Defense One Radio

Guests: Col. Joshua Gaspard, commander of the 173rd Airborne Brigade, based in Vicenza, Italy. Learn more about exercises Swift Response and African Lion 2025 here and here, respectively.

Guests: Marine Lt. Gen. Roger B. Turner of the III Marine Expeditionary Force, and the 3D Marine Division's Maj. Gen. Christian F. Wortman, in conversation with Defense One's Jennifer Hlad. You can view our other 2025 State of Defense interviews here. 

Guests: Command Sergeant Major JoAnn Nauman, Command Senior Enlisted Leader of Army Special Operations Command, in conversation with Defense One's Meghann Myers and Ben Watson. Related reading: "Army establishes new fitness test of record to strengthen readiness and lethality," published April 21, 2025; "Setting Higher Close Combat Standards for the Army Combat Fitness Test," via RAND researchers, published Dec 20, 2024;  And "Independent Review of the Army Combat Fitness Test," also via RAND, published Mar 23, 2022.

Meghann Myers, Defense One's land warfare reporter, provides insights from the recent Sea Air Space Conference, focusing on the Navy's readiness initiatives and the Marine Corps' strategies against drone threats. Lauren C. Williams discusses Secretary Phelan's remarks on shipbuilding and the integration of uncrewed vehicles into naval operations. They explore challenges in Navy leadership, the rise of advanced technologies like the Corsair vehicle, and the ongoing debates about automation versus human labor in shipbuilding.

Guest: U.S. Army chief of staff Gen. Randy George, interviewed by Defense One’s Patrick Tucker. Catch our full State of Defense agenda and future events, here.

Guest: U.S. Space Force commander Gen. Chance Saltzman, interviewed by Defense One’s Audrey Decker. Catch our full State of Defense agenda and future events, running through the end of March, here.

Guest: U.S. Air Force commander Gen. David Allvin, interviewed by Defense One’s Audrey Decker. Catch our full State of Defense agenda and future events, running through the end of March, here.

Marine Corps Gen. Eric Smith shares insights on balancing crisis response with modernization as the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps. He discusses the advancements in the Marine Corps Force Design 2030 initiatives and the critical need for reliable military funding. Smith emphasizes the importance of rigorous adherence to financial standards and the collaborative efforts with the Navy to ensure amphibious readiness. With a focus on continuous learning and innovation, he outlines strategies for maintaining a competitive edge in modern warfare.

Guest: U.S. Army Col. Joshua Glonek, commander 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. Related reading: "How two units are learning from each other as the Army moves to modernize," from Sam Skove reporting in October; "Army embraces Ukraine-style warfare with new all-drone unit," also via Skove, reporting from Louisiana's Fort Johnson in September; And in reruns there is "Defense One Radio, Ep. 161: A trip to Louisiana with the Army’s new recon unit," featuring Skove speaking about his trip to Louisiana.

Maj. Gen. Joseph Kunkel discusses his how his service's modernization strategy will shape the future of air combat in an increasingly complex security landscape. Guest: Air Force Maj. Gen. Joseph Kunkel, director of Force Design, Integration and Wargaming at Air Force Futures; he's interviewed by Defense One air warfare reporter Audrey Decker. Related viewing: "AI in the Skies," January 28, 2025.