Shows
MidratsEpisode 740: The Better Part of a Decade and a Half with the Navy & Midrats, with Bryan McGrathOne of our guests on Episode 3 of Midrats was Bryan McGrath, CDR, USN (Ret.). Over the years he’s returned often, and has even graced us with the pleasure of a few guest posts here.As he’s let people know for years, he was going to retire for good at 60. True to his word, he hung it up a few weeks ago.Earlier this year before he got too focused on his figs and vines, I asked Bryan to come on for a broad-ranging conversation.What a great hour.A retired Naval Officer, Brya...
2025-12-0857 min
MidratsEpisode 738: Is the Navy Missing its Moment, with Chris ServelloFor a decade and a half, since President Obama’s Pacific Pivot speech, there has been a rising tide in the conversation about the need to fix the US Navy’s shortfall to meet the challenge of the People’s Republic of China.Faced with systemic and cascading failures in everything from surface ship design to maintenance, and distractions as frivolous as Great Green Fleets at sea and as serious as the Islamic State ashore, navalists have been waiting for serious action on the waterfront to match the rising tide of the strategic situation.Rhetorically at least, the second...
2025-11-1757 min
MidratsEpisode 735: October NATSEC MeleeSummaryIn this episode of Midrats, the hosts discuss a range of topics related to national security, military strategy, and current events. They reflect on the 25th anniversary of the USS Cole attack, analyze the ongoing dynamics in the Middle East, and explore the implications of military presence and partnerships. The conversation also delves into submarine capabilities, logistics challenges, and innovations in supply chain solutions. Additionally, they touch on mine warfare, military pay issues, and the Navy’s upcoming 250th anniversary, concluding with a debate on the relevance of battleships in modern warfare.Sh...
2025-10-1357 min
MidratsEpisode 733: AUKUS, Australia, Alliances & the Pacific, with Gray ConnollyYes, September is Australian Appreciation Month on the Midrats Podcast. Building on our discussion earlier this month with Liz Buchanan, we are returning to the perspective from the Antipodes with returning guest Gray Connolly.From Afghanistan, to the Antarctic, to the approaches to the Arctic through the Pacific, we’ll have a broad-reaching discussion of allied national security concerns from the Australian perspective.Gray Connolly served as a Naval Intelligence officer in the Royal Australian Navy. He graduated from the Royal Australian Naval College and holds the King’s Commission. Gray is a graduate in Ar...
2025-09-2259 min
MidratsEpisode 732: Greenland, AUKUS, and the Arctic, with Dr. Elizabeth BuchananWaves of different groups seeking new homes from east and west have arrived and disappeared on Greenland’s hostile shores for thousands of years. In the modern era of nation states, it is Greenland’s unique location and potential resources that are drawing attention once again as her strategic position once again brings her to the front.Today’s Midrats Podcast is going to start there with our guest, Dr. Elizabeth Buchanan.We will kick off with her latest book as a touchstone to our conversation, So You Want to Own Greenland?: Lessons from the Vikings to Trump.
2025-09-081h 01
MidratsEpisode 731: Russia's Fourth Summer of War, with Dr. Dmirty GorenburgThis summer, the fourth summer of the Russo-Ukrainian War that started in the winter of 2022, we find the first serious and determined effort towards a genuine negotiation to end this grinding war in Eastern Europe.The experiences and lessons of this war aren’t only changing how nations throughout the world prepare for their next war, it has forced even greater changes on both combatants how they fight now and plan structuring their national defense post-war.Returning to Midrats again to discuss this and related issues is Dr. Dmitry Gorenburg, a Senior Research Scientist in the St...
2025-08-2554 min
MidratsEpisode 730: Mid-August MeleeThere is no better way to stay out of the summer heat than to take an hour to join us for a Midrats Podcast melee!SummaryIn this episode of Midrats, hosts discuss a range of topics related to maritime and national security, including the importance of civil discourse in political discussions, Australia's acquisition of Japanese frigates, cybersecurity threats, and the geopolitical tensions in the Arctic and Antarctic. They emphasize the need for strong diplomatic efforts and the role of NATO in ensuring security in Europe and beyond.Show Links...
