The Association of the U.S. Army’s 2023 Annual Meeting and Exposition was “a huge success for the association and the U.S. Army,” declared retired Gen. Bob Brown, the educational nonprofit’s president and CEO.

The three-day event featured the latest updates from senior Army leaders and the newest technology from more than 755 defense industry partners. A record 41,000 people registered to attend the Oct. 9–11 event, where they listened to keynote speeches from senior Army leaders, participated in discussions with panelists from across the force and visited exhibits spread across five halls in the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Thousands more watched the speakers and forums online.

“AUSA is proud to have hosted a successful meeting, bringing together Army and civilian leaders to discuss ideas, trends and the latest developments in warfighting, particularly as the Army faces many challenges as it prepares for 2030 and beyond,” Brown said.

The theme for this year’s Annual Meeting was “Be All You Can Be.” It featured keynote speeches from Army Secretary Christine Wormuth and new Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George, sworn in less than a month ago on Sept. 21.

There also were panel discussions on topics such as the Army profession, recruiting and retention, the Army’s role in Europe and the Indo-Pacific and much more.

Throughout the course of the event, attendees—Army leaders, soldiers, Soldiers for Life, family members, industry leaders and advocates and supporters of America’s Army—shared big ideas for the way ahead, Brown said. The exhibit halls, contemporary military forums and military family forums were packed, as attendees sought to listen, learn and contribute to discussions about some of the most pressing issues facing the force today, he said.

America’s allies and partners also were well represented, with participants from 92 countries attending the event, including 20 chiefs of Army.

“We also took time to salute the many soldiers and AUSA members who have shown outstanding leadership, dedicated service and care for their fellow service members and community,” Brown said.

More than 100 news articles were produced over the course of the Annual Meeting as Army leaders shared their vision for the future and panelists discussed progress in Army transformation and the service’s efforts to grow the force and attract talent.

Early calculations show Army social media posts with the #AUSA2023 hashtag had an overall reach of more than 102 million accounts, with social media posts reaching more than 647,000 people.

The Army also livestreamed several events, including Wormuth’s speech during the opening ceremony and George’s speech during the Dwight D. Eisenhower Luncheon, drawing a live audience of almost 88,000 viewers.

The Annual Meeting is a crucial way for the Army to talk about its priorities and tell its story to a wide audience, and AUSA is already planning for the 2024 Annual Meeting and Exposition, Brown said.

“We are thrilled at this year’s successful Annual Meeting, and we’re already excited about the next one,” he said.