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Don't forget to join us for the monthly BRAC Update, 3 p.m., June 1 at the National Infantry Museum.
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From The Top
May 17, 2010
Healthy Soldiers are vital to the success of our mission and Friday we welcomed legendary running back Herschel Walker to speak to the Fort Benning community as part of the Army Substance Abuse Program.
The Army Substance Abuse Program strengthens the overall fitness and effectiveness of the Army's workforce, and it enhances our combat readiness. It works to ensure every individual Soldier is afforded the opportunity to access the resources he or she needs to prevent and treat substance abuse and mental health issues. They extend their services to Army Family because the health of the force is directly related to the health of the Army. After eight years of war we've gotten to the point where it's important to talk about how you're doing, that's what Friday's program was about.
Herschel Walker won the Heisman Trophy as a Georgia Bulldog and he had a successful career in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys, the Philadelphia Eagles, the New York Giants and the Minnesota Vikings. He's also a mixed martial artist, but he'll tell you his greatest challenges didn't take place on the field or in the ring. On Friday Herschel Walker spoke about his battle with dissociative identity disorder and how he overcame numerous challenges to control it.
It takes a strong person to recognize he needs help dealing with mental illness and substance abuse, and it takes a strong person to reach out to someone who needs that kind of help. Great leaders inspire others to go forward and inspirational leaders inspire great leaders and Herschel Walker is an inspirational leader.
One Force, One Fight!
MG Michael Ferriter
MCOE Commanding General |
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The Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning have a new online home!
MCoE Public Affairs Office would like to know what you think:
click here to send us a note: |
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Memorial Day Weekend
 Vietnam era veterans will be the focus of activities scheduled for Memorial Day Weekend at the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center.
At 10:00am Thursday, May 27 the Sky Soldiers Demonstration Team will drop into the parade field. The team, comprised of veteran pilots and ground support staff, perform at various events around the country in a patriotic tribute to our military. The Vietnam vintage helicopters will fly over following regular graduation ceremonies that begin at 9:00 am. The four choppers: two Hueys, one Loach and one Cobra will be on display at the parade field until 4:30.
Also following the graduation of B/2-19, the traveling Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall will be dedicated. Distinguished Vietnam veterans LTG (Ret) Hal Moore and CSM Basil Plumley willlay a wreath at the monument. The two are heroes of the 1965 Battle of the Ia Drang Valley. LTG Moore co-authored "We Were Soldiers Once...and Young."
MG (Ret) Jerry White, National Infantry Foundation President, will deliver a Memorial Day message pointing to the sacrifice and heroism of those who served in Vietnam.
The traveling monument is a three-quarter-scale replica created by Dignity Memorial as a service to those who might never have the chance to travel to the nation's capital. It is 8-feet high and 240-feet long and its black, faux granite reflective surface is inscribed with the names of more than 58,000 servicemen and women who died or are missing in Vietnam.
The wall will remain through June 6. The replica will be located just east of the museum, along Heritage Walk. Paper and pencils will be provided so visitors can make rubbings of names engraved on the wall.
A complete Memorial Day schedule of events at the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center - including the May 28th Miracle Ride, May 31stPaver Dedication CeremonyandJune 1stWalk of Honor Dedication -- is available at http://www.nationalinfantrymuseum.com/?page_id=2024
Other Memorial Day Events
May 31 - Postwide Memorial Day ceremony will be held at the Main Post cemetery at 8 a.m. There will be a paver ceremony at the National Infantry Museum at 10 a.m.
June 1 - The Maneuver Center fo Excellence will host a Walk of Honor dedication at 10 a.m. at the National Infantry Museum. The 173rd Airborne Brigade Memorial Dedication will follow.
June 5 - A welcome home will be held for Vietnam veterans at 10 a.m. at the National Infantry Museum. There will be a barbeque and concert at Wetherby Field at 6 p.m.
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News
Historic summit concludes with emphasis on adapting land forces to meet 21st century challenges
The African Land Forces Summit closed today with remarks from Secretary of the Army John McHugh and Maj. Gen. William B. Garrett, commanding general, U.S. Army Africa.
Emphasizing cooperation and flexibility among military forces, Garrett thanked each delegate for their contributions to the historic gathering.
click on headline for more
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 Ryan Newman and crewmembers from the No. 39 U.S. Army NASCAR team visited Fort Benning May 5.
The purpose of the trip was to give Newman and the U.S. Army/Stewart-Haas Racing pit crew an overview of the training Soldiers undergo and to look for synergies which the pit crew could adapt into their own training program.
Click on headline for more
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Post leaders are considering a change to the current curfew hours for teens younger than 16, but they want to know your thoughts before they do so.
