PUBLISHED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY www.ausa.org July 18, 2024 | AUSA Extra 1 AUSA Annual Meeting registration opens R egistration is now open for the Association of the U.S. Army’s 2024 Annual Meeting and Ex- position. Scheduled for Oct. 14–16 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., the three-day event will feature address- es and professional development fo- rums by top Army and DoD leaders on the Army’s transformation and its efforts to grow and prepare the force for a complex future battlefield. There will be more than 700 exhib- its spread over five halls featuring the latest technology and equipment. Attendees also can register for housing, which opened in June. For more information or to regis- ter, click here. All Annual Meeting registrants Soldiers, defense industry representatives, DoD leaders and other attendees receive badges for the 2023 AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C. (AUSA PHOTO) First Recruiting Warrant Officers Graduate 3 Noon Report Highlights WWII Command Team 4 Family Readiness Back-to-School Resources 6 Chapter Highlights Coastal South Carolina 7 IN THIS ISSUE VOLUME 6 NUMBER 12 JULY 18, 2024 See AUSA registration, Page 3 will receive AUSA’s new Digital Ac- cess Pass, which can be downloaded on your smartphone and used to ac- cess events in the convention center, including contemporary military fo- rums and receptions. A printed badge is still required to visit the exhibit halls. Pre-registered Annual Meeting at- tendees will receive their Digital Ac- cess Pass in early October. The Army is in a period of “pro- found transformation,” Army Secre- tary Christine Wormuth said earlier this year, as it modernizes its equip- ment and capabilities, overhauls its recruiting workforce, restructures the force and boosts quality-of-life programs for soldiers and families. And it’s doing it all quickly, said Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George. “The world is more volatile today than I have seen it in my 36- year career,” George said. “A spark in any region can have global impacts. Meanwhile, the character of war is changing rapidly. Our Army is as im- portant as ever to the joint force. We must deter war everywhere and be ready to respond anywhere.” In addition to keynote addresses and contemporary military forums featuring senior Army leaders, Annual Meeting attendees also will be able to view Warriors Corner and Innovators Corner presentations, visit more than 700 exhibits and network with leaders from the military and industry. Also scheduled are several award presentations, including the winners of the Best Squad Competition, NCO www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY July 18, 2024 | AUSA Extra 3 Army graduates 1st class of recruiting warrant officers T he Army’s effort to modern- ize its recruiting enterprise reached an important mile- stone with the graduation of the first warrant officers to become talent ac- quisition technicians. Twenty-five warrant officers who were serving in 19 career fields in the Regular Army were recognized July 11 upon completing the Talent Acqui- sition Course. They are the first to become recruiting warrant officers in the Army’s newest MOS, 420T. The 420T warrant officers will fill the ranks at multiple echelons as leaders, advisers, trainers and technical experts, bringing a new generation of recruiting support into the career field. Talent acquisition warrant officers will play a key role in recruiting operations, data analyt- ics, marketing techniques and public relations, according to an Army news release. “I was recruited back in 2006, so the times have drastically changed,” Chief Warrant Officer 2 Juana Tru- jillo, a 420T graduate, said in the release. “We are more focused on recruiting talent and ensuring that our benefits and incentives remain competitive with civilian markets,” Trujillo said. The creation of the new MOS is part of the Army’s broader strategy to address a stubborn recruiting cri- Twenty-five warrant officers are the first to become talent acquisition technicians in the Army’s newest MOS, 420T. (U.S. ARMY/LARA POIRRIER) AUSA registration From Page 1 and Soldier of the Year and the Mar- shall Medal, AUSA’s highest award for selfless service to the country. This year’s Marshall Medal hon- oree is the United States Army Non- commissioned Officer. 