2025-08-111h 06
MidratsEpisode 728: Non-State Special Operations, with Craig Whiteside and Ian RiceOn today’s Midrats, we have returning guest Craig Whiteside and his co-author Ian C. Rice joining us to discuss one of the nightmares we all have in the new book coming out this month. He co-authored it with Ian Rice, Non-state Special Operations: Capabilities and Effects.From the abstract:Building on previous research on Islamic State special operations, the book develops a theoretical framework surrounding a typology of VNSA (militants, proxies, criminal/cults, and mercenaries) to explore variations of non-state special operations, with multiple cases for each category of actor. Understanding when and why VNSA use sp...
2025-07-211h 04
MidratsEpisode 716: Mid-March MeleeHaving trouble keeping up with all the developments in the national security realm over the last two months?Well, let not your heart be troubled, Sal & Mark are here for you this week with the ever-popular Midrats Melee format!No guest this week for the podcast, just your two humble hosts, solving the world’s problems in 60-minutes.Show LinksRear Admiral William Daly, USN OPNAV N96 at Surface Navy Association’s annual symposium: quotes can be found at link 1 and link 2.TRANSCOM’s purchase of used cargo ships.Substack on medium USV.Tr...
2025-03-1056 min
MidratsEpisode 711: The Defense Reformation, with Shyam SankarWhen a report has an opening like this, you know you have to find a way to get the author on Midrats.As a nation, we are in an undeclared state of emergency.…This is a hot Cold War II. The West has empirically lost deterrence. We must respond to this emergency to regain it.We have a peer adversary: China. “Near-Peer” is a shibboleth, a euphemism to avoid the embarrassment of acknowledging we have peers when we were once peerless. That quote is from The Defense Reformation, written last October by Shya...
2025-01-191h 02
MidratsEpisode 709: Midrats 15th Anniversary Show with Claude BerubeHappy New Year to everyone…and Midrats is back with you.Join us today for a broad-ranging discussion for our 15th Anniversary Show with a regular guest since the start, Claude Berube.The conversation will go who knows where, but we will begin by reflecting on how the defense media and information environment has evolved since 2010—not just from the perspective of the information consumer, but also in terms of where decision-makers turn for opinions and ideas. We’ll include some inside baseball as well, starting with how the relationship between the PAO world and the broade...
2025-01-0659 min
MidratsEpisode 707: Who is on the Damascus Road, with Seth FolsomTrying to get your mind around who the actors are in Syria as this 'frozen conflict' from the last decade begins to thaw?If you are concerned about international jihadist organizations, the security of Israel, instability caused by mass migration, rights of religious minorities in the Middle East, or human suffering, the cascading events in Syria should be in your scan.Well, this Midrats is just for you. Returning to Midrats for the full hour to give an overview of the different players in the conflict, from the perspective of a US Marine who helped lead the...
2024-12-0957 min
MidratsEpisode 706: The Midrats Horn of PlentyBefore everyone dives into a week of family and fasting, time to catch up with Sal and Mark on Midrats.From the retention crisis to some stark comments from senior leaders about the Western Pacific, we’ll cover the waterfront and more.ShowlinksFighter pilot burnoutAdmiral Paparo at BrookingsDereliction of Duty: Johnson, McNamara, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Lies That Led to VietnamSummaryIn this episode, Sal and Mark discuss the complexities of national defense, focusing on the importance of personnel in the military, the challenges of recruitment and retention, and the impact of...
2024-11-251h 00
MidratsEpisode 704: A Post-Election Midrats MeleeSummaryThe conversation delves into various themes surrounding innovation, customization, and future planning. It highlights the importance of bespoke solutions in development and addresses the challenges faced in implementing these ideas. The speakers reflect on their insights and look forward to new developments in the field.Show LinksTrump Declares No Mercy on CartelsChris Cappy from Task & Purpose on the Cartel WarsRed Hill Fuel Storage ReportWho Put Quartermaster Bloomfield in Charge of Defending Guam?Elbridge Colby on Tucker Carlson’s ShowElbridge Colby on MidratsReturn to TinianBuilding Navy Bases in WWIIThe Art of Military Innovation: Lessons from the Israel Defense Fo...
