PUBLISHED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY www.ausa.org May 22, 2025 | AUSA Extra 1 New manual highlights Army profession A new Army field manual homes in on what it means to be a soldier dedicated to the pro- fession of arms. Released by the U.S. Army Com- bined Arms Center, FM 1: The Army: A Primer to Our Profession of Arms, has 10 chapters that are purposely written in a non-doctrinal style and designed to be easily understood. Just 74 pages in length, the book is meant to be read cover to cover and is peppered with historical vignettes that support the concepts and ideas contained in the manual, according to an Army news release. With a foreword by Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, the new one-of-a-kind publication is focused on what it means to be a member of Soldiers assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division plan and coordinate troop movement May 17 dur- ing exercise Combined Resolve 25-2 in Hohenfels, Germany. (U.S. ARMY/SGT. 1ST CLASS RICHARD HOPPE) Reserve Chief Stresses Need for Readiness 3 Land Power Vital to Indo-Pacific Deterrence 4 Family Readiness Mentorship, Community Initiatives 6 Chapter Highlights First in Battle Col. Edward Cross 7 IN THIS ISSUE VOLUME 7 NUMBER 2 MAY 22, 2025 See FM 1, Page 5 the profession of arms, as well as the obligations soldiers have to each oth- er, to civilian leadership and to their fellow citizens. “This book is written for our Army,” George writes in the fore- word. “It explains our profession, our purpose, and what it means to be an American Soldier. You will notice this book is not written like other military doctrine; it touches on val- ues and concepts through stories and in non-prescriptive terms. It requires judgment in application.” While primarily designed as a “welcome letter” for new lieutenants and sergeants, leaders at all levels can use FM 1 to guide discussions, professional development and reflec- tion, according to Rich Creed, direc- tor of the Combined Arms Doctrine Directorate. “At higher levels of professional military education, you may have a block of time to discuss the material from different perspectives,” Creed said in the Army news release. “Rath- er than learning the material in the book, you might think through, ‘How am I taking the material in FM 1 and making it real in my unit?’ Or ‘How is FM 1 serving as the foundation for how I coach, counsel and mentor?’” Strengthening the profession of arms has been one of George’s top priorities since he became Army chief of staff in September 2023. As the manual took shape, George made the decision to publish a “shorter, stand-www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY May 22, 2025 | AUSA Extra 3 Harter: Army Reserve must be ready to fight when called T he Army Reserve must be “combat ready on Day 1,” the chief of Army Reserve and commanding general of Army Re- serve Command said. “Simply put, your Army Reserve exists for one purpose, to deliver com- bat ready soldiers and formations at time of need in support of the nation,” Lt. Gen. Robert Harter said Tuesday at a hearing before the House Appro- priations defense subcommittee. “We are not a strategic formation. We are an operational force by design and necessity. We are the enabling force for the joint fight.” Today, almost 9,000 Army Reserve soldiers are deployed across combat- ant commands throughout the world, Harter said. One challenge facing the Army Reserve is recruiting. “It’s a wicked hard problem to recruit for the Army Reserve,” Harter said. “Our challenge in the Army Re- serve is that the active Army recruits for us,” he said. “We provided roughly 1,400 Army Reserve [Active Guard Reserve soldiers] to support that ef- fort. While they’re making big strides with [Regular Army] recruiting, they’ve continued to miss our num- ber. They’re delivering about 70%, and what that equates to is we’re cur- rently short about 9,500 privates.” Soldiers assigned to the Army Reserve's 807th Medical Command (Deployment Support) work with Dutch personnel to assess simulated mass casualties May 13 during exercise African Lion 2025 in Dodji, Senegal. (U.S. ARMY/SGT. 1ST CLASS SOLOMON NAVARRO) Jared Lieberher has been with AUSA for 17 years. He manages AU- SA’s social media channels as well as numerous IT and communications platforms. Jared lives in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, with his wife and two loquacious children, Archie and Chase, and in his spare time he en- joys watching weird movies, listen- ing to yacht rock and spotting con- struction vehicles with his kids. Meet the AUSA headquarters staff Jared Lieberher