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The installation will conduct antiterrorism/force protection exercise on March 30. Personnel on the installation should be prepared for increased police, fire, and rescue activity. Those arriving on the installation may incur detours, closed roads and traffic delays at entry gates, to include possible gate closures and/or other force-protection measures.

Upcoming:  

Survivors and family members of fallen Soldiers can apply for a survivor decal for their vehicles so they no longer need to stop for a visitor's pass. Government-issued identification cards, such as a state-issued driver's license, are still required at entrances to military installations. The decal is valid on Army posts only. To obtain a special vehicle decal at Fort Benning, call Starla DeSaussure at 706-545-3016 or William Allen at 706-626-0858.

At the Newcomers Orientation, you will learn about resources, programs and organizations that will help you and your families enjoy life at Fort Benning. The orientations are held at Building 7, 7117 Baltzell Ave. Free child care is provided with pre-registration. To find out when the next one is scheduled, call 706-545-0403.

The 160th Special Operation Aviation Regiment, will hold recruiting briefings in building 2446, room 207, on Lawson Army Airfield on the 5th of April at 10:30 a.m. and 12 p.m.   

The 2nd (Indianhead) Division  Association is conducting a nationwide search for anyone who served with 2nd Infantry Division to let 2nd ID veterans know more about the association and an upcoming reunion. For more information, e-mail MDavino@yahoo.com.

The Fort Benning Thrift Shop, located on Ingersoll in Building 229, is temporarily closed because of construction. It will reopen April 5. For more information, call 706-687-4830.

Army Values:   

Treat others with dignity

In the United States Army and at the Maneuver Center of Excellence, military discipline is founded upon self-discipline and embracing the Army Values.

The Army and the MCoE have been, and continue to be, value-based organizations in which everyone will treat others as they wish to be treated - with dignity and respect. Any conduct, regardless of service or rank, that causes a Soldier or civilian to be exposed to cruelty, abuse, oppression or harm is unacceptable. I expect this command to set the example across our Army. This is important to me and must be important to leaders at every level.

"Army Values" is not merely a phrase for how members of the Army should act. These words are who we are. We embody the seven Army Values of loyalty, duty, respect, selfless service, honor integrity and personal courage. These values are the standard for behavior, not only in the Army but in any ordered society. Every member of this command - Soldier and civilian - is responsible for living and mentoring others in the Army Values.

Respect begins with the knowledge and understanding that all people possess inherent worth as human beings, even when beliefs and moral convictions differ. Respect for others is treating everyone with consideration, dignity and honor. It is a form of discipline and is demonstrated on a daily basis by deference to the chain of command, mutual respect between senior and subordinate personnel, and fair treatment of all Soldiers at all times.

Today, we find our Army involved in two major conflicts in the Middle East. Our goal at every level is to be prepared when called upon. Each of us possesses special skills and adheres to certain moral and religious values. Only through our commitment to the Army Values, whether at home or deployed, will we have a cohesive and team-oriented Army fully trained, ready and unquestionably committed to act decisively for our nation's welfare.     

 One Force, One Fight!

Maj. Gen. Robert Brown

From the Garrison

Harmony Church ACP open

The new Harmony Church Access Control Point  (new ACP 7) located along Route 27 will open for 24/7 hour business with 2 lanes open and limited visitor pass services on March 15. Department of Emergency Services is currently in the process of hiring additional guards to increase lane availability on this ACP and we expect to achieve full operational capability by the end of the summer. The opening of this ACP necessitates the current closure of the old facility servicing 1st Division Road, which will closed on March 14.

Clean Air Campaign

Fort Benning is working in partnership with the Clean Air Campaign to reduce air pollutants. The first step is the commuting survey, which will determine commuting trends on Fort Benning and help determine the pounds of pollution that are being eliminated when vanpools and carpools are formed.

