Calm in the Chaos Podcast

Calm in the Chaos Podcast So Others May Live! 🫡🇺🇸 Brian Dickinson, the bestselling author of Calm in the Chaos and Blind Descent, a former U.S. Navy's elite, unsung heroes.

Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer and Mount Everest Solo Summiteer delivers raw, untold rescue experiences from the U.S. Each episode dives deep into the mindset of the individuals selflessly heading into the chaos to save the lives of others. So Others May Live! Become a Paid Subscriber for Access to Early Episodes: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/calminthechaospodcast/subscribe

*This podcast i

s an unofficial exploration of the lives and missions of U.S. Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmers. It is not endorsed by or affiliated with the U.S. Navy or the Department of Defense.

06/17/2026

A Marine drifting in the South China Sea. A helicopter door tearing free in flight and exploding through the rotor system. A Parkinson’s diagnosis after twenty years of service.

Each one demanded something different from U.S. Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer Kevin McNease.

In Episode 58 of Calm in the Chaos, Kevin reflects on two decades spent answering distress calls, operating in some of the most unforgiving environments on earth, and carrying the responsibility that comes with wearing the wings and fins of a Rescue Swimmer. From pulling a Marine from the water who refused to let go of his weapon to surviving a catastrophic mechanical failure at altitude, his story is one of service, sacrifice, and resilience.

Today, the mission looks different. Kevin is facing Parkinson’s disease with the same grit, humility, and determination that carried him through every rescue, every deployment, and every challenge the Navy placed in front of him.

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

So Others May Live. 🫡🇺🇸

06/03/2026

A helicopter crash at night in the open ocean. A Russian submarine tracking a U.S. aircraft carrier. These aren’t movie scenes. They happened to U.S. Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer Richard Swope.

In Episode 57 of Calm in the Chaos, Richard shares what it’s like when training gives way to reality and every decision matters. From surviving a nighttime helicopter crash during an active rescue to gaining sonobuoy contact on a Russian submarine moments before a near-collision with a carrier, his stories offer a rare look inside the world of Naval Aviation and Search and Rescue.

Some people run from chaos. Rescue Swimmers train to enter it.

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

So Others May Live! 🫡🇺🇸

05/20/2026

Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer Ben Thacker | Real SAR Rescues from NAS Whidbey Island

What does it take to execute real-world rescues when there’s no margin for error?

In this episode of Calm in the Chaos, Aviation Rescue Swimmer Ben Thacker breaks down multiple live rescue missions out of NAS Whidbey Island SAR. This is a look inside the reality of Search and Rescue—where preparation meets pressure and decisions carry weight.

We cover what it takes to stay ready, perform under stress, and operate as part of a crew when conditions deteriorate fast.

In this episode:
• Real-world SAR missions out of NAS Whidbey Island
• What it’s like to be an Aviation Rescue Swimmer
• Decision-making under pressure
• Crew coordination and trust
• Training vs. real rescues
• Staying sharp when lives depend on it
• Leadership at the operator level

This one is for anyone in the military, aviation, or first responder world—and anyone responsible for making decisions when it counts.
👉 Subscribe, share, and leave a review. It helps more veterans, first responders, and families find these stories.

CALM IN THE CHAOS PODCAST — Episode 56

So Others May Live. 🫡🇺🇸

Rescue Swimmer Merchandise https://shop.calminthechaospodcast.com
Military & First Responders: Use code SARRESCUE10 for 10% off100% of proceeds support the podcast

05/13/2026

Combat Search and Rescue Veteran Bryan Trembath | 10 Gulf Deployments, 300+ Missions, Pentagon 9/11 First Response

Some careers are built in training. Others are forged in real-world missions.

In this episode of Calm in the Chaos, Bryan Trembath shares 21 years as an Aviation Rescue Swimmer, including 10 deployments to the Gulf and over 300 direct action missions in Combat Search and Rescue.

His first real mission started on September 11, 2001—responding by helicopter to the Pentagon in the immediate aftermath of the attack. That moment set the tone for a career defined by operational intensity, responsibility, and sustained performance under pressure.

We talk about what it takes to operate at that level over time—mission after mission, deployment after deployment.

In this episode:
• 21 years as an Aviation Rescue Swimmer
• Combat Search and Rescue operations
• 10 deployments to the Gulf
• 300+ direct action missions
• Responding to the Pentagon on 9/11
• Sustaining performance over a long career
• Decision-making under pressure
• Leadership in high-risk environments

No shortcuts. Just experience earned the hard way.

👉 Subscribe, share, and leave a review. It helps more veterans, first responders, and families find these stories.

CALM IN THE CHAOS PODCAST — Episode 55

So Others May Live. 🫡🇺🇸

Rescue Swimmer Merchandise
https://shop.calminthechaospodcast.com

Military & First Responders: Use code SARRESCUE10 for 10% off 100% of proceeds support the podcast

05/06/2026

Combat Search and Rescue Veteran Bryan Trembath | 10 Gulf Deployments, 300+ Missions, Pentagon 9/11 First Response
�Some careers are built in training. Others are forged in real-world missions.

In this episode of Calm in the Chaos, Bryan Trembath shares 21 years as an Aviation Rescue Swimmer, including 10 deployments to the Gulf and over 300 direct action missions in Combat Search and Rescue.

His first real mission started on September 11, 2001—responding by helicopter to the Pentagon in the immediate aftermath of the attack. That moment set the tone for a career defined by operational intensity, responsibility, and sustained performance under pressure.

We talk about what it takes to operate at that level over time—mission after mission, deployment after deployment.

