PUBLISHED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY www.ausa.org July 4, 2024 | AUSA Extra 1 US faces information warfare challenge T he United States is struggling to outpace its global adversar- ies in the information domain, and a whole-of-society response is needed, the special envoy and coor- dinator of the State Department’s Global Engagement Center said Tuesday at a Hot Topic event hosted by the Association of the U.S. Army. “In the information domain, our adversaries are devoting more atten- tion [to gaining the information ad- vantage], and we are not winning,” James Rubin said during a keynote address. “The information threat is not something that can be solved by even a whole-of-government re- sponse, it needs a whole-of-society response.” Information warfare is not a new threat, Rubin said. America’s adver- saries have been weaponizing infor- mation “for a long, long time,” he said. “Russia has been doing disinfor- mation … for hundreds of years,” he said. “The Chinese Communist Party is based on propaganda, … and they fund their operations with a level of seriousness far beyond the way we fund our information operations.” Foreign information manipulation is a challenge at the strategic and tactical levels, Rubin said. “Every day, I see you report about the ways in which our adversaries are trying to exploit modern technology, whether it’s artificial intelligence … or whether it’s through old-fashioned Fireworks light up the sky June 29 over Fort Liberty, North Carolina, and the installation’s ‘The Airborne Trooper’ statue, also known as ‘Iron Mike.’ (U.S. ARMY/BRIAN BIRD) Future Fight Requires Protecting Information 3 AUSA Publications Earn Writing Accolades 4 Government Affairs Promoting Army Needs on the Hill 6 Member Benefits Pet Insurance, Real Estate Savings 7 Chapter Highlights Suncoast 8 IN THIS ISSUE VOLUME 6 NUMBER 10 JULY 4, 2024 media, the Russians and the Chinese do this,” he said. To get ahead, the U.S. military must proactively expose and disrupt disinformation by inoculating people against disinformation before it hap- pens, Rubin said. “The long-term objective … is to attach a source to information, because that’s the way we will be able to prevent Russia and China from … using the freedom of anonymity that the internet provides against us,” he said. “That’s the pur- pose of exposure, so that they know who’s about to tell them something and … understand that they’re about to be manipulated.” Moving forward, the Army and the See Information warfare, Page 6 Happy Independence DayLEARN MORE & REGISTER ONLINE AT WWW.AUSA.ORG/EVENTS Join us to hear a presentation by William Stuart Nance, author of Commanding Professionalism: Simpson, Moore, and the Ninth US Army . Simpson and Moore’s unflinching devotion to the greater good and their steady handle on the dynamics of command and staff relationships proved essential to the 1940s war effort and its ultimate success. Their example remains aspirational and worthy of emulation in the military command structure of today. 16 JULY 2024 1200–1300 EDT JOIN THE DISCUSSION! This webinar will include a Q&A session in which questions submitted by the audience will be selected and asked by the moderator. A recording of the webinar will be available on our You- Tube page the following day. COMMANDING PROFESSIONALISM Simpson, Moore, and the Ninth US Army with author William Stuart Nance Moderated by CW5 (Ret.) Phyllis J. Wilson AUSA Senior Fellowwww.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY July 4, 2024 | AUSA Extra 3 Panel: Increase in information complicates future fight T he Army will need to take a proactive, integrated approach to signature management to maintain the information advantage, senior cyber officials said during a panel discussion Tuesday at a Hot Topic event hosted by the Association of the U.S. Army. “The Army needs to ... understand the information that we are disclos- ing, ... the content and context of that information, [understand] how … we need ... to inform our com- manders of what their risk is today and do forward-based denial plan- ning integrated across echelon,” said Joseph Macri, program analyst in the threat systems management office within Program Executive Office-Simulation, Training and In- strumentation. Signature management involves “managing emissions and observ- ables that can reveal (or mislead about) force positions or intentions,” according to a Rand Corp. handbook for tactical operations in the informa- tion environment. Senior cyber officials discuss signature management in Army systems during an AUSA Hot Topic forum focused on cyber warfare and information advantage. (AUSA PHOTO) AUSA Basic Members can now view a selection of articles from the July issue of ARMY magazine. To read the articles, click here. ARMY magazine July issue Recent attacks on vessels in the Gulf of Aden and the Red Sea by Ye- men’s Houthi rebels underscore the importance of signature manage- ment, said Col. Sean Heidgerken, public affairs director for U.S. Cen- tral Command. “The system that was designed to make shipping more efficient [and] more safe … has got an inherent bug in it,” he said. “All of [shipping] re- lies on … data [that gives vessel lo- cation information]. It tells everyone exactly where you are with GPS. The Houthis are using that [to guide their drones and missiles].” As operations and deception tech- niques become increasingly complex, signature management will become offensive instead of defensive. “It’s [a question of] what do