AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast

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 ep...

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.) Da...

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.) D...

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 spir...

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 s...

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 m...

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....

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 (Re...

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 auth...

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 successf...

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 Sold...

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 s...

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 t...

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 co...

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 Da...

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 leader...

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. Smit...

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 optio...