PUBLISHED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY www.ausa.org December 11, 2025 | AUSA Extra 1 Army activates new 4-star command Army’s H2F Program Delivers Results 3 Historian Highlights Washington’s KeyRole 4 NCO & Soldier Programs Soldier Engagement at Fort Carson 7 Chapter Highlights Arizona Territorial Potomac-Liberty George Washington 8 IN THIS ISSUE VOLUME 7 NUMBER 31 DECEMBER 11, 2025 Gen. Joseph Ryan, commander of the new U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command, uncases the command’s colors during a Dec. 5 ceremony at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. (U.S. ARMY/SGT. BRANDON LUNSFORD) I n a ceremony at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command was acti- vated, establishing the Army’s first four-star operational theater com- mand based in the continental Unit- ed States. Led by Gen. Joseph Ryan, who most recently was deputy Army chief of staff for operations, plans and training, G-3/5/7, the new command is headquartered at Fort Bragg with a forward command post at Joint Base San Antonio. Ryan received his fourth star in the hours before the Dec. 5 ceremony, which also marked the inactivation of U.S. Army Forces Command, whose roles and respon- sibilities now fall under the new the- ater command. See New command, Page 5 “The Army is making an enormous investment in this transformation, combining three important, effective and historically capable commands and headquarters into one. It is our responsibility to deliver returns on that investment,” Ryan said at the ceremony. “We must have a sense of urgency. Today starts the clock.” Gen. Andrew Poppas, the last commanding general of Forces Com- mand, which was stood up in 1973 at the start of the all-volunteer Army, retired the same day, following more than 37 years of service. “Today is much more than a change of command ceremony, it’s a change in mission,” Poppas said, adding that it is “a major step toward the merger of three powerhouse Army headquar- ters into one operational, transre- gional team that will face the na- tion’s top strategic priorities.” Forces Command’s former role as a Title X force provider and readiness overseer now evolves into a single theater Army responsible for execut- ing the Army service component com- mand mission for U.S. Northern Com- mand and U.S. Southern Command, said Col. Mike Burns, spokesman for Western Hemisphere Command. The new four-star theater Army command is in addition to U.S. Army Pacific at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, and U.S. Army Europe and Africa at Clay Kaserne in Wiesbaden, Germany. Western Hemisphere Command is expected to reach initial operat-www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY December 11, 2025 | AUSA Extra 3 H2F program expanding after ‘astounding’ results T he success of the Army’s Ho- listic Health and Fitness pro- gram, based on measurable positive effects on soldier perfor- mance, has led to an expansion in resources for the effort, senior Army leaders said. In remarks Dec. 4 at a Hot Topic on Holistic Health and Fitness hosted by the Association of the U.S. Army, Lt. Gen. David Francis, command- ing general of the Center for Initial Military Training, highlighted the positive return on investment the program, known as H2F, has had on soldiers. Pointing to data gathered on the initial fielding of H2F performance teams in 28 brigades compared to brigades without H2F over a three- year period, Francis said the results “were so astounding” that senior leaders “seized the opportunity … to expand resources and develop doc- trine to enhance these findings.” Among the findings were a de- crease in behavioral health profiles, two times fewer substance abuse pro- files, an increase in soldier retention and satisfaction, higher pass rates on the Army Fitness Test, increases in expert rifle qualifications, fewer medical boards, greater use of per- formance professionals and 140% fewer injury referrals, Francis said. With the “full backing of the secre- tary of war and the secretary of the Army on down,” Francis said, “we’ve been directed to move fast” on ex- panding the H2F program. “When your formation has less re- ferrals because they have direct ac- cess to an H2F performance team at the point of injury, and, more impor- tantly, creating an environment that reduces the risk of injury in the first place, you can’t ignore these results,” Francis said. The H2F program was established to address the need for soldiers to have higher levels of health, fitness and well-being for peak performance and to help empower them by optimiz- Lt. Gen. David Francis, commanding general of the Center for Initial Military Training, speaks at an AUSA Hot Topic on Holistic Health and Fitness Dec. 4. (AUSA PHOTO) ing performance while minimizing injury. Modeled after Special Forces and professional/collegiate athletics, the H2F system moves away from a one-size-fits-all model. The system promotes