MCA Scuttlebutt

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. This is episode 193. This week, we welcome August Cole to the show. August is the co-author of the books Ghost Fleet and Burn-In, managing partner of Useful Fiction, and a nonresident senior fellow in the Forward Defense practice of the Atlantic Council’s Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. We were lucky enough to catch August at Modern Day Marine, and he was kind enough to give us some time instead of calling security. Vic sits down with August (while suppressing his urge to just nerd out for the entire interview) to talk to him about the genesis behind his Useful Fiction project, the challenge of operating in a world where the lines between the hypothetical and reality are blurred, and how narrative can be a balm for the competition for attention in this current tech-proliferation ecosystem. August thrives in cautionary-tale spaces, but we caution you not to miss this one. Enjoy! useful-fiction.com augustcole.com linkedin.com/in/august-cole <p>The post #193: Useful Fiction with August Cole from Modern Day Marine first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we continue our Road to 250 segment, celebrating the Marine Corps’ 250th birthday in 2025. Over the next year, we’ll feature stories and history from throughout the 250 years of the Marine Corps. These episodes will be nested within the MCA’s overall Road to 250 Campaign, where you will find featured articles in both the Gazette and Leatherneck highlighting events and battles within specific periods in Marine Corps history. The MCA also has a commemorative Road to 250 coin collection. These commemorative challenge coins can only be found through the MCA. Go to marineshop.net to order individual coins or email [email protected] to order the entire set or learn more. For May, we walk the Road to 250 with a Semper Cinema crossover. And we welcome our VP of Membership, Marketing, and Support, Michael Armistead, to try his hand at a movie review. William, Michael, and I have a great time breaking down the themes of the documentary, Devil Dogs, Hero Marines of WWI, which follows historian and honorary Marine, Gilles Lagin and his passion for preserving the legacy of the Marines who fought at Belleau Wood. Enjoy! <p>The post #192: Road to 250 – Semper Cinema review of Devil Dogs: Hero Marines of WWI first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for tuning in and your continued support. This week we bring you another installment of our World of War(gaming) series with the Halo Infinite Team Captain of the All-Marine E-Sports Team, Gunnery Sergeant Matthew Springer. Gunny Springer talks to us about Marine E-Sports and how the Marine Corps has embraced the professional development application of gaming and wargaming. Certain circles throw around the term, reps and sets, so much it has become cliche, while giving the fuzzy eyebrow when the topic of video games comes up. Even supporters of wargaming tend to get prickly when talking video games. Gunny Springer is breaking the stigma that video games are just something Marines do while on libo, pregaming for a night out. He goes into the genesis behind the Marine Corps’ E-Sports teams, how he helped recruit and develop its members, and the Marine Corps’ support for their participation in competitions by making an All-Marine E-Sports team. The Commandant and Sergeant Major even attended the Call of Duty Endowment Bowl V in Washington D.C. to check them out. This was a fun conversation exploring how Marine continue to find ways to use their passion to hone their craft. Enjoy! Nominations for All-Marine E-Sports Team Leatherneck Magazine article Instagram <p>The post #191: World of War(gaming) talks the All-Marine E-Sports Team with GySgt Matthew Springer first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey Scuttlebutt listeners. Just wanted to give you all a heads up that our MDM 2025 content will not be released as audio-only podcasts via the Scuttlebutt channels but will be going out on the Marine Corps Association’s YouTube channel. We’re going to record video interviews from the showroom floor and release them same say. Not quite a live-stream, but as close as we can get it. So go check out the MCA’s YouTube channel starting April 29th and check it out. Let us know what you think of the new format! MCA YouTube <p>The post MDM 2025: Scuttlebutt is going to the YouTubes first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week we bring you another installment of Strait Talk with Dr. Mike Hunzeker. A lot has happened in the world since the last time we did a Strait Talk, from China’s reaction to last years election in Taiwan, to our election, and changes in foreign policy, there’s a lot to unpack. Starting with…what is going on?! Thankfully, Mike is at the forefront of these issues to help us get to the bottom of what impact the current environment might have, and is having, on Taiwan, China, and our allies in the region. And check out the Taiwan Security Monitor. The Taiwan Security Monitor is a student-driven research initiative dedicated to enhancing public understanding and informed discourse on Taiwan-related security issues. Taiwan Security Monitor Enjoy! <p>The post #190: Strait Talk with Dr. Michael Hunzeker first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we bring you another installment of Semper Cinema with our review of David Kniess’ award-winning documentary film, The Gift. The Gift tells the powerful story of Medal of Honor recipient Corporal Jason Dunham and the Marines of Kilo 3/7. The Gift explores the events of 2004 in the Battle of Husaybah, Iraq, that led to Cpl Dunham receiving the Medal of Honor and how his fellow Marines have responded to this gift. Nancy, William, and I explore the themes of the film and its impact on everyone, from the Marines to David to the audience. We hope to have David on the show soon, but in the meantime, please enjoy our review of this powerful story of sacrifice, courage, and love. Enjoy! <p>The post #189: Semper Cinema – David Kniess’ powerful documentary, The Gift first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we continue our Road to 250 segment, celebrating the Marine Corps’ 250th birthday in 2025. Over the next year, we’ll feature stories and history from throughout the 250 years of the Marine Corps. These episodes will be nested within the MCA’s overall Road to 250 