The 31st Annual Army Ten-Miler will be held on Sunday, Oct.11, at 8 a.m., at the Pentagon.Produced by the U.S. Army Military District of Washington, the Army’s race will attract military and civilian runners from around the world.All race proceeds will benefit soldier and family morale, welfare and recreation (MRW) programsArmy Ten-Miler officials have confirmed that they will continue the two-phase registration process for the Army’s race that was introduced in 2011.Priority registration for all U.S. service members and runners who have participated in seven or more Army Ten-Miler races is...
Despite declining budgets and resources, the Army continues to actively do business with industry partners, with the Army Materiel Command (AMC) procuring one out of every six dollars in the federal budget.Lt. Gen. Patricia McQuistion, AMC’s deputy commanding general, addressed the command’s business opportunities with more than 200 professionals at the Association of the United States of the Army’s Huntsville – Redstone Chapter Update for Industry, Jan. 16, at the Jackson Center."We have fewer dollars available, but there are still a lot of numbers going into these business opportunities,"...
Given the opportunity to address the students and the training academy’s cadre, I was able to recognize the contributions of the Florida National Guard. Having served with the 53rd Infantry Brigade in Iraq in 2003, I related to the audience the missions and contributions the soldiers of the brigade made during their deployment.
A new course at Fort Rucker, Ala., will pair up air cavalry leaders with the operators of unmanned aerial systems.The Aviation Reconnaissance Course, scheduled to launch this spring, was discussed at the Association of the U.S. Army’s "Hot Topic" conference on aviation in Arlington, Va.The course was discussed during a panel discussion titled, "The Human Dimension: Developing Agile Aviation Leaders that Thrive in Uncertainty."One of the objectives of the new two-week class will be to establish synergy between pilots and unmanned aerial systems, or UAS, operators, explained panel member Col...
The 2015 Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition will again this year have as its headquarters the new Marriott Marquis, Association officials said.Located directly across from the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, the Marriott Marquis has 1,175 rooms and 49 suites, and is connected to the convention center by an underground walkway."The Marriott Marquis is a welcome addition to the AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition. It offers more than 105,000 square feet of superior function space, including a 30,000-square-foot ballroom with a 22-foot ceiling," Michael...
Uncertainty not a good recipe for success. Back in 2011, nationally syndicated columnist William Hamilton wrote a piece on military retirement and the plans to change it.In his column, Hamilton, who served 20 years on active duty, recalled a conversation he had with his personnel officer shortly after going on active duty about what he could expect from a 20-year career in the military.The personnel officer told him: "You can expect to live abroad for about 10 years, much of it in disease-ridden, Third World countries you would never ever want to visit or vacation at. You will be moved 15 to...
Since 2001, military children have experienced multiple separations from one or possibly both parents due to combat deployments.Surveys have been conducted and studies written on the emotional toll the past 14 years of war have had on service families.Unfortunately, no national system has been established to collect public school-based data on military children, which could show possible impacts on academic performance and help educators develop strategies to aid struggling children.But thanks to the efforts of The Military Child Education Coalition (MCEC), with the support of the Association...
The Army & Air Force Exchange Service’s Exchange Retiree Advisory Council, including Sgt. Maj. Leroy Bussells, USA, Ret., assistant director, retiree and veteran affairs, Association of the United States Army (AUSA), met in Dallas, Texas, in January to review exchange services with exchange senior leaders.Exchange Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer Mike Immler briefed Bussells and other members on the exchange’s newly updated shopping website, shopmyexchange.com.The new site received its first major overhaul in a decade this past fall.The updated site is designed to offer...
Army aviation operates in worldwide missions while balancing the challenges of the deployments with maintaining training and readiness, Army aviation commanders said.The commanders addressed the topic during a panel at the Association of the United States Army’s "Hot Topic" forum on Army aviation Jan. 29.The panel featured Col. Vincent H. Torza, commander, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, or CAB; Col. Michael H. Hertzendorf, commander, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment; Col. Kenneth A. Hawley, commander, 25th CAB; and Col. John O. Payne, deputy chief of staff, Aviation, Arkansas Army...
Just as the Army chief of staff recently testified before lawmakers, warning of the damage another round of sequestration would cause, the Army vice chief of staff, Gen. Daniel B. Allyn, echoed the chief’s words to many connected to the Army aviation community.Addressing an audience of over 300 at an Aviation "Hot Topic" professional development forum hosted on by the Association of the U.S. Army, Allyn opened the one-day seminar praising Army aviators for their daily role in the successes in Iraq and Afghanistan and around the globe."I’m an infantryman by trade, but every infantryman with any...
Well, the good news is that there is a defense budget that actually was published on time.Unfortunately, much of what is in the budget hits soldiers and their families in the wallet.First, the defense department proposes a below-inflation pay raise that DoD calls "slowing the growth." We call it a failure to learn from history.Below private sector inflation rate military raises in the 80s and 90s are what led to the 13.5 percent pay gap that it has taken more than a decade of above-inflation pay raises to reduce. It seems to fly in the face of logic to go down that road again.DoD calls for...
Defense Secretary Ashton Carter pledged to focus on soldiers and their families in what he foresees as continuingly uncertain times.In a message to military and civilian personnel, issued shortly after he was sworn in as the nation’s 25th defense secretary, Carter pledged to focus "on the well-being, safety, and dignity of each of you and your families.""I will ensure your training and equipment are as superb as you are," Carter wrote.Adding, "And I pledge to make decisions about sending you into harm’s way with the greatest reflection and utmost care because this is my highest responsibility...
Former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta will receive the 2015 George Catlett Marshall Medal, the highest award presented by the Association of the United States Army.Awarded annually to an individual who has exhibited selfless service to the United States of America, the medal will be presented to Panetta by the Association’s Council of Trustees.He will be recognized for his contributions to the United States of America as a strong supporter of national defense and his devotion to those men and women who have served or are now serving in our armed forces to protect our freedom and liberty."Hi...
A senior Army finance officer provided a glimpse into the service’s fiscal year 2016 budget request of $126.5 billion and what could happen should sequestration kick in, reducing that amount by about $6 billion.Lt. Gen. Karen E. Dyson, military deputy to the assistant secretary of the Army, financial management and comptroller, spoke to members of the Association of the U.S. Army at its Institution of Land Warfare breakfast meeting held in early February.She said that for soldiers to be equipped and prepared to move out on "very unusual missions," as well as "full-spectrum, decisive-action...
Testifying on Capitol Hill, the Army’s senior uniformed officer put forward a blunt message to Congress, saying: "As sequestration looms in 2016, I am truly concerned about our future and how we are investing in our nation’s defense … we do not want to return to the days of a hollow Army."The Army chief of staff, Gen. Ray Odierno, and his service counterparts met with the Senate Armed Services Committee to discuss their concerns and views on how sequestration would affect the national security environment."I believe this is the most uncertain I have seen the national security environment in my...