"America’s Army: Service to the Nation, Strength for the Future," ™ the theme of the Association of the United States Army’s 2012 Annual Meeting and Exposition – A Professional Development Forum – will set the tone for speeches, industry and military exhibits and special presentations from senior Defense Department and Army leaders on subjects relating to the Army of the present and the Army of 2020.The AUSA meeting – highlighting the "Profession of Arms" – will focus on panel discussions; educational, professional development forums; and special multimedia presentations and workshops that will reinforce, examine and showcase the Army, the soldier and the Army family. Walter E. Washington Convention Center and hotelsThis year the AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition will again – for the second consecutive year – occupy the entire Walter E. Washington Convention Center as the Association celebrates its 10th year in this state-of-the-art facility.Both levels of exhibit space will be occupied with displays from the U.S. Army and the national defense industry.There are also international pavilions with displays from Germany, Britain, France, Canada, Australia, Israel, Denmark, South Korea and Turkey.This year’s three-day forum will emphasize "AUSA’s important educational and professional role in supporting the warfighting and transforming Army – active, Army National Guard, U.S. Army Reserve – the men and women who serve, retirees, veterans, Army civilians, ROTC and U.S. Military Academy cadets, contractors – and all their families," an AUSA spokesman said.The meeting attracts over 36,000 members and guests annually.Only AUSA members may purchase tickets for lunches, dinners and receptions in advance of the meeting. Non-members may purchase tickets to the functions on-site at the Convention Center – if available.Anyone may pre-register for the meeting by visiting the AUSA website at www.ausa.org – "Annual Meeting." There is no registration fee. (See ads on Pages 20 and 21.)Lt. Gen. Roger Thompson, USA, Ret., the Association’s vice president for membership and meetings, said, "We are honored to conduct this year’s Annual Meeting and Exposition in support of the United States Army, its soldiers, civilians and families."The Annual Meeting remains a dynamic and unique opportunity for professional development and interaction with the companies whose products and services have enabled the Army throughout the years of war. This year, exhibits are present on two levels of the convention center."Adding, "Our volunteer chapters will be well represented at the Annual Meeting. They provide troops and families with excellent support worldwide."The Renaissance Washington DC Hotel, located within walking distance of the Convention Center, will be the meeting’s headquarters hotel. Program highlightsGen. Gordon R. Sullivan, USA, Ret., AUSA president, will host the chapter presidents at their dinner Sunday, Oct. 20.The dinner’s speaker, Gen. Robert Cone, commanding general, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, will brief the Association’s volunteer leadership.On Monday morning, Oct. 21, members of the reserve components will attend the Maj. Gen. Robert G. Moorhead Guard and Reserve Breakfast.Gen. David M. Rodriguez, commanding general, U.S. Army Forces Command, will address the reserve component attendees at this event.Following this breakfast, the meeting will officially open with a patriotic presentation by the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) and The United States Army Band, "Pershing’s Own," in the center’s ballroom.The secretary of the Army, John M. McHugh, will be the meeting’s keynote speaker.Three luncheons will follow the opening session.The Sergeant Major of the Army Awards Luncheon is the venue where the selection of the Army Noncommissioned Officer of the Year and Soldier of the Year will be announced.NCOs and soldiers – to include the drill sergeants of the year, recruiters of the year, the Advanced Individual Training Platoon Sergeant of the Year and the winners of Army-wide competitions – will also be introduced.The Army vice chief of staff, Gen. Lloyd J. Austin, will speak at this luncheon.Gen. Carter F. Ham, who commands U.S. Africa Command, will address the ROTC Luncheon for cadets and PMS personnel.AUSA will host the Corporate Member Luncheon also on Monday. The speaker is Gen. James D. Thurman, commanding general, U.S. Forces Korea.There will be a special reception for visiting international dignitaries – hosted Monday evening by the Association’s Industry Affairs Directorate.Monday’s activities conclude with the President’s Reception honoring McHugh, the Army chief of staff, Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, and the sergeant major of the Army, Raymond Chandler.On Tuesday, the Association will host the Congressional Staffers Breakfast, where McHugh will speak to the assembled Hill staffers and Army guests before they tour the exhibit hall.CW5 Gary Nisker, command chief warrant officer and past president of the Warrant Officers Association, will preside at a