PUBLISHED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY www.ausa.org October 30, 2025 | AUSA Extra 1 Troops build, train with ‘attritable’ drones Brig. Gen. Travis McIntosh, deputy commanding general of the 101st Airborne Division, holds the Attritable Battlefield Enabler—a new drone developed by soldiers of the division—during train- ing in October at Fort Campbell, Kentucky . (U.S. ARMY/SGT. 1ST CLASS JOSHUA JOYNER) Family Readiness Team Offers New Resource 3 Hodne Addresses AUSA Leader Solarium 4 Book Program Annual Meeting Authors' Forum 7 Chapter Highlights Eagle Chapters 8 IN THIS ISSUE VOLUME 7 NUMBER 25 OCTOBER 30, 2025 F or less than $800, soldiers from the 101st Airborne Divi- sion are building drones that are designed to be disposable, the deputy commanding general of the division said. The Attritable Battlefield Enabler, or ABE 1.01, named after the divi- sion’s bald eagle mascot, is yet anoth- er advancement soldiers are making as the Army works to adapt and keep up with fast evolving drone warfare. At a cost of $740, the ABE 1.01 gives small units reconnaissance and target acquisition capabilities, and an inexpensive way to drop a grenade from above the enemy, Brig. Gen. Travis McIntosh said during an Oct. 14 Warriors Corner presentation at the Association of the U.S. Army’s Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C. “The 101st Airborne Division is no stranger to innovation,” McIntosh said. “We are in the fourth evolution of vertical envelopment, … the first one being gliders and parachutes.” This latest evolution is “large scale, long-range and drones,” he said. Cost remains a factor, McIntosh said. “As we were looking to order and prepare our forces to fight with drones, the cost was unacceptable,” he said. Developing the ability to at- tach a grenade or plastic explosive to a drone and enable a small unit to use it to conduct an ambush or breach an obstacle would cost “between $2,500 on the low end, to $11,000. We cannot train at that cost.” After Secretary of War Pete Hegs- eth published the “Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance” direc- tive in July, “it was ‘game on,” McIn- tosh said. Soldiers, NCOs and war- rant officers from the 101st Airborne Division told leadership, “I can build that,” McIntosh said. The result was ABE 1.01. “At scale, I’m not worried at all about train- ing with this thing,” McIntosh said. “Even an old general is able to fly this thing.” McIntosh told AUSA after the presentation that since ABE 1.01 is designed to be attritable, the Army See Drones, Page 3SECURE AMERICA GOBI RAPIDLY DEPLOY AUTONOMOUS COUNTER-UAS SYSTEM BUILT TO PROTECT CRITICAL DOMESTIC AND DEPLOYED NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURES DEFEAT FPV, FIXED-WING DRONE THREATS BEFORE THEY REACH YOUR CRITICAL ASSETS NEUTRALIZE INSTANTLY WWW.HARMATTAN.AIwww.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY October 30, 2025 | AUSA Extra 3 AUSA launches program for new soldiers and families Participants in AUSA's new educational program will receive a copy of Customs, Courtesies and Traditions of the United States Army: A Primer for Family Mem- bers, a guidebook authored by AUSA Family Fellow Ginger Perkins. (AUSA PHOTO) N ew soldiers and family mem- bers learning the particu- larities of Army culture may find it exciting and overwhelming at the same time. While a soldier gets acclimated to a life of training, early morning formations and wearing a uniform every day, family members have lots to learn as well, including flag protocol, how to identify rank insignia and how to understand the Army acronyms that bounce through casual conversations. Generations of soldiers and their families have successfully navigated this unique culture, and their col- lective experiences have informed a new educational program created by the Association of the U.S. Army’s Family Readiness directorate called Customs, Courtesies and Traditions. “At the heart of this world are Army customs, courtesies and traditions, which are more than formal prac- tices—they are the living bonds con- necting generations of soldiers and their families,” said Cindy Risch, a special programs manager with AU- SA’s Family Readiness directorate and 38-year Army spouse. “They fos- ter a sense of identity, unity and order essential to the Army’s mission.” The new program is being offered through AUSA’s 122 chapters in the United States and around the world and facilitated by the Family Readi- ness directorate, said Holly Dailey, AUSA’s Family Readiness director and 32-year Army spouse. The next session is scheduled for November at Fort Carson, Colorado, through the Pikes Peak chapter. At the inaugural educational session in April at Fort Benning, Georgia, hosted by the AUSA Chat- tahoochee Valley-Fort Benning chap- ter, participants included family members, soldiers and civilians with an interest in Army culture. Development of the program be- gan taking shape following the May 2024 launch of AUSA’s Family Fel- lows, a team of family subject-matter experts, each of whom served for de- cades alongside their military spous- es and whose children now serve on active duty. The Customs, Courtesies and Tra- ditions program will be of significant value to AUSA chapters as they wel- come new