Smoke & Standards: A Ranger's Tale of Teaching the Next Generation

The Big Tex Ordnance Podcast

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"When you got a barrel of monkeys, you put a gorilla in charge." With these words, a drill sergeant forever shaped Michael Megan's understanding of leadership – wisdom he now passes to the next generation of military officers at Texas A&M University.
Megan brings over 13 years of experience from the prestigious 75th Ranger Regiment to his role as Senior Enlisted Advisor for Rudder's Company, an elite organization within Texas A&M's Army ROTC program named after James Earl Rudder, former university president and WWII Ranger commander. His transition from special operations to academia wasn't merely a career move but a mission to shape future officers and strengthen the critical officer-NCO relationship that underpins military effectiveness.
Throughout our conversation, Megan reveals what truly makes elite units exceptional – not flashy tactics or equipment, but relentless accountability and fundamentals. "The regiment just gets back to the basics constantly," he explains, highlighting how the organization's unique structure with lower-enlisted personnel creates both its greatest strength and challenge. His candid reflections on the selection process, the difficulty of maintaining standards, and the brotherhood that develops through shared hardship offer rare insights into one of America's premier fighting forces.
Perhaps most fascinating is Megan's ability to identify tactical patterns across different domains – drawing direct parallels between military operations, football strategies, and combat sports techniques. This pattern recognition helps him teach complex concepts by meeting cadets where they are, using familiar frameworks to explain unfamiliar tactics. Under his guidance, Texas A&M's Ranger Challenge team has secured back-to-back national championships, outperforming hundreds of ROTC programs nationwide.
Whether you're fascinated by military culture, leadership development, or the psychological elements of high-performance teams, this episode offers valuable insights applicable far beyond the battlefield. Follow Megan's continuing mission to prepare the next generation through his "Ranger U" podcast, available on all major platforms.
Ranger U Podcast: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/michael-meegan1/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/r.a.n.g.e.r.u/
https://linktr.ee/r.a.n.g.e.r.u?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaZyR1ze7Oum38h-n3682enNDrLje8DGOP9aAS2ZUyWzaY2ljLjDvA_Av8g_aem_e4l5gCeWKR9TGoJR83N_pA

Find out more about Big Tex Ordnance at bigtexordnance.com

Chapters

1. Welcome to the Podcast (00:00:00)

2. Michael Megan's Background and Career (00:05:23)

3. Transitioning from Regiment to ROTC (00:17:09)

4. The Journey to Becoming a Ranger (00:29:56)

5. Impact and Mission at Texas A&M (00:44:56)

6. Ranger Challenge Competition Explained (00:56:00)

7. Tactics Across Football and Combat Sports (01:03:46)

116 episodes

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