They don't say much at Fort Benning about the goings on of the Benning-based 75th Ranger Regiment. So when you get a news release about the regiment, you read it immediately.
That leads us to the following warning:
If you see low-flying aircraft or any other suspicious military activity in the Fort Benning area and central Florida this week, know that it could be the 75th Ranger Regiment at work.
The local Rangers are conducting a military exercise that will run through June 28, according to a release. It is being held on military training areas at Fort Benning, Avon Park, Fla., and in the vicinity of surrounding communities, according to the release.
Training ammunition "and other training devices" will be used in the exercise that also includes the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment from Fort Campbell, Ky., and Air Force Special Operations Command from Hurlburt Field, Fla.
The best part of the news release? The way the Army describes the Rangers.
"The 75th Ranger Regiment is a lethal, agile and versatile special operations force that conducts forcible entry operations and special operations raids across the entire spectrum of combat," according to the release. "Therefore, tough, realistic military exercises conducted regularly give the Rangers a decisive edge for real-world missions. Exercises such as this are the best method to test their readiness capabilities."
For more information about the training exercise, contact the Public Affairs Office for the 75th Ranger Regiment at 706-545-4260 or 706-604-5114.
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It's retirement week at the Cunningham Center.
First, Carmen Cavezza says he's retiring at the end of this year as executive director of the Cunningham Center for Leadership Development.
Now, Lori Auten, area director of the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center -- which has offices in the Cunningham Center -- says she is retiring at the end of this month after 16 years on the job. Well, sort of.
"I am going to work with my husband in our businesses and will start practicing what I have been preaching all these years," she said Wednesday. "Greg and I built an express car wash in Milledgeville in 2010 and we also recently bought a majority share in the screen printing company, Colormac, on River Road. So, I'm off to be an entrepreneur!"
Never fear, however. The SBDC will still have a wealth of expertise to offer aspiring and existing businesses in the surrounding area. Auten said longtime business consultant Mark Lupo will become area director of the center starting July 1.
"This is very good news for the SBDC and great news for the Columbus community," she said.
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Extra mayo, please.
Those who think that
the Miss Georgia contestants keep those trim figures by eating nothing but salads and small portions of skinless chicken would have been shocked Sunday if they had been at the McDonald's on Veterans Parkway. The 33 contestants had lunch there and there were plenty of burgers and fries being consumed.
When asked about that, more than one contestant replied, "we work it off."
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Now, back to Benning for a little Chatter update.
When a $350 million hospital is completed to replace the aging Martin Army Community Hospital, the new complex will be a historic moment for Fort Benning.
The post will get its first two parking garages since it was established in 1918. Sounds like a great place for Rangers to train, huh?
The new 70-bed hospital is expected to be completed by September 2014. One garage will be used by hospital staff and the second will take care of visitor parking.
The two garages will provide the hospital with a total of 1,977 parking spaces.
Since the project started in 2011, 25 percent of the structure has been completed. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded the contract to Turner Construction Company of Huntsville, Ala., and its design partner, Ellerbe Becket of New York.
