AUSA's Army Matters Podcast: Recent Episodes
Assn. of the United States Army
A rotating cast of hosts covers topics of importance to the Total Army community including Soldiers, military families and Army supporters. Keep it locked here for all Army Matters. Brought to you by AUSA, the U.S. Army’s professional association - voice for the Army and support for the Soldiers.
Not every Soldier grows up planning to serve.
In this episode of Army Matters, LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith sits down with Cadet Orion Van Buskirk, a junior—otherwise known as a “Cow”—at the United States Military Academy at West Point, to explore what it means to discover service along the way.
Raised in Eugene, Oregon, with no military background, Van Buskirk initially saw West Point as an opportunity for a free education, a challenge and a different path from his peers. But what began as a practical decision evolved into something deeper. In this conversation, Van Buskirk reflects candidly on the realities of West Point: the intensity, the structure and the moments that test resilience. He shares how the experience has reshaped his identity, from realizing he had outgrown his old environment to building lifelong bonds with fellow cadets.
Guest: Cadet Orion Van Buskirk, U.S. Military Academy at West Point
Cadets—from West Point, and across the country, send us your papers!
Cadets, do you want a chance to be published in Early Insights: From the Army's Future Leaders? We are proud to announce the launch of this program developed with our friends at the United States Military Academy. Submit your articles and papers to our team here in the Education & Programs department at AUSA. Email us at education@ausa.org.
Five Questions for a General
Hear Cadet Van Buskirk interview AUSA's own GEN (Ret.) Robert B. Brown and LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith on Five Questions for a General, a production of the Modern War Institute at West Point.
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
For many veterans, the end of military service raises a difficult question: Who am I now?
In this episode of Army Matters, LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with retired Green Beret Ryan Hendrickson. After eight deployments to Afghanistan and surviving a life-changing blast from an improvised explosive device, Hendrickson retired, and then later returned overseas as a contractor. But, following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, he found himself confronting something many veterans struggle with: loss of identity and loss of mission.
Then Russia invaded Ukraine. Within weeks, Hendrickson left behind the stability he’d worked to establish, and he traveled into an active war zone—not as a combatant, but simply to ask one question: How can I help?
Guest: SFC Ryan Hendrickson, U.S. Army Retired, Founder and CEO, Tip of the Spear Landmine Removal
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Running the Army Ten-Miler is a Washington, D.C. tradition bringing together the military and civilians, including wounded warriors and wheelchair athletes, since 1985. It is a proud example of how the Army promotes wellness throughout the community—long after the final runner crosses the finish line.
In this episode of Army Matters, LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Maya Johnson, Deputy Director of the Army Ten-Miler and a longtime Army Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation (FMWR) professional. Originally from Bosnia, Johnson experienced war firsthand before immigrating to the United States as an Army spouse and serving with Army FMWR at Fort Benning, Germany, Hawaii, and now in D.C., with the Army Ten-Miler.
They discuss the often-overlooked programs that help Soldiers and families thrive, the twists and turns of life as an Army spouse, and how participating in the Army Ten-Miler directly supports our Army community.
Register to run the Army Ten-Miler, in person or virtually, this October 11th: https://www.armytenmiler.com/.
Guest: Maya Johnson, Deputy Direction, Army Ten-Miler
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
History often remembers the invasion: the beaches, the Soldiers, and the first waves crashing ashore on D-Day. But in the days before Allied forces reached Normandy, another battle was unfolding behind closed doors. A battle of judgment, uncertainty, and leadership under immense pressure.
In this episode of Army Matters, LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith sits down with filmmaker Anthony Maras, director, co-writer, editor, and producer of Pressure, now in theaters. This historical thriller focuses on the 72 tense hours before D-Day and the difficult decisions that faced General Dwight D. Eisenhower and meteorologist Captain James Stagg. The film examines a rarely considered side of history: decision making in times of uncertainty with millions of lives hanging in the balance.
Known for building tension through films rooted in real events, including Hotel Mumbai, Maras discusses leadership under emotional pressure, how to make slow-moving weather patterns thrilling, and what really happened in the moments leading up to D-Day.
Guest: Anthony Maras, Director, Pressure
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In this episode of Army Matters, LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith sits down with SGM (Ret.) Mark Reilly, founder of The Washington Tattoo, a large-scale musical production designed to be a unifying voice at the intersection of music, history, and national identity. What began as a vision to create world-class performances has grown into a platform that supports servicemembers, veterans, first responders, and their families—particularly those facing the effects of post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury.
Reilly shares how his background with the Army’s Old Guard shaped The Washington Tattoo, explains what a military tattoo is, and reveals the unexpected healing power of music.
The Washington Tattoo will perform in Washington D.C. on July 17-18.
Find out more at: https://www.thewashingtontattoo.com
Guest: SGM Mark Reilly, U.S. Army Retired, President and CEO, The Washington Tattoo
Also Happening: The Warrior Games
The Warrior Games is an annual event, first held in 2010, that celebrates the resiliency and dedication of military service members. The Warrior Games will be livestreamed on June 13-20th from San Antonio, TX. Click below to learn more.
Link: https://dodwarriorgames.com/
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In this episode of Army Matters, LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with LTG (Ret.) Patricia Horoho to reflect on her experience responding firsthand to the attack on the Pentagon on 9/11 and the leadership that emerged in those first critical moments.
2026 marks 25 years since the attack, and her heroism will be remembered during the National Memorial Day Concert held on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol in D.C. on Sunday, May 24th.
Trained in trauma nursing and mass casualty response, Patty Horoho reflects on her 33 years of service—from nearly leaving the Army, to rising through the ranks to become the first nurse and first woman to serve as the Army’s Surgeon General. Now continuing her service through initiatives like 2Serve Together, Horoho remains focused on supporting military families and strengthening the broader community.
National Memorial Day Concert: https://www.pbs.org/national-memorial-day-concert/
Guest: LTG Patricia D. Horoho, U.S. Army Retired, Founder and President, 2Serve Together and AUSA Senior Fellow
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In this episode of Army Matters, LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with LTC Armand Balboni, a U.S. Army officer whose career spans military service, biomedical science, law, academia and executive leadership in the private sector.
Balboni’s journey did not begin with certainty. Told early on that he was not college material; he enlisted in the Coast Guard after high school—an experience that would ultimately give him the confidence to pursue higher education, earning an MD, PhD and a law degree. He held a successful civilian career as an innovator in medicine, but in search of more, LTC Balboni rejoined the Army Reserve, where he now works within the U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa (SETAF-AF). As the Deputy Director of the Advanced Capabilities Directorate, he helps bridge the gap between industry and the military—translating real-world needs into actionable solutions. Whether working with partners across Africa or advancing lifesaving technologies like freeze-dried plasma, his mission remains constant: reducing the time between innovation and impact.
Guest:
LTC Armand L. Balboni, J.D., M.D., Ph.D., U.S. Army Reserve
Deputy Director, Advanced Capabilities Directorate
U.S. Army Southern European Task Force, Africa
"My Country, My Story" 2026 Writing and Art Contest
Winners will receive a $100 gift card and public recognition on the podcast, AUSA social media and at AUSA's Annual Meeting in DC that attracts 40K attendees.
Find out more: https://www.ausa.org/education/writing-and-artwork-contest
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In this episode of Army Matters, hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with BG Maurice “Moe” Barnett, Commanding General of U.S. Army Cadet Command. From growing up in Gary, Indiana, to leading the Army’s largest commissioning source, BG Barnett reflects on the mentors, missteps, and moments that shaped his 31-year journey.
He speaks candidly about nearly leaving the Army after his initial obligation, the life-changing impact of battery command, and the lessons learned from both hard corrections and compassionate leadership. Barnett challenges young Soldiers and cadets not to treat service as a temporary obligation, but to “put all your chips in the middle of the table” and give their full commitment to the profession.
Guest: BG Maurice Barnett, Commanding General, U.S. Army Cadet Command
Army ROTC: https://armyrotc.army.mil/
Go Army ROTC: https://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jobs/find-your-path/army-officers/rotc
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Sgt. (Ret.) Rick Yarosh travels the country with Sweethearts & Heroes, speaking primarily to students about hope, empathy, resilience, and the idea that none of us succeed alone. He now describes the tragedy that brought him this wisdom as “the best thing that ever happened” to him.
In this episode of Army Matters, hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Sgt. Rick Yarosh, a retired U.S. Army cavalry scout, Purple Heart recipient, nationally recognized speaker, and author. Deployed to Iraq in 2005, Yarosh was serving near the Abu Ghraib prison when his Bradley Fighting Vehicle struck an improvised explosive device on September 1, 2006, leaving him with severe burns on over more than 60 percent of his body and resulting in the amputation of his right leg below the knee. This conversation is not only about that day, but also about service, recovery and hope.
Guest: SGT Rick Yarosh, U.S. Army Retired, Co-Founder and H.O.P.E. Expert, Sweethearts & Heroes
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Heroism is often remembered in a single moment, but for those who live it, the story does not end when the shooting stops. Leadership, responsibility, and accountability start long before, and continue long after the battle is over.
In this episode of Army Matters, hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Staff Sergeant (Ret.) Clint Romesha, Medal of Honor recipient for his actions during the Battle of Combat Outpost Keating in Afghanistan. Drawing from a career shaped by family service, mentorship, and combat leadership, Romesha reflects on what prepared him long before that day, and what followed after.
From the mindset of young Soldiers deployed to an isolated and vulnerable position, to the reality of continuing combat operations for nine months after losing teammates, Romesha offers an unfiltered look at leadership under extreme pressure, rebuilding trust, and the responsibility after service.
Guests: SSG Clint Romesha, United States Army Retired, Medal of Honor Recipient
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
When it comes to readiness, the careers of Army spouses are sometimes overlooked, but the balance required to maintain economic stability and quality of life within the family is often tested through frequent moves, disrupted careers and hard choices made quietly in the background.
In this episode of Army Matters, hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Elizabeth O’Brien and Josh Fugate to share how Hiring Our Heroes is moving the ball forward for military spouses in their work lives. Liz is a military spouse, former college basketball coach and senior leader at Hiring Our Heroes who spearheaded fellowship programs that match military spouses with employers. Josh is a program participant whose newfound career portability is paying dividends. Today, we hear how Liz’s journey from coaching at West Point and leading college basketball programs to restarting her career after seven moves in nine years, forced professional setbacks that inspired a legacy.
Guests:
- Elizabeth O'Brien, Senior Vice President, Hiring Our Heroes
- Josh Fugate, Army Spouse and Career Forward Participant, Hiring Our Heroes
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
The military does many things with precision and honor, but for families left behind, the hardest journey often begins after the ceremony ends. Grief does not follow a timeline, and loss does not end with the rifle volley as the final notes of “Taps” play.
In this deeply personal episode of Army Matters, hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with two nationally recognized advocates for military survivors: Maj. (Ret.) Bonnie Carroll, U.S. Air Force, and founder of the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), and Jennie Taylor, Gold Star spouse, mother of seven, and founder of the Major Brent Taylor Foundation. Both women share how the loss of their husbands reshaped their lives, and how survivor community, purpose, and service can coexist with grief. Together, they explore what military families truly need after loss, what civilians often misunderstand about grief, and why connection is the most powerful form of support.
Guests:
- Maj. Bonnie Carroll, U.S. Air Force Retired, Gold Star Spouse and Founder, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)
- Jennie Taylor, Gold Star Spouse and Founder, Major Brent Taylor Foundation
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
The character of war is changing, but its human stakes are not. Speed, software, autonomy, and long-range systems now shape the battlefield, yet every decision still carries life-or-death consequences for Soldiers on the ground. LTG (Ret.) Neil Thurgood’s background has prepared him to help guide thinking on the Army's adaptation without losing the values that define it. How can technology actually serve those who fight?
In this episode of Army Matters, hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with LTG (Ret.) Thurgood, whose career spans enlisted infantry service, combat aviation, senior acquisition leadership, and now defense industry innovation with the defense technology firm Anduril. From formative experiences as the child of an Army aviator, to his own experiences as an Infantrymen, Aviator, and senior leader standing up the Army’s Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO), Thurgood reflects on leadership under pressure, learning through failure, and why speed in acquisition is ultimately about giving Soldiers a chance to come home.
Guest: LTG Neil Thurgood, PhD, U.S. Army Retired, Senior Vice President, Anduril
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Officers and Soldiers of all ranks perform daily physical tasks that rival—if not surpass—those of some of the world’s top athletes, thanks to the Army’s world-class training and health programs. And who does the Army like to partner with to strengthen and innovate its own training methods? Professional sports teams and their staffs, often creating world-class programs in parallel. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Brett Fischer, the Director of Player Health and Performance for the Detroit Lions, to discuss how his blue-collar upbringing led to his love of sports, what he and his staff do to better their athletes, and how his work with veterans over the years continues to inspire him.
Guest: Brett Fischer, Director, Physical Fitness, Detroit Lions
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
With its proximity to China, Russia, and—obviously—North Korea, the United States Forces Korea command is growing in importance by the minute. Leading this force—as well as the United Nations Command and the Combined Forces Command—is highly-regarded GEN Xavier T. Brunson, who brings not only his 35 years of Army experience to the table, but also a vast family history in leadership. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with GEN Brunson to discuss the latest developments in the region, how the Army has truly been a family affair for three generations of his family, and how to win an argument when your spouse has been an Army judge.
Guest: GEN Xavier T. Brunson, Commander, United Nations Command, Combined Forces Command, and United States Forces Korea
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In 2014, a military spouse and a priest—both avid bakers—wanted to create a fun, welcoming place that could help out transitioning veterans. They started Dog Tag Bakery, a Washington café that not only serves coffee and treats but also hosts a business incubator program. Over the last decade, the organization has assisted almost four hundred veterans and military spouses in their startup companies, creating employment—and high spirits—across the country. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Dog Tag’s Director of Programs and Community Impact, Maureen Devine-Ahl, and Army spouse and entrepreneur, Erin Vandre, to discuss what lessons the bakery teaches its fellows, how it aided Erin in the launch of her business (also a bakery!), and what their favorite sweets are.
Guests:
- Maureen Devine-Ahl, Director of Programs and Community Impact, Dog Tag Bakery
- Erin Vandre, Dog Tag Bakery Fellow and Founder, Bravory Bakehouse
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
On Christmas Eve, 1944, Elizabeth Vincken and her twelve-year-old son, Fritz, sat down for a quiet Christmas Eve dinner, hopeful for a respite in the midst of deadly battles in the northern Belgian forest. Knocks on their door quickly turned their evening into a series of dramatic moments and standoffs, but Elizabeth’s bravery and compassion led to one of the most heart-filled – and unheard – stories of World War II. In this very special holiday episode, Army Matters senior producer Carrie Varouhakis and Army historian and writer Kevin Hymel unearth this story of a mother, a son, weary soldiers, warm food, a song, a fat goose and a lifelong quest, weaving it into a story that will fill your ears – and heart – with joy.
Narrated by:
- Kevin M. Hymel, Historian, U.S. Army
- Carrie Varouhakis, Senior Producer, AUSA's Army Matters Podcast
Music: The versions of “O Tannenbaum,” “Auld Lang Syne” and “Silent Night” found in this episode are performed by the U.S. Army Field Band.
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
As they helped Afghanistan refugees during the sudden withdrawal of American troops from the country in 2021, social entrepreneur Alex McLeod and her husband, MAJ Jay Long, realized they wanted to create a better system for these new immigrants to fund their small businesses. They created Parlay Protocol, an AI-aided, veteran-built financial platform that makes it easier for banks to approve small business loans. It’s just one of many startups for this Army couple, who have a great track record of success as entrepreneurs – and in their marriage. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Alex and Jay to discuss the all-female Afghan battalion that inspired them, how Jay’s work with the newly-founded Detachment 201 has taught him a few lessons, and what they do when they disagree.
Guests:
- Alex McLeod, CEO, Parlay Finance
- MAJ Jay Long, U.S. Army Reserve and COO, Parlay Finance
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In 2013, a mother and her son decided to collect some used PCs and Macs and donate them to military veterans so they could learn valuable digital skills. Tech For Troops was born! In the more-than-twelve years since then, under the direction of President Mark Casper, the organization has ballooned in size and has helped thousands of veterans gain necessary skills for the digital world. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Marine Corps Veteran Mark Casper and Army Veteran Jason “Game Master” Parker to discuss some of the innovative things Tech For Troops is doing, share some of its inspiring success stories, and learn how its gaming program has not only brought veterans together, but also saved the “Game Master” himself.
Guests:
- LCpl Mark Casper, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, President and CEO, Tech For Troops
- Jason Parker, U.S. Army Veteran, Game Master, Tech For Troops
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
As LTC Mike Erwin retired from active duty in 2010, he discovered a large number of fellow veterans who were longing for a community. And so, eager to provide a solution, he created Team Red, White & Blue (TeamRWB) to fill that void. Over the last fifteen years, this organization has put together over fifteen thousand events—everything from fun runs to chess meets—and has connected over a quarter-million veterans. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with LTC (Ret.) Erwin, as well as TeamRWB’s incoming Executive Director, COL (Ret.) Mike “Sully” Sullivan to discuss how their partnership was forged in steel during an operation in Iraq years ago, what’s next for the organization, and how they felt seeing Sully’s daughter win an Olympic medal last year.
Guests:
- LTC Mike Erwin, U.S. Army Retired, Outgoing Executive Director, Team Red, White and Blue
- COL Michael "Sully" Sullivan, U.S. Army Retired, Incoming Executive Director, Team Red, White and Blue
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
For decades, Soldiers in the Army Ranger School were only men, most of them in their 20s. But in 2015, then-MAJ Lisa Jaster set out to change that, and became one of the first three women, and the first female Reserve officer, ever to graduate Ranger School. For her, it was one of many accomplishments in a distinguished life of service, ranging from her time at West Point to her award-winning fitness career and her stint as an author. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with COL Jaster to discuss the highlights of her time with the Army, hear about a Ranger School distinction she holds in conjunction with her late father and glean some valuable fitness tips.
Guest: COL Lisa Jaster, U.S. Army Reserve and Army Ranger School Graduate
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In April 2003, CPL J.R. Martinez’s Humvee ran over a roadside bomb in Iraq, and he was trapped in the burning vehicle for over five minutes. When he got out, he had burns on 34 percent of his body. Three years in the hospital and thirty-four surgeries later, he was better physically, but his most important accomplishment during that time was finding hope. That allowed him to forge ahead with an incredible life. He became a successful actor, a Dancing with the Stars champion, a best-selling author and a motivational speaker. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with CPL Martinez to discuss how he found purpose during his recovery, go through some highlights of his vast career and discuss his new podcast, "Medal of Honor: Stories of Courage," on which he highlights the stories of Medal of Honor recipients through the years.
Guest: J.R. Martinez, U.S. Army Veteran, Actor and Podcast Host, "Medal of Honor: Stories of Courage"
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In August 2024, LTG Brian Eifler stepped into the role of Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel of the Army. Drawing on 33 years of experience leading Soldiers, he has quickly launched initiatives to dramatically improve the lives of our fighting force. Join hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey as they sit down with LTG Eifler to unpack the key lessons of his storied Army career, the critical focus areas of Soldier life he's tackling now, and the hilarious story of how he once forced a host to compete in a grueling Korean triathlon years ago.
Guest: LTG Brian S. Eifler, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1, U.S. Army
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
When he originally enlisted in the Army, now-CPT Michael Villahermosa not only didn’t even consider becoming an EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Soldier—he didn’t even know what it was. But he quickly realized he had the right skills to succeed at it, and has become a leading EOD commander, instructor, and now social media influencer (under the name “EOD Happy Captain”). Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with CPT Villahermosa to discuss the life and community of EOD Soldiers, how his social media prowess has helped out his fellow Soldiers, and how a gift of hot honey made everyone at his base laugh.
Guest: CPT Michael Villahermosa, U.S Army, EOD Happy Captain
Central Michigan General and Flag Officer Event Links:
General and Flag Officer Leadership Symposium Webpage: https://go.cmualum.com/GOFOPanel25
General and Flag Officer Leadership Symposium Livestream Link: https://chipcast.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=fdee1ca5-880d-4121-931b-b32f00fae0b9
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Comic book writer Chuck Dixon has written more issues of comic books than any other living writer today, most notably telling the stories of superheroes Batman, Robin, The Punisher and John Rambo. But his work on AUSA’s Medal of Honor comic series has allowed him to bring historical heroes to life to incredible effect. In this very special encore episode, hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Dixon to discuss his 2024 comic Medal of Honor: Ruben Rivers, how a comic book is actually created, and they agree that a visit from the taxman can be the best form of artistic inspiration. Note: This episode also features an update with the latest Medal of Honor comic from Dixon and the AUSA team. Guest: Chuck Dixon, Fictioneer & Comic Book Writer
Central Michigan General and Flag Officer Event Links:
General and Flag Officer Leadership Symposium Webpage: https://go.cmualum.com/GOFOPanel25
General and Flag Officer Leadership Symposium Livestream Link: https://chipcast.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=fdee1ca5-880d-4121-931b-b32f00fae0b9
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In 1975, at the age of two years old, Captain France Hoang and his family fled the violence surrounding their home in Vietnam. Years later, he decided to serve his adopted country by attending West Point—against the wishes of his parents—but that decision has led to two impactful commissions as a Special Forces officer, a hugely successful law career and now a life as an entrepreneur and practitioner of Artificial Intelligence in the realm of education. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with CPT Hoang to discuss lessons learned in the White House, how his life came full circle with his work saving Afghan refugees, and what’s harder to pass: Ranger School, or the bar exam?
Guest: Captain France Hoang, U.S. Army Veteran and BoodleBox Co-Founder and CEO
Film Credit: American Refugee, directed by Rebecca Murga (2018), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=maFi7OMfg7A. Clips used in the episode are courtesy of the film's writer, Jack Kennedy.
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
During their Army careers, Captain Kim Liszka and Captain Dakota Olson-Harris experienced both the highs and lows of service. But it was their relationships with fellow female Soldiers that provided some of their greatest memories and inspired them to create Dog Tag Diaries, a podcast series that provides a forum for females serving to share their stories and advice for the next generation. Captain Liszka served in the Army as a combat medic, combat nurse, flight nurse instructor, and top athlete. Captain Olson-Harris currently serves in the National Guard and is a counselor in her civilian life. Host LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith sits down with Captains Liszka and Olson-Harris to discuss their Army stories, how the podcast has helped out other female servicemembers (as well as themselves) and to discuss the finer cuisine of...bugs.
Guests: CPT Kimberly Liszka, U.S. Army Veteran, and CPT Dakota Olson-Harris, U.S. Army National Guard, Co-Hosts, Dog Tag Diaries Podcast
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
One of the hardest—if not the hardest—parts of an Army marriage are the deployments, during which a soldier and their family are separated not only physically, but oftentimes emotionally. LTC Brad Cooper and his wife, Heather, have gone through this many times (including a recent two-plus-year command tour in Korea) and in the process have created a set of rules that has allowed their marriage to stay strong. Host SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey and his special guest co-host Holly Dailey sit down with Heather and LTC Cooper to discuss their high school sweethearts-with-a-twist story, share the rules that they’ve created, and then test them with some questions from the “Not-So-Newlywed Game.”
Guests: LTC Bradley Cooper, U.S. Army and Mrs. Heather Cooper
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
For decades now, Army Soldiers and officers of all levels have been issued hardcover green notebooks to record notes and ideas. While serving, LTC (Ret.) Joe Byerly started to research not only the history of these notebooks but—more importantly—the extremely valuable lessons contained within. His writings inspired him to create the education platform and podcast series From the Green Notebook, on which he speaks to top Army leaders and generals. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with LTC Byerly to discuss some of the lessons he’s learned in his own Army career, the importance of reading and writing, and how journaling can help someone improve their life—but shouldn’t be used in arguments with a spouse...
Guest: LTC Joe Byerly, U.S. Army Retired, Founder, From the Green Notebook
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In 2020, the Army implemented the Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) program, which emphasizes five factors—physical, nutritional, mental, spiritual and sleep. It has been billed as “the largest investment in Soldier readiness” in Army history. BG Deydre Teyhen and SGT (Ret.) Spencer Posey are leading researchers on H2F and have overseen the implementation of numerous programs across the Army’s ranks. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with BG Teyhen and SGT (Ret.) Posey to discuss their personal health and fitness journeys, some of the lessons they’ve learned along the way and how carrying around an apple makes a huge difference.
