|
|
|
MANEUVER CENTER OF EXCELLENCE - TEAM OF SOLDIERS, FAMILIES, AND CIVILIANS FROM THE BEST ARMY IN THE WORLD!
|
|
|
|
|
Quick Links
| |
|  |
|
Hot Topics:
Maneuver Conference
The Maneuver Conference is Monday through Sept. 15 at the Columbus Convention and Trade Center. This year's theme is 21st Century Maneuver Training. The conference will showcase the Maneuver Force - Infantry, Armor, and Cavalry. Some of the Army's top leadership will give presentations that will provide a basis for opportunity ties to share lessons learned, tactics, techniques, and procedures from across the operating force, deployed environments, generating force, and training centers. There will be a dinner Tuesday to recognize the Doughboy and Gold Medallion Award winners. For more information,
Click here
9/11 Ceremony
Starting at 8 a.m events planned for Sunday, September 11 at the museum include: display of a steel beam pulled from the rubble of the World Trade Center, dedication of a "Field of Flags," a Red Cross "Badges for Life" Blood Drive, search-and-rescue dog demonstrations, teamwork exercises, scavenger hunt and crafts for kids. Local singers and musicians will provide patriotic music throughout the day.
click here for more.
What's that noise?
There will be heavy weapons firing on Fort Benning today through Sept. 23 in the northeast portion of post. For more information on weapons firing, click here.
RTB aid station to be named
A Ranger Training Brigade aid station on Hourglass Road in Harmony Church will be dedicated to Sgt. Jonathan K. Peney of Marietta, Ga., at 10 a.m. Friday. Peney, with 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, was on his fourth deployment to Afghanistan when he was killed by enemy fire while providing aid to a wounded Ranger in Kandahar Province in June 2010. Hourglass Road will be closed during the ceremony.
|
|
Maneuver Conference set, individuals to be recognized
Fort Benning is hosting the first Maneuver Conference Monday through Wednesday and unites the Infantry and Cavalry forces under one roof. The recipients of the Doughboy Award and the Order of Saint George Gold Medallion will be awarded at the Maneuver Conference dinner at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the RiverMill Event Center. The event will feature three 2011 Doughboy Award recipients, two 2011 Order of Saint George Gold Medallion recipients and two 2010 Order of Saint George Gold Medallion recipients.
The dinner cost is $45 per person. To register for the conference and attend the dinner, Click here.
The Doughboy Award The Doughboy Award is the highest honor the chief of Infantry bestows on an individual. The award is given annually on behalf of all Infantrymen past and present to individuals who have made substantial, lasting contributions to the Infantry, said Michael Ramirez, project officer for the Chief of Infantry's Doughboy Award.
"Their contributions to the Infantry over their lifetime have been significant, and those contributions recognized by some of the most notable leaders in the Infantry community today," he said.
The 2011 recipients include retired Gen. Edward C. Meyer, retired Command Sgt. Maj. William Acebes and Joe Galloway.
Meyer retired from the Army after serving as the Army's chief of staff from 1979 to 1983. He held numerous assignments, including serving as the deputy commander of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) during Vietnam. He also served as the deputy commandant of the Army War College from 1972 to 1973.
Acebes, a Fort Benning post command sergeant major, served as command sergeant major for units including the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division and 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment. In 2003, he was inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame. After retirement, he attended Barry University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resources.
Galloway is a nationally syndicated columnist and senior military correspondent for the Knight Ridder newspapers. He served for 22 years as a foreign and war correspondent and bureau chief for United Press International and 20 years as senior editor and writer for U.S News & World Report. He received the National Magazine Award in 1991 and the Bonze Star Medal with "V" device in 1998.
Order of Saint George Gold Medallion The Order of Saint George Gold Medallion was established in 1986 by the U.S. Armor Association to recognize the best tankers and Cavalrymen. Retired Lt. Col. Mark Gavula, executive director for the U.S. Cavalry and Armor Association, said members of the Gold Order of the Order of Saint George nominate individuals and are elected into the order. The recipients will be knighted during the Maneuver Conference dinner.
"It illustrates their continued contributions to the Army, Armor and Cavalry and the Soldier in their post military career," he said.
"We know what they accomplished on active duty during their career by reading their biography and looking at their awards. They may have hung up their uniform but continue to give back to the Cavalry and Armor community."
