Two veterans and two lieutenants, each with their own unique story, will be featured in January as part of the Association of the U.S. Army’s “Army Matters” podcast series.

First up is a podcast featuring 2nd Lt. Matthew Weiss, who gave up a successful career in business to become a Marine. Curious about why so few of his Gen Z cohorts were doing the same, Weiss began to do his research.

That work turned into a book titled We Don’t Want You, Uncle Sam: Examining the Military Recruiting Crisis with Generation Z.

On the podcast available Jan. 3, Weiss and Army 1st Lt. Charlie Curtis, a recruiting operations officer with the Sarasota Recruiting Company in Florida, talk about what makes Gen Z tick, how the Army can better appeal to this new generation and how veterans may have the biggest role to play in helping the military attract talent into the ranks.

Next up, on Jan. 17, is a podcast featuring Rory Cooper, a life member of AUSA’s Fort Pitt chapter, who recently received the National Medal of Technology and Innovation from President Joe Biden for his work developing cutting-edge wheelchair technologies and mobility devices.

While stationed in Germany in 1980, Cooper was hit by a bus and paralyzed from the waist down. Frustrated with the limited maneuverability of his 80-pound chrome and steel wheelchair, Cooper designed his own ultralight wheelchair in his family’s shop. Now the holder of more than 20 U.S. patents, Cooper has devoted his life to helping veterans and disabled people around the world.

In addition to being honored at the White House, Cooper also was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame—and was immortalized with a collectible trading card and on a Cheerios box.

Finally, on Jan. 31, retired Col. Gregory Gadson will discuss his new book, Finding Waypoints: A Warrior’s Journey Towards Peace and Purpose, which he co-wrote with Terese Schlachter.

In May 2007, Gadson was commander of the 2nd Battalion, 32nd Field Artillery Regiment, in Iraq when he was severely wounded by a roadside bomb. He would lose both his legs above the knee and partial use of one arm.

Despite his wounds, Gadson persevered with the help of his family, medical team and former West Point football teammates, serving on active duty until 2014. He would go on to become a motivational speaker and coach, including for the New York Giants football team, star in the movie Battleship and serve as an advocate for his fellow veterans.

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