Guests:
BG Deydre Teyhen, Commanding General, Medical Readiness Command, Pacific, and Director Defense Health Network Indo-Pacific, Defense Health Agency
SGT (Ret.) Spencer Posey, U.S. Army, Booz Allen Hamilton Lead Scientist, Human Performance
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
For the past 250 years (Happy Birthday, Army!), one thing that's united soldiers is mess hall food, and feeding our Army is about to get the celebrity treatment. Chef Robert Irvine has been brought on as a consultant in conjunction with LTG Chris Mohan, Deputy Commanding General and Acting Commander of the U.S. Army Materiel Command. Together, they’re implementing bold new systems to provide viable, healthy and cost-efficient options for all of the Army’s installations. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Chef Irvine and LTG Mohan to discuss what exactly they’ve got cooking in the Army’s kitchens, and how they’ve drawn inspiration from culinary TV shows as well as Columbia University. Plus, we’ll come up with the perfect cake to celebrate the Army’s birthday this month.
Guests:
LTG Christopher Mohan, Deputy Commanding General and Acting Commander, U.S. Army Materiel Command
Chef Robert Irvine
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In 1968, Colonel Otis D. Evans landed in Vietnam and immediately started piloting 20-hour flights as a member of the Medical Service Corps helicopter DUSTOFF crew. It took him a while to win the respect of his fellow pilots, but one heroic mission captured their attention, and during his time in Vietnam he saved the lives of countless Soldiers. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with COL (Ret.) Evans to discuss his service during the Vietnam War, how that experience led to an incredible 27-year career in the Army and his thoughts on being celebrated at this year’s National Memorial Day Concert in Washington, DC.
Guest: COL Otis D. Evans, U.S. Army Retired
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Three years ago, Virginia Army National Guard SFC Tyler Butterworth filmed a video replicating a scene from Parks and Recreation that included Army ration packs and locations. The video went viral, and now Butterworth is a social media superstar with millions of followers who uses his content to show the funny side of Army life and aid recruiting. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with SFC Butterworth to discuss why his videos are so effective, compare comedy influences (Will Ferrell, anyone?) and discuss whether there is any way to get out of a speeding ticket.
Guest: SFC Tyler Butterworth, Virginia Army National Guard and Digital Creator
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In early 2021, as Dr. Kate Rubins was floating above Earth in the International Space Station, she decided she wanted to give back to the country that had given so much to her. She immediately commissioned for the Army Reserves, and today is both prepping for NASA’s upcoming moon missions while also doing microbiological research and training for the Army. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with MAJ Rubins to discuss her career as a microbiologist, what lessons she’s learned in the Reserves that she applies to her NASA work and what it’s like to tie your shoelaces in zero gravity.
Guest: MAJ Kate Rubins, PhD, U.S. Army Reserve and NASA Astronaut
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
For the past 100-plus years, V Corps has been helping to reinforce U.S. commitments in Europe. Today, under the command of LTG Charles Costanza, the corps is doing some of its most important work with partners stationed near the Russo-Ukrainian War. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with LTG Costanza to discuss his latest observations about the battle and how he was able to continue serving while recovering from a near-fatal emergency brain tumor procedure, and compare their knowledge (or lack thereof...) of the Polish language.
Guest: LTG Charles Costanza, Commanding General, United States Army V Corps
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
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Disclaimer:
The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Seventeen-year-old Linda Singh was homeless and working at a pretzel stand in a suburban Baltimore mall when she met a National Guard recruiter. That conversation led to a 38-year Army career, culminating in her role as the first female and African American Adjutant General of the Maryland National Guard. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with MG (Ret.) Singh to discuss how she overcame a number of obstacles in her youth, including sexual assault, to become the leader she is, the lessons and highlights of her Army career, and to learn a thing or two about Maryland in the process.
Guest: MG (Ret.) Linda Singh, PhD, U.S. Army National Guard, AUSA Senior Fellow
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
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Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
On August 8th, 2012, as CPT Florent Groberg was escorting coalition and Afghan personnel to a compound in Asadabad, Afghanistan, he spotted a man approaching who was wearing a suicide vest. Acting quickly, Groberg managed to push the attacker away from the group, but the vest still exploded, killing four people and seriously injuring Groberg. More would have perished, though, if it hadn’t been for the Captain’s actions, which led to him receiving the prestigious Medal of Honor. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with CPT (Ret.) Groberg to discuss how Groberg’s childhood in France shaped the person he became, how his recovery from the attack taught him many lessons, and also what it’s like being a comic book character.
Guest: Captain Florent "Flo" Groberg, U.S. Army Retired, Medal of Honor Recipient
AUSA Medal of Honor Graphic Novel webpage: www.ausa.org/moh
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
After a highly decorated 20-year Army career, LTC (Ret.) J.C. Glick found himself in the midst of a hugely difficult transition, first from his deployments, and then to civilian life. Things got so desperate that he made four attempts to take his own life, but eventually he found the help he needed. He is now a published author and a consultant to managers and athletes, and he currently serves as the CEO of The COMMIT Foundation, which aids veterans with the transition to a post-military career. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with LTC Glick to discuss lessons learned during his multiple deployments, what advice and perspective allowed him to overcome his difficult transition to civilian life, and how he feels about a Navy Seal joining his family.
Guest: LTC (Ret.) J.C. Glick, CEO, The COMMIT Foundation
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
COL Julia Coxen grew up with a natural understanding of the importance of service to her country. Her experience in ROTC led to a successful Army career in Special Operations, a PhD centered on using data to combat sex trafficking, and her current role inspiring the next generation of systems engineers at West Point. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with COL Coxen to discuss how data and system design drives everything in the world, how she lights a spark in her students, and how close she came to becoming an astronaut at NASA.
Guest: COL Julia Coxen, PhD, Systems Engineering Department Head, United States Military Academy at West Point
Disclaimer: This episode does not imply Federal endorsement.
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
The 2024 football season was one of the best ever for the Army West Point Black Knights Football Team. Leading the squad was head coach Jeff Monken, who has brought stability and strategy to a squad and allowed it to compete toe-to-toe with some of the top, best-funded football programs in the country over the last decade-plus. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Coach Monken to discuss his own football history, how he’s able to get the most out of his players, and how much pressure he actually feels during the annual Army-Navy game.
Guest: Jeff Monken, Head Coach, Army West Point Football
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Seventeen-year-old Jack Moran enlisted in 1944 to help fight the Nazis, and, within his first fifteen seconds of combat, he witnessed seven fellow Soldiers die. He went on to fight in the Battle of the Bulge, chase Nazis through Germany and help liberate the Buchenwald Concentration Camp. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with the now-99-year-old Moran to discuss his World War II experiences, how he continues to share his story with youth today, and the taste of different beers.
Guest: SSG John "Jack" Moran, U.S. Army Retired
Credits:
Episode photo and opening audio clips are courtesy of Capital Concerts.
“Bryan Cranston Tribute to WWII Veteran John ‘Jack’ Moran | 2024 National Memorial Day Concert.” YouTube, May 26, 2024. https://youtu.be/GXXGD6oHsy4?si=yD8iGIzq3H3ynYCE.
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
The Army is a family—and just like with all families, communication is key. That’s why Soldier and Family Readiness Groups were created, and the Army continues to spread the word on the services they provide—and solicit feedback from all possible stakeholders. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Dee Geise, the Director of the Prevention, Resilience and Readiness Directorate, to discuss how these Groups continue to improve the lives of Army spouses, how to find a proper work-life balance, and to compare their German experiences—and their fluency of the language.
Guest: Ms. Dee A. Geise, Director, Prevention, Resilience, and Readiness Directorate, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-9, Headquarters Department of the Army Washington, D.C.Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In the final seconds of the 2024 Olympics Women’s Rugby 7s Bronze Medal game, the American squad came from behind for an upset victory, clinching its first-ever medal in the sport. Captain Sammy Sullivan played a huge role in the victory, and hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with her to discuss her journey from Army Brat to eventual Olympic champion, the role of the Army in her success, and how a certain brick-building toy provides the ultimate relaxation tool.
Guest: Captain Samantha "Sammy" Sullivan, U.S. Army Olympian Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Drone technology has made incredible advances in the last few years, and the Army is at the forefront of this technology. Leading the charge is Lt. Col. Moseph Sauda, who is the director of the Joint C-sUAS (Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems) University and helping to train soldiers and other American groups on ways to defend against enemy drones. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with LTC Sauda to discuss the latest in drone technology, how the Army is working with other organizations to protect the country’s skies, and how Sauda’s love of music led him to where he is today. Guest: LTC Moseph Sauda, Director, Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems University, United States Army Fires Center of Excellence and Fort Sill Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
If Army Soldiers or officers find themselves in a financial emergency, the Army Emergency Relief (AER) organization is often the first place they turn to. SMA (Ret.) Michael “Tony” Grinston took over the helm of the group earlier this year, and he’s making changes that’ll take the organization to new heights. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with SMA Grinston to discuss his own Army journey, how AER aids Soldiers during large natural disasters, and what role the fabled composer Irving Berlin played in the creation of the organization.
Guest:
SMA (Ret.) Michael “Tony” Grinston, CEO, Army Emergency Relief
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
After leaving the Army in 2010, Tim Hsia wasn’t quite sure what to do next, but he had an itch to become an entrepreneur. His path took him to Stanford University, where he found some inspiration, and now his Context Ventures has poured millions into veteran-led startup companies. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Tim to talk about his own business journey, how veterans can get their startups financed—and how you never quite know who you’ll run into on a morning run…
Guest:
Tim Hsia, Context Ventures Founder and Managing Partner
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Inflatable tanks. Phony uniforms. Fake radio traffic. In early 1944, the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, known as the “Ghost Army,” was founded, and its ragtag collection of artists, Soldiers and engineers oversaw almost two-dozen “deception missions” that saved the lives of an estimated 30,000 Soldiers. In March of this year, their work was recognized with the Congressional Gold Medal. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with author and historian Rick Beyer to discuss the story and exploits of the Ghost Army and his decade-long journey to see that the unit received the Gold Medal—and then they are joined by a surviving Ghost Army Soldier, PVT (Ret.) Seymour Nussenbaum. Sadly, Mr. Nussenbaum passed away shortly after our recording. He died on October 5, 2024, at the age of 101.
Guests:
- Rick Beyer, Author, The Ghost Army of World War II: How One Top-Secret Unit Deceived the Enemy with Inflatable Tanks, Sound Effects, and Other Audacious Fakery
- PVT (Ret.) Seymour Nussenbaum, Surviving Ghost Army Soldier and Congressional Gold Medal Recipient
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
On Mother’s Day, 1968, Army Medic SPC Allen Hoe watched 18 of his friends die in battle during the Vietnam War. In the five decades since then, he has devoted his life to helping the families of those fallen Soldiers and the Army community. And it was at a 2005 Memorial Day event in Washington that he met a nurse who returned the favor by giving Allen peace after the death of Allen’s own son, who died during a deployment to Iraq in 2005. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with now-CASA Hoe to talk about his Vietnam experiences, the bravery of his son, and about the history—and beauty—of his native Hawaii.
Guest:
Allen Hoe, Civilian Aides to the Secretary of the Army (CASA) and American Gold Star Father
Audio Clip Credit: Courtesy of the National Memorial Day Concert on PBS
Capital Concerts. "Ruthie Ann Miles Performs "Aloha ' Oe"| 2024 National Memorial Day Concert." YouTube video, 3:34, May 26, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzshhU5b_sY
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
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Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Almost 100 years ago, a mother grieving the loss of her son in battle brought together other mothers who were coping with similar losses; in the process, she started American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. Over the past century, the organization has grown and continues to aid mothers—and families—through the grieving process, inspiring its members to continue a life of service. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Gold Star Mothers President Patti Elliott and new member Nichole Jackson Chilton to discuss what the organization is currently doing, the brave exploits of their respective sons, and to discover how one of them influenced the recent renaming of Fort Bragg to Fort Liberty.
Guests:
Patti Elliot, Gold Star Mothers National President
Nichole Jackson Chilton, Gold Star Mother Member
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
When he was a young boy growing up in Puerto Rico, two relatives of Dr. Lester Martinez-Lopez inspired him to enter the field of medicine. And an Army program led him to a 45-plus-year career saving lives, overseeing global medical innovation and preventing outbreaks, all culminating in his current position as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs of the United States. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Dr. Martinez-Lopez to talk about the numerous obstacles he’s had to overcome, his most influential missions… and what dessert he likes to indulge in.
Guest:
Dr. Lester Martinez-Lopez, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
One of the most important elements of any large organization is to ensure free and clear communication between all levels and people. In the 1930s, the U.S. Army recognized this and relaunched Infantry Journal, which many attribute to helping craft tactics and technologies leading into World War II. Ninety years later and with new technologies and possible crises around the world, the Army has just launched The Harding Project, which aims to renew and re-energize the Army’s writings and communication channels. Host SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sits down with the Harding Project’s LTC Zach Griffiths and SFC Leyton Summerlin to discuss their own Army careers, the importance of the written word, and how diving classes influenced all of it.
Guests:
LTC Zachary E. Griffiths and SFC Leyton M. Summerlin, Special Assistants to the Chief of Staff of the Army
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In Paris this month, SSG Leonard Korir competed in the challenging Men’s Marathon event at the 2024 Olympics. He completed the August 10th race with a time of 2 hours, 18 minutes and 45 seconds. Also fortunate to take part in the 2016 event in the 10,000-meter category, this year’s Olympic qualification is the culmination of an impressive career that’s taken him from Kenya to Iona College and now the Army’s World Class Athletic Program. Host LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith sits down with SSG Korir to discuss what it takes to become an Olympic athlete, how his career was influenced by strong mentors and coaches, and why he’s committed to the U.S. Army and a life of service.
Guest:
SSG Leonard Korir, U.S. Army
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In the summer of 2021, SPC Christian Sutton reluctantly attended a punk rock concert and was intrigued by a bone marrow registration table there. Inspired, he created Operation Ring the Bell, a series of donor drive events that has taken place at multiple Army bases and led to thousands of new possible bone marrow donors—and saved lives. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with SPC Sutton to discuss how his life has been driven by volunteering, how a few Afghan refugees have inspired him, and to hear his vision on turning the Army into a worldwide leader in bone marrow donations.
Guest:
SPC Christian Sutton, Founder and Lead Coordinator, Operation Ring the Bell
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
2LT Alma Cooper will be representing Michigan at the Miss USA Pageant this August, but she’s definitely NOT your traditional contestant. A 2023 graduate of West Point, she is a Knight-Hennessy Scholar currently completing a graduate degree in data-science at Stanford University, focusing on body mass index research that could aid the Army’s recruiting efforts. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Lt. Cooper to discuss her experience and inspirations at West Point, why she believes obesity is a major cause for concern in the world, and they listen as she pulls back the curtain on Miss USA and pageants today.
Thirty years ago, audiences around the world were introduced to Forrest Gump and his Army commander, Lieutenant Dan Taylor. For Gary Sinise, who played Lt. Dan, it was not only a major moment in his acting career but also in his relationship with the Army and the military. Since then, he’s raised millions of dollars for veterans, met with Wounded Warriors worldwide and played over 500 concerts for the military. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Gary to discuss the legacy of Forrest Gump, what he’s gotten from his time with the troops, and how music has helped him deal with the recent passing of his son, Mac.
Guest:
Gary Sinise, American Actor, Gary Sinise Foundation Founder, and 2017 AUSA George Marshall Medal Recipient
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
It’s a simple yet powerful creed: “Leave no Soldier behind.” At the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), every single employee takes this to heart and spends their days trying to find and identify the remains of American Soldiers who have been lost overseas. In this emotional second episode of a two-part series on the DPAA, we speak to researchers Dr. Veronica Keyes and Dr. Dawn Berry to learn what they do to discover these remains and how it’s affected their own lives. And we end with a special moment as we hear from a family member who was finally able to have their lost one returned home.
Guests:
Dr. Dawn A. Berry, Chief of Research, Korea, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Indo-Pacific Directorate, Research Division
Dr. Veronica A. Keyes, RPA, D-ABFA, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency Laboratory
Music Credits:
“Home at Last”, “The Faded Uniform - guitar and strings” and “The Faded Uniform - guitars only;” Written and performed by Ray Emil Kapaun.
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In September 2021, Medal of Honor recipient Father Emil Kapaun was finally buried near his Kansas home, seventy years after his death in a North Korean POW camp. It took years of research and work to discover and identify his remains, and it was the work of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) that made it all possible. This group of researchers and academics have devoted their lives to the creed of “Leave no Soldier behind,” and in this first episode of a special two-part series on the DPAA, our hosts speak with Father Emil’s nephew, Ray Kapaun, as well as DPAA researcher Josh Frank to discuss the process and power of what they do.
Guests:
Ray Emil Kapaun, Father Emil Kapaun’s nephew
Josh Frank, Research Analyst, Europe-Mediterranean Operations, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
Music Credits:
“Home at Last”, “The Faded Uniform - guitar and strings” and “The Faded Uniform - guitars only;” Written and performed by Ray Emil Kapaun.
Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
A teaser for our two-part series on the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency coming out in June.
On March 26th, a cargo ship slammed into and destroyed Baltimore’s Key Bridge, killing six people, and creating unimaginable chaos. One of the key responders to this event has been the Army Corps of Engineers, led by COL Estee Pinchasin; it has devoted all waking hours to clear the federal waters and to aid in the recovery and investigation process. In today’s episode, hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with COL Pinchasin to discuss what she and her team have focused on in the recovery efforts, her first thoughts when the accident happened, and a touching story behind a photo taken of her when she was promoted to Colonel.
Guest: COL Estee Pinchasin, District Commander, U.S. Army Corps of Engineer, Baltimore District
Has a member of the Army changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In 2020, Army Special Forces veteran and entrepreneur Ruben Ayala realized that a lot of top military-themed retail brands had become politically polarizing. So, he—along with three fellow vets—decided to create Triple Nikel Clothing, a military and hip-hop-inspired line that embraces community and diversity. Four years later, the company is thriving. Ruben joins hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey to discuss how his mother was his original entrepreneurial inspiration, how the all-black WWII Airborne 555th Parachute Infantry Battalion became the company’s shining light, and how four vets who knew absolutely nothing about creating clothing have thrived.
Guest: Ruben Ayala, CEO, Triple Nickel
Has a member of the Army changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
As a child, MG (Ret.) Antonio Taguba knew his father had been involved in the Bataan Death March – but it wasn’t until the older man’s dying days that General Taguba learned the full extent of it. That conversation inspired him to play a leading role in shining a spotlight on this dark moment of WWII, eventually leading to veterans of the battle and Death March receiving the prestigious Congressional Gold Medal. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with General Taguba to discuss his own Army origin story, the historical events of April 1942, and why he still travels across the country to deliver the Gold Medals to survivors and veterans every year.
Guest: MG (Ret.) Antonio Taguba, U.S. Army
Special thanks to Director, T.S. Botkin, and to Producers, Amanda Upson and Benito Bautista, for permission to use audio clips from their documentary, A Long March. For more information check out, https://www.lfffilm.com/.
Audio Clips Credits:
Upson, Amanda, and Benito Bautista. A Long March. United States: Good Docs, 2022.
Has a member of the Army changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In 2015, five Army spouses at Fort Bliss decided to organize a dress swap that would provide women with gowns they could wear to functions that were often cost prohibitive, like military balls. That swap turned into a huge event, and now the organization, Operation Deploy Your Dress, has a home in thirteen Army bases in the United States and Germany and has “deployed” over 25,000 dresses, saving people over $2M in costs. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with ODYD’s CEO and co-founder, Yvonne Coombes, to discuss the organization, how it helps to brings Army families and communities together… and how aliens in Roswell, New Mexico, played a role in her life.
Guest: Yvonne Coombes, CEO and Co-Founder, Operation Deploy Your Dress
Special thanks to Genevieve Kruger, Volunteer Store Manager, Operation Deploy Your Dress, who is featured in the introduction to this episode.
Has a member of the Army changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
MG (Ret.) Gregg Martin had a distinguished career, serving in various deployments and eventually heading the National Defense University. But, over the course of that career, he slowly started to develop manic tendencies, which became more and more pronounced, eventually leading to his forced resignation, staying at a VA psychiatric ward, and receiving a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with MG (Ret.) Martin to discuss his book Bipolar General: My Forever War Against Mental Illness, the highs and lows of his career (and illness), and how family and routine led him to a new life of recovery and joy.
Guest: MG (Ret.) Gregg Martin, U.S. Army & Author of “Bipolar General: My Forever War with Mental Illness”
Many thanks to our Presenting Advertiser: General Dynamics Land Systems
Has a member of the Army changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
After a career undertaking secretive operations in the Special Forces, in August of 2023, SMA Michael Weimer was sworn into his new position and took his turn in the spotlight as Sergeant Major of the Army. What, in the first six months of his term, has been his most difficult assignment? Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with SMA Weimer to discuss his childhood as an Army brat, talk through some of his leadership theories, and learn how Genghis Khan influenced one of his favorite training exercises.
Guest: SMA Michael Weimer, Sergeant Major of the Army
Many thanks to our Presenting Advertiser: General Dynamics Land Systems
Has a member of the Army changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast!
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
LTG Telita Crosland decided at the age of five she was going to be a doctor, and her later studies at West Point became her first official step into the field. Her thirty-year Army career has involved a great number of highlights and appointments, and she now heads the Defense Health Agency (DHA), overseeing the healthcare for almost 10 million citizens in and out of the military outside. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with LTG Crosland to discuss how DHA takes a leadership role in healthcare in the country, to share stories of mentorship… and to review a medically themed poem she wrote as a very young child.
Guest: LTG Telita Crosland, USA, Director, Defense Health Agency
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Comic book writer Chuck Dixon has produced more issues of comic books than any other living author today, most notably telling the stories of superheroes Batman, Robin, The Punisher and John Rambo. But his work on AUSA’s Medal of Honor comic series has allowed him to bring actual historical heroes to life to incredible effect. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Dixon to discuss the upcoming comic Medal of Honor: Ruben Rivers, the story of the WWII hero featured, how a comic book is actually created, and to agree that a visit from the taxman can be the best form of artistic inspiration.
Guest: Chuck Dixon, Fictioneer & Comic Book Writer
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
COL (Ret.) Greg Gadson originally attended West Point to play football, but quickly realized he wanted to be a Soldier for Life, and he was commissioned upon his graduation in 1989. His 25-year military career saw him serve in every major conflict of the past few decades, bringing him to many places, including Kuwait, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Afghanistan and Iraq. In May 2007, he faced his biggest challenge when he barely survived an IED attack and lost both of his legs; after that severe injury, he undertook a painful recovery that allowed him to continue to serve and to inspire countless people around him. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with COL Gadson to discuss lessons learned from his Army days, how his tales of teamwork led to two Superbowl rings, and how he’s recently discovered a new career as an actor.
Guest: COL (Ret.) Gregory Gadson, Actor & Co-Author of “Finding Waypoints: A Warrior’s Journey Toward Peace and Purpose”
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
While stationed in Germany in 1980, Dr. Rory Cooper was hit by a bus and paralyzed from the waist down. Responding to his condition, he decided he would devote his life to helping veterans and disabled individuals worldwide through the invention of new wheelchair technologies. Host SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey and guest co-host LaSherryn Duncan sit down with Dr. Cooper to discuss the impact of his Army experience, the numerous inventions he and his teams have overseen, his receipt of the National Medal of Technology and Innovation award – and what it’s like to be one of only a handful of inventors to have ever been immortalized with a collectible trading card AND appear on a Cheerios box…
Guest: Dr. Rory Cooper, Founding Director and VA Senior Career Scientist, Human Engineering Research Laboratories, University of Pittsburgh
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Matthew Weiss had a successful business career but wanted more, so he gave it all up to join the Marines. Curious as to why so few of his Gen Z cohorts were doing the same, he did some research for a better understanding and developed it into a book titled, We Don’t Want You, Uncle Sam. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with 2LT Weiss alongside 1LT Charlie Curtis to discuss the traits of Gen Z, how the Army can do a better job of appealing to them, and how veterans may have the biggest role to play.
Guests:
2LT Matthew Weiss, Author of We Don’t Want You, Uncle Sam: Examining the Military Recruiting Crisis with Generation Z
1LT Charlie Curtis, U.S. Army Recruiting Command
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
AUSA's Army Matters podcast amplifies the voices of the Total Army – one story at a time.
Join hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey every other Wednesday as they interview the modern chroniclers of the Army experience to discuss inspiring leadership stories, current issues faced by soldiers, and our military families’ journeys.