The 2011 recipients are retired Col. William Hansen and retired Command Sgt. Maj. William "Joe" Gainey. Hansen is the vice president of Army Systems and Special Operations Forces Programs business areas for the Washington Operations Office, Lockheed Martin Corporation. Hansen served in the military for more than 27 years including commander of the 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment, and command and staff positions in the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment.
Gainey retired in 2008. He was the first senior enlisted adviser to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 2005. He served as the command sergeant major of several units including 2nd Battalion, 68th Armored Regiment, and 1st Battalion, 35th Armored Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division. He also served as the command sergeant major of Combined Joint Task Force 7 and as command sergeant major of Multi-National Corps-Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom II.
Also during the dinner, the 2010 recipients will be recognized.
They are retired Gens. Ronald Griffith and John Tilelli Jr. Neither were able to attend last year because they were out of the county, Gavula said.
Griffith served as the vice chief of staff of the U.S. Army from 1995 to 1997. Past assignments include commander of 1st Battalion, 32nd Armor Regiment in Germany, 1st Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division and 1st Armored Division during the Gulf War.
His awards include the Purple Heart, Legion of Merit and Bronze Star. Griffith retired in 1997 and became the executive vice president of Military Professional Resources and executive vice president of the L-3 Communications Government Services Group.
Tilelli was the vice chief of staff of the U.S. Army from 1994 to 1995. His previous assignments include the position of commanding general of the U.S. Army Forces Command from 1995 to 1996 and commander in chief of the United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command/U.S. Forces Korea/8th U.S. Army from 1996-1999.
He retired in 2000. After his retirement, he became the president of the United Services Organizations. His awards include the Legion of Merit and Bronze Star with "V" device.
|
|
|
News
Former Armor, Infantry leaders gather for board
--------------------------------------------------------------
Post marks 10th anniversary of 9/11
--------------------------------------------------------------
A different tune: MCoE Band member gets gig with top Marine band
--------------------------------------------------------------
Combined forces kill, detain several insurgents
--------------------------------------------------------------
Soldier saves friend from committing suicide
--------------------------------------------------------------
BRAC: To the Future! celebration set for Sept. 23
--------------------------------------------------------------
Click here to read this week's Bayonet
(note: it may take a few minutes to download the paper)
|
2011 Sniper Competition
The U.S. Army Sniper School and the Army Sniper Association will host the 2011 International Sniper Competition and Symposium from Sept. 23-30. The competition is open to all active duty, National Guard, Reserve Soldiers, other U.S. and international service members, and civilian law enforcement agencies. There are slots for 32 two-man sniper/observer teams to compete. Eight of these slots are reserved for international teams, four for law enforcement, and 20 slots military teams. Interested teams need to contact the Sniper School no later than Thursday. Prior to the start of the competition, there will be a two-day symposium focused on sharing of the tactics, techniques, procedures and lessons learned from subject matter experts who have recent operational experience. For more information, visit the Sniper School website or the Army Sniper Association website. |
Odierno assumes responsibility for Army
By Army News Service ARLINGTON, Va. (Army News Service, Sept. 7, 2011) -- Gen. Raymond T. Odierno was sworn in this morning as the Army's 38th chief of staff during a ceremony on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Va., near the Pentagon. "I am humbled and honored to serve as the 38th chief of staff of the Army," Odierno told the crown assembled in Conmy Hall. "This weekend is the 10th anniversary of 9/11. And I would just say that over the last 10 years, our Army has proven itself. Inarguably, (in) the most difficult environment this nation has ever faced. Our leaders of every level have displayed unparalleled ingenuity, flexibility, and adaptability. Our Soldiers have displayed mental and physical toughness, but most importantly, courage under fire. "They have transformed the Army into the most versatile, agile, rapidly deployable, sustainable, strategic land force the world has ever known. I am proud to be part of that army. And I am proud to have the opportunity to continue to serve with these great men and women -- the next greatest generation." Odierno now takes on responsibility for training, equipping, maintaining and sustaining an Army of more than half a million Soldiers. A native of New Jersey, Odierno graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1976 with a commission in field artillery. During more than 34 years of service, he commanded units at every echelon, from platoon to corps, with duty in Germany, Albania, Kuwait, Iraq, and the United States. Odierno served as commander, Multi-National Force-Iraq from September 2008 to December 2009. He then