PUBLISHED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY www.ausa.org February 13, 2025 | AUSA Extra 1 Army adds 10 new basic training units B uoyed by a resurgence in en- listments after two tough re- cruiting years, the Army is expanding the number of units that can train new recruits. Ten additional training units will be established by April and split be- tween basic training sites at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and Fort Sill, Oklahoma, according to Hunter Rhoades, a spokesman for the Army’s Center for Initial Military Training. There are 153 units across the ini- tial entry training enterprise, com- pany- and battery-sized elements that conduct basic training or One Station Unit Training at Fort Jack- son, South Carolina, Fort Moore, Georgia, Fort Sill and Fort Leonard Wood. Expansion of basic training capac- ity is aimed at moving more people A drill sergeant shapes the beret of a soldier in basic training upon the completion of a Rite of Passage ceremony at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. (U.S. ARMY/SGT. DAVID RESNICK) Cadets Learn Leadership Lessons at AUSA 3 Fort Liberty Renamed Fort Bragg for WWII Hero 4 NCO & Soldier Programs DoD SkillBridge Opportunities 7 Chapter Highlights George Washington 8 IN THIS ISSUE VOLUME 6 NUMBER 40 FEBRUARY 13, 2025 See Basic training, Page 5 into training sooner, including some of the 11,000 recruits who were placed in the delayed entry program at the end of fiscal year 2024. The extra units will create basic train- ing slots for as many as 9,600 new recruits annually, Rhoades said. To meet the training requirements, Army Training and Doctrine Com- mand is working with Army Human Resources Command to fill the new companies with active-duty drill ser- geants, NCOs who are currently at- tending the Drill Sergeant Academy, Rhoades said. Following two years of failing to meet its recruiting goals, the Army announced in October that it had ex- ceeded its fiscal 2024 goal of 55,000, bringing in 55,300 new recruits, plus the 11,000 who went into the delayed entry program. Army Recruiting Command is on track to meet its fiscal 2025 recruit- ing goal of 61,000 new soldiers and an additional 10,000 in the delayed entry pool, according to command spokeswoman Madison Bonzo. She noted that as of Feb. 5, Recruiting Command had contracted 59% of its fiscal 2025 goal. “Our success couldn’t be possible without the hard work of our recruit- ers, continued transformation of the recruiting enterprise and moderniza- tion initiatives to attract qualified talent into America’s most lethal fighting force,” Bonzo said. Recruiting was hampered during the COVID-19 pandemic as brick- and-mortar recruiting stations were shut down and in-person canvassing in schools and public events was pro-www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY February 13, 2025 | AUSA Extra 3 AUSA hosts leadership conference for ROTC cadets ROTC cadets from 10 universities hear from Army senior leaders during the annual Se- nior Leader Development Conference, co-hosted by the AUSA Center for Leadership and Army Cadet Command’s 4th Brigade. (AUSA PHOTO) F uture Army officers from Vir- ginia, Maryland and Wash- ington, D.C., gathered Feb. 7 at the Association of the U.S. Army headquarters in Arlington, Virginia, to learn about the principles of lead- ership from currently serving and retired leaders. The Senior Leader Development Conference, co-hosted by the AUSA Center for Leadership and Army Ca- det Command’s 4th Brigade, allowed 90 ROTC cadets from 10 universities to interact with senior leaders from the Pentagon, Fort Meade and Aber- deen Proving Ground in Maryland, and the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Johnson, Louisiana. “The AUSA Center for Leadership was proud to help the 4th ROTC Bri- gade plan and execute their Senior Leader Development Conference, furthering the association’s mission to develop leaders of character,” said retired Col. Scott Halstead, director of the AUSA Center for Leadership. “We are especially thankful that these senior leaders selflessly took time away from their schedules to educate and inspire the next genera- tion of Army officers.” Highlights from the conference in- cluded two panels featuring senior leaders and a panel of junior officers, as well as speed mentoring sessions that paired a senior leader with a group of 10 to 15 cadets for questions and candid feedback, Halstead said. Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Jeff Wright, an AUSA leadership fellow who moderated the day’s first panel discussion, emphasized the impor- tance of mutual trust in the relation- ship between an officer and an NCO. “That mutual trust leads to em- powerment” for both the officer and NCO, Wright said. “That empower- ment provides your senior NCO with access to information you might not otherwise have gained. Make sure you use that relationship wisely.” Newly minted officers have all the tools they need to succeed, said Brig. Gen. W Bochat, commander of the 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiologi- cal, Nuclear, Explosives Command. “You have everything you need to be a successful leader,” Bochat said. “The Army does it right. They pair a brand-new lieutenant who is com- ing in with the latest foundational knowledge with an NCO who has much more institutional experience. As an officer, your responsibility is to have a vision and clear priorities.” She encouraged the cadets to use the mentorship of