The Proceedings Podcast

Host Bill Hamblet talks with the Honorable Ben Kohlmann, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, about the future of the fleet.

During the American Revolution, privateers prowled the Atlantic in search of British prizes—serving the Patriot cause while generating enormous profits for their investors. This episode explores the story of the privateer Oliver Cromwell, Captain Joseph Lee, and the high-risk business of Revolutionary War privateering. Was it a fight for independence, a business opportunity, or both?

Host Emily Abdow talks with five-term congressman and award-winning author Robert Mrazek about the life and writings of Bill Evans, the youngest pilot of the ill-fated Torpedo Squadron 8 at the Battle of Midway.

A new voluntary program at the U.S. Naval Academy is using Stoic philosophy to help midshipmen build resilience, moral clarity, and inner discipline during Plebe Summer. In this episode, we discuss how ancient ideas from Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Epictetus, and Vice Admiral James Stockdale are being applied to modern military leadership—and why spiritual readiness may need to evolve for an increasi...

Host Emily Abdow talks to author Ed Offley about his article on the quest to award the unsung codebreaking hero of the Battle of Midway, Commander Joe Rochefort, the Distinguished Service Medal.

For generations, "A Message to Garcia" has been used to celebrate initiative and getting the job done. But Captain Jonathan Corbin, U.S. Marine Corps, argues that “figure it out” leadership can go too far. This episode explores why true decentralized command requires clear intent, useful context, and a culture where smart questions are encouraged—not punished.

Host Emily Abdow talks to Dr. Howard Fuller about his search for the wreckage of the Royal Navy ironclad HMS Captain and the historical circumstances that led to her capsizing in 1870.

In this episode, Lieutenant Mary Racicot, U.S. Navy, joins the Proceedings Podcast to discuss why joint wargames may be training commanders to misunderstand cyber operations. Too often, exercises either leave cyber out entirely or treat cyber effects as instant, reliable tools that can be “sprinkled on” a plan.

Host Bill Hamblet talks with Joshua Tallis, a research program director at the Center for Naval Analyses, about his article in the latest issue of Proceedings.

The Mobile Riverine Force became one of the most unique—and highly decorated—joint Army-Navy fighting forces of the Vietnam War, conducting operations deep in the Mekong Delta. Hear from Jeff and Shannon Arballo, the husband-and-wife team behind The Mobile Riverine Force documentary, on the latest podcast.

Bill Hamblet talks with “What’s Going On With Shipping?” host Sal Mercogliano about the Strait of Hormuz, global shipping impacts, and commercial shipbuilding.

Host Bill Hamblet talks with retired naval intelligence officer Captain James E. Fanell for a yearly update on the expansion of the PLA Navy.

Host Bill Hamblet joins Captain Garrett Miller, Commodore of Surface Development Group One, and Brian Clark, Senior Fellow and Director, Center for Defense Concepts and Technology at the Hudson Institute, to discuss how the U.S. Navy is rapidly integrating unmanned surface vessels and autonomous systems into the fleet.

Host Bill Hamblet talks with career Ambassador Ryan Crocker about the war with Iran.

At the Battle of Midway in June 1942, the Hornet air group flew the wrong way, and a falsified after-action report by Captain Marc Mitscher helped to cover up the mistake. Host Emily Abdow talks with author Ronald Russell about his article, “Mitscher at Midway,” the cover story in the June issue of Naval History.

Host Emily Abdow talks with author Andrew Blackley about his latest book with Naval Institute Press, Wielding the Trident: Admiral Raymond A. Spruance and American’s Victory in the Pacific.

RADM Brad Andros talks about the evolution of Navy Expeditionary Forces.

Proceedings Editor-in-Chief Captain Bill Hamblet, U.S. Navy (Retired) and Retired Navy Commander Paul Giarra host former National Security Advisor General H.R. McMaster, U.S. Army (Retired). McMaster offers a strategic assessment of the evolving Iran situation.

Host Bill Hamblet speaks with Admiral Harry Harris on how a war with Iran could reshape global strategy across two theaters. The discussion explores impacts on U.S. commitments, Indo-Pacific stability, China’s role, and regional security dynamics, highlighting how crises in the Middle East reverberate across East Asia’s strategic and economic landscape.

Host Bill engages Senator Tim Sheehy in a discussion on Dollars, Defense, and Reform. This conversation examines national security priorities, defense spending, and policy reform shaping America’s future. Senator Sheehy offers insights on leadership, military readiness, and fiscal responsibility in today’s evolving strategic environment.

Host Emily Abdow talks with author Peter F. Owen about his latest book with Naval Institute Press, Fighting Falcons: The Campaigns of VMF-221 in the Pacific.

Bill Hamblet hosts Proceedings staff to discuss updates from the Iran conflict (Friday 10 April).

Bill Hamblet hosts Vice Admiral John “Fozzie” Miller, U.S. Navy (Retired), for a timely discussion on the evolving Iran conflict and its implications for the Strait of Hormuz. They examine maritime risks, regional stability, and the strategic importance of this critical chokepoint for global energy security and U.S. naval operations.

Host Emily Abdow talks with archivist and historian Samuel Limneos about his article "Her Brother Went Down with the Edsall: A WAVES Officer’s Mission to Preserve Naval Memory" in the latest edition of Naval History.

In December 1917, the arrival of the U.S. Navy’s Battleship Division Nine brought hope to a British Grand Fleet struggling to match the strength of the German surface navy in the North Sea. Host Emily Abdow talks with author Thomas Sheppard about his article in the latest issue of Naval History. To read the article, visit: https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history/2026/april/alliance-forged-sca...