2024-11-1159 min
MidratsEpisode 703: Midrats Pre-Halloween Spooktacular!ShowlinksJoint Sword 2024 off Taiwan.TAFFY-3 off Samar.USAF NGAD Pause.Narrow Seas, Small Navies, and Fat Merchantmen: Naval Strategies for the 1990s.USS Carney’s 1 year anniversary.Debt service now greater than spending on defense.SummaryIn this episode of Midrats, Sal and Mark discuss the evolving geopolitical landscape, focusing on China's strategic maneuvers around Taiwan and the implications for US military preparedness. They explore the potential for conflict, the challenges facing the US Navy, and the need for a reevaluation of military strategy and acquisition processes. The conversation highlights the complexities of in...
2024-10-211h 01
MidratsEpisode 698 - The Music Stopped at MSC, with Sal MercoglianoWhere there appears to be a fair bit of shock and surprise in the general public, for those who have tracked the story closest, the feeling could be found along the spectrum from resignation to dismay. This did not happen overnight - and for those given responsibility for our nation’s sea power, this was only a matter of time. By acts of commission and omission, the nation that likes to call itself the world’s greatest - because we are no longer the largest - seapower, finds itself here;The Navy will reportedly sideline 17 vessels due to a manp...
2024-08-261h 05
MidratsEpisode 691: Ethics & Ethical Failure in the Profession of Arms, with Dr. Pauline Shanks-KaurinLaw. Ethics. Morality. Character.What do these words mean, and why are they important in the profession of arms. That is the subject of this week’s Midrats.We have just the right person to dig in to this topic, returning to Midrats, Dr. Pauline Shanks-Kaurin.Professor Shanks-Kaurin is the Admiral James B. Stockdale Chair in Professional Military Ethics at the Naval War College. She holds a Ph.D. in philosophy from Temple University and specializes in military ethics, “just war theory” and philosophy of law and applied ethics. She is author of “On Obedienc...
2024-06-241h 06
MidratsEpisode 688: Mid-May Midrats Melee!Midrats returns for a broad-reaching discussion on maritime and national security issues from the Gaza Beaches to the South China Sea!My audio was a bit poppy early in the show, but it gets better.Mentioned links:PRC is playing games with undersea cablesCONGRESSIONAL GUIDANCE FOR A NATIONAL MARITIME STRATEGY Reversing the Decline of America’s Maritime PowerWhen US Army tried to deactivate the unit that built the Gaza pierSECNAV has a testy time on The HillAzeri percentage of Iranian populationCFR report on the challenge of the PRC invading TaiwanPRC's Drone Carrier
2024-05-201h 10
MidratsEpisode 649: Spring Forward Midrats MeleeAs we ended last week's show with a whole list of topics we wanted to discuss, this Sunday we're going to pick up right where we left off with a Midrats Maritime Melee!From submarines to Australia to the opening of mud season in Ukraine, we'll cover the latest - or at least the more interesting - topics in the national security arena.
2023-03-131h 04
MidratsEpisode 644: 13th Anniversary ShowWhen we started Midrats, President Obama hadn't even been President for a year, I only left active duty 4-months ago, Russia was mostly forgotten about except for Secretary of State Clinton famous "Reset/Overload," anyone worried about China was considered an alarmist, and no one really knew what a "podcast" was except for a very small group of to-online weirdos.One day our friend Claude Berube convinced the two of us and the late Raymond Pritchett that people might be interested in hearing us chat about those things that we find interesting.That was 13-years ago - and...
2023-01-091h 05
MidratsEpisode 632: The High Ground in the Western Pacific, with Bryan ClarkAll it takes is a quick look at a map or a quick read of history to understand that any conflict in the Western Pacific will be dominated by naval forces, logistics, control of the air, and the ability to sustain all three.Extending our conversation on Midrats this summer about the challenge from China, this Sunday returning to Midrats will be our guest Bryan Clark, a senior fellow and director of the Center for Defense Concepts and Technology at Hudson Institute.The starting point for our discussion will be the report he co-authored with Timothy...
2022-08-151h 02
MidratsEpisode 617: Russo-Ukrainian War Black Sea SITREPFrom the Sea of Azov to the Danube Delta, the maritime component of the Russian invasion of Ukraine's is bringing to the front universal constants; treaties, neutral shipping, amphibious operations, blockades, choke points, sea lines of communication, and an expanded environment where conflict can expand in unexpected ways.While much of the focus has been ashore, significant developments - and lessons - can be found in the developments in the Black Sea. That will be the focus on today's Midrats with a panel discussion with Claude Berube, Chris Cavas, and Sal Mercogliano.Dr Claude Berube has...
