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A weekly podcast for Naval Alums, friends and family. We bring you the latest news from the Naval Academy Alumni Association & Foundation.
Send Feedback via DM on Twitter @wesingsecond
Send Feedback via DM on Twitter @wesingsecond
322 Episodes
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![Sing Second Podcast [Dec 17, '25] mid-season finale with Natalie Brianas and the team from Synchrony](https://i1.sndcdn.com/avatars-WsEs2AC4ABeP2yu6-pQMSbQ-original.jpg "Sing Second Podcast [Dec 17, '25] mid-season finale with Natalie Brianas and the team from Synchrony"){kind=avatar}
Happy Holidays, teammates. The holidays are always brighter with a win vs Army in our pocket. The boys chat about the big game, the awesome alumni presence and what we're looking forward to for the Cincy Bowl Game. Hint - It's a live pod and watch party at Dry 85 in Annapolis. We also talk about a major $15 million gift from Ernst '55 and Sara Volgenau, and chat with Natalie Brianas from the Foundation about that gift and the importance of alumni philanthropy. She also riffs on some unique family connections she has. And we chat with the amazing team at Synchrony...a company that has some great opportunities for alums, advice for transitioning out of the service and more. And we have a quick convo with an alum at Synchrony, Gabriel Ives 04 from the class of 2004. This is the last pod until January 6th, so happy holidays and safe travels! That and more on America’s best Alumni Association Podcast. Beat Army.
We rang in the Army-Navy game with a special podcast from Checkerspot. We chat with alums, USNA staff and bring in Jeff Webb ‘95 at the end for some final thoughts on a great rivalry, a great game and an amazing tailgate for our alums. Colin Schofield does a little guest hosting in place of Bill Wagner. We made some predictions. Some came through (the under). Some didn’t (Navy covering). But all that matters is that we had great conversations. A great game was played. And Navy Sang Second. Enjoy.
Today's show features interviews, game and season analysis and commentary from the team. Go Navy, Beat Army!
Phew…we made it. That was a long week. Chris and John close out 5 Days of Army Pods with our final predictions and observations about the events happening around the big game. We talk a little bit about the O’s first baseman of the future…but only a little bit…and close out the week with an appreciation of the greatest rivalry in sports. Our featured interviews are big ones. The first female veteran to ever be elected Governor of a U.S. State? Come right up! Mikie Sherrill joins the boys to talk about her 1-3 record vs Army, the origins of her USNA journey and her philanthropic drive as an alumna. And Tim Sheehy went from SEALs to Senator. That’s No small feat. Tim talks about the great class of ‘08, what part of Montana is the most beautiful and his drive to continue his service to the nation in DC. That and more on America’s best Alumni Association Podcast. Beat Army.
Army Week. Day 4. Let’s go. We get ready for the big game with some Q&A with head football coach Brian Newberry, and our feature interview this week is with Mike Canders ‘77 (the pilot), Corky Gardner ‘77 (the BATT-O) and ADM Gary Roughead ‘73 (the Dant), who in 1998 pulled off a pretty daring stunt that got Army Week really revved up. We chat with them about a great prank. We also chat about the days ahead and an amazing gesture by Landon Robinson in the patch he chose for his Army-Navy uniform. Hope you’re up for a great listen. That and more on the very best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army...always.
Army Week. Day Three. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, people. We jump into Hump Day with Big News. We have four new Distinguished Grads. Congratulations to ADM Patrick Walsh ‘77, VADM Mark Fox ‘78, Lt. Gen. Dave Beydler ‘81 and Capt. Chris Cassidy ‘93. Pretty amazing group. We talk about it and debut the big news that DGA ceremonies will now take place in the fall on a football weekend instead of March. We also talk about the Pep Rally, the Holiday Market and the greatest thing that happened for Chris and John this Christmas - Orioles Opening Day tickets. Our feature interviews this week is Don Bouchard ‘86 and Jason Salata ‘94 from BlackSea Technologies. That’s a lot. Hope you’re up for a great listen. That and more on the very best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army...always.
