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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — After multiple COVID-19 complaints from anonymous Arkansas National Guard members stationed in Fort Polk
KATV sent a team down to see firsthand what conditions were like
Kara Parrson is from Starr City and when she first got down to Fort Polk she felt completely fine
“We had to do our mandatory testing to go out to the box and then they told me I was positive,” Parrson said
She came back positive for COVID-19 and was put into isolation
When KATV first reported the increase of COVID cases, Fort Polk had 23 cases
KATV received several complaints from sources who wanted to remain anonymous due to fear of retribution or damage to their career
no social distancing and few masks being worn
I don’t really look at the news because it’s aggravating
It may not have been five star meals but nobody gets that anyway,” Parrson said
they were sent into “the box” where a makeshift battlefield awaits
"When I came in I was just terrified because the only thing that people ever said was it’s going to be so bad
you’re going to be miserable,” Sydney Carr
Colonel Joel Lynch admits it’s not the best living conditions and that’s really the point
Lynch said people who are saying it’s so bad need to understand it's part of the training
I knew what I was getting into when I started,” Carr said
“The box” is similar to real battlefields where there are no showers
We’re far away from home or away from our families for a good month and so COVID definitely has been one of those diseases that has been on our mind,” Dr
Koehler has been a doctor in the National Guard for over 20 years
Koehler said when a soldier shows symptoms from COVID-19
they’re quarantined away from others in “the box” until they get their test results back
He said they send test results off to Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital on base and can receive results back in 1-4 hours
depending on how many tests need to be run
Koehler said there are more threats to soldiers on the ground
“That’s probably our biggest concern right now is our soldiers
getting the proper rest and nutrition to prevent heat related illnesses,” Koehler said
Nathan Curley is a soldier from North Little Rock and he is out in “the box” working with communications and signals to make sure they keep track of where the enemy is
He said that COVID has impacted the way they prepare for battle
“It definitely presents challenges that we were not expecting
but also presents us with opportunity to have soldiers learn outside of what they initially know,” Curley said about the need for soldiers to pick up the slack from those that are in isolation or in quarantine
While the National Guard is seeing an increase in COVID cases like the state of Arkansas
People like Kara said they’re now going to get the COVID vaccine
but after experiencing that I am,” Parrson said
The Arkansas National Guard is encouraging everyone of their members to get vaccinated after they said nearly all of their COVID illnesses are from those who are unvaccinated
With the striking of an anvil to symbolize the forging of the warrior spirit
the home of the Army’s Joint Readiness Training Center in Louisiana was officially renamed Tuesday from Fort Polk to Fort Johnson
“At the heart of the warrior spirit lies courage
to stand firm in the face of adversity and to protect the freedoms we hold dear,” said Brig
William Henry Johnson doesn't exemplify the warrior spirit in its purest form
Johnson moved to New York as a teenager and enlisted in the Army in June 1917
He was assigned to the 369th Infantry Regiment
an all-Black New York National Guard unit known as the Harlem Hellfighters
attended Tuesday's ceremony and said Johnson fought in World War I with the National Guard — the first war in which the organization was officially called the National Guard and was considered a professional military force
He thanked the commission tasked with renaming the Army’s nine installations for choosing a member of the National Guard for recognition
“Fort Johnson is named after a citizen and a soldier,” Hokanson said
“It is a tribute to both his personal heroism with sacrifices made by so many to defend freedom.”
Johnson was deployed to France where his unit was attached to a French unit in the Argonne Forest
Johnson was standing guard when German forces attacked
he sounded the alarm and attacked the enemy alone
then fired his rifle until his bullets ran out
“He charged the enemy swinging his rifle as a club and when he observed two Germans about to carry his wounded comrade away for interrogation
Johnson abandoned his rifle and instead drew his bolo knife
fighting off the raiders in close quarters and pushing them back from the position,” Gardner said
Johnson became one of the first American privates to receive the Croix du Guerre
Black veterans did not receive equal recognition
Though Johnson was paraded through New York City as a hero after the war
his disability pension was denied and he died of his war wounds in 1929
Johnson was awarded the Purple Heart in 1996
He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia
The Army did not establish Camp Polk in central Louisiana until January 1941
which has always been used to train troops
closed for four years between World War II and the Korean War
the Army moved the Joint Readiness Training Center from Fort Chaffee
Fort Johnson has a base population of about 32,350 and an average transient daily population of about 5,000 troops
Fort Johnson also is home to the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 10th Mountain Division
It is the seventh of nine Army installations to change its name in recent months to shed homage to a Confederate general
Fort Gordon in Georgia will become Fort Eisenhower in October
A date has yet to be scheduled for the change of Fort A.P
Congress mandated the name changes in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act
its annual Pentagon policy and spending priorities bill
It estimated the effort would cost some $62.5 million to complete
the effort includes the renaming Confederate-linked items and names at dozens of other bases and Navy ships
the Louisiana National Guard announced it would rename the state-owned Camp Beauregard in Pineville to the Louisiana National Guard Training Center Pineville
The formal change will occur later this year
Gardner closed Tuesday’s ceremony by pledging to continue the mission of training at Fort Johnson
“The warrior spirit that burned within Sgt
William Henry Johnson now inspires generations of soldiers
Soldiers who will now call JRTC and Fort Johnson home
and soldiers who will continue to come here from all over the nation
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Another former commanding general of Fort Polk and the Joint Readiness Training Center has moved on to a distinguished command
Army South during a change of command ceremony last week
Army South conducts multinational exercises and coordinates security in United States Southern Command's area of responsibility
which includes 31 countries and 15 areas of special sovereignty in Central and South America and the Caribbean
to observe 'Juntos Podemos — Together We Can' is more than just a slogan
that it is a state of mind that represents the foundation for everything being done in this command," Chinn said
spirit of partnership and cooperation is on target and I look forward to continuing to foster the teamwork generated with joint
multinational responses to challenges in Latin America."
Chinn commanded at Fort Polk and the JRTC from January 2011 to November 2013
He most recently served as deputy commanding general for U.S
Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg
Chinn received high marks from Central Louisiana stakeholders for his commitment to being part of the community
enjoyed resounding while they were stationed there
"Val and I want to thank the great Fort Polk community for the great teamwork while we served at Fort Polk
"The Fort Polk community and their support to the Army as we executed realistic
relevant and rigorous training at JRTC in preparing Brigade Combat Teams for combat operations had a huge role in my being provided an opportunity to command at the 2 star level
Thanks to all for the friendship and support."
which is part of Joint Base San Antonio in Texas
Chinn takes over for outgoing commander Maj
Chinn is the latest Fort Polk commanding general to move on to other prestigious commands
William Hickman (2013-2015) now serves as deputy commander with the U.S
Kuwait and has been tapped for promotion to major general
Daniel Bolger (2006-2008) served as commander of the First Cavalry Division at Fort Hood
For his final assignment prior to retirement in 2013
he served as commanding general of the Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan/Commander
Michael Barbero (2004-2006) went on to serve as commander of the U.S
Army Infantry Training Center at Fort Benning
and led the Multi-National Security Transition Command-Iraq and NATO Training Mission-Iraq
He served as director for the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization from March 2011 until May 2013 as his last assignment prior to retirement
Jason Kamiya (2001-2004) later served as commanding general of the Southern European Task Force and as director
and commander of the Joint Warfighting Center in Suffolk
(1999-2001) served as the commanding general for the 82nd Airborne Division and as the deputy commanding general for the 18th Airborne Corps before retirement
James Yarbrough (2008-2011) retired upon turning command over to Chinn
and their rotation there has the coronavirus pandemic factored in
But mitigation measures aren’t the only way advisers will see COVID-19 during the rotation
Planners at JRTC have “maintained a close dialogue” with 3rd SFAB troops currently in Afghanistan
and have built COVID-19 scenarios into the training rotation for 4th SFAB
which will be deploying for the unit’s first time later this summer
One such scenario: how do troops deal with a COVID-19 case that hits a key leader or soldier with the skill-set that only they have
“If that happens to be in their communications section
[they] now have a significant challenge," Frank said in a telephone interview
“How do you take your signal officer or NCO and quarantine them in a fashion with the right equipment that still allows the SFAB [ops center] at the battalion or brigade level to maintain communications across the formation
That would be one of the vignettes we would pose.”