professional development seminar for warrant officers 9 to 11 a.m., Tuesday.At the Dwight D. Eisenhower Luncheon, Odierno will deliver his "State of the Army" address to the membership.At this event, the drill sergeants, recruiters of the year and the Advanced Individual Training Platoon Sergeant of the Year will be honored and receive awards, along with the presentation of the Walter T. Kerwin, Jr., awards to the outstanding Army National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve battalion-size units. Reserve componentsThe chief of the Army Reserve, Lt. Gen. Jeffrey W. Talley, will convene a seminar for U.S. Army Reserve personnel on Tuesday, Oct. 23, from 10 to 11:30 a.m., and Lt. Gen. William E. Ingram, director of the Army National Guard, will hold a seminar for Army National Guard personnel on the same day from 2:30 to 4 p.m.From 3 to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, the command sergeant major of the Army Reserve, Michael Schultz, will hold a breakout session for reserve NCOs and soldiers, and on Wednesday from 1:30 to 3:30, the command sergeant major of the Army National Guard, not yet selected at press time, will also conduct a breakout session.The Army Civilian Professional Development Seminar and a luncheon for civilian employees are on Wednesday.Thomas R. Lamont, assistant secretary of the Army for manpower and reserve affairs, will speak the civilian luncheon.The deputy secretary of defense, Ashton P. Carter, will speak at the Sustaining Member Luncheon for the Association’s defense industry members on Wednesday. Special events for NCOs and soldiersSgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond F. Chandler III will convene the annual Sergeant Major of the Army Conference for Noncommissioned Officers on Monday from at 7 a.m.The NCO Professional Development Forum will be held, Tuesday, Oct. 23, from 8:30 to 11 a.m.This year’s topic is "The Army Profession.""The Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Session is without question a unique opportunity for our soldiers and NCOs attending the 2012 AUSA Annual Meeting. The forum will focus on important presentations that will deal with our Army as it moves into the future," Command Sgt. Maj. Jimmie W. Spencer, USA, Ret., AUSA’s director of NCO and soldier programs, said.NCOs and soldiers will also receive a special tour of Arlington National Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknowns on Wednesday. ILW forumsTo emphasize the Annual Meeting’s focus as a Professional Development Forum, the Association’s Institute of Land Warfare will conduct an expanded series of Contemporary Military Forums throughout the three-day event.(Editor’s note: All forums will be held in the Convention Center. Dates, times, topics and room numbers will be posted on the "Annual Meeting Schedule" webpage as updated and received, and will appear in the Annual Meeting Program.) ILW papersILW paper presentations are scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 24, from 9 to 11 a.m. Titles and authors of the papers will be announced at a later date. AUSA booksAUSA’s book program is conducted in cooperation with the Naval Institute Press, Praeger Security International, and The University Press of Kentucky.Selected authors will speak about their books during the Authors’ Forum, Monday, Oct. 22, from 1 to 5 p.m. Books and authors to be presented include:– "Riders of the Apocalypse: German Cavalry and Modern Warfare, 1870-1945," by David R. Dorondo. PhD. Publisher: Naval Institute Press (2012).– "When the Warrior Returns: Making the Transition at Home," by Nathan Ainspan, PhD, and Walter Penk, PhD. Publisher: Naval Institute Press (2012).– "Intelligence Collection: How to Plan and Execute Intelligence Collection in Complex Environments," by Wayne Michael Hall and Gary Citrenbaum. Publisher: Prager Security International (2012).– "Beyond Guns and Steel: A War Termination Strategy," by Dominic Caraccilo. Publisher: Prager Security International (2011).– "Ruckzug: The German Retreat from France, 1944," by Joachim Ludewig. Publisher: The University Press of Kentucky (2012).– "Blueprints For Battle: Planning for War in Central Europe 1948-1968," Edited by Jan Hoffenar and Dieter Kruger. Publisher: The University Press of Kentucky (2012).– "Iraq and Back: Inside The War to Win the Peace," by Col. Kim Olson, USAF, Ret. Publisher: Naval Institute Press (2006)– In addition, Col. Karl Heinz Golla’s "The German Fallschirmtruppe 1936-1941: Its Genesis and Employment in the First Campaigns of the Wehrmacht," (The University Press of Kentucky, 2012,) will be introduced and available but the author will not be present.Books and authors also will be available throughout the meeting at the AUSA Pavilion – Booth 407, Exhibit Hall A – for book signings.All AUSA books will be sold at the pavilion, and Association members receive discounts of up to one-third off individual AUSA books. AUSA family programsAUSA will conduct its Military Family Forums at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, Oct. 22 – 24.Military Family Forum I, "Army Families: Our