continued to serve as commander, United States Forces-Iraq, from January 2010 to September 2010. Most recently, he served as commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command, where he oversaw that organization's role in joint concept development and experimentation, joint capability development, joint training, and force provision and management. U.S. Joint Forces Command was disestablished as of Aug. 31, 2011. Odierno assumed responsibility for the Army from Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, who after serving five months as the Army's chief of staff, will move on to assume new duties as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff following the Sept. 30 retirement of Adm. Mike Mullen. While Dempsey's tenure as the chief of staff was short, he said he's proud to have served. "My brief tenure as CSA has produced a lifetime of memories," Dempsey said. "I now have a vocabulary of abstract words brought to life. Courage, determination, and commitment brought to life in places like ... well, actually, brought to life wherever you find Soldiers and their families." |
Faces of BRAC
Many people work behind the scenes to shape the Maneuver Center of Excellence  | |
Subcontractor Buddy Collins oversees the preparation of the last eight miles of road that connects with a main supply route between the northern and southern areas of Fort Benning. Photo by Cindy Andruss. Faces of BRAC
|
Buddy Collins is a general superintendent with Complete Sitework Services, one of the thousands of subcontractors preparing Fort Benning for its transformation into the Maneuver Center of Excellence. Collins oversees workers as they move the earth and prepare the road bed for the last eight miles of Lorraine Road, which leads to Hastings Range on the northern area of Fort Benning. Hastings Range, a multipurpose facility, is being renovated at a cost of $17.5 million and will be completed in 2012. Clearing, excavation, erosion control, and grading comprise more than half of the work that must be done before concrete can be poured into the road bed. The $16.3 million project includes concrete paving, three bridges, and multiple drainage culverts. Collins said he expects the road to be ready for use before spring 2012. --------------------------------------------  | |
Subcontractor Maureen Bush oversees the reshaping of a 16-mile road that forms a main supply route between the northern and southern areas of Fort Benning. Photo by Cindy Andruss.
|
As a result of the Base Realignment and Closure decision to transform Fort Benning into the Maneuver Center of Excellence, the Army Corps of Engineers partnered with thousands of contractors and subcontractors to work on the front lines. These construction warriors have poured more than concrete into the buildings and roads that comprise the remodeled home of the Infantry and Armor schools. Contractors such as Maureen Bush said they've also poured their heart and soul into the projects. A 28-year-old entrepreneur and 5th generation principal of McCarthy Bush Corporation, a construction company founded by her great grandparents in 1897, Bush said it is rewarding to be a part of the history being constructed at Fort Benning. McCarthy Bush is headquartered in Davenport, Iowa and has a division located in Atlanta, Ga., which oversees seven southeastern states. The company was subcontracted to help construct a 16 mile, two-lane concrete roadway and three 120 MLC (Military Load Class) bridges each spanning approximately 160 to 275 feet in length. The $21 million contract includes converting existing asphalt to concrete as well as building new concrete roads. Nearly 50 cubic yards of concrete were poured in the construction of the project, which got underway in June, 2010. The road is 24-feet wide and connects with other access roads to comprise a transportation network, which was designed to support very heavy traffic traveling between Hastings Range on the northern end and the Good Hope Maneuver Training Area on the southern end of Fort Benning. The eight-inch thick concrete road was especially built to support the hefty Abrams tank, which weighs more than 60 tons and will be transported upon trucks to the training areas located more than 12 miles from Harmony Church. Delivering the tanks to the distant training sites saves the Army around $300 per mile - the cost incurred to fuel the armored vehicle. Bush said she is proud of the new roadways and looks ahead to more road construction projects. Construction is a great field for women and I'm proud to carry on my grandparent's business, she said. |
|
"The Man Who Predicted 911" documentary to be featured during national infantry museum 9/11 tribute
by Borden Black
The National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center's IMAX theater will feature a special movie about Rick Rescorla: The Man Who Predicted 911, during the September 11th commemoration of the terrorist attack in 2001. After the planes hit on 9/11, Rescorla, Morgan Stanley's security chief, put into effect plans that he had developed years before. He had seen the potential for an airborne suicide attack on the Twin Towers and prepared for such an assault. This documentary tells the story of the man who saved thousands of lives with his actions and died in the process. A photograph of Rescorla, a Vietnam veteran, is also on the cover of the book, We Were Soldiers Once... And Young. He is alsomemorialized with a bronze statue, based on that iconic photo taken at Ia Drang, which is on display on the museum's Memorial Walk of Honor.
