The Scuttlebutt: Understanding Military Culture

S2 Ep 8: All About Military Working Dogs

Attention dog-lovers! This week on the Scuttlebutt, we’re talking all about MWDs. No, not WMDs. Military Working Dogs! Tune into our conversation with two Marines who have had experience training and working with military working dogs. Andrew Kowtko worked as a K-9 dog handler for 8 years and joins us from Okinawa, Japan, where he is currently stationed. Bill Jeffcoat talks to us about his nonprofit, Life Changing Service Dogs for Veterans, as well as his experience as a dog handler in Vietnam. Kathryn and Shaun offer their perspectives as civilians and dog-lovers. And we all gasp in awe at some of the “ruff” training military dogs have to go through! Don’t miss this episode! For our audio listeners: head to veteransbreakfastclub.org/scuttlebutt to watch the video version of this week’s episode and read more about this service. To learn more about Life Changing Service Dogs for Veterans, visit www.padogsforvets.org.

S2 Ep. 7: What is the Merchant Marine?

This week on the Scuttlebutt, we’re talking all about an oft-forgotten service: the Merchant Marine. We talk to two Merchant Mariners, Sal Mercogliano and Bridget Cooney, about their work. We ask, how do the Merchant Marines differ from the US Marines (turns out—a lot!)? What does their day-to-day on ship look like? And why do we need them. We also go into the history of the Merchant Marine, the Jones Act, and refer to, of course, the Tom Hanks movie Captain Phillips. Tune in for this fascinating discussion! For our audio listeners: head to veteransbreakfastclub.org/scuttlebutt to watch the video version of this week’s episode and read more about this service.

S2 Ep. 6: Reacting to 10th Mountain Division Shoothouse FAIL

We’ve got a different kind of episode for you this week on the Scuttlebutt. We’re reacting to the infamous 10th Mountain Division shoothouse video. If you haven’t seen it, it’s a room-clearing fail. But what exactly is so horrifically wrong with it? Ryan Ahl walks us through the minute-long video and all of the mistakes that were made along the way. In his words, “You think you’re some kind of operator? Only thing you should be operating is a broom, mop, bucket, and floor buffer.”

For our audio listeners: head to veteransbreakfastclub.org/scuttlebutt to watch the video version of this week’s episode.

S2 Ep. 5: What Are The Best Post-9/11 War Movies?

This week on the Scuttlebutt, we’re talking about some of the most iconic Post-9/11 War Movies. Ryan, Kathryn, and Evan come to discuss some must-sees, some passes, and some of the most laughable scenes (looking at you, Hurt Locker). We also ask: Should war movies be accurate? Do we owe it to veterans to retell true stories as accurately as possible? And how could Jeremy Renner just start shooting a sniper like it’s no big deal? Plus, we talk where in the world is the US military, Our phrase-of-the-week, and a cadence call that’s popping up all over the internet. Tune in for our conversation! And head to our YouTube channel to find a playlist of trailers for nearly every movie we discuss.

 

For our audio listeners: head to youtube.com/veteransbreakfastclub to watch the video version of this week’s episode.

S2 Ep. 4: Talking with Mitch Fossum about the Military-Civilian Divide

This week on the Scuttlebutt, we’re revisiting the topic of the military-civilian divide and talking to active duty Air Force fighter pilot Mitch Fossum about his op-ed for the Military Times. We’re asking questions like: What does the military-civilian divide look like in our communities? Why should civilians care about it? Can the military help bridge this divide? Or is it something we, as a community, have to work to fix? Join us for this fascinating discussion! And read Mitch’s op-ed here. 

For our audio listeners: head to youtube.com/veteransbreakfastclub to watch the video version of this week’s episode. 

S2 Ep. 3: What is the Vet Center?

This week on the Scuttlebutt, we’re talking about the Vet Center and the role it plays in servicemen and women’s transition back to civilian life. We sit down with Army vet Ryan Ahl and Marines Eric Lundblom and Lee Wagner, who all work at the Vet Center, and discuss how the center came to be, the work they do for veterans who are reintegrating, and more. And of course, our usual segments: Where in the world is the US Military, recent headlines, phrase-of-the-week, and some Scuttlebutt. Stick around at the end for a bonus segment where we talk more about the military-civilian divide. Don’t miss it!

To find your local Vet Center, head to https://www.va.gov/find-locations. Or call 1-877-927-8387.

For our audio listeners: head to youtube.com/veteransbreakfastclub to watch the video version of this week’s episode.

Listen to previous episodes, find show notes and additional reading at https://veteransbreakfastclub.org/scuttlebutt/ .

S2 Ep. 2: How Do We Bridge the Miltiary-Civilian Divide?

On this week’s episode of the Scuttlebutt, we ask the question: How do we bridge the military-civilian divide? Listen to our discussion of this topic with Marine Corps veteran Haya Eason, Army veteran Ryan Ahl, and Gold Star Wife Becky Nyren. We also look at US military involvement in Tunisia, talk about the latest military headlines, enjoy some scuttlebutt, and of course, discuss who we want to win Super Bowl LV (get ready for some unpopular opinions…).

If you’re listening to the audio version of this week’s episode we suggest tuning into the video version for the full effect at veteransbreakfastclub.org.

 

 

S2 Ep. 1: What Does Our World Look Like 20 Years After 9/11?

The Scuttlebutt is back, and our boots are hitting the ground for our second season! This week, we talk about 9/11, 20 years later. Listen to our conversation with Army vet Ryan Ahl and Defense Intelligence Agency analyst Karen Sudkamp. We remember where we were that day, how US involvement in the Middle East has changed since, and how the military has changed since. Plus, our usual segments of headlines and scuttlebutt. We’re glad to be back, and we hope you’ll tune in! A note to our audio listeners: head to veteransbreakfastclub.org to watch the video version and get the full Scuttlebutt experience!

Episode 14: Just the Scuttlebutt!

This week, we have for you our Season 1 Finale: Just the Scuttlebutt! We’ve had such a great time sharing military headlines, fascinating stories, and bits of scuttlebutt with you over the past few months that we figured, why not dedicate our last episode to just Scuttlebutt! We’re joined by the folks we’re calling our “All-Star Cast,” Marine Corps vet James Martin, Army vet Ryan Ahl, and Gold Star Wife Becky Nyren. Tune in as we check back on stories we’ve been following since Episode 1 and introduce new pieces of Scuttlebutt we just can’t help but share. Make sure to listen through the end, as we wrap up with our reflections on Season 1. We thank you for watching and listening to this season’s episodes, and we can’t wait to talk with you all again in Season 2!

Episode 13: Inside the Coast Guard

This week on the Scuttlebutt, we’re talking all about the Coast Guard! It may be less than one tenth of the size of the US Army, but it’s an important service with missions unlike those of any other branch. Listen to our conversation with Jacob Niehaus and Mike Evanish as we talk about their service with the Coast Guard, what makes this branch unique, and whether all Coasties are good swimmers. Plus, our weekly phrases-of-the-week, military headlines, and Scuttlebutt. You won’t want to miss it! If you’re listening to the audio only version, be sure to head to @veteransbreakfastclub on YouTube to see the video clips we discuss!