Association for the United States Army
By Gail Mosher
Sixty years after its establishment, the Association for the United States Army continues to be, as its motto states, “A Voice for the Army – Support for the Soldier.”
The El Paso chapter, known as the Omar Bradley chapter of the AUSA is one out of its 126 chapters worldwide, which seeks to advocate and give back to the soldiers who give so much for their country.
On a national level, the voice of the AUSA reaches Capitol Hill, working to improve key issues such as “healthcare, housing, retirees, readiness, and transformation and modernization of the force,” says Rick Glancey, current chapter president. Since 1950, AUSA has been fighting for the betterment of our soldiers’ living and working conditions.
On a local level, the Omar Bradley Chapter serves to “be the voice of El Paso and Fort Bliss and the surrounding community,” says Al Hobbs, West Texas State President of AUSA. The Omar Bradley Chapter was started 53 years ago, and has been supporting Fort Bliss soldiers and their families ever since. The chapter is made up of all volunteers, who give of their time and resources to welcome soldiers who are new to El Paso, provide support for families of deployed soldiers, and raise funds to help these families however possible.
One way that AUSA assists military families is by awarding scholarships to spouses and children each year. This year five $1,000 scholarships were given to family members who wanted to further their education. Funds for these scholarships come from both fundraising activities and from AUSA members who wish to sponser a scholarship.
Another way AUSA reaches out is through the Wounded Warrior Program. From funds raised throughout the year, the organization is able to buy plane tickets to send wounded soldiers home for the holidays. If the soldier is unable to travel, the organization has even flown family members into El Paso to spend the holidays with their loved one.
While individual citizens are more than welcome to join AUSA, businesses have a unique opportunity to serve the troops on Fort Bliss through the Bradley Strong Program. Al Hobbs explains that the program “partners a unit on-post with a business off-post.” He describes it as a “door for that unit to find out about the surrounding area.” Hobbs indicated that the “fence between Fort Bliss and El Paso” can tend to isolate soldiers from the community, but the Bradley Strong partnership facilitates unification, allowing El Pasoans an opportunity to welcome the soldiers and show their appreciation.
The program sponsors many activities, such as taking soldiers to Diablos baseball games, Wet n Wild, Viva El Paso, and much more. As a corporate member, businesses are able to help sponsor these events and get to know their adoptive unit. The businesses are also invited to visit their unit on base and be shown about what they do. Hobbs states, “There are 45 businesses that have partnered with units on Fort Bliss” so far, and they are always looking for more.
“Soldiers come to El Paso and may not know the area or anything about the community. We want to be a point of contact for them,” says Letty West, Treasurer of the AUSA Omar Bradley Chapter. “That is one way for the community to get involved in how we support the soldiers and their families.”
In addition to corporate members, the AUSA is looking for more individual members as well. With the influx of soldiers they are expecting at Fort Bliss, the Bradley Chapter will have to pull in as many more members as they can. “What that means is having to grow our membership,” says Rick Glancey. “We have to do more than we’ve ever done before.” With the goal of being the voice for the army, the AUSA wants that voice to be as effective as possible. “The more memberships, the louder your voice,” says Letty West.
Soldiers who want to become members can talk to their unit commander, and applications are also online for anyone who is interested. AUSA is looking, not only for active soldiers, but also veterans, reserves, family members, businesses or concerned citizens. When asked why El Pasoans should join AUSA, Letty West responded that it is because of “the price for freedom that our soldiers are fighting for, and really it is priceless. Some of them pay the ultimate price.” She believes that “If we appreciate our freedoms, then we should thank our soldiers. And if we thank our soldiers, this is just one way to do that.”
West also stressed the importance of supporting the families when soldiers are deployed. “It’s not just the soldiers that pay that price – it’s the families that are left behind.” For the soldiers and the families that sacrifice, West says “We need to let them know that we do appreciate them. We do honor them.”
To all of the local AUSA volunteers who have already given so much, West says, “We want to thank them all for their service and their volunteering – the time that they give, because it’s not just the money side of it, but it’s time that they’ve given.” The Bradley Chapter’s vision is to grow their membership to 16,000, and to become the “number one national chapter in their category,” according to Hobbs. El Paso has been called one of the most supportive military communities in the nation, and with the help of El Paso businesses and citizens, the local AUSA chapter plans to keep it that way. To be apart of AUSA, please: call Treasurer and Corporate Membership Advisor Letty West 915-727-0601, E-mail: lwest1@elp.rr.org or www.bradleychapter.org .