USO Canteen FReeper Style - Liberty to Georgia - Sept 28, 2002

[Jen]

The USO Canteen FReeper Style invites you to join us on a cyber liberty to the state of Georgia.

Mountains or beach? Small town or big city? Barbeque or Sea Bass? Flea market or Neiman Marcus? Civil War or Civil Rights?

The most wonderful thing about Georgia is that while you’re here, you can be whoever you want to be. Want to play 18 holes of world-class golf, then hike the Appalachian Trail? You can do that. Want to travel through small towns, visiting local fairs and staying in country inns, then wander among Picassos and Monets and stay in four-star hotels? You can do that, too. In Georgia, you can do pretty much anything.

Georgia’s Atlanta Metro

From a virtually uninhabited railroad terminus in 1837 to a sprawling metropolis of over four million people today, metro Atlanta has the vibrancy of the world’s great urban centers combined with the Southern charm of small town centers such as Roswell and Decatur. Here you’ll find historic sites from the Civil War through the Civil Rights era, as well as world-class shopping, entertainment, and nightlife. Beautiful intown neighborhoods such as Buckhead, Ansley Park, Druid Hills, and College Park are all well worth a visit.

Georgia’s Mountains

In Georgia’s mountains you’ll find dramatic vistas (such as Cloudland Canyon in the northwest and Tallulah Gorge in the northeast), wild whitewater (including the Chattooga River’s class V rapids), and unspoiled forests (including the Cohutta Wilderness and the Chattahoochee National Forest). You’ll also find spectacular shopping in brand-name outlets and quaint boutiques. Cool in the summer, mild in the winter, it’s the perfect place to escape the crowds for a weekend on the trail or wander the storefronts in our beautiful small towns.

The small town of Helen, nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains on the Chattahoochee River, is a re-creation of an alpine village, complete with cobblestone alleys and old-world towers. This Northeast Georgia village has a rich history dating back to the Cherokee Indians and their burial mounds, early settlers who mined for gold and cut virgin timber.

Helen hosts the longest Oktoberfest in the Southeast from September to November each year and owes its rebirth in the late 1960s to a local serviceman who had been stationed in Germany and sketched sketched the buildings, added gingerbread trim, details and colors to the buildings, giving an Alpine look to the entire town.

Southern Rivers

In the Southern Rivers region, you’ll find stately antebellum mansions surrounding beautiful small towns such as Americus and Thomasville, spread across rich farmland and dense pine forests. Historical attractions here include the infamous Civil War military prison at Andersonville, the boyhood home of former President Jimmy Carter in Plains, and President Franklin Roosevelt’s "Little White House" in Warm Springs.

Here you’ll also find Albany, known as "the Quail Capital of the World" for its more than 40 quail hunting plantations. Of course, don’t forget our namesake rivers, of which the Chattahoochee and the Flint are just a few.

According to Guinness, the biggest largemouth bass ever caught weighed 22 pounds and 4 ounces; it was pulled out of the Ocmulgee River at Montgomery Lake in McRae, Georgia.

Historic South

The Historic South is the heart of Georgia. Here you can enjoy the hip college town of Athens – and big-time SEC college football in one of the largest college stadiums in the country. You can visit the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in Macon, then spend the rest of the day wandering Macon’s graceful historic district. Maybe you’d rather visit small towns like Milledgeville, once the capital of Georgia, or Madison, one of the few towns spared by General Sherman on his march to Savannah. Whatever you do, don’t forget to visit Augusta, home of the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame and host city of The Masters – by any consideration one of the greatest sporting events in the world.

Georgia’s Coast

Here you’ll find Savannah and its historic district, dotted with parks and lined with moss-covered trees, which have been seen on television and in movies for years. St. Simons Island, Sea Island, and Jekyll Island are home to world-class golf and world-class resorts.

Unlike most of the east coast, in Georgia you’ll find miles upon miles of protected seashore and deserted barrier islands perfect for exploring. Cumberland Island National Seashore, one of the coast’s gems, allows only 300 visitors per day (by boat – no cars allowed!).

In the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, you can see all the wildlife the South has to offer in some of the most exotic natural scenery in the world. And don’t forget to visit Darien, which will charm you with its unique history and wonderful shopping.

