The MCoE Ceremonial Band was named the 2011 Music Performance Team of the Year Feb. 22. It’s the first band to hold this honor since the Armywide band contest kicked off last year.
Retired Lt. Gen. Robert Foley, director of Army Emergency Relief and a Medal of Honor recipient, traveled to Fort Benning Friday to kick off the installation’s fundraising campaign and talk about the program.
Sharpening the tip of the spear — the nine-man dismounted squad — was discussed during a forum hosted by the Maneuver Center of Excellence and combat-experienced squad leaders from the floor of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command exhibit at the Association of the U.S. Army Symposium held Feb. 24 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Traumatic brain injury has been called the “signature wound” of America’s current wars. The rate of combat-related brain injuries in service members returning from war is higher than in previous conflicts. The U.S. military estimates 144,000-plus service members in the last decade have suffered from some type of TBI, either as a result of combat operations or by accidents in training.
WASHINGTON — March is Women’s History Month and an assistant secretary of the Army said the observance is a recognition of the value that women have had in society all along.
After a training range expansion across the installation that went into the Maneuver Center’s formation, Fort Benning has turned up the volume on its noise-reduction efforts.
Fort Benning officials will host an Open House, including a live-fire weapons demonstration March 15 from 3 to 4 p.m. on Red Cloud Range, followed by a public meeting concerning noise effects of weapons firing on post. The public meeting will be held in Fort Benning’s headquarters building, McGinnis-Wickam Hall, in Marshall Auditorium at 4:30 p.m.
Senior leaders from around the Army are expected here next week for the 2012 Maneuver Center of Excellence Reconnaissance Summit.
Soldiers interested in answering the call to the Army chaplaincy have a rare opportunity today.
More than 30 retired generals and command sergeants major — all distinguished Armor and Infantry leaders of the past — are headed back to Fort Benning next week for the second Senior Maneuver Summit.
More than 320 active-duty Soldiers, Reservists, Guardsmen and cadets are registered to compete in the 2012 U.S. Army Small Arms Championship, set to begin Thursday and run through March 10 on Fort Benning, the highest number of competitors in 19 years.
WASHINGTON — With 10 years of war winding down, the focus is now, more than ever, on retention of quality Soldiers.
With the successful completion of the mission in Iraq and a continued transition to Afghan security forces, the Army will begin to reduce force structure.
A new type of immersive full-spectrum training will be tested next month at Fort Irwin, Calif.
First lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, urged the nation’s governors to remove employment barriers for military spouses with professional licenses.
Each of the 174 Infantrymen who graduated Friday at the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center received a 2012 Infantry Soldier Silver Dollar. The coin, just released for purchase Thursday, commemorates the Infantryman. The gifted coins — 230 in total which were given to the graduates, cadre, support staff and special guests — were paid for by a private supporter of the Army.
The Armor School has a new top enlisted Soldier up on the mount.
Infantrymen and engineers steered four small robots around the buildings and terrain at the McKenna Urban Operations Complex last week to get a better idea how they might help Soldiers in recon missions and the detection of improvised explosive devices.
Fort Benning brought in a seasoned Hawaiian warrior Wednesday to revive its Combat Leader Speaker Program.
FORT EUSTIS, Va. — Senior leaders from U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command will discuss how TRADOC is leading the Army’s transition to the Army of 2020 during the upcoming Association of the U.S. Army’s Institute of Land Warfare Winter Symposium Exposition in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., today through Friday.
Soldier suicides have risen since 2004, but new programs and policies across the Army have helped drop the rate 9 percent for 2011. For Kelley Hill, the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team unit ministry team is teaching leaders and Soldiers the latest in suicide -prevention techniques.
WASHINGTON — “We have to avoid another Task Force Smith as we move forward” with these budget discussions, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond T. Odierno told lawmakers.
There is a wonderful new movie out called Red Tails. It is about the first African-American combat pilots who trained at Tuskegee, Ala.
If you’re an NCO who is curious about earning your commission, or if you’re a junior enlisted Soldier who has what it takes for leadership in the Army, attend today’s briefing on Green to Gold. Led by Columbus State University’s ROTC, the information session starts at 10 a.m. in Building 2611, Soldiers’ Plaza.
WASHINGTON — The Army announced its intent Thursday to open six occupational specialties and more than 13,000 positions to women.
Soldiers who want to save money on uniforms and other Army gear should check out the post reclamation sale the first Friday of every month. Fort Benning’s next reclamation sale begins at 8 a.m. March 2 at the Salie Complex, Building 9057, 6883 Ivey Road.
Sgt. Michael Wilson, a medic with the 5th Ranger Training Battalion, Ranger Training Brigade, re-enlists Jan. 27 at Lower Mountaineering Area, Dahlonega, Ga., to meet the Service Remaining Requirement after submitting a packet and being selected for special operations combat medic training. Capt. Chad Maddox, company commander, was the re-enlisting officer. According to a letter on troop strength signed by Sgt. Maj. of the Army Raymond Chandler, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno and Secretary of the Army John McHugh, over the next few years our Army will reduce its end strength and shape the force for future requirements. As we begin this deliberate process, it is imperative we retain those Soldiers with the greatest potential for future service ones truly deserving to remain a part of our Army team.
Trashy, littered, neglected. When you think of Fort Benning and the Maneuver Center of Excellence, these are not descriptions or images that immediately come to mind. Yet, this is how we present ourselves to guests, visitors and one another when we litter or choose to ignore litter that is strewn about our community.
Fort Meade, Md. — The goal of the Army’s new blood drive campaign is to match a donor’s blood type with a specific need, rather than simply issuing a general call for donations.
I’m young — relatively. I’m professional — or at least I try to be. So an organization with the name Young Professionals naturally peaked my interest.