soldiers and families into their organizations, Dailey said. The new program is based on the contents of Customs, Courtesies and Traditions of the United States Army: A Primer for Family Members, a guidebook authored by Ginger Per- kins, one of AUSA’s Family Fellows and a 38-year Army spouse, and pub- lished by AUSA. Participants in the chapter-led sessions will each receive a copy of the guidebook, which fea- tures a foreword by retired Gen. Bob Brown, AUSA president and CEO. Dailey explained that the book, whose second edition was launched at AUSA’s 2025 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C., has been used by AUSA chapters at events attended by new military families and others who may not be familiar with military tradition. While the book is a valuable re- source that can then be passed to new generations of Army families, the sessions will help resolve questions “through interactive discussions and activities,” said Dailey, who is mar- ried to retired Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s vice president for NCO and Soldier Programs. “We don’t want to just hand out a book, we want to empower them with the benefit of our knowledge and ex- perience,” Dailey said. “More impor- tantly, we want them to know that they are not alone, that we are here to walk with them on their Army journey as others have done for 250 years.” treats it like other munitions, not accountable property. This means soldiers can train freely without worrying about facing consequenc- es for breaking the drone. Despite having the drone avail- able for training, McIntosh said more is needed. Soldiers report that it takes four people to operate the drone: one to watch the first-person view, someone to provide security, someone to carry the equipment and someone to erect the antennas. “That’s the wrong math,” he said. McIntosh called on defense in- dustry partners to provide the Army with a way to fly drones “by command, not by pilot.” “When your drones can under- stand commander’s intent, that … is the threshold for [artificial intel- ligence] and autonomy,” McIntosh said. “If you’ve got something out there that can make [ABE 1.01] a smarter device, then come partner with us.” Drones From Page 1www.ausa.org 4 AUSA Extra | October 30, 2025 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 the U.S. Army’s 250th birthday, from April 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2025, membership rates are reduced to a five-year Premium rate of $50 and a two- year Premium rate of $30. Lifetime member- ship 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 ben- efits 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 Hodne emphasizes communication, engagement at Leader Solarium B attalion command teams have “the most important role in the Army,” providing a link between soldiers and senior leaders, the commander of U.S. Army Trans- formation and Training Command told participants in the Association of the U.S. Army’s Leader Solarium. Speaking Oct. 13 during the Lead- er Solarium, held in conjunction with AUSA’s Annual Meeting and Exposi- tion, Gen. David Hodne told about 70 battalion commanders and command sergeants major from units across the Army that they have “a perfect com- bination of experience and exposure to soldiers,” and they are expected to facilitate “intergenerational commu- nication” between troops and leaders at higher echelons. “This is important because there’s only one pair of leaders in the Army that are expected to take what their soldiers are telling them, and make senior leaders understand. That’s a big responsibility,” Hodne said. In successful units, troops should want to engage with command- ers and command sergeants major, Hodne said. “Battalion command is the last level of command where sol- diers should recognize your voice in the dark,” he told participants in the Leader Solarium, which was hosted by AUSA’s Center for Leadership. “Otherwise, you’re not going to find the opportunities to hear what’s on the mind of your soldiers.” There are two things that only bat - talion command teams can do: com- municate clear intent and maintain a consistent command climate, Hodne said. “Don’t forfeit your chance to communicate intent … and when you’re asked questions, your people have to know they’ll be treated with dignity and respect,” he said. He noted three questions that lead- ers should ask when planning to ef- fect change in their units: what must change, what can’t change and what results must be avoided. “That’s the strategic thinking in terms of what comes next,” Hodne said. “Leading change is a constant responsibility. … There has never been a more exciting time to lead and effect change in our Army.” Gen. David Hodne, commander of U.S. Army Transformation and Training Command, speaks to battalion command teams during a Leader Solarium held in conjunction with the 2025 AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C. (AUSA PHOTO) All AUSA members and their fami- lies, regardless of military service, en- joy exclusive travel deals with Armed Forces Vacation Club. Join for free at www.ausa.org/afvc to book resort stays from $419 per week and get $50 off your first resort booking. Choose "AUSA Member" for your eligibility. 