ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY

The winners of the Army’s inaugural Best Squad Competition and the service’s NCO and Soldier of the Year were announced Oct. 10 during a luncheon at the Association of the U.S. Army’s Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C.

The Best Squad is from Army Special Operations Command. Its members are Spc. Coy Anderson, Spc. Nathan Wallen, Spc. Jake Reichman, Staff Sgt. Devon Simpson and Sgt. Jonathan Warren.

The 2022 Soldier of the Year is Spc. Samual Alvarez of Army Forces Command, and the NCO of the Year is Sgt. Garrett Paulson from Army Medical Command.

With just five days as head of Army Recruiting Command under his belt, Maj. Gen. Johnny Davis has huge plans to solve the service's recruiting crisis and connect with young Americans.

Speaking Oct. 10 at the Association of the U.S. Army's 2022 Annual Meeting and Exposition, Davis said he’s confident that the service can rise to meet the current recruiting challenge, despite missing last fiscal year's goal by 15,000 soldiers and contending with a young population that is 77% ineligible to serve due to failure to meet minimum standards.

Modernization of the National Guard and the Army Reserve is critical to balancing the Total Army as it transforms to meet the demands of future combat, said Gen. Andrew Poppas, commander of Army Forces Command.

Soldiers from the reserve components continue to deploy for missions around the world and respond to domestic missions, such as hurricane response in Florida, but “we’re also racing to meet another demand from the Total Army,” Poppas said Oct. 10 in remarks at the Association of the U.S. Army’s 2022 Annual Meeting and Exposition.

“I am confident we are on the right track,” Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said Oct. 10 at the opening ceremony of the Association of the U.S. Army’s 2022 Annual Meeting and Exposition. 

Her second appearance as the keynote speaker at AUSA’s biggest event of the year was somber. “We are living in challenging times,” Wormuth said, noting that the Army faces “a wide and sobering range of national security threats.” 

Addressing a gathering of the Association of the U.S. Army’s volunteer leaders during an Oct. 9 dinner, AUSA President and CEO retired Gen. Bob Brown said that AUSA’s job is to “connect America with her Army.”

The association’s chapter leaders “are the key” to accomplishing that mission, Brown said. “You make all the difference in the world—you connect with the community,” he said.

More than 120 mid-grade NCOs and officers have a unique opportunity to help senior Army leaders solve some of the toughest challenges facing the force today.

The specially selected group is participating in a Leader Solarium hosted by Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville at the Association of the U.S. Army’s 2022 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C.

The first day of the largest annual land warfare exposition in North America features a keynote address by Army Secretary Christine Wormuth, the unveiling of the winners of the Army’s inaugural Best Squad Competition, and much more.

The Association of the U.S. Army’s 2022 Annual Meeting and Exposition is being held for the 19th time at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The three-day in-person event will take place Oct. 10–12 and feature more than 700 exhibits in five halls on both levels of the convention center.

Register now for the Association of the U.S. Army’s Annual Meeting and Exposition.

The three-day, in-person event takes place Oct. 10–12 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. This year’s theme is “Building the Army of 2030,” marking a focus on the continued transformation of the force.

This year’s hashtag is #AUSA2022.

Tickets are now on sale for some special social events taking place during the Association of the U.S. Army Annual Meeting and Exposition, including the black-tie George Catlett Marshall Memorial Award Reception and Dinner.

Scheduled for Oct. 10–12, the three-day, in-person annual meeting will take place at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C.

Eight contemporary military forums and three family forums will be part of the Association of the U.S. Army’s Annual Meeting and Exposition in October.

The hashtag for the Oct. 10–12 event at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., is #AUSA2022, with many programs shaped around the theme, “Building the Army of 2030.”