Campaign, where you will find featured articles in both the Gazette and Leatherneck highlighting events and battles within specific periods in Marine Corps history. The MCA also has a commemorative Road to 250 coin collection. These commemorative challenge coins can only be found through the MCA. Go to marineshop.net to order individual coins or email [email protected] to order the entire set or learn more. To better understand the weapon is to better understand the history. This month, we walk the Road to 250 with the author of the Leatherneck segment, “This is My Rifle,” Sam Lichtman. Sam helps us look at the weapons of the Spanish-American War era and how the rapid advances of small-arms technology not only changed the way Marines were employed but how Marines viewed the profession of arms. Enjoy! Check out Sam’s writing and learn more about the small arms of Marine Corps history in his “This is My Rifle” segment in Leatherneck magazine. Leatherneck <p>The post #188: Road to 250/”This is My Rifle” Spanish-American War historical crossover with Sam Lichtman first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week we welcome LtCol Nick Gregson and Kelsie Meade to the show. LtCol Gregson is the Director for the Marine Corps Center for Learning and Faculty Development at TECOM and Kelsie is the High-Intensity Tactical Training Coordinator for Marine Corps Base Quantico. They talk to us about the TECOM Fittest Instructor Competition. The competition is a multi-day, multi-disciplined, multi-event competition for instructors across the Marine Corps that challenges participants both mentally and physically. Both LtCol Gregson and Kelsie discuss how they came to be a part of the planning for the competition, where the genesis of the competition came from, and their plans to expand it. It was great talking to them about this really innovative way to focus on the health of the force and increase readiness. And as we are all woefully behind in our standard New Year’s resolutions to focus on health and be more fit, hopefully this conversation is not only informative, but helps us get off our butts. * A note to our listeners: the audio quality of this recording somehow degraded between the moment finished post-production and publishing the episode. We apologize for the muffled sounds but if you turn up the volume on your device, you won’t regret it. Enjoy! <p>The post #187: The Marine Corps Fittest Instructor Competition with LtCol Nick Gregson and Kelsie Meade first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week we are very excited to be welcoming back to the show Capt Riley Tejcek to the show. Riley is the Support Officer for the Expeditionary Warfare School at the Marine Corps University here at MCB Quantico. She recently returned from her Iraq deployment only to take her first gold medal in January, saw her children’s book hit the shelves in March, and is now off to Lake Placid, NY for the US Olympic team trials. The word “busy” may need a rewrite. While we wait for dictionary folks to work on that, Riley talks to us about her experiences over the past year and the value of white space on your calendar. And we talk about her book, the impetus behind it, and what she hopes children learn from it. Enjoy! linkedin.com/in/riley-tejcek-b264902b9 linktr.ee/RileyTejcek instagram.com/riley.tejcek <p>The post #186: Capt Riley Tejcek Talks Her Book, Getting Gold, and Enjoying Calendar White Space first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we welcome Riane Donoho and Saje Mrowinski to the show. Riane and Saje join us to talk about the Marine Corps Lioness and FET Programs. For those who aren’t familiar, the Lioness and FET programs were female engagement teams designed to be embedded with Marine combat units tasked with interacting with the female population in the primarily Muslim countries (a demographic that the then all-male units could not engage with due to cultural sensitivities) to search personnel, collect intelligence, and help us better understand the human landscape. Riane and Saje share their experiences in country, the challenges they faced, and their current efforts to increase awareness of what this program achieved during the Long War and build a community of veterans of the program. It is clear that even after all these years, they are both still passionate about the program and all the good things that the program was able to accomplish.  Enjoy! dollface6.com youtube.com/@dollface6 thedollhouseinstitute.com <p>The post #185: Female Engagement Team (FET) veterans, Riane Donoho and Saje Mrowinski talk the Lioness/FET Program first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we continue our Road to 250 segment, celebrating the Marine Corps’ 250th birthday in 2025. Over the next year, we’ll feature stories and history from throughout the 250 years of the Marine Corps. These episodes will be nested within the MCA’s overall Road to 250 Campaign, where you will find featured articles in both the Gazette and Leatherneck highlighting events and battles within specific periods in Marine Corps history. The MCA also has a commemorative Road to 250 coin collection. These commemorative challenge coins can only be found through the MCA. Go to marineshop.net to order individual coins or email [email protected] to order the entire set or learn more. This month, we walk the Road to 250 with the MCA’s very own historian in residence, William Treuting. William helps us dive deep into Marine Corps history during the Civil War, both U.S. and Confederate, from the Battle of Manassas to Fort Fischer. William is a wealth of knowledge on this era, so it was great to have some time to pick his brain, aka his notes. Enjoy! <p>The post #184: Road to 250 – William Treuting gets into the trenches of Marine Corps history during the Civil War first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we welcome Virginia State Park Ranger, photographer, and retired Marine, CWO5 Jonathan Knauth. Jonathan is the Marine Corps winner of the USAA Why We Salute Super Bowl Ticket Campaign. As an official Salute to Service partner of the NFL, USAA reaches out to the military affiliates, such as the MCA, to recommend potential winners of Super Bowl tickets. Jonathan joins us to talk about his experience in New Orleans for the big game, as well as sharing his experience as a retired CWO5, combat camera veteran of Fallujah, his transition to and experiences as a park ranger, and