AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast

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.

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. 

Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.