the citadel

A bluegrass, Texas Dirt country entertainer and rockabilly singer joins the show. We begin by hearing about at age nine he played a biker bar that had chicken wire and fencing-picture The Blues Brothers Movie. The artists Jimmy looked up to as a young kid and attending The Citadel which is a military college. Jimmy explains how his accounting and law background from college is still being used today in which other artists go to him for advice. 

He is a true fan of bluegrass music, but has he always been a fan of country music? A great background story behind the beginning of his tv show, Jimmy Bowen & Friends. His agent got him into acting, which he does enjoy, and explains the type of roles he seems to always get cast for. Playing at The White House and Smithsonian that included getting frisked by a bunny! 

The meaning and story of his new single, “I Ain’t Gonna Live Like That” and the name of the song coming in April/March of 2024. Jimmy loves the program-Christmas 4 Kids. He tells how he got involved, what it is, and a couple of heart touching stories that are a must hear. 

Jimmy tells us what it means to him to still be part of the music industry after all these years and to feel honored to be inducted in certain hall of fame’s. The challenge of working with the artists on their music but not changing them. His life motto: Improvise, Adapt, Adjust, & Overcome. 

Jimmy Bowen Links:

Official Website: https://www.jimmybowen.com/

Jimmy Bowen & Friends: https://www.jimmybowen.com/airing-affiliates

Listen to Single: “I Ain’t Gonna Live Like That”- https://open.spotify.com/track/0z9lYL27wV9cvNseXs2Aci?si=1e04867f730a46f0&nd=1

Acting: https://www.jimmybowen.com/acting

Before the Lights Links:

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Before the Lights Website: https://www.beforethelightspod.com/

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Chad Singer is the Founder and Lead Trainer at Canine Revolution Dog Training. He is also the Founder of Pack Talk Podcast and Canine Revolution Apparel. Originally from Goose Creek, South Carolina he graduated from The Citadel before commissioning in the US Navy. Following his time in the Navy he started Canine Revolution Dog Training. This episode is an overview of his origin story.

To support the podcast, grab a GOOD TO GO shirt or hoodie of Amazon: https://linktr.ee/CanineRevolution

Pack Talk Podcast is sponsored by Canine Revolution Dog Training and Canine Revolution Apparel: https://www.caninerevolutiondogtraining.com

Want to support American-sourced and American-made products? Shop Origin USA & Jocko Fuel: https://www.originmaine.com. Use Code: SINGER101 for 10% off your order!

This week we start off by sharing some Citadel news of the Class of 2023 being one week away from getting their rings as well as finding out that the Citadel is now live streaming parades for some reason.  We then get a chance to bring on an awesome interview in Cameron Massengale, a Kilo 2017 graduate.  Cameron was involved in an accident that ended up costing him one of his hands, but he did not let that stop him from going onto graduating with honors and accomplishing BVA training.  He lets us in to hear what it was like being within Kilo and 3rd Battalion.

This episode we talk about the importance of the "Corps running the Corps".  A popular saying around campus of many military colleges that has to do with the Cadets being in change and taking on the responsibility.  We give some examples where cadets at the Citadel specifically thrive at this and also some experience we had from school where the Corps struggled.  We then bring on some current cadets that had some cadet ownership to start the new Citadel Surf Team.  (00:40:10)  We bring on Trevor Atkins and Jarret Butzer to outline how they started the team and all that comes with being a Citadel Surf Team member.  We how you guys get "soooo pitted" listening into how the new club team was able to get started.

QUUUEEEEEE!!! An episode we have been very excited to break down. We bring on Zach Blackburn who is a 2020 Citadel Grad, who we bring onto tell us what it was like to be in Band. We ended up learning lots about the company on campus that seemed to be a butt of many jokes. But you should know by now, we are big fans of butts on this Pod 

We wondered what it was like to be a Citadel Staff member that was in charge of ROTC cadet while at the Citadel.  This episode we bring on Metzy's old Air Force ROTC instructor, Lyndon Bartlett.  He is a graduate from the Air Force Academy, so he had some working knowledge of what a military college lifestyle was like.  What he did not realize was how different it would be from what he experienced at a service academy.  We get to hear how the Air Force Academy differed from the Citadel from Lyndon as well as some of the games he played with cadets while a teacher at the Citadel as well.  He provides some great insight as well into how the contract and scholarship process works within the ROTC departments.

This episode we get to hear about all the differences Cadets had to adjust to, while attending the Citadel during a pandemic.  We get to learn all that changed to satisfy COVID safety and how much it was able to stay the same even with the rules in place.  We bring on Will Caldwell and Aaron Fowler to help us understand all these changes.  Not to mention that we get to hear about some of the differences while being within Palmetto Battery, or as we now call it, "Other Band".  Mask up, and listen up to this episode.

