PUBLISHED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY www.ausa.org May 16, 2024 | AUSA Extra 1 Land power key to Indo-Pacific security I n remarks to open the Association of the U.S. Army’s 2024 LANPAC Symposium and Exposition, the commander of U.S. Army Pacific emphasized the importance of land power in a region often considered a maritime domain. “Land power is the security ar- chitecture that binds this region together,” Gen. Charles Flynn said Tuesday. “While all forms of military power are important in this region, land power is often overlooked or just discounted.” In reality, land power—and the strategic land power network of the U.S. and its allies and partners working together—“represents the greatest counterweight to every ad- versary action,” Flynn said. AUSA’s LANPAC Symposium and Exposition began Tuesday at the Sheraton Waikiki in Honolulu. The theme of the three-day event is “Campaigning with Landpower.” Speaking to a packed conference room, Flynn described the growing partnerships and cooperation he’s seen in the region over the past 10 years. “When I look back over a decade, I can see the changes,” he said. “We comprise something very special. We are the regional land force who col- laborates on all matters involving defense and security. I didn’t fully realize the depth of this more than a decade ago, but these relationships, these bonds, they matter.” Representatives from nearly 30 countries around the world are at - tending LANPAC, including 13 chiefs of army, Flynn said. “The fact that we have nearly 30 armies from five continents represented here sends a distinct message,” he said. “I’m here to remind everyone listening that our role is vital and central to success.” The U.S. and its allies and part- ners have a shared purpose, Flynn said. “Together, we have to solve the most pressing challenges facing our nations in this most consequential region in this most consequential time,” he said. “We all share common interests, and we have an immense responsibility to serve the greater good.” The strategic land power network is Gen. Charles Flynn, commander of U.S. Army Pacific, discusses land power challenges in the Indo-Pacific region Tuesday during AUSA’s 2024 LANPAC Symposium and Exposition. (AUSA PHOTO) Retired Gen. Gordon Sullivan Laid to Rest 3 LANPAC Forum Inspires Young Leaders 4 NCOs Critical to Lethality, Readiness 7 NCO & Soldier Programs Support for the Total Army 8 Chapter Highlights Greater Augusta-Fort Eisenhower Community Partner Challenge 9 IN THIS ISSUE VOLUME 6 NUMBER 3 MAY 16, 2024 See LANPAC, Page 5www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY May 16, 2024 | AUSA Extra 3 Former AUSA president, Army chief interred at Arlington R etired Gen. Gordon Sullivan, the 32nd Army chief of staff and former president and CEO of the Association of the U.S. Army, was laid to rest May 10 at Arlington National Cemetery. Sullivan died Jan. 2. He was 86. Speaking during the service in Memorial Chapel at Fort Myer, Vir- ginia, Mark Sullivan summed up his father in three words: “Great Ameri- can soldier.” “That’s what he was,” Mark Sulli- van said. “If you take it all away— the rank, the awards—what we have is the heart and soul of a great citi- zen, a great servant, a great soldier.” A native of Boston who grew up in nearby Quincy, Massachusetts, Gordon Sullivan graduated from Norwich University and was commis- sioned a second lieutenant of armor in 1959. During his Army career, he served two combat tours in Vietnam and in the United States, Korea and Germany. He commanded the Army’s 1st In- fantry Division, was assistant com- mandant of the Armor School and deputy commandant of the Command and General Staff College. He later was deputy Army chief of staff for op- erations and plans, G-3, and Army vice chief of staff before becoming the Army chief of staff in 1991. During his tenure as the Army’s top general, he is credited with keep- ing the Army trained and ready and opening the door to information-age technologies. He also always kept his focus on taking care of soldiers. He retired from the Army in July 1995 after more than 36 years of service. “It’s daunting … to try to speak of a man whose life is so extraordinary,” retired Maj. Gen. Paul Hurley, who was the Army’s 24th chief of chap- lains, said during the service. “It is just overwhelming when you begin to think of Gordon’s life.” Gordon Sullivan was “totally com- mitted to others, to loving others,” Hurley said. Soldiers with the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) conduct military funeral honors May 10 for retired Gen. Gordon Sullivan, former Army chief of staff and AUSA president and CEO, at Arlington National Cemetery. (U.S. ARMY/ELIZABETH FRASER) “He had not changed, this person who was committed to doing what is right, to doing what is true, no mat- ter what,” Hurley said. “He was a man of truth and a man of humility, who knew nothing other than to give of himself to others.” In 1998, three years after retir- ing from the