PUBLISHED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY www.ausa.org January 8, 2026 | AUSA Extra 1 AUSA celebrates 2 million members Officers Eligible for New Career Path 3 Army Selects Possible Microreactor Sites 4 Government Affairs AUSA Leaders in Washington, D.C. 7 Member Benefits Discounts on Fitness, Finances 8 Chapter Highlights Monmouth Central Virginia 9 IN THIS ISSUE VOLUME 7 NUMBER 33 JANUARY 8, 2026 Sgt. Richard Adamson, assigned to the 11th Airborne Division—pictured here with his wife, Cas- sandra, an Air Force staff sergeant—is AUSA's 2 millionth member. (COURTESY PHOTO) T he Association of the U.S. Army proudly announces it has achieved a milestone 2 million members after steadily building its membership over the past four years. The growth results from an initia- tive to attract younger participants and a concentrated effort to identify and partner with like-minded orga- nizations that share AUSA’s support for a strong national defense and To- tal Army. “I am thrilled to announce that AUSA’s 2 millionth member is Sgt. Richard Adamson, an active-duty in- fantry NCO who’s serving in Alaska. We’re proud to add him to the AUSA family," said retired Gen. Bob Brown, AUSA president and CEO. “With more than 2 million members, AUSA can further amplify its voice and ef- forts to support America’s Army and those who serve, as well as educate, connect and inform the American public, Congress and industry about the world’s greatest land force.” Founded in 1950, AUSA is the Army’s premier nonprofit educa- tional and professional association, and it exists to strengthen the bond between soldiers and the American people, promote the military profes- sion and enhance ties with industry. Adamson, who joined the Army in 2022, is assigned to 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, which is part of the 11th Airborne Division’s 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, at Joint Base Elmen- dorf-Richardson, Alaska. He learned about AUSA while at- tending the Basic Leader Course at the NCO Academy on post. “It sounded like a fantastic organization to me, so I, along with many others, signed up,” Adamson said. The native of Medina, Ohio, who is married to Cassandra Adamson, an Air Force staff sergeant who’s also stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf- Richardson, said it’s “insane” to be AUSA’s 2 millionth member. “I noticed the organization has doubled in size since mid-2023,” he said. “In my opinion, an organization See Membership, Page 5www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY January 8, 2026 | AUSA Extra 3 Army creates new AI, machine learning career path Officers can apply to join the Army's new career path in artificial intelligence and machine learning through the Volunteer Transfer Incentive Program. (U.S. ARMY/MAJ. HEBA BULLOCK) AUSA Basic Members can now view a selection of articles from the January issue of ARMY magazine. To read the articles, click here. ARMY magazine January issue S eeking to build a deep bench of officers who specialize in arti- ficial intelligence and machine learning, the Army has established a new career pathway designating the two disciplines as an official area of concentration. Formally designated as 49B AI/ ML, the new area of concentration advances the Army’s ongoing trans- formation into a datacentric and AI- enabled force, according to an Army news release. Planned for phased implementa- tion, the first selection of officers for the new career pathway will begin this month through the Army’s Vol- unteer Transfer Incentive Program, and the officers will be reclassified by Sept. 30, the end of fiscal year 2026, according to the release. “This is a deliberate and crucial step in keeping pace with present and future operational requirements,” Lt. Col. Orlandon Howard, a spokesman for the deputy Army chief of staff for personnel, G-1, said in the release. “We’re building a dedicated cadre of in-house experts who will be at the forefront of integrating AI and ma- chine learning across our warfight- ing functions.” The new 49B area of concentra- tion will first be open to all officers eligible for the Volunteer Transfer Incentive Program, though officers with advanced academic and techni- cal backgrounds in fields related to artificial intelligence and machine learning will be the most competitive candidates. The Voluntary Transfer Incentive Program allows mid-career officers to transfer from overstaffed branch- es to understaffed ones, promoting force balance and officer retention by offering career flexibility for those seeking new opportunities or better alignment with skills, with approved transfers incurring a three-year ac- tive duty service obligation, accord- ing to the Army. The Army also is exploring the pos- sibility of expanding the specialized field to include warrant officers, ac- cording to the release. Officers selected for the new area of concentration will undergo grad- uate-level training and gain hands- on experience in building, deploying and maintaining the Army's