Alaska, and off the USS WASP.

Gravy was a Training Landing Signal Officer, Weapons and Tactics Instructor, Fleet Replacement Squadron IP, F-35 IP, and Mission Commander. He served 22 years in the USMC flying 2,500 hours. He lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and 7 children.