WASHINGTON — The Army’s surgeon general told members of Congress that the service is investigating how post-traumatic stress disorder is diagnosed to ensure consistency at all hospitals.
The 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, combat engineers now have the latest equipment to lead the way in a kinetic fight. As of Wednesday, the Soldiers of C Company, Brigade Special Troops Battalion, 3rd HBCT, have completed training and are now performing mock missions with their new vehicles.
The Pioneer Battalion, 2nd Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment, conducts quarterly senior leader off-site events to bolster esprit de corps and further increase the Soldiers’ knowledge of leadership, teamwork and military history.
The I-Watch program, started on post in 2010, encourages ordinary citizens to be on the lookout for anything out of the norm.
The Fort Benning kennel is about to send a veteran military working dog into retirement, but she figures to wind up in the lap of a Soldier from the Warrior Transition Battalion.
The Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation’s Tickets & Travel held its open house Wednesday — taking over from Omega Travel following the expiration of their contract.
The Armed Forces Disciplinary Control Board and its role in cracking down on off-post shops that legally sell a synthetic drug called Spice were among issues discussed at Fort Benning’s second law enforcement forum.
Soldiers who use social media must abide by the terms outlined in the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Soldiers in Warrior Transition Units at Fort Benning, Fort Stewart, Ga., Fort Gordon, Ga., and Fort Bragg, N.C., now have the option to learn valuable construction and engineering skills through internships with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Savannah District.
The Maneuver Center of Excellence, Staff and Faculty Development Division recently announced the civilian and Soldiers of the Quarter for the first quarter.
NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussells Thursday all agreed on a clear message: as the transition to Afghan security lead proceeds, the process “reflects what Lisbon was all about,” Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said.
Col. Johnnie L. Johnson Jr. hosted an assumption of responsibility ceremony Tuesday at Kelley Hill, where Command Sgt. Maj. Brian D. Harrison assumed responsibility of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, from Command Sgt. Maj. Mark A. Aaron.
January marked Col. Johnnie L. Johnson Jr.’s first year of command of the 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team.
The Army wants Soldier input about a potential upgrade to the Army’s physical fitness uniform.
WASHINGTON — Service members now will receive imminent danger pay only for days they actually spend in hazardous areas, Pentagon officials said Thursday.
A Very Caring Coordinator
The Comprehensive Soldier Fitness-Performance and Resilience Enhancement Program center has formally opened its doors Friday.
The Master Resilience Training aspect of Comprehensive Soldier Fitness is working well. That’s the conclusion of an Army report, released last month, covering a 15-month period of statistical evaluation.
The Comprehensive Soldier Fitness Resiliency Goals Book, previously released as an app for iPhones and iPads, is now available for Android users.
The Armor School commandant helped kick off the Marine Corps Detachment’s annual Tank Conference last week at Harmony Church.
Capability developers from the Maneuver and Signal centers of excellence were recognized during the Capabilities Integration Enterprise Forum Jan. 20 at the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command headquarters, Fort Eustis, Va.
The U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit achieved a historic milestone recently by earning the Army Superior Unit Award. The USAMU attained the highest degree of sustained excellence in 2010, which proved to be a year marked by historic firsts and bests.
Soldiers of the Warrior Transition Battalion are given opportunity to demonstrate their employment readiness with Operation Warfighter.
Fort Benning has a new ICARE program, but this one’s got nothing to do with people’s vision.
Six platoons of Armor lieutenants engaged in a force-on-force field training exercise last week at the Digital Multi-Purpose Range Complex on Harmony Church. The event was the capstone for the Soldiers in I Troop, 2nd Squadron, 16th Cavalry Regiment, 316th Cavalry Brigade, who are in the final few days of the Armor Basic Officer Leader Course.
WASHINGTON — The Army will draw down in size by as many as 80,000 Soldiers over the next six years. That reduction includes the elimination of at least eight brigade combat teams.
Recently, the post regulation regarding veterinary care (MCoE Regulation 40-905) was changed from requiring annual rabies and annual distemper combo vaccinations to 3-year Rabies for both cats and dogs and 3-year distemper combo for dogs. Previous one year vaccinations, however, are still only good for one year. This means that if your pets have been vaccinated for rabies and distemper combo in the past, the next time they come in to the Fort Benning Veterinary Treatment Facility, they can receive a vaccination that will last for 3 years.
African-American women have played a vital role in the history of our nation and our Army since the American Revolution. Their patriotism, loyalty and leadership, coupled with their hard work, intellect and artistic expression, have enriched the African-American community and the nation as a whole. In slavery and freedom, their struggles have been at the heart of the human experience, and their fight against racism and sexism serve as a testament to their perseverance to overcome adversity.
Historically, the Army’s retention mission encompasses October through the following September — the entire fiscal year.
WASHINGTON — The Army released a study Thursday on behavioral health and reported the number of suicides decreased this past year and more Soldiers are seeking treatment for their problems.
The Maneuver Center of Excellence wants to cultivate the science that powers elite athletes and apply it to Soldiers.
Current economic times didn’t affect the spirit of donors this year during the Combined Federal Campaign. Contributions were almost $880,000 this year, said Laura Walker, Fort Benning CFC manager.
FORT KNOX, Ky. — All Soldiers planning to separate from the Army are now required to begin their transition process at least a year before leaving, according to a Department of the Army execution order, known as an EXORD, signed Dec. 29.
Infantry Soldiers nearing the end of one station unit training got a rare chance last week to work with the vehicle many will become very familiar with in their first duty assignments.
Combat engineers assigned to 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, at Fort Benning, are the first deployable unit to receive the latest in breaching technology, the Assault Breacher Vehicle.
As we look to 2012, we are all aware that we face a “new fiscal reality,” as a nation and an Army. Certainly there will be funding challenges ahead, and Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs that are funded by the Department of Defense will come under scrutiny here and across the globe. We will remain steadfast in our commitment to customer service, and will continue to be good stewards of appropriated and non-appropriated funds. You have my guarantee on that.
