Reminder: National Infantry Museum, Columbus, GA, to Host Gulf War 20th Anniversary National Tribute 9 a.m. Thurs., May 26 to Honor Service Members, Unveil Stones to Those Who Lost Lives in Decisive Military Action

/PRNewswire/ -- The National Infantry Museum, located adjacent to Fort Benning in Columbus, GA, will host a Gulf War Twentieth Anniversary National Tribute to the men and women killed in service during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm on Thursday, May 26, from 9-10:30 a.m., leading off Memorial Day Weekend. The event will include participation by the top service commanders from the conflict and will feature laying commemorative granite paved stones for each of the men and women who died. Families and unit members will attend and thousands are expected.

"We won rapidly in the Gulf War; 382 men and women gave their lives," says Col. Greg Camp (Ret), Executive Vice President of the National Infantry Foundation. Infantry Foundation Chairman Lieutenant General Carmen Cavezza added, "This event is a well earned national tribute to the sacrifices our military heroes made to enable a clear victory by the United States and coalition forces. This will be the first official recognition of all Gulf War men and women who died in service." The event is also Fort Benning's Memorial Day celebration.

The event's host speaker will be retired Four-Star General Barry R. McCaffrey, a division commander in the Gulf War. The top Air Force and Navy commanders in the Gulf War have already indicated participation, Gen. Charles Horner (Ret), and Admiral Stanley Arthur (Ret), as well as LtGen. William M. Keys, USMC (Ret.), who commanded the 2nd Marine Division in the Gulf War. Other leaders from all branches are expected. In addition to the stone pavers and speeches, a military honor guard will march. Taps will be played following the unveiling of the stones and the raising of a new, special, dedicated flag for the Gulf War.

McCaffrey stated, "The Gulf War was a decisive military action. Anyone who comes to the Infantry Museum and sees the powerful exhibits from all of America's wars will understand how appropriate it is that the Gulf War commemoration be hosted here. As a participant in the Gulf War, I am proud that America is giving recognition to those who served and died for their country."

The National Infantry Museum and Foundation continues to seek information from families and unit members of the service members killed in the Gulf War to include at the event. All are invited to come. Persons with information or photos of the 382 are asked to send them to Cyndy Cerbin at ccerbin@nationalinfantryfoundation.org. "We want families and friends of Gulf War veterans to feel that this is home for recognition of their heroes," said Ben Williams, Executive Director of National Infantry Foundation.

In partnership with the Army and the Maneuver Center of Excellence, the Gulf War ceremony will be a special event included at the conclusion of the graduation of a company of new Infantry School soldiers, a powerful message of continuity for the graduates. Four-Star General BB Bell (Ret), who was General Norman Schwarzkopf's executive officer in the Gulf War as a colonel, will deliver the graduation address. Four-Star General Ronald Griffith, a commander of the First Armored Division in Iraq, will also participate. The class will then march the short distance to the granite pavers for the unveiling.

For planning purposes, Columbus' airport is served by Delta and American Airlines, or media may wish to fly to Atlanta and rent a car or take a shuttle to Columbus, which has many hotels. Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International airport (ATL) is approximately a 75-minute drive from the National Infantry Museum, and Columbus Airport (CSG) is a twenty-minute drive.

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Cumberland Island To Be Featured on New Quarters

‘America the Beautiful’ program to honor national parks, historic sites

Governor Sonny Perdue announced last week that Cumberland Island will be honored in the new United States Mint America the Beautiful Quarters program.

“Cumberland Island is one of Georgia’s treasured tourism sites both for its natural beauty and its historical value,” Governor Perdue said. “We are excited to share the Cumberland Island National Seashore with the world as it is honored on the back of U.S. quarters.”

The United States Mint America the Beautiful Quarters Program is a 12-year initiative authorized by Public Law 110-456 — the America’s Beautiful National Parks Quarter Dollar Coin Act of 2008. The act directs the United States Mint to strike and issue 56 circulating quarters with reverse (tails side) designs emblematic of a national park or other national site in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories — Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Approximately every 10 weeks, a new design will be released with a national site depicted on the reverse of the quarter.