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. Hous- ing registration is available here. sis that has kept the service from meeting recruiting needs for more than three years. Among a set of initiatives an- nounced in October aimed at over- hauling the recruiting enterprise are creation of the warrant officer MOS, expansion into new talent markets, reorganization of the curriculum at the Recruiting and Retention Col- lege, better identification of soldiers suited to the recruiting job and estab- lishment of an experimental group to rapidly test and field new ideas for attracting future soldiers. By overhauling the way it recruits, the Army hopes to turn the tide in a bid to attract talent into the ranks. “As a former recruiting company commander and battalion command- er, I see the value [these new war- rant officers] bring instantly to the team,” Col. Rick Frank, Recruiting and Retention College commandant, said in the release. “Wish I had them on my team as a recruiting battalion commander.” Frank added that the new MOS is “a great investment and one of the many changes that we will need to make to accomplish our mission not only now, but in the future.” Rasheena Rowley has been with AUSA for seven months and comes from an Army family—her father, brother, two uncles and husband all served. Rasheena enjoys running, sewing, watching baking competi- tions and spending time with her family. She won first place in her age group at a 5K race in March and aims to complete a 10K next. Meet the AUSA headquarters staff Rasheena Rowley Exhibit Sales and Operations Managerwww.ausa.org4 AUSA Extra | July 18, 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 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 . Voice for the Army – Support For the Soldier PERK OF THE WEEK ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY AUSA book, webinar shine light on Ninth US Army leaders in WWII T he leadership team behind the Ninth U.S. Army, described as “uncommonly normal” in their time, contributed to Allied success in World War II and offers lessons about today’s military command structure, a military history expert said. “The Ninth Army … met the trifec- ta,” retired Lt. Col. William Nance said Tuesday during an Association of the U.S. Army Noon Report webi- nar. “Their bosses liked having them in their organization, their peers liked working with them and their subordinates liked being in their or- ganization. As a leader, you don’t do better than that.” A retired armor officer and civilian associate professor of history at the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Nance has written several books on military history. After commissioning from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, Nance served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He joined the Department of Military History at the Command and General Staff College in 2018 and retired from the Army in 2022. In his book, Commanding Profes- sionalism: Simpson, Moore, and the Ninth US Army, part of the AUSA Book Program, Nance highlights the leadership of Lt. Gen. William Simpson, commander of Ninth U.S. Army, and his chief of staff, Brig. Gen. James Moore, and analyzes how their understanding of command and staff relationships contributed to the 1940s war effort and to military com- mand structure today. From the start, Simpson and Moore hit it off, Nance said. “They … both [have] kind of the same per- sonality. ... They both like discipline, they both like procedure [and] they both like doing things by the book,” Nance said. “They just kept finding ways to work with each other.” Simpson recognized that doctrine Access your AUSA member discount at www.ausa.org/choice for savings at more than 7,400 locations from Choice Hotels. Their 22 brands pro- vide hotel options that fit every trip and budget. was becoming “increasingly impor- tant” during World War II, Nance said. “The Army, particularly in times of war, where [there are] large influxes of people, we need a good enough, repeatable process that can be executed by almost everybody, and that’s what doctrine gives us,” Nance said. “That’s what Simpson and Moore [understood] from the get-go.” Their approach was incredibly ef- fective. Under Simpson’s command, Ninth Army captured more than 750,000 German prisoners of war and liber- ated nearly 600,000 Allied POWs and over 1.2 million displaced people between September 1944 and May 1945, according to a National World War II Museum webpage. Soldiers today can learn from the “absolute and utter trust” that Simp- son and Moore placed in one anoth- er. “Simpson trusted Moore to run things as he asked him to be ran, and Moore trusted his superior, Simpson, to have his back at all times,” Nance said. “And, to my knowledge, they never broke that.” www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY July 18, 2024 | AUSA Extra 5 Navy Federal Credit Union is federally insured by NCUA. 1 Credit and collateral subject to approval. 2 CARFAX is a registered trademark of CARFAX, Inc. 3 TruStage® Auto & Home Insurance Program is made available through TruStage Insurance Agency, LLC and issued by leading insurance companies. 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Learn more at navyfederal.org/carbuying . 