Tactical operations centers at the brigade and battalion levels are one focus area for SFAB troops at JRTC
as that is where many will work with their Afghan counterparts
But follow-on rotations to JRTC and other combat training centers later this year will involve brigades with more traditional combat roles
4th SFAB Soldiers prepare to safely off-load a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle and trailer at the CRSP on May 28.JRTC has a close relationship with the National Training Center at Fort Irwin
which will also host a brigade combat team rotation in July
“We’re sharing our lessons learned with Fort Irwin
and then we’re watching very closely as they move into a larger formation in July than what we have in the SFAB,” said Frank
noting that his team has already compiled an after-action review of how it received the 4th SFAB
Frank’s post will be accepting about 5,000 troops from the 101st Airborne Division in August
far more than the 1,200 received from the 4th SFAB
That increase will require soldiers to be brought directly into Fort Polk
It also requires them to be moved directly into a tactical environment after their health screening on post
because 5,000 troops can’t maintain the strict social distancing requirements in the sleeping areas established there for the current rotation of 1,200 advisers
Soldiers from the 4th SFAB arrived via commercial bus and aircraft to the city of Alexandria
and were received at an old airport there known as England Air Force Base
speaks to members of 4th SFAB during a reception
and integration rehearsal brief on May 28 while adhering to COVID-19 mitigation measures
rotation planner JRTC Operations Group; Frank; Maj
4th SFAB.“They were tested at home station before they arrived here
they were screened and then we tested all the ops group that would interact with the rotational unit,” said Col
Fort Polk’s Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital commander
Advisers were screened again at the old airport and then were broken off into 12-man company advising teams
briefed on protocols for the new JRTC policies and loaded up to go to the Army post
“It was a considerable requirement here as you can only move 12 soldiers on a bus,” said Frank
Louisiana’s governor has started a phased approach to opening the state
and Fort Polk has been monitoring the parishes surrounding the post as it brings personnel into the region
Polk itself is maintaining a “protective posture” across post
“We created two saftey bubbles: one for training on North Fort Polk and one for the installation
keeping protective posture across our community,” he said
“The majority of our units and families live on South Fort Polk.”
Military police man traffic control points to create a perimeter around North Fort Polk
Soldiers arriving to that part of the post for JRTC are mostly confined there until they move out to their 14-day training rotation
4th SFAB Tactical Operations Center discusses safety issues during a morning brief on May 28 while adhering to COVID-19 social-distancing guidelines.Like most Army installations
Fort Polk now has testing devices for COVID-19 on-site
Her medical facilities can turn tests around “in about an hour,” thanks to four new devices there
which will help soldiers who appear to have symptoms but who are negative for COVID-19 to continue training
though rarer in the normally healthy population of young soldiers
But Dugai’s hospital doesn’t have a traditional intensive care unit on-site
knowing that there was a potential that our network partners
their hospitals would be at capacity with their ventilators and personnel ..
I started training my team with ICU-type skill-sets,” said Dugai
That training includes ensuring their stock of contingency ventilators were pulled out and prepped if needed
suction machines and monitors were also set up
nurses and doctors started training on that equipment and laying it out as part of the post’s preparation for COVID-19 this spring
The protective protocols JRTC has established for restarting training rotations are “really a micro version of what we already established over the last two months over the installation,” said Frank
“So everyone is entering the force-on-force period here at JRTC with a lot of confidence
a lot of energy and a lot of excitement to begin operations at the brigade collective level here."
© 2025 SFASU 1936 North St., Nacogdoches TX 75962
FORT POLK – South Polk Elementary School is on its “final tour” as next year students move into a new building with a new name
is being replaced with a new building off-post through a $21 million project
is expected to be completed in August 2016
just in time to start that school year in a new place
we’ll be in that school,” South Polk Principal Charlie Balthrop said
One of the school spirit shirts for this year features a patriot holding a flag that reads
“Final tour 2015-2016” to mark the occasion
The new building is located south of the Fort Polk campus of Northwestern State University
but it will no longer be south of North Polk Elementary
It will be called Parkway Elementary School after University Parkway
Parkway will serve the same current population
which is nearly 100 percent military dependents
Balthrop said his school has about 420 students from second through fourth grades
The new school will absorb the first grade from North Polk
which then will be left with pre-K and kindergarten only
The current South Polk building will be used for other military services
The project has been years in the making and includes federal
area leaders announced that $20 million in funding had been secured for the new school
with $16 million of that to come from the federal government
The state of Louisiana and Vernon Parish School District each are contributing $1 million to the project
The school district is contributing $2 million in additional in-kind construction services
the state also committed $25.2 million in capital outlay and Community Development Block Grant funding for the expansion of a water and sewer system along state Highway 467 as well as construction of a parkway connecting the highway to La
with regular meetings with partners to monitor the work
“We’re very satisfied with the progress,” Vernon Parish schools Superintendent James Williams said
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Animals 24-7
August 17, 2018 By Merritt Clifton
Louisiana––Fifty-four miles south of Zwolle
where the last cavalry-against-cavalry battle fought by the U.S
Army was staged during the Louisiana Maneuvers of 1941
a 25-year series of conflicts over the fate of alleged descendants of those horses may be nearing an end
An elaborate exercise organized in anticipation of World War II
Rounding up and removing the estimated 700 to 750 horses at Fort Polk and the nearby Peason Ridge Military Training Area has so far taken nearly two years
and is expected to go on for several more years
At least 239 horses have already been removed in eight controversial gathers since October 2016––probably not even enough to keep pace with foaling
activist mistrust of the government agencies involved
and bitter disputes among involved parties all resemble the ongoing conflicts over Bureau of Land Management horse gathers in 10 western states
the horse removals and trouble might have been prevented
had effective fertility control been introduced years ago
the window of opportunity for suppressing the horse population appears to have closed long ago
horses on military land are not protected by Wild Free-Roaming Horses & Burros Act of 1971
Neither do civilian researchers and horse advocates have access to military land to monitor the resident horses
Whatever information is available about horse numbers and health status on military property comes only through the armed services themselves
military installations are believed to harbor wild horses
but Fort Polk is among the few to have published recent counts
and to have made public what it is doing to control the herd: in this case
as an alleged hazard to military personnel
Army and the several entities contracted to do the Fort Polk and Peason Ridge horse removals contend that all of the horses gathered have been properly rehomed or transferred to rehoming agencies
Pegasus Equine Guardian Association (PEGA) founder Amy Hanchey
Freedom Reins Ranch & Rescue spokesperson Lisa Alexander
and other critics of the Fort Polk and Peason Ridge gathers argue that at least some of the horses have been sold to slaughter
Army announced in August 2015 that Fort Polk would be cleared of free-roaming horses
with the help of the Tulane Environmental Law Clinic
arguing that the horse removals would violate the National Environmental Policy Act and the National Historic Preservation Act
Hanchey and PEGA are to get one more chance
District Judge Elizabeth Foote ruled in New Orleans on June 7
while reassigning the case to an “unassigned district judge” yet to be named
Philip Sponenberg with a Choctaw horse.(Photo by John McCormick
The pending case will hang on a friend-of-the-court brief filed by Philip Sponenberg
a professor of pathology and genetics at Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
Sponenberg has served since 1978 as a technical advisor to the Livestock Conservancy
established in 1977 to protect old and rare domestic animal breeds
summarized Associated Press reporter Janet McConnaughey
that “some of the Fort Polk horses may be descendants of those brought to the New World by Spanish colonists and then bred by the Choctaw” indigenous people
who inhabited Louisiana in pre-settlement times
If Spanish horse ancestry can be established by DNA testing
“this population would be a high priority for conservation as a genetic resource that is otherwise rare in North America.”
Similar arguments have already been rejected in lawsuits against wild horse gathers on BLM land in parts of the U.S
where the presence of horses has been documented for 300 to 400 years
and the Wild Free-Roaming Horses & Burros Act of 1971 establishes the right of horses to be there
and within herd limits based on the estimated carrying capacity of the habitat
Even if some or all of the Fort Polk horses can be proven to be descended from the horses used by the Choctaw people
this would not establish that the horses have been continuously present in the Kisatchie area for more than about 80 years
Whatever horse population may have been there already was markedly increased in 1940-1941
when in preparation for the Louisiana Maneuvers the U.S
Army brought hundreds of horses by truck and rail from nine other states historically occupied by the Choctaw
cavalry horses were reputedly released to graze and wander at the hastily built and then-temporary Camp Polk
for Confederate general Leonidas Polk (1806-1864)
Polk before taking up arms against the U.S
government in defense of slavery was from 1841 to 1862 the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana
Nearly half of the 198,000-acre Camp Polk site was and is within the Kisatchie National Forest
reclaimed from timber plantations in 1930
Most of it had been used only for the Louisiana Maneuvers
looked like a safe place to turn cavalry horses loose until they were needed as remounts
If the cavalry horses mixed and mingled with lost or abandoned work horses from forestry operations or nearby farms
Some of the troops might have enjoyed the irony that Leonidas Polk’s legacy was marked with horse manure
Military C-rations were introduced during the Louisiana Maneuvers
But the Louisiana Maneuvers confirmed the necessity of mechanizing the U.S
a permanent installation used chiefly to train tank and anti-tank crews
Most of the horses left at Fort Polk were apparently never again used to mount troops
Many may have been rounded up and slaughtered for meat during the World War II meat shortage
The often-served mess kitchen concoction called “shit-on-a-shingle” reputedly disguised “mystery meats,” including horsemeat
as well as dodgy chipped beef and––allegedly––saltpeter used to suppress the troops’ sexual appetite
Whatever horses survived World War II attracted little notice from then
through the arrival of the First Armored Division in 1956
use of Fort Polk for basic training during the Vietnam War years
as home of the Fifth Infantry Division (Mechanized)
Trouble over the presence of horses at Fort Polk
began with the 1992 arrival of units of the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment
Whether Humvee-and-horse collisions have actually occurred is unclear
but the risk that they might occur was invoked as cause for the first horse removal on record
Fort Polk spokesperson Kim Reischling “said a roundup in 1993 snared 41 horses
which were placed with two local ranches,” wrote Associated Press reporter Janet McConnaughey in August 2015
“Another roundup in 2000 placed only eight horses with new owners,” of 175 horses gathered at request of the Louisiana Livestock Sanitary Board and tested for equine infectious anemia
Horses believed to have been infected were killed
“Sterilization does not work,” Reischling contended
“With animals migrating in from other properties or being dumped
it has been determined that the sterilization process will likely not even stop growth
“Some people speculate that the horses are descended from Army cavalry horses
and a local author has self-published a children’s book based on that tale
But it is more likely that they are descendants of area farm and ranch horses
director of the Humane Society of West Louisiana
Others were almost certainly released fairly recently by people who could no longer afford to feed them.”
