In this special episode of *Defending Our Children*, we are honored to welcome Congressman Eli Crane to the show. As a dedicated advocate for family values, a former Navy SEAL, and a strong voice in Congress, Congressman Crane will share his insights on the urgent need to protect our children from the threats they face in today's world.

We’ll discuss pressing issues such as:

- Combatting child trafficking and exploitation

- Tightening up Legislation and enforcement

- Border Legislation

Congressman Crane’s leadership and experience give him a unique perspective on the challenges confronting families and the actions we can take to create a safer future for our children. Don’t miss this compelling conversation packed with practical advice, powerful insights, and a call to action for all parents and guardians.

Tune in to *Defending Our Children* as we join forces with Congressman Eli Crane to empower families and communities to defend what matters most—our kids.

Carlile Transportation is a forward-thinking organization dedicated to creating a socially conscious workplace by educating its employees on the fight against human trafficking, particularly the exploitation of children. Through comprehensive training programs, partnerships with advocacy organizations, and community outreach initiatives, the company equips its workforce with knowledge and tools to recognize and combat trafficking within their communities.

This initiative fosters a deep sense of purpose among employees, connecting their daily work to a meaningful cause. By aligning corporate values with social responsibility, Carlile Transportation has seen increased employee engagement, improved productivity, and reduced turnover. The program also cultivates a supportive and collaborative culture, as employees unite around a shared mission, enhancing overall job satisfaction and minimizing human resource challenges.

With its innovative approach, Carlile Transportation not only drives its business forward but also serves as a model for how companies can inspire change and create lasting societal impact.

Meet Krista Williams: Krista is the President of Carlile Transportation, a leading Alaskan trucking and logistics company. Since joining Carile’s parent company, Saltchuk Resources, in 2018, Krista has led initiatives to drive operational excellence, cultural transformation, and business performance across multiple roles, including Director of Continuous Improvement, VP of Logistics, and Chief Operating Officer. Her leadership at Carlile has been instrumental in delivering both financial results and a renewed focus on team member engagement and customer service.

Prior to her time at Saltchuk, Krista held leadership positions at Toyota North America and Kaiser Permanente, where she honed her passion for empowering teams to deliver value and improve business outcomes.

Outside of work, Krista is actively involved with nonprofits supporting international relief and development, orphan care, and family preservation through entrepreneurship. She and her family live in the Seattle area and enjoy golfing, traveling, and playing endless rounds of board games on rainy Seattle weekends.

Mark “Oz” Geist is a member of the Annex Security Team that fought the Battle of Benghazi, Libya, from September 11 to September 12, 2012. A Colorado native, Mr. Geist joined the United States Marine Corps in 1984. During his time in the service, he served in Barracks Duty in the Philippines, then with the 2nd Battalion 9th Marines Golf Company, as well as the Surveillance and Target Acquisition Platoon. He then was chosen to serve in the newly formed Marine Cadre program as an Anti-/Counter- Terrorism Instructor. Upon the completion of a very successful tour and re-enlistment, Mr. Geist changed his military occupational specialty to the Intelligence field, specializing in Interrogation Translation. He attended language school where he studied Persian Farsi.

After serving 12 years in the United States Maine Corps, Mr. Geist became a Deputy Sheriff in Teller County, Colorado. In that role, he was assigned as liaison with the Vice Narcotics and Intelligence Unit in Colorado Springs, Colorado, as well as an Investigator for Crimes against Children. Certified as a Forensic Interviewer of children, he investigated numerous case of abuse in which he helped to secure convictions of the perpetrators. He then took a job as Chief of Police in Fowler, Colorado. After leaving the Fowler Police Department, Mr. Geist began his own business in private investigations as well as bounty hunting and bail bonds.

In 2004, Mr. Geist began doing contract security work in Iraq. He worked for Triple Canopy, providing Personal Security Details for Department of State personnel in Baquba, Iraq. Upon the completion of that contract he worked for USIS, the United States Investigative Services, training Iraqi SWAT teams and Personal Security Details. He also served as a mentor/advisor to the Personal Security Detail of Dr. Ayad Allawi, the former Prime Minister of Iraq.

Mr. Geist finished his career as a security contractor in Benghazi, Libya, where he was credited with helping to save the lives of more than 25 Americans. Mr. Geist is still recovering from the injuries he sustained in the battle. He is a co-author of the bestselling book 13 Hours: The Inside Account of What Really Happened in Benghazi.

John Turner is an award winning writer and producer. Having served 20 years in the United States Navy as a Senior Cryptologist and Surface Warfare Specialist during Operation Desert Shield/Storm, Croatia, Somalia, Kosovo, Libya et al. He possesses a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology from The University of West Florida and a Masters of Science in Counseling Psychology from Troy University. After retiring from Active Duty, Turner worked as an Acute Psychiatric Therapist for one of the top behavioral in-patient care facilities in Florida and an educator for Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals, a pioneer in the development of Psychiatric care medications.