FORT BENNING, Ga. — The Army’s assistant secretary for installations, energy and environment put her stamp of approval on Fort Benning’s management of the $3.5 billion in construction and restoration that went into building the Maneuver Center of Excellence while making her first post visit this week.
Ground forces will remain important to the U.S. defense strategy, but the employment of the forces will change, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said.
The Army is now one step closer to selecting a new set of camouflage patterns that could replace what Soldiers are wearing now in most places.
Absentee ballots are key for Soldiers who often PCS or deploy, said Richard Madden, installation voting assistance officer.
You should be aware of recent allegations of hazing within the ranks of our armed forces, and we want to take this opportunity to clearly address these troubling reports. We echo the emphasis that Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Chairman Martin Dempsey have placed on this matter. Every Army professional has a personal obligation to prevent hazing and ensure that we treat all of our comrades in arms with dignity and respect.
The Pregnancy Postpartum Physical Training program, formally called Moms on the Move, is a mandatory physical training and advised health education program for all pregnant and postpartum Soldiers. The purpose of the program is to assist Soldiers in maintaining basic physical fitness levels, enhance physical and emotional well-being, and provide educate on pregnancy- related issues. Program participants are required to attend four to five days of physical training. For pregnant Soldiers, there is a day for education.
Soldiers exiting the military can use that experience gained to find a job.
FORT BENNING, Ga. — Fort Benning was home to the Army’s top military police unit last year.
Martin Army Community Hospital has streamlined the application process for Soldiers seeking refractive eye surgery.
Ranger Cory “Smitty” Smith is certainly not the fictitious Forrest Gump, but when he became a civilian this week, he decided to run the 565-mile trip to his hometown near Indianapolis.
KHABARI CROSSING, Kuwait — After the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, drove into Kuwait on Sunday morning, Soldiers from the 1st Theater Sustainment Command, Third Army, and Kuwaiti border military police closed the gate at Khabari Crossing.
President Barack Obama spoke Wednesday to Soldiers at Fort Bragg, N.C., welcoming many back who had just returned from Iraq and lauding an end to the nine-year-long war there.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta joined Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey and other U.S. and Iraq leaders in honoring nine years of service and sacrifice as they commemorated the end of the U.S. military mission in Iraq.
FORT BENNING, Ga. — Fort Benning officials have established “preferred parking” spaces around McGinnis-Wickam Hall in an effort to reduce pollution and land-development impacts from automobile use.
The 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, is not a Training and Doctrine Command unit, nor is it co-located with the 3rd ID headquarters. The battle-tested outfit with a rich and colorful history hails from Kelley Hill, on Fort Benning, a special place to those who call it home.
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond T. Odierno issued instructions Wednesday concerning Reserve Component Soldiers who will be demobilizing at bases in the United States over the holidays.
Have you heard the song I’ll Be Home for Christmas on the radio this holiday season? Did you start channeling the original Bing Crosby rendition from 1943 made popular during World War II?
There is much discussion in the halls of the Pentagon these days about the role of the Army, and I’d like to share with you my thoughts on the issue.
Change is never easy. But, looking back on the year and the many changes at the Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning, our team has risen beyond exception to meet the challenges at hand, focused on the objective of providing the best trained Soldiers for the Maneuver Force while simultaneously moving forward on many of our strategic initiatives. It truly has been a whirlwind of a year.
Nearly one-third of active-duty service members smoke, and that figure increases among troops in a combat zone, according to the 2008 Department of Defense Survey of Health-Related Behaviors.
Projected civilian workforce reductions announced by the Army are expected to have minimal impact on permanent employees and no disruption to the mission or functions at Fort Benning, post officials said last week.
In October 2010, Scott Jones was studying computer graphics and Web design at a local community and technical college in Kentucky when he came to a personal crossroads. At the time, he topped the scales at nearly 440 pounds.
Capt. Thomas Dyer took something of a unique passageway into the Buddhist faith. But he doesn’t want to be stereotyped in his role as an Army chaplain.
One of the world’s greatest leaders was a gate guard who worked at the main gate of Fort Benning. What made him so great was that he knew his job was more than checking ID cards. With his awesome attitude, he conveyed that he cared to every person passing through his lane.
Vanessa Butler had staked out a spot at Wetherby Field by 4:30 a.m. Monday, six hours before the gates opened for the annual Trees for Troops Christmas tree giveaway.
Martin Army Community Hospital has announced plans to unveil a primary care clinic off post for active-duty Soldiers and their Families.
The Directorate of Training Sustainment headquarters, Building 5310, was dedicated Wednesday as Piestewa Hall, in honor of 23-year-old Spc. Lori Piestewa — the first female Soldier to die during Operation Iraqi Freedom and the first known Native American female Soldier to die during combat.
An FTX is a field training exercise. An FLX is a field leadership exercise. There’s a key difference, said Capt. Greg Gober, assistant operations officer for 3rd Battalion (Officer Candidate School), 11th Infantry Regiment.
The 5th Ranger Training Battalion dominated the Maneuver Center of Excellence’s first Instructor of the Year selection board since consolidation of the Armor and Infantry schools.
Post police are reaching out to local and federal authorities in surrounding communities in an effort to build stronger alliances and promote safety inside and outside the gates.
WASHINGTON — If you want to send cookies or or other items to your Soldier overseas and have it in his hands before Christmas, the time to drop it in the mail is now -- or at the latest, Dec. 17.
With the recent changes in the Army re-enlistment policy, the Fort Benning Installation Retention Office is helping Soldiers get their questions answered with monthly retention outreach sessions.
When people think of Fort Benning, some of the first things that come to mind might be the Airborne towers, basic training on Sand Hill or even the new home of the Infantry and Armor.
