One CA Podcast
One CA Podcast is here to inspire anyone interested in traveling to work with a partner nation’s people and leadership to forward U.S. foreign policy. We bring in current or former military, diplomats, development officers, and field agents to discuss their experiences and give recommendations for working the ”last three feet” of foreign relations. The show is sponsored by the Civil Affairs Association.
Episodes
Former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Joel Rubin joins host Jack Gaines to unpack the gritty realities of legislative diplomacy—from Benghazi testimony to budget battles.
Rubin shares hard-won lessons on navigating Congress, shaping foreign policy, and building political will inside the State Department. This episode explores how political space becomes policy—and why human capital may be the missing link in America’s foreign ...
In this episode of the One CA Podcast, host Danny Josephspeaks with Major Jared Goff, a Civil Affairs officer whose civilian background in emergency management brings a rare planning perspective to military operations.
From managing displaced people during a crisis tointegrating civilian frameworks into doctrinal planning, Major Goff shares what it means to be a “unicorn in the AO”—a planner who bridges institutional divides and re...
🎙️ In this episode, One CA Podcast welcomes Max Lesser from the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) to unpack the evolving landscape of Iranian online influence. From sock puppet accounts and Telegram coordination to decentralized psyops and hybrid cyber operations, Max offers a sobering look at how Tehran weaponizes digital platforms to shape global narratives, target dissidents, and crowdsource aggression.
We explore FDD’...
Host: LTC Brian Hancock
Guests: COL Delmayca “Didi” Kramer & LTC Liz Martinez
Duration: ~45 minutes
Produced by: Civil Affairs Association
Rated Top 10 Foreign Policy Podcast by Feedspot
https://podcast.feedspot.com/foreign_policy_podcasts
In this episode, LTC Brian Hancock sits down with COL Delmayca Kramer and LTC Liz Martinez to explore the evolving landscape of promotion boards and the innovative Talent Management Board initiativ...
In this episode of the One CA Podcast, host Danny Joseph sits down with Natacha Ciezki, a foreign affairs consultant and Civil Affairs officer, to explore the critical role of cultural understanding in African engagements.
Drawing from her extensive experience across Sub-Saharan Africa, Natacha shares insights on how local context, historical nuance, and relationship-building shape effective foreign policy and civil affairs operati...
What does it take to break into foreign policy—and thrive in the “last three feet” of U.S. diplomacy? In this episode, we sit down with Vasu Vaitla, a Georgetown adjunct-associate professor whose career spans the U.S. Department of State, the United Nations, NGO Initiatives of Change, and the U.S. Air Force.
Vasu shares practical advice for students and professionals seeking careers in foreign affairs, whether through government, NG...
In this episode of the One CA Podcast, host Danny Joseph sits down with Navy EOD Commander Brad Penely to explore the evolving face of warfare—from mine countermeasures in the Strait of Hormuz to cruise missile defense in the Red Sea and joint ops in South America.
Brad shares firsthand insights from Syria, Iran, and beyond, while unpacking the future of small-unit operations, drone warfare, and the power of disruptive thinking.
But...
🎧 Welcome to the Once CA Podcast.
In this episode, host Assad Raza welcomes Jim Hake, founder of Spirit of America, a nonprofit that directly supports overseas U.S. Military, Diplomatic, and Development efforts.
Hake shares how his organization bridges critical gaps in foreign assistance—delivering rapid, locally tailored support that helps advance U.S. foreign policy goals in complex environments.
From frontline partnerships in Ukr...
244: Building U.S. Relations: First Contact, Follow-Through, and Complex Engagements by Chris Brewer
🧭 Episode Description
In this episode of the One CA Podcast, we welcome Chris Brewer, author of Old Scroll Ranger and In the Shadows Between Wars. Brewer led special forces operations in over 130 countries, forging U.S. relationships with partner nations through every phase of engagement.
We explore:
- 🟢 First Contact: How to approach populations and leaders with little to no U.S. presence
- 🔵 Follow-On Engagements: Building trust a...
Today, we welcome retired Lieutenant Colonel Seth Middleton, who served as a Civil Affairs officer in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Mali.