Heritage and Culture In many ways, the battle for civil rights began in Georgia. Social leader and advocate of non-violent protest Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was born in Atlanta; the Southern Christian Leadership Conference he established continues to pursue his dream today. Many of the pivotal marches and demonstrations of the civil rights movement were planned or held here, and when in 1961 the Freedom Riders bussed through Georgia, State Troopers protected them throughout their stay, preventing a single episode of violence.

Colonial Period

Georgia was originally founded by the British as a colony. In 1733, James Oglethorpe and 114 colonists established the city of Savannah as a buffer against Spanish Florida. The state grew quickly, and by 1770 was home to more than 50,000 inhabitants. Today museums, period architecture and historic sites from our colonial past can be found statewide.



Civil War

Georgia was a critical Confederate state during the Civil War. Atlanta and Macon were central rail depots for the Confederacy, and the capture of these cities was a deciding factor in the Union’s eventual success. At Chickamauga-Chattanooga, 34,000 soldiers lost their lives in one of the bloodiest Confederate victories; the area was declared the first National Military Park in 1890. Today, civil war history can be explored across the state, from the Blue & Gray Trail of Georgia’s Mountains to Fort McAllister in Richmond Hill outside of Savannah.

Native American Heritage

For thousands of years before James Oglethorpe landed on Yamacraw Bluff in 1733 and founded the first European colony, Georgia was inhabited by as many as a 100,000 Native Americans, divided into more than a dozen chiefdoms. Tragically, the majority of these populations were decimated by plague and slavery in the 18th century. Their history can be explored in numerous museums and archeological preserves across the state, including the 150-mile Chieftains Trail and the famous Etowah Mounds, the most intact site of its kind in the Southeast.

Georgia Crops

Georgia is the nation's largest peanut producer, providing 40 to 45 percent of the nation's domestic supply. Peanuts, a $400 million crop, are among the state's top row crops.

Music & Theater

Georgia is famous for its music scene: Artists ranging from Otis Redding to Outkast struck their first notes here. Athens, the birthplace of college bands REM and the B-52s, is a must-see for music lovers.

Sports

Georgia is a major league state by any fan’s standards, with professional baseball, football, basketball, hockey, and soccer teams competing in front of roaring crowds.

If your tastes run to college athletics, check out the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets or the Georgia Bulldogs (but make sure you root for one or the other – it’s a fierce rivalry!). The Atlanta Motor Speedway is home to the NASCAR NAPA 500.

Amusement parks

Some people just aren’t happy until they’re plunging face-first towards the pavement from two hundred feet in the air. Luckily, Six Flags over Georgia is happy to accommodate them with dozens of rides, including one of the Southeast’s tallest coasters, which accelerates so fast it produces more than 4 Gs. For slightly calmer fun, Macon’s Starcadia has batting cages, miniature golf, and bumper boats, while Jekyll Island’s Summer Waves water park offers a million gallons of family fun.

Atlanta Zoo

With more than 1,000 animals of 200 species, Atlanta has one of the finest zoos in the world. Most of the animals, from the numerous primates to the famous Chengdu Pandas, are kept in open-space confines designed to simulate their environment and allow them room to wander.

Presidential Legacy

Jimmy Carter – 39th President - continues to build his legacy through the international works of the Carter Center. The foundation of his life is richly visible in Plains at the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site and Boyhood Farm.

Former President Carter, the nation's most famous peanut farmer, will be inducted into the Peanut Hall of Fame during a festival Saturday in his hometown of Plains. Induction into the Georgia Peanut Commission's Hall of Fame is the highest honor anyone can receive from the state's 5,000 peanut farmers.

Franklin D. Roosevelt - 32nd President – is the only US President elected to four terms of office, and his powerful leadership guided this country through two of the greatest crises of the 20th century – the Great Depression and World War II.


The Little White House, in Warm Springs, is surprisingly simple and provides remarkable insight into Roosevelt, the man. It served as a respite from his weighty job as well as from the pain of polio.

Here he could talk with his neighbors and take therapy in the natural warm springs with other polio patients.





Woodrow Wilson – 28th President – led this nation through World War I - the war intended to end all wars - and struggled to create a League of Nations that would eventually become the United Nations. Wilson’s desire for world peace is rooted in his childhood where as the son of a Presbyterian minister in Augusta, GA, he saw the devastation and suffering caused by the American Civil War.

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Major Military Installations

Robins AFB - Valdosta

Robins Air Force Base, home of Warner Robins Air Logistics Center and more than 60 other units that make up a vital part of the Air Force war fighting team. It is the largest industrial complex in Georgia, employing a work force of over 25,584 civilian, contractor, and military members.