Kisatchie National Forest spokesperson Jim Caldwell disclosed another motivation for trying to extirpate the Fort Polk and Peason Ridge horses
Both the National Forest and parts of Fort Polk are open to licensed hunters
had been complaining that “If you plant wildlife foods [as bait] for deer or turkey
the horses are right on those foods because they’re fertilized
But Reischling emphasized to McConnaughey “horse manure in the areas used by soldiers.”
Army issued permits allowing members of the public to capture and remove up to four horses per person
“No methods for humane capture are outlined or overseen
No method for oversight of what happens to the horses after capture exists,” objected Wild Horse Education founder Laura Leigh
Added Amy Hanchey in a Change.org petition
“Over the last three years we have witnessed inhumane acts such as horses being illegally darted and winched into trailers
free-for-all round ups that resulted in harm to the horses
foals being captured without their mothers
and a long list of alleged under-the-table dealings to the detriment of the horses.”
Eventually the horse removals were jobbed out under contract
to be done on a larger scale and at a faster clip
Army Corps of Engineers “awarded Texas State University’s Integrated Natural & Cultural Resources Team with several task orders totaling $1.75 million,” Stephen F
director of the university Center for Archaeological Studies
the team was hired to “conduct archaeological surveys and support the management of cultural resources at U.S
Air Force bases and training facilities in eight states.”
$80,850 of the sum was allocated to help remove horses from Fort Polk and Peason Ridge
Wrote Lake Charles American Press reporter Pamela Sleezer
“Texas State University sought bids from local contractors surrounding Fort Polk
who would perform the hands-on task of rounding up the horses
the only bid” came from Jacob Thompson Cattle LLC
also known as Thompson Horse Lot & Co.
located about 15 miles from the Fort Polk main gate
That was inherently problematic from a public trust perspective
Court records and news reports show that Jacob Thompson and other members of the Thompson family have almost continuously been in trouble since 2005 for alleged offenses involving livestock transactions occurring in Louisiana
& horses.(Fort Polk Horses of Kisatchie)
District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi in April 2014 ordered Jacob Thompson and three other members of the Thompson family to pay $245,404 to the Southeast Mississippi Livestock Association and the Livestock Producers Association for alleged violations of the Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations Act and the Packers & Stockyards Act
Pleading guilty in April 2016 to first degree felony theft of livestock and second degree felony theft of property
Jacob Thompson was sentenced in Hopkins County
Texas to serve 10 years on probation for the first degree felony and 10 years deferred probation for the second degree felony
Jacob Thompson “was fined $3,150 for violating five Louisiana regulations including selling livestock without a permit,” Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry spokesperson Veronica Mosgrove confirmed to Janet McConnaughey of Associated Press
one of whom was previously convicted with Jacob Thompson
were reportedly arrested for alleged livestock theft in Allen Parish
Ahlman subcontracted the job to Thompson’s Horse Lot anyway
“The agreement with Thompson’s Horse Lot is to capture the horses
then put them up for adoption through nonprofit groups,” reported Lauren Lanmon of KXAN-TV in San Marcos
if nonprofit groups are unable to adopt the horses and members of the public don’t step up
the horses are sold at auction and likely slaughtered
Ahlman says so far every horse captured by Thompson’s Horse Lot has found a new home.”
That’s misinformation being driven by social media
They have all been adopted to nonprofit horse rescue groups
and what happens to these horses after they go to these nonprofit groups
I can tell you that none of the horses have gone to the Thompson’s and have gone that route.”
Among the three “nonprofit horse rescue groups” receiving horses from Fort Polk on Ahlman’s watch
Meridian Falls Ranch is alleged by Hanchey and seven co-signers of an open “Letter of Concern” dated August 3
2018 to be “a likely shadow organization that is in fact selling or sending the horses to kill pens and auctions.”
Founding Meridian Falls Ranch president and now vice president Shandi Ann Lebron
also has a multi-count arrest record for alleged offenses involving livestock
The “Letter of Concern” says PEGA has “several reports stating that 12 horses from round-up in May 2018 taken by Meridian Falls Ranch went to Elkhart Horse Auction in Elkhart
and the same is suspected for 32 from June 2018
“33 horses from July 2018 round up are sitting at the Thompson kill pen lot
“The Thompsons are selling the horses for $385 per horse,” without required Coggins tests
“making it very costly and difficult for legitimate animal welfare organization to rescue these horses,” the “Letter of Concern” charges
founder and president of the 30-year-old Humane Society of Louisiana
who according to McConnaughey of Associated Press has also filed a friend-of-the-court brief on behalf of Hanchey and PEGA stating that he has “received complaints this month from tipsters who aren’t Pegasus officers about inhumane treatment of the horses” during the Fort Polk roundups
(Freedom Reigns Ranch & RescueFacebook photo)
Reported Pamela Sleezer of the Lake Charles American Press on August 5
which resulted in Thompson losing his contract to round up the horses.”
A day later Freedom Reins Ranch & Rescue founder Lisa Alexander said “she and a donor purchased a total of 28 horses from a horse lot known locally as ‘a kill pen’ for about ten thousand dollars,” reported Lydia Magellanes of KALB-TV News in Vernon Parish
“The horse lot told KALB,” Magellanes continued
“that although they did sell horses to Alexander
but that they have never had Fort Polk horses on their property
nor are they interested in purchasing them.”
“Fort Polk has completed an Environmental Assessment for the Elimination of the Trespass Horses from Fort Polk and successfully removed approximately 200 horses under the approved process
Those horses were taken by three animal welfare groups
Horses Lives Matter and Meridian Falls Ranch
A lawsuit was filed regarding the removal of the trespass horses from Fort Polk
Due to that ongoing litigation,” the statement concluded
“we are unable to provide further information.”
“Thank you for your concern about the horses at Fort Polk
Texas State University has completed their contractual obligations to Fort Polk
Any further questions or comments should be addressed to Fort Polk.”
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Without emphasizing humane education and prioritizing its practice above that of greed and avarice
these animals don’t stand a snowball’s chance
Saving these horses and socializing as many as one can
Utilize the ones that can not be socialize for viewing therapy
The fort could be designed as a therapy center for sick or depressed individuals who just want to see
Why not utilize the scene by turning it into a therapeutic sanctuary for people who just want to escape their busy lives and be around nature
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Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInThe Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk are hosting the upcoming family-friendly event
The event is free and open to the public and features fireworks
static displays and musical guests Lady Antebellum and Everette
They have won seven Grammy awards including both Record and Song of the Year in 2010
Parking for non-Department of Defense ID cardholders will be at Honor Field on La
Directional signs from both north and south on U.S
Hwy 171 will direct you to designated shuttle bus parking
Honor Field is about 2 miles once you turn on to La
Military police will be on-site to assist with parking and loading the correct shuttle bus
Please have a government or state issued ID card when you arrive at Honor Field for anyone over the age of 16
All persons entering a federal installation are subject to search
Limited handicapped parking will be on-site at Headquarters Field
All shuttle bus locations will have handicapped parking available
DoD ID cardholders can access Fort Polk from any gate
You will be directed to the nearest shuttle bus parking lot: Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital
Fort Polk Commissary/Exchange and the Mission Training Center
Items that can be brought include: Blankets
strollers and small insulated cooler for infant formula or water and diaper bags
professional cameras with telephoto lenses and personal fireworks
A 44-year-old command sergeant major accused of distributing child pornography
adultery and sharing explicit photographs of himself while in uniform will face a court-martial next month at Fort Polk
Jeremy Compton served as the top enlisted soldier of the 46th Engineer Battalion at Fort Polk for two years before his arraignment on six counts of sexual misconduct Nov
He is charged with four counts of owning and distributing digital images of a minor
Two of the charges are for incidents that occurred between Aug
is accused of having sex with someone who was not his spouse in Little Rock
The final charge against Compton alleges he distributed images of himself dressed in his military uniform exposing himself at least once between April 2
Charge sheets are typically available for public release after a service member is arraigned
declined to do so in November citing a concern of impacting the pool of available jurors at the base
the court has decided to expand its call for jurors beyond Fort Polk
and subsequently Gardner agreed to release the information this week
Fort Polk officials did not provide any additional information about the charges against Compton
A court-martial with a jury panel is scheduled for May 30
Compton enlisted as an engineer in January 1998
He also has been assigned to bases in South Korea and Italy
area leaders broke ground Thursday on a multi-million-dollar elementary school building to serve military families of Fort Polk
98,000-square foot South Polk Elementary will replace a school of the same name located on the base
The new building is located on state Highway 467 south of Northwestern State University's Leesville campus
government and community partners ceremoniously turned dirt at a groundbreaking event on site Thursday
"The building itself represents a tremendous amount of teamwork," said Michael Reese
a community organization that markets and supports the base
state and city dollars came together to make the project a reality
The state of Louisiana and Vernon Parish School District each will contribute $1 million to the project
The school district will contribute $2 million in additional in-kind construction services
"It's a good example of what we can do when we have local
Whether it's educating our children or more land for training
we'll always support Fort Polk no matter what comes out of Washington (D.C.)"