his future photo journal project. This is a really fun conversation and for all Marines and service members considering life after service, consider Jonathan’s story becoming a park ranger. Enjoy! <p>The post #183: CWO5 Jonathan Knauth gets a double okie-doke, tickets to the big game first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we recognize the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the Battle of Iwo Jima by welcoming Dr. Robert Burrell to the show. Dr. Burrell is veteran Marine, professor, and author of the books, The Ghosts of Iwo Jima and Crucibles: Selected Reading in U.S. Marine Corps History. He also wrote an exceptional article for the Gazette titled, Remembering Iwo Jima, which you can find on our website now. Based on that title alone, I can’t imagine finding a better person to talk to us about the significance of Iwo Jima. Dr. Burrell shares with us his experiences in uniform as an infantryman to being a critical decision maker in the establishment of the Marine Rotational Force – Darwin as the Marine Attache to Australia and how those experiences led to his passion for studying this battle that not only defined the Marine Corps but the nation as well. Enjoy! https://www.robertburrell.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-burrell/ https://www.mca-marines.org/wp-content/uploads/Burrell-Feb25-WEB.pdf <p>The post #182: Remembering Iwo Jima with Dr. Robert Burrell first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we continue our Road to 250 segment, celebrating the Marine Corps’ 250th birthday in 2025. Over the next year, we’ll feature stories and history from throughout the 250 years of the Marine Corps. These episodes will be nested within the MCA’s overall Road to 250 Campaign, where you will find featured articles in both the Gazette and Leatherneck highlighting events and battles within specific periods in Marine Corps history. The MCA also has a commemorative Road to 250 coin collection. These commemorative challenge coins can only be found through the MCA. Go to marineshop.net to order individual coins or email [email protected] to pre-order the entire set or learn more. This month, we walk the Road to 250 with Paul Westermeyer again to take a deep dive into the legend and lore of Archibald Henderson. For those who missed our last talk with Paul, he is a historian at History Division and he helps us dive deep into Archibald Gillespies’ legacy and the historical context behind his adventures in California. Enjoy! <p>The post #181: Walking the Road to 250 – 1840-1860. Archibald Gillespie and the California Adventure first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we welcome the Outreach Curator and Exhibit Chief from the National Museum of the Marine Corps, Kater Miller, and Chuck Girbovan, to the show. It’s no secret that since its opening in Oct I have been a huge fan of the new exhibit, which covers the Marine Corps’ history from 1975 through the end of OIF and OEF. For those who haven’t been, please go check it out. And for veterans of the recent Long War, it’s a must. One of the things that has always intrigued me when I visit museums is how these exhibits happen. In many ways, I enjoy them so much that I just figure that it’s either magic or that someone had a great idea, and it just happened. Well, Chuck and Kater learn us something today. We get a chance to dive deep into the inner workings of a museum curator and hear about how an exhibit is made. It’s a really fascinating discussion but I have to admit that I’m a little bummed the answer wasn’t magic. Enjoy! https://www.usmcmuseum.com/ <p>The post #180: How a Museum Exhibit is Made with Kater Miller and Chuck Girbovan from the National Museum of the Marine Corps first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, the Long Road takes us across the Overseas Highway with SgtMaj Justin LeHew. For those unaware, the Overseas Highway is the 113-mile span of highway and bridges that connects the Florida Keys to mainland Florida. In his endless pursuit of veteran advocacy, SgtMaj stepped off on the 23rd anniversary of Sept 11th to continue to not only raise awareness for veterans and those POW/MIAs who have yet to come home, but to also raise awareness for the significance of the Florida Keys, and the Overseas Highway specifically, to our nation’s history and the role veterans played in its construction. As with all Justin LeHew-related activities, this is a fascinating discussion on the little–known history of this unique region. Enjoy! teamlongroad.com www.facebook.com/groups/698444134910085 historyflight.com <p>The post #179: Walking the Long Road with SgtMaj Justin LeHew – the history and significance of the Overseas Highway first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we continue our Road to 250 segment, celebrating the Marine Corps’ 250th birthday in 2025. Over the next year, we’ll feature stories and history from throughout the 250 years of the Marine Corps. These episodes will be nested within the MCA’s overall Road to 250 Campaign, where you will find featured articles in both the Gazette and Leatherneck highlighting events and battles within specific periods in Marine Corps history. The MCA also has a commemorative Road to 250 coin collection. These commemorative challenge coins can only be found through the MCA. Go to marineshop.net to order individual coins or email [email protected] to pre-order the entire set or learn more. This month, we walk the Road to 250 with Paul Westermeyer talking the Grand Old Man of the Marine Corps, Archibald Henderson. Paul is a historian at History Division and a subject-matter expert on the details of Archibald Henderson’s five decades in the Marine Corps, 38 of which were spent as Commandant. Paul helps us dive deep into Archibald Henderson’s legacy and the historical context surrounding his accession through the ranks to eventually becoming Commandant. Enjoy! Those interested in downloading History Division histories can find them here: www.usmcu.edu/Outreach/Publishing/History-Division-Publications/Books-by-topic/ <p>The post #178: Paul Westermeyer talks the Grand Old Man of the Marine Corps, Archibald Henderson first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we welcome Mac Caltrider to the show. Mac is a veteran Marine, former Baltimore police officer, elementary school teacher, and author of the book Double Knot. Double Knot is a powerful memoir that is