Actor Mark Wahlberg to visit Fort Benning for a meet and greet

Actor Mark Wahlberg, a supporter of the U.S. military, is scheduled to visit Fort Benning this weekend to meet and greet those who have served their country and their family members.

Wahlberg, 46, will be appearing at the Fort Benning Exchange from noon until 1 p.m. on Saturday, the U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence Public Affairs Office said Thursday.

The visit by Wahlberg will be open to those who are eligible to use the post exchange with a valid military ID card. That would include active-duty and retired soldiers and family members. Civilians who accompany military personnel or a retiree with an ID typically can visit an exchange as a guest, but cannot make purchases there.

The Post Exchange issued an advisory Thursday to fans of the actor who plan to be on hand for the Hollywood moment on Saturday.

“We appreciate all of the enthusiasm the community is showing for Mark Wahlberg's visit to Fort Benning,” it said. “Please be advised that camping overnight outside the Exchange is prohibited, and the installation expects all in attendance to conduct themselves appropriately. Thanks again for all of the support. Have fun at the event!”

Wahlberg, whose father served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, has become a fan favorite, racking up about 50 movies since the mid-1990s. Titles include “Boogie Nights,” “The Departed,” “The Fighter” and “Lone Survivor,” the latter a 2013 thriller in which he portrayed Navy Seal and sniper Marcus Luttrell during a counter-insurgent mission in Afghanistan.

“I’ve always considered the military as the real super-athletes of the world, and if anybody could appreciate fight and heart and never-give-up attitude, it would be the soldiers of the Armed Forces,” Wahlberg said in a 2011 interview with the Los Angeles Times, discussing his film, “The Fighter,” and why he made a pre-Christmas trip to visit troops in Afghanistan.

Music fans might remember Wahlberg as a member of the hip-hop group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, which performed from 1989 through 1993. Its song, “Good Vibrations,” hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Several actors have visited Fort Benning through the years, including Mel Gibson, Robert DeNiro, Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf and Gary Sinise, the latter who portrayed Lieutenant Dan in “Forrest Gump.” Acting legend John Wayne filmed the Vietnam War movie, “The Green Berets,” there in the 1960s.

This story was originally published May 3, 2018 at 4:20 PM with the headline "Actor Mark Wahlberg to visit Fort Benning for a meet and greet."