|
|
| THE HOME OF THE INFANTRY & THE ARMY'S BEST SOLDIERS, LEADERS AND FAMILIES! |
|
Thank you for opening the Fort Benning E-Newsletter. We will continue to tell our Soldiers' great stories through this and other mediums. Please support us by "Joining our Mailing List" or forwarding this email to a friend via the "forward email" link at the bottom of the newsletter.
| |
|
|
|
Quick Links |
|
Twitter
|
 | |
From The Top
November 9th, 2009
80 years ago, President Woodrow Wilson declared a national day of remembrance, called Armistice Day, to celebrate the end of World War I and honor the American service members who lost their lives in that war defending freedom and democracy where it was being challenged around the world.
Over the years, Armistice Day was changed to Veterans Day and set aside to honor all of our military veterans throughout the history of this great nation - those who served in times of conflict and those who served in times of peace.
Our nation owes a great debt to all of our veterans. Through untold sacrifice and unfathomable courage, generations of veterans have repeatedly secured those liberties we cherish as Americans. Whenever the nation called - wherever the call took them - American veterans marched into darkness and danger to fight for freedom and democracy.
Just last week, Fort Benning lost one of its own, Specialist Jonathon Sylvestre, who was serving with the 3rd Brigade in Iraq. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family today. His loss is another poignant reminder that we, as a nation and as a community, must send our Soldiers forward with confidence, knowing they have our full support and our undying gratitude.
When we lay a fallen comrade to rest, we never fail to thank the family for their sacrifice. Let us make it our goal to extend our gratitude at every opportunity, to our Soldiers in training, to those who train our Soldiers, to those preparing to deploy into harm's way, to their families, and to our veterans. Now is always a good time to say thank you.
One Force, One Fight!
MG Michael Ferriter
Fort Benning Commanding General | |
News
 WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Nov. 6, 2009) -- After a moment of silence for those killed in the shootings Nov. 5, at Fort Hood, Texas, Secretary of the Army John M. McHugh and Chief of Staff of the Army George W. Casey Jr. addressed Soldiers, family members and the press.
"I tell you candidly, this was a kick in the gut -- not only for the Fort Hood community, but also for the entire Army," Casey said during the press conference Nov. 6, at Fort Hood._______________________________________________
Postal service announces holiday mailing guidelines
 BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan -- U.S. Postal Service officials have announced recommended mailing dates for delivery by Christmas to U.S. servicemembers serving in Afghanistan and other overseas locations.
First-class and priority mail for servicemembers stationed in Afghanistan should be sent by Dec. 4 for arrival by Christmas. The deadline for parcel airlift mail is Dec. 1, and space-available mail bound for Afghanistan should be sent by Nov. 21._______________________________________________ 
Recruits crawl, climb, swing through training
"I don't want a desk job. I want to be outside, getting dirty," said PVT Jeff Norwood, who is in one station unit training with B Company, 1st Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment, 198th Infantry Brigade.
Norwood was one of hundreds of new recruits doing the first hands-on Army training of their careers Tuesday at the confidence course on Sand Hill. _______________________________________________
Executive order bans texting while driving
WASHINGTON (Army News Service, Oct. 15, 2009) -- Texting took a back seat to safety this month with an executive order prohibiting text messaging while driving on military installations or driving anywhere in government vehicles.
Executive Order 13513, signed by President Obama Oct. 1, specifically bans federal employees from texting while driving government owned, leased or rented vehicles. It prohibits texting while driving privately-owned vehicles on official government business. The policy also extends to federal contractors.
_______________________________________________
It's "living history," said Margaret Koger, gifted education teacher at McBride Elementary, who coordinated a Veterans Day assembly Tuesday for third- through fifth-grade students.
Several veterans attended the program, including some from the 192nd Infantry Brigade, McBride's Partner in Education, and from the VFW Post 5180, in Seale, Ala.
_______________________________________________
Players try out for the All-Army rugby team
 Rugby players from as far away as South Korea, Japan, Hawaii and Germany converged on Fort Benning Oct. 24 for a two-week All-Army rugby trial camp at Stewart-Watson Field.
Thirty-four hopefuls came to camp, but only 25 will represent the U.S. Army and compete in the Armed Forces Championship Monday through Friday at Stewart-Watson Field.
After playing in the Battleship Tournament in Mobile, Ala., Saturday, All-Army head coach Mike Stevenson said he will make the cuts.
