About Us

Meet the writers contributing to The Afterburn Network

John “Rain” Waters is the founder and host of The Afterburn Podcast.

John was born and raised in Peachtree City, Georgia. A 2007 graduate of the Georgia Institute of Technology, John earned a Bachelor of Science in International Affairs and his commission through the Reserve Officer Training Program.

Following graduation, he attended pilot training at Columbus AFB, Mississippi, where he earned his wings flying the T-6 Texan II and T-38C Talon.

Throughout his Air Force career, John accumulated over 2,800 flight hours across various platforms, including the F-16, MC-12W, and T-6AII. He served as the Commander and Pilot of the USAF F-16 Viper Demonstration Team, leading a 15-member team and showcasing American airpower at airshows around the globe. John is a combat veteran, flying 180+ combat missions and logging over 960 combat hours in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and INHERENT RESOLVE.


John holds a Master of Science in Emergency Management from Jacksonville State University and currently flies internationally as a commercial 777 pilot. He resides in Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife and their three children.

Sidney McAlear is the editor for "The Lowdown", Afterburn Podcast's (mostly) weekly newsletter. She was born to Air Force parents and raised in several states, but she calls Smithfield, Virginia, home.

Sidney is a Junior at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia, where she is pursuing a dual major for a B.A. in International Affairs and History with minors in U.S. National Security and Leadership. Aside from her role as the editor of "The Lowdown," Sidney conducts research into Soviet History and current U.S. military capabilities and foreign stakes and is currently compiling a senior thesis about the role and legitimacy of NATO and the NPT in a nuclear world. Editing "The Lowdown" gives her greater insight into the many different fronts the U.S. is confronting on the world stage at any given time. 

After graduating with her B.A., Sidney hopes to pursue her PhD in International Affairs to become a leading expert in U.S.-Russia relations and the future of the United States as a global power in a changing geopolitical landscape.