Moody AFB - Macon


The main unit, the 347th Rescue Wing organizes, trains, and employs a combat ready, HC-130, HH-60 rescue wing, consisting of 3,400 military and civilian personnel, including Avon Park Gunnery Range in Florida. Supports the 479th AETC Flying Training and 820th Security Forces Groups in all operations.

Executes worldwide peactime and Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) operations in support of the humanitarian and US national security interests.

Fort Stewart - Hinesville and Hunter Army Airfield - Savannah

The Stewart/Hunter complex is the U.S. Army's premier heavy force power projection platform on the East Coast. The Stewart/Hunter complex is home to the most highly trained and rapidly deployable mechanized force in the world - the 3rd Infantry Division (Mechanized), "Iron Fist" of the XVIII Airborne Corps.

Fort Gordon - Augusta

The multifaceted mission of the U.S. Army Signal Center and Fort Gordon encompasses training, doctrine, force integration and mobilization. The Signal Center conducts specialized instruction for all Signal Regiment military and Department of the Army civilian personnel, and provides doctrine and training development support of publications.

Fort Benning - Columbus



Fort Benning is known as the "Home of the Infantry". It is here that the famed United States Army Infantry School was established and through the years gradually emerged as the most influential infantry center in the modern world. Throughout the years, the mission of Fort Benning and the Infantry School has remained fundamentally the same: "to produce the world's finest combat infantrymen."

Fort McPherson - Atlanta

As a headquarters, Fort McPherson houses and supports these major activities: U.S. Army Forces Command, Third U.S. Army/Forces Central Command, U.S. Army Reserve Command

Fort Gillem - Forest Park

Fort Gillem, in Forest Park, Georgia, is a satellite installation of Headquarters, U. S. Army Garrison, Fort McPherson, Ga. Fort Gillem is home to First U. S. Army, the Army & Air Force Exchange Service (Atlanta Distribution Center), 3D Military Police Group (CID) United States Army Criminal Investigation Command, 2nd Recruiting Brigade, 52nd Ordnance Group and the Equipment Concentration Site for the 81st Regional Support Command, and many other Army, Department of Defense and government organizations.

Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base - St. Mary's

Kings Bay the U.S. Atlantic Fleet's strategic submarine base of the future, supports the Navy's submarine-launched ballistic missile program. It is the only base in the Navy capable of supporting the Trident II (D-5) missile. Supporting the submarines are Trident Refit Facility, Trident Training Facility, and Strategic Weapons Facility Atlantic

Naval Air Station Atlanta - Marietta

NAS Atlanta was selected as the FY-2000 winner of the Conway Trophy presented annually to the best managed Naval Air Station in the Naval Air Reserve Force Program. Its mission is to train Navy and Marine Corps Reservists assigned to numerous aviation and non-aviation reserve units. Our command organization is made of more than 900 active duty military and civilian personnel. We're pleased to be the home of Marine Air Group (MAG) 42, Carrier Air Group (CAG) 20, three Navy squadrons (flying the F/A-18, E-2 and C-9 aircraft), two Marine Corps squadrons (flying the F/A-18 aircraft, and AH-1W and UH-1 helicopters) as well as several other commands.

Albany Marine Corps Logistics Base - Albany

Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, GA that supports the Marine Corps Materiel Command, Marine Corps Logistics Bases

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State Symbols

Georgia State Flag

On a blue field the Georgia flag showcases the state seal, a ribbon expresses Georgia's flag history and the words "In God We Trust". Thirteen stars surrounding the seal denotes Georgia's position as one of the original thirteen colonies. On the seal three pillars supporting an arch represent the three branches of government; legislative, judicial and executive. A man with sword drawn is defending the Constitution, whose principles are wisdom, justice and moderation. The date 1776 represents the signing of the Declaration of Independence. A ribbon displays the thirteen star U.S. flag (1777-1795), Georgia's first flag (1879), Georgia's 1920-1956 flag, Georgia's 1956 flag and the 50 star U.S. flag. Adopted January 30, 2001

State Capitol - Atlanta

The gold in the capitol's dome was mined in Dahlonega in the North Georgia mountains.

State Seal

The current Great Seal of Georgia was adopted by the State Constitution of 1798. On its front side appear three pillars supporting an arch, emblematic of the three branches of government - the legislative, judicial and executive. A man stands with a drawn sword defending the Constitution whose principles are wisdom, justice and moderation.

