Permission To Speak Freely

What does it take to succeed in spaces where people believe you don't belong? In this episode of Permission to Speak Freely, Damo and Aaron welcome retired U.S. Navy Captain Dr. Barbara Bell for a conversation about perseverance, leadership, breaking barriers, and the lessons learned throughout an extraordinary career. As a member of the fourth class of women to enter the United States Naval Academy, Barbara experienced firsthand the challenges of entering an institution that was still learning to accept women. Her journey eventually took her into naval aviation, the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, and efforts to expand opportunities for women in military service. Throughout the conversation, Barbara reflects on the importance of mentorship, the responsibility of being a trailblazer, and why standing out can sometimes be more powerful than fitting in. The discussion also explores leadership development, the role of artificial intelligence in education, and the importance of ethical leadership. Drawing from her book, Flight Lessons: Navigating Through Life's Turbulence and Learning to Fly High, Barbara shares perspectives on navigating adversity, embracing opportunities, and preparing the next generation of leaders.

 

About the Guest

 

Dr. Barbara Bell is a retired U.S. Navy Captain, naval aviator, author, educator, and leadership speaker. A 1983 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, she was among the institution's earliest female graduates and later attended the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School. Throughout her distinguished Navy career, she accumulated more than 1,600 flight hours across 35 types of U.S. and allied aircraft. She also participated in efforts to remove combat exclusion restrictions that limited opportunities for women in military aviation and other combat assignments. Dr. Bell holds a Doctor of Education from Vanderbilt University and currently serves as an adjunct instructor at the United States Naval Academy, continuing her commitment to developing future leaders. She is the author of Flight Lessons: Navigating Through Life's Turbulence and Learning to Fly High, a book that draws on her personal and professional experiences to explore resilience, courage, and leadership.

 

Support and Connect With Barbara Bell

 

Purchase Flight Lessons:

https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Flight-Lessons/Barbara-Bell/9781642253603

 

Official Website:

https://captainbarbarabell.com/

 

Connect on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-bell-ed-d

 

 

 

Do you have “Do Better” that you want us to review on a future episode? Reach out at ptstpodcast@gmail.com

 

 

 

Stay connected with us: https://linktr.ee/Ptsfpodcast

 

 

 

PTSF Theme music: Produced by Lim0

Captain Marcus A. Canady joins Damon and Damo for a conversation about leadership, connection, trust, and what it means to truly know the people you lead. The conversation centers on Canady’s concept of “Intrusive Leadership,” a leadership style built around intentional engagement with people beyond their professional responsibilities. Canady explains why leaders should understand what is happening in the lives of their people, how trust has to be earned before those conversations can happen, and why being intrusive does not mean ignoring personal boundaries. As he explains during the conversation, leaders can put themselves “on the porch,” but the other person still has to invite them inside. The group discusses emotional intelligence, listening, accountability, mentorship, family, parenthood, diversity, mental health, suicide prevention, and the responsibility leaders have to understand perspectives different from their own. Canady shares stories from throughout his career, including leaders who intentionally invested in him, the impact his wife and family have had on his development, and a conversation with Gen. C.Q. Brown Jr. about a leader who considered Brown’s family while helping map out his career.  Damo reflects on his own leadership experiences and how his approach has changed over time, including learning more about the interests of younger Sailors at his command and finding ways to meet them where they are. Canady also challenges military organizations to think more deliberately about how they develop leaders of people, not simply leaders capable of accomplishing the mission.

 

About CAPT Marcus A. Canady:
Marcus Canady is a U.S. Coast Guard captain, aviator, author, leadership educator, and founder and CEO of Canady Leadership Group. A 2000 graduate of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, Canady completed Naval Aviation Flight Training and spent much of his career flying MH-65 helicopters. His operational experience includes search and rescue, hurricane response, and counter-narcotics missions. He later served as commanding officer of Coast Guard Air Station Houston and as the Coast Guard Chair and a military instructor at the National Defense University’s Eisenhower School. Canady holds graduate degrees from Duquesne University, Syracuse University, and the National War College. He is the author of Intrusive Leadership: How to Become THAT Leader. The second edition was released in 2025 and expands his examination of leadership built around trust, emotional intelligence, listening, intentional engagement, and making people feel seen and valued.