4 • Get a decision in seconds on great-rate auto loans 1 • Shop, compare and get up-front pricing through our Car Buying Service, powered by TrueCar® • Learn more about your vehicle's history with CARFAX® 2 • See if you could save on auto insurance from Liberty Mutual®, made available through TruStage® 3 • Explore FREE trial subscriptions to SiriusXM’s Platinum Plan Stubbs nominated to be next Army National Guard director M aj. Gen. Jonathan Stubbs has been nominated by President Joe Biden to be the next director of the Army Nation- al Guard, the Pentagon announced. If confirmed by the Senate, Stubbs, the adjutant general of Arkansas since January 2023, would receive his third star and succeed Lt. Gen. Jon Jensen, who has led the Army National Guard since August 2020. A career Army National Guard of- ficer, Stubbs has spent more than 27 of his 29 years in uniform in the Ar- kansas Army National Guard. After two years as an enlisted soldier in the Tennessee Army National Guard, he commissioned as an infantry of- ficer after completing Officer Candi- date School at the Tennessee Mili- tary Academy. Stubbs has held every leadership position within the 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, from rifle platoon leader to brigade command- er. He led Company C, 3rd Battalion, 153rd Infantry Regiment, in Bagh- dad from 2004 to 2005 and served as the 39th Infantry Brigade Combat Team operations officer in Baghdad in 2008. He also served as an Active Guard Reserve officer in the Arkansas Army National Guard from 1997 to 2021, where he completed a variety of training and administrative as- signments. His last staff assignment was as chief of staff for the Arkansas Army National Guard. He was promoted to brigadier gen- eral in September 2021 and assigned as the vice director of operations at the National Guard Bureau in Ar- lington, Virginia, with a follow-on assignment in January 2022 as dep- uty director for operations, readiness and mobilization in the Department of the Army at the Pentagon. In January 2023, he was selected for promotion to major general and ap- pointed by the governor of Arkansas as the state’s 54th adjutant general. Maj. Gen. Jonathan Stubbs. (U.S. ARMY PHOTO)www.ausa.org6 AUSA Extra | July 18, 2024 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY Back-to-school resources for military kids, families Thea Green, AUSA’s deputy director of Family Readiness, examines a display at the United Through Reading booth during the 2022 AUSA Annual Meeting. (AUSA PHOTO) A t this time of year, families start planning to pack lunch boxes and battle the school drop-off line. The Association of the U.S. Army’s Family Readiness di- rectorate wants to help you and your family prepare for the new school year by stocking your toolkit with helpful resources. Need help with back-to-school shop- ping? Operation Homefront’s Back-to- School Brigade is an annual program that collects, packs and distributes backpacks with essential school items to eligible military children. The program has distributed over 550,000 backpacks and nearly $55 million in school expenses, accord- ing to the organization’s website. It is available on a first-come, first-served basis to military children registered in the Defense Enrollment Eligibility Reporting System in kindergarten through 12th grade. View a list of Back-to-School Bri- gade events here. When homework starts to give you a headache, turn to Tutor.com’s webpage for U.S. military families. Tutor.com offers free, online and on- demand tutoring and homework as- sistance for eligible military-affiliat- ed students. The program has over 4,000 vetted tutors in more than 150 subjects, with Spanish-language op- tions that are available 24/7 for stu- dents of all ages. New school Have you recently moved to a new duty station? The Military Child Education Coalition provides qual- ity education programs, resources and advocacy for military-connected children to help ease the challenges of military life. Student 2 Student is one of its many programs that brings military and civilian students to- gether to welcome and integrate their peers into new schools. AUSA’s Family Readiness team Family Readiness will host a booth at the coalition’s Global Training Summit July 29–31 in Washington, D.C. Come learn more about how we support military families and their educational needs. United Through Reading helps military parents stay connected to their children through recorded vid- eo story time sessions. The soldier selects a children’s book and records a video of themselves reading it. The video and a copy of the book is sent to their children and family to watch and read along together. The free United Through Reading program is available to all military branches and components. Parents and students also can reach out to School Liaisons at their instal- lation to help navigate the school sys- tem, connect with resources in the community, inform families about graduation requirements and more. Supporting kids Sesame Street for Military Fami- lies offers resources that can help young children learn more about military life, such as relocation, sep- aration and routines, through fun ac- tivities. Military-connected children can learn more about Army life with Elmo and Cookie Monster through