AUSA Family Readiness is dedicated to providing Army families the tools and resources they need to help them manage the challenges of the military life cycle. 

AUSA Launches Program for New Soldiers, Families

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Soldier with family
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AUSA Launches Program for New Soldiers, Families

New soldiers and family members learning the particularities of Army culture may find it exciting and overwhelming at the same time.

While a soldier gets acclimated to a life of training, early morning formations and wearing a uniform every day, family members have lots to learn as well, including flag protocol, how to identify rank insignia and how to understand the Army acronyms that bounce through casual conversations.

Army Leaders: Installations Must Serve Warfighters Better

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Senior leaders speak at a family forum at AUSA 2025
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Army Leaders: Installations Must Serve Warfighters Better

The Army knows it must address child care shortages, construct better barracks and improve the quality of food at dining facilities. But it is tackling these issues for reasons its leadership says are more than quality of life measures: these problems must be solved so soldiers can focus on their jobs as warfighters.

Army Emergency Relief to Provide Aid to Reservists

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Michael Grinston, chief executive officer of Army Emergency Relief, speaks to an audience.
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Army Emergency Relief to Provide Aid to Reservists

The nonprofit that provides grants and loans to active-duty soldiers in times of need will begin offering assistance next year to members of the U.S. Army Reserve, regardless of whether they are on federal orders of more than 30 days.

Michael Grinston, chief executive officer of Army Emergency Relief, announced the change Oct. 14 during a forum on military and family wellness at the Association of the U.S. Army’s 2025 Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington, D.C.

Army Resources Aim to Ease PCS Stress

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Sgt. Maj. Rubén Murillo, senior enlisted adviser in the Army’s Prevention, Resilience and Readiness Directorate, speaks at AUSA Annual Meeting 2025
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Army Resources Aim to Ease PCS Stress

Though permanent change-of-station moves can be stressful, the Army has resources to ease moving challenges, said Sgt. Maj. Rubén Murillo, senior enlisted adviser in the Army’s Prevention, Resilience and Readiness Directorate.

AUSA Leader Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

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Director, Family Readiness, Association of the U.S. Army, Hollie Dailey (C); poses with her husband Dan Dailey (R); beside Senior Vice President, Programs & Events, Hiring Our Heroes, Elizabeth O’Brien (L); upon winning the Bonnie Amos Impact Award for Lifetime Achievement; during the Military Spouse Employment Summit 2025, held by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC, USA, 21 May, 2025. Photo by Michael Reynolds / © U.S. Chamber of Commerce
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AUSA Leader Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

Holly Dailey, the Association of the U.S. Army’s Family Readiness director, is the 2025 recipient of the Bonnie Amos Impact Award for Lifetime Achievement.

AUSA Hosts Operation Deploy Your Dress Event in Hawaii

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dresses
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AUSA Hosts Operation Deploy Your Dress Event in Hawaii

For the first time since partnering in 2017, the Association of the U.S. Army and Operation Deploy Your Dress are teaming up to bring a pop-up event to military and family members in Hawaii.

The two-day event at Schofield Barracks will take place May 13–14 in conjunction with AUSA’s LANPAC Symposium and Exposition in Honolulu.

Volunteers from AUSA and Operation Deploy Your Dress will welcome military or dependent ID card holders of all ranks and services, regardless of where they’re stationed.

DoD Schools To Expand Off-Post Enrollment

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School children running to playground
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DoD Schools To Expand Off-Post Enrollment

Active-duty military parents who live off-post at certain installations will soon be able to enroll their children in on-post schools operated by the Defense Department.

GAO Urges Better Retention of Child Care Providers

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Child care
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GAO Urges Better Retention of Child Care Providers

The Army, along with the other services, should track the effectiveness of child care employee retention efforts, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office.

“The Department of Defense operates the largest employer-sponsored child care program in the United States,” the report states. “While officials in the four military services told us retaining child care workers has been a challenge, none of the military services have established metrics to track the effectiveness of their retention initiatives.”

Barracks Hiring Spree Among Efforts to Deliver Better Housing

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Army senior leaders speak at AUSA 2024
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Barracks Hiring Spree Among Efforts to Deliver Better Housing

Army senior leaders have heard soldiers' requests for higher-quality housing, and they believe a series of initiatives and investment efforts now underway will change the game.

In a packed fireside chat that also was livestreamed at on-post watch parties around the country, Army Secretary Christine Wormuth, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George and Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael Weimer fielded questions on the most pressing concerns for troops and their families. 

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