Our co-hosts are:
LTG(R) Les Smith: bio
SMA(R) Dan Dailey: bio
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Call of Duty is one of the largest ever video game franchises; one of the reasons for its success is its attention to detail—which is thanks to the military veterans behind it. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III creative director, Dave Swenson, and military consultant, Mitch Hall, to discuss the just-released game sequel, talk through how gaming can help relieve stress for those deployed—and to compare notes on their favorite games of all-time (hint: Pong and Mike Tyson Punch-Out may be mentioned). And, in a special year-end segment, some of our recent guests give shout-outs to Army members who have helped them along the way. Guests:
Dave Swenson, Creative Director, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, Sledgehammer Games
Mitch Hall, Military Consultant, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, Sledgehammer Games
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Over the last decade, Esports has grown into a billion-dollar business, with gamers and fans all over the world. Tapping into this popularity is the Army’s Esports Call of Duty team; these Soldiers not only go up against other gamers—they also spread the word in that community about their lives as Soldiers and the benefits of service. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and LaSherryn Duncan sit down with SSG Randy “Deja” Ojeda and SSG Stephen “SteveOWalle” Waller to talk about the benefits of gaming, how they balance gaming with their daily work—and how they came up with their unique nicknames.
Guests:
SSG Stephen Waller, U.S. Army
SSG Randy Ojeda, U.S. Army
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Every December, thousands of volunteers from around the country place wreaths on millions of graves of fallen servicemembers—in cemeteries across the United States—thanking each one individually. This initiative was started by Morrill and Karen Worcester in 1992; from there, it has grown to include an annual event, a radio station, an educational guide and more. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and guest host LaSherryn Duncan sit down with Wreath’s Executive Director Karen Worcester and Education Liaison Cindy Tatum, a Gold Star mother, to discuss the creation of the organization, the importance of remembering each and every fallen servicemember, and how people in Maine refuse to say their “R”s.
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word "wreath."
Guests:
Karen Worcester, Wreaths Across America Executive Director
Cindy Tatum, Gold Star Mom & Wreaths Across America Education Liaison
Resource: https://www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In 1963, LTG (Ret.) Robert F. Foley graduated 497th in a class of 504 students at West Point Academy. Only a few years later, however, he was valiantly saving his battalion’s troops in the middle of the Vietnam jungle. That act of bravery earned him the prestigious Medal of Honor, the first of countless highlights over his 30-plus years in service. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with LTG Foley to discuss his book Standing Tall: Leadership Lessons in the Life of a Soldier, his experiences in Vietnam, how an old friendship saved him in Korea, and how he was serenaded by his troops for falling into a well.
Guest:
LTG (Ret.) Robert F. Foley, Author of Standing Tall: Leadership Lessons in the Life of a Soldier
Book Review: A Vietnam Medal of Honor Recipient Shares Leadership Lessons (HistoryNet)
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Every month new enlistees around the country begin Basic Combat Training. And while it’s grueling and hard for them, it often also is for their parents at home in other ways. Dealing with a wide range of emotions can be difficult – especially for those with little-to-no knowledge of how the Army operates. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Air Force parent Hilari Luck, who oversees the new Our Community Salutes: Connect program, and Army parent Kim Norris, to discuss the emotions they went through – and are currently experiencing – as new military parents, how the Connect program is helping parents and enlistees, and how parking tickets led to both parents’ children deciding to serve their country.
Guests:
Kim Norris, New Army Parent
Hilari Luck, Our Community Salutes: Connect
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Starting from very humble beginnings in the segregated south, LTG (Ret.) Arthur Gregg rose through the ranks in his thirty-plus year career to become the Army’s first-ever African-American, three-star General. He blazed the trail for generations of soldiers and officers, and his accomplishments were honored earlier this year with the renaming of Fort Lee to Fort Gregg-Adams. Host LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith sits down with the 95-year-old LTG Gregg to discuss how he went from medical lab technician to a top Army general, what it was like serving in the time of segregation, and how it felt to see his name on one of the Army’s top bases.
Guest:
LTG Arthur Gregg, U.S. Army Retired
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
When a rumor circulated around Fort Drum, Command Sergeant Major (Ret.) Mario Terenas took to Instagram to dispel it, racking up tens of thousands of responses. That led him to realize the power of the social media platform to really connect with his soldiers, making him a better leader in the process. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with CSM (Ret.) Terenas to discuss Instagram, the story of his abandonment at age sixteen, how to become #mountaintough… and how cleaning toilets can develop leadership skills.
In July of this year millions across the country were blown away when the 82nd Airborne Division All-American Chorus appeared on the talent show America’s Got Talent, impressing the judges and making it to this month’s semifinals. But the Chorus has been around for decades, telling the story of the Army through song and performance. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with two Chorus members, SSG Marcus Gilbert and SGT Damarielis Vargas, to talk about the Chorus, their favorite performances, the intimidating nature of Simon Cowell… and perhaps belt out a tune or two…
Guests:
SSG Marcus Gilbert, U.S. Army
SGT Damarielis Vargas, U.S. Army
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In October of 2022, SGT Alison Weisz won the World Championship in the Women’s 10m Air Rifle Competition, becoming the first American woman to win the title since 1979. Not stopping there, she’s currently spending her days training at Fort Moore for a chance at winning gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with SGT Weisz to discuss how a children’s gun safety course led her to where she is today, how a proper diet affects everything in life, and what advice she’d give to Elmer Fudd in his pursuit of the bunny.
Guest: SGT Alison Weisz, U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, International Rifle Team
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Army recruiting. Climate change. Community service. AI. These are all important issues, and in the second of our special two-part series we continue speaking to four top ROTC. and JROTC cadets to get their thoughts on all of these topics – and more.
Guests:
Catherine Blotevogel, Georgetown University ROTC Cadet
Kyle Fernandez, Bowie State University ROTC Cadet
Jake Witt, Conroe High School JROTC Cadet
Easten Jenn, Leilehua High School JROTC Cadet
AUSA Scholarships:
https://www.ausa.org/scholarships https://www.ausa.org/education/stroup-scholarship-essay
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Check out a sneak peek of our next episode, the second in our two-part series talking with top cadets. What do our future leaders think about climate change? Army recruiting? A.I? And social media? Tune in next week for more.
Featured Guest: Easten Jenn, Leilehua High School JROTC Cadet
AUSA Scholarships:
https://www.ausa.org/scholarships https://www.ausa.org/education/stroup-scholarship-essay
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
A lot of today’s Army leaders started out as cadets in ROTC or JROTC Well, what do the youth in the program today think about the Army and the world itself? In today’s episode – the first of a very special two-part series – we sit down with four top cadets to get their thoughts on their programs, the benefits and difficulties of service, what the Army could do to improve recruitment, as well as some musings on topics like climate change, mental health, social media and more.
Guests:
Catherine Blotevogel, Georgetown University ROTC Cadet
Kyle Fernandez, Bowie State University ROTC Cadet
Jake Witt, Conroe High School JROTC Cadet
Easten Jenn, Leilehua High School JROTC Cadet
AUSA Scholarships:
https://www.ausa.org/scholarships https://www.ausa.org/education/stroup-scholarship-essay Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In July, 1973 then-U.S. Secretary of Defense Melvin R. Laird announced the U.S. military would fill its ranks with volunteers, not draftees. In the last fifty years over 11 million volunteers have signed up, making the All-Volunteer Force a model recruitment process for the country. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with General (Ret.) Carter Ham to discuss what it was like being amongst the first to volunteer in that 1973 volunteer class, and then chat with Lt. Gen. Walter E. Piatt to discuss what the Army is doing this month to celebrate the 50th anniversary.
Guests:
GEN Carter Ham, U.S. Army Retired
LTG Walter Piatt, Director of the Army Staff
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Most people know Robert Irvine as a celebrity chef and television host. But not everyone knows he got his start in the British Royal Navy at age 15, that he runs 11 businesses employing over 5,000 people, and that he spends a large amount of time every year meeting with – and feeding – troops around the world. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Chef Irvine to discuss his military career, his new book for entrepreneurs, and have him judge a friendly – or not? – podcast cooking competition.
Guest: Robert Irvine, Celebrity Chef and Television Host
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
John McManus, one of the most prolific chroniclers of Army history, has just completed an acclaimed trilogy of books about the Asia-Pacific battles in World War II. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with McManus to discuss his last book, To the End of the Earth: The US Army and the Downfall of Japan, 1945, lessons learned from those battles, and how he transitioned from an aspiring baseball announcer to a history professor and author. (Oh, and Professor McManus also oversees a little history pop quiz along the way…)
Guest: John McManus, author of To the End of the Earth: The US Army and the Downfall of Japan, 1945
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In early 1945 a predominantly all-black, all-female battalion was sent to Europe to do the impossible: ensure delivery of 17 million pieces of mail to aid morale across the continent. They succeeded, but it took over fifty years – and the work of many – for the exploits of the “Six Triple Eight” to be recognized. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie. C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Col (Ret.) Edna Cummings to discuss her efforts to bring attention to the 6888, the glass ceilings she burst through in her own 25-year Army career, and what it was like to witness the 6888’s leader Charity Adams honored in the recent naming of Fort Gregg-Adams.
Guest: COL (Ret.) Edna Cummings, Army Reserve Ambassador-Maryland, Six Triple Eight Congressional Gold Medal Champion, and Documentary Producer
Coming Soon: Six Triple Eight Exhibit at the Army Women's Museum, Fort Gregg-Adams. https://awm.lee.army.mil/
Video Citation: "LTC Charity Adams, Oral History, 1990." U.S. Army Women's Museum. January 31, 2018. Video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3snVXlW5ng&t=7s.
Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
MSG (Ret.) Darrell Utt has overseen many brave missions in his life, from ones as a young child that put food on his family’s table to tracking down war criminals as a Green Beret. Today he oversees the operations of the in-progress National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, TX. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with MSG (Ret.) Utt to discuss the importance of teamwork, what makes him so driven to complete the Medal of Honor Museum, and how to put together a honeypot operation.
Guest:
MSG (Ret.) Darrell Utt, Chief of Operations, National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation
If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
As SMA Dailey asked in the episode: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
When the Department of Defense decided to examine the renaming of its bases in 2020, it turned to Brigadier General (Ret.) Ty Seidule to vice-chair its Naming Commission. Not only is BG (Ret.) Seidule Professor Emeritus of History at West Point Academy, but also a southerner. He grew up in awe of Confederate General Robert E. Lee, but eventually had to reevaluate who should be honored as a hero. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with BG (Ret.) Seidule to discuss the process of renaming military bases, the importance of history, and give shout-outs to a number of heroes that more people should be aware of.
Guest:
BG (Ret.) Ty Seidule, U.S. Army
If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Actress Jill Wagner (Teen Wolf, Wipeout, numerous romance films), was raised in a military family, and reunited with an old boyfriend, Major David Lemanowicz, while on a USO Tour in Afghanistan in 2015. It was just one of multiple meet-cutes for the couple, eventually leading to their marriage, and upcoming spy thriller Paramount+ TV series, Lioness, co-created by MAJ Lemanowicz, Jill Wagner, and Taylor Sheridan. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie. C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with the couple to discuss their romance, how service has defined their lives, the upcoming series… and the story behind the unique (and patriotic) name they gave their first-born child.
Guests:
- Jill Wagner, Actress and T.V. personality
- MAJ David Lemanowicz, U.S. Army
If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
What does the next generation think about the world today? About service? About their own anxieties? Well, perhaps the best place to start is to chat with this year’s Boys and Girls Clubs of America’s Military Youth of the Year Award recipient, right? Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie. C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with award-winning speaker Asha B. – as well as Boys and Girls Clubs President and CEO Jim Clark – to talk about what the organization is doing to help today’s young people, how the club helped Ahsha B’s own personal confidence, and what advice they’d give to other people (as well as our podcasting team …)
Guests:
- Ahsha B., Military Youth of the Year, Boys & Girls Clubs of America
- Jim Clark, President & CEO, Boys & Girls Clubs of America
If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
Brigadier General (Ret.) Anne Macdonald is an Army trailblazer in all senses of the word: part of the first gender-integrated class at West Point Academy, the first active-duty combat arms (aviator) female to be promoted to General Officer, and the current President of the Army Women’s Foundation. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie. C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with BG Macdonald to talk about the glass ceilings she’s busted, her powerful experience visiting an Afghan women’s prison and what she misses most about the U.S. while living in Abu Dhabi.
Guest: BG (Ret.) Anne F. Macdonald, President, Army Women's Foundation
If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
When people think about the stressful and difficult parts of Army service, home life isn’t always given a great deal of thought. And yet, finding a balance between your unit and family is perhaps the most important part of a Soldier’s life. Host LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and his very special guest co-host—his wife, Vanedra Smith—talk with California Army National Guard LTC Chris Elson and his wife, Gina Viscusi-Elson, on how to make an Army marriage strong, provide tips on ways to survive the difficult moments, and challenge each other with a round or two of “The Not-so-Newlywed Game.”
Guests: LTC Christopher Elson, Director of Discovery Challenge Academy and Public Affairs Officer, 40th Infantry Division, California National Guard
Gina Viscusi-Elson, Owner, Viscusi Elson Interior Design and Spouse, California National Guardsman
If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
In 2012 Former Sgt. Paul Szoldra (USMC), Marine vet started a small website satirizing the military. Over the last eleven years that site – The Duffel Blog – has entertained hundreds of thousands of people within – and outside – the military. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Szoldra to talk about the effectiveness of satire, some of their favorite Duffel Blog articles, and a certain SMA ranking story from years ago…
Guest: Former Sgt. Paul Szoldra (USMC), Duffel Blog, Founder and Editor in Chief
If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
After thirty years of heroic service, Colonel (Ret.) Kenny Mintz decided to undertake an epic adventure in 2022 – a walk across the United States, going from Washington, D.C. to southern California. The path allowed him to retrace the route he and his single mother drove when he was a child moving across the country. Hosts LTG (Ret.) Leslie. C. Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with COL Mintz to talk about how football led to his career in the Army, what drew him closer to his mother, and how it’s in our DNA as humans to walk and move.
Guest: COL (Ret.) Kenny Mintz, Independent Entrepreneur, Kenny Walks, LLC
If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
For the past forty years, Daryl Davis has befriended members of the Ku Klux Klan and convinced (directly and indirectly) over 200 to quit the organization. How has he accomplished this? And how can everyone apply this technique to their own life? Hosts LTG (Ret.) Les Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Mr. Davis - along with Chaplain (MG) Thomas Solhjem - to chat about the power of conversation, the beauty of music, and how the Army uses Mr. Davis' experience to help soldiers take care of their health, fitness and well-being.
Guests:CH (MG) Thomas L. Solhjem, Chief of Chaplains, United States Army
Daryl Davis, Race Relations Expert and Musician, Actor and Author, Lyrad Productions
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.
Music Credits:
Going Back To The Country, Karen Lee, and One Foot In The Graveyard; Written and performed by Daryl Davis; Courtesy of Lyrad Music and BMI Publishing.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
MSG Tim Kennedy was living a life without purpose until he joined the U.S. Army and then became an MMA fighter. Those two organizations allowed him to channel his aggression and led to a career as a top-ranked fighter, Army Special Forces sniper, television host, human trafficker hunter and entrepreneur. Series co-hosts LTG (Ret.) Les Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with MSG Tim Kennedy to talk about how failure continues to drive him, how to take punches, and how a Captain’s dry humor changed his life.
Guest: MSG Tim Kennedy, co-author of Scars and Stripes: An Unapologetically American Story of Fighting the Taliban, UFC Warriors, and Myself
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Disclaimer:
AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please note that you are not being provided professional advice from the podcast or the guests. The views and opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views of AUSA.
From the battlefields to the barracks to the boardrooms, Army Matters will find the best individuals and stories to entertain and inspire you. Produced by the Association of the United States Army. Subscribe and follow now.
Johnny Morris, founder and CEO of the ever-present Bass Pro Shops, one of the world’s largest outdoor retail chains, makes his very first podcast appearance in today’s episode. New series co-hosts LTG (Ret.) Les Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Johnny to chat about how his father’s involvement in WW2’s Battle of the Bulge inspired him to make veterans and the military a priority for the business (and in life), how a love of fishing (and a mail catalog) led to the company’s success, and how one patriotic song (and its singer) has also inspired Johnny to give back to the country.
Military spouse. Mother. Behavioral therapist. And AUSA Volunteer Family of the Year. Amanda Tomasura has spent the last fourteen years aiding her communities; she sits down with host Holly Dailey to discuss the importance of giving back to the community, how putting teens through boot camp can be an incredibly positive experience, and perhaps her most terrifying moment – jumping out of a plane.
Guest: Amanda Tomasura, 2022 AUSA Volunteer Family of the Year Recipient
Host: Holly Dailey
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Lt. Colonel Jacob Helgestad was fast asleep in Kuwait when someone knocked at his door in mid-August, 2021. “Hey, Sir, we gotta go to Afghanistan.” Within 24 hours Helgestad’s 625 troops were landing at Hamid Karzai International Airport and in the thick of a mass evacuation. Host Colonel (Ret.) Scott Halstead speaks with Helgestad about how he had his team prepared for that very moment, the role the unit played in evacuating 124,000 people, and how science fiction military novels are a great escape (and also a tutorial).Note: At the time, Lt. Col. Helgestad was Battalion Commander for the 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 194th Armor Regiment, but has since changed roles.Guest: LTC Jacob Helgestad, Executive Officer, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, Minnesota Army National Guard
Host: COL (Ret.) Scott HalsteadRecommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
After a painful medical diagnosis, Chief Warrant Officer 5 (Ret.) Chad Butters and his wife Jodi decided to change their lives, leading them to pursue their passion about the outdoors, faming and starting a distillery. Host SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sits down with Chad at Eight Oaks Distillery, drinks in hand, to talk about Chad’s Army career, some sound advice for entrepreneurs and (most importantly?) what spirits he recommends.
- Guest: CW5 (Ret.) Chad Butters, Founder and CEO, Eight Oaks Farm Distillery
- Host: SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey
Resources:
Eight Oaks Farm Distillery https://eightoaksdistillery.com/
What makes a battlefield hero? Is it upbringing, training, and being placed in a specific situation? Or a combination thereof? Host Joe Craig sits down with Dr. Raymond James Raymond, author of the book Elite Souls: Portraits of Valor in Iraq and Afghanistan, to discuss five heroes he profiled. Learn how their moral courage led them each to saving the lives of many, how these officers’ upbringings and West Point experiences influenced them, and how Dr. Raymond’s cousin’s exploits in World War II inspired him from a very young age.
For almost two centuries, women were not allowed to join the U.S. Military – yet millions served. Now with almost 20% of the military being female, the Military Women’s Memorial is celebrating the three million women who have served the Nation in both peace and war -- since before the founding of the Republic. Host COL (Ret.) Dan Roper sits down with CW5 (Ret.) Phyllis Wilson, the Memorial’s President, to share their stories of bravery, how the Memorial is celebrating its 25th anniversary… and what types of (crumbled) cookies taste the best in a combat zone.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guest: CW5 (Ret) Phyllis Wilson, President, Military Women’s Memorial
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Host: COL (Ret) Dan Roper
Audio Clip Credits:
Military Women's Memorial 25th Anniversary Program. YouTube, 2022. https://youtu.be/nBLpWsNa2K0.
US Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps. 2019. Video. https://www.loc.gov/item/webcast-9129/.
Throughout Master Sergeant (Ret.) Cedric King’s Army career he always faced challenges head on. His biggest obstacle, however, took place in 2012 when he was injured by an IED device and lost his legs. But rather than feeling sorry for himself, he accepted it and is now a triathlete, author and motivational speaker. Host Colonel (Ret.) Scott Halstead talks to Cedric about the superheroes that inspired him at Fort Bragg, how hard it is to learn to walk again, and how a trip to a mini-mall changed his life.
Guest: MSG Cedric King, United States Army Retired
Host: COL Scott Halstead, United States Army Retired
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
In celebration of NCOs and Soldiers at AUSA’s 2022 Annual Meeting, 10-12 October in Washington, DC, SMA Michael Grinston swung by AUSA’s headquarters to talk about the exciting events: the Army Ten-Miler is in person; the new award for Best Squad will be presented; and the next Honorary Sergeant Major of the Army will be revealed. In addition, SMA Grinston provided a preview of his upcoming initiatives for his final year as Sergeant Major of the Army. The initiatives include reducing harmful behaviors throughout the force, modernizing recruitment, telling stories that remind us why we’re proud of our Army and more. Be sure to join us for his Initiatives Briefing in October!
Guest: SMA Michael A. Grinston, Sergeant Major of the Army
Host: SMA (R) Dan Dailey
Resources:
AUSA 2022 Annual Meeting & Exposition https://meetings.ausa.org/annual/2022/index.cfm
Sergeant Major of the Army Web: https://www.army.mil/leaders/sma/ Twitter: @16thSMA
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
When Frank Dolberry was a teenager thinking of joining the Army, an acquaintance dismissed the notion, thinking it was an unrealistic dream for someone like him. Major Frank Dolberry sits down with host Colonel (Ret.) Dan Roper to discuss how this motivated him to succeed, other inspirations he found along the way including the tremendous legacy of service in his family, and how he thinks the Army could improve its recruiting outcomes.
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Guest: MAJ Frank Dolberry, AUSA Army Fellow
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Host: COL (Ret) Dan Roper
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
When people are at their lowest point, sometimes something as simple as a note or small gift can make a world of difference. Major General (Ret.) James Johnson, the head of Operation Gratitude, an organization that sends gift packages to service members overseas, speaks with host Holly Dailey and co-host Maria McConville about the power of gratitude. And then social scientist Dr. Alaina Hansom joins to discuss research that proves the benefits of showing gratitude.
(In the spirit of this show… THANK YOU for listening to this episode!)
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Hosts:
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- Holly Dailey, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness - Maria McConville, Spouse of the Chief of Staff of the Army
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Guests:
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- MG (Ret.) James Johnson, President and CEO, Operation Gratitude - Alaina Hansom, PhD, Social Fitness Scientist, (HFJ) Human Performance Resources by CHAMP (HPRC), Uniformed Services University
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Opening Credits:
Narrators: Kevin Irwin, Carrie Varouhakis, LaSherryn Duncan
Script: Anthony Del Col
Sound Design: Andy Bosnak
Resources:
Operation Gratitude Website: https://www.operationgratitude.com/
Human Performance Resources by CHAMP (HPRC)
Website: https://www.hprc-online.org/
Human Performance Resources by CHAMP (HPRC) – #GotMySix Campaign
Website: https://www.hprc-online.org/total-force-fitness/gotmysix
Military intelligence leaders generally work behind the scenes and are trained to shun the spotlight, but they play vital leadership roles in every single part of the Army. Major General Michelle Schmidt talks with host Colonel (Ret.) Scott Halstead about her 30-year career, including being at the Pentagon on 9/11 to saying goodbye to friends in the final days of the U.S. presence in Afghanistan in 2021, and whether the book Fast After 50 should be considered fictional…
- Guest: MG Michelle A. Schmidt, Director, Force Development, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-8, U.S. Army
- Host: COL (Ret) Scott Halstead
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
When military people hear about the U.S. Army Pacific area, they think about the ocean and the inevitable Navy presence there. But the region contains sixty percent of the world’s population and land patrol is the key to the region’s stability. Host Sergeant Major of the Army (retired) Dan Dailey sits down with General Charles Flynn, Commanding General of the U.S. Army Pacific, to talk about the region’s importance, training opportunities there for young officers, and some of the leaders that have inspired him over the years.
- Guest: GEN Charles Flynn, Commanding General, U.S. Army Pacific
- Host: SMA(R) Dan Dailey
Resources:
U.S. Army Pacific (USARPAC) Web: https://www.army.mil/usarpac
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Whether it’s during a snowstorm, pouring rain or a heat wave, a devoted group of volunteers show up for every single Army funeral at Arlington National Cemetery, there to represent the Chief of Staff and the entire Army family. Cindy Risch, the current Senior Spouse of the U.S. Army JAG Corps, is one of those ladies and speaks to host Holly Dailey about how powerful her experience as an Arlington Lady has been, the highs and lows of being a military spouse and how some people just really love their cookies.
- Guest: Cindy Risch, Senior Spouse of the U.S. Army JAG Corps
- Host: Holly Dailey
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Most people believe it’s not a question of if China will invade Taiwan, but “when”. So can this be prevented? Host Joe Craig sits down with Elbridge Colby to discuss his 2021 book The Strategy of Denial: American Defense in an Age of Great Power Conflict, as well as how a possible war might play out, how the Chinese forces could be neutralized before that happens, and what allies could surprisingly play the biggest roles.
