compared to traditional systems. “Instead of a Hellfire missile costing $100,000 to $150,000 per round, this solution costs about $800,” she said. “That disparity is significant, and it reflects lessons from the Ukrainian fight, where cheaper solutions are proving decisive.” Amacker added that the Army is exploring ways to print training rounds in house, further expanding opportunities for instruction while reducing reliance on traditional pro- curement systems. Training with the Stalker was scheduled to begin in December, so instructors could incorporate the sys- tem into courses and prepare soldiers to employ it in tactical missions at the battalion and brigade levels. PUBLISHED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY www.ausa.org December 18, 2025 | AUSA Extra 1 Training begins on new Stalker drone Soldiers Urged to Build Holistic Health 3 Troops Recognized for Border Mission 4 Family Readiness Serving Families Overseas 6 Chapter Highlights Eagle Chapters 7 IN THIS ISSUE VOLUME 7 NUMBER 32 DECEMBER 18, 2025 Sgt. Joshua Capers, left, and Staff Sgt. Alwyne Smith, of the 1st Aviation Brigade, reposition a VXE30 Stalker uncrewed aircraft system during training Nov. 18 at Fort Rucker, Alabama, in preparation for equipment fielding in December. (U.S. ARMY/SGT. BRANDON LUNSFORD) A new uncrewed aircraft sys- tem, the VXE30 Stalker, has been fielded for training and is slated to be used for advanced train- ing courses, according to an Army news release. While the uncrewed aircraft system is in use by some of the Army’s opera- tional units, it’s now also being em- ployed to train soldiers in advanced individual training courses at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, and in the Un- manned Advanced Lethality Course at the Army Aviation Center of Excel- lence at Fort Rucker, Alabama. The system incorporates observa- tions from the modern battlefield, such as Ukraine, including reduced noise and visual signature, vertical takeoff capability and cost-saving munitions technology—underscoring the Army's push to integrate cutting- edge systems into training at Fort Rucker and Fort Huachuca. Maj. Wolf Amacker, UAS and Tac- tics Branch chief of the Aviation Cen- ter of Excellence's Training and Doc- trine Directorate, said in the release that the use of the uncrewed aircraft system represented a milestone in training the Army's layered recon- naissance strategy. “This is the first time in years that we will be utilizing [this] size UAS in support of an Army course at Fort Rucker,” Amacker said in the release. Maj. Rachel Martin, director of the Air Cavalry Leaders Course and Un- manned Advanced Lethality Course, noted the dramatic cost difference AUSA Extra will be on break until Jan. 8. Happy holidays!SECURE 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 December 18, 2025 | AUSA Extra 3 Green: Creating a strong foundation helps soldiers thrive Maj. Gen. William Green, the Army’s chief of chaplains, addresses a Hot Topic on Holis- tic Health and Fitness hosted by AUSA. (AUSA PHOTO) T o excel at the profession of arms, soldiers must build a strong foundation that will carry them through the rigors of combat and be- yond, the Army’s top chaplain said. Addressing the benefits of the Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness program, which aims to help soldiers sustain performance levels by pro- moting physical, mental, nutritional, sleep and spiritual readiness, Maj. Gen. William Green, the Army’s chief of chaplains, asserted that “strength always begins at the core. What lies beneath holds everything together.” In remarks Dec. 4 at a Hot Topic on Holistic Health and Fitness hosted by the Association of the U.S. Army, Green shared the story of a motivat- ed soldier who, despite adhering to a disciplined regimen of training hard, eating clean, sleeping well and stay- ing hydrated, fell out during a ruck march when his leg gave out. The soldier had a stress fracture, Green said, noting that such an in- jury is unseen, barely felt and easily ignored until weight and miles take their toll. “His training wasn’t the problem, his preparation wasn’t lacking, his motivation absolutely was not miss- ing. No. His foundation basically failed,” Green said, adding that un- seen injuries, “whether in the men- tal, physical, nutritional, sleep or Abby Gonzales celebrated her one-year anniversary with AUSA in November. A native of Pittsburgh, Abby enjoys staying active—espe- cially through team sports—and is an avid television show enthusiast. She is currently planning a beach destination wedding in 2027 with her fiancé, Ethan. Meet the AUSA headquarters staff Abby Gonzales Membership Specialist (National Partner Program) spiritual domain, can undermine even the most prepared soldier.” With the Holistic Health and Fit- ness program, known as H2F, sol- diers are building that strong founda- tion through the Army’s investment in accessible resources that include teams of subject-matter