Manager, Web and Data Analytics The Army Reserve “has fallen short of its mission by roughly 4,000 recruits per year for the past eight years,” Harter wrote in his written testimony. Recruiting and retention difficulties have created a 40,000-sol- dier gap in Army Reserve formations, Harter said. The Army Reserve is home to more than half of the Army’s maneuver support capabilities and more than 90% of certain key theater-level en- ablers such as sustainment, medi- cal and engineering, Harter said. “Based on the Army Reserve’s criti- cal mission set, if we’re short people, the Army is short people,” he said. Beyond its push to shore up re- cruiting numbers, the Army Reserve is “also looking at how we posture equipment forward,” Harter said. “We have already tested” putting certain equipment forward “in the European theater … and we’re now starting to posture for” the Indo-Pa- cific region “because we will not have time to get that equipment there in large-scale combat operations,” he said. The Army Reserve is focused on ex- panding its capabilities to effectively compete in the future fight, Harter said in his written testimony. “Should the Army be called to sup- port [large-scale combat operations] … Army Reserve soldiers and for- mations will be among the first to fight—and we must be fully ready to do so,” he wrote. “It is imperative that the Army review its current capabilities by component; I believe that a rebalance of structure and capabilities across the components is needed to reduce risk and better posture our Army for [large-scale combat operations].”www.ausa.org 4 AUSA Extra | May 22, 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 Brunson: Land forces invaluable to ‘lasting security’ in Indo-Pacific P roximity, speed and complex- ity are just some of the many challenges in the Indo-Pacific, but the presence of land forces in the region offers a tangible deterrent to any potential adversary, said Gen. Xavier Brunson, commanding gen- eral of U.S. Forces Korea. Speaking May 15 on the final day of the Association of the U.S. Army’s LANPAC Symposium and Exposition in Honolulu, Brunson emphasized the important role of land forces in a region often thought of as an air and maritime theater. “Our presence in Korea imposes and challenges the calculations of leaders of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Russia and China, and pro- vides options for our nation’s most se- nior leaders,” said Brunson, who also leads United Nations Command and Combined Forces Command. “In any conflict, time and distance are per- vasive adversaries. We can, however, leverage our geography and positional advantage to great effect.” By being present, U.S. forces and their allies and partners give “our adversaries pause,” Brunson said. “By being forward stationed, we ef- fectively operate inside the adver- sary’s anti-access, area denial bubble and inside their headspace,” he said. As the relationships between Rus- sia, China and North Korea continue to grow, the U.S. military has gotten smaller as it has increased its tech- nological capabilities, Brunson said. “We have smaller militaries with much more expensive and capable tools,” he said. “But ultimately, fight- ing comes down to the fundamentals of blocking and tackling.” On the Korean peninsula, land power remains a decisive part of the arsenal of capabilities, Brunson said. “You can control the skies, you can control the seas, but ultimately you must control the ground to win and to achieve any lasting security,” he said. AUSA members and qualifying fam- ily members receive exclusive discounts on monthly rates for senior living, in-home services and respite stays at Brookdale Senior Living. Brookdale also provides resources, support and advice to help navigate the journey. Learn more at www.brookdale.com/ausa. Land power is the connective tis- sue of the joint force, supporting offensive and defensive missile bat- teries, command and control nodes, sustainment, maintenance, logistics and more, Brunson said. “A strong land presence allows us to maintain consistent contact with partners, set the pace of events in the region, … and it does so in a way that no other environment can truly replicate. Vis- ible land presence speaks volumes far louder than any formal declaration.” Land power is a tangible expres- sion of commitment that builds deter- rence, Brunson said, but troops must work at it every day. “It’s the reason our dedicated service members train unceasingly, why our partners will- ingly exercise and train alongside us, and why positional advantage with a deep understanding of geography re- main fundamentally important,” he