Unemployed veterans and those leaving the military may soon find a rosier civilian jobs market and get an inside track to better education and training opportunities after passage of the VOW to Hire Heroes Act of 2011.
Utility workers installing an electric line under a parking lot on Main Post came across human remains last week and immediately alerted authorities, who believe them to be from an ancient American Indian burial ground dating back two or three millenniums, officials said.
For the past 10 years or so, when Soldiers talk with career counselors about re-enlisting, the focus (primarily) has been on bonuses. With the continuous reshaping of the force and budget reduction talks, most likely bonuses will not be as plentiful or readily available. With that being said, Soldiers should concentrate on what BENEFITS they are entitled to.
Despite Wednesday’s pouring rain, Fort Benning German and Italian liaison officers moved wreaths to the graves of fallen German and Italian soldiers at the Main Post Cemetery.
When I took command of the Installation Management Command in November 2009, we set out to validate that we were doing the right things and doing things right, and to find better ways of doing business.
If you’re like me, you enjoy your newspaper first thing in the morning, before breakfast, served with the sunrise and a cup of strong coffee. I’m afraid you’re in for a rude awakening, my friend. We’re talking about poop today. Piles and piles of foul-smelling dog poop. I hope you’re not squeamish.
Army, government and private industry leaders came together last week to celebrate the startup of a system at Fort Benning’s landfill designed to capture methane and convert it to electricity.
CAMP BULLIS, Texas — Sixty-two Soldiers from across the Army competed in a grueling 72-hour two-Soldier team competition at Camp Bullis Nov. 4-6 to earn the title of best medic. Sgt. 1st Class John Maitha and Staff Sgt. Christopher Whitaker, representing the 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Fort Benning, secured the title of the Army’s Best Combat Medic Team.
COLUMBUS, Ga. — Military leaders put a wrap on the 2011 Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment during a two-day event with industry, science and technology partners at the Columbus Convention and Trade Center.
FORT BENNING, Ga. — The scene at Fort Benning resembled an episode of M*A*S*H Nov. 2 with helicopters flying and Army medics practicing medical procedures in front of television cameras.
FORT BENNING, Ga. — The 2nd Battalion, 330th Infantry Regiment, cased its colors Thursday at Kanell Field.
The 199th Infantry Brigade has dedicated its headquarters and conference room to two generals who commanded the unit during the Vietnam War.
FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas — Col. Greg Gadson made the story of his personal obstacles into a steppingstone as he took the U.S. Army Installation Management Command’s senior leadership through a discussion of resiliency. Gadson, director of the Army Wounded Warrior Program, described the path he’s taken since losing most of both legs to a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2007.
Alabama immigration law can affect troops
The 789th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company deployed Sunday night at Lawson Army Airfield for a yearlong tour in Afghanistan.
Capt. Ethan Caldwell, company commander, said the unit’s mission was to deal with IED threats.“Our main mission is to defeat IEDs … to identify, render safe and defeat the IED threat and gather technical intelligence so we can help defeat the IED networks over in Afghanistan,” he said.A lieutenant general and five command sergeants major from the Iraqi army saw the Maneuver Center in action last week — and leaders pledged an “enduring partnership” on the eve of a full U.S. withdrawal from the country.
Nearly 20 Soldiers participated in a two-week assessment of a prototype light machine gun to demonstrate its potential impact on mission effectiveness and to help engineers develop possible improvements to the weapon and its unique ammunition. The evaluation sought the warfighter’s perspective after enduring a series of strenuous combat performance drills with the weapon.
The Fort Benning Doughboys’ season finale Thursday will be broadcast around the globe, courtesy of Ron Barr’s Sports Byline USA radio show.
Six years ago, a suicide car bomber robbed his eyesight, but Capt. Scotty Smiley said the path in life today has never been clearer for him. The Maneuver Captains Career Course student nearly died after that explosion in northern Iraq while serving as a platoon leader with the Fort Lewis, Wash.-based 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team. Now, he’s an inspirational speaker, sharing his message of optimism and perseverance with corporations, educators and church groups.
More than 12 colleges were on hand Thursday at the Main Post Exchange to advise Soldiers on taking advantage of educational benefits and continuing education during the Army Continuing Education System college fair.
Maneuver Center of Excellence Commanding General Maj. Gen. Robert Brown dedicated a conference room in McGinnis-Wickam Hall in honor of Col. William Wesley Wood, who died in Baghdad Oct. 27, 2005, after a second IED detonated near where he was directing security operations in response to an earlier IED.
The OCS auditorium now bears the namesake of a Medal of Honor recipient.
SecArmy: Draw-down requires balance
For five decades, ordinary people at Fort Benning have done extraordinary things through their donations to the Combined Federal Campaign — providing vital funding to nonprofit organizations that make a difference in the lives of our Soldiers and their Families. We support the agencies that support us. It’s that simple. Since 2005, Fort Benning’s federal employees have contributed more than $5.6 million to CFC to support local, national and international causes.
Arrive Alive and Enjoy the Downtime
The Army Test and Evaluation Command is crunching data generated by the Spiral G assessment during this year’s Army Expeditionary Warrior Experiment.
Military analysts and exercise force leadership hope to gain more insight into how 4G smartphone technology can benefit the Soldier and small unit, said Lt. Col. Stephen Kneeland, the AEWE Spiral G analysis team leader. The 2011 session revolves around empowering the squad and platoon by identifying and assessing voice and data alternatives, with focus on cellular networks and digital applications.Three agencies are moving permanently into Building 70. Donovan Research Library, the Directorate of Resource Management and Capabilities Development and Integration Directorate will change location in November.
Infantry Soldiers in Day 7 of one station unit training took on Sand Hill’s Eagle Tower for the first time Friday.
