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From The Top
June 1st, 2010
He was referring to men like SPC Donald Johnston. SPC Johnston was one of our own - a Columbus native who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor after his death in Vietnam in 1969. When enemy soldiers hurled explosives into his bunker, SPC Johnston selflessly threw himself on the explosives and absorbed the impact, saving the lives of six of his comrades. We honor his memory.
CSM Hardy and I had a striking week that began with a memorial service for CPT Kyle Comfort, a 27-year-old husband and father who was killed in Afghanistan when his Ranger unit came under insurgent attack. It was heartening to see the outpouring of support for Kyle and his family. As we traveled the four miles from chapel to gravesite, the residents of Jacksonville, Ala., lined the streets to honor their fallen hero.
Then, on Friday, we attended the memorial service for SGT Anthony Magee, a Fort Benning Soldier who was killed in Iraq recently when enemy forces attacked the 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment. SGT Magee was an inspirational leader who made it a point to see to it that every Soldier in his unit received mail and care packages. He made sure no one was left out of mail call. He served his comrades while serving his nation. We mourn his loss and celebrate his life today.
I encourage you to take every opportunity to thank the men and women who serve today - and their families!
Thank the veterans who surround us in this community. We are blessed to rub elbows every day with more true heroes than most Americans encounter in a lifetime.
God bless our troops serving in harm's way. God bless the families of our fallen Soldiers. And God bless this great nation.
One Force, One Fight!
MG Michael Ferriter
MCoE Commanding General |
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| BRAC Update Today
 Base Realignment and Closure actions on Fort Benning will result in a population growth of 28,000 and an additional 10,000 jobs on the installation. Whereas Fort Benning currently contributes $2 billion annually to local economies, that amount is expected to increase by at least $25 million monthly over the next few years.
BRAC impacts everybody in this community, Soldiers and civilians alike.
You are invited to learn more about BRAC and the move of the Armor School at the monthly Community BRAC Update June 1 at 3 p.m. at the National Infantry Museum. This meeting is free and open to the public.
BRAC By The Numbers Today's number is 162,000,000 - dollars! That's the difference between the construction cost of Building 4 in 1963 and the cost of renovation. It cost $10 million nearly 50 years ago to build the new post headquarters, commonly known as Infantry Hall, and $172 million to strip it down to its framework and rebuild it to be stronger and more efficient. Had the building been constructed new, it would have cost $220 million.
When the first phase, the six-floor "central tower phase," of the three-phased construction project is completed next year, it will house the offices of the Maneuver Center commanding general, the commandants of the Infantry and Armor schools, and a number of directorates and organizations. The second and third phases, the east and west wings of the building, will house mostly classrooms.
Various sustainable practices and design elements will likely make Building 4 the Army's largest LEED Gold facility, including solar panels, a rain-harvesting collection system and interior features constructed of recycled materials.
For more information about building and renovations projects related to Base Realignment and Closure actions on Fort Benning, call 706-545-6169. |
News
 Fort Benning's garrison commander, COL Tom Macdonald, released a new map this week outlining defined areas of land being considered for potential acquisition to expand the amount of land suitable for training on the post.
Last month, MG Michael Ferriter, the Maneuver Center commander, announced that the installation had launched a study into the possibility of acquiring 82,800 acres in one of, or a combination of, five counties near the post's southern, southeastern and southwestern boundaries: Russell County in Alabama and Marion, Chattahoochee, Webster and Stewart in Georgia.
Click on headline for more
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 Rebecca White said she was shaking with nervous anticipation as she waited for the nearly 30 members of the 14th Combat Support Hospital advance party to file into Freedom Hall just after midnight May 22.
She said the return was particularly sweet for her.
"I went in for a routine MRI and found out I had kidney cancer ... about a month after (my husband) left," she said.
Click on headline for more
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 After spending the morning throwing practice hand grenades May 24, PVT Carlos Urbina said the training took on a new meaning when he threw a live grenade.
"We started with the fake grenades, and it wasn't too complicated," Urbina said. "But when we went down the range with the live grenades, that's when my heart started beating. I started hearing the booms and seeing things blowing up, and that's when I said, 'This is real.'"
