Hosted by the Arkansas Department of Public Safety's Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training (CLEST).
Little Rock, AR—April 24, 2025: After 21 years as a US Navy SEAL, leading mission-
focused combat deployments on several continents, Command Master Chief (ret.)
Stephen “Scuba” Barrett has a lot of stories—and only some he can tell. But tell he did,
to the hosts of 10-8 Studios, from the Arkansas Department of Public Safety's
Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training (CLEST).
Stephen’s journey began as a fresh-faced 17-year-old enlistee in the regular Navy,
already obsessed with becoming an elite Navy SEAL by his junior year in high school, he
admits. He describes how, at each stage of its infamously-grueling Basic Underwater
Demolition/SEAL School (BUDs), he told himself, “Well if I don’t make it the next stage,
I can say I made it this far,” and then moved along, surprising himself with the grit and
determination he mustered to complete the 24-week trials, which have an attrition rate
of about 70%. “It wasn’t until third phase where I thought 'this actually might happen.’”
Barrett, the CEO of the Barrett Strategic Leadership Group based in Jonesboro, Arkansas, mused on what it means to earn and wear the revered and coveted SEAL
Trident, in a conversation with CLEST Director Chris Chapmond, Director of Leadership for the Department of Public Safety, Chris Clen Ph.D., Deputy Director Kelvin Sergeant, and Deputy Director Jason Lawrence: “It was always special to me that I became a SEAL and I got to wear the Trident.” “Scuba” also described how going from a new, junior member of “the Teams” to a rare leadership position hinges on hard
training a dedication to excellence, a ‘never quit” attitude, and above all, mutual trust
among these storied warriors. Stephen, who was a leader of three SEAL teams, attained
the highest enlisted rank and leadership position of Command Master Chief Special
Warfare Operator (SEAL) in his 21+ year career, with multiple combat deployments.
Barrett, who teaches classes in leadership and decision-making at Black River Technical
College’s (BRTC) Paragould and Pocahantas, Arkansas campuses as well as to employee
groups at clients including Arcosa Marine, Peco Foods, St. Bernard’s Healthcare, and
Veracity Electric, notes:
"If you're in a leadership position, and you don't know why you believe what you believe,
you're going to be incomplete...you have to discover the origins of your leadership style."
This 10-8 Podcast is available on Spotify, the 10-8 Studios page,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=oXW8E5Grrb4 and on the BSLG LinkedIn Page, https://www.linkedin.com/company/barrett-strategic-leadership-group-lcc/.
About Barrett Strategic Leadership Group (BSLG)
Based in Jonesboro, Arkansas, BSLG’s mission is to help adults unlock their potential
for personal and professional advancement, with a positive, real-world impact based on
strong leadership, informed decision-making, and a dedication to excellence, discipline,
and trust. The Group, founded by a retired US Navy SEAL, supports entrepreneurs,
leaders, and work teams across a diverse set of industries and organizations including
education, healthcare, energy, financial services, manufacturing, security, and law
enforcement. For more information, visit https://barrettleadership.com.