))
How A Bay Area Kid Became The Master Chief Everyone Called For
Manage episode 518243503 series 3651724
A Bay Area kid keeps a promise to his mother and steps into a Navy that will test everything—grit, heart, and the courage to say “no” when “make it happen” would be easier. From recommissioning the battleship Wisconsin and learning the hard truths of old powder in big turrets, to swapping coasts, choosing Boatswain’s Mate, and owning the deck with shiny boots and higher standards, Pete Santos charts a career built on character rather than convenience.
We walk through shore security in Italy during the Gulf War surge—12-on/12-off watches, real incidents, and a blunt look at manning that still hasn’t caught up. EOD Mobile Unit duty adds the discipline of systems—3M, HAZMAT, SNAP—and the humility to learn a new culture. Alameda’s reserve center reveals the civilian muscle behind the uniform. Destroyer life on 9/11 redraws the map of normal, and Coronado brings anchors and an initiation that forges purpose instead of theatrics. Higgins delivers BMCS and that coveted OOD letter. Amphibs demand respect for steel, sweat, and Marines who keep you honest.
As a Command Master Chief, Pete frames a clear compass: listen to senior enlisted counsel, tell the CO the truth without varnish, and take care of families where they actually live. ESG7 in Japan makes the politics plain, but people come first. The Fukushima crisis becomes a defining test—midnight airport runs, one-screw underways, ash falling, and a choice to hold the line for mission and home. COVID magnifies leadership styles: corrosive control vs. calm competence. Adm. Cooper changes the weather—awards from memory, sailors elevated on merit, and a command climate that breathes.
We finish with a meaningful pivot: degrees, SHRM-SCP, PMP, and a challenge to leaders and parents alike—paint your canvas on day one. Decide the picture your team will remember, then build the daily habits that make it true. If you value real leadership, raw stories, and lessons you can use tomorrow—press play, share it with a shipmate, and leave a review telling us what moment hit home.
Chapters
1. How A Bay Area Kid Became The Master Chief Everyone Called For (00:00:00)
2. Sponsors, Setup, And Guest Intro (00:00:29)
3. Oakland Roots And Early Hustle (00:02:17)
4. Enlisting, Loss, And Boot Camp Reality (00:08:54)
5. Battleship Wisconsin: Recommissioning And Culture Shock (00:14:15)
6. Powder, Turrets, And A No-Cost Swap West (00:20:34)
7. Missouri Lessons And Choosing Boatswain’s Mate (00:24:58)
8. Leadership On Deck: Undesignated Sailors And Standards (00:30:46)
9. Italy Shore Duty: Security Tempo And Gulf War Surge (00:36:16)
10. EOD Mobile Unit: Maintenance, 3M, And Culture Shift (00:43:12)
11. Reserve Center Alameda: Training And Perspective (00:50:48)
12. Back To Sea: Destroyer Life And 9/11 Patrols (00:54:57)
13. Coronado To Anchors: Making Chief And Initiation (01:01:20)
14. Picking Style Over Swagger: The Chief’s Mess (01:09:16)
15. DDG Grind To BMCS And OOD Letters (01:16:44)
16. Amphib Life: Pearl Harbor, Cleveland, And Hard Lessons (01:23:18)
17. Building The Anchorage: Certifications And Pride (01:31:20)
18. Essex, Marines, And The Reality Of Gator Navy (01:37:05)
19. Manning Truths, Inspections, And Saying No (01:43:32)
20. Japan Waterfront: ESG7, Politics, And People First (01:50:44)
21. GW Earthquake, Radiation, And Family Evacuation (01:59:50)
22. Flag Worlds: Dalton, Cooper, And Caring For Sailors (02:09:24)
23. COVID Operations: Hotels, Carriers, And Character (02:17:28)
52 episodes
Share
