Major General Kelly, US Army Corps of Engineers- Leadership, Resilience, and National Readiness

Check out more of our content here: In this latest episode of the Disaster Tough Podcast, host John Scardena welcomes back Major General Jason Kelly of the United States Army Corps of Engineers for a deep dive into leadership, resilience, and national readiness heading into the 2026 disaster season. The conversation centers on executive decision-making under pressure, including Kelly’s three-question framework for leaders: creating organizational value, stewarding talent, and sustaining long-term performance. Through real-world examples like the Potomac River sewage crisis and Winter Storm response operations, Kelly emphasizes agility, risk assessment, and the importance of acting decisively even amid uncertainty. The episode highlights how trust, relationships, and mission-first thinking enable effective coordination across federal, state, and local partners in high-stakes emergency management environments. Looking ahead, the discussion explores flood forecasting, infrastructure resilience, and evolving national risk conditions, with cautious optimism for a “normal to below normal” flood season tempered by the reality that even one major event can strain systems. Kelly underscores the Army Corps’ rollout of Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork,” for the Army’s Civil Works program, reinforcing a culture of action over bureaucracy and the critical role of partnerships in delivering outcomes. From personal insights on burnout and sustainability to strategic perspectives on national resilience, this episode offers actionable leadership lessons for emergency managers, policymakers, and infrastructure professionals alike.

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Major General Kelly, US Army Corps of Engineers- Leadership, Resilience, and National Readiness is an episode from Disaster Tough Podcast by The Readiness Lab.

This episode is 52:11 long.

This episode was published on Apr 28, 2026.

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