Radio Boat Forces
Radio Boat Forces offers essential discussions on maritime operations, professional development, open-source policy updates, and field insights from around the country. All views expressed are solely those of the hosts/guests and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Coast Guard.
Nevertheless, Radio Boat Forces provides exclusive content with leading experts, offering operational and leadership insights, as well as special guest interviews addressing mission-critical topics such as search and rescue, maritime law enforcement, aids to navigation, and other Coast Guard mission areas.
Whether you serve in the Coast Guard, a maritime partner agency, or consider yourself a military or maritime enthusiast, Radio Boat Forces delivers practical knowledge, historical insights, and other engaging content with a touch of light-hearted fun along the way.
Episodes
56 episodes
Coast Guard Football with Coach C.C. Grant
This week on Radio Boat Forces, we’re joined by a leader who knows exactly how to turn potential into performance, head coach of the Coast Guard Academy football team, Coach C.C. Grant. Entering his sixth season with...
TRACEN Yorktown's BM A-School
This episode takes us to Training Center Yorktown, where Coast Guard Boatswain’s Mates are forged through 14 weeks of hands-on training in seamanship, navigation, and small boat operations. Set near the historic grounds of Yorktown, where a dec...
Boat Forces Goes to Harvard
Operational demands don’t pause, and neither does the responsibility to lead when conditions shift without warning. This episode features Mr. Eric McNulty, Associate Director of the National Preparedness Leadership Initiative at Harvard ...
Puddle Pirate (Actual)
What started as Coast Guard ribbing, “puddle pirates,” the tongue-in-cheek nickname for near-shore ops, became something else entirely. Puddle Pirate Gear celebrates that spirit with quality tees, hoodies, and accessories that honor Coast Guard...
Season 1 Finale w/CAPT McCarthy & New OBF Crew
In the Season 1 finale, we welcome the newest members of the Office of Boat Forces team: YN1 Katie Mayer and LTJG Tommy Vroman. We learn who they are, where they’ve been, and what drives their commitment to the fleet. Then we sit ...
So, You Wanna Buy a Boat
Ever hear a BM say, “Why don’t we just use this boat I found online?” Turns out, there’s a bit more to it. In this episode, Lieutenant Kevin Flood from the Office of Boat Forces, Platform Management (2-Side) walks us through what ...
Big River ATON - Heartland District
We sit down with BMCM Kraig McCellan and BMCM Thomas Hines, OICs of the Coast Guard construction tenders Cheyenne and Gasconade, based in St. Louis. Their stories bring to life the critical but often unsung role ...
A Warrant-ed Conversation
When two of the Coast Guard’s Specialty Force Managers sit down together, you know you’re in for more than just policy talk. In this episode, CWO Robert Birdwell and CWO Robert Devoy take us inside the world of warrant officers wh...
Live from the Arctic District: ANT Sitka
In this episode, Radio Boat Forces heads north to the rugged beauty of Sitka, Alaska, where the Officer in Charge, BMC Dean Buckler and his team from ANT Sitka keep mariners safe amid some of the most challenging waters in the nation. Fr...
Boat Forces and Joint Doctrine (NWDC)
In this episode, we sit down with CDR Ryan Koroknay, U.S. Coast Guard liaison to the Naval Warfare Development Center in Norfolk, VA. He provides insight into how the Coast Guard contributes to the Navy’s efforts in shaping joint doctrin...
STA Kenosha - SMS & FOL
In this episode, BMCM Adam Bure, Officer-in-Charge of Coast Guard Station Kenosha, walks us through what it takes to lead a Scheduled Mission Station (SMS) and a Forward Operating Location (FOL). From seasonal ice rescue to law enforceme...
The First Aviation Rescue Swimmer was a BM?
In this episode, we sit down with LCDR Steven Ober (ret)., whose career reflects both the traditions of Boat Forces and the evolution of Coast Guard aviation. Beginning his service on small boats, he advanced from crewmember to coxswain ...
RBF Soundtracks
After getting multiple requests, we’re answering the call. This week’s episode is your one-stop shop for the music you’ve been hearing throughout the episodes. So, whether you’re driving, just need a boost, or getting ready for your PFT - we’ve...
Frogmen, Spies, and Boat Forces - Part II
When a story is too good to leave on the cutting-room floor, you make room for a second run. In this follow-up episode with CDR Michael Bennett, USCG (Ret.), we share the candid, unscripted parts of our conversation that went beyond WWII...
Frogmen, Spies, and Boat Forces - Part I
When the mission calls, some stories are too extraordinary to stay classified. In this episode, we sit down with CDR Michael Bennett, USCG (Ret.), founder of the website Guardian Spies and one of ...
Platform Updates w/CG-7312
This episode welcomes CDR Noel Johnson, Chief of the 2-side (CG-7312) in the Office of Boat Forces, for a deep dive into the Coast Guard’s small boat community. From managing fleet readiness to tackling the challenges behind the scenes, ...
From OIC Board to Panel
In this episode, CDR Leo Danaher (CG-7311) walks us through his firsthand experience with an OIC screening panel. He shares invaluable advice on strengthening your panel package, from highlighting mission-aligned competencies to framing ...
Boat Forces Meet Shore Forces w/CAPT Fine
In this episode, CAPT Matthew Fine offers a flyover of CG-741’s role in connecting with Boat Forces programs. From ensuring readiness through data-driven training initiatives to deepening reserve integration under the Shore Forces Reserv...
Boat Forces at the U.S. Strategic Level
This is an Unofficial Podcast. All views expressed are solely those of the host and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Coast Guard or the Office of BoatForces.We shift the lens from deck-plate operations to ...
RAND Report Review: U.S. Coast Guard Workforce 2040
Today we’re breaking down how workforce transparency and talent management shape your career, and how they might tie into Force Design 28. We unpack the RAND report Workforce 2040: Better Management Through Transparency and...
Meet CG-731's Naval Architect
This week we sit down with Mr. Dave Shepard from the Office of Boat Forces, a key figure behind some of the Coast Guard’s most iconic platforms. From the early days of the 47-foot Motor Lifeboat to the development of the Response ...
What About EAL?
We're joined by LT Chris Fuentes from the Office of Boat Forces 1-Side to discuss Electronic Asset Logbook (EAL). LT provides insight on the system’s role in capturing operational data, new changes to the way we capture information, and ...
Boat Forces Medical Readiness Capability
We dive into the critical role of medical readiness in Coast Guard small boat operations. From heat casualties to trauma care in rough seas, we explore how EMT skills keep missions on track and save lives. We discuss medical gear, improvisation...
Meet CG-7311 + LifeRing
In this episode, we sit down with CDR Leo Danaher from CG-7311 to gain sharp, firsthand insight into the evolving landscape of Coast Guard operations. With a wealth of experience from recent tours, CDR Danaher reflects on key lessons lea...
ME-RFMC + What if We Never Left the Navy in 1946?
Outgoing ME Rating Force Master Chief Ryan Patterson sits down with us to reflect on his tour as the enlisted leader for Maritime Enforcement specialists. With approximately 7,000 certified boarding officers and boarding team members acr...
