U.S. Army had given final approval for Army personnel to participate to AUSA 2013 3009132.

The approval came from Secretary of the Army John McHugh. His authorizing memo states, “[The AUSA Annual Meeting] is one of the Army’s three key strategic communication and outreach platforms, and also serves as a professional development forum for the entire Army, including its civilians and family members.”

As expressed in the Operations Order For Army Participation issued by Director of the Army Staff Lt. Gen. William T. Grisoli, “…[t]he AUSA Annual Meeting and Exposition is one of the largest land warfare expositions and professional development forums focused on the Army’s strategic role in national security. The event provides a robust and cost effective platform for the Secretary of the Army, the Chief of Staff, and other Army senior leaders to engage key audiences and articulate the state of the Army and their priorities. It also serves as a mechanism to establish critical relationships with Soldiers, Army Families, National and International leaders and industry.”

The AUSA Annual Meeting is designed around maximum interaction and an exchange of ideas at a minimum cost to participants. Attendance is free. Attendees, both physical and virtual, will be exposed to AUSA’s Contemporary Military Forums featuring senior Army leaders speaking on a host of critical and timely topics. AUSA Family Forums will offer presentations tackling the real world challenges facing soldiers and their families. All forums will be live-streamed to impact key audiences around the country.

More than 400 industry exhibits will be featured throughout the entire convention center to include the Army exhibit that features Army priorities, initiatives for the future, and highlights the capabilities of soldiers, civilians, units and families. In addition, the Army has authorized designated assembly areas on the exhibit floors to facilitate key engagements among industry and Assistant Secretary of the Army (Installations, Energy & Environment), Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics & Technology), U.S. Army Installation Management Command (IMCOM), the Department of the Army Office of Small Business Programs (OSPB), and other senior leaders.

The Army expects over 6,000 Army personnel at this year’s conference.

Gen. Gordon R. Sullivan, USA, Ret., AUSA’s president, commented, “AUSA and senior Army leaders, with budget challenges at top-of-mind, have crafted another world-class professional development experience that benefits our Army, our industry partners and the American people by keeping key audiences informed about how our Army is truly ‘globally responsive and regionally engaged’.”