Secretary of the Treasury Timothy F. Geithner approved the Georgia site on August 25 after receiving input from Governor Perdue and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.

“Cumberland Island is a true gem among Georgia’s barrier islands,” said Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Chris Clark. “With its wide salt marshes, pristine maritime forests and undeveloped beaches, Cumberland adds immeasurable value to the state’s coastal resources.”
The quarters will be issued sequentially each year, in the order in which the featured site was first established as a national park or site. The coins’ obverse (heads) will feature the familiar “restored” 1932 portrait of George Washington, including the subtle details and beauty of the original model.

The complete National Site Registry, which lists all 56 sites to be honored under the United States Mint America the Beautiful Quarters Program in chronological order by year, is available at http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/NSQuartersProgram/?action=siteRegister.

For more information about the United States Mint America the Beautiful Quarters Program, please visit http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/NSQuartersProgram/index.cfm .
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Georgia State to Launch National Resource for Restorative Justice

Georgia State University will soon provide a comprehensive resource to help those in the field of restorative justice — helping to address victims’ needs — learn from one another and to improve practices.

The Southern Council for Restorative Justice, based in Georgia State's School of Social Work, and the Consortium for Negotiation and Conflict Resolution in the College of Law plan to launch the Internet-based Restorative Justice Clearinghouse this summer.

Restorative justice practitioners work to address the needs of victims and others in the criminal justice process, and seek to provide remedies in righting wrongs rather than to solely address punishment alone.

Efforts in restorative justice include defense-initiated victim outreach to victims of crime, family group conferencing, victim-offender dialogue, truth and reconciliation commissions, and community impact panels — all of which acknowledge harm and encourage dialogue.

“One of the major reasons we're launching the clearinghouse is that a lot of restorative justice work is either part of a larger system, a small element done by volunteers or not really apparent,” said Pamela Leonard, executive director of the Southern Council for Restorative Justice. “The clearinghouse will be an effort to identify what is being done in restorative justice.”

“We hope to provide a virtual community of practitioners, because they all have a lot to share across many sectors,” said Doug Yarn, professor of law and director of the Consortium for Negotiation and Conflict Resolution.

The clearinghouse will include a state by state guide to statutes, case law, agencies and programs. The clearinghouse will also provide a method of social networking to allow those in the field to interface with one another, as well as academic articles, legal resources and research into the field.

Restorative justice practitioners often focus on specific activities, specializing in issues such as aiding victims of violent crimes. The clearinghouse will allow those practitioners to find expert assistance for victims and others who need services in a variety of fields in which the practitioner doesn’t necessarily have expertise.

“I’m guided in part by the fact that I get many calls from people who want to help, or who want someone to point them to professionals in other agencies or institutes who are performing restorative justice,” Leonard said. “We’re trying to provide a Web-based response to those needs, so that practitioners can help identify others with expertise in other fields.”

While social workers play a major role in restorative justice, lawyers have a stake in the field and provide major support for restorative justice efforts.

“Lawyers are in the unique position to bring together teams of professionals around a particular problem in a community, and to work with a team to address that problem,” Yarn said.
Through networking, the field can be improved to better serve those impacted by crime.

“I think that constant accountability is an important value of restorative justice, and professionals need to speak with one another in order to achieve this,” Leonard said.
For more about Georgia State's restorative justice and conflict resolution efforts, visit www.gcrj.org and http://law.gsu.edu/cncr.

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Fannie Mae Announces National REO Rental Policy

Fannie Mae (NYSE:FNM) today announced the establishment of a new National Real Estate Owned (REO) Rental Policy that will allow qualified renters in Fannie Mae-owned foreclosed properties to stay in their homes. The company currently has an eviction suspension in place through the end of January which will allow for the new policy to be fully operationalized prior to the suspension concluding.....More

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The National Infantry Museum Unveils Body Sculptures

/PRNewswire/ -- Today, the National Infantry Foundation will unveil a sample of its 50 life size sculptures at Brooklyn's StudioEIS, who for more than 30 years has been creating figures for museums around the world. These life-like figures will soon be placed in the new National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center, scheduled to open March 20, 2009 in Columbus, Georgia.

