AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast

Military spouse. Mother. Behavioral therapist. And AUSA Volunteer Family of the Year. Amanda Tomasura has spent the last fourteen years aiding her communities; she sits down with host Holly Dailey to discuss the importance of giving back to the community, how putting teens through boot camp can be an incredibly positive experience, and perhaps her most terrifying moment – jumping out of a plane.
 
Guest: Amanda Tomasura, 2022 AUSA Volunteer Family of the Year Recipient
 
Host: Holly Dailey
 
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org. 

Lt. Colonel Jacob Helgestad was fast asleep in Kuwait when someone knocked at his door in mid-August, 2021. “Hey, Sir, we gotta go to Afghanistan.” Within 24 hours Helgestad’s 625 troops were landing at Hamid Karzai International Airport and in the thick of a mass evacuation. Host Colonel (Ret.) Scott Halstead speaks with Helgestad about how he had his team prepared for that very moment, the role the unit played in evacuating 124,000 people, and how science fiction military novels are a great escape (and also a tutorial).Note: At the time, Lt. Col. Helgestad was Battalion Commander for the 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 194th Armor Regiment, but has since changed roles.Guest: LTC Jacob Helgestad, Executive Officer, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division, Minnesota Army National Guard
Host: COL (Ret.) Scott HalsteadRecommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org. 

After a painful medical diagnosis, Chief Warrant Officer 5 (Ret.) Chad Butters and his wife Jodi decided to change their lives, leading them to pursue their passion about the outdoors, faming and starting a distillery. Host SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sits down with Chad at Eight Oaks Distillery, drinks in hand, to talk about Chad’s Army career, some sound advice for entrepreneurs and (most importantly?) what spirits he recommends.
Guest: CW5 (Ret.) Chad Butters, Founder and CEO, Eight Oaks Farm Distillery
Host: SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey
Resources: 
Eight Oaks Farm Distilleryhttps://eightoaksdistillery.com/ 
 

What makes a battlefield hero? Is it upbringing, training, and being placed in a specific situation? Or a combination thereof? Host Joe Craig sits down with Dr. Raymond James Raymond, author of the book Elite Souls: Portraits of Valor in Iraq and Afghanistan, to discuss five heroes he profiled. Learn how their moral courage led them each to saving the lives of many, how these officers’ upbringings and West Point experiences influenced them, and how Dr. Raymond’s cousin’s exploits in World War II inspired him from a very young age.

For almost two centuries, women were not allowed to join the U.S. Military – yet millions served. Now with almost 20% of the military being female, the Military Women’s Memorial is celebrating the three million women who have served the Nation in both peace and war -- since before the founding of the Republic.  Host COL (Ret.) Dan Roper sits down with CW5 (Ret.) Phyllis Wilson, the Memorial’s President, to share their stories of bravery, how the Memorial is celebrating its 25th anniversary… and what types of (crumbled) cookies taste the best in a combat zone. 
 
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org. 
 
Guest: CW5 (Ret) Phyllis Wilson, President, Military Women’s Memorial
 
Host: COL (Ret) Dan Roper 
 
Audio Clip Credits:
 
Military Women's Memorial 25th Anniversary Program. YouTube, 2022. https://youtu.be/nBLpWsNa2K0.
 
US Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps. 2019. Video. https://www.loc.gov/item/webcast-9129/.
 
 

Throughout Master Sergeant (Ret.) Cedric King’s Army career he always faced challenges head on. His biggest obstacle, however, took place in 2012 when he was injured by an IED device and lost his legs. But rather than feeling sorry for himself, he accepted it and is now a triathlete, author and motivational speaker. Host Colonel (Ret.) Scott Halstead talks to Cedric about the superheroes that inspired him at Fort Bragg, how hard it is to learn to walk again, and how a trip to a mini-mall changed his life.
 
Guest: MSG Cedric King, United States Army Retired
Host:  COL Scott Halstead, United States Army Retired
 
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.

In celebration of NCOs and Soldiers at AUSA’s 2022 Annual Meeting, 10-12 October in Washington, DC, SMA Michael Grinston swung by AUSA’s headquarters to talk about the exciting events: the Army Ten-Miler is in person; the new award for Best Squad will be presented; and the next Honorary Sergeant Major of the Army will be revealed. In addition, SMA Grinston provided a preview of his upcoming initiatives for his final year as Sergeant Major of the Army. The initiatives include reducing harmful behaviors throughout the force, modernizing recruitment, telling stories that remind us why we’re proud of our Army and more. Be sure to join us for his Initiatives Briefing in October!Guest: SMA Michael A. Grinston, Sergeant Major of the ArmyHost: SMA (R) Dan Dailey
Resources:
AUSA 2022 Annual Meeting & Expositionhttps://meetings.ausa.org/annual/2022/index.cfm
 
Sergeant Major of the ArmyWeb: https://www.army.mil/leaders/sma/Twitter: @16thSMA
 
AUSA’s NCO & Soldier ProgramsWeb: https://www.ausa.org/programs/nco-and-soldiersTwitter (Dailey): @15thSMARecommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.

When Frank Dolberry was a teenager thinking of joining the Army, an acquaintance dismissed the notion, thinking it was an unrealistic dream for someone like him.  Major Frank Dolberry sits down with host Colonel (Ret.) Dan Roper to discuss how this motivated him to succeed, other inspirations he found along the way including the tremendous legacy of service in his family, and how he thinks the Army could improve its recruiting outcomes. 
 
Guest:  MAJ Frank Dolberry, AUSA Army Fellow
  
Host: COL (Ret) Dan Roper
 
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org. 

When people are at their lowest point, sometimes something as simple as a note or small gift can make a world of difference. Major General (Ret.) James Johnson, the head of Operation Gratitude, an organization that sends gift packages to service members overseas, speaks with host Holly Dailey and co-host Maria McConville about the power of gratitude. And then social scientist Dr. Alaina Hansom joins to discuss research that proves the benefits of showing gratitude.
 
(In the spirit of this show… THANK YOU for listening to this episode!)
 
  
Hosts:
Holly Dailey, AUSA’s Director of Family Readiness
Maria McConville, Spouse of the Chief of Staff of the Army
 
Guests: 
MG (Ret.) James Johnson, President and CEO, Operation Gratitude
Alaina Hansom, PhD, Social Fitness Scientist, (HFJ) Human Performance Resources by CHAMP (HPRC), Uniformed Services University
 
Opening Credits:
 
Narrators: Kevin Irwin, Carrie Varouhakis, LaSherryn Duncan
Script: Anthony Del Col
Sound Design: Andy Bosnak
 
Resources:
 
Operation GratitudeWebsite: https://www.operationgratitude.com/
 
Human Performance Resources by CHAMP (HPRC)
Website: https://www.hprc-online.org/
 
Human Performance Resources by CHAMP (HPRC) – #GotMySix Campaign
Website: https://www.hprc-online.org/total-force-fitness/gotmysix
 

Military intelligence leaders generally work behind the scenes and are trained to shun the spotlight, but they play vital leadership roles in every single part of the Army. Major General Michelle Schmidt talks with host Colonel (Ret.) Scott Halstead about her 30-year career, including being at the Pentagon on 9/11 to saying goodbye to friends in the final days of the U.S. presence in Afghanistan in 2021, and whether the book Fast After 50 should be considered fictional…  
Guest: MG Michelle A. Schmidt, Director, Force Development, Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-8, U.S. Army
Host: COL (Ret) Scott Halstead
Recommendations for future topics are welcome via email at podcast@ausa.org.