The reverse of the Seal shows a ship with cotton and tobacco, and a man plowing, representing the agriculture and commerce of the Seal's motto. In 1914, the date on the Seal was changed from 1799 to 1776 to correspond with the date of the Declaration of Independence. By law, the Secretary of State is the official custodian of the Great Seal, which is attached to official papers by executive order of the Governor.

State Song

On April 24, 1979, "Georgia On My Mind," with music by Hoagy Carmichael and lyrics by Stuart Gorrell, was designated Georgia's official state song. It was performed on March 7, 1979 before a joint meeting of the Georgia Senate and House of Representatives by Georgia-born recording artist Ray Charles.

State Fruit - Peach

State Crop - Peanut

State Vegetable - Vidalia Sweet Onion

State Insect - Honeybee

State Bird - Brown Thrasher

State Flower - Cherokee Rose

[Jen]

ping

[Snow Bunny]

[Snow Bunny]

[Snow Bunny]

[Snow Bunny]

A PRAYER OF PROTECTION

The light of God surround you
The love of God enfold you
The power of God protect you
The presence of God watch over you
Wherever you are,God is,
And all is well.
Amen.

[Snow Bunny]

Poor is the nation that has no heroes.
Shameful is the one that, having heroes - Forgets them!

from a monument on the Davis Bridge Battlefield, Bolivar,Tn.

In Bagram, US soldiers hunt Al Qaeda who launched rockets near Asadabad.

We support our Canadian troops, our friends fighting the enemy with us.
Operation APOLLO is Canada's military contribution to the international campaign against terrorism.

Sergeant Kory Fisher of the 3rd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (3 PPCLI) Battle Group

[Snow Bunny]

 

[Snow Bunny]

Individuals may donate $25 which goes toward sponsorship of an
"Operation USO Care Package"
Personal greetings may be included on an
"Operation USO Care Package"
postcard, available for download here by

CLICKING ON THE GRAPHIC….Please be gentle with Souris when you click

USO of Metropolitan Washington
Operation USO Care Package
PO Box 10835
Arlington, VA 22210

[Snow Bunny]

Thank you for your support of the USO Canteen Freeper Style, the troops and their families.Thank you Veterans so much for your service to our country.

[Aeronaut]

Good morning Bunny.

[Snow Bunny]

Thank you for our Liberty to Georgia today Jen. What a beautiful State.

[Snow Bunny]

Hi Aeronaut, good to see you.Have a fabulous Saturday my friend.

[Snow Bunny]

Flag man and Goober Doll..........we miss you and one day I pray we can all be in this picture and ALL the rest of our wonderful friends here at FR and the Canteen.

Mr.Buppy,Buppy,SassyMom & Kneeles,Snow Bunny & FallGuy

[Savage Beast]

"Presidential Legacy"??? Woodrow Wilson? Franklin Roosevelt? Jimmy Carter? It goes from bad to ridiculous to the biggest fool in American presidential history!!!

Then there's the state flag...!

(Georgia's publicizing all this???)

[Aeronaut]

I was stationed in Memphis in 1966. Beale Street had just been named to the national historic register. It was declared off-limits by the U.S. Navy, so I couldn't go there. I love blues music, thanks for the post.

[aomagrat]

Today's classic warship, USS Georgia (BB-15)

Virginia class battleship
Displacement. 14,948
Length. 441'3"
Beam. 76'3"
Speed. 19 k.
Complement. 812
Armament. 4 12", 8 8", 12 6"
USS Georgia was launched by the Bath Iron Works of Bath, Maine, 11 October 1904, sponsored by Miss Stella Tate, and commissioned at Boston Navy Yard 24 September 1906, Captain R. G. Davenport in command.

After Georgia was fitted out and completed a short shakedown cruise, she joined the Atlantic Fleet as flagship of Division 2, Squadron 1. Georgia departed Hampton Road's 26 March 1907 for Guantanamo Bag, Cuba, where she participated in gunnery practice with the fleet. After returning briefly to Boston Navy Yard for repairs, Georgia joined with other ships of the Atlantic Fleet in ceremonies opening the Jamestown Exposition. President Roosevelt and dignitaries present reviewe d the fleet 10 June 1907, and 11 June was proclaimed "Georgia Day" at the exposition in special ceremonies aboard Georgia.