In this episode:�• 21 years as an Aviation Rescue Swimmer�• Combat Search and Rescue operations�• 10 deployments to the Gulf�• 300+ direct action missions�• Responding to the Pentagon on 9/11�• Sustaining performance over a long career�• Decision-making under pressure�• Leadership in high-risk environments
No shortcuts. Just experience earned the hard way.
👉 Subscribe, share, and leave a review. It helps more veterans, first responders, and families find these stories.

CALM IN THE CHAOS PODCAST — Episode 55

So Others May Live. 🫡🇺🇸

Rescue Swimmer Merchandise�https://shop.calminthechaospodcast.com�Military & First Responders: Use code SARRESCUE10 for 10% off�100% of proceeds support the podcast

�

04/24/2026

Apollo 13 to Artemis II | Navy Helicopter Crew Speak for First Time

56 years apart. Same ocean. Same mission. The Navy helicopter crews behind Apollo 13 and Artemis II share what it really takes to bring astronauts home from sea — the hoisting, the timing, the weight of the moment. This is the part you never see.

So Others May Live! 🫡🇺🇸

Full episode: link in bio or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJhnGqUaSMU

04/20/2026

“They just circumnavigated the moon, successfully navigated back to earth, splashed down, the dive team opened the capsule, and we’re the last piece of the puzzle, and we can’t mess this up.”

56 years apart. Two recoveries. Two helicopter crewmen who were the first hands to bring astronauts home from the moon.

This morning on the Calm in the Chaos Podcast — I sat down with Steve Williams, who hoisted the Artemis II crew out of the Pacific on April 10, 2026, and Michael Longe, who pulled Lovell, Swigert, and Haise off the water on April 17, 1970 after the world held its breath for six days.

These trained professionals don’t make headlines. They never do. But without them, there is no homecoming.

The capsule punches through the atmosphere at 25,000 miles an hour. These are the men who were waiting on the other side.
-We talked about what that feels like in your body.
-What the astronauts’ faces looked like in those first seconds.
-And what could have gone wrong that nobody was talking about.
-And one moment each of them has never fully told anyone — until now.

You don’t want to miss this episode!

🎧 Link in bio.

CALM IN THE CHAOS PODCAST Episode 54

So Others May Live! 🫡🇺🇸

Keep Calm in the Chaos Merch
(Link in bio or https://shop.calminthechaospodcast.com)
Military and First Responders get 10% discount with code: SARRESCUE10 applied at checkout
100% of proceeds go to support the podcast!

04/08/2026

20 Years as a Navy Rescue Swimmer | SAR School Instructor to NSW Support | Greg Baker on High-Risk Rescues & Leadership Under Pressure

Greg Baker spent 20 years as a U.S. Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer, operating where hesitation costs lives and preparation is everything.
From multiple real-world rescues to serving as a SAR School instructor responsible for shaping future Rescue Swimmers, Greg understands what separates average from dependable. He finished his career supporting Naval Special Warfare, operating in intense environments to track suspected bad guy vehicles based on intel.

In this episode:�• 20 years as a Navy Aviation Rescue Swimmer�• Multiple real-world rescue missions�• Serving as a SAR School instructor�• Supporting Naval Special Warfare (NSW)�• Leadership under pressure�• The mindset that sustains a long operational career

👉 Subscribe, share, and leave a review. It helps more veterans, first responders, and families find these conversations.

CALM IN THE CHAOS PODCAST Episode 53

So Others May Live! 🫡🇺🇸

Keep Calm in the Chaos Merch
(Link in bio or https://shop.calminthechaospodcast.com)
Military and First Responders get 10% discount with code: SARRESCUE10 applied at checkout
100% of proceeds go to support the podcast!

03/25/2026

From Vietnam to Navy SAR Evaluator | Bob Nowak on 30+ Years of Search and Rescue, DEA Prisoner Recovery & Whidbey Island SAR

Bob Nowak brings more than three decades of real-world Search and Rescue experience—from the Vietnam era to Whidbey Island SAR, from high-risk recoveries to serving as a SAR Evaluator responsible for training and assessing the next generation.

This episode is about longevity in service, the weight of responsibility, and the mindset required to lead when conditions deteriorate.
In this episode:�• 30+ years in Search and Rescue�• Service during the Vietnam era�• Whidbey Island SAR operations�• The recovery of a DEA prisoner�• What a SAR Evaluator looks for in rescue professionals�• Leadership, discipline, and staying sharp over decades�• Decision-making under pressure

👉 Subscribe, share, and leave a review. It helps more veterans, first responders, and families find these stories.

CALM IN THE CHAOS PODCAST Episode 52

So Others May Live! 🫡🇺🇸

Keep Calm in the Chaos Merch
(Link in bio or https://shop.calminthechaospodcast.com)
Military and First Responders get 10% discount with code: SARRESCUE10 applied at checkout
100% of proceeds go to support the podcast!

SARLeadership MilitaryMindset FirstResponder DecisionMaking CalmInTheChaos SoOthersMayLive

The SAR Reunion is a month out. If you want gear in hand before you get there, now’s the time to order.Shirts, hoodies, ...
03/11/2026

The SAR Reunion is a month out. If you want gear in hand before you get there, now’s the time to order.
Shirts, hoodies, hats, and stickers are available for both Navy Aviation and Surface Rescue Swimmers.

Use code SARREUNION to save 15%.
Order here:
https://focusedascent.etsy.com?coupon=SARREUNION

Also, if you’re looking for another solid option, Scott Anthony has hats available as well, and Chris Razoyk has some dope new designs. Support the community and the guys making good gear.

So Others May Live. 🫡🇺🇸

SARCommunity

Address

Virginia Beach, VA

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Calm in the Chaos Podcast posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category