This episode we bring on Max Tresnak to detail what it was like to be in Hell Hotel.  From what we found, going through Hotel company it is the equivalent of having a 4 year stay at a Marriott.  We also get to dive into some Cadre Platoon Sargent duties as well as Athletic Officer. 

This episode we bring on co-founder of Citadel Safari and Alpha Company graduate in Cody Rodman.  We get to hear what he loved about attending the Citadel as well as what it was like to go from Knob year straight into boot camp and then follow on to a deployment to Afghanistan, before returning to finish his schooling at the Citadel.  Cody was also the Regimental Adjutant so we ask him about how he was able to deal with being DESPISED for being on nasty Regi Staff.  Unfortunately Cody also talks about his LOVE for Pat Conroy and support for the Golden Triangle.

This week we prepare to celebrate the Class of 2022 achieving prison release from the Citadel.  With graduation only weeks away for this years Seniors, we thought we would break down the events that surround graduation week.  We go through talking about walking the Long Gray Line, walking across the stage on graduation, and in some cases, walking into the line of duty by commissioning.  Talk about some exciting, while also scary times for those Seniors who are about to walk into the real world.  Hopefully the Citadel prepares those about to leave better than they did for the host of Season 2.

This episode we bring on one of the members of the Class of 2012.  Matt Moser joins us to talk about his Citadel Story and what it was like being a Clerk, 1st Sgt, and Company Commander within F-Troop.  We also get him to give some insight on what it was like to be the Summerall Guard Commander.  He tells us about the selection process and all the work that went in behind the scenes to lead the Guards while he was there.

The day that every knob dreams about once Hell Night kicks off their 4th class system....Recognition Day.  This episode we break down the ins and outs of Rec Day.  We talk about how it starts, the activities in-between, the Physical training, and the handshake line, and that awkwardness that happens when you have your first interactions with upperclassmen not as a Knob.  Let this be the episode if you have made it this far where 4th Large recognizes all you Sardines.

This episode we breakdown the Mentee Knob/Senior Mentor relationship.  We figured there was no better way to capture this then bringing on some of our previous Mentee Knobs to be able to talk this topic out.  We outline how we ended up selecting our Mentee Knobs, how the relationship worked, how to take care of your Knob or your Senior.  We get to hear some of the funny activities Seniors had Knobs do and the differences in how Senior Mentors took care of their Mentees.

This episode outlines some of the privileges awarded to each year group as they progress through their time at the Citadel.  We give an outline of why sophomores are called SMACKs and the SMACK system that existed in some companies.  We unpackage how something as small as being able to walk across the parade deck became something that was so valued when at a military college.  It sadly shows us how something so little could make a cadet so happy.

Welcome back from the break all you Sardines.  Our first episode of Season 2 with a new group of hosts.  This episode we talk about the break between 1st and 2nd Semester and what 2nd Semester holds for current cadets.  We give a little background on our new hosts of what they accomplished through their cadet careers and what they are doing now. 

A 4th Large first.  We bring on a military college member that is outside the Citadel family.  We bring on Eric Johnson to help bring some insight to how things are inside the walls of VMI.  We talk about the hardships that are slightly different those experienced at the Citadel.  Though we learned of some of the extremes from our rivals in Lexington, VA, we all know that the Citadel is truly the tougher school.  A tip of the cap though to all our VMI listeners of the experiences we learned about from this interview.

This episode we have our first "Old Corp" graduate on.  We bring on Will Hess a 1988 Citadel graduate who shares some of his stories throughout his 4 years at the Citadel.  We also get to hear about what life is like as a TAC officer and the headaches cadets cause.  He shares some insightful stories on the JSD investigation in the 1990's to clear up some of the rumors we were told as cadets.  We also get to point out that our podcast has the most amount of rooms named after our prestigious podcast when Mr. Hess only has the one room. 

This episode we start off talking about a fantasy series that was written by a Citadel graduate and then jump into discussion on some of the finer points of being a knob.  We break down what and how bracing works, how to move throughout the battalion, stair parties, running on the quad, reporting into rooms/upperclassman coming into a room, and shower time.  This is part 1 of our multiple part break down on knob points that we could come up with.

One of the more iconic symbols associated with the Citadel. This episode we talk about the Ring and try to guess what all the stuff on the ring means. Also talk about Parents Weekend for the Corps for all classes, but mainly focus on the experience of Senior year. Hope you Seniors wear your BAND OF GOLD with honor!