Click on the link below to download a copy of the Application Form http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/FortBenning

Bring a printed copy of the completed application to:
Room 385, Building 35, 35 Ridgeway Loop, Fort Benning, GA 31905.

News: 

Torchlight ceremony

Land expansion statement release in April 

The next round of meetings for the Training Land Expansion Program is set for May, pending the approval and release of a draft Environmental Impact Statement in mid-April.

Fort Benning is studying the possibility of expanding its training lands by nearly 40 percent in the next five years. The additional training land - roughly 82,800 acres - would allow two heavy maneuver battalions and elements of the Maneuver Center to train simultaneously.

Work to increase emotional resiliency

Resiliency. The word has crept its way into our military vocabulary and everyone is using it, from top Army leadership to the squad leader.  

Former Army chief of staff visits post

The retired general who served as the nation's 32nd Army chief of staff added his endorsement to the Armor-Infantry consolidation taking place here and praised the "breathtaking" facilities built at Harmony Church to accommodate troops moving in from Fort Knox, Ky.

Gordon R. Sullivan was given a progress report on Maneuver Center of Excellence transformation, toured new buildings and discussed leadership attributes with Soldiers in the Advanced Leaders Course at the Henry Caro Noncommissioned Officer Academy. It was part of a three-day Fort Benning visit that ended Wednesday.

"It's a long time coming that the Armor branch and Infantry branch would combine," he said. "The Cavalry has always fought alongside the Infantry. It was just inevitable it would happen." Sullivan was Army chief of staff from 1991 until his retirement four years later. He entered the service as an Armor officer in 1959.

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As competition nears, RTB puts finishing touches on events

 

With less than three weeks to go, Best Ranger Competition planners are adding finishing touches and ensuring event schedules remain under tight guard. Battalion-level event rehearsals are in full swing this week, followed by brigade rehearsals next week.

 

For nearly a year, a select group of Soldiers with the Ranger Training Brigade have been behind the scenes preparing events that will ultimately challenge every facet of Ranger knowledge.

 

Brainstorming sessions began the day last year's competition ended, said Command Sgt. Maj. Dennis Smith, who along with the brigade commander has the final say on all BRC events.

 

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Ranger family seeks treatment for Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Ever heard of Spinal Muscular Atrophy? Neither had Staff Sgt. Kanaan and Kari Merriken a little more than a year ago. Their son, Caleb, was born June 3, 2008 - "the best day of my life," Kari said.

"The first few months of his life were relatively normal," she said. "He rolled over at 12 weeks. He was able to sit up at 5 months.  

He crawled at 8-and-a-half months."

But when he wasn't walking at the 16-month mark, his doctor was concerned.

"So we began that process of seeing all these specialists in different places," Kari said. The Merrikens' journey to find out what was causing Caleb's problems led them to a geneticist, a gastroenterologist and a neurologist, among others.

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Record numbers attend Army Small Arms Championship

More than 300 Soldiers from across the Army descended on Fort Benning March 19-28, to take part in the 2011 U.S. Army Small Arms Championship, the 'All-Army,' the preeminent marksmanship training and competition event the military has to offer.

Army Reservist Sgt. 1st Class Russell Moore, 91st Small Arms Readiness Group, Camp Bullis, Texas, won the overall individual championship, his third championship in a row.  

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Survey looks into Army as Profession of Arms

WEST POINT, N.Y., March 24, 2011 - A survey was released Monday to thousands in the Army community asking them to take an introspective look at the service as a profession.

Two-hundred thousand Soldiers, officers, warrant officers and civilians are receiving an e-mail message from the Army Chief of Staff to participate in the Profession of Arms survey.

The survey is part of the yearlong Professional of Arms campaign, which Training and Doctrine Command launched in January with TRADOC commander Gen. Martin E. Dempsey leading the effort on behalf of the Army. The campaign was mandated by the Secretary of the Army and the Chief of Staff of the Army to assess the state of the Army and take a critical look at how the last nine years of war have impacted the Profession of Arms.

