AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast

Latest Episodes:

More than Medals: The Warrior Games Oct 14, 2026

Show notes

The Warrior Games are built around competition, but, for many participants, the medals are only part of the story.

In this episode of Army Matters, LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with two Warrior Games competitors—CW3 Cody Edgerton of Team Army and SSG (Ret.) Andrew May of Team SOCOM (U.S. Special Operations Command)—to discuss adaptive sports, recovery, military identity, and what happens when servicemembers are forced to redefine what comes next due to illness or injury.

For Edgerton, an aggressive cancer changed the trajectory of his military career, eventually bringing him into the Army Recovery Care Program and adaptive sports.

May’s path to the Warrior Games followed life-changing injuries sustained during a deployment to Syria, including the loss of his right leg below the knee, traumatic brain injuries, and PTSD.

This conversation examines how Warrior Games competitors learn from one another, create connection across ranks and services, and pursue adaptive sports to discover a renewed sense of identity, competition, and purpose.

The next Warrior Games take place in Orlando, Florida, August 7–14, 2027.

Guest: CW3 Cody Edgerton of Team Army and SSG (Ret.) Andrew May of Team SOCOM (U.S. Special Operations Command)

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.

USARPAC Stories of the Pacific: Part 1 Oct 07, 2026

Show notes

The Stories of the Pacific episodes bring together seven Soldiers whose experiences reflect the depth, diversity and purpose of the U.S. Army in the Indo-Pacific, where the Army operates in a complex and rapidly changing environment.

Our co-hosts sat down at AUSA’s LANPAC event in Hawaii back in May to meet incredible leaders in the U.S. Army Pacific Command, from junior enlisted to more senior levels. Their voices represent the Total Army and provide an authentic look at service in one of the most important regions in the world.

In the first of two episodes, they speak with SFC Sarah Nelms, a PHD candidate who deployed four times as a member of the Army National Guard, COL Khalid Shabazz, a Muslim Chaplain whose life was transformed in the Army, and SSG Gage Smith, a top Army Recruiter excelling at connecting people with their calling.

Guest: Part 1 with Soldiers from the U.S. Army Pacific Command

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.

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Spurs, Service, and Sacrifice Sep 23, 2026

Show notes

The Army teaches Soldiers how to fight, lead and endure. But what happens when the mission ends, and the weight of service remains?

In this episode of Army Matters, LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Major Jake Kelly, an Armor Officer, Army Strategist and author of The Spurs of Service, a collection of poetry inspired by military service, loss, leadership and healing.

After losing a fellow Soldier to suicide, and losing two close friends in the Army as well, all in the same year, Kelly spent a long time carrying a grief that he struggled to explain, even to the people closest to him. Writing became a way to process these experiences; and that writing eventually led to a book that has resonated with Soldiers, veterans, spouses and military families alike.

Drawing parallels between the lives of Soldiers and cowboys, The Spurs of Service explores sacrifice, duty, resilience, brotherhood and the emotional cost of a life spent serving others.

Guest: MAJ Jake Kelly, U.S. Army Author, The Spurs of Service

Poetry Readings: CSM(R) Robert V. Abernethy, Senior Director, NCO & Soldier Programs, AUSA

Interested In Purchasing The Spurs of Service?

It can be found at Sawdust Publishing and Amazon.

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.

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Tunnel to Towers: 25 Years of Turning Loss into Hope Sep 09, 2026

Show notes

On the morning of September 11, 2001, Stephen Siller had just completed a night shift with New York City Fire Department (FDNY) Squad 1. He was driving home to play golf with his brothers when he heard over his radio that America was under attack.

He turned his truck around.

When he reached the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, it had been closed. So, Stephen strapped on nearly sixty pounds of firefighting gear and ran through the tunnel toward the Twin Towers. He was never seen alive again.

In this episode of Army Matters, LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Frank Siller, Chairman and CEO of the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, to discuss his brother Stephen’s extraordinary sacrifice, the devastating days that followed, and how one family’s grief became the impetus for one of America’s largest organizations supporting military families, first responders, Gold Star families, and injured and homeless veterans.

Guest: Frank Siller, Chairman and CEO, Tunnel to Towers Foundation and AUSA’s 2026 Marshall Medal Recipient

What is Tunnels To Tower?

Tunnel to Towers Foundation

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Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.

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The Failure Resume Aug 26, 2026

Show notes

Leadership shaped by...failure?

In this episode of Army Matters, LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with COL Chaveso “Chevy” Cook, PhD, a career Army officer whose path has spanned tactical leadership, Psychological Operations, strategic communications, speechwriting for the Secretary of the Army, and serving on the West Point faculty—and on the Joint Staff.

Growing up in a difficult neighborhood, Cook’s future changed because one woman—his adoptive mother—insisted that education would be his way forward. That conversation ultimately led him to West Point and began a career dedicated not only to leading Soldiers, but to developing leaders.

Whether discussing psychological operations, teaching cadets, advising the nation’s senior military leaders, or founding Military Mentors, Cook returns to one consistent theme: great leadership begins with humility and grows through continuous learning.

Guest: COL Chaveso "Chevy" Cook, PhD
Division Chief, Strategic Information Integration Division, The Joint Staff and
Co-Founder, MilitaryMentors

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Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org.