said. As threats continue to evolve, so must the U.S. military’s approach, Brunson said. “We must continually adapt, innovate and strengthen our land capabilities,” he said. “Deter- rence doesn’t rest, and neither can we.” Gen. Xavier Brunson commanding gener- al of U.S. Forces Korea, addresses AUSA's LANPAC Symposium and Exposition May 15 in Honolulu. (AUSA PHOTO)www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY May 22, 2025 | AUSA Extra 5 FM 1 From Page 1 alone publication” that would meet his intent, rather than including it within Army Doctrine Publication 1: The Army, which is written for more experienced and external audiences, according to the release. George also has driven The Hard- ing Project, an effort to revitalize scholarship and professional writing across the Army. As a part of the Harding Project, the Association of the U.S. Army has partnered with Army University Press to host the LTG (Ret) James M. Dubik Writing Fellows Program—a voluntary, non-resident writing fel- lowship to encourage discourse that contributes to a community of mili- tary and national security profes- sionals. AUSA’s Harding Papers se- ries exclusively publishes the work and scholarship of the Dubik Writing Fellows. Read FM 1 here. Released on May 13, FM 1: The Army: A Primer to Our Profession of Arms, is purposely written in a non-doctrinal style and designed to be easily understood. (U.S. ARMY PHOTO) Navy Federal is federally insured by NCUA. 1 Navy Federal Credit Union was included in 9 Best VA loan Lenders in March 2024 by money.com (www.money.com/best-va-loans). 2 100% financing subject to all VA rules, guidelines, and additional program requirements. All loans subject to approval. VA loans may include a funding fee, which may be financed up to the maximum allowed loan amount. 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From mentorship programs to record-breaking Operation Deploy Your Dress events, the team has been hard at work building relationships and fostering traditions. In early April, AUSA Family Readiness director Holly Dailey and I, alongside retired Lt. Gen. Leslie Smith, the association’s vice presi- dent for Leadership and Education, traveled to AUSA’s Chattahoochee Valley–Fort Benning chapter in Georgia for its In- dustry Day event. During the visit, we attended a re- ception hosted at the National In- fantry Museum, engaged with mili- tary families and strengthened ties within the community. We also led a session on military customs, cour- tesies and traditions at the newly established USO Coffee Connec- tion, ensuring that Army spouses and families have the tools to carry forward the time-honored traditions that define military life. Special thanks to Lynda Morgan, the chapter’s vice president for Fam- ily Programs, for helping make this opportunity possible. Later in the month, Dailey hosted the annual General Officer Spouse Mentorship Program, where a group of Army spouses collaborated on mentorship, sharing insights and strategies to further support all spouses. The Family Readiness team is grateful to Melissa Helmick, who leads this program with unwavering dedication. Her commitment to Army spouses is inspiring, and her efforts have strengthened the mentorship network. We marked a milestone on April 24 as AUSA Family Readiness and Operation Deploy Your Dress joined forces to host our eighth annual pop- up event. The association’s head- quarters in Arlington, Virginia, was transformed into a boutique stocked with thousands of dresses, and for the first time, men’s suits were in- cluded, expanding the event’s impact. Thanks to the dedication of our incredible volunteers, a record- breaking 951 dresses and 70 suits were given away, ensuring service members and spouses were outfitted with formal attire to attend military functions. Many military-friendly or- ganizations attended as well to share family resources. The momentum continued in May, as Family Readiness deputy direc- tor Thea Green attended the Boys & Girls Clubs of America National Con- ference in San Diego, representing AUSA and engaging with attendees to share the association’s mission. “As a parent of a son who has chosen the path of the Army, I was elated to see the level of support that is offered. Talking to you made my whole day,” one Army mom shared about speaking with Green. “I look forward to sharing the information on your organization with so many others. I was also so impressed with how AUSA sees the benefit and im- portance of supporting our youth through organizations like the Boys & Girls Club.” Then, last week, Dailey traveled to AUSA’s LANPAC Symposium and Exposition in Honolulu, again