Urbina and the nearly 200 other Soldiers in C Company, 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry Regiment, were at Malone Range 1 to complete the hand grenade training, a requirement for all basic trainees. The Soldiers were starting week 11 of training.
Click on headline for more ______________________________________________
 There's a host of history buried under Fort Benning, and officials with the Directorate of Public Works said all of it is being protected.
Christopher Hamilton, chief of Environmental Programs Management Branch, said there are 85 cemeteries throughout the installation - most of them in remote firing areas.
The cemeteries range in size from two graves to dozens of graves. Some are marked and unmarked, and the oldest graves contain Indian remains dating back 500 years, Hamilton said.
click on headline for more
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Joint training sharpens ISF skills
 The capability of Iraqi Security Forces is paramount to keeping Iraq safe, and U.S. Soldiers are training Iraqi troops to provide that stability and security for their country.
This is the situation at Contingency Operating Location Shocker, where a group of Iraqi Commandos received training in May, 2010, from the Cavalry Scouts of A "Assassin" Troop, 3rd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division.
click on the headline for more ______________________________________________
 The same pride in their step, the same warrior ethos as Soldiers before them, that's what MSG(R) Clancy Lyall saw Friday at the graduation of F Company, 2nd Battalion, 58th Infantry Regiment, he said."Same esprit de corps, no question," said the 85-year-old World War II veteran. "I've met many different generations different places ... met them in Afghanistan, met them in Europe, met them in the Pacific - active and retired. The only difference is the time of year. It's 2010, not '44 or '45." Click on headline for more
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 Richard Tallman said he wanted to seek out just one name: his grandfather.
In July 1972, BG Richard Joseph Tallman - on his third tour to Vietnam - was aboard a helicopter leaving An Loc in Binh Long Province when his party was hit by enemy artillery fire. The 47-year-old general, also a veteran of World War II and Korea, was wounded and later died at the 3rd Field Hospital in Saigon.
click on headline for more
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 The Warrior Training Center hailed a new leader Tuesday.
LTC Phillip Johnson took over the position during a change of command ceremony at Camp Butler's rappel tower. He replaces LTC Robert Harris, who leaves for Arlington, Va., to become the Army National Guard's deputy operations officer.
Johnson arrives at Fort Benning after serving as executive assistant to the director of the National Guard Bureau's joint staff.
"He has demonstrated the ability to think strategically and has a vision on where he wants to take this battalion," said COL Steven Bapp, special assistant to the Army National Guard director. "I assure you all that the Warrior Training Center is in capable hands, and he will take this battalion to the next level."
click on headline for more
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MEMORIAL DEDICATED AT NATIONAL INFANTRY MUSEUM AND SOLDIER CENTER
The first monument to be built on the Walk of Honor, will be dedicated June 1.
Some 2,500 guests are expected to attend the ceremony commemorating the memorial to the
173D Airborne Brigade .
The $650,000 memorial pays tribute to the 1,700 members of the brigade killed in combat in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan. Construction funds were raised in order to provide a permanent marker in a place where almost every member of the brigade trained and where many served. The design is based onthe concept of a circle of sacred ground with the Wing and Sword dramatically rising toward the sky. Color guards from the active Brigade will participate in the ceremony as will color guards from the armies of Australia and New Zealand that served with the 173 D.
On Memorial Day, a paver dedication ceremony was held on Heritage Walk for those who have purchased the commemorative markers this year.
One of many amazing stories surrounding the memorials was particularly meaningful for Museum sales director Kristen Holt. She recounts the story of Lou De Seta. He contacted her after ordering a paver to memorialize his friend and fellow 173 D Airborne Brigade soldier 1LT Daniel Jordan who was killed in Vietnam in 1967. While searching for some information, Holt found contact information for Jordan's son, which she passed on to De Serta.
Since Jordan Junior was born after his dad was killed he had gaps in his knowledge about his father and did not know about his battle buddy De Serta. The two connected and now have tentative plans to meet at The Vietnam Veteran's Wall in Washington DC on Father's Day.
More information about the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center is available at http://www.nationalinfantrymuseum.com/?page_id=2024 |
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Your ticket to Columbus
Just released this month, the River City Pass represents some of the best venues Columbus has to offer - all contained in a $20 wallet-sized card. One pass is good for admission to the National Civil War Naval Museum at Port Columbus, the Coca-Cola Space Science Center and the Rifle Range and IMAX theater at the National Infantry Museum. The pass also features discounts at several places in uptown Columbus, including dining, shopping and entertainment. Here's a peek at what your pass includes.
Port Columbus
· 19th-century vessels
The first thing you'll see as you approach Port Columbus is a full-scale replica of the USS Water Witch sitting outside the museum.
Inside, there are many more ships or pieces of ships, as the case may be. The ironclad CSS Jackson, burned and buried in the Chattahoochee River for nearly 100 years, was resurrected in 1961 for the Civil War centennial. The wreck, weighing more than 500,000 pounds, still retains the scent of burned wood. Port Columbus also boasts the largest surviving Confederate warship, the CSS Chattahoochee, and the only surviving Confederate Navy gunboat, the CSS Chattahoochee.
· Civil War era artifacts
Visitors can board a ship, peek inside a ward room, watch naval combat episodes, see the largest Civil War naval flag collection in the country and examine other period artifacts, such as carbines, rifles, cutlasses and uniforms.
Find out more on the redesigned website: www.portcolumbus.org.
Coca-Cola Space Science Center
· The lobby
With simulation rides and hands-on exhibits, visitors to the Coca-Cola Space Science Center can test drive a fighter plane, help forecast the weather, maneuver a Mars rover and land a shuttle. Perfect for children, this area has plenty of informational displays to back up the fun with real science.
· Mead Observatory
The Mead Observatory houses several telescopes, including a 16-inch LX200 Schmidt-Cassegrain. The observatory offers programs throughout the year covering a range of astronomical events, including comets and eclipses to meteor showers.
· Omnisphere Theater
The planetarium features a high-resolution video projection system and excellent sound quality. One of only a handful of its kind, the theater immerses you in an out-of-this-world experience as you recline in your seat facing a full-dome screen.
Several shows play throughout the week, including laser concerts. The newest feature is Invaders of Mars.
For more information, visit www.ccssc.org.
National Infantry Museum
· IMAX
Boasting a screen five stories high and 70 feet wide and a 70-speaker, 12,000-watt sound system, the IMAX theater at the National Infantry Museum is the only IMAX theater in West Georgia. In any of its 292 seats, you're sure to get a good view.
Now showing are three feature documentaries: Hubble 3-D, Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets and Lewis and Clark: Great Journey West.
· Rifle Range
Experience the same rifle simulator used on post to train Soldiers. The Engagement Skills Trainer 2000 lets you compete against your friends while testing your prowess at marksmanship.
And the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center is the only place in the civilian world where you can find this simulator.
For more information about IMAX show times, the Rifle Range and other exhibits on display at the museum, visit www.nationalinfantrymuseum.com.
For more on the city pass, visit www.rivercity.pass.com. |
Remembering our Fallen Soldiers
To honor and remember fallen Soldiers, Fort Benning Survivor Outreach Services will dedicate the "Hall of Remembrance" in memory of all Soldiers who have lost their lives while serving on active duty. The hall will serve as a reminder of the sacrifices made while serving on active duty and serve as a reminder to all that our fallen Soldiers have not been forgotten.
The Hall of Remembrance will showcase 8x10 photographs of fallen service members from all branches of the military. Families are encouraged to submit a picture along with a statement about their loved one. Photograph should be sent to: Army Community Service
Building 2624 Soldiers Plaza, 7200 Kanopsky Avenue, Fort Benning, GA 31905
The S.O.S Hall of Remembrance is scheduled to open later this summer. For more information, call 706-545-4043 or email Angela Holsey atangela.holsey@us.army.mil. |
 Upcoming Fort Benning Events
The following Fort Benning events are scheduled to take place between: June 4 - June 6:
June 4: 198th Infantry Brigade Brave & Bold Kid's Day - A kids fishing derby will kick off the second annual 198th Brave and Bold Kids Day. This event is an opportunity to promote brigade espirite-de-corp. Other activities include an archery shoot, air soft shoot, inflatable fun house, and a BBQ lunch. When: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m. Where: Russ Pond
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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