ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

The operational environment has changed in such a manner that requires commanders to be free to act, based on the higher commander’s intent, with flexible thought and application of combat power. Commanders must do this in concert with other commanders to create synergy with capabilities in all domains to seize fleeting opportunities to overmatch opponents—and it won’t come without risk.

In 2012, the U.S. Joint Staff Force Development office produced a planner’s guide entitled “Cross-Domain Synergy in Joint Operations.”  The document describes cross-domain synergy and further provides...

In the long and storied 243-year history of the U.S. Army, the exploits of Sgt. Alvin C. York on Oct. 8, 1918, in the Argonne Forest in World War I stand as one of the all-time greatest individual feats of an American soldier. In battle that day, then-Cpl. York killed 25 Germans, captured 132 and knocked out 35 machine guns.

After the war, York excelled as a contributing citizen to his community and nation. He worked to improve the lives of the children in his rural Tennessee community, especially in the area of education, and helped promote the homefront war effort during World War II. His...

America’s Army is, once again, at an important point in history, facing new challenges in maintaining its place as the world’s most powerful land force.

Global unrest and the necessary renewed attention to great-power adversaries result in challenges as the Army seeks to sharply focus on future national security threats. The weapons of war are evolving fast, in some cases faster than we’ve adjusted. While seeking leap-ahead technology to gain advantages over potential adversaries, we look up to find someone else has had their own breakthrough that presents us with a new threat. And just to make...

The first package of spending bills that will fund the government for the next fiscal year heads to the White House for signature this week.

The package, which includes funding for Energy and Water, Military Construction and Veterans’ Affairs (VA) and the Legislative Branch, was approved by the Senate on a 92-5 vote and the House by a vote of 377-20.

Passage of the bills marks the first time in more than 10 years that Congress has sent more than one appropriations bill to the president’s desk prior to the end of the fiscal year.

The legislation includes provisions appropriators say are needed to...

Since assuming duties as the 36th Army Vice Chief of Staff in 2017, Gen. James C. McConville has focused on meeting the Secretary of the Army’s and Chief of Staff of the Army’s readiness and modernization priorities.

A graduate of the U.S. Military Academy, McConville is a master aviator and most recently served as the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1. In this interview, McConville shares his impressions on the impact the Army’s new era of modernization will have on the logistics community.

Q: How are you working to change culture and embrace modernization and the establishment of the new Army Futures...

To better prepare aviators for the future fight against a near-peer adversary, the Army is working to improve live, virtual and constructive training environments.

For the past 15 years, the Army has focused on counterinsurgency operations while potential enemies were quietly making improvements to integrated air defense, electronic warfare, cyber, and space capabilities, said Maj. Gen. Maria R. Gervais, deputy commanding general, U.S. Army Combined Arms Center.

Gervais spoke during a panel discussion at the Association of the U.S. Army’s Hot Topic forum on Army Aviation.

Combat training centers...

The Army is focused on modernizing the force. Nothing is more telling of this than the investment the Army is making with the establishment of U.S. Army Futures Command (AFC) in Austin, Texas.

Futures Command will be different from your traditional Army command, which fits right into Austin’s culture.

The city motto is “Keep Austin Weird.”

Army leaders chose Austin because of this “weirdness,” as it provides the best opportunities to partner with academia, industry and innovators in the private sector. This will lead the Army’s modernization efforts, while providing Futures Command personnel a...

Organizers of the 34th Annual Army Ten-Miler (ATM) have announced a new race course for the 2018 race.

This year’s modified course will reduce congestion within the first two miles and marks the first time since the Ten-Miler began in 1985 that runners will not cross the Memorial Bridge.

The 10-mile road race, that takes place Sunday, Oct. 7 beginning at 8 a.m., starts and finishes at the Pentagon and is a USA Track and Field certified course.

“Long needed repairs to the Memorial Bridge are scheduled to begin which required ATM officials to modify the course. This year’s modified course will...

The AUSA Dix Chapter hosted a Professional Development Luncheon at Tommy B’s Conference Center, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.

There were over 50 attendees including AUSA members Col. (R) Dennis Dougherty, president, Northern N.J. Chapter, and First Region president; Command Sgt. Maj. (R) Arthur Maggs Jr., Dix Chapter president; Command Sgt. Maj. (R) Jack Chlapowski, Monmouth Chapter vice president for education; and Charles Seal, Monmouth Chapter newsletter editor.

The guest speaker was retired Sgt. Maj. of the Army Kenneth O. Preston, AUSA vice president for noncommissioned officer and...

The AUSA Family Readiness Directorate is proud to host three Military Family Forums at the 2018 Annual Meeting and Exposition, Oct. 8–10, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

These forums provide a venue for the military and civilian leadership to address Army family issues and introduce new organizations, initiatives and programs.

In addition, several other family focused events will be offered throughout the week.

All forums will be live-streamed, but if you live in the Military District of Washington you are highly encouraged to attend in person.

Military Family Forum I: Monday, Oct...

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We did a thorough comparison of a variety of “closed user group” hotel programs and found this one provides the greatest savings with the most flexibility for members.

Visit www.ausa.org/hotelclub and start comparing for yourself. Your search results will show you the current Expedia pricing as a...

Greetings from the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), our Army’s and our soldiers’ professional organization.

Across the total force, Army leaders, soldiers, Army civilians, retired soldiers, veterans, industry leaders and Army families are all excited about this year’s Association of the United States Army Annual Meeting and Exposition.

One of the highlights of this year’s Annual Meeting is the opportunity to recognize and celebrate the selection of a great noncommissioned officer as our 2018 Sergeant Major of the Army William G. Bainbridge Medal recipient.

Command Sgt. Maj. Robert W...

Secretary of the Army Mark T. Esper, in his first Green Book appearance, describes the Army as being “on a great trajectory” and “willing to make big moves.”

With plans for a bigger Army, improved readiness and using the new Army Futures Command to enable dramatics leaps forward in capabilities, Esper sounds confident despite dim chances for dramatic budget increases.

Esper says a careful review is underway to find money for key priorities by reducing or eliminating less critical programs.

“We believe we have freed up enough money to take care of our modernization priorities,” he says.

Chief of...

After slightly less than a year on the job, Army Secretary Mark T. Esper senses the Army is making great gains in near-term readiness and has a bright future if it can stay on course with some striking and transformational leaps in warfighting capabilities.

“I think the Army is on a great trajectory to achieve the readiness called for in our National Security Strategy,” said the 54-year-old who was sworn in as the 23rd secretary of the Army on Nov. 20, putting him in charge of an already underway effort to make immediate improvements in fighting strength and set the Army on a new, streamlined...

The Army is “healthier today” than it was a year ago and will continue to benefit from strong forward momentum, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley says. That is, as long as readiness remains a priority, funding is steady and the effort to modernize the service as planned is given the opportunity to take hold.

The Army “has very good momentum right now,” Milley said. He predicted that with reliable funding and an international environment that “stays as it is,” the Army will be “in a much healthier place a year from now than it is today, as we are healthier today than we were a year ago.”

Fo...