Each of the museum's 50 life size sculptures is modeled after U.S. Army Soldiers who each had to go through a three-hour-long casting process. "The casting experience was awesome," said Capt. Matthew Makaryk. "The crew that did it was absolutely outstanding."

After the casts are removed, the pieces are assembled, sculpted, and painted. The figures are then dressed in costumes, which are impregnated with foam, given weapons, and treated with a resin coating. Thirty-eight of the body sculptures appear as Infantrymen, while 12 of the sculptures, which are dressed in original, artifact costumes, represent other historic figures. "As a former history teacher and now as an Infantryman I am impressed with the great lengths the foundation is going to portray accurate historical details," said Capt. Robert Peterson.

The 200-acre National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center site includes a parade field, a memorial walk of honor, and an authentic World War II Company Street. Inside the museum are galleries chock full of engaging exhibits with themes highlighting Infantry experiences in military training, Medal of Honor recipients, the OCS training experience, the contributions of Rangers and more. In addition, the museum's 300-seat IMAX Theater will bring giant screen movies to the Columbus, GA region for the first time.

Opening in March 2009, the National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center at Patriot Park, a 200-acre tract linking Columbus, Georgia, and Fort Benning, the Home of the Infantry, is the first world-class site to pay tribute to the U.S. Army Infantryman and those who fight alongside him. As the only interactive Army Museum in the U.S., the museum showcases the contributions of the Infantry Soldier in every war fought by the U.S. by offering immersive participation and engaging visitors in the unique experiences of the Infantry Soldier. The complex also includes the parade field, memorial walk of honor, authentic World War II Company Street and 3-D IMAX Theatre. For more information, visit http://www.nationalinfantrymuseum.com/.

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First-Round Pairings Set for T-Mobile Invitational National High School Basketball Tournament

South Atlanta High School Boys Basketball Team Will Play in First Round.

(BUSINESS WIRE)--The first-round pairings of boys and girls teams for the 2008 T-Mobile Invitational national high school basketball tournament have been announced by T-Mobile USA, Inc., and the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS).

The tournament will be broadcast live by CBS College Sports Network and will be played Dec. 29-30 at Worthen Arena on the campus of Ball State University. Play-by-play announcer Jason Knapp teams with analyst Steve Wolf to call the boys games and analyst Tammy Blackburn to call the girls games. In addition, CBS Sports will air a one-hour “T-Mobile Invitational 2008 Tournament Highlight Show” on Jan. 18, 2009 (1 p.m. EST).

MaxPreps.com, the official online partner of the T-Mobile Invitational, will offer replays of the full broadcast of all tournament games, available on demand 48 hours after the conclusion of each contest. Maxpreps.com will also provide video features on all the competing teams, as well as comprehensive highlight packages following each game.

The T-Mobile Invitational is the only basketball tournament sponsored by the NFHS, and the field is composed only of schools from NFHS-member associations. The NFHS’ 51 member associations oversee and administer athletic and fine arts activities within those states. Only high schools that are members of those state associations are allowed to compete for their respective state titles.

Leading off the Dec. 29 first-round girls games is a matchup between Gentry High School (Indianola, Miss.) and Bob Jones High School (Madison, Ala.). Gentry has won back-to-back Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 4A state titles, while Bob Jones High School claimed the 2008 Alabama Class 6A title with no seniors in its starting line-up. The second girls game pits two-time defending New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Group 1 champion University High School (Newark, N.J.) against Washington High School (South Bend, Ind.), which has earned an Indiana High School Athletic Association Class 4A state title and two runner-up finishes the past three years.

The first boys game features Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas) High School, which began the season ranked No. 1 in multiple national preseason rankings, against South Atlanta High School (Atlanta). The second boys game features Garfield High School (Seattle) against Lawrence North High School (Indianapolis).

The winning teams will advance to the girls and boys championships on Dec. 30, with the consolation games to be played earlier that day.