Army, Gordon Sullivan joined AUSA as the association’s 18th president, overseeing the as- sociation’s transformation into a dy- namic, member-based organization that represents soldiers and families and connects America’s Army with the nation it serves. He would lead the educational non- profit for 18 years, stepping down in 2016. Later that year, he received the Gen. George Catlett Marshall Medal, AUSA’s highest award, for his life- time of selfless service to the Army and the nation. Gordon Sullivan continued to serve by leading the board of the Army His- torical Foundation. As chairman, he led the capital campaign to build the National Museum of the United States Army at Fort Belvoir, Vir- ginia. The first and only museum to tell the complete history of the U.S. Army and its soldiers, the museum opened in November 2020. His father did so many great things—for the Army, for AUSA, for the Army museum and so much more, Mark Sullivan said. “And his legacy … will live on,” he said. “Dad, your duty is done. You did good,” Mark Sullivan said. Retired Gen. Gordon Sullivan, then-AUSA president and CEO, addresses the open- ing ceremony of the association’s 2015 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Wash- ington, D.C. (AUSA PHOTO)www.ausa.org4 AUSA Extra | May 16, 2024 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. 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S oldiers serving today must never forget the sacrifice and legacy of those who came be- fore them, Army veteran and Gold Star father Allen Hoe told a group of about 120 emerging leaders. Speaking Tuesday during the As- sociation of the U.S. Army’s LAN- PAC Leadership Forum, held in conjunction with the association’s LANPAC Symposium and Exposition in Honolulu, Hoe highlighted for the young leaders the service, sacrifice and heroics of native Hawaiian sol- diers who served from World War II through today. The LANPAC Leadership Forum, hosted by AUSA’s Center for Leader- ship, featured about 120 mid-grade of- ficers and NCOs from all three Army components and allied and partner militaries in the Indo-Pacific. Service is a key part of Hawaiian and Pacific Islander culture, said Hoe, a native Hawaiian who grew up hearing about his family’s warrior class history. Drafted at 19, Hoe became a com- bat medic, serving first in Califor- nia and then Vietnam. He spent 10 months in combat, earning a Bronze Star, a Purple Heart and the Combat Medic Badge, according to a Depart- ment of Veterans Affairs biography. After his Army service, Hoe en- rolled in college, eventually earning a law degree. He and his wife, Adele, had two sons, Nainoa and Nakoa, and both carried on the family’s leg- acy of service by joining the military, according to the VA biography. In January 2005, 1st Lt. Nainoa Hoe was killed in a sniper attack in Mosul, Iraq. He was 27. He was car- rying the flag his father had given him from his time in Vietnam. “My ohana, or family, legacy that I’m most proud of are my two sons,” Hoe said. He challenged the soldiers in the room to observe and take to heart lessons from those who came before them. “That is the challenge for all you … leaders out there, to inspire the young soldiers who serve under you,” Hoe said. “A truly successful warrior possesses a unique skill set and charisma. How else will you con- vince young men and women to follow you to hell and back?” America continues to be blessed with exemplary men and women who volunteer to serve, Hoe said. This is why “we must fulfill our duty to nev- er forget our fallen,” he said. For soldiers serving today, the words duty, honor and country “rev- erently dictate what you ought to be, what you can be,” Hoe said. “They are your rallying points for courage when courage seems to fail, for faith when there’s little cause for it.” Every little bit of effort and time spent with soldiers is worth it, Hoe said. “If you think what you do in front of your troops on a daily basis doesn’t make a difference, it does,” he said. “Trust is all about the guy on your left, the guy on your right, and what you do to make sure that guy survives.” Army veteran and Gold Star father Al- len Hoe addresses about 120 mid-grade officers and NCOs at a forum hosted by AUSA’s Center for Leadership during the association’s LANPAC Symposium and Ex- position in Honolulu. (AUSA PHOTO)www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY May 16, 2024 | AUSA Extra 5 LANPAC From Page 1 K nown as “The Old Guard,” the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment is the oldest active-duty infantry unit in the Army. Formed in 1784, it is “the Army’s official ceremonial unit and escort to the president, and it also provides security for Washing- ton, D.C., in time of national emer- gency or civil disturbance,” according to the Army. The regiment conducts memo- rial affairs to honor fallen comrades and ceremonies and special events to represent the Army. It also com- municates the service’s story to U.S. citizens and the world. The Old Guard