The Proceedings Podcast

The Ilteris brothers, Captain Steve and Commander Mike, discuss how a 21st-century antisubmarine task group could bring the fleet a substantial increase in capability, operational flexibility, and lethality. More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2021/april/resurrect-hunter-killer-group

Historian Andy Blackley talks about the naval defeat inflicted by Japan in the 1890s that left China with wounded pride that has influenced how that country is rebuilding its Navy today. More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2021/april/enduring-legacy-war-jiawu

On the 60th anniversary of the operation, historian Norman Friedman talks about how the failed Bay of Pigs operation gave a black eye to the nascent Kennedy administration—and generated a perilous escalation of Cold War tensions.

China expert Zi "Mike" Yang explains how a military commander and political commissar serve side by side to achieve both military and political objectives aboard Chinese warships. More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2021/march/chinas-dual-command-sea

ADM Charles Richard, USN, STRATCOM Commander, talks about the need to refocus on strategic deterrence in the wake of 20 years of the Pentagon focusing on asymmetric threats in the Middle East. More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2021/february/forging-21st-century-strategic-deterrence

Master Chief Shane Gibbs and Chief Wayne Papalski discuss why their experiences during 2019 Hurricane Dorian relief efforts made them think that the helicopter sea combat (HSC) community is not ready to operate effectively and efficiently in a wartime environment.

Petty Officer Nicholas Harris builds upon his March "From the Deckplates" article and argues that the fleet's current approach to mission readiness is missing the critical element of "individual lethality."

Retired intel officer Mike Dahm talks about how China took lessons from Operation Desert Storm and remade itself with foreign technology to build a formidable joint military force with expeditionary ambitions. More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2021/march/chinas-desert-storm-education

Proceedings author Robert Stuart, USNR (Ret.) discusses his experience as a young sailor stationed aboard an aircraft carrier, what he learned, and why naval professionals should be interested in their naval history and heritage. He also offers advice to new Chief Petty Officers. More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2021/january/standing-ready-korea

CAPT Brian Taddiken, USN and LT Kirsten Krock, USN, discuss how 66 years ago one of the Navy’s most secretive communities began. Its members went by the code word SOSUS, which means “Sound Surveillance System.” A new front line in the Cold War, they had one mission: FIND SUBMARINES. More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2021/february/66-years-undersea-surveillance

Former Acting SECNAV Thomas Modly talks about his tenure in the job with a focus on his firing of CAPT Crozier in the wake of the CVN 71 CO leaking a memo to the press about COVID concerns. More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2021/february/lessons-learned-helm-department-navy

CDR B.J. Armstrong, USN discusses his most recent Naval History article about how, in a commandeered Confederate steamer, Robert Smalls piloted himself and other slaves to freedom and garnered the plaudits of a grateful Union Navy. More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2021/february/hero

Ensign Evan Twarog and Lieutenant (J.G.) Cody Williamson, U.S. Coast Guard discuss how the Coast Guard’s newest icebreakers will need to balance national security, statutory, and scientific research missions while operating in one of the most operationally complex maritime regions of the world. More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2021/january/polar-security-cutters-will-face-evolving-arctic

Proceedings author BMC (Ret.) Jeff Bayless offers solid guidance and advice for those considering pursuing a commission. More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2021/january/so-you-want-be-officer

Historian Ed Marolda reviews the U.S. Navy's lessons learned during Desert Storm. More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2021/february/weathering-storm

Paul Kingsbury hosts FORCMs James Osborne and Kevin Goodrich and dives into force COVID impacts, CPO Initiation, and changes to the Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist program.

ADM James A. Winnefeld, USN (Ret.), former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reminisces about his first time on the Joint Staff at the outset of Desert Storm. What did those days teach him that he used on active duty after that? And what lessons should the U.S. military take from Desert Storm as we focus on the return to great power competition? More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2021/january/operation-desert-storm-30-years-later-my-view-joint-staff

LT Kyle Cregge discusses how to use enlisted sailors as warfare tactics instructors. More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2021/january/unleash-enlisted-sailors-wtis

VADM Kitchener, CNSP ("The SWO Boss"), talks about new warfighting initiatives for the surface force. More: https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2021/january/what-got-us-here-wont-get-us-there

Ward and Bill review the highlights of the first 199 episodes of the podcast and tee up soundbites from notable guests.

CDR Joel Holwitt discusses how CNO Zumwalt’s personnel policies and focus on sea control in the lean budget years of the 1970s can offer lessons to the present-day Navy.

