WETSU: A Battleship New Jersey Podcast

Episode: RADM Buz Buzby (USN, Ret.): From the Jersey Shore to the Backbone of America’s Global Navy

Date: February 11, 2026
Host: Marshall Spevak (CEO, Battleship New Jersey)
Guest: Rear Admiral Mark “Buz” Buzby, USN (Ret.)

Episode Overview

This episode features an in-depth conversation with Rear Admiral (RADM) Mark “Buz” Buzby, a retired U.S. Navy officer whose roots in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and lifelong maritime service embody the profound link between local heritage and global naval leadership. Host Marshall Spevak and RADM Buzby discuss formative experiences, leadership lessons, life at sea, the vital but often overlooked world of maritime logistics, and the enduring legacy of Navy traditions and ships—especially the Battleship New Jersey.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jersey Roots and Early Inspiration

• Atlantic City Upbringing (02:29):
  Buzby describes how growing up near the ocean shaped his identity and ambitions:
  • “My first breath of air in the hospital was salt air because it was a block away from the ocean. I get antsy to this day if I get too far away from saltwater.”
• Family Legacy:
  • The Hotel Dennis, owned by his family for over a century, became a gathering place for the region’s “family resort” traditions.
  • Great-uncle Joel Boone, a Medal of Honor Navy surgeon and Vice Admiral, was a profound influence—“At the time of his passing, and I think it still holds today, he was the most highly decorated medical officer in the Navy.” (03:12)

2. Path to Naval Service

• Early Drive for Uniform (05:08):
  Buzby attended Admiral Farragut Academy in Pine Beach, NJ, due to his strong desire to join the Navy:
  • “I wanted to be in the Navy so bad I could taste it.”
• Merchant Marine Academy Over Annapolis:
  • After being first alternate for the Naval Academy, he chose (and champions) the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Kings Point):
    • “It was the best thing that ever happened to me, quite frankly. I got so much more out of that, more hands on seamanship, ship handling, you name it, than I ever would have coming out of Annapolis.” (06:30)

3. Foundational Leadership Lessons

• Learning Humility & Servant Leadership (07:07):
  Early leadership roles were challenging—he was highly trained in machinery, less so in people.
  • Chief Kimes, a salty Vietnam vet, mentored him:
    • "If I wanted them to get something done... I owed something to my people... set the conditions so that they can accomplish the mission.” (08:23)
  • Mistakes led to lasting lessons:
    • “When I looked back in the mirror, I realized it was purely on me.” (09:14)

4. Commanding the USS Carney and Ship Heritage

• The Honor of Command (11:00):
  • “It was the thrill of my life... I could have stopped my career right there... Having commanded Carney and declared success and been a happy camper.”
• Personal Stories and Traditions:
  • Memorable connection to Admiral Carney’s daughter, Betty Carney Taussig, who showered the crew with gifts and affection.
  • Playful camaraderie with other ships, e.g., exchanging signals with USS Boone, namesake of his great uncle.
  • “Every time I would see the Boone... I’d always tell the signalman to flash over, ‘Hi, Uncle Joel.’ They would always flash back, ‘Hi, Buzz.’” (12:32)

5. Squadron and Battle Group Leadership

• Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 31 Experience (14:27):
  • Provided both admin and combat leadership to seven ships:
    • “We have to have the mindset of what are we going to do for our ships, not to our ships.”
  • Fostered a collaborative, supportive leadership style that enhanced battle group effectiveness.

6. Training the Next Navy Generation

• Surface Warfare Officer School (16:30):
  • “An opportunity to influence every officer that was going back to sea came through my schoolhouse from Ensign all the way up through Major Command.”
  • Championed simulators and tactics training, emphasizing mentorship and passing on both successes and failures.

7. The Unsung Backbone: Military Sealift Command (MSC) and Maritime Logistics

• Scope of MSC (19:26):
  • Oversaw 120+ ships and a massive civilian mariner workforce.
  • “I own every ship that doesn’t go bang or whoosh...everything else, I own it.”
• Importance for Deterrence and Warfighting (23:11):
  • The logistics chain ensures that forward-deployed forces stay combat-effective.
  • “You take away our logistics, a carrier battle group is going to be out of bullets and fuel in about five to seven days.”
• Challenges in Sealift Readiness (29:06):
  • Troubling readiness percentages for the national sealift fleet; congressional testimony to raise awareness.
  • “46% of the ships were fully ready to go and that’s not good. When our war plans... are counting on all that tonnage being available...”