we show the adversary and when do we show the adversary that,” Heidg- erken said. The Army will ask itself questions like, “How do we place things [along the battlefield] that draw the adversary to place our com- manders at a position of advantage?” and “How are we maintaining the advantage?” Drawing on lessons from the Cold War, the best information operations need to go beyond signature manage- ment, said Christopher Lowe, senior director of Department of Defense development at Oracle. “Just confounding an adversary for a moment in time might give you a certain kind of advantage, but the reality is, you’ve got to do something about degrading [the adversary’s] ability to process information,” he said. “The boundary between what we used to think of as offense and defense begins to merge. The best defense is offense. The best offense … is protecting your own information flows.” As it prepares for future conflict, the Army will need to design its equipment with signature manage- ment in mind, Heidgerken said. “As we look at these future acqui- sitions, and as we go into the design of what we think the Army needs to fight the next wars, we have to be thinking about it in those terms ahead of time,” he said. Adding, “I think right now, we’re doing that as an … afterthought in- stead of putting that into the design process as we go forward.”www.ausa.org4 AUSA Extra | July 4, 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. Kinzie St. • Chicago, IL 60654 Phone: 800-440-0231 Email: adinfo.rmy@foxrep.com ARTICLES. Articles appearing in AUSA Extra do not necessarily refl ect the opinion of the offi cers 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 refl ecting the offi cial 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. Premium membership rates are $40 for two years or $75 for fi ve years. Lifetime membership is $400 and can be paid in full or in four monthly installments. A special Premium rate of $10 for two years is open to E1–E4 and cadets only. New two-year Basic membership with select benefi ts 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 Historical Foundation honors AUSA director, Book Program title R etired Col. Daniel Roper, the Association of the U.S. Army’s director of National Security Studies, and an AUSA Book Program title by retired Maj. Gen. Gregg Mar- tin have been recognized with 2023 Army Historical Foundation Distin- guished Writing Awards. Roper is being honored for “Message From Mogadishu: Memo Highlights Deadly Downfall of Mission Creep,” published in the September 2023 is- sue of ARMY magazine, AUSA’s fl ag- ship publication. The article describes how the legacy of the battle made famous by the book and subsequent movie, Black Hawk Down, remains three decades later, and how its lessons are relevant today as the U.S. Army prepares for large- scale combat operations. “The U.S. will encounter ambiguous confl icts during great-power competition,” Roper wrote. “It will be imperative to keep ends, ways, means and risks in proper proportion. Otherwise, the U.S. may fi nd itself in a similar stra- tegic situation as it did in Somalia.” “Message from Mogadishu” won the Distinguished Writing Award in the article category under Journals and Magazines. Roper is a career artilleryman who commanded at the battery, battalion and brigade levels, with his fi nal as- signment as director of the then-U.S. Army Counterinsurgency Center, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. To read the article, click here. Martin’s book, Bipolar General: My Forever War with Mental Illness, was recognized in the book category under Journals, Memoirs and Letters. In Bipolar General, Martin writes about his journey with undiagnosed mental illness and how it affected his Army career. He provides a fi rst-hand look at available treatments for bipo- lar disorder, discusses why his con- dition was undiagnosed for so long and explores what can be done in the military to diagnose and treat service members who may be grappling with mental illness. The Army Historical Foundation preserves and promotes the history and heritage of the American soldier through historical educational, artis- tic and research programs. Its Dis- tinguished Writing Awards program was established in 1997 to recognize authors who make a signifi cant con- tribution to the scholarship on U.S. Army history. Retired Col. Daniel Roper, left, AUSA’s director of National Security Studies, and AUSA Book Program title Bipolar General: My Forever War with Mental Illness received 2023 Distinguished Writing Awards from the Army Historical Foundation. (AUSA PHOTOS) As you make summer plans, be sure to check out all your AUSA member travel discounts at www.ausa.org/savings. You can save on hotel stays, vacation resorts, guided travel, car rentals and more, as well as entertainment at your destination.www.ausa.org6 AUSA Extra | July 4, 2024 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY AUSA leaders champion Army priorities on Capitol Hill T he Association of the U.S. Army’s region presidents and Government Affairs team vis- ited Capitol Hill in June to advocate on behalf of the Total Army. We visited with staff from the of- fices of House Armed Services Com- mittee Chairman Mike Rogers, who represents Ala- bama’s 3rd con- gressional district, and House Ap- propriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole from Oklahoma’s 4th con- gressional district. We also met with staff for Rep. Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey’s 11th district; Rep. Mark Alford, from Mis- souri’s 4th district; and Rep. Rick Al- len of Georgia’s 12th district. In our meetings, we highlighted the need for additional funding for the Army—a point that the Govern- ment Affairs team raises in every meeting and engagement on Capi- tol Hill. Our group also emphasized AUSA’s 2024 Focus Areas, including the association’s top recommenda- tion: on-time and sufficient appro- priations, as well as passage of the National Defense Authorization Act. The fiscal year 2025 authorization and appropriations process contin- ues, as the House of Representatives recently passed its version of the Na- Government Affairs Information warfare From Page 1 tional Defense Authorization Act and the military construction, veterans affairs and related agencies bill. It also passed its version of the defense appropriations bill last week, largely along partisan lines. Additionally, the Senate Armed Services Committee passed its ver- sion of the National Defense Autho- rization Act by a large bipartisan majority. It is unclear when the com- mittee’s version of the legislation will be brought to the Senate floor. AUSA’s assessment is that the ver- sions of the National Defense Autho- rization Act and appropriations bills from both chambers of Congress are unlikely to be enacted before the No- vember elections. A continuing reso- lution—stopgap funding that keeps spending at the previous year’s lev- els and prohibits new starts to pro- grams—likely will be passed when government funding runs out at the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. You can help build momentum for enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act and additional funding for the Total Army by con- tacting your representatives and senators or by meeting with them or their staff. We encourage you to con- tact and meet with members of your federal delegation in your state and congressional district. As a reminder, AUSA only lobbies at the federal level on federal issues, and we are nonpartisan and apoliti- cal. AUSA is prohibited from support- ing or participating in any political campaign for or against a candidate for local, state or federal office. We will continue to monitor these and other developments closely as we advocate for the Total Army with Congress. Mark Haaland is AUSA’s Government Affairs director. Mark Haaland, center, AUSA’s Govern- ment Affairs director, and the associa- tion’s region presidents visit Capitol Hill to advocate for the Total Army. (AUSA PHOTO) other services, along with State De- partment, will need to work together to build relationships, leverage place- ment and access and join forces with international partners and allies. Though information threats to the U.S. remain “daunting,” achieving information advantage is not beyond the nation’s grasp, Rubin said. “We’re going to have to use our technology, our smarts, … our com- mitment and our recognition at the highest levels of government [to ad- dress this] problem,” he said. James Rubin, special envoy and coordinator of the State Department’s Global Engage- ment Center, addresses an AUSA Hot Topic event Tuesday. (AUSA PHOTO)www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY July 4, 2024 | AUSA Extra 7 Save on pet insurance, home-buying with membership A ssociation of the U.S. Army members have access to many great benefits, and I wanted to share the great experiences I’ve had recently with two of them. The first is AUSA’s pet insurance program through MetLife. My two goldendoodles, Margot and Sophie, have a lot of issues related to allergies that I treat with the stan- dard prescription medications for dogs. My AUSA pet insurance covers the vet visits, prescription meds and non-prescription probiotics Margot and Sophie need, as well as the pre- scription dog food they needed tempo- rarily for an unrelated issue. I recently shared my frustration with my veterinarian that instead of figuring out what my dogs are al- lergic to, we were only treating their symptoms. My vet explained that they test for specific allergens when a pet owner reports a certain level of discomfort, and apparently I was un- derreporting. We did the allergy test—which costs more than $500 for each dog— and now I can try to avoid the envi- ronmental things my dogs are allergic to. Additionally, Sophie is severely al- lergic to something that’s impossible to avoid, so we are going to try allergy shots that should rid her of her aller- gies in 12–18 months. Of course, all the treatment, test- ing and allergy shots are expensive. MetLife has covered everything at the level that I selected when I en- rolled my dogs in AUSA’s pet insur- ance—80% after a $250 deductible. I just upload the receipts and some- times the related medical records, MetLife quickly processes the claim and the funds are in my bank account within 10 days. It’s important to note that I enrolled Margot and Sophie when they were eight weeks old and selected the well- ness benefit. Pet insurance generally will not cover pre-existing conditions, Member Benefits so getting them covered immediately was extremely helpful. For more information, visit www. ausa.org/pet and your member dis- count will automatically be applied. If you’ve served in the military, check the military discount box and an ad- ditional discount will be added for even greater savings. Homes For Heroes I used the Homes for Heroes pro- gram recently when I sold my house. I’m no hero, but because I’m an AUSA member, I was able to use the program because of the