Gen. David Berger, USMC, 38th Commandant, joins the podcast to talk about the Marine Corps might play an important role in ASW as the service refocuses on being a Fleet Marine Force. More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2020/november/marines-will-help-fight-submarines

Three years following the Comprehensive Review, Retired Fleet Master Chief Paul Kingsbury picks up the discussion where Proceedings author John Cordle left off in his Dec 2019 blog piece titled, Manning Matters. Ward, Paul, John, and current USFF Fleet Master Chief, Rick O’Rawe discuss the causes and impacts of chronic shortfalls in fleet manning and offer some solutions.

Retired Fleet Master Chief Paul Kingsbury hosts Master Gunnery Sergeant Scott Stalker, current senior enlisted advisor for the Commander of the newly established U.S. Space Command to talk about current priorities and the importance of space as a warfare domain.

Secretary of the Navy Kenneth Braithwaite talks about how a deep understanding of history has influenced his career both in and out of uniform.

USNI News reporter Megan Eckstein talks about her recently published study that illustrates how the Navy's carrier force has been overworked and is currently struggling to maintain deployment schedules. More here: https://news.usni.org/2020/11/12/no-margin-left-overworked-carrier-force-struggles-to-maintain-deployments-after-decades-of-overuse

The authors of "The Craft of Wargaming," a new book from USNI Press, discuss how to run a successful wargame and how military leaders can avoid drawing the wrong conclusions from the results.

Petty Officer First Class Ashley Derenbecker discusses whether shipboard damage control training prepares crews for real life situations. More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2020/october/final-battle-problem-turn-it-11

LTJG Artem Sherbinin explains why he believes the Navy's Optimized Fleet Response Plan could break the fleet and hurt retention. More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2020/october/fleet-without-rudder

VADM Daryl Caudle talks about the U.S. Navy's current and future efforts to sustain the competitive edge in submarine warfare. More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2020/october/sustaining-submarine-forces-competitive-edge

Naval analyst Norman Polmar discusses how the end of World War II might have unfolded in far worse fashion had Japan proceeded with its biological-warfare option. More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2020/october/japans-deadliest-weapons

Trent Hone discusses how the U.S. Navy innovated to counter the unforeseen and shocking threat of Japanese kamikazes in the final year of World War II in the Pacific Theater. More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2020/october/countering-kamikaze

LT Michael Pruitt recalls a situation where his overconfidence could have killed one of his sailors and, more broadly, what it reflects about the pitfalls of surface warfare culture. More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2020/september/overconfidence-can-be-hazardous

Historian Vince O'Hara returns to the show to talk about his latest "Naval History" article dealing with the naval side of World War II, which he believes is the most important aspect of that war.

Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Troy Black discusses a wide range of issues facing the force now and in the future.

A conversation about the history of the iconic Herndon Monument climb at the Naval Academy with author Jim McNeal.

LCDR Steve Moffett talks about his article titled "How to Succeed in Flight School (by Really Trying)" in the Sept. Proceedings.

U.S. Coast Guard Commandant ADM Karl Schultz unveils the service's new Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated fisheries strategy designed to protect regional food sources around the globe.

Chief Boatswain's Mate Phillip Null, USCG, talks about his award winning essay dealing with the need for more first aid training for Coast Guard crews.

Historian Paul Stillwell talks about the history of USS Missouri, the venue for the surrender of the Japanese on Sept. 2, 1945. More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2020/october/fitting-place-end-war

LT Andrew Ray talks about his award-winning essay on the subject of using Coast Guard law enforcement detachments more effectively in the Indo-Pacific.

Dr. Kathy Sullivan talks about her life as an astronaut, scientist, agency chief, Navy reservist, and "deep sea tourist." The conversation includes her thoughts on climate change and the state of politics with respect to problem solving.

CMC Justin Gray talks about the costs of shore installations and how tight budgets and a changing culture are forcing leaders to re-think what the priorities are.

Naval historian Bill Prom talks about "the seventh frigate," a warship built as a payoff to Algiers - in essence America's first FMS transaction. More here: https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2020/august/seventh-frigate

Marine Corps historian Mark Folse talks about the two major prongs of MGEN John A. Lejeune's legacy from his time as Commandant of the Marine Corps.

LCDR Josh Portzer discusses his prize-winning essay about how Russia's unmanned nuclear torpedo can potentially upset the balance of power in the near future.

In the wake of the catastrophic fire aboard Bonhomme Richard, Master Chief Danielle Saunders and Petty Officer John Minor discuss how the Navy does damage control training.

Historian Skip Finley discusses his new book "Whaling Captains of Color" about the black Americans who pursued the hard road of the whaling industry to avoid slavery. More here: https://www.usni.org/press/books/whaling-captains-color

Retired ADM James Winnefeld, former VCJCS, talks about how the current geopolitical cycle could end with a major test of U.S. power and what should be done about it. Related: https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/2020/july/winter-coming

Historian Bruce Taylor discusses the "golden age of Ironclads" and how those ships created a revolution in naval warfare. Related: https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/2020/june/global-phenomenon