The Trident Room Podcast

Naval Postgraduate School Trident Room Podcast host U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Colleen Wilmington interviews two graduating students, U.S. Navy Ensign Grace Casey and Ensign Dutton Rogers, attending NPS through the Shoemaker Scholar program, and pursuing a thesis through the NPS Undersea Warfare program. This episode was recorded on January 28, 2025. The Shoemaker Scholarship program provides an opportun...

The Trident Room Podcast (TRP) team is launching an all-new series delivering authentic conversation on current, topical issues. Each episode of TRP Unfiltered features a round table of podcast hosts, NPS students and their guests tackling a random question submitted by TRP listeners … Just the kind of stout conversation you’d expect from the Trident Room Podcast. Up first, what is the best (and w...

Trident Room Podcast lead host U.S. Navy Cmdr. Alanna Youngblood interviews Cmdr. Matthew Morris and Lt. Cortni Thrasher about their unique experiences while working to complete their theses. Cmdr. Morris first discusses how he, along with his thesis partners, designed experimentation to test previous theories of how to transmit the most important information to units in a denied environment. Lt....

In this episode of the Trident Room Podcast, host U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Colleen Wilmington went onboard the Western Flyer in late 2024 for a discussion with members of the Western Flyer Foundation, then Education Director Dr. Rebecca Mostow and Science Manager Dr. Katie Thomas. Wilmington discusses the historic Western Flyer’s complete restoration and return to Monterey Bay, along with the milestone...

In this episode, U.S. Army Maj. Kyle Schulz, a recent graduate from NPS Defense Analysis program, joins Trident Room Podcast host U.S. Army Maj. Eric Czaja for a discussion on his path to service, career trajectory leading up to his studies at NPS, and a deep dive into his research exploring sustainable agriculture in the Philippines, and how sustainable agricultural practices support a whole of g...

In this episode, Lt. Anthony Castillo, the newest host to join the Trident Room Podcast team, dives deep into detailing his very unique naval career, spanning nuclear power training as an Electrician’s Mate (EM), to commissioning as a Nuclear Surface Warfare Officer, to now serving as a Health Care Information Systems Officer. He is currently at the Naval Postgraduate School, knee-deep, in the PhD...

In the next episode of our new Academic Arsenal series – focused on NPS students’ defense-relevant research – host Eric Czaja speaks with two U.S. Air Force senior pilots in the defense analysis program whose examination of amphibious aircraft could offer an innovative solution to logistics challenges in the Indo-Pacific. Trident Room Podcast host U.S. Army Maj. Eric Czaja has a conversation with...

The Trident Room Podcast Senior Producer, Alanna Youngblood interviews two NPS International Students about their whirlwind summer cross-country road trip and experiences many different national locales through a bright and new viewpoint. This episode was recorded on September 18, 2024. This episode captures the southern leg of Commander Aang Iskander and Commander Erwin Tan Tolentino’s road trip...

The Trident Room Podcast Senior Producer, Alanna Youngblood interviews two NPS International Students about their whirlwind summer cross-country road trip and experiences with many different national locales through a bright and new viewpoint. This episode was recorded on September 18, 2024. This episode captures the northern leg of Commander Aang Iskander and Commander Erwin Tan Tolentino’s road...

In the first episode of our new Academic Arsenal series – focused on NPS students’ defense-relevant thesis research – the 2024 Operation Ice Camp research team revisits their experiences in the Arctic, details the trove of data collected, and offers insights into how NPS research connects to strategic naval priorities. Welcome back to the Trident Room Podcast. I'm LCDR Colleen Wilmington. If you’r...

In this METOC ME-talks episode, hosts Lt. Cmdr. Colleen Wilmington, Lt. Cmdr. Alanna Youngblood and Lt. Daniel Petersen discuss with Cmdr. Gon, his METOC experience and howthe U.S. Navy utilizes CNMOC. This episode was recorded on March 15, 2024. Cmdr. Casey Gon received his Master’s of Science in Meteorology and Oceanography from NPS in 2013 and his Ph. D. in Oceanography from NPS in 2019. Cmdr....

Episode 58 – Eric Czaja – Below the Surface In this episode, U.S. Army Maj. Eric Czaja discusses his career from his time as a platoon leader leading up to experiences as an NPS student and his thesis research focusing on regenerative agriculture. This episode is hosted by U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Karl Flynn. This episode was recorded on April 12, 2024. Watch Maj. Czaja and his thesis partner, Maj....

Episode 57 - METOC ME-talks with Maritime Space Officer (MSO) Flag Lead RADM John Okon. In this METOC ME-talks episode, hosts LCDR Alanna Youngblood and LT Daniel Petersen swap leadership outlooks for every occasion and hard-won life transitions with RADM Okon. This episode was recorded on March 6, 2024. Rear Adm. John A. Okon is a native of Syracuse, New York, and graduated from the State Univers...