In 2011, he left the clinical world to pursue more creative endeavors and took a job with the DOD as a Marketing and Engagement Leader with the goal of improving Education opportunities for those serving in the U.S. Armed Forces. By 2015, his talents garnered the attention of non other than R. Lee Ermey, and that, as they say, was that; John was hired as a co-producer and writer for GunnyTime with R. Lee Ermey, where he collaborated with Gunny and Craig "Sawman" Sawyer until R. Lee's untimely passing in 2018.

Join us for a powerful roundtable discussion featuring Aspen, Elizabeth, and John "JT"—survivors turned advocates with *Veterans For Child Rescue*. These dedicated individuals share their stories of resilience and their mission to protect children, bring traffickers to justice, and shine a light on the darkest corners of exploitation.

Today’s topic: *The Cult of Personality.* Together, they’ll unpack the dangerous allure of figures like Epstein, Weinstein, and Diddy, exploring how their influence allowed predatory behavior to thrive unchecked—and what it takes to dismantle these toxic power structures.

Tune in for a thought-provoking and action-oriented conversation you won’t want to miss.

Ben Pauling writer/director for miraculous child rescue film ‘DREAM’ - An actor/filmmaker for over 15 years. Writing, producing, and developing projects focused on truth and bringing light to the darkness. Currently, he is in the middle of production of a movie about a niece/daughter of 2 brothers, kidnapped at a public event. Search "DREAM 2025" to see the trailer.

DREAM - 2025 TRAILER

https://youtu.be/72z_GsC8qQM?si=tK7J9-e-u9dKKEpC

Mary Flynn O’Neill is the Executive Director and finance manager of America’s Future, Inc., guiding the nonprofit organization’s administration, operations, finances, and educational programming to fulfill its mission to preserve American values and ideals, protect the nation’s Constitutional Republic, promote strong American families, revitalize the role of faith in our society, and advance the virtues of free market capitalism.

She has successfully led the implementation of numerous initiatives that have revitalized the legacy organization such as its multimedia educational projects, Passing The Torch Of Freedom video series; America book series including, Exploring America’s Founding Documents and Understanding The Separation of Powers Principles; podcast series, America’s Mondays With Mary, and other America’s Future programs like its popular weekly newsletter, Champions For America member network, scholarship and grant programs, and Amicus brief filings defending the constitutional rights of Americans. In addition, Mary oversees the Little Flower Advisory Board of “Project Defend & Protect Our Children,” established by America’s Future to eradicate the exploitation and trafficking of children – the future of America.

Mary has decades of experience working in leadership positions in the nonprofit and private sectors to help organizations accomplish their goals.

Prior to America’s Future, Mary was an executive with the Diocese of Providence for over 10 years as Finance Director for two Catholic Churches in Newport, Rhode Island, one of which is the renowned St. Mary’s Church, named to the National Register of Historic Places, and internationally known as the location of the marriage of President John F. Kennedy and Jacqueline Lee Bouvier.

Previously, she worked for the Preservation Society of Newport County, a nationally-recognized nonprofit organized to preserve local historic properties and deliver educational programs on the history of America’s culture and heritage. Earlier in her career, she owned several start-ups and was the founder and owner-operator of one of the nation’s most acclaimed indoor skateboarding parks, Skater Island, where many of the top skateboard pros of today were discovered.

Mary’s volunteer involvement is extensive as an advocate for protecting children from harmful environments and providing care and counseling to families with loved ones in hospice care. She holds a B.S. in Environmental Science and an M.B.A. with honors from the University of Phoenix. She is certified in the rescue of trafficked and exploited victims through the Association for the Recovery of Children and serves as the Florida Republican Assembly Anti-Human Trafficking Chair, Advisor, and Vice President.

Throughout her life’s journey, she has used her professional and personal experiences to seek out the best in others and find ways to nurture and guide individuals, teams, and organizations to achieve success."

Non-Profit Org - Amercasfuture.net

Art Del Cueto

Art has been with Border Patrol since 2003. His first duty station was Casa Grande, Arizona, where he helped in the effort to establish a new substation at Three Points, Arizona.

Throughout most of his career, he patrolled on the Tohono O’odham reservation, assisting on numerous drug and smuggling cases. He responds to over 90% of all significant incidents within the Tucson Sector including shootings, accidents, and agent assaults.

As an Agent who is fluent in Spanish, he routinely leads the questioning of apprehended subjects.

Art has also worked for the National Border Patrol Council for the last ten years. He currently serves as President of Local 2544. Prior to working for Border Patrol, Art worked for a maximum security state prison in Tucson. Art is originally from Mexico, deriving his U.S. citizenship through his father, but grew up in Douglas and has lived the majority of his life in Arizona.