LATEST EPISODE
Recently, The Scuttlebutt episode, “War Music” lit up the charts and quickly became our most talked about episode of the series thus far. This is in no small part thanks to participants, Vietnam vet, Donn Nemchick (Navy), Post 9/11 vet, Ryan Ahl (Army), and non-vet/”music dork,” Kevin Koch. So excited were we by the outpouring of comments that we felt it deserved a “bonus track.” Join us this week as we get the band back together and read viewers’ responses to our conversation on the music from the Vietnam era. Haven’t seen the original episode? Click Here. For our YouTube channel featuring the music of the era: Click Here. For a super cut of the episode (and to check out Ellie’s TikTok skills): Click Here.
Welcome to The Scuttlebutt: Understanding Military Culture, a weekly pre-recorded program presented by The Veterans Breakfast Club.
“Scuttlebutt” is a military term (specifically Navy) for talk or gossip around the watercooler below decks. The staff at VBC arrived at this title as a way of defining what our new program is about – an informed conversation about the military experience, past and present.
The Scuttlebutt celebrates the end of Season Three with special guest, William M. Arkin. Mr. Arkin is one of America’s premier military experts. His investigative work has appeared on the front pages of The New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times, and has won many awards. He served as an NBC News analyst and reporter for thirty years and is the bestselling author of more than a dozen books, including TOP SECRET AMERICA and HISTORY IN ONE ACT: A NOVEL OF 9/11. He served in Army intelligence in West Berlin during the Cold War and has been a consultant to wide-ranging organizations, including the US Air Force, the United Nations Secretary General, Human Rights Watch, and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Mr. Arkin joins us to talk about his recent book THE GENERALS HAVE NO CLOTHES in which he outlines a path for America to exit our Forever Wars. You can read an excerpt at Newsweek.com.
Big thanks to our sponsor, D & D Auto Salvage and Metal Recycling!
Nothing sparks a trip down memory lane quite like music. This week on The Scuttlebutt we are joined by Vietnam veteran, Donn Nemchick (Navy), Post 9/11 veteran, Ryan Ahl (Army), and special guest, music historian and self-proclaimed “music dork”, Kevin Koch to discuss the unforgettable music of the Vietnam era. Including Creedence Clearwater Revival, Jimmy Hendrix, Dolly Parton, The Players, The Monitors, Phil Ochs, Marvin Gaye, Jackson Brown, The Impressions, The Shirelles, The Youngbloods, Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young, and many more! Check out our YouTube playlist of the songs we discuss! Or head to Spotify to listen. To read more about the music of Vietnam visit: WBUR.org. Big thanks to our sponsor, D & D Auto Salvage and Metal Recycling!
If you enjoyed the hit Netflix series, THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT, boy do we have a program for you! This week on The Scuttlebutt we talk with the Chair of the Military Chess Committee and Army veteran, Jim Hollingsworth about the upcoming 62nd Annual US Armed Forces Chess Championship. Jim talks about the history of the tournament, what chess means to him, and – for those who join us on YouTube – Jim gives host, Shaun Hall, a fascinating chess lesson.
To learn more about the Championship and last year’s standings visit New.USChess.org and VAChess.org. To read about why the Marines are obsessed with chess visit Military.com.
Fancy a game? You can play host, Shaun Hall by visiting Chess.com, creating a free account and searching for Valhalla360. For our audio listeners: head to veteransbreakfastclub.org/scuttlebutt to watch the video version of this week’s episode and read more. A big thank you to D&D Metal Recycling and Auto Salvage for sponsoring the Scuttlebutt! https://danddautosalvage.com/
http://texasarmedforceschess.com/
https://new.uschess.org/2021-62nd-annual-us-armed-forces-open-chess-championship
This week on the Scuttlebutt, we talk about the VFW to Veterans Housing Services Coordinator with the Veterans Leadership Program AND District 29 Commander Jessica King, District 28 Commander and Department of PA Legislation Chairman Jim Brown, and Brian Armstrong of Post 8427 Herminie. The VFW has been around since the late 1800s. As of 2020, it has grown to include 1.6 million members and Auxiliary members, forming 6,000 local Posts, grouped into 52 Departments covering the 50 states, the Asia-Pacific area, and Europe. Over the years, the VFW has influenced government policy and created a space for veterans and community members to come together. Join us on The Scuttlebutt as we learn more about the VFW of today and how it will evolve in the future. You can learn more about the VFW at Encyclopedia.com and VFW.org. A big thank you to D&D Metal Recycling and Auto Salvage for sponsoring the Scuttlebutt! https://danddautosalvage.com/
Join us on The Scuttlebutt for an inspiring and educational conversation with Lt.Col. (Ret) Kathy Lowrey Gallowitz of Vanguard Veteran and author of Beyond “Thank You For Your Service” along with Neferteri Strickland, veteran and host of the podcast The Third Lieutenant. Neferteri serves her community by supporting education initiatives in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Agriculture, and Math, (STEAAM) education and post PreK-12 career readiness. If you ever thought, “What can I do for the veterans in my community,” this is the conversation for you.