mental, sleep, nutritional, physical and spiritual readiness and is supported at the brigade level with specialists and equipment. Central to the H2F program are 22-person teams with subject-matter experts who work directly with the chain of command to assess the pro- gram and execute functional fitness. The teams work for the commanders and provide the expertise needed to do the assessments and programmat- ic aspects of H2F. Lt. Gen. Brian Eifler, deputy Army chief of staff for personnel, G-1, noted that the H2F program is critically important, not just for the longevity of a soldier’s career and beyond, but for the rigors of combat. Citing evidence of how hard combat is by pointing to the war in Ukraine, Eifler said soldiers “don’t have any off season. We have to be ready all the time.” “Look at Ukraine. They’re figuring it out. They’re adapting and adjust- ing,” Eifler said. “The speed of com- bat requires that, and the same thing with us. We can’t wait another day to work on all these things in H2F because the soldier is our most im- portant weapon.” A brigade Holistic Health and Fitness team conducts alcohol safety awareness training for soldiers assigned to the 75th Field Artillery Regiment Nov. 20 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. (U.S. ARMY/CPL. EMANEY WILSON)www.ausa.org 4 AUSA Extra | December 11, 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 Author describes how Washington transformed Revolutionary force T hough the Continental Army had narrowly survived the early years of the Revolution- ary War, it would take George Wash- ington’s leadership to turn the tide, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Rick Atkinson said. “Washington as commander in chief, he has an excellent eye for sub- ordinate talent,” he said Dec. 2 dur- ing a Noon Report webinar hosted by the Association of the U.S. Army. “He sees a 25-year-old, overweight Boston bookseller named Henry Knox and somehow intuits this guy is going to be the father of American artillery. He sees a mid-30s lapsed Quaker from Rhode Island named Nathanael Greene, and somehow recognizes that Greene, second only to Washington, as the indispensable man in the Continental Army.” Atkinson, the bestselling author of eight works of narrative military history who was a longtime reporter and senior editor at The Washington Post, is the author of The Fate of the Day: The War for America, Fort Ti- conderoga to Charleston, 1777-1780. It is the second volume of his Revolu- tion trilogy. Through his effective talent man- Retired Lt. Gen. Leslie Smith, left, AUSA's vice president for Leadership and Education, greets author Rick Atkinson during an AUSA Noon Report webinar. (AUSA PHOTO) The holiday season is upon us, with lots of opportunities for deco- rating and gifting. Use your AUSA mem- ber discount at all the 1-800-Flowers family of brands for a variety of flowers, plants, gift bas- kets, foods, cookies, chocolates and more at www.ausa.org/gifts. agement, Washington tapped Baron Friedrich von Steuben to train the ragtag Continental Army. He taught “this unlettered Army pretty basic things—how to drill, how to maneu- ver, camp hygiene, all the things that are important for an Army to become professional,” Atkinson said. As the war stretched on, Wash- ington realized that failure was not an option, Atkinson said. “When you’re waging a counterinsurgency, you have to win, especially if you're fighting a war where you’ve had to travel a long distance. If you are the insurgents, you have to not lose,” he said. “Washington comes to see that, I think, probably two years into the war, that he's got to not lose.” As the U.S. approaches 250 years since its founding, the nation should take pride in its “common heritage,” Atkinson said. “There should be a great sense of pride, regardless of whether your family came here 300 years ago or 10 years ago,” he said. “This tells us something about who we are, where we came from, what our forebears believed and what they were willing to die for. That’s the most profound question any people can ask themselves.” New command From Page 1 www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY December 11, 2025 | AUSA Extra 5 The new U.S. Army Western Hemisphere Command patch features an eagle’s head above a globe representing North and South America, symbolizing the com- mand’s area of responsibility, strategic readiness and modernization initiatives. (U.S. ARMY/PFC. 