actually a collection of essays that weave a narrative thread of a Marine, cop, husband, father, son, and the effects of coming of age in a combat zone. His humor, wit, and humility are evident in this conversation as they are on the pages of his book. This was such a fun interview, and it was great to hear about Mac’s unique experiences and the depth of insight he has pulled from the eternal contradictions that come when sending young men and women to war. There is so much to unpack, and there is much to glean from our conversation. Not just for military buffs but also for those interested in creativity and literary art. Maybe more so for the latter. We are grateful that Mac was so generous with his time, and we are excited to see more of his work. Enjoy! <p>The post #177: Mac Caltrider talks his book, Double Knot and using writing as a way to remember first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey Scuttlebutt listeners, today we have another episode from our series of Fallujah bonus content. These episodes are part of our 20th anniversary of Fallujah II/Operation Phantom Fury programming. These bonus episodes are the full-length interviews we have been collecting for our 20th anniversary documentary of Fallujah II, which is out now on our MCA YouTube channel. Please go check that out. All these interviews were so good, we didn’t want them to just sit in our archive, so we decided to launch them as individual episodes. This episode is with Col Michael Shupp. Col Shupp was the commanding officer of Regimental Combat Team 1 during the battle. Here is the fourth and final episode of our bonus content for our 20th anniversary of Fallujah II series. Enjoy! www.linkedin.com/in/michael-shupp-colonel-u-s-marine-corps-ret-544aa83/ <p>The post Corps Voices Season 2: Col Michael Shupp Reflects on Fallujah 20 Years Later first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we get the pleasure of having Nate Boaz back on the show for a third time. This one is on the heels of his latest visit with Tom Schueman last week. So he gets to be the first back-to-back guest. A Scuttlebutt first! Nate is such a great guest and we have so much fun talking to him, we keep getting sidetracked in talking about his book. Well, we locked him in the studio (crap, I think we may have forgotten to let him out…he’s fine I’m sure) and dedicated an entire episode running toward his book, Running Toward Fire. Nate talks to us about what it means to run toward fire, the meaning of sacrifice, and ignoring the values that external forces impose on us and doing what matters to you. Running Toward Fire is a great book and this is a great conversation with Nate. Enjoy! <p>The post #176: Nate Boaz talks meaning, sacrifice, and Running Toward Fire first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey Scuttlebutt listeners, today we have another episode from our series of Fallujah bonus content. These episodes are part of our 20th anniversary of Fallujah II/Operation Phantom Fury programming. These bonus episodes are the full-length interviews we have been collecting for our 20th anniversary documentary of Fallujah II, which is out now on our MCA YouTube channel. Please go check that out. All these interviews were so good, we didn’t want them to just sit in our archive, so we decided to launch them as individual episodes of our show. This episode is with Col Michael Del Palazzo. Col Del Palazzo was a combat advisor to the Iraqi Army during the battle. Here is the third episode of our bonus content for our 20th anniversary of Fallujah II series. Enjoy! www.linkedin.com/in/mdelpalazzo/ <p>The post Corps Voices Season 2: Col Michael Del Palazzo Reflects on Fallujah 20 Years Later first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we welcome LtCol Tom Schueman and Nate Boaz back to the show. Tom and Nate are both returning guests, and Tom so much so we may need to get him a designated parking spot, especially now that he’s here giving his pound of flesh at TECOM. For those who haven’t been keeping track, Tom is the founder of Patrol Base Abbate, and Nate is its chairman of the board of directors. Please go back and listen to our previous interviews with Tom and Nate. Tom and Nate give us updates on what is going on with PB Abbate and how veterans support organizations provide a critical need to help prevent veteran suicide through community and purpose. Especially now, as we approach the holiday season and people who are at high risk for suicide, such as veterans, we encourage everyone to find VSOs like PB Abbate so that we can all RTB (or return to base) for 2025. Enjoy! www.pbabbate.org www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-schueman-3448269/ www.linkedin.com/in/nate-boaz/ <p>The post #175: LtCol Tom Schueman and Nate Boaz talk PB Abbate and Staying Left of Bang with Veteran Suicide first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we continue our Road to 250 segment, celebrating the Marine Corps’ 250th birthday in 2025. Over the next year, we’ll feature stories and history from throughout the 250 years of the Marine Corps. These episodes will be nested within the MCA’s overall Road to 250 Campaign, where you will find featured articles in both the Gazette and Leatherneck magazine shighlighting events and battles within specific periods in Marine Corps history. The MCA also has a commemorative Road to 250 coin collection. These commemorative challenge coins can only be found through the MCA. Go to marineshop.net to order individual coins or email [email protected] to pre-order the entire set or learn more. This month, we walk the Road to 250 with the post-Revolutionary War Marines. Dr. Mike Miller is a historian who retired from History Division in 2016 after 34 years exploring Marine Corps history. We talk Derna and all the details behind the legacy of Marines in the Barbary Wars and this iconic battle. It was fascinating going beyond the mythology and learning why it is we sing, “to the shores of Tripoli” in the Marine Hymn. Enjoy! <p>The post #174: Road to 250 Part 2 – Barbary Pirates, The Battle of Derna, and the Shores of Tripoli with Dr. Mike Miller first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey Scuttlebutt listeners, today we have another episode from our series of Fallujah bonus content. These episodes are part of our 20th anniversary of Fallujah II/Operation Phantom Fury programming. These bonus episodes are the full-length interviews