Association was formed after a conversation between two former soldiers of the unit during the 1997 Veterans Day observance at Arlington National Cemetery. It seeks to “establish a permanent or- ganization and further develop the common bond existing between all who have served with the 3rd United States Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard),” the organization’s website says. The association maintains public records and publishes the history and achievements of The Old Guard, assists veterans of the regiment and honors the memory of fallen com- rades, and recognizes outstanding Old Guard achievements. In 2020, the organization estab- lished a scholarship program to de- fray the cost of higher education or vocational school expenses for active- duty members of the regiment. It has also initiated a “Holiday Help” pro- gram to assist currently serving Old Guard soldiers. For more information, please visit https://www.oldguard.org/ . If your association is interested in partnering with AUSA, contact Su- san Rubel at srubel@ausa.org. Association Partnership with AUSA is an opportunity for like-minded military service organizations to join AUSA in support of the Total Army—soldiers, DoD civilians and their families. Spotlight on AUSA Association Partner: TOGA vital to the region’s security and pros- perity, he said. It denies the “incre- mental, insidious and irresponsible behavior of authoritarian regimes,” and it protects “our people” living in a tumultuous environment, Flynn said. Together, “we must achieve a last- ing peace,” he said. He added, “Our foremost duty is to best prepare our formations to defeat any threat in whatever form it may take.” The region may be named after two oceans, but “there’s a lot of land here,” Flynn said. “The land areas of the region represent a quarter of the world’s land mass,” he said, plus the bulk of the world’s population and several of its megacities. “Armies exist to operate on the land,” Flynn said. “These are the areas we call home, where our fami- lies live, our friends live, where our neighbors reside. We, the armies, are responsible for defending all of it.” Land power also integrates the combined and joint force, Flynn said. “All branches of our militaries are de- pendent on land and will always re- turn to land,” he said. “Ships require ports. Planes need airfields. Satellite communications with ground termi- nals and even cyber effects demand terrestrial-based infrastructure.” As the U.S. Army looks to the fu- ture, it cannot do it alone, Flynn said. Working with allies and part- ners, “our foremost task must be to preserve the peace,” he said. The region’s shared history “re- minds us of the terrible outcomes when armies fail, when we are not prepared,” Flynn said. “Conflict will always be part of our past, but it need not be part of our future. To prevail, we must learn from our history, we must train, lead and ready our forces together with the highest resolve. To prevail, we must work together.” Sgt. 1st Class Aaron Sanchez, right, assigned to the 25th Infantry Division, observes a Philippine Army soldier as he engages targets in late April during Exercise Balikatan 24 at Fort Magsaysay, Philippines. (U.S. ARMY/SPC. BENJAMIN ANDERSON)SPONSORSHIPS AVAILABLE POWERED BY: 35,000 ATTENDEES 650+ EXHIBITORS 150+ SESSIONS 80 COUNTRIES Housing Opens 12JUNE eventhousing@ausa.org | sponsorships@ausa.orgwww.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY May 16, 2024 | AUSA Extra 7 Panel: NCOs are ‘glue’ for building lethal, ready forces F rom all-volunteer forces to con- script armies, NCOs serving across the Indo-Pacific must work together to prepare for an un- certain and evolving future battle- field, a panel of senior enlisted lead- ers said. Speaking Tuesday during the As- sociation of the U.S. Army’s LAN- PAC Symposium and Exposition in Honolulu, senior enlisted leaders from the U.S., Australia, New Zea- land and Singapore discussed the evolving role of NCOs in land power across the Indo-Pacific. Technology will “never substitute boots on the ground,” said Warrant Officer Kim Felmingham, regimen- tal sergeant major for the Austra- lian Army. “Wars will remain dirty, bloody, unpredictable and chaotic,” she said. “Technology improvements may temporarily tip the balance of the conflict in the favor of anyone who can adapt quickly, but they do not change what’s fundamental around human nature and behavior,” Felmingham said. “This is why our NCOs need to adapt to the changing dynamics of warfare but still be experts in close combat and warfighting skills.” For Chief Warrant Officer Sanjee Singh, sergeant major of the Army of the Singapore Army, the biggest challenge he faces is the conscript nature of the force. “We see new sol- diers every two years,” he said. “As a conscript army, we have soldiers coming in who do not want to serve.” To help those young people buy in to their purpose and mission, the Singapore Army has been looking at how it can better educate its NCOs and