I write this as I sit in our nation’s capital immersed in a busy week at the 2023 AUSA Annual Meeting & Exposition.  AUSA projected 35,000 attendees this year, but when I picked up my badge the attendant said that registrations were running ahead of forecast; we’re now looking at possibly 40,000.  

To borrow AUSA’s description, this is “the largest land power exposition and professional development forum in North America.”  

The Annual Meeting includes the total Army family - Regular Army, Guard, Reserve, civilians, and family members. In addition to valuable, current information, the event provides access to 755 exhibitors who fill the huge showrooms in the DC Convention Center.

Your Redstone Huntsville Chapter of AUSA is well-represented – by numerous exhibitors, by chapter members, and by leaders of both the community and Redstone Arsenal.

It’s a proud time to be here.  Monday morning was the highlight.  Rhonda Sutton and I, accompanied by Redstone Arsenal leadership, walked on stage at the Opening Ceremony to receive the banner for Best Chapter.  What an honor!  We won that award due a strong, active Board of Directors under Rhonda Sutton’s leadership, and the support of our extraordinarily patriotic community.

We plan to celebrate that achievement at a reception Tuesday evening, sponsored by one of our outstanding community partners, Summit 7.

Another proud accomplishment was surpassing 52,000 individual memberships – in the Chapter.  AUSA has topped 1.4 million members overall, mainly due to an association program stimulated by Redstone Federal Credit Union and our Chapter.  Because of this tremendous growth, AUSA’s standing on Capitol Hill has grown, and thus so has our influence in supporting the Army. We appreciate all our members.

I invite you to be part of the largest, most influential military support organization in the nation.  Membership is open to anyone interested in supporting the Army - soldiers, veterans, civilians, businesses.  AUSA offers several levels of affiliation, starting with a FREE Basic Membership. Each comes with its own benefits.  (The affinity programs are definitely a great value.) 

And for our Community Partners, the Chapter hosts special events.  We currently have about 200 corporate sponsors and are growing.  

So, please, be part of a great organization.  Membership matters!   Help us as we support our Army.