The Citizens to Soldiers Podcast

Episode 21: The C2SI team talks Iran and Ukraine, and a thought experiment

In June (yes, I know, we're late getting this posted!), the C2SI team had an internal discussion on the trajectory of conflict in Iran, Ukraine and elsewhere (two months

Episode 20: Rob Dahlgren on Forward Observer training

Forward observers (FOs) are artillery soldiers embedded in infantry units to manage fire support. What goes into producing such soldiers? Back in November, C2SI talked wi

Episode 19: Kevin Williamson on wargaming for US national security

Continuing with our series on wargaming, last fall, Adrian and Dan got the chance to chat with US Army (and Navy!) veteran and professional wargamer Kevin Williamson. We

Episode 18: British Army Maj. Edward Farren on wargaming for mobilization

We're back again! In this episode, recorded last fall, we revisit the topic of wargaming, this time with British Army Major Edward Farren, an exchange officer with the Ca

Episode 17: COL (Ret) Jeffrey Buck on US Army Field Artillery

Infantry may be the "queen of battle"... but artillery is the king! Earlier this year, we spoke with retired US Army Colonel Jeffrey Buck about his career in Field Artill

Episode 16: German special operations infantry officer Julian Werner on training and readiness in European militaries

Earlier this year, we chatted with Julian Werner, an infantry officer in the German Bundeswehr's EGB (Specialized Army Forces), a SOF unit comparable to the US Army Range

Episode 15: Randy Collins gives a Ranger Instructor's perspective on Ranger School

We're back with another slate of episodes! Last fall, C2SI sat down with retired US Army infantry NCO and former Ranger Instructor (and Adrian's 1SG in the 173rd Airborn

Episode 14: Dr. Alex Burns on Kabinettskriege

Right now, C2SI is closely following the latest developments regarding US policy in Ukraine, but for this episode, we're going back for some historical perspective. Back

Episode 13: Steve Beynon of Military.com on Military Recruiting

For the past few years the military has experienced difficulties recruiting and retaining enough troops to meet its authorized size. While that is changing, the crew sat

Episode 12: Jan Heinemann on wargaming

We're back! C2SI returns for 2025 with a new episode. Recorded last fall but relevant to the the latest headlines, we sat down for a discussion with professional wargamin

Episode 11: C2SI 's Ethan Wilson on the fall of Assad and the future of Syria

The fall of the Assad regime on December 8 is a turning point for Syria -- but what comes next? C2SI's own Ethan Wilson spent much of the last decade working in the inter

Episode 10: COL Ellis Gales, Jr. on Army Public Affairs

Prevailing in the information domain is crucial to victory in modern conflict. Public Affairs is one of the US Army branches dedicated to doing so. In September, C2SI spo

Episode 9: C2SI's Dan Blakeley on volunteer response to Hurricane Helene

We usually focus on military training and readiness, but in this episode, we take a look at a separate but related topic: response and resilience in the face of natural d

Episode 8: Patrick Wyman on raising armies and training soldiers in Renaissance Europe

Usually, C2SI focuses on modern military training and readiness. Sometimes, though, we like to get a historical perspective. We recently sat down with Patrick Wyman, host

Episode 7: Kate Kuzminski (CNAS) on drafts and Selective Service in an age of great power competition

We're back! Stay tuned -- we have a ton of content coming in the next few weeks. Kate Kuzminski is Deputy Director of Studies and Director of the Military, Veterans, and

Episode 6: Recruitment and Force Generation

Today, the US faces the highest risk of major international armed conflict with a near-peer competitor since the height of the Cold War. Are our military manpower systems

Episode 5: Bret Devereaux on military training in the ancient world

Bret Devereaux is an assistant teaching professor of history at North Carolina State University and studies the intersection of ancient Mediterranean economies and milita

Episode 4: Kursk Incursion

On 6 August, Ukraine launched an offensive into Russia’s Kursk region, near Sumy Oblast, Ukraine – and they are still gaining ground. There has already been plenty of cov

Episode 3: Nolan Peterson on the drone revolution

Nolan Peterson is a nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center and an expert on the Ukraine war. He’s a US Air Force veteran and former special op

Episode 2: Drone Warfare

As the conflict in Ukraine shows, small drones are transforming land warfare. Is the US and its allies ready for this new era? In this episode, Dan, Adrian, and Ethan dra