______________________________________________
 I look forward to the March of Dimes Walk at Callaway Gardens every year because it combines four positives in one activity - walking, looking at beautiful lights, listening to Christmas music and the cost goes toward a good cause.
Fantasy in Lights is one of the signature holiday events in the South. Always on a Sunday around Thanksgiving, Callaway opens its Fantasy in Lights five-mile trail to walkers alone - no trolley or cars - only walkers, wagons and baby strollers.
Last year, nearly 6,000 people walked for the March of Dimes, and because the entry times are staggered, not everyone is on the trail at the same time. And regardless of what anyone might say (Tom Siter) - it's not a competitive walk.
|
Veterans Day Activities at the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center
Columbus, Georgia - November 9, 2009: Anyone wishing to explore the true meaning of Veterans Day is invited to visit the new National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center at Patriot Park. Here are some of the activities they'll find Wednesday, November 11:
Historians in period uniforms will create a special display of WWI weapons and artifacts in the museum's lobby and will talk with visitors about the actions that led to Armistice Day.
The Columbus Amateur Radio Club will have a special event station set up all day at the museum to make contact with fellow ham radio operators around the world.
An authentic Higgins Boat - the special landing craft used in the D-Day invasion - will be on display in front of the museum.
All buildings on World War II Company Street will be open and staffed with docents from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
The museum's Last 100 Yard exhibit and Fort Benning gallery will remain open an extra hour, until 6 p.m.
Special tours of Heritage Walk, sharing the stories of heroes - great and small - whose pavers line the walkway.
The IMAX® Theatre will debut the first two episodes of "WWII in HD," a brand new History Channel documentary scheduled to air November 15-19. The producer of the 10-hour series has given the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center explicit permission to present these episodes before they air on History. The series tells the story of WWII through the eyes of 12 Americans, and features original color footage never before seen by most Americans. The film will be shown at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.
A moment of silence will be observed at 11am.
In addition, Batson-Cook Construction has organized an 'Honor Bus' from West Point, allowing several dozen WWII veterans to visit the museum on Veterans Day. More than 200 Rotary Club of Columbus members will hold their weekly meeting and luncheon in the museum's Grand Hall, and close to 450 young Infantry school soldiers will tour the museum (half in the morning, half in the afternoon). A group of VIPs from Atlanta will visit, as will employees of Georgia Power.
Please coordinate any photography, videography or live shots with Communications Director Cyndy Cerbin, 706-685-5808. |
|
Fort Benning Facebook Fanpage
What hotel should I stay at when I attend graduation? What are some good restaurants around Fort Benning? Should I fly into Atlanta or Columbus? What should I get my Soldier for Christmas? These are just some of the questions posted daily on the Fort Benning Facebook page and no matter the subject, all of them get answered.
Since its creation in June, the page has become a great way for parents, spouses and other family members to support one another and share information, especially the family members of Soldiers in basic training. However, besides sharing information, these families are also forming friendships as they cope for nine or 14 weeks without their Soldier.
Just ask the family members of D Company, 2nd Battalion, 47th Infantry Regiment, who started a discussion group just 33 days ago when their Soldiers arrived at Fort Benning. In a little more than a month, they went from a group of 30 strangers to cyber-buddies who are making plans to meet each other at the airport and sharing cabins at Uchee Creek. They "talk" everyday and when one of them gets a phone call or receives a letter from their Soldier, they all celebrate and when a Soldier gets hurt or sick, they all send thoughts and prayers for a speedy recovery.
During the last five months the Fort Benning Facebook page has really become a support system for families, so if your Soldier is heading to Benning or even if he's already here, take the time to visit www.facebook.com/fortbenningfans and connect with the other members of your Army family. |
 Maneuver Center Update
Bridgett Siter
MCOE Public Affairs
The Dixie Road widening project has been pushed back to the spring in order for planners to rework the project to include a bicycle trail, said Jay Brown, project manager for Base Realignment and Closure.
Brown announced Tuesday at the monthly Community BRAC Update that the BRAC-funded project, now in the design phase, will likely include some sort of a bike trail or lane. Just what that will mean when the project is complete is unclear at this point, said Rick Clapp, a strategic planner with the Facility Plans Office.