Georgia next sailed with the fleet for target practice in Cape Cod Bay, arriving 15 June. During these drills 15 July, a powder charge ignited prematurely in her aft 8" turret, killing 10 officers and men and injuring 11. Condolences for the loss from this tragic accident were received from all over the world.

The powerful battleship then participated in the tercentenary of the landing of the first English Colonists 16 to 21 August 1907, after which she rejoined the fleet for battle maneuvers before mooring at League Island, N.Y., 24 September, for overhaul.

Arriving in Hampton Roads 7 December 1907, Georgia gathered with 15 other battleships, a torpedo boat squadron, and transports for the great naval review preceding the cruise of the Atlantic Fleet to the West Coast. On 16 December President Roosevelt reviewed the assembled "Great White Fleet" and sent it on the first leg of an around-the-world voyage of training, and building of American prestige and good will. Visiting many South American countries on their highly successful cruise, the fleet met with ships of the Pacific Fleet in another review in San Francisco Bay for the Secretary of the Navy 8 May 1908. Then Georgia, in company with other battleships and supply vessels, departed San Francisco 7 July 1908 for the second leg of the cruise, showing the flag and bringing the message of American sea power to many parts of the world, including the Philippine islands, Australia, Japan, and Mediterranean ports. The fleet returned to Hampton Roads 22 February 1909.

Georgia continued to serve with the Atlantic Fleet in exercises and battle maneuvers, with periods of overhaul interspersed, until 2 November 1910 when President Taft reviewed the fleet prior to its departure for France. In an elaborate battle and scouting problem, Georgia and the other battleships continued their training, visiting Weymouth, England, and returning to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, 13 March 1911.

From 1911 to 1913, Georgia continued to train and serve as a ceremonial ship, and 5 June 1913 participated in a 2-month practice cruise for Naval Academy Midshipmen. After a long overhaul period in Boston Navy Yard, Georgia arrived off the coast of Mexico 14 January 1914 with other fleet units to protect American interests in the troubled Vera Cruz-Tampico area. The busy battleship returned briefly to Norfolk, Va., in March, but was soon back cruising Mexican waters, and from August to October 1914 cruised off Haiti for the protection of American civilians in that country.

After another period of overhaul, Georgia joined the fleet off Cuba 25 February 1915 for winter maneuvers, and spent the rest of the year in training and ceremonial duties with the Atlantic Fleet Battleship Force. She arrived at Boston Navy Yard for overhaul 20 December 1915 and decommissioned 27 January 1916.

Assigned as a receiving ship at Boston, Georgia was called to duty at the outbreak of World War 1, and commissioned again 6 April 1917. For the next 18 months, she operated with the 3d Division, Battleship Force, in fleet tactical exercises and merchant crew gunnery training, based in the York River, Va. She joined with Cruiser Force Atlantic briefly in September 1918 to escort convoys to meet their eastern escorts, and beginning 10 December 1918 was fitted out as a transport and attached to the Cruiser and Transport Force for the purpose of returning troops of the A.E.F. to the United States. Georgia made five voyages to France from December 1918 to June 1919 and brought home nearly 6,000 soldiers.

Georgia was next transferred to the Pacific Fleet as flagship of Division 2, Squadron 1. She left Boston for San Diego, via the Panama Canal, 16 July 1919, and after participating in ceremonial operations for 2 months, entered Mare Island Naval shipyard for repairs 20 September 1919. Here Georgia staged until decommissioning 15 July 1920. She was eventually sold for scrap 1 November 1923 in accordance with the Washington Treaty for the limitation of naval armaments, and her name was struck from the Navy List 10 November 1923.

[Jen]

Special Dedication to our Military Members and Veterans
for Protecting and Defending our Country

"Hero" by Mariah Carey

MIDI version

MP3 version

And then a hero comes along with the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside and you know you can survive
When you feel like hope is gone, look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth - that a hero lies in you!

[SpookBrat]

Good morning Troops! Good morning Friends. Good morning Georgia!

<---------click on the picture

[zip]

Good Morning, Georgia.

Thank you troops, veterans and your families for everything you do to protect America and the world. Please remember that real Americans support you in all of your endeavors.

A mid Missouri Patriot (Infinite FReeper and veteran) gives you an honest THANKS from the heart.