association’s special ar- rangement with Homes for Heroes. Homes for Heroes offers AUSA members exclusive access to a nation- wide network of real estate specialists committed to providing real savings. They help members save an average of $3,000 when you buy, sell or refinance a home or mortgage. Every time you use the program, you help others as well—Homes for Heroes donates a portion of its earn- ings to its foundation and to AUSA, supporting our mission. You can complete the contact form at www.homesforheroes.com/part- ners/ausa/ or call 866-443-7637. I called, explained I was a member of AUSA but hadn’t served, and was immediately connected with a nearby agent in Virginia. The agent was an Air Force veteran who had outstand- ing online reviews and happy clients. When we met, he explained that Homes for Heroes is not a referral ser- vice, it’s a way for him to give back. He was knowledgeable, responsive and fun to work with. He sold my home quickly, and Homes for Heroes issued a check to me for more than $5,000—0.7% of the sale price of my home—for using the program. Susan Rubel is AUSA’s Association and Affinity Partnerships director. Sophie, left, and Margot both suffer from allergies and are covered by the benefits of AUSA’s pet insurance program through MetLife. (AUSA PHOTOS) Susan Rubel, center, AUSA’s Association and Affinity Partnerships director, displays a check from Homes for Heroes after using the organization to sell her home through AUSA member benefits. (AUSA PHOTO)www.ausa.org8 AUSA Extra | July 4, 2024 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY Chapter president parachutes with Army’s Golden Knights I n June, I had the incredible oppor- tunity to represent the Associa- tion of the U.S. Army’s Suncoast chapter in a tandem jump with the Army Parachute Team, known as the Golden Knights, at Fort Stewart, Georgia. I was notified about my selection by Lt. Col. Matthew Turcotte, com - mander of the Army Recruiting Bat- talion in Tampa, Florida, who nomi- nated me for the honor. Our AUSA chapter understands the importance of supporting the Army’s recruiting efforts—the Tampa Recruiting Bat- talion is frequent- ly represented at our general mem- bership meetings, and we encourage our members to share their military experiences with the community. Our chapter has supported re- cruiting events at MacDill Air Force Base, including a special day for re- cruiters and their families where our volunteers assisted in finding dona- tions for food, cooked hot dogs and hamburgers and shared information about AUSA membership. We also coordinated with several young people to speak with recruit- ers at the installation’s 2024 Tampa Bay AirFest. In his nomination, Turcotte de- scribed me as “one of Tampa Recruit- ing Battalion’s strongest Community Partners … she is highly engaged in the community and a valuable partner.” He further noted that our chapter’s support “will greatly aid recruiting efforts.” I got a bit emotional, as I know that the opportunities in the Army are endless, and sharing the service’s message is so important. I want to be the best I can be for the Army as a civilian, but I never expected such an honor. After making the 45-minute drive to Fort Stewart, I met with the other participants and received an hour- long safety briefing. I was intro- duced to Sgt. 1st Class Matt Garner, Suncoast my Golden Knight partner, and our group geared up for the jump. The energy and excitement was electric as we prepared for our ad- venture. I had no fear—this was a dream for me and something I had wanted to do all my life. I was a flight attendant once, and being up in the sky was always invigorating for me. As one of only three elite aerial demonstration teams authorized by the Department of Defense, the Golden Knights embody excellence and professionalism in every jump. Their expertise made this one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Special thanks to Turcotte, Garner and Sgt. 1st Class Chris Doscher, the Golden Knights tandem and Army Bodyflight coordinator, for mak- ing this opportunity possible. I also want to thank Capt. Jeffrey Gibson, 1st Lt. Joseph Bigott and Jerry Orr of Army Recruiting Command and Sibylle Spears of Army Training and Doctrine Command for their support. This recognition from the Army reaffirmed the importance of AUSA’s community engagement and part- nership. Jumping with the Golden Knights showcased the Army’s com- mitment to excellence and provided me with an unforgettable experience. Marilyn Westropp is president of AUSA’s Suncoast chapter. Marilyn Westropp, president of AUSA’s Suncoast chapter, leaps from a plane during a tandem jump with Sgt. 1st Class Matt Garner of the Army Parachute Team, known as the Golden Knights, at Fort Stewart, Georgia. (U.S. ARMY PHOTO) Marilyn Westropp, left, president of AU- SA’s Suncoast chapter, and Lt. Col. Mat- thew Turcotte, commander of the Army Recruiting Battalion in Tampa, Florida, prepare for a tandem jump with the Ar- my’s Golden Knights Parachute Team at Fort Stewart, Georgia. (AUSA PHOTO)Interested in advertising on Army Matters ? Email podcast@ausa.org for more information. AUSA’s Army Matters podcast amplifi es the voices of the Total Army – one story at a time. Join hosts LTG (Ret.) Les Smith and SMA (Ret.) Dan Dailey as they interview the modern chroniclers of the Army experience to discuss inspiring leadership stories, current issues faced by soldiers, and our military families’ journeys. 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