Episode 76

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Published on:

11th Mar 2026

From Army Colonel to Community Leader: Kimberly Moros on Purpose, Leadership, and Life After Service

Summary:

What happens when the uniform comes off after 30 years of service? For retired U.S. Army Reserve Colonel Kimberly Moros, it meant discovering a new way to lead. In this episode of Dog Tag Diaries, Kimberly shares the journey that took her from a curious, competitive kid in Arizona to a senior military leader and eventually into civic leadership. What began as a simple visit to an ROTC office turned into a three-decade career filled with global assignments, mentorship, and service alongside remarkable people.

Kimberly reflects on the lessons she learned about teamwork, resilience, and stepping into opportunities even when the path ahead is unclear. After retiring as a Colonel, she continued serving by helping women turn their military experience into meaningful community leadership through The Policy Circle. Her story is a powerful reminder that leadership does not end with military service. It simply takes on a new mission.

In this episode, we cover:

  1. Growing up immersed in teamwork, sports, and shared goals
  2. Why she chose military service as a path for growth and responsibility
  3. How leadership in the military shaped her sense of purpose
  4. Serving for three decades and transitioning out of uniform
  5. Why service doesn’t end at retirement, it evolves
  6. Empowering women veterans and military-connected women through civic engagement
  7. The mission and impact of The Policy Circle
  8. Advice for women considering military service or navigating leadership beyond it

Notable Quotes & Moments:

  1. “If it’s in front of you, try it. If it works, keep going. If it doesn’t, find another path.” – Kimberly Moros [00:09:00]
  2. “When you put that uniform on, service becomes a way of life.” – Kimberly Moros [00:01:12]
  3. “The best part of military service is the people you meet. You would have never crossed paths otherwise.” – Kimberly Moros [00:09:33]
  4. “Leadership isn’t about rank or position. It’s about people.” – Kimberly Moros [00:29:02]
  5. “If you don’t allow the doors to open, the doors will always stay shut.” – Kimberly Moros [00:45:00]

Timestamps:

  1. 00:01:37 – Meet retired Army Reserve Colonel Kimberly Moros
  2. 00:03:26 – Kimberly’s childhood and love of teamwork
  3. 00:06:03 – Discovering ROTC and choosing the Army
  4. 00:10:54 – Serving as a woman in uniform
  5. 00:15:12 – International assignments and career turning points
  6. 00:16:27 – The emotional moment she was promoted to Colonel
  7. 00:17:00 – Supporting wounded service members at SOCOM
  8. 00:23:17 – Life after retirement and discovering The Policy Circle
  9. 00:31:02 – Real stories of women creating change in their communities
  10. 00:42:11 – Advice for military women about taking opportunities

Kimberly Moros is a retired U.S. Army Reserve Colonel who served from 1990 to 2020. Raised as the youngest of two brothers, she grew up active, competitive, and deeply rooted in teamwork. Sports, discipline, and shared goals shaped her early life and laid the foundation for a career in service and leadership.

After retiring from the Army, Kimberly continued her commitment to service as a Military Fellow and Civic Coach with The Policy Circle, where she supports women, particularly veterans, spouses, and caregivers, in developing civic leadership skills and creating community-level impact. She is also an Executive and Leadership Coach, helping individuals reconnect with purpose, values, and direction.

Outside of work, Kimberly enjoys staying active, cooking, learning new things, and connecting with people who care deeply about making a difference.

Connect with Kimberly:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-moros/

The Policy Circle: https://www.thepolicycircle.org

The Policy Circle is a national nonprofit organization that equips women with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to engage in thoughtful policy discussions and lead at the state and local level. Through structured, nonpartisan dialogue and leadership development programs, The Policy Circle helps women move from informed conversation to informed action in their communities. Learn more at www.thepolicycircle.org.

For military members, veterans, spouses, and caregivers who want to continue serving beyond the uniform, The Policy Circle offers dedicated programming and connection through its Military Initiative and Civic Leadership programs. Learn more and get involved at https://thepolicycircle.org/military.

Connect with The Policy Circle

Website: https://thepolicycircle.org

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-policy-circle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thepolicycircle

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thepolicycircle

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ThePolicyCircle


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About the Podcast

Dog Tag Diaries
Sharing True Stories from Women in the Military
Dog Tag Diaries provides a platform for military women to tell their stories and speak their truths. We are not only raising awareness about military trauma, and mental health but fostering a supportive community where women can find strength and inspiration in each other's stories. It's an informative way to reduce stigma and promote healing through open dialogue and exploration of therapeutic modalities. Our goal is to increase connections among women to offer empowerment, encouragement, and a sense of belonging as we each navigate the unique challenges and experiences faced by women in the military.
Each week we’ll invite a woman who has served in the military to share her experience and how it has impacted her, or we will bring in a guest who can speak about the healing abilities of specific therapeutic methods. This is a podcast you don’t want to miss.

About your hosts

kimberly Liszka

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Kim served in the United States Army/Reserves as a Combat Medic, Combat Nurse, Flight Nurse Instructor and one of the Top Female athletes in the Army.

Kim worked 20+ years as an ER nurse and decided to explore the world as a travel nurse. She's an Advanced Wilderness Expedition Provider and Chief Medical Officer for numerous endurance/survival expeditions in different countries.

Kim has a son, Jace and a daughter in law, Sammy and 2 grand animals, Joey & Bear. Her dog Camo is her best buddy. Camo is the sweetest yellow Labrador Retriever to walk this earth. He loves licking snow, riding the ocean waves, visiting carnivore food trucks and loves belly rubs and treats.

Fun Facts: Kim's lived in the Reality TV World! Fear Factor, American Ninja Warrior-Military Edition, American Tarzan, Spartan Namibia and more to come!

Dakota Olson-Harris

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Dakota is currently serving in the Army National Guard and has been for the past 15 years. She enlisted as a tank mechanic then earned her commission as a Combat Engineer Officer. She has two deployments, Iraq and United Arab Emirates.

On the civilian side Dakota works as a counselor providing readjustment counseling for Veterans, current service members, and their families.

Dakota is a wife and a bonus mom to four kiddos. They have recently added to their family with a baby girl, totaling five kids. They also have two dogs, Paco and Elsa.

Her family loves to go on adventures whether it's walks, hiking, camping, or just going on a road trip to visit family.