PUBLISHED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY www.ausa.org February 5, 2026 | AUSA Extra 1 Soldier-athletes prep for Winter Olympics Army Honors Top 2025 Recruiters 3 Commissary Expands Doorstep Delivery 4 Government Affairs Defense Appropriations Passes 6 Member Benefits America's 250th Tour 7 Chapter Highlights MSG Leroy Arthur Petry 8 IN THIS ISSUE VOLUME 7 NUMBER 37 FEBRUARY 5, 2026 Spc. Azaria Hill, one of eight soldier-athletes selected for the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olym- pics, will make her Olympic debut in the two-woman bobsled event. (U.S. ARMY PHOTO) E ight soldier-athletes and three coaches, including more than a few Olympic veterans, will rep- resent Team USA at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy. Opening ceremonies are set to be- gin at 2 p.m. Eastern on Friday. As many as 232 athletes will rep- resent the U.S. and compete across 16 sports between Feb. 6–22, accord- ing to an NBC Los Angeles article. Through the Army’s World Class Athlete Program, soldiers compete in their respective sport at the inter- national level while serving as they strive for the Olympic or Paralympic Games, according to the World Class Athlete Program website. Three World Class Athlete Pro- gram coaches, Lt. Cols. Christopher Fogt and Garrett Hines and Sgt. 1st Class Shauna Rohbock, will guide and mentor the U.S. Olympic bobsled team, according to the Army World Class Athlete Program webpage. Two soldier-athletes were named as alternates for the Winter Games. They are Cpl. Hakeem Abdul-Saboor for bobsled and Spc. Dana Kellogg for luge. Olympic veteran Sgt. Ben Loomis, from Eau Clair, Wisconsin, will com- pete in Nordic combined, which blends cross-country skiing and ski jumping. Olympic rookie Pvt. Spencer Howe will compete in pairs figure skating. Howe, from Los Angeles, enlisted in the Army in October 2024 and completed basic training in Febru- ary 2025, according to a U.S. Figure Skating news release. Howe and his partner, Emily Chan, were behind after their short pro- gram, but they clinched the Olympic qualification after redeeming them- selves in their free skate routine. “We just felt like this whole competi- tion for us has been one big miracle,” Howe told a local NBC affiliate in a post-skate interview. After Chan felt discouraged, Howe told her, “Listen, it’s not over yet. You can feel all of those feelings after Friday, which was our free skate. I said, ‘Right now, the job’s not finished.’... And then we kept pushing.” See Olympians, Page 5www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY February 5, 2026 | AUSA Extra 3 Top recruiters recognized for ‘instrumental’ successes The top 30 Army recruiters for fiscal year 2025 are recognized during a ceremony at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virginia. (U.S. ARMY/STAFF SGT. GERALD HOLMAN) AUSA Basic Members can now view a selection of articles from the February issue of ARMY magazine. To read the articles, click here. ARMY magazine February issue A fter a year when the Army met its recruiting goal four months early, the service hon- ored 30 top recruiters for fiscal year 2025 during a ceremony at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virginia. “The diligent work of our recruit- ers nationwide is instrumental in mitigating challenges in the recruit- ing market and ensuring sustained success for the development of our force," said Brig. Gen. Sara Dud- ley, commanding general of the U.S. Army Recruiting Division. During fiscal year 2025, the Army met its recruiting goal of 61,000 new soldiers in June—months before the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year. It ul- timately recruited 62,050 new sol- diers. As the service evolves, recruiters “are focused on evolving how we re- cruit,” Dudley said. “We’re moving from a practice that was once more of an art to one that is a science.” The most effective recruiters form deep, authentic connections with their recruits, said Staff Sgt. Victo- ria Ortiz, a recruiter with the Jack- sonville Recruiting Station in North Carolina. “One of the most rewarding aspects of my role is the opportunity to connect with the next generation,” Ortiz told the Army. “My goal is to create a space where future soldiers feel empowered to be themselves, where authenticity is valued, and connection transcends age or back - ground. At the end of the day, we all serve one mission: to support and protect the people.” In addition to being authentic, so- cial media presence can also assist recruiters, said Sgt. 1st Class Bren- da Kunde, a recruiter at the Largo Recruiting Station in Maryland who was also recognized during the cer- emony. “The conception out there is that soldiers, you don’t have a life when you join the Army,” Kunde told Stars and Stripes. “So when you post … it gives the applicant a different perspective about the Army, and they want to know more. They contact you, and those that do not even have the intention to join now they change their minds to join.” Goals for the Army in 2026 include being able to meet senior Army lead- ers’ vision for the future force and completing the rollout of the Acces- sions Information Environment, Dudley said, according to Stars and Stripes. “It is the enlistment backbone to do and manage all