PUBLISHED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY www.ausa.org July 13, 2023 | AUSA Extra 1 George: Recruiting is top Army challenge R ecruiting is the top challenge facing the Army as it works to grow the force and trans- form for a complex future battlefield, Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George told lawmakers considering his nomination to lead the Army. “I think it’s the No. 1 challenge that we face and the one thing we have to be focused on,” George said Wednes- day before the Senate Armed Servic- es Committee. “Every leader in the Army is completely focused on this.” George, who has been the vice chief of staff since August, has been nomi- nated to become the 41st Army chief of staff, succeeding Gen. James Mc- Conville, who is retiring. His nomina- tion must be confirmed by the Senate. A 1988 graduate of the U.S. Mili- tary Academy at West Point, New Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, left, speaks with Col. Beth Behn, the Army chief of transportation, during a visit to Fort Eustis, Virginia. (U.S. ARMY/JEAN WINES) Annual Meeting Registration Opens 3 Report: Troops Need More Access to Care 4 NCO & Soldier Programs Guerra Joins AUSA Team 7 Chapter Highlight George Washington 8 IN THIS ISSUE VOLUME 5 NUMBER 11 JULY 13, 2023 See George, Page 5 York, who first enlisted as a private, George used his own story as an ex- ample. Growing up in the small town of Alden, Iowa, George said he did not come from a military family, but he was inspired to talk to a recruiter after working for and spending time with a local Korean War veteran. Even then, he didn’t plan to make the Army a career. “I have stayed be- cause of the mission and the people,” George said. One key way to turn around re- cruiting is to knock down some mis- conceptions about Army service, George said. Many young people are worried that military service means putting their life on hold, George said. It’s quite the opposite, he said. “It’s going to accelerate your life,” he said. “I think we need to get the word out.” In addition to telling its story, the Army also has several programs to turn around recruiting, George said. They include the Future Soldier Pre- paratory Course, which helps young people meet the Army’s academic or physical fitness standards. “We’re not going to lower our standards,” he said, adding that the Army has seen “very good success” with the program. The Army also is taking a close look at what changes may be needed in its recruiting enterprise, how it’s picking recruiters and how it’s mar- keting to its target audience, George said. “We’re receiving every aspect of that,” he said. George said he is humbled to be nominated to lead the Army, which he described as “one of the great-LEARN MORE & REGISTER ONLINE AT WWW.AUSA.ORG/EVENTS Please join us on Tuesday, 18 July, at 12:00 PM EDT, for a Noon Report with General James C. McConville, 40th Chief of Staff of the Army. General McConville will provide an update on the state of the Army and reflections from his tenure as Chief of Staff of the Army. AUSA’s Noon Report webinar series features presentations by senior Army leaders responsible for key programs and initiatives, as well as contemporary military authors who weave together the past, present and future story of the United States Army. 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 YouTube page the following day. GENERAL JAMES C. M c CONVILLE 40th Chief of Staff of the Army Moderated by GEN (Ret.) Robert B. Brown President & CEO, Association of the United States Army 18 JULY 2023 1200–1300 EDTwww.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY July 13, 2023 | AUSA Extra 3 Sign up now to attend the 2023 AUSA Annual Meeting R egistration is now open for the Association of the U.S. Army’s 2023 Annual Meeting and Ex- position. The in-person event will take place Oct. 9–11 at the Walter E. Washing- ton Convention Center in Washing- ton, D.C. Attendees also can register for housing, which opened in June. During the annual meeting, pro- fessional development forums and addresses by top military leaders will focus on the continued transfor- mation of the Army and its efforts to attract and retain talent. “We’ve accomplished a lot this year, but we still have a lot of work ahead of us,” Army Secretary Chris- tine Wormuth said earlier this year. The Army is in the middle of its biggest transformation in 40 years, with ambitious programs that aim to prepare the force for 2030 and beyond. It also is working to main- tain its present-day readiness, as soldiers are in high demand at home and overseas. In Europe, thousands of American soldiers are bolstering NATO al- lies and training Ukrainian troops locked in a monthslong war with Russia. Soldiers also are busy in the Indo-Pacific, building partnerships and training with allies in the re- gion in a bid to deter aggression from countries such as China and North Korea. The service also continues its battle to recruit qualified young men and women—Army recruiting is facing one of its toughest challenges since the creation of the all-volunteer force 50 years ago. The number of quali- fied young adults is shrinking, as is the pool of young people interested in serving. Additionally, the Army is set to welcome new senior leaders, with Army Chief of Staff Gen. James Mc- Conville and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Grinston set to retire in Au- gust. Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Soldiers, AUSA members, defense industry representatives and more enter the Walter E. Washington Convention Center during the 2022 AUSA Annual Meeting. (AUSA PHOTO) Randy George has been nominated to be the next Army chief of staff. He must still be confirmed by the Sen- ate. Sgt. Maj. Michael Weimer, for- mer senior enlisted leader for Army Special Operations Command, has been selected to succeed Grinston. Overall, the Army is “largely on track” with its transformation pri- orities, Wormuth said in May. But some restructuring of the force will be needed to be ready to fight and win future wars, she said. “We do not want a hollow Army,” Wormuth said. Army leaders have been reviewing potential changes in the size of units with the goal of “thinning out” some organizations based on priorities. First responder units need to be fully manned. Oth- ers may not, she said. During the annual meeting, at- tendees will be able to hear keynote addresses from senior Army leaders, participate in a wide range of forums featuring Army, DoD and industry leaders, view Warriors Corner and Innovators Corner presentations and visit more than 650 exhibits spread over five halls. Also scheduled are several award presentations, including the winners of the Best Squad Competition, NCO and Soldier of the Year and the Mar- shall Medal, AUSA’s highest award for selfless service to the country. The 2023 Marshall Medal recipient is retired Gen. Eric Shinseki, a for- mer Army chief of staff and Depart- ment of Veterans Affairs secretary. A combat veteran who was wounded in Vietnam, Shinseki was the first Asian American to achieve the rank of four-star general. The annual meeting is free, but registration is required. Some seated events require separate reservations and may have a fee. Updated information will be avail- able here. You can register here. Housing registration is available here.www.ausa.org4 AUSA Extra | July 13, 2023 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. Premium membership rates are $40 for two years or $75 for five 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 benefits is free. Learn more at www.ausa.org/join or by emailing membersupport@ausa.org, phoning 855-246-6269, or mailing Fulfillment Manager, P.O. Box 101560, Arlington, VA 22210-0860. Voice for the Army – Support For the Soldier PERK OF THE WEEK ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY Research finds shortage of behavioral health services for troops, families AUSA members have access to HUSK Nutri- tion’s evidence-based telenutrition services. The proprietary mobile application creates a seamless, intuitive interaction between you and your registered dietitian through private one-on-one nutrition visits, direct messag- ing, goal and food tracking and more. Visit marketplace.huskwellness.com/AUSA. S ervice members and their fam- ilies could benefit from better access to military-specific care for mental health and substance use treatment, data from the Rand Corp. found. “Unlike civilian populations, ser- vice members and their families face unique stressors that have been documented as drivers of behavioral health care problems,” the report found. “Addressing the behavioral health care needs of the military and their families is important to ensure military readiness.” The report, which was published in Preventive Medicine Reports, studied access to licensed substance abuse treatment and mental health facilities for active-duty service members and their families across 2,099 installations between 2015 and 2018. During its research, Rand found that about one-quarter of behavioral health treatment facilities that ac- cept military insurance within a 30-minute drive of an installation offer specialized treatment for ac- tive-duty service members and their families. “There is limited research on the availability of specialized behavioral health programs for active-duty mili- tary and their families,” the report found. “Existing studies find proxim- ity to behavioral health care services as a barrier to receiving care among military populations.” This lack of specialized care “could suggest” that facilities “may not be equipped to manage stressors unique to being in the military such as de- ployments,” the report found. The report considers several next steps, including further research into military-specific treatment and the opportunity for civilian providers to be more educated on military cul- ture and relevant treatments. DoD also could impose require- ments to increase specialized mental health and substance treatment care, according to the report. “DoD could consider imposing a requirement that behavioral health providers implement specialized pro- grams for military populations or provide information to civilian pro- viders on how to establish these spe- cialized programs,” it found. Read the study here. Spc. Carson Sering, left, a behavioral health specialist from Bayne-Jones Army Commu- nity Hospital, discusses initiatives, resources and other related