Leading Great Teams: Senior NCOs Build and Lead Impactful Teams (Airborne & Ranger Training Brigade)

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.

Soldier Today: Brain Health with BrainSpan’s Dr. Johnston

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.

• Guest: LTC (Ret) Dr. Daniel T. Johnston, Co-Founder, BrainSpan

• 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.

Leading Great Teams: Practicing Mission Command (173rd Airborne Brigade, Vicenza, Italy)

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 173^rd 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. 

• Guests:
  • COL Michael F. Kloepper, Commander, 173^rd Airborne Brigade, U.S. Army
  • CSM Christopher D. Clapin, Sergeant Major, 173^rd Airborne Brigade, U.S. Army

• 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.

Thought Leaders: Nazis on the Potomac

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.  

.

• Guest:  Robert K. Sutton, author of Nazis on the Potomac: The Top-Secret Intelligence Operation that Helped Win World War II

• 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.

Family Voices: Preparedness – Army Spouse Resource Toolbox

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. 

• Guest: Krista Simpson Anderson, Unquiet Professional Co-Founder

• 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/

Army Real Talk: Celebrating 200 Episodes & BIG Future Plans

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. 

Soldier Today: Why be an AUSA Member?

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.

Thought Leaders: Pacific Fires – Long-range Strike and Air Defense in the Indo-Pacific

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.

Family Voices: AUSA’s 2021 Volunteer Family of the Year - Tawni Dixon

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. 

• Guest: Tawni Dixon, AUSA’s 2021 Volunteer Family of the Year

• Host: Thea Green, AUSA’s Deputy Director of Family Readiness

Special Edition: Leaving Afghanistan, Exclusive Interviews with the 82nd Airborne Division (Part 3)

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, 2^nd Battalion, 504^th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1^st Brigade Combat Team, 82^nd Airborne Division
  • SGT Jacob Black, Combat Medic, 2^nd Battalion, 504^th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1^st Brigade Combat Team, 82^nd 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.