The widening project includes the addition of two more lanes, a median, utility infrastructure, traffic lights and such. The final project, bike trail included, must be confined to a predetermined "polygon," as defined by the final Environmental Impact Study, which was completed earlier this year. Clapp said the polygon restrictions and the legal requirement to maintain a "setback" distance from the ranges and structures off Dixie Road "puts tight constraints" on the project. Those constraints might prohibit the creation of a single trail running the length of Dixie Road, about three and a half miles, from the Lindsay Creek Parkway intersection to Jecelin Road near Lawson Army Airfield.
"The designer will fit in as much as they can, but they just started the design phase this week, so we don't know how much that will be at this point," Clapp said.
A contract for the Dixie Road widening project, estimated to cost about $10 million, will be awarded by the end of March and completed by the end of September, 2011. The idea for a bike trail along the heavily travelled road was first proposed by a Fort Benning resident at a town hall meeting, Clapp said.
|
 The Flu and You
Military Health System to Host H1N1 Web HallNovember 02, 2009 TRICARE Release No. 09-67 FALLS CHURCH, Va. - The Military Health System (MHS) is hosting a one-hour Web-based town hall on Nov. 10 at 3 p.m. EST to answer questions about novel H1N1 influenza. Military service members, their families, health care providers and Department of Defense civilians began submitting questions Nov. 2 using the comments box at http://www.health.mil/flu. During the Web hall, experts will answer as many of the questions submitted in advance and throughout the live event as possible. A transcript of all questions and answers will be posted to the site after the event. "We want to keep service members and their families informed about the H1N1 flu and the Department of Defense's vaccination strategy," said Michael E. Kilpatrick, M.D., director of strategic communications for MHS. "We want to answer your questions directly, so please join us online on Nov. 10." Subject matter experts from the Army, Navy and Air Force, the office of the deputy assistant secretary of defense for Force Health Protection and Readiness, the Military Vaccine Agency, TRICARE Management Activity and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are scheduled to participate in the Web hall to provide accurate, up-to-date information about the H1N1 flu and vaccine. Participants in the Web hall are asked to limit questions to H1N1 flu-related topics and to refrain from disclosing personal information to protect their privacy. When possible, service members should contact their chain of command to resolve issues. To participate in the Web hall, visit: http://www.health.mil/flu. For more information about H1N1and other seasonal flu conditions, beneficiaries should contact their health care provider or visit the TRICARE Web site at http://TRICARE.mil/flu. Connect with the MHS through its Social Media Hub at http://www.health.mil/connect. About TRICARE Management Activity and the Military Health System TRICARE Management Activity, the Defense Department activity that administers the health care plan for the uniformed services, retirees and their families, serves more than 9.5 million eligible beneficiaries worldwide in the Military Health System (MHS). The mission of the MHS is to enhance Department of Defense and national security by providing health support for the full range of military operations. The MHS provides quality medical care through a network of providers, military treatment facilities, medical clinics and dental clinics worldwide Please continue to check the Fort Benning Bayonet, and web page at www.army.mil/benning and MACH web page for up to date information. www.martin.amedd.army.mil. |
|
You can watch Fort Benning Television at Fort Benning on Windjammer cable channel 4.
The Benning Report can be also be seen on Columbus Consolidated Government Access Television (CCG-TV) channels at 6:30 a.m. & 6:30 p.m., 7 days a week.
Charter - Channel 3
Knology - Channel 17 MediaCom - Channel 21. In Alabama watch the Benning Report on Troy University Television, Thursday & Friday evenings. To contact Fort Benning TV, email us at BENN.PAO@us.army.mil |
|
Points of Interest
Super Bingo and Free Buffet
Mon, Nov 9, 2009 from 5:00pm - 10:30pm at Pins & Daubers Bingo Hall
King's Pond Campout
Sat, Nov 14 to Sun, Nov 15, 2009 at 12:00pm at Kings Pond
_________________________________________________
The American Education Week College Fair promises to be a "one-stop shop" for anyone interested in adult education.
The college fair will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 18 at the Main Post Exchange.
"It is an opportunity to bring together colleges, financial institutions, educational services, ROTC, Green to Gold, and all other aspects of adult education," said Brian Smith, chief of workforce development for the Directorate of Human Resources. |
Thank you for taking the time to look through the Fort Benning E-Newsletter. We will continue to tell our Soldiers' great stories through this and other mediums. The Benning E-Newsletter will be sent out every Monday. Please support us by forwarding this email to a friend via the "forward email" link at the bottom of the newsletter.
Sincerely,
Fort Benning Public Affairs Office | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