251287-AUSA-TLGI-PAD Life Form Series includes GBD-1000, GBD-1100, or state equivalent. 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Honorably discharged within the last 90 days SCAN THE QR CODE TO VISIT OUR SECURE WEBSITE AND LEARN MORE.www.ausa.org 6 AUSA Extra | October 30, 2025 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY F or the second consecutive year, Mark Haaland, director of Government Affairs for the Association of the U.S. Army, was named a Top Lobbyist by the Nation- al Institute for Lobbying & Ethics. The 2025 honorees were announced Oct. 23. “I am honored to receive this award in recognition of AUSA’s advocacy for national security and the Total Army with Congress,” Haaland said. “Our association aims to be a voice on Capitol Hill for Regular Army, National Guard and Army Reserve soldiers, Army families, Army civil- ians, Soldiers for Life, caregivers and survivors.” Over the past year, AUSA has recommended Congress provide timely, sufficient and flexible fund- ing to support Total Army warfight- ing and transformation priorities. In addition, AUSA has advocated for the Army’s important role in the AUSA Government Affairs director named Top Lobbyist Former AUSA communications director John Grady dies Indo-Pacific, quality and available health care, child care and housing, additional military spouse employ- ment opportunities and impact aid supporting the education of military children. It also worked to ensure veterans receive the benefits they have earned. “AUSA is honored to advocate in support of the Army with Congress on legislative issues that strengthen warfighting, speed transformation and support soldiers, Army families and Army civilians,” Haaland said. The Top Lobbyist awards showcase a wide-ranging group of profession- als within the advocacy profession, including lobbyists, political action committee professionals and grass- roots specialists endorsed by their peers, according to the National In- stitute for Lobbying & Ethics. The distinction recognizes profes- sionals who “saw significant legisla- tive success, have been innovative in their field, are held in high regard by their clients or members, and are in- dividuals who give back to their com- munity through charity or pro bono work,” the institute said. J ohn Grady, author, journalist and a former director of com- munications at the Association of the U.S. Army, died Oct. 6 at the age of 80. Born Oct. 26, 1944, in Chicago, Grady earned his bachelor’s and mas- ter’s degrees in communications from the University of Illinois, where he wrote for the university’s newspaper, Daily Illini, and played hockey and baseball, according to an obituary published by Fairfax Memorial Fu- neral Home. He served as an intelligence of- ficer during the Vietnam War after joining the Air Force, then taught journalism at Penn State University, according to the obituary. In 1976, he became managing edi- tor of The Daily Press in Newport News, Virginia, and 10 years later, after relocating to Fairfax, Virginia, Grady continued his career in jour- nalism, serving as managing editor for Navy Times, accord- ing to the obituary. In 1993, he joined AUSA as communica- tions director, a posi- tion he held until his retirement in 2010. Grady was a pub- lished biographer and historian and a frequent lecturer at historical and mili- tary conferences. In 2015, he pub- lished Matthew Fontaine Maury, Fa- ther of Oceanography: A Biography, 1806-1873, which was nominated for the Library of Virginia’s 2016 nonfic- tion award. He contributed writings to Sea History, Naval History, the New York Times’ “Disunion” series and Civil War Monitor, and he was a blogger for the U.S. Navy’s sesqui- centennial of the Civil War web site. Grady also con- tributed writings on USNI. org, Breaking Defense and Government Executive. At the end of his life, he was revising a biography of John Yates Beall, accord- ing to his obituary. Grady spoke at the North American Society for Oce- anic History, the Ban- ner Lecture Series of the Virginia Historical Society, and the Great Lives series at the University of Mary Washington. He also lectured at the National Museum of the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Navy Memorial, the Mariners Museum and Park, the An- napolis Maritime Museum and Park and other organizations and institu- tions focused on naval and Civil War history, according to the obituary. Mark Haaland, AUSA's director of Govern- ment Affairs, has been named a 2025 Top Lobbyist by the National Institute for Lob- bying & Ethics . (AUSA PHOTO) John Grady . (COURTESY PHOTO)www.ausa.orgOctober 30, 2025 | AUSA Extra 7 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY Book Program events featured at AUSA Annual Meeting M ilitary books were on full display at this year’s As- sociation of the U.S. Army Annual Meeting and Exposition, held Oct. 13–15 at the Walter E. Wash- ington Convention Center in Wash- ington, D.C. Authors, editors, publishers and a record number of registrants were part of AUSA Book Program events throughout the show. An Authors’ Forum on Oct. 13 pro- vided an opportunity to highlight six new titles in the program. Authors and editors gave brief overviews of their works and fielded questions from the audience. Retired Command Sgt. Maj. W. Douglas Gibbens, an AUSA