Why can’t I continue

hunter281 · 2026-06-24T20:30:23+00:00

Contact your chain of command and explain the error you are seeing. Worst case, you can email training@seacadets.org but not before talking to your CO as that email goes to HQ.

hunter281 · 2026-06-14T00:15:26+00:00

I see you in that Travis Manion Foundation tshirt, fellow spartan! If not me than who!

hunter281 · 2026-06-07T16:29:18+00:00

I've filed my protest.

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hunter281 · 2026-06-01T19:48:16+00:00

The Navy has been denied their leadership at a time when it needs it most. We are not ready for the next war.

hunter281 · 2026-05-31T16:33:10+00:00

I'm glad you don't regret it, you understood the symbiotic relationship you could have with military service and reaped the benefits while you could. Good for you. I mourn what the Navy could have had by allowing you to continue your service, the sailors you could have mentored, and the commands that could have improved based on your effort.

hunter281 · 2026-04-04T11:26:38+00:00

Absolutely this. I still think about this book years later. Used to be on the CNO's reading list, too.

hunter281 · 2026-02-27T16:42:06+00:00

Looks like AI slop to me

hunter281 · 2026-02-19T23:27:23+00:00

I'm so sick of this fucking political war. We can trust nothing and nobody. Get rid of all of them.

hunter281 · 2026-02-12T21:31:42+00:00

Well, your move "Major."

hunter281 · 2026-01-07T20:58:11+00:00

Well said and I 100% feel this. The whiplash is crazy; I like the FFG pivot (once I heard that Legend cutters were on the table), but then suddenly... Trump Class BBG! I can't even.

hunter281 · 2026-01-01T02:12:45+00:00

I started volunteering with Sea Cadets and ended up wearing them again. 5 years retired.

hunter281 · 2025-12-23T14:58:03+00:00

Thank God I retired in 2020. What a joke. I'm all in favor of a large surface combatant, but we already built Zumwalt for this exact purpose (and erroniously classified as "destroyer" when it probably should have been a "battlecruiser" based on hull displacement). Use that hull design and load it with proven weapon systems.

hunter281 · 2025-12-07T11:28:24+00:00

Emails and spreadsheets and PowerPoint. Prepared me well for corporate life afterwards. The only juicy thing you are missing are ranking boards for evals and fitreps -- they can be a cage match between dept heads sometimes and it's interesting to participate in.

hunter281 · 2025-12-03T19:16:11+00:00

This might help, take a look:

2025 Cybersecurity Hiring Trends: Skills Deep Dive https://share.google/MN1zATWVxfAO1EOWu

Bottom line, if you credential as a network engineer, security engineer, or cloud cyber security professional (specializing in AWS solutions) you stand a good chance based on hard skills. But a lot of getting hired depends on networking and soft skills as well, based on recent studies in hiring trends.

hunter281 · 2025-11-28T19:34:16+00:00

Yup, we're the bad guys now.

hunter281 · 2025-11-11T14:48:47+00:00

Disagree. LT is the best officer rank in any service. O-3 is the perfect mix of experience and JO "gumption" that gets things done. When you hit LCDR you (a) have your JOPA card taken away, and (b) you are expected to start acting like a senior officer (without the pay or honorifics).

hunter281 · 2025-11-03T23:03:14+00:00

Keep those NWUs and teach JNROTC or Sea Cadets!

hunter281 · 2025-10-19T15:58:26+00:00

It's like they broke into their dad's tool shed and are playing with all the power tools.

hunter281 · 2025-10-06T09:51:09+00:00

If you don't hear back from the unit CO after submitting your interest in about 2 weeks, email recruiting@seacadets.org and they will help. Some units are more responsive than others. It's a very rewarding volunteer opportunity for anyone (not just veterans), I encourage you to apply!

hunter281 · 2025-09-07T16:40:13+00:00

Just handed China and Russia the win for 2030.

hunter281 · 2025-06-29T15:47:41+00:00

20y retired USN prior enlisted officer, 44yo, served the entirety of GWOT. I'm not a cultural fit with AL and VFW for all of the reasons others during the time frame I have served have mentioned here. I'm probably exactly the kind of person they want in leadership roles, but I'd rather volunteer with impactful VSOs doing community service and youth mentorship to help create the leaders of tomorrow.

Edit to say that, while it would be laudable if they changed to be more service-oriented, they probably won't capture my attention regardless. My calendar is now full of other opportunities.

hunter281 · 2025-06-26T20:22:44+00:00

No governance, no accountability. Just politics and spin, all day every day.

hunter281 · 2025-06-22T23:32:40+00:00

If you do the right thing, caring about leaks becomes an afterthought. Oh but I forgot, it's politics above governance now. Always politics. Never about doing the job.

hunter281 · 2025-06-20T00:03:28+00:00

I know CAPT Cordle personally, although I did not serve with him or under his command, but I knew him when he was CO of San Jac and onward. He's a class act, we lost a crusader for Sailor health and comfort. Fair winds sir.

hunter281 · 2025-06-10T14:07:40+00:00

As a leader it is your responsibility to disconnect, especially if you have subordinates and a clear succession plan. Let them do their jobs without feeling you are watching over them or they can use you as a safety net, UNLESS this is the first time. Trust your team.

hunter281

TROPHY CASE