senior NCOs when they experience challenges. “I haven’t met a sergeant major that doesn’t want to spend time with lieutenants. You’re going to make mistakes, and I promise you that your platoon ser- geant is going to respect you if you’re authentic and well researched,” she said. “Keep asking those questions, find mentors and read everything you can get your hands on, because that’s what they expect out of a lieutenant.” Leaders from the Pentagon told the cadets that as the future of the Army, the service would rely on them to syn- thesize and integrate the battlefield of tomorrow. Young officers must un- derstand the environment and home in on threats, said Lt. Gen. Michele Bredenkamp, the director’s adviser for military affairs in the office of the director of national intelligence. It is critical to “speak truth to power,” Bredenkamp said. “You have to tell the commander exactly how it is, not align your words with what you think they want to hear, to make sure our force is protected.” The conference was “a world-class leadership development event,” said Col. Michael Farmer, 4th Brigade commander. “Our cadets, as future warfighters, had the opportunity to engage with senior officers and com- mand sergeants major, as well as company grade officers, on leadership and decision-making in the contem- porary environment.” Col. Michael Farmer, left, Army Cadet Command’s 4th Brigade commander, speaks with a cadet during a leader de- velopment conference at AUSA head- quarters in Arlington, Virginia. (AUSA PHOTO)www.ausa.org 4 AUSA Extra | February 13, 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. 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 Fort Liberty renamed Fort Bragg for WWII Silver Star recipient AUSA members receive added dis- counts with PODS through Feb. 17. For local and long- distance moves, members save 20% on initial delivery, first month’s storage, re-delivery and final pickup—plus 10% off long dis- tance transportation. For more, visit https://www.pods.com/partners/ausa . On Monday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth directed that Fort Liberty, North Carolina, be renamed Fort Bragg in honor of Pfc. Roland Bragg, a Silver Star recipient who served during World War II. (U.S. ARMY PHOTO) N orth Carolina's Fort Liberty is being renamed Fort Bragg in honor of Pfc. Roland Bragg, a Silver Star recipient who served during World War II. Defense Secretary Pete Hegs- eth directed the change in a memo on Monday to honor Bragg and “in recognition of the installation’s sto- ried history of service to the United States of America.” In 2023, the post was renamed Fort Liberty following the recom- mendations of an eight-member com- mission that was tasked by Congress to remove Confederate names, sym- bols, displays and monuments from DoD properties. When Fort Bragg was established in 1918, it was named for Confed- erate Army officer Braxton Bragg. The return of the name Bragg to the North Carolina post now honors the decorated World War II soldier, a na- tive of Sabattus, Maine. Pfc. Bragg enlisted in the Army and was assigned to the 17th Air- borne Division’s 513th Parachute In- fantry Regiment, part of the XVIII Airborne Corps at the post that bears his name. He was awarded the Silver Star and Purple Heart for heroics during the Battle of the Bulge, according to Hegseth’s memo. Bragg is credited with saving another soldier’s life by “commandeering an enemy ambu- lance and driving it 20 miles” to an Allied hospital in Belgium, the memo says. Bragg died in January 1999. He was 75. “Fort Bragg has a long and proud history of equipping, training and preparing our soldiers to fight and prevail in any operational environ- ment,” Hegseth’s memo says. This di- rective “honors the personal courage and selfless service of all those who have trained to fight and win our na- tion’s wars, including Pfc. Bragg and is in keeping with the installation’s esteemed and storied history.” The memo directs the secretary of the Army to “take all steps necessary and appropriate actions to implement this decision in accordance with ap- plicable laws and regulations.” In addition to the 2023 redesigna- tion of Fort Bragg to Fort Liberty, eight other Army installations were renamed. Three are in Virginia—Fort Bar- foot, formerly Fort Pickett; Fort Gregg-Adams, which was Fort Lee; and Fort Walker, formerly Fort A.P. Hill. The others are Fort Novosel, formerly Fort Rucker, in Alabama; Fort Cavazos, formerly Fort Hood, in Texas; Fort Moore, formerly Fort Benning, in Georgia; Fort Eisenhow- er, formerly Fort Gordon, in Georgia; and Fort Johnson, formerly Fort Polk, in Louisiana.www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY February 13, 2025 | AUSA Extra 5 Basic training From Page 1 KRH PROVIDES INTEGRATED HR SOLUTIONS AND LIFE SUPPORT SERVICES TO VARIOUS CLIENTS. KRH IS RECOGNIZED AS A WELL-FOUNDED, SUSTAINABLE, AND LEGAL PARTNER TO BUSINESSES WITHIN THE REGION. AS INDUSTRIES EVOLVED, KRH IS AGILE IN GAINING A DEEP UNDERSTANING OF ITS CLIENTS’ CHANGING NEEDS AND REFORMING ITS STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS NEW CHALLENGES. 