of the initial entry records of somebody from the first contact with the Army, and then that will flow through to their end of their career,” Dudley said. “That system is being tested at the Indianapolis [Re- cruiting] Battalion right now, and it is going to be rolled out to the rest of the division this year.” Army recruiting efforts are focused on matching talented recruits with a career path that best fits them, said Command Sgt. Maj. Danny Basham, senior enlisted leader for U.S. Army Recruiting Division. “By using better tools and struc- tured information, we can under- stand who is best suited for the Army and what career path is right for them,” he said. “It’s about putting the right people in the right places from the very start.”www.ausa.org 4 AUSA Extra | February 5, 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 Commissaries expand delivery service S hoppers at 70 commissar- ies across the U.S. are now eligible for doorstep delivery, the Defense Commissary Agency an- nounced recently. “Through doorstep delivery, we are offering our customers an online and mobile shopping option, where they can browse items, submit orders, schedule delivery and pay for their groceries from their computer, phone, tablet or mobile device,” said John Hall, the agency’s director and CEO. “We are striving to anticipate our pa- trons’ needs and do what it takes to be their grocery provider of choice.” Under the expansion, 62 new loca- tions will be added to the initial eight pilot locations that have offered deliv- ery service since 2022, according to a Defense Commissary Agency news release. Eligible customers with a valid military ID or authorized agent card can browse groceries online and have them delivered to their door. The eight pilot locations included commissaries on Army installations, including Fort Bragg, North Caro- lina; Fort Belvoir, Virginia; and the Fort Lewis main commissary on Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. The shift to offer delivery came af- Delight your loved ones this Valentine's Day. Shop from a dozen of the 1-800-Flowers brands and use code FORAUSA for your 20% to 25% AUSA member savings. For more in- formation, visit www.ausa.org/gifts. ter the Defense Commissary Agency hosted discussions where customers ranging from young, single enlisted service members to disabled veter- ans and their caregivers expressed the need for convenient and acces- sible grocery options. Customers must be within a 20- mile radius of a commissary partici- pating in the CLICK2GO program to be eligible for doorstep delivery. Delivery fees are determined by dis- tance. Deliveries of up to 10 miles cost $17.75, while deliveries between 10 and 20 miles are $31.25, accord- ing to a Defense Commissary Agency webpage. Under the current contract for doorstep delivery with delivery ser- vice OnPoint, delivery could expand to the remaining 108 commissaries throughout the U.S., according to the Defense Commissary Agency and Army Times. The agency is always looking for ways to innovate, Hall said. “Com- missary delivery is just one example of how” the agency “is working to of- fer a next-level benefit to better serve our military community,” he said. For a list of commissaries offering doorstep delivery, click here or here. Under the expansion of the commissary's doorstep delivery service, 62 new locations will be added to the initial eight pilot locations. (U.S. ARMY/SAVANNAH BAIRD)www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY February 5, 2026 | AUSA Extra 5 Olympians From Page 1 Two soldier-athletes will compete in bobsled, where athletes navigate a winding ice racetrack in high-tech sleds. Sgt. Frank Del Duca, an Olym- pic veteran who competed in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, leads the way as a bobsled driver. Del Duca, who is from Bethel, Maine, “loves racing anything with a motor,” ac- cording to his Team USA biography. Racing is “what makes me feel the most alive,” Del Duca said in a USA bobsled and skeleton Instagram reel. “I used to say it’s just a direct link to my soul. I’m just a racer to my core.” Spc. Azaria Hill, who is from Santa Clarita, California, will compete in the two-woman bobsled event. The daughter of two Olympians, Hill was encouraged to try bobsled by Kaysha Love, her former track teammate from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, according to Team USA. “Carrying forward a legacy while forging my own path. I am offi cially a WINTER OLYMPIAN!!” Hill wrote in an Instagram post. “Little Azaria REGISTERNOWATWWW.ARMYTENMILER.COM! SCANTOREGISTER! RACEDAY:OCTOBER11,2026 WASHINGTON,D.C. REGISTRATIONFORARMYTEN-MILERISOPEN! GENERALREGISTRATIONPRESENTEDBYGENERALDYNAMICS|ATMEXPOPRESENTEDBYNAVYFEDERALCREDITUNION SOLE-LEADSPONSOR SPONSORSHIP.NOFEDERALENDORSEMENTIMPLIED. NEW!CHECKOUTTHERUN250MILES4AMERICAVIRTUALCHALLENGE! CELEBRATEAMERICA’S250BIRTHDAYBYCOMPLETING250MILES.THIS SPECIALADD-ONCHALLENGEISOPENTOEVERYONE.VISITARMYTENMILER.COM FORMOREDETAILS! TH would be so so proud that I never gave up on this dream.” Two soldier-athletes will compete in the biathlon, which combines cross- country skiing and shooting a rifl e. Staff Sgt. Deedra Irwin, an Olym- pic veteran who competed in the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, will compete