The boys field features some of the top individual players in the country. South Atlanta’s Derrick Favors is the top-ranked big man in the country, according to nearly every expert’s list. The 6-foot-9 power forward averaged 23.7 points, 17.1 rebounds and 9.1 blocks as a junior. This year’s tourney also features the top-rated sophomore in the nation in Garfield’s 6-5 point guard Tony Wroten Jr. In addition to these two standouts, the 2008 T-Mobile Invitational field features at least eight other players who have committed to attend Division I universities including Louisville, Texas, Oklahoma State and Purdue.

The girls bracket also features some of the top players in the country. Leading the way is Washington High School’s Skylar Diggins, the top-rated point guard in the nation and a 2007–08 Parade Magazine first-team All-American performer. University High School’s Laurin Mincy brings equally impressive credentials to this year’s event. She was the first girl in New Jersey history to earn first-team all-state honors as a freshman and was named New Jersey Player of the Year as a sophomore.

“Once again, we have an outstanding field for the T-Mobile Invitational,” said Robert F. Kanaby, NFHS executive director. “We’re very pleased that the country will be able to see not only some of the nation’s best basketball players, but some of the top all-around student-athletes as well.”

“It just seems to get better every year,” said Mike Belcher, vice president of brand communications,

T-Mobile USA. “We’re excited about the quality of the teams, the quality of the individuals involved and being able to showcase it all for the fans watching in person in Muncie and those watching live around the country on CBS College Sports Network.”

In addition to the two days of games, all coaches and players of the participating schools will join together for a T-Mobile Huddle UpSM community service project on Dec. 28 designed to improve various elements of the Boys & Girls Club of Muncie (located at 1710 S. Madison St. in Muncie). T-Mobile Huddle Up is T-Mobile USA’s community outreach program connecting kids, primarily from single-parent families, in high-need urban communities to positive people, places and programs. T-Mobile Huddle Up focuses on addressing the critical need for safe, high-quality after-school programs for kids nationwide.

Here is the complete schedule of games (game times are approximate and subject to change). Game times are Eastern Standard Time:

Monday, Dec. 29


Girls:

Noon Gentry (Indianola, Miss.) vs. Bob Jones (Madison, Ala.)
3:30 p.m. University (Newark, N.J.) vs. Washington (South Bend, Ind.)


Boys:

1:45 p.m. South Atlanta (Atlanta) vs. Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas)
5:15 p.m. Garfield (Seattle) vs. Lawrence North (Indianapolis)


Tuesday, Dec. 30


Girls:

Noon Consolation game
3:30 p.m. Championship game


Boys:

1:45 p.m. Consolation game
5:15 p.m. Championship game

For ticket information, go to www.t-mobileinvitational.com.

The partnership between T-Mobile USA and the NFHS, the national leadership organization for high school sports and fine arts activities, strives to encourage student participation in interscholastic activities and emphasizes the importance of these programs in preparing students for life. In addition to the basketball tournament, the multiyear agreement between the NFHS and T-Mobile includes T-Mobile’s sponsorship of the NFHS annual student leadership conference, plus other initiatives and events. T-Mobile is the Official Telecommunications Partner of the NFHS.

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National Infantry Museum and Soldier Center: A World-Class Tribute to the Unforgotten Soldier

Imagine waking to the sound of 155 mm Howitzers before dawn…digging a foxhole to sleep in…being wounded in hand-to-hand combat…moving through rough terrain to perform perilous reconnaissance missions. Imagine giving years of your life in service for your country…Now imagine giving up your life for your country. This is the everyday experience of the United States Army Infantryman.

For centuries, the Infantryman has paid the price for American freedom, yet his valor and sacrifice have gone largely unrecognized. For example, it is not widely known that…More

Isakson, Chambliss Praise Passage of Legislation Creating Commemorative Coin for National Infantry

Will Support National Infantry Museum at Fort Benning

U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., today praised passage of legislation establishing the minting of a commemorative coin honoring the U.S. Army Infantry. The legislation, which now goes to President Bush for his signature, will support the National Infantry Museum at Fort Benning, Ga.

“I’m pleased the Senate has passed this legislation supporting the new National Infantry Museum,” Isakson said. “The infantry deserves an appropriate place to showcase its rich history and to make people aware of the immense sacrifices its soldiers have made for our nation.”

