Permission To Speak Freely
Damon and Damo (active duty Command Master Chiefs) share sea stories and have unfiltered conversations about current events, policies, and everyday life as a service member.
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Episodes
Sunday Apr 19, 2026
Sunday Apr 19, 2026
Capt. Charles R. Harmon, Branch Head of Enlisted Plans and Policy (OPNAV N132), joins the Permission to Speak Freely Podcast for a conversation on SEM, billet-based advancement, and what Sailors are experiencing across the fleet.
The discussion moves through how the system is designed to work, where confusion is coming from, and how decisions are being made at the command and detailer level. Questions from the fleet drive the conversation, touching on ETPs, marketplace dynamics, command involvement, and the gap between policy and understanding.
When Capt. Harmon leaves, Career Counselor Chief Joey Sawyer, also known as “Fat Chief,” continues the conversation with a look at the newly released Decision Guide Memorandum 007 and what it could mean for technical standards, command involvement, and how Sailors approach their careers. They also get into email signature etiquette. Do you really need all your collateral duties in your signature? The conversation continues with Joey sharing his approach to discipline, time management, and using small pockets of time to stay consistent, along with how he communicates complex information in a way Sailors can actually use. Respective “Do Betters” are shared. These topics and more are covered in this episode.
Resources for this Episode:
Billet-Based Advancement (MyNavyHr) - https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Career-Management/Detailing/Enlisted/Billet-Based-Advancement/
Senior Enlisted Marketplace (MyNavyHr) - https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Career-Management/Detailing/Enlisted/Senior-Enlisted-Marketplace/
BBA Handbook 3.0 - chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Portals/55/Career/Detailing/Enlisted/DetailingMarketplace/BBA%20Handbook%203-0.pdf?ver=dH_5cVh2sPIXHomd8SAiwA%3D%3D
Advancement Manual - chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Portals/55/Reference/Instructions/BUPERS/BUPERSINST%201430.16.pdf
MyNavyHR:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mynavyhr/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/MyNAVYHR/
Joey Sawyer, aka “Fat Chief”:
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/fat_chief_usn/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/p/Fat-Chief-61573142126612/
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ7k2A6OPj001XWkQND99KA
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