2022-02-281h 11
MidratsEpisode 612: Jackson's Navy, with Claude BerubeWe're going to kick off our Midrats' 13th year with someone who has been with us from the start, best friend to the show Dr. Claude Berube!If you care about American history in general, and US Navy history in particular, you won't want to miss a minute of this Sunday's show.Claude will be with us for the full hour to discuss his latest and 4th non-fiction book, On Wide Seas: The US Navy in the Jacksonian Era, just released by University of Alabama Press.Claude earned his PhD in Military History from...
2022-01-101h 06
MidratsEpisode 606: China's Dangerous Decade with Andrew EricksonWhat are the of economic, demographic, and political forces driving China through this decade? What direction is her growth heading and where will she find herself at the end of the decade?Are the forces in play likely to move her towards a more peaceful or a more militaristic stance?Using the recent article he co-authored with Gabriel Collins in Foreign Policy, A Dangerous Decade of Chinese Power is Here, as a starting point, returning to Midrats for the full hour this Sunday from 5-6pm Eastern will be Andrew S. Erickson....
2021-10-251h 06
MidratsEpisode 601: All Roads Lead to KabulI’m not sure where today’s Midrats will take us. Our co-host is getting a little underway time, so this will be just you and me.As the initial stage of the collapse of Kabul unfolded last weekend, a lot of Midrats loyalists reached out to me to ask, “Where is this week’s Midrats?”In hindsight, perhaps I should have brought up a show, but last Sunday was just not a good time to put a microphone in front of me,. By Monday I was ready, and my posts last week at the homeblog covered mu...
2021-08-231h 19
MidratsEpisode 599: American Generalship in the Long War, with Gray ConnollyFor coming up on two decades, the United States military has been engaged - if you want to call it by the medal they give everyone for it - a Global War on Terrorism.As we have invested two decades, trillions of dollars, and thousands dead across the globe in response to the attacks of September, 2001 - our best friends have been with us.They do this of their own free will, and share the good fortune and bad with us in our contact of the war.Today’s Midrats is a wide ranging di...
2021-08-011h 11
MidratsEpisode 591: May Day Midrats Melee!OK, it is the day after May Day ... but that's close enough for government work.As the entire maritime world this week decided to pick up on some Midrats favorites - poaching the Army's budget and making the Taiwanese porcupine a bit more imposing - could there be a better time for another Sal & Eagle One green range?Open topic, open chat room, open phones. We'll cover the waterfront and invite you to come on board for a broad ranging discussion of national and maritime security issues.Sunday, 5pm Eastern!
2021-05-031h 06MidratsEpisode 589: Mid-April MeleeSometimes, Midrats is like a VLS cell; you don't know what you have until ... wait ... bad analogy... but you get the concept.Today for the full hour, come join us for a classic Midrats melee ... we take on all topics as they come in to range. I'm sure we'll cover the latest Black Sea happenings, interesting justifications for more DDG in Rota, and WESTPAC always makes and appearance.
2021-04-191h 15MidratsEpisode 585: A March Madness MidratsThe Navy wants to talk some more about unmanned systems, the unknown war we have been fighting for years along the bleeding edge of Islam in Africa seems to be going nowhere we want it to go, China decides to let the mask slip at last, in the mandated extremism training The Pentagon realized the military reflects the nation it serves and not the readers of The Washington Post ... and we still don't have any Service Secretaries nominated.This week produced more news than can be covered in one Midrats, but we're going to try.This...
2021-03-221h 09
MidratsEpisode 584: Facing Today's China, with Dean ChengWhile the rest of the world paused to focus on COVID-19 the last year, even though the pandemic started there, the People's Republic of China did not stop her long, steady push out to the world to take the place she feels she in entitled to.From the border of India to South America and back to the Western Pacific, China feels the wind at her back.Where is China signaling she will be be the greatest challenge to her neighbors and the global community?Returning to Midrats this Sunday for the full hour...
