Aaron Green and Michael Kowalski

M describes why he enlisted in the military. He says when he was younger he went into a real estate business with a friend but that friend stole money from the company. M says in deciding what his next move would be, he decided he wanted to join the Navy because he wanted to be in a submarine.

A says everyone in his family served in the military and it was expected that if you were a man in the family you had a duty to go serve. He says he enlisted in the military right out of high school. A says initially he was only going to serve for four years but it turned into twenty-six years.

M says he broke service in 1993 to get married. He shares why he decided to serve again. He says he was working a corporate job where he was making a lot of money but it was mind numbing work. M says he joined the Navy again in 2000.

M and A discuss how they were selected to interview to go on the USS Parche SSN683.

A speaks further about his career. He says he got super lucky and his career was blessed from the beginning. A says he feels like his gift in life is understanding people.

M and A reflect on the unique sense of camaraderie and bond that develops with other service members.

A and M reflect on some of the more difficult moments in their military careers. M says he has seen more bad than good from leadership in the military. A describes the type of leader he tried to be during his career.

A says he does not miss any aspect of his service except the people. He says he likes being home everyday and packing lunch for his kids. M says he is proud that he survived his service and of what he helped to accomplish. He says he misses the teamwork and wishes there were more collaboration.

A and M reflect on some of the funny memories from their time in service together.

A and M share their gratitude for one another and their friendship. They say that although they are very different and disagree on a lot, there is a baseline of respect for one another and that is something they wish more people learned nowadays.