New podcasts in May from the Association of the U.S. Army will feature a conversation with the sergeant major of the Army, the latest on a big Army recruiting push and much more.

The eight new episodes will be released in May as part of AUSA’s “Army Matters” series.

First up is an episode featuring Command Sgt. Maj. Jon Worley, senior enlisted soldier for the Pennsylvania National Guard, who will provide an update on the Guard and how its soldiers have been responding to missions ranging from COVID-19 response to riots and domestic disturbances.

The episode is available May 3.

A special edition, available May 5, will feature Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston, who will discuss financial literacy in the Army, sexual assault and harassment prevention, enlisted promotions, the Army Combat Fitness Test and the service’s COVID-19 response. 

Next is an interview with soldiers from the 3rd Security Force Assistance Brigade of Fort Hood, Texas. AUSA will be following these soldiers as they prepare to deploy again after recently returning from Afghanistan. 

The episode will be released May 10.

Another special episode will be available May 12. This one will feature Gen. Paul Funk, commander of Army Training and Doctrine Command. Funk will discuss Army National Hiring Days, which is a large recruiting effort; Army fitness; professional development for leaders; the upcoming Cadet Summer Training for ROTC cadets at Fort Knox, Kentucky; and more.

Up next is a conversation with Maria McConville, spouse of Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville, and Alexandra Grinston, spouse of the sergeant major of the Army. The women, along with two personnel and family readiness experts, will talk about initiatives for Army spouses.

The episode is available May 17.

Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon, commander of the Army Corps of Engineers, will be featured next, in a special edition available May 19. Spellmon will talk about how the Corps of Engineers supports the Army and the nation, including the work it does to respond to disasters and how it has been supporting COVID-19 response efforts across the country.

On May 24, a new podcast features Jessica Donati, author of Eagle Down: The Last Special Forces Fighting the Forever War. Donati, a national security reporter for the Wall Street Journal, delves into the lives of Special Forces troops on the frontlines against the Taliban and the Islamic State group, where a new and covert war is keeping Afghanistan from collapse, according to a description of the book.

The last podcast for May will feature a conversation with retired Col. Steve Lee, senior vice president of operations for the Korea Defense Veterans Association, which works to enhance, advocate for and educate about the U.S.-South Korea alliance. The group also supports those who have or are serving in the alliance; provides networking and mentoring opportunities; and honors veterans who defended South Korea during the Korean War. 

The episode is available May 31.

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