In this episode, Brock talks with Don Reynolds.

Don is a Sergeant Major in the Marine Corps with 22 years of service under his belt and is currently working in recruiting.

We discuss the past, present, and future culture of the marine corps including what makes the perfect marine. Don talks about how a dose of imposter syndrome is a good check for the chest bumping alpha culture of the military in general. Our world today has much faster feedback loops and that's evidenced in social media today; we talk through how that plays out in disciplining and leading the marines of today. 

The biggest topic we dive into is understanding what you want to be measured against in life. The military offers an extremely simplistic way to be measured. In the marines, you need to shoot, run, and ruck well. That isn't for some people, but for Don, that is a dream. 

You can follow along with Don on on Instagram. 

Topics:

(02:15) - What makes the perfect marine

(05:25) - Understanding the competition within ranks

(10:00) - Balancing past performance with the need for readiness today 

(12:15) - The military's measuring stick

(21:40) - Drawbacks to short feedback loops in the military

(26:40) - Expectations of new marines joining today

(37:40) - Common complaints heard from the field

(42:00) - How to maintain standards but be open to change

(50:00) - The importance of having accountability

(55:10) - Balancing family life being career military

(01:11:00) - How the landscape of war has changed and how to adapt

Whether you’re in the service for four years or twenty, you have learned skills, led teams, and learned what it takes to execute under pressure. While those past successes are valuable, they don’t always translate to a life or career when you get your DD214.

Join Brock in breaking down the skills and strategies current and former military members are using to build a successful careers on the outside the service.

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Follow along with us.
• Brock: @BrockHBriggs    
• Instagram: Scuttlebutt_Podcast  
• Send me an email: scuttlebuttpod1@gmail.com