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CSMs selected under new system take units 

FORT KNOX, Ky. (Army News Service, March 24, 2011) - Under a new system taking effect later this year, commanders and command sergeants major will begin and end their assignments at the same time.

Senior NCOs chosen last fall by the Army's first Centralized Selection List, or CSL boards, for command sergeants major and sergeants major, will begin filling positions in October, according to Human Resources Command officials.

The new system, outlined at the Sergeant Major of the Army's Nominative Conference in January, synchronizes command teams so that a unit's commander and senior NCO adviser will attend the Pre-Command Course together and change in and out the same fiscal year.

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'Spice', marijuana substitutes now illegal 

WASHINGTON (Army News Service, March 22, 2011) - There's no more wiggle room for Soldiers who want to use marijuana substitutes like "Spice" or K2. New rules by both the Army and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency make at least one thing clear to Soldiers: Spice will burn you.

In February, an Army-wide policy prohibites the use and possession of synthetic cannabis and other substitutes for delta-9-tetrahydrocan-nabinol, commonly referred to as THC, the primary psycho-active constituent of marijuana.     

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Military children need nation's support

WASHINGTON, March 23, 2011 - Military children need the support not just of the Defense Department, but the "whole of nation" to ensure they're ready for the future, a DoD official said here today.

"Military children are resilient, but they need a lot of help," said Robert L. Gordon III, deputy assistant secretary of defense for military community and family policy.  

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NIM participates in Chattahoochee Valley Civil War Commemoration

2011 marks the 150th anniversary of the Civil War and in cooperation with Port Columbus, The Columbus Museum, and Columbus State University, The National Infantry Museum is presenting "Soldiers, Sailors, Slaves and Citizens." The educational series marks one of the most profoundly defining events in American history.

The War Between the States cost more than 600,000 lives, ended slavery and defined the nature of the union. During the four-day symposium, area residents will have an opportunity to learn about, discuss and commemorate this pivotal conflict.

The National Infantry Museum concludes the series with a bang on Saturday, April 9. A day of lectures, book signings, panel discussions and more is planned.  Five dynamic programs about the Infantry's role in the Civil War will be presented by: Dr. Donald Stoker - Author of The Grand Design: Strategy and the U.S. Civil War, Mr. J. Dave Dameron - Author of General Henry Lewis Benning: This Was a Man, Mr. Richard Barlow Adams - Author of The Parting: A Story of West Point on the Eve of the Civil War, Mr. Dave Stieghan - Command Historian, US Army Infantry and Mr. Jeff Reed - Arms Curator, National Infantry Museum.

The Civil War Infantry Symposium at the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center begins at 10:00 am with coffee, Danish and a look at leadership.  

Following lunch, two lectures on Civil War soldiers will be presented. One session compares and contrasts Union and Confederate privates while the other looks at the weapons used by both sides. The day wraps up with the symposium headliner Dr. Donald Stoker discussing "Civil War Strategy: Five Strategic Mistakes" and a closing panel discussion.  

It is the first program that focuses on the role of Infantry and its leadership, highlighting the service of Chattahoochee Valley Soldiers according to National Infantry Museum Director of Education Matthew Young. Story by Borden Black  

The symposium is free but registration is required by April 2, 2011. A form can be filled out on line at www.nationalinfantrymuseum.com or contact the Education Department at 706-685-5814

Schedule of Events

9:00-9:45: Check In & Morning Social.  Meet with the presenters over complimentary coffee and pastries

10:00-10:45: "Old Rock; General Benning and his Leadership" by J. David Dameron

11:00-11:45: "West Point on the Eve of the Civil War" by Richard Barlow Adams

12:00-1:00: Lunch Break

1:00-1:45: "The Power of the Rifled Musket, Civil War Small Arms of the National Infantry Museum Collection" by Jeff Reed

2:00-2:45: "Hardtack and Corn Pone: Billy Yank and Johnny Reb Compared and Contrasted" by David Stieghan

3:00-3:45: "Civil War Strategy: Five Strategic Mistakes" by Dr. Donald Stoker

4:00-4:45: Closing Panel Discussion, featuring all five speakers taking your questions

Taking care of the best military community in the Army!

