MCA Scuttlebutt

#219: War Against the Cartels with Ben Connable

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for tuning in and your continued support. This week, we welcome Ben Connable back to the show. Ben recently co-authored (with Colin P. Clarke) an issue brief for The Soufan Center titled, “War Against the Cartels,” and we are fortunate that he was willing to go low-brow and come on the show to discuss it. As a former Marine intelligence officer who served during the Long War, he is a true subject-matter expert and has personal experience in the perils of engaging in conflicts thought to be easy wins. Ben talks us through his threat analysis, intelligence preparation of the battlefield, second- and third-order effects of a potential conflict, the significance of labelling transnational criminal organizations as terrorist organizations, and recommendations for dealing with the threat of drugs, trafficking, and the fact that most of these organizations have deep roots in every major US city.  Enjoy!  thesoufancenter.org/research/war-against-the-cartels-prospects-and-perils-for-the-trump-administrations-military-led-campaign  battleresearchgroup.org  The post #219: War Against the Cartels with Ben Connable [https://www.mca-marines.org/podcast/scuttlebutt/219-war-against-the-cartels-with-ben-connable/] first appeared on Marine Corps Association [https://www.mca-marines.org].

#218: Happy 250th Birthday, Marines!

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for tuning in and your continued support. This week, we want to start of by saying, Happy 250th Birthday, Marines! As our final, concluding episode of our Road to 250 series, we have Col Chris Woodbridge, Nancy, William, and me in studio to talk about the Marine Corps’ 250th Birthday video. In standard Semper Cinema format, we give our reviews, detail some of the messaging and imagery, and give our opinions on what message we think this video is trying to communicate, and what audience is the video targeting.    We also look back at the history of the Marine Corps birthdays by exploring the very first Marine Corps birthday a hundred years ago. You can check out this event in more detail in the pages of the November edition of Leatherneck Magazine. It turns out, the first birthday celebration entailed more than just getting your uniform ready, going to the Birthday Ball, and praying your regrets aren’t unforgivable in the morning.   We are so proud that we were able to bring you various aspects of Marine Corps history throughout this series and hope you all have a wonderful, safe, and fun 250th birthday celebration. You deserve it. And keep your wits as sharp as your steel. The nation will be calling you to write the stories of the Marine Corps for the next 250 years.   Happy Birthday and Semper Fidelis.  See the 250th Marine Corps Birthday Message here:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Vw0jTk4rqQ  The post #218: Happy 250th Birthday, Marines! [https://www.mca-marines.org/podcast/scuttlebutt/218-happy-250th-birthday-marines/] first appeared on Marine Corps Association [https://www.mca-marines.org].

#217: CUWOF with Brian O’Hare

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you joining us and your continued support. This week, we’re Catching Up with Old Friends and hanging out with Brian O’Hare again. Depending on your definition of “old friends,” it hasn’t been a long time since Brian was last on the show, nor is Brian long in the tooth, but that’s the name of the segment, so we’re sticking with it.  Much like the last time Brian was on (go listen to Episode 198 if you haven’t. We’ll wait), trying to summarize what went on is an effort in futility, wrapped in a quagmire, and sprinkled with good times.  Brian happened to be in the AO, attending the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts, where he’s working on a novel. Brian fills us in on his creative process and talks about his upcoming documentary, Cannon Shot, which covers the most attended croquet match in the world, the Annapolis Cup, between the Naval Academy and St. John’s College. There’s a ton of other non-sequiturs, off-colored jokes, and trains of thought that never quite find their station. It is such a genuinely great time hanging with Brian and we are so glad he took the time to spend it with us.    Enjoy!   The post #217: CUWOF with Brian O’Hare [https://www.mca-marines.org/podcast/scuttlebutt/217-cuwof-with-brian-ohare/] first appeared on Marine Corps Association [https://www.mca-marines.org].

#216: Remembering Beirut bombings with Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continue support. This week, as we recognize the 42nd anniversary of the Beirut bombings, we welcome Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff to the show. I’m not really sure where to begin in introducing Rabbi Resnicoff. He didn’t begin his career behind the pulpit but on the front lines. Rabbi Resnicoff served in Vietnam as naval officer on a small craft patrolling the rivers to deny enemy movement. He went to rabbinical school after his time in Vietnam and served 25 years as a Navy chaplain. Rabbi Resnicoff was instrumental in the creation of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in DC and he was one of the three chaplains on site at the Marine Barracks in Beirut on that fateful day. Rabbi Resnicoff recounts his service in Vietnam, the challenges of attending rabbinical after having served in the war, and his experiences on the ground in Beirut on October 23rd, 1983. This is a very special episode and we are so excited to share it with you.   Enjoy! https://resnicoff.net [https://resnicoff.net] The post #216: Remembering Beirut bombings with Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff [https://www.mca-marines.org/podcast/scuttlebutt/216-remembering-beirut-bombings-with-rabbi-arnold-resnicoff/] first appeared on Marine Corps Association [https://www.mca-marines.org].

#215: Amphibious Tractor Memorial Updates

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for tuning in and your continued support. This week, we are joined by Col John Atkinson and SgtMaj Justin LeHew to give us updates on the Amphibious Tractor Memorial. Since we last spoke with John and JD, these two, and the entirety of the Amphibious Tractor Association, have been working tirelessly on building the memorial, and finally, after seven and a half years, have a date for the groundbreaking. We talk about the legacy of the amphibious tractor and why it matters, the significance of the groundbreaking, and what is in store for the festivities.  The groundbreaking will be at 3pm on Thursday, Oct 23rd, on the Memorial Walk of the National Museum of the Marine Corps. For those in the National Capital Region, please join us in celebrating this achievement, and those Marines who proudly wear the moniker, “Amtrac’er”  YAT YAS!  amphibioustractormemorial.com/golf-tournament  The post #215: Amphibious Tractor Memorial Updates [https://www.mca-marines.org/podcast/scuttlebutt/215-amphibious-tractor-memorial-updates/] first appeared on Marine Corps Association [https://www.mca-marines.org].