An upcoming webinar hosted by the Association of the U.S. Army will focus on efforts by DoD to take care of Army and other military families.

The event on Nov. 23 will feature Patricia Barron, deputy assistant defense secretary for military community and family policy. Barron previously served as AUSA’s director of Family Readiness.

Part of AUSA’s Thought Leaders webinar series, the event will begin at 2 p.m. Eastern. It is free, but registration is required here.

During the webinar, Barron will share what her work entails, specifically with the Army, and discuss how caring for Army families positively impacts the Army and DoD. She also welcomes feedback from Army spouses and families on what they need and how to better support them.

An Army spouse for 30 years, Barron has served in her current position since January. She is responsible for a broad portfolio that includes oversight of all community support to service members and their families. This includes quality-of-life, advocacy, legislative and policy issues; the Military OneSource program and nonmedical counseling resources; military spouse career advancement; morale, welfare and recreation; defense resale policy for commissaries and exchanges; casualty and mortuary affairs; and military funeral honors. 

She was AUSA’s Family Readiness director from 2012 until she was appointed to the Pentagon job in January. In that capacity, Barron oversaw educational and professional development programs at AUSA for soldiers, Army civilians and their families, including family-oriented financial education seminars, a partnership with Operation Deploy Your Dress to provide new and gently used formal wear for military ID card holders, and other events.