ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

The Army must continue transforming its organic industrial base to ensure the safety of its workforce and the readiness of the force, senior leaders said Oct. 13 during a contemporary military forum titled “Driving Deliberate Change in the Industrial Base Through Innovation, Vision and Cooperation.”

The Army National Guard remains busy and engaged during a year of unprecedented activity across the nation, according to Lt. Gen. Jon Jensen, director of the Army National Guard.

At the highest point of activity in June, “we had 99,000 Army Guardsmen on some sort of duty order in support of COVID-19 response, civil unrest response and the overseas mission,” Jensen said Oct. 13 in a seminar during AUSA Now, the virtual annual meeting of the Association of the U.S. Army.

The Army is continuing its push for diversity and inclusion in both its uniformed and civilian ranks, senior leaders said in a contemporary military forum during AUSA Now, the virtual annual meeting of the Association of the U.S. Army.

The Army is returning “to the science of large-scale combat operations,” with training that is “hot, sweaty and intense,” said Col. Charles Lombardo, deputy commander of the Army’s Combined Arms Center-Training.

The idea, he said, is to force soldiers and their leaders to deal with simultaneous enemy actions in training that is “the key to building readiness across our formations.”

Army leaders are looking for ways to reduce the pressure on soldiers and units that have been stressed by almost 20 years of deployments, the service’s top general said.

“Our soldiers have been highly deployed over the last 19 years and done an absolutely fabulous job in conflicts throughout the Middle East and in support of the combatant commanders,” Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville said.

The Army’s six security force assistance brigades have been built and will soon be aligned with geographic combatant commands around the world, according to Brig. Gen. Scott Jackson, commander of the Security Force Assistance Command.

The security force assistance brigades, specialized units designed for advise-and-assist missions with U.S. allies and partners, also will deploy in the future in smaller elements that will maintain a sustained, forward presence.

The Association of the U.S. Army honored the recipients of its 2020 National Awards Oct. 13 during the opening ceremony of AUSA Now, the association’s virtual annual meeting.

The awards honor individuals for their selfless service and dedication to the Army and its soldiers.

“We at AUSA are really proud of this year’s National Award recipients,” said retired Gen. Carter Ham, AUSA president and CEO. “From a group of extraordinary nominees, we have selected recipients whose selfless service and unparallel accomplishments best exemplify the ideals we celebrate at AUSA.”

The time for Army transformation has arrived, with no turning back, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said Oct. 13 during the opening ceremony of AUSA Now, the 2020 virtual annual meeting of the Association of the U.S. Army.

McCarthy, the 24th Army secretary, said the Army has a new focus on readiness that places more emphasis on squads and small units and less on large-scale exercises, a continued push toward modernization and taking “rapid, positive and meaningful steps” on diversity, equity and inclusion.

AUSA Now, the Association of the U.S. Army’s virtual annual meeting, officially opens Oct. 13 with an address from Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy.

The first day of the annual meeting also includes the unveiling of the Army’s Soldier and NCO of the Year, an initiatives forum by Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston, and contemporary military forums on diversity and inclusion in the Army, spurring more industrial base innovation, and readiness initiatives.

The Association of the U.S. Army has launched a new mobile application in conjunction with AUSA Now, the association’s 2020 virtual annual meeting from Oct. 13–16. 

The app, which can be found by searching for “eShow Events” in the Apple app store and Google Play for Android, will give attendees more flexibility and the ability to tune in to AUSA Now from anywhere on a smartphone. It also will provide attendees direct connectivity to their social media accounts.