cutting- edge AI-enabled systems. Their pri- mary role will be to operationalize these advanced capabilities across the range of military operations, the release said. Strategically, the purpose of the new career field is to build a core group of uniformed Army experts who can accelerate the integration of AI and machine learning. The of- ficers’ talents will apply to a wide range of applications such as acceler- ating more informed battlefield deci- sion-making, streamlining logistics, supporting robotics and autonomous systems and managing the next gen- eration of battlefield robotics, the re- lease said. “Establishing the 49B AI/ML ca- reer path is another key investment to maintain our decisive edge as an Army,” Howard said in the release, adding that “ultimately, it’s about building a force that can outthink, out- pace and outmaneuver any adversary.”www.ausa.org 4 AUSA Extra | January 8, 2026 Gen. Bob Brown, USA Ret. President and CEO, AUSA Lt. Gen. Leslie Smith, USA Ret. Vice President, Leadership and Education, AUSA Luc Dunn Editor Desiree Hurlocker Advertising Manager Advertising Information Contact: Fox Associates Inc. 116 W. Kinzie St. • Chicago, IL 60654 Phone: 800-440-0231 Email: adinfo.rmy@foxrep.com ARTICLES. Articles appearing in AUSA Extra do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the officers or members of the Council of Trustees of AUSA, or its editors. Articles are expres- sions of personal opinion and should not be interpreted as reflecting the official opinion of the Department of Defense nor of any branch, command, installation or agency of the Depart- ment of Defense. The publication assumes no responsibility for any unsolicited material. Email: extra@ausa.org ADVERTISING. Neither AUSA Extra, nor its publisher, the Association of the United States Army, makes any representations, warranties or endorsements as to the truth and accuracy of the advertisements appearing herein, and no such representations, warranties or en- dorsements should be implied or inferred from the appearance of the advertisements in the publication. The advertisers are solely respon- sible for the contents of such advertisements. MEMBERSHIP RATES. To celebrate America’s 250th, membership rates are reduced to a five-year Premium rate of $50 and a two-year Premium rate of $30. Lifetime membership is $250. A special Premium rate of $10 for two years is open to E1–E4 and cadets only. Two- year Basic membership with select benefits is free. Learn more at www.ausa.org/join . Voice for the Army – Support For the Soldier PERK OF THE WEEK ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY Army announces potential sites for Janus nuclear energy initiative T he Army has selected nine sites for consideration as it looks to place microreactor power plants on its installations. Known as the Janus Program, the initiative is the Army’s next-gener- ation nuclear power program and seeks to develop and install micro- reactor power plants in line with a presidential executive order issued in May 2025 to “deliver secure, re- silient and reliable energy to sup- port national defense installations and critical missions,” according to an Army news release. In partnership with the Defense Innovation Unit, the program will build commercial microreactors through a milestone-based contract- ing model to accelerate advanced en- ergy solutions to the warfighters, the release says. After thorough analysis and on-site assessments, the Army named nine sites for potential initial deployment of microreactors. They are Fort Ben- ning, Georgia; Fort Bragg, North Car- olina; Fort Campbell, Kentucky; Fort Drum, New York; Fort Hood, Texas; Fort Wainwright, Alaska; Houston Army Ammunition Plant; Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington; and Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. The sites were selected based on mission, energy requirements and resiliency gaps, power infrastruc- ture, and environmental and techni- cal considerations, according to the release. Timelines for development of the microreactor power plants will be announced as “teams cooperate with military installations, residents and surrounding communities,” and the Army is committed to a transparent process, the release said. The Army also said the final num- ber and location of microreactors will be determined as part of the acquisi- tion process. The rollout of Janus technology will occur in stages as the Army validates AUSA members save 20% on ele- VIVO, a compre- hensive resource hub and support network for people coping with vi- sion loss, beyond traditional aids like braille, white canes and guide dogs. Visit www.ausa.org/elevivo to learn more about eleVIVO. lessons learned and ensures safe, ef- ficient implementation, according to the release, which explained that the projects will be self-contained, protected appropriately and comply with applicable federal, state and lo- cal regulations, leveraging the safety features inherent in next-generation reactor designs. “These early site selections align with the Department of War’s goal of accelerating the pace of deploying on-site nuclear generation at our in- stallations,” Jordan Gillis, assistant secretary of the Army for installa- tions, energy and environment, said in the release. “Through the use of the Army’s unique nuclear regula- tory authorities, we are deploying a resilient, secure and reliable energy supply for critical defense operations and in support of the most lethal land- based fighting force in the world.” The Janus Program is leveraging the Department of Energy and its network of National Labs to ensure the appropriate expertise is applied to the evaluation of proposed de- signs, operational plans and emer- gency preparedness plans, according to the release. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll discusses the service's nuclear Janus Program dur- ing the 2025 AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition. (AUSA PHOTO)www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY January 8, 2026 | AUSA Extra 5 Navy Federal Credit Union is federally insured by NCUA. © 2025 Navy Federal NFCU 14302 (12-25) Visit navyfederal.org or call 1-888-842-6328 to open a certificate today! • Guaranteed earnings • Flexible term options • Protection against inflation Sky-High Certificate Rates GIVE YOUR SAVINGS A PROMOTION Open a certificate with Navy Federal and let your money work harder for you. Membership From Page 1 that grows that rapidly is clearly do- ing something right, and I am hon- ored to be a part of that.” Adamson will be recognized at an upcoming AUSA symposium and ex- position with a special gift from the association. In addition to breaking the 2-mil- lion-member mark, AUSA also achieved a record number of Life members, with more than 19,400 as of Jan. 6. The association also reached a high of more than 14,600 National Partner members, representing 656 National Partners, and 52 Associa- tion Partners—more than triple the number from mid-2021. “AUSA is on an amazing journey, growing from 258,000 to 2 million members over the past four years,” said retired Brig. Gen. Jack Haley, vice president of Membership and Meetings at AUSA. “This ‘army be- hind the Army’ is incredibly power- ful, supporting our mission to edu- cate, inform and connect.” Haley also applauded the efforts of AUSA’s chapter volunteers around the world, “without whom this push to rapidly grow membership would not have been possible.” As AUSA passes the 2-million-member mark, the Army’s premier nonprofi t continues to educate, inform and connect. (AUSA PHOTO)www.ausa.org 6 AUSA Extra | January 8, 2026 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY New platform streamlines soldier, unit training records Software designers speak with soldiers from the 10th Mountain Division in Ver- mont to improve the user experience in Army training software. (U.S. ARMY PHOTO) Trusted international perspectives help decision-makers anticipate change, reduce risk and spot opportunity. From uncertainty to clarity. Access your DoD-sponsored subscription to The Economist. Scan to learn more or visit: economist.com/pro/DoD S oldiers’ individual and unit training records will now be managed by a new platform, the Army announced. ATIS Training is an intuitive, streamlined and modernized plat- form designed to manage individual and unit training records, according to an Army news release. Launched on Nov. 15 to every soldier in the Army, ATIS Training replaces the Digital Training Management Sys- tem introduced in the 2000s. ATIS stands for Army Training In- formation System. Soldiers, commanders and sup- port staff “can now access real-time data on individual soldier training records, access leader dashboards to visualize unit metrics, build training schedules and use different apps that automate manual processes, reduc- ing the time it takes to complete ad- ministrative tasks,” the release says. The Army Training Information System team developed the platform using software methodologies and with input and feedback from sol- diers. Since summer 2024, the ATIS team has gathered continuous user feedback across all three Army com- ponents and at all echelons—from company through division-level for- mations, according to the release. “ATIS Training is designed by soldiers, for soldiers,” Lt. Col. John Nikiforakis, ATIS product manager at Program Executive Office En- terprise, said in the release. “We developed our software in direct partnership with training room noncommissioned officers, company command teams and battalion lead- ership to deliver software that's not only easy to use but that informs de- cisions at all echelons.” One of ATIS Training’s key objec- tives is to reduce the amount of time soldiers spend on administrative tasks like data entry and allow more time for actual training.www.ausa.orgJanuary 8, 2026 | AUSA Extra 7 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY Region presidents advocate for Total Army on Capitol Hill T he Association of the U.S. Ar- my’s Government Affairs di- rectorate was busy in Decem- ber as we continued