The members of F Company, 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry Regiment, took turns climbing and descending the structure, which features “A-frame” steps, wooden ladders and platforms, roped bridges, a cargo net and 52-foot rappel wall. Unit leaders said the obstacle builds teamwork, motivation and confidence for the “Red Phase” of training — which covers the first three weeks — and the remainder of the cycle.Injured Soldiers get more AER grants
Soldiers of 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, headed to the field Oct. 25 for Hammer Focus.
For some, autumn triggers a sort of spider sense. The hair on the back of the neck rises in response to sightings of brazen spiders in the middle of a room, or the sensation of something crawling on your skin.
Most have heard the saying, “Laughter is the best medicine.” Many times medicines can improve our illness, but addressing the whole person calls for something more. There is an increasing interest in studying how humor and laughter can lead to increased health and better immune function.
With the holidays on the horizon, Fort Benning officials have a message for Soldiers and families making big vacation plans: Enjoy the trip, but don’t forget about the terror threat.
All U.S. service members will leave Iraq by the end of the year, President Barack Obama announced Friday.
A new star has emerged inside the U.S. Army Armor School.
Fort Benning will take additional time to reassess its Training Land Expansion Program while studying an uncertain funding forecast facing the Army and Maneuver Center of Excellence, post officials announced last week.
October is Energy Awareness Month, but that’s not why several environmentally conscious Soldiers and civilians met Thursday. The meeting was a quarterly affair, where members of the Energy Resource Group gather to discuss green efforts on Fort Benning, energy use in post facilities and related issues.
Ways to help separating service members and veterans prepare for and launch civilian careers topped the agenda during Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s visit Oct. 17 with Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki, Pentagon spokesman Navy Capt. John Kirby said.
Special agents from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command are once again warning the American public, as well as citizens from other nations, to be extra vigilant and not to fall prey to Internet scams or impersonation fraud — especially scams that promise true love, but only end up breaking hearts and bank accounts.
Burglaries are committed most often by young males 25 years of age and younger looking for items that are small, expensive and can easily be converted to cash.
After a year of construction, the nearly $1.3 million dormitory renovations on Building 6038 at Camp James E. Rudder on Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., are complete.
The garrison command invites Soldiers, families and the local community to come to today’s town hall from 6:30 to 8 p.m. The location? Facebook.
Army, civic and community leaders toasted the new Fort Benning Gateway with a symbolic ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony Thursday at the National Infantry Museum.
After three years living under the alias “Bobby Covert,” an undercover New Jersey state trooper infiltrating the mob, Bob Delaney thought he was headed back to his normal life on the day police conducted a mass raid and made arrests. But that’s when the personal problems began, he told Soldiers here Thursday.
Soldiers in the 63rd Engineer Company (Horizontal) rehearsed their reaction to roadside bombs and enemy contact last week as the unit continued a big training push toward an Afghanistan deployment later this year.
Fiscal 2011 has come to a close, and it gives me great pleasure to report our Army has maintained its incredible momentum in fatal accident prevention for a fourth consecutive year. Reducing accidental fatalities during a time of war is unprecedented in our Army’s history, and each of you should be proud of the tremendous job you and your Soldiers have done these past few years.
This is a question that is being said not only around Fort Benning, but also around the Army. I would like to try to dispel some of these questions and possibly answer some others.
The Armor Basic Officer Leader Course’s inaugural class at Fort Benning had a special guest at its graduation Thursday.
Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal delivered the commencement speech and handed certificates to 76 lieutenants during the hourlong ceremony at Derby Auditorium inside McGinnis-Wickam Hall. The group of Armor and Cavalry officers included three international students from Uruguay, Uganda and Jordan. The rest were Army lieutenants.The Maneuver Center of Excellence is a place of many graduations. From initial entry training to Ranger School, Airborne qualification to the Maneuver Captains Career Course, almost every day is graduation day at Fort Benning.
Four instructors were selected as the Maneuver Center of Excellence Instructor of the Quarter for the last quarter of fiscal 2011.
For an instructor, receiving such a prestigious honor over thousands of other instructors was a “direct reflection of themselves, their units and their leadership — they are the best of the best,” said Charlie Beard, deputy chief, MCoE staff and faculty.Former NBA referee Bob Delaney is coming to Fort Benning on Thursday — but basketball isn’t on his mind.
He’ll address Maneuver Captains Career Course students that morning on the subject of post-traumatic stress disorder and sign copies of his new book, Surviving the Shadows: A Journey of Hope into Post-Traumatic Stress, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Fort Benning PX. He’s set to attend the Gateway Foundation dedication in the afternoon.The 29th Annual Retiree Appreciation Day starts at 6:30 a.m. Nov. 4 at the Benning Conference Center.
FORT BENNING, Ga. — A total of 46 teams from the Southeast descended on Fort Benning last week for the Army ROTC Ranger Challenge.
In naming military heroes of the past we think of names like Sgt. Alvin York, Maj. Audie Murphy or Capt. Benjamin Salomon. More currently, we may think of names like Col. Jack Jacobs, Sgt. Dakota Meyer or Staff Sgt. Leroy Petry.
October is Security Awareness Month, and because all Department of the Army personnel are required to have some type of background check and are responsible for safeguarding information, now is a good time to remind everyone of some key points with regard to personnel and information security.
Budget challenges loom in the Army’s future. In fact, just about any portion of the federal budget could be cut to help the United States reduce its yearly deficit.
The world’s top sniper duo hails from Fort Bragg, N.C.
Master Sgt. Kevin Owens and Sgt. 1st Class Terry Gower of B Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne), emerged from a field of 32 teams to capture the top spot in the 2011 International Sniper Competition. Fort Bragg wound up placing three teams in the top five at the 11th annual event, which began here Sept. 27 and wrapped up Friday.FORT MEADE, Md. — Due to the unusually high number of Soldiers attaining high promotion points without attending the appropriate schools, the Army is making changes to the semi-centralized promotion system effective Jan. 1.
