Sing Second Alumni

Season six, episode 3. It’s VMI week. The Mids are marching through Main Street. We’re throwing a pre-game social for the game here at the Fluegel Alumni Center 0900-1030 Saturday. We’re pumped. We also are honoring the life of John Elliott ‘00, who lost his life 25 years ago just after graduation to a drunk driver. The HERO campaign - which honors Elliott and raises awareness against drunk driving - will be partnering with Anne Arundel County (MD) police to wrap one of AA County’s squad cars in the HERO logo. The AA&F is proud to support the Elliott family and HERO campaign at the HERO event Aug 28th at noon at O’Laughlins restaurant in Arnold. Special Sing Second correspondent Emily Lucht brings us a special interview about HERO. Lastly, our amazing Alumni interview this week is with Cedric Williams ‘20, Founder and CEO of Blue Magnet. Blue Magnet has partnered with AA&F to continue to support USNA alums with their career transitions. You don’t want to miss Cedric’s interview. Thanks for listening. Beat VMI!

Season six, episode 2. Let’s do this. A new Supe started Friday, Navy Women’s Soccer started the Navy sports season Sunday (with a win) and classes started Monday. We got a lot going on. Chris and John talk about the Change of Command and the future of the Academy with Lt. Gen. Mike Borschulte ‘91. We also chat about a transformational gift from Bruce ‘67 and Bernadine Lakefield of $10 million to build, maintain and operate the future Lakefield Pavilion behind the North end zone. Our interview this week is with QB Blake Horvath ‘26 and NT Landon Robinson ‘26. Blake and Landon talk leadership on and off the field and the outlook for the season. As seniors, what is their outlook on the season and their evaluation of the new class of plebes we’ll see for the first time Aug 30th vs VMI. Thanks for listening. Beat VMI!

Like legendary 80’s band Ratt….”we’re back…back for more.” Season six is here. The Brigade reformed…so we did, too. John Schofield and Chris Servello are here for another season of podcasting to keep you up to date about the happenings at the Naval Academy and the Alumni Association and Foundation. Beaming to you every week from the Fluegel Alumni Center, the Sing Second Pod delivers alumni interviews that cover perspectives from the Fleet to the C-Suite…and everywhere in between. We interview coaches, staff, Mids, Alumni, parents and staff here at AA&F in the effort to better explain two simple parts of the Alumni Association & Foundation - 1) Who we are and 2) What we do? And along the way you get to hear some amazing interviews and updates. This week: New Athletic Director Michael Kelly.  Michael has filled some big shoes in replacing Chet Gladchuk earlier this summer. But he’s off and running…and leading a bold future for Navy Athletics. Michael also chats about his family connection to USNA and whether he ran the point better than legendary ACC point guard Randolph Childress. That interview…plus a discussion of this Friday’s change of command for the Supe…and we remember Jim Lovell ‘52. THanks for listening…and BEAT ARMY ALWAYS.

The July/August issue of Shipmate Magazine hits mailboxes this week. Read more about our Vietnam Legacy of Valor and the traditional features of America's greatest Alumni magazine. But...what if you're on the road...driving cross country...at the beach or just sick of reading? Well...here is Sing Second Shipmate. John Schofield joins Shipmate Editor in Chief Jimmy DeButts and AA&F Digital Media Director Emily Lucht for one hour to break down the magazine...give you the high points from the articles and features...and a little behind the scenes discussion of how the articles are chosen and written for each issue. This special pod will come to you 6 times per year as a regular accompaniment to the paper magazine. What's better than reading Shipmate? Listening to Shipmate! Thanks for listening…and Beat Army. Always.

Welcome to another great episode of the Sing Second podcast. We bring you the stories and happenings at the Naval Academy and the Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation (AA&F). Well…we end season 5 with the doozy. Did you see the news? DoD announced a new Superintendent. VADM Yvette Davids ‘89 is headed to the pentagon and Lt Gen Michael Borgshulte ‘91 is nominated to be the first Marine Superintendent in the history of USNA. Chris and John discuss. New Supe…and New Dant. We get the first exclusive with Capt Gil Clark ‘98. We chat about his leadership philosophy, what he expects from the Mids and what it’s like to come home to USNA. Don’t be sad…the end of Season 5 just means that Season 6 is around the corner. We’ll be back Aug 21 with the Season Debut and an interview with new Athletic Director Michael Kelly. Thanks for listening…and Beat Army. Always.

