One sign of a strong association is membership growth. It means an organization is resonating with existing members and prospective members alike. It means all these constituents perceive not just personal benefits—education, networking, partnerships—but they also support the mission itself.
By those standards, the Association of the United States Army is thriving. The organization has enjoyed a period of extraordinary membership growth. Founded in 1950, the AUSA is dedicated to the support of soldiers, their families and Army civilians. As part of that mission, it provides a voice for the Army and honors those who have served. Its website lays it out. The AUSA:
- Educates soldiers and their families, Army civilians, retired soldiers and veterans, and the businesses and industries that support the Army with programs, products, resources and events.
- Informs its members, Congress, and the American public about issues affecting the Army—including the Regular Army, Army National Guard and Army Reserve.
- Connects America’s total Army, its industry partners, like-minded associations and other supporters at the national, regional and chapter levels.
Importantly, AUSA publishes Army Magazine, a key membership benefit that connects its disparate parts and addresses issues of topical interest to all stakeholders. It serves both as a bond for membership and a communications channel for growth. From the media perspective, AUSA has a direct connection to the Fox Associates family. So we decided to spend some time with Brigadier General Jack Haley (retired), the AUSA vice president of membership and meetings. Here’s a transcript of our conversation.
Jack Haley.
Fox Tales: Tell us about the growth of the AUSA. What has it been over time, and what is it now? To what factors would you attribute that growth?
Brigadier General Jack Haley: The Association of the United States Army has experienced significant growth since 1950. AUSA’s growth can be attributed to several factors. These include partnering with likeminded organizations, increased member benefits, and a broader educational value through symposia, coffee series, podcasts, and our 122 chapters community activities. Since January 2020, we’ve grown from 186,000 members to 1.7 million in September of this year. That’s an over 800% increase!
Fox Tales: Over 1 million members is incredible. What are the key aspects and benefits of membership?
Haley: Membership in AUSA helps support our national and local efforts of educating, informing, and connecting the community to our Army and providing a voice for the soldier. Membership provides a connection to the local AUSA community, discounts to multiple benefit partners, and current information through our digital and physical communications, such as ARMY Magazine.
Fox Tales: What kind of growth do you want to see going forward? What do you anticipate the growth drivers will be?
Haley: Looking ahead, there are several areas where AUSA might focus its growth, driven by opportunities and an increased focus on professional development and strengthening community outreach.
Fox Tales: Has there been a change in membership demographics?
Haley: With an increase of over 1.3 million members overall since October 2022, which includes almost 50,000 additional paid and basic members, we have seen some subtle changes in membership demographics. We have seen a growth in our active, national guard and reserve membership as a percentage of our members, as well as retirees and veterans. We are also seeing more members of the defense industry join as individuals.
Fox Tales: How would you describe the association’s relationship with Fox Associates? In advertising and event sponsorships and more, many organizations derive great value from outsourced partners like Fox.
Haley: We have an excellent relationship with the entire Fox team, but I would especially highlight the work that Bill Bell does on behalf of Fox for AUSA. Simply amazing. Our numbers go up year after year!