Podcast
Sing Second Alumni
Hosted by Sing Second · EN
A weekly podcast for Naval Alums, friends and family. We bring you the latest news from the Naval Academy Alumni Association & Foundation.
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38episodes
Episodes
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Sing Second Podcast [Jul 09, '25] featuring Former Major Leaguer and author Mitch Harris ‘08
Jul 9, 202500:58:18Tap to summarizeWelcome 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.
Transcribe →Sing Second Podcast [Jul 01 '25] featuring VADM (ret) John Nowell '84, President and CEO of the Navy Memorial.
Jul 2, 202500:48:37Tap to summarizeWelcome 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.
Transcribe →Sing Second Podcast [Jun 27, '25] featuring I-Day and interviews with those who serve...later in life
Jun 27, 202500:48:29Tap to summarizeWelcome 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.
Transcribe →Sing Second Podcast [Jun 17, '25] featuring “Authentically American” leaders Dean Wegner USMA ’93 and Brian Erickson USNA ‘95.
Jun 17, 202500:55:06Tap to summarizeWelcome 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.
Transcribe →Sing Second Podcast [Jun 12 '25] featuring John Miles ‘93
Jun 12, 202500:55:57Tap to summarizeWelcome 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.
Transcribe →Sing Second Podcast [Jun 05, '25] featuring Kyle Butters and Craig Symonds
Jun 5, 202501:17:28Tap to summarizeWelcome 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 double interview episode this week. First, Kyle Butters. Kyle is hosting the HERO RUN & COMMUNITY FESTIVAL Saturday, June 7, 10:00am – 2:00pm with the “Hero Run” at 11:30am at Annapolis High School. The event honors soldiers who have lost their lives to suicide. Butters will run 22 miles each day of the weekend, totaling 66 miles, to raise awareness and support for mental health and suicide prevention programs for military personnel and veterans. And Craig Symonds. Symonds just released the non-fiction book Annapolis Goes To War. It is an amazing read that chronicles the paths of the Class of 1940 from USNA as they graduated and entered into World War II. Craig talks about the book and his many years on the faculty at USNA. Those great convos…plus Chirs and John talk about USS Harry S Truman’s return from deployment, another great flag officer promotion for a USNA alum and their thoughts on the football game time schedule. Thanks for listening. Beat Army...always.
Transcribe →Sing Second Podcast [May 28, '25] with Wendy Lawrence ‘81
May 29, 202501:02:12Tap to summarizeWelcome 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 special pod this week as we sit down with Wendy Lawrence ‘81. Wendy walks us through her decision to attend the Naval Academy, the role her father played in that decision and her time as a female mid in the early days of integration on the yard. She also chats us up about being in space, the first mission after the Columbia disaster, being a USNA Distinguished Graduate and her take on the latest happening on the yard in Nimitz Library. A great conversation. Check it out. Chris and John also talk about the new usna.com, last week’s graduation and the awesome events on the horizon in June. Beat Army...always.
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22-23 Season Ep24 [Mar 09, '23] Learning How to Lead & Win
Mar 9, 2023Tap to summarizeWelcome to the Sing Second Sports Podcast! A podcast covering the physical mission of the U.S. Naval Academy, and featuring the athletes, coaches and staff at USNA. We have retired Rear Admiral Mike Manazir '81 to discuss his new book, Learn how to Lead to Win. He offers amazing lessons that are applicable in the wardroom and the boardroom. We also chat up Navy Women's Lacrosse senior co-captain Charlotte Ryan. ANd we break down a key injury for Men's Lax and our Wrestlers going to the NCAAs! Share feedback on Twitter @wesingsecond...slide into our DMs or tweet at us directly. BEAT ARMY!
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