AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast

Change is afoot for Army Civilian Career Programs. Civilians make up close to 70% of the U.S. Army’s workforce, and these new developments are aimed at improving civilian talent management. Find out the scope and background of what is in store directly from our guest, Barbara Guy, Director of the Career Management Policy Office, DASA-CP, ASA (M&RA).
Plus, CPT William Ibrahim of the Black Jack Brigade shares some farewell remarks as the U.S. Army’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, transitions back home. Army Real Talk has been following their deployment to Poland in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve (OAR), since Sept 2019. Previous episode links are included below.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Guests:Barbara C. Guy, Director, Career Management Policy Office, Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs (ASA(M&RA)), Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civilian Personnel (DASA-CP)
CPT William Ibrahim, S9, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division, U.S. Army (Black Jack Brigade)
Co-Hosts:Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director of Education & Programs
1SG (Ret) Stephen Canonico, AUSA's Assistant Director of Retired Soldiers, Veterans, and Army Civilian Affairs 
Army Real Talk, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, aims to help AUSA and the Army better connect with the younger generation.
Resources:
Assistant Secretary of the Army for Manpower and Reserve Affairs (ASA(M&RA))Web: https://www.army.mil/asamraFacebook: @HQDAMRAG1Twitter: @MRA_G1_PAO
Black Jack BrigadeFacebook: @black.jack.brigade.1cdTwitter: @1stCav2bct The Black Jack Brigade was featured on previous Army Real Talk episodes:
9 September 2019: Life of a Deploying Unit: Adoption of the Black Jack Brigade
13 April 2020: Spirit of America & Black Jack Brigade COVID Update
 

Meet the new senior enlisted leader at U.S. Army Recruiting Command (USAREC). CSM John Foley joins us today to discuss his 31+ year career with the Army, including what inspired him to enlist. He also provides an update about the recent Army National Hiring Days, the first virtual hiring campaign by the Army, and a look ahead to Fiscal Year 2021 Army Recruiting.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Guest: Command Sergeant Major John W. Foley, Senior Enlisted Leader, U.S. Army Recruiting Command (USAREC)
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:
Army Matters Podcast (24 June 2020): Special Edition: Army National Hiring Days (June 30 – July 2) with CSM Tabitha Gavia, U.S. Army Recruiting CommandU.S. Army Recruiting Command (USAREC)Web: https://recruiting.army.mil/Facebook/Twitter: @USARECAUSA’s NCO & Soldier ProgramsWeb: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiersTwitter (Dailey): @15thSMA

Taking care of our people is important during difficult times. Building cohesive teams and tackling suicide within the Army are some of the ways to do that. Today’s discussion with the Army’s Vice Chief of Staff, GEN Martin, and top NCO, SMA Grinston, covers how initiatives like “This is My Squad” (TIMS) and “A Life Worth Living” work together to help leaders at every level address tough issues and build strong teams.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Guests:
General Joseph M. Martin, 37th Vice Chief of Staff of the Army
Sergeant Major of the Army Michael A. Grinston, 16th Sergeant Major of the Army (SMA)
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:
Vice Chief of Staff of the ArmyWeb: https://www.army.mil/leaders/vcsa/Facebook: @VCSA.USArmyTwitter: @VCSA37
Sergeant Major of the ArmyWeb: https://www.army.mil/leaders/sma/bio/Twitter: @16thSMA
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier ProgramsWeb: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiersTwitter (Dailey): @15thSMA

How did Ike approach challenging decisions to give America peace in Europe and prosperity at home? Author and one of Ike’s four grandchildren, Susan Eisenhower, describes how he strategically led the nation through a transformational time by focusing on fact-based decision-making, envisioning the whole, including causes and consequences, and  holding himself accountable. Pursuing the “Middle Way,” Ike led through pivotal events like D-Day, Little Rock, the Korean War, Cold War crises, Red Scare, and the Missile Gap controversies.
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Guest: Susan Eisenhower, Author, How Ike Led: The Principles Behind Eisenhower’s Biggest Decisions
Host: Joe Craig, Director, AUSA’s Book Program
Resources:
How Ike Led: The Principles Behind Eisenhower’s Biggest DecisionsWeb: https://susaneisenhower.com/Twitter: @eisenhowergroup

Army engineers are fighting Covid-19 with virtual reality to design and build Alternative Care Facilities and using supercomputers to model predictions of viral spread. Three experts spearheading this vital work from the U.S. Army Engineers Research and Development Center (ERDC), Dr. David Pittman, Dr. Todd Bridges, and Mike Channell, join us today to describe their efforts to defeat the coronavirus and to share insights they have gained for moving forward.
 