The proposed change, which would require youngsters to be in their homes by 10 p.m. every night, is part of a bigger push to keep teens out of trouble, said Fort Benning Chief of Police Kevin Clarke.
The current Teen Curfew Survey results are:
9 p.m. Sun. - Thurs.; 10 p.m. Fri & Sat.: 47%
10 p.m. all week: 16.9%
Remain the same: 20.7%
Other: 16.9%
Click here to cast your vote and comment:
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Shields of Strength hang around the neck of hundreds of Rangers, including competitors in the 2010 Best Ranger Competition, engraved with scripture, prayers and military insignia. They're fashioned after military dog tags, but the shields cross all walks of life. They have been worn by members of all services and their families, by public safety officials, athletes and politicians - by more than 3 million Americans - since 1997.
That was the year after Kenny Vaughan, who created Shields of Strength, brought home the gold at the National Water Ski Championships.
click on headline for more
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Because of Army Family Action Plan submissions, Fort Benning housing leaders recently changed the way work orders are handled and how the community learns about the basic housing allowance, said post program manager Stacie Boyer.
With quality of life in mind for anyone connected to the Army, the AFAP aims to solve the range of problems brought forth by Soldiers, civilians, retirees and family members.
click on the headline for more
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World Class Athlete Program wrestlers made a stop May 3-7 at Fort Benning to train at the Audie Murphy Athletic Performance Enhancement Center en route to compete in the 2010 World Team Trials June 10-12 in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
The team of 18 wrestlers qualified for the trials after taking the top spots and the Greco-Roman team title during the U.S. Open April 23-24 in Cleveland. This is the eighth year in a row the team has won at the U.S. Open.
click on headline for more
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| BRAC by the Numbers
Today's number is 161,632.
Two new simulations training facilities on Harmony Church offer a total of 161,632 square feet of training space. When the Armor School move from Fort Knox, Ky., to Fort Benning is completed next year, initial entry Soldiers assigned to the 194th Armored Brigade, an OSUT unit, will get plenty of training time in simulators before climbing into the turret of a tank.
At the "sim centers," one at the intersection of Jamestown and 15th Cavalry roads and the other on Birney Street, Armor and Cavalry trainees will practice a number of skills, including Conduct of Fire, Call for Fire, Common Driver, Advanced Gunnery, Command and Control, and more.
Though there's no substitute for "real" training, the cost of operating a tank makes it impractical to conduct initial training in the actual vehicle. It costs approximately $900 to drive a tank one mile and about $1,600 to transport one on a Heavy Equipment Transport, or HET, from Harmony Church to training ranges.
Maintenance and mechanical training will also take place on Harmony Church. A Bradley Maintenance Instruction facility is near completion, and land has been cleared for a Tank Maintenance Instruction Facility.
Next BRAC Community Update meeting will be June 1. |
U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit Media Releases
World Cup coming to Fort Benning
USAMU PAO
7031 Bills St
Fort Benning, GA 31905
Office: (706) 545-5436
Fax: (706) 545-6704
FORT BENNING, Ga. - The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, in conjunction with USA Shooting, will host the 2010 World Cup USA May 22-31. This spectacular event, the third of four World Cup's being held this year, is conducted by the International Shooting Sport Federation. So far, more than 400 of the world's top-level shooters from 49 countries have committed to the event.
Shooters competing in two Olympic shooting disciplines-rifle and pistol-will be competing for medals and world records.
This is also the same range where 2012 Olympic quota slots will be earned next year. Opening ceremonies will be held at the National Infantry Museum.
For more information on the competition, venues, match schedule, etc., please visit http://usashooting.sports.officelive.com/default.aspx. Media are invited to attend and must coordinate with the Public Affairs Office before coming to post. Call (706) 545-5436, or e-mail michael.molinaro@us.army.mil for more information.
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Interservice pistol championships slated for June
USAMU PAO
 FORT BENNING, Ga. - The best pistol shooters the Department of Defense has to offer are set to converge on Fort Benning this summer for the 51st Annual Interservice Pistol Championships, scheduled for June 11-18.
Training and competitions are open to individuals and teams of the Armed Services of the United States, Reserve Components, and military academies and commissioning program.
The Army pistol team, made up of Soldiers from the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, won the service pistol team championship in 2009 and is primed to defend the title on its home turf. Sgt. 1st Class James Henderson, USAMU, won the individual championship last year and is among the favorites to claim the title as the best pistol shooter in the military for 2010.