· Guest: Elbridge Colby, author of Strategy of Denial: American Defense in an Age of Great Power Conflict
· Host: Joe Craig
Resources:
Yale University Press:
Strategy of Denial: American Defense in an Age of Great Power Conflict
Credits
Opening Dramatization:
Narrator: Carrie Varouhakis
Script: Anthony Del Col
Sound Design: Andy Bosnak
Book:
Colby, Elbridge A. Strategy of Denial: American Defense in an Age of Great Power Conflict. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2022.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
There have been countless analyses of the Ukrainian-Russian War since it began earlier this year. The most effective of these have been from experts who have witnessed the conflict firsthand. Colonel (Ret.) Dan Roper speaks with Dr. Jack Watling, Senior Research Fellow for Land Warfare at the Royal United Services Institute about what he’s observed from the battlefields of Ukraine, explains the four stages of the war thus far, and describes how Ukraine could not only survive but defeat the Russians.
· Guest: Dr. Jack Watling, Senior Research Fellow, Land Warfare – Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)
· Host: COL (Ret.) Dan Roper
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
In October 2001, then-Captain Jim Wanovich parachuted into Afghanistan to begin the American invasion of the country. Twenty years later, in August 2021 Jim’s son, First Lieutenant Andrew Wanovich deployed to Afghanistan to assist with the evacuation of the country. Host Colonel (Ret.) Scott Halstead sits down with the Wanovich family – Jim, his wife Kim and Andrew – to discuss what these operations were like, how Kim felt watching both her husband and son go into these dangerous missions, and the best place to learn how to drive stick shift.
- Guests:
- COL (Ret.) Jim Wanovich
- Kim Wanovich
- 1LT Andrew Wanovich
- Host: COL (Ret) Scott Halstead
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Sergeant Major (Ret) Burnie Haney got hooked on fishing as a young boy when he caught a five-pound largemouth bass and his father carried it around the campfire like a trophy. After a thirty-eight-year Army career Haney decided to turn his passion into a full-time business, starting New York Fishing Adventures. Host Sergeant Major of the Army (Ret) Dan Dailey sits down by Lake Ontario with Haney to talk to him about his Army career, how to get help with startups from local groups and – yes – get some fishing tips.
- Guest: SGM (Ret) Burnie Haney, Owner, New York Fishing Adventures
- Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey
Resources:
New York Fishing Adventures Web: https://burniehaney.com/
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
With over 30 years in uniform, Colonel (retired) R.D. Hooker Jr. served in various overseas postings (Grenada, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan and more), taught at West Point, and served in the White House. Host Joe Craig sits down with Hooker, who just released his seventh book, The Good Captain: A Personal Memoir of America at War, to discuss his career, the times he refused orders, and how to make a great first impression - by burning down a watchtower…
- Guest: R.D. Hooker, Jr., author of Good Captain: A Personal Memoir of American at War
- Host: Joe Craig
Resources:
Casemate Publishers:
Good Captain: A Personal Memoir of American at War
Credits
Opening Dramatization:
Narrator: CSM(Ret.)Troy Welch
Script: Anthony Del Col
Sound Design: Andy Bosnak
Book:
Hooker, Richard D. The Good Captain: A Personal Memoir of America at War. Philadelphia, PA: Casemate Publishers, 2022.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Reading as a family is proven to aid children in developing key language and literary skills. But what happens when a family member is away on leave for extended periods of time? Thirty-three years ago, a military spouse created United Through Reading to create a system that would help bring families together through books. Host Holly Dailey talks to United Through Reading’s Molly Haskin to talk about the program, how they have adapted to the latest phone technology, and whether it’s possible to develop mind powers like Roald Dahl’s Matilda.
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Guest: Molly Haskin, Director of Army, Air Force, and Space Force Programs for United Through Reading
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Host: Holly Dailey
Resources:
Morale, Welfare, Recreation (MWR) Library
Website: https://unitedthroughreading.org/read-beyond-the-beaten-path-this-summer/
Reading App Challenge June 15 – August 31
Website: https://unitedthroughreading.org/join-our-2022-summer-reading-app-challenge/
Mobile Van and Joining Forces Website: https://unitedthroughreading.org/mobile-story-station-for-military-families-rolls-into-union-station/
Audio Clip Credits:
Reading for the Record with UTR - SMA Dan Dailey, US Army. YouTube. YouTube, 2016. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oebaBTMvL_Y.
When people think of Formula One racing, they imagine fast cars, exotic locales, and millions of fans. When former Acting Secretary of the Army John Whitley thinks of F1, he sees the future for the Army and other organizations. Host Colonel (retired) Dan Roper sits down with Whitley to talk about racecar driving, digital twins, and how someone who originally enrolled in agricultural studies worked his way towards overseeing a $700 billion military budget.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guest: John Whitley, former Acting Secretary of the Army; Researcher and Advisor, Institute for Defense Analyses
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Host: COL (Ret) Dan Roper
Cadet Command is perhaps the most important initiative of the U.S. Army, overseeing more than 30,000 ROTC cadets that could become the next generation of officers and this country’s leaders. Host Colonel (retired) Scott Halstead sits down with his old friend, Major General Johnny Davis, to find out more about the program and the General’s role in overseeing it. The two discuss the role of mentorship, what today’s cadets have on their minds and – perhaps most importantly – the right way to drink coffee.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guest: MG Johnny K. Davis, Commanding General, U.S. Army Cadet Command and Fort Knox, Kentucky
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Host: COL (Ret) Scott Halstead
Resources:
U.S. Army Cadet Command
Web: https://www.cadetcommand.army.mil/
In December 2011, American E.O.D. tech Aaron Hale was immediately blinded by an explosion in Afghanistan. But rather than feel sorry for himself, he decided to make the rest of his life an adventure. Host Sergeant Major of the Army (retired) Dan Dailey sits down with Aaron as part of his series about entrepreneurship to talk about whitewater kayaking, how he overcome an even bigger disability, and how he re-discovered joy – and a successful business start-up – in making fudge with his wife Kayla.
- Guest: Aaron Hale, Co-Founder, E.O.D. Fudge and former Army Staff Sergeant
- Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey
Resources:
E.O.D. Fudge Web: https://eodfudge.com/
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
General George S. Patton is one of the most famous American military leaders of all-time, with an outsized personality and even-bigger reputation. But what really drove his World War II successful campaigns? Host Joe Craig sits down with Stephen L. Moore, the author of the just-released book Patton’s Payback: The Battle of El Guettar and General Patton’s Rise to Glory to discuss the man, the conditions he faced in North Africa in the early days of the war, and how he motivated his men to fight and find victory.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guest: Stephen Moore, author of Patton’s Payback: The Battle of El Guettar and General Patton’s Rise to Glory
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Host: Joe Craig
Resources:
Penguin Random House:
Patton’s Payback: The Battle of El Guettar and General Patton’s Rise to Glory
Credits
Opening Dramatization:
Narrator: Gina Cavallaro
Script: Anthony Del Col
Sound Design: Andy Bosnak
Book:
Moore, Stephen L. Patton's Payback: The Battle of El Guettar and General Patton's Rise to Glory. New York, NY: Caliber, an imprint of Penguin Random House, 2022.
Let’s face it: Life is stressful. Life in the military perhaps even more so. Add a worldwide pandemic and it has become even more overwhelming. On this episode host Holly Dailey (along with co-hosts Maria McConville and Alexandra Grinston) talk to Chaplain (MG) Thomas Solhjem and COL Samuel Preston about the Army’s holistic health and fitness program, how Covid shines a spotlight on problems that already exist, and get some practical tips on what to do when life feels unmanageable.
- Guests:
- Chaplain (Major General) Thomas L. Solhjem, U.S. Army Chief of Chaplains
- Colonel Samuel L. Preston, Chief, Behavioral Health Division Health Care Delivery, G-3/5/7, U.S. Army
- Hosts:
- Holly Dailey, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
- Maria McConville, Spouse of the Chief of Staff of the Army
- Alexandra Grinston, Spouse of the Sergeant Major of the Army
Resources:
Army Chaplain Corps Website: https://www.army.mil/chaplaincorps
Chaplain – Army Recruiting Website: www.goarmy.com/chaplain
Social Media Handles:
YouTube: @US Army Chaplain Corps Facebook: @ArmyChaplainCorps Instagram: @ArmyChaplainCorps LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/u-s-army-chaplain-corps/
Chaplin Podcast: Community Conversations Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1610608825
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
It seems obvious but is so often overlooked: Trust is perhaps the most important element of any organization’s culture. Host Colonel (retired) Scott Halstead sat down with Colonel Brian Ducote and Command Sergeant Major Mark Eckstrom of the fabled 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division just prior to their departure to Iraq and Syria to discuss how to create a strong culture, how the analogy of building a river is what leaders should aim for, and... what it would take to coax Scott to come out of retirement to join their mission.
- Guests from 1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, U.S. Army:
- COL Brian Ducote, Commander
- CSM Mark Eckstrom, Command Sergeant Major
- Host: COL (Ret) Scott Halstead
Resources:
1st Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division U.S. Army Fort Drum Web: https://home.army.mil/drum/index.php/units-tenants/1st-BCT
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
It’s a question every NCO asks themselves at some point: What can I actually do to make a difference? Sgt. 1st Class Aaron M. Welch, stationed in Valencia, Spain, answered that question and his subsequent efforts have led to him being named NATO’s Soldier of the Year. Command Sergeant Major (Ret) Troy Welch interviews Aaron about his work in helping to set up Spain’s first sniper school, sharing his experiences at conferences, and how Aaron’s view of NATO has changed during his time in Spain. (And yes, Aaron is Troy’s nephew, so expect many “proud uncle” moments.)
- Guest: SFC Aaron M. Welch, 2021 NATO Force Structure Top Soldier of the Year
- Host: CSM (Ret) Troy Welch
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
After years of planning and consultation, the Army has just implemented a brand-new Army Combat Fitness Test for everyone across all levels. SMA Michael Grinston visits to describe the new plan to Army Matters host SMA (retired) Dan Dailey, detail how it will make the Army ready for the future, and also explain the most important thing that he believes separates the U.S. military from the Russian one.
- Guest: SMA Michael Grinston, 16th Sergeant Major of the Army
- Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey
Resources:
Sergeant Major of the Army Web: https://www.army.mil/leaders/sma/ Twitter: @16thSMA
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
In his years as the Commanding General of U.S. Army Europe, Ben Hodges was known to be candid and unafraid to tell the truth. In today’s episode, host Colonel (Ret) Dan Roper speaks to Hodges about why most experts – including himself – overestimated the strength of the Russian Army. They also assess the impact of US military training of Ukrainian troops, and how this conflict is likely to shape the future of the U.S. Army, NATO, and the ongoing strategic competition with China.
- Guest: LTG (Ret) Ben Hodges, former Commanding General, U.S. Army Europe and Pershing Chair in Strategic Studies, Center for European Policy Analysis
- Host: COL (Ret) Dan Roper, AUSA’s Director of National Security Studies
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Colonel Jesse L. Johnson is one of the most decorated American veterans of all-time, with his forty-plus career involving intense battles in the jungles of Vietnam to fighting Al Qaeda in the deserts of Saudi Arabia (and more). Host Joe Craig talks to him and co-author Alex Holstein about Johnson’s new memoir, Warfighter: The Story of an American Fighting Man and the Colonel’s various escapades, including the origins of Delta Force, saving NATO Commanders from terrorists, and personally welcoming the Emir of Kuwait back after the Gulf War.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Host: Joe Craig, AUSA’s Book Program Director
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Guests:
- Colonel Jesse L. Johnson, author of Warfighter: The Story of an American Fighting Man
- Alex Holstein, co-author of Warfighter: The Story of an American Fighting Man
Resources:
Rowman & Littlefield:
Warfighter: The Story of an American Fighting Man
Credits:
Opening Dramatization
Narrator: CSM (Ret.) Troy Welch, AUSA’s Director, NCO & Soldier Programs
Script: Anthony Del Col
Sound Design: Andy Bosnak
Book
Johnson, Jesse L., and Alex Holstein. Warfighter: The Story of an American Fighting Man. Guilford, CT: Lyons Press, 2022.
It’s a topic we all think about, yet so many people are scared to even discuss it. Yes, we’re talking about personal finances. On this episode host Holly Dailey (along with guest co-hosts Maria McConville and Alexandra Grinston) find out from Justin Hall of the Department of Defense’s Office of Financial Readiness how easy it is to master your wallet. Whether you’re just starting out, planning for college, stuck in a mountain of debt, looking to buy a home or perhaps thinking about retirement, Justin will impart some wisdom and tips that can easily turn you into a “money nerd”. To learn more please check out this episode and the resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Hosts:
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- Holly Dailey, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness - Maria McConville, Spouse of the Chief of Staff of the Army - Alexandra Grinston, Spouse of the Sergeant Major of the Army
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- Guests:
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- Justin Hall, Strategic Communications Manager, Office of Financial Readiness
- Cindy A. Risch, Military Spouse
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Resources:
MilSpouse Money Mission
Website: https://www.milspousemoneymission.org/
Social Media Handles
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MilSpouseMM/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/milspousemoneymission/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MilSpouseMM
The 1st Infantry Division has a heralded reputation, having played major roles from World War I onwards. Its current Commander, Major General D.A. Sims, over the last two years has modernized the division with some groundbreaking techniques. Host Colonel (Ret.) Scott Halstead sits down with D.A. to discuss early leadership lessons, the value of leading mental health initiatives by example, and their shared time at West Point.
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Guest: MG D.A. Sims, Commanding General, 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley
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Host: COL (Ret) Scott Halstead, Director of AUSA’s Center of Leadership
Resources:
1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley Web: https://home.army.mil/riley/index.php
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
How hard is it to turn a hobby into a successful business? Former Army Captain Kevin Ryan decided that rather than look for a new job he’d create one – and realized he wanted to turn his home brewing hobby into a real-life business. Host Sergeant Major of the Army (retired) Dan Dailey sits down for a drink (or two) with Kevin at Service Brewing in Savannah, GA to discuss Kevin’s Army career, the ins-and-outs of the brewery business, and most importantly… what his top beer is.
- Guest: Kevin Ryan, former U.S. Army Captain and CEO & Co-Founder, Service Brewing, Co.
- Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
Resources:
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Of the countless heroes from World War II, four men in particular inspired acclaimed author Alex Kershaw (The Liberator) to devote years researching their lives and tales of survival. Host Joe Craig talks to Alex about his book Against All Odds: A True Story of Ultimate Courage and Survival in World War II, the men he chose to profile, the overwhelming obstacles they had to overcome, and how one fights Nazis from a burning tank destroyer. Check out the resource section below for more book details.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guest: Alex Kershaw, author of Against All Odds: A True Story of Ultimate Courage and Survival in World War II
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Host: Joe Craig, AUSA’s Book Program Director
Resources:
Penguin Random House:
Against All Odds: A True Story of Ultimate Courage and Survival in World War II
Podcast Credits
Narrator: CSM (Ret.) Troy Welch, AUSA’s Director, NCO & Soldier Programs
Kershaw, Alex. “Chapter 1.” Essay. In Against All Odds: A True Story of Ultimate Courage and Survival in World War II. New York: Random House Large Print, 2022.
Did you know that Elmo’s parents are in the National Guard? For the last fifteen years Sesame Street have been running a program for Military Families giving over 750,000 military children videos and resources they can use to understand their world. Sabrina Huda of Sesame Workshop chats with Family Voices host, Thea Green, to discuss her own unconventional journey to Sesame Street, what resources Sesame Street for Military Families (SS4MF) provides, and what Elmo, Rosita, and Big Bird are like in real life. To learn more please check out their website linked in the resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guest: Sabrina Huda, Project Director, Sesame Workshop
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Host: Thea Green, AUSA’s Deputy Director for Family Readiness
Resources:
Sesame Street for Military Families (SS4MF)
Website: https://sesamestreetformilitaryfamilies.org/
Sesame Street in Communities
Website: https://sesamestreetincommunities.org/
Social Media Handles:
Sesame Street for Military Families
Facebook: @SesameStreetForMilitaryFamilies
Sesame Street in Communities
Facebook: @SesameStreetInCommunities
Twitter: @SesameCommunity
Music Credits:
Sesame Street for Military Families, “Coming Back| Temporary Duty,”22 September 2021, video, 3:10, https://youtu.be/9MQTswkpaPg.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is the envy of governments and militaries around the world, a group in which officers and civilian engineers work hand-in-hand. Major General Diana Holland, the Commanding General of the Corps’ Mississippi Valley Division, shares with host Colonel Scott Halstead leadership skills learned from her time with the Corps, insights she received from students at West Point and lessons from a legendary college basketball coach.
- Guest: MG Diana M. Holland, Commanding General, Mississippi Valley Division, United States Army Corps of Engineers (bio)
- Host: COL (Ret) Scott Halstead, Director of AUSA’s Center for Leadership
Resources:
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Mississippi Valley Division Web: https://www.mvd.usace.army.mil/
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Have you heard about the new Enterprise Exceptional Family Member Program System? LTG Evans joins us to share the program details and Army's Quality of Life initiatives updates. Learn about Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs; Child, Youth and School Services; and the new Enterprise Exceptional Family Member Program (E-EFMP) system, which automates enrollment in the program and allows Soldiers and Families to track enrollment their entire career. For more information, check out the resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guest: LTG Jason Evans, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-9 Installations
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Hosts:
- Holly Dailey, AUSA’s Director for Family Readiness
- SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
Resources:
G-9 Installations
Web: https://dcsg9.army.mil
Social Media Handles:
Twitter: @dcs_g9
Twitter: @USArmyHousing Facebook: @USArmyHousing
Facebook: @soldierandfamilyreadiness
How difficult is it to transition from the Army to entrepreneurship? Former Army Command Sergeants Major Marissa and Thomas Capel found an opportunity in baked goods and have subsequently seen their prospects rise. They share their story, insights into the pros-and-cons of owning a franchise, and lessons they learned from their years of service. This is the first of a Soldier Today summer series on veteran entrepreneurs led by Sergeant Major of the Army (retired) Dan Dailey.
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Guests:
- CSM (Ret) Marissa Capel, Franchise Co-Owner, Nothing Bundt Cakes
- CSM (Ret) Thomas Capel, Franchise Co-Owner, Nothing Bundt Cakes
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Hosts:
- SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
- CSM (Ret) Troy Welch, AUSA’s Director for NCO and Soldier Programs
Resources:
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Are codes the key to victory on the battlefield? In the build-up to World War I Colonel Parker Hitt recognized the Army’s non-existent cryptology methods could lead to countless deaths and created an entirely new system, laying a foundation that exists to this day. Host Joe Craig chats with Betsy Rohaly Smoot, the author of the new biography Parker Hitt: The Father of American Cryptology, to unlock the secrets of the man and his methods.
- Guest: Betsy Rohaly Smoot, Author, Parker Hitt: The Father of American Military Cryptology
- Host: Joe Craig, AUSA’s Book Program Director
Resources:
University Press of Kentucky: Parker Hitt: The Father of American Military Cryptology
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
"...If you live without passion, you can go through life without leaving any footprints." - Betty White. Hear how 3 Army spouses are leaving their footprints through their passion for music. Heidi Ackerman and Deidra Lee Stubbs, members of the American Military Spouses Choir share how music has connected military families and brought healing and happiness through their choral performances. Victoria McAdoo wraps up the episode sharing her experience writing Lima Oscar Victor Echo with Operation Song and her inspiration behind the song. To learn more please check out their websites linked in the resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Host: Holly Dailey, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
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Guests:
- Maria McConville, Spouse of the Chief of Staff of the Army
- Alexandra Grinston, Spouse of the Sergeant Major of the Army
- Heidi Ackerman, American Military Spouses Choir Director
- Deidra Lee Stubbs, American Military Spouses Choir Member
- Victoria McAdoo, Lima Oscar Victor Echo Songwriter
Resources:
Center for American Military Music and Opportunities (CAMMO)
Website: https://www.cammomusic.org/
Operation Song
Website: https://www.operationsong.org/
Social Media Platforms:
Center for American Military Music and Opportunities (CAMMO)
Twitter: @cammo_music
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cammomusic/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cammomusic
American Military Spouse Choir (AMSC)
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/americanmilitaryspouseschoir/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AmericanMilitarySpousesChoir
Operation Song
Twitter: @operationsong
Instagram: @operationsong
Facebook: @OperationSong
Music Credits:
American Military Spouses Choir, “Fleet Week Follies: Digital Edition,” Bitta Mostofi, Anna Chlumsky, Waterwell Productions, Inc., 23 May 2020, New York City, video, 7:29, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkCGUKx0N8s.
Dell Ramsdell, vocalist, Victoria Vanderberg and Cindy Morgan, writers, “Lima Oscar Victor Echo (LOVE),” Operation Song, 2020, music video, 3:08, https://subsplash.com/operationsong/media/mi/+ssrhdz4.
“I landed and just heard my leg go pop.” – 1LT Maggie Gleason describing her painful landing after jumping from an airplane during Army Ranger training. She joins AUSA’s Scott Halstead to talk about her leadership journey, including her story of perseverance in earning her Ranger tab despite being injured.
- Guest: 1LT Maggie Gleason, 2nd Cavalry Regiment, United States Army
- Host: COL (Ret) Scott Halstead, Director of AUSA’s Center for Leadership
Resources:
2nd Cavalry Regiment, United States Army Web: https://www.2cr.army.mil/
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
What’s new with the SMA? Today, SMA(R) Dailey interviews SMA Grinston about the things he is doing to implement our Army senior leaders’ vision, shape the culture of the Army and give us an overall update on how our Army is doing.
- Guest: SMA Michael Grinston, 16th SMA
- Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
Resources:
Pentagon, HQDA Twitter (Grinston): @16thSMA Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://t.co/limoaNq8HT
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Over one million African Americans served in World War II. Not one was awarded the Medal of Honor until the Army revisited the issue almost fifty years later. Robert Child, author of Immortal Valor, joins AUSA's Joe Craig to share stories of the seven men who were finally recognized with the nation’s highest military award.
- Guest: Robert Child, author of Immortal Valor: The Black Medal of Honor Winners of World War II
- Host: Joe Craig, AUSA Book Program Director
Resources:
Immortal Valor: The Black Medal of Honor Winners of World War II
What is the Piestewa Challenge? Lisa Hallett, executive director and co-founder of wear blue: run to remember, tells us how you can join this challenge and honor women in combat. Learn how wear blue: run to remember has evolved into a community that honors all service members and helps others heal from the challenges of war. For more information on the Piestewa Challenge check out the resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
- Guest:
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Lisa Hallett, Executive Director and Co-Founder of wear blue: run to remember
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Host:
- Holly Dailey, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
Resource:
wear blue: run to remember
Website: www.wearblueruntoremember.org/piestewa-challenge
Social Media Platforms
Instagram: @wearblue
Twitter: @wearblue
Facebook: @wearblue
Senior Non-commissioned officers build and lead disciplined, lethal, cohesive, and honorable teams. COL (Ret) Scott Halstead, Director of AUSA’s Center of Leadership, speaks with CSM Eric Buonopane of the U.S. Army Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade about what has shaped him professionally and his philosophy on leader development. The Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade conducts transformational training to develop and deliver competent and capable Rangers, Parachutists, Jumpmasters, and Reconnaissance Leaders to enable the U.S. Army and the Joint Force to prevail in combat.
- Guest: CSM Eric Buonopane, Command Sergeant Major, U.S. Army Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade
- Host: COL (Ret) Scott Halstead, Director of AUSA’s Center for Leadership
Resources:
Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade (ARTB) U.S. Army Fort Benning and The Maneuver Center of Excellence Web: https://www.benning.army.mil/Infantry/ARTB/
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Why don’t we focus more on keeping our brains healthy? A lot of research has gone into answering that question. Today, SMA(R) Dailey interviews LTC (Ret) Dr. Daniel T. Johnston about the journey of becoming a doctor, understanding the brain, and mental fitness. Dr. Johnston is a leader in preventative healthcare, brain performance, and human resilience. He also co-founded BrainSpan. BrianSpan provides healthcare providers with a scientifically validated, objective brain wellness assessment that can help improve your brain’s function today as well as keep your brain sharp as you age.