Day two of the Army Week pod-a-thon hits hard with a little Monday night recording from friend of the pod and sponsor Dry 85. We chat a little but more about the Monday pep rally, the chilly forecast for Saturday and a discussion about favorite Army-Navy game memories. Jason Salata ‘94 and Don Bouchard ‘86 from BlackSea stop by the bar to say hi. They’ll be featured on the Wednesday pod. And our feature interview is former boss to Chris and John - Admiral Harry Harris, USN (ret) ‘78. We talk to Harry about the heady days on the N3 staff at the Pentagon, his time as INDOPACOM and Ambassador to South Korea, but also about his three years chairing the Alumni Association Distinguished Graduate Award (DGA) selection committee. AA&F just selected the next set of DGs this weekend…and we will announce them Wednesday. Adm Harris gives us some perspective on the honor it was to chair a group with such a tall and important task. That and more on the best Alumni Association & Foundation Podcast there is. Beat Army…always!
Season 6 - Episode 16. It’s Army Week. Chris and John do their best work during this week. We got it started with Steelers-Ravens in freezing conditions in Baltimore. The next teams suiting it up on that field? Army and Navy. A lot to chat about as we kick off Army Week. Navy got matched up with Cincy in the Liberty Bowl Jan 2nd. We break that down. Navy got two swimming stars over the weekend. And we set some crazy records on Giving Tuesday. Our interview today is with Jeff Eggers ‘93. Jeff went from USNA to Oxford…and then to the SEAL Teams. He saw it all in uniform and out on the National Security Council and with the McChrystal Group. Now he’s on a more entrepreneurial path. He talks to the boys about his journey. That and more on the very best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army...always.
Season 6 - Episode 15. It’s December! Wow...say goodbye to 2025. We hardly knew ya. The Sing Second boys are gearing up for a full week of Army-Navy pods by bringing you an amazing double interview. First we chat with USNA parent Cortney Ellish. Her daughter is navigating Plebe year, and the Ellishes are navigating watching her diving career and living in Phoenix. On top of all that, the Ellishes support the USNA Foundation with their philanthropy. We chat to Cortney about it. And are you ready for the Terminators to roam the streets like Schwarzenegger? That's what happens when AI starts making your Army-Navy spirit music. We interview Cris Neish about his mastery of the AI prompts and his awesome songs that you just might hear at M&T Bank stadium for the big game on the 13th. Those interviews and a discussion about Giving Tuesday, a big win at Memphis and POTUS attending Army-Navy. That and more on the very best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army...always.
Just in time for your Thanksgiving drive to Grandma's house...we bring you the latest issue of Shipmate Magazine. Now...the Mag won't be in your mailbox until next week, but Emily Lucht, John Schofield and Jimmy DeButts bring you the magazine in audio form. Now...HOLD YOUR HORSES. This isn't an audiobook. But we walk you through this latest issue of the Mag, give you some behind the scenes context to the stories and add some additional color to some great articles. Featured in this issue of the Mag...The New Supe! Featured on the cover, Lt. Gen. Borgschulte allowed total access to Jimmy for an introductory interview. He lays out his priorities and introduces himself to the Alumni. We also discuss a great feature on 50 years of the Prisoner Exchange program. We hear from some of the OGs who spent a semester at West Point in 1975-1976...and some recent alums. We also chat about the latest Vietnam Legacy of Valor stories and 5 Good Minutes with VADM John Nowell, USN (ret) '85 about being the President and CEO of the Navy Memorial. Enjoy the discussion. Thank you for reading - and listening to - the best Alumni Magazine in the country.