topics with Jamie Chap- man during a health promotions display at Fort Johnson, Louisiana. (U.S. ARMY/JEAN GRAVES)www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY July 13, 2023 | AUSA Extra 5 readyandsecure.com Storage Solved ® MOBILIZEMUNITIONS YOUR STORED READY FOR ACTION George From Page 1 est ground forces the world has ever seen.” “The Association of the U.S. Army has had a strong working relationship with Gen. James McConville,” said re- tired Gen. Bob Brown, AUSA presi- dent and CEO. “We’ll miss his leader- ship, but we look forward to working with Gen. Randy George when he’s confirmed as the 41st Army chief of staff. There is much we can do togeth- er in support of America’s Army.” If confirmed to be chief of staff, George, who has served multiple combat tours in Iraq and Afghani- stan, said he will have four focus ar- eas. The first is warfighting, “so that our Army is always ready to respond when our nation calls,” he said. George said he also will focus on making sure the Army is continually improving to stay ahead of its adver- saries. “As the war in Ukraine has shown us, we are in a rapidly chang- ing strategic environment,” he said. He also will focus on enabling strong organic and defense industri- al bases and support for families and soldiers, and work to strengthen the Army profession and build cohesive teams, George said. Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, second from right, greets soldiers with the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Irwin, California. (U.S. ARMY/STAFF SGT. MATTHEW LUMAGUI)www.ausa.org6 AUSA Extra | July 13, 2023 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY YOUR VALUE DRIVEN PARTNER OF CHOICE OPERATING IN THE HEART OF CENTCOM SCAN FOR MORE CENTCOM HQ KUWAIT, SHARQ, AL SHUHADA STREET, AL GHAWALI TOWER TEL: BD@KRHKW.COM 22320113 BD@KRHKW.COMBD@KRHKW.COM GHAGHA EL:EL: RHKW.CORHKW.CO ++2232011322320113965965 AN FOR MOREAN FOR MORE COM HQCOM HQ IT, SHARQ, AL SHIT, SHARQ, AL SH LI TOWERLI TOWER 11 Average Contracts 5 Year Workforce in Projects 13,000+ Partners from 15 Countries 73 Annual Turnover $250M Countries of Operation 7 Staff 500+ OVERVIEW Integrated Life Support Services HR & Admin Services Facilities Services Transportation Services Field Operations Services Engineering Services KRH Academy Government Relations Services SERVICES TURNKEY SOLUTIONS | AGILE TEAM | DYNAMIC SERVICES VALUES Accountability Integrity Innovation Respect Commitment Excellence Passion T he Military Cyber Profession- als Association seeks to develop American military cyber pro- fessionals and invest in the nation’s future through science, technology, engineering and mathematics educa- tion, according to the organization’s website. It also serves the functions of a regimental association for the American military cyber community. After beginning operations in 2013 as a byproduct of graduate research into innovation at the Naval Postgrad- uate School in California, with fund- ing from Army Cyber Command, the association has grown to thousands of members across the U.S. Its initia- tives include organizing regional and online cyber competitions, providing STEM scholarships for students and highlighting cyber issues in the legis- lative community. The association hosts hacking com- petitions and other professional devel- opment events, promotes volunteering in support of K-12 STEM students in local communities, and partners with other organizations to develop appli- cations useful to cyber professionals. In an effort to provide a platform for military cyber professionals to share their work, the association publishes CYBER magazine and Military Cy- ber Affairs, a peer-reviewed scholarly journal. It also awards the Order of Thor medal, recognizing excellence in and special contributions to the mili- tary cyber community. The U.S. “needs cyberspace secure for military, economic and private in- dividual pursuits … [and] expects the American military to work together as a team,” the association’s website says. For more information, please visit https://public.milcyber.org. If your association is interested in partnering with AUSA, contact Su- san Rubel at srubel@ausa.org. Association Partnershipwith 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: MCPAwww.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY July 13, 2023 | AUSA Extra 7 AUSA welcomes new NCO and Soldier Programs director Then-Sgt. Maj. Julie Guerra speaks at a professional development forum during the 2017 AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C. (U.S. ARMY/JOE LACDAN) I n January, the Association of the U.S. Army’s NCO and Soldier Pro- grams team bid farewell to retired Command Sgt. Maj. Troy Welch, who led the directorate for six years be- fore assuming the role of AUSA mem- bership director. After months of searching for the right talent, we were honored when Command Sgt. Maj. Julie Guerra ac- cepted the invitation to join the NCO and Soldier Programs team. Guerra is serving as ser- geant major for the Army deputy chief of staff for intelli- gence, and she will officially join the AUSA team in September. “Joining AUSA’s NCO and Soldier Programs team gives me the oppor- tunity to continue to serve the Army and its