Need To  Know Items

IMPORTANT: 
Fort Benning's military police aggressively enforces its on-post speed limits.  The speed limit during PT hours (0600-0730) is 15 MPHs - NO EXCEPTIONS.  So please, slow down and drive carefully.

Ft Benning is both an integral community into itself and a part of a larger community that includes Columbus, Georgia; Phenix City, Alabama; and the Chattahoochee Valley. It is a two-hour drive from Atlanta, via Interstate 185.

Columbus/ Phenix City/ Fort Benning Origin
Founded in 1828 and named for Christopher Columbus.

Population
Columbus: 186,291in 2000
Muscogee County: 185,702 in 2003
State rank: 8th out of 159 counties, 2nd largest city

Population on Fort Benning

Population: 33,388 active duty; 6,759 civilians; 53,808 family members
Housing: 4,063 family units; wait varies from one to 18 months, (706) 545-2990
Temporay Lodging: 1,079 visitor and temporary lodging, (706) 689-0067; campground, (706) 545-7238
Family Support Center:

Economy
TOP 5 PRIVATE EMPLOYERS
Synovus Financial Corp. (includes Total Systems): 2,935 workers
AFLAC Inc.: Insurance; 1,800
W.C. Bradley Co.: Char-Broil; 1,505
Swift Textiles: denim 1,400
Fieldcrest Cannon: Textiles; 1,300

PER CAPITA PERSONAL INCOME IN 1995
Muscogee County: $19,591 (23rd out of 159 counties)
Georgia: $21,726
United States: $23,196
Cumberland County: $18,289

Government
Columbus Consolidated Government: City manager, mayor and 10 council members, eight representing districts, two serving at large.

TAX RATES
Property: $4.10 per $100 in property; taxes collected on only 40 percent of property's assessed value
Local sales tax: 4 percent

Education

There are Six elementary schools and one middle school on post operated by Department of Defense, (706) 545-2500. High school students living on post are bused to nearby Spencer High School, (706) 685-7652, in Columbus. There are a variety of private schools available in Columbus. Adult educational opportunities in the Columbus area include Columbus State University, Chattahoochee Valley Community College, Troy State University and Upper Iowa University. `Infantry School; Officer Candidate School, (706) 545-4711; NCO Academy, (706) 545-2233; U.S. Army Physical Fitness School; Western Hemisphere Instit
 

There are ample day care facilities available both on Ft Benning and in Columbus.
Main school system: Muscogee County Schools
Student population: 32,637
1997 SAT scores
Muscogee average: 936
Georgia average: 960
National average: 1016
Cumberland average: 939

Fort Benning
Named for: Civil War Gen. Henry Lewis Benning
Size: 182,000 acres
Personnel:33,388 active duty; soldiers and 6,759civilian workers  civilians; 53,808 family members

 UNITS

11th Infantry Regiment: Training unit for the Infantry Officer Basic Course and the Officer Candidate School.
 11th Infantry Regiment-

• 1st Battalion (Airborne), 507th Infantry1st Battalion, 507th Infantry: Training unit for paratroopers.
• Officer Candidate School (OCS)
• Combatives School

•  14th Field Hospital- 14th Field Hospital
  
•  283rd Army Band- For over 50 years, the "Infantry Band" has taken great pride in entertaining the soldiers, military families, and civilians of the Ft. Benning, Columbus, and Phenix City communities. The Band's performances create esprit de corps among soldiers and veterans, as well as providing patriotic spirit within the civilian community.
  
•  29th Infantry Regiment-29th Infantry Regiment: training unit at Fort Benning's Infantry School, teaches tactics in the Bradley Fighting Vehicle.
  
•  3rd Infantry Division- Fort Benning, Georgia
• .36th Engineer Group
• 75th Ranger Regiment: Light, mobile unit trained to be the first on the scene in trouble spots. Also provides Ranger training for soldiers
•  Adjutant General/Military Personnel Directorate- Military personnel resources and management services.
  
•  Basic Combat Training Brigade- Conducts basic combat, common military training.
  
•  Continental United States (CONUS) Replacement Center aka(CRC)- Receives and processes individual non-unit related personnel (NRPs), civilians and units for deployment to and redeployment to the theaters of operations.
  
•  Criminal Investigation- Provides trained Criminal investigators and criminal investigation teams capable of supporting the Army in garrison, during mobilization and in war by conducting logistics security, combating terrorism, collecting criminal intelligence, and performing law and order operations.
  
