AUSA's success is credited to its enthusiastic members--people who are supportive because they believe in the Association's aims and objectives.  Membership is voluntary and should be based on mutual interests in the U.S. Army and its activities.  The Associations is an organization that is open to anyone who subscribes to AUSA's aims and objectives of a strong national defense. 

The energy of the volunteers in the Association’s 122 chapters is focused on the programs in support of deployed Soldiers, civilians, and their families. While chapters continue to sponsor arrival and departure ceremonies, support Family Readiness Groups, organize holiday packages, and raise funds for memorials, AUSA National has begun to focus its attention on an Army returned from war, with many Soldiers and families facing a transition.

Chapters have active programs to support the families of wounded or deceased Soldiers with grants to cover transportation, lodging, and other incidental expenses. Chapters have been helping spread the word about this program through their communities and business contacts, letting companies know that there are fully capable disabled Soldiers looking for employment once they leave military service and how the company can enroll in this program.

Chapters support a wide array of local programs for Soldiers, civilian employees, and families ranging from scholarships to recognition for outstanding performance. During calendar year 2014 (as reported in their March 2015 Financial Statements), the chapters raised and distributed over $1,500,000 in support of Soldiers, families, units, and community-level programs—a slight increase over the previous year. The majority of the contributions in 2015 continued to go toward scholarships ($153,000), as well as support to Wounded Warriors, Family Support Group grants, and sponsorship of unit-level events. These figures do not include the hundreds of thousands of dollars of in-kind donations and gifts the chapters received and passed along to units and families.

About Our Chapters

AUSA has chapters worldwide, made up entirely of volunteers.  AUSA chapters support our deployed Soldiers and the families who are left behind. Each Chapter develops its own programs that support the National goals and objectives.  Chapters are responsible for maintaining direct contact with National by reporting activities and by requesting program and material support.  

Regional Activities

Chapters are grouped into one of AUSA’s Regions.  All Chapters in Europe are grouped into the European Department.  Chapters in Alaska, Hawaii, Korea and Japan are grouped into the Pacific Region.

The purpose of the Regional organization is to improve coordination, to enhance leadership in the Chapters, and to provide assistance to the Chapters in implementing programs and projects which support the Army, its soldiers, civilians and their families.  The Regional organization is not designed to replace or dilute the direct relationship existing between National Headquarters and each Chapter.  

Regions/Department elect their own officers at the annual spring meetings.  The Region presidents are ex-officio members of the AUSA Council of Trustees.  The European Department President, if on active duty, serves on the Council, but not as a voting member.  As the senior AUSA representative in the Region/Department, the president should be invited to Chapter events and informed of Chapter issues so that Chapters may be adequately represented at Council of Trustees meetings.  

Chapters and AUSA National

AUSA National has a continuing interest in the effectiveness of each organization of the Association.  Every organization is expected to be organized, operated and administered in a manner to further AUSA’s aims and objectives

History

The Council of Trustees adopted a Regional organization for the Continental United States in 1960 to function between National and the Chapters on certain operational and administrative matters.  Regions were originally established to correspond with the former six Army areas, and all Chapters within those areas were to be considered part of these Regions.

Beginning in 1960, five Regions were established in the old First, Second, Third, Fourth and Fifth Army areas.  The Fifth AUSA Region was organized in 1976; the Sixth and Seventh Regions were formed in June 1979.  The Pacific Region was created in 1982.

Chapters in Europe initially had a coordinator at Headquarters, U.S. Army Europe to advise and assist National with the activities of Chapters in that area.  At the June 1969 meeting of European Chapters, the decision was made to adopt a Region-type organization to be known as the European Department.