we have been collecting for our 20th anniversary documentary of Fallujah II, which is out now on our MCA YouTube channel. Please go check that out. All these interviews were so good, we didn’t want them to just sit in our archive, so we decided to launch them as individual episodes of our show. This episode is with SSgt Luis Agostini. Luis was a combat correspondent attached to India Co, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines during the battle. Here is the second of our bonus content for our 20th anniversary of Fallujah II series. Enjoy! <p>The post Corps Voices Season 2: SSgt Luis Agostini Reflects on Fallujah 20 Years Later first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, as a continuation of our 20th anniversary of Fallujah II/Operation Phantom Fury programming, we welcome the Founder and CEO of Victura, Peter Tamte back to the show. Peter was on our show a year ago to talk about his game, Six Days in Fallujah. You can check that out in Episode 114. Peter is on today to talk about the feedback he’s gotten from the early access release of his game back in June and the newest release of the Command And Control update, which came out on November 7th to coincide with the anniversary date of the Second Battle of Fallujah. It was great to get the perspective of someone who is not a Marine but is just as passionate about honoring those who served. As we focus on wargaming as a way of getting in your reps and sets, Six Days in Fallujah goes well beyond the typical run-and-gun paradigm of first-person shooters and uses the experiences and stories of actual veterans of Fallujah to bring a real-world experience to its players. Enjoy! <p>The post #173: Six Days in Fallujah updates with Victura Founder and CEO, Peter Tamte first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we’re featuring the first of a series of bonus episodes we’ll be running over the course of the next few weeks. These episodes will be part of our 20th anniversary of Fallujah II/Operation Phantom Fury programming. These bonus episodes are the full-length interviews we have been collecting for our 20th anniversary documentary of Fallujah II, which will be coming out soon. Please stay tuned for that. All of these interviews were so good, we didn’t want them to just sit in our archive, so we decided to launch them as individual episodes of our show. This episode is with Col Ben Venning. Ben was the AAV company commander during Fallujah I/Operation Vigilant Resolve. His thoughts and perspectives from the spring of 2004 help provide context and set the stage for the accounts of the veterans of Fallujah II we interviewed. Here is the first of our bonus content for our 20th anniversary of Fallujah II series. Enjoy! <p>The post Corps Voices Season 2 with Col Ben Venning, USMC first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, as a continuation of our 20th anniversary of Fallujah II/Operation Phantom Fury programming, we welcome Col Willie Buhl to the show. Col Buhl is a veteran of Operation Phantom Fury/Al-Fajr. He was the commanding officer of Task Force 3rd Bn/1st Marines at the battle. Col Buhl shares with us his experiences in Fallujah and his thoughts on the battle 20 years later. We are truly honored that he was willing to share the details of his story with us. We hope you find it as informative as you do engaging. Enjoy! <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 172: Corps Voices Season 2 with Col Willie Buhl, USMC (Ret.) first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we welcome Jeremiah Workman back to the show. Jeremiah is a veteran of Operation Phantom Fury/Al-Fajr, also known as the Second Battle of Fallujah. He is a Navy Cross recipient and author of the book Shadow of the Sword. You can hear all about his story in Episode 61. Jeremiah happened to be in town for the opening of the National Museum of the Marine Corps’ fantastic OIF/OEF exhibit so we were so fortunate to be able to get him in studio. Jeremiah talks about his experiences in Fallujah, his thoughts on the battle 20 year later, and how he feels the battle has impacted the Marine Corps and current and future Marines. His humility is infectious and his account of the battle is as enlightening as it is sincere. This is a very special episode and we are truly honored that he was willing to share the details of his story with us. We hope you find it as informative as you do engaging. Enjoy! <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 171: Catching Up with Old Friends with Jeremiah Workman first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we begin our newest segment, Road to 250, in celebration of the Marine Corps’ 250th birthday in 2025. Over the next year, we’ll be featuring stories and history from throughout the 250 years of the Marine Corps. These episodes will be nested within the MCA’s overall Road to 250 Campaign, where you will find featured articles in both the Gazette and Leatherneck highlighting events and battles within specific periods in Marine Corps history. This month, we begin with the Continental Marines. And I can’t imagine having a better guest to share the rich and little-known history of the birth of the Corps, MajGen Jason Bohm, USMC (Ret). MajGen Bohm’s last duty was serving as the Inspector General of the Marine Corps. He is currently the Dean of Liberty University’s Helms School of Government and author of From the Cold War to ISIL: One Marine’s Journey and Washington’s Marines: The Origins of the Corps and the American Revolution, 1775-1777. MajGen Bohm takes us beyond the hallowed stories of New Providence and shows us how employing Marines has been critical to American military success since before the founding of our Nation. This is a great conversation and we are so excited to be kicking off our Road to 250 with MajGen Bohm. Enjoy! www.linkedin.com/in/jason-bohm <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 170: Washington’s Marines with MajGen Jason Q. Bohm, USMC (Ret.) first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we welcome the founder of the Artist Preservation Group—Mike Stelzel. Following his service in the Marine Corps, Mike wanted to do his part in historical preservation. Combining his love of historical miniatures and history, he created the Artist Preservation Group to raise money in support of battlefield preservation and artifact maintenance. Mike shares with us his passion for this