The recent AUSA Global Force Symposium and Exposition, in Huntsville, Ala., in March brought thousands of attendees and was a prime event for the Redstone-Huntsville Chapter to showcase what its officers and members do to assist the Association and help AUSA work toward its 2017 100,000-member goal.

Col. John Wright, USA, Ret., Redstone-Huntsville chapter president, established important goals for the chapter – both for our symposium week and for the year.

The chapter’s assistance in the planning and execution of the very successful Global Force Symposium achieved the high standard of excellence established by the chapter and its members.

On the evening of March 13, the Redstone-Huntsville Chapter’s Young Professionals held an event at Straight to Ale, a local brewery.

This event was open to attendees from the area and to those attending the symposium.

This networking opportunity allowed young professionals to talk with defense industry representatives and business men and women from Huntsville and other areas in a casual setting.

The chapter offered a 50 percent discount on AUSA membership to those participating in the event.

Twenty-five attendees became AUSA members due to this great chapter effort.

On Wednesday, March 15, the chapter hosted its second annual ROTC Luncheon for senior and junior ROTC cadets in conjunction with the Global Force Symposium.

Gen. Gus Perna, commanding general, U.S Army Materiel Command, was the guest speaker at the luncheon.

Over 200 cadets explored the symposium’s exhibit hall prior to the lunch.

The Redstone-Huntsville Chapter offered all cadets at the lunch a complimentary AUSA memberships at the junior rate – two years for $10.

The chapter gained 112 new members from this initiative, and the cadets will benefit by belonging to the Army’s professional association at an early age.

As a result of a joint effort between AUSA national headquarters and the chapter, more than 275 members joined AUSA during the Global Force Symposium and Exposition.

AUSA national headquarters looks forward to collaborating with chapters on future events while working together to reach 100,000 members by the end of 2017.