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
 
Guests:  Dr. David W. Pittman, Director of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) & Director of R&D and Chief Scientist, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) 
Dr. Todd Bridges, Senior Research Scientist for Environmental Science, U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC)
Mr. Mike Channell, Chief of the Installation Support Division, ERDC Installation Operations Command 
 
Host: COL(Ret) Dan Roper, AUSA’s Director of National Security Studies
 
Resources:
 
U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC)Web: https://www.erdc.usace.army.mil/Facebook/Twitter: @ArmyERDCLinkedIn: @U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC)
 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)Web: https://www.usace.army.mil/ Facebook/Twitter: @USACEHQLinkedIn: @US Army Corps of Engineers
 
Department of Defense High Performance Computing Modernization Program (DoD HPCMP)Web: https://www.hpc.mil/

Curious about the Army Finance Strategy for 2026 (AFS26)? Two top officials from the office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management & Comptroller), Mr. Jonathan Moak and LTG Thomas Horlander, join us to describe how the AFS26 supports the Total Army. Find out how the 5 Pillars for Acceleration, core to the AFS26 framework, support the Army’s overall People First strategy. The pillars are: Develop the Workforce, Assign and Align Culture, Build the Bench, Inspire Innovation, and Enhance Communication.
Guests:
Mr. Jonathan D. Moak, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management & Comptroller) 
LTG Thomas A. Horlander, Comptroller and Military Deputy, Assistant Secretary of the Army (Financial Management & Comptroller) 
Host: Mr. Mark Haaland, AUSA’s Director of Government Affairs
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Resources:
Army Financial Management & ComptrollerWeb: https://www.asafm.army.mil/Twitter: @asafmcLinkedIn: @ASA (FM&C)

How does wearing blue support our Army? Gold Star spouse, Lisa Hallett, started running as a coping mechanism after her husband John was killed in Afghanistan in 2009. Other surviving spouses joined her, wearing their fallen service members’ blue PT shirts during their first runs. The support system they built evolved into Wear Blue: Run to Remember, a nonprofit running community that honors the service and sacrifice of the American military. They run as a living tribute to the fallen, the fighting and the families of the U.S. military. Lisa and her colleague Dave Leach, join us today to discuss the background of the organization, their pivot to virtual races during the pandemic, and how supporters from both military and civilian communities can get involved. Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
 
Guests:
Lisa Hallett, President & Co-Founder, Wear Blue: Run to Remember
Dave Leach, Chief Operations Officer / Director For the Fighting Race, Wear Blue: Run to Remember
 
Host:
Patty Barron, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
 
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.
 
Resources:
 
Wear Blue: Run to Remember
Web: https://www.wearblueruntoremember.org/
Virtual Summer 2020: https://www.wearblueruntoremember.org/virtual-summer-2020
LinkedIn: @Wear Blue Run To Remember
Facebook: @wearblue
Twitter: @wbr2r
 
Army Ten-Miler
Web: https://www.armytenmiler.com/
Facebook: @ArmyTenMiler
Twitter: @armytenmileratm