Senior Fellow, moderated the forum. Once again, C-SPAN was on hand to re- cord the proceedings, which will be broadcast later this year as part of its BookTV programming. The first panel of the Authors’ Fo- rum focused on “Preparing for the Next Fight.” Arthur Coumbe started the discussion with an overview of his new book, Soldiers in the School- house: A Military History of the Junior ROTC. Coumbe is a retired Army colonel and military historian who previously published two histo- ries of U.S. Army Cadet Command. Next to the podium was another AUSA Senior Fellow, retired Com- mand Sgt. Maj. Daniel Elder, operat- ing in his dual-hatted role as author of NCO School: How the Vietnam-Era NCO Candidate Course Shaped the Modern Army. His book details the untold story of the Noncommissioned Officer Candidate Course, a trans- formative yet overlooked chapter in Army history. Col. Bryan Groves rounded out the panel with a presentation on When Presidents Fight the Last War: The Oval Office, Sunk Costs, and Wartime Decision-making since Vietnam. His book examines how commanders in chief from Ronald Reagan to Barack Obama have chosen to escalate or de- escalate conflicts. Gibbens then called for the forum's second panel, which centered on “Spe- cial Forces and Urban Operations.” This section had an unusual start, with retired Col. David Jesmer Jr. presenting on behalf of author retired Col. Joseph Celeski, who passed away before the publication of Green Berets, Clan Militia, and Blue Helmets: The Illustrated History of Army Special Forces in Somalia. Jesmer, who de- ployed to Somalia in March 1993 as part of the 5th Special Forces Group, spoke about his friend and former Special Forces colleague in addition to detailing the contents of the book. John Sullivan then discussed Ur- ban Operations: War, Crime, and Conflict. This edited anthology fea- tures contributions from the world’s leading experts in urban security, military strategy and counterterror- ism. Sullivan, a retired career police officer who has specialized in emer- gency operations, terrorism and in- telligence, brought a new perspective to a field that increasingly blurs the border between law enforcement and traditional military operations. The forum concluded with Russell Glenn, a former Army Corps of Engi- neers officer and director of plans and policy at the former Army Training and Doctrine Command. His book, Brutal Catalyst: What Ukraine’s Cities Tell Us About Recovery from War, examines the challenges that Kharkiv, Kherson and Mariupol will face in their post-war recovery. After the forum, the authors con- tinued the conversation with at- tendees in the Book Program area of the Education Zone, where they also signed copies of their books and posed for pictures. Visit www.ausa.org/books to order copies of these and all other titles in the AUSA Book Program. Use the promo code F25AUSA for select mem- ber discounts when purchasing titles directly through the publisher links. Joseph Craig is AUSA’s Book Program director. Book Program AUSA authors Russell Glenn, left, and John Sullivan take a photo following an Authors' Forum at the 2025 AUSA Annual Meeting . (COURTESY/JOHN SULLIVAN) AUSA authors discuss their books at an Authors’ Forum Oct. 13 during the 2025 AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C. (AUSA PHOTO)www.ausa.org 8 AUSA Extra | October 30, 2025 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY Eagle Chapters The following chapters attained Eagle status for September by showing positive membership growth. The number of consecutive months of growth since July 1 is shown in parentheses. Alamo (3) Arizona Territorial (3) Arsenal of Democracy (3) Benelux (3) Big Bend (3) Catoctin (3) Columbia River (3) Denver Centennial (3) Dix (3) Fires (3) Florida Gulf Stream (3) Fort Riley-Central Kansas (3) GEN Creighton W. Abrams (3) George Washington (3) Greater Los Angeles (3) Greater New York-Statue of Liberty (3) Kuwait (3) Las Vegas-John C. Fremont (3) Magnolia (3) Major Samuel Woodfill (3) Marne (3) National Training Center-High Desert (3) Newton D. Baker (3) San Francisco (3) Sunshine (3) Texas Capital Area (3) Thunderbird (3) Central California (2) Central Texas (2) Central Virginia (2) COL Edward Cross (2) Connecticut (2) Corporal Bill McMillan-Bluegrass (2) Crossroads of America (2) CSM James M. McDonald-Keystone (2) Delaware (2) Des Moines Freedom (2) Ethan Allen (2) Fort Jackson-Palmetto State (2) Fort Sheridan-Chicago (2) Francis Scott Key (2) GEN Joseph W. Stilwell (2) Hawaii (2) Houston Metroplex (2) Korea (2) Milwaukee (2) MSG Leroy Arthur Petry (2) North Texas-Audie Murphy (2) PFC William Kenzo Nakamura (2) Pikes Peak (2) Potomac-Liberty (2) Puerto Rico (2) Rhode Island (2) Silicon Valley (2) Space Coast (2) St. Louis Gateway (2) Stuttgart (2) Suncoast (2) United Arab Emirates (2) Virginia Colonial (2) West Point Area (2) First In Battle (1) Fort Rucker-Wiregrass (1) GEN William C. Westmoreland (1) Last Frontier (1) Picatinny Arsenal-Middle Forge (1) Polar Bear (1) SGM Jon R. Cavaiani (1) Southern Virginia (1)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. Apple Podcasts SpotifyPodbeanAmazon Music YouTube Music Find us on your favorite podcast app! Or listen online at www.ausa.org/podcast. Scan to listen now!Next >