•  Directorate of Combat Developments- In coordination with the other members of the Infantry "Futures" group, DCD determines how the Infantry will be organized and equipped, and how it will fight.
  
•  Directorate of Public Safety- Dedicated to providing a safe and secure environment for all members of the community through effective leadership and management of fire prevention and protection, law enforcement, and safety programs.
  
•  Dismounted Battle Space Battle Lab- DBBL charter and organizational reports.
  
•  Donovan Technical Library- Fort Benning, Georgia.
  
•  Environmental Management Division- News and division reports.
  
•  Fort Benning Army Career and Alumni Program- Fort Benning Army Career and Alumni Program
  
•  Fort Benning Clubs and Organizations- Guide to base recreation and leisure activities. Bowling, golf, horseback riding, rifle and pistol clubs, recreation areas, scouting, etc.
  
•  Fort Benning Equal Opportunity Office- Fort Benning Equal Opportunity Office
  
•  Fort Benning's Morale, Welfare & Recreation Web Site.- Information including hours, phone numbers, directions and maps to post recreation and activities.
  
•  Infantry Doctrine and Training Literature- Field manuals, training circulars, soldier's training publications, Army Training and Evaluation Programs.
  
•  Infantry Training Brigade- This summary provides commanders with a synopsis of Infantry One-Station Unit Training (OSUT). During the new Infantryman's initial entry training, it is not possible to teach him all of the skills considered critical and outlined in the soldier's manual. Therefore, his first table of organization and equipment (TO&E) Infantry unit must "pick up the slack" and teach him the tasks not taught in OSUT.
  
•  Maps for Fort Benning- Includes maps for Main Post, Uchee Creek, Harmony Church, Kelly Hill, Sand Hill and the Fort Destin FL area.
  
•  Martin Army Community Hospital- Fort Benning, Georgia military hospital features guide to patient services, physician search, pharmacy contacts, and information on clinics.
  
•  Ranger Training Brigade- Located at Fort Benning, GA, the RTB is responsible for training one of the world's elite military forces.
  
•  School of Americas Watch- Organization that seeks to close the US Army School of the Americas through vigils and fasts, demonstrations, nonviolent protest, and legislative action.
  
•  Shut Down the School of the Americas- "Shut down the US Army School of the Americas! Information and resources to help you close this institution that has killed Americans and misused US tax dollars."
  
•  Special Forces Recruiting- Army recruitment and training information for the Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha (or "A Team"), part of a dynamic 12-man force with a real world mission.
  

•  Staff Judge Advocate- Staff Judge Advocate
  
•  Telephone Directory- Official - Fort Benning, Georgia
  
•  TRADOC System Manager, Bradley- Ensures the effective of the Bradley Fighting Vehicle is optimized.
  
•  Weather Underground: Fort Benning, GA- Local conditions, extended forecasts, and radar maps.
  

   Western Hemisphere Institute For Security CooperationTraining program for soldiers and civilian officials from Latin American countries.

75th Ranger Regiment: Light, mobile unit trained to be the first on the scene in trouble spots. Also provides Ranger training for soldiers
 

POST MILESTONES
1918: Camp Benning opens as the Infantry School of Arms.
1942: 507th Parachute Infantry activated at Fort Benning.
1974: Gen. Creighton Abrams, Army chief of staff, orders creation of a Ranger battalion.
1984: The School of the Americas is transferred to Fort Benning from Panama.
1989: Rangers from Fort Benning parachute into Panama to lead the invasion that restored democracy there.
1993: Six Rangers killed in fighting with Somali warlords in a humanitarian mission to the starving country.

Fast Facts
In 1995, the city's 1995 average wage of $22,255 ranked below all the major cities of Georgia, including Athens, Savannah, Macon and Albany. Atlanta's average wage was 25 percent higher at $29,952.

A 1997 study by Georgia Southwestern listed the cost of living in Columbus as the second highest in Georgia, behind Atlanta.

Since 1988, 24,084 new jobs have been created in Columbus and capital investment has exceeded $1.16 billion.

In 1971, residents voted to combine Columbus City and Muscogee County governments; today, the consolidated government is still one of only 30 consolidated city-county governments in the country.

The area calls itself the "Tri-City" of Fort Benning, Columbus, and Phenix City, Ala.

Home of "Ma" Rainey, named "Mother of the Blues," and civil rights activists Primus King and Thomas H. Brewer.

During World War II, Gen. George Patton arranged for his soldiers to be paid with $2 bills to make sure people in Columbus and Phenix City realized how much of the money they made came from his soldiers.

