The Association of the U.S. Army is releasing eight new podcast episodes in September, including an update on Army recruiting efforts and the latest on the upcoming AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition.

First up in the “Army Matters” series is a special back-to-school edition featuring Maria McConville, spouse of the Army chief of staff, Alexandra Grinston, spouse of the sergeant major of the Army, and Shannon George of the Military Child Education Coalition. 

During the episode, available Sept. 1, the guests will discuss resources and tips for military families preparing for the new school year.

Next up is an interview with Command Sgt. Maj. Todd Sims, the senior enlisted leader for Army Forces Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The Army’s largest command, Forces Command consists of more than 750,000 soldiers and is responsible for providing ready forces to meet combatant commander requirements around the world.

The episode is available Sept. 6.

On Sept. 8, the podcast will feature retired Sgt. 1st Class Gabi Cha and retired Staff Sgt. Beth King, who are part of the Army Recovery Care Program. The program works to transition wounded, ill or injured soldiers and their families and caregivers back to the force or back to civilian life through medical care, rehabilitation, professional development and other efforts.

Cha and King were slated to compete in the 2021 DoD Warrior Games in September before the games were canceled because of COVID-19 concerns.

Next up is an episode focused on the Army’s recruiting efforts. It will feature 2nd Lt. Jeremiah Rozman, who was a national security analyst with AUSA before he commissioned into the Army, and Sgt. 1st Class Quoya Dubose, a recruiter assigned to the Army recruiting station in Arlington, Virginia.

The podcast is available Sept. 13.

A special edition podcast is scheduled for release Sept. 15. This episode will feature James Helis, director of the Army Resilience Directorate, who will discuss the Army Suicide Prevention Program. The episode also will examine how mitigating the harmful behaviors that can lead to suicide, such as sexual harassment and assault, racism and behavioral problems, can contribute to better quality of life.

The next podcast, available Sept. 20, will feature Brittany Raines, whose family was AUSA’s 2020 Volunteer Family of the Year. Raines, whose husband is stationed at Fort Drum, New York, will talk about the volunteer work her family does in the community.

On Sept. 22, a new special edition podcast will focus on the 2021 AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition, a three-day, in-person event scheduled for Oct. 11–13 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Brig. Gen. Amy Johnston, the Army’s public affairs chief, and retired Brig. Gen. Jack Haley, AUSA’s vice president of Membership and Meetings, will discuss what attendees can expect during the meeting.

Finally, on Sept. 27, author James Kitfield will discuss his book In the Company of Heroes: The Inspiring Storis of Medal of Honor Recipients from America’s Longest Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In the Company of Heroes features the stories of 25 Medal of Honor recipients from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, including retired Master Sgt. Leroy Petry, an Army Ranger who lunged for a live grenade, threw it back at the enemy and saved two fellow Rangers in Afghanistan. 

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