Upcoming DFMWR events:

The Wounded Warriors Horsemanship Program returns to Fort Benning's Wetherby

Field from 9:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 2. The program was designed by a retired Soldier, Sam Rhodes, to help rehabilitate wounded combat veterans and those suffering from PTSD.  

Rhodes periodically partners with MWR's Outdoor Recreation to offer the program to

the military community for free as a means of sharing the good news about the therapeutic benefits of equestrian activities. We believe programs and activities such as this promote the mental and physical well being of the whole family.

This event, which will include demonstrations, instruction on horsemanship

and riding, is open to all Soldiers, veterans, retirees, DoD civilian employees and family members. Registration is required because space is limited. Call 706-545-7978.

More DFMWR events:

Track and Field

Register your child, between 8 and 18 years old, for Track and Field by March 31 at CYSS Parent Central, Building 104 on Marchant Avenue. The cost is $25. For more info, call 706-545-2079.

SKIESUnlimited Dance

Registration begins April 1 for the SKIESUnlimited summer dance, tumbling and cheer classes. For more information, go to http://www.benningmwr.com/cyss-skies.php or call 706-545-0522.

Movies Under the Stars

Warmer weather means Movies Under the Stars! Join us at 8:30 p.m. every Friday in April at Wetherby Field for a free family-friendly movie. Coolers and pets are welcome, but we'll supply the free popcorn.

NAF Public Auction

NAF Property Branch will host a public auction at 9 a.m. April 4 at Building 2384, Prussman Street, behind Indianhead Child Development Center. Items up for auction include used vehicles, boats, golf carts, grills, campers, exercise equipment, office and home furniture, music instruments and equipment, kitchen appliances, game room equipment and more. Items up for auction may be previewed from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. March 31-April 1. Everything is sold "as is" and must be paid for, by cash, check, Visa or MasterCard, at the time of purchase.  Checks must be accompanied by a letter from your financial institution validating funds. For more information, call 706-545-1083 or 706-545-2348.

TGIF

The Benning Conference Center's Concord Lounge will host TGIF beginning April 8, starting at 4:30 p.m. the second Friday of each month. Don't miss the fun.

Bark to the Park

Join us for Bark to the Park from 4:30-6:30 p.m. April 8 at the dog park at the Blue/French soccer complex on Main Post. Bring the family and your four-legged friends to this free event. We will have people food and dog treats. All four-legged participants must be registered at the Fort Benning Vet Clinic, and children must be accompanied by an adult. For information on pet registration, call 706-545-4444.

Boater Safety Course

Outdoor Recreation will host a free Boater Safety Course from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. April 9 at the Sand Hill Recreation Center. Each participant will receive a safety guidebook and a certificate from the Georgia Department of Natural resources upon completion. This allows Alabama residents to forego the written exam traditionally required for a boating license. Boat inspections will be available after class in parking area. Reservations your spot by April 8 by calling 706-545-7978.

Archery shoots

Uchee Creek will host competitive archery shoots, starting at 9 a.m., the second Saturday of each month - April 9, May 14 and June 11. This event is open to the public. For more info, call 706-685-3060.

Hit the trail!

The Fort Benning Mountain Bike Race will start at 9 a.m. April 9 at the Fitness Trail on Main Post. This is a rugged course, 6 to 10 miles long. Registration begins March 21 at Smith Fitness Center. The top three male and female finishers will receive awards. For more info, e-mail joanne.cain@us.army.mil

"Whose song Are you gonna kiss me or not?"