Leaders Speak," will be held on Monday, Oct. 22, from 2 to 5 p.m.Army senior leaders from both the active and reserve components will offer their views on the status of the Army family and Army family programs.Presenters will include John McHugh, secretary of the Army; Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, Army chief of staff; Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond Chandler III; Lt. Gen. William E. Ingram Jr., director, Army National Guard; the National Guard command sergeant major (not named at press time); Lt. Gen. Jeffrey W. Talley, chief, Army Reserve; and Command Sgt. Maj. Michael D. Schultz, Army Reserve.Also speaking will be Lt. Gen. Michael Ferriter, commanding general, Installation Management Command and assistant chief of staff, installation management, and Command Sgt. Maj. Earl Rice, Installation Management Command and senior enlisted adviser, assistant chief of staff installation management.Military Family Forum II, "Army Families: Behavioral Health Challenges and Triumphs," will convene on Tuesday morning, Oct., 23, from 8 to 11a.m.This forum will focus on the challenges and success of various behavioral health initiatives recently created for military families.Special attention will be placed on the experiences of family members and their efforts to increase strength and resilience within the family unit.Military Family Forum III, "Army Families: Transitions and New Beginnings," is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon, Oct. 23, from 2 to 5 p.m.The voices of families of the wounded and survivors will be the focus of this three-hour forum that will be divided into two segments: "Wounded Warrior Families: Strength through Transitions," and "Surviving Families: New Beginnings –New Strengths."The fourth and final forum, "Army Families – Military Children – Our Nation’s Future," Oct. 24, 9 a.m. to 12 noon, examines reintegration issues affecting military children.These experiences will be discussed from both an educational and developmental perspective.Speakers will focus on the impacts on healthy child development and best practices that are resonating with military kids in today’s military family environment.Scheduled to speak is Marilee Fitzgerald, director of the Department of Defense Education Activity, as well as a panel of experts in child development and programs.This panel will consist of representatives from ZERO TO THREE, Sesame Workshop, the University of Minnesota and Margie Ferriter providing her perspective on growing up in the military.For those individuals not able to attend the Family Forums, AUSA is providing a LIVESTREAM option for each of the forum dates and times.Interested persons should go to www.ausa.org/family for information on how to join us online.Those attending the AUSA Annual Meeting are invited to attend the Military Family Forums.Seating is limited therefore pre-registration is highly encouraged. Register at: www.udreg.com/ausa/.Family Programs PavilionIn addition to the forums, AUSA Family Programs will also host the AUSA Family Programs Pavilion in the Convention Center’s Exhibit Hall C.This pavilion features organizations currently supporting military families. Exhibit hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.For questions or help with registration, contact the Family Programs staff at 1- (800) 336-4570, Ext. 2684, or by e-mailing familyprograms@ausa.org. Retiree activitiesThere are three special events scheduled for retirees and veterans at the 2012 Annual Meeting.Retiree SeminarThe Retiree Seminar will provide information from OPM on the Federal Veterans Employment Initiative.Additionally, John Radke, Army G-1 Retirement Services, will provide an update to include support of the National Guard and Army Reserve, as well as other issues of interest to retirees and veterans.The seminar will take place from 2 to 4 p.m., Monday, Oct. 22, in the convention center, Room 103B.SBP/Pre-Retirement BriefingA Pre-Retirement and Survivor Benefit Plan Briefing will be conducted by William Hursh from the Army G1 Retirement Services Office.This session will focus on those contemplating retirement; however, it has valuable information that can be used by those who counsel subordinates on retirement.This session will be held Wednesday, Oct. 24, from 9 to 11 a. m, at the convention center in Room 103B.Workshop – Federal Employment ProcessA two hour session by Office of Personnel Management on the federal employment process is a new event this year that will provide insight and guidance in how to apply for a federal job. Marshall dinnerJames A. Baker III, a former secretary of state, will receive the Association’s highest award for selfless service to the nation, the George Catlett Marshall Medal, at the Marshall dinner on Wednesday night.He will also address the dinner, the Annual Meeting’s closing event. Annual Meeting informationFor up-to-date information and "Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)" on the 2012 Annual Meeting and Exposition – A Professional Development Forum – go to the AUSA Annual Meeting website at www.ausa.org.