team- ing up with Operation Deploy Your Dress to host the first-ever pop-up event at Schofield Barracks and “de- ploy” dresses to the military commu- nity in Hawaii. As summer approaches, AUSA Family Readiness is keeping the en- ergy high, with many more initiatives on the horizon. The team is gearing up for the AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition in October, where even bigger plans are in motion to bring valuable resources, mentorship and tradition-focused programming to the military community. Recent months have already dem- onstrated the powerful impact of AUSA Family Readiness in action— and with even more events, collabora- tions and innovations on the way, the best is yet to come. Stay tuned and get ready for an unforgettable year. Cindy Risch is AUSA's Family Readiness program manager. Family Readiness Holly Dailey, right, AUSA's Family Readi- ness director, and Family Readiness pro- gram manager Cindy Risch, second from right, lead a session on military customs, courtesies and traditions in April at Fort Benning, Georgia. (AUSA PHOTO) AUSA Family Readiness deputy direc- tor Thea Green shares the association's mission with attendees during the Boys & Girls Clubs of America National Confer- ence in May in San Diego. (AUSA PHOTO)AUSA members and community supporters attend a luncheon honoring senior veterans hosted by the association's First in Battle chapter in Ansbach, Germany. (AUSA PHOTO) www.ausa.org ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY May 22, 2025 | AUSA Extra 7 AUSA luncheon honors senior veterans’ service, sacrifice F urthering the Association of the U.S. Army’s mission to honor those who have served, AUSA’s First in Battle chapter in Ansbach, Germany, recently hosted a Veterans Appreciation Luncheon to celebrate senior veterans. Organized by retired Sgt. Maj. Joseph Guevara, the chapter’s vice president for special events, along with partners from the local commu- nity, the event wel- comed 70 veterans for an afternoon filled with camaraderie, gratitude and meaningful conversations. “It is our honor to host this event as a token of gratitude for the un- wavering dedication and service of our veterans. Their sacrifices have shaped our communities, and we remain committed to ensuring they feel valued and supported,” Guevara said during the May 7 event. The gathering provided an op- portunity to acknowledge veterans’ service and sacrifice and reinforce the community’s commitment to supporting those who have devoted their lives to the country. Attendees enjoyed a warm meal, shared stories and strengthened bonds with one an- other. Local businesses, volunteers and community members generously con- tributed time and resources to make the event a success, according to the chapter. “This event serves as a power- ful reminder that appreciation and recognition are vital in fostering strong relationships with those who have served,” the chapter said in a Facebook post. “The chapter remains committed to hosting meaningful engagements that continue to honor and uplift our veterans.” First in Battle Exceptional soldiers, recruiters recognized at chapter event O utstanding soldiers and re- cruiters were recognized for their efforts during the recent annual awards dinner of the Association of the U.S. Army’s Col. Edward Cross chapter in Manches- ter, New Hampshire. New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayo- tte was the chap- ter’s distinguished guest at the event, providing open- ing remarks and spending time with attendees, including special guests from the New Hampshire Veterans Home. “Thank you for your service to our great state and our nation,” she said. Ayotte joined chapter representa- tives Dane Rota and retired Com- mand Sgt. Maj. Mike Rice in present- ing the awards. This year’s recipients include Spc. George Munson, who received the Soldier of the Year award, and Staff Sgt. Brad Roberts, who was honored as the NCO of the Year. Both soldiers are with the New Hampshire Nation- al Guard. Staff Sgt. Mark Hayward was rec- ognized as the National Guard Re- cruiter of the Year, and Sgt. 1st Class Jheudys Rivera received the active duty Recruiter of the Year award. The chapter said in a Facebook post that it “honors our local top sol- diers each year in recognition of their commitment to their leadership and acquiring the best talent for the U.S. Army.” Col. Edward Cross New Hampshire Gov. Kelly Ayotte, left, presents Staff Sgt. Mark Hayward of the New Hampshire National Guard with the AUSA Col. Edward Cross chapter’s Nation- al Guard Recruiter of the Year award during a dinner hosted by the chapter. (AUSA PHOTO)Next >