expose them to seminars, cours- es and symposia hosted by partner and allied militaries, Singh said. The Singapore Army also is starting a mentor-mentee program and train- ing NCOs to be more ambidextrous and adaptable, he said. By providing these opportunities, the Army hopes to build NCOs who can better connect with and develop their soldiers, Singh said. “All these things give us a sense of purpose of why we are in the business,” he said. “When you deal with a conscript army, you need to show them the purpose of why they’re being brought into the army.” For the U.S. military, strong ties to partners and allies are critical, said Marine Sgt. Maj. Joy Kitashima, se- nior enlisted leader for III Marine Expeditionary Force based in Oki- nawa, Japan. “Our advantage, we believe, is a strong network of allies and partners,” she said. Tough, realistic training also is a top priority, Kitashima said. “We continuously talk to Marines about small-unit leadership … and empha- size discipline, physical and mental discipline,” she said, adding that III Marine Expeditionary Force Ma- rines are regularly “put in [training] situations where they’re uncomfort- able” and forced to make difficult de- cisions “so they’re ready if and when the fight were to come to us.” Command Sgt. Maj. Jack Love, se- nior enlisted leader for U.S. Forces- Korea, agreed. The purpose of the Army is to “deploy, fight and win when called upon against anybody, anytime,” he said. “Sometimes we can lose sight of that, but I think the glue that keeps us together … is the NCO corps.” NCOs must master individual and small-unit tasks and, in turn, train, coach and lead soldiers and build co- hesive teams, Love said. These teams are the foundation for a successful force, Kitashima said. “An individual performs better when they have a sense of purpose and they have an understanding of how they fit into the warfighting equa- tion,” she said. Warrant Officer Class One Wiremu Moffitt, sergeant major of the New Zealand Army, agreed, emphasizing the importance of “people to people connections.” “People want to be on a winning team,” he said, “and I think we do that very well in the NCO corps.” Senior enlisted leaders from the U.S. and allied and partner militaries speak at a panel during AUSA’s LANPAC Symposium and Exposition in Honolulu. (AUSA PHOTO) A staff sergeant with the 25th Infantry Divi- sion issues instructions during an artillery live-fire exercise May 6 in Ilocos Norte, Philippines. (U.S. ARMY/SPC. KAI RODRIGUEZ)www.ausa.org8 AUSA Extra | May 16, 2024 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY Retired Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel Dailey, right, AUSA’s vice president for NCO and Soldier Programs, greets the association’s Major Samuel Woodfill chapter NCOs of the Year during a visit to the chapter in Cincinnati, Ohio. (AUSA PHOTO) AUSA supports soldiers, recruiters, cadets and veterans T he Association of the U.S. Army’s NCO and Soldier Pro- grams directorate kicked off the month of May with a visit to AU- SA’s Major Samuel Woodfill chapter in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 2023, the Major Samuel Wood- fill chapter earned the title of “Best Chapter” in its category of chapters with 200 to 349 members. Mike Boyd, the chapter president, invited us to participate in the chapter’s annual NCO of the Year Recognition Cere- mony and Dinner, as well as several other events in the Cincinnati area. For the past three decades, the chapter has rec- ognized one out- standing NCO from each of the three components. Each year, local Army units submit their top NCOs for this time-honored recognition, and the chapter holds a board to select the very best from the pool of candidates. Those selected are recognized at the annual dinner and are invited as guests of the chapter to the AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition in October in Washington, D.C. This year’s Major Samuel Woodfill chapter NCOs of the Year are Sgt. Nicholas Guehring from the Ohio National Guard, Staff Sgt. Jose Ro - driguez from the Army Reserve and Sgt. 1st Class Brooke Millsaps from the Army’s Active Guard Reserve program. Congratulations to each of these outstanding soldiers, and we look forward to seeing you during the AUSA Annual Meeting. In addition to the NCO of the Year festivities, the chapter hosted several other events during our visit. At the start of our trip, we had dinner with Steven Lee, a longtime local support- er and civilian aide to the secretary of the Army for Ohio (South). The next morning, we visited a lo- cal recruiting station and presented awards to some outstanding recruit- ers. Then we were off to Miami Uni- versity to conduct leader development NCO & Soldier Programs with the university’s ROTC cadets. We finished the day by addressing members of the local community at the beautiful Kenwood Country Club. That would have been enough for a normal chapter visit, but AUSA’s best chapters go above and beyond. On day three, we met