Patty Barron, who heads the Association of the U.S. Army’s Family Readiness Directorate, has been appointed to the Defense Department’s Military Family Readiness Council.

The 18-member congressionally mandated council reviews, evaluates and monitors the U.S. military’s programs, policies and plans affecting active-duty and reserve component families.

The council meets at least twice yearly. Members include one representative each from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps, the senior enlisted advisers of each service, representatives from the Army National Guard and Air National Guard, spouses and parents of service members, and three people drawn from military associations. Members are appointed for renewable two-year terms.

At AUSA, Barron oversees educational and professional development programs for Regular Army, Army National Guard, Army Reserve and Department of the Army civilians and their families. This has included 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 family-related programs.

Barron has been the organizer of an increasingly popular set of forums held during AUSA’s Annual Meeting and Exposition that features, among other things, a town hall forum where Army senior leaders answer questions from family members. The 2018 forum led to a detailed Army leadership initiative addressing spouse employment, child care, housing and permanent change-of-station moves.

“I’m honored to be asked to join the council,” Barron said. “I’m a proud military spouse who knows the sacrifices and joy that go with moving with my now-retired husband from post to post. I’m the mother of a soldier, and I’m a long-time advocate on behalf of the extended military family of mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, daughters and sons who are part of our military community. I look forward to serving them all.”

“Patty Barron is a high-energy member of AUSA’s team, always focused on how to do more and better things for soldiers and families. She’s a tremendous asset for us, and she’ll be a tremendous asset to the DoD Military Family Readiness Council,” said retired Lt. Gen. Guy Swan, AUSA vice president for education.