It’s Thanksgiving week…so here’s a little double dip of interviews for you. Dave Gendell, an Annapolis native, wrote Battle at Annapolis…a great book about two Army-Navy games contested on the grounds of USNA in 1893 and 1942. Gendell chats about the games and the impact USNA continues to have on the country through the spectacle of the Army Navy game. And William Spears just released his book two weeks ago. In Stoicism as a Warrior Philosophy: Insights on the Morality of Military Service, Spears presents a compelling case for Stoicism as the moral framework warriors need. He joins the pod to talk about his foray into being an author and a little more about the tenets of stoicism. Chris and John also chat about the upcoming Memphis game...Giving Tuesday and some other great events awaiting us after Turkey Day. That and more on the very best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army...always.
Wow…what a win over South Florida! And we got Star wins from Sprint Football and Men’s Rugby. We’d call that a successful weekend. Beyond that, the AA&F dedicated the Taylor Family Event Wing at the FAC, celebrated the families of our fallen alums with our annual Honor our Fallen Heroes (HOFH) event and we welcomed in the trustees of the Athletic & Scholarship Programs (A&SP) for their Fall Meeting. The Army Navy uniforms dropped. We love the historical 250 theme! We chat with USNA Museum Director Capt. BJ Armstrong ‘99 about his unique role in the making of the uniform. And we chat with ADM Tim Keating USN (ret) ‘71. “Timbo” was a 3-time Combatant Commander…and he’s an A&SP Trustee. ADM Keating chats with Chris and John about retired life, being a USNA grandad and the importance of supporting USNA. That and more on the very best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army...always.
Season six, episode 12. We’ve reached mid-November, and there’s plenty happening at the Alumni Association & Foundation. Our team got on the road this past weekend for the Notre Dame game…meeting with the Chapters and Parents Clubs in Chicago and in and around South Bend. The game didn’t end the way we wanted, but it was great connecting with our audiences. Back here at home, we honored Chet Gladchuk at our Foundation Board of Directors meeting with SecNav awarding Chet the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award. We also welcomed the Class of 1980 for their 45th reunion. DGA Janie Mines ‘80 and Class Prez Tony Verducci ‘80 join the pod to chat about the reunion and the togetherness the men and women experienced as the “first co-ed class at USNA.” Chirs and John also chat about a busy week ahead…Veteran’s Day, the Fall A&SP meeting and our annual Honor our Fallen Heroes (HOFH) event and the last home game of the year vs South Florida…a team new AD Michael Kelly might know a little about. That and more on the very best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army...always.
Season six, episode 11. The undefeated Navy Football season is over, but Sing Second still drives on. We break down the North Texas game and preview the upcoming matchup in chilly South Bend. We talk about Brandon Tseng’s ‘08 Forrestal Lecture, the upcoming Veteran’s classic and a great reunion weekend coming up for the historic Class of 1980. And our alumni interview this week dives deep in doctoring. Doctor…doctor…doctor…DOCTOR! Sean Simmons ‘98, Ryan Checchi ‘09 and Jake Cole ‘12 took untraditional routes out of USNA and ended up as practicing doctors in the Navy. The Medical Corps isn’t talked about enough as a critical part of our Navy and Marine Corps. Sean, Ryan and Jake introduce us to an untraditional community with some truly amazing alums making a difference. That and more on the very best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army...always.
Season six, episode 12. Well...we survived Homecoming week. The Anchors Aweigh Golf Tournament, the Fluegel Alumni Center Welcome Home Event. The Live podcasts from the Alley Restaurant with NABSD and the Live Pod from the FAC. And a huge win for Navy Football over FAU. Chris and John break it all down and give a little preview of the North Texas game and the amazing roadshow events we have in Austin and with the North Texas chapter before we take on the Mean Green Saturday at Noon EST. Our interview this week is with Abby Boretto. Abby was just 15 months old when her father passed away on Sept. 23, 1972. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Henry N. Pilger '7 died in a helicopter crash over Grytoya Island, 200 miles above the Arctic Circle in northern Norway. In October 1993, a Norwegian doctor named Hans Krogstad discovered a gold ring with a blue star sapphire on Grytoya Island. Engraved with "Henry N. Pilger" and bearing the insignia of the U.S. Naval Academy, the ring led Krogstad to metal fragments and a green military glove, remnants of the helicopter crash 21 years earlier. The ring eventually found its way back to Abby. She shares her amazing story with us. That and more on the very best Alumni Association podcast there is. Beat Army...always.