experts in the five target domains. As H2F expands, metrics show that injuries and behavioral health and substance abuse profiles are down while retention rates, expert rifle qualifications and pass rates on the Army Fitness Test are up, according to Lt. Gen. David Francis, command- ing general of the Center for Initial Military Training, who also spoke at the Hot Topic. Just as a lack of sleep can cloud judgment and lead to poor deci- sions, or poor nutrition can undercut strength, Green said, “each domain touches the other in very real ways.” In the spiritual domain, lack of clarity or an erosion of moral foot- ing can “weaken identity and under- mine purpose and meaning,” he said, adding that spirituality is a kind of strength that lives below the surface, one that may not be visible but “it’s a strength that allows all the other strengths to endure.” “We know our people are not ma- chines, they are human beings— thinking, feeling, spiritual, physical and social beings,” Green said. “They hurt, they adapt, they grow and they carry the weight, seen and unseen, and that’s why we honor them, that’s why we invest in them, because when the foundation is strong, everything built upon it endures.”www.ausa.org 4 AUSA Extra | December 18, 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 Soldiers, Marines recognized with new Mexican Border Defense Medal A group of soldiers and Marines received the new Mexican Border Defense Medal in rec- ognition of their service on the U.S.- Mexico border, according to an Army news release. In a Tuesday ceremony at the White House, President Donald Trump awarded the medal to 10 soldiers and three Marines who deployed to the border as part of Joint Task Force Southern Border to provide support to the Department of Homeland Se- curity and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the release said. "On Day 1 of my administration, I signed an executive order making it [the] core mission of the United States military to protect and de- fend the homeland,” Trump said in remarks before the ceremony, ac- cording to the release. “Today we’re here to honor our military men and women for their central role in the protection of our border.” The Mexican Border Defense Med- al was established on Aug. 13, back- dated to Jan. 20. There are some 25,000 service members who qualify for the medal, according to War Sec- retary Pete Hegseth, who explained Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, right, greets awardees of the Mexican Border De- fense Medal at the Pentagon. (DoW/NAVY PETTY OFFICER 1ST CLASS ALEXANDER KUBITZA) As you’re plan- ning your holiday travel, save money using your AUSA member discounts. It’s as easy as starting at www.ausa.org/savings#travel and booking from the links. You’ll find exclusive discounts on car rentals, hotels, resorts and more. in the release that the newly issued medal is an exact replica of the orig- inal Mexican Border Service Medal created in 1918 for troops who fought against Francisco “Pancho” Villa’s paramilitary forces in the Mexican Revolution. Before the new medal was estab- lished, troops who served on the U.S.- Mexico border were recognized with the Armed Forces Service Medal, the release stated. “This is not a secondary mission,” Hegseth told the awardees, accord- ing to the release. “This is the front [line] of the defense of this country. We’re taking it seriously, [and] it starts with human beings.” Sgt. Jhonier Marin, a U.S. Army Reserve soldier assigned to the 808th Engineer Company, spent months pa- trolling the border near El Centro, California, and Eagle Pass, Texas. "It’s an absolute honor, you know, because I have a lot [of friends] out there [on the border] that do a lot of good on this mission, and to see that what we do is actually making an impact and seeing the result is ab- solutely astonishing; it's awesome," Marin said in the news release.www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY December 18, 2025 | AUSA Extra 5 AUSA's 2026 Global Force Symposium registration opens R egistration is now open for the Association of the U.S. Army’s Global Force Symposium and Exposition in Huntsville, Alabama. The three-day event will take place March 24–26 at the Von Braun Cen- ter in Huntsville, home to Redstone Arsenal and U.S. Army Materiel Command. This year’s theme is “Delivering Victory: Leveraging the Army’s In- dustrial Might,” and the symposium will focus on the Army’s continuous transformation as the force pushes to adapt and prepare for a complex future battlefield. Attendees also can register for housing, which also is now open. Faced with growing threats and quickly evolving technology, the Army is pushing harder and faster to transform the force for the future. This includes expanding the service’s transforming in contact initiative, which puts new and emerging tech- nology into soldiers’ hands for testing and feedback. Leaders from Army Materiel Com- mand, the new U.S. Army Transfor- mation