in the women’s biathlon. The Pulaski, Wisconsin, native holds the best fi n- ish for an American in an individual biathlon Olympic event, placing sev- enth in 2022, according to Team USA. Spc. Sean Doherty, a three-time Olympic veteran from Center Conway, New Hampshire, will compete in bi- athlon. Doherty is the fi rst U.S. biath- lon athlete to reach the podium three times at any International Biathlon Union World Championship event. “Being a soldier is something that I am very proud of,” Doherty said. “It is a powerful feeling to know that you represent your country and the legacy of excellence the U.S. Army stands for.” Eight soldier-athletes and three coaches will represent Team USA at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy . (U.S. ARMY PHOTO)www.ausa.org 6 AUSA Extra | February 5, 2026 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY Defense funding restored as appropriations bill passes Col. Denis Fajardo, commander of Red River Army Depot in Texarkana, Texas, briefs Army Under Secretary Mike Obadal and congressional staff delegations from Texas and Arkansas on the depot’s future production site for drones. (U.S. ARMY/ADRIENNE BROWN) J anuary was a busy month for Congress and the Association of the U.S. Army’s Government Affairs directorate. Our team has continued our ad- vocacy work in support of the Total Army on Capitol Hill. Specifically, we have urged bipartisan coopera- tion on, and passage of, the defense appropriations bill which just passed and has been signed into law by the president, averting a lengthy govern- ment shutdown. As we have in past years, AUSA recognized two legislators with our Legislator of the Year Award. Retired Gen. Bob Brown, AUSA president and CEO, pre- sented the awards to Rep. John Carter of Texas, whose district includes Fort Hood, and Rep. Sanford Bishop of Georgia, whose district includes Fort Benning. Both members of Congress have been strong leaders and supporters of the soldiers, families, Army civil- ians, veterans, retirees, caregivers and survivors for decades. AUSA’s Legislator of the Year awards are designed to recognize congressional leaders who have made significant contributions to and provided sub- stantial support for the Total Army. Government Affairs The Government Affairs team also continues to work on the association’s 2026 Focus Areas. We look forward to sharing these Focus Areas with you soon. Likewise, AUSA continues to sup- port, as it does every year, passage of the National Defense Authorization Act, the programs and policy bill that is critical to the Total Army. That annual authorization process is now beginning again. The Senate will also continue to vote on executive branch nomina- tions. You can assist in building momen- tum for timely, sufficient, and flex- ible funding for the Total Army by contacting your representatives and senators or by meeting with them. We encourage you to meet with law- makers or their staffs as constituents and AUSA members in support of the Total Army. 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 improvements 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 continues to support passage of the National Defense Authorization Act, the programs and policy bill that is critical to the Total Army. (ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL PHOTO)www.ausa.orgFebruary 5, 2026 | AUSA Extra 7 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY Members save on American Heritage tour, gifts, ski trips I n honor of America’s 250th an- niversary, the Association of the U.S. Army has reserved all 40 slots at a discounted rate for a group tour in September called “American Heritage.” The tour is managed by Collette, a family owned premier global tour operator with more than 100 years of experience, specializing in compre- hensive guided travel across all sev- en continents. Col- lette is the oldest, longest-tenured tour company in North America and offers inclusive, curated itineraries. The tour is eight days, from Sept. 4–11, and includes sites in Washing- ton, D.C., Virginia and West Virgin- ia. Experience the grandeur of The Greenbrier, a classic American re- sort, amid the West Virginia moun- tains and explore American history throughout the national capital re- gion on a fascinating journey. We’ll stroll the grounds of historic Colonial Williamsburg and enjoy day and twi- light tours of iconic monuments and memorials. Other highlights include the Smithsonian Museums, Arlington National Cemetery, Monticello and Mount Vernon. Member Benefits Join us Feb. 10 at 4:30 p.m. East- ern for a webinar with Collette to discuss this tour. Register for the webinar here. Learn more about the trip here. Valentine’s Day AUSA members can order roses from 1-800-Flowers, sweet treats from Simply Chocolate, a gourmet feast from Harry & David, one-of-a- kind gifts from Personalization Mall and more, all while using your mem- ber discount for 20% to 25% savings. Visit www.ausa.org/gifts to shop from a dozen of the 1-800-Flowers brands and use code FORAUSA for your member savings. Ski resort discounts Members can save on all kinds of fun things to do through AUSA’s par- ticipation with MemberDeals. Save on theme parks, concerts, sporting events, movies, Broadway shows and, yes, ski resorts. Here is a sampling