"The building shows the commitment of Vernon Parish and the state of Louisiana to education," said Brig
commanding officer of Fort Polk and the Joint Readiness Training Center
Efforts to secure funding for the elementary school began in September 2011
when school district and Fort Polk representatives met with Office of Economic Adjustment officials in Washington D.C
The visit followed release of a report by the Department of Defense ranking the current South Polk Elementary sixth out of 160 schools on military bases in terms of buildings which needed replacing
Construction on the school began a week ago when Tudor Construction Incorporated of Alexandria started clearing the property
Alexandria architect firm Yeager Watson & Associates designed the new school
"We're hoping to start school the fall of 2016," said Tim Ward
director of finance for the Vernon Parish School District
The school will be able to accommodate 1,000 students
which are expected to be mostly military dependents
The one-story building will be bigger and "more modern" with more technology than the existing South Polk Elementary
The Vernon Parish School Board will donate the building to Fort Polk to house other agencies
Hickman said future use is to be determined but that it could house agencies like Boys or Girls Scouts or Family Readiness
as the building and playground equipment would be fitting for families
James Armes III praised the various partners for their foresight of the need for the new building to serve the base and school district
"The most important factor is the children
"It will become a new jewel in the crown of elementary schools around Fort Polk
and I hope it becomes the best elementary school in Louisiana."
Vernon schools Superintendent James Williams said the district was happy to be a part of the project
"Our School Board members are always eager and anxious to improve our school facilities," he said
There are five elementary schools in Leesville and Fort Polk
The current building serves fewer than the new building's capacity
"We're always looking for growth," Williams said
James Young has lived in military towns throughout the country
but one of his favorite has always been Leesville
he wasn't surprised to see the Vernon Parish town
listed among the country's least desirable military postings in a recent blog
"As far as when people in the military talk about where they want to go
Fort Polk doesn't have a great reputation," said Young
whose father was stationed at Fort Polk in the 1980s and who later served for nearly 20 years in the Marines
Blogger Bekah DiFelice recently published two articles on Thrillist
one titled "The best military towns in the United States
military towns you definitely don't want to be stationed in
based on interviews with service members and their families
the worst place to be posted in the country
bugs and its remote location were cited as major factors in the ranking
if you like shady bars and strip clubs," said one soldier
who asked not to be named since he is currently stationed on the post
nothing to do except hunting and fishing," said Dan Cole
"I was happy to spend eight months of my time there on deployment."
The view of Leesville/Fort Polk as "out in middle of nowhere
His view is that many military towns are not garden spots
and you can either make the best of your situation or be miserable
it's that Louisiana has friendly people and good food
and the west-central part of the state has all the outdoor fun you could want
"I can see where some people don't want to live there."
it was an OK place to spend a few years," said June McQuarters
who lived in Leesville while her husband was stationed at Fort Polk
The food was not as good as other places I have been in Louisiana
I wish there had been more options for housing and things to do
But there are far worse places to live in the military."
The post and surrounding area have seen quality of life improvements in recent years
a new hospital and commissary and investment in the school system that has produced "absolutely exceptional outcomes," said Mike Reese of Fort Polk Progress
a nonprofit dedicated to advocating for and supporting the installation
Infrastructure investment on Louisiana Highway 467 leading into the base promises a corridor for future housing and commercial development
And in answer to the familiar refrain "Leesville can't even get a Chili's," ground has been broken on an actual Chili's
"It's a small success for a small town," Reese said
"But it's one of those things that shows we have constant forward progress."
"What drives us each and every day is we want to make Fort Polk a station of choice," he said
"I personally am very proud of the way communities across Central Louisiana have come together to change any perception of Fort Polk that's negative
DiFelice expects natives of places that found their way onto the "worst of" list to "go to bat for their town." She would do the same for her one-time adopted hometown of Yuma
DeFelice is married to an active duty Marine
Their first duty station together was in Yuma
She "cried and cried" when she got to the area
which struck her as "middle of nowhere desert."
the eccentricities of that small town became endearing rather than offensive
I fell in love with the same base town that on paper looked so terrible
a town that is ironically also featured in many 'worst of' military lists
they will tell you that sometimes the worst duty stations on paper make the best ones for the arc of your life story."
DeFelice based the rankings on interviews with active duty service members and their families
with extra weight given to those who have lived in multiple military towns
these answers are never objective and that’s part of the fun," she said
consensus is generally loose and circumstantial."
She also pointed out that Thrillist — which focuses on travel
entertainment and lifestyle — is geared towards a younger audience looking for exciting places to go and things to do
"So naturally this article was filtered through the lens of a specific readership," she said
I might discuss the community aspects of a town rather than exclusively focus on the specifics of entertainment and dining."
The towns military personnel would most and least like to be stationed at, according to surveys published on recent thrillist.com blogs:
Full list — https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/the-top-10-military-towns-in-the-united-states
Full list — https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/the-us-military-towns-you-definitely-dont-want-to-be-stationed-in-ranked
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Tweet The future of night vision continues to get brighter for soldiers as features like augmented reality
enhanced target acquisition capabilities and GPS support find their way onto the Army’s next generation of night vision goggles
According to Army Futures Command spokesperson
Louisiana conducted the first of three rounds of Reliability Growth Testing for the Enhanced Night Vision Goggle-Binocular June 30
The next round is tentatively slated to take place in about eight months
and that’s a conservative number,” Sider said
“We employ the concept of Soldier Centered Design
which means we rely on soldiers every step of the way
to make sure everything about the final system is just what the warfighter wants and needs
the Army developed great capabilities and fielded them to Soldiers without getting their feedback
and the result was a system or a weapon that was maybe unwieldy or interfered with other parts of their kit or whatever”
During the first round of RGT soldiers from C Troop
10th Mountain Division tested the ENVG-B at Fort Polk’s Joint Readiness Training Center throughout June
According to an Army Futures Command press release the testing began with a week of classroom training and culminated in a 72-hour field training exercise
Thirty soldiers used the ENVG-Bs while others used the Army’s legacy PVS-14 night vision devices
the difference between the (ENVG-B) and the PVS-14 is night and day,” said C Troop Commander
William Hess in a quote provided by Sider via e-mail
“The guys wearing the ENVG-Bs were taking targets out to 300 meters and even beyond
whereas our guys with 14s are having trouble seeing beyond 150
The testing took place nine months after the ENVG-B was initially fielded to soldiers at Fort Riley
See: Army debuts enhanced night vision capabilities
“We put an incredible tool in the hands of soldiers who need it now,” Assistant Product Manager for the ENVG-B, Maj. John Nikiforakis said in the press release. “But the goal always is to treat the soldier as a system, to equip soldiers and squads holistically with weapons and system elements that work together to make them more lethal and more survivable. That’s what we’re doing here, testing the ENVG-B as a system.”
Tweet30 Jimmy Norris Jimmy Norris is a newly-retired public affairs soldier and freelance writer
His work has appeared in multiple military publications including Stars and Stripes and NCO Journal
He recently completed work on his bachelor of arts degree in communications with Thomas Edison State University
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© 2024 Military Families by U.S. Military Publishing. Site by SCBW
Leaders at the Joint Readiness Training Center are addressing concerns anonymous Fort Bragg paratroopers have raised about a COVID-19 “outbreak” at the center
The Fayetteville Observer was sent an anonymous letter purportedly written by a paratrooper on behalf of other paratroopers
The letter was also shared on social media
where online users commented with similar concerns
An estimated 4,000 paratroopers are at the center for training
have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Among the concerns raised in the letter are questions about leadership within the 3rd Brigade Combat Team
82nd Airborne Division; whether proper precautions are being taken during training during the COVID-19 pandemic; and claims that paratroopers who have since tested positive for the virus infected others during the bus ride to Louisiana
Officials have said all paratroopers were tested before the bus ride and before leaving the Fort Bragg
and that they were given the option to receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
The letter and online comments also brought up concerns about how those with COVID-19 are quarantined in Louisiana
what they’re being fed and the water in Louisiana.
More: Fort Bragg paratroopers take to social media with COVID-19 outbreak concerns
“Hundreds of soldiers that are being sent for the training exercise named JRTC
are now battling a mass outbreak,” the letter reads
“Soldiers are having to sleep amongst those that are infected and are not provided with a place to quarantine or isolate.”
commander of Fort Polk and the Joint Readiness Center
commander of Bayne-Jones Army Community Hospital at Fort Polk
spoke to The Fayetteville Observer on Thursday.