and Training Command and the office of the assistant Army secre- tary for acquisition, logistics and tech- nology are scheduled to participate, along with leaders from other Army commands. Additionally, throughout the three-day event, the Army will run the Warriors Corner, featuring presentations by Army leaders, from its booth in the Von Braun Center. There also will be more than 200 exhibits, showcasing the latest in- novations from the defense industry and the Army. A full agenda will be available soon. To register or for more information on Global Force, click here. Retired Gen. Bob Brown, AUSA president and CEO, addresses the association's 2025 Global Force Symposium and Exhi- bition. (AUSA PHOTO)www.ausa.org 6 AUSA Extra | December 18, 2025 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY AUSA events highlight military families’ service, sacrifice L ast month, the Association of the U.S. Army’s Family Readi- ness directorate was thrilled to take part in many events during Thanksgiving week in Germany with members of the association’s Gen. Creighton W. Abrams chapter and European Region. We were very grateful to spend Thanksgiving with soldiers and families at the Clay Kaserne din- ing facility in Wiesbaden, Germany, and embark on a Battle of the Bulge staff ride to Luxembourg. We also participated in a recognition of the deceased children of American ser- vice members and the annual AUSA Wiesbaden Father Daughter Gala hosted by the Abrams chapter. On Nov. 26, Abrams chapter mem- bers and leaders from U.S. Army Garrison Wiesbaden gathered to hon- or children laid to rest at the Ameri- can Kinderfeld in nearby Frankfurt, Germany, and participate in clean-up and holiday decoration activities. Also known as the American Military Children’s Cemetery, the gravesite, like most in Germany, Family Readiness must be maintained, a task often taken on by family members or volun- teer groups. To preserve this sacred resting place, the Abrams chapter has officially adopted the Kinderfeld and assumed these responsibilities. “It is a group effort with private organizations that come together, definitely every month, and some- times in between, to take care of the Kinderfield by providing clean-up and decorating for various holidays. The chapter takes pictures and posts them on our Facebook page so the families know that their little loved ones’ resting place is being cared for,” said Gemma McGowan, the Abrams chapter president. The day after Thanksgiving, the chapter hosted its annual Father Daughter Gala at Henkell Freixenet, a winery in Wiesbaden. It was a mag- ical evening, with about 75 fathers who danced the night away with their daughters. Chapter volunteers greeted guests, took memorable pic- tures, provided festive food and bev- erages, and thanked everyone with farewell gifts. “Caring for the Kinderfeld and the Father Daughter Gala are great ex- amples of unique and special AUSA family programs available to our families stationed in Europe. I’m so proud of our team and our Army fam- ilies,” said Dave Fulton, president of AUSA’s European Region. Congratulations and thank you to these outstanding AUSA volunteer leaders who do so much for soldiers and their families. Holly Dailey is AUSA's Family Readiness director. AUSA members participate in clean-up activities at the American Kinderfeld, also known as the American Military Children’s Cemetery, in Frankfurt, Germany. (AUSA PHOTO) Fathers and daughters attend an annual gala hosted by AUSA's Gen. Creighton W. Abrams chapter in Wiesbaden, Germany. (AUSA PHOTO)www.ausa.orgDecember 18, 2025 | AUSA Extra 7 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY Eagle Chapters The following chapters attained Eagle status for November by showing positive membership growth. The number of consecutive months of growth since July 1 is shown in parentheses. Las Vegas-John C. Fremont (5) National Training Center-High Desert (5) Sunshine (5) Benelux (4) Big Bend (4) Columbia River (4) Denver Centennial (4) Dix (4) GEN Creighton W. Abrams (4) George Washington (4) Greater Los Angeles (4) Greater New York-Statue of Liberty (4) Guam (4) Isthmian (4) MSG Leroy Arthur Petry (4) Newton D. Baker (4) North Texas-Audie Murphy (4) San Francisco (4) St. Louis Gateway (4) Texas Capital Area (4) Thunderbird (4) Carlisle Barracks-Cumberland Valley (3) Central Ohio (3) Central Virginia (3) Connecticut (3) Corporal Bill McMillan-Bluegrass (3) Delaware (3) Francis Scott Key (3) Greater Atlanta (3) Greater Philadelphia (Penn & Franklin) (3) Houston Metroplex (3) Joshua Chamberlain (3) MG William F. Dean (3) Potomac-Liberty (3) SGM Jon R. Cavaiani (3) Silicon Valley (3) Suncoast (3) Virginia Colonial (3) West Point Area (3) First Militia (2) Fort Pitt (2) Gem State (2) GEN John W. Vessey, Jr. (2) Hellenic (2) Last Frontier (2) Massachusetts Bay Minutemen (2) Monmouth (2) Northern New Jersey (2) Redstone-Huntsville (2) Cowboy (1) Greater Kansas City (1) Rock Island Arsenal (1)Next >