Gen. Gary Brito, commanding general of Army Training and Doctrine Command, will speak Sept. 20 as part of the Association of the U.S. Army’s Coffee Series.

The in-person event will take place at AUSA headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. The event opens at 6:30 a.m. with registration, coffee and networking. The program is scheduled to begin at 7:15 a.m.

It is free for military members, government employees and the media.

For more information or to register, click here. Online registration is open through 5 p.m. Eastern Sept. 18. On-site registration opens at 6:30 a.m. Sept. 20.

Brito has led Training and Doctrine Command since last September, taking over after serving for two years as the deputy Army chief of staff for personnel, G-1.

The theme for the AUSA Coffee Series event is “Building Army Professionals.” Brito will discuss plans to strengthen the profession of arms by recruiting the right people, embracing the warrior mindset, refining the Army’s training and education system, revitalizing professional discourse and more.

The Army is at a point in history where change is vital, particularly as it adjusts to prepare for future wars, Brito said earlier this summer. This includes additional training, adjustments in military occupational specialties and advances in weapons and equipment, Brito said. TRADOC’s part will be new training for individuals and units to prepare for warfare in 2030 and 2040. “This is a big, big mission,” Brito said.

Recruiting the right people is another challenge. Army leaders have acknowledged that the service is facing one of the toughest recruiting environments since the creation of the all-volunteer force 50 years ago. Army recruiters are still working to reconnect with young people after the lockdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the service is grappling with competition from the private sector and a shrinking pool of young men and women who are both qualified to serve and interested in serving.

The service has launched several initiatives, including reviving its popular “Be All You Can Be” marketing campaign, standing up the Future Soldier Preparatory Course for those who need help meeting academic or physical fitness standards, and offering incentives to soldiers who refer someone to join the Army.

Brito and other Army leaders have urged soldiers and veterans to share their Army stories to help bridge the gap or correct misconceptions about service. “If you’re in uniform, you’re a recruiter,” Brito said last fall during AUSA’s Annual Meeting and Exposition. “This is a big, total team effort. We will succeed. … In order to deliver the Army of 2030 and get ready for 2040, we’ll continue to be innovative in our talent management approach, and we will turn this recruiting challenge into an opportunity and continue to march forward on.”

For more information, click here.