2021-03-151h 02
MidratsEpisode 583: The Navalist View from Singapore, with Blake HerzingerIf geography is destiny, then Singapore is a nation of destiny.Sitting astride one of the world's most critical chokepoints, this polyglot island republic with a population of Denmark on a spot of land 1/4 the size of Rhode Island.For her size, she has a modern, large, and capable navy and military - important for what has always been a rough neighborhood.What makes Singapore's national security requirements unique, and what role does she play as the Indo-Pacific Theater becomes the center of global concern?Returning to Midrats to discuss this and...
2021-03-081h 02MidratsEpisode 581: Late Winter Free For AllAfter a week moving from the warm embrace of Valentines Day to the cold jolt of a nation wide arctic freeze, come join us this Sunday at 5pm Eastern for a live Midrats Free For All!Open chat room, open phone, and open topic on the - mostly - maritime national security front.From the new Biden DOD and State Department's first moves, to the ongoing efforts of the USA and our allies as we try to figure out what we need to do to ensure the global system that serves us all.Come...
2021-02-221h 06
MidratsEpisode 575: The Navy's Problems and a Plan to Fix Them, with Bryan McGrathThere is one area of agreement among navalists, the US Navy is beset with a whole series of hard, long building problems, ignored for too long. Many, including our highest ranking uniformed leadership, seem incapable of not only acknowledging them, but coming up with a plan to address them.As we enter 2021 and the third decade of the 21st Century, what are our greatest challenges, and what are some steps we can take to start the process of meeting them?Returning to Midrats to discuss this and related issues he raised in this recent article, The...
2021-01-111h 03MidratsEpisode 572: 2020 Year End Summary Broadcast in Military yesterday2020 has been a year … that is an understatement. From the maritime and national security perspective what were the bold-faced items that changed the outlook the most. While COVID-19 absorbed much of everyone’s time, the world kept turning and history kept moving.Using our ever-popular melee format – open topic, open chat room and open phones for Midrats’ end of the year review.We’ll be live and hope you’ll join us this Sunday from 5-6pm Eastern.DON’T MISS IT!
2020-12-221h 13
MidratsEpisode 570: From Fleet to the NSC, with Mark VandroffMidrats regulars and all sound thinking navalists rejoiced earlier this year when one of our favorites were offered the honor to serve once again - in this case one of our favorite guests and all around great guy, Mark R. Vandroff, Captain, USN (Ret.)Mark found himself back in the mix with his appointment as Deputy Assistant to the President, Senior Director, Defense Policy and Strategy at the National Security Council.Just in time for the holiday season, Mark will come visit us for the full hour to talk about his experience so far at the...
2020-12-071h 12MidratsEpisode 566: Post-Election MeleeThe 2020 election is over … well, mostly over. Though there are a few threads to clean up, the fabric the next few years natsec policy will be sewn from is pretty well known – so where does that lead us?We’ll get to that – but once again we need to invest some time to talk about Midrats’s contribution to NavyCon!EagleOne presented a segment for NavyCon2020A, we we’re going to talk about that a bit … and then we’ll pick up where our pre-election left off.
2020-11-161h 06MidratsEpisode 562: Best of Kirk Lippold & Steve PhillipsLet's go back to October of 2010 for a great pair of guests. First, since the end of US involvement The Vietnam War almost 40 years ago, there are just a few USN Commanding Officers who know what it is like for a warship under attack; one of the handful will be our first guest, CDR Kirk Lippold, USN (Ret.). He was the Commanding Officer of the USS Cole (DDG-67) when it was attacked while in port Aden, Yemen 12 October 2000 - the 16th anniversary will in a few weeks. We will discuss his experiences then as well as the work he has...
2020-10-1959 min
MidratsEpisode 561: Missile Barges and the Modern Auxiliary Cruiser with Chris RawleyTurning merchant ships in to warships is a story as old as mankind. From war canoe to privateers to auxiliary cruisers fo the modern era - they always fit a certain niche in the drive to control the seas.What of today? What options are there if we need the ability to get as much "national will" downrange and over the horizon as soon as possible? Combine that question with a new one, "Where are all the VLS cells we need?" - and you have a great episode of Midrats.Returning to Midrats to discuss these...