Welcome to another great episode of the Sing Second podcast. We bring you the stories and happenings at the Naval Academy and the Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation (AA&F). The Class of 2029 is settling in for the real meat of plebe summer. Chirs and John talk about the happenings on the yard and how the culture of plebe summer has shifted from “running people out” to training the plebes properly. The number of attritions each summer seems to have faded as a conversation point. We discuss. And our interview is a doozy this week. Mitch Harris ‘08 is the only USNA graduate to play in major league baseball since the 1920s. Mitch graduated. Served 5 years as a SWO, Continued to chase his MLB dream and realized it with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2015. He just wrote a book about his journey - My Private War. Chris and John break down the book and lessons Mitch learned along the way. Thanks for listening…and Beat Army. Always.

Welcome to another great episode of the Sing Second podcast. We bring you the stories and happenings at the Naval Academy and the Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation (AA&F). John and Chris have a great conversation with VADM (ret) John Nowell from the Navy Memorial. Our old boss breaks down the mission of the Memorial, talks about their outreach in DC and chats about the importance of philanthropy in supporting organizations like Navy Memorial....AND the Naval Academy. Admiral Nowell also gives some advice for new parents of the Class of 2029 and drops us a doozy of a sea story. The boys also remember Erik Kristensen and the Capital Gazette staff. Thanks for listening…and Beat Army. Always.

Welcome to another great episode of the Sing Second podcast. We bring you the stories and happenings at the Naval Academy and the Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation (AA&F). John and Chris will talk I-Day, A&SP, the impact of the Iran conflict on current alums (and future alums) and more. Our featured interviews are must-listens. As the new Plebes arrive to take what is likely the biggest steps of their young lives to date, we talk to two people who made similar leaps later in life. Mariah Sakallaris works here at the Foundation, but during the Army's Birthday Parade last weekend, she was sworn into the Army Reserves by President Trump. Mariah tells us all about her decision. And Justin Cashman was a doctor and a parent of a Midshipman…but he wanted more. That involved commissioning into the Medical Corps and serving in the Navy Reserves…in his fifties! Thanks for listening…and Beat Army. Always.

Welcome to another great episode of the Sing Second podcast. We bring you the stories and happenings at the Naval Academy and the Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation (AA&F). A quiet summer? Nope. John and Chris welcome in Entrepreneur Summit week with a conversation about the Summit events here at the Fluegel Alumni Center. We chat a little more about the new Athletic Director, who just did his first interview with our friend Bill Wagner at Anchors Aweigh. We chat about next week’s Change of Leadership ceremony for the new Commandant. And finally we chat about the emerging global conflicts and how they might affect our alums serving around the world. Our featured interview is with Authentically American founder Dean Wegner and his Biz Development guru, Brian Erickson ‘95. Both Brian and Dean played Hockey while at their Academies. Now, nearly 30 years after they left their respective academies to start aviation careers, the two are joining forces to bring jobs to America.Dean started Authentically American in 2017 to help bring manufacturing jobs back to America by selling premium, competitively priced, apparel that is ALL Made in the US. They intentionally donate 10% of their profits to Veteran and First Responder focused charities as a way to honor our American heroes. We have a great convo. Thanks for listening…and Beat Army. Always.

Welcome to another great episode of the Sing Second podcast. We bring you the stories and happenings at the Naval Academy and the Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation (AA&F). Chris and John break down a successful week for the AA&F leadership team out at Air Force for the Joint Service Academy Alumni Executives Conference (JSAAEC). And we chat about Mikie Sherrill ‘94 winning the NJ Governor Primary..and the other topics du jour for the week. And our feature interview this week is John Miles ‘93. John is Passion Struck…literally. His Passion Struck book and associated podcast are about Alternative Health. Intentional Living. Radical Self-Transformation. Passion Struck is driven by a simple idea: You don’t have to wait to matter—you create it through how you show up in the world. John joins the pod to chat about what got him on the path to reaching millions with his message through his pod. And he chats about his origins at USNA and his unique perspective on the Electrical Engineering scandal in the early 90’s. Thanks for listening. Beat Army...always.