Doyle reiterated that before leaving Fort Bragg
all paratroopers were tested for the COVID-19 virus and had their movements restricted as a precautionary requirement established by U.S
“They did a thorough screening and every paratrooper was asked if they came in contact with someone who they thought had COVID-19,” Doyle said.
Doyle explained Fort Polk is set up with a north and south region
with the north region being the training area.
Military personnel in the south region are not allowed to go to the north area
cleared and screened for the virus to ensure the populations aren’t mixed.
“Once (the paratroopers) arrived they were kept in a training bubble,” Doyle said.
He said a small number of paratroopers who came to the Joint Readiness Center tested positive for the virus when arriving and that they were quickly isolated.
The brigade has been tested by Fort Polk’s hospital staff to allow results to come back in about three hours
Fort Polk has new barracks within their garrison where the COVID-19-positive paratroopers stay and are visited by a field officer each day.
Doyle said it’s across the street from the hospital
should the soldiers need further medical attention
He said none of the paratroopers who have tested positive have required hospitalization.
Online comments and concerns raised in the letter claimed the 3rd Brigade Combat Team paratroopers showing symptoms of the virus are being kept in the “box” or training area
Dugai said if someone complains of having symptoms of COVID-19
they are placed in a holding area and tested
they are either treated for their cold or other illness
the soldier is transported to the isolation barracks by personnel wearing protective equipment.
“We don’t send them on a plane
train or bus during the 10 days of isolation or 14 days of quarantine
depending on when they tested positive,” Dugai said
If the soldier’s unit has ended training during the isolation or quarantine phase
the COVID-19 positive soldiers will remain at Fort Polk until the quarantine ends and they test negative for the virus.
The letter also stated that quarantined soldiers “are concerned for their nutrition
as soldiers have been reporting that frequently they have been receiving minuscule amounts of food or none at all.”
Doyle said quarantined and isolated paratroopers are being fed the same meals served in Fort Polk’s dining facilities and given to all soldiers
noncommissioned officers and commissioned officers.
In one of the online comments sent to The Fayetteville Observer
a person claimed a field sanitation worker told them the water was not safe to drink
so chlorine was placed in it and their squad was getting headaches.
Doyle said water at Fort Polk is monitored by the state of Louisiana and federal regulators
and professionals from the hospital’s preventative medicine department also examine it
The only difference is there is a higher concentration of manganese in Louisiana
though Doyle said it is safe to drink and another additive that is not a health threat will soon be added to change the color.
During the early part of the pandemic last year
two rotations at the Joint Readiness Training Center were canceled.
senior Army leaders finalized plans to return to collective training
ready force," even while balancing operations and combating COVID-19," former Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said.
McConville said collective training “is crucial,” but leaders needed to ensure the right measures were in place.
“It’s not going to be a one-size-fits-all solution,” McConville said in an Army article in April. “But we’re looking. “But we’re looking at the long game
We’re not waiting for COVID-19 to go away.”
made a similar comment during a Fort Bragg town hall meeting in March.
“It’s a balance between risks to force
and the risk to the mission of being able to meet those mission requirements should our nation call,” Kurilla said.
there have been rotations at the center with the 4th Security Force Assistance Brigade
the 25th Infantry Division and another Security Force Assistant Brigade.
More: Fort Bragg activities slowly start to resume
Training at the Joint Readiness Training Center provides soldiers with opportunities their home stations can not
He said there are personnel who are “intensely familiar” with the training area
and their only mission is to act as “aggressors” toward the training soldiers to simulate any threats they’d face by an opposing force.
observers and trainers who ensure the soldiers are able to execute safe actions during dangerous situations and conduct thorough after-action reviews to better the soldiers.
“Another thing every soldier and paratrooper gets here is data indicators
which tracks every individual's engagements,” Doyle said
we’ll show them imagery and pictures…
So it allows them to see that first hand and take that back with them.”
There’s training for electronic warfare
which replicates what’s seen on social media or with cyber strikes.
Training scenarios are built out 270 days in advance with specific scenarios designed for each unit
such as scenarios for the 82nd Airborne Division's Immediate Response Force.
More: Fort Bragg special warfare students, instructors who tested positive for COVID-19 complete isolation
“We want to ensure every single soldier who comes here can redeploy back to their home station and is prepared for whatever mission is given by their unit,” Doyle said
“And we’re doing that with a set of protocols to protect against COVID-19 and all other threats that come with high-risk training.”
and training before conflicts in Korea and Vietnam.
“We’re still doing that today and want most to have the most difficult training we can possibly render and want the hardest day for paratroopers and soldiers to be here at JRTC and Fort Polk and not be in combat,” Doyle said.
Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.
Support local journalism with a subscription to The Fayetteville Observer
Click the "subscribe'' link at the top of this article
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and national officials joined the Leesville community to see the grand opening of a new elementary school Thursday
Parkway Elementary can hold up to 800 students
and it will be made up of first through fourth graders
97 percent of the students are from military families
where people want to be,” said Don Pierson
secretary of Louisiana economic development
army and government officials all agreed that offering great education opportunities near military bases like Fort Polk is important
"Caring for soldiers and families remain priorities for the United States Army," said Brigadier General Gary M
the state-of-the-art school only took four years to build
"The defense committee’s excellence award for collaboration,” said Brito
“For our successful collaborations with local
Parkway Elementary replaces the South Polk School-- a building considered substandard
the student body and faculty were excited to make the move
"It has built the moral of the faculty the staff
they have more working space,” said Elsee Ashworth
“The students are excited about their new environment."
The school was funded with 18 million dollars from the Defense Department and matching funds of one million from both the state of Louisiana and Vernon Parish School Board
The ceremony revealed two additional grants that are each worth over a million dollars for Vernon Parish schools
a battery of experts told soldiers and their families at a town hall meeting Tuesday
people living on the base remain concerned
"Of course they are," said Bob Dohoney with American Water
the private company that manages the base's water systems
Everybody could not be working more together to achieve the common goal of safe
But we're moving as hard and fast as we can."
Tuesday's meeting was meant to update personnel living on the base on the latest testing of Fort Polk's water systems and steps currently being taken to improve them
The main issues of concern are testing last year that revealed elevated levels of lead and copper in some base homes and the "brown water" that has been prevalent throughout the base
Army Public Health Command visited Fort Polk to provide an outside assessment of its water
They were at the meeting Tuesday to share their findings
along with representatives from American Water
the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals and base leadership and health officials
"I can stand here and confidently tell you that
the water at Fort Polk is safe," said Steve Clarke
an environmental engineer with the Public Health Command
Routine testing in July 2013 of residential units in North Fort Housing found four of 20 residences tested exceeded the "action level" for lead in the water
Action level is a threshold at which further testing and a plan of action to address the issue is required
The action level for lead in water is 15 parts per billion
Some of the samples tested as high as 36 ppb
Additional testing was triggered since more than 10 percent of the samples tested above action level
Followup testing in September 2013 found 17 of 40 homes tested had above action levels of copper
Lead is a toxin that can have harmful effects if its accumulates in the body
including higher blood pressure in adults and developmental problems in young children
but can cause gastrointestinal distress with short-term exposure and liver or kidney problems with long-term exposure
including testing during the Public Health Command's assessment
has turned up fewer than 10 percent of samples showing action levels of contaminants
Participants Tuesday asked about specific health problems their children were having and whether they could be traced to the water
They also questioned whether living areas where water had not been tested could be considered safe
Clarke said a significant driver of the elevated lead and copper levels was the pH level of one of the wells serving North Fort Housing had changed
making the water more acidic and more prone to cause corrosion
American Water has taken that well out of service
the company plans to take steps to increase the pH in water from that well and treat it with a substance designed to reduce lead and copper corrosion
"We think we've identified the issue and are taking steps to address and further reduce lead and copper within the North Fort Housing water system," Clarke said
The "brown water" that often flows from taps and shower heads at Fort Polk does not pose health risks the way lead and copper do
but it is a significant quality of life issue for soldiers and their families living on base
"I know it's difficult to hear the water system is safe when you're looking at this gross-colored water coming out of your tap," Clarke said
The discolored water is caused by iron and manganese in the water system
Iron and manganese naturally occur in water and can also leach into water from old pipes like the ones serving much of Fort Polk
The iron and manganese levels are increased by "water age," or the time it takes for water to travel through a system and reach the user
American Water has already begun steps to significantly reduce water age
The South Fort water system is more problematic
because of its design and the age of its pipes
American Water is installing systems to continually mix fresh water into its tanks and flush the system to remove built up iron and manganese
"I'm confident that all the planned improvements that are eventually going to be all implemented will have a significantly positive impact on further reducing the brown and rusty water issues throughout Fort Polk," Clarke said
Residents stayed about an hour-and-a-half after the presentation Tuesday to ask questions
Base officials shared their contact information and urged residents to call if they experience brown water issues
but some admitted it occurs so often they don't report it any more
"They're tired of calling every time it happens," said Kat Mulvihill
praised Fort Polk's top officers for their honesty and openness during this process
She said she got some useful information from the meeting
but some of it she perceived to be "talking around" the issues instead of giving "straight answers."
they feel like they're living in a third world country sometimes," she said
who spent much of the meeting interacting on Facebook with spouses who couldn't make the meeting
said people "are happy things are changing
but it's sad it had to get to this point for it to change."
Little Rock (KATV) — A Little Rock man has been taken into custody after allegations of raping an intoxicated Louisiana State University student in her dorm room
was arrestedby the LSU Police Department on Thursday at a Fort Polk
The victim told police she met Saine at an off-campus party on March 13 and that the two exchanged social media information
Officials said the victim admitted to police that shedrank heavily at the party.After the party
Saine contacted the victim and asked to hang out then went over to her dorm
the victim said Saine asked to kiss her and told Saine 'no.' She then said he began to remove her clothes and raped her
Witnesses in the report also said that the victim told them what had happened right after the alleged attack and said the victim was 'very distraught.'
In the police report,Saine denied raping the victim
although he did admit that she told him she didn't want to kiss him
Saine was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison and charged with one count of third-degree rape
Louisiana State University has made efforts to prevent situations like these from occurring by teaching self-defense classes and extending crisis hotline hours
Bobbi Jo Malcolm said she woke from a dream last week to the voice of her son screaming "Mom!"
A soldier was standing on the other side of the threshold
She said the soldier told her that her eldest child
April 12 after he was shot inside a housing unit at Fort Polk
Malcolm said military investigators believe the incident happened when Jacob and some other soldiers were handling firearms
one of the soldiers pointed a weapon at Jacob and pulled the trigger
Malcolm said he died instantly of a single gunshot wound to his head
Schuster confirmed Thursday in an email that the wound was not self-inflicted
Army's Criminal Investigation Command is investigating the slaying
and Jacob's unit is planning on holding a vigil at a later date
Jacob was an infantry rifleman assigned to the 2nd Battalion
Malcolm said she had an uneasy feeling on the night Jacob died because he didn't respond to their nightly text message — a routine they started after he joined the military more than a year ago
She said Jacob aspired to be a soldier since he was 10
He told her that he wanted to transfer from Musselman High School to Mountaineer Challenge Academy
Jacob made the switch when he was 16 and graduated less than a year later
She then gave her consent to let him join the Army when he was 17
Malcolm said Jacob graduated from boot camp and U.S
"Little did I know he would be getting his angel wings
are having a rough time dealing with Jacob's loss
"There are no words to describe losing a child," she said
Malcolm said she is finding a little solace in some of Jacob's military friends
who called him their little brother and plan to attend his funeral next week
She said the military told her Jacob's body would arrive home sometime Thursday
His visitation is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m
Sunday at Brown Funeral Homes South Berkeley Chapel in Inwood
Malcolm said her son will be interred at Gerrardstown Presbyterian Cemetery in Gerrardstown
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a slow moving cold front pushed through Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana. Ahead of this front
a strong squall line developed and by midday began producing embedded tornados as it pushed across the area. A Tornado Watch was issued by the Storm Prediction Center at 7:55 AM for the entire area through 3:00 PM on the afternoon of the 25th
The watch was eventually reissued through 9:00 PM
A total of 12 tornados were confirmed over the course of the afternoon and evening
another 4 reports of severe thunderstorm damage as well as 7 reports of strong marine winds were reported over the course of the event.
A total of 32 warnings were issued during the event
These warnings consisted of 9 Tornado warnings
13 Severe Thunderstorm Warnings and 10 Special Marine Warnings
The details of the individual tornados as well as Severe Thunderstorm and Marine reports are outlined below
A Tornado Warning was issued at 12:05 PM for Northern Hardin as well as Southern and Central Tyler County
Location: 4 Miles South of Wildwood (Hardin County)
Several trees were blown down or snapped along sections of Post Oak Rd...Extending over highway 69
The path length was three miles and the width was 20 yards.
A Tornado Warning was issued at 12:29 PM for Eastern portions of Tyler County and Western portions of Jasper County
Location: 3 Miles North Northwest of Caney Head (Tyler County)
a carport was damaged and a shed lost some tin from its roof
The tornado path was 0.4 miles long and its width was 10 yards
Tornado Path 3 Miles North Northwest of Caney Head
A Tornado Warning was issued at 12:59 for East Central Jasper and West Central Newton Counties
Location: 4 Miles Northwest of Call (Jasper County)
A tornado touched down near the Kirbyville Airport
where it tore part of a metal roof off a home
It then moved into Western sections of Kirbyville blowing trees down and damaging a shed
The tornado was on the ground for 1.6 miles and was 20 yards wide
A tornado warning was issued at 12:59 PM for East Central Jasper and West Central Newton counties
Location: 1 Mile North Northeast of Magnolia Springs (Jasper County)
A tornado touched down along FM 1005 blowing some trees down
It was on the ground for 0.8 miles and its width was 10 yards
Tornado path 1 Mile Northeast of Magnolia Springs
A Tornado Warning was issued at 1:29 PM for Eastern portions of Newton County as well as West Central Beauregard and Western Vernon parishes
Location: 5 Miles South Southeast of Toledo Bend Dam (Vernon Parish)
An EF 0 tornado touched down on Lynn Nash Road blowing over and snapping trees along a three mile path that crossed LA Highway 111
Tornado path 5 Miles South Southeast of Toledo Bend Dam
A Tornado Warning was issued at 2:01 PM for much of Bearegard and Vernon parishes
Location: 3 Miles South Southeast of Fort Polk (Vernon Parish)
EF 0 tornado touched down in the middle of the woods near Fort Polk
Many pine trees were snapped or blown down
Path length was one mile and path width was 20 yards
Tornado path 3 miles South Southeast of Fort Polk
A Tornado Warning was issued at 2:56 PM for Western portions of Rapides parish
Location: 2 Miles East of Hineston (Rapides Parish)
EF 0 tornado touched down near Harper Road before crossing LA Highway 112 and dissipating along Twin Bridges Road
Several trees were blown down or snapped in half
Path length was 1.5 miles and path width was 20 yards
A Tornado Warning was issued at 3:24 PM for much of Rapides Parish
Location: 1 Mile Southwest of Kolin (Rapides Parish)
An EF 0 tornado touched down along Palmer Chapel road blowing several trees down
It dissipated near the Ruby-Wise school on LA Hwy 107 where it damaged part of a roof at the school
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for portions of Western Cameron
Location: 3 Miles Northeast of Sulphur (Calcasieu Parish)
Along Evergreen street between Sulphur and Westlake
a tornado touched down blowing trees down and damaging several homes when trees fell on the roof
This storm continued to the Northeast and hit several mobile homes near the golf course in Westlake before it moved into Moss Bluff where it ripped shingles off a couple of homes
blew a fence down and knocked down some trees
This tornado was on the ground for 5.7 miles and was 25 yards wide
A Tornado Warning was issued at 2:28 PM for Eastern Vernon and Western Rapides parishes
Location: 5 Miles Southwest of Boyce (Vernon Parish)
EF 0 tornado touched down near Cotile Lake on Vanzant and Bath House Roads before dissipating near LA Highway 1200
Many trees were blown down or snapped in half
Path length was 0.8 miles and path width was 20 yards
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued at 5:53 PM for Eastern Cameron
Location: 4.1 Miles East Southeast of Grand Chenier Airport (Cameron Parish)
A home lost its carport and part of its roof when a tornado moved across highway 82 near Grand Chenier
Debris was blown into the marsh behind the house
Tornado Path 4.1 Miles East Southeast of Grand Chenier Airport
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued at 7:19 PM for much of Lafayette
Location: 2.3 Miles East of Duson (Lafayette Parish)
A small tornado touched down in the 100 block of La Rue Rhiems where a mobile home lost most of its roof
Another mobile home in the 200 block of La Rue Biarritz had major damage to its porch and carport
Debris was scattered in fields and trees nearby
Several reports of wind damage were received throughout the day as well
Some of these were later determined to be tornado damage while others were straight line winds associated with strong thunderstorms
These straight line wind damage reports as well as the only hail report received on the 25th are outlined below
12:35 PM - A HAM radio operator relayed a report via Facebook of quarter (1.00 inch) size hail near Jasper
3:35 PM - Rapides parish sheriff reports trees down on Moss Point Drive and LA Highway 1N
3:47 PM - Rapides parish sheriff reports a tree down on a house in the 6100 block of Mcray Drive in the Ball community
4:30 PM - Rapides parish sheriff reports a tree down on a garage and vehicle two miles south of Deville
In addition to the tornado and severe thunderstorm reports received
the National Weather Service also issued 10 Special Marine Warnings for the possibility of strong winds over the lakes and offshore waters
Seven such reports were received over the course of the event which are outlined below
3:30 PM - Platform in West Cameron block 53 reports an estimated wind speed of 55 MPH
3:42 PM - Platform in West Cameron block 17 reports an estimated wind speed of 45 MPH
4:35 PM - Platform in West Cameron block 130 reports an estimated wind speed of 45 MPH
5:18 PM - C-MAN station CAPL1 reports a measured wind speed of 45 MPH
6:20 PM - AWOS station KCMB reports a measured wind speed of 46 MPH
8:00 PM - Platform in Vermilion block 24 reports an estimated wind speed of 55 MPH
8:15 PM - AWOS station KVNP reports a measured wind speed of of 51 MPH
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February 18, 2021 By Merritt Clifton
Louisiana––Why are some wild horse rescuers in Louisiana celebrating the births of multiple foals who have nowhere to go except from sanctuary to sanctuary
Why were alleged dealers in horses for slaughter Crystal LeBron
and Tara Sanders still in possession of horses in mid-February 2021 in Florida and Texas
after running afoul of the law for their treatment of horses in Louisiana
Army effort to eradicate the wild horse population at Fort Polk
and the nearby Peason Ridge Military Training Area has again put on display the frequent illogic of wild horse rescue
along with the inconsistency of state and federal policies pertaining to animal neglect and abuse
which allow convicted offenders to hop from state to state without their histories following
ANIMALS 24-7 detailed the long Fort Polk and Peason Ridge conflict, and the background to it, on August 17, 2018 in The Fort Polk horses: last stand of the U.S. cavalry
The Fort Polk wild horses are believed to be descended from horses abandoned or lost after the Louisiana Maneuvers of 1941 featured the last use of cavalry against cavalry in U.S
unlike those on property belonging to the Bureau of Land Management
are not protected by Wild Free-Roaming Horses & Burros Act of 1971
Roundups of the Fort Polk horses began late in 2016
Horse defenders concerned that the Fort Polk horses might be sold to be slaughtered in Mexico or Canada contended then––as horse defenders have also argued often in response to Bureau of Land Management gathers––that the horses subject to removal should be preserved where they are
as alleged representatives of rare Spanish genetic lines
This contention has failed time and again in court
against the weight of evidence that practically all horses in North America are of Spanish descent
Only an improbable amount of inbreeding in isolation
could have retained any unique wild horse ancestry over the past nearly 500 years
but not for the most part in the court of public opinion
Army sought ways to avoid at least the appearance of selling wild horses to slaughter
Todd Ahlman.(Texas State University photo)
Instead, as ANIMALS 24-7 detailed in both 2018 and in a 2019 follow-up, Alleged “horses for ransom” brokers busted in Louisiana
Army disposed of horses through dodgy dealings with nonprofit organizations
But $80,850 of the sum was allocated to help remove 200 horses from Fort Polk and Peason Ridge
Jacob Thompson & horse.(Facebook photo)
The Center for Archaeological Studies jobbed that part of the contract out to Jacob Thompson Cattle LLC
shortly before the contract between Texas State University and Thompson concluded
that the horses Thompson removed from Fort Polk were relayed to three “nonprofit horse rescue groups.”