Sing Second Live Homecoming Podcast from Fluegel Alumni Center with Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley, Athletic Director Michael Kelly, new Head Men's Basketball Coach Jon Perry and Nasdaq SVP Brandis DeSimone '05. Our last live pod until Army-Navy game did not disappoint. More than 500 alums, parents and friends of USNA showed out to the FAC Saturday for a Welcome Home event and the Live Pod. Don't Miss an hour of fun and interviews as Bill Wagner, Chris Servello '99 and John Schofield preview the game and discuss the fall season in Annapolis, a little Navy basketball preview and some Oktoberfest cheer. That and more on a world’s best Alumni Association & Foundation podcast. Thanks for listening. Beat Army!
Season six, episode 11. It’s Homecoming week, and the Sing Second Pod has all the gouge on what’s going down this coming weekend. We have the Anchor’s Aweigh Golf Tournament, the reunions for the classes of 1965, 1975 and 2005 and a big Welcome Home event here at the Fluegel Alumni Center. Chris and John chat about that and some amazing members of the Class of 1975 arriving for their reunion after riding their bikes all the way from Florida! Our alumni interview this week is Alana Abernethy ‘10. Alana was a SWO, but after medical retirement from naval service, she joined the entrepreneur space and founded Evergreen Women’s Holistic Care to create the kind of healing space that honors the whole woman: body, mind, and story. Alana and Evergreen support active-duty and veteran women, mothers, creatives, and high-performing professionals alike. Don’t miss our amazing conversation. And we preview the big game this weekend vs FAU. That and more on a world’s best Alumni Association & Foundation podcast. Thanks for listening. Beat Army!
Season six, episode 10. Phew...what a weekend in Philly! We celebrated 250 years of the Navy...180 years of USNA...a soccer doubleheader and a thrilling football win over Temple University. Chris and John break down the action from the weekend as they try to recover from multiple cheesesteaks consumed and multiple heart attacks endured during the football game. We also chat with ADM Stuart Munsch...most recently the Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Europe/Commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Africa/Commander, Allied Joint Force Command, Naples. The Admiral talks about leading sailors in a busy AOR, being a dead-eye pistol shooting champion and being a Rhodes Scholar. Don't Miss the pod's first interview with an active duty 4-star. We end with thoughts and prayers to the James family. Midn 2/c Kyle Philbert James was found dead in Annapolis over the weekend. Rest in peace, shipmate. We have the watch. That and more on a world’s best Alumni Association & Foundation podcast. Thanks for listening. Beat Army!
Season six, episode 9. A busy weekend came and went. We discuss and break down a 34-31 win vs Air Force, reunions for 1990, 1995 and 2015, President's Circle Weekend, a visit from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Annapolis Boat Show. We're getting ready for this weekend's Navy 250th celebration in Philly. We chat with George Leone, who is the Chairman of the 250th Commemoration. He breaks down the ships, the events and everything else cool about being in Philly this weekend. And as we emerge from President's Circle weekend, we chat with PC Donor and supporter of the USNA Parachuting program, Kirk Michael '72. Kirk talks about why he gives back and More in a great conversation. And 7 Oct is a special anniversary as we celebrate 50 years of women at the service academies. We shout it out at the end. That and more on a world’s best Alumni Association & Foundation podcast. Thanks for listening. Beat Army!
Hate reading magazines? Try listening to them. Shipmate Magazine Editor Jimmy DeButts, Digital Media Director Emily Lucht and John Schofield walk you through the September/October issue of the magazine. From DGAs to Legacy of Valor and 5 good minutes with filmmaker Brian O'Hare, we give you the content of the mag with a little taste of the behind the scenes elements of why the stories were chosen and the parts of the story that didn't make it in the magazine. Enjoy listening to the best alumni magazine in the world. Beat Army!
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