Words from the Wise

When The Goalposts Move: Choosing Family Over The Uniform


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Navy Senior Chief (Ret.) Mike Savant spent 23 years turning weather into warfare — from forecasting off Iraqi oil platforms to keeping a three-star calm while the flagship’s comms melted down on the flight deck. He made Chief at 11 years, Senior Chief at 14, consistently ranked #1 EP, and helped stand up new commands… only to watch the advancement goalposts move — twice.

In this episode Mike pulls no punches:

  • How tactical meteorology decides what aircraft fly and how far sonar can actually “see”
  • The surreal months living on a barge tied to Iraq’s burning oil terminals
  • The night the USS Blue Ridge went dark and the only comms was an Iridium phone and an angry captain
  • Why he finally walked away from a sure shot at Master Chief when his autistic son needed him more than the Navy did
  • The civilian market that happily pays for calm-in-chaos leadership (spoiler: Amazon paid better than Fleet Master Chief)
  • Hard-earned lessons on talent management, gentle pressure parenting, and knowing when to take the uniform off for good

If you’ve ever felt the promotion ladder get yanked out from under you, or you’re trying to decide where family actually ranks against another set of orders, this one’s for you.

Subscribe, drop a review, and tell us: where would YOU draw the line?

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Words from the WiseBy Gary L. Wise