“The National Infantry Museum will provide a vivid reminder of the sense of duty, bravery, and honor our service members and Infantrymen have demonstrated throughout military history,” said Chambliss. “It is important to capture and preserve this history to teach future generations about the sacrifices required to defend our values and freedoms.”

The legislation would mint 350,000 silver coins, which would be issued in 2012, honoring soldiers and commemorating the construction of the National Infantry Museum. Money raised through the sale of the coins will go towards establishing an endowment to support the maintenance of the new museum.

The National Infantry Foundation, in coordination with the United States Army, has broken ground on a new National Infantry Museum at Fort Benning, Ga. The 200-acre site will hold the museum, a storage and restoration facility, a parade field and a memorial walk.

The oldest and largest branch of the U.S. Army, the U.S. Army Infantry was established on June 14, 1775, when the Continental Congress ordered the formation of ten companies of riflemen. The National Infantry Museum is a permanent historical and educational public institution providing education and training to soldiers and their family members and the general public.
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Georgia Southern University Recognized as one of America’s Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report

The 2009 edition of America’s Best Colleges, published by U.S. News & World Report, has included Georgia Southern University in the best national university category. The ranking is a result of Georgia Southern’s continued growth in academic quality and stature as a Carnegie Doctoral/Research University.

Georgia Southern University is one of only 262 American universities, both public and private, in the national category.

“As Georgia Southern University has grown, we have done what many said we could not,” said President Bruce Grube. “We have grown in both size and in the quality of our academic programs and students. We are welcoming the largest class of freshmen with the highest average SAT score in our history. We also welcomed the largest class of graduate students pursuing master’s and doctorate degrees. Our students are from nearly every U.S. state and more than 80 countries. This is a direct reflection on the efforts of our outstanding faculty and staff who work every day to provide all the benefits of a major university with the personal attention of a much smaller college. Students and their parents value being taught by a professor in a small class setting where knowing your professor isn’t a luxury, it’s the norm.”

National universities offer a full range of undergraduate majors, plus master’s and Ph.D. programs and emphasize faculty research. Data indicating academic excellence from a range of categories is gathered from each institution and is weighted by the magazine's staff. The colleges are then ranked against their peers based on their composite score.

U.S. News & World Report utilizes seven categories to evaluate and capture academic quality: assessment by leadership at peer institutions, retention of students, faculty resources, student selectivity, alumni giving, financial resources and “graduation rate performance,” the difference between the proportion of students expected to graduate and the proportion who actually do. In addition, the publication also evaluated graduation rate performance for national universities. Georgia Southern University is listed in the Tier Four category of institutions within the National University rankings.

In addition to being named one of the top national universities in the nation, Georgia Southern University was recognized by high school guidance counselors for providing an outstanding education to students. U.S. News & World Report asked guidance counselors from America’s Best High Schools to rate national universities they believe offer the best education to their students. Georgia Southern University was ranked number 206 nationally, tied with the University of Cincinnati and the University of Memphis to name a few.

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Challenges and Opportunities for McCain, says Emory Scientist Black

The Republican National Convention – back on track after Hurricane Gustav and revelations about the personal family life of vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin – provides an essential opportunity for the McCain campaign to make its case to the American public, says Emory University political scientist Merle Black.

"Palin's first impression in Ohio was terrific. She has definitely brought a lot of energy to the campaign," Black says. The disclosures about Palin's family issues "seem to have produced a rallying of the conservative base around her," he says. However, "these revelations have hurt her and McCain among independents and Democrats."

Wednesday and Thursday will be make-or-break-nights for Gov. Palin and Sen. John McCain: "They both need to have really strong speeches," says Black. "Palin is now under great pressure to show strong leadership, to take a beating and keep on trucking. That is part of McCain's appeal as well, and if they can display that strength, they will make a good impression on Republicans and independent voters."

Black, Emory's Asa G. Candler Professor of Politics and Government, is a renowned expert on national politics and the foremost authority on politics in the South. One the nation's most incisive commentators, Black is coauthor of “Divided America: The Ferocious Power Struggle in American Politics.” The groundbreaking work details, for the first time, the country's distinct regional differences to assess the driving forces of partisanship in national politics.

