Episodes

Leadership in the Marine Corps is often associated with uncompromising toughness and strict command. But the most impactful leaders learn to balance high standards with genuine empathy, recognizing that an organization’s true strength comes from investing directly in the success of its people. I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on the evolution of military culture, and today’s Marines are sharper, highly observant, and deeply focused on purpose and authenticity. In this conversation, LtGen Wa...

Most people think of a Marine general and picture a lifetime of infantry commands and combat deployments. They'd be right about Dave Bellon but they'd be missing half the story. In this conversation, Lieutenant General Dave Bellon (Ret.) pulls back the curtain on the parts of his career he rarely talks about: switching from JAG officer to infantry lieutenant, back to JAG, and into a capital murder defense case that put him at the center of one of Camp Pendleton's most high-profile court martial...

Leadership is often viewed through the lens of decisiveness. Direct orders and quick thinking. But the most impactful modern leaders are those who prioritize collaboration, and remain present in their leadership roles. I’ve been thinking about the future, and today’s junior Marines are different: researchers, thinkers, and seekers of authenticity. They aren’t afraid to ask the hard questions. In this candid conversation, Sergeant Major Carlos Ruiz and I explore why leaders must shift from issu...

John Bentivegna didn’t plan to spend 30 years in the military. He joined the Air Force with a simple goal: serve a few years, earn veteran’s preference, and come back to New Jersey to become a firefighter. Instead, that four-year contract turned into a career that eventually led him to become the Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force, the senior enlisted leader of the newest branch of the U.S. military. In this conversation, Bentivegna looks back at the moments that shaped how he leads. The...

Most leadership conversations center on the person out front. The one giving the orders. The one standing on the stage. I’ve always been fascinated by another side of leadership. The people who make the mission possible long before anyone sees the result. In this conversation, Rear Admiral James McNeal and I talk about a career spent supporting complex missions across the Navy. Logistics rarely grabs headlines, yet every operation depends on it. Ships move, teams deploy, and missions succe...

Former Under Secretary of the Navy Vic Minella shares his remarkable 38-year journey from enlisted sailor in rural Mississippi to the Department of the Navy's second-highest civilian position. We discuss how 9/11 rewired his approach to leadership and personal responsibility just three months into his naval intelligence career, what it was like managing dual Pentagon roles during a presidential transition, and the moment he found out about his promotion while sick in bed. Vic offers hard-earned ...

Lieutenant Colonel retired C. Scott “Sonny” Duncan joins me for one of the more thought-provoking conversations I have hosted on Moments in Leadership. Sonny’s path is anything but typical. He enlisted in the Navy, earned an ROTC scholarship, commissioned as a Naval Officer, transitioned into the Marine Corps, became an F/A 18 pilot, graduated from Top Gun, instructed at NAWDC, and was slated to command an F35 squadron before the COVID mandate brought his career to a crossroads. We cover how he...

Command Sergeant Major Joanne Naumann, Senior Enlisted Leader for U.S. Army Special Operations Command, shares hard-earned lessons on humility, trust, and leadership in high-pressure environments. She joins Moments in Leadership for a powerful conversation about what it means to lead when the stakes are highest. Currently serving as the Senior Enlisted Leader for U.S. Army Special Operations Command (USASOC), CSM Naumann has spent nearly three decades guiding and mentoring soldiers in the Army’...

Retired Major General Matt Smith shares candid lessons on leading through combat, crisis response, civil unrest, and personal trials at the highest levels of Army command. In this episode of Moments in Leadership, I sit down with retired Major General Matt Smith, US Army, to reflect on the leadership lessons earned over a three-decade career in uniform. From commanding troops in Afghanistan to steering large organizations through hurricanes, civil unrest, and the COVID-19 pandemic, General Smit...

LtCol (Col Sel) Cameron McCoy, Marine veteran, historian, and author of Contested Valor, shares leadership lessons from his service, academic career, and research into race and representation in the Marine Corps. In this episode of Moments in Leadership, host David B. Armstrong sits down with LtCol Cameron McCoy, a Marine veteran, historian, and author of Contested Valor: African American Marines in the Age of Power, Protest, and Tokenism. LtCol McCoy’s journey spans combat deployments, leaders...

Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Weimer shares how failure, realism in training, and ruthless self-assessment shaped his leadership journey and what the Army must do now to prepare for tomorrow. In this powerful and wide-ranging conversation, Sergeant Major of the Army Michael Weimer joins Moments in Leadership to talk about what it truly takes to lead in today’s military—and why the journey never ends. From his early days as a driven, overconfident PFC to becoming the Army’s senior enlisted l...

In this episode, SgtMaj David Wilson, Command Senior Enlisted Leader of II MEF, shares hard-earned leadership lessons from over 30 years in the Marine Corps. From being meritoriously promoted through the ranks to leading Marines in the Battle of Fallujah, SgtMaj Wilson reflects on mentorship, emotional intelligence, and why some combat lessons shouldn't be “gold-plated.” A must-listen for any emerging leader. Support this project on Supercast: Moments In Leadership Supercast Visit the Moments i...

