Robert Knauer (ROBERT VALOR) Music Producer/Songwriter

In this episode I explain a true story about how I along with another navy officer paid back our EXECUTIVE OFFICER or XO, for being an asshole 24/7 onboard our ship. This is a great didactic story for all senior officers, in fact, all officers and enlisted to learn from...simply BE NICE to your subordinates because if you are mean or ruthless thinking YOU have the upper hand. Life will hurt you in many ways for your evil. The old adage of "PAYBACKS ARE HELL" is alive and well in the TRUE STORY of Navy life at sea.

In this episode Lt. Knauer tells a true story of how he was plucked out of Navy Supply Corps School by Admiral Ryan of NEXCOM (then NAVRESSO) and ordered to go in under cover to get the goods on another Navy Supply Officer, (reporting to the CO of NAS Willow Grove first), and then on the fateful appointed day relieving Lt. Robert Bump for Cause. Lt. Bump had not only run the NEX into the RED financially, but incurred a $40K robbery and was missing hundreds of thousands of dollars in inventory. The PX was bleeding money, having employees embezzle goods and funds and that is why ADMIRAL RYAN handpicked me to CLEAN THE MESS UP. This is a true story and one all navy officers should learn from. TIME 1980.

Lt. Knauer recounts how not listening to his mentor, Captain Bob Fenick led him to the fateful decision to land on the USS SAN JOSE and end up being a whistleblower against his ship's commanding officer, Melvin D. Munsigner. Sometime the grass isn't always greener on the other side, and the future is unknown.

In this Episode, Lt. Knauer tells about the time he extorted a senior officer in the U.S. Navy to sign off on his SWOS PQS qualification card for 3m using the old trick, "no ticky--no laundry" or in the case of CDR. Rugallo no PQS--no paycheck. Is there an ethics question here, certainly there is....but hey, it's a funny story and true.

It's the story of then, CO Jerry O. Tuttle as he was "dinged off the ship" for transfer to his next command Lt. Knauer remembers how the crew of the USS JFK reacted to his departure, yelling, screaming with sounds of joy, cheers, and giving Tuttle the "finger" or the "bird" because Tuttle was the most hated commanding officer every.

Lt. Knauer recounts the day (during the yard period) when the skipper of the USS JFK had all "junior officers" assemble in the wardroom at 17 hundred hours to lecture and inform them all that they were, "nothing more than a buck of fucking little drones" and why that was the case. Lt. Knauer also recounts how Captain Tuttle treated sailors at Captain's MAST, especially in the case of SHSN Gentry.

This podcast goes into several more unusual events with Captain Jerry O. Tuttle, Skipper of the USS JFK while it was in the "yards." It discusses how Tuttle abused hims powers as skipper, placed hundred of officers and enlisted in "hack" (restricted to the ship) for something they did not do simply to demonstrate power and a lack of leadership. It also delves into how I had my wife come aboard the ship every day I was in HACK and ate meals with her, and had SEX with her in several Squadron Commanding Officer staterooms. They say you can't have sex aboard a Navy ship....wrong. Very possible and did happen and much much more.

Lt. Knauer recounts two situational events while stationed aboard the JFK with Jerry O. Tuttle. The 1st a passageway encountered with "the midget" and the 2nd known as the Round Table Affair that actually happened aboard the JFK in 1977 while the ship was in the Navy Yard undergoing overhaul where 200+ sailors and officers had to sleep in the nude on their mattresses on the flight deck because the ship was too hot to sleep inside and because Capt. Tuttle refused to spend ship's OPTAR money to find habitable quarters for duty personnel to reside in....Listen and Learn about the real Navy in the 1970s aboard the USS JOHN F. KENNEDY CV-67.

In Episode 5 Lt. Knauer recounts the story of the JFK dinning in where in front of 350 officers and their wives and or girlfriends, Captain Tuttle was heard to yell at his wife in a degrading manner which astonished most if not all of the wives in attendance, but surely did not surprise any of the ships company officers. What Jerry O. Tuttle did to his wife is in fact the way he treated his crew the entire time he was commanding officer. Although most sailors curse and do so a lot, Jerry O. Tuttle was probably one of the most profane senior officers in the history of the modern navy.