of ski resorts with discounts at www.ausa.org/en- tertain, and more are available. • Big Bear Mountain Resort • Saddleback Mountain • Aspen Snowmass • Stratton Mountain • Shawnee Mountain • Killington Resort • Mammoth Mountain • Sierra-at-Tahoe • Palisades Tahoe • Diamond Peak Ski Resort • Monarch Mountain • Berkshire East Mountain • Whiteface Mountain • Vail Resorts Lodging • Sugarbush Resort • Catamount Mountain Resort • Ikon Pass TaxAct AUSA members save 25% when filing with TaxAct. Not only are its prices hard to beat, but the easy-to- use software will have you filing with confidence and accuracy. Want an extra boost of reassur- ance? With Xpert Assist, you can ask tax experts for guidance and a quick review of your return. Join the millions of customers who filed with TaxAct last year and look forward to a successful tax season. For personal returns visit www.ausa. org/taxact. For small businesses, vis- it www.ausa.org/smb. Contact me at srubel@ausa.org if you have any questions. Susan Rubel is AUSA’s Insurance and Affinity Partnerships director. Participants in AUSA's 'American Heritage' group tour in September will experience a wide variety of sites, including historic Colonial Williamsburg. (COURTESY PHOTO) If you are shopping for Valentine's Day gifts, don't forget to check your AUSA members discounts. (COURTESY PHOTO)www.ausa.org 8 AUSA Extra | February 5, 2026 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY Chapter art show highlights journeys of soldiers, veterans I n January, the Association of the U.S. Army’s MSG Leroy Arthur Petry chapter partnered with lo- cal nonprofit Studios on the Park in Paso Robles, California, to host an exhibition for service members, De- partment of War civilians and vet- erans to express their military jour- neys through art. Titled “My Military Journey,” the exhibit showcased the works of 13 local artists from different branches of the military who highlighted their personal experiences of military life through paintings, photography, ce- ramics, mixed me- dia and textiles. Studios on the Park is a nonprofit dedicated to providing a creative, ed- ucational and transformational expe- rience to enhance understanding and appreciation of the visual arts. The exhibit, which ran from Jan. 10–28, was “a special opportunity for veterans to spotlight their creativity in a gallery setting that celebrates artistic expression and community,” according to the chapter. “The goal was to highlight the di- verse art mediums and styles from each individual who has served our country,” said Jordan Hockett, cu- rator and operations manager for Studios on the Park, as reported by SLO Review. “We welcomed as many people as possible.” One work, a collage by Leo Castillo titled “Stitches of War & Mind,” rep- resents both the moments of tragedy and glimpses of brightness during his deployment to the Middle East. Castillo’s piece included letters and images from his deployment and an oil portrait found in one of Saddam Hussein’s palaces in Baghdad, dis- covered torn in half with a cigarette burned into his forehead. Featured artist Dennis Curry served in the Army during the Viet- nam War and was enrolled in the Army Combat Artist Program, which played a role in his decision to pursue art. Curry showcased a wildlife litho- graph inspired by his time in Africa and a Central Coast oil landscape painting. Curry witnessed environmental destruction during the war and seeks “to encourage people to respect the natural world rather than destroy it,” he said, according to SLO Review. Army veteran Amy Phillips, who served for 13 years in the Army Na- tional Guard and Army Reserve, used mixed media to craft a visual representation of locations where her military journey has taken her across the U.S. Phillips’ piece is bordered with moving company tape, an item that’s familiar to many veterans. “We moved so often that I turned it into a game for my kids. They collect- ed the moving stamps on our boxes and earned a nickel for each one,” she said, as reported by SLO Review. “It’s a roadmap of all the places I’ve been stationed,” Phillips said. “Cre- ating the piece brought back many memories.” MSG Leroy Arthur Petry Army veteran Amy Phillips shows her work representing her military journey at an art exhibition hosted by AUSA's MSG Leroy Arthur Petry chapter. (AUSA PHOTO) Leo Castillo displays his piece titled ‘Stitches of War & Mind’ during an art show hosted by AUSA's MSG Leroy Arthur Petry chapter . (AUSA PHOTO)AUSA Scholarships www.ausa.org/scholarships Educate | Inform | Connect APPLY NOW! Earn up to $48,000 in scholarship credit Military experience is not a requirement for many scholarships Applicants may apply to all programs for which they qualify with a single application ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIPS $300,000+ thru 40 Scholarships 20 February – 7 May The appearance of U.S. Department of War (DoW) visual information does not imply or constitute DoW endorsement. Premium Member or dependent No waiting period for new members ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Premium Member or dependent No waiting period for new members ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA Premium Member or dependent No waiting period for new members ELIGIBILITY CRITERIANext >