In this episode, Major General Bill Bowers, Commanding General of Marine Corps Recruiting Command, shares powerful leadership lessons from his time as a young lieutenant to a two-star general, reflecting on mentorship, peer accountability, recruiting challenges, and the evolving responsibilities of military leadership. Welcome to the first Moments in Leadership episode of 2025! This episode marks four years of the podcast, and we’re honored to feature Major General Bill Bowers, Commanding Gener...

Welcome to another powerful episode of Moments in Leadership. In this episode, host Dave Armstrong delves deep into the experiences and insights of our distinguished guest, Fleet Master Chief Dave Isom. Join us as we explore the changing dynamics of leadership in the military, the culture of questioning among junior personnel, and the integral role mentorship plays in shaping great leaders. Fleet Isom shares his journey through the ranks, from his initial service in the regular Navy to his este...

SgtMaj Cuadro is my first female enlisted leader and was a recommendation from several other SgtMajs, so I knew this would be a good one. And it is. Support this project on Supercast: Moments In Leadership Supercast Visit the Moments in Leadership website: Follow on Instagram: Email: themiloffice@gmail.com

This episode is with retired LtCol Isaac G. Lee, call sign Whiskey and the author of Hanger 4, a memoir of a combat aviator and CH53 pilot. I read it cover to cover and passed it along to an active duty infantry Captain and company commander because of the leadership lessons in the book. While I think the book is great for any emerging leader to read, if you are a current Capt and getting ready to promote to Major, I think there are some great perspectives contained in the pages. Support this p...

In this episode, BGen Jackson discusses why leaders don’t always need a bias for action and how the Marine Corps has to go on, so not everyone is going to get what they want. We also dive into mentorship between genders and how leaders at all ranks can learn from her experiences - specifically where she was successful in receiving mentorship in a male dominated organization. Join us for a frank discussion on both active duty and reserve leadership. Support this project on Supercast: Moments In ...

In this episode of Moments in Leadership, retired U.S. Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sergeant Scott Stalker discusses the lessons learned over his career, including his time in the Defense Intelligence Agency, United States Cyber Command, the National Security Agency, and in his final assignment with United States Space Command. Hear the story of how a MGySgt became a CSEL, a billet normally filled by a SgtMaj and his philosophy on “Best Player”. Additionally, we chat about his time in the Joint P...

In this episode of Moments in Leadership, retired U.S. Marine Corps Major General Jim Lukeman and host David B. Armstrong discuss the early parts of his life and career, including his time as a Platoon Commander time in 1st Bn 2nd Marines, a Company Commander in Lima 3d Bn 6th Marines, the Battalion Commander of 2nd Bn 5th Marines, and Commanding General 2nd Marine Division. Additionally, we chat about his time as a Marine Officer Instructor at Uni Texas NROTC Unit, the Commanding Officer of Sec...

Please consider supporting this project on Supercast: Moments In Leadership Supercast Want to support the project AND look cool at the gym or when you take your blouse off for a working party? Grab a cool tee shirt here from Mission Essential Gear, where every order supports this project AND donates back to Patrol Base Abbate Relevant Resources What is Moments in Leadership? Moments in Leadership is a podcast where you will hear firsthand about the careers of senior military leaders as they s...

In this episode of Moments in Leadership, U.S. Marine Corps Colonel Paul Merida and host David B. Armstrong discuss the early parts of his life and career, concluding with his time commanding one of the ‘Crown Jewels’ of the Marine Corps, a Marine Expeditionary Unit. His insights provide useful lessons about how to manage disparate organizations over distance and differences. Leaders are sometimes thrown into positions where they have the training, but the sudden onset of responsibility hits th...

This episode is a unique look into the mind of one of our service’s senior leaders days before a major hearing. Moreso than a typical CSPAN briefing of soundbites, the lister will be able to hear, in detail, plans to improve quality of life and lethality of Marines. The 20th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps (SMMC), Carlos Ruiz, discusses the initiatives he plans to champion during his tenure as the SMMC and how Quality of Life improvement ultimately makes the Marine Corps a more lethal organiz...

This Ain’t the Boy Scouts – U.S. Army Major General Matthew D. Smith In this episode of Moments in Leadership, Army Major General Matthew D. Smith and host David B. Armstrong discuss the early parts of his life and career, concluding with his time holding battlespace in Afghanistan without a workup cycle to support that style of operation. His insights offer a different spice to the typical Moments in Leadership ranks as they take into account both National Guard and U.S. Army perspectives. Lis...

Sergeant Major Rivera enlisted in the Marine Corps in July 2000 and is currently assigned to the 3d Littoral Logistics Battalion. Extended show notes are coming - I'm just getting this episode out there for listening. Email me if you have any questions before I post notes.