He later went on to work for USAID, teaching the JHOC, or JointHumanitarian Operations Course, and serving as a military advisor before the agency was disbanded.
We talk with Seth about his experiences at AID and his new article,"Non-Military Foreign Assistance is Now DOD’s Problem," published in the Sma...
In this episode of the One CA Podcast, host Danny Joseph sits down with Matt Moran, a wildlife biologist from Alaska and newly minted 38G Natural Resources Specialist in the Army Reserve Civil Affairs community. From tracking polar bear hunting in the Aleutian Islands to advising on wildlife management in deployed regions, Matt shares how his civilian expertise translates into strategic value for U.S. foreign engagement.
They dive i...
🎙️ Welcome to the One CA Podcast
In this episode, host Brian Hancock sits down with JohnPaul LeCedre to explore the realities of military command and share actionable insights for emerging leaders.
📌 This is Part 1 of a special two-part series.
🌍 About One CA
Produced by the Civil Affairs Association, One CA features professionals in diplomacy, defense, development, and field operations. We highlight real-world experiences from “the...
🎙️ Welcome to the One CA PodcastIn this episode, host Brian Hancock sits down with JohnPaul LeCedre to explore the realities of military command and share actionable insights for emerging leaders.📌 This is Part 1 of a special two-part series.
🌍 About One CAProduced by the Civil Affairs Association, One CA features professionals in diplomacy, defense, development, and field operations. We highlight real-world experiences from “the...
Join us on the One CA Podcast as we welcome Mr. Samuel Wong, a leading China and foreign policy expert based in Washington, D.C. In this episode, we unpack Xi Jinping’s recent political maneuvers, the implications of military purges, and what these shifts mean for U.S.–China relations.
One CA is a product of the Civil Affairs Association, featuring voices from the frontlines of diplomacy—military professionals, diplomats, developmen...
🎧 Welcome to the One CA Podcast. Today, host Danny Joseph speaks with Dennis Cosgrove—retired FBI Special Agent who investigated the Russian Mob and the global diamond underworld. In this episode, Cosgrove unpacks how those experiences translate into practical lessons for anyone stepping into law enforcement, diplomacy, or national security.
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You can learn more about
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One CA is a product of the Civil Affairs Association andbrin...
Today, Brian Hancock talks with Ian Thigpen on Disaster Management.Cpt Ian Thigpen is a Captain in the U.S. Army, 353 Civil Affairs Command and works disaster management in his professional career.
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Ian Thigpen’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-michael-thigpen-mem/
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One CA is a product of the Civil Affairs Association. We bringin people who are current or former military, diplomats, development officers,and field agent...
Please welcome Dan Spokojny, the founder of FP21, a research and advisory group focused on reforming the State Department's conduct of U.S. foreign policy.
Dan started on the hill, working on congressional policy, then as a diplomat for the State Department.
Since then, he formed FP21 to help the State Department improve its organization and processes.
This is part II of a two-part episode, so let's get started.
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You can learn more ...
Hey, it's Jack from the show.
Just a quick heads-up that the Civil Affairs Association's fall symposium is planned for November 13-16 in Los Angeles.
And, with the symposium, the association has acall for papers. We are asking you to write on “Redefining Civil Affairs,” based on the latest CA Roundtable Report. Papers are due by September 12th, andthe top three get a cash prize. See below:
Symposium:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/c...
Please welcome Dan Spokojny, the founder of FP21, a research and advisory group focused on reforming the State Department's conduct of U.S. foreign policy.
Dan started on the hill, working on congressional policy, then as a diplomat for the State Department.
Since then, he formed FP21 to help the State Department improve its organization and processes.
A quick note: I found that the introduction had a gap. One of the ...
Today, Rob Boudreau hosts Tedd Lipka and Wes Aniton, both Civil Affairs Lieutenant Colonels in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, as they discuss their experiences in Europe and Africa.
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One CA is a product of the Civil Affairs Association and brings in people who are current or former military, diplomats, development officers, and field agents to discuss their experiences on the ground with a partner nation's people and leader...
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