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The Army responded to the re- cruiting crisis with a Total Army effort that included updating its training programs; adding two new recruiter MOSs, including a new warrant offi cer recruiting specialty; expanding the Future Soldier Prepa- ratory Course, which helps potential recruits meet the service’s academic or physical requirements; developing the Go Recruit mobile application; and restructuring Recruiting Com- mand by incorporating the Army En- terprise Marketing Offi ce and tran- sitioning the two-star command into a three-star command. Most recently, the Army estab- lished two regional recruiting com- mands to oversee the fi ve recruiting brigades responsible for enlisting new recruits. Slated to be fully op- erational this summer, the new com- mand headquarters—the fi rst of their kind—will be in Atlanta and Los Angeles. Each will have about 30 personnel commanded by a depu- ty commanding general of Recruiting Command. Army recruits with the 198th Infantry Brigade experience the fi rst day of One Station Unit Training on Sand Hill at Fort Moore, Georgia. (U.S. ARMY/PATRICK ALBRIGHT)www.ausa.org 6 AUSA Extra | February 13, 2025 ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY Navy Federal is federally insured by NCUA. *Terms and conditions apply. Loans subject to approval and eligibility requirements. Learn more at navyfederal.org/RateDrop. © 2025 Navy Federal NFCU 14434 (1-25) Get Everything You Need to Buy a Home Save time, money and hassle with ourHome Buying Center. Visit: navyfederal.org/homebuying •Apply for a Verified Preapproval •Connect with an experienced real estate agent •Protect your rate with our rate-lock options •Get rate-drop assurance with our no-refi rate drop* H eadquartered at Fort Gregg- Adams, Virginia, the mission of the U.S. Army Ordnance Corps Association is to promote the development, production, acquisition and support of weapons systems, ammunition and missiles through research, quality education and out- reach. It also aims to foster and pre- serve the heritage and history of the Ordnance Corps. The association aids the chief of ordnance “in strengthening the im- age of the branch” in the eyes of the public and supports the Ordnance Corps Heritage Center at Fort Gregg- Adams, according to the group’s website. It works with other orga- nizations to promote the Army and encourages defense industry involve- ment. A variety of awards are admin- istered by the association, includ- ing the Ordnance Order of Samuel Sharpe Award, recognizing person- nel with outstanding contributions to the Ordnance Corps. In 1629, “Sharpe was appointed by the Coun- cil of the Plantation in the Massachu- setts Bay Colonies to be ‘Master Gun- ner of Ordnance,’ a title brought over with the colonists from England,” the organization’s website says. The group also presents the Keep- er of the Flame Award to military spouses, and the LTG Levin Hicks Campbell Distinguished Award of Merit to individuals who distinguish themselves through meritorious achievements or acts. Campbell was the Army’s 16th chief of ordnance and is known for improving manu- facturing techniques as the nation ramped up fi repower production dur- ing World War II by decentralizing his department's administrative structure to overcome many unprec- edented diffi culties. For more information about the as- sociation, click here. 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: USAOCAwww.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY February 13, 2025 | AUSA Extra 7 SkillBridge program assists with military-civilian transition T he Department of Defense SkillBridge program began in 2011 as a pilot program to help service members transition to civil- ian life. By connecting transitioning service members with industry part- ners, SkillBridge provides an oppor- tunity for service members to gain valuable civilian work experience through specific industry training, apprenticeships or internships dur- ing their last 180 days of service. For service members, SkillBridge provides an invaluable chance to work and learn in the civilian workplace. For industry partners, SkillBridge is an opportunity to access and leverage the world's most highly trained and motivated work- force at no cost. Service members participating in SkillBridge programs continue to receive their military compensation and benefits, while industry partners provide civilian training and work experience. With over 100,000 ser- vice members to date participating in this program and almost 5,000 op- portunities currently available, there is plenty of space for those preparing to leave the military. One of those opportunities re- sides in the Association of the U.S. Army’s NCO and Soldier Programs NCO & Soldier Programs directorate. Our teammate Michelle Cabotaje started as an intern and is now employed as our program man- ager, handling many items includ- ing scholarships and sponsorships. I also participated in the SkillBridge program while transitioning after 29 years in the Army and was hired as AUSA’s director for NCO and Soldier Programs. Sgt. 1st Class Colten Baitch joined our team for the AUSA Annual Meet- ing and Exposition in October as he was transitioning after over 20 years of service, most recently at the Ar- my’s strategic operations directorate in the Pentagon. “When I initially began search- ing for a SkillBridge opportunity, I believed my skills would only align with the defense industry, private security contracting and the combat- related expertise I developed over 20 years of service,” Baitch said. “How- ever, my internship with AUSA’s NCO and Soldier Programs team has given me the chance to realize that my potential extends far beyond those areas. I have learned that I can contribute to a wide range of func- tions that can support and enhance private