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The command is expected to achieve full operating capability in June 2026. “Western Hemisphere Command is designed for speed, fl exibility and relevance to effectively respond to challenges in our complex times,” Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George said. “By consolidating these headquarters and aligning the the- ater, we will streamline processes, eliminate redundant efforts and free up talent and resources ... to better support our fi ghting formations.” The new command’s mission in- cludes homeland defense, defense support to civil authorities, humani- tarian assistance and disaster relief, theater security cooperation and con- tinued support to the Immediate Re- sponse Force, Burns said. “We anticipate we will get the prop- er authorities and assigned forces that will allow us to serve as the Army component for NORTHCOM and SOUTHCOM,” Burns said. “From there, we transition toward assum- ing full theater Army responsibilities and prepare for several validation ex- ercises in late spring and summer.” The creation of Western Hemisphere Command is the latest reorganization undertaken by the Army in its bid for continuous transformation. The acti- vation of Western Hemisphere Com- mand on Dec. 5 follows the Oct. 2 ac- tivation of U.S. Army Transformation and Training Command in Austin, Texas, which merged the roles and responsibilities of U.S. Army Futures Command and U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command.www.ausa.org 6 AUSA Extra | December 11, 2025 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY H eadquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, the Society of Amer- ican Military Engineers leads collaboration in support of national security by advancing three strategic goals: driving partnerships, deliver- ing solutions and developing people. The society was founded in January 1920 following the end of World War I. When the U.S. joined the conflict, military engineers numbered less than 3,000; that number would grow to more than 300,000 by the end of the war. “Those who had been called to serve, drawn from their professional lives in America’s cities and towns, and those already in the regular ser- vice, knew that to capture lessons learned and to maintain the relation- ships established … they would need a way to stay connected,” the organi- zation’s website says. Spotlight on AUSA Association Partner: SAME The organization publishes a pro- fessional journal, The Military Engi- neer, that features technical articles authored by subject-matter experts from the military, government, in- dustry and academia, as well as news and updates related to engineering, energy, resilience, technology, acqui- sition and other subjects. It also hosts a variety of national events and workshops each year aimed at strengthening industry- government engagement and building human capital, including contracting and acquisition forecasts, continuing education sessions, leadership devel- opment and networking opportunities. “With a membership that includes recent service academy graduates and retired military officers, enlisted per- sonnel and NCOs, project managers, corporate executives, academic lead- ers, uniformed and public sector pro- fessionals and private sector experts, SAME bridges the gaps between criti- cal stakeholders to help secure our nation,” the group’s website says. For more, visit www.same.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, DoW civilians and their families.A s autumn brings colder tem- peratures and the trees shed their leaves, November stands as a significant time to honor the military community, celebrated nationally as Veterans and Military Family Month. In recognition of this important period, the Association of the U.S. Army organized an activity-filled week in Colorado, where a team of the association’s national leaders engaged throughout the Colorado Springs community from Nov. 11–14. Events included a Veterans Day ceremony, a Sol- dier Life Skills event and an Army traditions edu- cation program held at Fort Carson. Additionally, the team attended a fundraising dinner in support of lo- cal veterans. Leading these efforts was retired Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel Dailey, AUSA’s vice president of NCO and Soldier Programs, who collaborated with leaders from the association’s Seventh Region and its Pikes Peak chapter to build connections with sol- diers, military families and the local community. Dailey was joined by his wife, Holly Dailey, who is AUSA’s Family Readi- ness director, Family Fellow Ginger Perkins and me, AUSA’s newly ap- pointed senior director of NCO and Soldier Programs. Throughout the week, our team was met by enthusi- astic audiences, and it was a heart- warming experience to see so many patriotic and supportive members of the community. On Nov. 11, we commemorated Vet- erans Day with the entire student body of Chinook Trail Middle School, where Daniel Dailey inspired attend- ees to pursue lives of meaningful ser- vice to the nation. The following day, he led a profes- sional development session for senior NCOs at Fort Carson. The day con- cluded with a Pikes Peak chapter www.ausa.orgDecember 11, 2025 | AUSA Extra 7 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY Soldiers, veterans, families benefit from AUSA initiatives Retired Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel Dai- ley, left, AUSA’s vice president of NCO and Soldier Programs, shows