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From Flint to Influence Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Army Matters, LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Curtez Riggs, a retired First Sergeant, entrepreneur, and founder of the Military Influencer Conference.

Growing up in Flint, Michigan, Riggs watched the economic foundation of his community disappear almost overnight as manufacturing jobs vanished. With few opportunities available, he chose the Army—not simply as a career, but as a chance to build a better future. Today, Riggs shares how his childhood and Army experiences led him to create one of the military community’s largest networks, connecting veterans, service members, entrepreneurs, creators, and industry leaders.

Guest: 1SG Curtez Riggs, U.S. Army Retired Founder, Military Influencer Conference and
Vice President, Strategy &Engagement, Recurrent Military & Defense

What is the Military Conference?

The Military Influencer Conference (MIC) brings together military professionals, veterans, and industry leaders for networking and professional development. Click below to learn more.

MIC 2026 — Military Influencer Conference

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.

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Becoming the Leader You Didn’t Expect to Be Jul 29, 2026

Show notes

Not every Soldier grows up planning to serve.

In this episode of Army Matters, LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith sits down with Cadet Orion Van Buskirk, a junior—otherwise known as a “Cow”—at the United States Military Academy at West Point, to explore what it means to discover service along the way.

Raised in Eugene, Oregon, with no military background, Van Buskirk initially saw West Point as an opportunity for a free education, a challenge and a different path from his peers. But what began as a practical decision evolved into something deeper. In this conversation, Van Buskirk reflects candidly on the realities of West Point: the intensity, the structure and the moments that test resilience. He shares how the experience has reshaped his identity, from realizing he had outgrown his old environment to building lifelong bonds with fellow cadets.

Guest: Cadet Orion Van Buskirk, U.S. Military Academy at West Point

Cadets—from West Point, and across the country, send us your papers!

Cadets, do you want a chance to be published in Early Insights: From the Army's Future Leaders? We are proud to announce the launch of this program developed with our friends at the United States Military Academy. Submit your articles and papers to our team here in the Education & Programs department at AUSA. Email us at education@ausa.org.

Five Questions for a General

Hear Cadet Van Buskirk interview AUSA's own GEN (Ret.) Robert B. Brown and LTG (Ret.) Leslie C. Smith on Five Questions for a General, a production of the Modern War Institute at West Point.

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.

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A Green Beret Finds Unexpected Purpose in Ukraine Jul 15, 2026

Show notes

For many veterans, the end of military service raises a difficult question: Who am I now?

In this episode of Army Matters, LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with retired Green Beret Ryan Hendrickson. After eight deployments to Afghanistan and surviving a life-changing blast from an improvised explosive device, Hendrickson retired, and then later returned overseas as a contractor. But, following the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, he found himself confronting something many veterans struggle with: loss of identity and loss of mission.

Then Russia invaded Ukraine. Within weeks, Hendrickson left behind the stability he’d worked to establish, and he traveled into an active war zone—not as a combatant, but simply to ask one question: How can I help?

Guest: SFC Ryan Hendrickson, U.S. Army Retired, Founder and CEO, Tip of the Spear Landmine Removal

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.

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The Army Ten-Miler: Beyond the Finish Line Jul 01, 2026

Show notes

Running the Army Ten-Miler is a Washington, D.C. tradition bringing together the military and civilians, including wounded warriors and wheelchair athletes, since 1985. It is a proud example of how the Army promotes wellness throughout the community—long after the final runner crosses the finish line.

In this episode of Army Matters, LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey sit down with Maya Johnson, Deputy Director of the Army Ten-Miler and a longtime Army Family, Morale, Welfare and Recreation (FMWR) professional. Originally from Bosnia, Johnson experienced war firsthand before immigrating to the United States as an Army spouse and serving with Army FMWR at Fort Benning, Germany, Hawaii, and now in D.C., with the Army Ten-Miler.

They discuss the often-overlooked programs that help Soldiers and families thrive, the twists and turns of life as an Army spouse, and how participating in the Army Ten-Miler directly supports our Army community.

Guest: Maya Johnson, Deputy Direction, Army Ten-Miler

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.

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Leadership before D-Day: Pressure–With Director Anthony Maras Jun 17, 2026

Show notes

History often remembers the invasion: the beaches, the Soldiers, and the first waves crashing ashore on D-Day. But in the days before Allied forces reached Normandy, another battle was unfolding behind closed doors. A battle of judgment, uncertainty, and leadership under immense pressure.

In this episode of Army Matters, LTG (Ret.) Leslie Smith sits down with filmmaker Anthony Maras, director, co-writer, editor, and producer of Pressure, now in theaters. This historical thriller focuses on the 72 tense hours before D-Day and the difficult decisions that faced General Dwight D. Eisenhower and meteorologist Captain James Stagg. The film examines a rarely considered side of history: decision making in times of uncertainty with millions of lives hanging in the balance.

Known for building tension through films rooted in real events, including Hotel Mumbai, Maras discusses leadership under emotional pressure, how to make slow-moving weather patterns thrilling, and what really happened in the moments leading up to D-Day.

Guest: Anthony Maras, Director, Pressure

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.

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