AUSA Launches “Welcome Back” Campaign

Photo by AUSA National

From AUSA National posted Thu, 07/01/2021 – 07:50

The Association of the U.S. Army is launching a Welcome Back Campaign to celebrate being back together again, usher in new and returning members and mark the end of a difficult period coping with COVID-19. 

The campaign kicks off July 1 and features lower membership rates and other specials. Reduced membership costs will continue through Oct. 31, 2022.

“It has been a difficult past 18 months for all of us; our members, soldiers, civilians, retirees and family members across AUSA and the Army,” said retired Brig. Gen. Jack Haley, who on July 1 became AUSA’s vice president for membership and meetings. “As we come out of this pandemic, AUSA wants to recognize the hardships endured and look to a promising future by extending a hand to all of our members and welcome you back.”

Haley added he’s “really excited” to be joining the AUSA team on the same day as the campaign’s launch.

The Welcome Back Campaign offers discounts across the board—for new members, renewing members and those who wish to extend their current membership.

During the campaign, individual memberships are $30 for two years or $50 for five years. Lifetime members pay four monthly installments of $100. Memberships for junior military and civilian personnel, including soldiers in the grades of E-1 through E-4, are $10 for two years.

Family memberships also are available for $15 for two years or $30 for five years.

“We’ve made it easier for you to join or renew online and are exploring more members-only offerings that continue to add value to your AUSA membership,” Haley said. “As your association that supports and provides a voice for the Army and honors those who have served, we would like to welcome you back with open arms.”

For more information, click here.

Happy 246th Birthday, U.S. Army!

The U.S. Army was established on June 14, 1775 and this year marks its 246th birthday. This year’s them is “Honoring the Courage of the American Soldier.” For more on events associated with this year’s birthday, check out the following links:

3rd Annual AUSA Delaware Golf Scramble to support veterans

UPDATE: Our event has been rescheduled to June 15, 2020

We will be conducting our 3rd Annual Golf Scramble on Monday, June 15, 2020. This event raises funds for The Delaware Veterans Trust Fund and Warriors Helping Warriors in Middletown.

The Delaware Veterans Trust Fund offers financial assistance to Delaware veterans with health needs, housing assistance, utilities, and job training programs. Warriors Helping Warriors helps local veterans and their families transition back to being functional members of society. The organization provides counseling, a family support network, and veteran benefits assistance.

Last year we were able to donate $2500.00. We ask your help to exceed that amount this year!

We hope to have at least 84 golfers. Those interested can form a team or sign up as an individual. All will play. If you are not a golfer but wish to help our cause, please consider donating new golf items or gift cards that can be given as prizes. We invite local businesses to sponsor a hole for $100.00. Just send a check with a company logo, and we will have a sign made and placed at a tee box that day.

The entry form can be downloaded here.  Hope to see you there!

Gary W. Dawson
Colonel, U.S. Army (Retired)
President, Delaware Chapter
Association of the U.S. Army
(302) 230-6074

 

Annual Renewal Time

We sincerely hope you will renew your AUSA membership and your membership with our Delaware chapter. Because we don’t have an active duty army base in our state, our chapter’s focus is on our National Guard and Reserve Soldiers and their families, retirees in the state of Delaware, and our veterans. We also annually support “Our Community Salutes” (OCS) which acknowledges those young women and men who have volunteered to serve in our nation’s Armed Forces.

We appreciate your past support and we are always looking for people to help and new ideas for our chapter events. AUSA is the only organization focused on all Soldiers and their families regardless of their status or rank. We hope you will join us in supporting Delaware’s Soldiers, their families, our retirees, and our veterans. Check out all the member benefits available to you.

 

2019 Soldier Pay Increases Set

[From AUSA National: Wednesday, December 26, 2018]

A 2.6 percent across-the-board pay raise in basic pay and drill pay is set to appear in mid-January payroll deposits for Regular Army, Army National Guard, and Army Reserve soldiers, along with an average 2.55 percent increase in basic allowance for housing for those who receive this payment.

There is no increase in 2019 in basic allowance for subsistence payments.

The basic pay hike is the biggest increase in nine years. It matches last year’s average private-sector pay increase.

Military retirement, Social Security and veterans’ disability and survivor benefits increased 2.8 percent, effective Dec. 1. Those increases, based on the increase in consumer prices, will first be paid in January.

Negotiations over the 2019 federal civilian pay raise have not been resolved.

Welcome EANGUS Members!

Happy New Year! As you may know, the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS) recently partnered with the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), so that for the next year, members of one are members of both.

So, welcome to the Delaware Chapter, Association of the U.S. Army. AUSA represents all components of the Army; Active, National Guard, and Reserve, and their families. AUSA is part of the military coalition in Washington that supports military pay and benefits, and funding for readiness, new equipment, and military construction.

The Delaware Chapter AUSA supports ROTC, Junior ROTC, and conducts “Our Community Salutes,” a program that recognizes and thanks, Delaware high school seniors who have chosen to join one of the military services after graduation. The seventh annual event is scheduled for 23 May 2018 at Cavaliers Country Club. See www.ocsde.org

We meet 2-3 times per year, send out a Newsletter regularly, and encourage attendance at the Association of the U.S. Army Annual Meeting and Exposition in Washington each October. Visit AUSA at www.ausa.org, and our Chapter on Facebook.

Defense Secretary Mattis appearing at AUSA 2017

[From AUSA National, Wednesday, August 23, 2017]

Photo by: Department of Defense

Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, a retired Marine general who spent four decades in uniform, will be the keynote speaker at the opening ceremony of the Association of the U.S. Army’s Annual Meeting and Exposition on Monday, Oct. 9.

The nation’s 26th defense secretary, Mattis is a former U.S. Central Command commander who led an infantry battalion in the 1991 Persian Gulf War, commanded the 7th Marine Regiment and later the 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade in Afghanistan, and commanded the 1st Marine Division during the 2003 Iraq invasion.

He was easily confirmed by the U.S. Senate to become defense secretary, receiving a waiver to take the job because he had not been out of uniform for the seven years required by law.

Mattis’ priorities are much like the Army’s. Improving readiness is his top goal, followed by increasing military capabilities, reforming Pentagon business practices, keeping faith with service members and supporting ongoing overseas contingency operations.

Army leaders who traditionally speak at the opening ceremony of AUSA’s annual meeting will speak on Tuesday, Oct. 10, during the Dwight David Eisenhower Luncheon.

The Monday opening ceremony is open to anyone registered to attend the meeting. Tickets are required for the Eisenhower luncheon.

Details about the meeting, registration, the schedule and ticketing are available here:http://ausameetings.org/2017annualmeeting/

Best Chapter for Category 5

Thank you to everyone who has supported us, contributed, and participated. We were recently notified that our chapter was selected for earning the Association of the United States Army’s Best Chapter for Operating Year 2016-2017 in our respective category.

If you are attending the AUSA Annual Meeting, please join us for the awards ceremony as we will be receiving the banner then. Again, thank you, everyone, for your support this past year. We couldn’t have done it without everyone’s teamwork.