Lieutenant Robert Knauer recounts his early time aboard the aircraft carrier USS JFK during his time as an Ensign and Lt.(jg) in the Suppy Department, life with his fellow supply officers, the crew and a number of mishaps that occurred including several ship collisions at sea and more funny stuff regarding the Skipper Jerry O. Tuttle.

Former naval officer, ROBERT KNAUER, takes you through his reporting aboard his very first ship he was assigned to out of Navy Supply Corps School and what it felt like seeing his giant aircraft carrier below him as he flew to in his first helo flight from Rota, Spain. He tells what his first skipper was like (Captain Mitchell) and what his next skipper (Capt. Jerry O. Tuttle) was like. Although as an Ensign in the Navy we were all told there "were no homosexuals in the Navy" I found out that just wasn't true at all. It was all just the luck of the draw.

Podcaster Robert Knauer tells you about his life at the Navy Supply Corps School in Athens, GA and what it was like back in the 70's. Today NSCS is located in Newport RI, but life at Supply Corps School hasn't changed and it is tough.

As a recent college graduate Robert Knauer discusses his entry into Naval service and how he became commissioned after Officer Candidate School (OCS) and then was ordered to attend Navy Supply Corps School in Athens, GA during the mid-70s. In the next episode Robert Knauer will describe his arrival, class attendance and studies at the Navy Supply Corps School (NSCS) Athens and what it took to graduate.

In this last and final Episode of Season 1 dealing with contracting I discuss one of the strangest and funniest government job interviews at HUD (U.S. Housing and Urban Development in DC) and with an all black panel of Senior Executive Service members, of which, Barbara Thomas, the sister of Supreme Court Judge Clarence Thomas was one of the board members. It is hilarious and strange job promotion interviews I ever had in my entire federal career. It also points out the fact that certain federal agencies in Washington, DC are far too racially heavy than what they should be--which is more diverse. ENJOY 4eTNlX3pn5j1sd0qhj3H

Podcaster Robert Knauer CPCM CPPO gives detailed background and insight into a contracting case brought against a young married couple under the "Federal False Claims Act" or FCA as it is known in federal circles. The case was improperly brought against the couple by Army Criminal Investigators (ARMY CID), but there wasn't sufficient evidence proceed with the case (after three years in court) and the case was dismissed by federal judge Terrance Boyle against the couple. Although dismissed, the story points out significant time, legal expense and emotional heartache caused simply because one person did the RIGHT THING while the other spouse did the WRONG THING bringing the case to light. In every federal contracting action, all parties must always DO THE RIGHT THING and be above board and ethical in their transactions when dealing with the federal government. This case which can be read in its entirely at https://casetext.com/case/united-states-v-odyssey-mktg-grp-inc-1 dealing with case United States v. Odyssey Mktg. Grp., Inc., No. 5:15-CV-510-BO (E.D.N.C. Jun. 7, 2017) paints a clear and convincing picture that even though the married couple and all parties involved were NOT even remotely correct in their personal actions which caused the case to gain the attention of Army CID.....the case hinged on one main factor: that the husband, Rod M. immediately returned to the federal government (DFAS) all monies (improperly obtained and received) $700,000.00, because the husband (COO of Odyssey Marketing) knew the funds received were improperly obtained, not correct and he could not legally retain the money as there was no supporting federal contract or modification to justify retention of the $700K. This one simple act at the advice of this podcaster kept the husband and wife from being found guilty of wrongdoing under the Federal False Claims Act (FCA) and kept them from going to jail and spending millions in defense. Others involved in the case (Army Personnel) were not so lucky.

Robert Knauer CPCM CPPO gives his take on the need to have or purchase Personal Liability Insurance to protect oneself in Govt. Contracting.