[SpookBrat]

Click on the picture above. I forgot my ping list. Duh....I haven't had my first cup of coffee yet. Blech!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

My Buddy Beamer asked me to stop by the USO Canteen today
To ask you to e-mail our military and tell them Thanks!
Just click on my handsome face and you'll end up in
The USO Canteen Post Office
Sending e-mail from there is so doggone easy!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

How about some stock car races for you and the Girlz today?

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Thank You for today's thread.
*HUG*

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

Thank You for today's thread.
*HUG*

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

[Soaring Feather]

Good Morning coteblanche!

You know I'm going to love this song sung by Willie Nelson!

Thanks cote for working in the USO Canteen, supporting all the troops!
Thanks to the Canteen FReeper Style!

[Soaring Feather]

Thank you guys!

Ohhh, guys you make me want to cry with happiness, the picture is so beautiful.

Wonderful, I love the poppies!

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

I'm on my way to work.
Have a GREAT DAY!
*HUG*

[Jen]

Good morning Gurlz! Thank you for posting "Georgia on my Mind". I don't know whether I prefer the Ray Charles version or Willie Nelson's. I've been listening to both of them over and over this morning.

Click on the peach in the opening for a surprise!

[MeekOneGOP]

Mornin', everybody !!

Have a cup while you FReep !

[Jen]

WOW! Two hugs from my favorite Canteen Good Guy! {{{{{HUG}}}}} Have a great day at work Tonk!

[Jen]

Thank you Tonk for your daily delivery of beautiful flowers for all the Gurlz! You are such a sweetie.

[Jen]

Good morning Meekie. Please tell Carl thanks for the coffee. I sure need it this morning.

[Jen]

Robins’ wings to make Air Force history

Robins AFB, GA - On Monday September 30, the 116th Bomb Wing and the 93rd Air Control Wing will end one era and begin anew as the Air Force’s first blended wing – the 116th Air Control Wing – in a special activation ceremony attended by Air Force Secretary James Roche. The 116th Air Control Wing – comprised of both air national guardsmen and active duty members – will be the first of its kind when it is activated here as part of the Future Total Force initiative. This new initiative focuses on active duty, guard and reserve members working side by side in all mission types. And this merger is expected to increase the combat effectiveness and organizational efficiency of the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System.

“We are making history and defining how the Air Force of the future will look,” said Col. Tom Lynn, 116th Bomb Wing commander and future 116th Air Control Wing commander. “The outstanding professionals in both wings have worked extremely hard to make this a reality.”

“Our two organizations consist of highly trained and highly motivated people who serve with distinction,” said Col. David Fadok, 93rd Air Control Wing commander. “Our people are professionals who will exceed expectations and set the standard for future total force wings.”

Last year, it was announced that the 116th BW would transfer its B-1B flying mission to active duty units due to the consolidation of the B-1 aircraft fleet. In October, Secretary of the Air Force James Roche announced the 116th BW would transition to the Joint STARS mission, creating a first-of-its-kind future total force organization.

With its 11 Air Force outstanding unit awards – more than any other unit in the reserve component, and three Winston P. Wilson Trophy wins as the No.1 fighter unit in the Air National Guard during its days of fighter wing operations, the bomb wing was a natural choice for the new blended wing.

The 93rd ACW, which was activated at Robins in 1996, earned its first outstanding unit award the very next year – especially noteworthy since the wing had not deployed to Operation Enduring Freedom from November reached its initial operational capability then. While to April, the 93rd ACW flew 247 combat sorties with a 98.4 percent mission effectiveness rate – all while supporting the war on terrorism.

When the two wings combine, the unit will support the Joint STARS mission. Joint STARS’ primary mission is to provide dedicated support to air and ground theater commanders in order to gain and maintain control of the battle space. Its radar has a range of more than 150 miles, making Joint STARS effective for supporting the full spectrum of roles and missions from peacekeeping operations to major theater war.

The E-8C Joint STARS, a modified Boeing 707 developed by Northrop Grumman, is an airborne battle management and command and control platform that conducts ground surveillance to support attack operations and contribute to the delay, disruption and destruction of enemy forces. The aircraft carries a 24-foot phased-array radar antenna in a 40-foot canoe-shaped radome under the forward part of the fuselage.

[redhead]

Ooh! AJ! Thanks for the neat thread. I've never been to Georgia, and this was a great geography lesson.

