The Association for the United States Army (AUSA) is hosting the 2019 Annual Meeting and Exposition from October 14th to the 16th at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. 

Each year, the AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition gathers military and civilian leadership, as well as leading defense firms and civilian contractors, to celebrate the Army and the nation’s largest organization dedicated to professional development of the Army.

The 2019 event will consist of various breakfasts, luncheons, exhibits and panel discussions. This year there will be an estimated 30,000+ attendees, including representatives from over 80 countries, and 700 exhibits (see the exhibitor list and the trade show floor map here).

An overview of the AUSA 2019 schedule can be found here and a detailed schedule can be found here. Here’s what you can expect to see:

The event will kick off on Monday at 0930 with Opening Remarks from AUSA President and CEO GEN Carter F. Ham (Army, Retired) with the Honorable Ryan D. McCarthy, just confirmed as Secretary of the Army, as the keynote speaker.

Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy

The Opening Ceremony will be followed by a host of forums. They include:

  • U.S. Army Women’s Foundation Forum: Celebration Women in the Army – The Past, The Present, The Future. Hosted by BG Anne F. Macdonald, U.S. Army, Retired
  • Controversial and Unconventional Leaders in the United States Army. Moderated by LTG Theodore G. Stroup, Jr., U.S. Army, Retired
  • Digital Learning Session: Risky Business – Leadership in the Information Age. Presented by “From the Green Notebook.”

The event will also consist of press briefings from various top Army Leadership. Here are the ones that DSJ will be attending:

  1. Joint Press Conference will Secretary of the Army, Ryan McCarthy and Chief of Staff of the Army, GEN James McConville. This will be on Monday, 14 October 2019 in Room 140B from 11:45am-12:30pm.
  2. GEN John M. Murray, commander of Army Futures Command, and Lt. GEN Eric D. Wesley, deputy commander of Army Futures Command will be holding a Q&A sessions on Army Modernization in Room 205 from 1-1:30pm.
  3. US Army Futures Command Soldier Lethality Cross-Functional team will be hosting a discussion that include topics such as Army Modernization Initiatives from the Close Combat Force. This will be on Tuesday, 15 October 2019 3-3:30pm in room 140B. 

Tuesday will have a heavier emphasis on professional development and retirement planning, which include:

  • Military Retirement Planning Seminar: Regular Army and Active Guard Reserve. With guest speaker Maria Bentinck, Deputy Director, Army Retirement Services. 
  • Warrant Officer Professional Development Forum I. Moderated by CW5 Yolondria Dixon-Carter, Assistant Executive Officer to the Chief of Staff of the Army

Wednesday will consist of the AUSA Regional Breakfasts and will include a Small Business Seminar and Matchmaking Event.

The Warriors to the Workforce Hiring Event will take place again this year at AUSA. The American Freedom Foundation will be hosting this event as part of an “initiative to help our Veterans, transitioning military service members and military spouses find meaningful employment.” Visit the website here for more information. 

Key AUSA 2019 releases and news: