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RTB Change of Command
Col. Douglas L. Flohr will relinquish command of the Ranger Training Brigade to Col. John W. King II in a change of command ceremony at 9 a.m., June 25 at Hurley Hill.
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From The Top
Fort Benning is the best place in the Army to live and work.
I would like to know what the leadership can do to enhance your living or working environment.
I want your feedback. I want your ideas. I want to ensure we are doing everything we can to support our Soldiers, Families and Civilians.
You can send me your ideas anytime by visiting the MCoE website, https:www.benning.army.mil and clicking on "My Benning Idea" on the Command Corner.
One Force, One Fight!
MG Michael Ferriter
MCoE Commanding General
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The 104th Transportation Company is on the move again, this time to Afghanistan.
About 150 Soldiers left June 13 and will spend the next year conducting convoy operations and security on resupply missions for coalition forces in Operation Enduring Freedom. The unit came back from a 15-month Iraq deployment a year-and-a-half ago.
Dozens of family members, friends and colleagues turned out Sunday evening on Main Post to say goodbye as the Soldiers departed on buses for Lawson Army Airfield. The scene looked all too familiar, many said.
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Valor and sacrifice were recognized during a combat awards ceremony for members of the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment June 10.
The rain broke just as the Rangers lined up in formation to honor 21 of their own with medals and awards.
Chaplain (Maj) David Curlin started the ceremony by reflecting on courage and service.
"As we commend the courage and valor of these men and acknowledge the spirit of selflessness in each heroic deed, we pray that selflessness and courageous spirit that these men have manifested will characterize our own lives on and off the battlefield," Curlin said.
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Adm. Mike Mullen discussed various hot spots around the globe during his June 4 town hall meeting on Sand Hill.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman fielded questions from basic trainees, Soldiers in one station unit training and their cadre on a wide range of issues - spanning operations in Afghanistan and Iraq to potential threats from Iran, North Korea and China.
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Wearing tennis shoes and slightly large head gear, 295 cadets from Muscogee and surrounding counties learned teambuilding and problem-solving skills June 8 at Fort Benning's Leadership Reaction Course. For many of the cadets, the camp was their first time on a military installation.
Tyshawnda Facison, a 15-year-old sophomore from Eastman, Ga., said she was slightly intimidated once she came through the gate for the first time, but her feelings changed once she started training.
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The Armor School has its first foreign liaison office at Fort Benning, and Germany's outfit will be the only one moving to the Maneuver Center of Excellence from Fort Knox, Ky.
LTC Dirk Schubert and SGM Frank Zindel arrived in early June and have begun mapping out plans for future exchanges and swaps in hopes of maintaining a long tradition between Armor elements of the U.S. and German armies.
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 The Ranger Training Brigade's former deputy commander, LTC Martin Barr, became the new battalion commander of 2nd Battalion, 58th Infantry Regiment, during a change of command ceremony June 16 at Kannell Field.
Barr said he felt fortunate for the command opportunity.
"Today is another great Infantry day at Fort Benning," he said. "There's no place I would rather be than right here at 2/58 Infantry. I look forward to leading and working alongside all of you."
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 LTC Michael Hastings took the lead of the 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry Regiment, during a change of command ceremony June 15 at Kannell Field. The new position is Hastings' third assignment at Fort Benning.
"I cannot tell you how excited I am to return ... and take command of an absolutely outstanding unit," he said. "My personal and professional point of aim is to meet the high standards (the outgoing commander) established for this battalion."click on headline for more
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 The Army recently issued a message for all troops and units to inspect their body armor, specifically the Enhanced Small Arms Protective Inserts, or ESAPI, in search of a specific model that was not made according to contract requirements.Fortunately, the recalled plates have passed all ballistic tests so Soldiers who may have been using the plates were always properly protected. However, in order to receive replacement plates under the warranty, all the recalled plates must be turned in.
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 The U.S. Army is testing fuel cell technology for an auxiliary power unit which can bring more electrical power on board an Abrams tank, service officials said. The APU is designed to convert JP8 diesel fuel into hydrogen and then generate electricity through a fuel cell; fuel cells involve a chemical reaction wherein electrical current is generated by the breaking down of a hydrogen atom, said Steven Eick, chemical engineer, Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC).
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Residents have new housing manager
MCoE Public Affairs Office
Fort Benning residents have a new property manager - Interstate Realty Management. But post officials want residents to know the transition should be transparent.
In a letter to residents June 14, Fort Benning Family Communities said it terminated the Pinnacle contract because the company's practices were "inconsistent with the quality of services we seek to provide."