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Guest: LTC (Ret) Dr. Daniel T. Johnston, Co-Founder, BrainSpan
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Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
Resources:
BrainSpan
Web: https://www.brainspan.com/
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs
Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers
Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
What does it take to develop trust with Company-level Commanders and First Sergeants? COL (Ret) Scott Halstead, Director of AUSA’s Center of Leadership, speaks with COL Michael Kloepper and CSM Christopher Clapin of the 173rd Airborne Brigade about what and who have shaped them as leaders. The command team then describes why their leader development program focuses on company-level Commanders and First Sergeants. Ultimately, the 173rd Airborne Brigade leader development initiatives are designed to empower Squad Leaders, the drivers of unit culture and readiness. The 173rd Airborne Brigade (Sky Soldiers) is the U.S. Army's Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapid forces to the United States European, Africa and Central Commands areas of responsibilities. Forward based in Italy and Germany, the Brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to build interoperability and strengthen the Alliance.
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Guests:
- COL Michael F. Kloepper, Commander, 173rd Airborne Brigade, U.S. Army
- CSM Christopher D. Clapin, Sergeant Major, 173rd Airborne Brigade, U.S. Army
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Host: COL (Ret) Scott Halstead, Director of AUSA’s Center of Leadership
Resources:
173rd Airborne Brigade, U.S. Army Web: https://www.skysoldiers.army.mil/
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Fort Hunt, now an open space between the Pentagon and George Washington’s Mount Vernon, was the site of secret operations during World War II. Robert K. Sutton, author of Nazis on the Potomac, joins AUSA’s Joe Craig to discuss the military intelligence programs at the site. The American soldiers at Fort Hunt, many who were Jews that had escaped Nazi Germany as children, interrogated high-level German prisoners and analyzed captured documents to gather crucial information for commanders to win the war.
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Guest: Robert K. Sutton, author of Nazis on the Potomac: The Top-Secret Intelligence Operation that Helped Win World War II
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Host: Joe Craig, AUSA Book Program Director
Resources:
Case Mate Publishers: Nazis on the Potomac
Web: https://www.casematepublishers.com/nazis-on-the-potomac.html#.YersEP7MJnI
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Are you prepared? Join us to learn how to prepare your Army spouse Resource Toolbox for the unexpected curveballs life throws. Krista Simpson Anderson, has been a military spouse for 13 years and she shares the importance of being equipped and empowered as a military spouse. Listen as she shares the resources in her toolbox and what you should have in yours. To prepare your Resource Toolbox check out the resources section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guest: Krista Simpson Anderson, Unquiet Professional Co-Founder
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Host: Holly Dailey, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
Resources:
AUSA Family Readiness Resources
Website: www.ausa.org/military-families
Unquiet Professional
Website: www.theunquietprofessional.org/partners/
Never can say goodbye, instead we will say thank you! Join us as we celebrate our 200th episode and discuss what's new for the podcast in 2022. LTC Bradley Cooper, Army Real Talk’s original co-host, returns to close our final Army Real Talk segment with Nzinga Curry. Listen as they highlight some their favorite episodes and what you can expect in the new segment, Leading Great Teams.
· Guest: LTC Bradley Cooper, Army Talent Management Task Force, U.S. Army
· Host: Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director of Education & Programs
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Welcome Back! What does that mean exactly? Soldier Today sits down with Christine Lathrop, AUSA’s Deputy Director of Membership to discuss how we support soldiers, civilians and the community. For instance, did you know AUSA has 122 chapters located worldwide made up entirely of volunteers who contribute over $250,000 to awards, scholarships and support of soldier and family programs annually? You could be part of this amazing effort by joining AUSA as a member.
- Guest: Christine Lathrop, AUSA’s Deputy Director of Membership
- Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
Resources:
AUSA Membership
Web: https://www.ausa.org/membership
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs
Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers
Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
We are entering a new era of missile warfare. Today Dr. Tom Karako from CSIS joins AUSA’s Dan Roper to discuss the state of Long-range Strike and Air Defense in the Indo-Pacific, particularly the challenges and opportunities associated with the proliferation of multiple weapon systems capable of hypersonic speeds and maneuver. They describe the importance of both air and missile defense and land-based long-range fires to the defense of Guam and to enable the power projection necessary to secure a Free and Open Indo-Pacific for the U.S. and its Allies and Partners.
- Guest: Thomas Karako, PhD, Senior Fellow, International Security Program and Director, Missile Defense Project, Center for Strategic and International Studies
- Host: COL (Ret) Dan Roper, AUSA’s National Security Studies Director
Resources:
CSIS: Center for Strategic and International Studies Web: https://www.csis.org/
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Catch up with AUSA's 2021 Volunteer Family of the Year, Tawni Dixon, and learn about ways you can give back this holiday season. Learn about their inspiration for volunteering and how their foundation has inspired boaters to volunteer their time with veterans. Hear about the award they created to recognize the difference military children are making in their communities. Mrs. Dixon reminds us the importance of spreading kindness and uplifting the community. After all, a little kindness goes a long way!
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guest: Tawni Dixon, AUSA’s 2021 Volunteer Family of the Year
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Host: Thea Green, AUSA’s Deputy Director of Family Readiness
Leaving Afghanistan from the perspective of a Weapons Squad Leader and a Combat Medic. This is the third in a three-part series of exclusive interviews with members of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division who describe for the first time what they saw, heard and felt as they completed the historic evacuation of more than 124,000 people from Afghanistan and closed out U.S. military operations after 20 years in country.
Paratroopers SSG Austin Buchanan and SGT Jacob Black join AUSA’s Gina Cavallaro and Scott Halstead at Fort Bragg to share their experiences in Part 3. Links to Parts 1 and 2 are included below.
- Guests:
- SSG Austin Buchanan, Weapons Squad Leader, A Company, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division
- SGT Jacob Black, Combat Medic, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division
- Hosts:
- Gina Cavallaro, Senior Staff Writer, AUSA’s Army Magazine
- COL (Ret) Scott Halstead, Director, AUSA’s Center of Leadership
Resources:
AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast - Special Edition: Leaving Afghanistan, Exclusive Interviews with the 82nd Airborne Division
- Part 1 – MG Donahue, Commanding General & CSM Pitt, Senior Enlisted Advisor (29 November 2021)
- Part 2 – CPT Hawks, Company Commander & SFC Brown, Platoon Sergeant (8 December 2021)
- Part 3 – SSG Buchanan, Weapons Squad Leader & SGT Black, Combat Medic (15 December 2021)
82ndAirborne Division United States Army Web: https://www.army.mil/82ndairborne
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Hear how 82nd Airborne Division is bringing miles smiles this holiday season through their unique way of bringing holiday cheer through a program known as All American Presents from Paratroopers (A2P2). MSG Alexander Burnett, 82nd Airborne Division Public Affairs NCOIC joins us to share the unit’s partnership with the Travis Mills Foundation to deliver toys to children in need this holiday. We wrap this episode with farewell remarks from 3rd Security Assistance Force Brigade Force (3rd SFAB), one of AUSA’s adopted units. To learn more about the A2P2 and 3rd SFAB follow them at the social media platforms listed below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
- Guest:
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MSG Alexander Burnett, 82nd Airborne Division Public Affairs NCOIC
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Hosts:
- Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director of Education & Programs
- LTC Clarence Langley, AUSA’s U.S. Army Fellow
Resources:
82nd Airborne Division Social Media Platforms
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/82ndAirborneDivision
Twitter:
@82ndABNDiv
Instagram:
@82ndairbornediv
3rd SFAB Social Media Platforms
FB: facebook.com/3sfab
facebook.com/1st-BN-3rd-SFAB-139497760334159
facebook.com/ArmySFAC
facebook.com/SFABRecruiting
IG:
Instagram.com/3rdsfab
Instagram.com/ArmySFAC
Instagram.com/sfab_recruiting
Twitter:
Twitter.com/3rdSFAB
Twitter.com/armysfac
Previous Episode 3 SFAB Episode :
10 MAY 2021
Army Real Talk: Adopt -A-Unit SFAB Series Pt. 2
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-uyvkg-102e889
Leaving Afghanistan from the Company Commander and Platoon Sergeant perspectives. This is the second in a three-part series of exclusive interviews with members of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division who describe for the first time what they saw, heard and felt as they completed the historic evacuation of more than 124,000 people from Afghanistan and closed out U.S. military operations after 20 years in country.
Paratroopers CPT Kyle Hawks and SFC Jeremy Brown join AUSA’s Gina Cavallaro and Scott Halstead at Fort Bragg to share their experiences in Part 2. In Part 1, released 29 November, we heard from 82nd Airborne Division's senior leadership: MG Chris Donahue, Commanding General, and CSM David Pitt, Senior Enlisted Advisor. In Part 3, two more of the Division’s Paratroopers tell us what it was like. The final episode will be released on December 15, 2021.
- Guests:
- CPT Kyle Hawks, Commander, D Company, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, U.S. Army
- SFC Jeremy Brown, Platoon Sergeant, 1st Platoon, B Company, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, U.S. Army
- Hosts:
- Gina Cavallaro, Senior Staff Writer, AUSA’s Army Magazine
- COL (Ret) Scott Halstead, Director, AUSA’s Center of Leadership
Resources:
AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast (29 November 2021): Special Edition: Leaving Afghanistan, Exclusive Interviews With the 82nd Airborne Division (Part 1)
82ndAirborne Division United States Army Web: https://www.army.mil/82ndairborne
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
What’s new in the 2021 U.S. Army NCO Strategy? Last November following the Sergeant Major of the Army’s annual initiatives brief at the 2020 AUSA annual meeting, Soldier Today reached out to TRADOC to find out more about the Army’s ongoing efforts to modernize leader development for its Non-Commissioned Officer Corps. Today CSM Daniel Hendrex will provide an update on the Army’s NCO Strategy and a few other things TRADOC has been working on since the last time we met.
- Guest: CSM Daniel T. Hendrex, Senior Enlisted Advisor, TRADOC
- Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
Resources:
U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command Web: https://www.tradoc.army.mil/
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Money, money, money! Join us as we learn about the Army's new personnel and pay system and updates to the release timeline. Listen as COL Eggers, Division Chief, IPPS-A Functional Management Division, explains what the Integrated Personnel and Pay System – Army (IPPS-A) is all about and when the program will be released to active Army and Army Reserve. For more information on IPPS-A please check out the resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guest: COL Rebecca Eggers, Division Chief, IPPS-A Functional Management Division
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Hosts:
- Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director for Education & Programs
- CSM (Ret) Troy Welch, AUSA’s Director for NCO and Soldier Programs
Resources:
Integrated Personnel and Pay System
Web: https://ipps-a.army.mil/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/armyippsa
Twitter: @IPPSArmy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ipps-a/
Leaving Afghanistan. This is the first in a three-part series of exclusive interviews with members of the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division who describe for the first time what they saw, heard and felt as they completed the historic evacuation of more than 124,000 American citizens, NATO allies, and vulnerable Afghan partners from Afghanistan and closed out U.S. military operations after 20 years in country.
Senior leaders MG Chris Donahue, the last U.S. Soldier to leave Afghanistan, and CSM David Pitt join AUSA’s Gina Cavallaro and Scott Halstead at Fort Bragg to share their experiences in Part 1. In Parts 2 and 3, five of the division’s Paratroopers tell us what it was like. Those episodes will be released on December 8 and 15, 2021.
- Guests:
- MG Christopher Donahue, Commanding General, 82nd Airborne Division, U.S. Army
- CSM David Pitt, Senior-Enlisted Advisor, 82nd Airborne Division, U.S. Army
- Hosts:
- Gina Cavallaro, Senior Staff Writer, AUSA’s Army Magazine
- COL (Ret) Scott Halstead, Director, AUSA’s Center of Leadership
Resources:
82ndAirborne Division United States Army Web: https://www.army.mil/82ndairborne
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
The holiday season is upon us and it can be a stressful time! Learn how to celebrate the holidays “Army style” and stay healthy. Hear from Mrs. McConville and Mrs. Grinston as they share stories on how they have celebrated the holidays, the importance of taking care of yourself, and helping others. Listen as Nicole Leth, Director of Fort Belvoir Armed Forces Wellness Center and Maria Reed, Founder of Moving with the Military share tips and resources on how Army families can stay healthy and enjoy the holiday season. For more information on the resources mentioned in the episode please check out our resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Host: Holly Dailey, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
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Guests:
- Maria McConville, Spouse of Chief of Staff of the Army
- Alexandra Grinston, Spouse of Sergeant Major of the Army
- Nicole Leth, Fort Belvoir Armed Forces Wellness Center Director
- Maria Reed, Moving with the Military Founder
Resources:
Military OneSource Web: www.militaryonesource.mil
Fort Belvoir Armed Forces Wellness Center Web:https://home.army.mil/belvoir/index.php/about/Garrison/headquarters-battalion/fort-belvoir-armed-forces-wellness-center
Army Wellness Center Enterprise Website – Army Public Health Center:
Web:https://phc.amedd.army.mil/topics/healthyliving/al/Pages/ArmyWellnessCenters.aspx
Facebook: @FortBelvoirafwc https://www.facebook.com/FortBelvoirAFWC
Instagram: @fortbelvoirafwc Web: https://www.instagram.com/fortbelvoirafwc/
Military OneSource Web: www.militaryonesource.mil
Science fiction can be a means grow as leaders, strategists and in dealing with conflict. Editors Jonathan Klug and Steve Leonard join AUSA’s Joe Craig to discuss their new book, To Boldly Go: Leadership, Strategy, and Conflict in the 21st Century and Beyond, which brings together expertly told stories tackling subjects like the burden of leadership, weighing experience against in intelligence in the pursuit of strategy, and the threat of depleted natural resources.
- Guests: Editors of To Boldly Go: Leadership, Strategy, and Conflict in the 21st Century and Beyond
- COL Jonathan Klug, Assistant Professor, United States Army War College
- Steven Leonard, Senior Assistant Dean, The University of Kansas School of Business and Senior Fellow, Modern War Institute at West Point
- Host: Joe Craig, AUSA’s Book Program Director
Resources:
Casemate: To Boldly Go: Leadership, Strategy, and Conflict in the 21st Century and Beyond
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Hear how United Through Reading is keeping the military and their families connected through reading. Listen as Sally A. Zoll, Ed.D, CEO of United Through Reading, shares the organization’s mission to provide a bonding experience for those military families who are separated because of deployments, assignments, or training through story time. To learn more please check out their website linked in the resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guest: Sally A. Zoll, Ed.D, CEO, United Through Reading
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Host: Holly Dailey, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
Resources:
United Through Reading
Website: www.unitedthroughreading.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/unitedthroughreading
Instagram: www.instragram.com/UTR4Military
Twitter: www.twitter.com/UTR4Military
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/united-through-reading/
Don’t let vaccine fatigue keep you from protecting your family against the flu and COVID-19. Experts from the Defense Health Agency join AUSA’s Holly Dailey to discuss how getting vaccinated is the best path to immunity and to avoiding a possible “twindemic” this flu season. Also, don’t forget to update your health plan, if you need to, during TRICARE Open Season from 8 November to 13 December, 2021.
- Guests:
- LTC Christopher Ellison, Deputy Chief for Operations, Immunization Healthcare Division, Defense Health Agency
- Ann Morse, Family Nurse Practitioner, Immunization Healthcare Division, Defense Health Agency
- Jeremy Schneider, Program Analyst, TRICARE Policy and Programs, Defense Health Agency
- Host: Holly Dailey, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
Resources:
Immunization Healthcare Division Defense Health Agency Web: www.health.mil/vaccine Phone: 877-438-8222
TRICARE Open Season: 8 November – 13 December 2021 Web: https://tricare.mil/openseason
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
As the Nation prepares to honor veterans from all walks of life, join us to learn about three important Veterans Affairs programs for our veterans and their families. Hear from SGM Jeffrey Cereghino, Senior Fellow to the Department of Veterans, as he explains how these programs will help newly separated service members better understand what resources are available to them. To find more information about the Department of Veterans Affairs resources please check out the resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guest: SGM Jeffrey Cereghino, Senior Fellow to the Department of Veterans Affairs
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Hosts:
- Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director of Education & Programs
- LTC Clarence Langley, AUSA’s U.S. Army Fellow
Resources:
BDD Program
Pre-Discharge Claim | Veterans Affairs (va.gov)
YouTube Video
Benefits Delivery at Discharge - YouTube
VET-TEC Program
Veterans Technology Education Courses | Veterans Affairs (va.gov)
YouTube Video
VET TEC Testimonials - YouTube
Solid Start
VA Solid Start - Veterans Benefits Administration
YouTube Video
M2C Ep. 5: VA Solid Start - YouTube
The U.S. Army’s 2021 Best Warrior Competition winners represent Army Futures Command and Army Pacific. SMA(R) Dailey interviews NCO of the Year SSG Adam L. Krauland, and Soldier of the Year SGT Justin J. Earnhart. They discuss their personal and military background, where they started and what made them decide to compete for the Best Warrior title.
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Guests:
- SSG Adam L. Krauland, NCO of the Year, U.S. Army Pacific
- SGT Justin J. Earnhart, Soldier of the Year, U.S. Army Futures Command
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Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
Resources:
U.S. Army Best Warrior Competition Web: https://www.army.mil/bestwarrior/
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
The fight to control Berlin after World War II served as the opening battle of the Cold War. Giles Milton, author of Checkmate in Berlin: The Cold War Showdown That Shaped the Modern World, joins AUSA’s Joe Craig to discuss his gripping new book that showcases how Colonel Frank “Howlin’ Mad” Howley and other Western leaders faced down their Soviet counterparts when the Iron Curtain fell across Europe.
- Guest: Giles Milton, author of Checkmate in Berlin: The Cold War Showdown That Shaped the Modern World
- Host: Joe Craig, AUSA’s Book Program Director
Resources:
Henry Holt/Macmillan Publishers: Checkmate in Berlin: The Cold War Showdown That Shaped the Modern World
Giles Milton, Author Web: https://www.gilesmilton.com/
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
How is the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) driving innovation? Dr. David Pittman, Director of the USACE Engineer Research and Development Center, joins AUSA’s Dan Roper to discuss USACE Innovation Summit 2021, an event to showcase state-of-the-art work happening across the Corps and how USACE is shifting to a culture of taking chances with forward-thinking innovation. This second annual event will not only emphasize technology but other essential aspects of innovation including business practices and people. The virtual symposium, taking place 25-29 October 2021 is free to attend, but please register in advance.
- Guest: Dr. David W. Pittman, Director of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center and Director of Research and Development and Chief Scientist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- Host: COL (Ret) Dan Roper, AUSA’s Director of National Security Studies
Resources:
19 May 2021 - AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast episode with LTG Spellmon Special Edition: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
USACE Innovation Summit 2021 Innovation to Impact: Leading from the Future Virtual Event – 25-29 October Web: www.usaceinnovationsummit.org
U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Web: www.erdc.usace.army.mil
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Web: https://www.usace.army.mil/
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Learn how financial readiness contributes to mission readiness with our guest, Robyn Mroszczyk, AFC. Hear how our soldiers and families can equip themselves with the financial education necessary to ensure the success of our families and the Army. To learn more please check out the resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guest: Robyn Mroszczyk, AFC, Financial Education Program Manager, Soldier & Family Readiness Division, Deputy Chief of Staff, G-9
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Host: Holly Dailey, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
Resources:
Financial Frontline
Website: https://financialfrontline.org/
USARMY Pentagon HQDA DCS G-9 Mailbox Financial Literacy
Email: usarmy.pentagon.hqda-dcs-g-9.mbx.financial-literacy@army.mil
How is the Army transforming for the future? The Honorable Christine E. Wormuth, Secretary of the Army, joins AUSA’s GEN(R) Brown to talk about her approach to the new role including a focus on people first, modernization, budget and more.
- Guest: The Honorable Christine E. Wormuth, Secretary of the Army
- Host: GEN (Ret) Robert (Bob) B. Brown, AUSA’s President and CEO
Resources:
AUSA 2021 Annual Meeting & Exposition (11-13 October) America’s Army and its People: Transforming for the Future Web: https://meetings.ausa.org/annual/2021/index.cfm
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
What are the keys to success for military family transitions? We have a treat today with SMA Michael Grinston and his wife Alexandra joining AUSA’s SMA (R) Daniel and Holly Dailey to share tips on settling into a new location, including Army programs that can help.
Also, what’s coming up at the #AUSA2021 Annual Meeting for NCOs and families? The Senior Enlisted Couple for the Army also describe the events they are participating in at AUSA’s 2021 Annual Meeting (11-13 Oct): Family Forums, Senior Leader Town Hall and Modern Protocol & Evolving Traditions.
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Guests:
- SMA Michael Grinston, Sergeant Major of the Army
- Alexandra Grinston, Spouse of the Sergeant Major of the Army
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Hosts:
- SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
- Holly Dailey, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
Resources:
AUSA 2021 Annual Meeting & Exposition (11-13 October)
America’s Army and its People: Transforming for the Future
Web: https://meetings.ausa.org/annual/2021/index.cfm
Military OneSource
Web: https://www.militaryonesource.mil/
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs
Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers
Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
“Legacy of Honor” is the New Mexico National Guard’s motto. SMA(R) Dailey welcomes CSM Robbie D. Cantrell, State Command Sergeant Major, New Mexico Army National Guard to discuss its militia roots, and how the organization now supports United States and the state of New Mexico in day-to-day domestic missions and national anomalies like the pandemic. For instance, its “Task Force COVID” delivered food and water to pueblos, tribal land and communities in need, supported COVID testing and vaccinations, and more.
- Guest: CSM Robbie D. Cantrell, State Command Sergeant Major, New Mexico Army National Guard
- Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
Resources:
New Mexico National Guard Web: https://newmexicong.com/
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Explore the lives of post-9/11 Medal of Honor recipients. Author James Kitfield joins AUSA’s Joe Craig to discuss his new book which tells the amazing stories of twenty-five Soldiers who have won the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military award, for their service in Afghanistan and Iraq.
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Guest: James Kitfield, author of In the Company of Heroes: The Inspiring Stories of Medal of Honor Recipients from America’s Longest Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq
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Host: Joe Craig, AUSA’s Book Program Director
Resources:
Center Street Publishing
In the Company of Heroes: The Inspiring Stories of Medal of Honor Recipients from America’s Longest Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Spotlighting AUSA’s 2021 Annual Meeting with special guest, Army Deputy Chief of Public Affairs’ Michael Brady. Mr. Brady joins AUSA’s BG(R) Jack Haley and Nzinga Curry for a sneak peek of what to expect, including top speakers, exhibits and health and safety measures. The Annual Meeting theme is “America’s Army and its People, Transforming for the Future.” The Annual Meeting will be back in person at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in D.C., 11-13 October.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
- Guests:
- Michael P. Brady, Principal Deputy Chief of Army Public Affairs
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BG (Ret) Jack Haley, AUSA’s Vice President for Membership & Meetings
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Host: Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director of Education & Programs
Resources:
AUSA 2021 Annual Meeting & Exposition (11-13 October)
America’s Army and its People: Transforming for the Future
Web: https://meetings.ausa.org/annual/2021/index.cfm
AUSA's 2020 Volunteer Family of the Year joins us to share how they make time to make a difference. SSG Casey Raines and Brittany Raines share why volunteerism is family value for the Raines family. Learn how they connected with their local AUSA chapters to give back and build community. Listen as they share advice for families who are considering joining the Army family. To find an AUSA Chapter near you please check out our website linked in the resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
- Hosts:
- Holly Dailey, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
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SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
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Guests:
- SSG Casey Raines, U.S. Army
- Brittany Raines, AUSA’s Fort Leonard Wood Mid-Missouri Chapter Executive Secretary
Resources:
AUSA Chapters
Website: https://www.ausa.org/search/chapters
AUSA Fort Leonard Wood-Mid Missouri Chapter
Facebook: @midmoausa
There is no shame in seeking help. Dr. James Helis of the Army Resiliency Directorate joins AUSA’s Dan Roper to talk about the Army Suicide Prevention Program. They discuss how the Army is addressing the complex challenge of death by suicide, and how it is taking steps to identify and influence the many factors that may help in preventing this harmful behavior. September may be Suicide Prevention Month but taking care of our Soldiers is a year-round activity.
