Noshing With Colonel Joshua M. McConkey, M.D. – October 10, 2024

Ira's Everything Bagel

Author, Be The Weight Behind The Spear

This week, Ira spoke with Colonel Joshua M. McConkey, M.D., author of Be The Weight Behind The Spear. In this leading episode of “Ira’s Everything Bagel,” Joshua talks about why the book title is his personal leadership ethos; how he worked with people in the military who are the tip of the spear; why the weight behind the spear is important ; his concern with the “Covid” generation, which has problems communicating with people on a face-to-face basis and has a sense of “entitlement”; why they lack leadership skills; how it’s important to get everyone engaged in the community; the mental health crisis in the United States; why his kids don’t have any social media accounts: how he won the lottery (literally); how his time in Iraq changed him as a person; how holding kids accountable in essential; why teachers need to be empowered; why he advocates one-on-one mentorship for that Covid generation; and how it’s free to teach accountability, integrity and leadership.

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Colonel Joshua M. McConkey, M.D. has served in the military for more than two decades, been an ER doctor for over 20 years, run for Congress, taught at Duke University, and has written an award-winning and best-selling book, Be The Weight Behind The Spear. His message is about hope for America to help infuse our nation’s youngest generation with the leadership skills and attitude this country will need to succeed.

Joshua presently is the Commander for the 459th Aeromedical Staging Squadron and overseas the training of 122 medical professionals. He is credited with saving many lives and was awarded the Air Medal and Army Commendation for his deployment in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Further, he has served for three years on the Air Force association Council, helping to make legislative and policy recommendations to Congress regarding quality of life, equipment modernizations, and military construction issues that impact the Air Force Reserve.

Joshua has logged more than 90 rotor wing combat hours of medical evacuation and air assault support as well as providing aeromedical evacuation support as a critical care transport team flight surgeon. He has earned several distinctions, including Chadron State College Distinguished Alumni Award, Alliance Public Schools Hall of Fame, Winner of the Daughters of the American Revolution History Award, Independent Press Award, and numerous military decorations, including Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and an Air Medal.

He has been interviewed or featured on dozens of news media outlets, including Newsmax, Breitbart, Kirkus Reviews, NPR.org, iHeartRadio, Patriot XM Radio, War Room with Steve Bannon, The Daily Mail, The Independent, Yahoo Finance, CBS-TV, ABC-News, and The News Observer.

Joshua holds multiple FEMA certifications and is board certified in Emergency Medicine and EMS/Disaster Medicine, both through the American Board of Emergency Medicine.

He was a professor and adjunct faculty member for a combined six years at Duke University. Joshua received his Doctor of Medicine from University of Nebraska in 2003 and a Bachelor’s of Science in Biological Science in 1999.

Born in Renton, WA, Joshua was raised in Nebraska. He has also lived in Omaha, NE; Akron, OH; Georgetown, TX, New Zealand, and Australia. With his wife and three children, he resides in Apex, North Carolina.

Josh McConkey for America Website

Weight Behind The Spear Website

Josh McConkey Facebook

Josh McConkey LinkedIn

Josh McConkey YouTube

Josh McConkey X

Watch the full Podcast Video