The Capabilities Development and Integration Directorate broke ground on a new Maneuver Battle Lab simulations facility Friday during a ceremony at the construction site, adjacent to Smith Fitness Center on Dixie Road.
Prescription drug abuse among wounded warriors has decreased since the Army Pain Management Task Force was founded two years ago, the Army’s vice chief of staff said.
An Army legend spoke to the 2nd Battalion, 11th Infantry Regiment, about leadership and motivation Friday. Retired Col. Ralph Puckett, who earned a Distinguished Service Cross in Korea in 1950 and then again in Vietnam, two Silver Stars and five Purple Hearts, began the discussion with a quote from Gen. Dwight David Eisenhower: “Humility must always be the portion of any individual whose acclaim is earned by the blood of his Soldiers and the sacrifices of his friends.”
They weigh roughly 20 tons each and measure more than 13 feet tall — but last week was the first time many Soldiers in 63rd Engineer Company (Horizontal) had encountered a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle.
When it comes to leadership, history has a way of repeating itself. Those in charge often look at the past for guidance and the pathway to success.
It is said that tragedy begets heroes, and for many, donating money is a manageable way to make a difference in the world.
What’s the best way to protect your family from fire? Be ahead of the game, of course. With more than 360,000 home fires reported in the United States in 2009, according to the nonprofit National Fire Protection Association, your best defense is a good offense. That’s why the Fort Benning Fire Department is teaming up with NFPA Oct. 9-15 to let our community know: “It’s Fire Prevention Week. Protect Your Family Fom Fire!” This year’s campaign focuses on preventing the leading causes of home fires — cooking, heating and electrical equipment, as well as candles and smoking materials. Additionally, it urges people to protect their homes and families with lifesaving technology and planning.
New app to spotlight Army at AUSA
More than 500 people gathered Friday to witness the dedication of the Maneuver Center of Excellence’s new headquarters. McGinnis-Wickam Hall was named in honor of Spc. Ross McGinnis and Cpl. Jerry Wickam, Medal of Honor recipients representing the Infantry and Armor branches, respectively.
Focusing on the needs of the Army versus a “grow the Army” mentality, Staff Sgt. Bill Cunningham said Soldiers should be aware of new changes in the Army Retention Policy that take effect beginning in fiscal 2012, which begins Saturday.
About 90 veterans from The Battle of the Bulge descended on Columbus and Fort Benning last week for their annual reunion.
FORT BENNING, Ga. — Officers and NCOs in various courses across Fort Benning heard Thursday from a college basketball legend.
FORT BENNING, Ga. — The Warrior Training Center has gotten into the tank business.
FORT KNOX, Ky. — On the cusp of becoming military officers, Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets across the country are learning this week how they are ranked nationally.
Box check returns to company-grade OERs
Years of planning, along with a few billion dollars in renovations and construction, officially came to fruition Thursday as the Maneuver Center of Excellence met the Base Realignment and Closure deadline for full operating capacity.
Fort Benning’s newly renovated headquarters building will be dedicated at 8 a.m. Friday. The building will be named McGinnis-Wickham Hall for two Medal of Honor recipients, Spc. Ross A. McGinnis and Cpl. Jerry W. Wickham.
The chiefs of Armor and Infantry delivered updates on their respective branches Sept. 13 at the Maneuver Conference.
FORT BENNING, Ga. — Super Bowl-winning quarterback and current NFL Network analyst Joe Theismann is going to help take Fort Benning “BRAC: To the Future.”
It’s hard to compare the intensity of a combat zone with the calm of day-to-day life on the home front.
The Maneuver Center of Excellence is the breeding ground for a new Training and Doctrine Command philosophy aimed at boosting the Infantry squad, or the “pointiest end of the spear,” Fort Benning’s commanding general said in an interview prior to this week’s Maneuver Conference. From there, it will enhance other formations.
Sgt. Jonathan Peney will never be forgotten.
When I talk with garrison professionals who work in suicide prevention, they all have stories about the person who really made them realize the importance of what they do. There was the Soldier who seemed to have it all together, until one day he asked a course instructor, “When you’re driving home, do you think about wrapping your car around a tree?” And the Civilian supervisor with a stressful, high-visibility job, who did not want to attend the mandatory suicide prevention training because he did not want to admit to himself his own thoughts about suicide. And the Family member who felt desperately alone and overwhelmed during another deployment.
On behalf of the board of managers of Army Emergency Relief, thank you very much for the outstanding contribution of $249,550 which we have received from Fort Benning for the 2011 campaign. The annual campaign not only provides the opportunity for Soldiers to contribute to their fellow Soldiers but it also creates a greater awareness of the many ways Army Emergency Relief can provide financial assistance to Soldiers and Families.
Fifty-six service members from across the military are currently enrolled in the Basic Combatives Instructor Course taught by 2nd Battalion, 29th Infantry Regiment. When they graduate Sept. 23, they’ll be able to certify Level 1 combatives.
LAKELAND, Fla. — From basic training to the battlefield, Soldiers take care of Soldiers.
FORT BENNING, Ga. — The inaugural Senior Maneuver Board kicked off today at the Maneuver Center of Excellence.
The Maneuver Center of Excellence marked the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 Islamic terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon with a 9/11 Recognition Ceremony on Thursday at the National Infantry Museum.
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.
FORT BENNING, Ga. — Sgt. 1st Class Anthony Casarez said if it weren’t for his service dog, Harley, he probably wouldn’t be around today.
Like thousands before him, Sgt. Joel Dulashanti donned an Airborne instructor black hat for the first time Aug. 22, signifying his completion of a detailed certification process with 1st Battalion (Airborne), 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment.