- Guest: James A. Helis, PhD, Director, Army Resilience Directorate
- Host: COL (Ret) Dan Roper, AUSA’s Director of National Security Studies
Resources:
Army Resilience Directorate Web: https://www.armyresilience.army.mil/
Army Suicide Prevention Program Web: https://www.armyresilience.army.mil/suicide-prevention/index.html
Military Crisis Line Web: https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help/military-crisis-line Phone: 800-273-8255 Text: 838255
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
An Army Recruiter, SFC Quoya Dubose, and recent Army recruit and former AUSA National Security Analyst, 2LT Jeremiah Rozman, join us to share their journey to joining the Army. Learn about the recruiting process and the benefits to starting career in the Army. Additionally, we welcome our new co-host, LTC CJ Langley, AUSA’s new U.S. Army Fellow, to his first podcast with us. To learn more about Army career opportunities please see the resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Hosts:
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Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director of Education & Programs
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LTC CJ Langley, AUSA’s U.S. Army Fellow
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Guests:
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SFC Quoya Dubose, U.S. Army
- 2LT Jeremiah Rozman, U.S. Army
Resources:
U.S. Army Careers
Web: https://www.goarmy.com/
FB/Twitter/IG:@GoArmy
FB:@goarmyarlingtonva
Army Recovery Care Program (ARCP) works to transition our wounded warriors and their families back to the force or back to civilian life through medical care, rehabilitation, professional development, and other efforts. Hear how the ARCP’s Adaptive Sports program has helped over 80,000 Soldiers adapt and overcome. SFC (Ret.) Gabi Cha and SSG (Ret.) Beth King, who are a part of the Army Recovery Care Program, joins us to share how the Adaptive Sports program has assisted them through their recovery process. For more information on the Army Recovery Care Program please check out the resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
- Host:
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SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
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Guests:
- SFC Gabi Cha, U.S. Army Retired
- SSG Beth King, U.S. Army Retired
Resources:
Army Recovery Care Program (ARCP)
Facebook: @usarmycp
Twitter: @armyWCT
LinkedIn: @usarmycp
Department of Defense Warrior Games
Web: https://www.dodwarriorgames.com/
Facebook: @WarriorGames
Twitter: @warriorgames
IG: @dodwarriorgames
Known as “Freedom’s Guardian,” the U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) is the Army’s largest command. SMA(R) Dailey interviews CSM Todd Sims, the senior enlisted leader for FORSCOM. Based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the command consists of more than 750,000 soldiers and is responsible for providing ready forces to meet combatant commander requirements around the world.
- Guest: CSM Todd Sims, Command Sergeant Major, U.S. Army Forces Command
- Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
Resources:
U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) Web: https://www.army.mil/forscom
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
It’s back to school time! Holly Dailey welcomes Maria McConville and Alexandra Grinston along with Shannon George of the Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) to discuss resources and tips for military families, the adults and the kids, preparing for the new school year.
- Guests:
- Maria McConville, Spouse of the Chief of Staff of the Army
- Alexandra Grinston, Spouse of the Sergeant Major of the Army
- Shannon George, Trainer and CONNECT Coordinator, Military Child Education Coalition
- Host: Holly Dailey, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
Resources:
Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC) Web: https://www.militarychild.org/ SchoolQuest: https://schoolquest.militarychild.org/ Military Student Consultant (Free): msc@militarychild.org
Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA) Web: https://www.dodea.edu/ School Liaison Officers: https://www.dodea.edu/partnership/schoolliaisonofficers.cfm DODEA Virtual School: Expanded Eligibility Pilot Program (E2P2): https://www.dodea.edu/dvs/e2p2.cfm
Tutor.com for U.S. Military Families Web: https://military.tutor.com/
Military OneSource Web: https://www.militaryonesource.mil/
Army Emergency Relief (AER) Web: https://www.armyemergencyrelief.org/
Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Web: https://www.ausa.org/ Scholarships: https://www.ausa.org/scholarships
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Join us to find out the latest updates in Army Talent Management initiatives for warrant officers and NCOs. Learn about the mission of the task force, the Army’s progress to modernize its talent management, and how the task force is assisting the Army to embrace the changes. For more information please check out the resource section below.
- Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
- Guests:
- LTC Joe Weinburgh, U.S. Army Talent Management Task Force
- CW5 Rick Knowlton, U.S. Army Talent Management Task Force
- SGM Stephen McDonald, U.S. Army Talent Management Task Force
Resources:
U.S. Army Talent Management Web: www.talent.army.mil
Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) will be the unifying capability that brings the military ecosystem together -- from its multi-domain warfighting capability to a transformation in its acquisition system – to enhance deterrence in great power competition. Approved by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in May 2021, JADC2 will touch nearly everything the Army does. AUSA’s Dan Roper interviews COL Andre’ B. Abadie, PhD, who leads Army Futures Command initiatives on the Network, Artificial Intelligence and Cyber supporting Project Convergence and JADC2. Tune in to learn more about JADC2’s potential impact on military operations.
- Guest: COL Andre' (Dre’) B. Abadie, PhD, Solutions Architect (Networks-AI-Cyber), Project Convergence & JADC2, United States Army Futures Command
- Host: COL (Ret) Dan Roper, AUSA’s National Security Studies Director
Resources:
U.S. Army Futures Command Web: https://www.armyfuturescommand.com/ Project Convergence: https://armyfuturescommand.com/convergence/
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
How are students building ethical leadership skills as they prepare for military careers? Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director of Education & Programs, interviews Billy Wells of University of North Georgia and Ken Tyler of the George C. Marshall International Center about the leadership development opportunities their organizations provide.
Guests:
- Ken Tyler, Vice President of Development, George C. Marshall International Center
- COL(R) Billy Wells, Senior Vice President for Leadership and Global Engagement, University of North Georgia
Host:
- Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director of Education and Programs
Resources:
George C. Marshall International Center
Web: https://www.georgecmarshall.org/
University of North Georgia Web: https://ung.edu/
Corps of Cadets: https://ung.edu/military-college-admissions/index.php
UNG-Institute for Leadership and Strategic Studies Symposium (6-7 April 2022):
United States Higher Education & National Security
Web: https://ung.edu/institute-leadership-strategic-studies/annual-symposium/2022-symposium.php
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
AUSA is teaming up with Operation Deploy Your Dress (ODYD) in their mission to deploy America's patriotism one dress at a time. Yvonne Coombes, ODYD Executive Director and co-founder gives insight on how together we will be able to offer new and gently used formal wear to military members and spouses. Hear about ODYD’s latest efforts including their new Bridal Boutique and upcoming pop-up event at AUSA. To learn more about Operation Deploy Your Dress please check out their website linked in the resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guest: Yvonne Coombes, Operation Deploy Your Dress, Executive Director and Co-Founder
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Host: Holly Dailey, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
Resources:
Operation Deploy Your Dress (ODYD)
Website: https://operationdeployyourdress.org/
Facebook: @OperationDeployYourDress
Instagram: @ODYD1
Instagram: @ODYDBridal
Twitter: @ODYD2017
What’s happening at AUSA’s 2021 Annual Meeting? Join us to hear about the Reserve Component opportunities & highlights at this year's symposium. Discussing this year’s events are three premier leaders from the U.S. Army’s Reserve Component community, LTG (Ret.) Jack Stultz, AUSA Board Member, MG John Andonie, Deputy Director, Army National Guard, and Mr. Stephen Austin, Assistant Chief of Army Reserve. Listen as they describe what you can expect at this year’s conference and developments within the Army Reserve and National Guard component.
For more information on the Annual Meeting please check out the resource section below.
· Host:
o COL(Ret.) Stanley Crow, AUSA’s former Director, Chapter and Region Support & National Guard Affairs
· Guests:
o LTG (Ret.) Jack Stultz, AUSA Board Member
o MG John Andonie, Deputy Director, Army National Guard
o Mr. Stephen Austin, Assistant Chief of Army Reserve
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Resources:
AUSA Registration
Web: https://meetings.ausa.org/annual/2021/register.cfm
U.S. Army Reserve
Web: https://www.usar.army.mil/
FB: @usarmyreserve
Twitter: @USArmyReserve
IG: @USArmyReserve
U.S. National Guard
Web: https://www.nationalguard.com/
FB: @thenationalguard
Twitter: @usnationalguard
IG: @us.nationalguard
Join us for an exciting episode highlighting career opportunities the Army offers from utilizing the power of music to jumping out of airplanes. Hear first-hand from our guests, SGM Denver Dill, West Point Army Music Analytics Team Leader, and SFC David Flynn, U.S. Army Competition Parachutist for the Golden Knights as they share their paths into their unique careers. Plus, hear final remarks from our co-host, LTC Brittany Lloyd, as she bids farewell to AUSA.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guests:
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SGM Denver Dill, West Point Army Music Analytics Team Leader
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SFC David Flynn, U.S. Army Competition Parachutist, Golden Knights
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Hosts:
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Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director of Education & Programs
- LTC Brittany Lloyd, AUSA’s U.S. Army Fellow
Resources:
United States Military Academy West Point Army Band
Web: https://westpointband.com/
FB: @westpointband
IG: @westpointband
Twitter:@westpointband
Golden Knights
Web: https://www.goarmy.com/events/golden-knights.html
FB: @usarmygoldenknights
IG:@armygoldenknights
Twitter:@ArmyGK
Culture change is happening in the U.S. Army. AUSA’s SMA(R) Dailey interviews the Army’s SMA Grinston, about the changing the culture of the Army where engaged leaders build cohesive teams that are highly trained, disciplined, and fit.
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Guest: SMA Michael A. Grinston, Sergeant Major of the Army
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Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
Resources:
Sergeant Major of the Army
Web: https://www.army.mil/leaders/sma/
Twitter: @16thSMA
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs
Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers
Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
PCS moves can be stressful. To ease your concerns we have Mrs. McConville, Mrs. Grinston, and Mrs. Raines joining us to provide their words of wisdom. Learn how resources such as the Army PCS Move app can assist military families make their next duty station change a smooth process. For more information on the app and additional resources please see the resource section below.
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Host: Holly Dailey, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
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Guests:
- Maria McConville, Spouse of the Army Chief of Staff
- Alexandra Grinston, Spouse of the Sergeant Major of the Army
- Brittany Raines, AUSA’s 2020 Volunteer Family of the Year Recipient
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Resources:
Military OneSource
Web: https://www.militaryonesource.mil/
Army PCS Move App
George S. Patton, Omar Bradley, and Terry de la Mesa Allen all paid tribute to MG Maurice Rose and his work leading 3rd Armored Division from Normandy into the heart of Germany. LTG(R) Dan Bolger—author of The Panzer Killers: The Untold Story of a Fighting General and His Spearhead Tank Division’s Charge into the Third Reich—joins AUSA’s Joe Craig to shine a light on this forgotten WWII battlefield leader.
Bolger was a combat commander in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. A top graduate at The Citadel and the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Bolger earned a PhD in history from the University of Chicago. His military awards include five Bronze Star medals (one for valor) and the Combat Action Badge. He teaches history at North Carolina State University.
- Guest: LTG (Ret) Daniel P. Bolger, author of The Panzer Killers: The Untold Story of a Fighting General and his Spearhead Tank Division’s Charge Into the Third Reich
- Host: Joe Craig, AUSA’s Book Program Director
Resources:
Penguin Random House The Panzer Killers: The Untold Story of a Fighting General and his Spearhead Tank Division’s Charge Into the Third Reich
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
How do AUSA Chapters support Soldiers and their families? AUSA’s 122 chapters and 9 regions worldwide are primarily made up of volunteer members seeking to go the extra mile for our Soldiers and families. Highlighting AUSA’s Pikes Peak Chapter efforts at Fort Carson, Colorado and the surrounding area are SGM(Ret.) Scott Leeling, AUSA’s Pikes Peak Chapter President and Marissa Bolado, Vice President of AUSA’s Pikes Peak Chapter Family programs. They join us to provide insight and share resources available to Soldiers and their families. To learn more please check out their website linked in the resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
- Guests:
- SGM(Ret.) Scott A. Leeling, AUSA’s Pikes Peak Chapter President
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Marissa Bolado, Vice President of AUSA’s Pikes Peak Chapter Family Programs
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Hosts:
-
Holly Dailey, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
- SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
Resources:
AUSA – Pikes Peak Chapter
Website: https://www.ausappc.org/
Email: PPAUSA.FamilyPrograms@gmail.com
Social Media Handles:
FB: @PikesPeakChapterAusa
U.S. Army Olympians, SFC Elizabeth Marks and SGT Samantha Schultz, joins us to discuss the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program (WCAP) on their way to represent Team USA in the 2020 Olympic Games. Listen as the soldier-athletes describe their accomplishments along their journey to the Olympics. Learn how WCAP offered them the opportunity to serve their country and pursue sports on an international level. To learn more about WCAP check out their website listed in the resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
- Guests:
- SGT Samantha Schultz, U.S. Army
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SFC Elizabeth Marks, U.S. Army
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Hosts:
- Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director of Education & Programs
- LTC Brittany Lloyd, AUSA’s U.S. Army Fellow
Resources:
Army World Class Athlete Program (WCAP)
Web: https://www.armywcap.com
Social Media Handles:
FB: @USArmyWCAP
Twitter: @usarmywcap
IG:@usarmywcap
Honoring the unknown and providing inspiration for the future, the 100th Anniversary Commemoration of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier takes place throughout 2021. Three Soldiers for Life with service at the Tomb join AUSA’s Dan Roper to describe these commemorative activities along with the Tomb’s enduring meaning.
Dedicated in 1921 as a “source of inspiration, reverence and love of country,” the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier honors an unknown American warrior who “represents no section, creed or race . . . and typifies the soul of America and the supreme sacrifice of her heroic dead.” The 2021 Centennial, not only commemorates the dedication a century ago, but provides an opportunity for all Americans to reflect on the enduring meaning of the Tomb and its relevance to all citizens whether they have served in the military or not.
- Guests:
- Richard Azzaro, President, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Foundation
- COL (Ret) Joe Buche, Executive Director, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Foundation
- SGM (Ret) Gavin McIlvenna, President, Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
- Host: COL (Ret) Dan Roper, AUSA’s Director of National Security Studies
Resources:
Society of the Honor Guard, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (SHGTUS) Web: https://tombguard.org/ Centennial: https://tombguard.org/centennial
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Foundation Web: https://www.tomboftheunknownsoldierfoundation.com/
The Old Guard – 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment Web: https://oldguard.mdw.army.mil/
Arlington Cemetery Tomb of the Unknown Soldier: https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Explore/Tomb-of-the-Unknown-Soldier Tomb of the Unknown Soldier Centennial (TUS-100): https://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/TUS-100
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
What’s new at Army Futures Command? SMA(R) Dailey interviews CSM Michael A. Crosby, Command Sergeant Major, Army Futures Command. They give an overview of AFC, its modernization efforts, Project Convergence updates, key milestones and accomplishments that lie ahead, and how the Defense budget might negatively affect modernization efforts.
- Guest: CSM Michael A. Crosby, Command Sergeant Major, Army Futures Command
- Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
Resources:
Army Futures Command
Web: https://www.army.mil/futures
Web: https://www.armyfuturescommand.com/
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs
Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers
Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
How does the Army’s FY 2022 Budget support people, readiness and modernization? The Army’s Budget Director, MG Paul Chamberlain, joins AUSA’s Mark Haaland to share his thoughts on the new budget request. They discuss how it meets the Army’s priorities for people, readiness and modernization while fulfilling requirements for the interim national security strategic guidance set by the current administration. They cover reductions in the FY 2022 budget, a different accounting method for other contingency operations (OCO), and the readiness of our Army to fight and win.
- Guest: MG Paul A. Chamberlain, Director for Army Budget, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management & Comptroller)
- Host: Mark Haaland, AUSA’s Director of Government Affairs
Resources:
Assistant Secretary of the Army for Financial Management and Comptroller (ASA (FM&C)) Web: https://www.asafm.army.mil/
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
How can the U.S. Army and NATO allies deter and defeat any threats to Europe? Today, LTG(R) Ben Hodges, former commander of U.S. Army Europe, joins AUSA’s Joe Craig to discuss the new book, Future War and the Defence of Europe, which Hodges co-wrote with retired Marine Gen. John Allen and Julian Lindley-French. It offers a major new analysis of how peace and security can be maintained in Europe amid advances in technology and a rapidly shifting strategic environment.
- Guest: LTG(R) Ben Hodges, former commander of U.S. Army Europe and author of Future War and the Defence of Europe
- Host: Joe Craig, AUSA’s Book Program Director
Resources:
Oxford University Press: Future War and the Defence of Europe
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Join us to catch up with AUSA’s former Family Readiness Director, Patricia Barron, who is now the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Military Community & Family Policy (MC&FP). Hear about her journey from an infantry spouse to her current role. Listen as she provides insight on what the Military Community & Family Policy does and their strategic imperatives to support the needs of the Total Force. To learn more please check out Military OneSource website linked in the resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guest: Patricia Barron, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Military Community and Family Policy
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Host: Holly Dailey, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
Resources:
Military OneSource
Web: www.militaryonesource.mil
Social Media Handles
FB: @military.1source
Twitter/IG: @Military1Source
Today marks the U.S. Army's 246th birthday! LTG Gary Brito, DCS G-1 and Mr. Anselm Beach joins us to highlight how far our Army has come and its commitment to being a diverse, equitable, and inclusive force. Listen as they discuss the Army's work to build a culture of trust and inclusion. Learn about the progress the Army has made through efforts such as Project Inclusion, the People First Task Force, and Your Voice Matters listening tour. To learn more about Army G-1 and their efforts follow them at the social media platforms listed below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guests:
- LTG Gary Brito, U.S. Army Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1
- Mr. Anslem Beach, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army – Equity Inclusion Agency
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Hosts:
- Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director of Education & Programs
- LTG (R) Patricia McQuistion, AUSA Senior Fellow
Resources:
Army G-1
Web: http://www.army.mil/G-1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HQDAMRAG1/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MRA_G1_PAO
The Texas National Guard is made up of community members – Texans serving Texans. SMA(R) Dailey interviews CSM Jason D. Featherston, Senior Enlisted Advisor, Texas Army National Guard. They discuss the makeup of the Texas National Guard and how its civilian soldiers respond to domestic emergencies, combat missions, counterdrug efforts, reconstruction missions and more—all with equal speed, strength and efficiency.
- Guest: CSM Jason D. Featherston, Senior Enlisted Advisor, Texas Army National Guard
- Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
Resources:
Texas Military Department Web: https://tmd.texas.gov/
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
This Memorial Day, we remember those who gave their lives, including the 36,574 U.S. Soldiers who died in the Korean War. COL(R) Steve Lee of Korea Defense Veterans Association (KDVA) joins AUSA’s CSM(R) Troy Welch to highlight KDVA’s role as a connector and convener for anyone who wants to support the Republic of Korea (ROK)-U.S. Alliance, one of the United States’ closest allies in that region of the world.
With the motto “Together for the ROK-U.S. Alliance,” KDVA is the only professional organization whose sole purpose is to enhance, support, and advocate for the ROK-U.S. Alliance and our Veterans. 1.8 Million U.S. troops fought in the Korean War and 3.3 Million have served in Korea since the 1953 signing of the Korean Armistice Agreement. Membership with KDVA is free and includes professional networking, mentoring, volunteering, and researching opportunities.
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Guest: COL (Ret) Steve Lee, Senior Vice President of Operations, Korea Defense Veterans Association
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Host: CSM (Ret) Troy Welch, AUSA’s Director for NCO and Soldier Programs and Board Member, Korea Defense Veterans Association
This episode is brought to you by GEICO.
Resources:
Korea Defense Veterans Associations Web: https://kdva.vet/
Korea-US Alliance Foundation Web: http://kusaf.org/
Korean War Veterans Memorial – Wall of Remembrance Web: https://koreanwarvetsmemorial.org/wall-of-remembrance/
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
For years, the war in Afghanistan has been fought almost exclusively by US Special Forces. Author Jessica Donati joins AUSA’s Joe Craig to discuss her book, Eagle Down: The Last Special Forces Fighting the Forever War, which delves into the lives of the Green Berets and other operators on the frontlines against the Taliban and the Islamic State group. Donati covers foreign affairs and national security for The Wall Street Journal in Washington. She joined WSJ as the bureau chief in Afghanistan, and previously worked for Reuters in Europe, the Middle East and Asia. She was part of the team that reported on the war in Libya, working on a series chosen as a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting in 2012.
- Guest: Jessica Donati, National Security Reporter, The Wall Street Journal, and Author of Eagle Down: The Last Special Forces Fighting the Forever War
- Host: Joe Craig, AUSA’s Book Program Director
This episode is brought to you by GEICO.
Resources:
PublicAffairs: Eagle Down: The Last Special Forces Fighting the Forever War
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
LTG Scott Spellmon, USACE Commanding General and 55th U.S. Army Chief of Engineers joins us to educate our listeners on how far reaching the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) support and expertise spans across the world. Learn about their various missions, cutting-edge projects from the engineers and research mission area, and how the Corps will continue to provide engineering support for emergency operations – COVID-19 pandemic and natural disaster response efforts. For more information on US Army Corps of Engineers check out the resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guest: LTG Scott A. Spellmon, USACE Commanding General and 55th U.S. Army Chief of Engineers
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Hosts:
Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Education & Programs Director
LTC Brittany Lloyd, AUSA’s Army Fellow
This episode is brought to you by GEICO.
Resources:
US Army Corps of Engineers
Web: http://www.usace.army.mil/
Social Media Handles:
FB: @USACEHQ
Twitter: @USACEHQ
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/us-army-corps-of-engineers/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/CORPSCONNECTION
A simple thank you goes a long way. Today, the spouses of two Army senior leaders, Maria McConville and Alexandra Grinston, join Holly Dailey, AUSA’s new Director of Family Readiness, to show gratitude to our military families for their volunteerism and contributions. Additionally, two Army subject matter experts share tips on how to include volunteer experience on your resume, and how to track your volunteer hours in the new, improved Volunteer Management Information System (VMIS) at www.armyfamilywebportal.com.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guests: Maria McConville, Spouse of the Chief of Staff of the Army Alexandra Grinston, Spouse of the Sergeant Major of the Army Teresa Briley, Director, Assistant G-1 for Civilian Personnel, U.S. Army Steve Yearwood, Program Analyst, Soldier and Family Readiness, ODCS G-9, U.S. Army
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Host: Holly Dailey, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
This episode is brought to you by GEICO.
Resources:
U.S. Army, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-9, Installations
Website: https://dcsg9.army.mil/
U.S. Army, Office of the Army G-1, Personnel
Website: https://www.army.mil/g-1
Volunteer Management Information System (VMIS)
www.armyfamilywebportal.com
Military OneSource
Website: https://www.militaryonesource.mil/
U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) kicked off a large recruiting effort, Army National Hiring Days campaign taking place 10 May – 14 June 2021. GEN Paul Funk II, Commanding General, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command joins us to share the importance of this campaign and serving our nation. He also provides updates on how TRADOC is implementing the People First initiative across the enterprise through the new Army Fitness initiative, Leadership Professional Development programs, and the upcoming Cadet Summer Training for ROTC cadets. For more information on TRADOC initiatives please check the resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guest: GEN Paul E. Funk II, Commanding General, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command
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Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
This episode is brought to you by GEICO.
Resources:
Army National Hiring Days
Web: www.GoArmy.com/hiringdays
Web: www.army.mil
Social Media Pages
Facebook & Twitter:
@GoArmy
@USArmyTRADOC
@ArmyROTC
@USAREC
@nationalguard
Instagram:
@goarmy
AUSA has adopted two Security Force Assistance Brigades (SFAB)— 3RD SFAB and 5TH SFAB. Our Adopt-A-Unit series continues with 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) sharing their mission and unique role after their recent return from Afghanistan. Joining us to provide insight as they prepare for their next mission is 3rd SFAB command team, COL Michael Trotter, and CSM James Light and 1st Battalion leadership team – LTC Brendan Gallagher, CSM Andrew Whittingham, and SGM Gilmer. They describe how their team supports CENTCOM and highlights the importance of interoperability to integrating and supporting ongoing operations. Learn about the creative ways they have maintained readiness and stayed connected with their families in a COVID environment. To learn more about the SFAB organization follow them at the social media platforms listed below.
Host:
o LTC Brittany Lloyd, AUSA’s U.S. Army Fellow
Guests:
o COL Michael Trotter, Commander, 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade
o CSM James Light, 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade
o LTC Brendan Gallagher, Commander, 1st Battalion, 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade
o CSM Andrew Whittingham, 1st Battalion, 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade
o SGM Jacob Gilmer, Operations Sergeant Major, 1st Battalion, 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade
This episode is brought to you by GEICO.
Resources:
3rd SFAB Social Media Platforms:
FB: facebook.com/3sfab
facebook.com/1st-BN-3rd-SFAB-139497760334159
facebook.com/ArmySFAC
facebook.com/SFABRecruiting
IG:
Instagram.com/3rdsfab
Instagram.com/ArmySFAC
Instagram.com/sfab_recruiting
Twitter:
Twitter.com/3rdSFAB
Twitter.com/armysfac
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
What’s new with the SMA? The Army’s top NCO, SMA Michael Grinston, joins AUSA’s SMA (Ret) Dan Dailey to discuss sexual assault and harassment prevention, financial literacy in the Army, enlisted promotions, the Army Combat Fitness Test and the service’s COVID-19 response
- Guest: SMA Michael Grinston, Sergeant Major of the Army
- Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
This episode is brought to you by GEICO.