Links from this episode:
https://shows.acast.com/the-third-lieutenant
https://www.proudtoserveagain.com
https://vanguardveteran.com/author/klowroh/
https://news.psu.edu/story/544308/2018/10/29/academics/pursuing-cybersecurity-degree-deployment
https://www.google.com/amp/s/thephiladelphiacitizen.org/tedxintrepidaveed/amp/
Join us this week on The Scuttlebutt for Part 2 of our conversation with poet and performer Jenny Pacanowski from Women Veterans Empowered and Thriving, Executive Artistic Director James Edward Becton from The Becton, and triple threat Mary Jo “MJ” McConnell to discuss how military service inspires them as artists. In this episode, we hear more about the work they’re doing today and take a look at their moving performances. Check it out! A big thank you to D&D Metal Recycling and Auto Salvage for sponsoring the Scuttlebutt! https://danddautosalvage.com/
Further reading for this episode:
https://www.womenveteransempowered.org/
http://jennywarriorpoet.com/
http://www.decruit.org/
https://lucidbody.com/veterans-project/
https://www.maryjomcconnell.com/resume
https://bedlam.org/veteran-outreach/
https://www.arts.gov/initiatives/creative-forces
https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-art-helping-veterans-overcome-ptsd
This Memorial Day, the Scuttlebutt teams up with WTRF’s Veterans Voices host Kathryn Ghion for a special conversation with President and CEO of the Woody Williams Foundation, Chad Graham. The Woody Williams Foundation is a charitable 501c(3) nonprofit organization that pursues specific endeavors and goals through the vision of Medal of Honor recipient Hershel “Woody” Williams. The Foundation encourages, with the assistance of the American public and community leaders, establishing permanent Gold Star Families Memorial Monuments in communities throughout the United States.
To see other interviews by Kathryn in her hometown of Wheeling, WV, visit WTRF.com And a big thank you to D&D Metal Recycling and Auto Salvage for sponsoring the Scuttlebutt!
Further reading from this week’s episode:
Join us this week on The Scuttlebutt as we talk with three US Army veterans who, after their service, entered the performing arts. We go Lights, Camera, Action with poet and performer Jenny Pacanowski from Women Veterans Empowered and Thriving, Executive Artistic Director James Edward Becton from The Becton, and triple threat Mary Jo “MJ” McConnell to discuss how military service inspires them as artists. We also discuss the important work that veterans organizations do to ease the transition out of the service and to ensure that veterans not only survive, but thrive. And a big thank you to D&D Metal Recycling and Auto Salvage for sponsoring the Scuttlebutt! https://danddautosalvage.com/
Further reading for this episode:
https://www.womenveteransempowered.org/
http://jennywarriorpoet.com/
http://www.decruit.org/
https://lucidbody.com/veterans-project/
https://www.maryjomcconnell.com/resume
https://bedlam.org/veteran-outreach/
https://www.arts.gov/initiatives/creative-forces
https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-art-helping-veterans-overcome-ptsd
Join us for a not-to-be-missed episode of The Scuttlebutt. For years, The Pech was the most kinetic spot on the planet – so why would a college student risk his life by spending a semester abroad embedded with our military? To answer this question and many more is special guest, Wesley Morgan, author of THE HARDEST PLACE: THE AMERICAN MILITARY ADRIFT IN AFGHANISTAN’S PECH VALLEY. Also joining us is Army and Afghan War veteran, John Hawes. Both gentlemen bring a deep and personal knowledge of the military’s struggles and sparse successes in the Pech to The Scuttlebutt. Did we mention this isn’t to be missed?