our advocacy for the Total Army. On Dec. 16, AUSA Region Presi- dents Greg d’Arbonne, Scott Leeling, Jay Sweeney and Dave Fulton met with congressional staff for Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Reps. Steve Scalise, Tom Emmer and Bet- ty McCollum. The region presidents were joined in their advocacy efforts by AUSA Family Readiness director Holly Dailey, retired Command Sgt. Maj. Rob Abernethy, the association’s senior director of NCO and Soldier Programs, and Susan Plucker, ex- ecutive vice president and secretary for AUSA’s Sixth Region. The group also had an excellent tour of the Library of Congress, with a focus on the Veterans History Proj- ect, provided by AUSA family fellow Angel Mangum. The Veterans His- tory Project “collects, preserves and makes accessible the firsthand rec- ollections of U.S. military veterans who served from World War I through more recent conflicts and peacekeep- ing missions, so that future genera- tions may hear directly from vet- erans and better understand what they saw, did and felt during their service,” according to its website. Before Congress left for recess, it passed the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which was signed into law. This critical leg- islation provides authorizations and policy guidance for the Department of War and the Army. AUSA sent a letter in support of swift passage of the National De- fense Authorization Act that you can read here. January promises to be a busy month for lawmakers in Washington, D.C., as the House of Representatives and Senate are back this week from their Christmas recess. Government Affairs The continuing resolution that passed in November to end the lapse in appropriations runs until Jan. 30. This stopgap measure, which funds the government at the previous year’s levels, includes funding for defense appropriations, which is critical for the Total Army. Additionally, the resolution in- cluded full-year funding for military construction and the Department of Veterans Affairs through the mili- tary construction, veterans affairs and related agencies appropriations bill. You can help build momentum for passage of the nine remaining appro- priations bills—especially defense appropriations—by contacting your representatives and senators or by meeting with them. We encourage you to meet with lawmakers or their staffs as constitu- ents and AUSA members in support of the Total Army. Advocate for AU- SA’s Focus Areas and passage of the legislation mentioned above. Additionally, you can highlight the Army’s critical role in the Indo-Pacif- ic and the Western Hemisphere, and recommend Congress support Army priorities such as warfighting, con- tinuous transformation and quality of life for soldiers and their families. As a reminder, AUSA only lobbies and takes positions at the federal level on federal issues, and the asso- ciation is nonpartisan and apolitical. Mark Haaland is AUSA’s Government Affairs director. AUSA region presidents and members of the association's national headquarters staff meet with congressional staffers in Washington, D.C. (AUSA PHOTO) Congress has passed the fiscal year 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, which provides authorizations and policy guidance for the Department of War and the Army. (ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL PHOTO)www.ausa.org 8 AUSA Extra | January 8, 2026 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY Save on senior care, fi tness, fi nancial services with AUSA O ver the holidays, you may have noticed older fam- ily members slowing down, needing a little more assistance—or maybe they’re just tired of all the yard work. As a member of the Association of the U.S. Army, you and qualifying family members can save on senior living. You may be eligible for an ex- clusive discount of 7.5% that can help you and your loved ones get the care and lifestyle you deserve. Check out these savings by visit- ing www.ausa.org/brookdale, calling 888-303-8601 or visiting any Brook- dale community. Mention “Go Army” to activate your discount. Active&Fit Active&Fit is a fi tness program of- fered through health insurance plans and associations like AUSA. It pro- vides discounted access to a large network of gyms and fi tness studios, as well as digital resources such as workout videos, coaching and activity tracking, all designed to make stay- ing healthy affordable and fl exible. Members who have used Active&Fit have shared that one of their favorite things is that they can join their lo- cal gym and cancel easily at any time. Member Benefi ts And, if you want to change gyms— switch from your local Gold's Gym to your local LA Fitness, for example— it’s a simple process. We always provide members with direct access to savings programs without having to log in to the AUSA website by starting at www.ausa.org/ savings. However, Active&Fit is an exception because participating gyms require more security to prevent pub- lic access to the program, so you must sign in at www.ausa.org fi rst. If you have login