One of those “nonprofit horse rescue groups” was Meridian Falls Ranch
incorporated in August 2015 by Shandi Ann Lebron
also known by the names Shandy LeBron and Crystal LeBron
Fort Polk wild horse advocate and Pegasus Equine Guardian Association (PEGA) founder Amy Hanchey alleged on August 3
along with seven co-signers of an open “Letter of Concern,” that Meridian Falls Ranch was “a likely shadow organization that is in fact selling or sending the horses to kill pens and auctions.”
had a multi-count history of arrests for alleged offenses involving livestock
including a reported $367 fine for a 2016 neglect conviction in Texas
Forty-four horses rounded up at Fort Polk and Peason Ridge in May and June 2018 were reportedly transferred through Meridian Falls Ranch to the Elkhart Horse Auction in Elkhart
Roundups by other contractors have continued
with 339 horses removed from Fort Polk and the Peason Ridge Military Training Area through September 2019
As Fort Polk and the Peason Ridge Military Training Area are both off limits to civilians
no independent counts of actual horses exist
also known as Shandy LeBron and Crystal LeBron
Both Lebron and Jacob Thompson were recently in the news again
Reported Tom McLaughlin of the Northwest Florida Daily News on February 15
“Panhandle Animal Welfare Society officers confiscated 77 animals late last week from a Laurel Hill farm that billed itself as a rescue facility,” operating as Fyre Branch Rescue
“A news release originally posted on Facebook said animal control officers arrived at the Fyre Branch Rescue to find dead piglets and chickens in various states of decomposition and hogs standing in three feet of their own waste ‘feeding on the dead,’ ” McLaughlin summarized
“It described emaciated horses with open sores that had no clean water available and said horse skulls
jaw bones and cow horns were ‘scattered across the filthy property.’”
three dogs and two cats from the property
“The majority of the animals were turned over to the Alaqua Animal Refuge in Freeport,” McLaughlin continued
“though the release said PAWS itself had taken custody of the pigs.”
The Alaqua Animal Refuge has often before helped the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society with alleged hoarding cases and disaster relief situations
“The owner of Fyre Branch Rescue goes by different aliases but is known in Okaloosa County jail and court records as Shandi LeBron,” McLaughlin wrote
Hanchey recalled to McLaughlin that “her organization (PEGA) and several others worked hard
in removing LeBron from a position of overseeing the well-being of animals” in connection with the Fort Polk horses
after which “Hanchey said the last she had heard
“Following the confiscation of the animals at the Laurel Hill farm
LeBron surrendered custody of all of the horses except one of them
The horse LeBron refused to surrender was one named Joker
PAWS is caring for Joker and will be going to court to battle for custody
The Panhandle Animal Welfare Society had warned LeBron in November 2020 to rectify allegedly negligent conditions
This was long before Fyre Branch Rescue deteriorated to the conditions discovered in February 2021
but the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society apparently did not follow up the warning with another site visit for more than three months
the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society also has a long history of questionable handling of dangerous dogs
(See Pit bull victims sue the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society.)
The Louisiana Department of Agriculture two weeks earlier before the Fyre Branch Rescue impoundments “announced impending permanent injunctions against Gary [Thompson
and Jacob Thompson [owner of Jacob Thompson Cattle LLC]
as well as fines for Jacob Thompson and Tara Sanders,” Jacob Thompson’s longtime partner
reported Natalie Voss for the Paulick Report
a news web site serving the thoroughbred racing industry
“According to charging documents,” Voss wrote
“the actions stemmed from the trio operating without livestock dealer permits
which are required in the state of Louisiana.”
Jacob Thompson was fined $23,000; Sanders was fined $13,000
Each was fined the maximum of $1,000 per violation
“The process from beginning to end of the state’s quest for such an injunction was about two years and cites incidents going back to 2018,” Voss recounted
“Jacob Thompson’s livestock dealer permit renewal was denied by the Board in 2018
and a petition from the department alleged that Gary Thompson never held a dealer permit.”
that she did not need a livestock dealer’s permit because she lived in Oklahoma
Sanders currently claims to have bought the Thompson livestock business and moved it to Texas
As to where the horses removed from Fort Polk are now
Natchitoches Times intern Keator Poleman reported on September 16
2019 that some have been relocated to Haseya’s New Beginning Horse Ranch
and Hanchey’s Pegasus Equine Guardian Association Freedom Reins Ranch and Rescue in Louisiana
Others have been relayed to Wild Horse Rescue in Ohio
Baby Girl Rescue and Veteran Therapy Ranch in Florida
and the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary in South Dakota
Exactly how many Fort Polk horses altogether have been saved from slaughter is unclear
What is clear is that places must be found for hundreds more
Army horse sales to slaughter are to be avoided altogether––and that is not even considering how many more foals will be born
if a strict contraceptive or sterilization policy is not put into effect
President-elect Donald Trump has made no attempt to hide his disdain for the name changes to nine southern Army installations in 2023
multimillion-dollar effort that began in his first administration
“Here’s what we do: We get elected [then] I’m doing it,” Trump told his supporters at the town hall event
drawing cheers and applause from the crowd
“We did win two world wars from Fort Bragg
Some of Trump’s supporters have long cheered his calls for Confederate names to remain on or return to Army posts
and some veterans who served at these installations have vowed to never recognize the official name changes that were conducted in ceremonies between March and October 2023
became Fort Johnson; Fort Bragg became Fort Liberty; Fort Benning
a former Fox New host who served combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan as an Army National Guard officer
is among those who have criticized the changes
he has called the effort “a sham,” “garbage,” and urged officials to “change it back.”
Critics of Trump’s campaign promise to return Confederate-linked names to those bases said it would revert the military to honoring treasonous Confederate soldiers who killed American troops and undo a Congress-mandated process that cost taxpayers tens of millions of dollars
It would also strip honors from the Army leaders and war heroes for whom the installations — except for Fort Liberty — were renamed
who served more than three decades as an armor officer and later as a professor and leader of the history department at the U.S
“Why wouldn’t we want to name it after the great heroes that we do have in the U.S
who served as the vice chairman of the Naming Commission
the bipartisan board created by Congress to identify Confederate associated items across the Defense Department inventory and recommend the changes ultimately implemented by the Pentagon
Inspirational people with inspirational stories.”