Other events scheduled at the museum on September 11, 2001 include: a
Field of Flags dedication, featuring 2,973 flags, one for each of the victims of 9/11
, The Red Cross "Badges for Life" Blood Drive, Fort Benning Emergency Services' Smoke & Storm Trailer, Columbus police driving under the influence course, search-and-rescue dog demonstrations, teamwork exercises, a scavenger hunt and crafts for kids. Local singers and musicians will provide patriotic music throughout the day.
|
|
The Benning Report
by Fort Benning TV
 | |
August 29, 2011, The Benning Report
|
|
|
Up Next!
DFMWR: Taking care of the best military community in the Army!
MWR Sports will host All Army Softball Trial Camp until Sept. 16 at Gowdy Field. The public is invited to the All Army Invitational Tournament Aug. 27-18 at 6pm at Gowdy Field. For more information, call 706-984-1994.
SKIESUnlimited is registering for school year classes. Sign your child up for classes in culinary arts, dance, drama, art, piano, driver's education and more. For prices and schedules, go to benningmwr.com or call 706-545-0522.
Super Bingo is fast-paced and wild! Better get familiar with the game before you run with the big dogs. From 6-10pm Tuesdays, Fort Benning's Pins & Daubers will host Beginner's Bingo. We'll play at a slower pace to get you comfortable with the game and give you a chance to ask questions. We'll even throw in a free add-on packet when you purchase your first packet. Don't be scared. For more information, call 706-544-1964. Pins & Daubers is located on Marne road, beside the commissary.
Is that a baby bump? Join us for prenatal yoga from 4:30-5:30pm Wednesdays at Smith Fitness Center. That's not a baby bump, you say? Oops. You might want to try one of our other fitness classes: www.benningmwr.com/fitnessclasses.php.
Help us feed local families in distress! MWR is partnering with the Feds Feed Families Food Drive to replenish stock at local food banks at a time when supplies are low. Please deliver canned and nonperishable foods, hygiene items, household goods and paper products to collection boxes at Sayers Library, Army Community Service and recreation centers on Kelley Hill, Sand Hill and Harmony Church. The food will be delivered to the Columbus Wellness Center and Feeding the Valley Food Bank.
Join us Sept. 9-10 for a whitewater rafting trip to Tennessee. The cost, $125, covers transportation, accommodations and a full day of rafting. Must be 12 or older. No experience necessary. Reserve your spot by August 26. Call 706-545-7978.
For those who prefer nonfiction literature, the new Second Saturday Book Club will meet at 10am the second Saturday of each month at the Sayers Library Conference Room. The title for the August meeting is Under the Sabers: The Unwritten Code of Army Wives by Tanya Biank. For more information, call 706-545-4911.
MWR will host a flea market on Blue Field during the semi-annual postwide yard sale from 8am-2pm Sept. 10. This event is open to the public. For information on renting booth space, go to http://www.benningmwr.com/documents/Flea-Market-Vendor.pdf.
Army Community Service invites you to the Army Family Team Building Fall Frenzy Sept. 12-15 in Building 359. These all-day events start at 8:45am and include training in AFTB levels I, II and III. AFTB training is designed to help family members understand Army culture and foster self-confidence and self-reliance. Child care is available for those who register by Aug. 29. For more information, call 7060-545-2794.
MWR will host a used furniture sale from 9am-2pm Sept. 12 and 13 at Building 2384 on Prussman Street behind the SSSC Store on Indianhead Road (turn on Prussman just beyond the Indianhead Child Development Center). Merchandise includes exercise equipment, TVs, chairs, tables, sofas and more. For more information, call 706-545-2348 or 1083.
It's a new year for the Benning Book Club. Join us for the kick-off at 10am Sept. 16 at Sayers Library. Enjoy good food, good fun and good friends. Newcomers are always welcome, and you don't have to have read the book. Jump in anytime! We always have lively conversations and door prizes. September's selection is "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children" by Ransom Riggs. Meetings are scheduled for Oct. 21 and Nov. 18. For more information, go to https://www.facebook.com/pages/Benning-Book-Club/132875043426242.