Join Host Alanna Youngblood and Senior Producer Sarah Dixon continue their investigation of the hauntings of the Hotel Del Monte on the Naval Postgraduate School. In this episode the history discussed in part one is compared to eyewitness accounts and patterns are discussed as Sarah and Alanna try to discover who really is haunting the hotel’s halls. This episode was recorded on February 21, 2024....

Join Host Alanna Youngblood and Senior Producer Sarah Dixon as they investigate the layered history of the Hotel Del Monte on the NPS campus. They will try to connect the dots from an exciting history to the current hauntings experienced by hotel guests. This will be a two-episode journey, so stay tuned for the exciting conclusion released next! This episode was recorded on February 21, 2024. Hote...

In this METOC ME-talks episode, hosts LCDR Colleen Wilmington, LCDR Alanna Youngblood and LT Daniel Petersen discuss with CAPT Quilenderino her METOC experience and how the U.S. Navy utilizes the NOOC. This episode was recorded on January 30, 2024. CAPT Quilenderino received her PhD in Meteorology from NPS in 2012. Having served in diverse METOC billets, her expertise is recognized throughout the...

In this episode, Dan Petersen shares lessons learned after nearly 20 years as an enlisted and officer Naval Meteorologist and Oceanographer about leadership, operational excellence, and work-life-family balance. Segment 1 of 5 – Meteorology and Oceanography in Wargaming - [3:09] Segment 2 of 5 – Dan’s experience with Meteorology, Oceanography, Unmanned Vehicles, and Naval Special Warfare- [4:06] S...

In this episode, Dr. Joe Hooper and Ana Eckhart discuss expanding the reach of NPS, hosted by Karl Flynn. This episode was recorded on October 20th, 2023. Dr. Joe Hooper was the Vice Provost, Academic Affairs at NPS, overseeing the educational portion of the school’s mission. His emphasis in this role was an overhaul of resident curricula and an expansion of non-traditional education opportunities...

In this episode, Colonel Perry discusses his experiences as the Senior Marine at NPS, hosted by Karl Flynn. Colonel Perry commissioned in 1995. He commanded in Fleet Marine Force units at every level from Rifle Platoon to Infantry Regiment. Most recently, he served as Assistant Division Commander at 3rd Marine Division. He attended NPS from 1999-2000 graduating with a degree in National Security A...

The Trident Room Podcast Senior Producer, Sara Dixon sits down and has a conversation with The Love Shack’s Chef Loveday. This episode was recorded on August 28, 2023. CHEF LOVEDAY was born in the Seychelles in 1957. Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, off the east coast of Africa, north of Madagascar. He came to San Jose, California in 1980. He then moved to Santa Mar...

The Trident Room Podcast Senior Producer, Sara Dixon sits down and has a conversation with The Love Shack’s Chef Loveday. This episode was recorded on August 28, 2023. CHEF LOVEDAY was born in the Seychelles in 1957. Seychelles is an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, off the east coast of Africa, north of Madagascar. He came to San Jose, California in 1980. He then moved to Santa Mar...

The Trident Room Podcast Senior Producer, Sara Dixon, sits down with the hosts of The Trident Room Podcast to celebrate their 50th episode. Meet hosts Sara Dixon, Karl Flynn, Steve Bakotic, Colleen Wilmington, and Dan Petersen as they share how they became members of the team, things they’ve learned while being podcast hosts, and a little about what it means to be part of the Trident Room Podcast....

In this episode, our guest discussed his mission to enable service members and veterans to improve their financial literacy. hosted by Traver Mayfield. This episode was recorded on August 18, 2023. MSgt Jaime Gallardo is a US Marine Corps Explosive Ordnance Technician, assigned to the Defense Nuclear Weapons School. He instructs service members on how to respond to accidents of US nuclear stockpil...

The Trident Room Podcast host Dan Petersen sits down and has a conversation with two members of The Fleet Weather Center San Diego. This episode was recorded on June 15, 2023. Fleet Weather Center San Diego is a government administration company based out of N 4TH ST, Coronado, California, United States. FWC-SD and subordinate activities keep the Fleet safe from hazardous weather and enable effect...

The Trident Room Podcast host Dan Petersen sits down and has a conversation with two members of The Fleet Weather Center San Diego. This episode was recorded on June 15, 2023. Fleet Weather Center San Diego is a government administration company based out of N 4TH ST, Coronado, California, United States. FWC-SD and subordinate activities keep the Fleet safe from hazardous weather and enable effect...