The Association of the U.S. Army is kicking off the new year with two new podcasts in January as part of its recently relaunched “Army Matters” series.

First up is a podcast titled “How Did the Battle of the Bulge Inspire Bass Pro Shops?” During the episode, Johnny Morris, founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s, will talk about how his father’s involvement in the famous World War II battle inspired him to make veterans and the military a priority for his business. He’ll also share how a love of fishing led to the company’s success and how one patriotic song inspired him to give back to his country.

Morris is the recipient of AUSA’s 2022 National Service Award. He founded Bass Pro Shops in 1972, growing it from a business with 8 square feet of space in the back of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, to a leading retailer of outdoor gear and apparel with 200 stores across the country. Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s in 2017.

The episode is available Jan. 4. 

Next up, on Jan. 18, is a podcast featuring Tim Kennedy, a Special Forces soldier and former UFC fighter who recently released Scars and Stripes: An Unapologetically American Story of Fighting the Taliban, UFC Warriors, and Myself.

In Scars and Stripes, Kennedy offers lessons in how to embrace failure and weather storms to unlock the strongest version of yourself, according to a description of the book. From the war zone to trouble at home, Kennedy describes how failures shaped him into the businessman and family man he is today.

First launched in February 2019, AUSA’s podcast underwent some major changes, with a new show design, increased storytelling chops and a focus on leadership lessons across the total Army. The new version of “Army Matters” was officially introduced Oct. 10.

Additionally, the series has moved from weekly releases to every other Wednesday and will feature inspirational leadership stories, current issues for NCOs, military families’ journeys and in-depth discussions on the Army’s past and future.

Full details on the podcasts are available at https://www.ausa.org/podcast. Listeners also can subscribe to “Army Matters” for updates.