MWR's Outdoor Recreation will host free Kings Pond Campouts Sept. 17, Oct. 8 and Nov. 5. These overnight events include a number of activities, such as boating, games and fireside stories. As always, we're serving s'mores. Campouts start at noon. Bring your own tent or rent one at Outdoor Recreation. To reserve your spot, call 706-545-7978. Outdoor Recreation will host Family Fishing Night at Russ Pond from 6-8pm September 20 and October 18. Fishing at Russ Pond is reserved for those 15 and younger, but parents and siblings are encouraged to help them reel in the big ones. This event is free. Reserve your pole by calling 706-545-7978. MWR's Outdoor Recreation will host a free Personal Watercraft and Boater Safety Class from 9am-3:30pm Sept. 24 at the Sand Hill recreation Center. Participants will receive a certificate from the Georgia Department of Natural resources. This certificate will exempt Alabama residents from the written exam when applying for an Alabama boating license. Class size is limited. Boat inspections will be available. To register, call 706-545-7978. Get outta here! Take a hike - an overnight backpacking trip - with Outdoor Recreation Sept. 24-25. This trip is reserved for ages 15 and older. The cost, $35, covers transportation, food and camping equipment. Register by Sept. 16 by calling 706-545-9636. CYSS offers Saturday Getaways, occasional child care on Saturdays from 9am-5pm at 1st Division Child Development Center and School Age Services. Saturday Getaways are scheduled for Sept 24, Oct 22, Nov 19 and Dec 10. The cost is $4 per hour. Reservations are required by the Thursday prior. For more information, call 706-545-2079. CYSS will host a number of road trips for students in middle and high school from August through December. Enroll your student today to take part in a variety of field trips, including visits to Macon State, Georgia Southwestern and Auburn universities, LaGrange College, Pratt & Whitney and the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins, Ga. These trips are free, but you must register. Call 706-626-0388. MWR is planning an incredible celebration to mark the end of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process that brought us the Maneuver Center of Excellence (MCoE) and the beginning of a beautiful relationship between the Army's mightiest fighting forces, the Infantry and Armor. We call it BRAC: To the Future! Join us from 1-9:30pm Sept. 23 on York Field in front of the newly renovated MCoE Headquarters (Building 4). This event will combine all the best elements of an open house and a street fair. It will be fun and informative. It will also be free to the Fort Benning community - the Soldiers, family members and Department of the Army civilians who live on post and all across the Chattahoochee Valley. Army Community Service hosts a Newcomers Orientation from 9-11:30am every Wednesday at Building 7 on Baltzell Avenue. Refreshment provided. Free child care will be available with pre-registration. Call 706-545-0403. The Wounded Warrior Horsemanship Program returns to Wetherby Field from 9am-2pm Oct. 1. The WWHP includes basic horsemanship demonstrations and hands-on training, riding demonstrations, games, refreshments, music and more. This free event is open to all ages and abilities - it is NOT exclusive to wounded warriors. Participants younger than 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. To register, call 706-545-7978. Help the Hooch! Partner with MWR's Outdoor Recreation as we join the annual effort to clean the creeks and ponds across Fort Benning from 8am-noon October 14. All volunteers will be provided with supplies and gloves. Participants must register to receive free lunch and a t-shirt. This is a popular event that draws a large crowd across the Chattahoochee Valley! To register, call 706-545-9636. Oktoberfest, Fort Benning's favorite fall tradition, returns to the Uchee Creek Activity Center October 21-23. Put on your dancing shoes and enjoy traditional German music (including an authentic oompah band!), food, games for all ages and a Volksmarch. There is no entry fee for this family event, and it is open to the public. For more information, go to benningmwr.com. The annual Oktoberfest 10K Race will start at 10am Oct. 22. The cost of registration Sept. 1 - Oct 21 is $25 and $35 on race day. The first 100 participants to register will receive a free t-shirt. Awards will be presented to the top three finishers in each division. For more information, e-mail liri.smith6@us.army.mil. BOSS will sponsor a trip to Atlanta to see the Falcons take on the North Carolina Panthers Oct. 16. The cost, $25, covers round-trip transportation and admission to the game. Register at the Kelley Hill Recreation center by Oct. 3. The bus will leave at 9:30am. This event is not reserved for single Soldiers. MWR patrons 18 and older are eligible. For more information, call 706-544-1411. MWR Sports will host All Army Rugby Trial Camp Oct. 17-31 at Stewart Watson Field. For more information, call 706-984-1994. Army Community Service will host a free Home Buying Seminar from 4-6pm Oct. 20 at Building 7, ACS headquarters on Baltzell Avenue. Reserve your spot by Oct. 14 by calling 706-545-7517 or 4043. CYSS Sports and Fitness will host a Family 9-Hole Golf Scramble at 1pm Nov. 20 at the Fort Benning Golf Course. The cost is $30. Register at the fort Benning Golf Course. For more information, call 706-545-1853. Check out MWR on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BenningFMWRfans. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