2020-10-051h 01
MidratsEpisode 559: Saving the US Merchant Industry with Captain John KonradThe neglected American merchant fleet and industry is a problem long standing. The realization of the growing challenge on the other side of the Pacific, and the knowledge of what is needed to support it, has brought the problem in sharp relief.Like most long neglected problems, the causes are many and deep. Ships, personnel, legal, regulatory, and the latest punch from COVID-19 have all intensified an already gathering storm.Returning to Midrats this Sunday to discuss this critical foundation of maritime power will be Captain John Konrad. John is the founder and CEO...
2020-09-211h 10
MidratsEpisode 556: Space Force – Culture, Ranks and Making the FutureCulture is upstream from performance.Behind a sometimes playful, sometimes serious, argument about what rank structure the new Space Force should use is the very serious matter of culture.Culture for any organization is the foundation future success or failure, and is a based on words, and titles. These mean things – especially when they are related to the actual work you do.Using their recent article, Parochialism, not Congress or naval history, will kill the Space Force, returning Midrats alumni Matt Hipple and Jack McCain will be with us for the full hour in a...
2020-08-311h 06MidratsEpisode 554: Summer of Our Discontent MeleeIn our COVID-19 summer doldrums, what could be better than kicking back with a nice cold drink with the kings of natsec social distancing, Sal & EagleOne for a live Midrats free-for-all?Come join us this Sunday from 5-6pm as we cover the waterfront from Sand Diego to DC; the Taiwan Strait to Cypriot gas fields.As always, the chat room will be up and the phone lines will be open.
2020-08-171h 09
MidratsEpisode 551: Military Power & Intellectual Property, with Robert M. FarleyHow do different standards related to intellectual property influence the spread and adoption of emerging military technology? How does the respect for law, process, and customs impact what shows up on the battlefield in the hands of both friend and foe?In a return visit to Midrats this Sunday, we are going to explore this topic with Robert Farley. As a starting point to our discussion we will look at the issues he raised in the new book he co-authored with Davida H. Isaacs “Patents for Power: Intellectual Property and the Diffusion of Military Technology.”
2020-07-2858 min
MidratsEpisode 540: Best of Anniversary of Waterloo with John KuehnThis first aired in June of 2015.18 June 2015 was the 200th Anniversary of the battle of Waterloo, fought in present-day Belgium. Just in time, regular guest to Midrats, John Kuehn has his latest book out, Napoleonic Warfare: The Operational Art of the Great Campaigns where he covers the operational level analysis of European warfare from 1792 to 1815, including the tactics, operations, and strategy of major conflicts of the time.More than just a description of set piece battle, there is a discussion of naval warfare, maneuver warfare, compound warfare, and counterinsurgency.We've got him...
2020-05-181h 05MidratsEpisode 537: Midrats in the Time of COVID-19 MeleeTake a break from trying to find a way to socially distance yourself from the people you are non-self-isolating with this week by joining us LIVE for a free for all Midrats.We have a lot in the maritime domain to discuss from the response to the outbreaks on the carries Theodore Roosevelt and Charles de Gaulle, PCS, the budget, upcoming FFG(X) selection, Iran, China and more. As we always do, we will keep the phone and chat room open if you have questions or a topic you would like us to discuss....
2020-04-201h 04
MidratsEpisode 533: Obedience, with Dr. Pauline Shanks KaurinWhat is the nature of obedience for those in the the profession or arms and the civilian political community?With a review of classical studies, philosophy, history, international relations, literature and military studies, can you get a firm grounding on what it is, what it means, and how it should shape decisions and behavior?Returning to Midrats to talk about this and more based around her new book, On Obedience: Contrasting Philosophies for the Military, Citizenry, and Community, will be Dr. Pauline Shanks Kaurin.Pauline holds a PhD in Philosophy from Temple University, and...
2020-03-231h 05
MidratsEpisode 529: Russia's 2020, with Dr. Dmitry GorenburgAs Russia's navy starts to transition away from the last of her legacy ships, to her approaching endgame in Syria, join us for the full hour to investigate the latest developments with Russia's national security posture, including the domestic power politics and relationships with its near abroad that influences the same.Our guest returning again to Midrats will be Dr. Dmitry Gorenburg.Dmitry Gorenburg is an expert on security issues in the former Soviet Union, Russian military reform, Russian foreign policy, and ethnic politics and identity. His recent research topics include decision-making processes in the senior...