FORT BENNING, Ga. — In mid-June, the Maneuver Center of Excellence needed a volunteer to pick up Staff Sgt. Curtis F. Shoup’s Medal of Honor in Pittsburgh and deliver it to the National Infantry Museum. Up stepped Command Sgt. Maj. Brian Hamm.
Empowering dismounted squads and the effort to get them in the Army’s existing communications network were big themes at the 2011 MCoE Laboratory Day.
FORT BENNING, Ga. — The first class of lieutenants going through the Armor School’s Basic Officer Leader Course at Fort Benning are about to wrap up the tactics phase.
The death of Jesse Allen, a construction control inspector for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, stopped the work on Dixie Road for more than a week while the accident was under investigation. But construction resumed Monday.
About 7,675 National Guard troops from 18 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico responded over the weekend to civil authorities tackling Hurricane Irene and its aftermath.
Merrill’s Marauders, the tough Infantrymen who were the first American troops to fight the Japanese on land in Asia during World War II, will gather Thursday to Sunday with other veterans of the China-Burma-India theater of operations for their 65th annual reunion in Canton, Ohio.
Fort Benning’s top warriors came up big again last week at the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command level.
A construction control inspector for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District, died Saturday as a result of an accident at a road construction site on Fort Benning.
BRAC, BRAC, BRAC … we are investing $3.5 million at Fort Benning in construction and growth to enhance training for America’s Army … the Chattahoochee Valley is growing while so many other parts of the country continue to reel from the economic downturn that began in 2008. Underlying all of the news we see in the papers and around our military and civilian community is the fact that all of this is about an investment in people.
The U.S. Army Center for Military History released Army Chief of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey’s professional reading list last week.
According to information at www.distraction.gov, the official government website for distracted driving, there are three different types of distraction that can set up drivers for a crash. They are:
The theme for 2nd Battalion, 54th Infantry Regiment’s fourth Mailed Foot Challenge was agile and adaptive team building.
In his clearest statement on the subject to date, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Monday that if the military retirement system changes, it will not affect today’s service members.
Since Aug. 8, Fort Benning’s Maneuver Battle Lab has been leading a nation-wide simulation experiment to assist the Army in decision making in support of the U.S. Army 2020 concept. The experiment, which ends Friday, precedes a war game that will be conducted by the Mission Command Battle Lab at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., later this year and will assist policymakers in how the Army can prevent conflict.
In July, the first Cavalry scout trainees arrived at Fort Benning to complete their advanced individual training. On Wednesday — eight weeks later — 66 of 68 Soldiers from E Troop, 5th Squadron, 15th Cavalry Regiment, received their U.S. Army Cavalry (enlisted) Branch Insignia brass following the successful completion of a 20K Boot March. The insignia represented the completion of not only the situational training exercise but their rite of passage to becoming Cavalry scouts.
The Army has announced it will reduce the size of its civilian employee workforce by more than 8,700 by Sept. 30, 2012. These cuts are based on Department of Defense resource decisions as reflected in the president’s fiscal year 2012 budget and require a reduction of Army civilian employees to comply with decreased funding levels.
Military retirement isn’t going to change anytime soon, Defense Department officials said.
The Combined Federal Campaign will kick off its annual campaign Sept. 7.
President Barack Obama traveled to Dover Air Force Base, Del., on Aug. 9 for the return of 30 U.S. service members killed in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan.
During a Monday town hall forum with members of the Army’s Senior Executive Service, Secretary of the Army John McHugh announced creation of the Institutional Army Transformation Commission, a panel charged with finding new ways to make the Army a more “agile, cost-effective organization.”
The Defense Health Board met in Tacoma to discuss health concerns facing service members, but the board members didn’t stick to briefs and slideshows. The group also took the time to get information from actual Soldiers.
Imagine a checkpoint where Soldiers don’t have to walk up to a vehicle that’s been rigged to explode, but instead, they can detect the explosives at safe, standoff distances. That’s the kind of technology the Army Research Laboratory, or ARL, is investing in as part of a research effort now shared with the Leonard Wood Institute in Missouri.
Beginning Jan. 1, most Soldiers will deploy for nine months, giving them more time at home between deployments, Army officials announced Friday.
Fourteen Soldiers from across the Army National Guard competed in the 2011 Best Warrior Competition Friday through Monday on Fort Benning. The winners will go on to vie for the titles of All-Army NCO and Soldier of the Year later this fall.
Post agencies, commands and offices displaced two years ago are filing back into Building 4.
The final shipment of Armor artifacts made it to Fort Benning last week. Sometime this decade, the U.S. Army’s National Armor and Cavalry Museum will open near the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center. But post officials said a showcase building is secondary to the organization’s main purpose.
Love Dental Clinic will be closed until further notice after a weekend fire caused “considerable” interior damage to the facility, post officials said.
FORT BENNING, Ga. — Infantry Soldiers in their second week of one station unit training discovered the importance of teamwork Thursday. In the process, they also got a little relief from the summer heat.
With advanced technologies being used on the battlefield, the likelihood of enemies using this to their advantage increases. For example, the Army is providing Soldiers in the field with cellphones and cellphones are highly susceptible to EW, said Lou West, the electronic warfare analyst and instructor at Fort Benning.
Visitors from Cobb County Chamber of Commerce were able to see firsthand how the Army at Fort Benning operates Friday.
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama announced a series of administration initiatives to help military veterans find jobs.
KABUL, Afghanistan — An ill-fated Aug. 6 mission that ended in the deaths of 38 Afghan and U.S. service members when their CH-47 Chinook helicopter crashed was targeting a Taliban leader in the Sayyidabad district of Afghanistan’s Wardak province, International Security Assistance Force Joint Command officials reported today.
Fort Riley aviation brigade trains with ground troops
Fort Benning honored its new chief of Infantry on Friday.
