About this episode
Welcome to the Hangar Z Podcast, brought to you by Vertical HeliCASTS and in partnership with Vertical Valor Magazine . Listen closely for your chance to win awesome prizes from Heli Life! Throughout 2025, every episode of The Hangar Z Podcast will reveal a secret word. Once you catch it, head to contests.verticalhelicasts.com to enter! In this two-part series, hosts Jon Gray, and Jack Schonely talk with Sean Marston, who takes us through his incredible journey from military service to law enforcement, and ultimately into the helicopter air ambulance segment. Sean reflects on his early aspirations and the impactful experiences that shaped his career—as a deputy sheriff, and beyond. We’ll discuss a new unit establishment he was a part of within the Harford County Sheriff's Office in Maryland. Sean offers a firsthand account of the challenges, including political opposition and the eventual shutdown of the unit, alongside valuable lessons about proving the worth of such programs. Sean talks about becoming the chief pilot at the Martin County Sheriff’s Office, and the challenges and experiences as the chief pilot, and his insight on leadership development. We also have an opportunity to discuss the transition from law enforcement aviation to the helicopter air ambulance industry, as Sean was able to successfully make the transition after retiring from law enforcement in 2021 after over 27 years of service. Before we jump into the conversation, we’d like to ask for your support! If you enjoy The Hangar Z Podcast, please take a moment to leave us a rating and review. Your feedback not only helps us improve the show, but also helps others discover our podcast. We greatly appreciate your support! Thank you to our sponsors Airbus , Onboard Systems Hoist & Winch and Precision Aviation Group .