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#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

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#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 

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#214: Road to 250 – Operation Odyssey Dawn

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for listening and your continued support. This week, we bring you the penultimate episode of our Road to 250 segment, celebrating the Marine Corps’ 250th birthday in 2025. Throughout the rest of the year, we’ll continue featuring stories and history from throughout the 250 years of the Marine Corps. These episodes are nested within the MCA’s overall Road to 250 Campaign, where we have featured articles in both the Gazette and Leatherneck highlighting events and battles within specific periods in Marine Corps history. The MCA also has a commemorative Road to 250 coin collection. These commemorative challenge coins can only be found through the MCA. Go to marineshop.net to order individual coins or email [email protected] to order the entire set or learn more. 

This month, we walk the Road to 250 during the Global War on Terror era of Marine Corps history. Walking with us is LtCol Michal Wyrsch, an artillery officer turned Harrier pilot who eventually flew F-35s before retiring. Michael shares his experiences as an artillery forward observer during Operation Phantom Fury and a Harrier pilot during Operation Odyssey Dawn, the air campaign in Libya during the Arab Spring. As a member of multiple MEUs, his participation during the Long War spans the land, sea, and air, and we are excited to engage with his unique perspective on the decades-long war across multiple theaters.  

Enjoy! 

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#213: Lessons from the Smoke Pit with Adam Walker

Hey, Scuttlebutt listeners. Thank you for joining us and your continued support. This week, we welcome Adam Walker to the show. Adam is the creator of Leatherneck Magazine’s newest segment, Lessons from the Smoke Pit. Adam is a retired Master Gunnery Sergeant who has found a lot of value in telling the sometimes tragic, but oftentimes funny, stories of his experiences in the Marine Corps. He talks to us about the value of having a creative outlet, especially for veterans. There’s only so much room in our packs, and finding a way to process our experiences is a valuable way to lighten the load and work through the things we’ve been through. He also shares his road to the yellow footprints, his experiences recruiting during September 11th, and his time serving during the Long War. Adam’s perspectives are so profound, and his genuine humility is so infectious and disarming. This is a great conversation, and we can’t wait to get more lessons from the smoke pit.  

Enjoy! 

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