For the troops: Father God; Bless and protect our people in uniform, wherever they are. Give them courage and resolve, and give them the victory in this war. Bring them home safely, and give those of us who wait for them the grace to hold them up in prayer to You every day. Thank you, Father. Amen.

[Jen]

Georgia is the birthplace of Coca-Cola. John Pemberton, a Civil War veteran and an Atlanta pharmacist, was inspired by a simple curiosity. He loved tinkering with medicinal formulas, and one afternoon, searching for a quick cure for headaches, he stirred up a fragrant, carmel-colored liquid in a three-legged pot. When it was done he carried it down a few doors to Jacobs' Pharmacy. There it was mixed with carbonated water and sampled by patrons who agreed that the new drink was something special. So Jacobs' Pharmacy put it on sale for 5-cents a glass. In 1888, Asa Griggs Candler bought the company from Dr. Pemberton. Later that same year, Dr. Pemberton died. In 1894, Joseph A. Biedenharn, owner of the Biedenharn Candy Company in Vicksburg, Mississippi, first bottled "Coca Cola."

[Jen]

The judge looked at the defendant and yelled, "I thought I
told you last time that I never wanted to see you here again!"

"Your Honor," replied the criminal. "That's what I kept
trying to tell the police, but they just wouldn't listen."

[The Mayor]

Hi

[Jen]

Georgia's Stone Mountain Park

The Memorial Carving on Georgia's Stone Mountain depicts three Confederate heroes of the Civil War - President Jefferson Davis, General Robert E. Lee, and Lt. General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson.

The entire carved surface measures three-acres, larger than a football field. The carving of the three men towers 400 feet above the ground, measures 90 by 190 feet, and is recessed 42 feet into the mountain. The deepest point of the carving is at Lee's elbow, which is 12 feet to the mountain's surface.

In 1912 the carving existed only in the imagination of Mrs. C. Helen Plane, charter member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy (UDC). The Venable family, owners of the mountain, deeded the north face of the mountain to the UDC in 1916. The UDC was given 12 years to complete a sizable Civil War monument.

Three sculptors worked on the carving during its creation. Gutzon Borglum was hired in 1915 as the carving consultant, and in 1916 he was appointed carving sculptor by the Stone Mountain Monumental Association. Borglum envisioned a carving with seven central figures accompanied by "an army of thousands." He was not able to begin work on the carving until 1923 due to funding problems and World War I.

After blasting away large portions of the mountain with dynamite, Borglum was able to complete the head of Lee on January 19, 1924. In 1925 a dispute arose between Borglum and the managing association. As a result of the conflict, Borglum left, taking all of his sketches and models with him. Borglum went on to carve the famous Mount Rushmore sculpture in South Dakota.

Augustus Lukeman, the second sculptor, resumed work on the project in 1925. Lukeman's carving included the three central figures of the Confederacy on horseback. He removed Borglum's work from the mountain and diligently worked with pneumatic drills, but by 1928 (the original deadline) only Lee's head was complete and funds were depleted. The Venable family reclaimed their property, and the massive granite mountain remained untouched for 36 years.

In 1958 the state of Georgia purchased the mountain and the surrounding land. The Georgia General Assembly created the Stone Mountain Memorial Association. In 1960 the Stone Mountain Confederate Memorial Advisory Committee was comprised of six internationally known figures in the world of art. A competition was held, and nine world-renowned sculptors submitted designs for a new sculpture.

In 1963, based upon recommendations by the Advisory Committee, the Stone Mountain Memorial Association chose Walker Kirkland Hancock of Gloucester, Massachusetts to complete the carving. Work resumed in 1964, and a new technique utilizing thermo-jet torches was used to carve away the granite. Chief carver Roy Faulkner, a marine veteran with a talent for using the new thermo-jet torch, was able to remove tons of stone in one day. For over eight years Park guests could see and hear the workmen and their jet torches.

The figures were completed with the detail of a fine painting. Eyebrows, fingers, buckles and even strands of hair were fine-carved with a small thermo-jet torch.

The carving is actually much larger than it appears from Stone Mountain Park's attractions. Workers could easily stand on a horse's ear or inside a horse's mouth to escape a sudden rain shower.

A dedication ceremony for the Confederate Memorial Carving was held on May 9, 1970. Finishing touches to the masterpiece were completed in 1972.

The mountain covers 583 acres or 25 million square feet and is the largest single piece of exposed granite in the world. It is 1,683 feet above sea level and rises 825 feet above the surrounding area.