Deputy Garrison Commander George Steuber said residents shouldn't notice any changes - the personnel in the offices or performing the maintenance - have been hired by IRM and the telephone numbers are the same.
This is an administrative change, which won't impact any leases and nothing is required from the residents - unless they've recently submitted a work order that hasn't been completed, Steuber said.
"We want residents to follow up with work orders to make sure they haven't fallen through the cracks," he said. The work order number is the same - 706-685-3929. The e-mail is benning@mmhusa.com.
Keith Lovejoy, the Residential Communities Initiative asset manager, said IRM has experience with transitions like this. The company manages homes for more than 25,000 military families, including Fort Leavenworth, Kan., and Fort Huachuca, Ariz.
For more information, call the transition hot line at 866-570-1448 or e-mail FortBenningMngtTransition@gmail.com.
A new website will be launched in the next few days at
www.villagesofbenning.com. |
What's the best advice your father ever gave you?
"Be prepared; life is a constant battle and selection is a never-ending process. Respect yourself and be professional. Lastly, finish what you start."
Brian Champigny Airborne School
"Tie your boots tight, put your head down into the wind and prepare for best."
PV2 Leonard Cooper 1st Battalion (Airborne), 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment
"My father told me three things: Don't mess with a Mississippi policeman, don't get involved with a Arkansas woman and don't go to a dentist who has a young wife."
Benny Hines Chief of Utility Sales Services
"Keep your guard up, never get discouraged and if it's meant to be, it's meant to be."
PV2 Kevin Sanborn Airborne School
"Don't get a boyfriend; the ultimate weapon is an educated mind; stay in school and friends will come and go, but family's forever."
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| Bogus tourniquets could endanger lives in
combat
By Steve Elliott
FSH Public Affairs
Counterfeit models of the U.S. Army's Combat Application Tourniquet are available on the Internet and on the open market.
The authentic tourniquet has a manufacturing date stamped on it (bottom). courtesy photo | Using the counterfeits can be lethal and the Army considered this enough of a problem to send out a priority message April 14 sounding the alert on these bogus devices.
"While I haven't seen any of these counterfeits in use, I have seen a few ordered by logisticians more interested in cutting costs than in quality control," said Col. John Kragh, U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research at Fort Sam Houston.
"The Combat Application Tourniquet is standard issue to all deploying Soldiers. It's in each Soldier's Individual First Aid Kit pouch."
Kraugh explained the Army's concern with the counterfeits.
"The rod on the dummy tourniquet is bendable to a point where it cannot work right. It's like bending Gumby's arm," he said. "The makers do not market the item ostensibly as a medical device, but they sell it and package it like a retail item.
"The danger is if someone mistakes the fake for a real CAT or a real medical device," the colonel said. "That mistake could be fatal, since it cannot control bleeding."
A tourniquet is used to cut off the flow of blood to a part of the body, most often an arm or leg. It may be a special surgical instrument, a rubber tube, a strip of cloth, or any flexible material that can be tightened to exert pressure.
In a case of bleeding emergency, a tourniquet is used to completely stop the flow of blood.
Meant as a temporary fix, tourniquets are not recommended to be used for more than 20 minutes at a time because of the danger of congestion and gangrene.
The message said that the Defense Logistics Agency knows the fake items are available for purchase through non-Department of Defense websites, and that authorized DoD procurement gateways will supply only the approved commercial part from authorized distributors.
If the counterfeits are found in any inventory, they should be replaced by the real thing and the counterfeit should be reported to that activity's logistical supply office.
"It's easy to get the right items using routine, professional supply channels," Kragh said. "If other channels are used, then it's easy to get the wrong stuff. It just takes a credit card and choosing the wrong online supplier."
The message said the phony tourniquet was first encountered several years ago in a depot in Afghanistan and was thought to have been purged from the system. At that time, the item was of obviously inferior construction and recognizable as a counterfeit. Today, the product has been modified and is difficult to distinguish from the authentic CAT.
The Element Cat (E-CAT) is a very carefully made counterfeit CAT tourniquet, manufactured in Hong Kong for $8.50 each. It was designed to look, feel and act like the real thing.
The authentic item has a National Stock Number of 6515-01-521-7976 and has a unit cost of $27.28.
"The markings appear to be a copyright or trademark infringement, and that is why law enforcement has become involved in the investigation," the colonel noted. "We have had a previous counterfeit CAT confirmed from the Middle East, but this was purged from the warehouses uneventfully a couple of years ago. This is one of the reasons why we should remain vigilant.
