AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast

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 RetiredCredits: 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.
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.