Manning the Fleet | Healthy Recruiting and Retention for the Navy

Rear Admiral Kavon "Hak" Hakimzadeh has flown E-2 Hawkeyes off carrier decks, commanded a carrier strike group, and racked up over 3,300 flight hours and 850 arrested landings. Now he's running Norfolk Naval Shipyard — the oldest and largest public shipyard in the country. ADM Foggo sits down with him to talk about the journey from flight deck to dry dock, the toughest lessons from five Pentagon tours, and what it takes to lead one of the Navy's most critical industrial commands.Season 5 of Maritime Nation is produced in partnership with Johnson Group Defense.

Admiral Foggo sits down with the Honorable Ben Kohlmann, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Manpower and Reserve Affairs, for a wide-ranging conversation on recruiting, retention, and readiness and to discuss the work he does every day to modernize the Department of the Navy's workforce. The two talk recruiting, retention, and readiness across the active and reserve force, and Kohlmann shares how he's excited to draw on his experience in the private sector to drive change inside the military.Season 5 of Maritime Nation is produced in partnership with Johnson Group Defense.

What does a decommissioned nuclear-powered merchant ship tell us about the future of American maritime power? In this episode of Maritime Nation, Admiral James Foggo and Dr. Steve Wills sit down again with Captain Stephen Carmel aboard the NS Savannah, the world's first nuclear-powered merchant vessel. The conversation spans the full arc of America's maritime industrial challenge. The Savannah was ahead of her time in 1959. The question this episode asks is whether American policy is finally ready to catch up.Season 5 of Maritime Nation is produced in partnership with Johnson Group Defense.

This episode of Maritime Nation features a conversation with Acting Under Secretary of the Navy William Toti moderated by ADM James Foggo, USN (ret.), Dean of the Center for Maritime Strategy. The discussion will explore leadership, strategy, and the future of U.S. maritime power, with reflections on national security decision-making and the challenges facing the Navy and broader maritime enterprise.Season 5 of Maritime Nation is produced in partnership with Johnson Group Defense.

This podcast marks the culmination of the Center for Maritime Strategy’s Allied Maritime Industrial Base study, a year-long effort engaging U.S. allies and partners to take a hard look at the state of global shipbuilding power. Drawing on firsthand insights from government leaders, industry executives, and leading experts, the study examines where allied maritime industry is strong, where it is strained, and lessons for the United States on how to adapt to meet the demands of strategic competition.Season 5 of Maritime Nation is produced in partnership with Jonathan Group Defense.

ADM James Foggo, USN (ret.) sits down with Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao to discuss his journey becoming a U.S. Citizen, graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy and now acting secretary of the Navy. Plus the two reflection on national security decision-making and the challenges facing the Navy and broader maritime enterprise.Season 5 of Maritime Nation is produced in partnership with Johnson Group Defense.

The Center for Maritime Strategy hosts a fireside chat with The Honorable Kenneth J. Braithwaite, 77th Secretary of the Navy and former Ambassador to Norway, and Admiral James Foggo, USN (Ret.), Dean of the Center for Maritime Strategy. The discussion will explore leadership, strategy, and the future of U.S. maritime power, with reflections on national security decision-making and the challenges facing the Navy and broader maritime enterprise.Season 5 of Maritime Nation is produced in partnership with Johnson Group Defense.

In this episode of Maritime Nation, we debut the February 2026 report “Ports of Power: China’s Growing Maritime Network of Ports, Bases, and Dual-use Facilities” by Congressman Mark Kennedy and Lea Thome. Join us as we explore how China is expanding its global maritime presence through ports, bases, and dual-use facilities, reshaping strategic competition and the future of global trade and security. Season 5 of Maritime Nation is produced in partnership with Johnson Group Defense.

In this episode Admiral Foggo and Dr. Steve Wills sits down with the Honorable Stephen Carmel for a wide-ranging conversation on the future of U.S. maritime policy, shipbuilding, and national security. Drawing on decades of industry and policy experience, Carmel discusses lessons from history, the evolving role of the Maritime Administration, and the strategic challenges facing the U.S. merchant fleet.Season 5 of Maritime Nation is produced in partnership with Johnson Group Defense.

In this inaugural Season 5 episode of Maritime Nation, Admiral Foggo moderates a deep dive into the Jones Act and its central role in U.S. national security, economic sovereignty, and control of America’s waterways. Joined by subject matter experts Sara Fuentes and Jennifer Carpenter, the discussion moves beyond the familiar trade debate to examine the Jones Act as strategic infrastructure. Season 5 of Maritime Nation is produced in partnership with Johnson Group Defense.