2020-02-241h 04MidratsEpisode 524: Mid-January MeleeOpen mic and open topic for this week's Midrats as we cover the maritime spectrum from Chinese fisherman and their "strange" catches, to new carriers, to 1,001 things you can do with a DDG-1000.We'll be live as always and are taking questions and topic requests ... so come join us!
2020-01-201h 09MidratsEpisode 522: 10th Anniversary Show: Decade Review and Looking ForwardHappy New Year to everyone and you know what 2020 means? It means that Midrats is having its 10th Anniversary.Come join us this Sunday as we look back at the previous decade and do our best to see what is coming over the horizon for the next.Who knows, we might have a surprise guest or two.
2020-01-061h 15
MidratsEpisode 520: Best of Kirk Lippold & Steve PhillipsLet's go back to October of 2010 for a great pair of guests. First, since the end of US involvement The Vietnam War almost 40 years ago, there are just a few USN Commanding Officers who know what it is like for a warship under attack; one of the handful will be our first guest, CDR Kirk Lippold, USN (Ret.). He was the Commanding Officer of the USS Cole (DDG-67) when it was attacked while in port Aden, Yemen 12 October 2000 - the 16th anniversary will in a few weeks. We will discuss his experiences then as well as the work...
2020-01-0559 min
MidratsEpisode 518: Holding the Line with Guy SnodgrassHow do you report history as you live it? When, why, and how do you write about it?When even the most experienced DC watchers are having trouble tracking what is going on in the Trump Administration, what can people expect to learn from first hand accounts?If you haven't already heard about our next guest and his book - and you count yourself as someone interested in national security - then welcome back on the grid.Returning to Midrats, our guest for the full hour this Sunday from 5-6pm Eastern to discuss...
2019-12-091h 06
MidratsEpisode 508: Best of Confessions of a Major Program Manager, w/ CAPT Mark Vandroff, USNFirst aired in October 2015:One man's chore is another man's hobby. Another man's dread, is the other's fantasy. Such, in a fashion, is Program Management in the Navy.To be a good one, step one is to be self-aware. From his latest article in USNI's Proceedings, Confessions of a Major Program Manager, Captain Mark Vandroff, USN just lays it out; "Face it: Everyone hates MPMs. For the budget-conscious officials in the Pentagon, our products are never cheap enough. For technologists both inside and outside the Department of Defense who want military progress to be state of...
2019-10-071h 02
MidratsEpisode 507: Goldwater–Nichols; Problems and Solutions, Best OfFrom the week before the 2016 election, in this episode of Midrats we discuss the systems that trains, mans, and equips our military - and provides guidance and support to their civilian masters is broadly shaped by Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986. There is much discussion that in the middle of the second decade of the 21st Century, is there a better system to serve our national security requirements than one designed at the height of the 20th Century's Cold War?Using his article in War on the Rocks, Don't Rush to "Fix" Goldwater-Nichols as a starting point, our guest for...
2019-09-3032 min
MidratsEpisode 506: Afghanistan in its 18th Year: at the Personal LevelAlmost to the day, our direct military involvement in Afghanistan has reached its 18th year. Those Afghans, American, British, and others who were had yet to reach their first birthday when the attacks of September 2001 led us to move in to direct military action in Afghanistan, those children of 2001 are now on their way to that Central Asian country to pick up the conflict other generations have yet to put an end to is.Nation building, counter-terrorism, training, capability building, infrastructure development and even agricultural assistance, we’ve had the better part of two decades to find a pa...
2019-09-161h 01
MidratsEpisode 499: No Summer Break for NATO with Jorge BenitezFrom Baltic air policing, through the Russian border areas, to Afghanistan and curling back to the Strait of Hormuz, NATO alliance members are being tested not just by external powers, but by domestic politics and the slow churn of history.Since the end of the Cold War, NATO members continue to grapple with their larger mission - and what alliance members mean and owe to each other.From purpose to public support, returning to Midrats for a thorough review of NATO near the end of the 2nd decade of the 21st Century will be our guest...
