Trident Room Podcast lead host U.S. Navy Cmdr. Alanna Youngblood interviews Cmdr. Matthew Morris and Lt. Cortni Thrasher about their unique experiences while working to complete their theses. Cmdr. Morris first discusses how he, along with his thesis partners, designed experimentation to test previous theories of how to transmit the most important information to units in a denied environment. Lt. Thrasher then speaks about her thesis, which is in direct coordination with U.S. Pacific Fleet objectives and a topic from the Nimitz Research Group, studying how the incorporation of amphibious aircraft can benefit military operations in the Pacific.

Cmdr. Matthew Morris graduated from Dickinson College in 2008 with a BA in German and commissioned through OCS as a SWO in 2009, transferring to Information Professional in 2014. He earned an MS in Network Operations at NPS and is an IW WTI in Command and Control/Cyber Operations. His tours include COMM-O onboard USS LASSEN, OPS and NAV for PCC Hotel, ISO and Staff NAV for COMDESRON 9, Flag COMM-O for CSG-9. He is currently serving as the CSO onboard USS GEORGE WASHINGTON.

Lt. Cortni Thrasher is an Aerospace Maintenance Duty Officer in the U.S. Navy. She was previously enlisted as an aviation electronics technician after graduation in 2012 with a BS. She worked on Prowlers and Growlers with a deployment on USS STENNIS before transitioning to the AMDO community in 2019 and commissioning through OCS. She then served as a part of VFA 94 in Lamoore, CA as their maintenance material control officer. While there she deployed on the USS NIMITZ for a COVID deployment in 2020 and is now a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School.

In this episode of the Trident Room Podcast, host U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Colleen Wilmington went onboard the Western Flyer in late 2024 for a discussion with members of the Western Flyer Foundation, then Education Director Dr. Rebecca Mostow and Science Manager Dr. Katie Thomas.

Wilmington discusses the historic Western Flyer’s complete restoration and return to Monterey Bay, along with the milestones achieved in her first year in service as a research vessel. Based out of Moss Landing, Calif., the Western Flyer Foundation was established to support community interactions and boost scientific outreach.

Built in 1937 for the sardine fishing industry in Monterey Bay, the Western Flyer made history in 1940 when John Steinbeck and Dr. Ed Ricketts sailed to the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California), and the log was developed into one of Steinbeck’s classic works by the same name.

Following two sinkings and a full retrofit, the Flyer now supports docked educational programs for primary education programs, and underway programs supporting collegiate education programs. The use of one vessel between the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB), and Monterey Peninsula College (MPC) is indicative of a rise in interest in oceanic studies, scarce opportunities for research at sea, and the unique oceanographic area in the vicinity of Monterey.

Interviews included a tour of the Western Flyer and discussion of the combination of historical and modern capabilities.

Since this interview, the Western Flyer has departed for a historic return to the Sea of Cortez, and is following closely to Steinbeck and Rickett’s original log. Get updates and follow the team’s progress at https://www.westernflyer.org/crews-log/.

In this episode, U.S. Army Maj. Kyle Schulz, a recent graduate from NPS Defense Analysis program, joins Trident Room Podcast host U.S. Army Maj. Eric Czaja for a discussion on his path to service, career trajectory leading up to his studies at NPS, and a deep dive into his research exploring sustainable agriculture in the Philippines, and how sustainable agricultural practices support a whole of government approach to advancing the Resistance Operating Concept, strengthening resilience and resistance through food security and economic stability.

Maj. Schulz completed undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He received his commission as a Signal Officer through Officer Candidate School, and spent the first few years of his career supporting Psychological Operations at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. After successfully completing the Civil Affairs Qualification Course he has served as a Team Leader, Company Civil Military Operations Chief, and HHC Commander within the 95th Civil Affairs Brigade and the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. He completed his master’s degree in Defense Analysis, as well as a certificate in Applied Cyber Operations at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in December 2024.

NPS Trident Room Podcast host U.S. Army Maj. Eric Czaja commissioned from Marquette University in 2011 as an Infantry Officer. After serving in 2nd ID at Fort Lewis, Wash., Czaja attended Special Forces Assessment and selection. After completing the Special Forces Qualification Course, Czaja was an Operation Detachment Alpha Team Leader in 3rd Special Forces Group at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Czaja graduated from NPS in 2024, and is currently assigned to NPS as a research faculty member in the NPS Department of Defense Analysis.

In this episode, Lt. Anthony Castillo, the newest host to join the Trident Room Podcast team, dives deep into detailing his very unique naval career, spanning nuclear power training as an Electrician’s Mate (EM), to commissioning as a Nuclear Surface Warfare Officer, to now serving as a Health Care Information Systems Officer. He is currently at the Naval Postgraduate School, knee-deep, in the PhD program for Network Operations and Technology.