work, in particular, the preservation of five swords for the National Museum of the Marine Corps. Enjoy! For more information, check out the Artist Preservation Group website here: artistpreservationgroup.com <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 169: Artist Preservation Group with SgtMaj Mike Stelzel, USMC (Ret.) first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we welcome the founder of PreVeteran and retired Air Force LtCol, Jason C. Anderson, to the show. PreVeteran is a veteran transition organization that trains and assists veterans in moving from military service to life in the private sector. Jason knows these challenges all too well. Even though his resume would lead one to believe he made a smooth and successful transition, Jason was struck with a sobering reality – he was not equipped business-wise to flourish in his new roles. Unfortunately, he learned firsthand that the military transition model is not optimized for preparing service members for private sector success. Jason explains these challenges, the tools veterans need to understand the private sector, and how PreVeteran optimizes veterans so that their talents and experience can benefit their future organizations and themselves. Enjoy! preveteran.com linkedin.com/in/jason-anderson-preveteran/ <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 168: PreVeteran Founder, LtCol Jason C. Anderson, USAF (Ret.) first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week we welcome the Marine Corps Shooting Team’s Capt John Bodzioch and SSgt Stephen Corson. These two Marines share with us what the Marine Corps Shooting Team does, the types of competitions they compete in, and most importantly, how to become a member. Not only do they represent the Marine Corps in local, regional, national, and international tournaments and competitions, but the weapons techniques and employment they teach make the Marine Corps a more lethal force. Marines take a lot of pride in being known for expert marksmanship but it doesn’t come from good intentions. It takes constant and consistent training led by Marines like Capt Bodzioch and SSgt Corson. It was a lot of fun getting to spend some time learning more about what it is that the Marine Corps Shooting Team is all about. Enjoy! www.instagram.com/usmcshootingteam <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 167: Marine Corps Shooting Team first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week we welcome Elliot Ackerman to the show. Elliot is a veteran Marine, infantry, and MARSOC officer, CIA paramilitary operative, and author of Green on Blue, Dark at the Crossing, Waiting for Eden, and 2034: A Novel of the Next World War, and many others. He is also a journalist who frequently contributes to The Atlantic and New York Times. Elliot talks to us about his Marine Corps journey, his transition to becoming an award-winning author, reading as wargaming, and the value of a military imagination. It was great having Elliot on the show to hear his story. Enjoy! www.instagram.com/elliot.ackerman x.com/elliotackerman www.prhspeakers.com/speaker/elliot-ackerman <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 166: Elliot Ackerman first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we welcome Isaac Lee to the show. Isaac Lee is a retired Marine CH-53 pilot and veteran of the Long War. He is also the author of the book Hangar 4: A Combat Aviator’s Memoir. Isaac’s book takes a very vulnerable and transparent look at his life as a Marine, husband, and father, and we have the pleasure of being able to share his story. We talk about his upbringing in Lubbock, TX, as an aspiring Major League Baseball player, how his desire for a continued sense of team brought him to the yellow footprints, his experiences in the cockpit, and the challenges of coming home and finding his team again. It’s not often that we get the perspective through the lens of a combat support aviator, so it was really cool being able to spend some time with Isaac. Enjoy! IG: @isaacgleewriter FB: Isaac G Lee X: @isaacglee <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 165: Hanger 4 with LtCol Isaac Lee , USMC (Ret) first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we dive into the 39th Commandant’s Planning Guidance. Last month, The Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen Smith, released his vision for the Service and his intent to provide strategic direction for the Marine Corps. Col Chris Woodbridge joins us again to talk about some of the history behind the Commandant’s Planning Guidance document, the challenges that the Commandant identifies, and how the criticisms of the document remain as omnipresent and as persistent as they were in previous iterations of the CPG. Recent Gazette articles have discussed some of the experimentation and innovation that the Marine Corps is experiencing based on the CPG. Check those out on our website as well as links to the the Aug 2024 CPG. Enjoy! <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 164: Commandant’s Planning Guidance 2024 first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. It’s been a while since we did an update on the war in Ukraine and as the major media outlets have shown us, you can’t do a Ukraine discussion without a retired Col in attendance. So, we brought in our own Editor-In-Chief, Col Chris Woodbridge back to the show to help legitimize us. It goes without saying that the war has gone on a lot longer than most would have predicted while at the same time, there have been some moves that no one saw coming. After spring and summer offensives that have spent a ton in the way of blood and treasure but do not seem to have yielded the same in territory gained, the Russians are gaining ground in the south while the Ukrainians have punched through in the north, penetrating in the Kursk region of Russia, which is fascinating being that this is the site of the Battle of Kursk, a major battle between the Nazis and Soviet Union during WWII, the largest battle in the history of warfare. Every time Col Woodbridge comes on the show, we learn something. Enjoy! <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 163: Ukraine Update with Col Chris Woodbridge first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week we welcome Nate Boaz and his wife, Martha Contreras on the show. Nate is a veteran Marine human intel officer, the chairman of the board of directors for