"The Interservice Pistol championship is a great opportunity to showcase the best service pistol marksman in the DoD," said Cpt. Gavin Rice, operations officer, USAMU. "Service members have the opportunity to validate all of their training and hard work in a shoulder-to-shoulder competition."
Besides the top marksman from the USAMU, the Marines, Navy and Air Force annually send their finest sharpshooters to represent their respective services. The shooters will compete in center fire, .22- and .45-caliber matches, as well as an Excellence in Competition match. An awards banquet will close out the week.
While the bigger teams are training for top honors, smaller posts, stations, divisions and states are encouraged to send their teams to Fort Benning to compete.
"While the service teams shoot it out for the championship, smaller teams can also win awards and take home some bragging rights of their own," said Michael Molinaro, USAMU spokesman. "Marines enjoy sending their smaller station teams and beating up on the competition. We'd like to see posts, bases and stations such as Fort Benning, Fort Campbell, Lackland or Norfolk send teams and be represented during the match."
The week-long event not only is a chance for the competitors to bring out the best among one another but also share techniques that can be spread across the entire military, enabling it to be even more lethal than it already is.
"Competitions like this one foster an appreciation and respect amongst services as everyone continues to contribute to the Global War on Terrorism," Rice concluded.
For additional information, to register and check out the match bulletin, visit the USAMU website at www.usamu.com under "competitions" or contact Michael Behnke, the USAMU chief of competitions, at (706) 545-7841 or michael.behnke@usaac.army.mil. |
 Upcoming Fort Benning Events
The following Fort Benning events are scheduled to take place between: May 18- June 6:
May 18: Family Fishing Night - Bring your children to Russ Pond and Pool and enjoy the Family Fishing Night from 6-8 p.m. In case of inclement weather, this event will be cancelled. For reservations and more information, call 706-545-7978.
May 20: Book Discussion - SGM (R) Samuel M. Rhodes will discuss his book, "PTSD - Changing the Military Culture of Silence" at Sayers Memorial Library at 1 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 706-545-8932.
May 20: Asian & Pacific Islander Heritage Month luncheon, 11:30 a.m., Benning
Conference Center. May 21: Teen Open Mic Night - Teens are invited to Speak Up/Speak Out at an open mic night, 6-10 p.m., at the McGraw Village Center. Free refreshments will be served. For more information, call 706-545-3062.
May 22: Teen Night at the Family Entertainment Center - teens are invited to enjoy a free cosmic bowling and karaoke party at the Family Entertainment Center 6-11 p.m. For more information, call 706-545-3062.
May 22: Latino Night - The Benning Brew Pub is hosting a free Latino Night, featuring Grupo Candela. Doors open at 8 p.m. and stay open late. For more information, call 706-545-8426.
May 22-23: 3-on-3 Sand Volleyball Tournament - Teams are limited to four people and the entry fee is $30 per team. Registration ends May 20. This event is open to the public. For more information, call 706-545-4388.
May 26: Monthly BOSS Meeting - The monthly installation Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers meeting will be held at 2 p.m. at the Kelley Hill Recreation Center, Building 9079. All BOSS MSC representatives are required to attend or send an alternate to the event. Fort Benning strongly supports the BOSS program and allows all Soldiers who volunteer for BOSS activities the time to participate in these events. BOSS events are open to all interested people, military or civilian. For more information, call 706-544-1411.
May 27: CG Golf Scramble - The next CG Golf Scramble will start with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. The cost is $30 if paid by the day before the event or $35 the day of the event, and includes cart, green fees, two mulligans, food and prizes. Stop by the Fort Benning Golf Course to register or call 706-687-1940 for more information.
May 28: Free Paintball - Join the battle action in the Woodlands off Dixie Road from 1 to 5 p.m. Paintball equipment and supplies are available at Outdoor Recreation. For more information, call 706-545-9636.
May 29-30: Kings Pond Campout - Reserve your free spot at the Kings Pond Campout and enjoy camping, canoeing, volleyball, storytelling around the campfire and many other activities. Camping supplies are available at Outdoor Recreation. Reservations are required by May 28. For reservations or more information, call 706-545-7978.
June 5: Zipline Tour - Take a zipline tour of historic Banning Mills in Whitesburg, Ga. The $63 fee includes several different zipline adventures and roundtrip transportation from Fort Benning. Space is limited so reserve your spot early. For more information, call 706-545-9636.
June 6: Reverse Sprint Triathlon - It's time to start training for the annual Reverse Sprint Triathlon. The race consists of a 5K run, a 20K bike ride and a 550M swim. It's open to individuals, teams and families. For more information, call 706-545-4388.
For more information about these or any other Fort Benning events, contact the Public Affairs Office (706) 545-6674. |
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 |
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