To read more about the end of the Afghan War, you can visit the NYTimes, here, here, here, and here. Also check out Military.com. A big thank you to D&D Metal Recycling and Auto Salvage for sponsoring the Scuttlebutt! https://danddautosalvage.com/
Links to further reading:
The Hardest Place: https://www.amazon.com/Hardest-Place-American-Military-Afghanistans-ebook/dp/B082723PYG
Excerpt in the Atlantic: https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2021/04/america-never-knew-why-it-was-afghanistan/618582/
Wesley Morgan’s Twitter Photo Thread: https://twitter.com/wesleysmorgan/status/1373819066989821954?s=20
This week, The Scuttlebutt gets a jumpstart on PTSD Awareness Month. Co-host and Army veteran, Ryan Ahl, takes the reins in a special episode of The Scuttlebutt where we attempt to demystify PTSD by asking important questions and providing some answers on available research, symptoms, and types of treatment available. There’s plenty of information available online but recent articles in Task & Purpose, USNews.com, and PTSD.VA.gov, are excellent resources for those looking to learn more about this very important topic. A big thank you to D&D Metal Recycling and Auto Salvage for sponsoring the Scuttlebutt! https://danddautosalvage.com/
Links to Further Reading
https://taskandpurpose.com/opinion/to-improve-awareness-we-must-call-ptsd-what-it-is-a-disorder
https://www.va.gov/vetsinworkplace/training/EAP/lesson04/04_003_hs01.htm
https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/common/common_veterans.asp
https://www.ptsd.va.gov/index.asp
https://health.usnews.com/conditions/mental-health/ptsd/articles/ptsd-veterans-statistics
This week’s episode of the Scuttlebutt is a bonus episode! We’re talking with Army & Iraq War vets Ryan Ahl and Eric Smith about the new video game Six Days in Fallujah. There’s some controversy surrounding this game, as critics say it sensationalizes the bloodiest battle of the Iraq War—one that killed over 100 US and British trips and over 800 Iraqi civilians. Ryan, Eric, and Shaun talk: is this controversy deserved? What makes “Six Days” worse than other war games, like Call of Duty? Can video games tell the stories of veterans who served—or more importantly, should they? Tune in for this fascinating discussion! And a big thank you to D&D Metal Recycling and Auto Salvage for sponsoring the Scuttlebutt! https://danddautosalvage.com/
Links to Further Reading
https://kotaku.com/you-don-t-have-to-run-the-exclusive-reveal-for-the-war-1846543966
https://www.ign.com/articles/six-days-in-fallujah-publisher-seemingly-u-turns-on-politics-comments
We’re back this week with Part 2 of our discussion of Military Sexual Trauma (MST). Once again joining us is Dr. Roksana Korchynsky, Phd, Clinical Psychologist, and MST Program Coordinator with the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System; Navy Veteran and MST Survivor Timothy Jones; and Army Veteran Ryan Ahl. We talk a bit more about what the VA is doing to treat MST survivors and help with their recovery. We also ask the tough questions: is there something about military culture that encourages or promotes sexual assault? A note that this episode contains subjects that may be triggering. For our audio listeners: head to veteransbreakfastclub.org/scuttlebutt to watch the video version of this week’s episode and read more. And a big thank you to D&D Metal Recycling and Auto Salvage for sponsoring the Scuttlebutt! https://danddautosalvage.com/
Further reading for this week’s episode:
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/truth-about-false-sexual-assault-reports/
https://companyleader.themilitaryleader.com/2020/11/07/athena-thriving-gender-discrimination/
Tune into The Scuttlebutt for part one of our two-part series on Military Sexual Trauma (MST) in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Joining us is Dr. Roksana Korchynsky, Phd, Clinical Psychologist, and MST Program Coordinator with the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System; Navy Veteran and MST Survivor Timothy Jones; and Army Veteran Ryan Ahl. We break down terminology, recent headlines, reporting structure, myths and much more. A note that this episode contains subjects that may be triggering. And a big thank you to D&D Metal Recycling and Auto Salvage for sponsoring the Scuttlebutt!
Further reading and resources from this episode:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tailhook_scandal
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberdeen_scandal
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Vanessa_Guillén
https://www.pdhealth.mil/clinical-guidance/sexual-assaultsexual-harassment
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/navy-fires-admiral-sexual-harassment-allegation/
https://companyleader.themilitaryleader.com/2020/11/07/athena-thriving-gender-discrimination/
The term “military brat” is a badge of pride worn by generations of kids who traveled the world with their parents, moving into adulthood with the knowledge that they have the strength to handle anything. Military children deal with separations, deployments, frequent moves and even their parents’ injuries as part of the life they were born into or entered with their families. Join us this week on The Scuttlebutt as we talk with two military brats (1 veteran and 1 non-veteran) about their early childhood and how they coped with life in the military. You can also read more about military families at USO.org and Army.mil. 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.
Further info from this week’s episode:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/map-shows-places-world-where-us-military-operates-180970997/