WATCH: AUSA Space Coast Chapter to Celebrate Army’s 249th Birthday on June 14 – Lt. Gen. Guy Swan III Will Be Guest Speaker

Friday Night Locker Room’s Steve Wilson talks with retired U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Kip Mathias

WATCH: The Friday Night Locker Room’s Steve Wilson, left, talked with the president of The Association of the United States Army (AUSA), Space Coast Chapter, retired Sgt. Maj. Kip Mathias, U.S. Army, about the AUSA’s upcoming celebration to commemorate the U.S. Army’s 249^th birthday.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The Association of the United States Army (AUSA), Space Coast Chapter, will be celebrating the U.S. Army’s 249^th birthday on Friday, June 14, at the Broken Barrel Tavern, located at 4700 Babcock Street NE in Palm Bay.

The celebration, which is open to the public, gets underway at 6 p.m. and will be a part of the general membership meeting and membership drive.

I recently sat down with the president of AUSA, Space Coast Chapter, retired U.S. Army Sgt. Maj. Kip Mathias, at the Erdman Automotive Studio in Cocoa. We talked about, among other things, AUSA, and the June 14 celebration.

When I asked Mathias to tell me about AUSA, he said, “Basically, our mission is to keep the American public aware of what’s going on with OUR Army. When we say OUR Army, every American, as a taxpayer, it is YOUR Army.” Mathias went on to say, “Those who have an interest in the Army and what it takes to modernize and sustain the Army, as well as to recruit and retain soldiers in the Army, that’s what we are out here to do; work with our local recruiters, as well as contributing to the overall Veteran community.”

The June 14 celebration is shaping up to be quite an event.

The guest speaker will be Lt. Gen.  Guy Swan III, AUSA Senior Fellow. According to Mathias, Swan will be discussing “the Army’s need for space-based technologies and the need for local industry and business owners to be involved in working solutions to maintain the Army as a land-power force.”

During his 35-year military career, Swan commanded units at every level including three commands as a general officer and is a veteran of the Gulf War and Iraq War. As the 3-Star Commanding General of U.S. Army North/Fifth Army, he had regional responsibility in North America for homeland defense and security. Swan also served as the U.S. Army’s principal liaison to Congress.

This very special celebration is open to the public; however, you are asked to register in advance at vspacecoast@ausa.org or contact Cory Mason at 321-537-5936.

For additional information on the Association of the United States Army (AUSA), please go to www.ausa.org

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Steve Wilson was born in DeRidder, Louisiana and grew up in both New Orleans and Macon, Georgia.  He moved to Brevard County in 1984 and retired from local government as the Community Advocate/Assistant to the City Manager with the City of Rockledge in 2018.

Among the awards and accolades Steve has received over the years are 15 + year Rockledge Little League volunteer, Brevard Public School Jefferson Award Recipient, Rockledge High School Raider Booster Award 2001, 2006, City of Rockledge Employee of the Year 2006, Rockledge Kiwanian of the Year 2006-2007, City of Rockledge Quality Public Service Award 2008, 2012, 2017, Rockledge Kiwanis Citizen of the Year 2012-2013, Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Sportscasting 2015, Rockledge High School Leadership and Service Award 2016, Central Florida Humanitarian Award 2017, Space Coast Inspiration Award – 2018,  Space Coast Sports Hall of Fame – Lifetime Achievement – 2020, Ecofest Achievement Award – 2022, Quality Floridian Award – 2022, presented by U.S. Congressman Bill Posey.

Wilson is especially proud of his chairing two fundraisers in support of pediatric cancer research through the St. Baldrick’s Foundation in honor of Merritt Island resident Julie Spurlock that raised over $25,000.00.

He has been a partner, along with Orville Susong, for the past 24 years with the Friday Night Locker Room, a broadcasting team that covers and reports on a wide variety of local events that are of significance to the residents of the Space Coast and beyond. Their mission is to promote youth sports, support first responders and law enforcement personnel, and showcase community and charitable events that are produced by our nonprofit partners in central Florida.

The Friday Night Locker Room has awarded hundreds of sports achievement plaques to Brevard County student-athletes over the years. They have also awarded more than $18,000 in academic scholarships to Brevard County high school seniors.

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