Patrol Base Abbate, and the author of the book, Running Toward Fire: Following the Warrior Path. Nate and Marta talk to us about his journey to and in the Marine Corps, the purpose and intent behind the writing of this book, how necessary it is for veterans to find their sense of purpose and community again, and how veteran support organizations like PB Abbate help. Also, this is Suicide Prevention Month, and specifically, this is National Suicide Prevention Week, so this conversation is not only timely but the stories that Nate and Marta share are moving. Thank you for joining us in this important conversation. www.linkedin.com/in/nate-boaz/ www.barstoolballads.com/ www.pbabbate.org <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 162: Running Toward Fire with Nate Boaz first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week we welcome Sarah Kallassy to the scuttlebutt. Sarah is a veteran Marine linguist and host of the Veterans Affairs YouTube show, BLUF, where she gives you all of the up-to-date information going on with the VA. Sarah is so kind to spend some time with us sharing her fascinating story. The daughter of a Marine Silver Star recipient from WWII, we talk about what brought her to the gun club, through to graduate school, work with DC United, and ultimately the VA. It was awesome spending time with Sarah and we are excited to be able to share her amazing story with you. Enjoy! https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-abdella-el-kallassy https://x.com/sarahkallassy https://www.instagram.com/sarahkallassy https://thedistrictpress.com/author/sarahkallassy <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 161: The Bottom Line Up Front with Sarah Kallassy first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week we have another installment of Semper Cinema, where we talk to our own real historian, Director of MCA Films, and co-host of the show, William Treuting. William is here to discuss the release of his latest project, a documentary on the First Battle of Manassas, or Battle of Bull Run, depending on which side of the Mason-Dixon Line you are on. We talk about the process behind making the film, its intended audience, what we can take away from doing battle studies, and why it is important to preserve these historic battlefields. You can catch the film on the MCA YouTube channel. Enjoy! <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 160: Semper Cinema with William Treuting first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week we welcome our Amtracker in Residence, SgtMaj Justin LeHew back to the show. SgtMaj loves this country so much, he refuses to take it in at any speed faster than six miles an hour. Which is why he is going on another walk through this great country of ours. This time, he is going to walk the 113 mile Overseas Highway in Florida that connects Key Largo to Key West starting on September 11th. He talks to us all about this generous and honorable journey, what it means for him to take these walks, and how it gives him a deeper sense of the beauty and wonder of America. We then talk about his continued work with History Flight and the challenges they are having bringing Americans home from the Pacific Islands due to Chinese influence and interference in the region. Enjoy! historyflight.com Team Long Road Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/698444134910085/ www.linkedin.com/in/justin-lehew-080aa94b/ <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 159: SgtMaj Justin LeHew first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week welcome the MCA’s Director of Engagement and Outreach, Marta Sullivan back to the show. We are excited to be introducing the MCA’s new military spouse advocacy initiative, Behind the Camoflauge. Marta is the lead on this and she shares with us how this all started with the Spouse Summit at Modern Day Marine and some of the other great programs within the Behind the Camouflage project, such as a website, and its own podcast which you can find here and on the other streaming services. This is such a great idea and can’t wait for the podcast to launch in September. Enjoy! <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 158: Behind the Camouflage with Marta Sullivan first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. World of Wargaming returns as William interviews returning guest Don Vandergriff about conducting successful after-action reports of wargames. Don also recently helped to write the New Maneuver Warfare Handbook, which is available here: https://amzn.to/3M0a4GN Enjoy! <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 157: World of Wargaming with Don Vandergriff first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. Speaking of outstanding support, our guest this week is a strong supporter of veterans and is dedicated to helping veterans transition. But more than that, she is dedicated to ensuring veterans see their worth. We are so excited to be welcoming Cheryl Cross to the scuttlebutt this week. Cheryl is the author of the best selling book, CIVILIAN MISSION: The Three-Year Guide for Military Professionals Planning Civilian Careers, and is the host of the Military to Civilian Transition Power Hour. She has a wealth of experience that she brings in advocating for veterans and we are honored that she was willing to take the time out of her busy schedule to share her story with us. This is honestly like having a free transition seminar localized in your airbuds! Enjoy! www.xchangepodcast.com www.linkedin.com/in/cherylcross #mil2civ <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 156: Military to Civilian Transition with Cheryl Cross first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. We’re back after a brief hiatus. Thank you for sticking with us and for your continued support. Well, after going radio dark we figured we needed to come out the gate swinging and our guest this week does not disappoint. We are excited to be welcoming Jose Torres to the show. Jose is a retired Force Recon gunnery sergeant, served in various roles through the agency alphabet soup, and is the author of the book, When Colonialism Wins: A Case Against American Statehood for Puerto Rico. His book references decades of scholarship to analyze 500 years of Spanish and U.S. colonialism on Puerto Rico. In it he highlights the island’s ongoing societal collapse and dependency mindset challenging Puerto Rico’s