games, printable activity sheets and videos. The AUSA “Army Matters” podcast offers discussions on relevant topics to the military community, including organizations that provide support and quality-of-life resources. The podcast includes episodes like “Spe- cial Edition: Back to School” with the Military Child Education Coalition, “Elmo’s Journey from Sesame Street into the Military Family,” and “How United Through Reading Keeps Families Connected.” These episodes highlight helpful back-to-school resources and pro- grams for military families. Join AUSA today and gain access to a range of benefits like ACT/SAT prep. It is never too early for your stu- dent to start preparing for academic testing, and our resources can help you achieve your goals. AUSA’s Family Readiness team is dedicated to ensuring military fami- lies are prepared and supported. We wish all your students a successful and exciting school year. Kaylee Spielman is AUSA’s Family Readiness intern.www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY July 18, 2024 | AUSA Extra 7 Chapter honors VA optometrist for outstanding service Retired Lt. Col. Larry Dandridge, left, vice president for veteran affairs at AUSA’s Coastal South Carolina chapter, presents the chapter’s Outstanding Service Award to Dr. Kelly Singleton of the Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center. (AUSA PHOTO) I n June, the Association of the U.S. Army’s Coastal South Carolina chapter presented its quarterly Outstanding Service Award to Dr. Kelly Singleton for her work as an optometrist, professor and veterans advocate at the Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the Medical University of South Carolina. Retired Lt. Col. Larry Dandridge, the chapter’s vice president for vet- eran affairs, presented the award to Singleton at the VA medical center. “This award ceremony and the work of Dr. Single- ton provided more proof that veter- ans should enroll in VA health care,” said Dandridge, who has served as the chapter vice president for the past two decades. “Many patient evaluations, su- pervisor appraisals, and coworker comments have described and com- mended Kelly Singleton as a polite, kind, compassionate, understand- ing, calming, and highly skilled doc- tor, communicator, teacher, and pa- tient advocate. Her patients rank Dr. Singleton in the 99th percentile in the ‘rate my provider’ category,” the award plaque states. Impaired vision care On average, the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center’s main eye clinic sees more than 10,000 patients each year, Dandridge said. Approximately 20% of the patients are blind or visu- ally impaired. Singleton and her team provide a variety of services, including low-vi- sion evaluations, support groups for visually impaired veterans, recre- ational therapy and Braille instruc- tion. They also have a rehabilitation specialist who teaches blind patients to use a mobility cane and assists with technology devices to enable patients to be independent. The primary focus in the low-vision clinic is to ensure veterans remain Coastal South Carolina independent even if they develop a visual impairment from disease or injury. “Dr. Singleton patiently and pro- fessionally evaluates veterans who are visually impaired to give them opportunities to improve their func- tioning vision. Her job is tough since what her patients want is to have normal vision again, which is unfor- tunately almost always impossible,” Dandridge said. Caring staff The Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center Eye Clinics have received the highest Press Ganey patient satis- faction score, and many members of the eye care team have also received iCare awards, which give veterans, their caregivers and family members a voice to recognize those who mean something to them. The staff includes three primary eye care optometrists, 14 ophthal- mologists, four nurses, 17 eye clinic technicians, six medical surgical as- sistants and residents and students. Singleton “tirelessly works with optometry students and residents to improve their training and learn- ing experience at the [VA center] ... training that ensures her resident students complete their examina- tions and patients are referred ap- propriately,” the award plaque states. Although options are available to schedule an appointment with a civil- ian optometrist, most patients prefer to wait to see a VA eye clinic doctor, Dandridge said. “However, it is time for the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center to hire more optometrists,” he said. Singleton and her staff “do not dwell on the negative with their patients. Instead, they encourage them to learn new skills that will allow them to be more independent,” the award plaque says, adding that Singleton “kindly answers the tough questions from veterans and their families about things like driving.” “Congratulations to Dr. Singleton and her highly skilled and greatly appreciated staff,” Dandridge said.Next >