Thompson Square is topping country charts all across the country, will perform free at the Benning Brew Pub at 7:30 p.m. April 13. This is an outdoor family event. Bring your lawn chairs, but leave the pets and the coolers at home! Refreshments will be available.

Sayers Library Easter Celebration

Sayers Library will host an Easter celebration from 6:30-7:30 p.m. April 15. This free, family event will include an Easter egg hunt, snacks and games. For more information, call 706-545-4911.

Kings Pond Campout

Mark your calendars with the spring Kings Pond campout schedule. Call 706-545-7978 to reserve your spot for the April 16 or May 21 campout, which will include boating, games, fireside stories and s'mores. This event is free and designed for all ages. Pets are welcome.

Spring Eggstravaganza

Join the Easter Bunny for the annual Easter egg hunt at the Spring Eggstravaganza. This free event, sponsored by TIC, will start at 10 a.m. April 16 at Riverside, the home of Fort Benning's commanding general. For more information, call 706-545-1853.

Family Fishing Night is back!   

Outdoor Recreation will host Family Fishing at Russ Pond from 5-7 p.m. April 19, May 17 and June 21, weather permitting. Reserve your free pole and bait now by calling 706-545-7978. Fishing at Russ Pond is restricted for to those 15 and younger, but parents and older siblings are encouraged to help.

Child fingerprinting

Plan now to have your child fingerprinted from 2-4 p.m. April 22 at the Main Post PX. This event is sponsored by Army Community Service in observance of Child Abuse & Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Paintball

Spend your next training holiday playing paintball in the Woodlands off Dixie Road, between 1st Division and Soldiers Plaza. Rent paintball equipment at Outdoor Recreation while supplies last. Form a team and challenge another unit or group. Paintball tournaments are scheduled for April 22, May 27 and Sept. 2. To register, call 706-545-9636.

Family Entertainment Center Easter Party

The Family Entertainment Center will host an Easter party from 1:30-3 p.m. April 23. This event includes a free Easter egg hunt with a chance to win an FEC family party package! Bring your camera - the Easter Bunny will be there. For more information, call 706-545-4272.

BCC Easter Brunch

Enjoy and elegant Easter Brunch at the Benning Conference Center's regimental Ballroom from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. April 24. Brunch - $15.95 for adults, $7.95 for children 6-12, and free for the younger ones - will include a classic breakfast menu, carving stations, pastries and desserts. The Easter Bunny has reserved his spot. Reserve yours today! Call 706-682-0640.

Brown Bag Lunchtime Discussions

Sayers and Donovan libraries and Dr. Douglas Campbell will host two brown bag lunchtime discussions about the 1865 Battle of Columbus at 11:30am April 26 at Sayers Library and 11:30 a.m. April 27 at Building 9230, room 200, in the commissary mall. Bring your lunch! For more information, call 706-545-8932.

Single Soldier Bowling

Single Soldiers, get two FREE games of bowling and free shoes when you register for BOSS Cosmic Bowling, from 8-10 p.m. April 29 at the Mall Bowling Center. Sign up by April 15 at the Kelley Hill Rec Center or call 706-544-1411. You must be 18 or older to participate.

Love Your Body Week

April 25-29 is Love Your Body Week at Smith Fitness Center. We've planned a full week of fun, with prizes and activities for the whole family. On Monday, April 25, join us at 11:30 a.m. or 4:30 p.m. for one-hour personal training information sessions, with free body fat testing and prizes. We will offer aromatherapy and massage classes on Tuesday, April 26 and free power yoga at 6:40 p.m., Wednesday, April 27. Thursday, April 28 is all about outdoor fun. We'll give away pool party packages, canoe rentals and more from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. and 4:30-6 p.m. Friday, April 28, for a grand finale, we will host our annual Fitness-a-thon from 9:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. Try five hours of fitness classes free! For more information about Love Your Body Week, call 706-527-2393.

• You'll find the most up-to-the-minute information on our Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/BenningFMWRfans.