future and cultural preservation. Jose’s personal story is fascinating and the genesis of this book is so compelling. He speaks with us about how he felt compelled to write this book and how his past, his experiences in service of our country, and his views on the future of Puerto Rico. Enjoy! Check out When Colonialism Wins: A Case Against American Statehood for Puerto Rico here <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 155: When Colonialism Wins with Jose Torres first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and for your continued support. This week we had the pleasure of welcoming Col Chris Jackson, USMC (Ret) to the show. Chris is the Warrior PATHH Program Director for Sheep Dog IA. Warrior PATHH — Progressive and Alternative Training for Helping Heroes — is based on the science of Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) and is one of the many programs offered to veterans through Sheep Dog IA. Chris talks to us about his path to the yellow footprints, his experiences as a leatherneck, what brought him to Sheep Dog IA, and the work he is doing to help veterans realize that trauma does not have to be the end of the road. Especially being that today is National Posttraumatic Growth Day, this is a really important conversation that we should all be having with our loved ones and with ourselves. Enjoy! https://sheepdogia.org/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisjacksonyeti/ <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 154: Col Chris Jackson, USMC (Ret) and Sheep Dog Impact Assistance (IA) first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and for your continued support. On this episode we are happy to welcome LtCol Robert “Butch” Bracknell, USMC (Ret) to the show. Butch is a former Marine JAG and is currently a practicing attorney in Norfolk, VA. From his small town roots in rural North Carolina to having deployed multiple times in support of combat operations, Butch is a true subject-matter expert in the application of the Law of Armed Conflict. Butch shares his experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Guantanamo Trials, proportionality, and his perspectives on the challenges AI will present to the Law of Armed Conflict and how to hold actors accountable in this new world where the term “actor” may not be as obvious in war as it once was. This was a really fascinating discussion and we hope you take away as much from it as we did. Of note, as awesome a job as our technical engineer did in post-production, there was only so much they were able to do. We want to apologize in advance for some of the audio. There were some connectivity challenges as we tried to have this conversation remote. Enjoy! https://www.linkedin.com/in/robbutchbracknell/ <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 153: Lawfare and the Law of Armed Conflict with LtCol Robert “Butch” Bracknell, USMC (Ret) first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us for another segment of Strait Talk. Dr. Michael Hunzeker comes to the scuttlebutt and learns us up on what is going on with Taiwan post-election, how there is very little historical precedent for accidental war, how appeasing autocratic regimes isn’t the deterrent policy some may think it is (the power behind believing autocrats will do what they say they will do), and bumper boats in the South China Sea. Enjoy! <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 152: Strait Talk with Dr. Michael Hunzeker first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us. One of the things we try to focus on here is people’s stories. All of the nitty-gritty details, so let’s get into the sausage-making, shall we? (That pun will make sense later. It may not be funnier, but it will make sense) This week we welcome Jordan and Laura Green of J&L Green Farms and Farmbuilder (they raise pigs on their farm – see the pun works). This is our first husband and wife combo, which is super cool in and of itself, but these two are part of a movement of sustainable and regenerative farming that is hopefully revolutionizing not only the food industry, but how we view the ways we are getting our food (the pun is still working), so we are go glad that they agreed to come on the show together. It was great to be able to hear about their journey from each of their perspectives, the reasons behind the way they farm, the importance of transparency, and how the Marine Corps was the easiest job Jordan had! Enjoy! jlgreenfarm.com farmbuilder.us Farmbuilder YouTube channel <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 151: Semper Sustainable with Jordan and Laura Green of J&L Green Farms first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us. Not sure there is a lot I can say that the name of this week’s guest doesn’t say for itself. We are so excited and honored to be welcoming MajGen William Seely to the show. MajGen Seely is currently the commandant of the Eisenhower School at the National Defense University and was the director of Marine Corps Intelligence. MajGen Seely talks to us about immigrating to the US, navigating cultures, his remarkable career, and how diversity in the Marine Corps is a force multiplier. MajGen Seely was so generous with his time to spend it with us. Hope you take away as much from this conversation as we did. Enjoy! <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 150: MajGen William Seely, USMC first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us. MDM 2024 is behind us now and it was a wonderful time. Huge thank yous to all of you who tuned in and especially to those who stopped by our swanky new booth. It was great to shake some hands, bro hug, and meet everyone who took the time to come by. Well, to avoid a post-MDM hangover, we knew we had to come of the gate strong. So we are stoked to be welcoming now LtCol Tom Schueman back to the show. Its great to catch up with him and talk about his promotion, his views on being an field-grade officer, updates on the Return to Base program through PB Abbate, and has been going on with his friend and former Afghan interpreter Zac (Zainullah Zaki) now the his book Always Faithful has been out on the street for a minute now. Regardless of the topic, spending time with Tom is always awesome. Enjoy! www.pbabbate.org Find Always Faithful here <p>The post Scuttlebutt Ep 149: Catching Up with Old Friends – LtCol Tom Schueman first appeared on Marine Corps Association.</p>