Columbus was home of the softball competition in the 1996 Olympic Games.

Fort Benning is known as the Home of the Infantry. Since 1918, it has been home to the Army's training programs for infantry tactics. Fort Bragg was originally supposed to get the Infantry School, but ended up with artillery instead.

In 1963, the 11th Air Assault Division was formed at Fort Benning to test battlefield uses of helicopters. The tests led to the airmobile concept of the 1st Cavalry Division.

Fort Benning is the home of parachute training. The paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division learned their trade there.

The School of the Americas has been under fire from Congress in recent years for alleged human rights abuses by its graduates. Last year, the U.S. House came within seven votes of cutting off its funding.

The Columbus Metropolitan Airport, approximately 15 miles from Ft. Benning, is served by Atlantic Southeast Airline (ASA), American Eagle, and Northwest Air Link.

Ft Benning's geography and climate are ideal not only for year-round military training but also for most outdoor activities.

There is a large commissary, a large main exchange and a variety of branch stores.

Ft Benning's Martin Army Community Hospital is a 250-bed inpatient facility offering a wide variety of both in/outpatient services. Columbus is home of a large general/trauma hospital (The Medical Center), as well as Doctors' Hospital, St. Francis Hospital, the Bradley Center (psychiatric-care), Hughston Orthopedic Hospital, and numerous other specialized medical facilities and physicians.

RELOCATION/REPORTING PROCEDURES: All permanent party personnel, officer & enlisted, report to the Welcome Center (Bldg 2607), Soldiers' Plaza, which is open every day,(M-F) 0700-1800. After duty hours report to AG Replacement Det., Bldg. 2756-B.

RELOCATION/PET INFO: Ft Benning does not have on-post boarding facilities for pets; however, there are approximately 12 kennels in the local area, several with in/outdoor facilities & pick-up and delivery. Partial listing below:

Adams, Parmer, & Glass, Columbus: (706) 563-6101/323-8316 Wildefire Kennel, Phenix City: (334) 298-3390 Pets at Home, Columbus....... : (706) 324-7716 Town and Country Pet Salon, Columbus: (706) 327-2047 Harvard's K-9 Center, Phenix City: (334) 298-0414 Benning Animal Hospital, Columbus: (706) 689-6240 Animal Health Center, Columbus: (706) 323-5218 Animal General Hospital, Columbus: (706) 568-4848 Northside Animal Hospital, Columbus: (706) 324-0333 All Cats Clinic: 6320 Bradley Park Drive, Columbus, (706) 571-9099 Crawford Rd. Animal Hospital, (334) 298-3489.

HOUSING/LEASES Georgia leases have a military clause: If you receive PCS orders or TDY orders in excess of 90 days, you can break your lease with a copy of your PCS/TDY orders and a written 30- day notice. Being assigned government quarters does not allow you to break your lease.

Base Name: FORT BENNING
Branch: Army
Address: U.S. Army Infantry Center, Fort Benning

City:
State: GA
Country: United States
Zip/Postal Code: 31905-5000
Commerical Phone: (706) 545-2011
DSN Phone:
Web Address: http://www.benning.army.mil
Base Location: Located seven miles south of Columbus
Home & Tenant Units: 3rd Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, 36th Engineer Group, Army Infantry Training Brigade, Lawson Army Airfield, Dismounted Battle Space Battle Lab, Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, Army Ranger School and Army Infantry School

Population: 33,388 active duty; 6,759 civilians; 53,808 family members
Housing: 4,063 family units; wait varies from one to 18 months, (706) 545-2990
Temporay Lodging: 1,079 visitor and temporary lodging, (706) 689-0067; campground, (706) 545-7238
Family Support Center:

Schools: Six elementary schools and one middle school on post operated by Department of Defense Dependents Schools; Infantry School; Officer Candidate School, (706) 545-4711; NCO Academy, (706) 545-2233; U.S. Army Physical Fitness School; Western Hemisphere Instit
Child Care: Three centers for 442, two-month average wait; 23 approved homes, (706) 544-1623
Health Care: 130-bed Martin Army Community Hospital. Appointments, (706) 544-2041; benefits, (706) 544-3461; Tricare (800) 444-5445
Commissary: Very large (706) 544-3965 - click here for more information
Exchange: Large; Mall; two Shoppette (706) 689-8025
MWR Services: Arts and crafts, Bowling, Library, Auto hobby center, Recreation center, Theater, Golf, Gym, Tennis, Swimming, Outdoor recreation, Camping, Fishing, Stables
AT&T offers a wide range of services and promotions sp