a soldier how to change the oil in his vehicle during a Life Skills training event in November at Fort Carson, Colorado. (AUSA PHOTO) NCO & Soldier Programs social event recognizing the Fort Carson Army Ten-Miler team, which won first place this year. The focus turned to practical skills Nov. 13, with Daniel Dailey and ex- perts from the Fort Carson Auto Skills Center offering Life Skills training to soldiers, teaching them how to change the oil in their vehicles and introducing important benefits. Our final day in Colorado saw the launch of Operation Reindeer Ruck, delivering toys to the installation’s Warrior Warehouse, and the Mount Carmel Veterans Service Center’s Hoedown for Heroes fundraiser. During the visit, the NCO and Sol- dier Programs directorate received a generous $5,000 donation, which will be awarded to five outstanding AUSA chapters to strengthen sup- port for soldiers and their families. Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Troy Welch, AUSA’s Membership director, and his team will oversee the distri- bution of these funds to ensure they reach those in need. We extend our sincere gratitude to Scott Leeling, president of AUSA’s Seventh Region, and Pikes Peak chapter president Chet Miller for their exceptional leadership and un- wavering commitment. Their efforts were instrumental in the week’s suc- cess, and AUSA is proud of their dai- ly dedication to supporting the Army community. Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Rob Abernethy is AUSA’s senior director of NCO and Soldier Programs. Retired Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel Dailey speaks to students at Chinook Trail Middle School in Colorado Springs on Veterans Day. (CHINOOK TRAIL MIDDLE SCHOOL PHOTO)www.ausa.org 8 AUSA Extra | December 11, 2025 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY AUSA members honor WWII veteran on 105th birthday Retired Col. Chandra Toy, left, president of AUSA’s Arizona Territorial chapter, greets retired Maj. Fannie Griffin-McClendon, a veteran of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, on McClendon’s 105th birthday. (AUSA PHOTO) M embers of the Association of the U.S. Army’s Arizona Territorial chapter recently marked the 105th birthday of retired Maj. Fannie Griffin-McClendon, the last surviving member of the trail- blazing 6888th Central Postal Direc- tory Battalion that deployed to Eu- rope during World War II. Retired Col. Chandra Toy, the chapter president, was joined in celebrating the birthday at Griffin- McClendon’s home by local veteran organization leaders including the American Legion, Arizona State University Military Affairs and the Military Families directorate of the Arizona Depart- ment of Economic Security. Toy pre- sented Griffin-Mc- Clendon with an AUSA pin and the 250th Army Birthday Phoenix area program, which featured Griffin-Mc- Clendon as the distinguished guest. Griffin-McClendon missed the Army birthday event due to illness. Nicknamed the Six Triple Eight, Arizona Territorial Chapters provide toys for military kids the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion was the first and largest all-female, all-African American unit to deploy overseas during World War II. With about 7 million service mem- bers and other personnel stationed across the European theater during World War II, the battalion processed 17 million pieces of mail in Birming- ham, England, to correct a mail backlog and went on to continue their mission in Rouen, France, according to a Pentagon news release. Earlier this year, the unit was hon- ored with the Congressional Gold Medal. AUSA supported the “Six Tri- ple Eight” Congressional Gold Medal Act, which was signed into law in March 2022, and previous versions of the legislation. In 2019, AUSA and The ROCKS, Inc., partnered to send a letter to Congress supporting the award. “The Six Triple Eight operated under the challenges of ‘dual seg- regation’ by race and gender,” the letter states. “Through conducting 24/7 operations in England, they cleared more than 17 million pieces of mail and package backlog in three months; well under the Army’s six- month time estimate.” The Congressional Gold Medal is the “highest expression of national appreciation,” and it is given “for distinguished achievements and con- tributions by individuals or institu- tions,” according to a Senate website. AUSA Family Readiness deputy director Thea Green organizes toys that were donated to military children at Fort Belvoir and Joint Base Myer–Henderson Hall in Virginia by the association’s George Washington and Potomac–Liberty chapters. (AUSA PHOTO) George Washington Potomac-LibertyMEMBER SUPPORT: 855-246-6269| membersupport@ausa.org www.ausa.org/savings ACCESS YOUR SAVINGS AT ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY MEMBERSHIP SAVINGS PURCHASES SUPPORT AUSA PROGRAMS, SERVICES, AND MORE R CREDIT COUNSELING CORP Trusted debt relief solutions CAMBRIDGE AND MANY MORE... LawAssure ™Next >