Resources:
Sergeant Major of the Army Web: https://www.army.mil/leaders/sma/ Twitter: @16thSMA
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
The Pennsylvania National Guard serves community, commonwealth and country in peacetime and during national emergencies. SMA(R) Dailey interviews CSM Jon B. Worley, Senior Enlisted Advisor, Pennsylvania National Guard Joint Force Headquarters. They discuss the history of the PA National Guard including its origins as the Pennsylvania militia 270 years ago, its current makeup, their response to anomalies like COVID, riots, domestic disturbance, and the assault on the capital, and what they do for the U.S. and Pennsylvania when not responding to emergencies.
- Guest: CSM Jon B. Worley, Senior Enlisted Advisor, Pennsylvania National Guard Joint Force Headquarters
- Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
Soldier Today, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, focuses on what is important to Soldiers and NCOs.
This episode is brought to you by GEICO.
Resources:
Pennsylvania National Guard Web: https://www.pa.ng.mil/
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month and AUSA has hosted several events to educate our listeners. We continue the conversation today with Ms. Jill Londagin, Army SHARP Director. She shares how The Army Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention program (SHARP) allocate personnel throughout Army units to empower commanders to prevent and respond to sexual harassment and sexual assault incidents. Ms. Londagin highlights resources available to soldiers and family members to provide support to victims and the programs to emphasize prevention. For more information on the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response Prevention Program check out the website in the resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guest: Jill Longadin, Director, Sexual Harassment/ Assault Response and Prevention Program, U.S. Army
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Hosts:
- Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director of Education & Programs
- LTC Brittany Lloyd, AUSA Army Fellow
Resources:
Website: www.armyresilience.army.mil/sharp
DoD Safe Helpline Phone Number: 1 (877)995-5247
DoD Safe Helpline Website: www.safehelpline.org
Facebook: @ArmyResilience
Twitter: @ArmyResilience
LinkedIn: @ArmyResilience
General George Joulwan saw the Berlin Wall go up as a West Point lieutenant and was serving as the commander of U.S. Army V Corps when it came down. Today, he joins AUSA’s Joe Craig to discuss his new book: Watchman at the Gates: A Soldier’s Journey from Berlin to Bosnia. GEN Joulwan served 36 years in the U.S. Army, finishing his military career as the Supreme Allied Commander of NATO forces in Europe (SACEUR) during the Rwandan genocide and the Bosnian peacekeeping missions of the 1990s.
- Guest: GEN (Ret) George Joulwan, author of Watchman at the Gates: A Soldier’s Journey from Berlin to Bosnia
- Host: Joe Craig, Director, AUSA’s Book Program
Resources:
University Press of Kentucky: Watchman at the Gates: A Soldier’s Journey from Berlin to Bosnia
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
How does the Ready & Resilient (R2) campaign increase readiness, foster culture of trust, and team cohesion? SGM Sharita Onugha, Senior Enlisted Advisor for the Resilience Directorate, joins us today to share how the R2 campaign offers programs and training approaches, grounded in Army values, to increase readiness and resilience.
SGM Onugha highlights some the most requested programs such as Five Dimensions of Personal Readiness, Master Resilience Training, and Resilience in Focus that have been impactful in enhancing resilience Army-wide. Hear how Soldiers, Families, and DA civilians can access one of the 32 performance centers that customize performance training to sustain personal readiness and unit cohesion. You will learn that when these educational tools are applied, they will resonate with our Soldiers and Families fostering a culture of trust that will last a lifetime. For more information on the Readiness & Resilience campaign check out the website in the resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guest: SGM Sharita Onugha, Senior Enlisted Advisor for the Resilience Directorate
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Hosts:
- Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director of Education & Programs
- LTC Brittany Lloyd, AUSA Army Fellow
Resources:
Website: www.ArmyResilience.army.mil
Facebook: @ArmyResilience
Twitter: @ArmyResilience
LinkedIn: @ArmyResilience
How does the Army plan to increase access to quality child care and youth programs for military children? Helen Roadarmel, Chief, Child, Youth & School (CYS) Services Branch in the Soldier and Family Readiness/Quality of Life Directorate, DCS, G-9 joins us today to share the Army’s plan. Learn about the Quality of Life Task Force Line of Effort #3 initiatives to increase child care facilities, grow the Family Child Care program, support Army Fee Assistance and ensure direct child care staff are competitively compensated. Hear how Child Develop Centers are navigating the COVID pandemic and continue to contribute to the overall readiness of the Army. To learn more please check out their website linked in the resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guest:
- Ms. Helen Roadarmel, Chief, Child, Youth & Schools Branch, Soldier Family Readiness Division and Quality of Life Task Force in the headquarters, Department of the Army, G-9
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Host:
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- Thea Green, AUSA’s Family Readiness Program Manager
Resources:
Military Child Care (MCC)
Website: www.militarychildcare.com
Child Care Aware of America Army
Website: https://www.childcareaware.org/fee-assistancerespite/military-families/army/
Army Quality of Life (AQL)
Website: https://www.army.mil/qualityoflife/
Army Family and Morale, Welfare, Recreation
Website: https://www.armymwr.com/programs-and-services/cys
According to the National Defense Strategy, "the homeland is no longer a sanctuary." Learn how the Army Installation Strategy (AIS) will enhance the Army's resilience against threats with our guest, Mr. Jack Surash, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment. He describes how installations are key strategic readiness enablers for the Army to deploy, fight, and win the nation’s wars. Hear how installations are modernizing infrastructure, services, and operations to incorporate new weapon systems and doctrine while enhancing resilience against threats from adversaries and climate change. The Army Installations strategy supports Soldiers, civilians and Army families stationed both home and abroad. Mr. Surash emphasizes that people are the glue that keeps the Army rolling along. For more information on the Army’s Installations Strategy check out the website in the resource section below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guest: Mr. Jack Surash, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Installations, Energy and Environment
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Hosts:
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- COL(Ret) Dan Roper, AUSA’s Director of National Security Studies
- Thea Green, AUSA’s Family Readiness Program Manager
Resources:
Website: https://www.army.mil/ASAIEE
Twitter: @ASArmyIEE
Facebook: @ASAIEE
AUSA has adopted two Security Force Assistance Brigades with the goal of providing a supporting relationship through their deployment. The 1st Battalion of the 5th Security Force Assistance Brigade (SFAB) kicks off Adopt-A-Unit series sharing their mission and deployment updates. Joining us to provide an update is COL David Rowland, Commander, 1st Battalion of the 5th SFAB and his team, CSM Calvin Overway, MAJ Scott Orr, the operations officers, and CPT LeShaun Smith a team leader. Learn about their mission to advise, support, liaise, and assess foreign partner units. Listen as they provide insight on how their selection process and pre-deployment process helps supports the brigade’s #1 priority – Readiness. The team shares the bedrock of the organization’s readiness are the Family Readiness groups that supports the family and mission success. To learn more about the SFAB organization follow them at the social media platforms listed below.
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Guests:
- COL David Rowland, Commander, 1st Battalion of the 5th SFAB
- CSM Calvin Overway, Operations Officer, 1st Battalion of the 5th SFAB
- MAJ Scott Orr, Operations Officer, 1st Battalion of the 5th SFAB
- CPT LeShaun Smith, Team Leader, 1st Battalion of the 5th SFAB
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Hosts:
- Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director of Education & Programs
- LTC Brittany Lloyd, AUSA Army Fellow
5th SFAB Social Media Platforms:
FB: facebook.com/5thsfab
facebook.com/TIGERBN5SFAB
facebook.com/ArmySFAC
facebook.com/sfabrecruiting
IG:
Instagram.com/5sfab
Instagram.com/ArmySFAC
Instagram.com/sfab_recruiting
Twitter:
Twitter.com/5thsfab
Twitter.com/armysfac
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
From the day they enter Basic Training until retirement and beyond, U.S. Army Human Resources Command (HRC) manages Soldiers' entire careers. This includes Soldier schooling, promotions, awards, records, transfers, appointments, benefits, retirement and more. Joining us today is CSM Anthony McAdoo, Command Sergeant Major for HRC, which is the largest human resources organization in the world and provides services to Soldiers, Veterans, Retirees and Army Families. He discusses why he joined the Army, how HRC fits into the NCO Strategy, tips for navigating the Assignment Satisfaction Key – Enlisted Module (ASK-EM), understanding the new Enlisted Promotion System, and more.
- Guest: CSM Anthony McAdoo, Command Sergeant Major, U.S. Army Human Resources Command
- Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
Soldier Today, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, focuses on what is important to Soldiers and NCOs.
Resources:
U.S. Army Human Resources Command Web: https://www.hrc.army.mil/
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Leading up to D-Day, the French Resistance gathered intelligence, harassed Axis occupiers and slowed German reinforcements. Every year on June 6th, people from around the world gather in the Normandy Region to commemorate Operation Overlord (D-Day) and the liberation of Europe. While most of the focus is on US, British, and Commonwealth efforts, this year, the contributions of the French Resistance to the success of the Allied Landings at Normandy in WWII are being honored with a new monument. The Normandy French Resistance Monument is being sculpted right now and will be unveiled in Normandy on June 5, 2021 for the 77th D-Day Anniversary. Joining us today are two people central to the creation of the new monument: Captain Joseph Ivanov and Stephen Spears, the sculptor.
- Guests:
- Captain (Ret) Joseph Ivanov, U.S. Army Special Forces, Founder & Project Lead, Normandy French Resistance Monument
- Stephen Spears, Sculptor, Normandy French Resistance Monument
- Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
Soldier Today, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, focuses on what is important to Soldiers and NCOs.
Resources:
Operation Democracy & Normandy French Resistance Monument Web: https://operationdemocracy.com/ Web: Normandy French Resistance Monument
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
The Army Future Study Program (FSP) is examining how the Army could integrate emerging technologies in transformational ways to deter, fight, and win. Dr. Jean Vettel and COL Stephanie Ahern of Army Futures Command (AFC) describe the outcomes of two recent FSP events conducted to refine Army Aimpoint 2035: Character of Warfare 2035 Seminar (November 2020) and Character of Landpower 2035 Seminar (February 2020). With AFC in the lead, the Army is using a Team Ignite approach to integrate expertise from the threat, science, tech, concept and operations communities to more quickly and effectively inform “what could be.”
This episode builds on an earlier episode from 30 November 2020: Special Edition: Team Ignite – Bringing Together Futures Expertise in Different Domains
- Guests:
- COL Stephanie Ahern, Director of Concepts, Futures and Concepts Center (FCC), U.S. Army Futures Command (AFC)
- Dr. Jean Vettel, Chief Scientist, Futures and Concepts Center (FCC), U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM)
- Host: COL(Ret) Dan Roper, AUSA’s Director of National Security Studies
Resources:
AFC Futures and Concepts Center Web: https://fcc.army.mil/ Facebook/Twitter: @AdaptingTheArmy
Army Futures Command Web: https://www.army.mil/futures Facebook/Twitter: @ArmyFutures LinkedIn: @Army Futures Command
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Amazing female patriots have served our nation since the Revolutionary War, and the U.S. Army Women’s Museum (AWM) is the only museum in the world dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of the contribution of women to the Army. The team from AWM joins us today to share about their work and the museum’s goals.
Note: The physical museum is currently closed due to COVID-19 preventive measures, but a virtual tour is available at https://awm.lee.army.mil/.
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Guests:
- Tracy Bradford, Curator, U.S. Army Women’s Museum
- Ron Bingham, Collections Specialist, U.S. Army Women’s Museum
- Aimee Kominiak, Co-President, Friends of the Army Women’s Museum Association (FAWMA)
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Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
Soldier Today, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, focuses on what is important to Soldiers and NCOs.
Resources:
U.S. Army Women’s Museum
Web: https://awm.lee.army.mil/
Friends of the Army Women’s Museum Association
Web: https://armywomensmuseum.org/
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs
Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers
Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
The Battle of Saratoga, a turning point in the Revolutionary War, offers modern lessons in strategy and leadership. Dr. Kevin J. Weddle, author of The Compleat Victory, joins us today to discuss his new book. Weddle is a retired Army colonel and Professor of Military Theory and Strategy at the U.S. Army War College.
- Guest: Dr. Kevin J. Weddle, author of The Compleat Victory: Saratoga and the American Revolution, and Professor of Military Theory and Strategy, U.S. Army War College
- Host: Joe Craig, Director, AUSA’s Book Program
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Oxford University Press: The Compleat Victory: Saratoga and the American Revolution
Army War College Web: https://www.armywarcollege.edu/
How is Army Materiel Command pursuing persistent modernization while ensuring the materiel readiness of today’s force? AMC’s Commanding General, Ed Daly, joins AUSA’s GEN(R) Bob Brown to share AMC’s perspective on sustaining the Army’s modernization efforts. They discuss Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) and Joint All-Domain Operations (JADO), potential conflict in Large Scale Combat Operations (LSCO), the joint functional concept for Contested Logistics and more. This episode was inspired by AUSA’s Global Force Next virtual symposium, taking place 16-18 March 2021. For more information on Global Force Next visit: https://global.ausa.org/.
- Guest: GEN Edward M. Daly, Commanding General, Army Materiel Command
- Host: GEN(R) Robert (Bob) B. Brown, AUSA’s Executive Vice President
Resources:
Army Materiel Command Web: https://www.amc.army.mil/
AUSA’s Global Force Next U.S. Army: Protecting Tomorrow through Persistent Modernization 16-18 March 2021 Web: https://global.ausa.org/
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
How is the Quality of Life Task force supporting the Army’s number one priority? Dee Geise, Director, Soldier and Family Readiness and Quality of Life Task Force Deputy Chief of Staff, G-9, joins us today to share what is the Quality of Life Task Force and how is impacting the Army’s number one priority-people. Ms. Geise defines what quality of life is and how it directly impacts Army strategic outcomes-recruitment, retention, and readiness. Learn about the Quality of Life Task Force’s campaign and the strides they have made to help balance the Soldier’s needs and the family’s needs. To learn more please check out their website linked in the resource section below.
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Guest:
- Dee Geise, Director, Soldier and Family Readiness and Quality of Life Task Force Deputy Chief of Staff, G-9
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Host:
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- Thea Green, AUSA’s Family Readiness Program Manager
Resources:
Army Quality of Life (QOL)
Website: https://www.army.mil/qualityoflife/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/soldierandfamilyreadiness
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
How is Army Futures Command driving persistent modernization? AFC’s Commanding General, Mike Murray, joins AUSA’s GEN(R) Bob Brown to share his thoughts on meeting persistent modernization objectives. They also discuss how Project Convergence is at the cutting edge of modernization. This episode was inspired by AUSA’s Global Force Next virtual symposium, taking place 16-18 March 2021. For more information on Global Force Next visit: https://global.ausa.org/.
- Guest: GEN John M. (Mike) Murray, Commanding General, Army Futures Command
- Host: GEN(R) Robert (Bob) B. Brown, AUSA’s Executive Vice President
Resources:
Army Futures Command Web: https://www.army.mil/futures
AUSA’s Global Force Next U.S. Army: Protecting Tomorrow through Persistent Modernization 16-18 March 2021 Web: https://global.ausa.org/
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
In honor of Women's History Month, hear the stories of three exceptional servicewomen. LTC (Ret.) Robin Johnson, Chief of Staff, Women in Military Service for America Memorial, CW5 Yolondria Dixon-Carter, Assistant Executive Officer and Senior Warrant Officer Advisor, and CSM Tabitha Gavia, Director of Defense Operations, Merit join us today as they reflect on their experiences and accomplishments. Listen as they share the challenges they overcame and the advice they have for the future generation. To hear more stories of women who are paving the way check out the campaign the Women’s Military memorial will launch to commemorate the accomplishments of women in all the Services. To learn more check out their website linked in the resource section below.
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Guests:
- LTC (R) Robin Johnson, Chief of Staff, Women in Military Service for America Memorial
- CW5 Yolondria Dixon-Carter, Assistant Executive Officer and Senior Warrant Officer Advisor
- CSM Tabitha Gavia, Director of Defense Operations, Merit
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Hosts:
- Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director of Education & Programs
- LTC Brittany Lloyd, AUSA Army Fellow
Resources:
Women in Military Service for America Memorial
Website: www.womensmemorial.org
Campaign: Register Her Service
https://myaccount.womensmemorial.org/nc__createaccount
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Non-commissioned Officers (NCOs) are the backbone of the U.S. Army, and Staff Sergeant Dexter Hicks works to help train, coach and develop his fellow NCOs, and leaders at all echelons, through his online show “NCOPD Live.” In the weekly NCOPD Live broadcasts, they discuss a variety of relevant topics that NCOs face on a regular basis, but that some may seem to turn a blind eye to. He joins Sergeant Major of the Army (Retired) Dan Dailey today to give us a feel for the show, how he decided to launch a video podcast, and where he sees it heading.
- Guest: SSG Dexter Hicks, Host of NCOPD Live
- Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
Soldier Today, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, focuses on what is important to Soldiers and NCOs.
Resources:
NCOPD Live YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAKD2jWGZT9a0nm7AfT5gPQ Facebook: @TheProfessionalSGL #TPSGL
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
A reinvigorated NATO Corps echelon is vital to Multi-Domain Operations (MDO), a new RUSI paper argues. AUSA’s Dan Roper interviews the authors, LTG(R) Sean MacFarland and Dr. Jack Watling, to get their take on the capabilities the future NATO corps will require and the how to overcome interoperability challenges to execute MDO.
- Guests:
- LTG(R) Sean MacFarland, non-resident Senior Fellow, Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs and Senior Fellow, Association of the United States Army
- Dr. Jack Watling, Research Fellow, Land Warfare, Royal United Services Institute
- Host: COL(Ret) Dan Roper, AUSA’s Director of National Security Studies
Resources:
Royal United Services Institute Web: https://rusi.org/ The Future of the NATO Corps: https://rusi.org/publication/occasional-papers/future-nato-corps
NATO Web: https://www.nato.int/
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Relationship checkup time! Every relationship needs support. Sometimes balancing military life and healthy relationships can present a unique challenge for service members and their families. Lee Kelley, Director of Military Community Support Programs, joins us to discuss how Military OneSource can help. Learn how the ReTheWe campaign can help rekindle, repair, or reset your relationships through resources, such as the Love Everyday App, 24/7 Military Call Service, and Brief Relationship Check Up Intervention. Kelley reminds us that relationship checkups are just as important as your physical checkups. To find out how to get your checkup click on the link in the resource section below.
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Guest:
- Lee Kelley, Director, Military Community Support Programs Office of Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense
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Host:
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- Thea Green, AUSA’s Family Readiness Program Manager
Resources:
Military OneSource
Web: www.militaryonesource.mil/rethewe
Phone: 1 (800)342-9647
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Beverly Kirk, Fellow and Director for Outreach, International Security Program, and Director, Smart Women, Smart Power Initiative joins forces with Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director of Education & Programs and LTC Brittany Lloyd, AUSA’s Army fellow to discuss their organization offerings and how they are making strides in podcast. Beverly who also serves as the host of the Smart Women, Smart Power podcast shares how the podcast amplifies the voices of top-level women in foreign policy, national security, international business, and international development. Nzinga and LTC Lloyd provide insight on how Army Real Talk is supporting the Army community and reaching the younger generation of Soldiers, leaders, and family members. Together they highlight what we can expect to hear from both podcasts in 2021. To learn more about Smart Women, Smart Power subscribe to their podcast linked in the resource section below.
Guests:
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- Beverly Kirk, Fellow and Director for Outreach, International Security Program, and Director, Smart Women, Smart Power Initiative
Hosts:
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- Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director of Education & Programs
- LTC Brittany Lloyd, AUSA Army Fellow
Resources:
Smart Women, Smart Power Podcast
Podcast Site: https://www.csis.org/podcasts/smart-women-smart-power-podcast
Smart Women, Smart Power Initiative
Website: https://www.csis.org/programs/international-security-program/smart-women-smart-power
Twitter:
Smart Women, Smart Power: @SmartWomen
Beverly Kirk: @BeverlyKirk
International Security Program: @CSIS_ISP
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Meet the Senior Enlisted Leader of the District of Columbia’s Army National Guard: Command Sergeant Major Michael F. Brooks. In this role, CSM Brooks serves as the Commanding General’s personal adviser on all enlisted-related matters pertaining to Army and Air policies affecting training, utilization, resources, health of the force, enlisted professional development. He joins AUSA’s own SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, to discuss his Army career and to provide perspective on the D.C. National Guard’s unique role and mission, including its recent activation, protecting the capital and supporting the defense of the nation.
- Guest: CSM Michael F. Brooks, Command Sergeant Major, District of Columbia Army National Guard
- Host: SMA (Ret) Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
Soldier Today, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, focuses on what is important to Soldiers and NCOs.
Resources:
District of Columbia National Guard Web: https://dc.ng.mil/ Facebook: @DCGuard Twitter: @DCGuard1802
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Challenging the myths and lies of the Confederate legacy, BG(R) Ty Seidule, author of Robert E. Lee and Me, joins us today to discuss his new book. Seidule is the Chamberlain Fellow at Hamilton College and is also a Fellow, International Security at New America. Additionally, he is Professor Emeritus of History at West Point where he taught for two decades. Seidule served in the U.S. Army for thirty-six years.
- Guest: BG(R) Ty Seidule, author of Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth of the Lost Cause
- Host: Joe Craig, Director, AUSA’s Book Program
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
"May no soldier go unloved, May no soldier walk alone, May no soldier be forgotten, Until they all come home." Amy Palmer, president and CEO of Soldiers’ Angels, join us to discuss how this national non-profit organization is devoted to honor the sacrifice of our nation’s servicemembers, wounded troops, veterans, and their families. Palmer shares why she joined the organization and how the organization has pivoted to continue to support of all the branches of the services. The organization has provided care packages for deployed servicemembers, provided resources to veterans at the VA hospital, and providing adaptive technology for wounded troops. In spite of the pandemic, volunteers helped to adopt 1400 families through their Adopt A Family Program during the holiday season. Amy Palmer will share how Soldiers’ Angels plans to continue their efforts in 2021 and how others can join as a way of thanking our military and their families for their service.
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Guest:
- Amy Palmer, President and CEO, Soldiers’ Angels
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Host:
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- Patty Barron, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
Resources:
Soldiers’ Angels
Web: https://soldiersangels.org/
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Learn how Task Force 46 and the North Dakota National Guard are working together to support their largest and longest domestic response in the history of the North Dakota National Guard. Join the discussion as our guests highlight how their joint efforts have been integral in helping in the fight to beat COVID-19. COL Schauer, Director of Military Support of the North Dakota National Guard, shares the mission and the response planning in the enduring mission against the virus. 2LT Kathleen Alejandro, Registered Nurse, Task Force Center praises the local hospitals and officials on how their teamwork has helped to navigate the unique challenges of the pandemic. LTC Brian Martinus, Chaplain, Task Force Center emphasizes the importance placed on behavioral health and religious support in order to maintain the moral of the task force and the success of the mission.
- Guests:
- U.S. Army: LTC Brian Martinus, Chaplain, Task Force Center (46th Military Police Command), U.S. Army North
- U.S. Air Force: COL Tad Schauer, Director of Military Support, North Dakota National Guard
- U.S. Air Force: 2ND LT Kathleen Alejandro, Registered Nurse, Task Force Center (Sourced from U.S. Air Force’s 96th Medical Support Group)
- Hosts:
- Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director of Education & Programs
- LTC Brittany Lloyd, AUSA Army Fellow
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Meet the U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC)’s NEW Command Sergeant Major. In this role, CSM Alberto Delgado serves as the Commanding General’s personal adviser on all enlisted-related matters, primarily focused on the quality of life for Soldiers, Civilians and Families across the command as well as the training of the Noncommissioned Officer Corps and Soldiers. He joins AUSA’s own CSM (Ret) Troy Welch, to discuss why he loves the Army, including his career, squad and some advice for junior leaders rising in the ranks.
- Guest: CSM Alberto Delgado, Command Sergeant Major, U.S. Army Materiel Command (AMC)
- Host: CSM (Ret) Troy Welch, AUSA’s Director for NCO and Soldier Programs
Soldier Today, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, focuses on what is important to Soldiers and NCOs.
