Message from the Central Texas - Fort Hood Chapter President A Message From The Chapter President America is an exceptional country. One reason we are exceptional is because you and I enjoy the right of self-determination. We get to make hundreds of decisions everyday that determine how we live our lives. We get to make little decisions like what to eat for breakfast or what we are going to wear to work or school. We get to make big decisions like what we are going to do to make a living or who we are going to marry or where we are going to live. Our founding fathers believed that these rights are natural rights. They come from our creator. In fact, our founding documents reflect that belief. If our founding fathers were correct, and I believe they were, it stands to reason that every person on the planet possesses those rights. Possessing a right and practicing a right are two different things. While every person on the planet possesses the right of self-determination, the fact is that very few, a small minority, get to practice that right. The reason is obvious. Someone has supressed that right. You and I are in that small minority. Why is that? In this country, our rights are guaranteed. They are guaranteed by a Soldier willing to make any sacrifice, to go anywhere to protect that right. For that, we should be ever thankful. It is a cold, hard fact that the day those Soldiers quit volunteering to make those sacrifices, our rights will begin to go away.you and I will begin to take our first steps toward becoming like much of the rest of the world. We will become un-exceptional. Want to support those who guarantee your rights? Practice your right of self-determination and join AUSA. Supporting Soldiers is our only mission. The record is clear. From 2008 through 2014, our chapter raised and provided over $3.9 million to support Fort Hood Soldiers and their Families. Your membership is important. It provides the resources for us to do this work. Never forget how important you are to the process. It has been said that the strength of the country is the Army, the strength of the Army is the Soldier and the strength of the Soldier is the Family. I would go further. The strength of the Family is the community. You are the community. Join us today. There is much to be done. You can help. October 2014 October AUSA CHAPTER NEWSLETTER 1
Keeping Hope Alive A Message from Gordon Sullivan The first duty of a leader is to keep hope alive. In my experience, good leaders must act, and through their words and their work create a feeling deep inside those who are led that here is someone to trust during difficult times. As a nation, we live in perilous times and face complex threats. It is a time when we need leadership, for the peace of mind of U.S. citizens, for our friends and allies and even for our potential enemies, to show this nation is able to govern itself in a collaborative, purposeful and bipartisan fashion. I have no utopian illusions about the state of play between the Executive and Legislative branches of our government and am fully aware this is an election year for the entire House of Representatives and one third of the Senate, but I would like to think somewhere in the very souls of our leaders there is a sense of unified selflessness which can be tapped at this time. What I m proposing isn t as difficult as it sounds. There are simple steps to sending the right message: Kill sequestration, stop all downsizing in the Defense Department and security-related agencies, and make some tangible progress in building the balanced joint force we ve long talked about with trained and ready land, maritime, air, cyber and special operations forces who can respond anywhere in the world when we need them. Is this too hard? I cannot speak for 300 million Americans, but I will speak for myself. I have been in or around the U.S. Army for almost 60 years, and I am very concerned that our enemies, potential and current, don t see us as a rock-steady nation. They think we cannot act in a collaborative, efficient manner. Some of our closest friends are left scratching their heads wondering what is going on in America that makes us seem so indecisive and weak. Those who know us best can see that we have lost our edge. Our forces are less ready, and we are taking apart a magnificent, combat-honed force based on a great American myth that when we need defense we can just create it. Let me be clear, it is a myth. A lesson we should have learned by now is that the cost of being unprepared is paid in lives and spilled blood. Hope is the anchor of our souls, but success requires creating a vision and making it happen so our nation believes it and our allies and friends perceive us as serious and our enemies know we have placed ourselves where we belong, on center stage. We don t have a year to fix what ails our national defense. We must stop sequestration now. We must cease downsizing now. We must rely on the elected, appointed and uniformed leaders of this nation to structure forces capable of ensuring our security. We have precious little time to show the world how good we are. 2 October AUSA CHAPTER NEWSLETTER October 2014
