Bush To Visit Benning

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Columbus (GA) Ledger-Enquirer
January 9, 2007
Visit Thursday first from a chief since Clinton; comes one day after his speech on Iraq policy
By Mick Walsh, Staff Writer
President George W. Bush will make the first presidential visit to Fort Benning since 1995 on Thursday, less than 24 hours after he is expected to announce he wants to send an additional 20,000 troops to Iraq.
Air Force One will arrive and depart from Lawson Army Airfield on Thursday. A White House press office spokeswoman said the president will have lunch with soldiers and later watch a military weapons demonstration. He is not expected to deliver a speech during his visit.
Fort Benning public affairs spokeswoman Monica Manganaro confirmed the president's visit but said she could not yet release specifics on the trip.
Former President Bill Clinton visited Fort Benning in April 1995 en route to Warm Springs, where he was honoring the 50th anniversary of the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Clinton thanked Benning personnel who had participated in a mission in Haiti and also thanked those involved in peacekeeping missions in Somalia, Rwanda and Iraq.
President Bush is expected to unveil his new approach to what the Pentagon calls "the long war" in a nationally televised speech Wednesday at 9 p.m.
Retired Maj. Gen. Kenneth Leuer, a former Fort Benning commander, said a presidential visit is a highlight for the soldiers stationed at Fort Benning.
"I think that speaks highly of what Fort Benning means to the national defense," he said. "It is a great feather in the cap for Fort Benning and Columbus."
Another former post commander, retired Lt. Gen. Sam Wetzel, said the troops will be very excited about the visit.
"They'll be very pleased, because they're fighting the war he directed," he said. "It shows the troops that he supports them 100 percent. It's going to be a great day for Fort Benning."
The Fort Benning-based 3rd Brigade Combat Team is scheduled to deploy to Iraq this spring. It will be the outfit's third deployment to the war zone.
Staff Writer Lily Gordon contributed to this report.
 
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