Resources:
U.S. Army Materiel Command
Web: https://www.amc.army.mil/
Facebook: @ArmyMaterielCommand
Twitter: @ArmyMateriel
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs
Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers
Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Headhunter is a story of the War on Terror from the perspective of the U.S. Army’s first airborne reconnaissance squadron. Author Peter Svoboda joins us today to discuss how the 400 paratroopers of the 5-73 CAV, a new unit in the 82nd Airborne Division, were hand-selected by the Army. They pursued various terrorist factions including Al Qaeda, and were awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for launching the Turki Bowl campaign from November 2006 to January 2007 against insurgent groups in Diyala Province, Iraq. Based on dozens of interviews conducted by the author, the narrative describes the danger of combat, the loss of comrades and the struggles of returning from a deployment. The voice of the families left behind are also included, describing the challenges they faced, including the ultimate challenge--grappling with the death of a loved one.
- Guest: Peter Svoboda, author of Headhunter: 5-73 CAV and Their Fight for Iraq’s Diyala River Valley
- Host: Joe Craig, Director, AUSA’s Book Program
Resources:
Headhunter: 5-73 CAV and Their Fight for Iraq’s Diyala River Valley by Peter C. Svoboda Web: https://www.casematepublishers.com/headhunter.html Facebook/Twitter: @CasematePub
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Learn how military families are embracing the spirit of volunteerism from AUSA’s 2020 Volunteer Family of the Year – The Raines Family. Mrs. Brittany Raines, joins us today as she shares how her entire family has embraced the spirit of giving, being selected as AUSA’s 2020 Volunteer Family of the Year, and ways to give back. Learn about how military families have contributed to over 1 million acts of kindness through devoting their efforts to Giving Tuesday Military. Mrs. Raines reminds us to hunt the good and embrace everything that is in front of us.
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Guest:
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- Mrs. Brittany Raines, Recipient of AUSA’s 2020 Volunteer Family of the Year
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Host:
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- Thea Green, AUSA’s Program Manager of Family Readiness
Resources:
Giving Tuesday
Web: https://www.givingtuesdaymilitary.com/
Operation Home Front
Web: https://operationhomefront.org/
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Catch up with former Army Real Talk co-hosts as we discuss the Army training budget and Talent Management Task Force assessment programs. LTC Eugene Irby and MAJ Bradley Cooper, join us today as they provide insight on their new responsibilities and reflect on their favorite episodes. LTC Irby shares how he is assisting with the management of the Army’s enterprise training budget of 30 billion dollars to ensure efficient training for our soldiers and the success of the Total Army. MAJ Cooper provides an update on the Army Talent Management Task Force implementation of the updated assignment process and evaluation programs for officers, warrant officers, and noncommissioned officers. Together they share about the Battalion Commander Assessment Program and how this effort supports the Army’s number one priority, People.
- Guests:
- LTC Eugene Irby, Budget Officer,G-3/5/7, U.S. Army
- MAJ Bradley Cooper, Army Talent Management Task Force, U.S. Army
- Hosts:
- Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director of Education & Programs
- LTC Brittany Lloyd, AUSA's U.S. Army Fellow
Resources:
Army Talent Management https://talent.army.mil/
AUSA Writing Program https://www.ausa.org/ausa-writing-program
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Meet AUSA’s U.S. Army Fellow: LTC Brittany (Woods) Lloyd. The military police officer will talk about why she joined the Army, her assignments and experiences as a woman in the Army, and the Army Fellows Program.
- Guest: LTC Brittany Lloyd, AUSA’s U.S. Army Fellow
- Host: CSM (Ret) Troy Welch, AUSA’s Director for NCO and Soldier Programs
Soldier Today, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, focuses on what is important to Soldiers and NCOs.
Resources:
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Team Ignite is creatively linking science and concepts to change the Army’s approach to modernization. Dr. Jean Vettel and COL Stephanie Ahern of Army Futures Command describe how Team Ignite is “cultivating a culture of connection” between soldiers, scientists, and other technology experts to modernize the force. Using 2035 as a focal point, Team Ignite is integrating expertise from technical, conceptual, threat and operational domains to imagine “what could be” and catalyzing action to develop the future Army.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
- Guests:
- COL Stephanie Ahern, Director of Concepts, Futures and Concepts Center (FCC), U.S. Army Futures Command (AFC)
- Dr. Jean Vettel, Chief Scientist, Futures and Concepts Center (FCC), U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM)
- Host: COL(Ret) Dan Roper, AUSA’s Director of National Security Studies
Resources:
AFC Futures and Concepts Center Web: https://fcc.army.mil/ Facebook/Twitter: @AdaptingTheArmy
Army Futures Command Web: https://www.army.mil/futures Facebook/Twitter: @ArmyFutures LinkedIn: @Army Futures Command
What issues face humanitarian efforts in future warfare? U.S. Army strategist LTC Jim Cahill joins us today to discuss how humanitarian and military efforts interact and what we need to know to understand the big picture. His recommendations for ways that the defense community should consider their relationship with the organizations that provide humanitarian aid were recently published as an AUSA Landpower Essay.
- Guest: LTC Jim Cahill, U.S. Army strategist and Ph.D. candidate, George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government
- Guest Host: Ellen Toner, Editorial Manager, AUSA’s Education and Programs Directorate
Resources:
Humanitarian Assistance and Future War (AUSA Landpower Essay 20-3, March 2020)
By LTC Jim Cahill, U.S. Army
Web: https://www.ausa.org/publications/humanitarian-assistance-and-future-war
AUSA Education & Programs Directorate
Web: https://www.ausa.org/education
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
The U.S. Army is taking a 21st century approach to enlisted talent management. Today’s guests from the Army’s Talent Management Task Force describe how the new system maximizes the potential of everyone in the force, not just the top 5%. They discuss the near-term First Sergeant Talent Alignment Assessment, differences between Officer and NCO assessments, the importance of blind panels and anonymized data and more.
- Guests:
- Major Jed Hudson, Enlisted Talent Management Initiative Lead
- Sergeant Major Robert Haynie, Enlisted Talent Management Initiative Leads
- Host:
- Sergeant Major of the Army (Retired) Daniel A. Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
Soldier Today, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, focuses on what is important to Soldiers and NCOs.
Resources:
U.S. Army Talent Management
Web: https://talent.army.mil/
Facebook/Twitter: @USArmy
LinkedIn: @US Army
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs
Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers
Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
How does military spouse unemployment become a problem for military readiness? Rosemary Williams, specialist executive, at Deloitte Consulting LLP’S Government & Public Services, joins us today as we discuss the nexus between military spouse employment and military readiness. Learn about the obtainable solutions the Department of Defense and local labor markets can implement to increase military spouse employment opportunities and keep the military strong.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
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Guest:
- Rosemary Williams, Specialist Executive, Deloitte Consulting LLP’s Government & Public Services
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Host:
- Patty Barron, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
Resources:
Deloitte
Web: https://www2.deloitte.com/global/en/industries/government-public-services.html
Twitter: @Deloitte
Facebook: @DeloitteUS
LinkedIn: @Deloitte
Military Spouse Unemployment Report:
https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en/insights/industry/public-sector/military-spouse-unemployment.html
Military Spouse Employment Partnership:
https://msepjobs.militaryonesource.mil/msep/
MySECO Website:
https://myseco.militaryonesource.mil/portal/
How are Guardsmen fulfilling mission requirements for cyber operations? COL Henry of the Maryland Army National Guard joins us today to speak about her experience as a Commander with Task Force 291 and the 110th Information Operations Battalion. She touches on how the National Guard interacts with the Regular Army and also how her civilian job with Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory supports her Army work.
- Guest:
- COL Kristine Henry, Commander, Task Force 291, Maryland Army National Guard
- Hosts:
- Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director of Education & Programs
- LTC Brittany Lloyd, AUSA Army Fellow
Resources:
Maryland National Guard Web: https://military.maryland.gov/ Facebook: @MDGuard Twitter: @MDNG
Army National Guard Web: https://www.nationalguard.com/ Facebook/Twitter: @NationalGuard
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Web: https://www.jhuapl.edu/ Facebook/Twitter: @JHUAPL
What is the Army’s NCO Strategy, why was it developed and how will it look in action? Today we welcome the Command Sergeant Major for the U.S. Army’s Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), to give us his take. CSM Daniel Hendrex addresses what the end state looks like for being a fit, well-trained and disciplined NCO, and discusses how the pandemic has affected training.
- Guest: Command Sergeant Major Daniel T. Hendrex, Command Sergeant Major, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command
- Host: Sergeant Major of the Army (Retired) Daniel A. Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
Soldier Today, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, focuses on what is important to Soldiers and NCOs.
Resources:
U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC)
Web: https://www.tradoc.army.mil/
Facebook: @USArmyTRADOC
Twitter: @TRADOC
LinkedIn: @US Army TRADOC
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs
Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers
Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Institute for Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development (INCOPD)
Web: About INCOPD
United States Army Sergeants Major Academy
Web: About USASMA
NCO Leadership Center of Excellence
Web: https://www.ncoworldwide.army.mil/
Facebook: @NCOLCoE
Twitter: @NCOL_CoE
LinkedIn: @The NCO Leadership Center of Excellence
Militaries anticipate what future wars will be like, but always get it wrong to some degree. Adaptability is the answer, according to LTG(R) David Barno and Dr. Nora Bensahel, authors of Adaptation Under Fire: How Militaries Change in Wartime.
They join us today to discuss what adaptability is and how it can be applied within our military to close the gap between what was planned for and what needs to be done. This is more important than ever since the challenges of the 21st century include increasing strategic uncertainty, operating in new domains like space and cyber, and constant technological change.
- Guests: Authors of Adaptation Under Fire: How Militaries Change in Wartime
- LTG (Retired) David Barno, Visiting Professor and Senior Fellow, Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies, John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
- Dr. Nora Bensahel, Visiting Professor and Senior Fellow, Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies, John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies
- Host: Joe Craig, Director, AUSA’s Book Program
Resources:
Adaptation Under Fire: How Militaries Change in Wartime by LTG (R) David Barno and Dr. Nora Bensahel Web: https://global.oup.com/academic/product/adaptation-under-fire-9780190672058 Facebook: @OUPAcademic Twitter: @DWBarno78 @NoraBensahel @OUPAcademic
Philip Merrill Center for Strategic Studies John Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies Web: https://www.merrillcenter.sais-jhu.edu/ Facebook: @SAISStrategicStudies Twitter: @SAISstrat
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Many military families are sometimes a bit confused about voting. With the 2020 election less than two weeks away, some might think it is too late to vote, or perhaps that their vote won’t matter. Sarah Streyder, Director of the Secure Families Initiative, joins us today to reinforce why it’s important to vote as a family member and provides steps to ensure your vote counts.
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Guest:
- Sarah Streyder, Director, Secure Families Initiative
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Host:
- Patty Barron, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
Resources:
Secure Families Initiative Web: https://securefamiliesinitiative.org/ Facebook: @SecureFamilies Twitter: @Secure_Families
Foreign Policy for America Web: https://www.fp4america.org/ Facebook/Twitter: @FP4America
Federal Voting Assistance Program For Service members, their families and overseas citizensWeb: https://www.fvap.gov/ Web: Federal Write-In Absentee Ballot (FWAB)
HomeFront Rising Web: https://www.homefrontrising.org/
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Families are not an afterthought, but are key to the overall health and success of the Total Army. Experts from the Army Public Health Center join us today to discuss the findings of their soon-to-be-released report: “The Health of the Army Family: What We Know, What We Don’t, and What’s Next.” The data supports what our Army Families already know from lived experience, and offers concrete recommendations for all touchpoints in the military family lifecycle. The report supports overall readiness since Soldiers with happy, supported families are more likely to be retained.
- Guests:
- Laura Mitvalsky, Director, Health Promotion and Wellness at U.S. Army Public Health Center
- Dr. Matthew Beymer, Principal Epidemiologist at U.S. Army Public Health Center, and Adjunct Assistant Professor at UCLA
- Emily Warren, Program Evaluation Consultant - U.S. Army Public Health Center/ORISE Fellow at Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-9 (Installations)
- Host:
- Patty Barron, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
Resources:
Army Public Health Center Web: https://phc.amedd.army.mil/ Web: Health of the Army Family Facebook: @ArmyPublicHealth Twitter: @USAPHC
Deputy Chief of Staff, G-9 (Installations), U.S. Army Web: https://dcsg9.army.mil/ Facebook: @soldierandfamilyreadiness Twitter: @dcs_g9
Army Community Resource Guides Web: https://crg.amedd.army.mil/
Army Community Services – a suite of family support services Army Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Web: https://www.armymwr.com/programs-and-services/personal-assistance Facebook/Twitter: @FamilyMWR
Joint Advertising Market Research and Studies (JAMRS) U.S. Department of Defense Web: https://jamrs.defense.gov/ Facebook/Twitter: @DeptofDefense
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
AUSA Now is happening this week! It is our Annual Meeting and Exposition featuring the U.S. Army, but we have taken it virtual for the first time in 2020. LTG(R) Patricia McQuistion, AUSA’s VP for Membership & Meetings, joins us today to discuss the decision to go virtual and to provide a sneak peek at what is in store. It’s an experience you won’t want to miss.
From 13-16 October, attendees will enter our virtual convention center to network, attend forums focused on the most current U.S. Army issues, and hear from top DoD and Army senior leaders from all major commands. There is something for all Army supporters, including all components, civilians and families.
Register for AUSA Now: https://meetings.ausa.org/annual/
- Guest:
- LTG Patricia E. McQuistion, USA Ret., AUSA’s Vice President of Membership & Meetings
- Host:
- Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director of Education & Programs
Resources:
AUSA Now Annual Meeting & Exposition 13-16 October 2020 Web: https://meetings.ausa.org/annual/
Association of the United States Army Web: https://www.ausa.org/ Facebook: @AUSA.org Twitter: @AUSAorg LinkedIn: @Association of the United States Army
How is the U.S. Army Cyber Command (ARCYBER) meeting the demands of the information age? A lot has happened in the 10 years since ARCYBER was formed. LTG Stephen Fogarty, ARCYBER’s Commanding General joins us today to describe their new facility at Fort Gordon, approach to talent management, harnessing the Army’s Total Force, information convergence and more.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
- Guest: Lieutenant General Stephen G. Fogarty, Commanding General, U.S. Army Cyber Command
- Host: General (Retired) Carter F. Ham, AUSA’s President & CEO
Resources:
U.S. Army Cyber Command Web: https://www.arcyber.army.mil/ Twitter: @arcyber LinkedIn: @U.S. Army Cyber Command
Cyber Defense Review (27 July 2020): Enabling the Army in an Era of Information Warfare
Professional development of the Army’s enlisted force is a top priority, and our guest today, CSM (Ret.) John D. Sparks, has been influential in the advancement of their training and education. He has spent a lifetime serving our country as both a Soldier and as a Department of the Army Civilian in roles that support Soldier education. Today he tells us about his background, including his part in creating the Institute for Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development (INCOPD) and achieving accreditation for the United States Sergeant Majors Academy. Currently, CSM (Ret.) Sparks serves as Principal Advisor on Strategic Education for the Sergeant Major of the Army.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
- Guest: Command Sergeant Major (Retired) John D. Sparks, Principal Advisor on Strategic Education for the Sergeant Major of the Army
- Host: Sergeant Major of the Army (Retired) Daniel A. Dailey, AUSA’s Vice President for NCO and Soldier Programs
Soldier Today, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, focuses on what is important to Soldiers and NCOs.
Resources:
Institute for Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development (INCOPD) Web: About INCOPD
United States Army Sergeants Major Academy Web: About USASMA
NCO Leadership Center of Excellence Web: https://www.ncoworldwide.army.mil/ Facebook: @NCOLCoE Twitter: @NCOL_CoE LinkedIn: @The NCO Leadership Center of Excellence
Sergeant Major of the Army Web: https://www.army.mil/leaders/sma/ Twitter: @16thSMA
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier Programs Web: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiers Twitter (Dailey): @15thSMA
Colonel (Retired) Daniel Roper, host of Thought Leaders, interviews MG JP McGee, Director of the Army Talent Management Task Force. Their discussion addresses the security environment characterized by the 2018 U.S. National Defense Strategy and its implications for how the Army must manage its most important asset – its people. MG McGee describes the profound changes the Army is making to its industrial-age personnel system to best leverage the knowledge, skills, behaviors, and preferences of its officers and its noncommissioned officers. This initiative is foundational to the everything that the Army is doing in terms of modernization including Multi-Domain Operations, Army Futures Command, and Talent Management. Ultimately, Talent Management will give the U.S. Army a decisive advantage against near-peer adversaries by maximizing the potential of its people.
Thought Leaders, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, brings in-depth conversations with authors of military books and senior leaders. Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Resources mentioned:
Army Talent Management: https://talent.army.mil/
Check out our other AUSA podcast, Membership Matters: http://memberpodcast.ausa.org/
Host Patty Barron, Director of Family Readiness at AUSA, speaks with George W., a retired U.S. Army officer and A.A. member. He serves on the Alcoholics Anonymous trustees' Committee for Cooperation with the Professional Community, where he works to carry the A.A. message to the armed forces and veterans communities. George shares his personal story, explains the steps to help a loved one dealing with alcohol addiction and specifically focuses on how service members can find help with A.A.
Family Voices, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, aims to connect Army families to speakers and issues that are important to their everyday lives. Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Resources mentioned:
Alcoholics Anonymous: https://www.aa.org/
Al-Anon – Support For Family and Friends
Web: https://al-anon.org/
Facebook: @AlAnonFamilyGroupsWSO
Twitter: @AlAnon_WSO
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/al-anon-wso/
Check out our other AUSA podcast, Membership Matters: http://memberpodcast.ausa.org/
Host Nzinga A. Curry, Director of the Institute of Land Warfare at AUSA, along with guest co-host Patty Barron, Director of Family Readiness at AUSA, sat down at Fort Hood with a few members of the Black Jack Brigade to discuss their upcoming deployment to Poland in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve (OAR). Our guests were COL Jeremy Wilson, 2nd Armor Brigade Combat Team, 1st Calvary Division, CSM Kevin Schuller, 1st Battalion 5th Calvary Regiment Command Sergeant Major, and Mrs. Amie Yazzie, spouse of the Brigade Command Sergeant Major. They provided insight on the brigade’s #1 priority – Readiness – which includes four pillars: Personnel, Training, Sustainment and Soldiers & Family. AUSA’s visit to Fort Hood is the result of AUSA adopting the 2nd Armor Brigade Combat Team, 1st Calvary Division with the goal of providing a supporting relationship before, during and after their deployment.
Army Real Talk, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, aims to help AUSA and the Army better connect with the younger generation. Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Black Jack Brigade Social Media
Facebook @black.jack.brigade.1cdTwitter: @1stCav2bct
Host Joe Craig, Director of AUSA’s Book Program, speaks with author Jon Mikolashek about his new book Blood, Guts, and Grease: George S. Patton in World War I. This early-career biography illuminates how Patton organized and trained the US Army’s first tank brigade, then led it into battle in the Great War. It also shows how his early experiences as a tank commander laid the groundwork for the success of the entire US Army armored forces in World War II.
Thought Leaders, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, brings in-depth conversations with authors of military books and senior leaders. Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
13 NOV 2019: ILW Lemnitzer Lecture & Book Signing with Jon Mikolashek
https://www.ausa.org/events/ilw-lemnitzer-lecture-mikolashek
Soldiers are always ready for battle, but their daily jobs are not always combat oriented. Co-hosts Nzinga Curry, Director, AUSA’s Institute of Land Warfare, and MAJ Brad Cooper, Army Fellow, interview three Soldiers with out-of-the-box Army jobs. CPT Allison Brager serves as a neuroscientist researching sleep and is also a member of the elite Army Warrior Fitness Team. SGT Joseph Hampton dives as part of the Army’s select Dive Program which, among other missions, searches for Soldiers killed in action (KIA) or missing in action (MIA) from previous wars. SFC Christopher Jones recruits gamers to join the Army esports team, emphasizing that yes, Soldiers can stream internet in their barracks room. The common thread is their heart for selfless service combined with fulfilling careers.
Army Real Talk, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, aims to help AUSA and the Army better connect with the younger generation. Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Resources mentioned:
Try out for Army esportsdiscord.gg/usarmyesports
During this highly anticipated follow-up episode, the Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA) Daniel A. Dailey answers listener questions about the new centralized NCO evaluation system as it moves from time-based to merit-based promotions, with host SMA (Retired) Ken Preston, Vice President, NCO & Soldier Programs, AUSA. Emphasizing respect and fairness built into the new system, the SMA responds to questions such as: Does advance training provide an advantage in the selection process? Can a Soldier be disadvantaged by being in a particular job already? What if raters show favoritism to their buddies?
Listen to Part 1 here: 6 May Soldier Today: New Centralized NCO Evaluation System
Soldier Today, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, focuses on what is important to Soldiers and NCOs. Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Host Joe Craig, Director of AUSA’s Book Program, speaks with author Robin Hutton about her new book War Animals: The Unsung Heroes of World War II. She tells the inspiring true stories of the recipients of the PDSA Dicken Medal, the highest award an animal can receive for gallantry and bravery on the battlefield. It also includes stories of other military animals whose acts of heroism had been largely forgotten.
Thought Leaders, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, brings in-depth conversations with authors of military books and senior leaders. Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Resources Mentioned:
War Animalshttps://waranimals.org/
Host Patty Barron, Director of Family Readiness at AUSA, speaks with Angela Cabán, 2014 National Guard Spouse of the Year, Founder of Homefront United Network, and current Program Director for Military Saves, Consumer Federation of America. Angela shares her family’s personal story of bankruptcy and how they overcame their debt. She maps out the vital steps to seeking financial help, and emphasizes the importance of the military spouse support network in helping families reach their goals.
Family Voices, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, aims to connect Army families to speakers and issues that are important to their everyday lives. Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Resources mentioned:
Military Saves, Consumer Federation of Americawww.militarysaves.orgFacebook & Twitter: @MilitarySaves
Homefront United NetworkFacebook: @HomefrontUnitedNetworkTwitter: @HomefrontUnited
USAA Educational Foundationhttps://usaaef.org/
FindLegalHelp.orghttps://www.americanbar.org/groups/legal_services/flh-home/
Today we debunk common legal myths with officers from the Army’s Office of the Judge Advocate General. Co-hosts Nzinga Curry, Director, AUSA’s Institute of Land Warfare, and MAJ Brad Cooper, Army Fellow, interview LTC Megan Wakefield, Chief, Strategic Communications Office, and LTC Adam Kazin, Criminal Law Division, about the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), military punishments, corrective training, different types of Army discharges, court martials, and more.
Army Real Talk, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, aims to help AUSA and the Army better connect with the younger generation. Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Social Media Handle:@goarmyjag
Disclaimers:
Any opinions shared by either LTC Wakefield or LTC Kazin are theirs, alone, and do not constitute the official position of the Department of Defense or the Army.
This podcast is not intended to serve as legal advice. If you are seeking legal advice as a member of the command, you should contact your local Office of the Staff Judge Advocate. If you are in need of personal legal advice, you can contact your local Trial Defense Services office.
Host Joe Craig, Director of AUSA’s Book Program, speaks with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Rick Atkinson about his new book The British Are Coming: The War for America, Lexington to Princeton, 1775-1777. In this first volume of a new trilogy, Atkinson turns his attention from World War II to tell the story of the initial years of the American Revolution. After initial successes, the ragged Continental Army experiences a series of setbacks in the latter half of 1776. George Washington uses his political skills and force of will to supply his men and keep them in the field. With the new nation’s future in the balance, Washington seizes an opportunity and personally leads his troops to their first dramatic victories in the war for independence. Rick Atkinson is the author of several books, including the best-selling Liberation Trilogy, and worked as a reporter and editor at the Washington Post. Born in Munich, Germany, he is the son of a U.S. Army officer and grew up on military posts.
Thought Leaders, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, brings in-depth conversations with authors of military books and senior leaders. Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Host Patty Barron, Director of Family Readiness at AUSA, speaks with Chelsea Ortiz, Program Manager for MyArmyBenefits, the Army’s official benefits information website. They discuss transferring GI Bill benefits, the Yellow Ribbon Program, managing divorce and TRICARE, and much more.
Family Voices, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, aims to connect Army families to speakers and issues that are important to their everyday lives. Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.MyArmyBenefits Links
Official Site: https://myarmybenefits.us.army.mil/
GI Bill: https://myarmybenefits.us.army.mil/Benefit-Library/Federal-Benefits/Post-9/11-GI-Bill
Yellow Ribbon Program: https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/yellow_ribbon.asp
Divorce and TRICARE: https://myarmybenefits.us.army.mil/News/How-Does-Divorce-Affect-Your-TRICARE-Benefit
Follow MyArmyBenefits on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/myarmybenefits/