2019-07-291h 03MidratsEpisode 491: Early Summer MeleeHe’s back! EagleOne is back in the studio to help us kick of summer with a Midrats early-summer melee!With most schools out, what you need right now is a good maritime hour to refocus the brain.For the full hour we’ll try to cover it all from the latest McCain kerfuffle to WESTPAC to NATO to the FFG(X) dropouts and more, we’ll cover the waterfront.As always, the phones and chatroom will be open if you want to join the show.See you Sunday!
2019-06-061h 06MidratsEpisode 490: Best of Fisheries as a Strategic Maritime ResourceToday's Midrats Best of first aired on August 2016.We live in a crowded world with limited resources. What happens when this meets modern technology's ability to shorten the time/distance equation and increase the ability to know of what lies below the waves?What complications do we fine when the above two points meet up with the eternal search by growing nations to reach for the seas to support their homeland's growing needs? As populations demand more protein in their diets as per capita incomes rise, many nations see the open seas as the...
2019-06-041h 04
MidratsEpisode 475: The US Navy's Face Mission; Naval Presence - History & Present UseFrom showing the flag in the Mediterranean in the first decades of our republic's history, through Teddy's Great White Fleet, to FONOPS in today's South China Sea - "being there" is a little understood strategic mission.What is its history and utility in the 21st Century?Our guest for the full hour will be Dr. James Holmes, returning to Midrats to discuss this and related issues.Dr. Holmes is a professor of strategy and holds the J. C. Wylie Chair of Maritime Strategy at the Naval War College. A former U.S. Navy surface-warfare...
2019-02-111h 02MidratsEpisode 470: Ninth Anniversary Midrats Show ... LIVE!Nine years of Midrats.That’s right, EagleOne and I have had the pleasure of talking to you and our guests for nine years.This Sunday we’re going to have just the two of us on to talk about not just the last nine years, but the general growth of podcasting the last decade. We’ll also review what we have top-of-mind for 2019.As always on our free-for-all shows, you’re invited to call in or ask questions in the chat room.Join us!
2019-01-271h 03MidratsEpisode 469: Best of James D. Hornfischer & Neptune's InfernoFirst aired in the second year of the show, still a great listen.When you mention books on naval history, there are but a few authors whose work immediately come to mind, and our guest is one of them.Unquestionably one of the finest writers of naval history of the last half-century; James D. Hornfischer. We have talked about his books on a regular basis both on Midrats and over at our homeblogs; The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors & Ship of Ghosts. We will discuss a great book of his many...
2019-01-2758 min
MidratsEpisode 459: Crimes of Command with Michael JungeSince WWII, how has the Navy's understanding of responsibility, accountability, and culpability changed? Returning to Midrats for the full hour will be Michael Junge, author of the book, Crimes of Command, which looks at this question through 14 officers who were removed from command.Michael Junge is a Captain in the United States Navy and career Surface Warfare Officer who served afloat in destroyers, frigates, and amphibious assault ships before becoming the 14th Commanding Officer of USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41). Ashore he served with Navy Recruiting; Assault Craft Unit 4; Headquarters, Marine Corps; the Chief of Naval Operations staff...
2018-10-211h 01
MidratsEpisode 458: Maritime Insurgency and Counterinsurgency with Hunter StiresThe outlaw and lawless ocean, non-state actors, intimidation, and hostile acts short of war - security on the high seas involves a lot more than fleet actions.From the South China Sea as government policy, to land conflicts and economic stress moving to adjacent seas - what exactly is the concept of insurgency and counterinsurgency at sea?Returning to Midrats to discuss this and more will be Hunter Stires.Hunter is a Fellow with the John B. Hattendorf Center for Maritime Historical Research at the U.S. Naval War College and works in a...
2018-10-141h 04
MidratsEpisode 457: Russia's Red Banner Year, with Dr. Dmirty GorenburgFrom is largest exercise since the end of the Cold War, to Syria, to a revival of covert direct action and intermediated nuclear weapons as an issue - Russia continues to claw back her place on the international stage.As we approach the last quarter of the 2018 calendar year, what message is Russia trying to give the rest of the world and what should we expect through the end of the decade?Our guest for the full hour to discuss is a regular here on Midrats, Dr. Dmirty Gorenburg, Senior Research Scientist at CNA, researching security i...
2018-10-0754 min