institutions.” Baitch took the lead on growing subscribers for our Soldier Today on- line publication and our Instagram account by over 600%. “The NCO and Soldier Programs directorate was in- strumental in helping me recognize my ability to succeed in areas such as marketing, media outreach, plan- ning, concept development and inte- gration, business development and corporate relations,” he said. As Baitch ended his time with us, he said, “These skills have proven to be vital in my transition from soldier to civilian, especially in a field that initially intimidated me. Thanks to your guidance, I feel confident and proud knowing that I am an asset to any organization I join in the civilian world.” Soldiers preparing to leave active duty can speak to their installation and unit commanders about bridging the gap between their military service and the beginning of their civilian ca- reers with the SkillBridge program. Visit https://skillbridge.osd.mil/ for more information about available opportunities and how to participate. Retired Command Sgt. Maj. Julie Guerra is AUSA’s director of NCO and Soldier Programs. Retired Sgt. Maj. of the Army Daniel Dai- ley, left, AUSA's vice president for NCO and Soldier Programs, greets Sgt. 1st Class Colten Baitch, a DoD SkillBridge program participant, at the association's headquar- ters in Arlington, Virginia. (AUSA PHOTO) Staff Sgt. Krisynthia Sullivan, center, a SkillBridge intern from the 11th Engineer Battal- ion, pets Bella, an American Red Cross Animal Visitation Program dog, during a well- ness initiative at Pyeongtaek, South Korea. (U.S. ARMY/STAFF SGT. BRENDEN DELGADO)www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY 8 AUSA Extra | February 13, 2025 Mingus: Holistic Health and Fitness program keeps growing T he Army’s program to enhance soldiers’ readiness through regular mental and physical fitness continues to expand across the force, Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Mingus said. In remarks Feb. 4 at the monthly meeting of the Association of the U.S. Army’s George Washington chap- ter in Arlington, Virginia, Mingus said the program, known as Holistic Health and Fitness, or H2F, started with 28 brigades and has now ex- panded to 71 brigades in the active Army. By fiscal year 2027, the program, which puts teams of nutritionists, physical thera- pists, strength and conditioning coaches and other experts with units, will expand to 111 brigades and to the entire Army beyond that, including the Army Re- serve and Army National Guard. “We cannot afford not to do this, because what it is giving back to the Army in terms of soldier lethality, readiness and everything else, it is paying for itself,” said Mingus, who has been the Army vice chief of staff since Jan. 4, 2024. The H2F system is designed to empower soldiers to maintain their health, fitness and well-being for peak performance by optimizing physical and non-physical perfor- mance while minimizing injury. The system, which promotes men- tal, sleep, nutritional, physical and spiritual readiness, is supported at the brigade level with specialists and equipment. While the Army Combat Fitness Test measures a soldier’s fitness at a particular time, Mingus noted, the H2F program goes to the root of bolstering soldiers’ readiness by pro- moting regular health and fitness habits with the help of nutritionists, physical therapists, strength and conditioning coaches and more. “Never have we had a program that George Washington Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James Mingus, center, speaks with soldiers of the 25th Infan- try Division during a visit to Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. (U.S. ARMY/STAFF SGT. BRENDEN DELGADO) got after the holistic components of mind, body, soul, sleep and nutri- tion,” Mingus said. “It takes all those things together in a meaningful way to allow that soldier to be better, faster, stronger. … It's about being able to do your job better, about being better than your adversary.” Regardless of MOS, he said, all sol- diers have the same mission profile and can expect to endure “long peri- ods of aerobic activity” in a combat setting, followed by anaerobic activ- ity as the mission shifts to moving on an objective. “In that period of time, whether that firefight lasts five minutes, 10 minutes, 20 minutes, three hours or all day, during that time you’re go- ing to have to be able to slow down, get your heart rate back down, take deep breaths, make decisions, take shots, do things that require agility and then, when it’s all said and done, you’ve got to get home,” Mingus said. Unlike professional athletes, Min- gus said, soldiers don’t have an off- season to recover and train. Soldiers must be “ready every day because we don’t know when the call is going to come,” he said. “We owe it to our soldiers to give them the best trainers, facilities and everything else so that when we ac- tually ask them to go somewhere, they can fight and win,” Mingus said. Army leaders will provide updates on the H2F program and other health and fitness initiatives on March 5 during a “Holistic Health and the Re- silient Soldier” Hot Topic hosted by AUSA. Learn more and register to attend here. A soldier assigned to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center takes a combat fitness as- sessment at Miesau Army Depot, Germany, as part of the Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness Instructor Course. 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