soldiers, which is a great hon- or,” Guerra said. “The ability to stay connected while supporting NCO and soldier programs and help develop leaders is important to me.” A native of Tucson, Arizona, Guer- ra entered the Army in June 1994, attending Basic Combat Training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and Advanced Individual Training as a counterintelligence agent at Fort NCO & Soldier Programs Huachuca, Arizona. During her ca- reer, she has held every leadership position from team leader to com- mand sergeant major. Guerra has served in a variety of assignments, including with the 524th and 532nd Military Intelli- gence Battalions in Yongsan, Korea; the 202nd MI Battalion at Fort Gor- don, Georgia; as a drill sergeant with the 309th Military Intelligence Bat- talion at Fort Huachuca and with the 3rd Training Brigade at Fort Leon- ard Wood, Missouri; and as command sergeant major of the 501st Military Intelligence Brigade at Yongsan. She is a graduate of the Army Sergeants Major Academy, the Drill Sergeant School and the Equal Op- portunity Leaders Course, and holds a bachelor of science from Excelsior College. Guerra is currently working in the NCO and Soldier Programs director- ate as a DoD SkillBridge intern. The SkillBridge program helps service members gain civilian work experi- ence through industry training, ap- prenticeships or internships during the last 180 days of their active ser- vice. Guerra is using this opportuni- ty to familiarize herself with her new role as director of NCO and Soldier Programs after her final transition from military service later this year. Those who wish to join us in wel- coming Julie to the AUSA family can reach her at jguerra@ausa.org. 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. Command Sgt. Maj. Julie Guerra will officially join the AUSA team in September as the association’s director of NCO and Soldier Programs. (AUSA PHOTO)www.ausa.org8 AUSA Extra | July 13, 2023 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY Exceptional soldiers, students recognized at chapter event O utstanding soldiers and stu- dents were honored June 20 during a professional devel- opment luncheon hosted by the As- sociation of the U.S. Army’s George Washington chapter at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia. Maj. Gen. Robert Collins, deputy for acquisition and systems manage- ment in the office of the assistant secretary of the Army for acquisi- tion, logistics and technology, was the event’s keynote speaker, address- ing the audience of about 100 chap- ter members, soldiers and represen- tatives from the defense industry, the Rotary Club, the American Legion, Army Recruiting Command, the 3rd Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) and the U.S. Army Chorus. Retired Lt. Col. Dick Winter, the AUSA chapter president, presented the chapter’s annual awards recog- nizing soldiers for exceptional per- formance, while retired Col. Mollie Pearson, the chapter vice president for awards and sponsorships, read the citations. The chapter’s NCO of the Year, receiving the Gen. Charles L. Bolte Award, is Staff Sgt. David Weston; while the Spc. Keith A. Campbell awardee for Soldier of the Year is Pfc. Johnathon Porter. Spc. Chase Kerr is the Medic of the Year and recipient of the Maj. Gen. Lewis A. Mologne Award; and Sgt. Megan Caro and her family are recipients of the Family of the Year award. The retired Col. Glenn Yarborough Award, named for a former chapter president and current president of AUSA’s Second Region, was present- ed to Staff Sgt. Robin Barnhill, who is the chapter’s Volunteer of the Year. Winter also recognized the 41 recip- ients of the chapter’s 2023 scholarship program, who were awarded a total of $55,000 in financial aid. The chapter was able to present in-person two of its four major scholarships to students who were able to attend the luncheon. Retired Col. Susan Myers, the chapter vice president for scholar- ships, presented the Maj. Gen. Har- ry Greene Scholarship to Cameron Glebocki, accompanied by her father, retired Col. Joseph Glebocki. Greene was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2014, and Myers is his widow. Also recognized was Jameela Bar- ber, who received the PenFed Credit Union Scholarship presented by Ja- mie Gayton, executive vice president of PenFed member operations and global fixed assets. The luncheon, which included a cake-cutting ceremony in honor of the Army’s 248th birthday, was sup- ported by cadets from the junior ROTC color guard at Jackson-Reed High School, and Master Sgt. Jesse Neace of the Army Chorus, who sang the national anthem. George Washington Cutting a cake celebrating the Army’s 248th birthday are, from left to right, Master Sgt. Jesse Neace of the Army Chorus, retired Col. Susan Myers, vice president for scholar- ships at AUSA’s George Washington chapter, retired Lt. Col. Dick Winter, the chapter president, chapter executive vice president Karen Lowe, and retired Col. Mollie Pear- son, chapter vice president for awards and sponsorships. (AUSA PHOTO) Staff Sgt. Robin Barnhill, left, is recognized as Volunteer of the Year by retired Lt. Col. Dick Winter, president of AUSA’s George Washington chapter in Virginia. (AUSA PHOTO)Next >