In this podcast by Robert Knauer CPCM-CPPO he discusses the subject of purchasing in government and why the typical American citizen just doesn't understand why certain things like weapon systems, airplanes and hammers can cost so much. It all about the laws and regulations Congress enacted and the mandatory requirements for specific quality control, quality assurance, unique manufacturing specifications as well as commercial manufacturing requirements that make some things cost so much. REF: MIL-I, MIL-Q, ANSI and other inspection standards

This podcast by Robert K. Knauer CPCM-CPPO is a personal discussion about the subject of federal, state and local contracting people (mostly federal) who have access to sensitive, confidential, or other classified information that can be compromised when they have personal financial problems, or simply are not suited to be in contracting based on poor personal character. IT DOES HAPPEN and polygraphs are needed in more sensitive cases. There is some profanity in this podcast....so if you have sensitive little ears....GO AWAY

Presented by Robert Knauer CPCM-CPPO and former DAU Contracts professor, this podcast takes YOU the listener through the ups-and-downs, ins-and-outs of being subjected to an OIG investigation, DOJ referrals and possible indictment by the DOJ for wrongdoing--when you may not have done anything wrong to begin with, other than being ill-trained and susceptible to the whims of your Supervisor who is connected and working in concert with a "crooked" contractor.

ROBERT Knauer CPCM-CPPO describes how to make contracts and life easier by working to simplify contract statements, work exhibits, etc....and talks about the requirement to have solid Quality Assurance Surveillance Plans (QASPs) and dedicated personnel to do follow up inspections on contract end results.

Robert Knauer CPCM-CPPO and former professor of contract management for the DAU discusses Contracting Integrity, Ethics and following the rules citing several unique stories. These are just to wet your appetite for what is to come in upcoming episodes of his podcast. Robert pulls no punches and certainly does NOT suffer fools well, but he does offer very salient and important advice to those planning a career in contracting. Just so you understand--there is SOME PROFANITY in this podcast. So if you have sensitive little ears, maybe you should go elsewhere.

Robert Knauer CPCM-CPPO gives a brief 10 minute summary of some basic government contracting acronyms and tells what they are, why they are used and what YOU need to know it order to do your job as a career contracting person.

Professor Robert Knauer CPCM-CPPO explains his own personal views on why brand new contracting personnel need to fully understand and be able to properly utilize various contract pricing arrangements in unique situations to be the best contracting person that you can possibly become. He pulls no punches and has little tolerance for people who are not willing to learn and apply themselves in such a demanding career as contracting.

Robert Knauer CPCM-CPPO describes avenues for required training, current government training required of new employees, how things have changed and the future of training. There are significant differences in the quality and type of training required between DOD (under WWW.DAU.EDU) and non-DOD agencies (like GSA for example) which fall under www.FAI.gov. He points out that training for State and Local government agencies is generally provided by NIGP.org and some training can be gotten from NCMAHQ.org along with private vendors. He makes a point to note that training provided by DAU is done by staff employee instructors and not contractors which is the case for all of non-DOD under FAI oversight. Draw your own conclusions. The bottom line for a career in government contracting is, your career will be rather demanding, stress levels high, but YOU will also be required to obtain LOTS of continual annual training for the rest of your career.

Podcaster Robert Knauer CPCM CPPO explains what new contracting employees (interns and others) should expect to survive the probationary period, excel at their new job and how to get ahead in federal contracting. The same rules apply for state and local government contracting jobs. Websites to visit include: www.ncmahq.org for civilian, military and industry firms.....also www.nigp.org for state and local government employees, and of course....www.dau.edu (formerly dau.mil) for those military and civilian DOD employees. These are excellent sources of information on contracting certification programs ranging from beginner to advanced procurement that can help you excel in government contracting and become a leader in your field. Listeners can find more of my podcast episodes as I am on both Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Audioboom, Spotify, Apple Postcasts, and much more.

Robert Knauer CPCM-CPPO informs how to apply for and obtain a career position in federal, state and local government as a contract specialist. This career field is wide open for those willing to take the plunge ....it can be rather challenging. Use the federal www.USAJobs.gov website to apply for GS-1102 series positions. Listeners can find more of my podcasts on Spotify, Apple, Audioboom and many others

ROBERT KNAUER CPCM CPPO introduces his new PodCast series for 2022. He informs listeners what topics will be covered and gives you a little insight into each. As a navy officer, CEO and former Senior Federal Government contracting officer you will learn the ups and downs, ins and outs of life in the navy, in contracting, in life and hear some about his newest novel (about being raised by a black nanny and maid in the racist South during the 50s. Listeners can find my podcasts on multiple platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audioboom and much more.