 

Get the book:
Intrusive Leadership, 2nd Edition — Curry Brothers Publishing
Intrusive Leadership, Edition 2 — Apple Books
Intrusive Leadership, 2nd Edition Military Version — Google Books

 

Learn more about Marcus Canady:
Canady Leadership Group

 

 

Do you have “Do Better” that you want us to review on a future episode? Reach out at ptstpodcast@gmail.com

 

 

 

Stay connected with us: https://linktr.ee/Ptsfpodcast

 

 

 

PTSF Theme music: Produced by Lim0

This week on Permission to Speak Freely, Damon and Damo sit down with NC1 Corey Brennan for a conversation that starts with Navy recruiting and ends up going way beyond it. Corey breaks down what life is really like on recruiting duty, from competing for contracts and managing Future Sailors to MEPS, waivers, Genesis, recruiting ethics, and the things recruiters deal with that the Fleet rarely sees. He also opens up about his transition from QM to career recruiter, his aspirations to make Chief, and the uncertainty surrounding his future in the Navy as he navigates the service’s beard and PFB policies. But somewhere along the way, the conversation leaves recruiting behind. The crew gets into social media, burnout, learning to take care of yourself when everyone depends on you, marriage, fatherhood, separation, and the challenge of finding space for yourself when life never seems to stop. Corey also turns the tables on Damo and Damon with a few questions of his own, leading to conversations about what the anchors actually give a Chief, leadership as access and influence, and what people really mean when they tell Sailors to “drink the Kool-Aid.” Plus: recruiting house calls gone wrong, a 47-pound applicant, Equinox refusing to leave Damo alone, expensive one-year-old birthday parties, and Damon reveals the veteran husband strategy of simply standing up when your wife starts cleaning. Another conversation that went exactly where it was supposed to go.

 

Do you have “Do Better” that you want us to review on a future episode? Reach out at ptstpodcast@gmail.com

 

 

 

Stay connected with us: https://linktr.ee/Ptsfpodcast

 

 

 

PTSF Theme music: Produced by Lim0

200 episodes. Damn.

 

Damo, Damon, and Aaron are all together for a milestone episode of Permission To Speak Freely. There’s no big guest and no attempt to turn Episode 200 into another Navy news show. This one is about the podcast.

 

The guys look back at the road from recording in the house to 200 episodes, revisiting some of the guests, conversations, arguments, ridiculous moments, and people who helped PTSF become what it is today. They talk about how the show has evolved without ever boxing itself into one type of conversation, covering everything from Navy policy and leadership to mental health, life after service, music, movies, relationships, and sometimes just three friends talking shit.

 

Damo also breaks down the growth of the podcast over the years, gives flowers to some of the people who helped along the way, and reflects on what it means to reach a number that most podcasts never see.

 

But more than anything, Episode 200 is about the people behind the microphones. Damo, Damon, and Aaron talk about their chemistry, their friendship, how much life has changed since the beginning, and why after all these years they can still turn the mics on and somehow make an episode out of damn near anything.

 

No big celebration. No victory lap. Just the fellas appreciating the fact that somehow, some way, we made it to 200.

 

It’s Episode 200.

 

 

 

Do you have “Do Better” that you want us to review on a future episode? Reach out at ptstpodcast@gmail.com

 

 

 

Stay connected with us: https://linktr.ee/Ptsfpodcast

 

 

 

PTSF Theme music: Produced by Lim0

Damo and Aaron are back for a guest-free episode covering Navy leadership, quality of life, money, artificial intelligence, and everything that happens when the conversation goes completely off script.

 

The episode begins with a discussion about the latest CNO and MCPON town hall, including Sailor concerns about advancement exams, retention, housing, childcare, financial literacy, grooming standards, and whether Navy leadership is hearing what Sailors actually need. Damo and Aaron debate personal responsibility versus the Navy’s responsibility to provide resources and support.

 

The conversation shifts to artificial intelligence and the growing capabilities of AI agents before taking a more personal turn when Aaron shares how he used AI to imagine a conversation with his late mother. From there, the guys get into movies, television, music, hip-hop, and the usual PTSF randomness.

 

The episode closes with a powerful leadership lesson inspired by the voice of Optimus Prime and the importance of being “strong enough to be gentle,” before Damo’s Do Better challenges Sailors to invest in their own careers.

 

 

 

Do you have “Do Better” that you want us to review on a future episode? Reach out at ptstpodcast@gmail.com

 

Pick of the Week:

Driving While Black (Gretchen Sorin) - https://wwnorton.com/books/9781631495694

Batman: Knightfall Part 1 (Jeff Wamester)  -  https://www.warnerbros.com/movies/batman-knightfall-part-1-knightfall

 

 

Stay connected with us: https://linktr.ee/Ptsfpodcast

 

 

 

PTSF Theme music: Produced by Lim0