Lt. Castillo is a native of the Central Coast of California. In 2013, he took the oath of enlistment and reported to Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois. He then journeyed from Naval Nuclear Power Training Command (NNPTC) A-School and Nuclear Power School (where he was selected for the Seaman to Admiral (STA-21) program) to the Citadel where he earned his commission as well as a BS in both Electrical Engineering and Mathematics.

As an officer, he served as the Combat Electronics Division Officer and the Strike Officer onboard the USS MUSTIN (DDG 89) out of Yokosuka, Japan, trained at Officer Nuclear Power School and at Nuclear Power Training Unit (NPTU), and became the first Reactor Networking Division Officer onboard the USS GERALD R FORD (CVN 78).

Lt. Castillo‘s career took a sharp turn after reporting to the USNS COMFORT (T-AH 20) as Director of Operations. There he was selected to lateral transfer to the Medical Service Corps as a Health Care Information Systems Officer after which he joined us here at the Naval Postgraduate School for his master’s and now PhD in Information Sciences in the Network Operations and Technology program.

In the next episode of our new Academic Arsenal series – focused on NPS students’ defense-relevant research – host Eric Czaja speaks with two U.S. Air Force senior pilots in the defense analysis program whose examination of amphibious aircraft could offer an innovative solution to logistics challenges in the Indo-Pacific.

Trident Room Podcast host U.S. Army Maj. Eric Czaja has a conversation with NPS Department of Defense Analysis students U.S. Air Force Maj. Bobby Strain and U.S. Air Force Maj. Tim Marti. This episode was recorded on August 31, 2024.

Maj. Bobby Strain is a U.S. Air Force senior pilot with more than 2,450 flying hours in the C-5M and KC-135R/T. A 2011 ROTC graduate of the Colorado School of Mines, he has flown missions worldwide, including combat missions in support of Operations Enduring Freedom, Resolute Support, Inherent Resolve, and Freedom’s Sentinel. Maj. Tim Marti is also a U.S. Air Force senior pilot with more than 2,000 hours flying the U-28 and other various AFSOC aircraft, including combat missions in Operation Inherent Resolve.

Together, Strain and Marti have authored a joint thesis entitled “Airpower Beyond the Runway: Amphibious Aircraft to Enhance Agility in INDOPACOM.” Their thesis explores how seaplanes, specifically amphibious aircraft, can support the U.S. Joint Force while also creating challenges for adversaries in the Indo-Pacific. The study explores the limitations of current assets and the advantages of utilizing seaplanes in two fictional scenarios. Utilizing a mixed methods qualitative/quantitative approach to compare seaplanes against various platforms – including aircraft, ships, boats, and submarines – the study showcases the seaplane’s unique advantages due to its speed, range, and access to remote locations. The study concludes with a series of recommendations for the DOD to inform decision-makers of the potential for investment in amphibious aircraft, and suggests courses of action to validate the requirement.

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The Trident Room Podcast is brought to you by the Naval Postgraduate School Alumni Association and the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation. www.npsfoundation.org

For comments, suggestions, and critiques, please email us at [email protected], and find us online at nps.edu/tridentroompodcast. Thank you!

The views expressed in this interview are those of the individuals and do not reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the US Navy, or the Naval Postgraduate School.

The Trident Room Podcast Senior Producer, Alanna Youngblood interviews two NPS International Students about their whirlwind summer cross-country road trip and experiences many different national locales through a bright and new viewpoint. This episode was recorded on September 18, 2024.

This episode captures the southern leg of Commander Aang Iskander and Commander Erwin Tan Tolentino’s road trip with their families where they visited sites including Area 51, NASA, the Coca Cola Museum in Georgia, Key Largo, the Everglades and everything in between. Please join us for a heartwarming adventure and stay tuned for the second installment detailing the northern half of their journey coming soon!

The Trident Room Podcast is brought to you by the Naval Postgraduate School Alumni Association and the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation. www.npsfoundation.org

For comments, suggestions, and critiques, please email us at [email protected], and find us online at nps.edu/tridentroompodcast. Thank you!

The Trident Room Podcast Senior Producer, Alanna Youngblood interviews two NPS International Students about their whirlwind summer cross-country road trip and experiences with many different national locales through a bright and new viewpoint. This episode was recorded on September 18, 2024.

This episode captures the northern leg of Commander Aang Iskander and Commander Erwin Tan Tolentino’s road trip with their families where they visited sites including the Washington Monument, U.N. Security Council Building, Graceland, The Badlands National Park and everything in between. Please join us in our continuation of a heartwarming adventure and catch the first half (part 1) already on your streaming platform if you missed out!

The Trident Room Podcast is brought to you by the Naval Postgraduate School Alumni Association and the Naval Postgraduate School Foundation. www.npsfoundation.org

For comments, suggestions, and critiques, please email us at [email protected], and find us online at nps.edu/tridentroompodcast. Thank you!