Opening Ceremony for the 2014 AUSA Annual Meeting on Monday, October 13, at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Event featured The United States Army Band, The Old Guard, a patriotic pageant with presentation of the colors. Secretary of the Army, HON John M. McHugh, addressing the crowd at the opening ceremony of the 2014 AUSA Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C. Central Texas - Fort Hood Chapter president John Crutchfield and immediate past president Bobby Hoxworth accept and lift the trophy for the chapter with the largest membership for 2013-2014 The III Corps Ten-MIler team pose with Soldier of the Year CPL Martin Betley and SGT La Vue, NCO of the Year. This was the 30th anniversary for the Annual Ten- Miler as the Army s premier athletic event with 35,000 runners participating. October 2014 October AUSA CHAPTER NEWSLETTER 3
AUSA Annual Meeting The Annual Meeting and Exposition of the Association of the U.S. Army began Oct. 13, with more than 40 events, and with more than 600 exhibits, incluing 11 international pavillions, a hiring event, and areas set aside for small businesses, Homeland Security, veterans and an innovation presentation. The three-day event is held in Washington, D.C., at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. With more than 22,000 people pre-registered to attend and thousands more registering at the door, the seminars, presentations and speeches were well attended and the exhibits, spread over two floors of the convention center, had attendees looking at what is available and what the future holds for land warfare. Left to right: GEN Mark Milley, Forces Command Commanding General, GEN Dan Allyn, Vice Chief of Staff of the Army, Chapter Governor and Killeen Mayor Scott Cosper, LTG Sean MacFarland, III Corps and Fort Hood Commanding General, MG Tony Ierardi, Office of the Chief of Staff, U.S. Army The delegation from the Central Texas - Fort Hood Chapter to the 2014 AUSA National Meeting pose for the traditional group picture on the steps inside the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. 4 October AUSA CHAPTER NEWSLETTER October 2014
Corporate Member Spotlight Sandra Skinner came to Killeen with her family in 1964. When they arrived, her parents, Eddie and Marilyn Vale opened Furniture Factory Outlet. Sandra s father, a WWII veteran, was drawn to the area because he felt more at home in a military community.eddie and Marilyn retired from Furniture Factory Outlet which remained in business for 50 years. Building on the experiencesand values she learned with her parents, Sandra opened Furniture Zone dba Ashley Furniture in August 1985. She now owns two furniture store locations in Killeen and has a Kids Department in Fort Hood s Clear Creek Exchange. As long-time residents of Killeen and being an ex-military family, Sandra and her We wanted to be contributing members of our community, and it was important to us that we gave back to the military for all of the sacrifices they make for us. family understood and appreciated the importance of supporting the Association of the United States Army (AUSA). In August 1999, Ashley Furniture joined AUSA. She explained, We wanted to be contributing members of our community, and it was important to us that we gave back to the military for all of the sacrifices they make for us. Giving specific examples of her desire to assist in times of crisis, Sandra explained that AUSA leaders sometimes contact her to help military families who have lost their belongings in fires. She noted that referrals through AUSA are vetted so she knows her assistance helps to address families immediate needs. In addition to Ashley Furniture s unique contributions, Sandra noted that the organization is a sponsor of the AUSA Annual Golf Tournament. She explained that the Golf Tournament raises funds to support militaryfocused activities including, as one example, scholarships for military members and their families. Finally, Sandra stressed, Soldiers and families sacrifice so much to do their jobs. Through AUSA, we have an opportunity to help and also be involved with what they are doing. We gladly embrace the honor afforded businesses who support AUSA. October 2014 October AUSA CHAPTER NEWSLETTER 5
CPL Martin Betley, Soldier of the Year, General Daniel Allyn, Vice Chief of Staff, US Army, SGT La Vue, NCO of the Year NCO of the Year SGT La Vue posing with Joe Gainey, the Retired Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff. SGT Vue, Joe Gainey, Retired Senior Enlisted Advisor to the Chairman of the Join Chief of Staff & CPL Betley. SGT Vue and Sergeant Major of the Army, Raymond Chandler 6 October AUSA CHAPTER NEWSLETTER October 2014