Col. Walter Piatt formally became the 52nd Infantry School commandant at an assumption of command ceremony in the Benning Conference Center. He replaces Brig. Gen. Bryan Owens, who left for Iraq in early June.The 75th Ranger Regiment flexed its muscle again during this year’s Ranger Rendezvous.
Military tradition was carried out during a change of command ceremony welcoming the 17th commander the 75th Ranger Regiment at the National Infantry Museum.
August is the second annual Anti-terrorism Awareness Month — an Army sponsored program designed to enhance awareness to prevent and protect people and information from terrorism.
More than 300 Stewart County residents filled the elementary school gym in Lumpkin, Ga., on the evening of July 26. They came for answers to their questions about Fort Benning’s proposed training land expansion. Chief among those questions was the resounding theme of what it means to be a preferred alternative.
Another new facility has sprung to life at Harmony Church, and Fort Benning dedicated it to a Soldier killed in Iraq more than seven years ago.
Soldiers of E Company, 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry Regiment, were presented their blue Infantry chords Thursday during a “turning blue” ceremony at Kannell Field on Sand Hill. Their new accouterment signified their path as Infantrymen after completing one station unit training.
Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Petry remembers his son, Austin, telling him he’s thinking about going to West Point or the Air Force Academy after high school. But the 17-year-old grew a little apprehensive after seeing his father become only the second living recipient of the Medal of Honor from the war on terror during a July 12 ceremony at the White House.
Army veterinary technicians and food inspectors from Fort Benning are joining the fight in Afghanistan.
The Marine Corps Detachment already had a few boots on the ground but made it official Thursday.
Silas Huff isn’t your average officer candidate. In fact, he’s swapping the prestige and affluence of a maestro’s baton for an Army combat uniform.
Sixty armored vehicles arrived Thursday at Ochille Railhead From Fort Knox, Ky. The vehicles were offloaded Tuesday, using more than 60 civilian and military personnel from the Directorate of Training Sustainment, 194th Armored Brigade and the 316th Cavalry Brigade.
Friday marked a historic day at Fort Knox, Ky., — 143 Soldiers with C Company, 1st Battalion, 81st Armor Regiment, graduated from the last armor one station unit training class of tankers here. The Armor School moved to Fort Benning as a part of the government-mandated Base Realignment and Closure.
It’s a bit noisier on Fort Benning ranges since the Armor School started conducting gunnery exercises. And the sound and vibration may be surprising for some of the post’s neighbors.
The staff of the Equal Employment Opportunity Office wants to educate federal civilian employees, and remove barriers that may be keeping them from moving up the ladder of success. One way EEO wants to help is with its 2011 Federal Employees’ Workshops, scheduled for Aug. 10-11.
The 233rd Transportation Company is back on the road, this time to Kuwait, where the unit will conduct convoys into and out of Iraq for the continuing exodus of U.S. forces and equipment.
Any Soldier who has ever served as a squad automatic weapon gunner is resigned to the burden of lugging a heavy weapon and ammunition on patrol. Soldiers may soon have a solution, however; one that cuts the weight of small-arms ammunition nearly in half and provides a potential replacement for the SAW that weighs a whopping 8.3 pounds less than the current M249.
The Maneuver Center of Excellence took steps to promote the Army Learning Concept for 2015 and build its relationship with Columbus State University during a two-day conference on campus last month.
Abrams tankers and Cavalry scouts have fired their last rounds downrange at Fort Knox, Ky., in one station unit training.
During the next couple of months, Fort Benning active-duty military and Department of Defense civilian computer users will be part of an Armywide process that will be undergoing significant changes to computer systems.
Col. Michael Rauhut replaced Col. Ryan Kuhn as commander of the 197th Infantry Brigade Friday during a change of command ceremony at the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center’s parade field.
The 2nd Squadron, 16th Cavalry Regiment, 316th Cavalry Brigade, conducted its first Armor Basic Officer Leader Course tank gunnery range July 12 at Brooks Range on Harmony Church. The 19-week course is broken down into several phases, all of which prepare second lieutenants to become platoon leaders.
Lt. Col. Richard Felices replaced Lt. Col. David Koonce as the commander of the Criminal Investigation Battalion during a change of command ceremony July 12 at the Benning Conference Center.
Is the customer always right? I’m afraid not.
Starting in July, the Exceptional Family Member Program is standardizing and streamlining the process for delivering respite care to eligible Families in need of support.
The personnel of Martin Army Community Hospital said goodbye to one commander and welcomed a new one Wednesday. Col. Koji Nishimura relinquished command to Col. Timothy E. Lamb in a ceremony officiated by Maj. Gen. M. Ted Wong, commanding general, Southern Regional Medical Command and Brooke Army Medical Hospital, Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
The 75th Ranger Regiment announced the 2011 recipient of the fourth annual Colonel Ralph Puckett Leadership Award at an awards ceremony July 1 at the Ranger Memorial.
The 75th Ranger Regiment announced the winners of the NCO and Soldier of the Year Competition during a ceremony July 1 at the Ranger Memorial.
Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Arthur Petry, with the 75th Ranger Regiment, received the Medal of Honor Tuesday from President Barack Obama during a White House ceremony.
Small quilted squares, used paperback books, Girl Scout cookies, decks of cards and domino games are just some of the “swag” available for deploying Soldiers and civilians leaving from Freedom Hall.
Cpl. Austin Saunders could’ve taken a medical discharge. Few would’ve blamed him. He wanted a Ranger tab instead.
The post is making a pitch to ramp up its renewable energy use with the purchase of two small wind turbines installed Monday outside a Warrior Transition Battalion barracks.
Five to six days a week — every week — there’s military working dogs training on post. They find planted drugs and bombs, run through obedience and obstacle courses, attack on command and patrol the installation.
Marine Corps lieutenants targeted for tank platoon leadership have a new detour in their path toward the battlefield: Fort Benning.
