Wayne Long's Blog: Fort Benning Real Estate

Fort Benning Ga is the largest employer in the Columbus Ga Metro area.   Columbus is the third largest city in Georgia.    Here are some of the numbers produced by Fort Benning. 

1) Fort Benning has a 1.1 million dollar yearly payroll.

2) 33,000 active soldiers on Fort Benning

3) 47,000 military retirees call Fort Benning Home. 

4) 9,000 civilian employees work on Fort Benning

The Armor school is moving to Fort Benning GA as a result of the military realignment.   This is so the Infantry and the Armor School can train together.  Fort Benning has always been home of the Infantry.   The impact from the Armor School will be something like this:

5) 5500 additional permanent troops

6) 5500 additional civilian employess

This does not include…

Families were seeing their soldiers off as the last of the 3rd brigade deployed today for the buildup in Iraq.  Most of them expect to be gone from 6 months to one year depending on their mission.   It is always a nervous time for families and the soldiers as they begin their mission.  We will miss them in Columbus as always and will keep them in our prayers as they risk their lives for our freedoms and for those around the world!  Read Full Post

The Fort Benning Infantry Museum is almost 3/4 of the way to raising the $85 million needed to finish the museum at the "Home of the Infantry".   AFLAC pledged $1 million to the cause.  This follows Samsung's announcement that it was increasing it's pledge from $500,000 to $1 million.  The Korean  based company is sponsoring the museum because of the Infantry's key role in preserving liberty for South Korea.   The museum will be located at the southern most part of Columbus GA just before the entrance to  Fort Benning. 

The 3rd Brigade combat team is being called on once again for deployment to Iraq.  They are headed to the training center in Fort Irwin to prepare for deployment from Fort Benning to Iraq in March.   They will be part of the 20,000 troop surge in Iraq.

The officers club has now become the Benning Club and is open to all the enlisted men and their families.    Their is a nominal monthly charge to be a member and a launch party is scheduled for January 26th to kick off a membership drive.  Read Full Post

President Bush visited Fort Benning today.   Air Force One flew into Lawson air field where troops will soon be deploying to Iraq.   Approximately 300 soldiers as well as Major General Walt Wojdakowski ate lunch with President Bush at Freedom Hall.  The soldiers here are at Fort Benning are preparing for the next deployment.  Read Full Post

Infantry Museum finally breaks ground in South Columbus adjacent to Fort Benning.  The museum should open in 2008 with an IMAX theatre and draw up to 500,000 visitors per year.  The facility will cost close to $85 million dollars of which about $60 million has already been raised.   You can read more about this facility at our Fort Benning Real Estate website. 

It is tough to be a soldier at Christmas time.  Many of our troops are obviously in harms way right now.  This is especially tough at this time of the year as they miss their families and their families miss them.   As Realtors in Columbus we develop relationships with a lot of military families relocating to Columbus and Phenix City and we have a special appreciation for them.   Join with us in lifting up our military families in prayer through the holidays.