Fort Benning

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Location of Fort Benning

Fort Benning is a base of the United States Army , which located southwest of Columbus , Georgia in the districts of Muscogee County , Chattahoochee County and Russell County (Alabama) is located. The Chattahoochee River flows through Fort Benning. The base is known as the US Army Infantry Center . It has also been the site of the controversial Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation since 1984 .

history

Fort Benning is by Henry L. Benning , a General of the Army of the Confederate States of America named and residents of Columbus. It was established as Camp Benning in October 1918 .

During World War II , Fort Benning became the home base of the 555th Parachute Infantry Company , whose training began in December 1943. This represented a milestone for the African Americans as the company consisted only of them. In addition, the 2nd US Armored Division, which was deactivated in 1991, was set up in Fort Benning.

The for the My Lai massacre as a war criminal sentenced William Calley was 3½ years at Fort Benning under house arrest .

assignment

The base's first task was to provide basic training for the units that fought in World War II. With the end of the war, Fort Benning was closed for a while before the US Army found a new use for the base. The first facility was the US Army Infantry School , which is still based in Fort Benning to this day. The wooden buildings were renewed and rebuilt.

The base has large facilities for basic infantry training . It is home to the US Army's Infantry Training Brigade and the training center of the 82nd Airborne Division . The Basic Combat Training Brigade (BCTB) is also housed on the base .

Organization and stationed units

Fort Benning is divided into four areas, Main Post , Kelley Hill , Sand Hill and Harmony Church .

In Mainpost for example, are military police , the 29th US Infantry Regiment, the Officer Candidate School and the Center to find the theoretical training of the US 82nd Airborne Division.

Kelley Hill is the base of the 3rd Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division .

In Sandhill are Infantry Training Brigade and the Basic Combat Training Brigade home.

The sniper and army ranger schools as well as the 1st Battalion of the 29th US Infantry Regiment can be found in Harmony Church .

Fryar Drop Zone , the drop zone for the 82nd Airborne Division, is in the portion of Fort Benning in the US state of Alabama .

Other training units stationed at Fort Benning include the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC), formerly known as the School of the Americas, and the US Army Pathfinder Training School.

Stationed units

commander

Major General Austin S. Miller has been the Commanding General since August 2014 .

Former base commanders included General of the Armies of the United States John J. Pershing and General of the Army Omar N. Bradley , after whom a medium-range missile and armored personnel carrier are named.

literature

Web links

Coordinates: 32 ° 21 ′ 58 ″  N , 84 ° 58 ′ 9 ″  W.