Desert Rat Testament

Host Mark Schauer talks with Dean Weingarten, who served as YPG’s chief meteorologist from 1989 until his retirement in 2013. A former Army officer raised in Wisconsin, Weingarten also served as a meteorologist at then-Camp Hunter Liggett while in uniform and in Panama as an Army civilian. He holds degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and is an avid outdoorsman and frequently published w...

Host Mark Schauer talks with Command Sgt. Maj. (ret.) Jamathon Nelson. Born at Camp Lejune, North Carolina, he initially followed in his father’s footsteps as a Marine Corps infantryman, enlisting in 1985. He worked for a time as a logger following his Marine enlistment, then served in the Army National Guard before joining the Regular Army in 1995. His final post in a decorated Army career was as...

Host Mark Schauer talks with Col. Patrick McFall, a Tennessee native and infantry officer who served in Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan prior to his command of U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground from July 8, 2020 to June 29, 2023. An active and beloved figure in the broader Yuma community during his time in command, his wife Heidi was also renowned for volunteer service with such organizations as the Yum...

Host Mark Schauer talks with Col. Ross Poppenberger (ret.), who was born in Minnesota and raised in Arizona. His final post in a distinguished Army career that saw him deployed twice to Iraq and once to Afghanistan was as commander of U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground from 2017 to 2020. Following his retirement from active duty he stayed in Yuma, where today he is Chief Financial Officer at Arizona We...

Host Ana Henderson chats with Anne Fisher, who worked at U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground from 1986 to 2022, spending the bulk of her career with the Department of Public Works and Mission Safety Office. Long active in the Yuma community, Fisher is a former District Governor in Rotary International.

Host Mark Schauer talks with Bill Heidner, who was born in Illinois and raised in Wisconsin. After a career serving in the Army as a Non-Commissioned Officer from 1976 to 1997, he worked as a civilian in Army museums at Fort Polk and Fort Irwin before serving as curator of U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground’s Heritage Center from 2004 to 2022. A well-known figure in Yuma, he was also an adjunct profess...

Host Mark Schauer talks with Lt. Col. Michelle Stoleson (ret), who was born in Florida and hailed from an active duty Air Force family. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from California’s Harvey Mudd College and a master’s degree in engineering from Claremont Graduate University, and received her Army commission in 1981. Prior to serving as the first female commander of Yuma...

Host Ana Henderson talks with Chuck Crawford, who lived on post at U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground as a child prior to his career as a security guard and range control specialist. Hear how YPG's range controllers help keep developmental tests of military equipment safe, as well as how the workers' technology changed over the years. Crawford also shares what he misses most about working at the provin...

Host Mark Schauer talks with Chuck Wullenjohn, a native of Sunnyvale, California and Coast Guard veteran who served as Yuma Proving Ground's Public Affairs Officer from 1989 to 2018. A well-known figure in Yuma, he was also an adjunct professor of government and U.S. Constitution classes at Arizona Western College from 1991 to 2018 and served on the Yuma County Library Board of Trustees for eight...

Host Mark Schauer talks with Chief Warrant Officer 4 (ret.) Stan Gourley, who grew up in New Jersey and served in Vietnam. After 20 years in uniform, he worked 26 years in federal service, ultimately serving at Yuma Proving Ground from 1991 to 2008 and retiring as airfield manager. In retirement, he serves on the board of directors of the Yuma County Aviation Authority, as a Yuma County Juvenile C...

Host Mark Schauer talks with Col. Robert Filbey (ret.), who was born in Champaign, Illinois and had a distinguished career as an Army officer culminating in command of Yuma Proving Ground from 1996 to 2000. Following his retirement, he and his wife Nancy stayed in Yuma, volunteering countless hours to organizations including the Assistance League of Yuma, the Salvation Army, Hospice of Yuma, the C...

Host Mark Schauer talks with David Horn, who grew up in Minnesota, earned a degree in mechanical engineering, and worked in private industry prior to working in the Combat Automotive Division at Yuma Proving Ground beginning in 1985. After 12 years at the proving ground Horn returned to private industry for a decade, but resumed his YPG career in 2007 with the National Counterterrorism Counterinsu...

Host Mark Schauer talks with Julio Dominguez, who grew up in New Mexico and was a Marine Corps Non-Commissioned Officer and underground mining engineer prior to his career at U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground (YPG). Starting as a test officer in the Munitions and Weapons Division in 1985, Dominguez was YPG Technical Director, the proving ground's highest- ranking civilian, from 2009 until his retireme...