Location Arlington, Virginia Website www.ausa.org Type of business Private | Key people Carter F. Ham Founded 1950 | |
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Similar National Guard Associati, United States Naval Inst, AFCEA, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Retired Enlisted Association Profiles | ||
The Association of the United States Army (AUSA) is a private, non-profit organization that acts primarily as an advocacy group for the United States Army. Founded in 1950, it has 125 chapters worldwide. Membership is open to everyone, not just Army personnel, nor is membership mandatory for soldiers. The organization publishes ARMY Magazine and the Green Book, and runs the Institute for Land Warfare. The current president is retired Army General Carter F. Ham.
Contents
Mission
AUSA's official mission is threefold:
- Being the voice for all components of America's Army
- Fostering public support of the Army's role in national security
- Providing professional education and information programs
Membership
Membership in AUSA is open to several categories, including current and retired Army and reserve component soldiers, cadets, government civilians, Army family members, and concerned citizens. Other membership categories include corporate and sustaining (for defense industry businesses). Membership in AUSA includes a subscription to ARMY Magazine received monthly, including the Green Book, which is published in October of each year. The Green Book is an almanac of articles from Army leadership and reference information about America's Army worldwide. Members also receive AUSA News on a monthly basis, which features relevant news about Army topics and AUSA reports on the organization's support of the Army.
Chapters
AUSA has 119 chapters worldwide, which develop programs and activities that provide community support for the US Army through individual and corporate members. Chapters serve as the liaison between the Army and local civilian communities. They also help educate the public about the needs for a strong national defense and the Army. Chapters are involved in a variety of programs to help support deployed and mobilized soldiers and their families. Typical chapter activities include general membership meetings with high-profile guest speakers, community involvement events and special events honoring the Army and outstanding soldiers.
Creighton W. Abrams Award for Military Excellence
The Fort Knox Daniel Boone Chapter of the Association of the U. S. Army sponsors the "valedictorian" award for classes of recruits undergoing United States Army Basic Training at Fort Knox. The Gen. Creighton W. Abrams Award for Military Excellence is "given to the graduate who has most distinguished himself through exemplary performance and mastery of the fundamentals of soldiery."