Immunizations are key to staying healthy during this unprecedented time, but there are a lot of questions about them. Does my child need immunizations even if school is virtual this Fall? Is it safe to take my child to the doctor during the pandemic? If I social distance and wear a mask, do I still need to get the flu vaccine? Two experts from the Defense Health Agency (DHA), Immunization Healthcare Division, Lt. Col. (Dr.) Ruth Brenner and Ann Morse, MSN, join us today to guide us through common queries, provide immunization resources and describe how the DHA is supporting Operation Warp Speed to provide a coronavirus vaccine to 300M individuals by January 2021. Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Guests:
Lt. Col. (Dr.) Ruth Brenner, USAF, Deputy Chief, Defense Health Agency, Immunization Healthcare Division
Ann M Morse MSN, APRN, FNP-BC Immunization Healthcare Division, North-Atlantic Regional Vaccine Safety Hub, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth
Host: Patty Barron, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
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.Resources:
DHA Immunization Healthcare DivisionWorldwide Support Center Line: +1-877-438-8222; Option 1. Licensed providers on call 24/7.Email: dodvaccines@mail.milWeb: https://www.health.mil/vaccinesPaper (PDF): Recommendations for Mass Immunization Events During Pandemic ConditionsFacebook: @DHAImmunizationHealthcareTwitter: @dha_ihb
CDC Vaccines & ImmunizationsWeb: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/
Military Health SystemWeb: https://www.health.mil/Facebook/Twitter: @militaryhealth
Defense Health AgencyWeb: https://www.health.mil/About-MHS/OASDHA/Defense-Health-AgencyFacebook: @DefenseHealthAgencyTwitter: @DoD_DHALinkedIn: @Defense Health Agency

Developing Soldiers as athletes is a top priority. MG(R) Malcolm Frost, former Commanding General, Center for Initial Military Training, TRADOC, joins us today to discuss Army recruiting and training. He explains the background behind the new Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT) in the broader context of the Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) program, and its five pillars: physical fitness, physical readiness, mental readiness, spiritual readiness and performance, nutrition and sleep hygiene. The new ACFT tests 11 components that are good predictors of what Soldiers will need to do to prepare for the rigors of the job. It is geared towards changing the culture of fitness within the Army and at increasing physical readiness, when lack of fitness, health and muscular-skeletal injuries were leading to higher undeployable rates. MG Frost discusses the drawbacks to the old Physical Training (PT) approach, and emphasizes that the ACFT is the first big change we are seeing within the Army as part of the H2F program. He suggests that recruiting Soldiers who are also athletes, or developing athletes, will be an elevated priority moving forward. Army hopefuls might worry about the impact COVID-19 could have on recruitment, but MG Frost reminds us that the ACFT can be trained for at home, without special equipment. Additionally, recruiters have shifted to more online hiring sessions due to the pandemic, so potential recruits can meet them in a virtual environment. In a COVID world, we expect to see continued online interaction and continued H2F rollouts supporting our Soldier Athletes.
Additionally, we welcome our new co-host, LTC Brittany Woods, AUSA’s new U.S. Army Fellow, to her first podcast with us. Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Guest: MG(R) Malcolm Frost, former Commanding General, Center for Initial Military Training, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC)
Co-Hosts:Nzinga Curry, AUSA’s Director of Education & Programs
LTC Brittany Woods, AUSA’s U.S. Army Fellow
Army Real Talk, a segment of AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast, aims to help AUSA and the Army better connect with the younger generation.
 
Resources:
Center for Initial Military TrainingWeb: https://usacimt.tradoc.army.mil/ACFT Guidance: https://usacimt.tradoc.army.mil/ACFTGuidance.htmlFacebook: @USArmyIMT
 
Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT)Web: https://www.army.mil/acft/
 
Mission ReadinessCouncil for a Strong AmericaWeb: https://www.strongnation.org/missionreadinessFacebook: @missionreadinessTwitter: @mission_ready

What are the DoD’s top priorities in security cooperation and assistance? LTG Charles Hooper, retiring this July from 40 years of service, tells us how the security assistance environment has changed over the past few years, how it fits into the larger U.S. defense strategy, and how the U.S. can effectively compete with China in this area. He also reflects on his time serving at the U.S. Africa Command, and later leading the Office of Defense Cooperation in Egypt before eventually becoming the Director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) at the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.
Guest: Lieutenant General Charles Hooper, Director, Defense Security Cooperation Agency
Host: General (Retired) Carter F. Ham, AUSA’s President & CEO
Resources:
Defense Security Cooperation Agency
Web: https://www.dsca.mil/
LinkedIn: @Defense Security Cooperation Agency