⚠️ Trigger Warning

If you or someone you know is struggling:

You are not alone. Reaching out is a sign of strength.

Damon and Damo open with real life: parenting a clingy toddler while trying not to be the “threat dad.” He then walks through a packed few weeks—starting turnover, a Ceremonial Guard recruiting run at Great Lakes, and a whirlwind week working at the Guard. From there the fellas pivot to military news and leadership shifts: the 12-hour fire aboard USS New Orleans; Fleet Master Chief John Perryman’s selection as the 17th MCPON and how alignment with the boss accelerates trust; a string of high-level shakeups (Air Force Chief Gen. David Allvin’s retirement; VADM Nancy Lacore and RADM Jamie Sands relieved; USNA’s change of command to LtGen Michael Borgschulte); and a look at the Fort Stewart workplace shooting response. They sit with harder headlines too: the reported suicide of recruit Kayshawn Wilkerson at Great Lakes and the loss of Aviation Boatswain’s Jose Antonio Rivera Lynch IV during operations in the Timor Sea. Closer to home, they clock the National Guard presence in D.C., react to the phrase “last rank in which he served honorably,” and note USMC LtCol (ret.) Stuart Scheller’s new role. Inside the Mess, Damo flags that MCPON has added “Get Real, Get Better” training into CPO Initiation—and asks if the culture shift is actually landing. The guys respond to a few listeners: do reenlistments still mean something or are we just signing paper; advice for clashing peers; why folks ghost in TAP; “have you ever taken your blouse off to drive home;” and young Sailors in race cars. In the Chief’s Initiation (no longer Season) block, they talk non-select morale, the low numbers this year, and where leaders must step up for those who didn’t pin—plus the moment you were when you got the call. The “Do Better” segment (Damon on clips; Damo on Chiefs in housing). These topics and more are covered in this episode.

To have your “Do Better” reviewed on a future episode, please get in touch with us at [email protected]

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Additional Credits:

PTSF “Theme Music” - Produced by Lim0