As to why anyone would purchase the fake one while the authentic item is available through Army supply channels, the colonel had a possible explanation.
"The ordering system is decentralized giving initiative to low-level supply persons who can order what they think is best. An unknowing person could easily think that they are ordering a Combat Application Tourniquet online for a good price, but getting one cheap from China is too good to be true," Kragh said.
Information about the proper combat application tourniquet can be seen on the U.S. Army Medical Materiel Agency website (http://www.usamma.army.mil/assets/docs/CAT.pdf) under the category "Hot Topics."
An information line at (301) 619-3548 is also available. |
Campers Learn Infantry History, Army Values
New World War II Street Flag Pole to be Dedicated Tuesday
Columbus, Georgia - June 21, 2010: Thirty youngsters lined up this morning to take a pledge of honor on the first day of Summer Camp Benning at the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center. An active duty Soldier from the Warrior Transition Unit led them through the pledge.
This week will be filled with such meaningful activities for the day campers. Each day will be devoted to a different time in Infantry history and will include period crafts, reenactments and even historical snacks. (Think hard tack!)
The camp will have two more sessions this summer, beginning July 5 and July 19. Each camp runs for five half-days and includes lunch.
On Tuesday, June 22 at 11 a.m., there will be a dedication ceremony for the new flagpole on World War II Company Street. The flagpole is a gift from the Daughters of the United States Army (DUSA), an organization that has been a major supporter of the museum. Prior to the dedication, at about 10 a.m., there will be a mock Civil War battle, and following the flagpole dedication there will be a Civil War living history display. Add to that some marching and drilling, and you should get some pretty good pictures!
All Tuesday morning activities will take place on World War II Street. If you'd prefer to come a different day or time, please call first to confirm location and activities.
For more information, contact:
Cyndy Cerbin
Director of Communications
706/653-9234
ccerbin@nationalinfantryfoundation.org |
 Upcoming Fort Benning Events
The following Fort Benning events are scheduled to take place between: June 21 - July 10:
The Army 10-Miler qualifying time trials take place June 25 and July 17 at the Santiago Fitness Center at 7 a.m. Only active duty, activated reservists and activated National Guard Soldiers are eligible to compete for team positions and there is no fee to enter. For more information call 706-527-2393.
June 26: All teens are welcome to enjoy Fright Night Under the Stars at Parent Central, Bldg. 104 parking lot next to the Main Post car wash on Marchant St. on June 26 from 6:30 to 10 p.m. For more information call 706-545-3062.
June 27 : The 'Little Angels' Korean Ballet is giving a free performance at 2 p.m. on June 27 at the RiverCenter in Columbus, Ga. Tickets are available at DFMWR Headquarters in Bldg. 2783 on Eckel Ave. or at Omega World Travel in the Commissary Mall until June 24. After the 24th, all remaining tickets will be available at the RiverCenter box office from June 25. For more information call 706-545-3328 or 706-685-1151.
June 30 - CANCELLED: Teens are invited to Bike the Riverwalk on June 30. Meet at the Middle School & Teen Bldg., #1056 on Baltzell Ave. at 9 a.m. Bicycles and helmets will be provided for those without their own gear. For more information call 706-545-3062.
July 3: Fort Benning's Independence Day Celebration will be held on July 3 at the Stewart Watson Field inside the one-mile track. Enjoy lots of free musical entertainment, children's activities and the best firework display in the tri-city area. For more information visit www.benningmwr.com.
July 3: Watch UFC 116 featuring Lesnar vs. Carwin for free at the Benning Brew Pub. The Pub is located on Sightseeing Rd. next to El Zapata restaurant. For more information call 706-687-1233.
July 3: Fort Benning's Independence Day Celebration will be held on July 3: at the Stewart Watson Field inside the one-mile track. Enjoy lots of free musical entertainment, children's activities and the best firework display in the tri-city area. The gates open at 4 p.m., music starts at 6 and the fireworks start at 10. For more information visit www.benningmwr.com.
July 7: Author and Army veteran Gene Jordan will discuss his book, "From a Sharcropper's Son to a Triple Dipper" at the Sayers Memorial Library at 1 p.m. The event is free. For more information call 706-545-8932. July 10: Join the 3-on-3 Sand Volleyball Tournament at the Benning Conference Center Pool Court on July 10. Registration for up to four team members is taking place at the Smith Fitness Center until July 8. The cost is $30 per team with awards going to the top three finishing teams. For more information call 706-905-8268.
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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