In the first episode of our new Academic Arsenal series – focused on NPS students’ defense-relevant thesis research – the 2024 Operation Ice Camp research team revisits their experiences in the Arctic, details the trove of data collected, and offers insights into how NPS research connects to strategic naval priorities.

Welcome back to the Trident Room Podcast. I'm LCDR Colleen Wilmington. If you’re a returning listener, you may recognize me from METOC Me-talks, if you’re new welcome to NPS! Today we're introducing a new series, the Academic Arsenal, focusing on the theses and dissertations being completed here at NPS for DOD applications.

The Naval Postgraduate School Oceanography Department team, composed of professors from the Ocean Acoustics Lab and students from METOC/USW program participated in Operation Ice Camp Whale to collect data to understand the physics of acoustic propagation under, through and above the sea ice. Their research intends to lay the scientific foundation for sea ice property inference and future multimedia Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.

The Operation Ice Camp (formerly Ice Exercise) 2024 team are:

- Dr. Ben Reeder, Research Professor, CDR (Ret)

- John Joseph, Research Associate, CDR (Ret)

- Taylor Hudson, Student, LCDR

- Colleen Wilmington, Student, LCDR

Check out episode Trident Room Podcast episode #47, METOC on the Rocks with Lt. Cmdr. Wilmington for more on Operation Ice Camp. And check out this NPS news story, Operation Ice Camp Yields Treasure Trove of Arctic Data for NPS Students, Faculty, for a detailed progress report on the team’s current research.

The Trident Room Podcast is brought to you by the Naval Postgraduate School Alumni Association and Foundation. http://www.npsfoundation.org

For comments, suggestions, and critiques, please email us at [email protected], and find us online at nps.edu/tridentroompodcast. Thank you!

In this METOC ME-talks episode, hosts Lt. Cmdr. Colleen Wilmington, Lt. Cmdr. Alanna Youngblood and Lt. Daniel Petersen discuss with Cmdr. Gon, his METOC experience and howthe U.S. Navy utilizes CNMOC. This episode was recorded on March 15, 2024.

Cmdr. Casey Gon received his Master’s of Science in Meteorology and Oceanography from NPS in 2013 and his Ph.D. in Oceanography from NPS in 2019. Cmdr. Gon’s diverse operational history and educational experience at NPS is a unique METOC path. The podcast centers around his METOC career and includes lessons in leadership, taking advantage of opportunities in life and how Navy METOC influences other services around the world by setting the standard for fleet support. Whether that is by supporting other ice services, shutting down a command, Fleet Survey Team, to reallocate support or as the Operations Officer of CNMOC, where Cmdr. Gon is responsible for ensuring that support to the fleet is timely, accurate, and applicable. His oversight in transitioning science to operational use in a global maritime operations center,

which is made up of operations, intelligence, and international programs, is vital to the continued success of our community.

The Trident Room Podcast is brought to you by the Naval Postgraduate School

Alumni Association and Foundation. http://www.npsfoundation.org

For comments, suggestions, and critiques, please email us at

[email protected], and find us online at nps.edu/tridentroompodcast. Thank you!

Episode 58 – Eric Czaja – Below the Surface

In this episode, U.S. Army Maj. Eric Czaja discusses his career from his time as a platoon leader leading up to experiences as an NPS student and his thesis research focusing on regenerative agriculture. This episode is hosted by U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Karl Flynn.

This episode was recorded on April 12, 2024. Watch Maj. Czaja and his thesis partner, Maj. Ian McAlpine discuss their research in the NPS Student Profile video.

Download a transcript of this episode.

Segment 1 of 3 – Operational Experiences - [0:00]

Segment 2 of 3 – Homesteading and Agricultural Thesis Research - [11:25]

Segment 3 of 3 – Advice to Students - [30:20]

Eric is a graduate of Marquette University and commissioned as an Infantry officer in 2011. He served as a Rifle Platoon leader, Reconnaissance Platoon Leader, Company Executive Officer and Assistant Operations Officer in the 2nd Infantry Division at Joint Base Lewis McChord, WA. After successfully completing the Special Forces Qualification Course in 2018, Eric served as a Special Forces Operation Detachment- Alpha Commander in 3rd Special Forces Group. Eric has successfully led Soldiers in Africa and Afghanistan and is a June 2024 graduate with an M.S. degree in Defense Analysis at the Naval Postgraduate School.

[Disclaimers] The Trident Room has been brought to by the Naval Postgraduate School Alumni Association and Naval Postgraduate School Foundation. The views expressed in this interview are those of the individuals and do not reflect the official policy or position of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the US Navy, or the Naval Postgraduate School.

For comments, suggestions, and critiques, please email us at [email protected], and find us online at nps.edu/tridentroompodcast. Thank you!