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West Georgia Recognized by Creative Colleges

The University of West Georgia received its second national recognition by Creative Colleges: A Guide for Student Actors, Artists, Dancers and Musicians, a publication that selects the top 200 schools in the nation for its creative programs for students.

West Georgia offers outstanding creative programs in music, drama, art and creative writing. The Departments of Music, Art, English and Mass Communications and Theatre provide many opportunities to earn a degree through creative endeavors. The university has a television and radio station, three theatres and several recital halls on campus.

Students excel in the arts at West Georgia and travel internationally to pursue their passions. This summer, the UWG Jazz Percussion Group performed in Italy and a UWG student from the Department of English and Philosophy studied creative writing in Czechoslovakia. The student also attended the Bucknell Seminar for Younger Poets, which is the most prestigious seminar of its kind in the nation.

The Creative Colleges guide is aimed at college-bound students and gives them the information and resources to choose the best programs in music, theatre, art and creative writing.

West Georgia is a comprehensive doctoral granting institution with an enrollment of more than 10,500 undergraduate and graduate students. For more information on creative opportunities at UWG, call 678-839-5000.

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WUGA-FM Wins National and Regional Journalism Awards

Public Radio News Directors, Inc. and the Society of Professional Journalists recently honored WUGA, 91.7/97.9 FM public radio for the Athens area, with four awards for radio excellence.

In the PRNDI category for small staff stations, WUGA News Director Mary Kay Mitchell won second place for Best Continuing Coverage for a series of stories on the proposed National Bio and Agro-Defense facility. In the student category, former WUGA intern Rebecca Bowen won second place for Best Soft Feature on the Women in Black peace activist group.

The PRNDI awards competition is the only national contest that recognizes outstanding public radio news reporting at local stations. The awards were presented recently at the annual conference in Washington, D.C.

In the radio division of SPJ’s Green Eyeshade Awards, Mitchell won second place for Non-Deadline News for a feature story on the Ellenton Health Clinic for migrant farm workers. She also received a third place award for Public Affairs Reporting on the controversy over locating NBAF in the Athens area.

For the Green Eyeshades, WUGA competes against all market sizes of radio stations in 11 Southern states. The 58th annual awards were presented recently at a joint ceremony with the Atlanta Press Club.

WUGA has won a total of 15 national, regional, and state awards for 2007, including recognition from the Associated Press and the Georgia Association of Broadcasters.

Gwinnett wins national sustainable communities award

The National Association of Counties (NACo) today announced that Gwinnett County, Ga. is one of 10 recipients of its prestigious 2006-2007 Center for Sustainable Communities Awards and earned special recognition as one of three Outstanding Practices Award winners, which carries a cash prize of $2,500.

The awards, presented every two years by NACo’s Center for Sustainable Communities, recognize the most effective and innovative county-led partnerships with the private sector, other governments or community groups in developing economically prosperous, environmentally safe, and socially equitable communities.

The county was honored for the Gwinnett Environmental and Heritage Center. (See project description below.) Honorees received their awards during a reception this evening at NACo headquarters in Washington, D.C. Winners were selected by a panel of independent judges.

“I commend everyone who was involved in developing these outstanding community partnerships,” said NACo President Eric Coleman, commissioner, Oakland County, Mich. “It is our hope that the national awards will spotlight your communities’ great achievements and inspire others across the country to explore similar strategies to develop vibrant and sustainable communities.”

NACo’s Center for Sustainable Communities primary mission is to provide a forum for county leaders to work with other governments, the private sector, and communities to develop policies and programs that will lead to economic enhancement, environmental stewardship and social well-being — the three pillars of sustainable communities. The center helps local elected officials build sustainable communities by promoting community leadership initiatives, facilitating multi-jurisdictional and public-private partnerships, providing technical assistance and training, and conducting community policy and educational forums.

The sponsors for the 2007 Center for Sustainable Communities Awards Program include: Bank of America, the International Center of Shopping Centers, the Institute for Building Technology and Safety, the National Association of Home Builders, and the National Association of Realtors.