8. Advocating for the Future of Maritime Service

• Recruiting and Advising Young Mariners (33:23):
  • Highlights both the adventure and sacrifices (family separation, hard work), but also pay and advancement:
    • “$56,000 a year plus up to $58,000 in bonuses. That’s real money.”
  • Rapid promotion for those committed: “Very young captains and chief engineers out there because they’ve decided that’s for them.” (35:49)

9. Challenges of Policy and Public Understanding

• Educating Policymakers (36:52):
  • Surprised by resistance and misunderstanding in Washington toward the merchant marine.
  • “Maritime industry operates on a very narrow margin with huge capital investments.”
• Visibility Problem:
  • Navy/maritime logistics remain “out of sight, out of mind”; the public sees trucks and planes but rarely ships:
    • “Ships are in terminals, way behind fences, and in places where people don’t typically go...”

10. Legacy, Mentorship, and Museum Ships

• Battleship New Jersey’s Role (41:52 & 42:29):
  • Deeply invested in the ship’s history and future educational mission.
  • “Even though it may not be the most modern thing, it’s representative of service and sacrifice and being a part of something bigger than just themselves.”
• Preserving Navy History:
  • Applauds comprehensive chronicling projects for their historical value, vital as wartime generations pass.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Leadership & Early Failure:
  “Your job as the leader is to remove barriers to make your people successful, set the conditions so that they can accomplish the mission that you’ve made clear to them.” — RADM Buzby (08:23)

• On Servant Leadership:
  “We have to have the mindset of what are we going to do for our ships, not what are we going to do to our ships.” — RADM Buzby (14:37)

• On Logistics & Warfighting Reality:
  “As mighty as our Navy is...it’s got a finite amount of holes from which things come out of and when they’re gone...without sustainment...about a week’s worth and...we’re going to be out of Schlitz.” (25:57, 31:15)

• On Ships That Don’t ‘Go Bang or Whoosh’:
  “I own every ship that doesn’t go bang or whoosh, you know, everything else, I own it.” (19:32)

• On Teaching and Mentoring:
  “I could share with them my successes and mostly my failures so they could avoid them and be even more successful.” (16:54)

• On Rapid Promotion in the Merchant Marine:
  “There are people that are class of 2018, 2017, that are getting ready to sit for their master’s licenses right now... There’s some very young captains and chief engineers out there...” (35:49)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:29] — Growing up in Atlantic City, family legacy, and early naval influences
• [05:08] — Decision to attend Admiral Farragut Academy and then Kings Point
• [07:07] — Early leadership lessons and first harsh realities
• [11:00] — Commanding USS Carney and heritage stories
• [14:27] — Destroyer Squadron 31 & battle group command leadership
• [16:30] — Leading Surface Warfare Officer School and influence on young officers
• [19:26] — Commanding Military Sealift Command: mission, diversity of ships, and civilian mariner focus
• [23:11] — Logistics as deterrence, vulnerabilities, and Congressional education
• [29:06] — Sealift readiness woes and importance of renewal
• [33:23] — Advice to young mariners and merchant marine career outlook
• [36:52] — Policy obstacles, public misconceptions, and need for advocacy
• [41:52] — Battleship New Jersey’s societal role and memory
• [45:58] — “Lightning round” on favorites and personal naval heroes
• [48:23] — WetSU moment: Turning a destroyer backward for crew Christmas morale

Standout Anecdotes

“WetSU Moment” — Christmas at Sea (48:23–53:11):
RADM Buzby recounts Christmas Eve 1997, when his crew on USS Carney was going to miss calls home due to a blocked satellite signal. He ordered the ship to back down the Persian Gulf—literally steaming astern—to restore communications:

“We ended up turning the ship around and backing at 8 knots, escorting the ship down. On Christmas Eve. Cell phone was working like a champ. The helmsman and conning officers were having the time of their lives... I had a steady parade of sailors coming up to the bridge wing saying, my mama told me to come up here and say thank you to you... That was a lot of fun.”
— RADM Buzby (50:15–53:11)

On the Value of Museum Ships (42:29):

“It’s really important for young, impressionable people to kind of get a taste... It’s representative of service and sacrifice and being a part of something bigger than just themselves.”

Tone and Style

• The episode maintains an engaging, enthusiastic, and occasionally self-deprecating Navy storytelling style, full of humility, admiration for tradition, and a deep respect for service and mentorship.
• Spevak, as host, provides a supportive, informed, and curious civilian perspective that encourages Buzby to delve into both professional insights and personal stories.

Summary

Admiral “Buz” Buzby’s experiences—from riding his bike on the Atlantic City boardwalk and yearning for salt air, to overseeing the silent giants of America's maritime logistics—form a narrative about leadership, legacy, and steadfast commitment to service. His stories, wisdom on servant leadership, and passion for mentoring the next generation remind listeners that the Navy’s strength isn’t only in ships and strategy but in people, preparation, and preserving the memory and lessons of the past.

For anyone curious about naval service, maritime logistics, or simply the heart and humor of those who serve at sea, this episode is both an education and an inspiration.