credentials, head to www. ausa.org/gym to learn more. Most Association Partner and Ba- sic members don’t have login cre- dentials, so head to the Active&Fit public site to search for participat- ing gyms to learn more. You can’t join on that site, but you can get all the details to make your decision. If you decide to join and need login cre- dentials, contact our member support team at membersupport@ausa.org or 855-246-6269. Here’s the process. • Choose your gym from a network of more than 12,800 gyms. • Join Active & Fit for $28 a month. You pay for the fi rst two months, then you're good to go to the gym you chose. The $28 enrollment fee is waived with code MAKEY- OURMOVE. • Save on multiple gym member- ships with a $5 monthly discount for spouses and domestic partners. • Shop the Active&Fit Market- place for deals on top gear and nutri- tion brands. • Receive well-being coaching. • Work out at home with more than 15,000 workout videos in categories including cardio, strength training, yoga and more. • Sync your favorite wearable fi t- ness tracker or mobile app to stay on top of your progress. Holiday debt AUSA has partnered with Cam- bridge Credit Counseling, a nonprofi t organization that performs a no-cost, in-depth analysis of your fi nancial situation to identify ways to help you save money and get out of debt as quickly as possible. Cambridge can often get better terms with your creditors. Cambridge’s nationally certifi ed experts provide counseling to help with credit, housing, student loans, reverse mortgages, bankruptcy, debt management plans and more. When there’s a fee, you save 25%. Visit www.ausa.org/Cambridge to learn more. TaxAct Filing your taxes doesn’t have to be complicated. Try switching to TaxAct and simplify things with its easy-to-use software. AUSA members get 25% off fed- eral and state fi lings. TaxAct has a 100% accuracy guarantee, is trusted by millions and has exceptional cus- tomer care. For individual returns, please vis- it www.taxact.com/ausa, and go to www.taxact.com/ausasmb for small business returns. Contact me at srubel@ausa.org if you have any questions. Susan Rubel is AUSA’s Insurance and Affi nity Partnerships director.www.ausa.orgJanuary 8, 2026 | AUSA Extra 9 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY Chapter’s annual gala benefits Fisher House Foundation I n December, the Association of the U.S. Army’s Monmouth chapter held its 13th annual Gingerbread Ball benefitting the Fisher House Foundation at the Sterling Ballroom in Tinton Falls, New Jersey. All proceeds from the black-tie event support the foundation, which builds homes near military and De - partment of Veterans Affairs medical centers. This year, the chapter raised more than $60,000 for the foundation through sponsor- ships, donations and auction items. Fisher Houses provide a home away from home for families of mili- tary and veteran patients undergoing medical treatment. The locations of- fer free accommodation while a loved one is hospitalized, saving military families more than $650 million to date, according to the Fisher House Foundation, which constructs and oversees the residences. Over the past two decades, the chapter has raised more than $2.5 Monmouth million for the Fisher House Foun- dation, it said in a social media post. Opening remarks for the gala were provided by retired Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Johnny “Joey” Jones, the event’s honorary chair. Jones was an explosive ordnance disposal techni- cian. He lost both legs to an IED dur- ing a deployment to Afghanistan in 2010. David Coker, president of the Fish- er House Foundation, served as the guest speaker and gave “wonderful insight” into the foundation’s efforts, according to the AUSA chapter. More than 210 people attended, in- cluding soldiers, ROTC cadets, veter- ans, AUSA members, local business representatives and government of- ficials. Chapter members Meagan Solo- mon, the vice president for mem- bership, and Sue DiVila served as co-chairs for the Gingerbread Ball, and the chapter partnered with the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association, the Army Aviation Association of America and the Eatontown Industrial Park Asso- ciation to host the event. “Thank you to all of our generous sponsors,” the chapter said. “Togeth- er, we made a great event happen for a great cause.” Volunteer leaders with AUSA's Monmouth chapter in New Jersey present a donation to the Fisher House Foundation. (AUSA PHOTO) AUSA honors Army civilian of the year Retired Col. Leif Johnson, center right, president of AUSA's Central Virginia chapter, recognizes Alytrius Bridgers, center left, chief public affairs officer for the Richmond Recruiting Battalion, as the association's 2nd Region Department of the Army Civilian Employee of the Year for 2025. (AUSA PHOTO) Central Virginia18 FEBRUARY 2026 REGISTER TODAY AUSA CONFERENCE & EVENT CENTER | 2425 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, Virginia ARMY AVIATION TRANSFORMING AT THE PACE OF CHANGE AUSA HOT TOPIC SERIESNext >