The new names include multiple Medal of Honor recipients for combat heroics ranging from the Civil War to the Vietnam War
trailblazing soldiers and other accomplished Army leaders
As Trump returns to the White House on Monday
it is unclear precisely how the president-elect plans to undo the name changes
or whether he legally can revert those names back
Seidule and other members who served on the Naming Commission believe current law bans the Defense Department from naming any item in the military inventory
The effort to remove Confederate names from the military
especially the southern Army posts named for Confederate officers in the 1910s and 1940s during the south’s Jim Crow era
began amid a nationwide racial reckoning after the Memorial Day 2020 killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police
including then-Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy and then-Defense Secretary Mark Esper
who had long opposed renaming installation names
signaled at the time that they were open to change
Congress included the effort in the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act — the annual must-pass bill that sets Congress’ policy and spending priorities for the Pentagon — creating the Naming Commission and encoding into law that the Pentagon rid its posts of Confederate names
calling it an effort to “rewrite history” as a part of a “new left-wing cultural revolution,” Congress easily overrode his veto in a bipartisan New Year’s Day 2021 vote
But about one year before Congress approved that controversial plan
a little-noticed amendment included in the 2020 NDAA effectively barred Pentagon officials from naming any military assets for anyone and anything associated with the Confederacy
which Trump signed into law in December 2019
entitled “Prohibition on names related to the Confederacy,” received little media attention at the time
but legal experts and Naming Commission members believe it ensures Congress would have to change the existing law to allow Trump to revert Army bases to their former
“In naming a new asset or renaming an existing asset
the secretary of defense or the secretary of a military department may not give a name to an asset that refers to
the Confederate States of America… including any name referring to … a person who served or held leadership within the Confederacy; or a Confederate battlefield victory,” the 2020 NDAA reads
The legislation further defined assets as including “any base
or any other property owned or controlled by the Department of Defense or a military department.”
Trump might attempt to make his promised changes via executive order
It was unclear Thursday whether Trump would include fulfilling that promise among his priorities on the first day of his second administration
Trump’s transition team did not respond to multiple requests for comment on the issue
A staffer for the Senate Armed Services Committee said the law was “somewhat ambiguous” given that it does not directly bar the president from renaming an installation
a president would issue an order like that to the defense secretary who would then order the service secretary to carry out the president’s order,” said the staffer
would not allow the [defense secretary] or the Army secretary to make that change.”
It is also unclear whether there is enough support in Congress for changing the names
even with Republicans controlling both chambers by slim majorities
Stars and Stripes sought comment from more than a dozen lawmakers — including those representing the installations impacted by the name changes and leaders for the Senate and House Armed Services committees – but received few responses on the issue
said the issue was “fairly considered” in Congress and should be treated as settled law
“Everyone had input on this — including President Trump,” said Bacon
a retired Air Force brigadier general and an Armed Services committee member
“The law is straightforward and speaks for itself: the Department of Defense will no longer honor officers of the Confederacy who betrayed their oaths and engaged in an armed rebellion against the United States and were defeated by naming important military bases after them.”
military “bases should be named after heroes.”
Military officials have said the process to change the names of the nine Army posts and two Navy ships and to rename or remove thousands of other items across the Pentagon’s vast array of installations was tedious
Officials at posts including Fort Liberty and Fort Moore told reporters that their staffs spent months inventorying every item on the post to ensure all remnants of the installations’ former names were removed
The Army spent about $9.3 million just to rename its nine installations
That total does not include money spent on other related efforts
The service spent about $342,000 for Fort Barfoot
$352,000 for Fort Walker and more than $1 million for Fort Eisenhower
The costs were about 56% lower than the Naming Commission’s estimated costs
The Pentagon money wasn’t the only taxpayer funding spent on the effort
States spent millions of dollars altering or posting new road signs reflecting the name changes
North Carolina spent about $450,000 to update 86 highway traffic signs from Fort Bragg to Fort Liberty
according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation
Changing the names back would require a new funding authorization from Congress
It could prove nearly as costly as the first renaming process and would render the past money spent to strip the Pentagon of Confederate honors “utterly wasted,” according to the staffer
Trump has often said the effort of removing Confederate base names disrespected the veterans who trained at those bases
His December 2020 statement announcing his veto of the 2021 NDAA said the bases had “taken on significance to the American story and those who have helped write it that far transcends their namesakes.”
Hegseth said removing the Confederate-linked names broke with a long tradition that links generations of soldiers who served at those posts
But the topic did not come up this week during his contentious confirmation hearing with the Senate Armed Services Committee
We should change it back,” Hegseth said on The Everyday Warrior Podcast in June 2024 before he was nominated for the top Pentagon post
“We should change it back because legacy matters
He said he tells detractors of the effort that they need to understand the difference between history and commemoration
do not reflect history but do serve as a commemoration
who we think is representative and who we honor,” he said
when you know the full story of these people [the Confederate generals]
their stories are out there about who they were and what they did.”
Bragg graduated from West Point and served in the U.S
Army as an artillery officer for some 19 years before resigning his commission to purchase a sugar plantation in Louisiana
He took a commission as general in the Confederate Army after the Civil War began and ultimately earned a reputation for losing critical battles with poor military tactics and losing the respect of his men
Some of the other Confederates who were previously honored with installation names never even served in the U.S
“They committed treason for slavery and then they killed U.S
Seidule argued that should be enough to convince any American patriot that Confederate names have no place on today’s Army posts
Army soldiers,” he said he tells detractors of the name-changing efforts
I served in war and peace and to think that you’re going to honor someone that tried to destroy this country that we serve — terrible.”
Names now honored on installations include Lt
the Distinguished Service Cross recipient for heroics in the first major battle of the Vietnam War and his wife who worked to improve the Pentagon’s casualty notice process and advocated for Army spouses and families
the Army’s first Hispanic general who was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions in the Korean War and the Distinguished Service Cross in Vietnam; Col
the first Black female officer in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corp; and Lt
the service’s first Black three-star general
who enlisted initially in a segregated Army
Fort Liberty’s name was chosen in honor of the bedrock American value
which was suggested by a North Carolina Gold Star mother
who told officials during the renaming process that her son
Daniel Lucas Elliott “died for liberty,” when he was killed in combat in Iraq in 2011
The name-change effort even found support among at least some descendants of the Confederates that the base names previously honored
Denise Rucker Krepp said Wednesday it would be shameful if Confederate Col
Edward Rucker’s name was returned to the Army’s aviation training base in southern Alabama
a lawyer who works as a Navy civilian employee and former Coast Guard officer
had long sought to see her distant cousin’s name removed from the base
She said she avoided following her parents — both retired Army officers — into the service because she did not want to discuss her last name and its ties to the Confederacy
Krepp said her family is also distantly related to Benning
When Fort Rucker became Fort Novosel — named for Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipient Chief Warrant Officer Michael Novosel — she was ecstatic because it finally meant Vietnam veterans such as her father were being recognized at such a high and visible level
She said she would implore Trump not to restore her family’s name or those of the other Confederate leaders to U.S
and I’m getting really frustrated by the disrespect that’s being shown for them with this attempt to take their names off these bases.”
If Trump does move to strip the new names of the nine Army bases in favor of their former monikers
“A Promise Delivered: Ten American Heroes and the Battle to Rename Our Nation’s Military Bases,” about the individuals whose names now adorn the renamed Army posts
He said if the base names are reversed it shows he and other historians have “a great deal more work to do.”
“I’m not going to cry in my cornflakes” if Trump undoes the Naming Commission’s work
“I’m going to continue to work as a historian and as an American to tell the story of our great heroes and also to tell the story of why we can’t go back to naming things after people who tried to destroy this great country
not traitors who killed American soldiers.”
Brito has been promoted from brigadier general (one star) to major general (two stars)
according to Department of Defense officials
currently the commander of the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) and Fort Polk
Abrams traveled from his home base of Fort Bragg
Brito was commissioned an infantry officer through Penn State University and entered active duty in March 1987
He is a graduate of Barnstable High School
He is a graduate of the Infantry Officer Basic and Advanced courses
Command General and Staff Officers Course and completed senior service college at the Joint Advanced Warfighting Course
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Community Studies from Penn State University
a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Troy State University and a second Master’s degree in Joint Strategy and Campaign Planning from the Joint Advanced Warfighting School
Brito has served in a variety of command and staff assignments
and has deployed to both Iraq and Afghanistan
Brito assumed command of the JRTC and Fort Polk on May 4
the JRTC and Fort Polk is one of the Army’s premier training centers
relevant and rigorous training of American Soldiers before they deploy to harm’s way
Brito is the godson of Rookie and Rosie Almeida
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After two years at the University of North Carolina (1821–23)
Polk underwent a profound religious experience and resigned his commission at the end of 1827 to enter the Virginia Theological Seminary
since by marriage he acquired a large number of slaves
Polk also turned his energies toward creating an Episcopal university in the South
dedicated to training Southern aristocrats in their responsibilities toward blacks
who Polk anticipated would be gradually emancipated
In 1856 he began to raise funds and acquire land for the school
he laid the cornerstone for the University of the South at Sewanee
In October 1862 he was promoted to lieutenant general
Polk sustained fatal wounds in fighting at Pine Mountain
in June 1864—four years before classes opened at the University of the South
“They tend to gobble better then,” he said
“Make sure you are familiar as possible with the area beforehand
before the season or before the hunt to try to locate some birds.”
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