with a vet- erans coffee group that gathers each week in the local area and visited In- dian Hill High School to participate in its “Leadership on the Hill” pro- gram and educate the students on the benefits of joining the Army. The following morning, we traveled to Dayton University, where I had the honor to serve as guest speaker for its ROTC commissioning ceremony. We finished the trip at “Cincy Cinco,” Cincinnati’s Cinco de Mayo event, where we joined representatives from Army Recruiting Command on stage to recognize some future ROTC scholarship winners. Thanks to the members of the Ma- jor Samuel Woodfill chapter for all they do for our soldiers and families in the greater Cincinnati area. If they keep up the great work, per- haps we will see them on stage again at this year’s AUSA Annual Meeting. Retired Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel Dailey is AUSA’s vice president for NCO and Soldier Programs and was the 15th sergeant major of the Army. Retired Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel Dai- ley, AUSA’s vice president for NCO and Soldier Programs, provides remarks dur- ing Dayton University’s ROTC commis- sioning ceremony in Ohio. (AUSA PHOTO)www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY May 16, 2024 | AUSA Extra 9 Signal soldiers share their stories at chapter breakfast Community Partner Challenge The following chapters are the April winners of AUSA’s Community Partner Challenge in their award categories. Each winner receives $500 and 5 points toward Best Chapter in their group. • Redstone-Huntsville – Award Group 1 • Greater Augusta-Fort Eisenhower – Award Group 2 • Sunshine – Award Group 3 • Fires – Award Group 4 • Stuttgart – Award Group 5 R oughly a dozen Signal Corps soldiers shared their stories and reasons for serving at a Breakfast and Brief event hosted by the Association of the U.S. Army’s Greater Augusta-Fort Eisenhower chapter at the installation’s Eisen- hower Conference and Catering. “What we want to make sure we do today is really highlight why we serve this great nation and what they do as Signaleers,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Linwood Barrett, the Sig- nal Corps’ senior enlisted leader and the event’s keynote speaker, accord- ing to an Army news release. Staff Sgt. Krystal Workman, a California native and signal op- erations support specialist who has served for nine years, said she joined the Army because as a single mother, she needed to figure out a way to pro- vide for her two children. Today, “I continue to serve because I love the comradery that the Army gives you. … I love the fact that I’m a soldier, and everywhere I go, I have friends,” Workman said, accord- ing to the release. “Anytime I need somebody across the world, across the country, somebody is there. The Army provided that for me.” Other soldiers discussed their de- sire for something more than their civilian careers offered, such as Pfc. Janiya Kadi, who was a nurse before enlisting. “I loved [nursing], but re- alized I just felt stuck, and then I fell out of it,” said Kadi, who is an information technology specialist in training. Army service offers a variety of professional development opportuni- ties, Kadi said. “Last month, I was able to work with some of my battle buddies and cadre to recruit at local high schools,” she said, according to the release. “And I’ve been going through [Ranger Assessment and Selection] for about three months now, and it’s pushed me to my limits physically and mentally.” Coming from a family of mostly nurses, Pfc. Ozong Ayukota said she joined the Army as a signal opera- tions support specialist because she “wanted to try something different— add a little bit of spice to the family.” A native of Cameroon, Ayukota is the first person in her family to join the Army. “When I started, I got an injury and my mom was like, ‘Come home, go back to school,’ and I was like, ‘No, I choose this, so I want to continue ... to keep going,’” she said. The “extremely talented” soldiers at the event “are committed to de- fending this nation against all ene- mies, foreign and domestic,” Barrett said, according to the release. In a Facebook post, the chapter de- scribed the breakfast as “an incred- ible morning with Signal Regimental CSM Linwood Barrett and fellow sol- diers sharing about their passion for their career field, leading and mak- ing an impact through their service in the Army” that was “truly inspir- ing for our community partners and members.” “These young men and women are going to replace all of us, and while we’re sitting on a couch rooting for them, they’re going to go out there and make things happen—whether it’s at Ranger School, being a 25U or being the next sergeant major of the Signal Regiment,” Barrett said. “They are why I continue to serve.” Greater Augusta-Fort Eisenhower Signal Corps soldiers discuss their reasons for serving in the Army during an event hosted by AUSA’s Greater Augusta-Fort Eisenhower chapter in Georgia. (AUSA PHOTO)Next >